CHAPTER 9
The next three days passed quickly, with Sara Beth settling into a daily routine of cooking, cleaning, and working on the garden plot. She’d struggled with guilt when Layken insisted she put the only fan in the house in her bedroom at night.
“What about you?” she’d asked.
“I’m used to sleeping in conditions a lot worse and hotter than this. I don’t need it.”
In the end, she accepted, thankful for the cool air the fan provided. And the noise helped mute the sobs that she’d been unable to stifle that first night. She’d never felt so alone, forsaken, and forlorn, despite Layken’s kindness. She fell asleep each night dreaming about her beautiful mother laying a cool hand on her brow.
While Layken plowed the field, she pulled weeds and hoed the garden. Then, in the evenings, Layk
