Astoria

f i v e

The next day found Meredith hurrying home armed with several bundles of considerable size. Having walked the distance to the registry building once more, early that morning, and discovering that she had indeed been selected to serve as a maid in King's City, she had used her advance money to buy some much needed supplies and food...along with a few treats she hoped would come as a glorious surprise to her mother and younger siblings.

She held tightly to her packages as she fumbled with the door handle. Finally, she entered the small house and deposited her packages on the table. Immediately, she was overwhelmed by Nash, Prissy, and Samantha who had not seen so many paper-wrapped goodies of various shapes in so long.

"Is one for me?" asked Nash, eagerly, tugging at her skirt.

"Yes, Nash," she said, laughing a bit. "But calm down and wait your turn!"

He stood to the side, trying to repress his excitement but failing. She set aside the packages of staples such as flour, butter, cheese, bread, and potatoes, then set to handing out the small presents she had bought.

There were two new hairbows for Prissy. Samantha was ecstatic about her new journal and immediately retreated to the small window seat to write in it. Evan's gift, she placed aside for later, as her older brother had used the day to make a trip to the nearby larger city of Hampshire. Finally, it was Nash's turn. He seemed to realize this, and a continued show of patience seemed too much for him to bear.

She smiled and knelt down to his eye level, handing him a small package. He opened it to find a set of three carved horses.

"I know how much you want a horse, and...since we can't have a real one...I thought this might be the next best thing."

Nash grinned widely and threw his arms around her.

"I love them, Mer!" he said happily. "I'm going to name one after you!"

She smiled and closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh soap smell of her just bathed little brother.

A bit later, at the table, Meredith had spilled out the change from her advance pay and was counting the coins. She still had two entire silver ells left over, along with six copper rifas and four brass ceros.

She sighed contentedly and smiled slightly. There were plenty of things she disliked about Astoria, about King's City, and about the royal family itself, but she was certainly grateful for the sizeable advance that she had received upon her hire.

Nash ambled in, dressed for his nap, his favorite blue pajamas on and his hair ruffled.

"Hey, Mer," he said, somewhat more subdued now that he was more tired. "What are you doing?"

"I'm counting my change, Nash," she said, giving him a smile and running her hand over his head.

He climbed up into her lap and nestled against her. She put her arm around him. She realized with a pang of worry that he seemed thinner than the last time she had been home. It made her again grateful that she could soon start helping to provide for them once more.

"What's this one?" said Nash, picking up one of the large silver coins.

"That's an ell," she said. He put it down and picked up another coin, a shiny copper one.

"That's a rifa," she said. There are fifteen rifas to an ell." She picked up the smallest coin. "And this brass one is a cero. There are five ceros to a rifa."

"It's all so pretty and shiny," he said, picking up the different types of coins one by one.

"Here," she said, handing him one of the small ceros. "Why don't you keep this one."

"Thanks, Mer," he said, giving her another hug.

Their mother came in just then and beckoned Nash off to bed. He gave Meredith a kiss and scampered from the room.

After a while, after she had tucked in Nash, Meredith's mother came back into the dining room and sat across from her. Samantha and Prissy were no where to be seen and were presumably in their attic bedroom enjoying their gifts.

"Meredith," she said, seriously.

"Yes, mother?" said Meredith. Then... "Oh! I almost forgot!" She stood from her chair and pulled down a package, handing it to her mother.

She watched as the work-worn fingers pulled at the string wrapping the paper package and opened it, pulling out a new cotton work dress with a simple flower pattern. Tears pooled at the edges of her mother's eyes.

"Oh, Mer..." she said. "It's lovely."

Meredith smiled, patting her mother's hand. "I thought it suited you, Mama. And besides, you deserved a new one."

They were silent for a moment, mother and daughter, until Jade seemed to remember what she wanted to say to her eldest daughter.

"Meredith, I want you to...with this new job..." She paused. "You're growing up, dear. You've always given so unselfishly to this family and I want you to be able to set aside some of your earnings...for yourself, dear."

Meredith simply stared at her mother.

"But Mama!" she finally said. "I'm very grateful! But I'm willing to give you everything to take care of yourself and the children. I don't need to keep any for myself...I'm perfectly happy."

Jade smiled softly at her daughter.

"I know you would, Mer. But I want you to have something for yourself. You'll perhaps want to be married someday...have children of your own. It won't hurt to start saving some money now." She paused. "With your new job and greatly increased salary, I expect you'll be able to keep a fair amount of money for yourself. And it'll be yours to do with as you like."

Meredith stood and came to put her arms around Jade.

"Thank you, mother. But please. Tell me if you need me to send more. I don't always need to set some aside."