Chapter 16
Daisy carefully set the table for dinner. She thought about how satisfying it felt to cook a meal and then set plates and silverware in place before she ate. Previously, in Charleston, she merely showed up for her meals with everything already ready and in place. She would eat, get up when she was done, and then carry on with her day. All Daisy did was eat. Others bothered themselves with the hundreds of tasks that went into preparing a meal.
The achievement of being able to cook food, food that is vital to nourish the body to survive, was not an insignificant feat. The servants supplied her and her family with all the basic necessities in life. Her own mother, known throughout Charleston for her bountiful feasts, could not fry an egg or bake a pie. When Daisy sat and thought about it, she wasn’t sure what her mother could actually do without the help of others. Her mother gave strict and thorough orders, a perpetual supervisor. Money can actually incapacitate a person, make them completely inept of taking care of themselves, Daisy thought.
All the meals she’d had growing up where unnecessarily proper and decorous. No matter how good the food was, Daisy couldn’t enjoy it freely because of the pomp and circumstance of her family’s formal meals. The servants were not permitted to talk or address the family directly, tinging a delicious meal with awkwardness and needless stiffness.
Daisy tasted the stew she made, and surprisingly it tasted good. Henry hadn’t returned yet from his errand in town, but Daisy wanted the girls to try to eat before it got too late. She called Silas and the girls in for dinner. She told herself to not to expect too much out of this meal. As long as it was a not a total failure like breakfast, she would be satisfied.
The stew smelled delicious to the girls when they walked in. “I’m so hungry!” Tallulah announced sitting down.
“I hope you like it. Bon appetit.” Daisy said ladling the soup into a bowl for her.
Daisy attempted to do the same for Lilah, but Lilah placed a hand over her bowl to stop her. “I can serve myself, Madame. Merci beaucoup. Thank you.” Her voice cut like a newly sharpened knife.
“Bien sûr!” Daisy said apologetically.
Lilah couldn’t resist the savory smell of the stew. She scooped three large helpings into her bowl. She took one spoonful into her mouth letting the flavorful broth explode o her taste buds. Lilah ate all of what was in her bowl quickly and reached for more.
“You like it, I see,” Daisy said.
Lilah cut her eyes at her. “I’m hungry. I’ll eat anything.” She scooped more stew into her bowl. Then she admitted with acquiescence in her voice, “L’assaisonnement est parfait. It is very good.”
“I like it!” Tallulah blurted. Her blue eyes twinkling. “I was so hungry! C’est délicieux!”
“I’m glad you like it, Tallulah,” Daisy said to both girls.
Silas nodded and said, “It’s terrific. Muy magnífico! Much improvement from the rocks and burnt eggs.”
“Gracias,” Daisy said laughing. “I tried to eat those biscuits. I nearly chipped a tooth!”
Silas and Tallulah laughed. Silas picked out a black bean from the soup and pressed it to his front teeth. “I only lost my two front teeth, but it was worth it.” He smiled. They all a laughed at Silas’s fake missing tooth, even Lilah.
“Mr. Silas, you look so silly!” Lilah said.
“What’s so funny?” Henry said walking in. “Sure smells good in here.”
“Papa, Mr. Silas lost a tooth eating one of Miss Daisy’s biscuits!” Lilah howled.
Silas flashed Henry his toothless smile. Henry hooted in laughter. He sat at the head of the table while Daisy prepared him a bowl. Henry couldn’t stop smiling. There was laughter again in his house. It had been too long.
Daisy set the mutton stew in front of him. He took a bite. Henry was delighted. Laughter in his house and finally an excellent home cooked meal.
“The stew is wonderful,” Henry said to Daisy. She blushed.
“Everyone leave some room. I have a surprise.” The girls’ eyes lit up. A surprise at dinner!
“You have to tell us!” Tallulah pleaded.
“After you finish your stew.” Daisy answered. “I’ll show you.”
In Daisy’s house cleaning and organization of the house, she found a book, “The Great Western Cookbook” by Anna Marie Collins. Betsy’s quick cooking lesson was useful, but now she had a book with detailed instructions with dozens and dozens of recipes.
Since the girls had been out with Silas, Henry was in town, and the house was tidy, Daisy grew bored. She flipped through the recipe book looking for a dessert to make. She found a recipe for baked apple pie. She read through the instructions carefully. She decided she had nothing else to do, and she might as well give it a try.
When everyone finished their stew, Lilah exclaimed, “Surprise time!”
Daisy opened the oven door and carefully carried out the apple pie. The pie crust lattice came out nicely in a crisp brown. She held it out proudly as she placed it on the kitchen table.
“Pie!” Tallulah said. “We never get pie! We never get dessert!”
“What’s the occasion?” Lilah said inquisitively.
“Occasion? Why there is no occasion. I just wanted to make you girls a pie,” Daisy said smiling.
The girls stared at the golden brown treat. Wafts of baked sweet apples danced in their noses. Daisy handed Henry a knife and said, “I’ll let you do the honors.”
“Gladly.” Henry cut into the pie. The apples oozed perfection.
Daisy hardly ate her piece. She was too enthralled watching the girls eat theirs with smiles on their faces.
“Papa, you know what Mr. Silas told us about?” Lilah said between chewing.
“What’s that?” Henry said.
“He taught us about photo symphysis,” Tallulah said.
“Photosynthesis,” Lilah corrected her. “You know what that is, Papa?”
“Can’t say that I do.”
“Plants breathe, Papa! They breathe like people. Like animals!”
“Is that so?” Henry said looking at Silas. Silas looked down at his pie feeling embarrassed. “That is some pretty sophisticated information. Thank you for telling me.”
“De nada!” Tallulah yelped. She stood up on her chair and danced. “De nada means you’re welcome, Papa!”
They laughed at Tallulah shimmying on her chair. Lilah clapped her hands in a consistent beat to give Tallulah something to dance to. Henry, Silas, and Daisy joined in cheering and clapping their hands. Henry watched his youngest daughter dance with shining eyes. Her impromptu dance routines at the dinner table used to be a common occurrence.
Daisy was charmed by the joviality of dinner. Her meals, even as a child, would never include laughing or dancing. Indecorous behavior was only permitted in the kitchen with Mamie where she would feed her little duck special treats.
Mamie had a beautiful singing voice. In the kitchen, she sang stunning songs about Haiti and her people. At night, Mamie sang “Dodo titit” (Sleep Little One) to Daisy.
Dodo, ti titit manman
Dodo, ti titit papa
Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje
Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje
(Sweet sleep, mommy’s little one
Sweet sleep, daddy’s little one
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you
If you do not sleep, the crab will eat you)
Daisy would climb into bed and beg Mamie to sing her this song. When she was very little, she imagined a giant crab gobbling her up. After Mamie sang, she would shut her eyes tightly and will herself to sleep quickly for fear of the gigantic crab that ate little girls.
“Will the crab really get me?” Daisy asked one night when she was about Tallulah’s age.
“Oh yes. Now go to sleep, mon canard,” Mamie said kissing her cheek.
Tallulah threw her hands up over her head laughing. What it must be like to be allowed to be a child, Daisy thought watching Tallulah and clapping along. Daisy’s mother was always a step behind her to remind her to hold herself like a lady, even at a very young age.
After dinner, Lilah and Tallulah stayed behind to help Daisy clear the table and wash up. “Can we help?” Lilah asked.
Daisy surprised said eagerly, “Yes. Please. Thank you.”
Tallulah collected the silverware while Lilah stacked the bowls.
“Why do you speak French?” Lilah asked. “Are you from France like our Mama?”
Daisy smiled, “No. I’m a Huguenot. A long long time ago, in the 1600’s, Huguenots were persecuted in France for their religion so they ran away from France. My ancestors moved to Charleston in South Carolina.”
Tallulah asked carefully, “What is pre-circuited?”
Lilah answered, “It’s when you treat someone badly and you hurt them.” She paused and then asked Daisy, “Right?”
Daisy nodded taking the bowls from Lilah’s hands. “Yes. That’s right.”
Tallulah’s face scrunched up. “Terrible! Why would anyone want to hurt other people?”
“Sometimes people do not get along because of differences in opinions, in this case religion.” Tallulah nodded her head knowingly like she knew about this on a deep personal level, but truly she was unsure what Daisy meant. Daisy took the spoons from Tallulah’s little hands.
“Why did you come here? Was someone hurting you? Were you pre-circuited?” Tallulah asked. Lilah listened intently. She wanted to know too.
“No. Not exactly. I came for one reason, but…” Daisy said looking at the two girls, “I’m staying for another.”
“Bienvenue!” Tallulah said. “Also, bienvenido!” She giggled. “Isn’t it amazing how similar French and Spanish are?”
Later that night, Daisy climbed into bed next to Henry. She was tired down to her bones. Keeping a house was incredibly hard work. Her day had been so full that she completely forgot to read the letter she received today. She thought of the letter buried under her undergarments. She’d get to it tomorrow.
She noted to herself that her full day was exhausting but satisfying. She liked the feeling of getting into bed and being able to reflect on a day full of activity. Her days at home were less occupied with things to do. She often felt she was waiting around for things to happen or for people to do things for her.
Henry turned towards her pulling her close to him. She was tired but couldn’t resist him. His rustic spicy smell came back to her reminding her of last night. So much has happened was it really only the night before Daisy was first in Henry’s arms?
Il n’y a qu’un bonheur dans la vie, c’est d’aimer et d’être aimé. (There is only one happiness in life to love and be loved.”
Daisy fell into Henry’s strong enveloping arms, letting his mouth find hers. Henry was grateful for Daisy’s persistence and ingenuity. Her arrival brought happiness and joy back into their lives even though it had only been a single day. She threw herself into her new role and succeeded. He ached to show her his gratitude.
Henry kisses Daisy down on her neck to her breasts and to her soft belly. She watched him as he slid off her undergarments and softly stroked her lips with his tongue. Daisy exhaled loudly blowing air slowly out of mouth. Henry licked faster holding her ass in his hands. He felt her cheeks tighten and squirm. His tongue wiggled her hardened clit until she squirmed uncontrollably. She came moaning and raising herself up off the bed.
Henry cradled her pushing up against her as she lay on her side. Her skin was hot and flushed. He fondled her warm breasts and pushed his rigid cock inside her. She was warm and wet. Henry lost himself and plunged in and out. Daisy pushed back into his thrusts driving Henry deeper insider her. Henry closed his eyes and came. His face buried into Daisy’s hair. His hot blustery breath blew through her hair. Daisy felt the warm drip of Henry’s cum sliding from inside her down to her thighs.
Henry held onto Daisy; their skin sweaty and warm. “I’ve got to go on a trip,” Henry said.
“A trip?” Daisy said startled. “When?”
“Tomorrow morning. Early.”
“How long will you be gone?” Daisy tried to sit up, but Henry soothed her back down. “I’ve only just arrived.”
“It won’t be for too long.”
“Do you have to go? The girls will be…”
“The girls will be fine. You’re here. I feel good about leaving with you here.”
Henry kissed her gently on the lips. Daisy settled in his arms calmed by his words of confidence in her. Her life was changing quickly. Her emotions changed just as quickly. She never imagined she would be swept up in a life so different than she had ever known.
Before the sun rose, early in the morning, Henry dressed. He kissed Daisy on the head while she slept. He walked through the house holding his boots in his hands. He opened the door to the girls’ room gently to peek in on them. They were sound asleep softly snoring. For fear of waking them, he stopped himself from entering their room and kissing them good-bye.
He crept to the front door and slipped out onto the porch. The sky was a highlighted in charcoal gray as the sun slowly climbed out of sleep. Leaning on the porch railing, Henry pulled on his boots mentally preparing himself for the long ride to Reno, Nevada. Buster and Bellamy had already left the night before with the Espinosa brothers. Henry and Wiley would ride together.
Henry walked down the steps, but heard a soft voice, “Papa?” He turned around and saw Lilah. Her eyes were squinted with sleep.
“Lilah,” Henry said walking back up the steps to her. He picked her up and held her. Lilah hadn’t allowed Henry to pick her up in so long.
“Are you going away?” Lilah asked snuggling her head into his shoulder.
“Yes. For a little while. I’ll be back soon.”
Lilah tears dripped down onto Henry’s shirt. “You weren’t going to say good bye,” she sniffed. “You were going to leave. Just like Mama. And she never came back.”
Henry squeezed her. “I’m going to come back,” Henry said.
“Promise?” Lilah pleaded.
“I promise. I will come back.” Henry kissed his little girl on top of her head holding onto her tightly. “Be good. Take care of your little sister. I know I don’t need to say that because you are doing an excellent job watching out for her.”
“I will,” Lilah said.
“Try to be nice to Miss Daisy?” Henry ventured.
Lilah picked up her head and looked at her father. “I’ll try.”
Lilah went back inside feeling sad to see her father go, admitting to herself that this was unusual for her. She generally kept her feelings to herself, but her father woke her when he opened their bedroom door. The doom she usually felt when one of her parents was readying themselves to leave overpowered her will to be stoic.
Daisy met Lilah at her door. “You okay?” Daisy asked.
Lilah nodded. “Yes.” She put her hand on the door knob but then hesitated.
“You want me to come in for a little while?” Daisy asked. Lilah nodded slowly. “Okay,” Daisy said following Lilah inside. Daisy tucked Lilah in. Little Tallulah was still sound asleep. “I can sing you a song,” Daisy offered.
“S'il vous plait,” Lilah whispered.
“Dodo, ti titit manman. Dodo, ti titit papa. Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje. Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje,” Daisy sang softly.
“A crab,” Lilah asked with a half-smile.
Daisy patted Lilah’s had gently. “Yes. A crab.” Daisy and Lilah smiled at each other.
“Sing it again?” Lilah asked closing her eyes.
Daisy sang it over and over until Lilah was snoring in her sleep.
Henry rode out touched by Lilah’s tears and was hopeful her feelings of goodwill towards him would continue when he returned. He rode onward on his horse with anxiety rippling his nerves. He was going to attempt the first ever train robbery. He had to pull off the haul unscathed to get back home to his family. Then, he’d never have to rob anything or anyone ever again, he hoped.