Page 18 of Mail Order Moonlight

“I’m fine. Just sleepy. I’m nervous about going to a new church and didn’t sleep well.” Alice didn’t know why it was such a nerve-wracking thing for her, but it was. As much as she wanted to meet new people in the community, she was afraid to do it. It made no sense, so she didn’t tell Albert exactly what was on her mind. It would make no sense to him either, and then he’d think she was a lunatic.

While she cooked, he did the chores. She decided to make pancakes because she’d gotten some maple syrup at the store Saturday, and it would be wonderful on the pancakes. Besides, pancakes were a little more complicated than her usual breakfast, and she needed to take her mind off going to church. Her entire life, she’d attended one church, and one church only. It would be strange to go to a new one.

He brought in the milk pail and the basket of eggs he’d gathered setting them on the counter for her. “Thanks. You know, I really need to make butter this week. I hate using store bought. It just doesn’t taste as good.”

Albert recognized her attempt to take his mind off her nerves for what it was, but he agreed with her instead of making her talk about going to church. “I prefer home-churned butter as well. But it’s so much work. Susan switched to store bought years ago.”

“I’m used to it. We never used store-bought butter in Beckham.”

“What are your parents like?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Normal parents, I guess. Very easy going. They didn’t mind anything we did really. The only time I remember Ma even getting upset with us was when I threw apples at the pastor as he drove past and hit him in the head, leaving a bruise. Even that didn’t have her yelling at us though.”

“Susan would have lost her mind!”

“I’m sure she would have! What was your mother like?”

“I don’t have a lot of memories of her. I wish I had more. She made us do what was right. She baked cookies and told us bedtime stories. I don’t seem to have any memories of her before she was carrying the twins. Anytime I try to remember her, she has that huge belly.”

“How did she die?” Alice asked. She was surprised no one had told her yet.

“Childbirth with the twins, and after that, Pa had no idea what to do with us. He went through so many different nannies trying to find one who would stick around. None of them seemed to like frogs in their beds though…”

“Our teachers were never fond of frogs either. I don’t know what’s wrong with people.”

“Did you have lots of different teachers?” Albert asked, glad the topic was off his mother. It had always been a difficult topic for him, though she’d been gone more of his life. He accepted his plate with bacon and pancakes and carried it to the table.

“We did. So many teachers. Finally, the school board found a male teacher who believed in using a paddle on all of us when we misbehaved at school, and he was able to stick around. I can’t count the number of times we were all paddled, though.” She shook her head. “Ma and Pa hated that they beat us, but they had to agree to it for us to be able to go to school.” She joined him at the table, immediately bowing her head.

After the prayer, he continued the conversation. “Pa never would have agreed to that. Susan would have in a second, but not Pa. He said Ma never hit us, so no one else would either. He felt really strongly that we were raised the way Ma would have raised us.”

“I can see that being important.” She took a bite of her pancakes. “Oh, this maple syrup is really good!”

He nodded. “It’s the kind Susan always buys.”

“Well, I love it. I haven’t seen any maple trees that we can use to make our own like we did in Massachusetts, but if I find some, I’ll certainly go the homemade route. Though this is better than we made at home.”

They spent the morning reading scriptures together until it was time to leave for church. “I should have put something on for our noon meal!” she said as they were walking out the door.

“No need. We’re expected at Susan’s. She always has Lewis and I over for Sunday meals. She wants the whole family together at least one day per week, and we all work every other day.”

Alice nodded. “Good. I was starting to feel like the world’s worst wife. My ma always put a meal in the oven before we left for church. I had planned to do the same, but in my nervousness about meeting everyone, I plumb forgot.”

When they stepped outside together, she realized that he’d hitched up a buggy instead of the farm wagon, which was the only thing she’d ridden in. “Oh, the buggy is beautiful,” she said, forgetting all about their meal plans for the day. It was black, just like the doctor’s buggy had been back in Beckham. There were two seats and no room for anyone else. She’d often heard this type of buggy referred to as a courting buggy. It wouldn’t work after children came along, but for now? It was perfect!

He grinned. “I thought it would be nice to have for Sunday afternoon drives, so I got it when I found out you were on your way.”

She spun and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome.” He loved seeing the look of surprise on her face.

“Well, let’s go for a ride in that beautiful buggy!”

“Just to church for today. We’ll sneak away another day, but Susan is going to want us all there today.”

“Why’s that?” she asked.

Albert shrugged. “Because we have a new family member, of course. She’s going to want to see how we are together now that we’ve been married a little while.”

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