[Kentucky Brothers 01] - The Journey (26 page)

“What are you talking about?” Suzanne reached over, spooned out some sour cream, and took a taste. “Eww … This isn’t sour cream, it’s whipping cream. I must have mixed up the containers.” She jumped up and removed another container from the refrigerator. “This must be the sour cream.”

“If Mom was here, she woulda known the difference between sour cream and whippin’ cream,” Chad said.

“I know the difference, too. I just took the wrong container from the refrigerator.” Suzanne didn’t know why she felt the need to defend herself. She’d taken plenty of ribbing from her family about her lack of cooking skills, so she should be used to their comments by now.

“At least you didn’t mess up the meal this time,” Chad said with a smirk. “Last night the chicken and dumplings you made tasted
baremlich
.”

Suzanne’s face heated, and she cringed. “I’m sorry. I guess you’re right; it was pretty terrible.”

“Suzanne’s doing the best she can in your mamm’s absence.” Grandpa pointed his gnarled finger at Chad. “Instead of picking apart what your sister does, you ought to appreciate the fact that she’s been willing to pitch in and do so many things for all of us.”

“Sorry,” Chad mumbled.

“When’s Mom comin’ home?” Effie wanted to know.

“Whenever Aunt Mary gets there.”

“I hope it’s not too long,” Chad said. “I want her to make some peanut butter cookies.”

“We can buy some of those at the bakery,” Nelson said. “In fact, I’ll pick some up the next time I’m over that way.”

Chad smacked his lips. “Sounds good to me.”

The conversation around the table shifted to other topics, and when supper was over, Suzanne ran water into the kitchen sink and added the liquid detergent. She was about to start washing the dishes, when her sleek-looking cat, Sampson, leaped onto the counter and stuck his paw into the soapy water.

“You naughty old cat.” Suzanne laughed and flicked some water at Sampson, but he just sat there, batting at the sponge in the sink.

Suzanne dried her hands and picked up the cat. “You’re cute, but I really don’t have the time for this.” She opened the back door, and was about to put the cat outside when she spotted Titus riding in on his horse.

She stepped back inside, picked up his cell phone, and met him on the porch. “I’ll bet you came for this.” She held the phone out to him.

He didn’t take the phone; just stood there, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Was he embarrassed because she’d found out that he owned a cell phone? Was he worried that she might tell one of their ministers about it?

“In case you’re worried,” she said, “I won’t say anything about your phone, but I do think it’s wrong for you to have one when you know it’s not approved of in this district.”

Titus opened his mouth like he was going to say something, when his cell phone rang. She quickly placed it in his hands.

Without looking at the screen on his cell phone, Titus clickedthe T
ALK
button, thinking it might be Allen. “Hello.”

“Hey, Titus, it’s me, Samuel.”

“Oh, hi. How are things with you?”

“Great. How about you?”

“Fine.” Titus struggled with the temptation to tell Samuel about the money he’d found but didn’t want to say anything in front of Suzanne. Besides, depending on what the sheriff had to say, he might not get to keep any of the money.

“The reason I’m calling is to tell you about the surprise party we’re planning for Mama Fannie two weeks from Friday. We’re hoping you can come,” Samuel said.

“Of course I’d like to come, but I’ll have to talk to Isaac first. I’ll call you back tomorrow and let you know, okay?”

“That’s fine, and I hope he says yes, because I know how much it would mean to your mamm if you were there. She misses you something awful.”

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”

Just as Titus clicked off the phone, Nelson stepped out of the house. “I overheard part of your conversation. What is it you need to talk to my grossdaadi about?”

“My family’s planning a surprise party for my mamm’s birthday,” Titus said. “They’d like me to be there for it, but if I went, it would mean I’d have to miss a day or two from work.”

Before Nelson could reply, Isaac limped onto the porch. “I think you ought to go,” he said.

“But we’re really busy right now,” Nelson argued.

Isaac shook his head. “Don’t forget what you’ve been taught since you were a boy. God comes first, and then our family. No job’s as important as Titus spending time with his mamm on her birthday, so even if there’s a lot of work to do in the shop, it can wait until he gets back.”

Titus smiled. “I’ll try to plan it so I only miss one day of work.”

“Take as much time as you need,” Isaac said.

“I appreciate that.” Titus turned toward the stairs. “Guess I’d better head for home now. It’s starting to get dark.”

“Good night then. See you in the morning,” Nelson said, ducking into the house.

Titus mounted Lightning and headed down the driveway. He’d only gone a short way, when his cell phone rang again. He halted the horse, pulled the phone from his pocket, and clicked it on. “Hello.”

“Titus, it’s Allen. I wanted to let you know that I spoke to the sheriff, and he doesn’t think the money’s been stolen because there have been no reports of any robberies or break-ins around here for quite some time. He’s pretty sure the money must have belonged to the old man who used to live there, but since the man’s dead and has no living relatives, the sheriff said the money’s mine to do with as I choose; although he did suggest that I not spend any of it for a while, just in case some new information develops.”

“Wow! I can’t believe it.”

“I meant what I said earlier. I want you to have half the money.”

Titus grinned. This was the best thing that had happened to him since he moved to Kentucky. Tomorrow he would hire a driver to take him to Hopkinsville, where he’d meet up with Allen. After he’d given Allen his share of the money, he’d put his own half in the bank. Titus felt that for the first time in a long time, things were really looking up. Not only was his bank account growing, but he’d be going to Pennsylvania in two weeks for Mom’s party. He could hardly wait to see everyone.

I
don’t see why we have to go out to a restaurant to eat,” Fannie complained to Abraham as he helped her into the buggy. “I’d be perfectly happy eating supper at home tonight.”

Abraham shook his head. “Not for your seventieth birthday. This is a special day, and you shouldn’t have to cook.”

“Who says I was planning to cook?” She playfully squeezed his arm. “I thought maybe you might volunteer to do that.”

He chuckled. “If I cooked, we’d both be wishin’ we’d gone out to eat.”

While Abraham went around to the driver’s side of the buggy, Fannie reached down, picked up the lightweight robe from the floor, and draped it over her lap. Despite the fact that summer had almost arrived, the evening had turned a bit chilly.

“I wonder what the weather’s like in Kentucky right now,” Fannie said when Abraham climbed into the buggy and took up the reins.

“I don’t know. Most likely hot and humid, same as it’s been around here.”

“It isn’t hot or humid this evening,” Fannie said.

“Nope, you’re right about that.”

“I was hoping Titus might call and wish me a happy birthday, but when I checked our voice mail this afternoon, there were no messages from him.” Fannie sighed deeply. “He didn’t even send me a card.”

Abraham reached over and patted her arm. “I’m sure you’ll hear something from him soon.”

“I hope so, but I’m not counting on it. We haven’t heard from Titus in over a week.”

“He’s probably been busy.”

She sighed again. “You think he’ll marry the young woman’s he’s been seeing and stay in Kentucky for good?”

Abraham shrugged and clucked to the horse to get him moving faster. “Let’s just have a good time celebrating your birthday and not worry about Titus right now.”

Fannie nodded, but despite her best effort, she couldn’t get her thoughts off Titus. She wasn’t sure she could accept the idea of any of her children leaving home permanently.
Of course
, she reasoned,
it could be worse. Titus might have run off to explore the English world in California with Phoebe. Poor Arie. How hard it must be, losing her daughter like that. I wonder if Phoebe will ever come home
.

Fannie leaned her head back and closed her eyes as the gentle sway of the buggy nearly lulled her to sleep. She could hardly believe this was her seventieth birthday. Where had the time gone? It seemed like just yesterday that she and Abraham had gotten married.

When the horse whinnied and she felt the buggy turn to the right, she opened her eyes. “What are we doing here?” Fannie asked as Abraham directed the horse and buggy onto the driveway leading to Naomi and Caleb’s house. “Are Naomi and Caleb going with us tonight?”

A smile played at the corner of Abraham’s lips, but he kept his focus straight ahead.

“Abraham, what’s going on?”

No response.

“Abraham, did you hear what I said?”

He gave a slow nod. “They’re not actually going out with us. They did ask us to stop by for a few minutes, though. I think they might have a gift for you.”

“Oh, I see.”

Abraham pulled the buggy up to the hitching rail, secured the horse, and came around to help Fannie down. “Let’s use the front door this evening,” he said.

She tipped her head back and blinked as she looked up at him. “Now why on earth would we use the front door? We always go in through the back door, and you know it.”

His face colored. “Well, it’s closer. I mean, the front door’s right here.”

Fannie slowly shook her head. “I’m not so old that I can’t walk around to the back door, you know.” She started to head that way, but just then, Naomi stepped out the front door and called, “Happy birthday, Mama Fannie! Come inside a minute; I want to give you something.”

Fannie smiled. “We’re coming!”

When they entered Naomi’s living room, everything was dark. It almost appeared as if no one was at home. Suddenly, a gas lamp was lit and a chorus of voices hollered, “Surprise! Happy birthday!”

Fannie gasped and grabbed hold of Abraham’s arm. “You fooled me good on this one.”

He laughed. “The reason I didn’t want to go around back is because all the buggies are parked out there.”

Fannie looked at all the smiling faces that had come to her party: family members and friends alike. She placed her hands against her hot cheeks. “This is just
wunderbaar
, and I was so surprised.”

“We have another surprise for you,” Naomi said, moving closer to Fannie. She pointed to the kitchen.

Fannie’s son Harold; his wife, Lena; and their three children entered the living room.

Tears welled in Fannie’s eyes as she stepped forward to greet them. “I can’t believe you came all the way from Ohio just for my birthday.”

“We wanted to surprise you,” Harold said, “and we wouldn’t have missed your party for anything.”

After Fannie hugged her son and his family, Naomi stepped up to her and said, “There’s one more surprise waiting for you in the kitchen.”

Just then, the kitchen door swung open, and Titus stepped into the room. “Happy birthday, Mom,” he said with a big grin.

“Titus! It’s so good to see you!” Fannie’s voice caught on a sob as she rushed across the room and gave him a hug. This was, without a doubt, the best birthday she’d had in some time.