Chapter 156 – Easter Dinner
"So how many are we expecting for lunch?" Ann asked.
"I am not sure." Abigail said.
"Well." Elizabeth Rose said. "Let's count it up. Abigail, you have three. Frank makes four. Jack, Elizabeth and us make nine. Patty and Jacobs make eleven. Ann and Marsha make thirteen."
"Don't forget five cadets." Abigail said. "And at least six other Mounties."
"So at least twenty-four." Elizabeth said.
"There is also a prisoner to feed." Ann said.
"I am sure that Bill will be over or request something if he is staying at the jail." Abigail said.
"So we are at least at twenty-six." Elizabeth said.
"Well we have plenty of food." Abigail said.
"The ham will get eaten." Ann said. "We can use it for breakfast tomorrow and sandwiches for the guys."
"I am not worried about it." Abigail said. "I am sure that the food will get eaten, especially with extra cadets and Mounties in town. Don't forget I told Wynn that we would feed them super as well."
"Then I am not worried about leftovers." Marsha said.
"Jack said there are at least five more cadets and two more Mounties expected this afternoon." Elizabeth said.
"I was going to ask." Marsha said. "What is with all the extra Mounties in town?"
Elizabeth Rose, Elizabeth and Patty exchanged a look.
"Wynn got an alert about an escaped prisoner." Elizabeth Rose said. "Since he is here, they are staging out of Hope Valley."
"Okay." Marsha said. "Hopefully they find him soon."
"I agree." Elizabeth said. "But until they do, we will deal with things."
"Yes." Elizabeth Rose said.
"It was nice that your friend could visit you while you are here." Ann said.
"Yes." Elizabeth Rose said. "It was a surprise."
"I was traveling through the area and heard that Elizabeth was close." Patty said. "So I thought I would surprise her and then decided to stay for a bit."
"Well, we are happy to have you." Abigail said.
"I haven't seen much of the town." Patty said. "But the ride in from Union City was wonderful and I look forward to seeing more of the town while I am here. I am liking it here. It has been a long time since I was in a small town."
"Oh where are you from?" Ann asked.
"I grew up south of Ottawa along the border with the States." Patty said. "But I have lived in Toronto and Hamilton. I have also spent quite a bit of time in Europe as well."
"Wow." Ann said. "Lots of traveling. So no plans to settle down?"
"No." Patty said. "I have lots of brothers and sisters. I have always been more of a free spirit. I never saw myself settling down."
"Well, I am glad that she is here." Elizabeth Rose said. "She will be a great hand in the classroom this week."
"Oh are you a teacher as well?" Ann asked.
"No." Patty said. "But I have lots of experience working with children. It comes from being on the older side of a large family. I can work with the little ones on letters or numbers. It doesn't take a formal teacher to know how to do that."
"I agree." Elizabeth said. "If Aunt Elizabeth wants her to help in the classroom, I won't turn it down. There are several new students that we need to work with, as well as continue to move forward with the rest of the students."
"Let me know if you need anything this week." Abigail said.
"I will." Elizabeth said.
"Aunt Elizabeth, Charlotte and I were talking last night or was it the night before." Elizabeth said. "I know that I have enough supplies for now with the new students. We will just have to keep a count of new families as the mine opens and the railroad hires."
"Yes." Abigail said. "Still, let me know if there are things that you need. I know that there were a number of questions about supplies and space at the town meeting earlier this week. Like I told them, as long as they make sure that their children have what they need and are doing their homework, you will do what you can. It is not like we haven't made due before."
"Thank you for that." Elizabeth said. "I am sure that Florence was one of the first to voice her opinion."
Elizabeth let out a frustrated breath and shook her head.
"Nothing I seem to do is good enough for her." Elizabeth said. "And I wonder why her boys are such a problem."
"Ignore her." Elizabeth Rose said. "If she has a problem with Charlotte, Patty or I helping then we will deal with it. I have a feeling that the older boys will be fine, but the little ones might try to push the boundaries."
"I thought it would be the other way around." Abigail said. "Especially given what happened in January."
Elizabeth, Elizabeth Rose and Patty all started laughing.
"What is so funny?" Becky asked.
"Yesterday." Patty said. "When we were walking back to the row house. We came across four of the boys from Beth's class. They had a gleam in their eyes when they learned that Elizabeth and I were going to help in the afternoons. Beth warned them no frogs, snakes or bugs. We then told them a story of when one of my little brothers brought a frog to school and Elizabeth made him frog soup for lunch. Beth then said Abigail would be willing to learn to make frog soup if they tried anything."
They were all laughing.
"They definitely won't be pushing you." Abigail said. "Why didn't I think of that sooner?"
"Did you really make frog soup?" Becky asked.
"No." Elizabeth Rose said. "I made a thick split pea soup that is really green because I added some food coloring like for frosting. I then added cut up chicken and told him it was frogs."
Becky was laughing because she could see some of the boys at the orphanage trying that.
"He learned his lesson and never brought another frog to class." Elizabeth Rose said.
"Jack said if they brought frogs." Elizabeth said. "That his mother would turn it into a science project."
"I can see Charlotte doing that." Abigail said. "Either way, I have a feeling that the older boys will be on their best behavior, because I am sure that they don't want to test the frog soup idea."
"Works for me." Elizabeth said.
"So how are you going to do things?" Ann asked.
"I will go in the mornings like normal." Elizabeth said. "Aunt Elizabeth, Patty and Charlotte will come over at lunch. I will meet with them and let them know what was assigned for the afternoons and I will leave after calling the students back. In the afternoons, the students will work on projects, including a science project for the upcoming science fair. There will also be reading, history and geography projects that will be assigned. In the afternoons as the students are working, Aunt Elizabeth and Charlotte are going to work with the new students to figure out where they are. Patty will be there to help the little one and keep order. Hopefully by the end of the week, we have a better idea of where all the students are. Depending on how long Aunt Elizabeth and Charlotte are staying, we will sit down Friday afternoon and make a plan moving forward."
"When will you be holding the science fair?" Abigail asked.
"I looked over the paperwork more this morning." Elizabeth said. "The regional science fair for all the winners is May 12th and the last day that we can hold ours is April 28th. I figured that we could do it that afternoon. That will give the students almost two weeks to work on them."
"Then I am staying at least that long." Elizabeth Rose said. "I want to see how they all do."
"I think I will stay at least that long as well then." Patty said.
"I will send a message to the district office in Union City tomorrow." Elizabeth said. "I will let them know so that they can send a judge."
"Good." Abigail said. "I will make a note on my calendar so that I can be there as mayor."
"I think it would be a good idea to get Dee or Joe to set up the camera to get a picture of the winner." Elizabeth Rose said.
"There is a camera?" Abigail asked.
"There is a Mountie issue one." Elizabeth Rose said. "I am sure that Wynn will authorize its use. That is what we used for the wedding."
"It is what Jack used the first day that we were in the new building." Elizabeth said.
"Good to know." Abigail said. "I guess I didn't think about it."
The women continued to visit and do the last minute things to get lunch ready while the men relaxed in the dining room. At one point, Cody joined the guys, climbing up onto Wynn's lap. At twelve thirty, Jacobs came into the kitchen.
"Was there something that you needed?" Elizabeth Rose asked.
"I was just wondering how much longer." Jacobs said. "That way I can gather the cadets and other Mounties."
"We just need to put the rolls in." Abigail said. "They take about ten minutes."
"Then I will gather the rest." Jacobs said. "Is there anything else that you need?"
"On your way through the dining room." Abigail said. "Please ask Frank and Wynn to get the tables set. We had counted twenty-six, but I think if we set for thirty, we will be fine."
"Okay." Jacobs said. "Big tables or individual?"
"Tell them like at Christmas." Abigail said. "They will understand."
Jacobs nodded and went back to the dining room. Before long, you could hear the men moving tables and chairs. Frank came in and got stacks of plates. Cody was right behind him to grab silverware. The ladies started to dish things up so that they could sit and eat once everything was ready. Abigail put the pans of buns in the oven and then went to help dish items up. Becky and Patty started taking things out like the dishes of pickles and the salt and pepper shakers. They also set the carafes of coffee out. There was lemonade as well as chilled wine for those that wanted.
It didn't take long for Jacobs to be back with the cadets and the Mounties. Campbell was not with them and neither was Eddie. They weren't sure about Eddie, but he had a seat at the table if he showed up. Jacobs directed the cadets to help finish setting the tables and start carrying things to the table as the ladies got them dished up. It was only about five minutes after they arrived that everything was on the table and they were ready.
Once seated, Wynn looked at Abigail who looked at Frank.
"Let us bow our heads and pray." Frank said.
Frank gave everyone a moment and then took a deep breath.
"Heavenly Father." Frank prayed. "On this glorious day that Your Son rose from the dead to save us all, let us have open hearts. Be with us as we sit down and enjoy this wonderful meal with friends, old and new. Bless this food to our bodies and also bless the hands that prepared it. Please direct our conversations and be with those that couldn't be with us. Amen."
Several amens rang out. Then Abigail stood up.
"Please start passing the dishes around." Abigail said. "If you have a question, please ask. There is plenty of food so please enjoy."
Wynn picked up the dish in front of him and helped Cody who had insisted on sitting near him. Jacobs did the same for Becky. It didn't take long and everyone was eating and enjoying themselves.
