Constant

Chapter 8

(LYDIA)

The sun set and my father wandered into the house. He walked past me as I scrubbed at a large stain on the floor. He flopped down into bed without another sound. I had cooked him supper a few hours ago then continued to clean the mess in the kitchen. The moon was high in the sky when I threw out my last bucket of dirty water. 

I wiped my filthy face on my sleeve and went out to check on the animals one last time. The new horse in the stable perked up when I walked in. I went to scratch the horse between the ears. I knew that it was wondering where its master was. Once I was satisfied with everything I went back into the house and climbed the ladder to my loft bedroom. It was small but that suited me just fine. I didn't bother to take of my disgusting clothes. I was too exhausted. I sat down on the edge of my bed and rolled to my side. Within a few seconds I was asleep. 

The sun rose high in the sky in what felt like just a few minutes later. I sat up slowly and stretched my achy muscles. I rubbed my eyes to clear the sleep out of them. I went to the basin that was in the corner and splashed some of the water that I had replaced last night up on my face. I peeled my destroyed dress off of my shoulders and used a wet rag to clean myself up a bit. Once I was somewhat clean I went to the closet and found another dress. This dress had been my mothers and though it was worn it was still a pretty gown. It was blue and there were small roses in the design. I had trimmed the thin lace off of the collar to make it a better work gown. My mother treasured the lace so I had sewed it onto the collar of my Sunday dress instead. Once I was dressed for the day I went downstairs to the kitchen to start on breakfast for my father. 

Everything looked a lot better today than it had last night. Everything was in its place. I started up the fire and placed eggs in a pan to scramble up for my father's breakfast. I put some of the left over jam on a piece of bread for him. He lumbered into the kitchen and took his plate off of the table. Then he walked outside and plopped down in his chair. I could hear the steady creak of the wood from his rocker. 

"This bread is stale!" He yelled in at me and I heard him drop it on the porch refusing to eat it. I looked at what was left of the bread which was only a heel which would be my breakfast. I scrapped the last bit of the jam out of the jar and spread it across the bread. Then I cleaned up the breakfast dishes. I went out to collect his plate and I looked down at the bread that he had thrown on the porch. It was useless now. 

"I will make more bread today Papa," I said.

"You should have made bread yesterday," He grumbled. 

I didn't say anything as I got his plate and went inside to wash it. I was going to go to town to check on James and his patient. Once I was finished with the dishes I went outside and picked up the discarded bread off of the porch and went to toss it into the chicken coop.

"At least you girls don't care if the bread is a bit stale," I whispered to them as their happy clucking filled my ears. I ate my breakfast as I walked into town. There was a large tree growing in a neighbor's yard with branches that extended into the street. I could see peach dangling off of the branch. I checked to see if the neighbor was in sight and when I didn't see them I reached up for the fruit. I wished for a knife to peel off the fuzzy layer of the peach. I knew that James would have one so I slipped the fruit into my pocket as I walked. A few minutes later I could see his house. 

I didn't bother to knock because I knew that James would be out with his other patients. I let myself into his house and nearly crashed into the man standing on the other side of the door. He was knocked off balance and fell to the floor groaning and rolling to his side in pain. I gasped at the sudden collision and realized that the man was the man that I had stabbed.