Lars finished his soda and stood. “I’ll leave the horse and buggy here. You two come find me when you are ready to go home.”
He headed toward the newspaper office, and the women strolled over to Penny’s store, the Blessing Mercantile.
“Well, I’ll be blown over by a small breeze, look who is here, and both of you at the same time.” Garbed in a new print apron, Penny came around from behind the battle-scarred counter to meet them halfway. “To what do I owe this honor?”
“We saw Jonathan and Grace off on the train, then we stopped for a soda, and here we are. You probably haven’t heard yet that Jonathan’s mother died suddenly.”
“Oh, how awful. So they’re going out east for the funeral?”
“Yes. It’s a sad situation for so many reasons.”
“That it is. I recall that Jonathan’s mother had a hard time accepting Grace as her daughter-in-law.”
“I can’t begin to understand it, but it’s true.”
Penny nodded. “But I’m happy to see you here in town. Do you have time for some coffee?”
“We just had a soda.” Kaaren looked to Ingeborg, then back to Penny. “Of course we do. Lars and Thorliff have plenty to talk about.”
Penny called behind the curtain to her daughter, Linnea, “Come watch the counter for me; we’ll be out in back.” She wagged a hand at Ingeborg and Kaaren. “You go out and sit down while I bring a tray. Would you rather have something hot or cold?”
“Whatever is easiest. We could leave our lists here for Linnea to fill.”
Penny handed the lists to her daughter. “Any questions, come get us.”
Out at the table, Ingeborg tipped her head back, feeling the cooling breeze on her neck. “Ah, such a delight.” With quick fingers, she unpinned her straw hat and laid it on the table. “There, now that’s even better.”
Birds gossiped in the branches above them, and the laughter of playing children came from other yards. Hammering and sawing, men working on another house, came from the west.
“Soon we’ll hear more construction at the school too.” Kaaren shook her head. “And to think Blessing used to be a quiet little town.”
“Like all of us, it’s growing up,” Penny said as she went back into the store for the drinks.
“Or older.”
“Whoever would have dreamed all this?” Ingeborg waved her hand to include the whole town. “All we wanted was the free land to farm.” Their shared gaze spoke plenty of their knowledge of the word free.
Kaaren asked, “Do you ever think of our families still in Norway?”
“Some, but not as much as I used to. I dreamed about Gunlaug one night. Makes me wonder how she and her family are. You’d think as close as we were, we’d have managed to keep in touch.”
Kaaren nodded. “Especially after her far passed away.”
“He was cruel to keep our families apart like that. All because he could not forgive the way his brother divided his inheritance. No wonder the Bible talks about the importance of forgiveness so often.”
“Looks like you two are in a deep discussion,” Penny said as she set a tray on the table. Taking a chair with a sigh, she passed out the glasses of lemonade. “I mixed canned strawberries with the lemon juice. Tell me what you think.” They raised their glasses to each other and first sipped, then savored.
“Very good. Better than swizzle even.” Kaaren set her glass back down.
Ingeborg picked up a sour cream cookie and passed the plate. “What did you put in different?” she asked after her first bite.
“Lemon juice and grated the peel in too. Whatever did we do without lemons? Mrs. Garrison said that lemons are now out of season, so we better buy what we can. She’s getting a big order in on tomorrow’s train. They keep a long time, though.”
“What if we canned some, including the peeling?”
“Or dried the skins.”
“To think we get fruit all the way from Florida.”
“And my cheese goes all over the country.”
Ingeborg and Kaaren told Penny of their idea for a ladies lunch. “We decided to just announce it and see who comes. So tell everyone you see. Or we could put up a sign.”
“And I can bring anything I want?”
Ingeborg could see the wheels turning. Penny had an idea, and like most of her surprises, they would all benefit.
“We’d better be going,” Kaaren said after a bit. “Lars is probably anxious to get home. Taking time off in the middle of the week is unheard of.”
“He should do so more often.”
“Maybe we should all do so more often,” Penny said. “Look at us sitting here, and no one is even knitting or piecing. My mor would be horrified. Idle hands . . . you know the rest.”
“Tsk, tsk.” Kaaren pinned her hat back on her head. “Back into the fray. Come along, lazybones.”
Ingeborg and Penny swapped eye rolls. “Takk for the new drink. You might have started a craze.” Ingeborg pinned on her hat and the two started for the boardwalk along Main Street.
“You better stop in at Garrisons’ and place your order for lemons,” Penny called after them.
“Takk.” Ingeborg turned to Kaaren. “What if we split a box?”
“How big is a box?”
“I don’t know. Let’s just do it. While you do that, I’m going to go by the hospital and see if Astrid has a moment. I’ll meet you at Thorliff’s.”
“Fine by me.”
Ingeborg waved at Amelia Jeffers out working in her garden and admired the hospital as she strode up to it. The trees were growing well, the two spirea shrubs looked to be blooming soon, and someone had planted rosebushes under the windows. When she pushed open the door, the scent of lilacs greeted her. The big vase on the entry desk held a wealth of drooping lavender lilacs. Her own were almost done blooming, but Mrs. Geddick had planted some on the north side of her house to bloom later than the others. Resolving to do the same, Ingeborg greeted Deborah, who was behind the desk.
“Is Astrid around?”
Deborah pointed to the closed office door. “She’s trying to catch up on her paper work. Go on in, she’ll be delighted to see you.”
Nurse Miriam Knutson waved while helping a patient down in the ward. Ingeborg waved back and tapped on the office door, then opened it enough to put her head in. “Do you have time for a quick visit?”
“Oh, Mor, of course I do. Come in.” Astrid pointed to a chair. “Have a seat and I’ll order us up some coffee.”
Ingeborg sat down, shaking her head. “I just had something over at Penny’s. I should have brought you one of her cookies. Sour cream, but she added lemon juice and grated lemon peel. They were so good.”
“I’ll have to suggest that to Amelia. I haven’t had time to bake cookies since who knows when.”
“You’re looking tired.”
“Takk for nothing. We need an administrator to run this hospital so I can do the doctor things.” Astrid glared at the stack of papers in front of her. “Deborah takes a lot of the load, but . . .” She straightened her shoulders. “You didn’t come to hear me grumble.”
“If you need to grumble, who better to listen than your mother?”
“All grumbling does is make me feel lower than a beetle’s foot.”
Ingeborg raised her eyebrows. “How did you think up that one?”
“All the June bugs that are sacrificing themselves at the doors and windows to get to the light. We’ve taken to sweeping them up every morning. I wonder if the fish might like them if we threw them in the river.”
“I’m sure the chickens would delight in them. If you have them in a bucket or something, I’ll take them home and try them.” Ingeborg studied her daughter. Astrid needed to get out in the sun; she was as pale as a fashion model out of some old Godey’s Lady’s Book. “Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Are you not sleeping?”
Astrid shook her head. “Funny you s
hould stop by today. I was planning on coming to see you tomorrow before the girl party. I have a good reason for feeling so tired. I have a hard time keeping food down too . . . mostly in the morning.” Her twinkling eyes gave her away.
“Well, I’ve missed two cycles and Thelma told me I am, so I guess that makes it all definite.”
The two met in a hug and shared several tears before going back to their chairs.
“Oh, what splendid news. I will be a grandma again.” Ingeborg’s medical side kicked in. “So you are getting extra rest and eating properly?”
“As much as I can. I do know a bit about the process, you know.”
“And get your feet up when you can.” Ingeborg clasped her hands under her chin. “Amelia knows?” she asked, referring to Astrid’s mother-in-law.
“Of course, and it has been killing her not to tell you. She said if I didn’t tell you at dinner on Sunday, she would. She is so excited. This baby will be in our house, and she can love it all she wants.”
“Have you told anyone else?” When Astrid shook her head, Ingeborg asked, “Can I tell Kaaren?”
“Yes, you may. I will tell the girls tomorrow night, and by Sunday everyone in town will know.”
Ingeborg grinned. Another grandchild! “Will Kenneth Johnson be returning as soon as he finishes his year in Chicago?”
“I’m counting on him. He said he would, otherwise I would advertise for a new doctor to come to Blessing.”
“Another resident won’t be coming?”
Astrid wagged her head. “I’m hoping Red Hawk will send more nurses for training. He is in desperate need on the reservation. I suggested that Chicago send someone down there for a resident year. Mor, they need so much. Do you think our church could send some help again?”
“I will talk with Lars about it. It’s always better if it comes from one of the men, like Haakan led the drive before. You find out what they need the most.”
“I mentioned a trip down there, and Daniel about banged his head on the ceiling.”
“I’m sure.” Ingeborg couldn’t quit grinning. “I need to go. Lars is talking with Thorliff and then we’ll head on home.”
“See if you can get Thorliff talking. I am having a hard time keeping my mouth shut.”
“More than his driving himself so hard?”
A tap at the door. “Dr. Astrid, your next appointment is here.”
“Thanks, Miriam. Examining room one.” Astrid stood and smiled at her mother again. “Your timing was perfect. Thank you for showing up right when I was thinking about you.”
“God did it; I wasn’t planning on coming.” Ingeborg stood too and hugged her daughter one more time. “See you Sunday. Dinner is at Andrew and Ellie’s.”
As Ingeborg headed to the newspaper office, she pondered and prayed, Lord, is it time for me to have a real heart-to-heart with my son?
Chapter 8
I think I’ll stay home,” Deborah whispered to Mary Martha.
“Why? Are you sick?” Mary Martha automatically felt Deborah’s forehead.
“No.”
“Do you want to tell me why?”
“Um, well, I told Sophie I’m about to give up on Toby and she said they’d fix a plan.” Her words came out in a rush, and she was grateful no one else was around to hear.
“You’ve loved Toby for a long time.”
“How did you know?” Deborah searched her mind to remember if she had ever mentioned her feelings.
“Ah, dear Deborah, I’ve been your mother for all these years, and you think I haven’t paid attention?”
“But . . . but I never said anything.”
“No, you didn’t, but your eyes and face told me.” Mary Martha reached for Deborah and hugged her close. “You’ve never even gone walking with anyone else. And when he pays attention to you, well, let’s say you glow.”
“Do you think other people notice?”
“John has. That’s a father’s job, you know.”
“How embarrassing.”
“You needn’t be embarrassed. We’ve been praying for the right man for you for years. Like we do for all of our children, and I hope you will do the same when you have a family.”
“At the rate I’m going, that might be never.”
“You go to the party and just have a good time. You girls haven’t done this for so long.” She tipped Deborah’s face up with a finger under her chin. “Is there anything else?”
“Sometimes it’s hard not to be jealous of the others. I’m the only one not married.”
“True, but remember, God’s timing is perfect. And maybe Toby is not the man He has in mind for you.”
“I think I’ll just leave Blessing and go for more training so I can become the hospital administrator that we need so much. Astrid needs help and—”
“And you will take one day at a time, and we will all pray that God makes your path clear. Now, do you have your crackers and biscuit rolls?”
“I do and I will have a good time.” Deborah reached for her basket, paused, gave Mary Martha another hug and a thank-you, took up her basket again, and marched out the door.
As she started up the steps to Sophie’s front porch, she could hear laughter through the screen door.
“Come on in, you don’t need to knock,” Sophie called from the parlor. She took Deborah’s basket and set it on the dining room table with the other offerings.
Deborah smiled at Rebecca and Astrid, who were already sipping from their glasses. “Where’s Ellie?”
“She should be here any minute. And of course Grace is nearly to New York City. I know she’d rather be here.” Sophie handed Deborah a glass with ice and some kind of drink.
“Did you invite Miriam?”
“We did, but she is on duty so that the rest of us can be here.”
“I told her to come anyway. We’re not far if there is an emergency, but she’s just like you.” Astrid propped her feet up on a hassock.
“I’m here,” Ellie called from the front porch.
“Come in, come in. I’ll get your drink.”
Ellie set her basket on the table with the others and sank into a chair. “I didn’t think I would ever be able to get away. Andrew has a sow farrowing, so he is back and forth to the barn, and Carl did not want to go to bed yet because it isn’t dark.”
“All right, now everyone has something to drink. We’ll put out the goodies after a bit, but first let’s just get caught up.” As always, Sophie took over running their girl parties, but since she did a fine job, no one objected. “Astrid, what’s happening at the hospital?”
“We have a new doctor coming in August, but right now that seems mighty far away. Two more student nurses too—in August. I could manage better if we had an administrator for the business end. Deborah does as much as she can, but we need more help, that’s all. Just pray no major crisis happens this summer.”
“I thought last year’s intern was going to come back,” Ellie said.
“He is.”
“Don’t tell me. In August?”
“Yes, he wants to join our staff, and I’ll be so happy to have him here. He’s another one of those who thought they were being sent to the outer regions and fell in love with our town.”
“Like Miriam and Vera?”
“Right, and as Dr. Deming gets better known, his dental practice is expanding too.” Astrid paused. “Red Hawk needs help too, far more than we do.”
“But what can we do there?” Rebecca asked.
“Send a railcar full of supplies, like we did before. Mor said she’d get the quilting ladies to working on it.”
“Another one of the times when we miss Haakan.”
Astrid blinked. “I know. Some days all I want is to hear his voice again.” She sniffed and blinked again.
“Ingeborg has accepted his passing better than about any of us.” Sophie dabbed at her eyes. “Let’s talk about something else or we’ll all be in tears.”
“I have one other thing.�
�� They all looked to Astrid. “Daniel and I figured we’d better tell our friends before they find out another way.” She paused and grinned at all of them. “We will be having a baby in late December or January, if I have counted right.”
Squeals and laughter, even clapping hands, greeted her announcement.
“Really? For sure?” Ellie asked.
“I’ve missed two cycles, and I’m not at my best in the morning, which is the polite way of putting it. I have all the symptoms. I don’t know how Amelia kept from telling Mor and Thelma either. She was the first to ask me about it, before I even realized it. And I’m a doctor, for pity’s sake.”
“She has a sixth sense, is what Ma says,” Deborah added. “No wonder those two haven’t been out socializing much. Of course Thelma wouldn’t say anything. She can keep a secret better than a sphinx.” She refused to start to feel sorry for herself. This was wonderful news for Astrid. But how would she work so hard and stay healthy?
Sophie looked around. “Who else has news?”
“It’s hard to top that,” Rebecca said.
“Right now, I’m glad I am not pregnant.” Sophie flipped open the fan she kept handy. “Maybe we should go outside, where it might be cooler. Anyone want more to drink?”
“I want some of those crackers Deborah brought,” Astrid said.
“All right. We’ll lay the food out, refill our drinks, and stay in here. I’ll just open all the windows.”
When they settled back with small plates of refreshments, Sophie looked to Deborah. “Are you going to tell, or do you want me to?”
Deborah heaved a sigh. “I need help. Sophie suggested we get together and hatch a plan.”
“A plan to what?”
Sophie broke in. “To make Toby Valders realize he loves Deborah and it is time to make up his mind. No more running hot and cold.”
Deborah stared at her hands. “I don’t want to be an old maid, but I’m sure getting there fast.”
“So, my dear friends, what shall we do?” Sophie looked to each woman.
“First,” Astrid said, “do you love Toby Valders?”
Sophie snickered. “She’s been in love with him since the sixth grade.”
From This Day Forward Page 7