When they were getting ready to go home Delia asked: “Have you kids looked at the museum on Elm street?”
This was met with blank looks. Then Trent hit his head. “Oh. I remember, they have lots of old sewing machines.”
The light came on. They had all been there on school trips. On your mark. Get set…
Delia held up a hand. “Not tonight. You’re expected at home. We’ll work something out tomorrow.”
That’s the trouble with grownups—they don’t understand urgency.
June 21, 1631: Delia Higgins’ House
Ramona was at the lot, but Donny was home, wanting to get in on whatever the older kids were doing. So when the twins and Sarah arrived there was a certain amount of awkwardness. Which brought up the problem of keeping this a secret. Delia suggested that David take Donny into the kitchen and make everyone a snack. In other, unsaid words, keep him occupied for a little while. Donny understood the words left unsaid, but a look from Grandma was enough; he went, grumbling.
Once Donny was out of the room, Delia got right to the point. “Keeping this a secret won’t work much longer. Donny already knows something is up. If we want to create a company to make sewing machines. Is that what we want?”
Delia waited, looking at each of the three in turn and received their nods of confirmation. “Well, that isn’t something that can be kept from your parents, and even if I could, I wouldn’t.” Not without a really good reason, anyway, she thought to herself. “Up to now, it’s been a game. The first step to making it real is to bring your parents into it. I can talk to your parents, if you like. Or you can talk to them and I’ll give what support I can. How do you want to handle this?”
Sarah had never been all that concerned about her parents’ reaction anyway, so she was in favor of full disclosure. Though she offered the warning that “Mom and Dad will probably make us include Judy.”
“Oh no! Rachel!” moaned Trent, referring to their ten-year-old sister.
“Naw,” countered his twin brother. “She’s been following Heidi around since the Ring of Fire. Heidi might be a problem though. She’s pretty pissed.”
Brent paused with a nervous glance at Mrs. Higgins. Delia looked back with a raised eyebrow.
“Uh, upset with guys right now,” Brent continued. “Might try to get back by horning in.”
Brent was referring to their older sister, who was sixteen—but, in the twins’ opinion, not at all sweet. Heidi had just gotten her driver’s license, and suddenly there was no gas for the car. A pretty blond girl with a good figure, she had expected the boys in school to be mooning over her this year, but the Ring of Fire had focused almost the entire male teen population of Grantville on matters martial. It had all come as an unwelcome shock to Heidi. She was a bit self-centered.
“Maybe. Mom’s got her number, but might stick us with her just to get her out of her hair. Which,” Trent continued, “is why I’m worried about Rachel. Mom has a lot to do right now, and she is worried about Caleb.” The twins’ older brother had gone into the newly formed Grantville Army the day after graduating high school. “So we are liable to get Rachel and Heidi, whether they want in or not.”
There was a glum silence for a moment, as the kids worried about the prospective interlopers. On the other hand, with the adult backing that Mrs. Higgins had offered to provide, it seemed less likely that the project would be either taken over or cancelled by adults.
Sarah nodded and with dignity made the formal request. “Both my parents are at work right now. Let me talk to them this evening, but if they could call you tonight, Mrs. Higgins, it would probably help.”
“Dad’s at work, but Mom’s home. Maybe we should call her now?” suggested Brent. At Delia’s nod, he headed for the phone. There was some discussion, then Delia was called to the phone. More discussion followed while the kids looked on, ending with: “Thanks, we’ll see you tomorrow night.”