The Winds of Change
By
AZgirl66
Chapter 5- The Assignment
The schoolyard was deserted except for the three school-aged Dillon children. Adam swung his arms from side to side, his lunchpail in one hand and his McGuffey reader in the other. Matthew sat on the bottom step of the schoolhouse with his head in his hands as Addie looked down the road for their grandpa. It was his turn to pick them up from school and he'd never been late before.
"Addie, what are we gonna do?" Adam worriedly asked his big sister.
"Well, we've waited for a good long while, so I think we need t' just start walking along the road to the house. Maybe something happened to Gladiola, or maybe a buggy wheel. C'mon, let's go," Addie started to walk down Front Street, motioning for her brothers to follow.
"I can't believe Grandpa fergot us," Adam grumbled, "Mama's gonna be sooo mad."
"He didn't forget. Somethin' happened," Matthew offered, trying to hide the fact that he was worried about their precious grandfather.
"Like what?!" Adam nervously pulled on his brother's arm.
Addie shot Matthew a look, warning him not to scare their six-year-old brother.
"Like Addie said, maybe a buggy wheel," Matthew couldn't look Adam in the eye, "Hey, wanna race, guys?"
"We can run a little if ya want," Addie smiled, trying to hide her concern. She knew Grandpa would never forget them.
After trotting along the road for a few minutes, the children spied the large family buggy furiously heading toward them, with Uncle Festus at the reins. The children stepped to the side of the road as their uncle pulled Gladiola to a halt.
"Well, ain't you all a sight fer sore eyeballs!" the hillman proclaimed as he hoisted Adam into the back seat of the buggy, "I'm right glad that you young'uns knew t' start headin' fer home," he wiped his brow as he held out his hand for Addie to steady herself onto the front seat.
"What happened t' Grandpa, Uncle Festus?" Adam asked, his voice full of concern.
"Not a darn thang, Son. He took a little nap and slept too late. He was hurryin' out the door when yer mama called out that she needed help with the baby. Seems yer mama's got a belly ache and she didn't want Maggie t' git sick, too. So, Doc stayed with 'em and I hurried up t' fetch yas."
"See, Adam. Told ya there wasn't anything t' worry about," Matthew placed his arm around his brother's shoulder, sitting next to him on the rear buggy seat.
Once home, the children quickly ran into the house, eager to have a snack and change into their play clothes. Addie bounded up the stairs, wanting to make sure her mother was feeling okay. She was met by her grandfather as he exited her parents' bedroom.
"Well, good afternoon, Adelaide. I'm glad I caught you," Doc happily greeted the girl as she tried to catch her breath.
"Hi, Grandpa. I just want t' check on Mama right quick. I've got a couple of chores t' do before I start my homework."
He gently held Addie by her upper arm, leading her down the hallway toward her bedroom. He spoke quietly, tugging on his ear, "Your mother has been battling morning sickness all day, Honey. Or at least I think it's morning sickness. She's finally resting. She hopes t' be able to join us fer supper."
"Oh," Addie sighed, a little disappointed that she couldn't see her mother, "Is she really okay?"
"Of course. Don't you remember when she was pregnant with Ezra? Your poor mother was sick for seven solid months."
"I kinda remember," she nodded her head, "I'm glad you're okay, too. We got worried when you didn't come to get us."
"I'm sorry about that, Pumpkin. I just needed t' stay with Mama," Doc kissed Addie's cheek and ambled down the stairs in search of his other grandchildren. It was going to be a busy afternoon at the Legacy D.
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Abelia divided her bread dough, giving Addie half to knead. "I appreciate ya helping me, t'day, Addie girl. I had to scrub some of yer mama's clothes after she got sick and it put me a little b'hind."
"Of course, Miss Abelia," Addie blew her hair out of her eyes, "I'm happy t' help. Mama's okay, isn't she?"
"I think so. Doc wasn't sure if it's mornin' sickness again or just a bug. I think it's the mornin' sickness. Sometimes it can just sneak up on ya," Abelia smiled at her little helper as she pounded her lump of dough.
"I have a question for you, Miss B," Addie began, "Do most children follow in their parents' footsteps? For work when they're grown up, I mean?" she raised her eyebrows as she rolled out her dough with a rolling pin.
"I suppose so. Most young 'uns of farmers become farmers, young 'uns of butchers become butchers, young 'uns of lawyers may become lawyers, and so on. Why ya wonderin'?" the woman rolled out her own ball of dough.
"Just curious," Addie answered as she searched a kitchen drawer for the biscuit cutter, "Miss Abelia, where's the-"
"Drawer next t' the sink, child," the savvy housekeeper anticipated the girl's question.
"Me hep, too," Scarlett whined as she pushed a kitchen chair toward the counter.
"Ya wanna help make the biscuits?" Addie held the cutter out to her sister.
Scarlett reached for the handle "Ya, ya!" she smiled, rising onto her tiptoes in excitement.
The screen door to the kitchen slammed as Festus entered the house. He tucked his thumbs under his suspenders, "Well, looky here at you pertty ladies cookin' up a storm. Girls, yer parents will be mite proud a yas lendin' a helpin' hand to Miz B, here," He rubbed the top of Scarlett's head.
"Thanks, Uncle Festus. Where's Daddy this afternoon?" Addie asked, helping her little sister in pressing the biscuit cutter through the dough.
"He's out on the property somewheres. One of the mares done took off outta the turnout an' he went after 'er. Not sure where she wandered off ta."
"Festus," Abelia smiled at her beau, "please tell the boys t' do a quick rinse of their hands and faces at the pump, then come in t' use some soap. Dinner should be ready in about thirty minutes or so," she placed the first pan of biscuits into the oven.
"You betcha," Festus headed out to gather the mini ranch hands, whistling a happy tune.
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After kissing the boys and Scarlett goodnight, Kitty made her way to Addie's room. She knocked on the open door, comfortably clad in her large, brown dressing gown, her hair pulled back in a simple plait.
Addie looked up from her book, smiling brightly when she saw the visitor was her mother.
"Mama, come in," she tucked her legs under her body, covering them with her nightgown, "I'm happy t' see you up. You feeling better?"
Kitty sat on the end of her daughter's bed, scooting until her back was flush against the wall. She sighed, "Much better, thank you. What'cha readin'?"
"It's called, Heidi: Her Years of Wandering and Learning. It's about a little girl who lives with her grandpa in the Swiss Alps after her parents die," Addie held up the cover for her mother to see.
"Is it good? Sounds a little depressing."
"I have t' do a book report and I thought it sounded interesting. It's okay," she shrugged her shoulders, scrunching her face.
"Honey, I'm so sorry that your ride was late today. It was all my fault. Grandpa worries too much about me," Kitty grinned at her sweet girl.
"It's not your fault, Mama. It wasn't a problem, either. We just waited a little bit and then headed down the road," Addie reached over, holding one of her mother's hands.
"You're a smart girl, Adelaide. How was school today?" Kitty tucked a wild curl behind Addie's ear.
"Fine. Matthew and I need to write a paper about what we want t' be when we grow up. It's due next week."
"Oh?" Kitty patted her lap.
Addie accepted the invitation and rested her head upon her mother's lap as she stretched the rest of her body across her bed. Kitty began to gently stroke her daughter's ropey, thick locks.
"Yeah. Matthew wants t' be a rancher, like daddy, and I wasn't sure what to write. But after talking t' Gracie Mae Compton, I figure I'll write about being a saloon girl. You can help me."
Kitty froze in mid-stroke, her mouth becoming dry as her blood began to boil.
"I beg your pardon?" she asked through clenched teeth.
"Well, seems most people become what their parents are or were. Gracie Mae Compton's brother told her you were a saloon girl. So don't I have t'-"
"Over my dead body," Kitty whispered, staring into space, her pulse beginning to quicken.
Addie sprang into a sitting position, confused as to what she'd said to anger her mother.
"Mama…"
Kitty stared in disbelief at the mini version of herself. She tightly gripped Addie's shoulders, narrowing her eyes, "Child, I didn't work this hard so that you could follow in the misguided footsteps of my youth. Do you understand me?" she spoke with an eerie calmness.
"But you owned a saloon and made a lotta money. I don't understand."
"Understand this, Adelaide Jane. You will never, and I mean never, so much as set foot in a saloon. Do you understand me?" Kitty glowered, digging her fingernails into Addie's shoulders.
"Mama, you're hurting me," she tried to free herself from her mother's grasp, a look of panic blanketing her face, "I don't understand why you're so angry."
"None of my daughters will ever work in a place where men can treat them like objects used for their entertainment. You will never suffer the scrutiny of people who think they're better than you, just because they had a better start in life than you did. I have worked too hard for you to even think that would be appropriate," Kitty's erratic breathing caused her chest to heave up and down.
Addie began to whimper, "Okay, Mama, okay. Please, you're hurting me," she tried to wriggle out from her mother's death grip.
Matt entered the child's room, alarmed at the volume of the conversation that had spilled into the hallway, "Kitty, what's goin' on in here?" he said more as a statement than a question. He stood close to the side of the bed, his hands firmly placed on his hips.
Matt's baritone pulled his wife back to the present. Kitty quickly released her daughter, staring at her hands, which had come to resemble talons. The repentant mother's face fell as she began to softly weep, covering her face with her hands.
Addie didn't know what to do. She hugged her mother and joined her in misery, weeping along with her, whispering, "I'm sorry, Mama, honest. I didn't mean t' make you mad. Please, forgive me," the confused child begged.
All Matt could do was stare at the floor; his arms folded in front of his chest. What the hell went on in here?
Kitty embraced her daughter, hiccupping, "Oh, Baby. I'm the one who's sorry," she buried her face in Addie's lilac-scented hair, "Please, forgive me, my sweet girl," her tear-stained face studied her daughter's frightened expression.
"I'll never go in a saloon. I promise!" Addie embraced her mother, resting her head against the warmth of her bosom.
"A saloon?" Matt whispered, shaking his head. Addie went into a saloon?
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"Addie," Matthew started to pitch the hay into the cow's feeder, "What happened last night in yer room? I heard Mama kinda yelling, and you, too. Daddy ran outta our room t' go see what was wrong."
Addie set a pail under one of the cows as she plopped herself onto the stool, preparing to milk it. She bit her bottom lip, "Did ya hear anything, other than noise?" she started to squeeze her thumb and first finger high up on the cow's udder.
"I heard the word 'never' a lot, and somethin' about a saloon," Matthew continued to pitch the hay.
The girl concentrated on her job, her words intermingling with the tinny sound of the fresh milk hitting the inside of the pail, "I told Mama I was gonna write my school paper on being a saloon girl, like her. She didn't much care for the idea."
Matthew stared at his sister, the pitchfork in his hand, "I guess that's what that mean ol' Miss Bart was talkin' about on my birthday."
Addie continued her productive movements, staring at her brother, "Huh?"
"Well, that mean Miss Bart asked me on my birthday if Mama was finishing her night shift at the Long Branch. I still don't know what she was talkin' about," Matthew shook his head, propping the pitchfork against the wall.
Addie moved to the second cow. Once seated, she began her milking, sighing, "Well, you know that a long time ago Mama owned the Long Branch Saloon, right?"
"I suppose. Never thought about it much, or what that means," the boy scooped some grain for the bovines.
"It means she was a good businesswoman," Addie informed, "but before she owned the place, she worked there as a saloon girl."
"So?" Matthew carried her two full pails toward the door and set them down while Addie made her way to the third cow.
"Well, I didn't really know what that meant either until Gracie Mae told me what her big brothers told her."
"Hurry up and tell me, Addie. We gotta eat breakfast," Matthew fussed, wishing his sister would get to the point.
"It means that before Mama bought the saloon, she entertained men for a living," Addie whispered.
"What's so bad about that?" the boy asked, scratching his head, "Uncle Festus and Grandpa entertain us with stories and songs all the time. Daddy, too," he picked up the two pails once more as he headed out of the barn, "I'm goin' in t' eat. Sheesh…girls…"
Addie hoped she hadn't said too much to her brother. But she also had to admit that she also wasn't sure what the term "entertained" exactly meant either. As sure as there was a sun and a moon, she was NOT going to ask a soul to clarify.
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Kitty was allowed to sit on the porch swing while Ezra and Scarlett played with their blocks on the porch. Doc was making sure that his favorite patient didn't overdo it after having spent most of the previous day in bed with a queasy stomach.
"Mama, look!" Ezra bellowed, "I made a house. It's big, like our new house!" he stood, pointing to his wooden creation.
"It sure is like our house. You're so good at building things," Kitty complimented, gently pushing the swing back and forth with her feet. She rested one hand on her protruding belly and the other held a glass of water. Doc had told her she could be up and about a bit, so long as she remained hydrated.
Scarlett seriously concentrated as she stacked several blocks, one on top of the other. When the wooden tower was up to her waist, she turned to her mother, shouting, "Mama! Looky!"
Kitty grinned, taking in the appearance of her sweet, stubborn two-and-a-half-year-old. It was a cool mid-October morning and the little girl had fought tooth and nail to not have to wear one of her long-sleeved woolen dresses and thick tights. Kitty had compromised, giving in to the child's desire to wear an old pair of Ezra's navy corduroy pants and her own white long-sleeved cotton shirt with a pink woolen sweater.
"What a tall building, Scarlett! Can you make another?" Kitty beamed.
"Daddy, Mama. Is Daddy," the toddler pointed to the stacked blocks.
"Oh," Kitty nodded, "It's supposed to be Daddy? I guess I can see that."
"That's dumb, Scarlett. Yous can't make people outta blocks," Ezra stared at his sister.
"Ezra Festus, apologize this instant," Kitty gently admonished, "And it's 'you', not 'yous'."
"I'm sorry, Scarlett," he looked at the porch floor, scrunching up his face.
Doc exited the house and stepped onto the porch, holding Maggie on his hip, "Guess who ate all of her applesauce and mashed peas, Mama?" he walked toward Kitty.
"Good girl, Margaret Louise! Look who's getting to be such a big girl," Kitty held out her arms to receive her baby, "Yes, you are!" her face became animated as she sat the babe facing her upon her lap. Maggie smiled and giggled as her mother made silly faces, puffing out her cheeks and forcing the air out of them by using Maggie's hands within hers.
Who would have ever thought? Doc wondered as he stared at Kitty interacting so naturally with her child.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, nodding his head toward the empty spot on the swing.
"Please do," Kitty grinned.
"Mama, look," Ezra pointed at an approaching buggy, "It's that mean lady."
As if on cue, Mutt came barreling out of the family horse barn, barking and growling at the intrusive woman.
Kitty looked at Doc and rolled her eyes, while Doc offered, "I'll get rid of her. You don't need any frustration t'day," he ambled to the top of the porch stairs, waiting to both greet and dismiss Susan Bart.
"Hello, Doctor Adams," Susan said after pulling her horse to a stop near the front of the house.
"Susan," Doc politely nodded, "How can I help you?" he stood firmly on the top step, making it clear he wasn't going to assist her off her conveyance. He glanced at the dog and snapped his fingers. Mutt quickly joined him at his side, practically sitting on his feet.
Susan waited for the watchdog to settle. She remained on her buggy seat, taking in the scene around her.
"My barn cat had kittens a few weeks ago, and I was wondering if the Dillon children would want one?" she grinned, eyeing the little ones on the porch.
"Mama, can we? Can we get a kitten?" Ezra begged while standing in front of his mother.
"I don't know, Honey. We already have a lot of animals to care for," Kitty cupped the side of the young boy's sweet face.
"Kitties! Yeeeesss!" Scarlett shouted as she quickly stood. Doc was nimble enough to grab at the back of her sweater before she'd launched herself off of the porch.
"Go to your mother, Scarlett. Now," Doc quietly ordered. The toddler knew not to argue with her grandfather.
"I just thought I would offer. I know there are a few barns on this property, and cats can come in handy in keeping mice away. Just tryin' t' be neighborly," Susan Bart offered an insincere smile, "since we live so close and all."
Kitty stood, securing Maggie on her hip, "I'll talk t' Matt about it tonight, Susan. A couple of cats may not be a bad idea." It wasn't lost on Kitty that Susan was blatantly staring at her pregnant belly.
Susan ever-so-slightly shook her head to break her trance, "Okay, then. They'll be weaned in about two weeks. You can send Matt to pick a couple out if you like. There are seven kittens and you're the first neighbors I've asked."
"I thank you for thinking of my children," Kitty grinned, patting Maggie's chubby thigh.
TBC