[Kentucky Brothers 01] - The Journey

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Titus sniffed his arm and snickered. “It took two more showers after I got home, but I think I finally got the smell off. I washed my clothes, too, but my shoes are ruined.” He shook his head. “Still can’t believe how I fell into that manure pit.”

  “It was awfully dark, and you couldn’t see where you were going.”

  “That’s the truth. Sure hope nothing like that ever happens to me again.”

  “I guess the only thing worse than falling into a manure pit would be getting sprayed by a skunk.”

  He wrinkled his nose. “That happened to me and Timothy once. We were heading outside to feed the chickens and ran into a couple of skunks in the yard. Before we knew what happened, they let us have it.” He waved his hand in front of his nose. “That smell was horrible! It took a whole lot of soap and a good dousing with tomato juice before Mom would even let us in the house.”

  She laughed. “I guess there are some things from our childhood we’ll never forget.”

  “You’re right about that.” Titus smiled. “I got some good news this morning that made me almost forget about the manure bath.”

  “What news?”

  “I’ll be getting a double-wide manufactured home soon. Allen’s having it brought in and will be taking the old trailer out.”

  “That is good news. The trailer is still in pretty sad shape, and it’ll be nice for you to have something better to live in.”

  He nodded. “Especially since I’m planning to buy the place and stay where I am.”

  “I’m glad you’re staying.” She handed him the loaf of banana bread. “Would you like some of this?”

  He took a slice and chomped it down. “Your lemon shoofly pie was really good, but so is this. You ought to take some of the banana bread to the produce auction on Saturday. I’m sure folks would buy it when they stop to look at your colorful mums.”

  “That’s a thought. Maybe I will take some banana bread.”

  He winked at her, and another wave of heat washed over Suzanne. Was Titus flirting with her, or was he just in a jovial mood?

  “I thought you might like to know that this morning I told my family about the table I made,” she said, changing the subject.

  “What’d they say?”

  “Mom and Grandpa seemed to understand my desire to work with wood, but Nelson wasn’t supportive at all. He got pretty upset when Grandpa said I could help in the shop during busier times. I think he’s still convinced that a woman’s place is in the house, slaving over a hot stove or scrubbing floors.” Suzanne took a piece of banana bread for herself. “If you want my opinion, I think my twenty-year-old brother is more old-fashioned than my seventy-four-year-old grandfather.”

  “I guess age isn’t always a factor when it comes to being old-fashioned.” Titus smiled. “I’m glad you’ll be working in the shop. If there’s anything you need help with, just let me know.”

  “I appreciate that, and I’m glad to know you don’t disapprove.”

  “Not at all. I think everyone ought to have the right to do what they like best.”

  “By the way,” Suzanne said, “I was wondering what you plan to do with Callie’s kittens now that they’re fully weaned and getting so big.”

  “Guess I’d better run an ad in the local paper or put a sign out by the road.” Titus reached for another piece of bread. “While I can’t say that I’ve become a cat lover, I have learned to tolerate Callie. But that doesn’t mean I want a whole passel of cats hanging around.”

  “I’m sure if you advertise you’ll be able to find them all good homes.”

  Titus swiped a napkin over his mouth and studied her intently again.

  “Now what’s wrong?”

  “Nothin’. I was just wondering if you’d like to—”

  The shop door opened, and Bishop King stepped in. “I need to order some new kitchen cabinets,” he said, looking at Titus. “Can you have them done in time for my wife’s birthday next month?”

  “I think so,” Titus said with a nod. “Let’s go to the back of the shop, and you can pick out the wood you’d like.”

  Titus would be busy with the bishop for a while, so Suzanne gathered up the leftovers from lunch and headed to the house. She couldn’t help wondering what Titus had been about to say before the bishop came in.

  After work, Titus hoped to speak to Suzanne again, but Verna informed him that Suzanne had gone to the Beilers’ store. So Titus headed for home, hoping he’d have a chance to speak with her tomorrow, for he still had one question he wanted to ask.

  When Titus arrived home, he took care of Lightning, then headed to the phone shanty to call his folks. He was surprised when Mom answered.

  “Titus, is that you?”

  “Jah. I was going to leave you a message and was surprised when you answered the phone.”

  “I just came out to the phone shanty to check for messages and heard the phone ring. Did you have a nice birthday? Did you get our card and phone message?”

  “I sure did.” Titus picked up the pen lying beside the phone and drew a doodle of a cat on the tablet. “Suzanne made my birthday special, too.” “Oh?”

  “She invited me to supper and baked a real good pie.” He snickered. “Even served it with birthday candles.”

  “Suzanne’s the young woman who looks like Phoebe, right?”

  “Jah, but she’s really nothing like her. In fact—”

  “Your daed and I had another surprise today,” Mom interrupted.

  “What’s that?”

  “Samuel dropped by this morning and told us that Elsie’s expecting another boppli.”

  “I already know, and it’s good news.”

  “Did Samuel call you?”

  “No, I talked to Zach. He said Samuel had given him the news when he got to work this morning.”

  “Oh, I see. So how are things going with you?”

  “Pretty good. Allen came by this morning, and he’s bringing in a used manufactured home to replace the old trailer.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Mom said. “I wasn’t too impressed with the one you’re living in now.”

  “I haven’t been impressed with it either.” Titus chose not to mention that he planned to buy the new place. He figured he’d tell Mom about it later. If he mentioned it now, she might become upset and start going on about how she didn’t want him living in Kentucky.

  They talked about other things for a while, and then Titus finally told Mom the reason he’d called. “I was wondering if you could do me a favor.”

  “Sure. What do you need?”

  “I was wondering if you’d speak to Arie Stoltzfus and get Phoebe’s address for me.”

  There was dead silence on the other end of the line.

  “Mom, did you hear what I said?”

  “I heard. I just can’t believe you’d ask me that. I thought you moved to Kentucky to get away from everything that reminds you of Phoebe. Now you want to contact her? What’s happened, Titus? Are you hoping to get back with her? Are you going to try and convince her to move to Kentucky and marry you?”

  “ ‘Course not. It’s over between me and Phoebe. I just want to write and let her know that there are no hard feelings and that I’ve forgiven her for hurting me the way she did.”

  “Is that all?”

  “Jah.”

  “Well, if that’s the case, I’ll speak to Arie sometime this week and ask for Phoebe’s address.”

  “Danki, Mom. I appreciate it.”

  “As soon as I get the address, I’ll call and leave the information on your voice mail.”

  “Okay, Mom. Tell everyone I said hello.”

  When Titus hung up the phone, he sat a few minutes, wondering if Mom would really ask Arie for Phoebe’s address. If so, would Arie give it to her? If she did, what should he write to Phoebe, and what, if anything, would be her response?

  CHAPTER 43

  Paradise, Pennsylvania

  Fannie stared at the phone, trying to figure out wh
at she should do. She’d told Titus that she’d get Phoebe’s address for him, and she wanted to believe what he’d said, but the fear of them getting back together plagued her so much, she wasn’t sure she could follow through with what she’d promised. Maybe if she let it go awhile, Titus would forget the whole idea.

  That wouldn’t be right, she told herself. I said I’d do it, so I need to keep my word, and I need to believe that Titus was telling the truth when he said he wasn’t trying to get back with Phoebe.

  With a sigh of resignation, Fannie picked up the phone and dialed the Stoltzfuses’ number. It rang several times; then their voice mail came on. Fannie left a message, asking Arie for Phoebe’s address, and then she hung up the phone. “There, that’s done. Now I can get on with the rest of my day.”

  Pembroke, Kentucky

  Maybe I should have asked Mom to get Phoebe’s phone number instead of her address, Titus thought after he’d hung up the phone. He shook his head. No, a letter’s probably the best way to contact her. Don’t think I could deal with hearing her voice on the phone. It might make me start missing her again, and I sure don’t need that.

  Titus left the phone shanty and headed for the house. Callie met him on the back porch, with all four of her brood meowing and looking up at him pathetically. He really should have gotten rid of them by now, but he’d been too busy to run an ad in the paper. He’d have to do that soon, because he didn’t want to keep five cats around.

  “I know you’re hungry,” Titus said as Callie brushed her tail against his legs. “Okay, follow me, and I’ll get you all some food.”

  Think I might keep one of Callie’s kittens so she has some company, he decided. I’ll take the rest of the cats with me to the produce auction this Saturday and see if I can find them good homes.

  When Titus stepped back outside, he leaned against the barn and inhaled deeply. Fall was definitely in the air; he could smell the leaves that had fallen from the trees in his yard and were starting to decay on the ground. He felt a crisp autumn breeze and heard the chattering of squirrels in a nearby tree. He loved this rural area, where there wasn’t much traffic and tourists were few and far between.

  He glanced at the old trailer he’d called home for the last six months and smiled. In two more weeks, he’d have a new home; only this one had the potential of being his own. That gave him a sense of belonging like never before.

  Think I’ll go for a walk before I head inside to fix something for supper, he decided.

  As Suzanne headed home from the Beilers’ store late that afternoon, she heard the sound of dogs barking in the distance. Her horse must have heard it too, for the mare whinnied and started to run. Suzanne pulled back slightly on the reins. “Whoa, girl. Not so fast.”

  To her relief, the barking stopped, and her horse slowed to an easy trot. When she neared the road leading to Titus’s place, she was tempted to stop. But what reason would she give for her visit? She didn’t want to appear to be pursuing him. If Titus was interested in her, chasing after him would probably turn him away.

  “I don’t know why I’m thinking such thoughts,” she muttered. “Just because Titus has been nicer to me lately, and took me to the young people’s gathering the other night doesn’t mean he’s interested in me.”

  Suzanne relaxed her grip on the reins and tried to focus on other things. The trees lining the road had lost most of their leaves, and there was a distinctive aroma of fall in the air. Soon Thanksgiving, then Christmas would be here, and there’d probably be plenty of snow on the ground.

  Her thoughts turned to Titus again, wondering if he would go to Pennsylvania to spend the holidays with his family. It seemed logical that he would, but if he decided to stay here, she’d ask Mom if they could invite Titus to join them for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

  Suzanne’s musings were halted when her horse whinnied again and started limping. Oh great. I’ll bet she’s thrown a shoe.

  Suzanne brought the horse and buggy to a stop and climbed down to check the horse’s hooves. Sure enough, Dixie had lost her left front shoe.

  Suzanne hoped if she took it slow and easy that they’d be able to make it home okay. She was about to climb back in the buggy, when a pack of six dogs in various sizes darted out of the woods, snarling, yipping, and growling.

  Suzanne hurried for the buggy, but as she was about to put her foot inside, the horse bolted and took off down the road, pulling the buggy behind.

  Suzanne chased after it, hollering, “Whoa, Dixie! Whoa!”

  The horse kept running, and the pack of dogs headed straight for Suzanne!

  Suzanne’s chest heaved as she drew in a deep breath and released a primal scream. “Dear Lord, please help me!”

  CHAPTER 44

  Titus slowed his steps and listened. He thought he’d heard the shrill yapping of dogs. Sure enough, there it was again, followed by a woman’s scream.

  He stepped out of the woods and hurried toward the sound. “Oh no!” he gasped when he saw several mangy-looking dogs chasing Suzanne down the road behind her horse and buggy.

  “Hey!” Titus shouted, waving his hands. “Get away from her, you mangy hund!” He glanced around, looking for something to use to ward off the dogs, and was relieved when he spotted a limb that had fallen from a nearby tree. He bent to pick it up and also grabbed a couple of rocks, which he quickly hurled at the dogs.

  The dogs barked continuously as they turned away from Suzanne and headed for Titus.

  “Run to your buggy, schnell!” Titus shouted, noticing that Suzanne’s horse had stopped running and was now standing along the shoulder of the road.

  As Suzanne ran to the safety of her buggy, Titus wielded the limb, smacking first one dog and then another. They snarled and yapped, snapping at him, and tearing his pant leg with their sharp teeth. He kicked at one dog and sent it running into the woods.

  One of the other dogs turned toward Suzanne’s horse and buggy again, but Titus smacked it in the rump, and it took off for the woods, along with three of the others. Just one dog was left, the biggest and meanest-looking one of the pack. Baring its teeth, it lunged for Titus’s leg.

  Titus hated to hurt any animal, but this could be a life-or-death situation. A pack of wild animals could take a man down, and Titus felt as if he was fighting for his survival. With what seemed like superhuman strength, he charged at the animal with the tree limb, wielding it back and forth as he shouted for the dog to go. One more quick swing with the hunk of wood, and the critter went whimpering into the woods to join his crazed companions.

  Titus stood for several terrifying moments, waiting to see if the dogs would return.

  When the dogs’ barking and yapping faded into the distance, he hurried to Suzanne’s buggy and climbed in beside her. Seeing that Suzanne was trembling and sobbing, he pulled her into his arms.

  “It’s okay. The dogs are gone,” he said, gently patting her back.

  She continued to sob, wetting the front of his shirt with her tears.

  “Look at me now,” he whispered. “The dogs are gone, and you’re okay.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked at him. “Danki for coming to my rescue. I … I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t showed up when you did.”

  “What were you doing out of your buggy?” he asked.

  “My horse threw a shoe. I got out to check on her, but then those horrible hund came charging out of the woods.” Suzanne’s chin trembled. “I was never so scared in my life.”

  Titus tipped her chin up with his thumb and gazed at her pretty face. Every instinct, every fiber of his being, made him want to kiss her. But he figured that wouldn’t be appropriate, and he didn’t want to scare her off. So instead of kissing Suzanne, he pulled slowly away and reached for her hand.

  “You’re not hurt, are you?” Suzanne asked.

  “No, I’m fine.” Titus pulled up his pant leg. “It’s torn, and there’s a welt on my ankle, but thankfully none of the dogs drew bl
ood.”

  “I couldn’t believe it when those hund came charging after me like that.” Suzanne’s voice quavered, even though she felt much calmer than she had a few moments earlier. The whole ordeal had left her feeling drained. “I had no idea a pack of wild dogs was running around here.”

  Titus frowned. “When dogs are abandoned, they sometimes form packs. Without proper feeding and care they can become wild and will go after anything that moves. I’m going to notify the local Humane Society and see if they can trap those dogs before they end up hurting someone.”