Read Online The Springtime Mail Order Bride by Kit Morgan - Free Book Online

and started to lead her into the house, and for the first time in a very long time, Samijo had a mother again.
     
    * * *
     
      “What happened after that?” Ma asked her as she handed Samijo a cup of coffee.
    “I was so young I don’t remember.  I only know she died in a riding accident. Because of it my father never allowed me to learn how to ride a horse. Nor did my uncle.”
    “It’s a shame to see a child lose a parent at such a young age, especially a mother.”
    They were seated at the kitchen t able.  When Ma guided her inside earlier, she took her straight to the kitchen where she had a stew simmering on the stove.  The meal had already been cooked so preparing lunch, as Ma put it, constituted slicing bread. Samijo was happy to do the small task, then sit and wait for the men with their mother.
    “And your father? What happened to him?”
    “He died when I was five. Only a few years after my mother. I don’t remember her much, but I remember papa.”
    “You poor thing, orphaned at so young an age. Who raised you?”
    Samijo swallowed hard, and clutched her cup tighter. “My uncle.”
    Ma sat bac k in her chair a moment before she finally spoke again. “I’m sure he’s very happy to see you married and settled. You must write him and invite him to visit.”
    Samijo coughed, sputtered, and did her best not to spray th e poor woman with coffee.  It burned down her throat as she tried to get a hold of herself.
    “Don’t drink it so fast, you’ll choke yourself to death,” Ma said. “I’m always having to tell Calvin to slow down when he drinks anything.”
    Samijo got herself under control, grimaced, and gave a weak, “Went down the wrong way.”
    “It happens to the best of us,” Ma said with a casual wave of her hand. “Nothing to worry about. Now, let’s start dishing this stew up. Those boys will be coming through that door any minute.”
    Samijo got up, while motioning Ma to stay put. “I’ll … cough … do it.”
    “Land sakes, child, you sound worse than I do.”
    Samijo nodded and went to the stove. Bowls had been set out, so she went to work and dished a healthy portion into four of them, two smaller portions for herself and Ma. “Would you like yours now?”
    “Heavens no, I always wait and eat with my boys. Besides, they like to hear me say the blessing.”
    “All right, but I hope this doesn’t get cold …”
    The back door of the kitchen flew open, and all four brothers filed in and went straight to the table.  The youngest looking one stopped up short when he saw her, and gawked.
    “Sit down, Daniel,” his mother barked.
    The young man complied, and grabbed the nearest chair.
    Benjamin laughed as the lad continued to stare starry-eyed at Samijo. She looked at both brothers and blushed, then looked to the third and did a double take. “Twins?”
    “I’m the oldest,” stated Benjamin. “That’s Calvin standing there looking about to salivate. Stop it, d on’t you know this is a lady?”
    Calvin was an identical twin to Benjamin and she wondered how she was going to be able to tell them apart, other than the fact Benjamin had a half-day’s growth of whiskers and Calvin didn’t.  She studied the latter as he gawked at her even more so than Daniel, so much he missed his chair completely when he went to sit, and landed on his rump with a thud.
    Arlan came in last, shook h is head in annoyance, and hands on hips, glared at all three.
    “Mind your manners!” their mother cried. “Calvin, get up.”
    It was all Samijo could do not to laugh as Calvin scrambled to his feet, righted his chair, and immediately sat. The Weaver men may be big and tough looking, but their mother ruled. Or at least it appeared so.  She caught Arlan as he winked at Benjamin, and didn’t wonder if they jumped at their mother’s words out of love, not because of any sort of fear of reprimand.  Of course, the sight of the tiny woman taking a switch to one of her sons would be a comical