Leaning her head back, she began her nightly ritual, wringing the rag to trickle the scented water along her throat and over her breasts. In summer, the customary week between tub baths seemed like an eternity. Running the cloth slowly over her body, she closed her eyes. Lands, it was so hot. A female could cook in this country, wearing al those clothes.
She had finished bathing and was rinsing her drawers in the leftover water when a coyote wailed. She poked her head out the window to watch the full moon. A wisp of cloud drifted across the moon's milky face, casting ghostly shadows on the ground. Uncle Henry said it was called that because the Indians often raided on moonlit nights. Good light to murder by, she guessed. She backed from the window and clasped her soppy bloomers to her chest. Was she insane, flitting around naked?
"Loretta Jane Simpson!" Henry yelled. "Damn, girl, you're pourin' water through the ceilin' like it's a bloomin' sieve!"
Leaping back to the window, Loretta knocked the bowl over as she held her underwear out the opening. She watched the bowl go bumpety-bump down the bark slabs. And stop. Right at the edge of the roof.
"What in hell?" Footsteps thumped. "Quiet it down up there, or I'll come up and shush you good."
Loretta swallowed. The pitch of the roof was steep. How could she retrieve the bowl without telling Henry? He'd be a wretch about it. She just knew he would. Amy moaned and murmured. Tomorrow, she'd find a way to get the bowl tomorrow.
She had finished bathing and was rinsing her drawers in the leftover water when a coyote wailed. She poked her head out the window to watch the full moon. A wisp of cloud drifted across the moon's milky face, casting ghostly shadows on the ground. Uncle Henry said it was called that because the Indians often raided on moonlit nights. Good light to murder by, she guessed. She backed from the window and clasped her soppy bloomers to her chest. Was she insane, flitting around naked?
"Loretta Jane Simpson!" Henry yelled. "Damn, girl, you're pourin' water through the ceilin' like it's a bloomin' sieve!"
Leaping back to the window, Loretta knocked the bowl over as she held her underwear out the opening. She watched the bowl go bumpety-bump down the bark slabs. And stop. Right at the edge of the roof.
"What in hell?" Footsteps thumped. "Quiet it down up there, or I'll come up and shush you good."
Loretta swallowed. The pitch of the roof was steep. How could she retrieve the bowl without telling Henry? He'd be a wretch about it. She just knew he would. Amy moaned and murmured. Tomorrow, she'd find a way to get the bowl tomorrow.
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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