Blooming?
Elizabeth: Sister Valerie! Welcome. My husband will be here shortly. I sent little Hyacinth to fetch him from the field. Why didn't you let us know you were coming? Did you have a safe trip?
Valerie: Ah, dear Elizabeth, thank you. Yes, it was a good journey. It was also an unexpected one since my husband just announced his business trip to me yesterday. I could not let the opportunity pass to come and visit my brother and his family.
Elizabeth: Here he comes now.
Virgil: Val! What a surprise! Let me wash my hands and face and I will be with you in a moment, alright?
Elizabeth: Please, sit down. How are the children?
Valerie: They are alright, fortunately. Anguy was left in charge of the house while his uncle and I traveled today. He's already a young man of fourteen, you know? Tall for his age, my little man. And how are your boys? I saw Hyacinth on my way in, she's a lovely girl.
Elizabeth: Thank you. Yes, she is. She reminds me so much of your dear Mother. -sigh- Yes, the boys are well. And, I am with child again.
Valerie: Really! How delightful! I am so happy for you and my brother!
Elizabeth: Speaking of him, here he comes. I'll leave you two to talk. I have to find where Harrison is now. That little one is a whirlwind.
Virgil: Ok now. Tell me how you're doing. Everything is alright? You look worried, what's with you?
Valerie: Oh, Virgil! I am worried indeed. Wolfgang is in town in Windenburg for business right now. He was telling me about the situation of the business in San Myshuno and in the country as well. I mean, I can read and have been following in the newspaper, but it..., it doesn't feel as real when you read about it. It is very different when your husband tells you not to worry, but be careful with the expenses you make for the children and the house. You know I am not one for wasting money, and the fact that he's telling me gives me an idea of how worried he is. I wanted to take the opportunity to come and talk to you. How do you see things here for your family? What do you think will happen?
Virgil: -sigh- Well, sister, Wolfgang Munch is a wise man to be concerned about the state of the economy. Me? Because I am a farmer people don't think that I know anything about that, but you must remember that I spent time away for the war. You remember that I enlisted when your late husband Lucas did, right? During the time we were traveling together he taught me a little about what to look for. The signs of trouble for the economy, he said. Well, I see lots of those signs around these days. I don't think the nation is going to be able to keep people employed for long.
Elizabeth walks into the parlor holding Harrison in her arms.
Virgil -smiling briefly to his wife-: I am not sure what kinds of business your husband is doing these days, Val, but if he's thinking of the trouble ahead, he must be preparing to face it, I think. About us, I...-looking at Elizabeth-, we did some renovations to the house recently, you know? We added a new bedroom for Hyacinth, and an extra bathroom that my dear Elizabeth insisted was absolutely necessary upstairs. I have been selling only the surplus of the harvest, and have made a store nearby. One of those new ones with a refrigeration system to keep food cool for a long time. Financially we are doing well.
Virgil: I know you are taken care of, but our sister Vanessa is probably not doing as well. I understand that you see each other in San Myshuno, right?
Valerie: Oh yes. Nessa and her children are regularly in touch with me. I cannot have her man over to my house, you understand? But my husband and I would never neglect my own sister and her children whatever their family situation is.
Virgil: Good. That is good to know. I understand about not receiving the man. When she came over after Mother passed, we talked about it. She understood how wrong it would be to invite Mr. Becker over. Now, I have discussed this with my wife, and she agrees with me. If ever you and your family, or Vanessa and her children need any help, you can come over and we will do our best for you all. The farm provided for our family in the sad time after Father passed. I helped Mother work the land, but she did a lot of it by herself for a long time. The farm is providing well now and has been bountiful with my family, and it would be wrong of me to deny its produce and shelter to my sisters in times of need.
Valerie was ecstatic with joy. She hugged her brother and looked like a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
Valerie: Thank you dear brother! I came in search of your opinion and knowledge and I get not only that, but also your much valued support! Thank you! Even if you are my little brother, you are wiser than I in the financial aspect of things. I am glad that you spent some time with Lucas, he was a very good man.
Virgil: Yes, he was. He helped me find my path in the army in those days and he looked after me. -sigh- Now, will you please let Vanessa know that she can come to us when she needs it?
Valerie: I will! I will send Anguy to her house tomorrow and ask her to come over for tea. We will have a chat about the situation and make a plan.
Virgil: Good. Please let me know what the plan is when you get it. Consider that trains might be running less frequently if the situation becomes more dire, for when you need to travel here.
With that, Valerie said goodbye and walked back to town to meet her husband who should be finishing his business meeting soon.
Valerie saw her niece, Hyacinth, on her way out of the house and realized that what Elizabeth said was true: The little girl resembled her grandmother Verity very much.
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A few days later, Elizabeth and Virgil sat in the parlor talking.
Virgil: I think that our library will have to wait, dear. We may need to use the room for the boys in case they need to stay over with us.
Elizabeth: I agree, Virgil. Let me think about how to accommodate our sisters and their families in our house. I will figure out the best plan.
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