The Saints of Swallow Hill(95)

Sudie May blocked the glare of the sun with her hand and said, “Feels extra hot today. This humidity is awful.”

Rae Lynn said, “You come on out. Let me do it.”

Sudie May didn’t argue, and stepped out while wiping her neck with a handkerchief and then fanning the air with it right after. Rae Lynn scooted by her and, seconds later, nabbed a hen. She held it cushioned under her arm, and by the time she was out of the gate, she’d wrung its neck. It barely had time to emit a final squawk. Sudie May led the way back to the house, and Rae Lynn followed, the chicken dangling from her fingers. When they came into the yard, she tossed it in the scalding pot Sudie May set to heat earlier. Rae Lynn poked at the fire, watching as she dunked the bird a few times.

When she brought it out of the water the final time, Rae Lynn said, “Here, let me.”

She started plucking rapidly. It was half cleaned in a matter of a minute.

Sudie May put her hand up to her head and said, “Law, I sure am grateful for all the help y’all give me here.”

It was the perfect opening.

“We want to thank you for letting us stay as long as you have, but it’s time we moved on.”

Her eyes wide, Sudie May said, “What on earth for?”

Rae Lynn worked fast, yanking on the feathers, grateful for something to focus on so she only had to glance at her now and again.

She said, “We told Del it was only ’til we found work and somewhere to stay.”

Sudie May said, “But”—and she swept her arm around—“you did.”

Rae Lynn said, “Well, I know, but this isn’t what we meant. It ain’t right to overstay our welcome.”

“You ain’t overstayed nothing.”

Rae Lynn said, “We don’t want to take—”

Sudie May suddenly waved her hand. “Del!”

He was with Amos over by the barn, and if Rae Lynn had noticed this, she’d have waited. It was already difficult to do.

He walked over and had no more than acknowledged Rae Lynn with a little wave when Sudie May pointed at her and said, “They’re wanting to leave.”

Rae Lynn lifted a hand coated with feathers and said, “That ain’t exactly right . . . it’s not that we—”

Del cut her off as if she hadn’t said a word. He looked confounded and said, “Want to leave?”

Rae Lynn was furiously plucking feathers and paused long enough to reply.

“I didn’t say that. We said we’d only . . .”

Del turned to Sudie May and said, “You ain’t told her yet.”

“Not yet, but I guess I ought to right now.”

Rae Lynn stopped yanking feathers and looked from one to the other.

“Ain’t told me what?”

Sudie May said, “Norma and Joey are going to be a big sister and brother, probably in early spring. I guess I thought I was done with babies with Joey being five, but here I am. Pregnant.”

Rae Lynn said, “Oh.”

Sudie May took hold of her hand, and a few feathers drifted to the ground.

She said, “Joey’s was a hard birth. It’ll do me good not to have so much on me around here. I need to rest as much as I can. I can’t if y’all ain’t here to help. At least till after the baby comes. Please?”

Del and Sudie May waited, both eyeing her expectantly. Sudie May looked like she might cry, depending on the answer. Del was motionless, watchful. He didn’t even blink. Rae Lynn finished plucking the feathers and dunked the bird again. They’d already been here well beyond what was proper. It didn’t seem right, showing up out of the blue and staying on and on. No one had pried her with questions, but she felt her lack of background only complicated matters. Sudie May dropped her chin to her chest. Rae Lynn thought she saw a tear fall, while Del’s extraordinary blue eyes remained on her in a way that made her squirm. It was as if he wanted her to stay as bad as his sister. Maybe more.

She lifted the plucked chicken from the pot and said, “Well. All right. Until then.”

Sudie May pressed her hands together over her chest, and Rae Lynn saw she had been crying.

“Oh, thank you, thank you.”

“It ain’t nothing. We should be thanking y’all.”

Del did something surprising to Rae Lynn. He reached out, rested his hand on her shoulder, and gave it a light squeeze.

He said, “I’m grateful to you.”

He dropped his hand and walked away while Rae Lynn stared after him.

Sudie May said, “This truly is the answer to my prayers.”

Rae Lynn had to admit she was relieved too. She had no idea where she and Cornelia would have gone.

She smiled at Sudie May and said, “Let me tell Cornelia; then I’ll come back and help you finish this supper.”

Rae Lynn found Cornelia in her room, sitting on her bed, doing nothing, like a child waiting on punishment from a parent. She tapped on the doorframe, but Cornelia didn’t turn around.

She spoke to the wall and said, “When?” her voice subdued.

Rae Lynn said, “Ohhh, probably not till early spring.”

Cornelia spun around on the bed.

“What?”

“Sudie May’s having her another baby. She needs us to stay. She said it was hard birthing Joey and needs to rest as much as she can.”