Chapter 5
I ignored her and kept working on the plane in my hand.
The blade slid across the stone with a steady rasp.
Emily tensed and edged closer to me.
When Sophia saw I wasn't reacting, she raised her voice.
"A mute and a fool, what a perfect pair.
"You haul back a pile of junk wood like it's treasure. That's all you'll ever amount to."
Her words were harsh, each one like a jab.
I stopped and looked up at her.
Under the moonlight, my gaze was cold.
"Finished?"
Sophia froze for a second, then lifted her chin.
"What, am I wrong? You married into this family, you eat our food, live under our roof, and now you think you can give me attitude?"
"First, we're not eating your food."
I pointed to the half potato in Emily's hand.
"Second, your father gave us this shed himself. It belongs to Emily.
"We're staying in our own space. How does that concern you?"
My voice stayed calm, but every word landed hard.
Sophia's face flushed, then went pale.
"You're twisting things."
"I'm not interested in arguing with you."
I lowered my head and went back to sharpening.
"Go back inside. Stop bothering us."
"You!"
Sophia stamped her foot in anger.
"Fine, James. Just wait. Let's see what you can actually make with that pile of junk."
She threw out the threat and stormed back inside.
Soon, her voice rose again from the house as she complained to Linda, mixed with Linda's sharp scolding.
"This is outrageous.
"A man who married into the family dares to upset my daughter.
"They're getting thrown out tomorrow."
Emily began to tremble.
She was scared.
All her life, she had lived under her mother and sister's constant scolding and blows. The fear had long since settled into her bones.
I set the tools aside and took her cold hand in mine.
"Don't be afraid."
I looked her in the eye.
"I'm here."
My voice was quiet, but steady enough to calm her.
She held my gaze, and the panic in her eyes slowly faded.
That night, Linda didn't actually come storming out.
Maybe Frank stopped her.
To him, I was still a free laborer, and that meant I was useful.
Over the next few days, I put all my time into the wood.
During the day, I worked in the fields with Frank.
From bucking hay and pulling weeds to mucking out the hog pens, I did every dirty, exhausting job, and I did it faster and better than anyone else.
Frank noticed. He didn't say anything, but his expression softened.
As long as I kept working, he didn't care what I did in that run-down shed at night.
And at night, that little shed became my world.
I went over The Master's Guide to Joinery and the toy designs again and again, studying every detail.
Then I started building.
Without proper tools, I had to take the slowest, most basic approach, carving bit by bit, sanding little by little.
Blisters formed on my hands, broke open, scabbed over, then new ones formed.
Emily saw it all and felt it just as deeply.
She didn't say much. Every night, she made sure there was hot water ready, so I could soak my hands when I was done.
She even saved part of her meals, quietly setting aside half a piece of bread for me.
I knew.
A week later, I finished my first piece.
It was a simple burr puzzle.
Six small wooden sticks, no nails, no string, held together entirely by their structure, each piece interlocking and supporting the others.
Taken apart, it was just six separate sticks. Put together, it formed a seamless cross-shaped block.
I handed it to Emily.
"For you."
She took it, a little dazed.
Turning it over in her hands, her face filled with wonder.
"How does this even go together?"
"Try taking it apart," I said with a smile.
She fiddled with it for a long time, growing more and more flustered, her cheeks turning red, but she couldn't get it to budge.
I took it back, gave it a light twist, a push, and a pull.
With a soft click, the six pieces fell apart into her hands.
Her eyes went wide, her mouth forming a small O.
The mix of surprise and delight on her face made me laugh.
When she looked at me again, there was something new in her eyes, a spark of admiration I had never seen before.
Just then, a commotion rose outside the gate.
"Frank! Is Frank home?"
It was Maggie.
She walked in with a middle-aged man in a shirt, carrying two bottles of liquor.
"Maggie, what brings you here?" Frank and Linda hurried out to greet them, all smiles.
"Good news!" Maggie beamed. "I've found your Sophia a perfect match!"
She pointed to the man beside her.
"This is Victor Lee, an inspector with the Department of Agriculture in town. He's taken a liking to your Sophia!"
An inspector?
That caught my attention.
The Department of Agriculture was a solid post.
Frank and Linda's eyes lit up.
This was a real chance to climb up in the world.
Sophia rushed out from inside, casting a shy glance at Victor, her face flushing all the way to her ears.
Victor looked her over and nodded, satisfied.
"Good, she's a fine girl."
His gaze swept across the yard, then suddenly stopped on the burr puzzle in Emily's hands.
His eyes lit up at once.
"Miss, what is that you're holding? May I take a look?"
He walked over quickly.