Cal looked helpless as she stood by the dirty sink.“We ain’t got milk, Samuel.I told you.”Her voice was barely audible.
Samuel started crying as I tried to figure out what to do.’Twas plain to see that Cal and these children were not in a good situation, but Cal was telling us that everything was fine.Did children this young need milk or was water good enough?Darned if I knew, but Miss June might.
“Here, Samuel, you want to play with my watch?”I said, pulling the trinket out of my pocket and handing it o’er.Sam wrapped his pudgy fingers around it as he grinned with delight.
“It’ll only go in his mouth, Jimmy,” Cal said in a resigned voice.“Give it to me, Sam.”She took the watch from the child and handed it back to me.Samuel started to cry, and Cal put a hand to her forehead.
“It’s real nice to see you,” she said, without any real conviction.“But I have a lot to do here, so I can’t sit around and visit.You best be on your way.”
I watched as she lifted the wailing child and shushed him.
“Cal.We…we want to help you.”
“I don’t need help, Jimmy.I told you.Albert sends money when he can.We’ll get more soon, I’m sure of it.But thank you for checking in.”
I knew it’d be pointless to argue.“All right.Sure.”
The children seemed bright and mostly healthy, even though their clothes had seen better days, and the house was a mess.Maybe Miss June could send some of the girls to help Cal out until her husband got back?If she’d even accept assistance.Somehow, I doubted it.
But I hated to see her in this situation.She was in o’er her head, and she knew it.So why wasn’t she more friendly?I supposed there was some pride involved—and not wanting to admit she’d made a mistake.At least now we knew where she lived, and we could check in, even if it seemed Cal didn’t want us to.
And once we’d let Miss June know where she was, Oscar and I could think about going home.We’d accomplished what we’d come to Telegraph Creek to do.But this whole situation with Cal gave me an uneasy feeling, and I felt like we should hang around a bit longer.Maybe Miss June could get through Cal’s defenses to find out more.’Twas worth a try.I knew she’d want to pay Cal a visit once we told her everything we’d seen.
Cal sighed.“I know it don’t look like much, Jimmy, but ’tis my life now—and I don’t regret it.”
“That’s good,” I said.“I never pictured you with children, to be honest, but you got a way about you that’s very motherly.”
For the first time, Cal’s smile seemed genuine.“Thank you.These children mean more to me than”—her voice hitched, and something dark came o’er her face, but she got a hold of herself—“than anythin’.They’re my children, now, and I love them so much.”
“That’s plain to see,” I said, and I meant that.
“It ain’t easy.But ’tis better than—” Her gaze flashed to mine, and I wondered what she’d been going to say.“Well, anyhow, I’m tryin’ to do right by them.”
“I know you are.You’re a good woman, Caliope, and I’m pleased to know you.”
We heard a door creak and the scuff of bare feet and boots on the floor as Oscar and Peter came in through the kitchen.Peter put a pitcher of water on the counter and grabbed a tin cup.
“Not that one, Pete.Get a clean one out of the cupboard.”
“Have we got a clean one?”Peter asked, with some frustration.“I thought Lizzie was supposed to wash the dishes.”
“She was busy helping me with the clothes.You and I can do them after lunch.”
“Sure, okay.”
Cal let go of Sam, who’d settled down, and opened the cupboard door, then froze stock still.I wondered if they had any clean cups or dishes, which seemed doubtful, looking at the dirty ones piled on the counter.
“We’ll use this one,” she said finally, bringing out a large mug made of stoneware.’Twas black with speckles on it, and for some reason Cal was looking at the mug with trepidation.
I glanced at Pete, who also had his gaze fixed on the mug.
“But that’s—” Pete started to say, in a very quiet and alarmed voice, as his gaze shifted to Cal.
“Don’t matter,” Cal said quickly.“Now be quiet and get our guests something to drink.”
The water from the well was cold and fresh, so at least they had that, even though they had to fetch it.
“You’ve got quite a bit of good land here,” Oscar said.“You got some help farmin’ it?”
