Fairchild's 7 Daughters-The 12: Book One

13. Welcome to Maine

Heloise stared out the window of the train in reverie. As the hours rolled on like the rails beneath their feet her hurt turned into anger. She had loved Cora as a dear friend and thought things would always continue that way but she was wrong. She had been so terribly wrong. Alifair had been right all along but when Heloise told her so the sister tried to soften her previous statement but it was too late. Heloise already knew that her assumptions had been true.

"Are you still awake, Heloise?"

Heloise was pulled out of her troubled thoughts by her sister's gentle voice. She lifted her head off the glass and faced her. "Yes," she yawned. Alifair and Hannah were sound asleep. Alifair next to her and Hannah next to Astrid in the seat in front of them holding her doll.

"I heard someone say we should be in Maine by morning," Astrid said. She smiled sympathetically trying to lift her sister's spirits but it wasn't working. "Do you want to draw or write something to pass the time? You can use some of the paper I got from the terminal."

Heloise tilted her head back toward the window. "I'm not in the mood to write."

Not to be deterred Astrid smiled. "Oh come, now you know that ain't true. You're always inspired. Remember? The poet of the family." She dug into her sack and pulled out a pencil and a wrinkled paper that already had writing on it. "Come on, take it. See what you can do."

Heloise reluctantly took the paper and pencil. With a sigh she let it rest beneath her hands in her lap. "My heart hurts too much to write. I fell like there's this burning fire inside feeling my chest with smoke."

"I know," Astrid said. "I know what happened today hurt you." She looked into her sister's eyes with empathy. "Do you remember what you told us, about grandma's poem? About being sawn down?"

Heloise remembered. "In the beset hour of my days is when I raised my head up. When the rain breaks the sheets of clouds that retrain it then is when I raise my hands up. I am stronger when I am sawn down and I am courageous when I'm wounded. Make be brave always oh Lord, whatever evils may come."

Astrid smiled at her. "I knew you would remember. You have a head for that. Me, I'm not that bright. I know people say so. I'm not as brave as Taitiann or as clever as you."

"But you can sing, and you are very pretty. Not like me."

Astrid giggled. "I'd rather be clever. You are an amazing person, Heloise. I'm sorry none of us have ever told you that.

Heloise smiled and took the pencil in her hands. Looking out the window she thought about the day. In Maine she planned to start over even if she didn't like living there. "After howling and howling against the little ship at sea the wind said unto him, 'thou art indestructible'."

Don't let anger make you unholy, don't let their insults leave you lowly...

/

Dear Selene and Taitiann

We have arrived safely in Newport Maine and now await transit. We all miss you terribly already. Please let Miriam know not to worry as I know she does often when it comes to all of us. Is Mr. St. Cloud willing to help Mama and Papa? I am so desperate to know. I shall write you again later when I have more time and paper.

Be well, Astrid

"You didn't write them about my headache," Hannah protested. She held onto her doll in one arm and put her free hand to her head. "It's been hurting ever since we got on the train."