ight Months Later 1878
Working around the hatfield home was very helpful for Maria. She came out of her shell more and thriving on life. Her appearance changed dramatically from frumpy to upbeat girl.
Gone with the dirty boy pant and baggy shirts. She decided to a bit feel special, so she wore a light pink frock with a cream apron. She even had all of them hemmed to fit her short stature.
Today was her birthday and it happen to fall on a day she helped around at the Hatfield's. She did expect anyone to know or care so she treated the day like any other day.
And it did go like that until dinner time. they all were sitting around the table a few extra. They brought a cake out with thirteen candles.
"Me and the girls made this when you were hang the wash " lavicy blamed they all sang happy birthday smiles all round the table.
Maria closed her eyes gently and a wish. One she hoped with all her heart would come true.
Maria didn't know how to react, all her life her birthday had gone very unnoticed. Usually just passed with a pat on the head. The real thing that confused her was that they all seemed to genuinely care.
She was even given gifts! Lavicy made a beautiful blue wool shawl for her. slipped a nice shiny bit in my plum, which will be stashed under her bed joining her small savings.
Her daddy even gave her a gift and it was wonderful. A small oval silver locket. It was empty of course for what memories did they have. Tintypes were costly.
Then she opened the last gift from the hatfield boys. A A purple book with gold fount.
The lines mocked her casting a dark shadow on the joyous event.
Tracing the title with her finger she quietly thank the giggling group of older Hatfield boys. Their mother scolded them, they were aware the girl did not know how to read and was not as fortunate as them.
The male adults lost interest in watching a silly girl open presents long before that. Leaving the whole incident unnoticed.
Maria was glad to be leaving after that. She slightly left it on the chair. Not wanting to ever see it again. She and her pa were halfway out of the hatfield property when they hear a horse coming.
They walked not having enough money ever to keep a horse themselves or wagon. oddly enough maia never had ridden a horse in her entire life. the big beasts scared her half to death. When she was a small girl she seen a grown man trampled .
William was coming with a smug look on his handsome face.
"wats goin on boy" slurred bill. He had a too much moonshine at the dinner.
"Well ,Maria here seemed to forget one of her gifts. You know it took me a good while trying to find this here book" He went on saying
"Whatcha think of it maria? Like the topic i picked for ya'll?
She stayed silent hating William Hatfield for he knew.
Her father laughed at it " My boy all that book is worth kindling, you best keep it for yourself my Maria can barely spell her name without help." that made her even more embarrassed.
Her pap didn't care that she had no education. Will's smile dropped he didn't like the expression on maria's face. He thought it would be amusing to poke fun at her. But instead he felt his stomach turn.
It was her birthday and he knew they should've been more thoughtful getting her a gift something she could've used.
The look on her face earlier was unexpected. She was happy and smiling. He was going to make it up to her. He didn't understand why these pranks he did in her didn't bring him the same joy anymore
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It was a few weeks later saturday morning when maria was hanging some clothes on the line in front of the hatfield's home when she heard the most absurd thing.
Floyd hatfield and his wife were over visiting. The men were sitting around the small table on the porch.
Their voices drifted over to her,
"those damn Mccoys are shewing me over a Pig!" Floyd all but yelled
Jim vance spit on the floor at the mention of mccoy's. Devil anse shook his head at it.
"Hope y'all be there for me. It's in a fortnight. We got this in the bag uncle Wall being judge and all."