She Only Speaks to Butterflies by Sandy Appleyard Read Free Book Online Page B

wanted to take Kate’s offer to have Denise visit for the morning while she cleaned out the guest bedroom.
    “Where’d you end up to last night?” Leon asked, brewing a pot of coffee.
    “Denise had a nightmare.”
    “Hmm…I’m going into the store for a coupla hours this mornin’. Y’all need me to stick around for anything? I gotta head home and get ready.”
    “No, thanks.” Sherry popped a couple of Aspirin tablets into her mouth. “I’m takin’ her over to visit Kate and Ned.”
    “I can bring her home later,” Leon offered. “I’m workin’ there this afternoon.”
    Sherry washed down the Aspirin with water. “Thanks.”
    Denise stuffed Rainy Day Bear in her purse as they headed over to Baker’s Farm. Sherry pulled up to the side parcel of land, where Ned was growing corn, cabbage and various other root vegetables for sale. The other side he grew wheat, strawberries and other vine-grown fruits. The back parcel was where the cows, pigs and horses grazed, and the barn was where the butterflies were kept in the conservatory.
    Baker’s Farm was in the centre of town, and had existed for more than one hundred years on Ned’s side. It was where he grew up and married Kate thirty-five years ago. Up until eight years ago, Ned’s mother still lived with them; she passed from a stroke in her sleep.
    The girls walked up to the farmhouse as the storm door creaked open and Kate appeared with a serving platter, two teacups, milk and sugar. She’d been expecting them. Ned motioned to Denise to come out back to the conservatory. The little girl didn’t need to be asked twice.
    “Alan was by earlier; he hired a new guy to replace Nate Zimmerman,” Kate said, pouring two cups of tea.
    “So fast?”
    “That’s what Ned said.” Kate gave Sherry her tea. “He musta had a pool of applicants ready. He knew about Nate retirin’ for a while now, mind you.”
    Sherry nodded thanks. “Did he tell you anything about him?”
    Kate took a seat and sipped her tea. “He’s young; early thirties, divorced.” She shook her head distastefully and sighed. “Ned’s not pleased about that. Anyway, he’s rentin’ the Smitherman’s basement out until he finds a place.”
    “Not much available right now. I hear Greg Groves sold the Berkshire’s just the other night.”
    “Mathilda Farnsworth is getting’ ready to sell, I hear,” Kate volunteered. “Her place would suit him fine.”
    “Grace and Chuck Grey are havin’ another kid. She’s been complainin’ their house is too small for a while now,” Sherry added. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they moved soon, too.”
    “Seems Rick and Molly Berkshire sold at the right time. Market’s gonna open up good this year.”
    Sherry changed the subject. “Reverend Telly say how much the bake sale raised?”
    Kate shifted her weight on the chair. “Five hundred, I believe.”
    “I think they were aimin’ for that.” Sherry’s brow furrowed. “They should be able to get lots of new books with that amount.”
    “Red Bates over at the library says he’ll donate some, too.”
    Sherry took the last sip of her tea. “I should get goin’. I’ll peek in at Denise before I head out.” She placed her empty teacup on the serving platter. “Thanks for the tea.”
    “I’ll make her a picnic lunch in the garden; she seems to love that.”
    “Thanks, Kate.”
    Sherry walked to the side of the porch and down the steps to the stable. A couple of farm hands were working inside the stables, tending to the horses and shepherding the other animals outside for their morning feed. The conservatory was just beyond the grain silo, where the other animals wouldn’t disturb the butterflies.
    She opened the screen door and felt the temperature change. Ned created a warm, humid environment for the butterflies and the pupa to flourish. Along the sides of the room were ledges that came up to Sherry’s hip; she saw Ned and Denise placing small dishes of over-ripened citrus fruit