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Chapter Twenty-One
Clay found it bothersome digging up his mother's grave. She'd been in the ground a long time and Clay couldn't quite get rid of the lump in his throat. He looked at his father and saw the same expression. It wasn't something either could talk about. But it had to be done. Because when the place sold no telling what would be done with the small cemetery.
But it got more complicated since it had been so long since his mother died, the box had rotted and there was nothing, but bones left.
"What do we do now, Dad?" Clay looked at the bones and a tear slipped down his cheek.
Charlie grimaced and it looked as though his face might crack from the frown. "We wrap her good and bury her, there ain't nothing left to rot now. So, we'll wrap her as good as we can and bury her as fast as we can."
Clay nodded.
It was not a good day.
After they meticulously wrapped what was left of his mother, Clay laid her in the wagon. Willa's father was still not decayed completely so there was no problem with that.
Wiping the sweat away Charlie looked at Clay, "Now show me where you buried that man."
Clay took him out to the place, and they dug him up. The grave hadn't been bothered. Willa told them how to fix the grave, so it no longer looked like one, it took a while, but they got it done. By the time they had the three bodies in the wagon it was time to go home.
"I'm sorry we had to do this son, but I didn't think it was a good idea to leave them there."
Clay nodded, "I know, and you're right. I wouldn't want us living one place and her buried somewhere else. I’m glad Cora didn't mind. I think it pleased Willa to include her father."
"Cora understood, and the cemetery there is much nicer. Cora said now Sam would have some company. Sam liked your mother; he just didn't have any use for me." Charlie chuckled.
"I'll just be glad when we get them settled once more." Clay told him.
They looked across the place and both of them sighed a bit. It was hard to say goodbye to the land they'd worked so long and hard on. But the move would be good, and they both agreed.
Clay threw a blanket over the bodies and they pulled out to go home.
Ed came up to them just then. "Charlie, what's goin' on?"
Charlie glanced at Ed as Clay squirmed a bit on the seat.
"Not much." Charlie replied casually.
Clay mused how his father could put on the smoothest face when in a bind.
"Heard you're selling the place. Is that right?" Ed twisted his head and waited for Charlie to answer.
"Yeah, it is." Charlie noticed Ed didn't say a word about the fire. But his eyes kept drifting to the back of the wagon.
"What are you carrying in the wagon?"
"We're moving Ma over to Cora's place." Clay answered with a husky voice.
"Looks like you got more than Ma in there," Ed moved closer to the wagon.
"Willa's dad!" he told him.
"Oh, so you're moving to Cora's?" Ed asked. "For good?"
"Word gets around, doesn't it, Ed?" Charlie bit his lip to sound neighborly. "You know as well as I that we're getting married."
"Ain't no secrets in these parts and you know it. You also know I'm interested in buyin' the place. Are you interested in selling to me?" Ed asked eyeing Charlie now.
"I'll sell to anyone who agrees to the stipulation, Ed." Charlie said matter-of-factly.
