The Hope of Hattie Phelan: Volume I

10

"Milady"

I stared up at the ceiling of the porch, blinking slowly as I tried to fight off boredom that crept into my mind. The door to the house swung open, revealing Nancy with two glasses of lemonade. My mouth watered at the sight of it. Ever since they'd introduced me to lemonade, I had become hooked, unable to stop craving it. It felt so fresh and good on my throat, which was sore from coughing so much. I took the glass gratefully as Nancy sat beside me on the swing, a glass of her own in her hand.

"Ma and I sent your letter in town today," Nancy mentioned, taking a sip of her drink.

I sat up straighter, facing slightly towards her. "When do you think it will get to Da?" I asked, wondering how long it would be before I got a reply.

"Well, the train ride will probably take a day—" Nancy paused as she calculated it on her fingers. "It might get there at the station tomorrow or the next day, and then who knows how long it will get processed. But let's say to be safe your pa gets the letter in a month or so."

"That seems like forever," I grunted, leaning back on the swing to watch the ceiling sway above me.

"Don't worry, your pa will eventually write to you," Nancy said, taking a sip, before turning to me with a wide smile. "But until then, I'll do my best to keep you occupied so you don't fuss too much."

"Thanks, Nancy," I said, smiling at her as I sipped my drink. From knowing Nancy for exactly a week, I found that I rather liked her. It was hard not to, due to her vivacious outlook on life. Before I could even think twice, Nancy had become a central part of my daily life here in Iowa.

"Well, I'll be!" Nancy exclaimed, sitting her lemonade down on the side table on the other side of the porch swing. "That's Essie and her mama coming down the road."

I looked to where Nancy was looking to see two people walking down the road. There was Mrs. Findlay—or Miss Leanne—whom I recognized from church last week, but there was a strawberry-blond girl whom I had not met. I presumed it was Essie and the thought sent me standing from the swing. I had heard some about her from Nancy and her friends, and was looking forward to meeting the girl.

As they walked up the driveway, I was able to get a good look at the girl. Her reddish-blond hair was tied back in a braid under her sage-colored bonnet. She had round rosy cheeks, and a softness in her grey eyes. I was immediately taken with her kind demeanor. As they neared us, I offered to take the basket that Miss Leanne was carrying.

"I'm hoping you are feeling better, Hattie," Miss Leanne said. "Essie knows firsthand how it feels to be cooped up in the house, so I'm glad you are able to get out."

"Hi, my name's Essie," the younger of the ladies said, curtsying. I curtsied back, giving her a nod. "I'm hoping you are feeling better."

"I am, thanks for asking," I said as Nancy opened the door, leading us inside. "And I'm Hattie."

"Nice to meet you," was all Essie said as she stepped into the house behind me.

"Would you two care for lemonade?" Nancy asked, turning to face our guests as she continued to walk backwards. "Mama and I just finished making a batch."

"That would be sublime," Miss Leanne said.

"I'll go tell Mama that you are here," Nancy said before rushing into the kitchen to talk to Aunt Margarette, leaving us in the parlor.

"I hear you're from Chicago," Essie started, looking over at me. "Did you like living there?"

"Chicago was all I ever knew. But the living circumstances weren't the best," I replied, looking down before clearing my throat. "So, I heard you were starting a quilting club?"