My Hands Hold My Story (Rough Draft)

Chapter Eight

"Might I meet your daughter?" he asked after several minutes of conversation with Father.

Me? He wanted to meet me? Why? Father must not have thought anything of it because he gestured to me. The young man nodded towards me with a wide smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Steele."

Well, he knew my name but I didn't know his. Still, I nodded acknowledgement and then moved my gaze to the back of the wagon seat. A moment later, Father was in the seat and the wagon was moving.

My curiosity got the better of me. I tapped Anna's shoulder and signed, "Who was that?" I made sure to mouth 'who' at the same time she would understand me. Instead of answering me, though, she just glared.

So, it wasn't much of a stretch that she was angry with me. I turned my attention to Simon and, once I waved to him and got his attention, I asked the same question of him. He glanced at Father before he said, "John Dover."

At least I now had a name to put with the face.

Though neither of them looked towards me, I had the feeling Father and Cordelia were discussing what had happened. 'Discuss' was probably not the most accurate term for it. They kept looking at each other, their shoulders tense. I couldn't see what either of them were saying, and no doubt it was better that way.

What had the family been like before I arrived? They must have been happy and gotten along. What was it about me that had disrupted things so much? Was it only because I was deaf, different from them? Or was there something more?

I knew I shouldn't feel guilty. After all, it wasn't my fault I was deaf. There wasn't anyone to blame for that; it had been beyond anyone's control. And Father should have told his wife about me, not making it so that my arrival would upset her so.

Still, I did feel guilty.

It seemed I had brought nothing but trouble into my father's life. Every day he had some argument with Cordelia. My stepmother had no affection for me. My brother and step siblings would rather ignore me than anything else.

Everything uncle Richard had said about me had come true. I closed my eyes, pushing away the memory of his harsh words. My thoughts were troubled the entire drive back to the ranch.

Cordelia swept into the house without a glance back as soon as Father halted the wagon in front for the porch. Anna abandoned glaring at me to hurry after her mother. Father leaned his head back and stared at the sky. Simon dismounted and helped Susan and Katie down to the ground. He sent a wink at me when I climbed down.

Maybe be Father and Cordelia's argument hadn't been serious? It seemed too good to be true.
As Father and Simon went to the barn, I took a deep breath and went onto the porch. For a moment, I stood in the doorway and watched my stepmother slam things around the kitchen. Anna had Katie and Sam in front of the fireplace.

Clearly it was better for me to keep my distance until Cordelia calmed down.

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Sitting on the edge of my bed, I spent the day writing the letters I should have written as soon as I had arrived. I had been so busy it hadn't even occurred to me to let Mrs. Weston know I'd arrived safely. She must be worried about me, and of course my friends from school would be curious about where I was.

Occasionally, Simon would pass by and he looked as though he were interested in what I was doing, but he never asked. Anna tried to peek at my words, but she moved away when I glared at her. I don't know why I was surprised, since she'd gone through my trunk. She must have no sense of right or wrong. My letters were private and she had no business trying to look at what I was saying.