by Risner, Fay
Hal rifled in her purse and gave the boys what pennies she had. Emma went to the pantry and found a box of quart baggies she laid on the kitchen table.
The boys put six pennies in each bag and filled them half full of water. Once they had the amount they needed, they tacked the fly bags on the outside of the house.
Finally one morning after much thought, Hal announced as she wiped dishes, “Aunt Tootie is going to sleep in the clinic bed.”
“Are you sure?” Emma asked. “The clinic is so far away from the rest of the family at night.”
“There's nothing wrong with that. For goodness sakes! It's not like I'm sending her to the barn to sleep. The clinic is attached to the house after all,” Hal declared out of sorts.
“I know, but what if you need that bed for a birthing?” Emma considered.
“We will deal with that when and if it happens. Maybe we'll be lucky and not have a birth while our company is here. I can't think of anyone that's due this soon.”
“Just the same we should treat your aunt like company. Besides, she is a lot older than me. She can have my bed. I can sleep in the clinic. That way if we have a birthing I will be the one without a bed which I will not need if I am assisting you,” Emma declared logically.
Hal gave in. “All right, if that's the way you want it.”
Emma fixed the mop bucket and mopped the kitchen's black and white checkered linoleum. She tossed the dirty water out the back door. As she hung the mop pail on a nail and the rag mop beside it, Noah and Daniel charged into the mud room. Emma eyed the squirming puppy warily in Daniel's arms as she snapped, “Watch your step! I just mopped that kitchen floor. It is slick.”
“We will,” Daniel said.
The boys tiptoed into the kitchen. Hal smiled at them as she dried her hands on her apron. “How is the puppy doing?”
“He is growing fast, ain't so?” Noah said to Daniel.
“Jah,” Daniel agreed. “Want to see him come to you, Mama Hal.” He put the puppy on the floor. “Now call him.”
Hal slapped the side of her leg. “Come to me, Biscuit. Come here.”
The puppy slipped and sprawled out several times on the damp floor before he finally slid to a stop in front of Hal. She leaned over and patted his head. “You are so cute.”
The nervous puppy licked her hand repeatedly, suddenly squatted and relieved himself. The amber puddle spread out around his hind paws, ran under his front paws and flowed toward Hal. She stepped back to keep the pool from running under her bare feet. The puppy yipped as he pattered around her, leaving his wet tracks on the clean squares.
With her hands on her hips, Emma's disgust couldn't be missed.
With a glance at his sister, Noah said quietly, “Grab Biscuit, Daniel.”
As Emma's heavy footsteps came behind them, Daniel told Hal, “We need to go now.”
Instantly, Emma was beside them, pointing to the puddle. “That is not a gute thing. I just mopped the floor. I did not want to do it over, but I will have to, ain't so?” Her stiff finger wavered toward the pup as she snapped, “Get him out of this house. He does not belong in here.”
Noah rushed at the puppy. Biscuit dodged under the table. The puppy crouched down, shivering as he tried to figure out what went wrong.
Daniel told Noah, “I will crawl under the table on this side. You watch for him on the other side.”
Daniel went at the pup on all fours. Biscuit scampered out of hiding and bumped into Emma's bare feet. She scooped squirming pup up and held him at arms' length. “I have him. Take him to the barn. He can not stay in the mud room anymore. Take the box away. It smells as bad as this dog does. They both need to be gone before company comes.”
Chapter 2
Late Tuesday afternoon, Jim Lindstrom's car pulled into the driveway and parked. Nora patted down her gray streaked brown hair before she opened her car door. Tootie plastered her round, smiley face to the back window, waving furiously. Jim twisted in the seat and said something to Tootie. She handed him a straw hat perched on top the back seat. He donned the hat before he got out of the car.
The Lapp family rushed to greet them. John hollered, “Wilcom.”
Broad shouldered Jim Lindstrom gave John a hardy handshake. John said, “Looks like you got a new straw hat?”
Jim chuckled. “You bet. Didn't figure I should borrow your anymore.”
He gave Hal a bear hug. “How you doing, Carrot Top?”
“Oh, Dad,” Hal scoffed, wishing he'd forget to use that nickname.
By that time, Nora made it around the car and headed toward them. Hal remembered when her mother was considered a looker with neatly trimmed short brown hair, warm eyes and curves in all the right places. Now her neat hair was streaked with gray and her curves were slightly larger. With the long times between visits, it was easy for Hal to notice the aging changes.
Behind Nora was her sister,Tootie. A shorter version of Nora except Tootie kept her short gray hair in a curly perm. Both women dressed in neatly tailored pantsuits which made Hal covetous since she had to wear long dresses.
The two women hugged everyone as Hal introduced the family to her aunt before she said, “We should go in and sit down for awhile before we unload the trunk. I'll bet all of you are tired after such a long trip.”
“Been sitting all day,” Tootie stated, rubbing her bottom. “Your father doesn't believe in stopping except in an emergency. I darn near was the emergency a time or two before he pulled into a gas station so I could use the restroom.”
“Now, Tootie, it wasn't as bad as all that,” Nora defended her husband.
John said, “Hal take the women inside while I help Jim unload the car.”
Daniel tugged on Jim's shirt sleeve. “Dawdi Jim, we have a new puppy.”
“That right?” Jim asked with interest.
“Would you like to see him?” Noah said, “He is in the barn.”
“Sure, let's take a look. John, I'll be right back to unload.” Jim turned to leave with them.
“Jim, you best get into your farmer shoes before you go to the barn. Those are your Sunday shoes you're wearing,” scolded Nora.
Jim winked at the boys. “I'll be careful. We'll be right back. Won't we, boys?”
“Sure, Mammi Nora,” Daniel said. “This will not take long.”
“They have nasty chickens running wild,” Tootie hissed at Nora's shoulder. “You know how chickens go everywhere.” She tisked as she stared at the flock of hens, scratching in the barnyard. “I've never seen anything else like chickens that does so much strutting over so little to be proud of.”
“I'll watch where I step and even rub my shoe soles in the grass on the way back,” Jim promised. “Come on, boys. We can't stay gone long. I have carry in the suitcases.”
“We can help, Dawdi,” Noah offered as he opened the barn's half door.
The puppy scampered to the side of his pen when he heard their voices. He yipped an excited greeting, jumped up and planted his front paws on the side of the pen then bounced off. He twisted in a circle, chased his tail a moment and jumped up on the pen again to be patted.
“He's sure a cute fellow,” Jim said. “What breed is he?”
Daniel patted the pup's head. “Black and Tan coon hound.”
“You taking him coon hunting when he gets a little older?” Jim asked.
“Jah,” Noah answered.
“You will have to train him. You know how?”
Daniel shook his head a slow yes. “We know how. What we do not know is if we will be able to do it.”
Noah suggested, “We might take him out when it is just me and Daniel. We have not decided what to do yet.”
“Why not? He should learn what he is to do easy enough. Be quick to train him I'd think since coon hunting is bred into him,” Jim exclaimed.
“That is for sure and certain,” Noah agreed. “You see Dawdi Jim there is a problem. We told Mama Hal she could name the puppy. We thought she would like him better if we
let her name him.” He paused to look at Daniel.
Jim looked down his nose at the boys. “And?”
Daniel said plaintively, “She named our dog Biscuit.”
“No kidding.” Jim chuckled.
“Dawdi, this is not funny. It is a big problem. Can you see us out with a bunch of boys, and we call for Biscuit to come to us. They are going to tease us something awful.”
Jim rubbed the back of his neck and tried to put on a serious face. “You fellows have a problem for sure. Hallie wouldn't give the dog another name?”
Noah shrugged. “She might have, but Dad will not let us ask her. He said that would be welshing on the deal. She was to get to pick the name if she let us keep the dog.”
“What can we do, Dawdi Jim?” Daniel implored.
Jim rubbed his chin as he thought. “Seems to me what Hal doesn't know won't upset her. Let her call the dog Biscuit. When you're alone with this pup and training him out away from the house call him Dog. He'll figure that's his name if you use it often enough. Actually, I doubt a dog really knows his name. They just know from the sound of your voice when you say something what you want. Any word you say will work for a name.
When you're among your friends call him Dog, and they won't think anything of it. If you slip up and say Dog in front of Hallie that will sound natural. She won't think anything of it. Just remember to call him Biscuit where she can hear you once in awhile.”
“Dawdi Jim, you are a genius,” Noah praised, grinning from ear to ear.
“I knew you would think of something,” Daniel agreed happily.
“Seems like a win win situation to me,” Jim said. “Now we best go back and help your dad with the suitcases, or he will be giving all of us a hard time for keeping him from his chores.”
“You bring that much stuff to carry in?” Daniel asked.
“Not me, but when you get a little older, you'll find out women can't go anywhere without bringing half of what they own along with them,” Jim grumped. He looked at his wrist watch. “Besides, it will be time to milk soon. I want to help so I have to hunt up my old jeans and work shoes to put on. If I don't get out of my Sunday clothes before I come back to the barn, your grandma's going to have a cow.”
Daniel's face scrunched up. He said in concern to Noah. “Mammi Nora would take one of our cows if Dawdi Jim doesn't mind her?”
Baffled, Noah shrugged.
Jim laughed. “No, I just meant she will be mad at me.”
Once the men and boys left for the barn to milk, Emma and Hal started supper while Nora and Tootie sat at the table.
Tootie gave a faint sniffle. “Hallie, there are a few things you should know about my diet before you do a lot of cooking. In the morning for breakfast, I only like two kinds of juice – grape or apple. I can't abide tomato juice. The acid is bad for my stomach you know.” She let out a plaintive sigh as she rubbed her midsection. “I have a lot of digestive troubles.”
Emma said kindly, “That will not be a problem. We have those juices on hand.”
“I'm so sorry to hear you have stomach problems, Aunt Tootie. That can be miserable,” Hal sympathized.
Tootie sniffed a little louder this time and studied the table top. “I'll be all right unless I need an enema. I hope I don't have to have one while I'm here, but if I do, it's a fortunate thing I have a niece living here who is a nurse.”
Emma's mouth flew open as she looked from Tootie to Hal. Hal turned a distressed stare on her mother and mouthed the words, “Really, Mom?”
Nora shrugged, clearly powerless where Tootie was concerned.
At supper, John asked Jim if he had plans for the next day.
Jim said, “No, figured to do whatever you do.”
“The boys and me were thinking about going to the Wickenburg salebarn tomorrow. There is a big horse drawn equipment sale before the livestock auction. It is always interesting to look at. Would you like to go?”
“Sounds like fun,” Jim said enthusiastically.
“Well, if you are done eating, we might as well get away from the table. You remember we always have a time of devotion in the morning and the evening after supper,” John said. “We can wait in the living room for the women to do the dishes and join us.”
“John, why don't you take Redbird and Beth with you. They're restless now that we're all busy,” Hal said.
“Give me one of those girls,” Jim insisted.
John lifted Beth out of her wooden highchair and held her toward Jim. She squealed in discontent and hugged John's neck. “Sorry about that.”
“No problem. I'm a stranger to these babies. Let me try, Redbird, and see if I have better luck,” Jim said. He lifted the toddler out of her chair. Happy to be freed, she giggled and patted his cheek. “That a girl.” He said proudly.
“Works that way most of the time, Dad,” Hal shared. “Redbird is too friendly, and Beth is too bashful.”
Jim inspected Redbird as he carried her away. “Hallie, what do you expect from another Carrot Top. She's just like her mother was at this age.”
Once the men were gone, Tootie stood up like she was heading a women's church group, fold her hands in front of her and announced, “Ladies, we really should be getting these dishes done as soon as possible.”
“Don't worry, Aunt Tootie. John's in no hurry to do devotions. He doesn't mind waiting for us,” Hal declared.
“That's not it. I can't abide dirty dishes roosting on the counter and table. I want to wash. I always have liked to wash the dishes.”
“Oh,” Emma said. “Usually I wash, but that is fine. The tea kettle is simmering on the back of the stove. I can make the dish water for you. I will wipe.”
“What do you want me to do, Emma?” Nora asked.
“Help Hallie scrape the plates and put away the leftovers,” Emma said. “Stack the dishes and set them on the counter by Aendi Tootie.”
“The slop bucket's in the mudroom. I'll get it.” Hal brought back a plastic ice cream pail. “Scrape the scraps in this, Mom, and I'll feed the cats in the barn.”
While they worked, Hal said, “Mom, I expect you and Aunt Tootie need a day to rest up after that long trip. So tomorrow how about we hang out here while you get acquainted with your little granddaughters. The next day we're invited to the Yoder farm in the afternoon. I told everyone at the Sunday worship meeting you were coming. The Yoders women said to make sure we brought you to visit them first thing.”
“Sounds good to me. Is that Margaret and Linda you're talking about?” Nora asked.
“Jah, that's the ones,” Hal told her as she scraped a plate.
By the time, Hal and Nora had the leftovers in cartons, Tootie picked up the last stainless steel kettle and swiped it out. “Emma, clean kettles tell other women what kind of a housekeeper you are. So do clean kitchens.” She put the kettle in the rinse pan and wrung out the dishcloth so she could scrub the counter tops before she moved to the table.
Emma implored, “Aendi Tootie, you should let me wash the table.”
“No, Dear. That goes with the dish washing job,” Tootie declared.
Hal left for the barn. When she came back she set the empty pail by the dishpan. “Aunt Tootie, wash this scrap bucket last.”
Tootie scrunched her nose up as she finished the table. “I'm done with the dishes. Do I have to wash the slop bucket?”
“Jah, we don't want it to smell and draw flies in the mudroom,” Hal said.
Tootie's face stayed unpleasant as she washed the pail, but she didn't say anything. As soon as she finished the distasteful task, she left Emma to empty the dish pans and joined Nora and Hal in the living room.
After the family gathered, Tootie said, “John, if we're going to have devotions, would it bother you if I sang a hymn?”
Nora snapped, “Now, Tootie, John's the one who leads the family devotions. You sit back and listen.”
Tootie leaned back into the couch and pouted.
Emma placated, “It is all right,
Aendi Tootie. We like to sing hymns, too. Can I sing with you when Daed says it is time to sing?”
“Oh yes, Dear. Sure you can,” Tootie crowed with a smug look at her sister.
“We all will sing,” Hal added, trying to be as nice as she could to her aunt. After the way she'd talked about Tootie when she knew the elderly woman was coming, she felt guilty now.
As soon as the devotion time was over, horse hooves and the crunch of rocks on the driveway put them on alert.
John answered the knocks. “Wilcom, Eldon and Jane. Come on in.”
Hal asked, “What brings you over tonight?”
Eldon's smiling red face took in each of the Lapp's visitors. “We wanted to wilcom your parents and invite them to come to the next Sunday meeting with you.”
John said, “Boys, get some extra chairs from the kitchen. Jim and Nora, you remember Eldon and Jane Bontrager?”
“Of course, we do,” Jim said, and Nora nodded.
Hal said, “This is my mother's sister, Tootie.”
“Wie bist du beit, Tootie” Eldon said.
“It's nice to meet you and your wife,” Tootie replied politely.
The boys came back with chairs and sat down on the floor near the men.
Emma said, “I am going to pop us a big pan of popcorn.”
“I'll help,” Nora volunteered, following Emma to the kitchen. She set a stack of cereal bowls on the table while Emma shook a skillet full of kernels. “So, Emma, when do we meet your boyfriend. Adam is it?”
“Jah, Adam will be over soon. We are very special friends,” Emma said, blushing. She poured the corn in the dishpan and popped one more skillet full. After she melted butter in the skillet, she poured that on the popcorn while Nora stirred the kernels with a spoon. Emma picked up the dishpan. “Now we are ready.”
Nora carried the bowls. Emma set the dishpan down on the table by the window. Nora filled each bowl while Emma served.
When Emma came to Tootie, the elderly woman said, “Don't you have bigger bowls than this? I just love popcorn.”
“Of course, Aendi Tootie. I'll get you one.” Emma brought back a vegetable bowl.