Jennifer Robins Read Free

a roof over their heads which was not the case with so many unfortunate others.
    Rachael had a high school education and wanted to go on to college but that would have to wait. Not many young women went on to higher learning but this was another one of her dreams. She wanted to become a teacher.
    In her long flannel nightgown, she went downstairs to say good night to her parents, who sat in the living room listening to the radio. Her mother sat with her knitting needles clicking, busy at work constructing a sweater for her in her favorite color, blue. She laid the knitted wool piece down in her lap when she saw Rachael coming down the stairs. “I see you’re ready for bed. It’s a little early but I’m sure you’re tired after working today. Come give Momma a kiss.”
    “Yes, I’m pretty tired, all right, and I want to get up early tomorrow. I’m going to pack a lunch for me and a friend so I need a little extra time. I hope this snow stops before morning or I’ll never get downtown if the streetcars stop running.” She walked over to her mother and bent down to give her cheek a kiss.
    Her father looked over at her from the overstuffed chair he loved so much.
    Rachel glanced back at him and laughed. “Don’t worry; I’ll give you a goodnight kiss too.” She wondered when she would ever grow out of the need for her parents. She figured she was getting too old to have to kiss her parents goodnight all the time, but so what, she thought. Smiling she strolled over to her father.
    Andrew was a loving man who did everything in his power to keep his little family well taken care of. A little gray around the temples and slightly overweight, he still was a handsome man.
    Grace, on the other hand, still had her girlish figure and her bright red hair. She always looked wonderful, even with her cotton house dress and an apron tied around her waist.
    Rachael went back upstairs to wind up and set her alarm clock and then climbed into bed under the heavy quilt and warm blankets. How good it felt! She pulled her pillow up under her head and closed her eyes.
    ****
    The annoying sound of the alarm clock had her pulling the covers up over her head in an attempt to avoid it, but once the thought of her lunch date entered her mind, she threw the blankets off and sat up. A little shiver and then she rose from the bed and went quickly to the window.
    Morning light had just begun to show its face off to the east and the skies were clear. Below, the snow had not accumulated more than another inch so she was sure she’d be off to work and her date with Stan. With a smile and a sigh, she pulled off her nightgown and began to dress.
    Her mother had a pot of oatmeal waiting on the stove with a pitcher of milk on the table.
    Rachael reached up in the cupboard above the sink for a bowl and went directly to the stove for her share of the hot breakfast. As she scooped some up she noticed her mother had added some raisins. “Umm, I love it when you put something extra in our cereal. It’s so good, raisins are the best.” Then she joined her father at the table.
    She still had to fry up two eggs and make those sandwiches she would take for the lunch with Stan. She never mentioned to her parents that she had a new friend who happened to be a man. That could wait. She was glad her mom and dad didn’t question her about it. She took the eggs out of the ice box and brought them to the stove.
    As she went on frying the eggs, she looked over at her mother. “Mom, did the ice man come yesterday? These eggs feel a little warm.”
    “Yes he did, but he was late getting here. That old mare he has pulling his wagon had to have a nail pulled out of her hoof. It turned out he had only a small piece of ice left for us, so that will have to do until he comes again. Its’ a good thing you mentioned it. I’ll have Dad bring in some snow to keep the icebox cool until the ice man comes back.”
    Rachael finished making the sandwiches, wrapped them in waxed