A glance at the red-and-white wall clock told Susie it was time to close up shop, so she tidied up, then adjusted the farmland calendar behind the battery-run cash register. Closing the door behind her, she heard someone talking over in the stable, so she turned to walk toward its open door. Through the entrance, she could see Britta standing there, holding black Lucy and murmuring to her, although she couldn’t make out what her sister was saying.

Wanting to make sure all was well, Susie walked inside. “Saw ya head for the house after school, and now you’re out here. You okay, Schweschder?”

Startled, Britta looked up at her. “Oh, just a little down. I tried to talk with my friend about somethin’.”

“Hazel?”

Britta nodded sadly. “She’s the only one I felt comfortable askin’.”

Susie went to her and wrapped her arms around her, the cat tucked between them. “Well, I’m here,” she said. “You can ask me.”

Britta pulled back slowly from Susie. “I don’t know.”

“Go on.”

Britta looked even sadder now as she stroked Lucy, whose purring grew louder. “Do you know why I was adopted?” she asked timidly.

Oh dear, thought Susie, taking a quick breath. “I don’t know details. Far as I remember, Dat and Mamma wanted another child, so they became foster parents for a time. You must’ve been available to be adopted after Dat died and Mamma still wanted another child. I never really asked Mamma about it. I was just glad to have another sister.”

At that, Britta gave a little smile. “Did you ever meet my first mother?”

Susie shook her head. “Have ya talked to Mamma ’bout any of this?”

“Not yet. Not sure how she’d feel about me askin’.”

“Won’t know till ya ask.” Susie looked out the window, uncertain what else to say, or if she should even be encouraging this line of thinking. “You know what? I could use some help makin’ supper, unless Mamma’s got something cooking already.”

“Okay,” Britta said rather reluctantly. “I’ll come in soon.”

Susie walked past the horses’ stalls and outside, pondering Britta’s sudden interest in her origins.

After an early supper, Susie and Britta cleaned up the kitchen while Mamma made herself comfortable in the front room with an issue of Family Life magazine.

“I’ll be heading up the road soon, if ya want to visit Hazel for a while,” Susie offered, handing Britta the last plate to be wiped. “I could drop ya off.”

Looking toward the front room, Britta asked quietly, “Are ya gonna redd up the spot where the accident happened?”

Susie nodded.

“I could go with ya,” Britta offered. “Keep you company.”

“’Spect you’d rather see Hazel, ain’t so?”

Britta shook her head. “I can see her at school tomorrow. This is more important.”