She glared at me. “Aren’t you?”
“No? I’m an adult.”
She peered at me. “Your ears are dirty. Honestly, I don’t know what Meg sees in you.”
I peered at my reflection in a highly polished mirror. “I think I know how to bathe.”
“Clearly not.”
“I am in charge here,” I reminded her. My tone would have had my brothers cowering. But not Enola.
“Are you?” Her voice dripped with derision, then she turned and headed to the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” I asked, running after her. “It’s five in the morning. Aren’t you tired?”
“It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom,” she quoted.
“Yes, but you didn’t even sleep,” I said as she washed her hands.
“Someone has to start breakfast.”
“I have breakfast duty today,” I told her delicately. I tried to take the frying pan out of her hands and got rapped on the knuckles for my trouble.
“Get out of my kitchen.”
An hour and a half later, when Enola went to rouse my brothers out of bed, there was a huge breakfast spread ready.
“I want pancakes,” Davy complained.
“This is all healthy food,” Enola told him.
“Is this tree bark cereal?” Nate made a face.
“It’s homemade granola,” Enola said. “With no sugar.”
“I’m going to Minnie’s to eat,” Isaac said, pushing back his chair.
“Don’t go over there bothering them,” I warned.
The doorbell rang right as I chased Isaac to the front door. Meg was standing there with several huge bags.
“Which one of my brothers let you in?” I asked, sounding more snappish than I intended.
“One of the small blond ones,” she deadpanned. “I brought clothes for the girls; they’re Minnie’s and Rose’s old things. I figured you didn’t have any.” She sounded wary.
I didn’t know whether to apologize or grovel. I shouldn’t have been so harsh to her, especially since she had found my sisters and gotten my father arrested. “Meg…” I ran a hand through my hair.
She looked at the floor sadly. “I get it, Hunter. I screwed up. You have every right to hate me.”
I reached for her. “Meg, I…”
“Come back here!” Annie hollered at Henry, who was racing through the house, carrying a piece of toast smeared with Nutella.
“We just cleaned; you can’t spread crumbs everywhere!”
Henry tripped and went Nutella-face-first onto the carpet. Annie screwed up her face and started berating him.
“Sounds like you have your hands full.”
