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came back and handed Pauline a fresh hanky. “You poor dear. Some men are just bad that way.”
    â€œWhere were you headed?” April May persisted.
    Pauline shook her head and shrugged. “Here.”
    â€œI’m not following,” April May said. “You just said you didn’t know where you were.”
    â€œWe t-took the train for as long as we could. I didn’t have a plan except to get away. I chose to go south and then east and I just went as far as we could. As f-far as I could afford. I chose this place because I liked the name. Isn’t that silly?”
    â€œMatter of fact,” April May replied thoughtfully, “I think it was a wise move. And I’ll tell you why. It’s an awful big country, Pauline. Even if the son of a bitch does want to come after you, if you chose a direction and went someplace you didn’t know, how could he guess where you’re at?”
    Pauline managed a deep breath. The center of her back ached, but mostly she felt stunned that she’d just admitted her darkest truth. She hadn’t told anyone in all the years of her marriage, yet she’d just blurted the truth to two women she’d known for a matter of minutes. “He’s despicable. But he n-never hurt either of the children before last week.”
    â€œOh, honey,” Cessie said as she sat back down. “That must have been terrible for you.”
    Pauline nodded. It had been a thousand times worse than any beating she’d endured, and it had just been one blow—one undeserved blow to her four-year-old son, who had done nothing to provoke his father. “I gathered all the money I’d hidden away over the years, and we ran. We just ran.”
    â€œOf course you did, dear,” Cessie commiserated. “It’s what any good mother would have done.”
    â€œI thought we could s-settle into a boarding house and I could find work.”
    â€œWhat sort of work?” Cessie asked.
    Pauline shook her head. “Whatever I can get.”
    â€œWhat are you good at?” April May asked.
    Pauline clenched her fists, digging her fingernails into her palms to ward off more tears. “B-baking. Keeping house. I could be a maid or a cook or—”
    â€œSip your wine, dear,” Cessie soothed. “I’m going to get you a cool rag for your face. The children will be in soon and you don’t want to worry them.”
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    When Rebecca and Jake came in for supper, the table was set and the ladies were sitting around it. It was a pretty house with lots of dark furniture and pretty knickknacks, but the most enticing things were the offerings of mutton chops, thick slices of buttered bread, and bean salad. Rebecca’s stomach growled. “It looks good.”
    â€œGlad you think so,” Cessie replied with a warm smile. “Have a seat.”
    Rebecca saw that her mother’s eyes were red rimmed and she looked more tired than ever before. She chose the seat next to April May and across from her mother, while Jake sat next to Mama. “Why do you have donkeys?” she asked April May.
    â€œWhy not?” April May shot back. “You don’t have something against donkeys, do you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œShall we say grace?” Cessie suggested.
    They bowed their heads.
    â€œGrace,” April May said.
    Cessie clucked her tongue in disapproval.
    â€œJust kiddin’. Good company, good meat, good Lord, let’s eat.”
    Rebecca and Jake giggled while Cessie sighed loudly. “Dear Lord, bless this food for the nourishment of our bodies, and thank you for our new friends. Amen.”
    â€œAmen,” Pauline echoed. “And thank you,” she said, looking first at Cessie and then April May.
    Cessie smiled. April May gave her a nod and a wink.
    â€œRebecca, honey,” Cessie said. “You help yourself to what you want. We don’t stand on formality here.”
    â€œWhat