Dirty Faces- Book 1

Chapter 26: The Stranger

Chapter 26: The Stranger

The baby jerked his arms up and tensely stretched out his legs, startled when the rush of cold air blowing in the front door nipped at his naked little bottom.

"Addie, shut that door behind you," Susan said as she finished changing Kody's diaper. Addie stopped in her tracks and turned back around to shut out the cold night air. Fortunately, it was warm and cozy in the house.

With the door now closed, Addie drifted over to the couch and sat down beside Susan. She watched quietly as her sister pinned the diaper in place, then pulled down the little white gown and loosely wrapped the baby in a soft blanket.

"There, now. That's better," said Susan. She gathered him up in her arms and kissed his little head. "Did he like the flower you drew for him?" she asked, now looking at Addie.

Addie nodded.

"That's good." Susan looked back at her baby and thought for a moment. "Addie, you want to hold the baby while I go take care of this dirty diaper?"

Not surprisingly, Addie grinned and nodded enthusiastically, as if a great honor had been bestowed upon her.

"Alright, then," Susan replied, as she placed the bundle in her sister's arms. She brushed her own hand against Addie's ice cold ones, becoming aware that she'd sneaked out without a coat. "Make sure you hold his head. Yeah, like that. That's good. Now don't touch his skin with them cold hands of yours, not 'til they warm back up. Don't want to make him cry."

Addie shook her head.

Susan picked up the soiled diaper and walked into the bathroom just off the front room. She hurried to rinse it out. Addie would never intentionally hurt Kody, she knew, but she worried she might forget he wasn't a doll and end up getting rough with him.

When Susan returned to the front room, Addie was still rocking the baby and he seemed content. She sat back down but let her sister continue enjoying holding the real-life baby doll.

Before Kody, Addie had been her baby. She played with her, bathed her, helped her get dressed, fought her over combing her hair, fought other kids that gave her a hard time. She never understood how her little sister could be so convinced that everybody was her friend when people could be so mean. Addie was friends with the Priest, the man at the store, Peggy at the diner, the boarders next door, the miners that passed the house going to and from work, the kids in the schoolyard. Even if they didn't know it, she was their friend.

Now that she was all grown up and married and moved out, Susan still felt a need to look out for Addie. That was probably why she hadn't been to church in so long. A couple years ago, for no apparent reason, Addie had started acting up in church. She would randomly start screaming during the sermon, or trying to talk whenever somebody else was giving a testimony. And she really flew off the handle when somebody received the Holy Spirit. No one ever seemed to be able to get her to settle down until she was darn good and ready to do so.

Though she missed the lovely singing, Susan still gladly came home to sit with Addie while Granny, Paw, and Kent attended the service. She rather liked the Sundays she got to spend with her sister, and she especially appreciated it tonight. Even after a year of living out there in the holler, she still got scared being there alone at night while David was at work. This night, at least, she wouldn't be alone. She would have Addie's company until midnight, then David would be finished with the half shift he was working 'in honor of the holiday'.

They weren't fools, though. Work had slowed down in the mines and any excuse to close down for a day just might be a job saved. Her Paw knew that when positions started being eliminated, his would likely be among the first. It was for that reason he had already written to his brother in Cleveland and arranged to bring the family there when that day came. Most of their kinfolk had already moved to the big cities with the fancy names and factory work anyway. The mere thought of such a separation from her family brought a lump to Susan's throat, but she'd been trying to prepare herself. Though admittedly, she did more pretending it just wouldn't happen than actual preparation.