After dropping around thirty inches the snow had stopped falling. However, the temperatures remained down around zero, so it was still standing and not melted. Hopefully warmer temperatures would soon come, at least before the next storm.
The town was trying to unthaw and move around. Businesses had cleaned off the boardwalk, but there was very little traffic on the streets, a few horse tracks and most of them around the saloons. People could get around though. Crandall’s Grocery and Johansen’s Butcher Shop were busy. People had to eat. The saloons were open and Solly had his tobacco store open. People had to have their booze and smokes.
I walked down with Molly to open the diner. She had sent a message by me to Marta to stay home with the baby, that she and I would open the diner. Emelda had got the message, but Adela had struggled through the snow to come to work. Mateo’s oldest son, Alejo, had taken over Lucas’ job of cutting wood for the various merchants in town. He was doing a good job, and his brother Enrique helped him stack it, but was not strong enough yet to be doing much chopping. They were up early and both Molly and I waved at them as we trudged through the snow.
The boys had already been to the diner and had filled up the wood bin. After Molly unlocked the door, I went in first to get the fire started in the big stove in the kitchen, and then to the stove in the main eating room. Later, I would take some of the wood that had been chopped and make it into kindling for the stoves. Molly started making some custard pies and Adela went to cutting up onions while I put the coffeepot on the big stove and another on the stove in the dining room. Molly had decided that they would only make chili for the day. If someone wanted eggs they could easily be fried up and covered with chili.
I helped the ladies out by sweeping the dining room and straightening it up. I had just sat down after pouring a cup of coffee when to my surprise Doc Jones walked in the door. “What are you doin’ out in in this cold?” I questioned him, and his sanity.
“Saw the diner was open and thought I’d come in for some coffee. I have a message to go see Mrs. McClure. Frank came in frantically earlier and said she was having pains and expecting. I told him to get back to his wife, and I’d be out shortly.”
Molly came into the room, “Sit down Doc, I’ll bring you a piece of fresh pie.”
“Well, I reckon the body could use that extra fuel.”
We chatted for a short while but Doc said he should get his horse out and on his way. Snow was too deep for a buggy, but he would follow Frank McClure’s tracks to the farm; it was only a few miles out of town.
The rest of the day went by slowly. I, along with Molly, drank the pot of coffee on the stove next to me. There were a few customers for lunch, but after lunch, Molly sent Adela home. I stayed around to help if anyone came in during the afternoon or for supper.
A few ventured out for supper and Molly fed a half dozen of the down and out miners. They looked to be more frozen than not. I asked where they stayed during this cold weather and was told that the Parson Chapman let them stay in the church. There were a dozen more still there that had not ventured out. Molly gave them the rest of the pot of chili to take back up to the church and to tell the preacher that she’d pick it up later in the week.
It was almost dark when Molly said it was time to close up. I started going around putting out the lamps, when Edith came through the door. It was easy to see that she was concerned. “Miles, Henry hasn’t come back yet,” she said with alarm.
“I wouldn’t be frettin’,” came my reply. “The kid probably hasn’t come out the chute yet. As soon as Mrs. McClure has that baby he’ll start home. If he’s not on his way now, he’ll probably wait until mornin’.”
Molly had heard her come in and brought a cup of coffee from the kitchen to her. “Here you go,” she said, handing her the cup. “Miles is right. Doc knows the weather and how to take care of himself.”
“No,” she declared. “This is something different. I can’t explain it, I can just feel it. Something…”