SECRET IN THE CELLAR Page 9

  Cecil looked at his hands. Finally, he stood up and went to Sammie’s side. He put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned her head on his chest.

  “I miss her, too. I agree she was a wonderful person.” He said hoarsely. Memories jabbed into his heart and mind.

  “She told me about the new baby she was expecting. She was excited. She told me I could come out anytime and stay with her little family. She---.”

  Sammie straightened. She could feel the agony in Cecil’s body. “I’m sorry,” She whispered. “I have no right to add to your pain. But, Cecil, I need to tell you---.”

  “Hey, I’m hungry,” Danny said from the door. “When do we eat?”

  Sammie moved from Cecil and hurried to Danny.

  “We ate about two hours ago. You, young man overslept.” Sammie said as she hurried him into the kitchen. She had to settle herself down. Feelings were stirring and she didn’t know how to handle how she felt.

  Smoothing Danny’s hair, Sammie sniffed back more tears.

  Oh, Danny, she thought. I see your mother in you so much. She has done such a wonderful job with you. I love you so much!

  “Why are you crying?” Danny asked, looking up at her. “I’ve never seen you cry. Are you okay? Pa’s not sending you away, is he? ‘Cause if he is, I’ll stop him!”

  “I am just fine. Your father is not sending me away. I’m here for the winter. Actually, I was just thinking about what a great kid you are. You are the best, Danny Bryan.”

  “That’s what Pa says,” Danny answered.

  “Well, he is right!”

  The inside of the house was quiet as the outside was being bombarded with ice and snow. Sammie could hear the radio in the living room. Sipping another cup of coffee, her mind kept picturing Lydia.

  “Oh, Lydia,” she said aloud, “I miss you so much.”

  “You knew my mother?” Danny asked, staring at her.

  “I---.” Sammie stammered. What now, she thought. Suddenly she felt trapped.

  Cecil came to the rescue. Opening the living room door, he entered with a smile on his face.

  “Danny, we aren’t going to Granny’s for Thanksgiving. Sammie is going to make dinner for us right here. Don’t you think that will be fun?”

  Danny’s face dropped for a moment. Sniffing, he nodded. His mind was taken off his mother.

  Chapter 13

  Winter didn’t break. Wave after wave of cold, ice, and snow beat the land.

  Sammie grew frustrated. Laundry had to be hung in the house. Water had to be broken for the animals to drink. Supplies grew short and the road was too bad to travel.

  Cecil came in one morning with a huge grin. The sun was shining and there was a break in the weather.

  “I’m going to town,” he announced. “Make me a list of needed supplies. Don’t forget to put down kerosene.”

  Sammie nodded and quickly grabbed a pencil and paper.

  “Are you going to Granny’s?”

  Cecil turned around and found Danny at the door, a toy truck in his hand.

  “No, Danny, I’m not. I’m going straight to town and straight back. It will be very late when I get in tonight. But, I have a surprise for you. I think you will want to stay after I tell you what it is,” Cecil said with a twinkle in his eye. “When I went to feed the animals there was a dog in the barn.”

  “A dog? Besides Ole Blue?” Danny asked.

  “Yep,” Cecil beamed, “and two puppies. She must have strayed into the barn and had them last night.”

  “Can I see them?” Danny yelled as he ran to get his coat.

  Cecil looked at Sammie. “We might have to bring them in. I’ll check to see if they are warm enough. If not, can you make a place by the stove?”

  “Of course,” Sammie answered.

  A few minutes later, two cold faces popped back into the kitchen. Their coats were bulging. At their feet stood a small brown and white dog. Her long shaggy tail was tucked between her legs.

  “Pa said we could bring them in. They won’t get the house dirty, I promise,” Danny said as a whimper came from his coat.

  Sammie laughed.

  “I think they need to be put in that box I put over there so their mother can take care of them,” she said.

  Danny slowly walked to the box and carefully removed the puppy. Running back to Cecil he held out his hands for the second one. Mother dog jumped into the box and sniffed the puppies as he put the last one down.

  “Pa, can I stay here instead of going with you?” Danny asked as he ran his hand over the dog.

  “I think that’s a great idea. While I’m gone you can pick a name for one of them,” Cecil said looking at the puppies. Turning to Sammie, he addressed her. “Did you finish that list? I need to be on the road.”

  “Here it is. I’ll take good care of Danny while you’re gone.”

  “I know you will,” Cecil said with a smile. Something inside him wanted to reach out and hug her, but he held back. Looking down, he composed himself. “I’ll be late. Is there anything you need before I go?”

  “I can’t think of anything. Just…just be careful,” Sammie answered almost under her breath.

  Cecil nodded, gave Danny a hug, and left.

  Sammie watched the truck until it was out of sight.

  “Lord, protect him and bring him back safely,” she said aloud.

  “That’s what Mama always said when Pa left in ice and snow,” Danny said from beside her.

  “Your mama was a good woman for praying for his safety,” Sammie told him with a hug. “Come on, I’ll make cocoa for you.”

  Sammie stoked the fire then proceeded back into the kitchen. Breakfast dishes still sat on the table.

  “I miss my mama,” Danny injected into the silence.

  Sammie froze.

  “She used to play with me. Will you play with me?” Danny went on.

  Tears glistened in Sammie’s eyes. “Yes, I’ll play with you. What would you like to do?”

  “I have another truck. You can play with it.”

  “Go get it and I’ll play with you,” Sammie answered. She put the dishes in soapy water while she waited.

  “Mama always played with this one. I hope you like it,” Danny said.

  Sammie sat on the braided rug pushing the truck from place to place. Boxes and clothes were spread around to make houses, stores, and roadsides.

  “Brruin, brruin.” Sammie’s mouth made the strange sounds of a running motor. Her wrist and knees began hurting after an hour of pushing the truck.

  “Danny, I think you can play by yourself for awhile. I need to do the dishes and straighten the beds. Can you do that?”

  Danny nodded and returned to moving his truck.

  Closing the last bedroom door behind her, Sammie realized there was a chill in the house. Checking the stove she saw the fire had burned down. There were three sticks of wood left in the box next to the stove.

  “Danny, I’m going outside to get more wood. You stay right here and play.”

  “Okay,” Danny answered.

  Sammie put her coat on and went out the back door. The wood pile wasn’t far but there were still drifts of snow that hindered her forward progress.

  The first two trips were slippery, but Sammie brought the wood in and carried it to the living room. Looking at the box in the kitchen, she decided to bring in wood for it as well.

  Returning to the back door, she hit the side of the building with a piece of wood that slipped from the top of the pile. An avalanche of snow and ice fell from the roof. The force knocked Sammie to the ground and buried her in the snow.

  For a moment Sammie was dazed. Slowly, she began to move and held on to the door jam as she pulled herself up. Picking up the wood, she managed to get back inside.

  “I thought I’d check on the puppies,” Danny said, walking toward the puppy box. Turning his head sideways he looked at Sammie with wide eyes. “Sammie, your head is bleeding lots of blood!”

  Frowning, Samm
ie stared at Danny. She felt nauseous. Dropping the wood, she held onto the peg on the wall nearest her.

  “Wha…what?” Reaching up, she felt the warm blood on her fingers. “Danny, I want you to get me a pan of water and a cloth. Put them on the table. Then, get me a towel or a long piece of material. Do you think you can do that?”

  Danny nodded and ran to the bucket of water on the cabinet. Using the dipper, he dipped water into a pan then got a washcloth from the safe drawer. Placing them on the table, he watched Sammie wash the cut near her hairline.

  Another wave of nausea attacked Sammie. Her vision blurred for a moment.

  “Danny, I need to lie down on the divan. Will you promise me you will stay in the living room?

  “Do you need my help?”

  “I think I can make it, but first we need to move the wood from in front of the door.”

  “I already did,” Danny answered.

  Sammie looked around. Sure enough, Danny had moved the wood and dried the floor.

  When Sammie was comfortable on the divan, she noticed Danny was watching her.

  “Do you need something, Danny?”

  “Are you going to die?”

  “No! What makes you think that?”

  “When Mama fell, she laid on the divan while Pa went to get our neighbor. She died after they moved her to the bed,” a tear dripped from Danny’s cheek.

  “Oh, no, Danny!” Sammie said as she pulled him to her. “I just have a headache, that’s all! I promise!”

  “Can I lay here with you?” Danny asked in a weak voice.

  “You bet you can. But, Danny, I need you to do something first. I need you to put wood in the fire.”

  “I never done that afore,” he said.

  “I think you can do it this time. You’re a big boy now.”

  Sammie watched as Danny followed each instruction on how to load the wood in the stove. He brought an extra blanket from the bedroom and slid in beside Sammie on the divan.

  A few minutes later he was asleep.

  Sammie stroked his hair. Her head ached. She could feel dampness on the bandage she had made from a long strip of cloth. Her head was still bleeding.

  “God, don’t let me pass out. I need to stay coherent for Danny. We are here alone. Please help,” she said in a whisper.

  Sammie thought she could hear voices. The voices became clearer but the pain in her head wouldn’t go away.

  “Danny, honey, how long have you been awake? Why didn’t you wake me up?” Sammie asked as she tried to sit up.

  Her head throbbed. Her eyes blurred.

  “Whoa,” a voice came from beside her. “Don’t get up too fast.”

  “Cecil? Cecil, what are you doing home? It can’t be that late.”

  “Sit back,” Cecil said gently. “You have a nasty cut on your head. Danny said ice cycles hit you.”

  “Yes, they did.”

  “Your bandage was blood covered when I got here. There was a deep, wide cut. I stitched it and then redressed it. I think it will be better in a few days.” Cecil said as he helped Sammie sit up better.

  “You stitched it?” Sammie asked as she felt the bandage.

  “Yes, I hope you don’t mind.”

  “No, no, I just didn’t know you knew how to do that.”

  “There’re a few things you learn around a farm. Living as far out as we do, a person has to learn many things. Sewing up cuts is one of them,” Cecil told her as he moved away and sat down in a chair.

  “Danny!”

  “Danny is all right. He’s in bed asleep. He was worried when he couldn’t awaken you, but he kept his head and put cool, wet cloths on yours. Mighty brave boy.”

  “I am so sorry! I tried to stay awake. Honest!”

  “I believe you,” Cecil said with a tender voice. “You’re all right now. God took care of you and Danny. I’m the one who should apologize. I didn’t leave enough wood in the house. I was going to bring in wood for the boxes, but I got sidetracked and forgot to get it. I had piled it by the backdoor so it would be easier to get.”

  “It’s all right. I didn’t know there was wood by the backdoor or I could have brought it in. It’s okay. I still got wood,” Sammie responded.

  Cecil stood up to leave the room.

  “Please, don’t go! I mean, please stay a little longer,” Sammie said through tears.

  “I’m staying right here. I’ll just stoke the fire and sit back down.”

  “Thank you,” Sammie answered weakly.

  As her eyes closed, she could feel Cecil’s presence. It made her feel comfortable. Soon, she was asleep.

  The smell of coffee brought her around the next morning. Slowly sitting up, she put her feet on the rug. She needed to go to the outhouse.

  “You’re awake,” Cecil said as he brought in a tray with coffee and oatmeal.

  “I need---.”

  “I put the chamber in your room. I can help you down there and when you’re ready to come back in here, where it’s warm, I can help you back,” Cecil said as he put the tray down.

  “I think I can manage walking that distance. Thank you anyway,” she answered.

  The room was cold, but felt good. Looking in the mirror, Sammie could see dried blood on her dress. Hurriedly, she changed.

  When she returned to the warm living room, Cecil was reading a farm magazine. He stood as she neared.

  “Are you feeling better?”

  “My head is a little sore, but yes, I am. I’m so sorry about Danny,” she said as she returned to the couch. “I must have really scared him.”

  “That’s all right. Danny is very grown up for his age. And, he’s very careful.”

  “I believe that. How was…was everything in town?”

  “Everything was just fine. Linda had seen Granny before the storm hit and Murrell was taking good care of her.”

  “She seems like…like a nice person.”

  “She is. She loved Lydia very much.”

  Sammie looked at her cup. She could see that Lydia was a loving person. She was worried about Danny and Cecil and that proved she cared.

  “If you think you can manage, I’m going out to check the animals,” Cecil said quietly.

  “I’ll be all right. Danny will be up soon and I’ll make his breakfast.”

  “Oh, so you don’t want him to eat my nice, creamy oatmeal!” Cecil laughed.

  “No, no, that’s not what I meant! I meant---.”

  “I know what you meant,” Cecil said, touching her hand. Sammie could feel the heat rise up her arm. Slowly, she pulled her hand away and picked up her empty dish.

  Chapter 14

  At first Sammie wasn’t sure it was knocking she heard at the door.

  Ole Blue barked and she heard the knock again. Wiping her hands on her apron, Sammie walked to the front door and opened it. Mary and Pearl were standing on the porch.

  “The children are at school for a change and the weather was nice, so we thought we would get out for awhile,” Mary said.

  “I’m glad you did! Please come in,” Sammie said with excitement.

  “We haven’t seen you at church lately and we were concerned. We thought this a good time to check on you and the family,” Pearl told her.

  “The weather has been really bad, as you know, and the road was almost impassible. Then…then I hit my head and I haven’t been feeling well.”

  Pearl looked at Sammie’s head.

  “My, that was a nasty cut you got. Those are good stitches.”

  “Ce…Mr. Bryan put them in,” Sammie answered. “I think he’s taking them out today.”

  “I can take them out for you. No problem,” Mary said as she also examined the cut. “Take just a moment.”

  “I guess that would be okay,” Sammie said slowly.

  “Of course, it will be okay. There’s no sense bothering the mister over something like that.”

  In an instant, Mary had the stitches cut and pulled out.

  “There, all done,”
she said with pride.

  “Thank you,” Sammie blurted out. Then she lowered her voice and tried to make it calm. “I have a teacake made. Would you like a cup of coffee and a piece?”

  “That would be nice,” Pearl answered.

  The women followed Sammie into the kitchen. Grabbing the coffee pot, she poured water in and then placed the metal strainer inside. Measuring coffee, she put the grounds in. Then, she placed the pot on the stove. While waiting for the coffee, she got the cups, saucers, and forks out. Cutting three pieces of cake, she placed them on the table.

  “The house looks well kept, my dear,” Mary spoke up. “You’re doing a very good job.”

  “Are you doing all right here at the house? There aren’t too many demands put on you, are there?” Pearl put in.

  Sammie looked at both women. They are genuinely concerned, she thought.

  “I enjoy being here!” she answered with a smile. “I’ve learned to cook and do the wash and…and I enjoy seeing the animals on the farm. It’s nothing like living in the city! And, Mr. Bryan and Danny are terrific. I help outside with the chickens, but Mr. Bryan says he can manage the other animals. Danny helps pick up some of his things. This is a good Christian home. A home of prayer and faith. I am blessed to be here.”

  “I’m happy for you, Sammie. I’m glad you like it here. The missus, when she was here…well, things seem to be very good for you,” Mary agreed.

  Sammie looked puzzled. What was Mary going to say?

  “You knew Mrs. Bryan?” she cautiously asked.

  “Why, yes, she was at the church with the mister on Sundays. Pretty little thing, like you. Very quiet though. Kept to herself.”

  “So you weren’t her friends?”

  “Heavens! Our place wasn’t with the families. Our place is to take care of the young’ns. The mister and missus were friendly with the preacher and his wife though. I think they ate with them sometimes,” Pearl answered. “We know our place. Just like you, we were hired to take care of the house and children. We are friends like that. Take care of our own.”