Chapter 7: Our Own Home at Last

I hurried to pack.

He called my cousins from my mom’s side. Over ten young men came in with serious faces, greeted me, and started moving things.

Father-in-law looked grim.

Mother-in-law wailed.

Eldest sister-in-law stood under the porch, her eyes thoughtful, as if making a big decision.

Second sister-in-law hid inside.

Second branch’s kids were nowhere to be seen.

The family wasn’t split, just that Marcus and I moved to the new house and cooked for ourselves.

What shocked me more was that Marcus brought over groceries and eggs.

As I was organizing, my parents arrived.

"What’s going on?" Mom asked anxiously.

I explained everything.

Mom laughed, "Cooking for yourselves is good. You can eat what you want. Just the two of you can make something tasty and eat more.

No reason to feed the oldest and second branch’s kids."

Mom wanted the best for me and didn’t want me to suffer.

Second sister-in-law was foolish. With so many sons, she didn’t try to get along with her sisters-in-law but tried to push me around.

Mom continued, "For the next few days, eat at home. The stove and dishes can be borrowed from your uncles if needed."

"Mom, I have money."

"Even so, you shouldn’t spend it carelessly. That’s your savings."

I whispered, "Marcus just brought back nine hundred."

Mom was stunned, then smiled, "That’s great. Plan well, buy what you need.

No need to buy too much at once, build up slowly.

And the empty lot nearby needs to be cleared for planting. While the weather’s good, plant squash and fruit.

Tomorrow, buy things in town. Let your dad ask your uncles to help clear the land. No need to pay, but you must provide food."

I nodded hard and leaned into her arms: "Mom, you’re the best."

"Silly girl, you’re my own. Who else would I love?"

After a good dinner at home, Marcus and I walked home slowly.

It was dark, and seeing me walk slowly, he offered to carry me.

I hesitated, then nodded lightly.

A couple needs to care for each other to last.

He brought home money, bought a Dutch oven, and stood up for me. I had to give him credit.

"Marcus."

He stiffened and answered quietly.

"Thank you for standing up for me today."

"I’m your husband. I should protect you."

I told him about shopping in town. He agreed right away and said he’d borrow a pickup tomorrow.

We needed to buy a lot, and a pickup would help.

Dad had already told him about clearing the land. He knew what to do.

There was nothing at the new house. Marcus fetched several buckets of hot water for me to wash.

After washing, I saw the water bucket in the corner and panicked.

"I’ll put medicine on you."

"I-I-I’ll do it myself."

"You can’t see."

It was so embarrassing.

Especially since he didn’t just apply medicine, he also...

I covered my mouth tightly, not daring to make a sound.

Afterward, I felt like I’d been fished out of a lake, drenched in sweat.

I turned away, not wanting to talk to him.

"Honey, as long as you listen to me in bed, you can decide everything else at home."

That... was too tempting.

I nodded lightly.

Marcus came close again. I wanted to refuse, but held back.

Luckily, he used the medicine bought in town.

Afterward, I felt it wasn’t really medicine...

Before dawn, Marcus got up.

My back ached and I wanted to get up, but he told me to sleep more.

When he returned with the pickup, he called me to get up and wash.

"The water’s hot. Wash up and we’ll go."

He was thoughtful, letting me sit on a blanket, saying it wouldn’t jostle.

In town, he first took me for breakfast at a diner. After eating, we shopped for household goods.

"We’re clearing land, so buy more salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and wine. Two pots for cooking rice and meat."

Pots, bowls, and dishes...

No wonder they say even a poor family is worth a fortune.

Especially since Marcus wanted more of everything. We planned to buy two pots, but he insisted on four, two big and two small.

For bowls and dishes, I wanted fewer and to borrow from home, but he insisted on enough for two tables.

He told me not to worry, he could hunt for money.

We’d get groceries from his parents. I didn’t dare go, so he did.

His logic was endless.

Tools were expensive—axes, sickles, knives, he wanted a spatula and ladle too if I didn’t stop him.

For tasty barbecue, we bought spices at the pharmacy.

Pickling mix for making pickles, brown sugar, dates, beans.

Grains were a must.

And flour.

Bought a hundred pounds of rice.

We couldn’t eat it every day, but porridge sometimes was great.

He spent all nine hundred, and the pickup was packed on the way home.

"Anything else you want to buy, think about it. When I catch wild game, I’ll sell it for money."

At the edge of town, Ben and Jake, who watched our house, ran to help move things.

Before we finished, my parents brought firewood.

They looked tired—must have chopped it themselves.

"Dad, Mom."

Mom saw we bought so much and smiled nonstop.

Especially at the big clay jar.

"This jar is good for water. When you get a stone crock, use it for pickles."

Mom looked over everything we bought.

She was glad, but also felt bad for the money.

"Next time Marcus goes to town, buy a few pickle jars. Country folks need pickles and canned veggies.

Big jars and crocks are good for storing grain. Cover with a board and mice can’t get in."

Mom was afraid of saying too much and upsetting Marcus, so she spoke to me in private.

I also bought jars and bottles, but not too many.

The house was small, so we couldn’t fit much.

I thought just building a kitchen was enough, but Marcus said we’d live here forever and had to build it right.

He wanted to build a cold cellar for storing meat.

"Store more meat so you can eat well when you have a baby."

We’d only been married a few days and he was already thinking about babies. It was a lot.

Building a house, digging a cold cellar, clearing land—even without paying for labor, just food would cost a lot.

"Don’t worry about money. I’ll figure it out."

Since Marcus said so, I trusted him.

Building the kitchen and stove required picking a date, so it couldn’t be done quickly.

He took my brothers to the woods every day. Even if they didn’t catch game, they’d bring back firewood.

Ben and Jake helped carry firewood.

I didn’t always eat at my parents’ house. Sometimes I cooked for just us two on a small stove.

Just the two of us, meals were simple but good.

We ate eggs every day, and meat every few days. He ate three big bowls every meal, never leaving leftovers.

Marcus was truly hardworking. After coming back from the woods, he didn’t rest, but cleared rocks at the door and made a patch for scallions and chives.

He set up trellises for pumpkins, squash, and beans.

Mom traded for a brooding hen to hatch chicks for me.

Dad, three uncles, and cousins came to help clear rocks whenever they could.

Eldest brother and sister-in-law also helped when free. Second brother and sister-in-law never came unless asked, and Marcus wouldn’t call them.

Neither would I.

Don’t owe favors to the second branch—you can’t pay them back later.

As for father-in-law and mother-in-law, father-in-law did come to help, but mother-in-law never showed up.

In just over a month, Marcus brought back over two hundred. I spent over thirty bucks on meat and eggs. As for veggies, Mom and the three aunts sent them, as did closer uncles and aunts.

At home, it was just me and Marcus. The porch light flickered at night, and when I looked out across the yard, I felt—finally—at peace. We were building something of our own, bit by bit, with our own hands.

And as the porch light flickered in the night, I finally believed—this was home. Ours, and nobody else’s.