That Sunday Rose was pleased to see that the greenery she and Happy and Sylvester had gathered was spread throughout the church. The room smelled like the forest outside and looked beautiful with arrangements of greens and holly berries in every window and on the altar.
Both Queen and Happy sang in the choir and Sylvester played piano and organ for the service. Rose was most surprised by Marlene who sang a solo during the service. Her voice was beautiful, sweet and strong for such a young girl.
After the service Rose and Queen waited for Beauty to bring out the younger children. Standing under a group of pine trees they observed the congregation passing out the doors of the church.
“There’s my Granny, Rose!” Queen cried, and started towards a woman coming out of the church.
Rose looked at the woman and realized it was the old woman from the train.
“I know her, we met on the train!” she exclaimed as Queen pulled her over to Miss Goins.
“Well, here’s my baby Queen, and you’re my new friend Rose Winter,” the old woman said as she hugged first Queen, then Rose. “You forget what I told you about that hand young lady? You’re not wearing it,” she said.
Rose was surprised. She had forgotten all about Miss Goins' directions to put the red square in her undershirt; it was still in her coat pocket. She pulled it out and showed it to Miss Goins.
“I forgot, with all that’s been going on,” she explained.
“Don’t forget any more. It's meant to keep you safe,” Miss Goins admonished. “Baby, how are you?” she asked Queen, giving her another hug. “You still happy up in that big house?”
“Yes Ma’am, and Rose and I are sharing a room, getting along real well.”
“Well good, that’s good for both of you. I’m happy to hear that Rose has you to look out for her. Now Queen, don’t be sad but I’m taking your Auntie Lucille back to Gainesville tomorrow, we’re not waiting for Christmas. I think you and Daniel ought to come with us.”
“Oh, Granny, can’t I stay? Rose will be alone without me and I have a good school here, I’m finally learning how to read properly and all. And we’ll miss the big party for the family!” Queen complained.
Aunt Sarah approached the group and laid her hand on Miss Goins' arm.
“Amelia, how are you?” she asked.
“Fine as paint, Sarah Carrier, fine as paint looking at these girls. They remind me of us when we were young,” Miss Goins replied.
Sarah laughed. “I can’t really remember being that young Amelia, but I do remember when I first met you, back around 1880. We were both pretty young even then, considering how old we’ve grown.” Both women chuckled, shaking their heads.
“You had a house full of children then, Sarah Carrier, you still have a house full.”
“And glad to have them. I like a house full of children, and this way my girls and their husbands can go out to work without worrying about the children. Never too many to help out, happy to add one more.”
“I thank you for keeping my two grand babies, I know that. I was thinking of taking them back to Gainesville, but this one says she likes the school here.”
“I do wish you’d let them stay Amelia, we love having my Pearl's children here with the family. They’re so much help to us. Besides, if we try to separate Daniel from my Willa’s boy A.T. there’ll be trouble. Now you’ll be joining us for barbecue on the 25th, won’t you?”
“I’m taking Lucille back to Gainesville tomorrow, but if you want, these children can stay a while longer. I’ll send for them soon. I thank you for your invitation, and if we can we’ll come back for the party. I hate to miss Sylvester’s barbecue. Still, it’s time for the two of them to come back to Gainesville.”
The two older women exchanged a long look.
“Well, we hope to see you,” Sarah finally replied. “You’re always welcome here with us. Queen, say goodbye now, we need to get back to the house for dinner. Would you like to join us, Amelia? We have plenty of room for more family.”
“Thank you but no, Sarah, we have dinner on at home ourselves down at the Corners. Gimme some sugar, honey, you behave now for your Grandmama,” Miss Goins told Queen as she kissed her. “I’ll send for you two by New Year’s, probably.
“Rose, you remember now what I told you,” she added as she kissed Rose. “Good day, Sarah.”
Miss Goins moved over to another group of church members as Sarah and the young women returned to Beauty, Happy and the group of younger children.
“What did Miss Goins want you to remember?” Sarah asked Rose.
“She gave me a red square of fabric, called it a hand, when I met her on the train. She told me to pin it in my underclothes. I forgot about it, it was in the pocket of my coat. She reminded me about it this morning.”
Rose pulled out the small square of red cloth and showed it to her aunt.
Sarah, frowning, looked quite stern. She asked Rose to hand her the red square. She studied it for a moment, then sighed.
“Rose, you may do as you like, but I don’t think any church going, God loving person has anything to fear in this world. Lots of people are superstitious about things but I’m not one of them. If you want to wear this little square, you go right ahead. But I don’t believe in all that.
“Here, Honey,” she said as she passed the square back to Rose, who put it back in her pocket.
“Miss Goins was making a quilt with these when she gave it to me,” Rose told her auntie, and Sarah laughed.
“I know the perfect use for that square, then. You can make a quilt, put it in a quilt square and learn how to sew. Then it’ll at least be used for a good purpose, magic or not.”