fine, Meg,” Bree snapped. “My wrist hurts, I’m tired, and I feel stupid. I just want to go to bed.”
Meg looked steadily at Bree, who returned her look. “All right. Mother, you ready to go?”
Her mother nodded. “Bree, you take care of yourself. I’ll be back tomorrow—if that’s okay?” Her eyes flickered toward Meg.
“Of course,” Meg responded, more sharply than she’d intended. She was tired, and she wasn’t looking forward to driving back and forth to Amherst yet again. “Let’s go.”
They drove the first few miles in silence. “She’s an interesting girl,” Elizabeth volunteered finally.
“She is. It can’t be easy for her—she’s taken on a lot. And I’m grateful.”
“This accident comes at a difficult time for you, doesn’t it?”
“I won’t say no. I’m sure she was being careful, but things happen—like I needed a reminder. I hope there wasn’t any malicious intent involved. From what I’ve seen, the workers are pretty decent guys, and I’m paying them the going rate. Unfortunately, though, this means we’re going to be stretched pretty thin for a bit, until we get the rest of the harvest in. Sorry, Mother, but I guess that means I’ll have even less time to spend with you.”
“Meg, as you’ve pointed out, you’ve got a business to run. I have no intention of getting in the way of that. But it’s possible I can help you, you know. Shop for food, cook some meals. If you’ll let me come back?”
In the growing dusk Meg negotiated the country roads that led to Rachel’s house. “I’d be happy to have you back, Mother, and I’d really appreciate the help. As long as you understand if I’m busy and tired.”
“I do. And thank you for not shutting me out. Ah, here we are. Are you coming in?”
It was tempting. Too tempting. Meg knew that Rachel could be counted on to offer sympathy, and maybe some excellent pastry. If she went in, it would be a while before she came out, and she still had to get herself home and think about the ramifications of what had happened and how to cope now that Bree was sidelined. “I don’t think so. Say hi to Rachel for me, though. I’ll see you in the morning. But don’t skip breakfast.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t pass up Rachel’s breakfast. Around ten? Good night, dear, and don’t worry too much, please?”
“I’ll try not to.” Meg summoned up a smile and watched as her mother went into the brightly lit house. With a sigh she turned her car around and headed back to her own house.
When Meg pulled in, she recognized Bree’s boyfriend Michael’s car in the driveway. Good—Bree had reached out to someone. Entering the kitchen, she found Michael coming down the back stairs from Bree’s room. “How’s she doing?”
“I think she’s out. I stopped by to make sure she was all right, but I think the pain pills did a number on her—she’s not used to them. You think she’ll be okay?” Michael asked.
Meg shrugged. “I think so. She said they told her it was a simple fracture, nothing to worry about. The worst part is that she won’t be able to take an active role in the harvest, and that will annoy her—she’ll think she’s losing face with the crew. Can you help persuade her to take it easy?”
“Bree? Yeah, right,” Michael snorted. “But I’ll try. Tell her I’ll talk to her tomorrow?” He disappeared out the back door into the night, and Meg heard his car start up.
She slumped in a seat at the table in the kitchen, too tired to think about eating. At least she’d had a good lunch today. Lolly peered around the doorway from the dining room, as if checking to see if the coast was clear. Seeing no strangers, she sauntered in and jumped up on the table.
“Mother is not going to tolerate that, Ms. Cat,” Meg said. Lolly ignored her and began to wash her tail. “Fine. You’ll find out,” Meg added. Her mind drifted, and she was jerked out of her reverie by a
Meg looked steadily at Bree, who returned her look. “All right. Mother, you ready to go?”
Her mother nodded. “Bree, you take care of yourself. I’ll be back tomorrow—if that’s okay?” Her eyes flickered toward Meg.
“Of course,” Meg responded, more sharply than she’d intended. She was tired, and she wasn’t looking forward to driving back and forth to Amherst yet again. “Let’s go.”
They drove the first few miles in silence. “She’s an interesting girl,” Elizabeth volunteered finally.
“She is. It can’t be easy for her—she’s taken on a lot. And I’m grateful.”
“This accident comes at a difficult time for you, doesn’t it?”
“I won’t say no. I’m sure she was being careful, but things happen—like I needed a reminder. I hope there wasn’t any malicious intent involved. From what I’ve seen, the workers are pretty decent guys, and I’m paying them the going rate. Unfortunately, though, this means we’re going to be stretched pretty thin for a bit, until we get the rest of the harvest in. Sorry, Mother, but I guess that means I’ll have even less time to spend with you.”
“Meg, as you’ve pointed out, you’ve got a business to run. I have no intention of getting in the way of that. But it’s possible I can help you, you know. Shop for food, cook some meals. If you’ll let me come back?”
In the growing dusk Meg negotiated the country roads that led to Rachel’s house. “I’d be happy to have you back, Mother, and I’d really appreciate the help. As long as you understand if I’m busy and tired.”
“I do. And thank you for not shutting me out. Ah, here we are. Are you coming in?”
It was tempting. Too tempting. Meg knew that Rachel could be counted on to offer sympathy, and maybe some excellent pastry. If she went in, it would be a while before she came out, and she still had to get herself home and think about the ramifications of what had happened and how to cope now that Bree was sidelined. “I don’t think so. Say hi to Rachel for me, though. I’ll see you in the morning. But don’t skip breakfast.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t pass up Rachel’s breakfast. Around ten? Good night, dear, and don’t worry too much, please?”
“I’ll try not to.” Meg summoned up a smile and watched as her mother went into the brightly lit house. With a sigh she turned her car around and headed back to her own house.
When Meg pulled in, she recognized Bree’s boyfriend Michael’s car in the driveway. Good—Bree had reached out to someone. Entering the kitchen, she found Michael coming down the back stairs from Bree’s room. “How’s she doing?”
“I think she’s out. I stopped by to make sure she was all right, but I think the pain pills did a number on her—she’s not used to them. You think she’ll be okay?” Michael asked.
Meg shrugged. “I think so. She said they told her it was a simple fracture, nothing to worry about. The worst part is that she won’t be able to take an active role in the harvest, and that will annoy her—she’ll think she’s losing face with the crew. Can you help persuade her to take it easy?”
“Bree? Yeah, right,” Michael snorted. “But I’ll try. Tell her I’ll talk to her tomorrow?” He disappeared out the back door into the night, and Meg heard his car start up.
She slumped in a seat at the table in the kitchen, too tired to think about eating. At least she’d had a good lunch today. Lolly peered around the doorway from the dining room, as if checking to see if the coast was clear. Seeing no strangers, she sauntered in and jumped up on the table.
“Mother is not going to tolerate that, Ms. Cat,” Meg said. Lolly ignored her and began to wash her tail. “Fine. You’ll find out,” Meg added. Her mind drifted, and she was jerked out of her reverie by a
Similar Books
