All Bedlam Courses Past (part one hundred forty-six)

 

 

 

 

 

All Bedlam Courses Past

 

Chapter Six

Short Days

(part one hundred forty-six)

 

 

 

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Samuel was in the wagon with Gippy, hunkered. Lidah appeared, crowding with her basket Mrs. McClurkin, who brushed skirts and held the door wider, a meaning-laden mop in hand.

A remark about to be made, but Samuel stopped her. “Lidah! Mama’s in bed and can’t say nothing. We had a doctor came to look at her!”

“Shush! I know all that. Sammy, hold this for me while I get up. And keep that dog off, will you? Lord, lord…” Lidah, muttering, mounted to the bench.

“Well, the cold will set in soon enough, Mr. Everard. That’ll be the end of it. You might send her back, springtime.”

“If Mary don’t mind.”

“Yes. If Mary decides.”

He climbed next to Lidah, puzzled by a great finality in these words; clucked to Eddie, felt Lidah’s shift as the wagon lurched. Lidah stared back…back and upwards, at a window.

“They been good to you, McClurkins?”

A picking over things in the basket. “How does she sleep?”

“Sound. Sound enough. Weak. Set herself up on pillows just a little. Not eating. Mrs. Clark told me she’d get someone for the wash, you only keep in the house with her, fetch and so on…”

“Who’s paying for the wash?”

He saw Fitzpatrick, as he turned from Walnut to the short jog down Jack Hill. He waved, the constable waved, eye on passengers in the Everard wagon. What’s my brother done? Ain’t seen him, though…

Who’s paying for the wash? Not this girl’s business.

They reached home. Lidah plodded off, taking her basket indoors. Lawrence unhitched Eddie, and handed Samuel the brush.

“Can I stay in the barn and not have to go to Clarks?”

“Don’t see why you want to. Stay where it suits you. Happy to have your sister back?”

“Is she here to live?”

“Looks like.”

“Does she get the room?”

He found Mrs. Clark in the rocker, rising to be on her way.

“I’d ride you over.”

“No. I’ll walk up by the road. I got you Pearletta Bayard. She needs three dollars a week. And you better give her something for the shopping.”

It reminded him he owed Mrs. Clark thirty-five cents. Shooing it away, after all, she said to him low, “That girl’ll do to talk a little cheerful to her poor mother.”

Maybe. He entered the bedroom, seeing Mary with half-closed eyes, her daughter at the bureau, holding the disinfectant bottle, reading the label.

 

 

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Bedlam

All Bedlam Courses Past (part one hundred forty-seven)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2024, Stephanie Foster)