[Kentucky Brothers 01] - The Journey (37 page)

“I’m surprised to see you two here so early,” Suzanne said. “I figured you’d be working late again.”

“We did all we could for the day and decided to come back here to see if any orders had come in,” Nelson said.

She glanced at the floor, but said nothing about the broken glass. Maybe she didn’t know about it. Maybe she’d cut her finger on something in the house, barn, or outside while doing some chore.

Suzanne looked at Titus and smiled. “If you have no other plans for this evening, we’d like you to stay for supper.”

Titus smiled. “I have no plans, and I’d be happy to stay.” Truth was, he was tired and hungry and didn’t feel like going home to an empty house and fixing himself something to eat—especially not tonight on his birthday, which he hadn’t mentioned to anyone. He didn’t want them to feel obligated to help him celebrate. If he were still living at home, Mom would have done something special for his and Timothy’s birthday. When Titus got home, he planned to call and leave a birthday message on Timothy’s voice mail.

A short time later, when Titus entered the kitchen with Nelson, he sniffed the air. Suzanne’s mother was a good cook, so he looked forward to the meal. “Something sure smells good in here,” he told Verna, who stood near the stove. “What’d you make for supper?”

“Not a thing,” Verna said. “I was in Hopkinsville most of the day with my daed. Suzanne fixed the meal.”

Remembering some things Nelson had said about his sister’s cooking, Titus wondered what kind of a meal he was in for this evening. Well, as hungry as he was, he’d eat almost anything.

As they ate the chicken and dumplings Suzanne had prepared, she couldn’t help but notice that Titus seemed to be enjoying himself. He’d had two helpings already, which meant he was either very hungry or liked what he’d eaten.

“How are things coming along with your job at that house in Hopkinsville?” Grandpa asked Nelson.

“Real well. If things keep going as they have, we should be done with all the trim work and doors by the end of the week.”

“That’s good to hear,” Grandpa said, “because the last few days, I’ve taken a few orders for Christmas gifts.”

“Here it is fall already, and I can’t believe Christmas is only two and a half months away,” Verna said. “It seems like the days just fly by anymore. I don’t even know where summer went.”

“That’s ‘cause everyone’s been so busy,” Russell chimed in.

“You’re right about that,” his mother agreed.

“This is sure a good meal,” Titus said around a mouthful of dumpling. “I’m glad I decided to stay. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t looking forward to spending the evening alone either.”

Suzanne smiled. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and I hope you’ll like the pie I made for dessert.”

His eyebrows lifted. “What kind of pie?”

“Lemon shoofly. It was one of Grandma’s favorite pies to bake.”

“I’ve never heard of lemon shoofly,” Titus said. “Is it anything like the traditional Lancaster County wet-bottom shoofly pie?”

“It’s similar, but we think it’s even better,” Mom interjected. “The pie has molasses in it, but the addition of lemon juice tones down the molasses a bit.”

Titus smiled. “If it’s half as good as regular shoofly pie, then I’m anxious to try it.”

After everyone had finished eating, Suzanne brought out the pie. “Here you go.” She placed the pie, decorated with twenty-three lit candles, on the table in front of Titus.

He blinked a couple of times and looked up at her with a curious expression. “What are the candles for?”

“Happy birthday,” she said with a grin.

“How’d you know today was my birthday?”

“Your mamm left a message on our voice mail for you this morning. She said she’d tried to call your phone but got a busy signal, so figuring we’d give you the message, she called here to wish you a happy birthday.”

“I’ll bet I left the door to the phone shanty open by accident last night. One of the cats probably got in and knocked the receiver off the hook,” Titus said.

Suzanne pointed to the pie. “You’d better blow out your candles before they melt all over the pie.”

Titus leaned forward and blew the candles out in one big breath. Then Suzanne cut a generous slice and handed the plate to him.

He quickly forked a piece into his mouth. “Umm … This is really good. I’ll have to get the recipe from you and pass it on to my mamm.”

Suzanne sighed with relief. Titus had enjoyed everything she’d fixed for supper this evening, and she was glad they’d been able to help him celebrate his birthday. It had to be hard to be away from family on any special occasion.

After everyone finished their pie and the final prayer had been said, the children went to their rooms, while Grandpa and Nelson retired to the living room for a game of checkers.

“If you’re not in a hurry to go home, why don’t you stick around awhile and play the winner?” Grandpa said to Titus.

“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll help Suzanne do the dishes, and then I’d better head for home.”

“You like to do the dishes?” Nelson looked at Titus like he’d taken leave of his senses.

“Didn’t say I liked to do ‘em,” Titus replied. “Just said I’d help. Figured it’s the least I can do to say thanks to Suzanne for the good meal and for making my birthday special.”

Nelson shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“If you two are going to do the dishes, then I guess I’ll find a book and read for a while,” Verna said.

After everyone else left the room, Suzanne filled the sink with warm water and added some liquid detergent, while Titus finished bringing the dirty dishes over to the sink. “Would you mind washing while I dry?” she asked Titus. “I cut my finger today, and since I’m wearing a bandage, I don’t want it to fall off in the dishwater.”

“No problem; I don’t mind washing.”

Suzanne took out a clean dishcloth and waited for him to wash a few of the dishes and put them into the drainer before she started drying.

“So how’d you cut your finger?” he asked as he sloshed the dishrag over one of the plates.

Suzanne’s face heated with embarrassment. How would Titus react if she told him how she’d cut it? Would he think, the way Nelson did, that a woman’s place was in the kitchen, not in the shop working with wood?

Instead of answering Titus’s question, Suzanne quickly changed the subject, telling him about the young people’s gathering that would be held at the Beilers’ home on Sunday evening.

“There will be hot dogs and marshmallows to roast around the bonfire,” she said. “And plenty of hot apple cider.”

He smacked his lips. “Sounds good to me.”

“Do you think you might go?”

“Probably. How about you?”

“I’d like to, but Mom doesn’t like me to take the horse and buggy out by myself after dark.”

“Won’t Nelson be going?”

“I’m sure he will, but he’ll be taking his
aldi
, and I don’t want to intrude.” Suzanne stacked the clean plates and set them in the cupboard.

“I’d be happy to give you a ride there and back,” Titus said.

She smiled and nodded. “I’ll look forward to going.”

I
’m going outside to enjoy this beautiful autumn weather while I wait for Titus to pick me up,” Suzanne told her mother on Sunday evening.

Mom smiled. “It’s nice that he’s taking you to the young people’s gathering. He’s obviously interested in you.”

Suzanne shook her head. “I think he was just being nice when he offered to take me. Titus and Nelson have become good friends, and he probably figured Nelson needed the chance to be alone with Lucy.”

“I don’t know about that. I saw the way Titus looked at you when he was here for supper the other night. I really do think he has courtship on his mind.”

“I know he’s not seeing Esther anymore,” Suzanne said, “but Titus and I have had our differences since he moved here, so I’m not sure he’ll ever see me as someone he’d want to court.”

“Things weren’t always good between me and your daed before we started courting, but once he realized I was a woman, and not the little girl he’d gone to school with, he changed his mind real quick.”

“This is just one ride. I doubt it means anything more to Titus,” Suzanne said as she went out the door.

When Suzanne stepped onto the porch, a gentle breeze caressed her face. The cooler weather they’d been having felt good. She glanced into the yard and spotted a chipmunk poking its head in and out of a pile of brush, while two of her cats chased each other across the lawn.

She directed her gaze to the field where they grew their colorful mums. As much as she enjoyed tending the flowers, it was nothing compared to working with wood.

She thought about the table she’d hidden in the woodshop storage closet and wondered what she should do when it was finished. Should she keep it, sell it, or give it away? The table might make a nice Christmas present for Mom.

Suzanne’s thoughts halted when she heard the
clip-clop
of horse’s hooves. Titus was here. It was time to go.

Titus didn’t know why, but he felt nervous with Suzanne sitting on the buggy seat beside him. He’d spent time with her before, but never like this on what felt like a date. As Titus guided his horse and buggy down the road, he wondered if he’d made a mistake offering Suzanne a ride tonight. Would she, and probably some others, think they were courting? Did he want to court her? If tonight went well, should he ask her out again?

“I’ve been wondering about something,” he said, looking over at her.

“What’s that?”

“I noticed that you were wearing a bandage the other night, and when I asked about it, you changed the subject.”

“Oh, that.” She turned her head away from him. “I … uh … cut my finger on a piece of glass.”

“In the woodshop?”

“Jah. I knocked over a jar of nails, and it fell on the floor and broke.”

“Did you touch something with your bloody finger after that?”

“I touched a lot of things. Why do you ask?”

“I found a small table in the storage closet, with a bloodstain on one of the legs. Figured whoever had cut themselves must have touched the table leg.”

Suzanne sat several seconds, without saying a word. She looked over at him and said, “I’m the one who made the table.”

He blinked a couple of times. “Are you serious?”

She gave a nod. “I’ve made some other things, too.”

“Like what?”

“Birdhouses and feeders. The table was the first piece of furniture I’ve made.”

“Why was it in the storage closet under a tarp?”

“I didn’t want Nelson to see it.”

“How come?”

“He thinks a woman’s place is in the kitchen.” She sighed. “He doesn’t realize how much I enjoy working with wood.”