Page 106 of Our Own Light

“I want more. In a whole bunch of ways, I want more. I want to find me a safer job. I want to be able to spend nights with Ollie without prying eyes.”

“Prying eyes? What’re you talking about?”

“Roy seems to know ’bout us,” Floyd admitted, which elicited a small gasp from Effie. “He said he wouldn’t tell no one, but he warned me that I ought to be more careful.”

“Oh, Lord.”

“So, I been thinking, what if we move somewhere else?”

“Won’t we have the prying eyes problem wherever we live?”

“Yeah, we will, but maybe not as bad if we have some real land.” Effie narrowed her eyes, probably trying to work out what he was suggesting. “What would you say to me taking up farming? I know enough from when I helped out my folks. Even when I worked as a breaker boy and such, I still spent plenty of weekends helping my pop.”

“I . . . I mean, I . . .”

“I know it’d be a change, but I thought maybe we’d like having the space. If we move somewhere new, no one needs to know that Ollie and me are what we are. Maybe we can tell people we’re related. Or maybe we won’t say nothing, and no one will even ask.”

“So, you want Oliver to live with us?”

“We can buy a big house. Bigger than this one.”

“How are we supposed to afford all this?”

“Ollie can. Not that I’m happy ’bout taking his money, but it’s probably the only way. He has enough for a few acres of land. Heck, he has enough that even leaner years shouldn’t be a problem for us.” Floyd’s eyes flitted over to the bookcase. “I can find me some money, too. Enough for a few pieces of farm equipment, maybe, or a couple of horses or mules. Think of it, Effie, we can farm oats like both our families used to, maybe raise some chickens, plant a few fruit trees. We could be so happy living like that. I know we could.”

“So, you and Ollie’d run a whole farm?”

“We could try. You know, they even have them self-propelled harvesters now. I remember my folks wanting one before we left so they wouldn’t need so many horses or farmhands,” Floyd said. “I know our farm couldn’t be too big if it was only me and Ollie, but we would run it fine.”

“When’d you start thinking about this?”

“Only this morning. But years ago, me and Matt had talked about running our own farm. I’d be... well... I’d be living out our future this way. Used to be that I thought Matt would be mad at me if I ever left the coal industry without him, but now, I reckon maybe he’s happy to see me happy. I like to think that he’s up there in heaven feeling proud of me for finding someone as nice as Ollie. And for continuing to take care of you and Jo, too.”

Floyd squeezed Effie’s hand as he waited for her response.

“What would we tell Josephine? Would we tell her about you and Ollie?”

“I reckon we’d have to.” Floyd ran his free hand over his face. “Golly, that’s a scary thought. Do you think she’ll hate me?”

“She’d never hate you. Ever.”

“We’d have to tell her not to tell no one. Do you think she could keep a secret like this?”

“I’m not sure. Hopefully she can. For everyone’s sakes.” Effie blew out a forceful sigh, shaking her head. “Floyd, this plan of yours, you’re making it sound simple, but it ain’t without risk.”

“I know. But I want to try.” Floyd stared into Effie’s uncertain baby blues. “Just like them miners over in the other counties have been fighting for a better life, I’m ready to fight for my better life, too. I have to hope we’ll have more luck than they had. I know we could lose a lot. But, Effie, I really, really want to try.”

Effie thought for a minute before blowing out a breath. “Alright, Floyd Bennett, I reckon we can live on a farm.”

Floyd’s face broke into the biggest smile. Gosh, he was so happy. Smiling back, Effie pulled him in for a hug.

“Well, that means I only have one more thing I need to do today.” Floyd pulled back and walked over to the bookcase. He took out Matt’s coin-collecting book. “I suspect it’ll mean that you’ll need to find a couple more nails, though.”

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

Effie was still smiling so big, her entire face lit up with what looked to be excitement. It made him happy to see it.

“Because I might not be back for supper. I’m heading to Charleston.”

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