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stay.”
    “Whoa, right there. We are not going anywhere. This is our home now. Forever.”
    “Forever,” echoed John from the kitchen door. “Katydid. No one is going to take Sarah and MaryAnn from us. We all belong to each other now.”
    “That’s right,” confirmed Sarah.
    “I put the first of the trunks in our bedroom. Do you want the other two there too?”
    “No put them in MaryAnn’s room. I’ll unpack them from there and we won’t be tripping over them while I do it. I have to figure out what trunk got misplaced. Maybe I’ll get lucky and it’ll be the one with the spring clothes in it.”
    He nodded and started to leave. “Are you girls alright now?”
    “Yes, sir,” answered MaryAnn. Katy nodded.
    “Good.” He left to get the rest of the trunks.
    “I sure am glad you like him, Mama.”
    “Me, too, sweetheart. You girls want to help me make cookies?”
    They both nodded.
    “Bertha, where are the dish towels. These little helpers need aprons. And so do I.”
    “Coming right up, missus.”
    Sarah lit the oven, mixed the cookie dough and rolled it out. The girls took turns cutting it out and putting it on the cookie sheet. While they baked she cut the chicken up for frying and heated the grease on the stove. After ten minutes, she checked the cookies. They needed a few more minutes so she put the chicken in for frying. When she’d gotten all of it in the two cast iron Dutch ovens, the cookies were ready to come out.
    She took the cookies and put them on a dish towel to cool while she put another batch in the oven. The girls each got a warm cookie and a glass of cold milk from the ice box.
    “What is that wonderful smell?” asked John as he came into the kitchen rolling down his shirt sleeves.  
    She smiled at him. Her heart did a little flip. Oh my look at those arms. “ That is sugar cookies. Would you like one?”
    “Aren’t you afraid it’ll spoil my dinner?”
    “The way I cook, nothing is going to spoil your dinner. Which reminds me,” she went and turned the chicken over.
    “That smells good, too. What are you making for dinner?”
    “Fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, and fresh peas that Bertha shelled. We’ll have sugar cookies for dessert. How does that sound?”
    “Great. I put the trunks where you wanted them.”
    “Thank you, I’ll start unpacking after dinner.”
    Sarah and Bertha set the table and Bertha banged the triangle calling all the men to supper. There was a small porch off the kitchen. Bertha placed a couple of basins of hot water and several towels on a table there so the men could wash up before meals. They washed their face and hands before coming in to eat.
    “Men,” said John, “this is Sarah, my new wife. She is also our new cook, no offense to Bertha.”
    “None taken, boss. I’m glad to be rid of the chore and am looking forward to some good vittles like everybody else.”
    “You will show Sarah and our daughter MaryAnn the same honor and respect you did Dorothy and do Katy. Dig in everyone,” said John.
    She was somewhat surprised at their good manners. They were all respectful and calmly passed the food around the table.  
    Even though there was a dining room they didn’t use it. The family and the hired help all ate together. Sarah liked that.
    The men were very animated after the first bite. There were ooh’s and ah’s and then silence as they began to eat in earnest. There were no leftovers either. Sarah made a mental note to cook more. The men would have eaten it if she’d cooked it. They worked hard. They needed their strength.
    There was almost a scuffle over the last biscuit. Bertha stopped it by taking it herself.
    “Thank you for a fine meal, Mrs. Atwood,” said Ben one of the drovers.
    “Thank you,” the other men echoed.
    “That was the best meal we’ve had in two years,” said Bertha. “You did real good, boss. She’s a definite keeper.”
    John smiled. “I couldn’t agree more.”
    “Thank you all, but it