Chapter Thirty-Nine, Part One

Winter settled in shortly before Thanksgiving, with an early snowfall that delighted the children of Castaño and worried any adults who were counting on delivery of sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce before the holiday. Robert reluctantly put his cans of green beans and cranberries back on the store shelves, not wanting to be seen as the sort of man who would put himself and his daughter ahead any of the other citizens. They were already planning to make do with a chicken instead of a turkey or duck, since they didn’t want anything to go to waste. If the delivery of new groceries was delayed, they would make do.

Sophie had gone back to her studies with apparent good grace. Robert didn’t have to pester her to do her homework anymore, and she was even starting to work ahead in her reader. Sometimes she would check out books from the school library, entirely without his prompting, and read late into the night. Robert was reluctant to insist on a bedtime if she was showing this much interest in school, and since she was always ready on time in the morning, he let it go. Maybe all she had needed was to know that there was a possible end in sight to their time in Castaño.

Certainly it had lifted Robert’s mood to have made a decision. He added a second worker to help the handyman at the lodge, since this would likely be the only chance he would have to give a proper Christmas party for his employees. And he started putting out feelers to see who might be interested in buying the store.

So he was feeling especially optimistic when he arrived at the shop on the Monday before Thanksgiving to find the delivery wagon, its protective tarp dusted in snow, waiting out back. Inside, Norma and Fernanda were putting on their damp coats and gloves to help unload, but Robert sent them back to the front of the store. “I’ll unload. I could probably use some exercise,” he told them.

“Well, I’ll start a fresh pot of coffee for when you and George are finished,” Norma said. “And me and Fernanda will check the bill of lading once you’ve brought everything in.”

Unloading the wagon was hard work because so many items were in large boxes or else in bulk sacks and barrels. But with two people on the job, it went quickly, and by the time they were finished, they hardly needed a hot drink to warm them up, but they sat down in the back room and accepted some of Norma’s coffee anyway.

“What’s it like out there,” Robert asked. “Snow all the way to Santa Fe?”

George shook his head. “Only from about Taos on up, and of course in the mountains around Santa Fe. Chimayo is snowed in, I’m sure. But the snow is mostly at the higher elevations and farther north. They say the road south to Albuquerque is clear.”

Robert tried to conceal his disappointment. “I’ve been waiting on a letter from some friends near Estrella. I’d hoped to hear from them by now.”

“Well, you never know. There wasn’t anything at the post office in Taos when I came through, but they were expecting a rider any day.”

“Yes, but our next rider doesn’t go out to do a pickup until next week.” Robert stood and gave a philosophical smile. “But we got our cranberry sauce in time for Thanksgiving, and that’s saying something.” He shook George’s hand. “Thanks for all that you do, and feel free to help yourself to a few things to round out your Thanksgiving dinner. Just make sure Norma records it in her book so the town won’t make me pay taxes on it.”

George thanked him. “I’ll do just that. And if you and the little one get bored on turkey day, feel free to come by. I’m sure the kids would be happy to see Sophie.”

Robert smiled and made a few appropriate remarks, but he flinched a little inside. Sophie’s improved attention to her studies hadn’t made her any new friends. Well, it was only until summer. She could hold out that long. They both could.