After lunch preparation, Lily sat down with Ma for a lesson in mending. “Ya never mended ‘fore?” Ma asked in surprise.

“Only a little, when I lived with my aunt in Denver. I …” Oh heavens, she couldn’t tell the woman she’d thought she was above performing such a menial task, “… wasn’t very good.” That was a version of the truth. Really, she hadn’t been a very good person – uncharitable, unhelpful, unproductive.

After seeing Oscar’s reaction to her terrible secret, she was beginning to realize just how petty she’d been. Toward the end of her aunt’s life it was getting to the point where the two women were happy for scraps, but it wouldn’t have gotten that far if Lily’d had a mind to work. The least she could’ve done was her aunt’s mending on a regular basis. But no, she’d let the poor woman struggle with that until her dying day.

“I’ll show ya some simple stitches ‘n give ya the easy stuff t’start,” Ma told her.

“Thank you, I appreciate that. I’m afraid I have a lot to learn.”

“Don’t worry none, chile, we’ll teach ya everythin’ ya need to know. I’m juss glad yer here. In time, them helpin’ hands o’yers’ll learn a lot.”

Lily giggled at her words. “Was it hard for you to manage while Oscar went to get me?”

“A li’l. Henry picked up the place ‘n did the laundry ‘n dishwashin’. I cooked, ‘n Anson saw to the stock ‘n outside. But ‘round here y’sure notice when there’s a body missin’. Havin’ an extra one’s a blessin’.”

“I hope I’m able to bless you sooner rather than later.”

“Ain’t you doin’ the blessin’, chile – that’d be th’good Lord. Dunno what His plans are most times, but we’re happy He sent ya here.”

Lily smiled in amazement. In her eyes, she was the one being blessed, not her new family. Oscar had done in a few hours that morning what years of praying hadn’t – he’d made her feel good about herself, accepted her. Or was that the Lord telling her how He felt through her new husband, as if Oscar was the Almighty’s hands extended? “My goodness,” she whispered.

“Whassat, chile?” Ma asked.

“Oh, nothing, just thinking aloud.” Lily hoped Ma had a handkerchief handy – she suddenly felt like crying again. The good Lord had answered her prayers, through Oscar! And it wasn’t only Oscar He’d blessed her with, but a whole new family. She buried her face in her hands and shook with silent sobs.

Ma put a hand on her shaking shoulder. “Why, whass the matter, chile?”

Lily lifted her face, wet with tears. “I’m sorry, it’s just that this day has been so wonderful. I can’t tell you how much.”

Ma smiled at her. “Well, ‘at’s how the Lord tends t’work, bringin’ all stuff t’gether fer His good purpose.”

Lily nodded and wiped her tears away with her hand. “All right, I think I have a hold of myself.”

Ma laughed. “Chile, when it comes t’the Lord ‘n His business, ya never have a hold o’ yerself. Best ‘member that.”

Lily laughed and they got to mending.

The lesson was short, easy and soon she’d stitched up a pair of worn socks. “Socks’re the worst,” Ma explained. “‘Specially Henry’s. Once yer ready, ya can tend Oscar’s stuff ‘n I’ll take care of the others’. Juss be glad Oscar ain’t as hard on his clothes as Henry.”

Thank Heaven for that, Lily thought. It probably had to do with Oscar working more in the kitchen than outside. And speaking of the kitchen … “What is Oscar’s favorite dessert?” Mending his things, she felt a growing urge to do something nice for him, but all her skills fell woefully short. Except maybe baking – therein lay her hope.

“Well, lemme think,” Ma said. “I gotta choc’late cake recipe he likes – a guest gave it t’me some years back, said’t came all the way from Paris, France. Oscar ain’t never ‘sperimented with that one – guess he figgers best not t’mess with perfection.”

Lily laughed and clapped her hands. “My heavens, is it that good?”

“Yep, but it’s hard to get choc’late out here. I can show y’the recipe ‘n we’ll see if we got everythin’, but I’ll prob’ly have to have Willie get some stuff from the Dunnigans. ‘N if they don’t have none, Sally Upton will - fer a price.”

“That’s one good thing about all the stagecoaches coming through here, isn’t it? At least they can pick up supplies for you now and then. It’s also a good thing the people in Clear Creek are so friendly …” That gave Lily another idea. “Ma, does Oscar like to read?”

“Oh yeah, in th’evenins when he has a spare moment. Depends on how full up we are ‘n how much work there is.”

“Does he have any books here he hasn’t read yet?”

“Nah, he’s read ‘em all. Sev’ral times, most o’em.”

“Does he ever think to get new books?”

“Nah, not when we need the money fer other stuff.”

“I see,” Lily said, her eyes downcast. With no money of her own, how could she buy a book for her husband?

“Whass the matter, chile?”

“I just thought it would be nice to buy Oscar a new book, but I haven’t any money.”

“Don’t mean ya cain’t earn some.”

“Earn? But how? Surely you’re not thinking of paying me.”

“Heaven’s sake, chile, no. We’re all in this t’gether. But it don’t mean ya cain’t make sumpin’ t’sell the folks comin’ through here.”

Lily’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t thought of that. “Like what?”

Ma smiled slyly on her good side. “‘Member ‘at pie th’Truitts were hankerin’ after? And ya offered t’give ‘em one?”

“Yes, but what about … oh.” Lily’s eyes widened. “You mean sell them one?”

“Well, not them – ya already told ‘em theirs was a gift. But if ya can bake stuff fer folks t’take on the road, maybe ya got somethin’. We never done it only ‘cause it’s more work ‘n we ain’t had th’time. But now yer here …”

Lily’s face broke into a smile, and she hugged her new mother in-law. “That’s a wonderful idea!” Her expression suddenly went flat. “But I don’t know if I bake that well.”

Ma laughed. “Don’t worry, chile. If ya don’t now, ya will once we’re through with ya!”

* * *

Three days later …

“Thass right, now don’t overmix it,” Ma advised as she watched Lily stir a bowl of cake batter.

“I’m so excited,” Lily said. “I thought I knew how to do this, but this is far beyond anything I tried on my own.”

“Cookin’s an art t’some folks. I know ‘tis t’my Oscar. He’ll be a happy man when he finds out ‘is wife can cook ‘n bake ‘longside’im. Not o’ernight, mind, but ya’ll get there.”

“I can hardly wait. I’ve done so little with my life before now. I feel like I’ve wasted it.”

Ma put a hand on Lily’s to stop her rapid stirring. “Not so fass. ‘N I don’t mean th’batter. Well … I do mean th’batter – time t’pour’t into th’pans. But I also mean yer life. Don’t be so quick t’think it was a waste, chile.”

Lily started pouring and gave that some thought. Ma didn’t know how she’d squandered all those years by being spoiled, demanding and ignorant of the hardships of others. Until the war came, and even then, she wasn’t of much use.

“Look at me, chile.”

Lily did, seeing the disfigured face of the woman before her. Ma had seen hard times too.

“Yer here, ain’t ya? Y’ain’t wastin’ yer life now.”

“No, but what about before …”

Ma held up a hand to silence her. “Lemme tell ya somethin’, chile. Th’Lord don’t waste nothin’. Y’might think He does, ‘cause y’cain’t see what He’s doin’. But there’s plenty o’ other folks who feel like ya do. Sometimes I have, I don’t mind sayin’, and don’t think we ain’t heard tales from ever’one else’s come through here.”

Lily blinked a few times, her mouth half open in shock. She hadn’t thought about that before – why else would most people head west to start over? “I’m sorry, Ma. I didn’t mean to imply that no one else suffered.”

“Didn’t think ya did. But ya were implyin’ yer life was a waste. It weren’t – it was preparation.”

Lily finished pouring and set the bowl on the worktable. “But … before coming here I did nothing that wasn’t selfish or petty or … well, I wasn’t a good person. In fact, I was a snob. I thought myself better than everyone else.”

Ma laughed. “You ‘n ten thousan’ others like ya. Plenty o’ spoiled girls out there ain’t gotta clue ‘bout how life really works. But ya ain’t that no more, are ya? Ya grown up some, right? ‘Cause ya seem purty decent to me now.”

“Only because I was forced to become decent.”

“Seems t’me th’decency was already in there. Juss needed a li’l proddin’ t’come out.”

Tears stung the back of Lily’s eyes. “Why are you being so kind to me?”

Ma surprised her, pulling her into her arms. “Dear chile, I been prayin’ fer years fer th’Lord to bring Oscar a wife. I din’t ask fer perfection. I asked Him to bring my son th’woman he needed most, ‘n needed him most. ‘N look who He sent.”

Lily’s lower lip began trembling. “How did you get so wise?”

Ma smiled. “Th’hard way. ‘S the only way anyone does.” She let Lily go and turned to the worktable. “Now let’s get these pans in th’oven.”

Lily contemplated Ma’s words as the cakes baked and she helped Ma start supper. Oscar, Henry and Anson had all been busy the last several days cutting down trees and making fence posts in preparation for the cattle’s arrival. It was hard work, and Lily did her best to help Ma with all the chores so the men wouldn’t have to. “I’d best take the laundry off the line,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron.

“You do that and I’ll see to my dough,” Ma replied. She was making her famous chicken and dumplings for supper, and Lily couldn’t wait to see if they were as good as Sally Upton’s.

Lily looked at the pot simmering on the stove. She’d watched Ma prepare the chicken in fascination, not sure if she’d ever have enough nerve to kill one of the birds and do everything else that had to be done to prepare it for cooking. But eventually, she knew, she’d have to learn.

She went out the kitchen’s back door, picked up the large basket she’d left next to it and looked at the bedsheets billowing in the breeze. Spring was just now filling the air with the sweet smell of the first wildflowers.

As she took sheets off the line and put them in the basket, she thought of the last few nights and how tender and gentle Oscar had been. He’d held her, kissed her, made her feel things she had felt only briefly before with John, and so much more. She loved his deep gentle voice, large hands and lumbering ways. And his patience – so much patience, almost as if he was courting her. Of course, they’d gone well past courting that morning by the waterfall, but he still treated her as gentlemanly as he could.

She removed the last sheet, put it in the basket and turned back to the house. Even after consummating their marriage, Oscar was giving her time to feel comfortable with him. And she was, more and more. He touched her with loving adoration – no wincing or pulling his hands away from her scars, no grunts of disgust. And all the while, he told her how beautiful she was.

Lily bowed her head and closed her eyes. Oh Lord, I don’t deserve him. But thank You, thank You for giving me this man. I never could have found him on my own. I know I couldn’t. Thank you.

She opened her eyes, took a deep breath and carried the laundry into the house. Once it was all folded – the easiest chore in the world; it had taken her all of a half-hour to learn – she returned to the kitchen to help Ma with supper. She set the table and watched in fascination as Ma made her dumplings.

Not long after, Oscar, Henry and Anson came in to eat. “Somethin’ smells good,” Oscar commented. “Need any help, Lily Fair?”

“Thank you, but no. Go wash up.”

“Well, look at you, Mrs. White – married to me less than two weeks and already bossin’ me ‘round.”

“Your ma’s been teaching me well. I’m sure I’ll get bossier as time goes on.” She grinned and waved a spoon at him.

He laughed and headed out to the pump.

There were no guests tonight, just family, and Lily discovered she liked these evenings the best. Not that the stagecoach passengers weren’t interesting, but she enjoyed the closeness of just the five of them after all those years alone or nearly so.

She sighed with satisfaction and thought of her cake, already frosted and resting on top of the hutch in the kitchen. Ma had warned her Henry was in the habit of running a finger through the frosting if it was within reach, no matter how many times she or Oscar told him not to. He just couldn’t help himself. She wondered if Henry would ever marry.

Anson would, she was sure. He already had set his sights on a young woman in Clear Creek named Emeline Turner, and she’d helped him pen a letter to her last night. Willie would take it to Clear Creek when he came through tomorrow. Would Anson be crushed if she didn’t answer? And if she did answer, what then? How could they court when they lived so far apart, other than by mail?

“Is supper ready?” Lily asked Ma as she re-entered the kitchen.

Ma was ladling the main course into a tureen. “Sure is. Carry this t’th’table, will ya? Careful, it’s hot.”

Grabbing two dishrags, Lily carefully picked up the chicken and dumplings and carried it to the table, then went back for the sliced bread and a big bowl of vegetables. None of the men were in the kitchen at the moment, so Lily glanced at the top of the hutch. “Have any of them seen it yet?”

Ma smiled. “Not yet, thank Heaven, or there’d be a long mark on it from Henry’s finger. Ya know, thass why I usually stick with pies?”

Lily laughed. She was looking forward to surprising Oscar. For the first time in a very long time, she felt at peace.