Chapter Eight
Maggie started a bigpot of soup as soon as she got home.Once it was simmering she baked James a cake.She worried a bit about James coming home in the snow, but she knew he was used to Alaska winters, even when they started in the fall.
It was several hours later when James arrived home, covered in snow from head to toe.She hurried to him when he came in, taking his coat and hat to dry them in front of the fireplace.“Did you get the order done today?”she asked.
He nodded, looking more tired than she’d ever seen him.“We did.I’m pretty sure we won’t be working tomorrow with this storm, but we’ll see.It seems to be getting worse by the minute.”
“What do you do when you can’t work?”she asked.
“I usually do more whittling,” he said.“I enjoy working with my hands.’
“The soup is ready, and I put a pot of coffee on, thinking you may need it to warm up.”
“I appreciate it,” he said, washing his hands.He sat down at the table, and she took him coffee and a big bowl of soup along with some of the bread she’d made that morning.“I’ve been thinking about coming home to hot soup all day.”
She sat down across from him, and he took her hand before saying grace.He’d finished two bowls of soup before he felt ready to say anything else.“We really pushed to get the job done today.Everett and I worked in the mill while the men cut trees.We were very efficient, and I think Everett’s mind is at ease now.What did you do today?”
“I did my baking this morning and spent the rest of the day with Belle.She wasn’t feeling well so we stayed in.”She omitted taking things to the store to sell because she knew he didn’t like to hear about that part of her days.“I took a walk in the snow just as it started coming down, and it was so beautiful.I do love snow.”
“I’m glad you took a little time to walk in it then.I have a feeling this is going to be a bad storm.I didn’t see a single critter outside today as I walked home.That’s usually a sign of just how bad a storm will be.”
“Tomorrow’s Friday,” she said.“If it turns ugly, we don’t have to be anywhere for a couple of days.There’s enough food in the house to last until Monday.It should be just fine.”
“Do we have enough firewood inside?”he asked.
“I carried several armloads in while the soup cooked.I thought we might need them if the storm kept going.”
“Good,” he said.“I’ll go out and get more as we need it, but it sounds like you did what you could to prepare us.”
“I tried.”
“What will you do if the storm won’t let us leave tomorrow?”he asked.
“I’m working on a gown for Belle’s baby.I have the fabric for two more as well.And I’ve purchased some flannel for diapers for her.If we’re stuck inside, I won’t run out of things to do.”
“Good.There’s nothing worse than sitting and watching the snowfall, wondering if you’ll ever be able to leave your house again.”
“I agree.We had hard winters in Massachusetts too.”Maggie looked at James with a twinkle in her eye.“I suppose there are other things the two of us could get up to together as well.”
He laughed.“I like the way you think...”
“I hope you also like cake.Your birthday can’t pass without a piece of cake.”
As soon as the supper dishes were washed and put away, they retired for the night.Before falling asleep, Maggie said a silent prayer that the storm wouldn’t be as bad as they were thinking it would be.
*****
IT WAS QUIET WHEN MAGGIEwoke the following morning.The wind was no longer howling as it had been.She reached for James’s arm and realized he was already out of bed.“Is everything all right?”she asked.
“I think so.It’s still snowing, but the winds have died down.”
“Do you think you can work?”
He shook his head.“No, I don’t think it’s safe to go out in it.Even with the winds lower, it’s hard to see with the sheer amount of snow still falling.It’ll be better if we stay inside and keep warm.”
“All right,” she said.She would miss the income she’d have made that day, but it was all right.She’d make it up another day.
She got up and dressed, immediately starting breakfast while James sat at the table whittling by lamp light.“Did you ever decide what you are making?”she asked.
