Read Online September Wind by Kathleen Janz-Anderson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kathleen Janz-Anderson
Ads: Link
cows. Not much got her down except the thought of something stopping her from seeing the one person she needed to see the most.
Even the men’s quarrels didn’t upset her like they used to, now that she had someone in her life again—not even Tuesday morning’s doozy of a row. It started the minute Timothy wandered into the kitchen.
“That damn tractor’s ticking like an old washing machine, Pa,” he grumbled on the way to the table.
Grandfather had already settled in and was loading his plate with scrambled eggs.
Emily hurried over with a pot of coffee, making sure to fill his cup first.
His shoulders slumped for a moment, he sighed, shaking his head, and then set the serving spoon down and picked up his fork.
Steven took a swig of coffee, glanced out the window, and then went to join the others. “Dropped the oil pan last night. Looks like the bearings are out.”
Timothy had pulled out a chair and was sitting, tying his shoes laces. “Damn you, Timothy, you shudda told me.”
“Didn’t know till last night, ya ninny.” He sat back as Emily placed sticks of bacon on his plate.
Timothy yanked his pants over his shoes and sat up, glaring at Steven. “Told you it was goin’ out. Now whata I do?”
“Oh, crap. Take the John Deere then. There’s plenty else I can do.”
Emily couldn’t help hearing the taunts and lashings, but her mind was elsewhere through most of it. Although, that didn’t keep her from giving a big sigh when they left for work.
Just the thought of seeing Daniel lifted her spirits. She could be out slopping the pigs and find herself humming, or whistling a tune as long as she was thinking about him. Those daydreams were what kept her going, and they would continue until she was with him again.
When the kitchen was clean, she headed out to the barn and sat to milk a cow. It wasn’t long before she closed her eyes, quivering at the thought of Daniel’s arms folding around her, his eyes filled with passion, her lips rising to meet his.
“Emily! Look what you’re doing.” Steven stood over her with a bale of hay set on a shoulder.
She straightened, lowering her gaze to a puddle of milk that filled the lap of her skirt. Shaking it out, she pointed the cow teat back to the pail, watching Steven wandered off. She could just imagine what he thought, catching her with her head raised up and her lips out like a baby bird, begging for a meal.
He dropped the bail next to one of the stalls and looked back with a glint in his eyes and a grin that made her think he might have more of an imagination than she reckoned. She smiled and turned back to the cow.
Her concerted effort to be carefree didn’t always come without struggle, but it felt real and kept her in a decent mood most of the time. Although, when Thursday rolled around, she knew her prediction had been right. They were so busy, no matter how she tried to rearrange a way to see Daniel on Friday, it would be impossible. With four or five extra people to cook meals for, three times day, there was barely a minute for herself. It was then as she saw the days stretch out until they seemed to disappear into the horizon, that even her daydreams couldn’t keep the blues away.
* * * *
On the fourteenth day of not seeing him, she hurried up the road with her stomach in knots, certain he had given up on her for sure this time. As she passed his turnoff, she stopped, looking long and hard, hoping to get a glimpse of him. But there was nothing but dirt and gravel, and a few tumbleweeds
Even the men’s quarrels didn’t upset her like they used to, now that she had someone in her life again—not even Tuesday morning’s doozy of a row. It started the minute Timothy wandered into the kitchen.
“That damn tractor’s ticking like an old washing machine, Pa,” he grumbled on the way to the table.
Grandfather had already settled in and was loading his plate with scrambled eggs.
Emily hurried over with a pot of coffee, making sure to fill his cup first.
His shoulders slumped for a moment, he sighed, shaking his head, and then set the serving spoon down and picked up his fork.
Steven took a swig of coffee, glanced out the window, and then went to join the others. “Dropped the oil pan last night. Looks like the bearings are out.”
Timothy had pulled out a chair and was sitting, tying his shoes laces. “Damn you, Timothy, you shudda told me.”
“Didn’t know till last night, ya ninny.” He sat back as Emily placed sticks of bacon on his plate.
Timothy yanked his pants over his shoes and sat up, glaring at Steven. “Told you it was goin’ out. Now whata I do?”
“Oh, crap. Take the John Deere then. There’s plenty else I can do.”
Emily couldn’t help hearing the taunts and lashings, but her mind was elsewhere through most of it. Although, that didn’t keep her from giving a big sigh when they left for work.
Just the thought of seeing Daniel lifted her spirits. She could be out slopping the pigs and find herself humming, or whistling a tune as long as she was thinking about him. Those daydreams were what kept her going, and they would continue until she was with him again.
When the kitchen was clean, she headed out to the barn and sat to milk a cow. It wasn’t long before she closed her eyes, quivering at the thought of Daniel’s arms folding around her, his eyes filled with passion, her lips rising to meet his.
“Emily! Look what you’re doing.” Steven stood over her with a bale of hay set on a shoulder.
She straightened, lowering her gaze to a puddle of milk that filled the lap of her skirt. Shaking it out, she pointed the cow teat back to the pail, watching Steven wandered off. She could just imagine what he thought, catching her with her head raised up and her lips out like a baby bird, begging for a meal.
He dropped the bail next to one of the stalls and looked back with a glint in his eyes and a grin that made her think he might have more of an imagination than she reckoned. She smiled and turned back to the cow.
Her concerted effort to be carefree didn’t always come without struggle, but it felt real and kept her in a decent mood most of the time. Although, when Thursday rolled around, she knew her prediction had been right. They were so busy, no matter how she tried to rearrange a way to see Daniel on Friday, it would be impossible. With four or five extra people to cook meals for, three times day, there was barely a minute for herself. It was then as she saw the days stretch out until they seemed to disappear into the horizon, that even her daydreams couldn’t keep the blues away.
* * * *
On the fourteenth day of not seeing him, she hurried up the road with her stomach in knots, certain he had given up on her for sure this time. As she passed his turnoff, she stopped, looking long and hard, hoping to get a glimpse of him. But there was nothing but dirt and gravel, and a few tumbleweeds
Similar Books
