"Well, ma'am, looks like everyone's done. We'll be happy to do the clean up. It's the least we do in repayment for that wonderful breakfast."

"What the...? We'll do what?"

"Thank you so much, preacher. And glad see you're so happy to chip in, Jayne. Zoë? Can you handle this bunch or are you gonna need my help?"

"We'll be fine. Thanks Lily. For everything," Giving the older woman a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, Zoe headed off the back porch into the house. Stopping suddenly, she realized she forgot something. Spinning on her heel, she said, "After we're done, the rest of us'll be heading back. That okay with you?"

"Ain't much trouble in the least. And make sure y'all don't break them plates. That's my good china...oh no you don't, boy. They can handle themselves. 'Sides, got a job for you shelling these peas," Lily said, putting the wooden bowl of peas in Mal's hands as she took some more empty bowls off the counter. Grabbing him by the arm and leading him out the back door off the porch, she steered him towards the small garden, taking a seat on the wooden bench. Mal immediately sat down next to her, bowl of peas between them, putting one of the empty bowls on the ground between his feet. He started peeling away, leaving the green skins and chucking the peas in the empty bowl, Lily following suit.

It was nice outside. He loved snow sun; the cool, crisp, clear light reflected by the tiny ice crystals of the snow that seemed to dance in all places at once, lighting up the surface of everything. It always proved one of the shiniest pleasures for him as long as he could recall. But the real joy of snow sun was the fact that it didn't burn you, turning you all red and peely. It didn't cause you squint as sweat trickled into your eyes while you baled the hay or herded the cows into the corral or chased after the chickens who decided that 2 minutes before supper would be the best time to get into her carrot and potato patch. Yeah, it wasn't that warm, but you got same effects without the hindrances.