Once in Every Life

Savannah was right on time with supper. She knocked lightly on Tess's door, then glided silently across the room, a tray of food balanced perfectly in front of her. She set it down on the bedside table with practiced ease and mumbled, "Evenin', Mama," then turned to leave.

Tess grabbed her sleeve. "Savannah? May I talk to you?"

Savannah turned back around, eyeing her mother warily. " 'Bout what?"

Tess patted the quilt. "Sit down."

The girl sidled to the bed and perched like a frightened bird on its very edge, her gaze glued to the fascinating floorboards between her feet. "Yeah?"

Tess wet her lips. "Well, I was wondering what your ma?I mean, what / do all day."

That got Savannah's attention. She actually looked at Tess. "Do?"

Tess frowned. "I must do something."

Savannah shrugged. "Well, you embroider a lot."

"Embroider ... How exciting that must be."

"You read a lot o' them genteel books."

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"Don't I do anything outside?" she asked hopefully. "Like gardening?"

It was Savannah's turn to frown. "Well ..." the word was drawn out, as if she were really searching. "Sometimes you set on the porch swing and sip lemonade."

Tess sighed. "In other words, you're the real mama in this family. I'm just a ... lady."

"A southern lady," Savannah corrected quickly. "You always say that's a right important thing to be."

"Do I? How magnanimous of me."

Savannah's eyes bulged at Tess's use of the word "magnanimous." She popped to her feet. "I gotta go wash the dishes."

"Just one more question," Tess promised.

"All right," Savannah said without turning around.

"What time do you get home from school?"

" 'Bout three-thirty or four. Unless it's rainin', then the walk takes longer."

"And then you cook dinner and clean the house and put Katie to bed. Thanks, Savannah. For everything."

"Sure." Before the word was out of her mouth, Savannah was gone.

Tess smiled. Now she had a place to start. Someone had to help that poor, overworked kid.

Tomorrow-?heaven help them all?the new-and-improved Amarylis was coming out.

The next morning, Tess finished nursing Caleb and gently put him back into his cradle. She waited a moment to make sure he wasn't going to wake up, then she flung the heavy flannel wrapper around her shoulders and tiptoed to the window. Outside, the farm lay shrouded in darkness. Only the barest hint of gold along the horizon heralded the approaching dawn.

Tess smiled with satisfaction. All she had to do was get

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to the barn without being heard, and she could put her plan into action.