Rebecca gently laid a soft blanket on her sleeping baby brother, and tiptoed out of the room. Mama had asked her to rock the cradle until Joel fell asleep, and now her task was finished.

“Thank you, Rebecca!” Mama looked up from her sewing machine, with a pleasant smile. “I’m really glad you could do that for me. I think I will be able to have this dress finished for you by tomorrow.”

Rebecca smiled. Tomorrow she would be turning ten, and Mama was sewing a new dress as a gift for her. Even more exciting than the dress, was what she would be doing tomorrow while she was wearing it. Papa had announced that he would take her to a nearby ranch, where they could rent two horses and go riding. She was so excited that she could hardly wait. Not only would she be able to go horseback riding (which was one of her favorite things to do), but she would be able to spend a good part of the day with Papa (which was another favorite thing to do), and he had said that they could possibly go to eat at a restaurant. Mama was making her a brand new dress that had a full skirt, which would be perfect for riding. She gave a little skip of delight just thinking about the wonderful day she would have.

“The laundry is finished washing, and needs to be hung out.” Mama’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Find Rose, and have her help you with it.”

“Yes ma’am.” Rebecca answered, as she twirled on one foot, and went off in search of her twelve year old sister.

“Come on, Rose.” Rebecca called, once she had located her sister in their bedroom. “Mama wants you to help me hang the laundry, and I want to get it done quickly so that I can help with anything else that needs to be done.”

“Really?” Rose’s lips curled into a smile, and she picked up one side of the laundry basket, to help carry it outside. “Why are you so eager to get things done today?” she asked, thinking of how Rebecca was not particularly fond of helping with housework.

“Why?” Rebecca repeated with surprise. “Because I’m so excited that Mama’s working on my new dress, and Papa’s going to take me out tomorrow, and I just want to do anything I can to help them.”

“Figured so.” Rose answered with a knowing smile. “Seems to me that you should have that attitude all the time, instead of just when they’re doing something special for you.”

“Like you do?” Rebecca’s voice was sharp. “How about you make sure that you’re perfect, before you lecture me?”

Rose was silent, and Rebecca felt a small twinge of remorse. They finished the laundry in silence, and then went to their separate tasks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Fire!” a shout echoed through the house, and Rebecca jerked awake.

“Girls! Get up!” Papa was shouting from somewhere down the hall. “Go outside right now! Use the back door!”

Rebecca jumped out of bed, and grabbed her five year old sister, Ruth. She bolted out of the bedroom, and ran down the hall to towards the back door. There was a strong smell of smoke, and the crackling sound of flames. She rushed out into the night; filling her lungs with the fresh air. Her fourteen year old brother Josiah, came running out with a cordless telephone in his hand, apparently speaking to someone who had answered the call when he dialed 911.

“Where is everyone?” Rebecca yelled, setting Ruth on the ground. “Josiah, where is everyone?”

“Inside, I guess.” he responded, running back into the house.

Oh dear! Rebecca wrung her hands. Where are they? Should I go back in and help? Where is the fire now? She turned to Ruth, who was crying.

“Please don’t cry, Ruth. Everything will be alright.”

“I want Mama!” was the reply.

As if in answer, their mother ran out the back door, and shoved a bundle into Rebecca’s arms. “Here, take care of him.” she said, and rushed back inside.

Rebecca groaned as she saw flames licking the roof on the front part of the house. All at once, she remembered the sharp words she had spoken to Rose, and the unkind way she had treated her later in the day.

And I never said I was sorry. Remorse flooded over her. Oh Heavenly Father, please protect Rose so that I can apologize to her. And please protect everyone else. She prayed.

Only a few seconds later, Rose burst through the back door and onto the lawn dragging seven year old Renee with her. Josiah was right behind them, with an armload of a few precious possessions that they wanted to keep safe.

“Rose, will you forgive me for being so cross and unkind to you yesterday?” Rebecca panted.

“I forgive you.” Rose answered as she held Renee. “Will you forgive me for being irritable?”

“Yes.” Rebecca agreed. “Rose, where are Papa and Mama?”

“Getting stuff out of the house before it is too dangerous to do so.”

The girls sat on the dew-covered grass, shivering in the cool air, and waiting for the fire trucks to come. Soon, they heard sirens, and Papa, Mama, and Josiah came running out the back door. Mama told the girls to move further back into the yard, as the firemen began to pour water from their huge hoses, onto the flames. Several neighbors came running up, while the firemen finished extinguishing the fire. It was beginning to grow light, and Mama took the girls and Joel to a neighbor’s house.

“How much damage was done, Mama?” Rebecca asked as they walked to the neighbor’s.

“I think the fire started in the living room. There is a lot of damage done in there, and in the kitchen and dining room. The wall between the living room and bathroom was on fire too. The back part of the house and the bedrooms seem to be okay, though.”

There were a few moments of silence, and then Mama added; “Happy Birthday, Rebecca! I am sorry it had to turn out this way.”

“It’s not your fault.” Rebecca replied with a catch in her throat. She thought of all the plans she had looked forward to, and knew they wouldn’t happen now. Even her new dress was burnt up, since it had been at the sewing machine in the living room. For that matter, the sewing machine was probably ruined too, along with so many of their other possessions. She stifled a groan as she thought of all the work ahead of them.

The neighbor lady was very kind, and invited them in at once. She fixed tea for them, and they talked about what had happened. Then Papa, and Josiah, and the neighbor’s husband came over, and they all talked about what needed to be done.

“I’m going to need to go back over to the house with Papa.” Mama told Rose and Rebecca. “I want you to stay here and keep an eye on the children. You can help Mrs. Simpson with things to.”

Rebecca sighed as she watched her parents and older brother walk back down the road. Just what I wanted to do today. She thought grumpily. This is an awful day, and it happened just when I wanted to do those other things. All at once she remembered what Rose had said to her the day before. I guess it isn’t very good of me to be eager to help when I’m going to get to do something that I want to, but to be grumpy when things aren’t going the way I like. You know what? I’m going to be a cheerful helper even though I can’t do what I want to. I’ll watch those children, and hang laundry, and wash dishes, and scrub floors … until I drop! She grinned at the thought, and Rose must have seen her.

“What’s so funny, Rebecca?”

“I was just thinking about everything that I was going to do today, and be such a good helper even though I can’t do what I want to.”

“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch!” Rose warned with a grin. “But I agree; let’s get going!”