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“Are we gonna see the aliens, Mama?”
“Oh, I doubt it. We’re not going that far. Mr. Raven said the house is on the road leading out to the farms.”
The other two sighed, Dora in obvious relief and Tommy in disappointment. Ida wasn’t really bothered one way or the other, except for a mild curiosity. Nelly seemed happy enough with her alien husband, as did the other women who’d married the aliens living on the ranch, but Ida couldn’t imagine that one would be interested in her—which was just fine with her. While she wasn’tquite as vehement as Dora about the flaws of the opposite sex, the last thing she needed was another husband.
Other than his carelessness with credits, Abner hadn’t been a bad husband, exactly. He was merely… disinterested. He had simply wanted a mother for his daughter and someone to run his household. Once she’d given him a son, his already limited interest in the more physical side of marriage had disappeared completely and frankly, it hadn’t been much of a loss. She’d always found their intimacy more awkward than exciting and had accepted the fact that she just wasn’t a particularly sensual person.
A simple new life away from town—and away from male complications—would be good for all of them. Mr. Raven had implied there was some land associated with the house and hopefully she could start a garden. If they could reduce the number of supplies they needed from town and eliminate the stable bill for Lady in addition to the smaller rent, she might actually be able to save some credits for a change.
She was so caught up in the pleasant drive and the hope of a more prosperous future that the reality was even more of a shock.
“Look, Mama,” Tommy shouted. “Is that our house?”
“I…I’m not sure.” Hoping desperately he was wrong, she checked her watch to see how long they’d been driving. Then she spotted the crossroads ahead and the big tree to one side of the house. Mr. Raven had told her the house stood at the crossroads next to the tree. “I’m afraid—I mean, I think so.”
“You have got to be kidding,” Dora muttered.
She couldn’t blame her. The small house might have been attractive once. Now it was little more than a rundown shack. There was no paint left on the weathered siding, at least half of the windows were broken, and the door was hanging off its hinges.
“I’m sure it’s better inside,” she said calmly.
It wasn’t. The few remaining pieces of furniture were broken. Wind and rain coming in through the broken windows had marred the floors and caused the paint to peel from the walls. From the empty tin cans and piles of debris, it had clearly been used as a waystation for travelers—travelers who were none too particular about sanitation.
Dora gave her an appalled glance, even as Tommy started digging through a heap of discarded cans.
“You can’t be serious.”
“Mr. Raven did say it needed work.”
“Work? It needs to be torn down.”
“Maybe the rest of it is in better shape,” she said, still clutching at her happy little fantasy as she went to explore.
The bones of the house weren’t bad. A kitchen and living area were on one side of the hallway, with two small bedrooms on the other side and two more upstairs. There was even a bathroom with relatively modern fixtures, although when she turned the tap all that emerged was a thin brown sludge. But she’d seen a well in the yard and they could use that until they figured out how to repair the plumbing.
And it does have land, she thought, wandering back out to the front porch. The remnants of a barn were equally decrepit, butit still had a roof and most of the walls. The fence enclosing the large pasture behind it needed mending, but that could be done over time.
“However much Mr. Raven is charging us, it’s too much,” Dora muttered as she came to join her.
“I don’t think he’s been out here in a long time.” She took a deep breath of the crisp spring air. “And there’s nothing we can’t handle with time and work.”
“Don’t forget credits.”
Her daughter had a point—some of the repairs would require additional supplies.
“Maybe Mr. Raven would be willing to provide them in exchange for our labor.”
“And increase the rent as soon as we get it fixed up?”
The cynical expression didn’t suit Dora’s pretty face.
“I honestly don’t think he’d do that.” Although Mrs. Raven was another matter. “And he said he didn’t think his wife remembered this place.”
“I’m sure Mildred’s little network of spies would be only too glad to fill her in.”
Another good point, but…
“I don’t really think we have a choice,” she said quietly. “We can’t afford to stay in our current house and you know our options are limited. The housing situation in Wainwright hasn’t changed over the past year.”
