This wasnt the time, though, Jenna decided.
To distract them both, she toured Andee through the rest of the four-bedroom, two-bath house while two of the movers set up their beds.
The wood floors in the living room needed waxing, Jenna noted. And hot as it was, Jenna couldnt imagine ever needing the beautiful old fireplace at one end of the room. But when she expressed that thought, the youngest of the three movers laughed.
Nights in the desert can be brutally cold. I grew up in New Mexico, he added as if to prove his point.
The kitchen was outdated but clean, its cupboards painted a sea-foam green. Jenna imagined shed like them better in white. But she also knew itd take time to put her stamp on the place.
After the movers left, she dug out the linens to make up Andees bed.
She wished shed thought to note the call letters painted on the underside of that plane. Even if there was an airport in the vicinity, the plane had flown dangerously low. If the pilot had violated some local flight ordinance, she should report the incident.
The plane could belong to a local rancher. She knew it wasnt uncommon for ranch owners to fly private aircraft. If that was the case, perhaps heor shewould respond to a neighborly request to not swoop so low over her pens.
Martins ranch manager might shed some light on the matter. Where was he? He obviously didnt live on-site. Later she would sit and read Martins notes. It would suit her if the helper only worked part-time. She hadnt factored in the cost of hired help.
There, Andee, your bedroom looks put together. Would you like to help me make up my bed?
Mommy, I wish there wasnt a bathroom between our bedrooms. Youre too far away, she said as she scooped up Cubby Bear.
Honey, youll be fine sleeping in here. Well leave both connecting doors open. Youll have your animals and dolls to keep you company.
Andees shoulders slumped.
Jenna worried about how clingy shed become since the funeral. Tell you what. I need to phone Auntie Melody to let her know we arrived. Would you like to talk to her a minute?
No, its okay. Andee wrapped her arms tightly around her much-loved bear and trailed her mother into her bedroom.
Jenna made her bed, then sat on it and punched her sisters speed-dial number on her cell phone. She kept the call brief, putting a rosy spin on everything. She might have broken down if shed heard the hint of an I told you so.
Our next step, she told Andee after ending the call, is lining kitchen cabinets with the pretty contact paper I brought. Do you want to help peel the backing off after I measure and cut?
I guess so. Can we eat first? Im hungry.
Sure. Ill fix cheese sandwiches from stuff in the cooler and slice an apple for dessert. Tomorrow well find a store and shop to fill our refrigerator.
Mommy, why isnt our house near other houses like where we used to live?
This is a ranch and we need more land to raise birds as big as the ostriches.
Where are houses with other kids?
That question stopped Jenna. She cleared her throat. Soon well hunt up the school where youll go in September. And I saw a park on the map the Realtor gave me. Ill bet kids play there.
That seemed to satisfy Andee, but it made Jenna wonder why she hadnt given more thought to how isolated theyd actually be living here.
No, well be fine. Pioneer women survived in much more isolated conditions.
They ate a light lunch, then lined the cupboards, a chore that took most of the afternoon. Andee, Jenna said as she pressed down the last piece of contact paper, I need to look over Mr. Martins notes on how to care for ostriches. While I do that, why dont you color?
The girl ran to her room and came straight back with two picture books.
Jenna understood that Andee didnt want to be out of her sight given that shed left the child with her grandparents for a week after the funeral while shed visited the ostrich farm in Georgia.
A farm, she might add, that looked much more prosperous than this one.
Then theyd moved in with Rob and Melody, and Jenna had hoped things would settle.
Stifling a sigh, she opened the envelope and started to read.
There were instructions about gathering eggs every other day and choosing some to put in incubators for hatching, similar instructions to those shed gotten from the Georgia couple. She knew that eggs not sold to a wholesaler stayed in the incubators for forty-two days.
It seemed straightforward. It was as shed told Melody: raising ostriches wasnt difficult.
Oscar Martin apparently had derived income from four markets: the sale of eggs, feathers, meat and leather. The last two involved aspects of the business that didnt appeal to Jenna. But it looked as if the manager was used to handling the meat and leather production for Martin. And it didnt seem as if the mans salary would break the budget Jenna had set up for herself.
Before the sun sets, Andee, I want to inspect the pens, the hatchery and get a closer look at our ostriches. Would you like to come along?
Nodding, the child closed her book, slid off the kitchen chair, picked up her bear and then reached for her moms hand.
Oh, nice, Jenna said as they left the porch. Theres a slight breeze. Its still hot, but that gives us some relief.
Ostriches are funny-looking, Andee announced. But they have pretty eyes, she added, stopping to stare at the three birds that had ventured close to the fence. They kinda look like Big Bird.
They do at that. Look at their long eyelashes. Jenna pointed to one peering at them over the fence. Each adult eats about three pounds of food a day, she said, consulting the notes shed brought with her.
What do they eat? Andee asked. She shifted her stuffed bear.
Um, mostly grass. I suppose thats why its much greener in the pens than in the yard around the house. Well be sowing grass seed in the empty pens, which explains why there are so many empty ones. When the grass comes up, well move the birds and reseed the pen they were in.
Jenna opened the door to one of several sheds that were really small barns. Good, these bins are labeled. I see the grass is supplemented with alfalfa and corn that has vitamins mixed in it.
Whats supple...supple... What you said?
Supplement means added to. Like we eat salad with our meat and potatoes. And I give you chewable vitamins as a supplement. They left the shed and turned to the next page of notes. The man who owned these birds said they do best living outside in the fresh air. But they need exercise. Each pen is big so they can run around.
Andee ventured closer to the pen of milling birds. I like being outside, too. Maybe I can play with them, Mommy.
Well, we will have to see about that. Perhaps you can pet some of the babies. I saw eggs under the lights in the incubators, but it doesnt look like we have any smaller than some juniors in that pen farthest from the house.
As she finished speaking, a small plane rose out of the direction where the earlier plane had disappeared. This one climbed higher and didnt fly directly over them. Even so, she knew the noise of an engine winding up could put some of the birds in a flap.