Mid-afternoon
Dec 31, 1863
Sweetfern Farm
Kirkwood, MS
Mac rolled onto her side. Her neck was stiff and her back ached. As she stretched them, she looked out her northern window. The pouring rain outside matched her mood. Images of bleeding wounds still swam before her eyes, wounds that had never really healed.
She rolled off her bed and went across the room to the mirror. She looked at her reflection and saw a tired, puffy-eyed little girl, instead of the beautiful woman she truly was. Her hair had fallen out of its braid and now lay wildly about her shoulders. Her shirt was wrinkled and the sleeves were flecked with blood. She sighed, knowing that there was still a party tonight- a party she was hosting.
A soft knock came at her door, and she answered, "You can come in."
Bobbi pushed the door open, and walked across the room. "Are you alright?" she asked kindly.
Mac nodded half-heartedly. "I'll be fine, Bobbi," she said, her voice tired, flat and sad.
Bobbi looked at her softly. "Sarah, what you've done over the last week, has been nothing short of a miracle," she told her, "You've run yourself ragged, and it's no wonder."
Tears threatened to flood Mac's eyes again, but she blinked them back. "I'm fine, Bobbi. Really," she said as she turned to the wardrobe and pulled out a dress for the evening.
Bobbi gave her a look that said, 'I don't believe you', and Mac said, "Really, I'm fine."
"Whatever you say," she replied, and she added, "Everything is ready for the party tonight. The food is made, the dining room set up, and the parlor ready for dancing."
"Bobbi, thank you so much."
"Don't thank me. Hannah and Harriet did most of the work," Bobbi told her, "They wanted to give you a chance to rest."
Mac smiled at this. She should have known that Harriet would step in- it was her motherly nature. Bobbi was now at her side, helping her out of her dirty clothes. Bobbi threw Mac stained shirt and wrinkled skirt into a basket at the back of the room, and then helped Mac into a simple white linen, button down shirt and a black wool skirt.
"You should really dress up more," Bobbi told her, "Why not wear that lovely blue silk your Uncle AJ sent you?"
"I'm comfortable like this," Mac replied fastening the last button on her skirt. The last thing she put on was a deep golden sash; wrapped twice around her waist, it gave her a festive look.
Bobbi pinned up Mac's hair and for the first time in a week, Mac felt completely ready for what lay before her. Her mood had returned to normal and she was actually feeling excited about the party.
Her excitement was mirror by everyone who was there that night. They ate lots of delicious food, listen to wonderful homemade music, and danced until the early hours of the morning. Everyone had a wonderful New Year's Eve.
Mac rolled onto her side. Her neck was stiff and her back ached. As she stretched them, she looked out her northern window. The pouring rain outside matched her mood. Images of bleeding wounds still swam before her eyes, wounds that had never really healed.
She rolled off her bed and went across the room to the mirror. She looked at her reflection and saw a tired, puffy-eyed little girl, instead of the beautiful woman she truly was. Her hair had fallen out of its braid and now lay wildly about her shoulders. Her shirt was wrinkled and the sleeves were flecked with blood. She sighed, knowing that there was still a party tonight- a party she was hosting.
A soft knock came at her door, and she answered, "You can come in."
Bobbi pushed the door open, and walked across the room. "Are you alright?" she asked kindly.
Mac nodded half-heartedly. "I'll be fine, Bobbi," she said, her voice tired, flat and sad.
Bobbi looked at her softly. "Sarah, what you've done over the last week, has been nothing short of a miracle," she told her, "You've run yourself ragged, and it's no wonder."
Tears threatened to flood Mac's eyes again, but she blinked them back. "I'm fine, Bobbi. Really," she said as she turned to the wardrobe and pulled out a dress for the evening.
Bobbi gave her a look that said, 'I don't believe you', and Mac said, "Really, I'm fine."
"Whatever you say," she replied, and she added, "Everything is ready for the party tonight. The food is made, the dining room set up, and the parlor ready for dancing."
"Bobbi, thank you so much."
"Don't thank me. Hannah and Harriet did most of the work," Bobbi told her, "They wanted to give you a chance to rest."
Mac smiled at this. She should have known that Harriet would step in- it was her motherly nature. Bobbi was now at her side, helping her out of her dirty clothes. Bobbi threw Mac stained shirt and wrinkled skirt into a basket at the back of the room, and then helped Mac into a simple white linen, button down shirt and a black wool skirt.
"You should really dress up more," Bobbi told her, "Why not wear that lovely blue silk your Uncle AJ sent you?"
"I'm comfortable like this," Mac replied fastening the last button on her skirt. The last thing she put on was a deep golden sash; wrapped twice around her waist, it gave her a festive look.
Bobbi pinned up Mac's hair and for the first time in a week, Mac felt completely ready for what lay before her. Her mood had returned to normal and she was actually feeling excited about the party.
Her excitement was mirror by everyone who was there that night. They ate lots of delicious food, listen to wonderful homemade music, and danced until the early hours of the morning. Everyone had a wonderful New Year's Eve.
