Jinx and Foxy were a major blessing to the farm, both working persistently to make it a more bountiful place. Aside from attending service on Sunday morning, they kept to themselves. And even though Peg spent a few hours after supper each night up there where I suspected he was watching old westerns with Jinx, I got the sense that the Devereauxs didn’t want to get too close to any of us. It didn’t stop Peg and it sure didn’t stop my late-night visits to help Foxy with her herbal remedies. Last night’s visit was spent making tea bags from a mix of ingredients for a mix of ailments. Mint, ginger, and licorice root for indigestion. Chamomile, valerian root, and passionflower for insomnia. Echinacea, hibiscus, and lemon peel for colds and coughs.

The thin ribbons of lemon peel had such a delicious aroma that it conjured memories of Mama’s lemonade. As we worked, I kept sniffing the container holding the peel, longing for my mother to the point I almost broke down. Before I left, Foxy gave me a mesh pouch filled with lemon peel without saying a word about my odd behavior. I tucked the pouch inside my pillowcase and met up with Mama on the front porch in a dream where we were giggling between sips of her lemonade.

I could almost smell it now as I drove a loop around town in hopes of spotting Pa’s truck. Unsuccessful, and annoyed that there wasn’t enough time left to pop in and check on Miss Wise as was my new routine, I picked up the twins and returned to the farm. With no sign of Pa and knowing there was nothing I could do about it, we got busy with supper and night routines.

“Where’s Pa?” Boss asked as I passed his room after checking on the twins.

I backtracked a few steps, contemplating what to say to avoid upsetting him. All eyes lingered on our father’s empty chair at supper, but no one voiced any concern since that had become a regular occurrence. Him not coming home by bedtime was not.

“He’s probably down at the barn,” I whispered, keeping it simple.

“Okay.” Boss grabbed me in a constricting hug, my feet lifting from the ground, and then released me. “Good night, Ox.”

“Good night.” I waved him off to get in bed and then headed downstairs to lock up.

It was unnerving to be left alone with six kids depending on me to take care of them so late at night. To ward off feeling vulnerable, I re-dressed in a pair of clean jeans and a sweatshirt instead of pajamas. Time in the daylight hours flew by with so much to get done, but in the dead of night, time seemed to be in no hurry to go anywhere when sleep was evasive.