Sarah sat on the love seat sofa and immediately leaned back, closing her eyes to take a breath. The interaction with Mr. St. Claire must have exhausted her more than she thought.
“Long day?” Henry asked, and she opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling.
“Hmm…” Sarah muttered, eyes still fixed on the ceiling, “I met my suitor today at work.”
Henry lifted his eyes from the book and turned to Sarah, who seemed somewhat detached due to exhaustion.
“What did he say?”
Sarah recounted the entire conversation, and Henry couldn’t help but shake his head in disbelief at the suitor.
“That type of man must’ve grown up in an environment where he always gets what he wants,” Henry commented.
“That makes sense. He’s rich,” Sarah added. She then sat up straight, looking at Henry, “How was Daisy today?”
“Still energetic. Never running out of battery,” Henry replied, the exhaustion from dealing with the child all day evident on his face. “After her daycare, she persuaded me to play with her. I carved some wooden toys for her from the scrap woods, and she seemed to like them.”
Sarah couldn’t help but smile at Henry’s nonchalant tone while recounting his day with her daughter.
“I noticed that you are skilled in woodwork. Did you have experience with it, perhaps?”
“We used to live in the woods before the war broke out,” Henry simply replied, and Sarah immediately grasped the context. Thankfully, Henry didn’t want to delve into that part of his past with his real family.
Silence then ensued for a few moments. Sarah rose from her seat and began to tinker with the radio.
Soon, a soft and warm melody enveloped the quiet abode.
“I hope you don’t mind a little background noise,” Sarah said with a sheepish smile.
Henry shook his head. The silence was comfortable, but he didn’t mind the soothing tunes. He hadn’t had the chance to enjoy music since his days as a soldier.
She returned to her seat, closed her eyes, and hummed along with the tune on the radio.
Henry continued reading his book to pass the time. He no longer felt as sleepy and tired as he did a few moments ago. He wondered why.
It was another quiet evening, he mused, relaxing and sinking into the one-seater sofa. These nights were a stark contrast to the ones he was accustomed to on the border.
Although danger still loomed in this foreign land, Henry couldn’t fathom why he felt a sense of safety within the four corners of this house.
Was it because he hadn’t experienced this peace and quiet for a long time? Or perhaps, it was the novelty of being around people whose lives didn’t revolve around constant battles for survival or patriotism?
Henry closed his eyes, urging himself not to dwell too much on it. The feeling was fleeting, and he needed to focus on more pressing matters than analyzing the comfort he was experiencing.
The harsh reality of his situation couldn’t be denied, and he had to plan his escape as soon as possible. Surviving required careful consideration and swift action.
Henry closed the book and turned to Sarah. His eyes widened when he saw her already fast asleep, leaning into the backrest of the sofa in the most uncomfortable position possible. Yet, it seemed the woman didn’t mind, as she was deeply immersed in her slumber. She still wore her socks and her work dress, a testament to her exhaustion from the day’s work.
Recalling Sarah’s mention of her coworkers giving her a hard time due to her suitor, Henry wondered if that was the reason for her late arrival and evident fatigue. How petty could those coworkers be?
Approaching her, he gently shook her shoulders to wake her up, calling her name softly to avoid alarming her too much. However, all his efforts were in vain.
He could have left her to sleep on the sofa, but the thought of Daisy waking up and finding her mama missing crossed his mind. Besides, the sofa wasn’t exactly comfortable. Henry felt a pang of guilt that the owner of the house was sleeping on the sofa while he, the freeloader and guest, slept comfortably in her bed.
Sighing deeply, Henry decided to carry her to Daisy’s room. He noted how light Sarah was, causing him to doubt if she was eating properly or if her body simply digested food faster than normal. It felt like she was almost as light as her daughter.
Carefully, he lowered her onto Daisy’s bed beside the sleeping little girl. It seemed as if Daisy knew her mama was there, as she immediately put her arms around her, and Sarah instinctively hugged her daughter back in her sleep. Henry couldn’t deny the deep affection the mother and daughter shared.
He draped a blanket over the two of them, his gaze lingering on their figures for a moment. A stray wisp of hair caught his attention on Sarah’s face, prompting him to delicately tuck it behind her ear—an action he was unaware of. Quickly realizing his unintentional gesture, he promptly withdrew his hands, berating himself to regain composure.
Henry then left Daisy’s room, allowing the radio to finish the song before turning it off. He resigned himself to finally sleep in his room.
“You aim to earn your own keep?”
Henry revealed his intention to secure a means of earning the necessary funds promptly, expediting the execution of their plan. Having both of them contribute to the finances required for his escape, particularly for transportation, would significantly hasten the process.
Sarah discerned the urgency in Henry’s demeanor regarding their plan, acknowledging that his employment would expedite his escape. However, she harbored no objection to his staying a bit longer.
Quickly dispelling such thoughts, Sarah affirmed his departure. Henry had dutifully played his role as her faux husband, and she intended to honor her commitment to him. Moreover, prolonging his stay posed increasing dangers for both him and for her and Daisy. Sheltering a defector carried legal repercussions, and Sarah had no desire to face imprisonment. The sooner they moved forward, the safer they’d be.
“Well, I reckon I agree, but finding work in this small community might pose a challenge,” Sarah replied as she readied herself for the day’s labor, “Would it sit well with you if the work were more humble? You might not be accustomed, but I figure toiling in the town center or marketplace might draw undue attention, not just to you but to us as well.”
Henry had pondered the same concern. He preferred a job removed from the prying eyes of the community. Any task, however modest, would suffice. It would afford him the chance to scrutinize the surroundings, perhaps uncovering elements crucial for his escape or the radio repairs he’d been laboring over with no breakthrough.
“I’m fine with it. I’m a quick learner,” he affirmed, and Sarah nodded in understanding.
“In that case, I could introduce you to some folks who could use an extra pair of hands. How do you feel about farm work?”
“I can manage that,” Henry confirmed, though Sarah’s brow furrowed with concern.
“What about your injuries?” she inquired. “Farming is demanding labor.”
“I’ve weathered worse in the heat of battle and come out on top,” Henry retorted, smirking at her skepticism. “Ever fought with an elbow hanging loose from your shoulder? That’s the kind of hardship I’ve endured.”
“You have? Now that’s a true display of resilience.”
“So, this is your husband? He’s quite the handsome fellow!”
Mrs. Johnson was overjoyed to finally meet Sarah’s husband.
Sarah believed that the married couple could accept Henry working for them temporarily. She didn’t know where else to turn or whom else to ask. Bringing Henry to her workplace at the sewing shop was out of the question; there were no male workers there anyway.
After dropping off Daisy at the daycare (and introducing Henry as Daisy’s father, causing quite a commotion among the teachers who couldn’t fathom how she landed such a handsome catch), Sarah decided to bring Henry to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson’s farm, where they cultivated the fruits and vegetables they sold at the market.
“This is James Blythe, my husband,” she introduced Henry to them. It felt strange introducing an actual man as her husband; was she truly referring to someone as her husband? Despite being aware that it was all a charade to begin with, she couldn’t help but feel a flush of warmth in her cheeks.
“Nice to meet you, James. Must be a joy to reunite with your family,” Mr. Johnson remarked, and Henry nodded.
“Yes,” he replied succinctly.
“Your husband isn’t much of a talker, is he?” Mrs. Johnson teased, and Sarah chuckled. In reality, she and Henry had agreed that he would speak less to sell the story that he was a foreigner not entirely fluent in the language. This also served the purpose of discouraging prying individuals from engaging him in conversation, given the language barrier.
“Yes, I hope you’ll bear with him.”
“Let me show you around the farm and explain your tasks, James.” Mr. Johnson stood up, and Henry followed suit, briefly glancing at Sarah, who nodded, signaling him to proceed.
“Well then, I’m running late for work,” Sarah exclaimed, checking her wristwatch. “Please keep an eye on him for me.”
“No worries, dearie.”
Despite her worry about leaving Henry to mingle with other Colsarians, given his disdain for them as a Consehannon native, she trusts that Henry isn’t the type to act rudely toward those offering him help and kindness, as she has experienced from him. Surely, he would be guarded around Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, but he would do his best to act as a convincing Viscardian citizen, for his life depends on it.