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Chapter 20
«ButI’mgonnastudy,"hesaid.«Soon’sIgetonmyfeet.»
Shesaidfiercely,«Wegottohaveahouse’forethebabycomes.
Weain’tgonnahavethisbabyinnotent.»
«Sure,"hesaid.«Soon’sIgetonmyfeet.»HewentoutofthetentandlookeddownatMa,crouchedoverthebrushfire.RoseofSharonrolledonherbackandstaredatthetopofthetent.Andthensheputherthumbinhermouthforagagandshecriedsilently.
Makneltbesidethefire,breakingtwigstokeeptheflameupunderthestewkettle.Thefireflaredanddroppedandflaredanddropped.Thechildren,fifteenofthem,stoodsilentlyandwatched.Andwhenthesmellofthecookingstewcametotheirnoses,theirnosescrinkledslightly.Thesunlightglistenedonhairtawnywithdust.Thechildrenwereembarrassedtobethere,buttheydidnotgo.Matalkedquietlytoalittlegirlwhostoodinsidethelustingcircle.Shewasolderthantherest.Shestoodononefoot,caressingthebackofherlegwithabareinstep.Herarmswereclaspedbehindher.ShewatchedMawithsteadysmallgrayeyes.Shesuggested,«Icouldbreakupsomebreshifyouwantme,ma’am.»
Malookedupfromherwork.«Youwanttagetasttoeat,huh?»
«Yes,ma’am,"thegirlsaidsteadily.
Maslippedthetwigsunderthepotandtheflamemadeaputteringsound.«Didn’youhavenobreakfast?»
«No,ma’am.Theyain’tnoworkhereabouts.Pa’sintryin’tosellsomestufftogitgasso’swecanget’long.»
Malookedup.
