1. TRANSITION

Abigail could hear her parents arguing in the next room. She tried to tune out her mother's shrill voice and her father's low growls. She looked at her little five year old brother who was sitting on his bed with his hands over his ears. His hair was a pure blond and his sad eyes were bright blue.

"Joseph, would you like to go somewhere?" Abby asked him.

He nodded so she jumped off her bed and took his hand. They walked out of their room and went out the back door to avoid their parents. The two ran out into a field of wheat and lay together on the ground. They had done this many times before, it was their special place. During the day they would look at the clouds and try to figure out what animals they looked like. During the night they would look at the stars and try to figure out what animals the star constellations could make. But this was a sad time and they didn't bother to look for animals.

"Abby, why are they arguing?" Joseph asked his seventeen year old sister.

She ran her fingers through his toe-head blond hair. "Daddy wants to send me away to go live with Sarah so I can help her out with her kids now that her husband died. Momma doesn't want me to go because she doesn't like Sarah."

"But she's our sister!" argued Joseph. "Why doesn't momma like her?"

"Half, Joseph. She's our half-sister." Abby corrected him. "Momma never liked Sarah. After dad's first wife died and he married momma, they just never got along."

"So are you really going to be moving?" He looked up at her with his bright hopeful eyes.

"I'm afraid so. Daddy is the man of the house and what he says goes."

"I wish I was the man of the house! Then I'd make you stay here with me forever and ever!" Joseph thrilled at the thought of being in charge. Abby just laughed and kissed him on the head. After a while they went back to the house and it sounded like things had settled down. Abby's father was there waiting for her.

"Abby, we've decided that it's time for you to go and live with your sister." When he said it, his wife scoffed because he had said 'we'. He scowled at her and then refocused his gaze on Abby. "As you know, she lost her husband in that mining accident. She's going to need your help now since she's got the twins to tend to. You know how to tend to kids since you've done it with Joseph so you'll be really helpful to her."

Abby sat there in silence. She knew she didn't have a choice in the matter. She almost cursed herself for being so helpful with Joseph. He had been a 'surprise' after all and her parents were getting old in their age. But she loved Joseph more than anyone else and knew that she wouldn't have it any other way.

"William Osborne is heading up to Salem tomorrow to exchange supplies with their general store. You can hitch a ride on his wagon." Her father instructed.

"Tomorrow?" Abby gasped. She had no idea it was this soon.

Her father shifted his stance to appear taller and more in charge then said, "You'll do as you're told, girl. I've made my decision."

Abby bit her lip and tried to hold back the tears. She swallowed her anguish and fear of the unknown until late that night when everyone else was fast asleep. She laid in her bed and let her tears soak her pillow. She decided it was the only time she would allow her to feel sorry for herself. Tomorrow, she would have to be brave.

Mr. Osborne arrived early the next morning. Abby's father loaded up the wagon with her one bag that carried all of her belongings. Then he helped Abby to sit in the front with Mr. Osborne. Her mother's face was red and it was obvious that she had been crying.

She came up to the wagon to bid her daughter goodbye. "You be good now, you hear? Don't cause any trouble for Miss Sarah. She's got enough to do with those twins of hers."

"Yes momma." Abby replied obediently. She kissed her daughter and then walked back towards the house.

"Wait! I wanna say goodbye too!" shouted little Joseph. Daddy picked him up so that he was level with Abby on the wagon. He jumped out of his dad's arms over to Abby. The two hugged each other tightly.

"I'm going to miss you most of all." Abby whispered to her little brother.

"Me too. When I'm man of the house I'll bring you back, okay?"

Abby laughed. "Okay Joseph. I love you." She kissed his forehead and handed him back to her father. Then he placed him on the ground and he ran back to join his momma.

"Take care Abby and send us a letter each month. We'll write to you too." Her father hugged her in his strong arms. "Send Sarah our love."

"Will do." Abby complied. With that, Mr. Osborne commanded the horses to start moving and they left their little farming community for Salem, Massachusetts.

The trip took a full two days so it was night time when Mr. Osborne finally dropped Abby off at her sister's house. Abby grabbed her bag from the back and made her way to her sister's door while Mr. Osborne took off again. She was about to knock when the door flew open and Sarah was standing there smiling at her.

"Hi Abby! Welcome to Salem!" She reached through the door and gave her a tight squeeze. "Look how you've grown! And your hair- it used to be white blond! Now it's darkened so much! You look beautiful." Sarah kept smiling.

Even though the two had the same father, they did not look very much alike. Abby had dirty blond hair with natural waves and ice blue eyes while Sarah's hair was brown and straight, and she had brown eyes. The two girls definitely took after their own mothers.

"Thank you," said Abby, "You look great as well."

Considering that Sarah was almost thirty, she did look rather well. Her face maintained a youthful glow, despite the hardship the years had given her. She had an almost angelic look to her; perhaps it was due to the roundness of her face.

"Come in, it's getting chilly tonight." Sarah took Abby's bag and brought her into their tiny home. The entrance led straight into the kitchen and eating area. Further back was a sitting room and a closed door that looked like it led to the only bedroom in the house.

In the kitchen there were glass jars sitting on the shelves that lined the walls. Each jar seemed to hold something different, herbs, flower petals, grains, and other things that Abby couldn't identify.

"Won't you sit down?" Sarah offered her a seat at their small wooden table. "Are you hungry? Let me make you something to eat."

Abby nodded and Sarah went to warm up some soup. The place was much smaller than her previous home. Abby was disappointed at the prospect of having to share her bedroom with her sister and her kids. Sarah put a slice of bread in front of her and she started nibbling on it.

"So Abby, tell me about yourself. What do you like to do?" Sarah was really making an effort to make her estranged sister feel comfortable.

Abby shrugged. "I don't know… Reading, walking, stuff like that."

Sarah saw that Abby would need some coercing to open up. "Are there any boys that you like?" Sarah grinned down at her.

"What does it matter? I'll never see them again anyways." Abby started chewing on her thumbnail.

Sarah frowned. "I'm sorry about that. I guess it wasn't your idea to come here, was it?" Abby didn't answer. "Look, when father offered to have you come and help I was so grateful. Things have been very difficult for us since Patrick died. I had to get a job as a seamstress which leaves the children unattended during the day. They're only twelve and while they would never admit it, they need someone to look after them. I need you to make sure that they go to school every day and to also walk them home. I would also appreciate your help with cooking and cleaning around here. Father says that you've been so helpful to them with taking care of Joseph. I was hoping you could do the same for us here. Do you think that would be possible?"

Abby mulled it over. She knew that she shouldn't be so difficult. She was just frustrated with the situation, there was no reason to take it out on Sarah. "Yes, I can do that." Abby forced a smile.

Sarah smiled back and got the soup off the stove for Abby to eat. The girls spoke quietly for a little while longer and then decided they should head off to bed. Sarah explained that she put together a small cot for Abby to sleep on so that she wouldn't have to sleep with Sarah and the twins. They walked into the room with a single candle to light the way. Abby crawled under the quilt on her designated cot and Sarah went to her bed where her children already lay. Just before she blew out the candle, her daughter stirred.

"Mommy, is Abby here now?" The little girl with pale brown hair tried to rub the sleepiness from her eyes.

Sarah smiled and climbed under the covers next to her little ones. She blew out the candle and said, "Yes sweetie, she's here. Now go back to sleep, Jane."