Free Two Brides Too Many by Mona Hodgson Page A

eyebrows raised and her eyes wide open, Kat waddled toward Rosita, bouncing the white cotton bunny in the air. The little girl scrambled to her feet and reached for HopHop.
    “Rosita, my mother made this bunny for me when she was sick. After she died, whenever I was feeling sad, I’d hold HopHop tight.”
    “I remember that.” Nell nodded, blinking back her tears.
    “I almost didn’t bring HopHop across the country, thinking it was a childish thing to carry into a new life. Now I know why I brought him.”
    Nell gave Kat a big smile, and then a gentle hug.
    Less than ten minutes later, Rosita snuggled HopHop under her quilt. Kat rotated the switch on the wall, shutting off the bare lightbulb hanging from the ceiling above them. Nell crawled into bed, letting her weary body sink into the soft cradle of the mattress.
    Please, God, comfort Rosita. Please be with my Judson, and bring him to me. And, God, please bring a man to Kat who will cherish her as she so deserves .

E LEVEN

    T hursday after lunch, Kat watched the parade of boarders that filed into Hattie’s kitchen, carrying their soiled plates and cups. Fortunately, Lucille had helped steady the little ones who toddled through with their dishes and the salt and pepper shakers. Now, the mothers and their children, along with Hattie and Rosita, had all gone up to their rooms for an afternoon rest. Kat was ready to do the same, once she and Nell finished cleaning up the kitchen.
    Lucille’s baby cousin had cried about every two hours last night, waking the whole house, and sometime in the wee hours of the morning, Rosita awakened with a bad dream. She, Nell, Kat, and the cloth bunny ended up sharing the bed, which was a tight fit to begin with.
    While Nell pinned Kat’s hair up before breakfast, the landlady came to their room seeking their help. Extra mouths to feed meant more kitchen work, and as a result, Hattie offered the sisters discounted rent in exchange for their help in the kitchen. Nell had agreed on the condition that Kat do “light duty” until her shoulder healed. Consequently, she’d been relegated the job of washing dishes, and that’swhy she stood at the cupboard now, looking at the stacks of dirty dishes and wondering where to start. The sooner she finished her task, the sooner she could rest, so she reached to lift the stack of plates. Her shoulder rebelled, and Kat flinched, while her sister clucked her tongue.
    “Oh, no you don’t. I’ll get those.” Nell wagged her finger, rushing to Kat’s side. “No lifting, remember?”
    Nodding, Kat stepped out of Nell’s way. “Thank you.”
    Nell set the stack of plates in the tub of hot water, and Kat watched pungent lye suds poof and rise, then fade.
    Rise and fade.
    That’s what had happened to her life as Mrs. Patrick Maloney.
    That’s what had happened to Rosita’s mother.
    Kat couldn’t let it happen to her. Her time here on earth…in Cripple Creek…had to count for something.
    “I don’t think you should go out today.” Nell scooted the cups and flatware toward the wash basin. “You need to rest.”
    “Instead of going to look for Rosita’s ‘family’?”
    “Yes. Hattie said having her here isn’t a problem, and there are other children for her to play with. You saw her this morning with Thelma’s little girl. She seems to be warming up to her.”
    Kat scrubbed a plate, rubbing her dishcloth across its face, even after it was clean. “We can’t keep her here indefinitely. We have other things to do.” She handed the dish to Nell. “Our room is crowded.”
    “I know, but we can manage another day or two.”
    The iron door knocker rapped on the front door, and Kat dried her hands on her apron. She hoped it wasn’t more people needing a place to stay.
    Since Hattie was upstairs with Rosita, the sisters went to the door. Kat pulled it open to find the younger nun from the reservoir and a tall, lanky man on the porch. Both of them looked as though they’d been chewing