Joe sighed, and his eyes moved around the room to other things that would be left behind.
Seeing him Emma stamped her foot. "One thing I know, Joe Tower. I'm not going to eat myself up regretting all the things we can't take with us. Those are things, not people. The people we love best, our own children, are going to be right with us. So let's not get all in a fuss about any old stove."
He chuckled. Then, seeing the slight quiver of her lips, he spoke softly. "But also let's not do too much pretending that things don't bother us when they really do. It's a good stove, and you'll miss it."
Her throat worked for a moment, then hastily she changed the subject. "About the cow, Joe—I'm grateful to you for making it easy for Barbara."
He said with honest surprise, "I made it easy for her?"
"She saved her tears for you, didn't she?"
"Yes. But—"
She said quietly, "One of the reasons I love you so much is because you really don't know why a little girl would rather cry on your shoulder." She took out a handkerchief and blew her nose. "Pete butchered the cow properly."
Joe said, "Well, it will be a lot of jerky and pickled beef to take along."
She smiled tearfully at him. "Who in this family would eat Clover, Joe? I asked Pete to take the beef down and sell it to Lester Tenney. We can use more money, now that we're Oregon-bound."