Emma's Wish

Part 2

                                                                                    Chapter 1

      Emma Witherspoon lifted the last apple pie from the oven and set it on the window ledge to cool. It was silly to bake so much when she lived alone, but it kept her busy, busy enough to make her forget her loneliness, at least for a few hours at a time.

     Besides, other families appreciated her generosity when she shared the results of her baking sprees - her neighbour, Amanda, for one. Amanda hadn't been able to bake for at least three months, ever since she learned she was expecting a child and had been ordered to bed by her doctor. And Amanda's husband, James, had always raved about Emma's pies. The other two pies - well, she would donate them to the church for their weekly raffle.

     Fatigue washed over her. It had been a long day, a lonely day, and there was no reason to stay up, except that sleep was always so elusive. Yet she had to try. Taking the lamp, she climbed the stairs to her bedroom and stripped off her clothes. The cool air against her skin after the heat of the day was such a relief, and for a moment, she wished that for just one day, she didn't have to tie herself into corsets and stays beneath her dresses.

     The branches of a live oak scraping against the window drew Emma's attention. I really need to have someone trim those branches. She sighed. One more thing I have to deal with alone. Her throat tightened against a sob rising in her chest. In the weeks since her father's death, she’d had to handle many household crises she'd never expected - mice that had taken up residence in the root cellar, a broken window, and the shutter that had blown off its hinges during a severe storm. Not to mention the daily chores necessary to keep a large house.

     But she'd survived.

     Alone.

     Emma felt her lips curve in a smile. Yes, she'd managed. She didn't need a man. Which was a good thing, since no man would want her. She would be alone for the rest of her life, and the sooner she accepted it, the better.

     Refusing to dwell on her future, she slipped into a cotton nightdress and peered out the window. A pale moon hung in the sky, and a strong breeze carried the scent of honeysuckle through the air. Emma breathed deeply before she closed the window and went back downstairs to check on the pies.

     She stopped short when she reached the kitchen. One of the pies was missing! How could that be? It was late, and the only creatures out and about at this time of night were raccoons and skunks. Had a raccoon stolen one?

     Picking up the lamp and the rifle leaning against the wall in the corner of the kitchen, she gingerly opened the back door and stepped outside onto the back porch. Surely if a raccoon was the culprit, there would be some evidence. Yet she could see nothing - no empty pie pan, no crumbs, nothing.

     A sudden loud bang made her jump, and a tiny squeak escaped her lips.