A chill of delight ran through her when her Nana giggled. If she was ever to leave this place, she would miss her sweet grandmother the most.
She felt a lot better as she went down the stairs and out to hang up the sheets she’d left behind. Her brothers were nowhere in sight when she stepped out into the blazing sun. She was immediately hot again and her forehead was wet before she even got to the line. She wasn’t as frustrated now. When she got to the basket, she began singing an old hymn Nana had taught her when she was young.
“Lord, ‘tis a pleasant thing to stand, In gardens planted by thine hand; Let me within thy courts be seen, Like a young cedar, like a young cedar, Like a young cedar, fresh and green.”
She finished the sheets and cases fairly quickly, anxious to get back into the house, where it was cooler. It was uncommonly hot for this time of year. It was already November. She expected snow soon. But not if the heat remained where it was. Thanksgiving would be celebrated soon. She wondered if her brothers had plans. She had to assume they did. They usually did. Before she could begin to dwell, she resumed her singing.
“Laden with fruits of age, they show the Lord is holy, just and true; None who attend his gates shall find A God unfaithful or unkind.”
****
Chapter Two
The sun burned bright outside Edward’s window and he could feel the intense heat through the glass. He was dreading going out there, even though he was used to the heat in Arizona. His depressed state had only gotten worse and he was beginning to think he was going to lose his mind. Mark looked over the land, watching Jonathan play in the yard. He was pushing the pram quickly over the short grass, stopping short and then leaning over to make sure his baby sister had a smile on her face. When he saw that she did, he would take off again, only to stop once more and lean over.
Jonathan repeated the motion over and over. It was as if he would never stop. Edward didn’t stop him. He knew that Jon wouldn’t let anything happen to Emilia. She was precious to him, a reminder of the mother he had lost.
Edward’s heart squeezed when his dear wife, Beth, passed through his mind. He was glad Jon didn’t resent the baby when it was during her birth that they had lost his sweet Beth. In fact, the boy treated the little baby girl as if she was made of precious gold, a fine gem that would shatter if put under too much strain. He hadn’t expected it but it was a true blessing. He hadn’t taken it nearly as well.
It had been six months since then. Edward’s sister, Patricia, had been visiting every single day since, trying to get him to give the baby to her.
He couldn’t do it. He loved Emilia more than his sister or anyone else realized. His depressed mood didn’t come from having to care for a baby. It came from having the opportunity to live his life happy with the woman he loved ripped from his hands, crushing his heart. His spirit for life, the flame that keeps everyone going, was almost out.
He’d been in deep thought all morning. He had decided to miss work today, knowing that his job as the head groundskeeper for the vicarage in town was secure. He’d worked there since he was sixteen, ten years ago. They loved him there and he loved his job. The only other time off he’d ever asked for was when Beth died. He took a week and then went back to business as usual.
But it wasn’t business as usual in his heart. Nor his mind. He was finding it hard to concentrate. And his children needed him to pull it together. He wanted so much to care for them properly, to be a happy, playful father like he would have been, like he was before he lost Beth. Jon had seen the change and said nothing. For a nine year-old, he was extremely wise.
Edward didn’t want Jon to grow up so fast. He didn’t want the little boy to miss out on playing and having fun and enjoying his life because he needed to be a father and mother to a newborn.
He heard the door slam and turned in his seat to look behind him, leaning forward on the table. He grunted and nodded when Patricia came into the room.
“Hello, Eddie, how are you today?”
“I’m all right,” Edward said, his deep voice resonating naturally through the room. Patricia came over and stopped to stand next to him. He turned and looked back out at Jon, who was still playing the same game.
“You shouldn’t let him play out there in the heat like that,” Patricia said, her stern tone irritating him immediately. She acted like he didn’t know how to parent without Beth, that he hadn’t raised Jon to the age of nine, too. “He’ll turn red and fall over unconscious.”
“He’ll be fine, Patty. Did you need something today?”
“Why aren’t you at work?”