To Everything a Season (20 page)

“Mother wants to know if you are all right.” Mercy came through the bedroom door. “Oh, we have company.” In her fluster, she failed to greet Mrs. Korsheski.

“Hello, Mercy. I decided to come because we have some good news for all of you.” Mrs. Korsheski didn't seem to mind any of their confusion.

Miriam led the way into her mother's bedroom. “Is today better?” she whispered to Mercy as she passed by her.

“Yes, much.” She leaned over the bed. “Mother, Mrs. Korsheski is here from the hospital with Miriam. Would you like me to help you sit up with pillows?”

“Aye, please.” She struggled and scooted as Mercy arranged her pillows. “Oh, Miriam, we get to see you again before you leave.” She clasped her daughter's hand. “And welcome to our home, Mrs. Korsheski. I am sorry we have nothing to offer you. We're out of tea, but Mercy planned to get some tomorrow.”

“No, thank you. We need nothing. We have good news for you and the children. We want to admit you to the hospital again for observation, to see if there is any way we can help you. There may be some new treatments to try. Are you willing?”

“Oh yes. Aye!” And Miriam's mother, so careful to use American English, slipped into her brogue. “'Twould be . . . aye. Treatments. Do ye really think?”

“We'll see. Miriam, you prepare her. Children, all of you come out here with me.” And Mrs. Korsheski left the bedroom.

“Eh, Miriam, I am so flustered, I canna think. I must dress.”

“Is your wrapper in the clothespress?”

“Aye.”

Miriam studied her a moment. Her mother was paler than ever, her skin cool to the touch, her fingers cold. “Then we will take you like this.” She pawed through the clothespress. Everyone's clothing was in this one wardrobe.

“That Mrs. Korsheski, such a lovely lady.”

“She is indeed.” Miriam pulled out the old threadbare robe and brought it to the bed. “She has jobs for Este and Mercy and even Tonio, if his present work ends. There will be more money coming to you. She saw to it. We have so much to be grateful for.”

“Jobs! Eh, Miriam, do you not hear angels singing?”

No, Miriam did not. As she tucked her mother into the wrapper, her despair silenced any angels up there. Her mother had lost so much weight. Thin arms, weak legs. Miriam should definitely not be leaving her. But with all Mrs. Korsheski had arranged, Miriam dare not stay here. She helped her mother to her feet and supported her as they shuffled out into the living room.

Mrs. Korsheski was already explaining to the others all that she had arranged. The surprise and joy on their faces was evident.

“Shall I send the children down for the driver to come get her?” Mrs. Korsheski asked when they were all ready to leave.

“Mercy and I can manage, I think. She is so thin she weighs nothing.”

Mrs. Korsheski pointed to Este. “Bring some blankets.”

He ran back to the bedroom.

Mercy and Miriam supported their mother so much, they were practically carrying her. They were forced to stop on each landing to regroup, but they got her to the ground floor without any mishaps. The driver lifted her up into the buggy without even a puff of exertion. Este handed up the blankets and they wrapped her up, for in spite of the warm sun, she was shivering.

“Need I go get another blanket?” Mercy asked.

Mother's voice was so weak, and she was back to her careful American English. “No, thank you, Mercy. I will be very comfortable in a moment. I must get my breath is all.”

Miriam sat on one side of their mother and Mercy on the other, both of them rubbing her arms and shoulders. Mrs. Korsheski shared the other seat with Este and the two girls, whose eyes were round and smiles stretching their faces.

Miriam almost smiled. Never had any of them ridden through the streets in such splendor. No wonder her family was so excited. Mother laid her head back on the seat and closed her
eyes, but at least she had stopped shivering. That feeling of doom pressed in again, the ache of knowing that as of tomorrow afternoon, Miriam would not see any of them again for an entire year.

At the hospital, two of the aides brought out a stretcher, which made Mama's trip inside far easier. Once she was settled in a bed, the two younger girls sat on either side of her bed and rubbed her hands.

“You go to sleep, Mama,” cooed Joy. “You can rest well here, and you are not to worry about us. Why, Mrs. Korsheski even gave us money to take the trolley home. Mercy is meeting with her now. Este is talking to the man who takes care of the garden, and then he will talk with the cook. After that we will go home to tell Tonio all the good news. Won't he be happy too?”

“He will. And to think I will see at least some of you every day. What a gift that is. At church on Sunday, you remember to thank our Father for all this He has given us.”

“We will.”

“But you are not to tell people I am not at home.”

“If you want.” They had only one neighbor who would even care, but Mama was always very careful ever since Papa had been killed. Life had taken a terrible turn after that.

Miriam hugged them all a bit later as they were ready to leave and she'd changed back into her apron and cap. “You be careful now,” she reminded them. “And make sure you write. I will send you my address right away.”

“A year is so long,” Truth said with a sigh. “Our home is not the same with you gone. And now Mama too. I wish I could go with you. They probably have a school in that town you are going to.”

“I'm sure they do, but I do not know where I will be living. The year will go by fast, and then I will be back again. You
mark the days on the calendar.” She hugged Mercy again and whispered in her ear. “Tell me how Mama is doing. I want to hear all the news.”

“I will.” She stepped back, tears sliding down her face. “Thank you for getting Mama in here.”

“I didn't even get a chance to ask. Mrs. Korsheski is as close to sainthood as anyone I know.”

“And you used to complain about her!” A smile danced behind the tears.

“I will like working here.” Este hugged her last. “The garden is huge.”

Miriam watched them go down the steps and turn up the street to the trolley stop.
“God, if you really
care, please watch out for my family.”

The next afternoon, after many good-byes and well-wishes from the staff and a trolley ride to the train station, the three young women boarded the westbound train, Corabell with a kerchief to her eyes, Vera with eyes dancing in delight, and Miriam climbing the steps feeling the load heavier than she could bear. She took the window seat and watched as they pulled out of the station. The hot air blowing in through the partially opened windows bore coal smoke and even tiny cinders. The urge to scrub the window felt nearly irresistible.

Her future was beyond imagination. One year. A year that appeared to stretch forever. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. They did not need two crybabies in this group. One was bad enough.

What terrors lay ahead?

B
LESSING
, N
ORTH
D
AKOTA

T
rygve, could you please bring a wagon to the station this afternoon to meet our nurses?” Astrid asked after church that Sunday morning.

“Of course. I'll be helping put up the tents for the immigrant workers from New York. Interesting they are all coming in on the same train.”

“I know. That surprised me too.”

“Are you going to Tante Ingeborg's for dinner?”

Astrid half shrugged. “Mor is so pleased to have all of us back out there, I couldn't say no.”

Now that Haakan was feeling so much better, Ingeborg and Haakan had left directly after the service to finish preparing. They used to get together there all the time, but more recently the families had pretty much been having Sunday dinner at their own houses. Astrid seemed to spend half of her life at the hospital.

“The train arrives at three o'clock, right?”

“Ja. I will be there too. And after delivering their luggage to our house and Thorliff's, I will take them on a tour of the hospital.”

“Won't they be tired from the journey?”

“It won't take long. We have our first class tomorrow morning.”

She glanced down to see Inga shifting from one foot to the other beside her. “What is it, Inga?”

“Pa said I was not to interrupt you, so I didn't, did I?”

“No. I spoke to you first.” Astrid rolled her lips together. How could one ignore a girl with Inga's energy shifting beside them?

“Can I—er,
may
I go out to Grandma's house with you? Pa said he had to go put up tents, and I know the other men do too, but I don't want to wait.”

“Wait for what?” Elizabeth stopped beside them.

“I better get going so we can all get out there.” Trygve grinned at Inga. “See you later, and remember, Manny doesn't talk funny.”

“I know. Just different.” The disgust leaped from her face.

Elizabeth tried to force a sort of smile, but she didn't succeed. “I think before I go out to Grandma's, I am going to go lie down for a bit.”

“You are not feeling well?”

“Not really. Perhaps I have a touch of whatever is going around.”

Astrid's smile worked better. “Let us walk with you. I'll stop and pick up my basket, and then Inga and I can walk on out to Mor's.”

“I'll ask Thorliff to bring me in the buggy later.”

Reverend Solberg joined them. “I'm going to help with the tents for the newcomers too, so we will be out later. I'm glad they set the time at one thirty. With all the hands helping we
should have those tents up in an hour or so. Good thing we did the frames earlier.”

“I'll tell her. Glad you are all coming too.” It felt like forever since they'd all gathered for Sunday dinner at Mor's.

Once they were on their way to the farm, Inga swung Astrid's hand as she hopped along. Inga did nothing in a straight line, so she soon dropped Astrid's hand but kept on chattering. Astrid listened to tales of her and Benny, of their trial by window at the hospital, of how strange Manny talked, of her dog, and the kittens that were now nearly grown.

“I still have Emmy's cat, but I don't think she is going to want to leave her family when Emmy comes home.” She paused for a moment. “We are almost to August and then September comes after that, so Emmy will be home soon.”

“Good for you on the calendar. Have you asked Grandma if it is all right for Emmy to have another cat at her house? Grandma's cat might not like a rival.”

“What's a rival?”

“Someone or something that . . .” Astrid paused, searching for a good definition. “Something that is competing for the same thing another one wants. Like two dogs and one bone. They are rivals for the bone.”

“Oh. So if Benny and I want the same gingerbread man, we would be rivals?” She nodded. “That is why it is always good to have two of everything.”

“Would that life were like that,” Astrid said under her breath.

“Why?”

“So people wouldn't fight so much. That's what starts wars—two countries wanting the same thing—more land usually.”

“Oh.”

“Do you have rivals?”

“Not that I know of.”

“I don't think I do either.”

“No, probably not.”

Scraggy gray Patches, the new dog at home, came barking down the lane to greet them, jumping up to quickly lick Inga's cheek, running around them, up the lane, back, another quick kiss, and finally slowing to a trot beside Inga, where her hand rested on his head as they walked.

A trestle table was set up under the cottonwood tree in the shade with tablecloths already spread on it and enough plates and cups to keep the breeze from flicking the tablecloths off and dancing them away. Benches and chairs were scattered around, including the wicker furniture from the porch. Haakan was sitting in one chair and Manny on the settee so he could keep his leg up.

Inga ran ahead and threw herself into her grandpa's hug. At his invitation she perched on his knee and breathlessly caught Haakan up on the news.

Astrid greeted both males and set her basket on the table before going on into the house, where Freda and Ingeborg were busy getting ready.

“Do you want to chip ice for the swizzle?” Ingeborg asked after the greeting.

“Of course.” Astrid took an ice pick out of the drawer and, after opening the icebox, started stabbing the halfway melted block of ice.

The chatter level rose in the kitchen as others arrived. Carl and Grant ran outside to play with Inga. Ellie gave the baby to Haakan to hold so she could help in the kitchen. Astrid glanced out the window to see her far and Manny talking as if they were old friends.

“Is that some kind of miracle going on out there? The boy talks to you two and no one else?”

“I guess he trusts us.”

“I saw how you were with him at the hospital, but Far? He's not usually a big talker either.”

“I think he decided that helping that boy get well was something he could do right now. He's felt so useless, but now he has a purpose.” Ingeborg put an arm around her daughter's shoulders. “I think we are seeing God at work.”

Astrid heaved a sigh. “Did you hear the muttering at church about you and Far taking that heathen bank-robbing boy in?”

“No. Whoever would say something like that? He's a wounded boy who has never had family like we all have. Perhaps we can help him learn how to be a member of a real family.”

Astrid smiled. “Finish your sentence.”

Ingeborg's eyebrows lifted. “And that is?”

“Why, show him God's love and forgiveness, of course.”

“Ja, that too.” Her eyes narrowed. “So who is at the root of the muttering?”

“Well, I'd guess Anner Valders. And Hildegunn goes right along with whatever he decrees.” Astrid turned from the window. “I used to think she told him what to think and say, but now I know differently.”

“How do you know that?”

“His stay in the hospital. He can be a bit of a tyrant. Not bad, but a bit. He is out for vengeance toward those McCrary men. If he had his way, I think he would have them hanged. I wished for a gun when they were holding me hostage, but they never really injured anyone. I know one thing: I was fighting mad more so than frightened.”

“Daniel and Thorliff could have shot them with pleasure at that point. It's a good thing God prevented that. I would think that the guilt of knowing you killed someone would be terribly hard to get rid of.”

Astrid grimaced. “It's bad enough on the operating table.”

“Or the man who died from burns?”

Astrid nodded. “I have to keep putting those things back in God's hands, or I wouldn't be able to keep going.” She turned at Inga's bursting through the screen door, Carl hot on her heels. “A calf was just borned down at the barn!”

“Oh good.”

“Did you tell Grandpa?” Astrid asked.

“He's sleeping, and Manny is too.”

“Not anymore, I'd guess,” Ingeborg said under her breath.

Astrid held out her hand. “Come on. I'll go back down with you.”

“We watched from the stall door.”

“She shook her head at us, so we didn't go in,” Carl said, standing solid while Inga danced around.

“That's wise.” Astrid shared a grin with her mor and Ellie, and then she and the children trooped down to the barn.

Astrid leaned on the stall's half wall. “Well, old girl, you are doing just all right.” The calf was up and nursing already, the cow glaring at the humans in warning. Inga and Carl looked through the slats in the gate.

“Is it a boy calf or a girl calf?” Inga asked.

“We'll find out later. Leave them alone for now.” She checked the water pail in the corner, and it was still full.

When the tent erectors arrived at the farm, the women and older children carried the food outside. Reverend Solberg said the blessing, and everyone took plates to fill at the table.

Astrid went over to Manny to ask what he wanted, but ten-year-old Linnea was already there.

“If you want I will bring a plate over to you.” When he nodded, she asked, “What would you like?”

“Anything is good.”

“Then I'll give you a bit of everything.”

He never raised his eyes to look at her. “All right.”

“Didn't your mother teach you to say please?” Linnea asked.

He nodded and muttered please so quietly she could barely hear him.

When she brought him a plate brimming with roast beef, small new potatoes, gravy, lettuce salad, and a buttered slice of bread, he did have the grace to say thank-you.

“You're welcome.” She started to leave and then threw over her shoulder, “I like the way you talk.”

Astrid and Penny shared a covert smile. “Did you prompt her to do that?”

Penny shook her head. “No. Never thought about it. That's Linnea though, always watching out for the underdog.” They went to fill their plates. “Did you know Linnea and Johnny have been practicing together? She picks up the chords naturally. Elizabeth says she has a good ear and is learning more of the music for sing-a-longs and even some of the dances.”

Astrid wagged her head. “All this has been going on, and I never knew about it.”

“Well, it's not exactly like you've been out looking for things to do. Joshua is a good teacher too. He plays with them when they get together in the evening. Makes me wonder if any of our immigrant workers are musicians.”

Trygve stopped by the bench where Penny and Astrid were sitting on his way back to the table. “We need to get to the station in half an hour.”

Astrid gasped. “Oh mercy. I forgot to watch the time.”

Penny shrugged. “Well, he didn't, so all is well.”

“Guess I got to enjoying myself too much.” Astrid finished mopping her gravy with the last of her bread. She glanced over at Manny, who was talking, or at least listening, to Johnny
Solberg. “I'd forgotten, but Manny mentioned they had a banjo at their house at one time, so perhaps we have another musician there.” She rose and took her plate into the kitchen, where Ellie was setting up the dishpans with soapy water on the cooler part of the stove.

Ellie grinned. “Thank you.”

“What did you do? Beat Freda off with a stick?”

“No, I just mentioned she should go sit down and relax with the others for a while. My mor taught me how to do dishes long, long ago, and I felt it was only fair she share the work through me around here.”

Ingeborg grinned. “Good for you, Ellie.”

“Wagon's leaving,” Trygve called from in front of the house.

“Can I stay with Grandma? Please, Pa, please?” Inga never did anything low key.

Astrid walked out the front door to hear Thorliff saying, “Did Grandma say it is all right?”

“She said I could spend the night if I wanted, and I do. And if you said I could. And since Ma didn't come, I can't ask her too.”

“Tell Grandma fine for now, and I will phone her later.”

“About staying all night?”

“Ja.” Thorliff walked over to the buggy and untied the horse from the hitching rail. “You can ride with me, Astrid. Easier than the wagon.” He tipped his hat at Trygve. “See you in town.”

Once they were trotting down the lane, she turned to Thorliff. “Why did Elizabeth not come?”

“She was sleeping, and I didn't want to wake her. She didn't sleep well last night, and this whatever has made her tired. She was up coughing during the night. Thelma said she'd tell her.”

“She seems to catch everything that comes around. Not good for a doctor.”

“I know. I was hoping she would move more into administration so she didn't have so much contact with sick patients, at least for a while.”

“I tried, but she kept leaving that for me. I know we are going to have to find someone to run the hospital business, but . . .”

“You could write to Mrs. Korsheski and see if they know of someone.”

“I could, but the hospital cannot afford to pay someone like that. You know that Elizabeth and I do not take out wages. We've got to get it on its feet before that can happen.”

“And get more paying patients?” He gave her a big brother look, a big brother who probably did know best in this situation, but Astrid had no answers for him.

“Just drive.”

Thorliff chuckled. They could hear the whistle to the east on the tracks when they stopped at the train station. “Elizabeth was planning to be here to help welcome them, but I doubt she will be.”

“That's fine. You're greeting your workers, right?”

“I'll walk them out to their tents. Sophie has agreed to serve them supper out in the backyard until we see how healthy these men are. I hope we do not have any sick ones like last time.”