Chapter One How Did I End Up in this Place The first thing Jenny Gold hated about her new bedroom was the color mustard It reminded her of throw-up sprinkled with amber dust The rest of the room appeared fairly normal beds a dresser and an old mahogany rocking chair The chair sat next to a small window and a medium-sized wooden box sat next to the chair Her mother’s fancy black and rose Chanel scarf adorned the top of the box And atop of the scarf-covered wooden box sat a kerosene lamp that Cora and Leo provided Jenny’s daddy kept a watchful eye on the room More exactly he looked out from inside his framed photograph that leaned against the mirror on the dresser Reuben’s comb Mother’s hairpins and Jenny’s brush lay atop a lace doily next to it Those particular items explain the second thing Jenny hated about 6
the room She shared it with her younger brother Reuben and their mother Most days Jenny’s feelings about moving to Leo and Cora’s farm rumbled and roared like a train speeding inside her body Sometimes she spat them out at Mother Otherwise her brain would get foggy It had been doing that since her old life in New York City collapsed Jenny stared out the small bedroom window at Reuben who hung from a branch in the lone tree that shaded the house Her mother had just turned up the dirt path to the barn her legs pumping the pedals of the bike Leo had given her for work Jenny rolled her eyes Mother had never worked before Or ridden a bike for that matter At least not that she could remember Mother leaned the bike against the tree and wiped the dust from her work pants In a flash Reuben dropped to the ground and Jenny jumped on the bed to stretch out No sense wasting an opportunity to show how tough her own day had been Once inside Mother placed the cloth bag 7
Cora had given her on a peg by the door Behind the cloth bag hung the only designer purse she still owned Cora had said If you’re going to work at the general store you best take a more practical purse Jenny rolled on her side Through slit eyes she watched Reuben lead Mother to the rocking chair He bent over slightly at the waist and spread his arm out as if to say Your majesty your chair Mother hugged his head and tussled his hair Hello my darlings she said Jenny closed her eyes tightly when Mother looked her way but didn’t miss a word Did you know it’s absolutely true what they say about riding a bike Mother asked Something smacked Jenny in the head She sprung upright to see a pillow in her lap and Reuben giggling Reuben Please please be careful dear Mother leaned back in the rocker To answer your question you never forget how to ride a bike It’s quite a distance to town What’s true Reuben replied 8
Jenny’s interest suddenly multiplied How far she asked The possibility of going to town of going shopping someday lifted her spirits No idea On the bright side I shall have strong muscles in no time Now tell me about your day Jenny slid her legs over the side of the bed What’s there to tell Mother Cora makes me work till my knuckles are torn up like a farmer’s I’m nearly thirteen but my hands look ancient Jenny spread her fingers wide to display the nicks and rough fingernails And you should hear her go on and on about this farm as if it were Saks Fifth Avenue Try to be kind Jenny Mother said her voice growing weary But in her best imitation of Cora’s voice Jenny warbled My ancestor’s blood sweat and tears went into this farm Reuben couldn’t hold in his giggles He kneeled to untie Mother’s work shoes Warbling his voice as best he could he added And I’ve walked every inch of this 9
