"You're moving?" Jim Bob said in dismay when Ben and Emma announced that they were going to look for a house in Rockfish the next morning. "But you've always lived in the shed."
"Yeah, but we can't say there forever." Ben shrugged. "We might not be leaving, just checking out the area."
Jonsey handed Mary Ellen a plate of food. "On top of that news, Mary Ellen and I are officially dating." Mary Ellen sent John Curtis a worried look, but the boy just smiled wide. Emma was glad that he had a father figure again.
"I'm going back to New York." John Boy said slowly, and all eyes turned to him. "After Erin's wedding, of course."
Elizabeth dropped her fork and stood up. "We just got this family back together. Now you're leaving and Emma and Ben may be moving out and so will Erin, I can't believe this!" Surprising even herself, Elizabeth burst into tears and ran upstairs, Serena dashing after her. No one had expected this outburst from the eighteen year old who had seemed to be doing so well at Boatwright.
Silence filled the table with uncomfortable feelings. Emma shook her head, suddenly losing her appetite. Grandma grunted something, and stood up with the help of John Boy, and tapped her walking stick on the table. "Stay strong after this war."
Paul drove Emma, Ben and Erin into Rockfish. The car ride there was uneventful, with Ben and Paul talking about the mill and how Paul would start working there, and Erin and Emma chatted about dresses in the back seat. Soon they arrived at the house that the nearly wed couple had bought.
Emma got out of the car and beamed. "It's so nice!" The house had a red door, and looked quite small from the outside.
"It has three bedrooms." Paul declared, putting an arm around Erin. Ben and Emma looked at each other, and at Ben's grin, Emma knew that it would be harder to tell him that she didn't want to move than she had first thought.
Jeffrey had got into trouble yet again, and it was only his first week of school. The nine year old had seemed to be getting on so well last term, but now he was starting to pick fights. Emma tried to catch a time to talk with after he got home.
"Jeffrey!" She called. "Could you help me with something?"
The enthusiastic but short boy skipped up to her. "Sure. What's up?"
"I need you to help me find Reckless. She's gone missing." Emma put an arm around him, knowing that he loved Reckless a lot. The two of them headed outside and checked in the barn. There she was, lying on the hay as always.
Jeffrey turned and gave Emma a sceptical look. "That was too easy!"
"Well, I wanted to talk to you about something." Ginny toddled into the barn, and Emma scooped her up. "Are you okay at school?"
Jeffrey sighed. "Nope."
"Wanna tell me why?"
"With Erin gettin' hitched, no one even seems to care that I'm here." He looked down at his feet, and Emma felt for him. Every once in a while someone from this family felt left out.
Emma took his hand. "Everyone loves you, even if they don't say it all the time. They've been pretty stressed with this dumb war, remember? But never forget that everyone respects and appreciates you. I know I do, and so does Ginny." The little girl giggled and hopped down beside Jeffrey, making him laugh.
