Chapter Eleven
Brenda’s fingers wrappedaround the warm ceramic of her teacup, steam curling up like a lazy cat stretching in the sun. She brought the cup to her lips, the herbal aroma mingling with the scent of home-baked bread that filled the kitchen. The tea was a new habit, one she’d taken to morning and night with a kind of religious fervor.
“Another batch of that special tea, huh?” Seth leaned against the doorframe, his eyes flitting between the cup and her face. A teasing smile played on his lips, but there was a hint of curiosity behind his casual stance.
“Can’t seem to get enough of it,” Brenda replied, keeping her voice light. “Just love the taste.”
Seth raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further, turning his attention back to the ranch work that awaited him outside. Brenda watched him go, relieved. If he knew the true purpose of her tea drinking—that it was a fertility blend—she wasn’t sure how he’d react. Not yet, anyway. Would he even want her to remain his wife if she couldn’t have the children he wanted?
Later, as the Texas heat waned into a gentler warmth, Brenda found herself at Hannah’s modest home. She knocked lightly.
Hannah greeted her sister with a smile, the lacework in her hands momentarily forgotten. “What brings you by, Brenda?”
“Thought we might stir up some Christmas cheer. How about throwing a party for the church this year?” Brenda asked, already picturing the festivities, the joy it could bring.
“Sounds lovely,” Hannah said, though her gaze drifted, hinting at thoughts that wandered far from holiday merriment. “But you’ll have to spearhead it. And Brenda...”
“Yes?”
“I’m still wrestling with my faith. You know that.” Hannah’s words were soft, spoken more to the floor than to Brenda. “I married a good man in Amos, but God and I...we’re not on speaking terms.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t spread a little goodwill, right?” Brenda nudged her sister’s knee with a playful smile. “We’ll make it a party that even God would attend if He got an invite.”
Hannah chuckled, her tension easing. “All right, let’s plan a Christmas party.”
“Good.” Brenda’s heart swelled with a sense of purpose, her mind already racing with ideas. This party would stop her from spending all her time worrying about not having a baby.
*****
BRENDA, WITH HER BLONDhair tied back and a notepad in hand, could barely contain her excitement as she bounded from one sister to the next. Her green eyes sparkled with the light of the upcoming festivities, and her voice carried the tune of holiday spirit through the warm air of Fort Worth.
“All right, Amy, you’re on pies. And Jane, I want your cornbread dressing,” Brenda directed, scribbling down notes as she went, assigning culinary tasks with the confidence of a general leading her troops.
“Are you sure we can pull this off in a month, Brenda?” Jane asked skeptically, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Of course, we can!” Brenda replied with a chuckle. “We’ve got hands enough, and hearts big enough to feed the whole county!”
