She smiled. “Any news about a new press?”
“I’ve ordered it; they have a man willing to come set it all up, and if he likes it here . . .”
“Really? Then we have to make sure he likes it here.” She tilted her head. “Married? Family?”
“No idea.”
“What a relief for you.”
“Thanks to Hjelmer. He’d probably have ordered it had I not agreed to do so.” He paused to study her in the light of the lowing westerly sun. “How do you do it, Mor?”
“What?” She stood and hugged him with her eyes.
He chewed the inside of his cheek. “Keep on going? All you’ve been through, and you still want to drive the hay wagon. Feed half the county.”
“Thorliff, I have great help here or I couldn’t go drive the hay wagon. Our Father brings the healing and the joys of every day.” She hesitated, mostly for the effect of the pause. “And He’s waiting for you to ask.”
Thorliff settled his hat on his head and strode off toward the barn, still carrying all his cares and unable to see the light that hovered around him, waiting for him to even hint at asking.
“Please, Lord, how do we help him let go?” She sniffed back the burning tears as she folded the tablecloth to be used again. Something has to be a turning point for him.
One week later, Ingeborg gathered with a few of the others on the train station platform. It seemed like only yesterday they had gathered to send Thomas Devlin and his newly acquired family on their way to a new life in Michigan. Now they were waiting to welcome Jonathan’s father, David Jonathan Gould, back to Blessing, along with the new high school teacher, Anton Gendarme. Jonathan had brought the construction project’s wagon and team; he stood off to the side with his horses, watching and waiting.
“You seem a bit pensive today.” Kaaren wrapped her arm in Ingeborg’s. “Is driving the hay wagon wearing you out?”
“Not at all, just thinking on all the changes here in Blessing. Good-bye to one teacher, hello to another. Another friend who has lost his wife, coming here for healing. The hole beginning to look like a real building. Can you believe it all?”
“That’s a lot to think about. Let’s go have a soda after we greet both an old friend and hopefully a new one. If Jonathan has his way, he’ll have his father and his cousin down in the hole even today with a hammer or cranking the cement mixer.”
Here came the train, and Ingeborg briefly wondered about train schedules. How the engineer could cover hundreds of miles in all kinds of weather and pull into a station in the middle of the prairie almost on the minute. Every time. Amazing. The black iron monster huffed its way past the platform and sighed to a stop, its wheels buried briefly in spent steam. The doors of the two passenger cars opened, but only two people stepped out.
Jonathan moved forward as the two men stepped out onto the platform and jogged over to embrace his father.
Ingeborg hurried with the others toward the man she knew. “David Gould, we are so grateful you’re here! Welcome to Blessing.”
He wrapped his big, warm hands around hers. “It is so good to be here.”
Ingeborg stepped back to let Kaaren, Ellie, and the others greet him.
David raised his voice. “Thank you all. I am pleased to present Mr. Anton Gendarme, who hopes to teach here in Blessing.”
Sophie murmured in Ingeborg’s ear, “Every young woman in town is going to want to be in school. What a handsome devil!”
Ingeborg smiled. The young man certainly was mighty attractive physically, but he seemed just as winsome socially. In a smooth, rich baritone, he repeated the name of each person he was being presented to, smiling, nodding.
The train whistle blew, startling just about everyone. Huffing and chugging, the engine strained into motion. With lots of rattles and clangs, the cars one by one started to move as well. They were off to another town.
Jonathan pointed to a pile of baggage. “Is that all yours?”
“I believe so,” David replied.
“I’ll load it in the wagon, Father.” Jonathan headed off to lead the team to the bags.
“Let me help.” Mr. Gendarme jogged over to the baggage. Together the two young men began stowing bags and trunks aboard the wagon.
Ingeborg watched the men work. “He seems as strong as he is handsome.”
Sophie nodded in agreement. “He doesn’t even seem to be wearied by the long ride.”
A young man in front of them turned to grin at her and shake his head. “Mr. Valders says let them rest today, but they better have brought work clothes.”
Chapter 21
Deborah, have you seen the new schoolteacher?”
“No, why?” She glanced up from her paper work. “Sophie, this was important enough to bring you out of the boardinghouse?”
“Oh my, yes.” Sophie leaned closer. “Perhaps this is the answer to your prayers. You know, in case Toby really isn’t the one.”
“Excuse me?”
“You certainly remember when we all got together and prayed for each other at church. And we prayed that if Toby wasn’t the one God intended for you, you’d find the right one.”
“Well yes, but . . .” Deborah frowned. She was beginning to regret going to that prayer session. “I suppose you’ve found him for me, right? And it’s our new teacher?”
“Maybe.”
“Well, I’ve not seen him yet. Sophie, thank you for the information and now, if you don’t mind, I need to get back to work.”
“When are you going to Chicago?”
Deborah could feel her mouth drop open. “It was going to be August, but that’s not definite yet. We have to have enough staff here to cover.”
“Astrid wants you to go. This hospital desperately needs an administrator, we have more nursing students coming, and . . .” Sophie paused, looking off at the ceiling and barely nodding her head. “Why don’t you ask Vera Deming if she would like more work? I mean, running the dental office is—”
“And chasing after her baby, Phillip, who is going to start walking any day now . . . you think Vera is not busy enough? Besides, Astrid asked her some time ago, and she declined. She pitches in occasionally when we get in a real pinch.”
“Oh well, see, it was a good idea. Vera needs to become part of the social life here in Blessing.”
“Social life?”
“I think I’ll ask her to help with the fundraisers. That would be good for us and for her.”
Deborah closed her eyes. O Lord, save Vera from Sophie.
“I’ll be having a meet-the-new-teacher soiree on Saturday at the boardinghouse. Spread the word. I’m going to ask Gerald to pass it on too.”
“No grass grows under your feet. He could meet people at church on Sunday.”
“I know, but this way we’ll all have more chances to meet and visit with him. What shift do you work on Saturday?”
“Days and I have Sunday off, so . . .” She made shooing motions with one hand. “I’m sorry, Sophie, but I really do have work to do.”
“Well, keep the new man in mind, and I’ll try to get you two introduced before Saturday. Deborah, I really think this might be the one. He is perfect for you.” Sophie stepped back. “Talk to you later.” And she sailed out the door.
Could this possibly be an answer to prayer? Deborah, keep your mind on work! Sometimes that voice could be very stern, and right now she needed that.
“Deborah, could you come here please?” Astrid called from examining room one.
Deborah left the paper work and hurried down the hall.
“We need you to help hold this little one. She’s stronger than she looks.” Astrid smiled at the mother across the table, where a six-month-old baby girl was squirming. “You hold her head.”
“She’s sure getting big, isn’t she, Mrs. Oblund,” Deborah said. “And such a beauty.”
The mother nodded. “But she cry and rub her ears.”
“And now she’s running a temp. I’m trying to check
her ears and throat.” Astrid stroked the baby’s hair. “Babies often have ear trouble, but most outgrow it. Hold on.”
The mother held the baby, Deborah held her head still, and Astrid was able to finish the exam. “Thank you both. You can pick her up now.” Astrid motioned to the squalling baby. “She has a great pair of lungs, that’s for sure.” She turned to Deborah. “Please warm some sweet oil, and we’ll send some home too, along with a soothing syrup for her throat.” Astrid made a note in the chart. “Cool cloths will bring down her temperature. If she is not well in three days, you bring her back, all right?”
The mother nodded. “I understand.”
Deborah hurried to the stock room to fix the medication and brought it back, along with the bottle of sweet oil in a bowl of hot water. “Anything else?”
“That’s all, thank you.”
“Nurse, could you please help me?” Sweet Mabel Ohnstetter waved at Deborah from her chair by the window, then whispered when she arrived, “I need to go to the necessary.”
Deborah looked around. “Of course.” Where was Mercy? She was working full-time as an aide during the summer and would work again part time after school started.
Deborah was just settling Mrs. Ohnstetter into her chair again when Mercy returned in a rush.
“Sorry, Mrs. Geddick needed a hand in the kitchen.”
“And where was Elmer?”
“He is walking our heart patient, Mr. Classen, outside like you asked him to.”
“Sorry, I forgot.” We need more help here, that’s for sure. One aide and one orderly with only one nurse per shift was simply not sufficient. It would help when the new people arrived, but they needed three or four more, at least.
The front door opened, and Elmer came in with Chet Classen. Deborah smiled at them as they approached.
“He did just fine,” Elmer announced. “Walking steady, and we didn’t have to stop and rest but once.”
Deborah nodded. “You look so much better, Mr. Classen. Your skin color is good, and you don’t look so drawn.”
“Thank you. Mr. Valders came by to see me this morning, and he talked to the doctor. Dr. Bjorklund says I shouldn’t swing a hammer anymore; my heart might not take it. So Mr. Valders is putting me on finish work. Not as strenuous, he says.” Mr. Classen’s smile faded and he wagged his head. “That Toby Valders saved my life. You know that, don’t you, Nurse MacCallister? I thought I was just tired, is all. Dr. Bjorklund says if I hadn’t come in when he sent me, I probably would have died. So he saved me. He’s a good man, Mr. Valders.”
Deborah licked her lips. “Uh, yes, yes he is. Toby Valders is a good man.”
Elmer smirked.
She sharpened her voice. “Thank you, Elmer. Please take him to his bed. I have the rounds to make. Good afternoon, Mr. Classen.”
“Ma’am.”
She had fibbed; she did not have rounds just yet. But she had to end the conversation quickly because she could feel her cheeks catching fire.
Everyone pitched in to help serve dinner and settle the six patients afterward.
As Deborah assisted Mrs. Ohnstetter into bed for her afternoon nap, the sweet lady reached up and patted her cheek. “You are all so good to me here. Thank you.”
“We love having you here, and besides, we always know someone is praying for everything going on here. We have our own in-house pray-er.”
“That’s a fact. Say, do you know if Ingeborg is coming today?”
Deborah shrugged. “I know they are awfully busy right now. Is there something you need?”
“I am nearly out of yarn again. She keeps me supplied, you know.” Mrs. Ohnstetter tapped back a yawn. “Goodness me, you’d think I’d been out weeding the garden again. I did remind Arthur that the flowers needed weeding.”
Deborah kissed her cheek. Mrs. Ohnstetter’s son Arthur had died several years ago. She watched as the little woman drifted off to sleep. Sadly, her mind seemed to be wandering more and more.
That afternoon when her shift ended, Deborah thought of going by Ingeborg’s to mention the yarn. You just want to go out there in the hopes you will see Toby. That voice again. She said aloud, “I’ll just telephone, so there!”
“Talking to yourself, I see,” Amelia Jeffers called from weeding her front flower beds.
“You caught me.” Deborah paused at the fence and Amelia came over. “Your yard is so lovely. The hollyhocks. What are the tall blue ones and pink ones?”
“Delphiniums and foxglove. I need to get another bouquet of roses over to the hospital, don’t I?”
“Yes, those we have are about to expire.” Deborah inhaled. “Is it just the roses or something else that smells so sweet?”
“See the low-growing white and purple alyssum? I use that as edging so often. It just keeps on blooming. The zinnias are about to start. Along with the cosmos. That’s those tall feathery ones over there. Come have a glass of something cold with me. Or are you in a hurry?”
“I better get home and help Ma, but thank you. Do you know who’s serving supper at the hole tonight?”
“Ellie, I think—no, several of the new ladies are working together.” Amelia leaned closer. “I forget some of their names. So disgusting of me. By the way, wait until you meet Mr. Gendarme. He is so charming. Nice looking too.”
Deborah threw back her head. “Is everyone in this town matchmaking for me?”
Amelia patted her hand. “Very subtly, my dear. Very subtly. We women know your wants and dreams, and we want them for you.” She snipped several flowers and handed them to Deborah. “Tell Mary Martha hello from me, and yes, I am saving her some seeds.”
If Deborah were a whistler, she would have done so on her way home. She waved at Gerald Valders in the phone office, stopped to pick up the mail, and back on the boardwalk, looked up from sorting when she heard her name called.
“Deborah!” Rebecca waved from the front of the Soda Shoppe. “Come try a new flavor of ice cream. Tell me what you think.”
So Deborah detoured by the shop, approved the new mint flavor, and hurried on home, making sure she did not look at Toby’s house on the way past.
“Amelia sent you flowers,” she told her mother, “and if you make one reference to the new teacher in town, I shall scream.”
Mary Martha sniffed the proffered flowers. “How lovely. I think I know where the vase is.”
“I’ll get it.” Deborah reached for the third shelf, but it took standing on her tiptoes to bring the vase down. “One of the canning jars would have worked.”
“Ah, so . . . ?”
Deborah pumped some water into the sink. Arranging the flowers took all her concentration, but she could feel her ma laughing behind her.
“Sophie asked if you would bring those delicious new crackers to the”—Mary Martha’s eyebrows lifted—“soiree.” Her inflection on the last word told her opinion of Sophie going all fancy on them.
Deborah rolled her eyes. “Why not? I . . . we have nothing else to do.” She eyed the jars of canned beans on the counter. “I can see you have all been busy. Do the raspberries need picking again?”
“They do, and John asked for raspberry shortcake tonight when he gets back from the hole. I was thinking, do you suppose Toby has someone to wash his clothes? He sure hasn’t had any time. When you take the makings of shortcake over for him, how about looking into that?”
“You want me to go upstairs to his bedroom and fetch his dirty clothes?”
“No, you’re right. I know, Emily and I will go strip his bed and get his clothes real early tomorrow so they can be dry and back home before he returns. That will work.”
Good, at least I work at the hospital tomorrow. When Deborah took the makings for raspberries and shortcake over to Toby’s after supper, her note said, Cream is in the icebox along with the berries. Enjoy. Making sure she did not look for dirty clothes, she beat it out the back door. Dusk was falling quickly.
At seven on Saturday evening, half of Blessing seemed t
o be converging on the boardinghouse. Deborah brought her large basket of crackers. Others brought their specialties, and soon the tables were groaning. Maisie Landsverk was serving punch, and Helga Larson was pouring coffee. Whether Deborah met the new man of her dreams tonight or not, the food was certainly going to be good.
And then Jonathan and the guests of honor arrived. This Anton Gendarme fellow was considerably taller than Mr. Gould—probably taller than Toby, even—and remarkably handsome. Sophie had a good eye for marriage prospects, that was for sure. Without really thinking about it, Deborah moved in close as Sophie greeted them at the door.
Sophie took Mr. Gould’s hands in hers. “Mr. Gould, welcome and please accept our deepest sympathies on the passing of your wife. Her memory will live on here in Blessing. In fact, we’ve been discussing naming the new building after her, if you wouldn’t mind.”
David Gould, looking distinguished with his silver hair, held her hands, nodding all the while. “Thank you, Mrs. Wiste. My wife saw what this deaf school was already accomplishing and foresaw what it could become.”
“As we in Blessing are fully aware, your wife wasn’t—isn’t—the only one. Welcome home.”
He bowed over her hand. “Thank you. Allow me to introduce my nephew, Anton Gendarme.”
Sophie turned and took the teacher’s hands. “We are delighted, Mr. Gendarme, and grateful to you for wanting to teach here.”
He smiled and nodded, the perfect gentleman.
“Would you be willing to say a few words when I introduce you? People here are curious to know more about you, and this is a perfect setting for that.”
“Of course.”
“Just keep it brief,” Mr. Gould admonished with a wink.
Anton’s right eyebrow lifted and his smile bespoke his understanding. “I will take his advice, Mrs. Wiste. You have put together quite a welcoming. And on such short notice. This is amazing.”
“One can do things in small towns that aren’t possible in cities.”
Deborah almost giggled out loud. And in small towns, busybodies wanting to make matches could get around much more quickly. Sophie should add that.
From This Day Forward Page 20