I made it back to Firestone by early afternoon.

Anna met me at the door and ushered me inside. "Big party tomorrow night, we need to plan the menu." She said.

As she hurried me into the dining room she commented on my new dress "It's lovely Sarah." She said.

I smiled at her compliment

"Is shopping all you did while you were in Atlanta today?"

"Uh, yes of course. What else would I be doing?" I asked innocently.

"Oh nothing I just thought you may have had friends or family nearby with whom you could visit."

"No, no friends or family in Atlanta." I said quietly.

We went on to plan an extravagant four course meal for 13 guests, we made a long list of things to buy in town, "Sorry to interrupt your day off, Sarah." Anna said apologetically, "But you'll see it's easier to get the shopping and planning out of the way the day before."

I didn't mind. I had no other interests to occupy any spare time I might find myself with. The only thing I had ever had that could be regarded as a hobby was rug making and I had never found that to be particularly satisfying as it was often done out of necessity and I was never able to select any nice materials for the work.

"No problem, Anna I'm glad to be of service to both you and Charles." I said honestly.

"Well I do appreciate that Sarah, you have been a great help to us both and I do so love your great attitude to work." She said. "You could be anything you set your mind to, you know."

I looked at her quizzically – not understanding her comment.

"I'm not sure what you mean." I said.

"Oh surely you have dreams for your future." She sighed "I'm speaking of your dreams."

I paused "Well, not really," I said slowly. "My only dream has been to find somewhere to live and work after my mother passed away, and now I have done that and I thank you sincerely for being a big part of that."

"Well you must have bigger dreams for yourself Sarah – you are still a young woman, you should be thinking about marriage and a family or even a career of some kind." She chided.

I felt a knife in my heart when she mentioned family but I didn't show it.

"Well as a young girl I was never any good in school, you know. My value has always been as a caretaker and I was never encouraged to think of having a job of my own outside the home." I said. "Truthfully I don't think I could have a really important job." I said as I shook out a crisp white tablecloth.

"Rubbish Sarah, if you have a dream you can accomplish it. You are making enough money here to pay for a course at the community college, you could do a sales course or secretarial course or nursing, they have hundreds of options for people just like you."

"But I'm very happy here," I said. "Surely you are not trying to be rid of me?"

"Oh of course not Sarah, it's just that I know people seldom dream big enough dreams for themselves, I'm sorry if I seem pushy. Please forgive me. These are my issues, not yours."

I looked at her carefully, I smiled gently at her and continued on with my task.

Anna had surprised me with her vehemence, she always seemed so easy going and cheerful, I wondered what had prompted her to speak of such things.

Finally all of our jobs were done including a trip to the biggest and best grocery store I had ever seen. Far bigger and better than the tiny general store in Winnerrow. After the advice from Anna to dream a 'bigger dream' I noticed myself noticing others. I noticed the women working at the grocery store and the cleaners in the store entryways, police driving in cars. All the different types of jobs that people could have... hundreds and hundreds - there must be.

I had never noticed or cared before, I never needed a job – I had always had hundreds of them, cooking, cleaning, washing, mending not to mention the hundreds of jobs that had come with motherhood.

No it had been Luke's sole responsibility to find a good job for himself. One that would support all of us.

I had never truly judged Luke for running Moonshine, I knew he could never have worked in the coal mines. It seemed like a much harder job than mine to find a job, and so in one way I had always loved Luke for trying... in spite of his lack of education he was able to make some money to keep us going.

Education, Desire - those were the things Tom and Heaven often spoke of - believing that those things alone would lead them to better lives.

I didn't need another job. I was truly happy here, I decided not to think about my own lack of choices and my own lack of skills and instead focus on what I could do for Anna and Charles.

Yes I had everything I needed and more. I lacked ambition and had simple dreams and no real plans for my future.