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He clasped her hand in his. Warmth radiated through him as it did every time he touched her. “Selina, would you pray tonight? I’m tired.”
“I’d be honored.” She closed her eyes. “Dear Lord, thank You for a husband who works hard to put a roof over our heads, clothes on our bodies and food on the table. Thank You for Your provision. I pray that these here vittles provide what our bodies need so we might better serve You in all we do. And, Lord. Thank You for Michael. Amen.”
To know that all his hard work and efforts were not taken for granted and that she appreciated all he had done to provide her with a nice home and plenty of food warmed him like hot coals on a cold winter’s day. “Thank you, Selina.”
She stopped dishing his plate and looked at him. “For what?”
“For your thoughtful and kind prayer.”
She nodded, then went back to filling his plate.
“So, what did you do after chores today?” Michael took a long gulp of his milk.
She pushed his overfilled plate in front of him.
“Paid a visit to Rainee.”
“How’s she feeling?”
“Bored.”
“I don’t doubt it, being cooped up inside all the time like that. She’s used to getting out and riding and helping Haydon.”
“Before she got pregnant, did he ever mind her helpin’?” She raised the spoon from the bean pot.
“No, not at all.”
Selina settled the spoon back into the pot of beans. “How come you do then?”
“I see things differently than Haydon. I believe a woman’s place is in the home.”
“In some ways you’re just like most of the menfolk back home,” she said on a sigh.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, they’re always orderin’ women about like big bullies. Showin’ them very little respect. Don’t let their wives have a mind a their own. The women that do speak up, they pay dearly for it with a whippin’. Years ago, I made up my mind that no man would ever boss me around like that.”
“I know, I know. Boy do I know.” He picked up the fried meat and bit into it, trying to discern what it was. Sort of tasted like chicken but wasn’t shaped like chicken. It was rounder and the bones were closer together. Strange, he didn’t remember anything that looked quite like this in the cellar. He took another bite, still unable to tell what it was. “What is this?” he finally asked around the bite.
“Snake.”
“Snake!” Michael grabbed for a napkin and spit the lump of chewed up meat into it. He downed the rest of his milk, barely able to contain his revulsion as he did. “Selina, what were you thinking? People don’t eat snake.”
She looked like nothing in the world was amiss. “Sure they do. Why, back home we ate it all the time. And plenty of other critters, too.”
“What do you mean?” He bore down on his teeth until they ached, waiting for her answer and dreading it at the same time.
“Oh, you know, squirrel, possum, groundhog, bear…”
“Squirrel? Possum?” He swallowed hard. The more she named, the more the snake shifted from his stomach into his throat. He waved his hands in the air in complete surrender. “Stop. I’ve heard enough.”
He shoved his plate away from him, caught her gaze and held it firmly with a sternness she would not be able to misconstrue, “Listen to me. I don’t ever want to eat any of the things you’ve just mentioned. There is no reason or need to. We have plenty of beef, pork and chicken.” He emphasized each word to get his point across, then waited for her to tell him how she wouldn’t let any man tell her what to do. Well, this was one area where he would not back down. She could go right ahead and sleep in the barn over that one.
He waited for anger to blow out from her like steam from a locomotive. Instead she put her head down. “I’m sorry, Michael. Where I come from, food is scarce. A body eats whatever it can find. I just couldn’t throw the meat away.” She spoke so softly that remorse darted through him.
He’d never been poor, so he had no idea what it was like to be hungry enough to eat snake, or possum, or squirrel. He shuddered just thinking about it. But she had, and he needed to remember that.
He reached for her hand. It felt so small in his. “I’m sorry for being so harsh, Selina. There was no way you could have known I don’t eat things like snake. But next time, it’s okay to leave it. It won’t go to waste. Some animal who needs a meal will find it and eat it.”
She yanked her gaze up to his and her eyes brightened. “I never thought of it that-a-way. You’re right.” Selina scraped her chair across the floor and stood.
