Part 13 (1/2)
”You made your choice, Billy,” Emma said. ”Now you can live with it.”
Billy grabbed Emma's arm as she tried to cross past him. ”Emma, wait. Where are you going?”
”Away from here.”
”This is ridiculous.”
”Not to me,” Emma said stubbornly.
Billy let go of her with a sigh. ”All right. Go spend the night with one of your friends, if that's what you think you have to do.”
”I'm not coming back till she's gone, Billy,” Emma said. ”I mean it.”
Summer had to admire Emma's regal exit. She reminded Summer of herself when she'd had to confront her older brothers. Too bad Emma was leaving. They might have ended up becoming fast friends.
On the other hand, it was nice to know she wouldn't have to face Emma's animosity every morning at breakfast.
”That was badly done,” Dora said once Emma was gone.
”There was nothing else I could do,” Billy said.
Will began to whine and Billy lifted him up and said, ”You're not used to all this fuss and bother, are you, buddy? And I'll bet you're hungry. I sure am. I could eat a bear. How about you?”
Will pointed to his high chair. ”Chair, Daddy.”
”You bet, kiddo. As soon as we wash our hands.” He carried Will over to the sink and washed Will's hands along with his own, then set his son in the high chair.
”Supper won't be ready for a while yet,” Dora said.
”He'll be happy with a few Cheerios until the beans and mashed potatoes are done,” Billy said.
Dora set her palms on the table and pushed herself up out of her chair. ”I'll tend to those pork chops, if you'll put these potatoes in the pot,” she said to Billy.
”I'll get the potatoes and put the beans on the stove,” Summer volunteered.
Dora shrugged, winced, and said, ”If you insist.”
Summer was surprised to see Billy pitching in to help with supper. He threw some bacon and diced onions into the beans, and once the potatoes boiled, he got out the mixer, added some milk and b.u.t.ter, and whipped them up. She made herself useful setting the table and pouring everyone a gla.s.s of iced tea.
Emma came through the kitchen with a cloth overnight bag just as they put the food on the table.
”Why don't you stop and eat before you go,” Billy suggested.
”Not with her here,” Emma said.
”I don't want us to be at odds because of Summer,” Billy said. ”Please, Emma. I'm asking you for a truce. We can work this out somehow. I know we can.”
”Not when you choose a Blackthorne over family,” Emma said.
”Summer is my family now,” Billy said.
Emma turned to her mother and said, ”I'll call and let you know where I am, Mom.” She crossed to Will and kissed him on the forehead. ”Good-bye, Will. Be a good boy.”
”Good boy,” Will parroted.
She stopped in front of Billy and said, ”Your new wife won't last a week without all the luxuries she's used to having. Let me know when she takes off, and I'll come home.”
With that p.r.o.nouncement, Emma shoved her way out the screen door and let it slam behind her.
Summer felt sick to her stomach. She glanced at Billy, who refused to meet her gaze. She wanted to promise him he wouldn't regret taking her side. She wanted to tell him he'd made the right decision. She wanted to say that Emma would have to eat her words.
The truth was, she was hot and sticky and had pinp.r.i.c.ks on her fingers where she'd stuck herself with Will's safety pins before she'd stuck him. She'd managed to aggravate Billy's sister and had to bite her tongue to cope with the condescension of his mother. She was hungry and she could see that if she wanted to eat around here she was going to have to learn to cook. Now that Emma was gone, it seemed the cleaning was going to fall to her, too.
And she didn't have a clue how she and Billy were going to be able to sleep in that iron bed of his with the sagging mattress, right beside a baby who was likely to keep them up half the night sniffling and snorting and making strange baby noises.
After supper Dora took Will to give him a bath while Billy and Summer cleaned up the kitchen together. Billy didn't have an automatic dishwasher. It didn't take long before Summer's hands looked like prunes.
”I've got a job,” Billy told her as he dumped leftovers in Tupperware containers.
”The TSCRA is keeping you on?” she asked hopefully.
”Nope. Your father had a few words with the local supervisor. There's no TSCRA job for me around here.”
”I'm sorry, Billy.”
”Doesn't matter,” he said. ”I got work with one of the local ranchers.”
Summer tried to meet his eyes, but he wouldn't look at her. She knew how disappointed he must be, back in Bitter Creek doing menial work for menial wages.
”Maybe you could do something with this place to earn money,” Summer suggested.
”Like what?” Billy said.
”I don't know. A guide service for hunters maybe, or a bed and breakfast.”
”Where would we put company in this house?”
”Not in the house, in that old bunkhouse out by the barn. It probably needs a new roof, but it has a big cook-stove and a serviceable bathroom.”
”It would take a fortune to clean it up,” Billy said.
”I've got a little money-”
”You're not spending your money on this place.”
”What else am I going to do with it?” Summer said.