New Normal
The first night in her new bed was uncomfortable to say the least, and Hope woke up with a crick in her neck. She wasn’t sure if it was the size of the mattress or just the being away from home, but other than the sleeping arrangement itself, the rest of the stay was pleasant. She’d had a lovely time getting to know the Howard family. Even Brady, who she had decided wasn’t as gruff and fierce as he seemed, was an interesting addition to her circle, and when Hope hopped out of her bed with the sun the next morning, she was ready to face the day.
Downstairs, Mrs. Howard was just finishing up breakfast, and Hope wondered what time she must’ve risen in order to have bacon, eggs, and biscuits ready at such an early hour. As if reading her mind, Nita smiled and said, “My mother-in-law tends to rise early. She expects her oatmeal by five.”
Hope’s eyebrows perked up, but she didn’t know what to say, so she didn’t respond. “Do you need any help?”
“No, dear, thank you,” Mrs. Howard replied, sliding a full plate of breakfast across the table to the seat where Hope had eaten supper the night before. “Why don’t you go ahead and start, and I’ll go check on Mr. Howard.”
Hope felt a little awkward eating without the rest of the family, but the sizzling bacon made her mouth water, and she went ahead and had a seat while Mrs. Howard headed back upstairs. Though she missed the easy conversation of the evening before, it was relaxing to sit and look out the window at the back garden while she ate all alone with just the chirping birds to keep her company.
She decided Mr. Howard must be hard to rouse in the morning because she was nearly done with her entire breakfast by the time she heard creaking floorboards above her. She’d already rinsed her plate and set about sweeping up the kitchen floor before Mrs. Howard reappeared. Hope imagined her husband was still getting dressed.
“Oh, honey, you don’t have to do that,” Nita said, gesturing at the broom.
“It’s the least I could do,” Hope replied. “All of you have been so kind to me. I feel like I’m taking advantage, not helping out in anyway.”
“You just concentrate on learnin’ them kids,” Mrs. Howard replied, though she didn’t take the broom. She went over to the stove and fixed herself a plate, taking it to the table and digging in while Hope finished sweeping and did a few more household chores.
When Mr. Howard finally made his appearance, Mrs. Howard jumped up to fix his plate. “I sure hope this is still warm,” she muttered.
He stretched and took his seat at the table. “You say that every morning, darlin’, and every morning it’s wonderful.”
“Yes, well, one of us needs to get up earlier…”
“Or the other needs to get up later.” He laughed, and Hope imagined they must say the same thing to each other every morning. “Now, Miss Tucker, what are you doin’? Don’t you know you are a guest in our home?”
With a sheepish grin, Hope stopped wiping the counters for a moment and said, “Yes, Mr. Howard, I know that. It’s just not in my nature to keep from helping out.”
“Well, maybe once you get started at school you’ll feel different,” Mrs. Howard said, setting a huge platter full of breakfast items in front of her husband.
“Maybe so,” Hope conceded. She may well be exhausted after a couple of days of teaching children who had never been to school before. She finished tidying up and then wondered what to do with herself.
“The bank won’t be open for another couple of hours, so if you have some things to do in yer room, I can holler atcha when it’s time to go,” Nita said.
The idea of going back to the small room and sitting on that uncomfortable bed wasn’t too inviting. She’d penned a letter to her folks the evening before and it already had a stamp on it. “Actually, I think I’ll walk down to the post office and mail a letter. It has a drop box, doesn’t it?”
“Sure does,” Mr. Howard answered her.
“All right. Do you want me to just meet you up there in a spell or do you wanna come back here?” Nita asked, pulling out a chair and sitting next to her husband as he finished his breakfast.
Hope considered her options, and seeing as though the saloon was closed this time of day, she could see no harm in taking a little stroll around the square while she waited for the bank to open. “I can meet you at the bank.”
“Alrighty. Opens at nine.” Nita gave her a smile and then turned her attention to her husband.
On her way up the stairs to grab her letter, Hope checked the time and saw that it wasn’t quite seven. She’d have plenty of time to wander around town, maybe a bit too much time, but then she had nothing else to do. She slipped the letter into the pocket of her skirt and checked her hair, pressing a few pins into place, before she grabbed her best sun bonnet and slipped it on. The yellow flowers would match the same shade in her dress.
Since she was going to the bank anyway, Hope decided to go ahead and open an account. She pulled out most of the money she’d brought with her, all but a few coins and bills she might need for incidentals, and placed it in her other skirt pocket. She hoped it would be as easy to open an account here as it was in Lamar, but then, she did have a few connections at the Barton County State Bank.
Hope took one more look around the small room and decided there was nothing else that needed to be done here, so she headed down the stairs, glad to be out of her cramped quarters.
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