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Nancy stopped tucking in the sheet and looked at Jessica. “Why are you nice to me when I was mean to you yesterday?”
Jessica thought for a moment about how to answer. “I married your father, and to me, that means we’ll be married forever. So, you and I need to learn to get along together. If that means I overlook you being mean for a bit, then that’s what I’ll have to do.”
Nancy watched Jessica as if she was trying to think about how to respond to that. “What should I call you?”
“Jessica is fine. If you ever feel like calling me something else, that will be fine too.”
“I don’t want to call you ma. My ma died.”
“I understand. If my mother died, I wouldn’t want to call anyone else by the name I used for her.”
Nancy seemed to believe her. “All right. I’ll call you Jessica.”
“That’s perfect. It’s my name after all.”
As soon as the beds were all made, Jessica went to the kitchen to put the bread in the oven. Walking to the parlor where Mary Sue was with the younger three children, Jessica said, “Everything is done except getting the bread from the oven.” She handed Mary Sue a piece of paper. “Gravy receipt is on one side and the chicken and dumplings receipt is on the other. Thank you for all you’ve done for us today.”
“I was happy to do it. What else do you need to clean before you feel your fall cleaning is done?”
Jessica sighed. “Walls, windows, stove, ice box…”
“I’ll be back in the morning then. Just save a bit of those chicken and dumplings for me for lunch.”
Jessica laughed. “I will. Thank you for helping me and being the only person who’s made me feel welcome.”
“Thanks for letting me play Grandma with the babies. I’ll be back.” Clutching the receipts in her hand, Mary Sue went out and climbed into the wagon to drive home.
“If Maynard won’t take you to the diner for supper, you two should eat with us.”
“I’m not even going to tell him you offered,” Mary Sue said. “I’m eating at that diner!”
“All right!” Jessica laughed as she waved the baby’s hand goodbye.
Going back inside, she asked, “Bertie would you set the table for me please?”
Bertie nodding, his head hanging. “I want to do man chores.”
Jessica couldn’t help but smile. “Do you want to go and hunt eggs?” she asked. To her it was a womanly chore, but maybe to him it wasn’t.
“Yes!” Bertie took the basket from the hook by the door, and headed out to hunt for eggs.
“I guess that leaves us women setting the table,” Jessica said, walking to the table to put the baby in her highchair.
“Don’t worry, Jessica. I’ll do it!” Nancy said, hurrying into the kitchen to get the dishes to set around the table.
“Thank you, Nancy!” Jessica said, thrilled that the child seemed to be warming up to her. That meant the two babies and the oldest were starting to adjust to her being there. She only had to work on Bertie, which should be easy, and George. George was going to be the difficult one.
She would have to keep on working and praying. Hopefully, he would see she had value other than as a servant to clean his home and care for his children. She didn't know what she'd do if he never realized she was more than that. One thing she did know: Admitting defeat and going back to Beckham was not an option.
Chapter Five
The next day went much smoother with Mary Sue coming to help out with the children while Jessica scrubbed the walls and worked on the kitchen.
“Did you talk Maynard into supper at the diner last night?” Jessica asked.
Mary Sue nodded. “It took a while, but he finally agreed when I declared I was too tired to eat, but he could make himself a jam sandwich if he wanted.”
Jessica giggled. “How was the food?”
