Pride Goeth Before A Fall

P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#52
"I'll tell you what we need to do today," Evie waved the other kids into the kitchen. She was mixing 3 more coffee milk's and set them on the table. "We need to cook the turkey Cheryl sent over. It was ready yesterday, but the town feed came first. First off, nobody open the freezer. It's got the frozen venison in it, and we want it to stay as cold as possible." Evie mixed oatmeal and set it to cooking. "By tomorrow, we need to thaw the deer and get it canned. Any other urgent needs you kids know about, that we need to get handled?" Bowls of thick warm oatmeal, brown sugar and milk were set on the table and all pitched in to eat.



Cheryl woke up feeling like she had the flu. A quick trip to the bathroom took care of the problem, and she decided to wait on breakfast, hoping Ev would be home by the time she started cooking. The chores were efficiently and quickly completed. The hens grumpy at being disturbed so early, but a measure of cracked corn and barley softened their dispositions. The yearling's were lowing for breakfast and as she pitched hay, Cheryl looked over towards the Hanson's and watched Inky make his way to the porch.

Feeling a bit weak in the knees, Cheryl sat down while her tea was brewing. She had worked hard yesterday helping Inga, and she really had to agree with Ev. That gal was a strange person. Inga knew what she was doing, made good decisions pertaining to the cooking and coordinating, but she sure had problems relating to other people.

Ev hadn't shown up by the time she should be making breakfast, so Cheryl made do with a roll and another cup of strong mint tea.



Will and Ev worked all night and into the morning looking for the cause of the power outage. Not finding one darn thing wrong on the lines outward appearances, they stopped in the cafe to get a bite to eat. There was a decent amount of people there, maybe not quite as crowded as Leta's had been previously; but satisfactorily full.

Inga and Patty were hopping, as they made sure their customers got good food quickly. Ev stopped Patty long enough to request a time that they could go shopping. "I've got a English test at 10am. Let's go then," she laughed. Ev breathed a sigh of relief, the teen's moodiness seemed to be gone. "Let me know," he told her, "at your convenience."

Ev felt a little guilty eating in town when Cheryl had all the chores to herself, but he would hit high gear when he got home and make up for his tardiness.
"Now that we have the important problem finished," Will pushed his plate back and grabbed the check, "Come over to the office and help me decide how to take care of the second one."


"How many problems do you have," Ev joshed as they entered the sheriff's office.

"Too blasted many, but this one's a lulu. The woman killed in the roadhouse? They have ID'ed her as Sue Apperton, Evie's grandkids mother."

Inky scratched at the door and Brett looked at Evie for permission to let him in. She nodded, and Inky wiggled in as happily as a huge dog could. "Down," she pointed at the floor next to the stove. That suited Inky just fine, he was happy to comply with that order.
 
DustMusher

DustMusher

Deceased
PNW,

I want to thank you for your stories, and am remiss in not doing so earlier. I do read all the stories, but yours and ReneeT's are my bedtime stories. After all the doom and gloom of day to day surviving, and the PAW stories which are exciting and thought provoking, your stories remind me of a kinder gentler world where real people are just doing what is necessary to survive as well as possible -- these are the type of people I am surrounded by in rural Texas - communities which I hope will come together in troubled times as your charaterers do. But they are not just charaters, they become real people whom I just have not had the honor of meeting in person, yet.

Please know that your hard work is appreciated and the stories are my calming influence at the end of the day. You have a gift and thank you for sharing it.

DM
 
P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#53
Will and Ev discussed how they should approach telling the Apperton children. Ev talked about how no nonsense Evie was; and he supposed just telling them was the approach she would prefer.

"If you would like, I'll tell them as I'm on my way home." Ev offered.

"I'd like to be there, I actually have a couple of questions that the kids maybe able to answer." Will thoughtfully replied.


Evie opened the door and invited Will and Ev in. The kids hung near Ev, as he was a favorite and he tickled Sandra when she wasn't looking. Giggling she sat on his knee, wrapping a stick thin arm around his neck. Evie poured coffee for the grownups and asked the kids if they wanted water.

Will cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "This isn't easy to say or explain, but kids, I want you to know that your Mom has died. She was killed in a gun accident." he wiped a bit of sweat from his brow. Will looked very uncomfortable, but kept his seat.

Brett looked puzzled, "you mean my mother?" he asked Will.

Ev spoke up. "No," he said gently; "This is the Apperton kid's mother were talking about." Sandra went ridged, Ev couldn't tell if she was breathing or not. Benny and Clora looked at each other. They communicated again in that wordless way they had.

Benny said "good." and then finished the sentence with, "we want to change our name to Hanson. We don't want to be Appertons anymore. Can we do that?"

Evie spoke up and opened her arms to take in Clora and Benny. "yes, we will talk about that." she promised.

Sandra wiggled to be set free, and went to join the huddle around Evie. Evie's grandmotherly arms hugged the three children with hair so much the same color as her own. "Geeze I'm sorry," Brett's eyes were watering and he crowded in close to the group.

Will looked at the children, Ev and Evie. Ev shrugged his shoulders and gave Will a 'what the hell' look. Will opened his mouth to say something, and then settled for taking a swallow of coffee. Ev mimicked the lawman by fiddling with his coffee cup.

"Benny," Will opened his little notebook to take notes, "did any of you children have contact with your mother after she left you with Evie." Benny blinked rapidly and crossed his arms, he didn't reply. "Did you know where she was living?" Will continued in a kindly tone.

It was Clora that replied, "we used to see her go into our house once in a while. She never talked to us, and we saw her in town the afternoon Auntie Inga took us in. She looked at us, but didn't say anything. She never talked to us, so it didn't make no difference."
 
sssarawolf

sssarawolf

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Boy talk about some cold hearted parents and people. Harder on Will then it was or is on the kids moms. Thank you.
 
P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#54
Betty sat in the office chair, tapping a pencil on the desk top. She had opened three of the safe's and only two held cash. She was aware Claude had money stashed all over the roadhouse, she just didn't know where. She also couldn't be sure Sarah hadn't deliberately moved or absconded with a good portion of the take. So the empty safe was a worry, but one she could solve.

The fact that Sue wasn't upstairs was puzzling, but then she was a weird woman. In the time Betty had been around Claude and the bar, Sue hadn't made a play for Claude or acted like she was interested in making some quick money in the backrooms. As soon as she could get up the stairs, Betty thought she might have some answers.

That hick sheriff was sniffing around like a bloodhound, but there was nothing overt to connect Betty to the failed electric and the attempt on the courthouse. Betty was smarter than that. Now the fact that the combination hadn't worked, meant that Claude had bad information from someone. She thought about sending out a few discreet inquiries; but wanted to let the furor die down.


Inga stood at the sink and washed dishes. Of all the work to do in a cafe, she hated dishes the most. It was too the point she was going to have to hire a dishwasher, if she was going to keep up. Leta sent word to have Patty come over after school, so that took the teen out of the game for today.

A small kernel of an idea had been floating around in Inga's head the last couple of days. This dump of a diner needed cleaning in the worst way, but she had already decided that if she was going to expend that much time and energy, there would have to be something permanent in place. Inga needed to talk with Leta, but there was no time to visit the ancient cook, the cafe demanded all her time. Inga dried her hands and wrote a short note to Leta, hoping Patty would stop by the cafe before she went to the hospital.
She had sent a note to her mother by way of Ev; Inga needed to talk to her, and needed her to come into town. Ev had been agreeable, and Inga was thankful for his help.


Will and Ev sat down at Evie's table with coffee.




Evie asked Will if there was anything they needed to do concerning Sue, and her final interment. The children turned sad but resolute eyes in his direction, and said together, "We don't want her buried by Papa Hap."

Will raised his eyebrows and said calmly, "Nothing needs to be done, she has been buried in Olympia." he had thought about the best answer to that question, how to be truthful without passing on too much information. He had all the reports, and would pass them on to Evie and let her tell the children when they were older. Those poor little kids looked like they had about all the stress they could handle for one day.

Ev passed a letter to Evie. "Inga sent this to you. She sure is busy in the cafe," he remarked. "Well, I've got to get home, Cheryl has been keeping the fort safe and I'd better show up and get some more hay down. Besides," he took a deep appreciative sniff of the cooking turkey," that smell is driving me crazy. I don't believe I got enough to eat yesterday."

Clora snickered, and Brett laughed out loud. Ev acted like he had been wounded to the quick, but gathered up his hat and headed for the door. He looked at Inky all curled up and snoozing in the warmth of the range, "Slacker," he teased the dog and Inky thumped his tail.

Will passed a sheaf of papers to Evie, and asked her to put them away for a few years before she passed them along to the children. "They need some maturity before they read it," he gave the older woman a knowing look.

"Ok," Evie took the papers and stuck them in a drawer, as the kids were coming back in from the porch. "Thanks Will, do you have any idea of what will become of the house?" she jerked her thumb in the direction of the Apperton residence.

"Strangely enough, the house is free and clear. The taxes have been paid ahead for several years, and it goes to the kids as far as the county is concerned." Will smiled as he finally got to pass on some good news.

"That's a relief," Evie referred to the paid up taxes. "We'll sell it later for the kid's education, if that's OK," she looked at Will for his thoughts.

"Sounds like a good plan," he agreed easily.

Ev started his pickup and headed down the driveway for home. He was hoping Cheryl was cooking their turkey, he was a hungry man.
 
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P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#55
Evie checked on the turkey, gave the browning bird a butter and spice bath, slightly adjusted the heat and sat back down for a rest. Her years were wearing hard on her today, it felt like she was a hundred years old. Her poor, precious babies; mother gone, father an absent idiot, a grandmother older than dirt, it was almost more than she could stand. Evie muttered at little at Hap. Right at the moment she was really mad at him for getting sick in the first place, and then up and dying right when she needed his help and support.

Inky looked up at her as surely as she had spoken out loud, he gave a little woof reprove, censuring her for thinking such thoughts.

The happy laughter coming from the living room was such a change from the beginning of the year. The warmth of the children's voices warmed Evie's heart and was a balm to a old worn out body to hear. She thought about the note that Ev had passed to her. Withdrawing the letter, Evie read what Inga wrote.

Inga asked Evie to come to town, she had a problem she needed to talk to her about. Inga was sorry, but she didn't have the time to leave the cafe; it was demanding her every waking minute to keep things going.

Evie sighed hard. It wasn't that she didn't want to help Inga; but she had work that had to be done. Today was the cooking the turkey day, and tomorrow should be the can the venison day. The electric was still out, so the freezer would be warming the meat.
She opened the freezer, hating to allow the coolness to escape but needing to check the meat. It was still frozen. Praise the Lord for that. It seemed like she might walk to town tomorrow, and can the next day.


Ev tooted his horn making Ruby bark like crazy. He frowned as Cheryl hadn't come to the door by the time he hit the porch, but the inside was warm, and there was a tea cup on the table. Cheryl came from the bathroom looking green around the gills.
She slumped into a kitchen chair and weakly said "hi"

"You look kinda puny and peaked," Ev observed, looking at Cheryl closely. "You got the flu?"

"I guess so," Cheryl replied. "don't feel very good."

"Can I get you something Honey, a drink, a bite to eat?" Ev pressed his hand around hers. "Let me help you into bed."

Cheryl shook her head no. " A drink of water, please"

Ev got his wife settled and comfortable. Cheryl was rarely sick, so he didn't have much experience helping her when she was ill. He made himself a pot of coffee and a sandwich of ham and fresh baked bread. It was difficult to get the sandwich in his mouth, he guessed he had cut the bread a mite thick, but he could smoosh it in.

"Hey, Evie approached me with a idea," he started slowly, not sure how to proceed. "She wanted to know if we would consider being the kid's guardians if something happened to her." Ev was talking around a mouthful of sandwich, and it sounded a bit garbled, but Cheryl was used to deciphering his intent. It was the smell of the ham she couldn't stomach.

"Can I think on it,: she asked as she ran for the bathroom.

"I'm going to pull down some hay and pinch the pigs," he hollered as he chirped to Ruby and headed for the barn.


Leta lay in the hospital bed. Bored as hell, and weaker than a kitten. She couldn't believe a heart attack would leave her so helpless feeling. It was an effort to keep her eyes open, so rather than expend the energy she lay still, concentrating on breathing.
There was a soft tap on the door and Patty stuck her head in to see that Leta was doing.
 
D

Deena in GA

Administrator
_______________
Well, well, well....so Cheryl is finally expecting. That's what I thought when I first read of her feeling sick and this one confirms that. Glad to see it!
 
R

Rabbit

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Deena in GA said:
Well, well, well....so Cheryl is finally expecting. That's what I thought when I first read of her feeling sick and this one confirms that. Glad to see it!
Click to expand...

And here I was thinking it was just the flu. If so Ev will be beside himself.

Thank you PNW for the new chapter.
 
E

ejagno

Veteran Member
It will be interesting to see what Inga's problem is that requires her mother to walk into town. I hadn't thought of the possibility of Cheryl being pregnant but I guess anything is possible. Thank you!
 
P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#56
Leta half opened one eye and looked toward the door. "Come in," she croaked. Patty slid in the room and flung herself on the bed. She dislodged Leta's heart monitor and the beeping filled the room. Doc Phillips came storming in, flipped switches and repositioned the patches and reattached the leads.

"Be easy Squirt, your not wrestling your brother," Phillips warned the mortified Patty. The teen hung her head and scooted to the end of the bed.

"Come sit down," Leta's voice was raspy and crackling with dryness as the oxygen cannula continuously pumped air to her lungs.
"Honey. I want to talk to you," she patted the bed beside her frail form. "Over here."

"Patty, I'm not doing very well. My old heart is broken, and the pieces are hard to mend. I want to discuss what is in the future, for me, for you and for the diner."

"Oh don't," Patty sniffed as she turned teary eyes towards her friend and mentor. "You just have to be alright, you can't be sick."

"Well I am sick. Now we have to figure out what to do about it. Obviously, I can't work, you have to go to school...and don't think for one minute I would ever let you stay out of school...so here's what I think maybe we can do." Leta outlined her plan, all the time Patty was vigorously shaking her head no, no, no.

"Stay smart Patty, your letting your emotions get in the way of business dealings. Do you think I managed a cafe for 30 years or more by emotions alone.? You are going to have to step back and look at the big, long range picture" The wrinkled old woman gasped for breath and lay back for a rest.

Patty picked up one of Leta's hands. Cool and thin, her knobby knuckles swollen with arthritis and the veins dark blue against the parchment thin skin. "Leta," she spoke against the pain she was feeling, "I don't want you to sell out to Inga. I don't like her."

Too tired to speak, Leta just curled her hand around Patty's young, sturdy fingers and squeezed lightly, but it was as strong as she could manage.



Will was deep into his paperwork when the office door opened. Growly old Fred head of the electric co-op lineman crew marched in and threw himself in the general direction of the chair next to Will's desk.

"I looked for this SOB all day and night," he tossed a long coiled wire on the floor. "Finally found it in a thicket so dense it took a chainsaw to get to it. This ain't the work of a two bit yahoo. This was a professional job."

Will studied the wire. So they had an act of deliberate sabotage. "Any way to tell where it came from, anything about it at all?" he asked the surly acting foreman.

"Yeah if I was a mind reader," Fred spat with anger. "Somebody damm slick grounded the line, hid the spot well, and let us run like ninny's all over the county looking for it."

"We just have to stay sharp," Will stated the obvious.
 
P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#57
Evie conducted school that afternoon. The kids were coming along nicely, the Apperton's could say the alphabet and their numbers, they could read the simple sight words and were getting the hang of phonics. Evie had them printing their name's and adding and subtracting simple sums.

The best part of their schooling was the pride the children had in themselves. It was the difference between night and day in their behavior and confidence. Sandra was so tickled to be able to read the old school books Evie brought up from the basement; she spent every waking hour going through them picking out the words she knew.

Benny seemed to go for the math side of learning the best, but it was Clora that excelled beyond belief. That little girl was like pouring the water of learning on a dry sponge. Evie had to only tell her once, about what, how, where, when and why a fact was this or that way and Clora excelled.

Pleased as punch with the progress all three children were investing themselves; Evie pushed Brett in his reading. Brett had never been taught phonics and depended on sight reading only. Slowly she was retraining him to sound out the words. Evie wasn't sorry Brett was not in school and would need to re-take the 5th grade. He was beginning to curb his impetuousness, and his hand-eye coordination was improving greatly. In short, Brett was catching up to Brett, as Brett should be.


Ev returned to the house as Cheryl was finishing her cup of tea. "Hey sweetie, how are you feeling."

"Fine now, it's strange that's the third or fourth day I've had the flu. What a pain in the patootie," Cheryl shrugged with dismissal of the problem. "Hit me again with what Evie has in mind. Is she looking for Godparents, or guardians in case something happens to her?"

"Guardians," Ev replied. "She's well aware that she's 64 or 65 or however old she really is; I don't really don't know for sure, hell, I don't know if she knows." he jested as he scooped out a handful of cookies from the cookie jar.
 
P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#58
The dark shadowy figure slipped up behind Betty as she sat in Claude's chair. Before she knew the person was there, a hand twisted cruelly in her hair and the coolness of a blade lay close to her throat.

"Where's Claude?" the grating, harsh whisper tickled the hair over her ears; unthinking, she reached up to scratch the tickle and got her hair yanked good and hard for her trouble. "You should know better than that," the whisper continued. "Now, where is Claude?"

"Dead," Betty gasped as the hand in her hair twisted more. "He...he was shot two weeks ago. She shot me too." she panted in pain.

"Who's doing the dealing?" the flat dangerous whisper, came again.

"I would," Betty closed her eyes against the pain, "but I can't find the money. Claude has it hidden in here somewhere, but I don't where."

"Don't play with me," the voice lowered in timber, giving shivers to Betty. "You've been in here long enough to have searched and found it." The blade slid against the stretched skin on Betty's neck, leaving a couple of blood droplets behind.

Betty sucked in her breath against the slice of pain she felt. "Don't" she begged. "I've found one stash of money, but it was only $500.00. The other two were empty."

"I like it when you are truthful, you'll get to live a little longer," the voice drawled in a strong southern twang. "Don't get up, I'll see myself out." The voice, pushed Betty's head down hard against the desk. She squealed and swung her arm around in anger and connected with nothing. Her hand flew to her throat, the stinging cut burning like fire.

Betty smirked, she had watched the man in the reflection of the window. Dressed in black with a black hoodie up over his head, he wasn't as smart as he thought. She had a habit of remembering people that hurt her, she also had a habit of coming even.

Betty scoured the bar looking for the man's entrance point, finding he had come in the front door. He must have a key, or a really good set of lock tools. With the electric off, she hadn't heard the alarm. Definitely a oversight she needed to fix. If her leg hadn't hurt so much, Betty would have paced up and down the office. She was so furious she vibrated with anger.

It wasn't until she went to bed, that she thought to look outside for tracks in the snow. Tomorrow. She sure as heck wasn't gonna get up now and go looking.


Inga hit her stride during the supper rush. Patty hadn't come back from the hospital, and darn if she couldn't have used her help. Inga was a little peeved, but tried to hide it from her customers. Her ruse must have worked as she was busier than ever. About a dozen more meals and she would be out of food on all the specials. The specials and the dinnerware. If she couldn't hire some help, she needed more plates and bowls.

Inga hadn't had time to finish the lunch dishes before she had to start dishing out supper. A really bad deal as far as a one woman diner was concerned. There was a man sitting alone in the corner and she had been watching him. At first she thought him creepy, but several people stopped to speak with him and he reacted amiable enough.

The sheer amount of work had her in a spin, as she tended to her clientèle. The man paid, and wished her a pleasant good evening.

The back door of the diner slammed as Patty walked in. Inga threw her a hurried welcome, looked up long enough to see Patty had been crying. Too bad, so sad. Inga didn't have time to try and improve her niece's disposition. Patty went to washing dishes, slamming and slapping the dishes until a plate broke. The teen fished the broken pieces out of the soapy water and threw them on the floor.

The clattering noise stopped the activity in the diner, until people located the source of the sound and then went back to talking. Inga would have chastised Patty for her behavior, but the teen was already stomping back to the living quarters.

"Touchy little filly," a tall thin cowboy seated closest to the kitchen door observed wryly. All Inga could do was nod and sigh. Inga felt she hadn't been as moody as Patty when she was a teen. First of all, her mother wouldn't have put up with it. Second of all, nasty behavior got you a double dose of chores. So if you had a snit around the Hanson household, you took it outside and behind the barn.

"Got any pie," the cowboy wanted to know. Inga went to get him the last piece of apple, when the electric came back on. There was a small cheer as the diner folks finished eating. She went around and blew out the stinky kerosene lamps, the thin, black curls of smoke twirling upward.


Evie took the roasted bird from the makeshift oven she had created. The old porcelain roaster sitting on a trivet was covered with the top of a larger roaster. The bird had cooked all day and was a golden brown. Evie started carefully carving meat from the bone, filling the platter with a mound of delicious turkey. The rest of the meal was done, so she called every one to wash and come eat.

Today Evie let the kids eat all they could hold, and they did themselves proud. After supper, while they waited for the water to heat for the dishes, Evie talked about the Thanksgiving's of her youth. Family that the kids had no idea about, her parents, Hap's parents, aunts and uncles. It was a fun time bring the ancestors to life in their stories.
 
R

Rabbit

Has No Life - Lives on TB
The intrigue just keeps building in this excellent heart warming story as the little family learns to belong and strengthens their bonds. Thank you PNW.
 
K

kua

Veteran Member
I hope Betty gets her comeuppance soon. She is such an annoying character.

Also looking forward to the time Miss Patty gets set straight and starts behaving like a nice person.
 
P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#59
The Hanson farm was awake and going strong early in the morning. Evie wanted to get to town and back home as rapidly as possible, maybe to eke out time to can the meat. She took a haunch out of the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator while they were gone.

It was a glorious morning. Clear and cold just right for walking, especially if a person moved right along to stay warm. Evie instructed as they walked. Pointing out rabbit tracks and bird foot designs under the snow berry bushes, she cautioned the children not to eat the white berries. "Adults can eat a small amount, but kids will be poisoned. See the Salal berries, they can be eaten but have huge seeds and not much else. The Natives or First Nations, used them pounded and mashed into a pemmican type food."

That was an intriguing notion to the children, and they asked to make some of that when they got back to the house, "Certainly," Evie responded. "How about we go to the library and find a book on native foods." That was OK with the children and they chattered like Blue jays on the was to town.

The diner was packed with the regulars. Coffee, pancakes, hash browns, bacon, ham and eggs landed on the sizzling grill in an assembly line fashion and wound up cooked when they reached the other end. Patty was pleasant and surprised that the clan was already in town. When she made a run to the kitchen for additional plates, Inga told her to get orders from Evie and the kids, and she complied.

Will strolled in and sat with the almost creepy man. Inga had been keeping a watchful eye on the gentleman; and she didn't understand why Will was so chummy with him. Whatever; she dismissed the whole scene as she worked flat out to meet the breakfast demand.

It was Saturday, and Patty didn't have school, so the dishes stayed pretty well caught up. Clora brought the clan's dishes to the sink and asked if Patty needed help. Patty rolled her eyes, but said "Go for it." Clora moved a chair in and put Sandra on it, together they washed, rinsed and loaded the dishes in the steam sanitizer.

Evie stood at the register and chatted with old acquaintances as she rang up the bills and made change. Breakfast was over and the crowd gone on to their day's work. All but Will and that strange man: they were deep in conversation hunched over the table.

Inga poured new coffee for herself and her mom, and walked in to a table to gratefully sit down, She rubbed her leg and arm where the work caused them to ache unbearably. Sitting down wasn't all that comfortable either. Evie thanked her daughter for breakfast and asked what they owed. Inga waved away the question and leaned forward to speak to Evie in a low voice.

"Mom, I've got a chance to buy the cafe. Leta can't work; and she is willing to sell at a reasonable cost and terms. Now here's the hard part. I don't have any money. Do you? Would you be willing to loan me a down payment?" Inga talked so rapidly to get the whole spiel spoken before she nerved out.

Inga gripped her coffee cup. Oh this was more of a problem than she had anticipated. Stalling a little, she ran a hundred replies through her mind before speaking. She took a swallow of coffee, and reached over to pat her daughter's hand. She was about to answer Inga, when the shadow of Will and the strange man loomed over the table.

"Evie, Inga, I'd like to introduce John George. John is our new minister, and he has a proposition for you, Inga."
 
R

Rabbit

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Yeah that's what we need now, a creepy preacher. First impressions are usually right. Thanks for the new chapter.
 
E

ejagno

Veteran Member
The town certainly seems to be adjusting to the "new" normal. The preacher may not have made a good first impression but in these times of hard travel, no electricity most of the time and cold temps I don't suppose I'd look to good either. I won't judge him until he has wronged me or my family. When Evie counted the money left in her home wasn't it more than enough to provide for the kids. This would be an awesome investment with it being the only restaurant in town, as well as getting it out of her house. Thank you for the new addition.
 
J

J T Patriot

Member
Looks like a grand way to launder some of the cash. To me, creepy is creepy until proved otherwise.
Hi, I'm new here. Love the great stories.
 
R

Rabbit

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Welcome JT, both you and ejagno could be onto something about the money. Everybody knows Evie doesn't have anything, but nobody knows what Inga has or doesn't have. In the long run it could provide long term security for Evie and the gang with the pay back.

This is a great story.
 
P

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#60
"Mr George, I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Evie Hanson and this is my daughter Inga." Evie greeted the new minister with her usual polite courtesy. Inga on the other hand sat stiff and still, but after Evie nudged Inga's foot with her own, she glanced up to look the new minister full in the face.

John George had the lightest, most intense, icy blue eyes she had ever seen. Locking gazes with the new minister, Inga finally managed to stammer a reasonable facsimile of "hello."

John couldn't tear his eyes from the rich cornflower blue eyes looking back at him. He had noticed the small woman the instant he walked into the cafe three day's ago. It had taken several attempts to get someone to introduce him to the energetic cook, and now he was a grown man making a fool of himself.

Evie reached out her hand to shake with John, and he had to be startled into the realization by Will, who poked the man in the ribs.
Finally breaking his concentration, John blushed as he was caught enraptured by Inga's countenance. Inga, in turn stared almost rudely at the man she had accused of being creepy.

When it came time to shake Inga's hand, John reached out in a trance. Both extended their hands, almost touching, but trembling with the effort not to touch. Evie was reminded of the force two magnets that attract and repel at the same time.

Amused, she looked at Will, who was trying hard not to laugh. She winked at the sheriff, who had to cough to keep control. The harsh bark broke the spell and Inga and John bumped fingers and snatched their hands back like they had been burned. Finally Will couldn't stand it any longer and chuckled.

Evie smiled to herself, and looked up to see Patty in the same smitten state as her aunt. Patty's darker blue eyes held the same dreamy other worldly adoration that Inga was dissolving into herself.

The entire spell was broken by the sound of breaking dishes. Brett froze as the plates he was carrying into the kitchen slipped from the sloppy stack in his hand and broke when they hit the floor. Benny stopped short, turned around to see what had happened and bumped the stack of glasses he was carrying into the door frame. Six or seven glasses broke when they hit the floor.

It took Clora coming in from the kitchen to yell "what in the world is going on, who's breaking things." She stood with her hands on her hips and said in her very best Evie imitation, "don't just stand there, get it cleaned up!" That announcement caused the grownup's to laugh.

"As I started to say, I have a business proposition Miss Inga. I'm looking for a place to invest some money, and I'm interested in buying into the diner."
 
E

ejagno

Veteran Member
Oh wow, buying into but not outright purchasing. This could be a great ummmmm business relationship right. LOL
 
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