All night long I hear different things—the hard rain and wind outside, and the soft breathing of Teddy next to me. Then, near morning, something changes. I lift my head off the pillow.
The rain has stopped.
We all wake early. It isn’t light yet. There is just a pale slice of light low above the land. Mama, Boots, and I go downstairs together. Gracie takes Teddy’s hand and they walk slowly down the stairs. We hear the sound of a faraway motor.
Frankie comes out of her bedroom, braiding her long hair, her robe flapping.
“Well, let’s see,” she says to us.
She opens the door.
And there is an ocean of river, as far as we can see. It is not quiet, still water. It moves fast, small boards and the tops of some trees going past and tumbling into the yard.
Beside me Mama gasps. Boots takes her hand. The river has come up the hill and swept away the porch steps. Water sits even with the porch floor.
I understand for the first time why Mama was always scared about the river.
As we watch, the small shed at the foot of the hill moves and tips. And then it is carried away by the river. As the sun rises, the morning light shines everywhere, reflected by all the water. And then we see something else.
At the far end of the porch is Becky. She is eating flowers out of the blue painted flower box. She stops to look up at us, still chewing, then goes back to her food.
“Dutch Belted,” says Teddy behind me.
Frankie laughs at Teddy and at Becky.
“Becky, you’re a clever girl. How did you get here?”
Boots goes over to rub her neck, and Becky brushes against him happily, still chewing pansies. I move closer to Becky, and she lifts her head to look at me. She stares at me, stopping her chewing, as if thinking her own thoughts.
Her eyes.
Her eyes are so big I can see my own reflection there, looking tiny next to this huge cow.
The motor noise comes closer. It is Louis, standing at the tiller of his motorboat, coming carefully closer and cutting the motor.
“Why, Louis, you look almost heroic,” says Frankie.
“You’re quite a sight yourself, Frankie,” he says.
Her braids still hang down.
“Is everyone all right?” he calls. “You lost your steps.”
“We’re fine,” calls Frankie. “How is it out there?”
“Bridge is closed. Moody’s porch was carried away too, and part of Lester’s barn.”
“Then we’re better off than many,” says Frankie.
“Word is that the danger is over. No more rain in sight,” says Louis.
“Good,” says Frankie.
“And I see you’ve got a porch cow,” says Louis. “Floated in, did she?”
Boots laughs. “I’ll get my boots and take her down the back steps where the water isn’t so high.”
“Becky almost made it to the kitchen,” says Mama, making Boots smile.
Boots gets his boots. He slips a line around Becky’s neck. They start to walk down the porch. Suddenly, Becky stops and turns her head to look at me.
Those eyes.
Then she clumps off the porch, down the back steps into a foot of water. I watch Boots lead her up the hill to the barn, where the other cows wait.
“Louis,” says Teddy very clearly.
“Teddy,” says Louis.
“What can I bring you when I come for dinner?” asks Louis.
“Did I invite you?” asks Frankie.
“You meant to,” says Louis.
“We have ham and salad and beans. The stove still works—I made coffee. Milk and bread would be nice.”
Louis nods.
“Louis,” says Teddy again.
“Teddy doesn’t even say ‘mama,’ yet he says ‘Louis,’ ” says Mama.
“That’s because he and Louis are alike. Louis doesn’t say much most times. Can you sing, Louis?” asks Frankie, smiling at me. I know our secret—Teddy’s and Frankie’s and mine—is safe. Louis pushes the boat away from the house with an oar.
He sings.
“You take the high road, and I’ll take the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland before ye.”
His voice is steady and clear. He starts the motor and goes slowly off.
Frankie grins.
“He sings!”
She pins her braids neatly over her head.
“Who knew?” she says, amazed.
“Maybe you should marry him,” says Gracie.
“I don’t need to marry him,” says Frankie.
She goes close to the edge of the porch and looks at the river.
“Thank you for not coming into my house, old friend,” she says loudly. “Thank you.”
Two ducks suddenly flutter into the yard, skidding to a stop in the water. They float happily.
“Thank you for that, too,” she says in a soft voice.
Then, after a moment, Frankie turns and goes into the house.