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“Well, according to Mr. Watkins, the old man who raised her would invite all his buddies over and they’d take turns with her while the old man watched,” Peter said, not looking at Earl as he said the words. “Lots of men believed it, but I wasn’t so sure. She’s such a pretty little thing, and she kept to herself. I don’t think she could have been treated like that and ended up such a good mama to her boy.”
“He told her that no one wanted to even talk to her because she’d worn britches when she was young and pretended to be a boy.”
Pete laughed at that. “It’s true that she did, but we all just felt dumb that we didn’t realize she was old enough to be looking like a man, and she still looked like a boy. No one blames her for that at all.”
“So, the way she’s treated is due to the things her husband said about her and nothing else?”
“Definitely. His ma hated her something fierce. I think he told her the same things, because even at church, his ma looked at her like she’d just crawled out from under a rock.”
“Why would a man speak that way about his own wife?” Earl knew the story was a lie, but he wasn’t terribly surprised to hear that Howard had told it. The man was pure evil as far as he could see. He was just glad that he’d had the sense to treat Charlotte well. At least she felt she’d been treated well.
“He wanted to keep her for himself. He was old and not too good looking. Short little thing. Ugly as sin. Still not sure why she married him, but he made sure she wouldn’t marry no one else after him.”
“I can see that. Good thing I didn’t hear the rumors, isn’t it?”
“Sure is, boss.” With that, Peter moved on down the fence they were mending, working on his own.
Earl wasn’t certain if he should tell Charlotte the truth about the rumors spread about her, but he finally decided she had a right to know. She’d believed for years that people looked down on her because she’d grown up wearing pants. It couldn’t have been further from the truth.
When he got home that day, he washed his hands at the sink, listening to Walt and Charlotte. Walt was talking up a storm, barely letting Charlotte get a word in. “You talk a lot, son.”
Walt giggled. “You said you wanted me to talk. Now I talk.”
“I see that!” Earl leaned between mother and son. “What are you making for supper?”
“Open-faced roast beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and peas,” Charlotte told him, turning her face to kiss her husband. “I found the receipt for it in my book, so I decided to make it. No one tells me what to cook anymore, and Walt and I felt like something new. Right, Walt?”
“That’s right!”
Earl was thrilled the boy was talking as much as he was. It really was a huge difference, now that he’d gotten out what he was afraid of.
“Well, I’m ready to try something new then!” His sister Susan had often experimented with strange dishes when he was growing up. Usually, he’d even liked them.
While Charlotte was putting the finishing touches on the meal, Walt jumped down and told Earl all about his day. “We went to visit the Mrs. Royals for a minute, and they have kittens. Four of them. They don’t need four kittens when we don’t even have one!”
“That’s very true,” Earl said, knowing where the conversation was going, but he liked cats, so he wasn’t going to complain even one little bit. “Was there one you liked better than the others?”
Walt nodded. “There was a little gray and white kitty, and I think she should come live at our house. I asked Mama, but she said you would have to be asked about it. So, I’m asking. Can I have a kitten?”
“How much do they want for it?” Earl asked Charlotte. Back east kittens were given away, but here, they seemed to be a commodity. Everyone needed a barn cat or six.
“They want to give it to Walt, because he asked so nicely,” Charlotte answered. When she turned from the counter with two plates, he could see she had tears in her eyes. She was obviously touched by the offer.
“Well, I think a kitten is a great idea. You need to have someone to keep you company while Walt and I are out doing manly things.”
Walt nodded. “But it’ll really be my kitten, but you can play with her too, Mama.”
“Let’s get a kitten then,” Charlotte said with a smile. “I’ve always wanted a pet, but Howard said cats make him sneeze. Dogs too.”
“Well, they don’t make me sneeze, and I think a kitten or six would make all of us happy.”
“Can we get them all, Papa?”
“I don’t think we should take advantage of the Royals’ generosity like that. One will be enough for us.”
Walt sighed dramatically. “How about three?”
Earl laughed and ruffled the boy’s hair. “We’re going to start with one. What if they make your mama sneeze, and we don’t even know it? We’d have to give your mama away, and do you know how hard it is to find a new one?”
