February 3
After a simple but satisfying breakfast of eggs and toast, Rosemary and Harriet headed towards town in the Model T, soaking in the beautiful sights and sounds of a peaceful country morning after the rain. Lee had insisted on taking his motorbike, so they would have a way to travel about. And, oh how happy she was that he afforded them that privilege. A day around the house held no appeal, but to be free to check out the going-ons around town, especially after last night… well, it made her heart soar, along with the fact that it was a glorious day, more reminiscent of early spring than late winter. My, how she was ready to put the hard days of winter behind her and leap, full-heartedly, into a Rocky Mountain spring. Sensing Harriet's optimism as well, they bantered forth in lighthearted fashion on their drive into town. In fact, she'd almost completely forgotten the seriousness of last night's fire by the time the Model T hedged onto Main Street, but the smell of burnt wood began to arise and assault her nose reminding her of last night's tragedy. Harriet must have noticed the smell too, for she reached over and placed a hand over Rosemary's as if to protect her.
"It's alright. Lee said the fire was contained." She bravely voiced to the hesitant Harriet.
Harriet relaxed and retracted her hand. "It's… it's just so surreal being back in town after the tragedy last night. Almost as if the whole fire, it was a dream. A horrid, horrid dream."
She nodded her agreement and then continued to mosey the Model T down Main Street until they stopped nearly in front of the cafe, where they were amazed to see a line of men, the very same men who worked tirelessly to put out the fire last night, hauling chairs and tables out of the front of the cafe. Not one furnishing looked tarnished, and even the tablecloths were still draped perfectly over the edges, just a shade darker than they had been the night before due to the settling of the smoke and ashes.
After parking nearby, she walked across the gravel street to the cafe with Harriet at her side. She nodded a greeting to Ned Yost, Jesse and Hickam who were dutifully moving a chair and table from inside onto the porch. They managed to maneuver around the men and proceed to walk in the front door. What a flurry of activity was already taking place here! Did the citizens of Hope Valley even stop for the night? It did not seem so, for here they were still feverishly working. She suddenly felt quite guilty she had gone to bed and rested so well last night.
She looked to her left, where an opinionated Florence, Molly, and Dottie were all calling out orders to the men: "Don't drop the pitcher," "Careful with the table mats," and "Carson, aren't a doctor's hands gentler than all that?" Bill, Jack, Lee and Carson were all moving tables, chairs, china, and other various items across the room. Abigail and Elizabeth were in the kitchen working to clear debris away, both of their faces lined with soot. As she imagined, there was a thick coating of ash upon everything in the cafe, but thankfully it looked as if the fire and most of the destruction had been confined to the kitchen area.
The men looked as if they were not going to handle one more command from the overbearing trio, but she could see why the womenfolk were concerned. The men, although eager to help, were definitely not the ideal ones to be handling china or glassware, let alone the silk tablecloths and tablemats.
She truly ought to do something before this whole situation spiraled out of control. And do something she would. She hoisted pregnant self onto the chair, the mound at her belly making the task more difficult than she originally imagined. With a grunt, she stood on the chair and clapped her hands three times.
No one so much as glanced at her.
"Yoo—hoo!" She called out. She got Lee's attention with that one.
"Rosie!" He moaned as he observed her precarious spot on the chair.
His moan captured Jack's attention and he slowly put down the table that he and Bill were in the midst of carrying. Hickam, Jesse, and Ned ducked in the front door.
"Attention, please!" She clapped her hands again and this time every eye in the room was on her. "Thank you. That is much better. Now, what are we— a bunch of ninnies trying to clean up a mess?"
The men looked confused how to respond with that but the ladies shook their heads.
"No," she continued, "We are out to do a job and do it right, and frankly, men, the way you are handling that fine china and glassware… it is not honorable in the least."
The men looked confused and Doc Carson looked guilty as he set a delicate piece of glassware back on the table.
"Now, we must do this decently and in order. Men, leave the packing of the items up to us women. We will leave the heavy lifting to you. Now… if you might give us lady folk some room." She shooed them away with her hand.
Ned looked to Jack who looked to Bill who grunted.
Lee stepped forward. "Perhaps she is right. If we give them a little elbowroom they can have this packaged up for us so we can move the rest out. Then the ladies can scour the dining room while we tackle the mess in the kitchen."
The men shrugged.
"What do you say, Rosie— do you need about twenty minutes?" Lee asked.
"Make it thirty." She said and then corralled them towards the door.
"I guess that leaves us time for a cup of coffee." Bill muttered, exiting the cafe and leading the men to the sheriff's office.
"Yes, just none of your specialty blend reserved for the outlaws." Lee said warily.
Bill laughed and slapped him on the back. "Ho, ho. That is a story to tell."
The men's voices faded as they walked across the street.
Rosemary, confident they would not be back until the allotted time, turned back to the ladies in the room: Dottie, Florence, Molly, Abigail, Elizabeth and Harriet.
"Now that the menfolk are out of our hair we can get some real work done. But first of all, I want to say how very saddened I am that this happened to your cafe." Rosemary lifted her eyes towards Abigail, who had a swipe of soot across her cheek and a bandanna knotted around her hair. Her eyes were tired as she'd obviously spent the night in the wreckage, trying to salvage as much as possible. Elizabeth held onto Abigail's side, the ever-present picture of support and friendship. Abigail nodded her thanks.
"We'd understand if you two needed to head out to Elizabeth's place for a fresh bath and a little rest. We just want you to know, that we are here to support you. Aren't we?" Rosemary looked to the other women who nodded their support.
"Yes, Abigail, please take care of yourself. You look as though you hadn't a moment of rest since the fire broke out." Molly said softly, putting a hand on Abigail's shoulder.
"I wouldn't imagine of abandoning you all at a time like this." Abigail said in her strong, determined way.
Elizabeth turned to Abigail. "Perhaps they are right, Abigail. After working all night, you're in need of a rest. I'd say this is the perfect time with all your friends here to cover for you."
The ladies all nodded their encouragement until Abigail finally conceded. "Alright, but I don't need much more than an hour or two. I will be back."
The ladies all smiled at each other, happy to provide the backbone of their town some respite and rest.
Abigail and Elizabeth walked wearily to the door, and then Abigail, in her graceful way, looked over to each one of them. "I do appreciate you all helping me my time of need," her voice broke and she took a minute to gather herself. "You truly are the best of friends. Thank you."
Rosemary looked over the lot of them, each of them having a tear shimmering in their eyes. How far they had all come in the past few years to be considered not only friends, but each other's family as well.
Elizabeth gave them a thankful look and then ushered Abigail outside.
Florence cleared her throat. "Poor Abigail… and with all she's been through."
"Yes. Why did it have to happen to her?" Dottie's voice was somber.
Rosemary clapped her hands, causing them to startle. "I know we all feel saddened for Abigail. The way we can show our support is to get to work!" If she didn't help the women escape the emotion surging through the room, they would never get any work done.
The ladies came to, the determination flowing back into their veins.
"Dottie, you and Flo start with the fine china. Molly and I will do our best to shake out the tablecloths and fold them. Harriet, could you start with the sweeping? Let's get this cafe back in order." She called out and then carefully stepped down from the chair.
The ladies nodded whole-heartedly and divided up to their corners of the room. Rosemary joined Molly by the tables.
"I do fear some of these are ruined." Molly said gingerly taking a tablecloth off of the table and holding it to her bosom. "I'm sure Abigail is just devastated."
Florence must have heard from across the room, for she stopped with packing the china and looked up. "I heard she was considering leaving on furlough, but who knows with this horrific calamity at the cafe now."
"Oh, furlough? Where to?" Rosemary questioned, as she hadn't heard a peep about Abigail leaving for a Holiday.
Florence looked both ways in the cafe before murmuring her next words. "Word is that Pastor Frank has asked her to marry him. With this not being her first marriage, I could imagine them… well, eloping."
Dottie nodded. "It would be about time."
"But an elopement? Only simpletons get married in such a way." A look of repugnance fell across Florence's face.
Molly clicked her tongue. "That is not true, Florence, and you know it. I was married at a court house with nothing but my Sunday best and a bouquet of wild flowers."
"Yes, well, you are a different story." She waved her hand in the air, disqualifying the similarity. "Do you think Pastor Frank and Abigail have something to hide?"
The ladies laughed.
"Oh, Florence," Dottie said, "you and your overactive imagination. They are simply a couple in love, and I, for one, would cheer whole heartedly for them getting married, whether it is a simple courthouse wedding or not."
"Here here." Rosemary said, before shaking out another table cloth, the soot from it rising up to tickle her nose. "Oh Harriet! Look!" She exclaimed, nodding down to the chair before her. "Your reticule. In tact."
Harriet scurried to the seat and lifted the reticule. After dusting it off with a napkin she held it to her chest. "I'd forgotten all about it with this morning's busyness," She opened the purse. "Oh, my precious photos."
Rosemary blinked in surprise. Could the childhood pictures of her and her half brother truly mean more to her than her money and ticket out east as well as her other belongings in the purse?
Harriet held the photos close, a glimmer of a tear in the corner of her eye. "I don't know what I would have done if they had burned. These photos… they've carried me through the years. They've helped me hold onto hope that perhaps one day… I'd be reunited with my children."
Rosemary walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "And we are reunited. I couldn't be happier."
Harriet sniffled and then looked through the rest of the contents of the purse, producing an envelope. She opened it slightly, and there was her ticket out east.
She sucked in a breath. "It is still here." The softness and sensitivity on her face morphed into a rigid and worried expression. "I almost hoped it would not be…"
Rosemary smiled. "And we have already settled this matter. You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish."
"Truly?" Harriet questioned again, even though they had already had this heart to heart talk this morning.
"Truly." She said, smiling warmly at her mother. She felt all the ladies' eyes on them, and she turned to address them. "Am I correct in saying Harriet is an honorary member of Hope Valley as long as she'd like to stay?"
The ladies smiled and each murmured a phrase of acceptance.
Dottie took a step closer and addressed Harriet. "We do not know much of you… but if you are anything like your daughter, I have a feeling we will get to know you in no time. We'd like to officially welcome you to Hope Valley." Dottie offered her hand in a ceremonial handshake.
Harriet nodded and reached out to accept her hand.
Next thing Rosemary knew, the lot of ladies swarmed around Harriet offering her pats on the back and proper greetings.
Yes, Harriet would fit in just fine around here. In fact, she was well on her way to becoming part of the Hope Valley family.