“Yes, Quinn told me. Isn’t that something?” Mother smoothed back strands of her white hair, tucking them into the bun she wore at the nape of her neck. I’d hung on to my long hair, even though many of the girls had cut theirs. I preferred long tresses. The bobs were too harsh and angular unless you had curly hair or went to the trouble to wear it up in pins or curlers while you slept. I’d even heard about permanent waving. We did not have that option in Emerson Pass. This wasn’t Paris or New York City. Whether or not to cut one’s hair was almost as controversial around here as Prohibition.
“How did he seem?” Mother asked.
“Quite well. Stronger than when he came home from the war.” I could remember the narrowness of his thin face and the haunted look in his eyes. He’d taken all of it inside him, the fighting and horror. I could see it there in his eyes. He might have come home physically whole, but there were injuries inside him that I feared would be there forever.
Mother was quiet as the water boiled and made the familiar percolating sound on the stove. A pleasant aroma of coffee filled the room. I set about cutting a few slices of bread for toast, then mixed some eggs together. “Where’s Father?”
“I’m not sure. He was gone when I woke this morning.”
The coffee was done, and I poured Mother and me each a cup. “Careful, it’s hot,” I said to her as I placed it in front of her.
“I know, darling.” Mother smiled up at me. “I may be old, but I still remember that coffee is hot. “
I laughed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to patronize.”
“You need a child to care for instead of fussing over me.”
“That’s the last thing I need. I have you and Father to look after.”
She cringed. “That’s just it. I don’t want you wasting your youth on us. You should be married by now, having a family.”
“There’s no one I want.”
“Theo always liked you.”
“Mother.”
“I know. Wrong twin.”
“That was all a long time ago,” I said. “Theo seemed oblivious to my charms this morning. I have a feeling there’s a girl back east. And as far as Flynn goes, that was simply a schoolgirl crush.”
“That Flynn was always wild. I preferred Theo. Flynn could never sit still during Sunday school. And he never knew his verses.”
I finished making her breakfast, thinking through my next move. Should I tell Mother my idea to ask the Barneses for a job?
Before I could think of an answer, Father came into the kitchen. “Morning, girls,” he said as he stooped to give Mother a kiss on the cheek.
“Morning, Father. Did you have a walk?”
“No, I went over to my office at the church to gather up a few things.” He sat heavily in a chair. “They’ve already hired a new pastor.”
“How do you know?” Mother asked sharply.
“Mrs. Poe was only too happy to inform me herself.” He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “I wrote a few letters to acquaintances of mine who I think will have ideas of where I might land.
”
“Good, good,” Mother said. “We’ll find something. I just know we will.”
“Maybe in Oregon or Washington,” Father said. “There are a lot of opportunities in California, too.”
“California?” I asked, appalled.
“It’s full of sinners,” Father said, joking.
“We can’t leave here,” I said. My first mother was buried here. Her tombstone was all I had left of her. But I would never say that to Mother or Father. They had no idea I still went out to see her.
“We’re going to have to start packing our things today.” Father splayed his hands on the tabletop. “There’s nothing else to do.”