Author's Note: Don't waste time reading this! Don't you want to know what is going to happen? Read the story!
Chapter Thirteen: Potatoes
Just before the water touched her lips, Winnie heard a soft knock on the door. She was so surprised that she nearly dropped the bottle. As it was, a few drops spilled from the container and onto the wooden floor. Winnie quickly replaced the top to the bottle, put the water back in her satchel, and strode over to the door.
She opened it to find Rebecca standing in the hall wearing a similar nightgown to the one she had loaned Winnie earlier. The older woman smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you," she whispered. "I thought I heard you rustling around in there and I wanted to be sure you weren't feeling bad again. Do you need anything for your head?"
Winnie touched the bandage on her head as if trying to remember what was wrong with it. "No, thank you. I just woke up and…thought I would stretch."
"Oh, I see. Well, while I have you out here I might as well let you know that we are having company over tomorrow for lunch. Tom's aunt, Virginia, is going to be eating with us. You don't mind, do you? She's a wonderful woman. I just know you'll love her."
"No, that sounds fine. I look forward to meeting her."
"And I'm sure she will love meeting you. I'll let you go back to bed now, but if you need anything, Tom and I are right across the hall."
"Thank you." Winnie watched as Rebecca tiptoed to the next door and slipped through as quietly as possible, then turned back to her own room and closed her door with a click. She moved back to her satchel and took out Jesse's bottle for the second time that night. Turning it over in her hands, she contemplated her next move. Maybe it isn't a good idea to drink it now, she thought. She should wait until she left the Ferguson's house to make sure that she was alone and would not be interrupted.
Winnie finally fell asleep, content with her new plan. She woke up feeling groggy, but rested, and ready for a new day. When she arrived downstairs for breakfast, she was surprised to see Rebecca scurrying around the kitchen. The stove was lit and the counters were covered in flour. When Rebecca turned, Winnie noticed that a fair amount had landed on her as well.
"Good morning," said Rebecca. "You look like you slept well."
"Yes, thank you. I was very comfortable. What is all the fuss over? Can I help you with something?"
"Tom's aunt is coming over today for lunch, remember? I'm going to bake some dessert and make potato soup. Why don't we get you some oatmeal first and then you can help me peel some potatoes?" Rebecca took a bowl from the cabinet above and filled it with the thick mixture. "The sugar and butter is still on the table. You can put what you want in it."
"Thank you." Winnie sat at the table and helped herself to the good things available to her. When she had fixed it the way she liked, she took a bite and turned back to Rebecca. "Rebecca?"
"Yes?" The older woman didn't turn around.
"I'm sorry that I have been such a burden to you. With company over and all, I'm sure the last thing that you need is a stranger in the house. If you want, I can leave this morning before Tom's aunt arrives."
Rebecca spun around with a surprised expression on her face. "Why, you're no trouble at all, Winnie! Tom and I are just thrilled that you are here. Not that we are glad that you are injured, but…well, you know. You aren't any trouble at all. I just know that Virginia is going to love you. She really is a wonderful lady. She's probably sixty years old, but she doesn't act a day over thirty. I only hope I age that gracefully."
Winnie smiled. She couldn't imagine Rebecca getting old. She couldn't imagine herself getting old, for that matter. Not that she was going to. Like she decided last night, she was going to drink that water as soon as she left and stay seventeen forever.
Helping Rebecca with the soup was harder than Winnie had anticipated, but more fun, too. She peeled the potatoes while Rebecca cooked them in a little pot on the stove.
"Tom loves my potato soup," said Rebecca, "but if you ask him, he won't admit it." She smiled fondly. "Like last night with the pot roast. That man just loves to poke fun at me."
"You didn't look like you minded so much," Winnie said.
Rebecca blushed. "No, I guess I don't."
"How long have you been married?"
"It'll be two years next month." Rebecca took another potato from Winnie and placed it in the pot, then looked at the younger girl mischievously. "So, do you have a love back home?"
Winnie felt her cheeks flame. She thought immediately of Jesse and his beautiful smile, which only made her turn a deeper shade of pink. "No…no, not yet."
"Well, it won't take too long before some boy will take notice of your good looks and sweet nature and decide to ask you to be his wife. I promise you, if it is the right man, it will be the happiest day of your life." Rebecca grinned at Winnie and turned her attention back to the soup.
Winnie sighed dreamily and went back to peeling potatoes, but found it hard to concentrate on anything for the rest of the morning.