The Hope of Hattie Phelan: Volume I

8

The Potluck

After the sermon, everyone got up to head to the back of the church building. Apparently, there was a kitchen back there, and all the ladies had to help. Aunt Margarette glided over to the kitchen with Nancy scurrying behind her. Constance and I glanced at each other for a moment, before going in after them. I didn't want to be the last one to help pitch in.

Turning, I trailed behind Aunt Margarette and Nancy who seemed to know what they were doing, working like a well-oiled machine. I stood there trying to find ways to help, so I started to wash any dishes that were in the sink. Constance joined me, helping me dry, neither of us talking. I was just trying to process how everyone knew what was going on—like it was second nature to them. All the strange words in the songs were already heavy on my mind as I tried to decipher them, but I would have to figure it out later, as the old woman who played the organ walked over, placing a large bowl on the counter beside me.

"Sorry to give you both another dish to clean," the old woman said, offering her apology.

"All will be well," I smiled, remembering how her organ playing swelled so wonderfully, but I didn't know how to bring it up to compliment her.

"Yer playin' is so beautiful, ma'am," Constance said as if she knew my thoughts.

"Yes, it was quite beautiful," I agreed softly, a bit disheartened that Constance beat me to it. Of course she did.

"I'm glad that you think so," the elder woman smiled sweetly at us. "Before I forget, what are your names? I don't think I've seen you here before. Are you both new to the area?"

"I'm Constance," Constance introduced herself before looking at me. "Both Harriet and I moved here to live with the Gillans."

"Margarette Gillan is my aunt, you see," I interjected as I saw a look of confusion fall on the woman's face.

"It's very nice to meet you both, Constance and Hattie," the woman nodded to the both of us. "I'm Deborah Bergener—my husband mentioned seeing two strangers with the Gillans yesterday at the store."

"Nice to officially meet you," I said, giving her a nod in return. Constance only smiled at her before drying off the next dish.

"Hattie, there's someone that would like to meet you—" I heard my aunt call. I glanced over my shoulder to see a red-haired woman next to Aunt Margarette and Nancy.

"Constance, will you be alright on dish duty until—"

"O' course," Constance said, shooing me away. I wiped my wet, soapy hands on my apron as I walked over to where my aunt and the woman were.

"Hattie, this is your Ma's old friend, Miss Leanne—or Mrs. Findlay," Aunt Margarette said, as the petite red-headed woman smiled at me.

"You look just like your Ma—" the woman said, sobering as she looked at me with a hint of sorrow in her eyes.

"How'd you meet her?" I asked, curiosity about my ma filling me.

"She and Margarette came into town around the same time my family and I moved here," Mrs. Leanne Findlay stated fondly. "Chrissy befriended my sisters and me very quickly, soon dragging Maisie into it."

I glanced at Aunt Margarette, or 'Maisie' with a brow raised. "Ma's been here before? In Tuckerton?"

"Yes, she was here for a few months," Aunt Margarette said, walking over to the table in the center of the kitchen to place a bowl of food down. "We got stuck here for a little while to my father's disliking, but I fell in love and decided to stay rather than go back to the city."