Chapter 17
“This old place is so full of love that I can’t contain myself. It’s hard to believe that just a week ago I was so down in the dumps over my parents being apart. Now it all seems like a distant dream.”
“The farm is so beautiful covered with snow and the sleigh rides are lots of fun. The Fairy’s meadow, the half frozen streams, the frozen duck pond out in the farmyard where we skated last night after supper, and the sounds of the country are so different than in Logan Harbor. It’s like I’ve stepped back in time.”
“All my cousins are fun to be around and all my aunts and uncles are having a hard time keeping watch on us, lol. This morning I woke up just has the sun was coming up and cleaned my room. Then I went out and tended to the horses. That barn is getting full. All of us need to help more around here.”
“Hank came in and smile when he saw me working. We have three farms close by and it will take us all to keep up with them. Clay and Cassie are buying another nearby farm so I will always have plenty of family nearby.”
“Gabby is learning more about herself and she is getting plenty of New England horse sense from all of us. She is so wonderful and talented. Talent must run in our blood because we all have our own unique talents.”
“Family is what it’s all about and I’ve only begun to realize that. I felt very inspired and my writing now reflects what I have learned the last few days. When Grandma first taught me to sew I had now idea that I would still be doing once I out grew my dolls. Tonight we gals will have an old fashion quilting bee and put together the memory quilt we have been working on, so my day is a full one. Well I need to get off my laptop and head to the kitchen and help with breakfast.”
Debbie looked at what she had written and saved it, she would proofread it later but she had chores to finish.
There were still odds and ends to finish up but all the baking was done. Debbie bounded into the kitchen; Peggy looked up and smiled; “Now that is much better. Child, I believe this old place given you new life.”
“Oh Aunt Peg it has. I never realized how much I was missing without the magic of life inside of me.”
Mary looked at her, “Debbie you always had it. It was just sleeping inside of you.”
“Sometime child, we just let our heads get cluttered up with useless things and it takes all that magic and bottles it up.” Peggy agreed.
“Well all I know is that this place is now my home.” Debbie replied.
“It will always be a part of you.” Laura said as she entered.
“You’re a late sleeper this morning Laura.” Mary chuckled.
“Well it just little odds and ends left to do. I might get in some real sewing today.”
“I’ll get one of the men bring in that huge ham in the smoke house and put in to the refrigerator until tomorrow tonight.” Peggy said,
Debbie nodded, “I need to wash the pudding tins so we can have some New England style Yorkshire pudding.”
“Your mom must have taught you how to make it. She learned it from me.” Mary smiled.
Laura took a cup of coffee and went to her study. With all the work on the farmhouse she had very little time to clean it up. It had originally been a setting room. She had no idea that Hank had finished her late dad’s study while she was on her book tour.
The room though spacious was warm and inviting. The old roll top oak desk and chair had been built by her dad. Laura noticed that the three large cedar bookcases were missing. Laura thought that Hank must have taken them to his workshop to work on them. Laura went and got a broom and dust cloth.
She was putting away her writing tablets when Tiffany entered; Tiffany’s eyes were full of joyful anticipation because Ted Pierce was coming to see her. Laura looked at her cousin,
“You look like the cat that swallowed canary.” She said cheerfully.
“Oh I have a beau coming to see me this afternoon.” Tiffany responded brightly.
“Ted?” Laura asked.
“Yes, he is just the most handsome man.”
“Well to you anyway.” Laura laughed, “Don’t worry Tiffy, Julie and I will make sure the other ladies won’t give him the evil eye.”
Tiffany chuckled, “Yeah, it’s not a good thing to have the wrath of the three of us coming down on them.”
Tiffany took the broom and started sweeping. Barbara, Debbie and Amy joined them. Soon the room was clean and ready for use.
“I’ll be glad to get my study back. It should have been done sooner but other things had to be done first.” Laura said.
“Yeah plenty of pranks were hashed out in this small setting room.” Julie laughed.
“Small, it is twice the size of our living room.” Barbara chuckled.
Laura nodded, “At least. Well, let me go and get the bee’s wax to polish the furniture.”
They waited for her to leave then Tiffany looked at her nieces, “Did Hank fill you in?”
Debbie and Barbara nodded, “One more trip to the Meadow for us and Laura. Dad and the rest of the men then move the rest of this into Laurie’s new study while you two make sure that it matches the pictures in the good book.” Barbara said.
“We will need to have the furniture move back in here and make sure it matches up.” Tiffany remained them.
Julie smiled, “Aunt Peg, Mom, Lisa and her brood along with Cassie will supervise this room with Clay and the boys helping to move the furniture back in.”
“Well part of our trip will to take Amy and the girls back to the inn so there is plenty of time.”
“Christmas Eve is tomorrow and there will be plenty of work left to do for Christmas Dinner. So we will need to get plenty of rest tonight. So there can’t be any lolly gagging at the inn. ” Tiffany told them.
“We will only take as much time as needed to get things done here today. We have the quilting bee tonight also.” Barbara said.
“Speaking of Debra and the program gals, where are they?”
“They’re getting the sewing room ready for work. We have a lot of stuff to finish. I still have my Christmas dress.” Debbie replied.
Given that most of the house was busy doing something, even the younger kids had special chores, it was a wonder that they weren’t falling on top of each other. After lunch Laura hitched up the sleigh and took Amy and her friends back to the inn. Only Debra stayed behind at the farm so she could spend more time with Gabby. They were very much kindred spirits. Both loved sewing and music.
As the sun was sinking low behind the snow covered leaves Debra pick up her guitar and slowly started playing. Soon she started singing, “He will hold you, hold you, your father will hold you, he’ll love you, he’ll love for all you do, Desert Rose, Don’t ya worry, don’t be lonely, heaven knows, heaven knows, in a dry and weary land a flower grows.”
“That’s a very pretty song.” Gabby said.
Debra smiled, “It’s my special song, want to hear it all?”
“Yeah, I would.” Gabby replied.
Debra started playing again and started singing. When she was done she kissed Gabby on the cheek. “Just remember that you are never alone. He is ways there for you.”
“It wasn’t so hard for me to accept moving in fact I’m very glad it happened. All my so called friends in LA were total gossip girls. I could never really fit in.”
Debra nodded, “We program gals have had to learn that true friendship comes from deep within. They were there for me when I was raped and help me through it. Then I saw Jill in a brand new light, and her gentle hugs and soothing words were the balm that finished my healing. We are bbfs and we share a much higher calling. Once we have our PhDs we will become brides of Christ. I’m sorry to be boring you with my hopes and goals.”
“You’re not; in fact I am very interested in them. I haven’t even started thinking about after high school and you are thinking beyond college.”
“It’s time you should.” Lisa said from the doorway. “You have a talent for sewing that most women and men would kill to have. That is your calling and that is what you must pursue. A PhD in Fashion design will sap that right out of you if you let it. But don’t worry I have the feeling that there will be hundreds of women that will make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Debra laughed, “That you can put in the bank.”
“We need to get finished on that setting room.” Lisa reminded them.
“Let me go and get the throw pillows for the sofa and chairs. I’m glad we had more of that fabric from the photos” Gabby said.
Gabby entered the setting room with the pillows and a crochet throw for the sofa. It was made from dark blue and a velvety red yarn. She had made it in LA for a girl in her class but the girl had moved before she could give it to her. When she had learned that they would be at the family farm she thought it would make a nice house warming gift. It was a series of granny squares sown together.
Lisa smiled when she saw it, “That should be in the main parlor not in this setting room.”
“Well we will be using the setting room too and I am planning a large quilted throw for that room.” Gabby replied.
“You are so very talented.” Karyn replied.
“I think my great grandma guides my hands.” Gabby said.
“Everyone here seems to have mystical experiences here in this place.” Karyn thought.
“You know Karyn, life its self is full of magic if you keep your mind open. When Sasha and I first came here we felt that the area was different than anyplace we had ever been. Life is old here, older than first settlers.”
Debbie entered with a bright smile, “When all my relatives would tell me about this place I couldn’t imagine it, this old place that I thought was nothing but a wreck, but it was only sleeping. Like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree all it needed was love. Kayrn look around you at this place and I don’t mean the just the house. The woods and meadow are full of magic waiting to touch your heart.”
“I can see its beauty but I have a hard time believing in things I can’t see and touch.” Karen replied.
“Kayrn, I can’t explain it myself, but when I first heard we were moving back here I was very bitter and angry.” Adam said has he entered, “It took seeing and hearing my late Grandpa putting me straight for me do see what a brat I was being.”
He took her by the hand went to window, “You see that countryside? It is full of all kinds of magic but more importantly it means that you have found a place to plant your roots.”
Kayrn nodded, “Back in Seattle there was very little I loved about it. Oh there were plenty of malls and entertainment venues but never felt at home there at all. However this place has welcomed me with open arms despite all my faults and fears. I haven’t felt this safe since dad left us now I feel safe and protected. It is almost like the specter of his heartlessness isn’t here anymore. Maybe that was what you meant by magic.”
Debra hugged her, “You’ve opened a door now don’t let it close again.”
Once the setting room passed Mary and Peggy’s inspection Tiffany locked the door and hung the key around her neck.
She found Ted setting in the kitchen with the other men sipping coffee. She poured herself a cup and sat down, “Sorry to put you to work.” She laughed.
“No problem, Tiffy. I leaned a long time ago not to cross the three of you.” He chuckled.
“Well you are welcome to stay for supper.” Peter replied.
Ted nodded and took another sip of his coffee “I wouldn’t miss your Mom’s apple dumplings. Hank, you are the man, I never would have thought this place would ever look like it did when I was growing up just over the river and through the woods.”
“You can think Laura, Tiffany and Julie for that; they made sure I wouldn’t damage anything.” Hank laughed.
“Landsakes, all you take this to the parlor so we can get ready for supper.” Peggy said has she entered.
Mary nodded and pointed toward the door, “Tiffany, you tell those girls to get it ready to put that memory quilt together.”
“I think we have been dismissed.” Greg laughed, “Should I tell our better halves to report for KP?”
“I’ve already done that now scoot.” Peggy laughed.
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