noon
Sometimes it almost seemed as if Marcia did the purring . She could sit like that , motionless , her very stare seeming to sleep . To Hattie that stare was beautiful , and in a way it was . As if two blue little suns were having their high noon . Sometimes Marcia offered to help , because toward the end , Hattie 's back could ache at this process , terribly , the pain knotting itself into her face when the rotary movement of her stirring arm began to yank at her nerves . `` Momie , I 'll stir for a while . '' Marcia 's voice was day-schooled .