“That’d be nice.” Mom smiled. “Maybe I’ll make a batch of cornbread while you’re gone. That always goes good with fish.”
Suzanne slipped the quilt into a cardboard box and hurried out the door. As she stepped onto the porch, she spotted Grandpa sitting in his favorite wicker chair with his eyes closed and his chin resting on his chest. She thought about inviting him to join her at the pond, but didn’t want to disturb him, so she stepped quietly off the porch.
As Suzanne approached the barn to get her fishing pole, she nearly bumped into Nelson, who was leading his horse out of the barn.
“What are you up to?” he asked.
“I’m going fishing,” Suzanne replied. “What about you?”
“Need to run a few errands. Then I’m heading over to the Rabers’ place for supper.”
Suzanne smiled. Nelson had been courting Lucy Raber for a few months, so he spent most of his free time over there.
“Did Titus ever get a chance to speak to you?” Nelson asked as he led his horse over to his buggy.
“About what?”
“Don’t know, but a few days ago he said he wanted to talk to you about something. Just curious what it was about.”
Suzanne’s brows furrowed. “The only time I’ve spoken to Titus this week was on Wednesday morning when I went over to his place with some primroses. I haven’t seen him since because I’ve been busy working on Esther’s quilt, and that’s also why Mom has brought your lunch out to the shop the last few days.”
“I’m guessing Titus probably forgot about talking to you because he has other things on his mind right now.”
“What other things?”
“His twin brother’s wife had a miscarriage.”
Suzanne frowned. “I hadn’t heard about that. When did it happen?”
“Sometime Wednesday morning. He seemed real upset about it.”
On the way home from Hopkinsville, Titus called Zach. He was relieved when Zach answered right away.
“Hi, Zach, it’s me, Titus.”
“Hey! It’s good hearing from you,” Zach said. “How are things going?”
“Okay. I was calling to see if you’ve heard how Hannah and Timothy are doing.”
“Hannah’s home from the hospital now, but she’s grieving pretty hard over losing the boppli. Timothy’s upset, too, but they have the support of both their families, so I’m sure they’ll get through it.”
“Jah.” Titus glanced over at Allen. “Guess who’s sitting beside me?”
“Who?”
“Allen. I’m riding in his truck.”
“It must be his cell phone you used to call me.”
“Actually, I’m talking to you on my own cell phone. Just bought it today.”
“Are cell phones allowed in the church district there?” Zach questioned.
“Don’t know yet, but I’m hoping they are.”
“Shouldn’t you have asked someone first, before you bought the phone?”
Titus gritted his teeth. He might have known he’d get a lecture from his older brother. It seemed like he could never do anything without someone in his family questioning him. But then, maybe Zach was right. Buying a cell phone without finding out if it would be allowed was probably a stupid thing to do. However, he’d been desperate to make a more direct contact with his family.
“You still there, Titus?” Zach asked.
“Uh, jah. Just thinking is all.”
“I’ll be seeing Mom and Dad at church tomorrow. Is there anything you’d like me to tell them?”
“Just say that I’m doing okay and will call and leave them a message soon. Oh, and tell Timothy and Hannah I’m sorry about the boppli, and that I’m praying for them.”
“I will. Nice talking to you, Titus. Take care.”
Titus clicked off the phone. “It was good talking to Zach, but it made me feel kind of homesick, too,” he said to Allen.
“That’s understandable. This is your first time living away from your family, so you’re bound to miss them.” Allen tapped the steering wheel a couple of times. “With me being an only child, it was hard on my folks when I moved away, and it was hard on me at first, too.”
“But you’re used to it now?”
“Mostly, but that’s probably because I keep so busy with my job. When I’m not lining out subcontractors to do the work I’ve taken on, I’m busy scouting around for land and homes to buy.” Allen motioned to a large white house with peeling paint and blue shutters that looked like they were about to fall off. “See that old place?”
“Uh-huh.”
“It used to belong to an elderly couple who I understand lived in the area for a long time. Guess the husband died a few years ago, and the wife was put in a nursing home last month. I’ve been waiting to see if the place comes on the market, because if it does I’m hoping to buy it as another piece of investment property.”
“What would you do with it?” Titus asked.
Allen shrugged. “Don’t know for sure, but from the outside it looks like it’s in pretty bad shape, so I’d either tear it down and build a new house, or I might remodel and sell the place, hoping to make a profit.”
Titus studied Allen a few seconds. For a young man just a few years older than him, Allen sure had a lot of drive and determination to succeed. Even more than Timothy, who’d always seemed to know exactly what he wanted.
Not like me, Titus thought. I’m nearly twenty-three, and I’m still floundering with no real purpose or goals. Is it any wonder my family treats me like a boppli and tells me what to do? If I could only find a way to prove to them that I’m mature and successful in something.
“Here we are,” Allen said, as he pulled his truck into Titus’s yard. He motioned to the trailer. “The place sure looks better since we had the work frolic. Are you more comfortable here now?”
Titus nodded. “ ‘Course, I’d like to own a home of my own someday.”
“You’re welcome to buy this place,” Allen said. “I could lease it to you with the option to buy.”
Titus lifted one corner of his straw hat and scratched the side of his head. “I’ll give that idea some thought.” Fact was, he wasn’t sure he’d want to buy this old trailer, even though it was a lot more livable now. Still, if he bought it, he’d have a place he could call his own, and eventually he could replace the trailer with a real home.
“Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?” Titus offered as he opened the truck door.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’d better be on my way. I’m taking a lady friend of mine out to supper tonight, and I don’t want to be late.”
“Didn’t realize you had a girlfriend. Are things serious between you?”
Allen shook his head. “Not really. We’re just friends right now, but I guess time will tell.”
“Well, have a good evening.” Titus lifted his new phone and grinned. “I’ll give you a call on this real soon.”
Allen smiled. “Maybe we can go somewhere just for fun some Saturday. I’d like to show you the Jefferson Davis Monument if you’re interested.”
“That’d be great. Seeing that was one of the things I thought I’d like to do on one of my days off.”
“Great. Let’s make plans to do it soon.”
Titus hopped out of the truck. “See you, Allen.”
“Sure thing,” Allen called as he got his truck moving.
Titus had just stepped onto the porch when he spotted Callie chomping on the remains of a mouse. He grunted. “You’re gettin’ fat, ya know that, cat? I think maybe you oughta slow down on the mice you’ve been eating.”
The fat cat ignored him, just kept chomping away.
Titus rolled his eyes and opened the front door. When he stepped into the trailer, a blast of warm air hit him in the face. This place sure gets stuffy when it’s closed up for the day. Think I’ll go out to the shed and get that old fishing pole I saw hanging on the wall. Then I’ll head to the pond I discovered down the road a pie
ce and cool off.
CHAPTER 16
Paradise, Pennsylvania
I don’t know what I can do to help Hannah,” Timothy said to his mother, as the two of them sat on her porch, drinking a glass of sweet meadow tea. “She just won’t stop talking about how she lost the baby, and now she’s beginning to question God.”
Mom placed her hand on Timothy’s arm. “Would you like me to talk to her about this?”
“You can if you want, but her mamm’s already tried, and she got nowhere, so Hannah probably won’t listen to you, either.”
“It’s easy for our faith to waver when things don’t go as we’d planned.” Mom paused and took a drink of tea. “Since Titus left home, I’ve found myself questioning God several times, but your daed keeps reminding me that when we suffer disappointments and face difficult trials, that’s when we need to pray more and open up the Bible and study God’s Word.”
Timothy nodded. “I can’t force Hannah to do those things, but I can pray for her and share a few verses of scripture.”
Mom gave his arm a light tap. “I hope Hannah appreciates what a good husband she has.”
Just then, Zach came walking down the driveway, from the direction of his house. “Thought you’d like to know that I talked to Titus earlier today,” he said, stepping onto the porch.
“Did he leave a message on your voice mail?” Mom asked.
“Nope. Spoke to him directly.” Zach took a seat in the chair beside Timothy.
“What did Titus have to say?” Mom asked.
“Said he’s doing okay, and that he bought a cell phone so he can keep in better touch.”
“Are cell phones allowed in the church district there?” Timothy questioned.
Zach shrugged. “Titus said he wasn’t sure.”
“Knowing my twin, he probably bought the cell phone without asking whether it was allowed or not,” Timothy said. “Titus has many good qualities, but he often acts before he thinks.”
“He is kind of impulsive,” Zach agreed.
Mom nodded. “But he’s a good son, and I sure miss him.”
“We all do,” Timothy agreed, “but I understand his need to move away and make a new start. Maybe the journey he’s on will be good for him. Might help him grow into the man God wants him to be.”
Pembroke, Kentucky
Suzanne had been fishing for nearly an hour without even a nibble. If the fish didn’t start biting soon, she wouldn’t have anything to give Mom for supper. She enjoyed the cool shade provided by the nearby trees, but it wasn’t worth it if she wasn’t getting any fish.
Maybe I need to move to another spot, she decided. I could try fishing off the small dock that someone built on the other side of the pond.
Suzanne gathered up her fishing gear, and had just gotten settled on the dock when she spotted Titus heading her way.
A look of surprise registered on his face as he approached her. “Sure didn’t expect to see you here,” he said, dropping to the dock beside her.
“What kind of a greeting is that?” she mumbled.
Titus looked directly at her. “You don’t have to get so huffy. I wasn’t tryin’ to be rude. Just didn’t expect to run into you here at the pond.”
With a flick of her wrist, she cast her line into the water. “Didn’t you think I knew how to fish?”
“It’s not that. I just thought … Oh, never mind.” Titus turned away. “Seems like I can never say anything right when you’re around,” he mumbled.
“It seems like I can never say anything right to you, either.”
Titus baited his hook and cast his line into the water.
“Nelson mentioned that you’d been looking for me the other day and wanted to tell me something,” Suzanne said, changing the subject.
“Uh … jah, I did.”
“What was it?”
He sat several seconds, staring at her.
“What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me that way?”
“I just noticed that your eyes are a darker blue than Phoebe’s.”
“Phoebe?”
“The girl I told you about the other day. The one who looks like you.” “Oh.”
“Her face is a bit thinner than yours, too.”
“Are you saying that I’m fat?”
His ears turned pink as he shook his head. “Didn’t mean that at all. Just was thinking maybe you don’t look as much like Phoebe as I’d thought.”
“So why were you looking for me the other day, and what did you want to say?” she asked.
Titus pulled his straw hat off and fanned his face with the brim. “I wanted to apologize for the way I carried on when I was trying to get the can off your cat’s head. Guess I acted pretty immature.”
She gave a nod. “Apology accepted.”
“I also wanted to thank you for those flowers you planted at my place. They do make the flower bed look nice.”
Suzanne smiled. “You’re welcome.” Maybe Titus did have a nicer side. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if he and Esther ended up courting.
“Is this a pretty good fishing hole?” he asked, leaning back on his elbows.
“It usually is, but today the fish don’t seem to be biting.”
“Really? Because I think I have a nibble.”
Suzanne watched as Titus reeled in a nice-sized catfish. He took the hook out of the fish’s mouth and placed the fish in the plastic bucket he’d brought along.
They sat quietly for several minutes, until Titus reeled in another catfish. “I’m two up on you now,” he said with a grin.
“I don’t need the reminder.” She grimaced. “I’ve never had such bad luck fishing before. I should have caught several by now.”
“What kind of bait are using?”
“Worms. What are you using?”
He held up a worm. “Same as you, only I think mine are fatter.”
She snickered. “I doubt the fish are checking for the size of the worms. Guess it’s just not my day for fishing, that’s all.”
“What other things do you like to do for fun?” Titus asked.
“Anything that has to do with being outdoors. Oh, and I also like to work with—” Suzanne’s hand jerked as a fish tugged on her line. “I’ve got one, and I think it’s big!”
When Suzanne reeled in the fish, she was surprised to see that it was bigger than either of the fish Titus had caught so far.
“That’s a nice one,” Titus said. “I’m impressed.”
She smiled, amazed at how well he’d responded to her catching a bigger fish. Maybe he wasn’t the kind of man who liked to be ahead of everyone else. Maybe he was nicer than she’d thought.
“What are you doing next Thursday evening?” she asked.
“Probably not much. Why do you ask?”
“I’m planning a surprise birthday party for my friend Esther, and I thought you might like to come.”
“That sounds like fun. Where’s it gonna be?”
“At my house. Esther just thinks she’s coming over for supper, and I’m hoping she’ll be surprised when she discovers many of her friends there.”
“I don’t know Esther well enough to be considered one of her friends,” he said. “Do you think she’ll mind if I’m included?”
“I’m sure she won’t. Esther’s always been the friendly type, and I think she’s open to making a new friend.” In fact, I know she’s open to making you her friend.
“What time’s the party?” he asked.
“Six o’clock.”
He pulled a pen from his pocket and wrote the time on his arm. “I’ll transfer it to a notebook when I get home,” he said when she stared at him.
Suzanne shrugged. I hope Esther won’t mind having a boyfriend who writes notes on his arm.
CHAPTER 17
On Thursday evening, Titus headed over to the Yoders’ place, using the old, gray, Lancaster-style buggy he’d fixed up. The buggy now had new wheels and battery-operated blinkers. He’d also reupholstered the
seats and put new side mirrors on. It wasn’t as nice as the buggy he’d had in Pennsylvania, but it would serve for most of his needs.
Titus smiled as he set the box with the birdfeeder he’d made in the back of the buggy. It was modeled after one of the covered bridges back home, and he’d stayed up late last night putting the finishing touches on it. Working with wood was one thing he did well, and he enjoyed it more than painting or any other job he’d done since he was a teenager. Since he didn’t know Esther that well, he wasn’t sure what her interests were, but he hoped she’d like the feeder.
[Kentucky Brothers 01] - The Journey Page 11