Amanda waved her hand to dismiss Mary’s worries. “Not at all. You’re all welcome here, and,” she smiled at Isaac, “you’re in luck. Your uncle and the reporter are just finishing up. You’ll get a chance to see him in a few minutes.”
Isaac’s grin was so wide it practically took up the entire room. Mary sighed. This evening wasn’t going to be pleasant at all for Dave. She turned her attention back to Adam and wiped his hands with a cloth napkin that was on the tray.
“Jenny, did you want to see my hat before Richard’s done?” Amanda asked.
Jenny nodded, and the two left the room.
Sally went over to Annabelle. “I bet this is exciting. Your father’s accomplished a lot.”
“It is exciting,” Annabelle replied. “He and my mother have been getting invitations to some dinner parties from people who haven’t paid attention to them before.”
Sally’s eyes grew big. “Really? I thought they would have been paying attention to them as soon as you moved into this large house.”
Annabelle shook her head. “Some people did, but some didn’t bother stopping over to say hello. Now, it seems like everyone’s been here.”
Sally chuckled. “That sounds like fun.”
“Only if you like a lot of company,” Mary inserted before Annabelle could say it. “And only if you like the people who are coming by.”
“Well, yes, that’s true in any situation,” Sally said. After a moment of silence, she asked Annabelle, “Will the reporter be meeting your brothers?”
“My father will be taking him to their offices in a little bit,” Annabelle replied. “They’re going to have lunch first.”
“I thought Tony had a farm,” Mary said.
“Not yet,” Annabelle replied. “He’s saving up to buy one.”
“Why would he need to do that when your father can buy one for him?” Sally asked in surprise.
“He wants to buy it with the money he earns,” Annabelle said.
“And your father’s letting him do that?” Sally asked.
“I think it’s good that Tony’s saving up his own money to buy a farm,” Mary replied. “He’ll appreciate it more when he gets it. Also, it’s a sign of responsibility and maturity.”
“I’m not saying it’s not those things,” Sally hurried to say. “I agree, but considering how much Richard has, it wouldn’t be that much for him to buy a farm.”
Mary smiled. “I know, but there are some things more important than money. Tony will be much better off if he buys the farm himself.”
Sally thought over the comment for a moment. “I suppose you’re right. While it would be easier if Richard bought the farm for him, it probably would be to his benefit if he worked for it.” She looked at Annabelle. “But Mark wants to work in the family business, correct?”
“Yes,” Annabelle replied. “He has no desire to own a farm or do anything else.”
“I’m hoping Greg will follow in his father’s footsteps and become a judge,” Sally said. “But if he doesn’t, maybe he’ll be a lawyer.”
“What will you do if Greg doesn’t want to do either of those things?” Mary asked.
Sally shrugged. “I’m not sure. I guess there isn’t anything I can do about it. I just always had this vision that Greg would be like Rick. It would be nice if they worked together.”
Mary let Adam walk over to one of the chairs. “I don’t think that would work. Rick’s a judge. Judges aren’t supposed to be related to a lawyer who’s presenting a case in front of them, are they? Wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest?”
“I meant they could work in the same courthouse. I don’t think they need to work in the same room.”
Well, Mary supposed that would work, but she hoped Sally would let Greg do something else if he decided being a lawyer wasn’t something he wanted to do.
“Rick and Greg look so much alike,” Sally continued, turning her attention to Annabelle. “Just like you and your mother. Your mother wasn’t too much older than you when we left New York. I remember being in awe of her because she was older than me, and she seemed so strong and brave on the wagon trail. I was scared for most of the trip. I worried we weren’t going to make it. I heard some bad things could happen along the way from some articles I’d read before leaving New York. Indian raids, outlaws, tornadoes, snowstorms, wild animals…” She shivered. “Let’s just say I was glad when we got here.”
Mary shook her head. “Snowstorms? Didn’t you travel out here in the summer?”
“You never know, Mary,” Sally said. “There could have been an unexpected snowstorm that froze us all to death.”
“During the summer?” Mary pressed.
“The fact that we were out in the middle of nowhere for most of the trip with nothing but the things we had in the wagons left us vulnerable for anything,” Sally insisted.
Mary gave up. Apparently, there was no reasoning with Sally in this particular discussion. Dave had told her about the wagon trail, and from what he’d said, the days were so hot that a person could have fried an egg without the aid of a fire. Sure, he’d been exaggerating, but he had proved his point. There was no way they were in any danger of getting snowed on. But sometimes Sally had a tendency to be dramatic.
“I see Uncle Richard!” Isaac called out and ran for the doorway.
Mary hurried after him. “Isaac, you need to stay in this room.”
“It’s alright,” Richard said as he and another man crossed the threshold. He patted Isaac on the shoulder and smiled at him. “Mr. Conway and I are already here.” He proceeded to introduce everyone in the room, and when he was finished, he added, “You should see the entire family when we’re together. We need two rooms just to eat the same meal.”
Mr. Conway laughed. “My wife always says a big home is a happy home.” He nodded his head to everyone in the room. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“We’re excited to meet you, too,” Sally said. “We’ve never had an important reporter from Chicago interview someone in the family before.”
“Well, when we come across an interesting story, we can’t resist it,” Mr. Conway replied. “Even after all this time of people moving out West, there are those back East who can’t imagine that anyone can make a successful business out here. That’s why your brother’s story was inspiring,” he told Sally. “He’s proof that if you put your mind to it, you can make anything happen. It’s all about attitude.” He glanced at Richard and winked. “Don’t worry. We’ll be sure to add your wife’s contribution to your success. That might help convince the wives to join their husbands.”
“Are you thinking of moving out here?” Sally asked.
“No, but I have a cousin who’s thinking about it,” he said. “When the owner of the magazine mentioned the article, I volunteered to come down here. I’d like to get an idea of what he’d be getting himself into. This was an article of personal interest to me.”
“Will we get to see the magazine when it’s out?” Isaac asked.
“I’ll send some copies,” Mr. Conway promised.
“They don’t sell the magazine here?” Sally asked.
“I’m afraid not,” Mr. Conway said. “I’m sure we will eventually, but right now, we publish to the northern states. If you were in New York, you could get it there. Of course, if you were in New York, you wouldn’t be here for me to interview.” He chuckled.
Amanda and Jenny returned to the parlor, and Richard hurried to introduce Jenny to the reporter.
From there, a flurry of activity erupted as Richard, Amanda, and Annabelle got ready to go with Mr. Conway to visit Mark and Tony. Since Richard offered everyone else to join them, there was nothing Mary could say to dissuade Isaac from cheering for joy and running right out the front door.
There was no doubt about it. Talking with Dave about her day in town was not going to be easy.
Chapter Eleven
“This is a quaint little shop,” Sally whispered to Jenny and Mary two hours later
as they stood on the boardwalk in front of Maureen and Connie’s store. “I have to admit that they have done a wonderful job.”
“They have,” Jenny replied. “They must know a lot of women. Look at how crowded it is.”
Mary was having trouble paying attention to what her sisters-in-law were saying. Next to her, Isaac was holding the pen Richard had given him from his office. Isaac had a wide smile on his face.
“Are you ready to go in?” Jenny asked, breaking Mary out of her thoughts. “I brought a couple of coins to buy one of their treats, and I promised Carl and Emma something if they were good.” She smiled at her children. “And you have been.”
Carl and Emma beamed at this news.
“I should get something for Greg and Laura.” Sally dug into her pocket and pulled out a few coins. She breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. I forgot I put money in here the other day.”
Jenny shook her head. “You always leave money in your pockets. Sometimes I think you do that just so you can be surprised when you find it.”
Sally shrugged. “It doesn’t hurt to do that. Besides, it is nice to think you have nothing and find out you do.” She waved for the others to follow her. “Let’s go in.”
Mary shifted Adam to her other hip and went into the shop. Poor Adam had grown tired and was fast asleep in her arms. Going from Richard and Amanda’s home to the offices downtown and then watching the rest of the interview had taken its toll on him.
Rachel tugged on her dress. “Can I get something?”
“I brought some money, so yes,” Mary told her. Making sure she didn’t wake Adam, she reached into her pocket.
“What a pleasure it is to see you three!” Maureen called out past the four customers who were scanning the selection of baked goods on the shelves. “We were hoping you’d stop by.”
“We wouldn’t miss your grand opening,” Sally said as she approached Maureen.
Mary followed the others, noting that Carl, Emma, and Rachel had gone to check on the items they could buy while Isaac was studying the pen as if he’d never seen one before.
While Connie was talking to Sally and Jenny, Maureen gave samples of a couple of the treats to the children. “I would offer you a sample,” she told Mary, “but I’m afraid you’ll find it inferior to the kind of food you make.” She pointed her finger in a playful manner at Mary. “Ever since you married that Larson boy, it’s been nearly impossible for me to win a cooking contest if you’re in it.”
Mary smiled. “I like your food, Maureen. You do a wonderful job.”
“That’s nice of you to say, but you are a hard competitor. You have a gift.” She arched an eyebrow in a playful manner. “I don’t suppose you’ve changed your mind about the apple pie recipe?”
Mary shook her head. “No, I can’t sell that. Everyone in my family enjoys it too much.”
With a resigned shrug, she said, “Well, you can’t blame a woman for trying. That recipe would pay for this building within a month. Speaking of which, I read that fascinating article about your brother-in-law. I didn’t realize he owns the building his office is in. He leases that out to all of the other businessmen who have their offices there. That’s a clever way he managed to make more money. Connie and I were talking about doing something similar. We could allow someone to sell some items that would complement what we sell, and that person could pay me and Connie for the portion of this shop that they use.”
Yes, Mary supposed Maureen and Connie might be wise to do such a thing, especially since there was vacant space in this shop.
“Isaac?” Maureen called out. “Would you like to sample a cookie?”
Isaac shook his head. “I’m not hungry.”
Mary gave Maureen an apologetic smile. “Richard gave him one of the pens he ordered for his company. It’s like a new toy.”
“Who can blame him? His uncle is famous.” Maureen’s gaze went back to Isaac. “You should be proud of your uncle. He’s accomplished a lot in Omaha. He’s an inspiration to a lot of people.”
Isaac beamed. “I know. He’s amazing!”
Mary hid the urge to wince. Would everyone start telling Isaac how terrific Richard was? And worse, would Dave be in town when they did it? At least on the farm, Dave didn’t have to hear the praises people were giving Richard.
While Mary was happy for Richard, she worried this would only heighten Dave’s insecurities. She could assure him that Isaac looked up to him more than he looked up to Richard all day long, but nothing was going to convince him of that if he came across this kind of thing. She could only hope Dave wouldn’t want to come to town for a while.
Forcing her attention off of Isaac, she decided to get something for Rachel and Adam so they could enjoy a treat.
***
When Mary finally got home, she told Isaac to go straight to his bedroom and put the pen in a safe place. She thought this might give her a chance to find Dave before Isaac did, and she was in luck. Dave wasn’t in the house. She hurried to change Adam’s diaper and then took Adam outside with her since he was now wide awake.
Rachel had chosen to stay on the porch to eat the tart Mary had bought her. “Have you seen Pa?” she asked the girl.
Rachel shook her head.
“If Isaac comes out, tell him to stay with you until I talk to your pa,” Mary said.
Rachel indicated she would, so Mary carried Adam to the barn. Jasper ran over to them as soon as she entered it. She saw the bone on the floor and realized what had delayed him in finding her and the children sooner.
“I thought he might like a treat,” Dave called out to her. “I hope you don’t mind. I got it out of the cellar.”
She turned and saw that he was milking a cow. “No, I don’t mind.” She set Adam down so he could play with the dog then made a beeline for Dave.
“Did you and the kids have a good time in town with Sally?” he asked.
“I don’t know how good you’d say it was.” She knelt beside him and lowered her voice. “Jenny wanted to see Amanda’s new hat, so we went to your brother’s house.”
He nodded but didn’t say anything as he pulled on the cow’s teats.
“As it turns out,” she continued, “Richard was there, too.”
This time Dave paused and turned toward her. “And?”
She licked her lower lip. “And the reporter from Chicago was there, too.”
A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face before he said, “That’s good. I hope the interview went well.”
“Are you upset we were there when the reporter was?”
“How can I be upset? There’s nothing wrong with what you and the children did.”
“I know, but after what you said last night about Isaac, the timing couldn’t have been worse.”
“Richard’s my brother. He accomplished a lot. Why wouldn’t Isaac be impressed with him?” With a shrug, he went back to milking the cow. “There’s no way I can compete with all the things he’s done.”
“Oh Dave.” She put her hand on his back and leaned into him. “That’s not true. You’re his father. Isaac will always like you more.” When he didn’t respond, she added, “It might not seem like it now, but as Isaac grows older, he’ll appreciate everything you’ve done for him.”
“There’s a difference between appreciating someone and admiring them. No one admires farmers. They admire rich businessmen who make a name for themselves.”
“That’s not true. Tony’s decided to go into farming as soon as he can buy his own land. Not everyone chooses to be like Richard.”
He stopped milking the cow and turned back to her. “I understand what you’re trying to do, and I wouldn’t expect anything less. It’s why I love you so much. But I’m a grown man. I can handle it if Isaac prefers Richard to me.”
She was ready to insist Isaac didn’t prefer Richard to him, but he gave her a kiss.
“I’m glad everyone had a good time,” he said. “I’ve decided I’m not going to keep dwelling on something I have n
o control over.”
Jasper barked, and Isaac called out for him to chase a stick he was about to throw. This resulted in Adam crying in protest since he’d been playing with the dog first.
“I’ll let you take care of that while I take care of the milk,” Dave said before he gave her another kiss.
Mary stood up and went out of the barn. Isaac threw a stick, and Jasper chased after it. Adam tried to chase after Jasper, but Jasper was too fast. Adam ended up falling face first into the grass. Mary already knew his crying would get louder as soon as he sat up, and she was right. She winced. For a little boy, he sure had a strong pair of lungs.
She picked him up and rubbed his back. She glanced over at the porch where Rachel was still eating her treat. When the girl loved something, she took her time to savor it, unlike her brothers who would wolf it down as if someone was going to steal it from them.
She reached Isaac just as Jasper returned to him with the stick. “Didn’t Rachel tell you to stay on the porch?”
“No,” Isaac said as he took the stick from Jasper.
She set Adam down and waved for Isaac to give him the stick. “Let Adam have a turn with the stick.”
Isaac looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “But he doesn’t throw far.”
“Adam was playing with Jasper first. The least you can do is share the stick.”
“Play,” Adam said.
Isaac rolled his eyes. “He’s such a baby. All he has to do is cry, and he gets whatever he wants.”
“That’s not true,” Mary replied. “You get a lot more than he does.” She gave the stick to Adam and then pulled Isaac aside so she could talk to him without anyone overhearing them. “Isaac, it wouldn’t hurt for you to share with your brother.”
“But he’s little. He can’t do anything.”
“He’ll be able to do more as he gets older. You need to be patient with him. You were that age at one time. How would you have felt if you had an older brother who wouldn’t share with you because you were too slow?”
Isaac considered her words for a moment then said, “Alright, I’ll let him play with me and Jasper.”
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