Chapter 14

One gloomy morning, I woke up feeling pretty annoyed. Today was the first day of January and yet everything seemed the same. Two months had passed since that terrible night, but for me time passed very slowly as if I were here for years.

I sighed as I finished styling my hair and went over to peek out from the window. We were in the boys old room. Mood among everyone glum. Alice was laying on her stomach reading the same old book which I had heard for at least 10 times. Sarah was helping Martha in tightening her corset, Ruth was sewing a material for a dress, while Dorcas lay on her bed completely board. None of us were wearing dresses, we were still in our undergarments and lazy to put something on.

I watched the blizzard like conditions for two months, and this was a disaster. I was cooped up in this house for so long. Everyday for me was the same. House chores, baking, reading the same old book, same old people for company. They were all my close friends but we were all too different and being stuck here was hard. Especially for six girls in one room. Things always got bit tense.

Today we were all slow to get ready, snow fell hard and it was incredibly cold outside. I stood at the window for at least five minutes silently. None of us said anything. At last, I couldn't stand the silence anymore and spoke up.

"Doesn't it do anything but snow up here? We've had a blizzard everyday for the past two months." I said while walking away from the window.

"I'm going crazy shut up in this house!" I exclaimed

The girls all looked at me with understanding. They all felt the same but didn't have courage to speak up.

"Alice, why don't you read out loud to us? Martha suggested. She was clearly trying to come up with something that could help us cheer up. However, the book Alice was reading was Plutarch's Lives. Which we had heard many times. Listening to it again, would have made me extra moody.

Even though, I didn't agree with Martha. I still said nothing and waited for Alice's response. I wondered what would other girls think. Was I the only one hating the idea to read this book yet again?

"Oh no" Alice muttered

"Oh, we've heard that book three times already!" Ruth added with annoyed face.

I was sure that we had read this book for at least ten times, but Ruth was just being nice to Martha.

"Oh yes go on. Read us about the Sobbin Women" Sarah agreed with Martha.

"Please, Alice" Dorcas insisted

So, we were divided again. Three on three.

"We can't stand it again!" I finally snapped.

"Then go get the dress Milly promised you, and I'll fitted to ya" Ruth told me with an excited tone in her voice.

Milly and I were almost the same size, so her clothes fitted me perfectly. Just before yesterday, she promised me a beautiful pink dress which was made from quilt. I was grateful to Milly for being so generous. However, I didn't feel like wearing that dress in this house. I felt like the dress itself was extra pretty, and if I did wear it someday I wanted to show it off. Back in town, when we would make nice dresses it was usually for a ball or a social gathering. So that, people could see those lovely dresses and admire them. Here however, was different. Who would I show my dress? Same old people who didn't give too much thought into what I was wearing?

"What's the use when there's no one to see it?" I told Ruth in a sad voice, walking back towards the window.

"No one?" Sarah asked shockingly. "Well, I like that. We're no one" She looked up at Martha and rolled her eyes.

Sarah was overly sensitive sometimes, she would take everything personally. I didn't mean it that way...

I sighed. I had been quite frustrated over these months. And I might have said this last sentence a little insensitively, but apologizing to Sarah was not my intention, at least not now.

I continued peeking out from the window and all of a sudden, my eyes widened when I saw Pontipee brothers coming out to do the shoveling. I was a prim and a proper girl, so standing with my underclothes where they could see me was not something I wanted. I was about to walk away, when I saw Ephraim and Gideon coming little closer towards the house and started chopping the wood. Other brothers turned away towards the barn. But these two stayed in front of the house, clearly busy and continued chopping the wood pile. My heart jumped and I lingered to leave the window. Ephraim was not only looking strong, he was handsome too. Alice joined me at the window. When she saw the brothers, she gave me a mischievous smile with which I responded back. I knew that there was something going on with Alice and Gideon. So it wasn't shocking for me to see how she gazed at Gideon. Besides, I didn't care. I was too busy admiring Ephraim. For once, since the kidnapping, I actually felt sorry that I couldn't be with him. For a moment, I wished that I could easily forgive him like Dorcas, Ruth, and Alice did. My mind was telling me to leave the window, but my heart secretly wished that he could look up and notice me. Both brothers were busy minding their business, and didn't dare to look up at the windows. I continued watching Ephraim and wishing he could glance at me, Alice was in her own dreams. And I could hear the other girls talking with each other in the background. I heard Dorcas' few flirty remarks and how shocked Sarah was.

Gideon finished chopping the wood pile and headed towards the barn, while Ephraim started to do the shoveling. It's been a while since I saw him out doing the shoveling, so I guess today was his day.

"Liza, Alice!" Martha called out to us all of a sudden. "Come away from that window this minute."

Alice, clearly looking guilty, quickly walked away from the window. But I still lingered.

"I think it's disgusting standing there, where THEY can see you!" Martha finished with a proud tone in her voice.

Today was a very gloomy day and I felt incredibly moody. Maybe if it were another day, I would have ignored Martha's snobby remark. But today I wasn't having any of it. Besides, I disliked the tone in her voice as if she was innocent. I had seen her peeking out from the window and gazing at Daniel many times. I disliked the way Martha and Sarah treated us as if they were saints. So, I finally decided to stand up to them.

"I noticed that you peek out often enough, when you think no one's looking!" I exclaimed, while walking towards Martha.

" I never!" She objected, looking offended and shocked. As if I was making this up.

"I saw you!" I yelled.

"So did I" Dorcas backed me up.

Martha looked furious and came forward and pushed me vigorously. "You take that back! You here!" She shouted.

To my shame, I reacted just like she did and pushed her on the ground. We were both fighting and arguing like two wild cats. It was disgraceful. But I needed to have an outlet for all the frustrations I had. Ruth came in between us trying to stop us. But she found herself in a catfight. We were on the floor pulling each other's hair and screaming. Martha was one of my best friends and so was I to her. But today, we forgot all about friendship and acted like savages. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sarah and Dorcas fighting with each other and Alice was trying to calm them down. It was obvious, that Sarah couldn't stand the fact that Dorcas agreed with me, so she turned her rage towards Dorcas.

"Girls, girls!" Suddenly, Milly exclaimed

"Stop it this minute!" She cried out.

We all stopped and got up. It was shameful for us that Milly had seen our embarrassing catfight.

"Oh please don't squabble... not now. Not when I need ya so much!" Milly told us looking worried.

I gave Martha one last look of annoyance, before turning my attention towards Milly.

She looked at us silently and then smiled. "You see, I'm counting on all of you to help me. Because I'm gonna have a baby." She said it with a huge grin.

Suddenly, my thoughts turned into a different direction. I was no longer a moody, frustrated girl. I was full of joy and happiness and so where the other girls. We circled Milly and squealed excitingly.

"Oh, Milly! A baby!" I cried out happily.

"Sit here Milly!" Sarah suggested.

"Are you alright? Are you comfortable?" Ruth asked

"Oh, Milly we'll do your chores, cooking, cleaning,... everything! Martha exclaimed eagerly.

We all nodded and agreed. "You won't lift a finger from now on!" Dorcas added.

"Oh no. That'll be silly." Milly told us while still smiling. I was so happy for her. Finally something exciting and loving was happening in this house.

"Milly when's the baby coming?" Alice asked impatiently

"Well, we have to be patient" Milly replied. Even though I was quiet and calmly awaited for Milly's response. Inside I was as impatient as a little child on Christmas morning.

"But when?" Alice insisted

Milly took a deep breath and then finally said it "In the Spring"

With that, she turned and went into the ktichen. We were left in the room, silence among us was no longer gloomy. We were all speechless and happy. I don't know about the others but, I slightly envied Milly. She was such a lucky woman. And definitely deserved happiness. I really wished that something like this would happen to me someday. I set down at the boys' old bed and still day dreamed.

"I wish it was me" Dorcas sighed.

"Dorcas!" Sarah exclaimed and rolled her eyes.

"I always wanted to be a June Bride and then have a baby in the Spring...maybe" Dorcas said romantically

At this, we all sighed. I couldn't help but agree with Dorcas. Being a June Bride was something I always wished.

And to my surprise so did the other girls.

Oh how I longed for Spring and June to arrive quickly. Arrival of June would change a lot of things for me. For starters, I would go back to my loving family and then marry a suitor who would love me and respect me, just as much as I would him. But deep down, I was quite aware that no one would make me feel the way Ephraim Pontipee did. But it was too late... he had lost my respect what's so ever and being close to him actually made me feel uneasy.

Still, that didn't stop me from day dreaming about being a June Bride and having a baby in the Spring.

Me and the girls sang and pranced around, dancing and longing for Spring and June to arrive quickly and end our miserable situation.