“From top to bottom.”
“Sehr gut.” She wrapped her wool shawl a bit tighter. “We start the stove?”
“I just wanted some fresh air in here.”
“I clean out the stove and start the fire.”
While she did that, Astrid and Rebecca hauled the bolts of fabric to the kitchen. None of them were full bolts, so draping them didn’t take long. They went ahead and used the clothesline in the yard, since the wind was gentle and inviting.
Each time they returned to the interior of the store, more people had arrived—Thelma from Thorliff ’s, Deborah MacCallister, and Mary Martha Solberg. Mr. Sam had joined Thorliff and Mr. Geddick, and Lars was removing things from the walls and sweeping down the dirt. Miss Christopherson came with the suggestion that they use her empty store as a storage place while they cleaned.
Rebecca received as many comforting pats and nods as she had at her father’s funeral. But Gus and Knute were notably missing.
“I didn’t go out to tell your brothers,” Thorliff told her when they had a moment. “I figured to let sleeping dogs lie until after the train leaves.”
Rebecca nodded. “Thank you.” She glanced up when she heard footsteps in the doorway once again. Mrs. Valders did not look pleased. In fact, the thundercloud sitting on her forehead rolled over those around her.
She stalked over to Rebecca and Thorliff. “What is this I hear about Rebecca now owning the store?”
Thorliff shook his head. “No, ma’am. I own the store. I have the contract signed and sealed and witnessed. Mr. Jeffers was most agreeable. Rebecca will be managing the store for me.”
Rebecca waited for him to mention Penny, but when he didn’t, she kept her mouth shut.
“Well, why wasn’t I told? I would have made an offer.” Her clenched fists rested on her hips. “I tried to buy it before Jeffers did, but—”
“I know, but this was a bit of an emergency.”
She glared at Rebecca. “You don’t deserve this. After all, Mr. Jeffers was just operating on the permission from your brothers—”
Rebecca took a step back. “What are you saying?”
Mrs. Valders looked around to find all the volunteers silent and watching the show. “Well, I mean that old saying, you know, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
“Aren’t you needed at the post office?” Lars asked, taking a step forward. “I hear the train coming.”
“I put up a Closed sign. I couldn’t find Mr. Valders to have him watch the counter for me.” She raised her chin and clamped her arms across her bosom.
Rebecca blinked back tears. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Surely no one thought that she … But of course someone would, and who more likely than the woman before her. She straightened her back and clamped her teeth.
“I mean no disrespect, Mrs. Valders, but I want to clarify something. I tried to explain to Mr. Jeffers that my brothers had made a mistake. That I had no intention of engaging in any courtship or friendship or any other kind of relationship with him. I was trying to be polite when he attacked me.” Rebecca trembled as she got the words out, but a stream of peace welled up inside her. She was not going to let that filthy man smear her life.
She heard the collective gasp of the others. Now everyone would know. But at least they would know the truth from her own lips, not a vicious rumor.
“Well, I never—”
“No, Mother, you never. You assumed.”
Rebecca spun around at the sound of Gerald’s voice. He stood just inside the doorway, and from the look on his face, he’d heard the whole thing.
“I believe you owe Miss Baard an apology, don’t you?” he asked, his voice more gentle.
“No, I don’t, and we will talk of this again in the privacy of our own home.” She turned and, like a ship under full sail, sped out the door.
Rebecca swallowed, blinked, sniffed, and nodded at her friend. “Thank you.” She knew what it cost him. Gerald did not like confrontation. Said he’d seen enough of that when he went to the war. As far as he was concerned, there was no good reason for people to get angry at each other and fight.
But he stood up for me today. And I was so worried he too would think I had somehow encouraged Mr. Jeffers.
“All right, show’s over,” Lars said, waving his hands like he was shooing chickens. “Let’s get back to work.”
Rebecca crossed the room and stopped in front of Gerald. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome. I’m sorry Mother attacked you like that. She sometimes speaks before she thinks.” He paused, peering into her eyes. “Are you really all right?”
“I am. I have plenty of friends who make sure of that.”
“I’ll come help as soon as my shift ends.”
“Oh. Who is minding the switchboard now?”
“No one, but I had to come to make sure you were … I mean, you are …” He blinked and rolled his lips together. “I’ll be back later.” He reached out with one finger and touched her cheek, then turned and fled out the door.
Rebecca raised her hand to her face and touched the spot with her fingers. While they’d held hands when they were dancing—everyone held hands while dancing—he’d never touched her face like that before. She sighed.
“Rebecca, where do you want these?”
She turned at the call and waded back into the fray. What if Penny didn’t want to buy the store back? Then what? How could she manage the store and build her soda shop? Or could the two of them be in the same building? She had so many questions. And why did anyone think that she should know where anything went? After all, it was Thorliff ’s store. She was just the manager. And Gerald was coming back to help, in spite of his mother. He was walking into a battle just for her.
The first step was rapidly becoming reality. Cleaning the place up.
Thorliff joined her as she started to move the display from the window and clean that. “I think we should just put things back where they were once we’ve cleaned,” he suggested, “don’t you?”
“Good idea.” She handed him the divided crates and stepped off the raised area. “All of this merchandise here, these goods are so faded from being in the window that we can’t sell any of it.”
The bell chimed again. Every time it rang she was sure one of her brothers would be walking in and wondering what was happening. Just the thought of seeing one of them made her stomach churn. Anger had a habit of doing that.
“Rebecca?” Mary Martha’s cheery voice helped Rebecca calm down again. “I’ll set the food up on the counter for dinner if that’s all right with you.”
“Wonderful.” Rebecca looked over to the counter to see many things stacked on it. “Let me clear it off first.”
“You finish what you are doing. Is there fire in the kitchen stove?”
“Yes. That’s where we’re heating the water to scrub with. You could set the coffeepot on this stove. Mrs. Geddick cleaned and polished it before starting the fire.”
“Coffee will save the day. Thank you.” Thorliff left her and went to assist Mrs. Solberg.
Rebecca returned to the window. With everything out on the floor, she swept down the cobwebs and wall, then the display floor. As she turned and headed to the kitchen for clean rags and hot soapy water, she stopped, amazed at all the people there to help. You’d have thought they were having a party by all the visiting and laughter. The walls were already cobweb free, and the stock was being cleaned and put back in place.
Mr. Geddick was soaping the horse harness that would be draped again over pegs on the wall, along with bridles, halters, and even a saddle. Mr. Sam had the drawers that held hardware, such as nuts and bolts and nails and screws, all cleaned and was putting things back. While one spoke with a soft southern drawl and the other with a heavy German accent, their laughter transcended all language.
Astrid stopped beside her. “Sure wish Mor and Far were here. They hate to miss out on anything.”
“I know. It seems strange not to have them he
re.”
Thorliff joined them. “What seems strange?”
“Mor and Far not here.”
“I thought of going out and getting them, but Far gets too tired too fast. Elizabeth and I talked about it, but she doesn’t want him to overdo it. I know. We’ll take the ledgers out to the house and let them go through those. That way they’ll feel a part of all this.”
Astrid looked at her brother with a nod. “You are one smart man, you know that?”
“As Mor says, by the grace of God. We all better be praying for wisdom to straighten this out. Mr. Valders came by a bit ago and said that Jeffers got on the train with a promise that he’d not get off anywhere in North Dakota. He reminded the man that the people of Blessing would not appreciate hearing from him or seeing him again.”
Rebecca swallowed the queasiness that just hearing the man’s name caused. She glanced over toward the household section of the store, almost expecting to see him there. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to check on those bolts of cloth.”
“You want me to help roll them on the flats again?”
“No. Let’s use the counter for the food first. It will be easier to roll them on a flat surface like that.”
With three boilers heating on the stove, the windows of the kitchen were all steamed up. Stepping out onto the back porch, even with the sun shining, the cold made Rebecca catch her breath. She held a length of fabric up to her face and sniffed to see if it still smelled like smoke and grime. While it did smell much better, she left all the fabric there and returned to the kitchen.
“Are you all right, dear?” Mrs. Solberg asked, concern darkening her gaze.
“Yes, of course.”
“Not of course, considering what you’ve been through.” She raised a hand. “Now, don’t go getting upset. We’ve been praying for you, and nothing ever goes beyond our door, so you needn’t worry about the rest.”
“I think everyone knows anyway. Ingeborg made me promise to not stew about it.”
“Easy to say, not so easy to do.”
Rebecca nodded.
“Forgiveness is critical.”
“I know, but how do you do that?” Rebecca stopped in her reach for the can of kerosene that she would dilute to use on the windows.
“I mean, I can still smell him.” She felt the bitter stomach fluid rise up in her mouth again. She touched her face. “And my skin still burns.”
“Those things will fade soon. Forgiveness is an act of will, not a feeling. We choose to forgive others because Christ forgave us.”
“Rebecca, I think you better come.” Astrid beckoned from the doorway.
“I’ll be right there.” She squeezed Mrs. Solberg’s hand. “Thank you. Can we talk more later?”
“Of course. Dinner will be ready in just a couple of minutes.” Rebecca pushed aside the curtain and glanced up at the rod that held the tattered fabric. The curtain would be the next thing to come down, and she would throw it in the fire for good measure. It wasn’t worth washing.
Mrs. Valders once again stood inside the doorway with her hands on her hips. “I believe something underhanded went on here. I should have been told about the sale of the store. After all, I made myself clear before.”
Oh no. I don’t have the strength to deal with her again, Rebecca thought. Why has she come back already?
Thorliff stepped between Rebecca and her.
“Where is Mr. Jeffers?” the woman demanded.
“On the train heading east.”
“Surely he wasn’t guilty of what he was accused of. Why, no gentleman would act like that without provocation.” She huffed herself up like an irate rooster.
“No one ever accused Jeffers of being a gentleman.” Thorliff ’s voice steeled. “And I would suggest that you be very careful of accusing anyone by innuendo.”
Rebecca wanted to hug him and slug Mrs. Valders. No wonder Ingeborg and her mother had had trouble dealing with the woman. Another case needing forgiveness. But right now, rage felt so much more necessary. But that could hurt Gerald. The thought put a clamp on her mouth. Gerald had stuck up for her with his mother. While the thought made her get all warm inside, she suspected that he would hear far more from her at home. Did she not realize what a fine man, no, what two fine men she had for sons? And that they were men now, not the starving little boys who had showed up on the train and stolen food from the store? Why were people so hard to understand? She blanked out thoughts of her brothers. Why were things becoming so difficult?
27
AS GERALD SAT DOWN to the noon meal with his brother and parents, he could feel the chill in the room. His mother set the bowl of stew in front of her husband and took her place to his right. As soon as they’d said grace, she handed him the serving spoon.
“Thank you.” Gerald took his filled plate from his father. “Bread, Mother?” Waiting for the blast that he knew was coming gave his hand a bit of a quiver. But this time she had gone too far. Whatever gave him the courage to speak to her like that, to back up Rebecca, was a miracle or a disaster, he hadn’t decided which yet. As he passed the bread, he caught his mother’s eye. No doubt, here it was coming.
“Please.” Lips so tight the word could barely get through, she laid her napkin in her lap. “You had no right to speak to me like that today, especially not in public. I have never been so humiliated.” Her lips quivered.
Gerald sighed. Talk about being caught between the kettle and the fire. He’d always been the dutiful son, but now he had to be firm. From the look on his father’s face, he was staying out of it. “Mother, you were making accusations without knowing all the facts,” he said softly. “And no matter what, that was not a kind thing to say.”
“Kind? Why should I be kind in this situation?” She sat straighter, using her sternest face, the one she’d assumed when Toby needed scolding. Only now it wasn’t Toby. She continued. “Those young women today, such giggling all the time. What are people to think? So irresponsible.” Gerald closed his eyes for a moment and then let out a held-in breath. “Mother, Rebecca is one of the most responsible young ladies anywhere. She took over the care of the family home for Gus, and now that she was asked, she has stepped in to run the store. And she will do a fine job of it.” Please, Lord, give me just the right words to say here.
“Most girls would either feel sorry for themselves or hide away after her humiliation, but she is standing up for herself instead of letting Jeffers smear her reputation. She needs the support of everyone who knows her, not more false accusations. If you weren’t so upset over losing the store again, you’d be the first to tar and feather Jeffers for what he did. You’ve always suspected him of evil intent, and this time rightly so. Why are you taking it out on Rebecca?” His reasoning caught even him by surprise.
His father coughed, and Toby continued to eat as if nothing were amiss. His mother started to answer then fell silent. He could feel her stare upon him, so he looked up and gave her a slight smile. “I’d appreciate it if you spoke highly of her. I know you have a kind heart, and if I’m to marry one day, she is my only choice, and you will rejoice to have her as your daughter-in-law.” Talk about taking coals to Newcastle. His whole nature screamed Run! but he kept to his seat. The next bite of stew tasted like chalk.
He waited. She gulped air like a fish out of water. Did she need to be struck on the back? Something caught in her throat? “Are you all right?”
“She will be, son. Just give her some time to get used to the idea,” his father said and then went on eating. “Pass the salt, please.”
“But … but you said you would never marry. What about the malaria? Who would take care of you?” she stammered. He’d never heard his mother stammer in all the years of living in the same house. She made other people stammer, including him, for sure, back in the early years. How he wanted to reach out and pat her hand, her shoulder, something to show how much he cared and appreciated her love and concern.
He brought his mind back to her question
. “I know. I’ll be making a decision one day soon. She has no idea of my feelings. My point is, I’d like you to show her the same compassion that you’ve given Toby and me since you took us in, regardless of what we said or did.”
Gerald looked to his father. “What do you think?”
“I think you would be making a wise decision. Why, if the young lady’s idea for a soda shop takes off as well as I think it might, it could eventually be expanded into quite an enterprise. I remember when Ingeborg started talking about a cheese business. Who would have imagined all the good things that have come from Blessing.”
“Thank you, sir. I count on your advice.”
“There are good things ahead for our little town. You mark my words.” His father reached over and patted his wife’s hand. “And you just might get your wish for grandchildren, after all.” He wiped his mouth and tucked the napkin back into the ring. “I’ll take my rest and then get on back to the bank. You tell Rebecca that if she needs some financing for her shop to come talk with me. We have excellent businesswomen here in Blessing, and I’ll be pleased to help her become one of them.”
“Yes, sir.” He hoped he had kept his amazement from showing on his face.
He looked over at his brother scooping up the stew in a steady manner, shoulders shaking just a little.
Gerald stood and rested his hand on his mother’s shoulder. “Thank you for dinner. Mother, you have given us so much, and I will always be grateful, but we’re not little boys anymore, and some decisions are ours alone to make.”
Hildegunn looked up at him with watery eyes.
He bent down and gave her a light hug. “Why do you try so hard not to let other people see your generous heart?”
Back out on the porch, he stopped to suck in a deep breath, hoping to calm the shakes that tried to attack him. Had he said the right things, done the best, or had he destroyed the family? He glanced over his shoulder. Please, Lord, let her accept this in the manner I meant. You know how much I hate fighting or having people angry at one another. But Rebecca’s been hurt enough. She doesn’t need more. He settled his hat on his head and strode toward the telephone exchange and the job he took pride in. Who knew what supper would be like.
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