Bay Leaves Excerpt

I've been asked for an excerpt from my last short story, Bay Leaves and Bundles. I don't usually do this, I don't know why I don't but I just don't. This time, though, I'm going to give a little taste of the story. I hope you enjoy it!

From Bay Leaves and Bundles, released last week from The Wild Rose Press:

“I have seen my sweetheart—on several occasions,”
insisted Amy, settling her head on the pillowcase with
infinite care. “But it never hurts to have the bay leaves in
place when I dream of him, which I do nightly, I assure
you.”

“Then what do you hope to accomplish? If you’ve
already seen him in your dreams there is no need for the
leaves—or the pins,” Martha said, weaving the final
inches of her long blonde hair into a braid.

“I’m simply hoping to…to…oh, I don’t know. Speed
things along, perhaps? You’re lucky; you’ve already got a
date set for your wedding. But me, I have yet to get a man
to propose marriage, let alone set the date.” Lowering her
voice as they heard their parents climb into their creaky
rope bed in the room next to theirs, Amy said,
“Valentine’s Day is next week. I’ve been praying he’ll
come calling, maybe even ask to spend the night. I’ve been
praying, night and day it seems, that my sweetheart
would come to me and then maybe my life could move
forward. Oh, Martha, I’ve been praying!” Amy laced her
fingers together and waved them toward the low-beamed
ceiling.

Martha shook her head as she leaned over and blew
out the candle. Settling herself on her own pillow, she
murmured, “You’d best pray you don’t poke your eye out
with those straight pins.”