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“Are you sure she’s not?”
“I have no idea. I hope not though. I want to be the first to know.”
“I’ll do my best to make that happen.” Heather reached across the table for his hand, and immediately felt safe when he engulfed her hand. Being with such a large man was frightening in some ways, but in others, it felt right and perfect. Patrick was a good man, and she knew she’d done well when she’d agreed to marry him.
The following morning after breakfast, Heather drove into town on her own to get bacon, white thread, and to mail her letter. She was certain to hear from her mother quickly, but she didn’t let it bother her that the letter wouldn’t be kind.
No, she had done what she felt the need to do, and she would have to deal with the consequences. She still hadn’t told Sally that her mother was alive, and she didn’t plan to unless it became necessary.
She dropped the letter with Amos Jensen, chose the thread she needed, and purchased twenty pounds of bacon.
Amos frowned at her. “Are you sure that’s enough? Mrs. O’Brien purchases at least fifty, but usually a hundred.”
Heather laughed, shaking her head. “Let me get one hundred pounds of bacon then.”
“Your Patrick can out eat any man in this town. We were friends back when we were in school together. I would try to out eat him at lunch every day, and he never knew it was a contest, but he would eat six sandwiches, and I’d only have two. My ma never thought it was necessary for me to pack such a huge amount of food for my lunch.”
“I’m not even a little bit surprised, Mr. Jensen. Patrick seems to eat his weight in food every single meal. At least I know that the way to keep him happy is just to keep making more food.”
Amos laughed. “I hope you make good pies. Patrick was always looking for pie at the bottom of his lunch pail.”
“Would it be there?”
“Most days it would. Mrs. O’Brien certainly liked to keep him happy.”
Chapter Eight
Heather and Patrick had been married for a month when a wagon pulled into their yard. Patrick was out working, so Heather and Sally stepped outside to see who was there, as they weren’t expecting any visitors.
Heather didn’t know the man driving the wagon, which wasn’t all too surprising as she’d not yet met everyone in town. But as she watched, her mother climbed down from the wagon and reached in the back for two carpet bags.
Heather stood frozen in horror for a moment, but her mother was all smiles as she climbed the front steps to embrace her daughter. “I’ve missed you so much, baby. I’m so thankful you sent me a letter with your location so I could come stay with you.”
At her mother’s words, Heather’s heart sank. “I think you should probably stay at the boarding house in town,” she said softly.
“Are you saying your own mother isn’t welcome in your home?” Mother asked, her voice carrying not only to Sally but to the man who had driven the wagon.
Heather looked at Sally, her face imploring the older woman to tell her mother to leave. Instead, Sally stepped forward and offered her hand. “I’m Sally O’Brien, Heather’s new mother-in-law.”
“Caroline Flower. I’m Heather’s mother.”
Sally looked at Heather with confusion for a moment before reaching a hand out to shake Caroline’s. “It’s nice to meet you. You did a wonderful job raising your daughter.”
Caroline looked proud. “Thank you. I believe so myself.”
Heather wanted to contradict her mother and say she’d been raised by her father with much help from her paternal grandmother, but she didn’t. It would be rude to say something like that.
“Come in! We’re making lunch right now. Do you like bacon sandwiches?” Sally asked, leading Caroline into the house.
“I do. My daughter wouldn’t make them for me before she left to marry your son. She was getting very bossy right before she came here. Perhaps because she knew she would soon be leaving.”
Heather didn’t respond. There was no point. Her mother would simply continue to talk about her as if she was a bad person, and she knew Sally would soon hate her.
Heather went back to cutting the bread into thin slices for their sandwiches, while Sally returned to making the bacon. Sally kept giving Heather strange looks, but Heather had no idea what to say to her mother-in-law.
“How was the trip out here?” Sally asked Caroline.
“Very bumpy! I’d never been on a train before, but I find that it’s not quite what I expected. I suppose I thought it was all sleeping cars and comfort, but truly, it’s a ghastly way to travel.” Caroline shook her head. “But I knew it was the fastest way to get to my little girl.”
