This morning I made our breakfast, gave Benjamin a cracker and I sat down to eat. Avery came in from the barn and put a pail of milk on the counter. I handed him a dish of eggs, bacon, biscuits and stewed fruit. He took the plate and said, "Thanks Rachel," and sat down and started to eat. I sat down again and just as I took my first taste of bacon, I felt a wave of nausea come over me. I jumped up and ran out the door, leaning over the porch railing. Avery came quickly behind me, "Rachel, what's wrong? Can I help?"
I shook my head and barely whispered, "No, go back inside with the baby. I'll be okay in a minute."
"If you're sure."
"Yes, just go back inside. I'll be back in soon."
I stood in the fresh air until I felt better, then went back inside. Avery looked up at me, "Are you okay?"
"Just had a bad moment there. I am okay now." I looked at my plate of breakfast, "I can't eat that though."
"You coming down with something? Maybe you need to see Doc Burns." Avery said as he took my biscuits off my plate as I walked by with it.
"Here, you want the rest of it. I can't eat it."
"If you're sure you don't want it. Don't want it to go to waste." He took my whole plate from my hand and started eating again.
I picked up Benjamin and started feeding him some cereal. He had no trouble eating and opened his mouth wide with a smile. I laughed in spite of the way I felt. He always seems to cheer me up. Such a happy baby. I know not all babies are as happy as he is or as easy to care for.
After Avery had left to go down to the freight office I finished cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast and put a pot of meat on the fire for later. I will make a stew and add the vegetables in a couple hours. I felt tired and decided to go out and see if the horses needed more water and check for eggs in the hen house. The fresh air did me some good. I came in carrying Benjamin, who I usually take out with me to the barn. He loves the animals and the fresh air. I felt strange out there, as if someone was watching me. I looked around but didn't see anyone and thought it was my imagination.
We came in and I gave Benjamin a cookie and sat him on a rag rug I made for him on the floor so he could crawl around with his toys. I picked up my mending and started to work on Avery's work shirts which were in need of mending. We sat there quietly for an hour or so, I looked down at Benjamin and he had fallen asleep clutching my old rag doll. I had given it to him to play with and he seemed to like to hold onto it when he was falling asleep.
I went out to the kitchen and took a bowl of stewed fruit that I hadn't been able to eat earlier for breakfast. I ate it and then got a cup of hot tea. I heard a noise outside that made me jump. So cautiously I went to the window and peered out, scared of what might be out there. All of a sudden I heard a loud hammering........what could that be? I looked out some more. There in the old dead tree that Avery was going to cut down for firewood, but hadn't gotten to it yet, was a big woodpecker. What a relief! I laughed at myself for being so jumpy. "What has gotten into you Rachel Longworth I asked myself? You never used to be scared of anything." I said aloud to myself. "Better get a hold of myself and stop imagining things".
Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016
Updated 2016
