The cold of the morning bit at her nose as she started to register the world about her. The room was this golden glow that overwhelmed her eyes then. Lyn’s hands ran to rouse her eyelids. The warmth of them was comforting as she clawed at her face in weak protests. Her vision slid to the corner of the room where Mercer sat sleeping quietly in his cradle. His presence there in the cradle next to her was comforting in a way she couldn’t describe.

  Lyn sat up from the bed, motivated to see the wonder she brought into this world. The cold air nipped at her body as she crossed the room delicately. Lyn’s hands slipped under the swaddle that Mercer was and smiled. Her hands found the warmth Mercer left in bed. “Oh… little one…” She cooed at the baby in her arms, her smile finding its place. She gently swayed with him in her arms settling the newborn’s mewling. She started to walk to the kitchen, needing to get the hearth roaring again for a warm home.

  “Katie?” Lyn spoke, her voice faintly echoing in the home. She rounded the corner and into the kitchen. With a few deft movements of one free hand, Lyn managed to refuel the hearth with some split firewood. Lyn spoke aloud again. “Katie, wake up.” She then took out a small pot to put some black sap to boil. She carefully ground the dark brown beans with a mortar and pestle. Smelling deep the earthy aroma as they crushed down into a fine powder. Lyn saw Katie creeping around the corner of the kitchen not too long after brewing the black sap. A smile found Lyn then, reminded of herself at that age.

  “Good morning, Miss Lyn.” Katie said formerly. The youth set herself to be useful as they waited for Lyn’s brew. Her hands flying over the remnants of the meals last night from prior visitors. The same remnants of food and garbage Katie was too tired to clean the night prior.

  Lyn saw the few things Katie was working on and began to serve two cups of dark earthy drink. The house was almost ideal… If Grant was here life would be perfect. Just the four of them, living together in what felt like bliss. Lyn curled a hand around her cup and sipped at it tentatively. “Katie.” Lyn said before taking a small sip. The small wisps of steam reached up to tickle Lyn’s senses.

  “Yes, Miss Lyn?” Katie froze there for a moment, wondering if she had done wrong then. The room clattered and echoed with her movements as if to confirm Lyn’s theory.

  “I need to go into town today and supplement the home’s income.” Lyn chimed after feeling the bleeding warmth of the drink. She felt the steam rise into her nose and eyes. Filling her with the drive to face today as a new mother alone with her child. “We can’t expect Grant to do everything himself. Would you prefer to stay here and watch Mercer, or do you want to come with me?” Lyn asked with a smile on her face as she swirled her cup of dark earthy drink.

  Katie shook her head softly. “Miss Lyn… I don’t much like going into town unless I go shopping for the house. Maybe you could take Anthony with you?” Katie added hopefully. “I wouldn’t want to see you go at it alone. Who knows what you might run into out there in town?”

  Lyn saw Katie walk from the living room to the kitchen with her light haul of dishes. She worked carefully with them. Cleaning them with care and expertise Katie came to display in everyday chores. Katie reached out to take her mug of sap and sipped it between dishes. Lyn rolled her hand around to swirl the drink as she processed what Katie suggested. “I could. But he has a lot of work on his plate. I think he’s hard-pressed between his care of the vestry and here at the house if I’m honest.” Lyn said as she watched the swirling drink in her hand. She leaned over and pulled Mercer closer to her in the same motion.

  Katie’s nimble hands finished the dishes shortly after starting the remnants. Carefully, she leant over and gently eased Mercer out of Lyn’s arm. It was instinctual then, to share the load and ease aching muscles when holding a 12-pound weight. “You shouldn’t go at it alone out there regardless.” Katie said with care. Seeing Lyn’s illuminated silhouette as she stood with her back to the rising sun. Katie rocked Mercer gently, warming her hands with the soft bundle of white linens that made his swaddle.

  Lyn could feel the rays warming her back as she saw Katie. Her wonderful bundle of Joy swaddled up in Katie’s arms as she stood in Lyn’s shadow. “You would handle motherhood well Katie…” Lyn blurted out. Realizing what she said, Lyn lifted the mug of bitter drink to her lips. Trying to obfuscate her smile with an audible sip of bitter black sap.

  Katie felt awkward at the thought of that, swaying a little to calm Mercer then. She looked at him and said nothing.

  Lyn smiled as she saw that. “What do you suggest I do then? Grant and I are a team. We don’t just stay in while the other works. Do you have any ideas that might help escort me to and from town?” Lyn said with a faint smile on her lips.

  Katie frowned, holding Mercer in her arms reminded her to look at the baby. He was still asleep, surprisingly enough. “I… I don’t know.” She said while brushing away some of the fabric from the sleeping angel’s face.

  Lyn shrugged and curled both of her hands around the mug. “I don’t know either… I think- or well I know Dawn’s coming over. She might know.” Lyn said lifting the mug to her mouth. She took a sip of the bitter drink and sat down. “Let’s get the place ready for company then. Maybe our friends know a thing or two that we’re overlooking.”

  Katie nodded and moved to place Mercer into the crib. “Okay, I’ll go and grab our nicer table mat, maybe you can make some more black sap. This batch was excellent Lyn.” She said finishing her drink quickly.

  Lyn nodded and thought about it. “Okay.” Lyn sat her drink down and started another batch, her hands darting over supplies already strewn across the countertop. In this batch, Lyn had access to early tapped mable sap and added it alongside sweet-bark and candied firefruit peel. She felt the strong earthy aroma mellow out into this beautifully sweet and flowery aroma that spread easily through the home. The residual smell of the herbs and spices she added to the batch were potent enough to prick the senses out to the fenceline of the house. Lyn knew she had a good batch as she labored around the house. Going in and out to take care of minor necessities around the property.

  She spent the next hour getting the house ready for company, only to spot Dawn in her garden rows looking over a few things from her kitchen window. Lyn imagined Dawn could already smell the amazing black sap that sat in a warm glass jug on the hearth. She also saw Dawn’s apron heavy with eggs freshly collected that morning. “Oh! Hey Dawn!” Lyn said with excitement. Lyn abandoned her mid-action tasks to let Dawn in. “Please, come on in!” She said waving.

  Dawn Kellen, the stocky plain clothed woman she was, smiled with this large toothy grin. “Oh hey!” She said, waddling over to enter the home. “The garden is coming in really nice this year!” She said with half chuckle. “Did Grant follow my tips on manure?” she asked.

  “Oh… I don’t really know much about manure Dawn…” Lyn answered honestly. “I know he did buy some. I don’t know if he applied it like you instructed though.” She said as she gestured Dawn to sit. “Please have a seat, I’ll get you some black sap soon. How was your morning?” Lyn asked with a smile.

  Katie rounded the corner and ran to hug Dawn then in full sprint. Katie leapt into a full bear hug, burying her face into Dawn’s neck.

  Dawn lurched and bellowed from the assault. “Oh! Oh! Lass! It’s good to see you!” She returned the hug and patted Katie’s shoulders in return. “Lyn, where do you keep this little firebrand?!” Dawn chortled, her heaving shook Katie as they both smiled and laughed.

  Katie nuzzled deeper into the hug a moment before breaking it. “I like the crawlspaces.” She retorted in mischievous reply.

  Dawn smiled with her toothy grin again. “You little rascal.” She said before offloading eggs and returning to Lyn’s question. “I’m doing good! Jakob is out again.” Dawn let her eyes bulge and roll as if it were a surprise. “Home alone again.” She said without mirth or joy. “Ah, but it’s what happens when your nest is empty.” She said, piling the final set of eggs onto the table. “How’s Mercer?” She asked quickly.

  Lyn smiled and brought over a steaming cup of black sap. “He’s good!” She said with a smile, setting the cup down and taking the eggs in return. “He’s doing great honestly. I keep getting glares from my neighbors.” Lyn said with a bit of mirth. “I’m told the crones would have nabbed him up if they hadn’t had to fend Grant off.” Lyn said beaming. Her hands darted over the table and quickly set a small plate of crackers and some leftover sweetbread.

  Dawn laughed, the sweet chortle carried through the home and out into the Garden. Lyn saw some of her neighbors turning their heads to see the commotion as they handled their homely chores. She smiled up at Lyn as a piece of sweet bread sat pinched between her fingers. “Grant’s survived marriage, they know they have nothing on him!” She said loudly, her warmth spread to Katie as she ate.

  Katie served herself some food and sat at the table with Dawn, enjoying the fragrant black sap with a good friend. “How’s the Garden Dawn?” She asked with a smile.

  “It’s good! Very good! Just some winter Tearbulb, Brownbulb, Whitebulb, Drumhead, Stingshot, Wrymfang…” Dawn counted on her fingers. “I’m sure I have more in there. I can’t remember it all now.” Dawn rocked in her chair as she took a sip of the black sap. “Oh wow! This is great Lyn! I’m telling you; this is some of the best sap I’ve had in a long time. You should open a café!” She said nursing her drink with care.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Lyn flushed with pride as Dawn spoke. “Aww… well… I would love to… But you’d be the only customer, Dawn.” She said sheepishly. Lyn shuffled to the hearth and did some tidy work to keep it clean.

  Dawn shook her head. “No, I mean it Lyn! You should really give it a shot! This sap is so sweet and fruity, I love it!” She said loudly, trying to affirm her appraisal of the drink. “It’s so homely here too, I love how you’ve decorated your home.” Dawn’s eyes swept over the simple adornments in the room picking up on the treated timbers and sprigs of drying herbs about the place. “The faithful in town keep such bare decorations in their homes. I feel so… empty over there. But here, Lyn, this place is alive. Your home is so warm and welcoming.”

  Lyn smiled at the genuine compliment. “Aw, Dawn, thank you.” Lyn blushed. “Well… If you’re insisting… But I don’t have the money to set up a shop in town. Even then the charm would be washed out by the faithful. I like it right here on the very edge. It’s so cozy and nice here.” Lyn said as she swept ashes from the hearth.

  Katie perked up. “Who says you must open a shop in town Lyn? Home’s plenty fine enough to work out of. My mom darns and starches clothes from her home, has for years. You should’ve seen my room back home. It was filled to the brim with stranger’s hanging clothes.” Katie’s hands curled around a small cup as she spoke, swirling the contents. “We could invite the rest of the ladies as time goes on too, and maybe they can bring their friends. It might be a little packed. But I hear Grant’s going to build a second home on the property…” Katie said with a small smile. “Maybe we can occupy it while your folks make their way here…” Katie gave a mischievous smile to Lyn then.

  Lyn nodded. “I think that is a wonderful idea Katie… But there’s the issue that it isn’t much more than a wooden platform right now. I don’t even think Anthony has even started on the hay bales yet.” Lyn wondered. “I don’t even know how Grant plans on getting the place built before my folks come over. He won’t share that with me.”

  Dawn smiled and set her drink down. “Darling, if you knew how he was going to have it built you’d stop it.” Dawn said sweetly. “It’s best to let him get it built and then work him later after its done.” She took a piece of sweet bread and nibbled on it.

  Katie nodded. “The…” Katie looked Lyn in the eyes as she spoke. “…reprobate… would build it in a way that suits his method…” Katie affirmed as she squirreled away a piece of sweetbread into her mouth.

  Lyn sighed and nodded. “I know… but…”

  Dawn shook her head. “Lyn, don’t ask about it.”

  Lyn looked defeated then, and looked through the front room window to see the raised platform. “Okay… I trust you and Grant…” Lyn sighed deeply. “Anyway, Katie and I were talking about ways to make some money on the side Dawn…”

  Dawn smiled. “The Café! I’m telling you your sap is amazing, Lyn. Let’s wait until Martha comes in, and we can run it past her.” Dawn polished off her cup of Sap. “I don’t have any other chores If you’re willing to chew the fat with me.”

  Before she knew it, Lyn reached for the pot to find it mysteriously empty. She looked outside to see the sun having gone from brilliant gold to a stark and shining yellow / white in the sky. The morning dew had drained into the soil, and the early fog bled off into the afternoon. Her hands quickly darted over the usual equipment to start a second pot and looked over to the others.

  Lyn looked over her shoulder to speak. “Katie, can you draw me some more water please? Martha’s going to be here soon- “

  The front door announced to the room that a visitor had come. Katie stood up and started to the door. “One moment!” Katie said in a raised voice. In a few strides, she made her way to the door. The solid slab of wood slid open to reveal Martha.

  She was dressed in a warm yellow sundress that flowed at the ankles. Its straps were this beautiful fine lace that she had received as a gift from Eliza. In Martha’s hands was a small basket brimming with bread, jam, and soap.

  Lyn smiled and walked over to exchange a wide hug with her friend. The exchange maybe took a few seconds but left this warmth lingering in the air. The room started to fill with the pleasant smell of lavender soap and freshly baked bread.

  “Come on in Martha, the hearth is warm and I have some sap for you.” Lyn said with affection.

  Martha almost melted into the room as she took a seat behind the table with Dawn. “Hey Dawn, how’s Jakob?” Her smile was infectious, spreading to Dawn, Katie and Lyn.

  Dawn nodded and handed Martha some eggs for a load of bread in return. “He’s good. His side of the bed is going to be cold for the next two weeks though.” She said with the first rare hint of humility. “I bet you’re glad to be here away from the smell of piss?” She said with mirth.

  Martha gave this ugly snort that devolved into a chortle. “Oh, fields of green, yes. I don’t miss the house. Please let me die here Lyn, your home smells so nice.” Martha raised a hand to shade herself from wilting from the sun in the rafters. The small home, protesting her mock performance, sat in quiet refusal of such a notion. Its solid drab white-tan plaster walls a fort against the sheer lies the woman spouted.

  Dawn smiled at the feint and had another sip of her sap. “Sap’s good today, I keep telling Lyn to set up a café, but she won’t listen to me!” She said with volume, her woes playing out to an inured audience.

  Martha and Katie mimicked each other to a tee then. They both shared a faint smile. The same you’d give to a younger brother or sister if they did something funny or cute. “Lyn, Dawn is speaking some truth here.” Martha said as she adjusted one of the fine lace straps of her dress. “You have an audience that could really liven this place at the least. As the moss grows in the wood, I will show with tenth pieces to just have a good cup of Sap and the smell of sweetbark and firefruit.”

  Dawn slapped the table; the modest earthenware clattered with her might. “That’s two votes Lyn!” She said with excitement. “I can see it already. Martha selling her fine lace by showcasing the table, your sap and smoke stories lighting the room, my eggs and Brownbulb hash baking in the Hearth!” Dawn’s eyes sparkled with a vision of the future. “Oh its already looking like you’re going to have to convince Grant to make the new home he’s building that much larger.” Dawn said with a cheeky smile.

  Katie clapped her hands. “Oh yes! Make it three votes!” She said with excitement.

  Lyn smiled as she heard the three start their gossip, thoughts on the future, and the wealth of life they were living. She could imagine their excitement for the future; she could feel the warmth of the sap she makes so lovingly. The smell of the herbs and spices she loves to use permeating the drink and the home all at once. She could see the faces of the church turning up their noses to acknowledge that the little folk traditions of life, love, and family are all still alive out here. Much to their chagrin. Lyn nodded and smiled. “I think it might work out well… But I want to hear what the others would say about this.”

  The four spoke and began laying the plans in elegant filigree around the modest home. Dawn laid out a workable meal plan, explaining what she could cook here based off what her garden could provide. Katie nodded and laid out plans on how to arrange the home when it wasn’t in use for domestic needs. Martha smiled and laid out how a shop could be formatted around the building to sell goods. Lyn, out of sheer surprise, was swept up in the commotion, mostly able to display what she could weave with her folk knowledge in trinkets and services. Throughout the day they all had drained another pot of sap, and another two were made for the next arrivals in the late afternoon.

  Eliza and Brigid joined, lured in by the smell of fresh sap and chirping gossip seeping from the small confines of the home. The two additions made the table short on space. However, none of its hosts seemed to mind rubbing elbows as they shared sap, gossip, and food.

  Eliza came first dressed in her simple black pious dress. A small white covering on her head allowed her to keep her hair from following the wind. Usually Eliza wouldn’t congregate with folk, as scripture dictates to fly with the flock. However, she knew that the men of the cloth were understanding and kind by nature. They always chased the sermons with good bread and gossip according to the virtues of their holy books. Eliza was human, and like the priests who drank fine wines in secret. Her indulgence was real human connection with friends in their homes and a good cup of sap.

  Eliza wasn’t very talkative; in fact, she preferred to remain quiet. Not so much out of shyness, no, she liked the atmosphere plain and simple. This was a group she could sit in the presence of and feel at home. This is where she could get her best embroidery done. She did this more to work out stress from the church and to have something to show for it.

  Dawn stood and ran to Eliza as she stepped through the threshold of the shrinking home. “Eliza!” Her arms bolted closed around the petite woman. “I was wondering when you’d be in!” Dawn slipped her dwindling supply of eggs into Eliza’s hands. However, she didn’t receive, or expect to receive, anything in return.

  Eliza smiled and endured the confinement as Dawn hugged with might. “Hi!” She said in her soft but present voice. “The house is so small!” She said in a surprised voice.

  Lyn and Katie nodded in unison then. “I think I do have to tell Grant to expand the home…” Lyn’s voice sounded guilty as she did. “I might end up charging him more than what we could make from working a shop here…” she said further, concern eking into her voice.

  Eliza smirked, knowing that concern herself. “Oh hush. He will be thankful to have you give him purpose.” Eliza quietly waltzed in and took a seat.

  Brigid smiled as she sat her candles around the room, only pausing to speak. “Boys love being given purpose Lyn. You just need a long-lasting candle, and he will be yours until first light.~” She winked and kept moving about the modest home.

  Lyn could see, in that moment, the tease that Brigid brought to the group. In a quick flash Lyn scanned each face there. Katie flushed lightly, her hands furtively working a non-task. Dawn was smiling and about to laugh. Eliza smiled faintly as she was setting up her quilting station. Martha started swatting the air between her and Brigid.

  “Brigid- saints preserve us!” Martha said, her smile radiating her amusement. The two made eye contact and laughter burst out from the corners of the home.

  Lyn stood in the Hearth and knew then she was happy, amongst friends and family. Her hands grabbed the fourth pot of black sap and refreshed the room’s drinks. She noticed that once the group was all together the sap seemed to pour faster, more cups for the same size pot tends to do that.

  Brigid finished with setting her candles out, came to the table with a sultry smile. “Are we still trying to convince Lyn to start the brothel?” She said teasingly.

  Like the walls of the old broken Waterspine, Dawn’s laugh shook the walls. Her hand crashed with the surface of the table. Earthenware shook.

  Martha went rigid, covering her mouth, a horrified laugh escaped her lips as she swatted the air again with her free hand. “Brigid! Don’t speak like that where the Hearth can hear!”

  Katie choked on her sip of Sap, she coughed into her cup and sprayed it across her face and the table. Eliciting another powerful chortle from Dawn.

  Eliza chuckled and settled into her task, knowing that this meeting was going to be damned good one. She softly spoke, as if to keep the illusion of her presence here moral. “Brigid… please.”

  Lyn let out a warm laugh, and leaned over to pick up Mercer. “There’s a child present Brigid.” She reminded warmly to her friend.

  Brigid smirked and found her way to see the youth. “Speaking of fine young studs…” She looked down and felt the warmth of motherhood glowing from Lyn. “What a cutie…” Brigid knelt slightly, resting a hand on her knee and lowering her free hand to gently press the newborn’s own nose. “He’s so adorable… I could gobble him up!”

  Lyn adjusted her hold on the baby, her eyes resting on Mercer’s own. “I think that too when I see him.” She brushed some of the fabric from his face. Looking back up to the group, she relented to their demands. “Okay. I'll start a café here. But I can’t do it alone.”