Ing awakened in a charming little room at the Land farm. It was early morning when she woke to the smell of pancakes:
"I hardly remember the ride here. I was just so miserable, my feet were cold and my stomach felt like I was at sea. Leaving college was a disappointment, leaving Scot was horrible."
Eng tried to push her hair into submission, and paused to look at the pictures by her bed.
"Scot has told me so often how important family is to him. I never had much family; I hope his family likes me."




Scot's youngest sister, Delta, was serving pastries.
"Could have sworn I smelled pancakes. Pregnancy is weird. Oh gosh, look at her makeup!"
"Mrs. Land.." Eng started. Beulah started laughing. Homer continued to eat - serious business.
"Lawd, child, call me Momma", Beulah said, "or at least Beulah."
"I just wanted to thank you for letting me come here. I can't tell you how much your kindness means to me."
"Oh, it's my pleasure. I hope you had a good rest last night. We don't have anything fancy here, just wholesome food and good company."
"The bed was very comfy, thank you...Beulah", Eng said. "But I hope I'm not taking someone else's room. I noticed a stuffed bear.."
"Oh, that old thing", beamed Beulah, "that's a sort of keep-sake. It belonged to me when I was little, now it sort of belongs to Mary's daughter SueEllen. The room you are in will be her room...later. I think Homer and I should take the down stairs bedroom for now, so we'll be near the baby. Then when Scot comes home you two can have that room. I'm hoping by then Homer can put in a proper bathroom downstairs."

After another few pastries (and wondering what lunch would be) Eng got acquainted with Delta.
"You have such pretty skin, you hardly NEED makeup. What do you think of THIS?"




Delta felt comfortable enough with Eng to say:
"I used to think I was too plain, that no one would think I was pretty. You know Scot's friend likes me...but he doesn't know I kissed a boy before him; Rocky Beech. I haven't told him about Pooter, cause what if Pooter was just messing with me? I don't know much about babies and stuff, you know. I listed to Mary talk to Dixie about all that, but it didn't make much sense. All that giggling and screaming and spinning around and then POP there's a baby."






"Wow", thought Eng, "where did all THAT come from!" But to Delta she said, "Oh, babies are no secret. I guess people like to pretend that birth is easy, you don't even have to take your clothes off and the baby just lands in your arms." They both laughed at that, but Delta thought "But then what DOES happen?"
"No", continued Eng, it's men and love and all that stuff that gets complicated. A frown crossed her face.
"Do you need to lay down", Delta asked.
"Oh, I'm fine, sweety", Eng smiled, "But do you know how to make pancakes?"


Eng was easy to like, with her shy smile and gentle ways. She loved playing with Mary's toddlers, Clovis and Sue Ellen. And she was grateful to have such a comfortable house to live in. But without Scot it didn't really seem like HOME.



================================================
A few months later, a party was held for the toddlers. Eng knew that Homer didn't like socializing, so she was surprised that Beulah knew people to invite to a party.
"I think you should meet some people, this IS going to be your home, after all. They have their 'ways' like all people do. Some of them are a bit uppity. But they're not as bad as Homer makes them out to be"

Eng had met Mary, but rarely ran into her. In the yard she would continue her furious hoeing or weeding as though she didn't hear Eng try to talk to her. She seemed to be lost in her own world.


Eng was making an effort to get to know the people of Widespot.
"I suppose it was an honor to be invited to the Mann house, Beulah came with me but I was not surprised that Homer was too busy. I WAS surprised to see Rhett Hart there - I had even heard about his reputation in college! But he didn't cause any problems. Which doesn't mean there was nothing to gossip about! Can you believe the POLICE showed up to break up the party! Mrs. Mann says Daytona Beech probably called to complain, and looked mortified. She kept apologizing and talking about her reputation and what a gossip Daytona was. Beulah and I laughed about the whole silly thing all the way home.


=============
And in the fullness of time, Eng's time came...
She named her daughter Grace.


Beulah was my midwife, said I was made for having babies and it was an easy birth. Easy for HER to say! But I was grateful to be in her capable hands. Homer made a precious little cradle. He is so proud of it! But if I don't get a "normal" crib I'll never get over this backache.


As Eng looked at all the baby things, she thought, "I have everything I need for the baby. All thanks to Scot's family. I am so blessed".


Clovis greeted the baby with a "Hay, baby, you want to play with my ball?"
"Let me hold my grand baby", cooed Beulah, as Sue Ellen jumped around her. "Gramma, let ME see, let me play with Grace! Can I give her my bear, can I Gramma! Huh, huh, can I Gramma!"




"Wooah, girl", Beulah laughed, "Best wait till she's a bit older, you don't want baby STUFF on your old bear, do you?"
"You mean like baby poo?" Clovis giggled. Sue Ellen took a swing at her snotty brother, who ran down the hall singing "baby poo, baby poo", with Sue Ellen running after him pretending to be disgusted.

Eng had gone to the room that the children shared; looking at the old bear, she thought, "Beulah told me how this used to be HER bear, and she wanted to pass it down to her grandchildren. It looks like she might have LOTS of grandchildren, so I don't know where it will wind up, but I can tell it will always be special." She put the old stuffed toy on the dresser in the little room she was using, which would be Sue Ellen's room when Scot came home.


"Scot? We have a daughter! Hello? Scot? Oh, for goodness sake will you stop hollering. Yes dear, I can't wait to see you too."

"um, what can I fix for supper? Beulah has been teaching me to make pies and bread. Those fresh sour-dough loafs would be good with spaghetti. And I can pick berries for pie. I'm so excited!"


It took less than an hour for Scot to get home from the college in the pines; Beulah wa holding his freshly powdered daughter. He touched her perfect tiny hand, and she held onto his finger.
"Wow...oh wow" he said wisely. "She's just, well, LITTLE. And PRETTY! Wow!"


By dessert, Scot had calmed down enough to flirt with Eng, and enjoy a "congratulations" from his father.




Eng: "Scot stayed the night, of course. We just held each other and talked. He kissed me so gently, I had to remind him I wouldn't break. He kept waking me up, just touching my hair or kissing my shoulder. Geeze, I'm exhausted. I only vaguely remember him leaving to go back to college."


After saying good-bye to his parents, and reluctantly putting his baby down, Scot said good-bye to his sister.
"I know everyone has been expecting me to come down some weekend and have a quick marriage. The reason I haven't is because it's not going to take another year and a half to finish college. I didn't take a summer break (obviously), and I'm taking accelerated courses. I'll be through in just a few months! I want to surprise Eng. So maybe you and mom can plan a proper wedding; a party, guests, the whole bit."

With Beulah and Homer insisting on doing night feedings, Eng quickly recovered from the "easy childbirth". Mary had more to do in the gardens, but was spending all of her free time in her room - doing God-only-knows-what.




One morning, as Beulah hugged Sue Ellen as she left for school, Eng began a mission to meet the neighbors. First stop was the little Soggybottom house, where a teenager sold Eng the cutest PINK! puppy. "I think her name was Gretchen; wonder why she wasn't in school?"


Then Penny Weiss. "The STRANGEST woman! And not because of her color, I don't have a problem with people of color. She's just IMPOSSIBLE!"



"When I got home (home! yes, I already think of this as HOME!) I extracted one squirmy puppy from a damp area under a seat. It was warm out, he'll be fine in the back yard. But a gentleman was standing in the front hall. I sat the puppy down, and greeted Mr. Rich Man. He was a prominent member of this 'Widespot in the road', who obviously thought a lot of that position. I tried to be composed as the puppy chewed on my shoe. I thought it was going well until the little dog peed on Mr. Big Man's shoe. I don't think I laughed. I excused myself to put 'Puddles' in the yard with food and a puppy bed. Mr. Man and I had iced tea on the porch as Mother Land made lunch.
I was happy with myself, and my new life. I would be a lot happier if I were not a single mother."

===
River left for college as soon as he could - with a scholarship, of course.

Delta: "Family is important. But who IS this? Poppa's grandmother?"

The house is dark; waiting for Scot.