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Heather wanted to hit her own head against the wall and cry. She’d been there for a month, and she’d felt like her relationship with both Patrick and his mother was good, and her mother had ruined everything in less than twenty-four hours. “She’s pretending, but I have no proof of that.” She got to her feet and headed up the stairs for bed, having no desire to have her honesty put into questions.
When she got upstairs, she changed into her nightgown and found her way across the hall to the bedroom there. She sat down on the edge of the bed and prayed to God that something would happen to reveal her mother for who she truly was. It was the only way her marriage would be able to last.
When Patrick headed upstairs a short while later, he found that his wife wasn’t in his bed where she belonged. He thought about finding her, and dragging her back, but he didn’t know what good it would do. If she’d been lying to him for the past month, how would it help to force her to sleep with him?
He stripped and climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling. Either his wife was a liar, or her mother was an excellent actress. Until he knew for sure, he would be on his guard around both.
*****
When Heather woke in the morning, her eyes were gummed shut from crying all night, and she wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep so she wouldn’t have to face her day. Instead, she dressed and went downstairs to get breakfast started.
Sally was there waiting for her and gave her orders as always. But the whole atmosphere in the kitchen was different. Her mother’s lies were ruining her life. Again.
As Heather set the table, Patrick came down the stairs and headed straight out to the barn, not even glancing in her direction. Life felt terribly unfair.
At breakfast, Sally did all the talking, which wasn’t terribly unusual, but the other two didn’t even listen. “We need to bake at least ten loaves of bread today, and we’ll spend the rest of the day harvesting everything that’s ripe. I have two pitchforks for us to dig potatoes with, and then we’ll pick the potatoes out of the dirt. We need to leave as much dirt on them as we can, because it helps preserve the potatoes through the long winter.”
Heather played with her food, pushing it around on her plate so it would look like she’d eaten something. How could her life take such a terrible turn in only one day? Her mother wrecked everything without even trying.
Patrick seemed exceptionally unhappy, and he only ate fifteen pancakes instead of his usual twenty. He was as torn up as she was. Heather wanted to reach out to him, but she didn’t want to be rejected.
They were just finishing up the morning dishes when her mother knocked at the door. She’d gotten a ride from Amos at the mercantile. “I’m here to help with the harvest,” she announced when Sally opened the door for her. She said it with a flair, one arm raised above her head.
Heather didn’t respond, instead she finished washing the dishes, while Sally explained how to dig potatoes.
When they went outside, Heather wasn’t surprised to see her mother pick up the burlap bag to put the potatoes into instead of one of the pitchforks which would be used for digging. The harder task was always the one her mother chose not to do.
All morning, Heather and Sally dug up potatoes while her mother picked them up. As Heather watched, her mother began grabbing her back as if it was in a great deal of pain. Heather said nothing. She wasn’t going to be the one to start pampering her mother and turn her back into the person she’d been in Beckham.
Shortly before noon, Sally wiped her forehead with the back of her sleeve. “That’s all I can do this morning. Now to make lunch for my ever-hungry boy.”
Heather rested both pitchforks against the stairs that led into the house and left her mother to carry the potatoes in. She didn’t know exactly how her mother had escaped learning what hard work was, but it was obvious she had.
In the house, Heather and Sally began working together to make lunch. It was just sandwiches again, but Heather knew that Patrick wouldn’t complain. They had some ham from two nights before, and Heather carefully cut that, while Sally cut the bread into thin slices.
When Heather went into the dining room to set the table, her mother was sitting limply at the spot where she’d been sitting since they’d come inside. Heather worked around her as best she could.
Finally, she carried the food into the dining room, setting it on the table as well. Sally looked surprised to see Caroline sitting at the table with a glazed look in her eyes. Heather understood though. Her mother had done no work in almost ten years. That left her incapable of keeping up with Sally and herself.
Patrick came in and said nothing as he sat down to eat. He noted that Caroline was sitting at the table still holding the bag of potatoes, but he said nothing. Instead, he bowed his head and prayed over their meal. He’d eaten so little for breakfast he was even hungrier than usual.
Each of them made their own sandwiches. But Caroline sat still staring straight ahead.
Heather ate two sandwiches, which was a lot for her, but harvesting potatoes was hard work.
Finally, Sally gave Caroline a strange look. “Are you hungry?”
“I suppose I am,” Caroline said, obviously still not quite able to do much.
“Do you need me to fix your sandwich for you?” Sally asked.
Heather closed her eyes, fearing her mother’s response. If anyone wanted to wait on Mother, she’d certainly allow it.
Caroline nodded. “Please. I’ll be upstairs lying down. If you could bring them into the bedroom where I choose to nap, it would be appreciated.” With those words, Caroline climbed the stairs and disappeared.
Heather acted as if nothing had happened as she continued to eat her meal. Sally frowned, but she made two sandwiches, and carried them up the stairs. Patrick looked at Heather, expecting to see her emphasizing that her mother was expecting to be waited on, but she just continued eating.
“What are we having for supper?” Patrick asked, giving Heather a chance to say something about her mother’s behavior, but Heather once again surprised him.
