One Week After The Wedding

 It had been a week after her wedding. A week of hard work and disappointment. A week of living with someone other than her parents. The man she had married was nothing like the handsome young man that delivered groceries to her parents' home. She looked at her broken fingernails and shook her head. There certainly was no time to repair them. There were chickens to feed and bread to bake before it was time to fix his dinner. She had worked alongside her mother and her half sister many times, but this was different. Her father always told her what a good job she had done on her baking. Thee embroidered handkerchief she had made for him was his favorite and often wore it in his suit coat. He would pat it and wink at her. Oh how she missed him. She was his only child and was a bit spoiled. She grinned to herself as she clucked to the chickens to come get their food. "Here chick, here chick chick."

"Make sure you hurry up and get those chickens nice and fat. I'd like one for Sunday dinner, if you don't mind."

"Not one of these chickens, you won't. These are my laying chickens. They will lay eggs to hatch out so that we will have eggs this winter from the new batch of hens."

"Figure it out. I want chicken for dinner on Sunday. You'd better get your clothes changed. I'm going into town. If you want to go along be ready in about fifteen minutes. I have to pick up some feed for the animals."

She quickly finished feeding the chickens and changed into her second best dress. She moved the bread to a cooler place to slow the raising process until she got home. "He could have told me at breakfast," she thought. She put her bonnet on and saw her new husband pull up in front of the house. It would be so good to see her family.

As they pulled up in front of the feed store there stood her father! Oh it was so good to see him. She missed him so much. She felt some tears in the corner of her eyes. She quickly brushed them away. She was a married lady nowadays. She was acting like a child.

 She saw him shake hands with her husband and they talked a bit. Then he walked over to her and smiled. "Hello there, my girl. Climb on down and ride home with me for a visit. I told your new husband I was going to kidnap you while he did his shopping. Is there anything I can get for you? A new scarf? I thought you had many scarves. Oh, one for doing outside chores. Alright, let's go on over to Mrs. Peterson's store and get you one. Then we are going home. I have something to show you."

She quickly picked out a warm. but not very pretty scarf and eagerly walked home with her father.

When they pulled up in front of the carriage house, the homesickness returned. How she missed her home. What was wrong with her? She should not be feeling this way. Maybe her mother was right. Her father had spoiled her and now she was paying the price.

Her father told her to sit by the fire and he would tell her mother that she was there to visit. Soon he and her mother returned with a tea service and a newspaper. Her mother handed her the paper and said, "The newspaper reporter did a very good job of covering your wedding. Makes you sound like some kind of princess. Read where it says you wore priestly goods. Your father paid a fortune for the seamstress to make that dress. Did you even say a proper thank you?" Just look at your fingernails! Do you care nothing for your looks? Have you forgotten everything that I taught you?"

Her father gave her mother a frown and said, "That's enough. Let's drink our tea and talk about your new life on the farm. Oh and make sure you tell your man that you folks are invited here for Sunday dinner after church."

She looked at her father and said, "Pa, could we have fried chicken?"