A Home For Emily

Chapter Five

August

It's hot. It's hot everywhere. In the house, outside of the house, under the large oak tree behind the house. Emily draws water from the well every morning and waters the garden, but by noon the plants are as wilted as Emily is.

The girls are listless as they follow Emily in their bare feet as she takes care of the chickens and the cows. The pigs are still Austin's domain. Lighting the coal in the stove takes a great deal of willpower, knowing that the heat will only increase how overwhelmingly hot it is in the house.

Chores finished, the noonday meal cooked and consumed, Emily sits down under the oak tree and studies the bits of sky she can see between its branches. There are a few clouds. Maybe it will rain. They could sure use some rain, both for the relief the rain will bring and for the corn which will soon be ripe enough to harvest, if the unrelenting sun doesn't cause the corn to wither in the fields.

"Mama, can we go to the lake?" Eliza asks.

It's tempting. They've been once before. This particular lake might rightly be called a pond. It's small enough that Emily can walk all around it, but it takes a while for her to do so. It's also fairly deep in the middle, according to Austin, so the one time they've been Emily has made sure the girls stayed close to the shoreline.

But it's a long walk to get to the lake. One that is too long for Mary's short chubby legs, which means Emily will have to carry her.

Mary looks at her with pleading eyes. "I wanna swim."

She looks into their two hopeful faces and she just can't say no. Even if the walk under the hot sun will be a miserable one, spending the afternoon watching the girls splash in the water will be worth it.

"All right," Emily says. "But I can't carry you both."

"I can walk," Eliza says, jumping up and down and clapping her hands. "Thank you, Mama."

She climbs on her lap and throws her arms around Emily's neck. "I love you."

It's the first time have said these words to her. Emily motions for Mary who climbs onto her lap too. She wraps her arms around her two daughters because that's what they are to her now. Hers. "I love both of you so much."

The girls each kiss one cheek and then squirm in her lap, ready to be let go so they can begin their walk. Emily gives them one last squeeze and lets them go.

Emily thinks about sending Eliza into the corn to tell Austin their plans, but the cornstalks are high enough for the girls to disappear into them. She's had nightmares about one of them being lost in the stalks and not being able to find them. She can't even see Austin in them right now.

So, instead, she goes back inside the stifling house. She spills some flour onto the table and then traces the word 'lake' with her fingers.

"L,a,k,e," Eliza says. "La—lake?"

"Very good," Emily beams down at her. Eliza has been very quick to pick up her letters. Emily is planning to teach her numbers next and how to add. That's all the math Emily knows, although she would like very much to learn more. Maybe after Eliza goes to school, she can teach her.

"Why is it lake and not lak-e?" Eliza asks.

Emily shakes her head. "I have no idea," she answers honestly. "It's just one of them things, I guess."

Mary lasts until they are out of sight of the house and then silently holds her arms up to Emily. Emily picks her up and carries her.

About halfway to the lake, it begins to rain. Not a storm, just a light pleasant rain that feels heavenly against Emily's too-hot skin. Emily studies the sky. There's no dark clouds, no signs of lightning or thunder. This is just one of those summer rains that will pass on quickly.