"Because I didn't want you worrying."
He shook his head.
"Mama, you know I'd bring you groceries."
She nodded.
"I know you would."
"Then why?"
Edith looked toward her hands.
For a moment, she seemed embarrassed.
Then she explained.
The winter after her husband's death had been more difficult than Rafe realized. Several household expenses arrived at once, and she had used part of her savings for repairs she couldn't postpone. She wasn't starving, and she hadn't been completely without food. But she'd begun worrying about how far the grocery money would stretch through the cold months.
Pearl noticed.
She brought vegetables.
Then offered to store extra peas for her when freezer space at Edith's house became limited.
Eventually, they developed an arrangement where Edith contributed what she could from her garden, and Pearl helped with the processing and preservation work.
Some years, Edith received more than she'd contributed.
Other years, she helped someone else.
Neither woman kept score the way Rafe would have expected.
They considered it part of being neighbors.
Rafe listened.
His eyes filled.
Finally, he whispered, "I should've known."
Edith shook her head.
"You were busy trying to keep your own farm going."
He looked toward her.
"That's no excuse."
She reached for his hand.
"Rafe, I never wanted you to think I didn't trust you."
He swallowed.
Then nodded.
For a moment, they sat quietly.
Finally, Edith smiled.
"Pearl has been doing this since we were young. You just never paid much attention."
Rafe laughed weakly.
"No, ma'am."
His mother studied him.
Then asked, "What's happened?"
He looked toward the window.
For a long moment, he hesitated.
Then told her about Hazel.
The estate sale.
The three rusted machines.
The laughter.
And the freezer full of carefully preserved peas.
Edith listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she shook her head.
"Well, Rafe Slone."
He looked down.
She continued.
"Your daddy used to say the quickest way to make a fool of yourself was to laugh before you understood what somebody was doing."
Rafe closed his eyes.
Then began laughing through his tears.
"Sounds like him."
Edith smiled.
"It does."
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Rafe asked whether she needed anything.
She considered the question.
"Come see me more often."
He nodded immediately.
"I will."
"And don't make every visit about whether I've got enough groceries."
Rafe looked surprised.
Edith smiled.
"Sometimes I'd just like somebody to sit and have supper with me."