In which I skip a wedding.

Sara looked at her mother. “I know you just want them to get the skills they need, but I fear that they won’t if I am there. I didn’t realize how much of the work I had taken from them. I was not being fair to them, and fear I would forget myself to much if I was in our kitchen. I have to constantly stop my self from doing things in the mornings. It is not that I thought you wouldn’t let me help, but that I didn’t trust myself. “

Edith said. “As I said it was thoughtful of you. I appreciate that you are stepping back and letting us get used to you not being here.” She turned to Leah and Sara was able to relax. “Leah I must say you did well with this roast. What a good hand you had with the seasonings.”

The rest of the evening passed quietly. The evening broadcast was manly about the crop damages from the last storm and the effect it was having on prices. There was also a new public road being laid with help of the woken ones, to give a better link from north to south. Once it was done they would start the east to west one. It would just cover the major areas, but in time there would be more branches off of both. Negations were all ready being done, major towns would be linked first as they could off more. However the King had stated that the small towns alone the way were to have access roads joined as the main ones were built, or they could not proceed. Thus the big cities would be helping the small ones pay the costs. It was a large step to getting the country connected better. Roads built with the woken ones helped stayed open for more than those built by humans alone.

Sara wasn’t sure what to make of the lack of an announcement. Was her numbers way off, or were they still checking them? It was good to be sure, but time was needed to get ready. She told her self that it was in the hands of those who could make the best use of it. Yet it did not help. She couldn’t stop worrying over what she had seen in the numbers. It was a relief to head you to her room and the books there.

The next day Sara stopped by the office on her way out to lunch and found she had to letters waiting. One was a third offer from Amberviel, this one offering an apartment instead of dorm room, fully stocked and a meal plan as well for times she didn’t fell like cooking, as well as the things in the last offer. Sara laughed and stuck it in her bag. Zac said, as he and Abiram joined her. “Something funny?”

Sara said. “Just another offer, this one says I would have an apartment and not have to be in the dorm. “

Zac said. “That is a amazing offer, really. They never give apartments to freshmen. They must really want you.” Abiram just nodded.

Sara picked up the other note and said. “I know they do otherwise they wouldn’t keep sending offers. It is just the timing. See I went over to the neighbor’s yesterday so I could get my hands in some flour. That reminds me, could one of you ask Tim if they liked the cake? It looked a bit crumbly.”

Tim said. “Dad said to tell you to come back anytime and play. If that was one of your experiments he has no problem being used as a tester. How’s that for an answer.”

Sara smiled. “Thank you, I just hope your mother didn’t mind being invaded like that. Cooking lets me relax and I need to.” She looked at her other letter and frowned.  Before they asked she said. “It is shout and I am not to sure what to make of it. ‘Your work is above par, a longer message and offer will be coming. A few small errors have been found, but to your credit.’ So I guess they think the storm predictions are right.”

Tim said. “Storm predictions? Is this something father and the other leaders should know?”

Sara said. “One of grandfather’s friends has a copy of my work, and I asked him to share it if he thought it checked out. I am also hoping they will make an announcement if there findings support mine. It is hard to be sure how wide the affected area will be, but as the data I used was from here. Well if I was right we are in for four years of bad storms and short summers. I don’t want to sound a false alarm. It is just speculation at this point.”

Tim said. “Fair enough, they wouldn’t want an alarm sounded over nothing. Neat looking book, one of your projects?”

Sara said. “It is for Anna, well her intended really. I wanted him to have more than one copy, but there isn’t time. Do you think it would be bad to give it with a basket of blank books? I have a lot of journal type and picked though them, I thought they might want a few to record there fist years as well as for any copies they might want of this book. It talks a lot about one of the early towns and what the writer thinks let it succeed where others around it failed.”

Tim said. “I think that is a very thoughtful gift and do not see why it would offend them any. I hope you will make the library a copy. With the push to expand I am sure there will be a good call for it.”

Sara said. “I plan on starting on it as soon as I have this one finished. As it is a wedding gift I want the cover to be a bit ornamented.  Sadly it won’t be done tonight so I will have to give it to her Sunday, but with them leaving Monday it will hardly be the only gift given them that day.”

Abiram nodded. “I see no problem in it after all it is for both of them, and after the wedding would be the only fit time for you to give it to them. Should father have I problem I will tell him you asked me about it. But I don’t think he will have.”

Sara smiled. “You boys have spent more than enough time with me go be with the boys. I will be fine here, this table is out of the way. Even should something happen. You have my word I will run away from any disturbance.”

They looked at her Zac said. “Well it really can’t be doing her any good, and if the girls plan on making up to her we would stop them by being here. Besides some of the elders might think you are pumping her for information, which would just get everyone in trouble.”

Tim said. “Us? So they wouldn’t think you were? And why are you above suspicion?”

Zac shrugged. “Well it more that I don’t care about it as much as you two do. After all I can afford the black marks. I didn’t get caught on the roof if you will remember.”

Abiram frowned. “You do have a minor point there.” He got up and they left Sara alone at the table for the afternoon. They didn’t know that most of it was spent talking over the new offer with Viv, and trying to come to terms with what the letter meant. Why would there be an offer coming and the mistakes were in her favor? It made no since. At home Sara lost her self in the papers until supper, which was a bit tense as everyone was think about tomorrow, and Anna’s wedding.

After supper they went to the family room and Sara took up the curtains, which were all most done. Her father turned on the radio. It was in the middle of some song program. The talk was the normal stuff about the day. Then at the end of the program the radio played the announcement chime, which meant there was a major new broadcast that night.

Isaac frowned. “I haven’t heard of a new law that would need an announcement. Surly with the storm there won’t be a new tax increases. Did someone apply for disaster relief?”

Grandfather said. “Not that I know of, and that was a national chime anyway. Disasters are local. Must be a new law can’t think of anything else the King would be spreading. Turn it up a bit would you? If they got that guy in the capable reading it will be darn hard to hear.”

Sara hoped she didn’t look like she knew anything, and that they wouldn’t name her if it was what she thought. There was a bit of feed back then the local new announcer said. “This is a rebroadcast of a statement made earlier today. It will be rebroadcasts ever four hours for the next forty eight per decree so all may have a chance to hear it. At the end you will be told how to send any questions to be answered in the next briefing date of which has not yet been set. I will pause here to allow for adjustment to be made. The recording will be at a slightly lower volume do to the equipment used to make it.”

With out being asked Isaac turned the set up more. “This isn’t good. I need you all listening. They don’t do this thing for laws, not with a press conference to fallow.” Sara shifted a bit and set her curtains down, so it looked like she was preparing to listen to something that would likely be hard to understand. The others had also set there work aside.

There was a buzz from the radio then a different voice, a bit scratchy said. “As you know there has been a few strong storms this month. We have recently been made aware of an previously unseen pattern in the weather. The person who provide the information is an amateur, but are examination of the work finds little fault with it. More data is needed, but given what we have we find it prudent to declare a state of emergence and urge all to see they have a stock pile of basic necessities, we will be sending out lists detailing what we mean, but basically food, water, candles, and blankets. For the next four years we will see below normal temperatures, shorter growing seasons and large storms. Do to the fact this may cause shortages as of this morning prices are frozen for all stables and limits are set on the amounts that may be bought at one time. You should see the sings in the markets no latter than Saturday. We have limited information at this time, but I can tell you we expect there to be large amounts of damage. We have people combing though what records we have as I speak. We would ask that any storm data in your archives be copied. As soon as we have a place ready we will be asking for it to be sent to us. However we fill confident that though the pattern was found used only local data it will be found to hold throughout the nation. It is the severity of the storms we have yet to determine. Any questions you have may be submitted to your locale news agency, government office. Thank you, and above all prepare but do not panic we have plenty of time to ready our selves. No one will starve do to the shorter growing times.”

The radio clicked and the local guy came back. “Now I know you all have good heads, but that guy clearly was not used to addressing large masses. Telling folks not to panic is the same as tell them to often times. So let me add that the local governments have long stand orders to keep five years worth of food on hand. They will be opening those stores as needed so there is absolute no threat that you will starve. The rations he said to gather is the same as the basic storm kit we all maintain out her, just set in enough for two weeks instead of two days.”

Isaac shut the radio off and looked at Anna. Anna said. “I know my house has a two month supply of all basics foods, stored in rodent proof containers. It is plain food, but I will be well set, though will have to fill water jugs when we get there. We were going to avoid heavily populated areas so we should be fine with the travel plans. However it might not hurt for me to take a few more blankets from the attic, if that is all right.”

Isaac nodded. “Of course it is, I am glad to see you thinking. Edith you want to make me a list of anything we have less than a month’s supply of and anything you think we need a larger stock of? Boys you see about tightening up the sheds. Good thing we all ready had the furnace inspected. The dinning room will be finished soon. We will need to lend a hand securing the greenhouse. It may become the town’s source of vegetables before we are though these years.” He looked at Sara but didn’t say anything. “We will need some large water barrels, just incase. We can set some out for rain water.”

Jacob said. “I will see if I can do anything to improve the gardens drainage. We should be able to at least get cold hardy vegetables from it, if it doesn’t all flood out. I wonder how much time we have.”

Isaac said. “I am sure that is one of the things they will tell us in the next address. This one sounded a bit rushed. Like they were making it before they knew all the facts. Still it will wait until Monday.” Sara picked up her curtains and started back on them. Isaac said. “Sara you will soon have a house to mange. Tell me what you would do?”

Not looking up, and keeping the needle moving, trying to appear confident and unconcerned she said. “First thing to do is take stock of the food storage and see it is up to standard, lay in the staples, meaning grain, tatters, beans, and any dried vegetables I can get. Next as below normal temps are expected and it is a given the generator wont work most of time the winter things need to be got out and aired. Might not hurt to pull extra blankets out of the attic and air them as well. Empty rooms should be prepared incase they are needed.”

Edith nodded. “Very good and as Anna wants to take a few more blankets out of the attic getting them down should keep you two busy in the morning.”

Sara said. “Yes ma’am.” She cut the thread loose and stood up shaking the curtain out. “Abiram Would you mind holding this for me? I am not tall enough to hold it up and I want to make sure it hangs right.”

Abiram came and took it. “Looks just like the other to my eye. So this finishes the set right? I can take them over tomorrow. I need to go check out his generator, it is an older one and so need to see just how much life it has left.”

Edith said. “Yes they are ready to go. Nicely done Sara, you under estimate yourself. Those are very well made, and quickly done. I am sure he will be well pleased.”

Sara blushed. “Thank you. I hope he finds them fitting. I tried to keep them from becoming to frilly. This type of thing is not that hard, but I will never be good at the fine needle work you do.”

Edith said. “I am glad you are willing to acknowledge your limits. It shows the strength of your character. Now go ahead and put your things away. I am sure the news has you itching to check those books of yours.”

Sara curtseyed and did as her mother said. Though she didn’t look at the weather stories that night, but instead read more in the magically theory book that she shouldn’t have bought but couldn’t leave the store without. She tried, but it had been in the bag when she got to the hotel, for all she was sure she had put it back on the self. Having bought it she felt she had to read it, and to be honest it was interesting.

Chapter 9

The big week.

Sunday after church Isaac was waiting for Sara when she left the building. He smiled at her. “I told your mom I would take you for a walk, that way you won’t feel pressured to help with the supper. As it is a wedding diner it is not the normal Sunday meal. I saw the books you set with the other gifts.” He stopped, waiting for her to answer.

Sara said. “I didn’t have the one I was working on for her done in time to give it to Anna sooner, and really it is more something he will like. The other books are just blank. Others might want a copy of that one, or maybe they will want to make their own records. I an sure if not they will be able to do something with the books.” She left off how frustrated she was to be left out of all the duties she should have. Her mother had arranged it so she had nothing to do with the wedding, and a lot of it should have been her responsibility.