Read Online Plots and Pans by Kelly Eileen Hake - Free Book Online
Authors: Kelly Eileen Hake
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emotions.
“Whatever my disappointments, you’re not one of them.” Jess frowned. “I’ve been rude.”
“Tired, more like.” An encouraging smile lit her face. “Traveling takes a toll on the body, grief grabs the soul, and it’s only natural to have questions after you’ve been gone so long.”
“It’s one thing to have questions and another to demand answers.” A rueful smile crossed her lips. “But maybe you’ll appease some of my curiosity while we work on filling that bath?”
The housekeeper looked her over and let loose a sigh. “I say you could us a good night’s sleep before unpacking all yore questions, but I see you won’t rest easy until after the askin’.”
“Would you, ma’am?” Jess followed her into the kitchen, forbearing to look in the rooms they passed for fear of getting distracted—or worse, overwhelmed.
“Don’t ‘ma’am’ me. Even if I didn’t work here, we aren’t that formal or fussy.”
“Thank goodness. I’ve had enough pomp and pretension to last a lifetime.” Jess reached for a bucket and waited while the other woman pumped water into the first. “So what do I call you?”
“I’m hoping …”—for the first time the woman looked nervous—“you won’t mind calling me ‘Aunt.’ ”
“Mind?” Her niece barely breathed the word as the bucket slipped from her hands. Jessalyn didn’t so much as blink at the metallic clang of it hitting the floor, her eyes too busy staring at Desta.
Childhood lessons of fearful subservience, painstakingly set aside over the past two decades, surged to the fore with frightening power. It took every ounce of courage not to fix her eyes upon the ground and wait, trembling, for rebuke and retribution. Pale skin no longer gave anyone the right to hurt her, but Desta feared the pain of rejection. Since her mama died and her husband left her childless, her heart’s longing was for another woman to call family … to call friend.
“You’re my
aunt
?” Disbelief dripped from every syllable, but gave way to wonder. Warmth sparkled behind tears as her niece reached out and pulled her close, ignoring the way Desta’s own full bucket sloshed water all over the pair of them. Jessalyn just stared. “I have an aunt.”
“You have me.” Desta set down the bucket and skirted around it. “If you want.”
“If I—” She broke off and started again. “Ed’s my brother, and I’m sorry he’s not here, but now I find that my family welcomed me home anyway. You’ve
doubled
my family!”
Then they both were awash. They hugged for a long time, not saying anything more that couldn’t be said by holding each other:
I’m here. You’re not alone. I’m grateful you’re in my life
.
Desta drank it in and poured it back out in prayer, her heart full of fervent, silent thanks.
Eventually, after the tears ran their course, little realities began to intrude on the moment. Her niece’s slight frame was warm at heart, but cold to the touch and soaked clean through. Jessalyn didn’t offer any protest when Desta sat her down at the kitchen table and took charge.
“We need to warm you up on the inside while we’re filling the tub. Tea leaves are in the cupboard to the left, and I keep the honey right alongside of it.” She moved to the washroom near the pantry, where she kept the big tub whenever it wasn’t being hauled upstairs for Simon. As Desta crossed the kitchen, Jessalyn dutifully moved over to the cabinet and grimaced at the tea tin.
“Aunt Desta?” She tentatively tried the title out, smiling as she said it before wrinkling her nose at the tea leaves once again. “Is there any chance I might have some coffee instead?”
“Of course.” She pulled down the grinder. “I thought tea might make you feel at home.”
“Tea is for England, where the women make tepid conversation about weak weather. But in Texas, where the rain makes a racket and the people more than match it?” Jess found the beans and
“Whatever my disappointments, you’re not one of them.” Jess frowned. “I’ve been rude.”
“Tired, more like.” An encouraging smile lit her face. “Traveling takes a toll on the body, grief grabs the soul, and it’s only natural to have questions after you’ve been gone so long.”
“It’s one thing to have questions and another to demand answers.” A rueful smile crossed her lips. “But maybe you’ll appease some of my curiosity while we work on filling that bath?”
The housekeeper looked her over and let loose a sigh. “I say you could us a good night’s sleep before unpacking all yore questions, but I see you won’t rest easy until after the askin’.”
“Would you, ma’am?” Jess followed her into the kitchen, forbearing to look in the rooms they passed for fear of getting distracted—or worse, overwhelmed.
“Don’t ‘ma’am’ me. Even if I didn’t work here, we aren’t that formal or fussy.”
“Thank goodness. I’ve had enough pomp and pretension to last a lifetime.” Jess reached for a bucket and waited while the other woman pumped water into the first. “So what do I call you?”
“I’m hoping …”—for the first time the woman looked nervous—“you won’t mind calling me ‘Aunt.’ ”
“Mind?” Her niece barely breathed the word as the bucket slipped from her hands. Jessalyn didn’t so much as blink at the metallic clang of it hitting the floor, her eyes too busy staring at Desta.
Childhood lessons of fearful subservience, painstakingly set aside over the past two decades, surged to the fore with frightening power. It took every ounce of courage not to fix her eyes upon the ground and wait, trembling, for rebuke and retribution. Pale skin no longer gave anyone the right to hurt her, but Desta feared the pain of rejection. Since her mama died and her husband left her childless, her heart’s longing was for another woman to call family … to call friend.
“You’re my
aunt
?” Disbelief dripped from every syllable, but gave way to wonder. Warmth sparkled behind tears as her niece reached out and pulled her close, ignoring the way Desta’s own full bucket sloshed water all over the pair of them. Jessalyn just stared. “I have an aunt.”
“You have me.” Desta set down the bucket and skirted around it. “If you want.”
“If I—” She broke off and started again. “Ed’s my brother, and I’m sorry he’s not here, but now I find that my family welcomed me home anyway. You’ve
doubled
my family!”
Then they both were awash. They hugged for a long time, not saying anything more that couldn’t be said by holding each other:
I’m here. You’re not alone. I’m grateful you’re in my life
.
Desta drank it in and poured it back out in prayer, her heart full of fervent, silent thanks.
Eventually, after the tears ran their course, little realities began to intrude on the moment. Her niece’s slight frame was warm at heart, but cold to the touch and soaked clean through. Jessalyn didn’t offer any protest when Desta sat her down at the kitchen table and took charge.
“We need to warm you up on the inside while we’re filling the tub. Tea leaves are in the cupboard to the left, and I keep the honey right alongside of it.” She moved to the washroom near the pantry, where she kept the big tub whenever it wasn’t being hauled upstairs for Simon. As Desta crossed the kitchen, Jessalyn dutifully moved over to the cabinet and grimaced at the tea tin.
“Aunt Desta?” She tentatively tried the title out, smiling as she said it before wrinkling her nose at the tea leaves once again. “Is there any chance I might have some coffee instead?”
“Of course.” She pulled down the grinder. “I thought tea might make you feel at home.”
“Tea is for England, where the women make tepid conversation about weak weather. But in Texas, where the rain makes a racket and the people more than match it?” Jess found the beans and
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