Mom's Friend, a Forewoman

It was lunch break already. Alice was so absorbed in the new work; she even forgot the uncomfortable talks behind her back. Mom was skilled in how to get away in those kinds of situations. Alice's mood was high again. They put the work aside and seated on the floor by the machine. Mom had brought a basket with fruits, bread, and goat cheese from Mrs. Hubson goats. Mom gave a gentle smile to Alice, offering her some bread and cheese.

"It's fun, isn't it? It helps calm down. I love to see the fabric growing in such beautiful color". Alice nodded in response. Mom was so skilled that the fabric was almost double the initial size. Mom told Alice that she would be faster than she did if Alice worked hard. Then, Mom took me in her arms to try to feed me. After three attempts, I gave in and started drinking her milk. Meanwhile, a woman approached us with a basket. It seemed to be the same woman, who was working on the machine before.

"You are quick and precise as always, Clarice!", said the woman sitting down next to mom.

"Thank you, Ophelia. I'm rusty. I used to be faster. Nevertheless, don't forget that you taught me this. I'm skilled because of your teaching"

"You'll make this old woman blush!". Ophelia put a hand to cover her mouth and laughed. "Seeing you here makes my heart happy. You are a talent worker, but also a great friend". Mom offered Ophelia some of her goat cheese and introduced Alice, who was amazed that she was meeting mom's mentor.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Kabold"

"Don't need to be so formal, just Ophelia is fine. I'm the forewoman, but I'm a family friend. I know your mom since she was your age. Besides, I held you in my arms. You were a tiny and beautiful baby". She held Alice's hand and looked at her eyes. "Clarice has a big reputation here. I have great expectations of you, too". Alice stuffed her chest to keep her back strengthened and nodded to Ophelia. "And this is the little Richard?" said, petting my head.

"Richard is my husband, Ophelia. I can see the similarities between them, but your memory is bad as always". The three women laughed together. Afterward, they updated each other with the news about my family and Ophelia's. Mom explained how Jonathan had grown up, Dad's job, Alice's intentions to be like her. The way the conversation took place, I was certain that when Alice came for the first time, Ophelia was not here because she was visiting her first newborn granddaughter in Dearborn.

My head was funny. I couldn't focus much in the entire conversation. However, mom was anxious by hearing the next topic that didn't allow me to sleep because her arms were shaking too much.

"Dearborn is in crisis now. Keep this between us. Rumors are saying the king is not pleased with the current state of the duchy because our wood production is in a deplorable state, and you know, the king depends on the wood production business to keep the Empire away", whispered.

"Oh my... At least, I hope the king helps us with the feybeast". Mom had hope in her eyes. Ophelia went closer to her to say in an even lower tone.

"My second daughter said she heard the nobles are worried. The royals will send someone here to deal with the feybeast since the Duke is being incompetent". Mom looked shocked at Ophelia. The news was good for our side. Mom covered her mouth, so only Ophelia could hear it. Since I was in her arms, I heard too.

"The royals intervening here so directly means the Duke may lose his head...". Ophelia nodded positively, proving mom's theory. "You always know everything, Ophelia!"

"I know, right? There is no information I am not aware in this village". Ophelia seated normally, leaving some distance between mom and her. "I also heard that you might go earlier this year to Dearborn". Mom looked surprised. Her eyes were widen open. She stuttered.

"How... How do you know that? Sometimes I think you read minds!"

"That old Mrs. Hubson asked to send a message to her son in the city. The one she reached out to was my husband to do that". She held a laugh, looking at mom's surprised face.

"You are always a step ahead of me. I wanted to talk about it in a more private setting". We were in a corner of the workshop room. The women were avoiding her that no one was too close to us, but mom looked at Alice. She didn't want to let Alice hear what they were going to talk about.

"Alice, could me do me a favor?", asked Ophelia. "I noticed you like embroidery by the beautiful ones in your apron. Could you fetch some needle and cloths in that room over there? You can ask Gigelda, to help you. She is an elderly woman who is working there". Alice nodded and went in the direction Ophelia pointed out.

"Poor Alice... Gigelda loves to talk", Mom held a laugh.

"Gigelda will give her a lecture on embroidery. Alice will be fine"

Mom started to explain what her thoughts on the feybeast, how probably is a cursed person because it was smart, and how dangerous it could be. She didn't give enough details on how she knew it, but she mentioned how she was afraid that people could force Richard to do something since he was a feyfolk.

"Makes sense...", Ophelia paused as she was thinking and continued, "You might have noticed this already. The women are talking like bullfrogs in a lagoon about it, but the rumors are already spreading out. They say your husband is intentionally doing nothing to help the village with the feybeast. As result, your family is profiting for selling meat". Mom face turned red in anger. She was about to explode. I was laying down on her arms to drink her milk. She adjusted me so I could be seated on one of her arms. She put my head on her shoulder, as she knew I would be scared. I could feel her trembling hands on my back. Then, she exploded.

"Lies! Ophelia, how could my husband fight such a beast, which even the Duke's knights couldn't do it? Richard would die!" Mom had some tears in her eyes. "I didn't know the village was in trouble until we sold the meat! Furthermore, they always mistreated us! They even say Alice brings bad luck to the village because of her purple hair! For that reason, we had to live far away to have some peace! We never knew what was happening here!".

Mom was panting and trembling. She was holding these words for too long. She spilled out all her emotions at once. Ophelia put a hand on mom's back to help her to breathe. Mom's body was still weak after giving birth to me, and now is showing the signs. She turned her head to Ophelia. The woman eyes were full of empathy and worried about mom. Mom nodded, showing Ophelia that she wanted to keep talking.

"Lastly, my family always had problems over the winters because they didn't want to pay Richard accordingly, neither buying our harvest for a fair price nor giving him a job, simply because he has a different hair color. We heavily relied on our savings. Moreover, I was pregnant last winter, Ophelia! And, we ran out of savings! We couldn't afford enough food... I had lost so much weight due to my poor nutrition that I'm still not completely recovered... Richard had to go out many times in the middle of the blizzards to find us food... His skin and fingers were turning black because of the frostbites... If not for you and Mrs. Hubson helping us, my husband would have died, my children would have died, and I'd never have given birth to Henry!". Tears flooded mom's face. It was too much for her to keep all that inside of her heart.

Ophelia hugged mom in a sign of sympathy. She knew what mom had suffered in winter. Other women looked scared towards us. I am not sure if they heard us or simply didn't expect mom crying like that in the workshop. Mom was always strong, but the last few days were too much for her. Her outburst of feelings hit me as well. I wanted to cry, but I was too weak to do that. My head was spinning again; I wanted to vomit the content in my stomach. It was hurting me. My ears were hot again. I felt my lungs in fire that it was heard to breathe. The last thing I remembered was mom calling my name.