Authors: A.J. Downey
“I got it Jess, go sit down.” He was a good
kid. I smiled and heaved myself up to our little lunch counter. Aaron cleaned
up like a pro and managed to pay dutiful attention to the two pans of hamburger
helper on the stove. He set my board on the counter in front of me and I wiped
it clean.
You’ve earned the secret of the honey
biscuits, want to try?
“Yeah!” he looked eager to learn and I smiled.
Get out the flour, we’re making a double
batch so you’ll need four cups.
I slid off the stool and got out my trusty
cheese grater from the dishwasher and set to washing it by hand in the sink.
“What else?” he asked.
Baking powder, salt, three sticks of butter
from the freezer up there and the milk. Get the fireweed honey from the
cupboard over there.
I pointed to the freezer attached to the
fridge and the cupboard with the honey in it. We had all sorts in this house. Clover,
creamed, blackberry, but the fireweed was our most prized.
Fireweed only blooms in two year cycles and
only when the humidity is less than fifty percent. It gets its name because the
fireweed plant also only blooms in areas ravaged by forest fires. The flowers
only last a week, so really conditions have to be just right for there to be
any. So prized is the unique flavor of this honey, bee keepers will relocate
entire hives near patches of the flowers just so their bees will produce it.
Aaron brought the jar of honey over as if it
were some kind of relic out of an Indiana Jones movie and it made me smile.
“What now?” he asked.
Four cups of flour right here on the
countertop.
“Don’t you want me to put waxed paper down to
save on some clean up?” he asked.
No, right on the granite, the stone keeps
the butter cold and the biscuits come out flakier.
My handwriting was messier than usual, I was
trying to write fast to keep the ingredients from getting warm.
“Oh! Okay. I did not know that.” He measured
out four cups as I wrote the next set of instructions.
Mix in six teaspoons baking powder and two
teaspoons salt with a fork. I know it sounds like a lot but remember we’re
making two batches here.
“Okay, on it.” he measured and whisked
everything together with a fork.
Grate these frozen sticks of butter on this
into the flour.
I handed him the cheese grater and an
unwrapped stick of butter. He grated it on top of the flour and I handed him
the next, he did that one too and I showed him how to integrate it until it was
all crumby. He smiled and I smiled back. I waved my hands over his in an
indication to stop and with some dough still on my hands wrote out.
Now make a well in the center and slowly
add milk until you get a cup and a half of it in there. Use one of the big
mixing bowls if you’re afraid of making too much of a mess.
“Uhhh…” he laughed nervously.
Just add enough milk until you can get all
the dough off the counter then add the rest in the bowl.
I pointed to the top of the fridge where all
my large metal mixing bowls lived. He got one down and did just fine.
I added two tablespoons of butter and two
tablespoons of honey into a dish and popped it into the microwave to melt
together. I added half a tablespoon of extra honey into the dough as he kneaded
it out on the counter. I waved him off of the dough, I didn’t want him to
overdo it; five or six times was just fine.
I indicated the rolling pin and dipped out a
little flour, coating the pin’s surface and sprinkling more out on the counter.
I indicated about a half inch of space between my thumb and index finger.
“Okay.” He rolled out the dough and I opened
my drawer of miscellaneous kitchen gadgetry. I pulled out my round biscuit
cutter and floured it as well. It was about two inches across. I smiled and he
smiled back. He washed his hands and got out the cookie sheets. I was kind of
tickled that he paid attention enough to know where they were.
“Oven Jess?” he asked.
“Ff-f-four f-ff-f-fifty.” I smiled, contentment
washing over me despite how battered I was. I was so lucky in so many ways. To
have such an amazing and eclectic family, and such a wonderful circle of
friends… I couldn’t ask for much more right now, except maybe someone to share
it with. That would come in its own time though. So long as someone was willing
to settle for me.
I pushed those thoughts away as I brushed the
top of each biscuit with the honey and butter mixture. Aaron popped them into
the oven once it was preheated. I set my old fashioned kitchen timer to eleven
minutes and I washed my hands.
We would have about two dozen biscuits when
all was said and done. If they didn’t all go tonight I would make mini
sandwiches out of the rest with some Havarti cheese and Italian dry salami for
a snack or lunch the next day.
I had set four places at the lunch counter
when John Baker came in the side door and into my kitchen. I smiled and held up
a plate with a questioning look.
“Jesus Jess, look what they did to you.” He
looked pained and I shrugged a shoulder inelegantly and dropped my gaze to the
floor.
“Hey man, don’t make her feel bad!” Aaron
exclaimed.
I set a fifth place behind the counter where I
could stand and eat without waiting for John to reply on if he was staying or
not. I made myself busy by getting out the ever ready pitcher of sweet tea from
the fridge. I swear my aunt had been a southern belle in a former life. I
smiled and put out four tall glasses at the set places and one beside my own
plate, putting ice from the front of my fridge into each one before filling
them with tea. John was grimacing.
“Sorry Jess, I didn’t mean anything by it.” he
said taking a seat at the counter. I picked up my board.
I know. I’ll heal up and it’ll be like it
never happened.
I put on a brave smile. It was very
quiet in my kitchen all of a sudden. Everyone present knew the lie of my words.
Me most of all.
Aaron ring Charlie and Hunter in.
I wrote next.
“Yes ma’am!”
“He’s still here?” John asked, expression
darkening.
Yes. Be nice. He’s going to be around for
the next few days to help out around here.
I gave him a pointed look.
“Jesus Jess, you don’t know anything about the
guy!” he hissed in a whisper shout. The main object of our discussion was
headed this way the clanging of the triangle dying out. Watching Hunter stride
across the yard made my heart give an erratic thump in my chest. He was all
corded muscle that rippled with this insane grace as he moved. I swallowed
hard.
I gave John a look that plaintively said
‘Be
nice’
as they all came in.
“Sit down before you fall down Jess.” Charlie
snarled in his typical way. I waved him off and indicated Aaron should sit
down. He shook his head.
“Guys, take your plates to the table otherwise
one of us is going to end up standing and you know it’s gonna be Jess. She’s
too stubborn.” I glared at him and there was some laughter but everyone did as
they were told. Taking their settings over to the six person dining room table
that was rarely used.
I took the first wave of biscuits out of the
oven and checked the pies. They came out too. I set them on the lunch counter
to cool and I handed John some pot holders to put out on the table. Hunter took
one of the pans of Hamburger Helper over, serving some up on each plate.
The mood was pretty harmonious as everyone
pitched in to set the table, bring over glasses and the pitcher of tea and the
like. I brought over jam, honey and butter for the biscuits which went into a
basket, a dish towel in it to keep them warm.
The first pan of Helper returned to the
kitchen empty and clattered into the sink. The next pan went on to some pot
holders on the table for seconds to be served up if needed.
I took my seat at the head of the table,
Hunter on my left, Charlie on my right. Charlie bowed his head and the rest of
us followed suit. He gave thanks to the spirit of the animal we were about to
consume and to the earth for the other bounties that it provided us. He also
gave thanks to the spirits and ancestors that led Hunter to the barn the day
before.
A hush descended on the table before everyone
dug into their food.
You would think I would feel out of place, the
only girl at a table full of men, but not so much. I was comfortable with and
comforted by everyone present. Charlie broke the silence first.
“Yer Uncle Dave and Aunt Margie will be up
sometime in the next couple of days.” He said. I glared at him mutinously.
“Don’t look at me in that tone of voice! You
know I had to call ‘em.” He grumbled.
“He’s right, they’re your family and they
should be here.” Hunter murmured. I sighed. I knew they were right.
I looked around and realized I left my writing
board over on the kitchen counter.
“I’ll get it.” Aaron jumped up and went over
and brought it back to me without being asked. I smiled at him and gave him a
thumbs up in thanks.
I just don’t want anyone to worry, or to
see me like this. Especially not those two. Margie can be overprotective at the
best of times.
I grimaced.
“They do it because they love yah kid.” I gave
Charlie a look like
‘well duh’
and he smiled.
“So Hunter, Jessamine tells me you’re staying
around for a while.” John broke in. I tucked into my food. I wanted to see how
Hunter would handle this.
“That’s right. There are some things around
here that could use some attention.” He said, taking another bite.
“Well you know, I’ve offered to come by and do
them so you could probably leave anytime. Say, like tomorrow.” John smiled but
it wasn’t nice. I sat up straighter in my chair, pretty incensed that he would
have the nerve to say such things. Like he had any say on who did what on my
property.
I gave him a look that could burn the house
down around his ears. Aaron had seen it a time or two, so had Charlie, they
know what it meant and both of them kind of shrank in their seats. Waiting to
see what would happen.
I didn’t get mad often but when I did it could
be pretty spectacular. Hunter’s voice, calm with an underlying steel, gave
voice to exactly what I was thinking.
“Well Mr. Baker, I don’t believe you’re in any
position to tell me what I could and could not be doing when it comes to
Jessamine and her property. Especially with her sitting right here. All due
respect, you don’t live here, Jessamine does and she is a grown woman capable
of making her own decisions.” Hunter locked eyes with me, the warm caramel
color making my center all soft and gooey.
I nodded in both agreement and thanks. Hunter
nodded his head once clearly catching the double meaning. I picked up my white
board.
I know you mean well, but this is MY house
and MY life John. I’m the one who makes the decisions on who’s in it and when.
We clear?
John almost choked on his bite of food.
Charlie clapped him on the back while simultaneously laughing uproariously.
“John m’boy, I believe you just got
told.
”
He continued to cackle, he winked at me, eyes shining with pride and I smiled,
wincing inwardly. I may have been too harsh, but damn it, I wasn’t
completely
helpless.
John finished his meal and got up to go.
Charlie smacked his glass onto the table.
“Sit down boy, maybe some of Jessamine’s pie
will sooth your wounded pride, but damned if you didn’t have it comin’. Jess is
her own person and we can all agree none of us want to see her hurt.” Charlie’s
dark brown eyes roamed my face.
“We aren’t always goin’ t’ be able to keep it
from happenin’ her getting’ hurt I mean, but we damn sure can always be here to
pick up the pieces when it does. Long as the spirit wills it anyhow.” He leaned
back in his seat and crossed his arms, giving me a lingering look before
turning his gaze on John.
My shoulders slumped and I tried not to sniff
even though my eyes were welling up again. I didn’t want to ever think about a
life without Charlie in it. He was my best friend and my rock despite our age
difference. He was in his early seventies though and me, well I was almost
thirty, so he didn’t have a lot of time left and me, well I had too much. There
would be a gap at some point and I wasn’t looking forward to it.
Charlie put his hand over my own where it
rested on the table and gave it a squeeze. I smiled at him and he smiled back.
“John, sit your ass down. Boy, make us some
coffee. Hunter you clear these dishes and I’ll get the pie.” He got up and
shoved his chair in. John sat down with a stunned expression, I don’t think he
was used to being talked to that way and I grimaced inwardly. Charlie was rough
around the edges on a good day, I was pretty sure that given the events of the
last couple of days, that today was not being considered a good one but despite
my physical appearance and injuries, my spirits were up pretty high.