The Healing (8 page)

“You’re right about that,” Bonnie said as the men followed her into the house. “Let’s start in the kitchen.” She led the way and pointed out all the things she felt needed fixing: walls to be painted, stained and torn linoleum to be replaced, an electric stove with only two burners that worked, and the need for a second oven.

“I can do the painting no problem, because I did a lot of it when I lived in Pennsylvania and worked for my older brother,” Samuel said. “I can also replace the linoleum, but the stove and oven will involve electrical hookups, which I know nothing about.”

“No problem,” Allen said. “I can talk to Adam Jarvis, the electrician who does most of my work, and see if he can take care of any electrical problems for you.”

Bonnie smiled. “I’d appreciate that.”

“What else needs to be done in the house?” Samuel asked, looking around.

“Well, there are six large bedrooms here, a living room, dining room, and two full bathrooms. As near as I can tell, every one of them needs some kind of updating or repairs. That should keep you busy throughout the rest of winter, and then this spring, when the weather improves, you can start on the outside of the house.”

Samuel leaned against the kitchen counter and gave her a nod. “I’m willing to do whatever I can.”

“Great!” Bonnie clapped her hands and then motioned to the kitchen table. “Let’s have a seat, and we’ll talk about your wages.”

Esther smiled as she watched Jared and Penny sitting on the living room floor, each holding one of Titus’s cats. The one Penny held was Callie, an orange, black, and white calico. The cat in Jared’s lap had white hair with a black spot on his head. That cat Titus had named Buttons. Esther figured the cats would be in for a challenge with the feisty black Lab she’d seen out in the yard. The dog obviously belonged to Samuel, because Titus only had cats.

Jared got up off the floor, set Buttons on the sofa, and climbed up beside him.

“I don’t think your uncle Titus allows the cats to be on the furniture,” Esther said in German-Dutch, so that Jared, who hadn’t learned English yet, would understand. “Please put the cat on the floor.”

Jared just sat there, stroking the cat’s head, as though he hadn’t heard a word she’d said.

“Jared, did you understand me?”

The boy gave no reply, nor did he make any effort to put the cat on the floor.

“His thinker ain’t workin’ so well today,” Penny said. “Fact is, he don’t do much of anything he’s told—not since Mammi died anyways. I think he misses her, same as me.”

Esther’s heart went out to Penny and Jared. No doubt the two older children missed their mother as well. After all, she’d only been gone a little over two months. Poor little Jared wasn’t much more than a baby, and what child of his age didn’t need his mother’s nurturing?

“Why don’t we all go into the kitchen and have a snack?” Esther suggested.

Penny jumped up, raced to the front door, and put the calico cat outside. Jared climbed down from the sofa and put his cat outside as well. Then both children followed Esther into the kitchen. Penny climbed onto a chair, and Esther picked Jared up and lifted him into his high chair. Then she gave them each a glass of milk, some crackers, and a few apple slices.

The kids were just finishing their snack when the back door opened and Allen stepped in. “I came by to tell you that Samuel’s going to start working for Bonnie right away—that is if you’re free to stay here with the kids for the rest of the day.”

Esther nodded. Now she’d just need to think of something to keep Penny and Jared occupied for the next several hours.

B
y the time Bonnie dropped Samuel off at Titus’s, after he’d worked at her place most of the day, he was exhausted. It was a good kind of exhaustion though—the kind that comes from working so hard that your muscles ache—the kind that keeps a person so busy there’s no time to think or dwell on the past. Besides securing a position that would give him a steady income for the next few months, putting in a good day’s work helped take his mind off Elsie and how much he missed her. Sleeping and working … those were the only times when he felt free of his pain and despair. Well, if working was what it took, then he’d keep busy doing something from now on.

Samuel was almost to the house when he decided to give Zach a call. He hadn’t talked to anyone from home in several days and wanted to let them know he’d found a job.

He crunched his way through the snow, and when he entered the dilapidated-looking shanty, he flipped on the battery-operated light sitting beside the phone.

He could see his breath in there, and the small wooden structure seemed even colder than it was outside, so he wasted no time in making the call. When Zach answered, Samuel told him about Bonnie Taylor and the work he’d be doing at her house, and how it would eventually be turned into a bed-and-breakfast.

“That’s good news about the job,” Zach said. “Finding work during the winter months is sometimes hard to do.”

“Bonnie said she’ll have work for me in the spring, too. She wants the outside of the house painted and also any necessary repairs that will need to be done. Plus, there’s an old guest house on the property she wants me to fix up. Your friend, Allen, will do some of the carpentry work when he’s able to fit it into his schedule, and one of the electricians he knows will do all the electrical work.”

“When does she plan to open the B&B?”

“Hopefully by late spring, but not until all the repairs and remodeling have been done. The place is pretty run down right now and needs a lot of work, so it could take longer than planned, I suppose.”

Woof! Woof!
Samuel’s black Lab bounded in through the open door and flopped a wet, snowy paw on Samuel’s knee, obviously wanting his attention.

“Get down, Lucky,” he grumbled. “Guess that’s what I get for not shutting the door.”

“What’s up with the dog?” Zach asked.

“He’s just making a nuisance of himself, like usual.” Automatically, Samuel scratched behind the dog’s ears as Lucky leaned in closer for more. Lucky used to love it whenever Elsie petted him. He’d been her dog from the time he was a pup, and it had been comical to watch the mutt follow her all over the place.

“How are the kids adjusting to the move?” Zach asked. “Do they like it there?”

“I guess they’re okay with it.” Truth was, Samuel hadn’t bothered to ask any of them if they liked their new home or not. Even if they didn’t like it that much, they were kids, and kids adjusted to things easier than adults. They seemed to have adjusted to their mother’s absence, because they rarely mentioned her name. But then of course, Samuel didn’t talk about Elsie either. It was better that way. Better to deal with the agony of losing her in silence.

“Guess I’d better let you go,” Zach said. “It’s probably cold out there in the phone shed.”

“They call ‘em shanties here, and you’re right. It is pretty cold.”

“I’ll let the rest of the family know about your new job,” Zach said.

“Okay. Talk to you later then.”

Samuel hung up the phone, but before he could stand, Lucky whimpered and flopped his other paw on Samuel’s knee. Samuel knew the dog missed Elsie and wanted more of his attention, but he didn’t feel like it right now. He just wanted to get into the house, where it was warm. So he pushed Lucky away, stepped out of the shanty, and sloshed his way through the snow. These days even their family pet seemed like a nuisance—and at times like now, he was the biggest nuisance of all.

When Samuel entered the house and stepped into the living room, he halted. Esther was seated in the rocking chair, with Jared asleep in her arms. A wisp of Esther’s dark hair had escaped her head covering and lay across her slightly pink cheek. She looked so content holding Jared like that.

A lump formed in his throat. Seeing Esther with Jared made him think of Elsie, and how she used to rock Jared to sleep each night. It didn’t seem right that someone else should be holding his little boy. It didn’t seem right that Elsie wasn’t here to care for him and the other children.

Samuel took a step, and the floor creaked beneath his feet.

Suddenly, Esther’s eyes snapped open. “Oh, you’re home!” She glanced at the battery-operated clock on the far wall. “I—I didn’t realize it was getting so late.”

“Guess you wouldn’t, since you’ve been sleeping.”

“I must have dozed off after Jared fell asleep in my arms.” Esther looked down at the rosy-cheeked boy and smiled. “He’s sure a cute little guy.”

Samuel just removed his hat and jacket and draped them over a chair.

“How’d it go today?” Esther asked.

“Fine. I’ll be going over there every day until the work’s all done. Can you keep watchin’ the kids for me? I’ll pay you a fair wage of course.”

“I’d be happy to watch them. I enjoyed myself today, and I think the kinner and I got along quite well.”

“Where’s Penny?” he asked, glancing around the room.

“She’s in her bedroom with Buttons.”

Barely looking at Esther, Samuel scratched the side of his head. “Buttons?”

“One of Titus’s cats has a mark on its head that looks like a black button.”

Samuel raised his eyebrows, as irritation set in. “I hope that cat’s not on the bed, because Penny knows her mamm doesn’t approve of pets on the furniture. I—I mean, when Elsie was alive, she didn’t approve.” Embarrassed and angry, Samuel whirled around and headed down the hall toward the room Penny shared with Marla.

Seeing the angry look on Samuel’s face, Esther was afraid Penny might be in trouble with her father. She wished there was something she could do to intercede on the child’s behalf.

It’s probably best if I don’t say anything, she decided. Samuel might not appreciate my interference with the discipline of his children
.

A few minutes later, Penny appeared, red-faced and sniffling as she carried Buttons to the front door and put him outside.

“Would you like a cookie?” Esther asked after Penny had closed the door.

Penny nodded soberly. “Okay.”

Esther rose from her seat and placed Jared on the sofa. Taking Penny’s hand, she went to the kitchen.

Penny took a seat at the table while Esther got out the cookie jar. She’d just placed two cookies on a napkin in front of Penny when Samuel stepped into the room.

“What’s goin’ on?” he questioned.

“I’m giving Penny a little snack.” Esther motioned to the cookies. “Would you like some?”

He frowned as he shook his head. “She shouldn’t be eating anything now either. We’ll be having supper soon, and too many cookies will spoil her appetite.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d be starting supper so soon. Your two oldest children aren’t home from school yet.”

Samuel slapped the side of his head. “Oh, great! I forgot about picking them up. I should have asked Bonnie if she’d mind stopping by the schoolhouse before she dropped me off here.” He looked at Esther, then dropped his gaze, the way he’d done when she’d first met him. “Can you stay awhile longer—while I go get the kinner?”

“Certainly.”

Samuel started for the door, but turned back around and pointed his finger at Penny. “No cookies for you! You need to learn to follow the rules.”

Esther flinched as the door slammed behind Samuel. If she hadn’t known that he was still grieving for his wife, she’d have thought he wasn’t a nice man. Hopefully after he’d worked through his grief, he would be kinder to his children, although since the kids were grieving, too, Esther thought Samuel should be more tolerant and kind. But she chose to keep her opinion to herself.