Moving day

The addition took much longer than anyone anticipated. One problem after another slowed down their progress. The main beam split when they affixed the walls to it. Thomas had to go back to town to procure another beam, the walls had to be taken down and they had to start again. They didn't have enough material for the roof. It took way more than expected and another trip had to be taken to gather more materials.

Sophie worked alongside them, her guilt ever growing the longer it took. The crops were still not completely harvested and the men were exerting a lot of effort. As helpful as she wanted to be, she knew nothing about construction. She found herself in the way frequently and constantly apologizing for her lack of skills.

Thomas didn't say another unkind word. He was true to his word that they were going to be friends. She felt the ease of stress in their relationship as they took any pressure of marriage or expectations away. She was still nervous about surviving here. There was only so long that she could depend on her friend's hospitality. This was a temporary living situation.

Once it was finally completed Sophie broke the news to the governor and Frida.

"I am so grateful for your hospitality. You have been so kind to me. It is going to be so difficult to leave but it is time," Sophie said as kindly as she could manage. Frida's eyes narrowed in on her.

"What do you mean time?" she hissed.

"The Castro's have built a small place for me." Sophie swallowed hard. "I am moving out there. That way I can help them with the harvest and make myself useful." Sophie kept her voice light and hopeful.

All kindness and formality abandoned Frida. She wanted to smack Sophie. She was such an ungrateful fool.

"So that's how it is then?" she barked.

The governor ignored his wife. "We will miss you dear," he said kindly. "But it is important to feel useful."

"Miss you?" his wife scoffed. "We opened our home to you, our food and our advise. You ate the food rightly enough, slept in our beds but did not listen to an ounce of advice. You are an ungrateful fool and you do not deserve a husband like Willard. You will suffer because of this choice." She turned on her heel and stomped away. Sophie was shaking. It felt like a curse Frida had just cast upon her.

"Don't mind her," the governor soothed. "She is not used to not getting her way."

Sophie nodded but she was still very warry. She had been right to postpone telling Frida about moving out.

Thomas arrived shortly after with Maddox and the wagon. He helped her load all her belongings into the wagon. She was still humming with adrenaline from the encounter with Frida.

"Are you alright?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah," her voice broke. "Frida wasn't very happy with me," she said trying to sound casual but disappointment laced her words.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about her," he assured.

"Yes," she relented. "But I really don't want to make enemies. And, she basically cursed me."

"Well, she isn't a witch so I wouldn't worry about it."

Sophie clutched the bag that contained the ledgers and other important documents from Jeremiah's house as they rode out to the Castro farm. She trusted Thomas, but better safe than sorry, she thought.

He helped her move her trunk and a small pile of personal belongings into her small room. He had built her a bed earlier that day. The legs were made out of logs and it was the most darling thing she had ever seen.

She collapsed onto the bed once everything had been moved in. She looked around the tiny room with love and appreciation.

"Mine," she said with a grateful sigh. Thomas stood in the doorway watching her. She noticed him smiling at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "It's just, I'm surprised how easy it is to make you happy. This place is…" he trailed off.

"Perfect," she sighed.

"I'm glad you think so."

"What's wrong with is?" she asked, practically offended.

"Nothing," he waved his hands in surrender. "It's perfect like you said. Just don't be surprised when a tiny infant wakes you in the middle of the night. You're awfully close to the other two families."

"It's still perfect," she beamed.

Thomas walked away from her with renewed appreciation for his new friend. She was not the snotty Brit he had pegged her as.

The babe did wake her while she slept. Three times. The first time, she smiled at the precious sound. What a precious gift, she thought. By the third time, she wasn't smiling the sound had reached painful ear shattering decimals and no one was soothing the child. How on earth were they sleeping through this? The sound was impossible to ignore. Finally, she heard movement and the child being comforted.