The Lopsided Christmas Cake Page 3

The next morning, Elma was surprised to see Tiger lying under the kitchen table. He looked a bit better since Thelma had brushed him the evening before. She’d thought her sister had put the cat out before they went to bed last night. But at least he’d slept in the kitchen, where they’d already seen two mice.

  When Elma reached under the table, the cat opened his eyes and stretched. “Come on, Tiger, out you go. You’re not going to stay in the house while Thelma and I are shopping today.”

  Elma picked up Tiger, opened the back door, and set him on the porch. She stopped for a moment to take a deep breath of cold air. Was that frost she saw on the grass? Could the warmer days of summer be gone already?

  She grabbed an armful of wood and hauled it inside to feed the woodstove. Elma rubbed her arms. The overnight temperatures had dropped, leaving it a bit chilly inside. Soon, the pleasant sound of wood snapping and popping filled the air. A sudden wave of sadness flowed over her. She thought about all the times she and Thelma had warmed themselves in front of this stove when they were children. Grabbing the edge of her apron, she wiped her eyes. Elma didn’t think she’d ever get used to cooking or baking in the old relic. Due to their lack of money right now, it could be some time before they’d be able to buy a stove like they had at home. But at least this one heated the kitchen. Maybe that’s why Grandpa and Grandma held on to this old thing. Grandma had gotten used to cooking on it, and it does possess a certain unique charm.

  After Elma was sure the fire was going, she got out the loaf of banana bread one of the women had given them yesterday. It would go well with the eggs she’d boiled last night, along with a cup of hot tea.

  As Elma set the table, she rubbed her fingers over one of the plates. Another memory flashed across her mind. Grandma always made fluffy pancakes when the family came to visit. Pancakes were one of Elma’s favorite breakfast foods. When she was younger, she often ate as many as six for breakfast. “I’ll have to see if I can find Grandma’s recipe,” she murmured.

  Her thoughts turned to how things had turned out after she and Thelma had found customers waiting at the store yesterday afternoon. It was nice to get acquainted with some of the women from their area, and even nicer to know that they lived in such a caring community. Elma was pleased to have met such kind ladies. How glad she was that they hadn’t made an issue of Tiger chasing that mouse. Maybe I shouldn’t have worried about it, either. I know I can be a bit fussy sometimes.

  When Elma first realized that some of the women wanted to shop, she wasn’t too happy about it. She and Thelma still hadn’t cleaned or organized much, not to mention taking inventory. But after reminding herself that they needed some money coming in, she’d gratefully accepted their cash and checks. Since the news was out that the twins had inherited their grandparents’ store, she figured the best thing to do was keep the store open during the weekdays. They could reorder supplies and do their cleaning and organizing in the evenings. Of course Thelma, who was taking a shower right now, had other thoughts about that. She’d made it clear that she wanted her evenings free to knit or do other things. Thelma even said she didn’t think the store was as bad as Elma thought. She couldn’t see any need to organize, since their customers probably knew where things were already. Elma didn’t agree.

  Knowing she needed to get busy, Elma checked the firebox on the stove. It had heated up nicely, and the kitchen was getting warmer. Now if Thelma would get here, they could eat breakfast and get on with their day. They’d decided to put the CLOSED sign in the store window today, and she was anxious to leave for Shipshe. Then later, if there was time, she hoped to sort through some things in their store to see what may have expired and need to be thrown away.

  A bloodcurdling scream reached the kitchen. Dropping the silverware on the table, Elma raced from the room and dashed down the hall. “Thelma, what’s wrong?” she hollered, pounding on the bathroom door.

  “Except for the cold water that was running down on me, I’m okay.” Thelma’s voice boomed through the closed door. “It went from lukewarm to ice cold. Let me tell you: it’s the coldest and quickest shower I’ve ever had to take.”

  “Sorry. When you screamed, I was worried that you’d been hurt.”

  “No, I’m fine—just feel like I’m gonna freeze to death.”

  Elma sighed with relief. She was glad Thelma wasn’t in serious danger, but they did need to address their inadequate hot water supply. “I have breakfast ready,” Elma said through the door. “So unless you need something, I’ll see you in the kitchen.”

  “Go ahead. I’ll be there shortly.”

  When Thelma entered the kitchen a short time later, she was still shivering. “Did the water turn cold like that when you took your shower?” she asked.

  Elma shook her head. “No, but it wasn’t hot, either. I wonder if the water tank may be going out.”

  “One more thing we’ll have to fix.” Thelma rubbed her hands over her arms. “Look at me. My arms are full of goose bumps.”

  “Put this on.” Elma grabbed a sweater and handed it to Thelma. “You may want to stand by the stove. It’s warming up nicely in here.”

  “Is that frost I see out the window?” Thelma asked before slipping into the sweater and moving closer to the stove.

  “Seems to be. I think we’ll be seeing fewer warm, summery days now that fall is approaching.”

  “At least this old stove is good for something.” Thelma scooted closer to the source of heat.

  “Jah, but if we get more money coming in soon, I’d really like to replace it.” Elma took a seat at the table. “I have everything set out, so whenever you’re warm enough we can eat breakfast.”

  Thelma stood near the stove a few more minutes then joined Elma. Bowing her head, she silently prayed, Heavenly Father, thank You for this food and the hands that prepared it. Please keep us safe as we travel to Shipshe today, and let this be a good day. Amen.

  LaGrange, Indiana

  Joseph Beechy opened the door to his harness shop and drew in a deep breath. The odor of leather and pungent dye filled the room. These were aromas he was accustomed to, as he’d been making and repairing harnesses and other leather items since he’d graduated from the eighth grade. Of course, that had been a good many years ago, since Joseph would be turning thirty-eight the first week of December.

  “Thirty-eight years old and still a bachelor,” Joseph muttered as he turned on the gas lamps overhead. “Guess I’m destined to remain single.”

  It was hard to admit, but Joseph had never developed a serious relationship with any of the young women he’d known. He had been interested in a few of them; although his shyness had always gotten in the way. His face would heat up and he’d start to stutter whenever he approached any single women who’d caught his eye. Maybe it was best that he’d never married. Life was less complicated that way—although he did long for a wife and children and had even prayed for that.

  Maybe it’s my ears women don’t like, he thought, tugging on one of his earlobes. Though Joseph’s ears were an average size, they stuck out slightly. He’d always been self-conscious about them. Of course, it hadn’t helped that some of the scholars who’d attended school with him made fun of his ears. They never dared to do it when the teacher was around, but that hadn’t stopped them from teasing Joseph when they had Joseph alone. Had it not been for his older brother, Eli, standing up for him, Joseph would have probably been taunted even more.

  Eli and their sister, Katie, were both married and each had four children. As much as Joseph enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews, he felt left out. It was a reminder that he’d probably never have a family of his own. Of course, if Joseph should ever find the woman of his dreams, he might step out of his comfort zone and at least try to approach her without making a fool of himself. Finding the woman of my dreams? That’ll probably never happen.

  Joseph’s gaze came to rest on the loosely rolled leather pouring out of the shelves along one side of his shop. In an area near
his workbench, bits of leather scraps lay piled on the cement floor. If his mother walked in right now, she would probably scold Joseph for not cleaning up after himself. Since this was his place of business, he figured he had the right to decide how it should look. Maybe that was another good thing about not being married. If he had a wife, she might come into the shop and tell him to clean the place up.

  Moving over to some open boxes full of snaps, rings, buckles, and rivets, Joseph rolled up his shirtsleeves, deciding that he needed to quit thinking and get to work. He’d connected the breast strap of a harness to a large three-way snap, when his good friend Delbert Gingerich entered the shop.

  Delbert’s long legs took him quickly across the room. “Wie geht’s?” he asked, stepping over a pile of dirty leather straps and buckles.

  “I’m doin’ fairly well, Dell. How about yourself?”

  “Can’t complain.” Delbert gestured to the harness Joseph held. “Looks like you’re hard at work here, Joe.”

  “As a matter of fact, I’m just gettin’ started.” Joseph grinned. He and Delbert had been friends since they were teenagers. When Delbert started calling him “Joe,” he’d given his friend the nickname “Dell.” Since neither of them was married, they often did things together, like fishing, playing horseshoes, or having a good game of Ping-Pong. Of course Delbert, having longer, stronger arms, usually won at horseshoes. But Joseph almost always caught the biggest fish. While the men shared common interests, they had very different personalities and appearances. Delbert had blond hair, sky-blue eyes, and dimples that would turn any woman’s head. Joseph’s red hair and freckles made him feel homely in comparison, but that didn’t matter much since Delbert seemed more interested in making his woodworking business successful than in looking for a wife. And while Delbert was outgoing and competitive, Joseph was timid and didn’t care whether he won or lost at most games they played.

  “What brings you by this morning?” Joseph asked.

  Delbert snapped his suspenders. “I’m heading to Shipshe to pick up a few things and thought you might like to go along for the ride.”

  Joseph shook his head. “I’ve got too much to do here to be going on any joyrides.”

  “I’ll treat you to lunch.” He thumped Joseph’s back. “How’s that sound?”

  “Where are you planning to eat?”

  Delbert shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m thinking maybe the Blue Gate.”

  Joseph looked down at the stain on his trousers. “Naw, that place is too nice for a working fellow like me.”

  “How about Wana Cup Restaurant? It’s fairly casual.”

  “Jah, and they do have some pretty good pies and homemade ice cream.”

  Delbert bobbed his head. “That’s right, they sure do. So are you willing to leave your work for a while and go to Shipshe with me?”

  “Jah, sure, why not?” He set the harness on the workbench. “My work will be waiting for me when I get back.”

  As she and Thelma headed for Shipshewana in their grandparents’ closed-in buggy, Elma gripped Rusty’s reins. Grandpa’s open buggy, which he and Grandma had been riding in when their accident occurred, had been demolished. Thinking about it now sent shivers up Elma’s spine. She’d give anything if she could bring her grandparents back and make everything as it once was. I still wonder why they left their home, the store, and all their possessions to me and Thelma. I wish that would have been stated in their will.

  “What are you thinking about?” Thelma asked, breaking into Elma’s thoughts.

  “How do you know I was thinking about anything?”

  Thelma gave Elma a gentle nudge. “You had that ‘I’m mulling things over’ look.”

  Elma snickered. “Since you know me that well, maybe you can figure out what I was thinking.”

  “Grandma and Grandpa?”

  “Jah. Riding in their buggy makes me miss them even more.”

  “I know what you mean.” Thelma gestured to the horse. “At least Rusty’s cooperating.”

  As if he had heard her, the horse picked up speed. Elma tried to hold him back, but a car coming from the opposite direction honked, causing Rusty to go wild. When the horse darted into the other lane, she screamed. A vision of her grandparents flashed before her eyes. Was this what it was like before their buggy got hit? Elma knew if she didn’t get control of the horse, they were going to collide with the oncoming car.

  Chapter 5

  Rusty’s hooves slammed down on the pavement. He whinnied then shook his head with force as steam surged from his flaring nostrils. Elma’s heart pounded as she gripped the reins with all her might, trying to guide him back to the right side of the road. The stubborn horse planted his feet firmly and wouldn’t budge. She could almost hear her father’s voice telling her to hold on tight and let Rusty know who was boss. Fortunately, the oncoming car had pulled over to the side of the road and stopped.

  Elma had been around horses since she was a girl. She and Thelma had been given a pony and a cart for their tenth birthday. They’d begun driving a full-size horse and buggy by their early teens. But she’d never been this frightened or felt that she had so little control. Struggling with a sense of panic, Elma looked at her sister. “I can’t make him go.”

  “Let me see what I can do.” Thelma hopped out of the buggy and grabbed the horse’s bridle. Rusty kept trying to shake his head, but Thelma held firm, while talking to him in a calm tone and stroking his side. Eventually, she was able to lead him and the buggy to the right-hand shoulder of the road.

  The car moved on, and Elma breathed a sigh of relief. Her hands shook so hard she could barely hold on to the reins. She didn’t want to go to Shipshewana now, but turning the horse around and heading back home was frightening, too. What if Rusty acted up again? The next time it might not end so well.

  Thelma opened the door on Elma’s side of the buggy. “Slide over, Sister. I’ll take over now. I can see that you need a break.”

  “Maybe we should go home and forget about shopping. I’m not sure we can trust Rusty to get us to Shipshe.”

  “We’ll be fine. He needs to know who’s in control. Besides, this is Rusty’s first trip out since we moved here, and he’s not used to us yet. We’ll have to use him more and our bikes less.”

  Elma slid to the passenger’s side and handed Thelma the reins. Closing her eyes, she prayed, asking God to give them a safe trip.

  With an air of confidence, Thelma directed Rusty onto the road. So far, the horse was behaving himself, but Elma kept praying. Thelma had always been the braver one, but in the past, they’d both done well with horses. Now, Elma wasn’t sure she could ever drive Rusty again. It was a good thing the woman who’d driven them from Sullivan to Topeka had a van, so they’d been able to bring their bikes. Despite what Thelma said, Elma planned on using her bicycle for her main mode of transportation. Of course, she wouldn’t be able to ride it when the weather turned bad or if she had to travel a long ways.

  She glanced over at Thelma and was amazed to see her relaxed expression. “I wonder if this cooler weather has anything to do with Rusty acting up. If it does, then with winter coming he’ll probably get worse.”

  Thelma shook her head. “I don’t think that’s the horse’s problem. He just needs a lot of work.”

  “None of our horses ever acted like that when we hooked them to our buggy. Maybe we ought to sell Rusty and have one of our horses from home brought to us.”

  “That would be expensive. I’m sure once we’ve worked with Rusty awhile, he’ll be fine.”

  “I don’t want to work with this horse.” Elma shook her head forcibly. “He’s too spirited and unpredictable.”

  “Which will make him more of a challenge.” Thelma’s brows pulled in.

  “Right. That’s why we need to sell him.”

  Thelma let go of the reins with one hand and reached over to pat Elma’s arm. “Let me take care of Rusty. I’m up to the challenge.”

  Shipshewana
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br />   When Thelma guided Rusty into the parking lot behind Yoder’s Complex, she felt relief. She’d been able to get them the rest of the way without a problem, but she’d been nervous—although she hadn’t let on to Elma. “Are you okay?” she asked her sister, noticing that her face was quite pale.

  Elma slowly nodded. “I’m relieved to be here. You did an amazing job with Rusty. He didn’t act up for you at all.”

  Thelma patted her sister’s cold hand. “I did what needed to be done. Do you want to secure Rusty to the hitching rail, or shall I?”

  “I’ll take care of it.” Elma stepped out of the buggy and walked up to Rusty.

  As Thelma watched, she heard her sister scold the horse. “You scared me something awful. Don’t ever do that again.”

  Rusty jerked his head back, pawed the pavement, and snorted.

  Thelma knew Elma was afraid of the horse, but she had to get past it, or the animal would sense her fear and get worse.

  Once Elma secured the horse, Thelma got out. “Where shall we go first?” she asked.

  “I’d like to look in Yoder’s Department Store for a pair of black dress shoes. When we were here two years ago, they had a good supply, so I’m hoping they’ll have the plain style and size that I need. When I’m done there, I may run across the street to Spector’s and see what kind of material they have.”

  “Why would you want to do that when we have material at our store?”

  “We’re getting low on some colors. If I find the color I want, I may buy enough to make a new dress. I still have some birthday money left.”

  “That’s fine. While you’re trying on shoes, I’ll go across the hall to the hardware store and look for paint.”

  “Why don’t we get something to drink first?” Elma suggested. “I could use a cup of herbal tea to help me relax.”

  The twins headed for Yoder’s. After they’d ordered their tea, they sat in the restaurant and talked about all the things they’d need to do before their folks came to visit.