After returning home to the house located behind the Mercantile store, Theresa helped her Aunt to peel and prepare the vegetables for the evening meal before retiring to her room to wash up for supper. Having done so, the 17 year old removed her journal from the hiding place under the pillow and read what she had written the day before, with a view to updating it but….
"Theresa!" called Lucy from the kitchen.
Theresa closed her journal with the pencil inside and re-hid it under the pillow before she hurried to go and see what her Aunt wanted.
"THERESA!" yelled Lucy impatiently.
"I'm coming Aunt Lucy, I'm coming!" yelled Theresa as she slammed her bedroom door.
"Don't slam the doors, young Lady!" Admonished Lucy
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," replied the 17 year old sheepishly. "Did you want me to do something for you, Aunt Lucy?"
"Yes. Would you please set the table; your Uncle will be coming in for supper shortly."
"Yes ma'am," said Theresa and she went to the dresser to collect the cutlery and began preparing the table.
-ACIC-
"And how are my two favourite ladies?" called Sam as he strode through the front door. Seeing his niece setting the table he asked, "Did you enjoy your tour of the town, my dear?" and he hung his jacket up on the peg behind the front door.
"Yes sir. We didn't manage to finish all of Main Street, but we did visit many places and even had a slice of pie and coffee at the International Hotel."
"Oh? Did you now?" said Sam as he walked up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Did you bring me back some pie, my dear?"
"Don't Sam, I'm trying to prepare supper!" said Lucy trying to shrug her husband off.
Sam kissed the back of his wife's head and released her waist, but then turned her around; "Now Lucy is that any way to greet your husband after a hard day's work?" he asked pulling her into him for a passionate kiss.
Lucy returned the kiss and embrace, and then slapped her husband's hands away softly. "Go wash up and leave me to finish supper," she ordered.
"Yes ma'am," replied her husband and with a wink at Theresa, he left the kitchen area to go and wash up in the bedroom.
Lucy brushed herself down after her husband released her and then returned to stirring the gravy with one hand whilst removing the potatoes from the stove top.
Having finished setting the table, Theresa stepped into the kitchen area, "I've finished setting the table. Would you like me to mash the potatoes?"
"Yes please."
Theresa carefully removed the saucepan from the area on the sideboard where Lucy had placed it and, after draining the water from the potatoes, she began mashing them, adding chunks of butter to the mixture until she was happy with the consistency of the potatoes.
"All done?" Lucy asked.
"Yes ma'am."
"Good, please transfer the potatoes to a bowl and put them on the table will you?"
The young girl found a suitable tureen in the cupboard and quickly transferred the potatoes into the tureen before taking it to the table and placing it on one of the wooden trivets.
Lucy removed the gravy from the stove and shut the top plate, then using a thick towel she took the meat pie she had made from the oven. "Theresa, would you please come and get the gravy?"
"Yes ma'am, coming," replied the young girl.
Lucy took the meat pie to the table and placed it on the trivet nearest to where her husband sat, "SAM SUPPER'S READY," she yelled.
Theresa ladled the gravy into the heavy white china jug her Aunt had left on the sideboard and then taking it with her to the table she took her seat and waited for her Aunt and Uncle to join her.
-ACIC-
After saying a quick blessing Sam began cutting into the meat pie and slicing it ready to be plated up. "Mmm Hmm….Lucy this smells delicious, is this rabbit?" he asked.
"Yes it is Sam. Mr. Evans' eldest brought me one yesterday and I've had it hanging in the larder. I cooked the meat in gravy this morning and made the pie when I got home. He's such a pleasant young man that William and it's a crying shame that he hasn't found a wife yet."
"Hmm, yeah, William Evans, I know him, seems like a responsible young man and his father is one of the town's council members being a blacksmith and all," Sam chatted with his wife about the prospects that Will Evans had, whilst Theresa groaned at the mention of 'Rabbit pie'.
Making a face at the thought, Theresa wondered if she would be allowed to only have a small portion. "Uncle Sam, may I only have a small slice of pie please?"
"Aren't you hungry?" Sam replied.
Remembering that her Uncle despised lies, Theresa decided to be honest rather than evasive. "No sir, it's not that, I just don't care for rabbit much."
"OH. I'm sorry about that, I'm sure that if your Aunt knew then she wouldn't have made the pie, but you know we can't afford to waste food, so…"
"Yes sir, I know," interrupted Theresa. "Mama always told me I should be grateful for anything I was given and I'm not complaining about eating it, but I don't want to waste the pie so if I could just have a small slice, please?" the girl pleaded.
"OK." Sam said and he halved the slice he had cut for the girl, put it on the plate and handed it to his niece.
"Thank you. Please don't be upset Aunt Lucy, I don't mean to be mean about your cooking," Theresa said accepting the plate from her uncle.
Lucy nodded her head but didn't look pleased at all.
Theresa saw her Aunt's demeanour and looked down at the table and mentally kicked herself. I should have just lied and eaten the pie without saying anything! Now Aunt Lucy's gonna be mad at and Uncle Sam will too for upsetting Aunt Lucy plus I still need to ask Uncle Sam to let me have the morning off from the store to see Scott, I can't see him agreeing to that if he's mad at me. Damn it! I was hoping I could persuade Uncle Sam to let Scott show me around the town some. I was hoping that he could show me where 'Old Ted' lives so that I can find out why the Bucket of Blood is called that!
"Theresa, stop daydreaming and serve yourself some potatoes and gravy," commanded Sam.
Theresa jerked her head up at the scolding and began scooping large spoonfuls of potatoes onto her plate to make up for the lack of meat pie. Then she poured gravy over everything and began eating without looking at either her Aunt or Uncle.
Lucy watched her niece pour gravy over everything completely swamping her slice of pie and she frowned, upset at the young girl's attempts to smother her cooking with gravy without even trying the pie. I wonder what has gotten into that girl. I would never have thought she could be so untrusting. Anyone would think that I can't cook! It's just like it was at home, my mother never gave my cooking a chance, always expecting me to be able to cook just as good as her!
Sam Carter ate his own food with gusto; he was hungry from a long afternoon when he had been very busy accepting supplies from out of town. "It's delicious Lucy, honey did you add herbs to this too?" he asked cutting himself another smaller piece of pie.
"Yes, and I cooked the rabbit with gravy just like Mrs Marchant suggested, so that the meat didn't dry out too much."
"Well whatever you did it is delicious."
"Hmm," replied Lucy.
Sam looked up from his plate and saw his wife toying with her food whilst glaring at her niece, having not eaten a bite. He put down his knife and fork and reached out and placed his hand on her arm. When Lucy looked at him, he smiled and asked, "Lucy is there something wrong?"
"Wrong? No, why should anything be wrong, Sam? After all YOU like my cooking!" she retorted angrily.
Unfortunately by this point Theresa's embarrassment had reached its limit and her temper rose. She slammed her knife and fork down on the table and glared at her Aunt. "I never said that I didn't like your Cooking! I just said I didn't much care for rabbit. I'm eating it aren't I?" she yelled.
"THERESA! THAT'S ENOUGH! GO TO YOUR ROOM!" demanded Sam.
"But Uncle Sam…" Theresa started.
"I said, GO TO YOU ROOM, YOUNG LADY! I will be in to talk to you shortly," said Sam angrily.
The teenager glared at her Aunt and Uncle but did as she was told, rising from the table and stomping across the room. She opened the bedroom door, stepped across the thresh-hold and considered slamming her door to show her frustration but at the last minute she managed to stop herself and closed the door with a soft click. She threw herself on the bed, Oh great now you've done it, stupid! Damn, damn, damn. She thought and she pummelled the pillow with both fists.
-ACIC-
Back in the main room….
"Lucy, don't you think that was an overreaction? I know that the girl said she didn't care for rabbit pie before even trying it and that upset you, but the girl didn't actually complain about your cooking," Sam said as he took both of his wife's small hands in his.
Sniff, "I know she didn't say it as such, Sam, but she didn't even taste it! I never used to like rabbit much either, I always thought that it was too dry, especially baked. But Mrs. Marchant suggested adding gravy to the cooking of the meat and that it kept the meat moist, I realised that I love it now. Plus this time I added some herbs too and I thought that it would enhance the flavour," Lucy choked out between her tears.
Sam removed his handkerchief from his pocket and passed it to his wife, "Dry your tears, sweetheart. I'm sure that the girl is sorry that you are upset, I don't think that she meant to hurt your feelings," he said as he returned his hand to his wife's left hand whilst she wiped away the tears with her right. Rubbing her hands with both of his thumbs to massage the stiffness he found there, he watched Lucy to see that she had stopped crying. He lifted her hand up to his lips and kissed it softly, "Lucy, I will speak to the girl about being a little more sensitive to your feelings but you have got to learn to not take things so personally. Come now, let's finish our meal and I'll go and talk to the girl. Hopefully by then she will have calmed down."
Sniff, sniff, "OK….Sam," Lucy replied and she wipe the last of her tears away with his handkerchief.
-ACIC-
When her Uncle didn't come to her room straight away, Theresa went to her desk and pulled out some of the notepaper Uncle Sam had present to her on her first day so that she could write to her mother. Sitting down at the desk the girl dipped the quill in the ink and began to write a letter to her mother.
'Dear Mama,
It's only been a week since arrived to stay with Uncle Sam and Aunt Lucy, but it seems like I've been here much longer. I miss you and Papa so much.
How is Papa? Is he any better? Please say that he is as I'm so worried about him.
Uncle Sam and Aunt Lucy have been real nice to me, although Uncle Sam sure is strict!
Today Uncle Sam let me help him out in the store and he's agreed to let me work there everyday and is paying me for the work too! When I get my first wage packet, I'm going to send something nice for you and Papa.
I've met some real nice people whilst working in the store. There is a girl called Amanda who came in with her Papa to get some underthings today and Uncle Sam sure does blush when someone mentions ladies under clothing! Amanda is younger than me (she's 14) but she seems really nice and I think we can be friends.
And there is a cowboy called Jake, that works at a ranch outside of town and Mama….just looking at him makes my heart beat fast in my chest and my knees feel like jelly, do you think this might mean I love him? Uncle Sam didn't seem to like Jake talking to me, I wonder why as he seems real nice and not rough and rowdy like some of the cowboys that I've seen in the town.
Well, I must be going now. Please kiss Papa for me and tell him I love and miss him and hope that he gets better soon. I'll write again soon but would love for you to write back to me. Please write soon.
With all my love
Theresa
X'
After folding the letter, Theresa put it into an envelope and wrote her home address on the front. Leaving the letter on the desk, Theresa lay down on the bed on her side and hugged the pillow to her.
-ACIC-
After finishing his meal, Sam Carter stood up and kissed the top of his wife's head, "I'm going in to speak to the girl, my dear. Why don't you go and rest for a bit? The girl can get the washing up for losing her temper."
Lucy looked up into Sam's loving eyes and sighed, "I will, thank you, Sam."
Sam nodded and pushing his chair under the table he strode across the room and knocked on his niece's bedroom door," Theresa, its Uncle Sam, may I come in?"
"Yes, sir, it's open," came through the door.
Sam turned the door knob and it opened easily. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him with a soft click. Theresa stood up when her Uncle entered the room, placing her hands in front of her skirt; she stood quietly with her head bowed.
"Look at me please," commanded Sam softly and he waited for the teenager to comply.
"Young lady that display of temper is not acceptable…."
"But Uncle Sam…" the young girl interrupted.
Her Uncle raised his hand up in the universally known stop sign, "I don't want to hear any excuses, young lady. I understand that you were being honest and not mean when you said that you didn't like rabbit and you were respectful when you asked for a smaller slice of the pie your Aunt made for supper. However, you did hurt your Aunt's feelings when you served yourself a lot of mashed potatoes and then covered everything in copious amount of gravy.
Now I know that you don't realise this but your Aunt has never had that much confidence with cooking. She has only recently started to try new things so she is extra sensitive when she makes an effort and it doesn't work out. Personally, I have been very happy with her recent attempts at new recipes as they are full of flavours.
Theresa, honey, the reason your Aunt felt hurt was because you didn't even taste the pie, before saying that you didn't like rabbit. You know sometimes when you change the way that something is prepared it tastes very different. You know your Aunt never even liked rabbit when we first met."
"I'm sorry if Aunt Lucy felt I hurt her feelings but I don't like rabbit. I was only being honest as I know that you don't approve of lying. And, I was going to eat the rabbit pie even though I don't like it. I don't want you to think I'm not grateful for everything you are doing for me whist I stay with you and Aunt Lucy."
"Sit down please, Theresa," Sam said and then he sighed.
The teenager obeyed, sitting on the edge of the bed whilst he Uncle paced in front of her. "Theresa, your Aunt and I are very happy to have you stay with us, but it takes some adjusting for all of us. You have to learn what we expect from you and you need to learn our ways and adjust. We are not used to having children or young adults such as yourself in the house and so we have our own routine and you need to adjust to that including learning to eat what is put in front of you and to do as we say without argument.
Now, as I said earlier, your Aunt's feelings were hurt and although I don't think you were being mean, you could have been a little more sensitive. I would like you to go and speak with your Aunt when we are finished here. I would also like you to bear this conversation in mind for the future. Your aunt and I don't mind you having your say and if there are things that you do not like much I'm sure that when she can your Aunt will avoid them, but if not, I would like you to at least try tasting something before you decide you don't like it, understand?"
Theresa nodded her head, "Yes, sir."
"Good. Now about your temper. I don't care how you behaved at home but you will not behave that way in my house! You are 17 now and almost an adult. I will try and treat you like an adult as much as possible when you behave like one. Adults talk about things calmly rather than shouting and if they can't do that then they go and find a way to control their temper first and then return to calmly discuss things. If you slam your cutlery down, shout at your Aunt or I and stomp off to your room like that again, we will be having a very different conversation between my hand, your hairbrush and your backside. And don't for one minute think I won't do that, young lady. Am I making myself clear?" he asked sternly.
"Y.y..yes ….s..s….sir," the teenager quickly stammered out.
"Excellent! Do you have anything you want to say to me at this moment?"
"No sir, other than I'm sorry for behaving that way when you sent me in here. May I go and apologise to Aunt Lucy now?"
"Yes you may….and Theresa…." Sam said as the young girl put her hand on the door knob.
"Yes sir?"
"Your Aunt has put your meal in the warmer above the oven. When you have spoken to your Aunt you may finish it and then you can have the kitchen chores to do tonight. I want you to clear the table, wash-up the things and leave the kitchen spick and span for your Aunt, OK?"
"Yes sir, I understand." The girl said sadly.
"I'm sure that you do. OK, go on, go and get things straight with your Aunt." Sam watched the young girl leave the room before he sat down heavily on her bed. Phew! That was hard! Am I really sure that I want to do this with my own child or even an adopted one? Sam scrubbed at his face hard with both hands. Shit! What am I thinking like this for? Of course I do. I want to be a father just as much as Lucy wants and needs to be a mother. I guess the rough side of being a papa has to come with the smooth. I only hope that if we do manage to adopt that I have a few years to get used to it before I have to deal with a difficult teenager!
Sam sat on the bed for a few minutes and then got to his feet and opened the door to the main room. Looking around he wasn't able to see the young girl and so he theorised that she was still in with her Aunt, in his and Lucy's room. Crossing the room to the kitchen area he checked the coffee pot on the stove top and finding some still in the pot, he poured himself a cup and head out onto the porch to sit on the bench swing to relax.
-ACIC-
Sam had been sitting on the bench swing for around twenty minutes, gently rocking the swing with his feet whilst he rested with his eyes closed, when he suddenly felt a soft small hand on his neck, "Mind if I join you?" he heard.
"Of course not darling," he replied, opening his eyes. Lucy slid into the seat next to her husband and leant into him. Sam reached out for Lucy's hand and clasped it in his, "Are you feeling better, my dear."
"Yes I am Sam and a little silly too! I did completely over-react didn't I? I'm so sorry Sam, you didn't need to see that, especially after working in the store all day," Lucy admitted sheepishly.
Sam gently lifted his wife's chin and softly kissed her on the lips, "Forgiven and forgotten, sweetheart. Did the girl and you sort things out?"
Lucy nodded, "Yes, Sam, she apologised and I realise that it was really my fault that she lost her temper and so I apologised too. Are you punishing her for losing her temper?"
"I am…"he said and put his finger to his wife's lips before she could protest. "Her punishment is to eat her meal and then clean up like I said, nothing else. Plus of course she was expected to apologise to you for hurting your feelings which she has already done."
Lucy smiled at her husband and he removed his finger from her lips. The couple sat back on the swing bench and Sam wrapped his arms around Lucy's shoulders and Lucy relaxed into his side. They rocked in the swing quietly for a few minutes. "Sam?"
"Yes sweetheart."
"Theresa told me you let her serve customers in the store today. She said that you even let her design somewhere for customers to try on the clothes in the back room. You know you've made that young lady very happy by showing such faith in her."
"Lucy, she is a bright girl and is a real natural at serving people. Already she is making friends and I think she will be a real asset to the store, at least whilst she stays with us. She works hard and I am happy to let her come up with ideas to improve things. How did things go on your tour, this afternoon, did you manage to get anywhere other than the Hotel?"
"It was fine Sam and yes we did get further than the hotel! I collected your shoes and we met Jacob and Mrs Marchant who has invited Theresa to the sewing circle Wednesday nights. So you and Jacob can still have your Wednesday nights in peace! It was after that that the girl asked if she could do and see one of the saloons. Sam, that girl is obsessed with finding more out about the Bucket of Blood and I'm worried that she'll sneak off to find Old Ted if we don't watch her."
"I'll talk to her Lucy. I think that we are going to have to let her have a bit more freedom than I wanted to allow but she will have to wait until we has learnt more about the town before we can let her out on her own. Perhaps you and I can take her out for a walk after church to show her the rest of the town and what areas to avoid. If she is prepared to abide by some rules then perhaps we can allow he out to run some small errands to gain some confidence but only during the day mind. Then when she has some friends I might be agreeable to letting her spend some time with them when she is not working in the store. What do you think of that?"
"Oh Sam, I still think that she should be escorted, after all she is a very pretty girl and will attract some attention."
"Yes she will, in fact she already is. Young Jake from the Ponderosa was in town today and neither of them could keep their eyes off each other. Lucy, I've been thinking this afternoon and the girl is already old enough to get married so we can't treat her like a child all of the time. However seeing as she is our responsibility, I think that we do need to set some rules up to protect her. Jake's a good man but a little too old and experienced for a shy young girl and I'd rather she stayed away from him. Perhaps if the girl is allowed a little freedom and makes some friends her own age then she will stay away from him. I'll keep her busy during the day for the most part perhaps you and Mrs Marchant and the other women can teach her some ways to deal with the young men around here."
"Well Sam, the fact is that I think she already has another admirer. There was a young boy who works as a porter in the hotel who seems kinda sweet on her and he is coming to the house in the morning."
"And you approved of that?" Sam asked.
"Well yes! He's near her age and he seems pleasant, well-mannered and he asked respectfully if he could call on her. I thought it would be advisable if he came by the house so as I could keep an eye on them."
"Excuse me," came from behind the couple.
Sam and Lucy stopped swinging," Yes honey?"
"Uncle Sam, I've finished the kitchen, may I come talk to you?" the soft voice asked.
"Of course honey. Come on out."
The teenager came out of the house and sat down on the porch step sideways so that she could address her Aunt and Uncle. "Uncle Sam, may I have the morning off from the store. I know I've only just started working there, but I met someone at the hotel yesterday and he only has the morning off and he asked if he could some calling. He's about my age and well…. I was hoping that we could be friends. I'll work extra hard in the afternoon I promise."
"You like this boy?"
"Yes sir, but not like you think, I just like him as a friend, I'll obey any rules you set for me to see him. Please Uncle Sam?"
"Well Lucy, what do you think?" Sam asked as he winked at his wife.
"Provided they stay within site of the house I see no problem, Sam."
"Well Ok, young lady. You may have the morning off and you can see this boy but I don't want to hear about your and he wandering off around town, especially near saloons!"
"Why would you say around saloons, Uncle Sam?" Theresa asked hesitantly.
"Because young lady… "Sam smiled down at the young girl. "Your Aunt said you have a bit of an obsession with trying to meet Old Ted. Now you hear me now, you and the boy are not to go off around town tomorrow. When I hear that you and he can be trusted to obey my rules then I might be agreeable to allow you to wander further with the boy. Clear?"
"Yes sir, thank you Uncle Sam."
"You are welcome, young lady."