Hurry

Chapter 1 will only be on the site for a little bit longer.

So be sure to read it while you can!



I hope you like it!



fallengirl

Chapter One

Pa was in the fields tending to the corn and Ma was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Grace waltzed into the kitchen holding a bunch of papers.
“What are them there papers for?,” asked Ma.
“Well I was hoping to wait for Pa to tell you...,” Grace started as Pa entered from the back door.
“Tell pa what?,” questioned Pa.
“Well I know how much you want me to get a job, and so the other day when me, Mary-Anne, and Jacob went into town to get a few supplies for Ma, I saw that the people in the school house was a hiring someone to be an assistant teacher. So I went in and got a form and filled it out. And these here papers are the results; I didn’t read them yet because I want Pa to be the first to see them. Before I give them to you Pa I hope you are not upset with me for not asking first, but you know how much I want to teach and well this is the perfect time to start a well paying dream I always had,” explained Grace.
Pa then took the papers from Grace and read them carefully. “Well Grace these here papers say that you got the job, but its only temporary. Cause they want to see how you make out in the first two weeks. In plain words, you got the job. For now! It also says you start on Monday,” Pa then went into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

“Ma, what we having for supper?,” asked Mary-Anne as she come walking into the kitchen.
“Oh, the usual potatoes, green beans, and pork. If got yourself a problem with it then you can just deal with it cause it’s all we have, like it, lump it, or otherwise,” Ma then arose from her chair and took the potatoes over and rinsed them off in the sink.
“Don’t worry Mary-Anne, as soon as I get this job full time I will be able to get us somthin different once in a while,” replied Grace happily.
“Where is your brother at Mary-Anne?,” questioned Ma.
“He upstairs stumbling on his homework and all,” answered Mary-Anne.
“Grace would you mind going up there and see if he would like some help, and Mary-Anne them dishes ain’t goanna to clean themselves,” commanded Ma as she put the pork in the pan and started readying the green beans.
As Grace left the kitchen she could here Mary-Anne arguing about cleaning the dishes… “But Ma, Grace never have to clean the dishes or anything else around here.”
“Don’t but Ma me. Your sister is becoming a young woman and will be starting her own life pretty soon like getting a job for starters…,” Ma’s voice trailed off as Grace entered Jacobs room.
“Would you like some help with your homework Jacob?”
“Let me guess Ma sent you up here? Well I already finished it about a minute ago.”
“Well, okay then I need to go finish up some mending of some of every body’s clothes. You know, like sewing up the holes. Well if you need anything I will be in the parlor.”
As she came down the stairs, she heard Pa and Mary-Anne in the parlor talking about her argument with Ma.
“Grace be doin’ things around here too. She mends the clothes, helps your Ma out around the house, and she will have a job to help with the expenses. What more do you want her to do? Her new main priorities now that she is older are to prepare for womanhood and setting up her life as an individual. You are still young and need to learn how to take care of a household while your brother learns how to run a household and tend to the crops,” yelled Pa, awaiting an apology from Mary-Anne.
“I’m sorry Pa,” Mary-Anne said as she started to cry.
“Now I suggest that you go do them dishes before I decide to give you a punishment for your behavior today.”
Mary-Anne sobbingly walked out of the parlor into the kitchen.
Grace stepped into the parlor. “Do you need anything Pa?”
“No, not right now. I need to go get Jacob and have him do his chores.” As he left the room, he picked up a box with a yellow bow and handed it to Grace.
“What is this Pa?”
“Well open it and find out!”
Grace carefully untied the bow and lifted the lid off the box. She stared at it, taking in the soft color and the warmth she felt in her heart. With tears in her eyes, she got up and hugged her Pa.
“I was saving it for your birthday but I thought you could use it for your first day of work,” a happy Pa said.
“Thank you. It’s very beautiful. It’s my favorite color too!,” Grace said as she took the powder blue spring dress out of the box.
“Why don’t you go on upstairs and try it on, and come and show us when you’re ready,” Pa said as he saw Grace ran up the stairs and into her room.
Pa began to climb the stairs when Jacob come out of the bathroom. “Lets go son, them chores ain’t going to do themselves,” commanded Pa.
“Yes, Pa,” replied Jacob.
“Ma I’m sorry for what I said to you. Would you like some help with them there dishes?,” asked Mary-Anne.
“You know I need your help. Now get washen!,” commanded Ma. Ma turned to the stove and stirred the pork stir-fry around.
“Smells good darlen. I’m heading out to the fields holler when it’s done,” Pa said sweetly.
“Alright dear,” replied Ma in the same sweet tone.
Grace tried the dress on and turned around a few times. After turning a few times, she ran her hand down the dress, feeling the smoothness of the fabric on her fingers. She stood there for a while just imagining what it would be like to actually get her job fulltime and if she will be teaching the kids. She twirled and twirled, acting like a princess, until she decided to go and show Pa how beautiful she looked. Grace came down the stairs and went into the kitchen.
“Wow, Grace that dress is somtin’ else!,” Ma said as she looked at Grace. “Just wait till Pa sees you,” Ma was admiring Grace when they heard a knock at their door. “Grace will you go and get that. Mary-Anne go tell Pa supper is ready, while I set the table.”
Grace, still feeling the smoothness of her new dress, made her way to the front door to see who was knocking. Grace opened the door and saw a familiar face.
“Hi. What can I do for you Mr. Nobel?”
“Well I was a wondering if your Pa was around?,” wondered Mr. Nobel, the next-door neighbor.
“Well of course he is. Why don’t you come on in and I will fetch him for you.” Grace then went into the kitchen where she found Pa coming in from outside. “Pa, Mr. Nobel is here to see you. Shall I show him to the parlor?”
“Well, Ya go right ahead. And Grace you look like a baby doll in that dress.” Pa replied as he took off his working gloves.
Grace than shown Mr. Nobel to the parlor and told him Pa was coming.
“Grace, is that a new dress, cause it looks mighty fine on you?”
“Why yes it is, Mr. Nobel. Pa gave it to me cause I start my job over at the schoolhouse, on Monday and today is only Saturday so that gives me a day to prepare myself. I’m going to go over to the schoolhouse tomorrow to find out what they want me to do.”
As Grace climbed the stairs to change out of her dress, Pa entered the Parlor. Once Grace got to the top of the stairs she quietly sat on the top step and listened to the conversation.
“Why what brings you to our home Mr. Nobel?”
“Well Mr. Hallan, I was wondering if we could get together one night for supper. A friend of my sons is a comin’ to visit and well I thought maybe Grace would like to meet him.”
“Well I don’t see a problem in that. My Grace done gone and got herself a job which makes her mighty sophisticated. I’m sure she would love to meet your son’s friend.”

“I wonder what he is like,” Grace whispered to herself as she got up and went into her room. Grace changed out of her powder blue gown, and into her bright orange skirt and white blouse with a bright orange ribbon in her hair.

“Now Mr. Noble how the Mrs. Nobel’s doing?”
“Well my mother is well, but I’m afraid she might not be with us much longer, she is planning on moving up north with my sister. My wife, well, she is expecting another one next month. This will make three children.”
“Congratulations, Mr. Nobel! It looks like to me that you will have your hands full.”
“Well, I will let you know a week in advance when Mr. Wilts, my son’s friend, will be visiting. I ought to be getting back to Janna. She might need something.”
Both men got up and walked to the front door. Mr. Hallan opened the door and both men exchanged good byes, he then closed the door.
Back in the kitchen Ma, just finished putting the food on the table. “Daniel (the Pa), can you go fetch Grace and tell her supper is on,” said Anna (the Ma).
“Of course dear, it’ll only take a minute.”
As Daniel climbed the stairs he heard Grace talking to herself, “ I wonder what they will think of me tomorrow, will they like me? Will I get the job I always wanted? I know how Pa really isn’t happy with my choosing of a job… but I need to do this it’s my dream. I just hope he approves.” She then got up and headed out the door when she saw Pa comin’. “Hi Pa, is supper ready?”
“Yup, your Ma sent me up here to get ya. Make sure you wash up.”
Grace went into the washroom and washed up. She dried her hands on the towel to her right and exited the washroom and joined the rest of the family at the dinner table.
As she sat down the family folded their hands to pray. “Dear lord thank ya for this here food, and the blessins ya gave us. We hope that you give Grace extra blessins so that she can do a mighty fine job, tomorrow. Amen,” said Ma.
“Pa, do you think we could hook up the wagon with one of the horses so it be easier for me to get there tomorrow. I don’t want them to think badly of me,” asked Grace as she handed her plate to Ma for a helping.
“I will certainly have the wagon ready ’for ya leave.”
Ma handed Grace her dinner plate and the whole family ate.
Pa got up from the table and took his paper with him to read in the parlor like he does every night after supper.
“Mary-Anne when everyone is finished eating, I want you to clean up them there dishes. Grace you make sure you gets washed so that you don’t be dirty. Jacob run along up stairs and take a bath,” said Ma as she got up to start her after supper sewing.
Jacob got up from the table and did what Ma had told him to do.
Jacob and Mary-Anne were both washed up and ready for bed when Ma climbed the stairs to tuck them in for the night.
“Jacob, get on up there and lay down. I want to hear nuthin cumin from this room when I leave or else I send your Pa up.” Ma said as she covered Jacob up. Ma then turned out the light and headed out the door. “Goodnight Jacob see ya in the mornin.” Ma said as she quietly stepped out the door closing the door behind her.
Ma walked into Mary-Anne’s room and found that she was already in her bed waiting for Ma to tuck her in. “Well, at least you were ready cause your brother wasn’t. Like I told ya brother I don’t want to hear nuthin cumin from this room when I leave or else I send your Pa up. Understood?,” questioned Ma as she reached for the light.
“Yes Ma,” Mary-Anne said as she rolled over to sleep. Ma turned the light out and closed the door behind her.
Ma settled herself back in her rockin chair and began her sewin work once more. Grace walked into the parlor with her bags readied.
“Grace darlin, why don’t you set them their bags over in the corner. Then run along upstairs and take your bath and we’ll see ya tomorrow morning before ya leave,” said Ma looking at Grace waiting for her reply.
“Well, alright mama, I’ll do that. I see ya both in the morning,” Grace said as she climbed the stairs.
After Grace took her bath and gotten dressed she went into her room and closed the door behind her.
“I hope everything goes alright tomorrow. I wonder what they’ll have me do. I hope it’s not too hard,” Talking to herself as she turned her light out and jumped into bed. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.
Back down stairs Pa and Ma were talking about Graces new job.
“Well what do you think of all this? I know you kept your mouth shut about something,” questioned Ma as she looked at Pa.
“I just think that it would be best if she chose to be a house wife like you Anna. I think that woman belong in the home and men belong in the workplace,” said Daniel with a little disappointment in his voice.
“Well you know Grace loves to teach and help little ones. Although I would love it just as much if she would follow in my footsteps and all, but you are the man of the house and must decide what she should do. She doesn’t realize how hard its gonna be tomorrow. She ain’t use to that kinda stuff. All growin up I taught her how to do things and now she ain’t gonna put them to use. I just hope she don’t take it personal if something mean is said to her tomorrow,” replied Anna in the same tone as Daniel.
“We will just have to see what happens and how she takes it. I’ll give her a chance to see what it’s like. After all she getten to be a good young woman whom be needing a man in her life soon. Lets get on up to bed now. I’s got a lot to do in the mornin,” said Pa. After blowing out the lamps, they both go up to bed and fall fast a sleep.