4. The Gift
Mary held an apple up close to her face. She inspected it for any sign of tiny black intruders or bruised skin. She was attempting to bake an apple pie to prove to herself, and the other wives, that she was capable of doing this.
The last thing she needed was to hear that a small thing with legs made an appearance in her dessert. Satisfied with the gleaming red skin, she carefully placed it in her basket and gathered herself to begin her journey back home.
Her growing bump, a result from their wedding night, slowed her pace as she meandered back to their farm.
The breeze blew against the sweat that trickled down her face.
A nearby creek beckoned her to rest and taste the cool, refreshing spring water.
She set her full basket of apples in some tall grass next to the foot path and followed the sound.
“Would it not be nice, little one,” Mary whispered as she carefully stepped over a fallen tree, “to have staff to fetch the apples for us?” Her hand came to her bump as she found a shaded spot with smooth rocks.
A small, babbling brook of crystal-clear water trickled at her feet. After carefully setting down her basket of apples, she crept down the bank and pulled her travel mug from the pocket of her skirt.
The sunbeams through the trees illuminated the nearby forest, showing off the lush green-scape. Being in the wilderness was the only activity that kept Mary sane in her new life. She heard footsteps nearby and smiled, imagining the local children playing in the shade.
“Hello, Mary.” A familiar voice appeared behind her, startling her so much that she dropped her metal mug into the creek.
Mary turned and came face to face with Sue, the companion who was hired to travel with her on the voyage to America.
“Sue, you startled me, what are you doing here? How did you find me?” Mary glanced around, her skin bristled at Sue’s sudden appearance.
“I thought a lot about what you said on our final day of the trip, and I decided to help you.” Sue smiled, and Mary noticed that all her wrinkles and sunspots were gone, and her skin was as smooth as a child’s youthful face.
Her blond hair no longer hung to her shoulders like straw, but instead bounced back and forth in perfectly tight curls.
“Oh yeah? Are you going to transport me back in time like I asked?” Mary snorted and fished out her mug from the water.
“Not quite. You see I’m an ethereal being. I’m able to borrow the form of a human. My normal form is closer to that of a shimmery ball of light.
Mary stared at her. She remembered her rainy day in London on the bridge.
“Let me guess, you were in London, floating on the river, right?” Her voice was thick with sarcasm.
“Yes, I’ve been watching you for some time actually. You are quite the miserable human, aren’t you?”
Mary took a step back, stepping fully into the water allowing the water to soak the first few inches of her hem. She would have been angry if she wasn’t terrified. She dried her mug off and stuck it back in her skirt before stepping carefully out of the water.
“Well, my husband is expecting me back. Nice to see you again.” She kept her eyes on Sue and gave plenty of space as she made her way back to the path.
Sue laughed as she watched Mary regard her cautiously.
Mary narrowed her eyes, refusing to turn her back.
Her feet shuffled as she walked backwards on the path towards home.
“I apologize for laughing. I know you have a flair for the dramatic; it is what first drew me to you. I wanted to offer you a gift, and after our journey on the ship I decided you didn’t deserve it.
But then you helped Emily.” Sue tilted her head, watching as Mary leaned down to pick up her basket of apples. “Why did you help her?”
Mary stood back upright, returning Sue’s watchful gaze before shrugging. “I — I don’t know. I saw her and she looked more miserable than I felt, and I thought that maybe since I have so much, and she had so little, I could spare some to help her.”
Why am I still talking to this insane woman? How does she know so much about me? Mary thought as her face flushed. Might as well go along with it to keep her calm.
“I did not give Emily much thought when I saw her. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I do not even know if she ended up with the handsome man on the street.” Mary rubbed sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and turned back toward home.
Sue walked behind her a few paces and continued the conversation.
“She did.” Sue’s response surprised Mary and her feet came to an abrupt halt.
“How do you know so much?” Mary asked. “You know what? I actually do not want to know.”
“I told you already, I’m an ethereal being.” Sue paused, waiting for any signs of belief to cross Mary’s face. “Well, because of that action, I watched you even more closely. I have seen that you are truly miserable, and I want to give you a way out.”
A way out? What could that possibly mean? Mary’s thoughts betrayed her as her face scrunched in disbelief.
Sue continued when Mary said nothing. “I can give you a gift, a gift to switch bodies with someone. When you find the right person, you just think about switching and, poof, it is done. The person will have no recollection of the switch and they will start living your current life seamlessly. But you only have one shot, so you need to be very sure.”
Mary thought about what Sue was saying. Did she really hate her life so much that she would switch with someone else, taking their life as her own? Would she really sentence them to her life as a lowly farmer’s wife, working day and night to support her farming husband?
“Just like that, I could be someone else?” Mary struggled to wrap her head around what she was hearing. “I cannot believe what you are saying.”
“It is as simple as this.” Sue snapped her fingers and smiled. “You already have the gift, so my work here is done. I need to move on to find someone else and see what further help I can provide. Good luck.”
Then, Mary was suddenly alone, her hem still soaking wet. Sweat dripped down her back even though she stood in the shade of the trees. She lowered herself onto a nearby fallen tree trunk.
Sue is insane. What she is talking about is not even possible, Mary thought as she regarded her calloused hands.
But what if what she says is true? Do I want to leave Eduard?
I still love him, I think. I’m just angry at him for forcing me into this life…
a life I could now escape if I wanted. Mary dropped her head into her hands.
I must be just as insane as Sue is to even consider this as a possibility.
Mary knew that her thoughts had revealed the truth, even though she had come to love Eduard, their life together was far from perfect.
“Maybe, I could convince Eduard to move back to London, then I would have no need to use the switch — the theoretical switch,” she corrected.
Mary perked up at the idea that maybe she could convince him to move home, especially now that they had a baby on the way. But her hope just as quickly vanished.
He would never agree. I just need to find someone near the dock. Someone planning to head to London. Perhaps we can visit New York City, and I can find a wealthy woman to switch with. The worst thing that could happen from trying is, nothing, and I go back to my life with Eduard.
Mary stood, determined to either convince Eduard they needed to return to London together or to find someone to try the switch with.
Later that evening, she stood in the kitchen, reading over a recipe and stirring the new stew concoction she was attempting. The apple pie she successfully baked, sat in the middle of the dining table. The heat from the stove warmed her midsection and she brought her hand protectively to her belly.
Eduard walked in, dust and dirt covering his pants and shirt. Mary watched as he removed his boots, hat, and vest. He was such a handsome man, and they would have ruled society had they remained in London.
More of a reason to convince him to go back, Mary considered as she resumed stirring.
“Smells good darling! Is that a new recipe?” He sauntered towards Mary hoping to get a quick taste of supper.
“Yes, it was one given to me shortly after our wedding, from our neighbors to the east. I haven’t had all the ingredients until now.” She shrugged. “It should be good.”
Eduard hugged Mary from behind, placing his hands gently on her growing bump.
“I am sure it is a boy. I can feel it in my bones.” Keeping one hand on her belly, he used the other to brush her hair from her neck. His lips met the knape of her neck and Mary stiffened slightly.
Will I ever get used to his affection? Do I want to? she questioned. What she enjoyed on their honeymoon had quickly withered with the reality of being a farmer’s wife. Her deep-rooted resentment prevented her from opening her heart to him.
“Hmmm…” was all she could reply as she returned back to the stew she prepared.
Eduard made his way to the basin to wash up for supper, unaware of Mary’s sour mood. It was her normal state, so he was used to her cool temperament.
“Don’t be praying to God that it is a girl. You know I could use a son out in the field. My hired hand is good, but if we could save that money, then I could buy the piece of land that connects ours to the river.”
“You know I don’t pray to your God,” she said. “I just take what information I can see and hope for the best.” He came back over and resumed his stance behind her with his hands on her belly, chin resting on her shoulder.
“Yeah?” He asked, and she stopped stirring to face him. He brushed the strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “What information have you collected, and what are you hoping for?” His deep brown eyes sparkled as he searched hers.