away.
Crystal sobbed and pressed her hankie against her lips. "Nothing that I can't take care of;" she answered with more bravado than
she felt. "I'm a little tired. Perhaps I'll go lie down awhile"
"If you need anything, anything at all, you'll let me know?"
Looking into Josh's sincere face, Crystal knew he meant it. She
knew she must look awful with puffy, swollen eyes. The pounding
in her head was worsening, causing a splitting headache.
"I'll ride over in a few days to check on you, if that's all
right."
Crystal mumbled, "All right, Josh:" After speaking with Mary,
she slid from the parlor and down the hall to her room. But she
could not rest, and now, as she stood looking out toward the barn,
she realized the hammering had stopped.
With a heavy heart, Crystal sat down in the rocker. She leaned
her head back, closed her eyes, and let the tears flow. Once again
her world was changing. Her dear aunt was gone. Her loving father,
her mother, and Drew. Was she destined to have those dearest to her always leave? Part of what hurt so badly was that she had
lived and Kate had died. The vision of her aunt being lifted by
the twister flashed through her mind once again. How would she
ever replace that memory?
After the funeral, even Carmen had to return to her family
because she was needed desperately at home. Her mother had
her hands full with seven children, and her sister was having a
baby. Carmen hadn't wanted to leave right after the funeral, but
she promised to return as soon as possible.
Crystal felt so weary, but now she was all cried out. She was
tired of being strong. For once she wished someone would take
care of her. There was no reason to return to Georgia, and she
didn't know if she could stay in this rugged country. She did
know that her aunt had loved the ranch and had worked hard
to hold on to it.
Since Kate had borrowed from McBride, Crystal realized
she had two choices. Sell and get out, or stall until the beef was
shipped-something she knew little about, if anything.
Crystal pulled her wits about her. McBride would never own
Aspengold! Oh, Lord, pleasegive me direction. I can't do this alone.
Help me to know Your way and walk in it, and give me peace that
can only come through You, she prayed. Crystal knew that God
would make a way for her.
Crystal decided that night to stay and fight. She had already
lost one home. But this was the home she wanted to keep. Having
made the decision, she felt some of the tension leave her shoulders.
She felt a little peace and slipped into a dreamless sleep.
Mornings were getting cooler since the rain had stopped, and
Crystal stood listening to the stillness. It was so quiet, and she was
acutely aware of Kate's absence. How she missed her laughter and
warm hugs. She felt like she was just going through the motions
of living in order to have something to do.
With Carmen gone, she knew she must now cook for the
boys, so she had risen early. After a strong cup of coffee to get
her going, she had poked the cold ashes in the stove to start a
fire to make biscuits. Now she stepped back into the kitchen to
place sausages in the heavy cast-iron skillet on a low, simmering
fire. She picked up the egg basket and made her way out to the
chicken coop to gather eggs. She had meant to do that yesterday
afternoon but had gotten busy and had forgotten. Rarely had
she ever been near a chicken house, much less fried an egg, but
it all looked rather simple. She remembered how Fanny, her
cook in Georgia, gathered the eggs every day. Crystal's specialty
had always been pies. That and biscuits were the cooking she
had mastered. Well, she'd just have to start learning something
new.
It was a fine, beautiful morning, and the sun just peeked over
the dark purple ridges, bathing the valley with a golden hue.
Crystal, an obstinate set to her straight shoulders, stepped up the
pathway to the henhouse as a sharp breeze tugged at her skirts.
Crystal sobbed and pressed her hankie against her lips. "Nothing that I can't take care of;" she answered with more bravado than
she felt. "I'm a little tired. Perhaps I'll go lie down awhile"
"If you need anything, anything at all, you'll let me know?"
Looking into Josh's sincere face, Crystal knew he meant it. She
knew she must look awful with puffy, swollen eyes. The pounding
in her head was worsening, causing a splitting headache.
"I'll ride over in a few days to check on you, if that's all
right."
Crystal mumbled, "All right, Josh:" After speaking with Mary,
she slid from the parlor and down the hall to her room. But she
could not rest, and now, as she stood looking out toward the barn,
she realized the hammering had stopped.
With a heavy heart, Crystal sat down in the rocker. She leaned
her head back, closed her eyes, and let the tears flow. Once again
her world was changing. Her dear aunt was gone. Her loving father,
her mother, and Drew. Was she destined to have those dearest to her always leave? Part of what hurt so badly was that she had
lived and Kate had died. The vision of her aunt being lifted by
the twister flashed through her mind once again. How would she
ever replace that memory?
After the funeral, even Carmen had to return to her family
because she was needed desperately at home. Her mother had
her hands full with seven children, and her sister was having a
baby. Carmen hadn't wanted to leave right after the funeral, but
she promised to return as soon as possible.
Crystal felt so weary, but now she was all cried out. She was
tired of being strong. For once she wished someone would take
care of her. There was no reason to return to Georgia, and she
didn't know if she could stay in this rugged country. She did
know that her aunt had loved the ranch and had worked hard
to hold on to it.
Since Kate had borrowed from McBride, Crystal realized
she had two choices. Sell and get out, or stall until the beef was
shipped-something she knew little about, if anything.
Crystal pulled her wits about her. McBride would never own
Aspengold! Oh, Lord, pleasegive me direction. I can't do this alone.
Help me to know Your way and walk in it, and give me peace that
can only come through You, she prayed. Crystal knew that God
would make a way for her.
Crystal decided that night to stay and fight. She had already
lost one home. But this was the home she wanted to keep. Having
made the decision, she felt some of the tension leave her shoulders.
She felt a little peace and slipped into a dreamless sleep.
Mornings were getting cooler since the rain had stopped, and
Crystal stood listening to the stillness. It was so quiet, and she was
acutely aware of Kate's absence. How she missed her laughter and
warm hugs. She felt like she was just going through the motions
of living in order to have something to do.
With Carmen gone, she knew she must now cook for the
boys, so she had risen early. After a strong cup of coffee to get
her going, she had poked the cold ashes in the stove to start a
fire to make biscuits. Now she stepped back into the kitchen to
place sausages in the heavy cast-iron skillet on a low, simmering
fire. She picked up the egg basket and made her way out to the
chicken coop to gather eggs. She had meant to do that yesterday
afternoon but had gotten busy and had forgotten. Rarely had
she ever been near a chicken house, much less fried an egg, but
it all looked rather simple. She remembered how Fanny, her
cook in Georgia, gathered the eggs every day. Crystal's specialty
had always been pies. That and biscuits were the cooking she
had mastered. Well, she'd just have to start learning something
new.
It was a fine, beautiful morning, and the sun just peeked over
the dark purple ridges, bathing the valley with a golden hue.
Crystal, an obstinate set to her straight shoulders, stepped up the
pathway to the henhouse as a sharp breeze tugged at her skirts.
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