Catching Moondrops by Jennifer Erin Valent

angry look. “Luke Talley, you don’t know me one bit if you think it ain’t.”
    His smile widened, and the pink that had colored his cheeks spread to his ears. Then he lifted my hand to his lips. It was only for a brief moment, but it was enough to send my heart thumping so fast, I thought I’d pass out.
    I glanced at Daddy in fear of disapproval, but he only sniffed the air and grimaced. “Sakes alive, Sadie, what’s burnin’?”
    Momma caught sight of the smoldering pancake sitting on the griddle and rushed to the stove to pull it off. The pancake was black as coal, fogging the kitchen in a cloud of smoke.
    But my world had just turned upside down. The house itself could have burned down around me and I wouldn’t have noticed a thing.

Chapter 7
    â€œYour brother been stayin’ out of trouble, Noah?” Gemma asked, her face buried in her work. “I ain’t inclined to see him show up at Doc Pritchett’s anytime soon.”
    One afternoon a week Gemma and I would sit together with Noah’s sister, Lissa, out in front of the Jarvises’ tiny, worn house, sewing drawstrings into tobacco bags. It was a much-needed source of income for Lissa. Gemma did it mostly for the conversation, and though I hated sewing, I always joined in to work on a few so I could sit and gab with them too.
    Noah sat near us under a shade tree, a book in his lap. “Who knows? We barely see him these days.”
    I tilted my head to see better as the sunlight dimmed behind the clouds, though my mind wasn’t so much on needlework as it was on Luke. “I reckon he’s busy tryin’ to find work.”
    â€œWork!” Lissa huffed. “He ain’t doin’ nothin’ of the sort. Boy don’t do nothin’ but laze about and stir up trouble. Some days he comes home three o’clock in the mornin’ drunk as a skunk.”
    Gemma and I lifted our heads in unison, but it was Gemma who spoke first, as usual. “That boy’s a mess these days.” She shook her head fiercely. “Don’t you go followin’ in his footsteps, Noah Jarvis. You got too much goin’ for you.”
    â€œI ain’t likely to, Miss Gemma. I got me better things to think about.”
    I finished my last stitch and laid my work down. “What’re you learnin’ about today, Noah?”
    His eyes came up, but he kept his head tilted toward the book. “Just studyin’ history.”
    â€œYou get into college, what d’you plan on doin’ with that extra education? You got somethin’ in mind?”
    â€œBoy wants to be a doctor now,” Lissa piped up. “Think of that. Dr. Jarvis!”
    â€œSo you’re pretty serious about that, huh?” I got up and bent down next to Noah to peer at his book. “Tal Pritchett thinks you’d be a fine hand at it.”
    â€œIt ain’t a sure thing. Not even close. I figure I best not go gettin’ nobody’s expectations up. It ain’t likely I’d get into college in the first place.”
    â€œTal thinks you’d get in, no questions asked, and I think so too,” Gemma said. “You keep studyin’ hard like that, Noah. I want you takin’ care of my children someday.”
    â€œUnless you end up marryin’ a doctor yourself,” I said. “In which case, you already got a ready-made doctor for your children.”
    â€œDon’t you start, Jessilyn!”
    I gave Noah a nudge. “She gets so touchy sometimes.”
    â€œI ain’t sayin’ a word.” Noah opened his book and hid his face behind it. “Don’t go gettin’ Gemma riled at me.”
    Gemma jabbed her needle into the air in my direction. “I ain’t got need of you braggin’ about me steppin’ out when I ain’t, Jessilyn.”
    â€œYou will be.”
    â€œDon’t go spreadin’ talk!”
    â€œI’m only speakin’