His Hope

4

Hope stepped onto the wide porch and entered the house when Dexter motioned her forward. Daneka followed with the twins, and then Dexter and Junior. Hesitating near a round table, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim light and then scanned the modest interior.

“My son and I will get your luggage to your room while Daneka gets the swank. We might as well get the chore over with before the place gets dark,” Dexter said, gesturing for Junior to follow him back out.

"Please sit down, Miss Walcott," said Daneka.

"Since we are going to be family… hopefully, I would like you to call me by my given name, Hope."

"Okay…Miss Hope," Daneka said shyly. She set Daniel and David on the floor and watched them run to their toys scattered on the floor. Then she walked to the open-faced shelving above wooden countertops and grabbed some mismatched glasses, setting them on the table.

Retracing her steps, she walked to the same refrigerator that looked like it belonged to a different time period. Opening it, she grabbed a jug of lemonade.

“There is no electricity in this part of the country. According to the electric company it’s too much of an investment to installs polls and what not for so small a population. But dad has started buying solar panels. By our next sale he should be able to buy the remainder. Then we can have solar power. I’m so excited, I can’t wait,” Daneka said happily.

“Yeah, that would be great. There is so much we can do with electricity,” Hope agreed.

“Yeah. My friend Susan, we go to the same school. Her house has solar panels so they get electricity. I haven’t gone to school in a while,” Daneka confided, “but when I went she would tell me of all the shows she got to watch on the television.”

“Well, I’m sure when your father is able to, he will install the solar panels,” Hope said diplomatically. She wasn’t sure what Dexter’s financial situation was, but judging from the state of the house and the lack of amenities, she would guess he didn’t have much in the way of finances and was barely staying afloat.

While Daneka poured lemonade for everyone, Hope surveyed the house in more detail. Her gut instinct told her that the faded curtains hanging above a deep sink with a hand pump had been lovingly sewn by Daneka's mother. She twisted her hands in her lap, feeling pain for this family who had lost someone so precious to them.

Hope could not begin to think of how she would make up for their loss. At that moment, she felt inadequate.

After Dexter and Junior returned from delivering Hope's luggage into her room, Junior slammed out the front door. Dexter stared sadly after him before turning and patting his daughter on her head of kinky hair.

"Daneka baked a cake to celebrate your arrival." He reached for a plate on the table which held a slice of cake Daneka had already portioned off. He offered it to Hope. To show her appreciation, Hope smiled and accepted the offering. She was not given a fork, so she adapted and used her hand to break off a piece and eat it. It was oily and she had a hard time figuring out what kind of cake it was, but she was touched by the thoughtfulness.

"Thank you, Daneka. That was very considerate." She nibbled on a corner. It was soft but too sweet. "Hmm, very tasty," she said, trying to sound convincing.

Daneka's face lit with an ear-to-ear grin.

Dexter grabbed a slice for himself and finished it in two bites.

Hope sipped her lemonade and did her best to chew the too sweet cake. Daniel ran to the table and pointed at the plate. His father grinned and handed him a piece of the cake. Hope wondered if he should be eating something so sweet so close to bed time, but she relaxed when she saw him smash it in his hands and lick the crumbs.

She glanced toward the doorway her luggage had disappeared into. She hadn’t considered the possibility she would have to share a room with Dexter, practically a stranger, so soon after her arrival. Willing herself not to panic, she peered from beneath her lashes, and felt her face flame when she saw Dexter watching her. She thought she saw a tiny lift at the corner of his mouth.

"We put your luggage in our extra room. Daneka and the twins sleep in the room next to yours and Junior sleeps in the loft. My room is on the opposite side of the house."

Hope popped the last piece of cake into her mouth and chewed. Finishing it off with some lemonade, she nodded at Dexter, and then lowered her gaze to study a spot on the threadbare tablecloth. Glancing sheepishly up, she asked, "May I go to my room now. I'd like to freshen up."

Dexter looked embarrassed. "I don't know where my mind has been. I'm really sorry. That should have been the first thing you did. Daneka, please pump some water into a pitcher for Miss Hope and bring it to her room with a cloth. Come on, Hope, let's get you settled in."

Relieved that she didn't have to continue to make small talk and could spend a few minutes in private gathering her thoughts, she followed Dexter across the house. He held the bedroom door open and she thanked him before entering.

Hope entered the room looking forward to a few minutes' solitude to process her emotions.

Daneka followed and set a pitcher of water in a basin on a small table centered under the only window.

Dexter said, "You rest as long as you need to." After he closed the door, she could hear the inaudible timbre of his voice as he spoke with his children.

For a few seconds, she stood still, unable to move. The change in her lifestyle astounded her. The glamour of traveling to the country of her birth and changing her whole life had no doubt blinded her to the reality of living there. Taking in the quaint room she was given, she felt like laughing and crying. It was miniscule and rustic. There was a small table, a narrow lumpy bed bumped up against the far corner and an old six-drawer chest with a matching vanity and stool. She also saw a kerosene lamp and a few candles on top of the chest. Thinking back on the well-furnished air-conditioned house she’d sold in Chicago, she wanted to cry. She’d left all the modern comforts life had to offer to live here. A momentary wave of regret and depression assailed her.

Walking to the vanity, Hope gazed at her reflection in the wavy mirror and then fingered the lovely petals of wildflowers in a mason jar. Suddenly, that simple thoughtfulness made the primitiveness of the room inconsequential.

Inhaling a shaky breath, she removed her traveling jacket and headscarf and poured water into the bowl. Squeezing out the threadbare cloth, she wiped her face and neck before stretching out on the bed and lifting her forearm over her eyes, fighting the need to sleep. Eventually, she lost the battle and drifted into dreams of a rebellious boy, a sweet girl, rambunctious twins, and a rancher with eyes as sweet as chocolate.

A tapping sound confused Hope. "What? Yes? Come in," she groggily croaked.

The door to her room cracked open and Dexter peeked around it.

"Uh, ma'am, Daneka has supper on the table. We figured you were tired, but you still have to eat something."

She was flooded with awareness as she jumped to a sitting position in the middle of the bed.

The sun had almost set and cast the room in shadow.

"Oh, I guess I fell asleep." She patted her hair and almost groaned aloud. It had escaped her bun and hung in tight curls down her shoulders and past her breasts. "I'll be right out."

"Yes, ma'am." Dexter closed the door.