The older woman was checking a tray of peas with practiced movements.
For a moment, he seemed almost thoughtful.
Then he said, "Didn't realize how much work it was until I tried doing it myself."
Hazel looked toward him.
She remembered his laughter at the estate sale.
The way he'd said any fool could shell a few pounds.
Now he sat beside her grandmother, watching the work with a different expression.
She didn't say anything.
Some lessons were more useful when people recognized them without being told.
The batch was finished before supper.
Rafe examined the cleaned peas.
Then compared them with the quantity Hazel had recorded.
He seemed satisfied.
He paid.
Then gathered the prepared containers.
Before leaving, he looked toward the large drum sheller.
"Still planning to fix that thing?"
Hazel nodded.
"Yes."
He smiled.
"Let me know when it's running."
She looked surprised.
"Why?"
Rafe shrugged.
"Curious."
Hazel almost laughed.
Four months earlier, he'd called the machines junk.
Now he wanted to know when the largest one would be repaired.
She took a breath.
"I will."
Rafe climbed into his truck.
Then stopped.
He looked back toward Hazel.
"Your uncle's doing good work helping you."
She nodded.
"He is."
Rafe hesitated.
Then said, "You're doing good work too."
For a moment, Hazel couldn't speak.
Then she smiled.
"Thank you."
He nodded.
And drove away.
Pearl watched the truck disappear.
Then turned toward Hazel.
"Well."
Hazel laughed.
"What?"
Her grandmother smiled.
"Seems the old rooster's learning a new song."
Hazel burst out laughing.
For several seconds, she couldn't stop.
Then she looked toward the little sheller.
Her eyes softened.
She had never expected a three-dollar purchase to change the way Rafe Slone spoke to her.
But perhaps the machine was doing more than shelling peas.
Perhaps it was giving people a reason to question what they'd been so certain they knew.
The larger drum sheller finally passed its test three days later.
Owen returned with the repaired components, and Wy helped complete the final assembly and inspection. The machine was tested under the appropriate conditions, with its moving parts guarded and the work area organized so that nobody needed to reach near the mechanism while it operated.
Hazel watched nervously.
The drum began turning.
The first pods entered.
Shelled peas collected beneath the machine.
The mechanism continued smoothly.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Then Owen nodded.
"That's better."
Hazel looked toward Wy.
He smiled.
They continued the test.