Chapter One, Episode 78 - Lunch Talk - Situationally Theirs

Review, Edit and Update
A lovely short bit of writing, there were still a couple of missteps within which have been repaired. Wording and sentence structure were the culprits.

Lunch Talk

They were exhausted and it was only lunch time. Dez and Emmie had come in from the orchard for lunch. “Cook, is there any ice tea? I am so thirsty!” 

“Yes, Miss Dez. I’ve set your places at the table and the ice tea is already there. For both you and Miss Emelina. You two have been working hard this morning. What time did you get started?”

“It wasn’t as early as Samuel. He’d already done what’s a full day’s work for me when we got there at 9:00.”

“Oh, yes, girls. He’s up and workin’ before Martha and I even get to work at 7:30. He comes up to the house. Has a glass of tea. We visit while he’s here and then away he goes to do more fixing or planting or some kind of work on the land.“

Emelina took a big swallow of the cold sweet tea. Patting her lips with the napkin, she hoped to find out more about what Samuel knew. “What do you talk about when you visit in the morning?”

“Oh, the weather. What I need Samuel to plant. What my nephews are up to. Just the time of day. Nothing that would shake the dust out of the curtains.”

“That sounds positively domestic, Cook. Just you and Samuel having your morning tea together. Well then, I don’t suppose you talk about serious things. Like, the history of the island we’re on or where everyone came from in the early days?” Dez had often suspected that Cook and Samuel, the yard man, were more than just friends. Every chance she got, she just prodded a bit.

“No, Miss Dez. We just talk about ordinary things. History is too big for early morning talk. Where people came from? Just what are you………you’re teasing me again, aren’t you? You best be careful, Miss Dez. You haven’t had dessert yet and I know you love my homemade ice cream. Chocolate’s on the menu today.” Laughing, Cook started putting the creamy thick ice cream away. 

“Never mind, Cook. I really don’t need to know anything about those silly things. I’ll just take that ice cream off your hands.” Dez pulled a contrite face. “Emmie and I need to get back outside, so I’ll just stop talking and eat up.”

“Oh, all right then. Here you go….and you too, Miss Emelina. And I really don’t know much about what’s gone on. Just ask Samuel or Digby about these things. When you stop for a break in the afternoon, you just see if Samuel has a story or two to tell you.”

“History is Storytelling.”

~ Yaa Gyasi,  Homegoing