[Kentucky Brothers 01] - The Journey

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “That’s good thinking. I’ll call you back and let you know as soon as I have some answers. In the meantime, you’d better put the money in a safe place.”

  “I already have. Oh, and by the way … Suzanne found my cell phone. Guess it fell out of my pocket when I was at the produce auction earlier today. I’m heading over to her place right now to get it.”

  “Okay, great. After I hear from the sheriff, I’ll try calling your cell phone. If I can’t get you there, I’ll leave a message on your voice mail in the phone shanty.”

  “Sounds good. Talk to you later, Allen.” Titus hung up the phone and went to saddle Lightning. He still preferred traveling by horseback, but when the weather turned colder this fall, he knew he’d have to start using the buggy more. He was about to mount the horse when Callie zipped out of the barn and started meowing at him.

  “Oh great,” he muttered. “She wants to be fed.” Well, he couldn’t let her starve; not when she had babies who were dependent on her. He left Lightning tied at the hitching rail and headed to the barn.

  Suzanne had just finished chopping some lettuce and tomatoes when Nelson came into the kitchen. “What are we having for supper tonight?” he asked, peering over her shoulder.

  “Haystack. That’s one meal I shouldn’t be able to mess up.” He chuckled and gave her a pat on the back. “You’ll learn how to cook one of these days … when the right man comes along to motivate you.”

  She shrugged. “I doubt that’s ever going to happen.” “What about Ethan Zook? I saw him eyeballing you at the singing the other night.”

  “Right. More to the point, he was eyeballing the food. Ethan’s already overweight, and if he’s not careful, he’ll end up fat like our neighbor, Neil Parker.”

  “Say, whose phone is that?” Nelson asked, pointing to the cell phone lying on the other end of the counter.

  “It belongs to Titus. I found it in the parking lot at the auction this afternoon. Guess it fell out of his pocket. He’s coming over here sometime this evening to pick it up.” She frowned. “Did you know he had a cell phone?”

  Nelson nodded. “I told him it wasn’t allowed in our church district and figured he would have gotten rid of it by now.”

  “I don’t think he plans to get rid of it. I think he’s going to keep it and hopes that none of our church leaders finds out.”

  “That’s not a good idea, but then it’s not our place to tell him what to do.”

  Suzanne dropped her paring knife and put both hands against her hips. “I wasn’t planning to tell Titus what to do. He’s clearly got a mind of his own.”

  Nelson frowned. “Is that how you see Titus, as a know-it-all?”

  She nodded.

  “I think you’re wrong. During the time I’ve been working with Titus I’ve had a few insights as to what makes him tick.”

  “And what would that be?”

  “He’s insecure and doubts himself. I’ve seen it in the way he questions his abilities to work with wood. Always has to check with me or Grandpa to make sure things are just right. Even then he sometimes seems doubtful about whether his work is good enough, which is lecherich, because he’s a skilled carpenter.”

  She compressed her lips. “Hmm … Guess I haven’t spent enough time with Titus to see his insecurities.” Maybe it’s because I have too many of my own.

  “He seems to have gained a little more confidence than he had when he first started working for us, but he often compares himself to his twin brother.” Nelson turned on the faucet and filled a glass with water. “From some of the things Titus has said, it sounds like his twin is very successful and confident. I’m guessin’ that Titus feels inferior to him.”

  “That’s how I feel sometimes when I’m around Esther,” Suzanne admitted. “She’s such a good cook and has so many domestic skills. It’s no wonder that Titus and some of the other young men in our district are attracted to her.”

  “Not all men choose a wife because she can cook,” Grandpa said as he limped into the room.

  “That may be true, but if it’s not because she can cook, then it’s probably because she has a pretty face or is easy to talk to.” Suzanne grabbed the bowl of lettuce and set it on the table. “That leaves me out, because I’m neither pretty, nor easy to talk to. In fact, most men probably think I’m boring.”

  “That’s just not so. You and I have had plenty of conversations, and you’re not the least bit boring.” Grandpa pulled out a chair at the table and lowered himself into it. “And as far as you not being pretty enough … well, that is lecherich! You’re just as nice looking as any of the other young women in our community—even prettier, if you want my opinion.”

  Suzanne smiled. “You have to say those things because you’re my grossdaadi.”

  “I’d say ‘em even if I weren’t.”

  Just then Chad, Russell, and Effie entered the room. “Is supper ready yet?” Chad looked up at Suzanne with an expectant expression. “I’m hungerich.”

  Suzanne smiled and thumped his shoulder. “Everything but the sour cream’s on the table, so if your hands are washed, you can take a seat.”

  “I washed mine.” Effie held out her hands for Suzanne’s inspection.

  “Me, too,” Chad and Russell echoed.

  “Then have a seat.” Suzanne went to the refrigerator and took out the container of sour cream, as well as some salsa, knowing that the men in her family liked to spice up their haystack a bit. After she’d placed them on the table, she took a seat beside Effie.

  All heads bowed for silent prayer; then Suzanne passed around the various items so each person could make their own plate of haystack: cooked ground beef, chopped onions, cut-up tomatoes, shredded lettuce, grated cheese, steamed rice, olives, and broken saltine crackers. When all those things had been passed around, she handed Russell the sour cream. He spooned a good-sized dollop on top of his haystack and took a bite. His eyebrows furrowed and his nose wrinkled. “Yuck! What did ya do to the sour cream? How come it’s so sweet?”

  “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 l
aughed 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 TALK 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.

  CHAPTER 26

  Paradise, Pennsylvania

  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!”