Chapter 12

"Is Mags here?" asked the stranger.

"Who?" I asked.

"Mags, Maggie, Maggie Lancaster?" he said, "Where is she?"

"Oh, you mean Margaret," I replied, "No, I am afraid she's not here. May I help you?"

The stranger pushed his hat back, scratched his head and replied, "Well, just who the hell are you? One of her girls, I suppose. No, you can't help me. I'll just wait for her up on the porch," he said as he started across the yard.

I clutched my shawl in my fist, what was I suppose to do. Margaret was Bobby's momma, Bobby wasn't home and I didn't live here yet and now this man was coming up the steps. He walked by and headed toward the swing. "Git me somethin to drink will ya, my belly thinks my throat's been cut. I swear, these dusty roads will kill you ridin 'em all day. How long reckon she might be?" he asked.

I cleared my throat, "Well, um, Margaret passed away earlier this year," I said looking at this stranger.

He looked at me, puzzled, "Are you telling me she died?" he asked, bewildered, "What happened?"

I inched backward, feeling for one of the rocking chairs, setting down. "Well, she'd been sick on and off for awhile. It was thought to be in her lungs, but Doc said she died from the dropsy. Said her heart just gave out. She had been having spells for the past two years, light headed, heart a flutterin' and such. She slept a lot and Bobby waited on her. She didn't have the strength to get out of bed, just closed her eyes for a nap and never woke up. All of the kids were kind of expecting it, so it wasn't a big shock. When she died they all went their separate ways. Now who are you?" she asked.

"James Franklin, call me Jim Frank, Mags' baby brother. I was the last one to come along, sort of a surprise to our folks. Mags was thought to be the last of the bunch, was 10 years older 'n me when I popped up. Since she was the last one at home, she just kind of took me over." "She always said that finally she had her a real baby doll, not a knotted up rag to play with. I was probably the cleanest baby to ever walk. Every time I turned around she was washin' and a wipin' me." "Our momma said it's a good thing Mags was there to take care of me or I would had to live under the porch with the dogs, cause after 8 young'uns she was too tired to bother. I call her Mags cause I never could say Margaret and it always sounded like Magret to me. Who are you?" he asked, looking me over.

"Well, come this Saturday I hope to be Maisy Lancaster. Bobby, Margaret's youngest son, and me will be living here. Let me get you something to drink and we can visit a while, maybe Bobby will be home soon." I stood up and started into the house. "There's a small spring out back if you want to wash up. I will be right back."

When I stepped back out on the porch I could see that the Jim Frank had used his bandanna to wipe his face and arms and to make himself presentable. Setting the tray on a small table between the two rocking chairs I said, "Come on over here and sit. I made us both a sandwich and brought out some apple cider. I hope that's ok."

"That's fine with me. Look's like somebody is headed this way, by the way the dust is a boilin' up down the road," he said and walked over to the chair.

I stood up and shaded my eyes to look, two wagons coming up the road. I recognized Bobby in the first one and my daddy behind him. "It's Bobby and my daddy," I said. "What a surprise you will be for them," as I sat down to finish my sandwich.

Bobby slowed in the lane and turned the horses to head around behind the house, with daddy following close behind. They both had something in their wagons covered up with tarps. I supposed is was something for the fields or the barn. They were always looking for new gadgets.

After awhile Bobby and Frank came around the house talking low. Bobby looked at the stranger, his forehead wrinkle and he said, "Uncle Jim Frank, is that you?"

Jim Frank stood up and offered his hand, "It is, it is. However, I don't remember you," he said as he shook hands with Bobby. Bobby replied, "You probably don't, it's been about 6 or 7 years since I seen you. I remember you, because momma always said that she had plenty of practice raising boys, cause you showed her the ropes." "She always read your letters to us out loud, just proud as can be of you. Kept them all in a wooden box said you made for her before you left home. Where have you been all this time? Shoot where are my manners, Uncle Jim this is Frank Butler, Maisy's daddy."

Frank held his hand out and said, "Glad to meet ya. I gotta be gettin' back to the farm, but maybe you can stay around 'til this Saturday, seems I heard a rumor somewhere that there might be some sort of gathering around here," smiled and glanced towards me.

"Oh daddy," I said, "Let me get Bobby a sandwich right quick and I will ride back with you. Bobby come on in for a minute and help me. Let daddy and your uncle sit and visit for a bit."

Bobby said, "Excuse me, ya'll just sit and I'll be right back," as he started in the house behind me.

When they got to the kitchen, Bobby pulled me over to the pantry out of sight of the front porch and hugged me up tight, "You know, Amazing Grace that in 3 more days you won't be riding home with daddy. You will be gettin' ready for bed right here."\

I giggled and blushed, "Now Bobby, don't go talking like that. And quit whispering in my ear you know that just makes my toes curl when you do that. What did you have in the wagon?" I asked.

He kissed me on the forehead, spun me around toward the kitchen counter and said "It's a surprise, now let's get them sandwiches made."

"What kind of surprise?" I asked, "Is it for me?"

Bobby replied, "You might as well quite askin' cause I ain't gonna tell ya. You'll find out on Saturday. The place sure looks good where you fixed it up. After our honeymoonin' this weekend I got to get started on some outbuildings. We need a smokehouse, and I need to dig out the root cellar some more to make room for the taters we will need for this winter." "And before winter gets here I've got to get you a springhouse built to get water from. I plan on getting a few more chickens. Me and your daddy has made some plans for both our places and we got to get it done before huntin' season gets here and the days get shorter."

I smiled up at him and picked up the plate with the sandwiches on it and said, "Maybe you should have married my dad."

On their way home I was thinking about the things I needed to get done before Saturday when daddy interrupted my thoughts by asking, "How long was that man here with you?" "Not long," I replied, "after I found out he was kin, I offered him a seat on the porch and fixed him a bite. Why we had just set down when you and Bobby came up, why?" I asked.

"Well, Maisy," he said, "You are young and some things just don't look proper, even though it's innocent enough, you don't need folks a gossipin' around about you. I recollect that I also heard some things 'bout Bobby's uncle that upset lots'a folks around these parts and some people just don't forget." "If he hangs around for awhile, you make sure he stays out in the barn. More likely he'll be on his way in no time."

I didn't question daddy and knew from the tone of his voice that some things weren't up for discussion.

"Now," he said, "do I have to take a bath on Friday or can I just slick down my hair and get by 'til Saturday night," and laughed at the look on my face.