Allen finishes cleaning up, and Dr. Parker frowns at his wife. “Clara, what have you been drinking?”
“Only apple cider,” she says swaying in his arms.
“I’m hot, I think I’ll have another,” Daisy slurs.
Savannah laughs at the crying girl on the floor and pulls her up to dance, while Clara gasps and turns on Daisy.
“Mrs. Ward, I do believe you are drunk.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m a grandmother,” she slurs and leans her forehead on her husband’s chest. Allen glances down at his wife and looks around the room.
“Hot, dizzy,” over and over the same complaints begin to filter through. Glenn frowns and pushes the hair back on Anika's shoulder.
“Anika, tell me what you put in the cider.”
Joy explodes on her fade, “Magic, Glenn.” She throws her arms in the air and points at the ceiling, “I wished for you, and here you are!”
Glenn can’t help but laugh at her. Anika stops moving and looks at the doors. “I’m so hot.”
“Just what on earth is in that cider?” Dr. Parker snaps distracting Glenn.
Angry voices erupt as the men begin to gather their families and attempt to load them in wagons.
“But I want to stay, and dance,” another woman shouts.
“I want more magic cider,” another one cries, and Glenn is struck by a horrible thought.
“Martha!” he hisses.
Dr. Parker grabs Clara’s hand and marches her to a chair. “Stay here,” he orders. “Show me this cider,” he demands. Clara frowns at him.
“That was rude,” Clara murmurs and sniffs, trying not to cry. Anika takes her hand and squeezes gently. Her head is pounding, and her heart beats in time to the rhythm in her head.
Allen guides Daisy to a chair next to Clara, “Daisy isn’t feeling well, could you look after her for a minute, Clara?”
“Of course, Allen.”
“Stay with them, Anika,” Glenn orders.
Anika sticks her tongue out at Glen's retreating back, and the women all laugh hysterically.
Glenn ignores the laughter behind him and hurries to the kitchen followed by both men. They are surprised to find a half-empty pot. Dr. Parker pours a cup into a mason jar and holds it up to the lantern. “It looks the right color,” he sniffs and frowns. “I don't smell anything.” Allen is about to taste it when a cat jumps down from a chair.
“Meow,” the cat rubs Glenn’s legs. He ignores her for a second until he hears the sound of glass on a wooden floor. A small brown bottle spins, as the cat smacks it with her paw.
His stomach drops when he picks it up and finds it empty.
“Old man Sutton,” he hisses. A well-known moonshiner, Glenn glances at the bottle and the pot.
“If she put the whole bottle in the pot, we’re in for a long night,” Allen says with a laugh.
“No, she had two bottles, Dad.” He glances at the pot, and they all fall quiet for a moment.
“Give me some good news, Doc,” Glenn murmurs.
“The good news is that they didn’t drink the whole pot, the bad news is, well, you know how a hangover feels.”
Anika watches Glenn walk away with a frown and stands up slowly, to keep the room from tilting. “He's always leaving,” she murmurs, wiping the sweat from her brow.
“We used to swim when we got hot, Allen and I.” Daisy pats Clara's hand and points to the door. “The pond stays cold, and night swimming is so romantic.”
“I can’t swim,” Clara says with a glance at Anika.
“I love to swim,” she grins and picks up her skirt. “Where is the pond, Daisy.”
“You head across the main field, towards two large pines. If you ride straight at them, you will come to some trees, just keep going and you can't miss it.”
“Don't tell Glenn, he's very bossy, with his do this, do that, nonsense,” Anika slurs as Daisy explains how to get to the pond a second time. Giving a wave, she stumbles through the mass of people and goes outside. Instantly, the cold air rushes over her, and she inhales.
“Thank goodness, so hot…” she goes to the barn and finds a mare tied to a post. “Hello, beauty, I will call you Ms. Jerry.” After a few attempts, she is able to climb into the saddle.
“Go, Ms. Jerry,” giving a swift kick. The horse trots away bouncing Anika along. The first piece of clothing to come off is her shoes, followed by her purple jacket. “That is much better,” she sings, dropping pieces of her clothing as she goes.
Allen and Glenn are distracted by angry voices and hurry to help the guests leave. “I’m sorry about this, Sheriff Austin,” Allen apologizes to him as he has to all of the men who are loading their wives and daughters into wagons.
“This was one interesting afternoon, Mr. Ward,” Sheriff Austin says with a laugh. “Not everyone will think it’s funny, you best be prepared for some questions on Sunday.”
“I'd like to come by your office on Monday to discuss this,” Glenn hands him the bottle and tells him about how Martha smashed the other one.
“I’ll ride over tomorrow and have a chat with Old man Sutton. For now, I’m gonna enjoy seeing my wife like this,” he laughs as she giggles, and the children tease her.
Allen nods and tips his hat as the last of the guests leave. Thankfully Mrs. Henrietta agreed to stay over for the night and help with Anika and the twins.
Daisy and Clara are giggling and munching on cookies in the main house when the men return to get them.
Glenn glances around and frowns. “Where’s Anika?”
Clara giggles and covers her mouth. Daisy pushes her softly and straightens to her full height. “Cookie?” She holds up a tray.
“Mother,” he starts to snap, but Allen stops him with a
