What Once Was Lost (29 page)

Together, Miss Willems and Pa Creeger moved to the counter, and Pa Creeger took out his cashbox. The two began what appeared to be an intense conversation. Curious, Cora eased up to the counter and began sorting suspenders by color. She tipped sideways and listened in.

“… from Mama to Papa for Christmas in 1863. She’d received a small inheritance from her grandfather and wanted to give Papa something that would last.” Miss Willems laughed softly—the saddest laugh Cora had ever heard. “He carried it in his pocket every day. He was always so proud that Abraham Lincoln had one just like it.”

Pa Creeger took the silver-cased watch from Miss Willems’s hands and turned it this way and that. “No doubt the Waltham Company knows how to put together a quality watch,” he said. “And even though the William Ellery wasn’t one of their top watches, it’s still a good one.” He snapped the cover and peered at the face. “Keeps perfect time. Reckon that’s why most of the railroad men carry ’em.”

“Yes.” Miss Willems sounded so forlorn, Cora’s heart ached. “I hate to part with it, but I … I find myself more in need of funds than a timepiece. I realize you aren’t a purchaser, but I thought perhaps …”

Cora gulped. All those letters Miss Willems had been sending to the
mission board hadn’t done any good at all. They weren’t going to give her money to fix the house. Miss Willems shouldn’t have to sell something so dear to her. Cora held her breath, caught between hope and fear that Pa Creeger would buy it.

Pa Creeger worked his jaw back and forth, cradling the William Ellery watch in his palm. “You’re right, Miss Willems, that I’ve not done any buyin’ of used items to resell in the store. I’m not real certain I can even give you what your mama must’ve paid for it. But …” He puffed out his cheeks, holding in a big breath. After several seconds he blew out the air in a noisy rush. “I could do ten dollars. How’s that?”

Cora’s heart pounded like a tom-tom and seemed to beat out the message
Don’t do it! Don’t do it!

Miss Willems lowered her head and closed her eyes. Was she praying? Would God tell her to keep the watch her mama’d given her papa? The woman sighed and lifted her gaze to Pa Creeger. “I’ll take it. Thank you very much.”

Pa Creeger pressed a crumpled bill into Miss Willems’s hand. He placed the watch in the cashbox and closed the lid with a snap. “Can I help you with anything else?”

Miss Willems stared at the box. Her chin quivered. “No, thank you, Mr. Creeger.”

He pushed the box to the far corner of the counter and bustled off to see to other customers. Cora stood, hands gripping a pair of blue-and-green-striped suspenders, and watched Miss Willems. Agony ebbed from the woman, and Cora ached to do something to help. But what? She didn’t have ten dollars to offer. And she didn’t have any words of wisdom to share either. So she just mourned the loss along with the heartbroken woman until a customer walked between the two of them and tapped Cora’s arm.

“Miss, I need a quarter pound of pepper and a pound of salt.”

Cora nodded briskly, setting the suspenders aside. “Yes, ma’am.” She scurried behind the counter and bent down to retrieve two brown paper sacks. When she rose, she glanced toward the spot where Miss Willems had been
standing. She was gone. For a moment Cora froze, sadness squeezing her chest so tight it hurt to breathe.

The customer tapped the counter. “Miss? Hurry, please. I have other errands to run.”

Cora gave a jolt. “Yes, ma’am. You said … quarter pound of pepper and …”

The woman sighed. “A pound of salt.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Cora filled the order, measuring carefully and rolling down the tops of the bags neatly as Ma Creeger had shown her. But when she opened the cashbox to drop the customer’s money inside, her gaze fell on the silver William Ellery watch that Miss Willems’s father had been given for Christmas in 1863. And she burst into tears.

Christina battled tears. Oh, how it pained her to part with Papa’s watch! The timepiece had been his pride and joy—the only extravagant item he owned. But how else would she raise money to purchase train tickets for herself and the twins? How else would she pay for plaster and paint to finish the walls of the poor farm kitchen? The mission board had ignored her repeated requests for funds. She couldn’t depend on anyone else to offer financial support. Besides, it was her fault that Louisa, Rose, Wes, Tommy, Joe, and Florie were all displaced. Somehow she had to repair the damage she’d done, and she knew no other option than to sell the watch.

“Miss Willems! Miss Willems!”

The excited shout brought Christina to a halt. She turned and spotted Wes running toward her in his awkward lope. His round face shone with joy. He’d be even happier when she told him she now had the funds to repair the house. She greeted him with a smile. “I have good news.”

“Me, too!” He nearly danced in place, his big hands repeatedly clasping and unclasping. “I been workin’ at the livery to earn my keep. An’ Mr. Taylor, he says I’ve done a right fine job.”

“Oh, Wes, I’m so proud of you.” She meant it. Wes worked hard and deserved praise.

“An’ ya know what? He wants to keep me on! Says he’s gettin’ older, can use a good, strong pair o’ hands around the place. His brother passed on to glory awhile back an’ left him a little house. He says I can live in it. A job an’ my own little house! Ain’t it a wonder, Miss Willems?”

Christina stared at him in shock. “You won’t be returning to the poor farm?”

Wes’s countenance dimmed. “Well, no, ma’am.”

By biting down on her lower lip, Christina held back a bevy of selfish questions. Who would push the plow? harvest the crops? feed the stock? She’d come to depend on Wes—perhaps too much.

He went on, wringing his hands in a fretful manner. “But don’t you worry. I’ll keep goin’ out an’ takin’ care o’ the poor farm critters until you all move back out there.” His brow furrowed. “Miss Willems, ain’tcha happy for me?”

She couldn’t bear to dash cold water on his excitement. She forced a smile. “Of course I am, Wes. I’m just surprised is all. I’m very happy for you. Truly I am.”

He beamed again. “Thank you, Miss Willems.” He began moving backward, almost skipping, his feet were so light. “Gotta get back to work now, but I wanted you to know. Bye!” He turned and loped off.

Christina watched until he turned the corner. She fingered the bill in her pocket. So, Wes wouldn’t live at the poor farm any longer. She needn’t mourn over him. It was a fine thing for him to be able to take care of himself—something Papa would have encouraged and celebrated, were he still alive. And soon she’d be so busy with the twins, Tommy, Rose, and Louisa, she’d hardly notice Wes was gone.

Her head low, she aimed her feet toward the boardinghouse again. As she moved past the butcher shop, Louisa stepped onto the boardwalk, a broom in hand. Her face lit when she spotted Christina. She set the broom aside and held
out her arms. Christina moved eagerly into the embrace, sorely in need of comfort. When they parted, Christina held up the bill Mr. Creeger had given her. “Look, Louisa. I have ticket money now.”

Louisa’s faded eyes grew round as dinner plates. “Oh my, that’s a small fortune! Where’d you get it?”

Christina forced a smile and closed her fist around the money the way she wished to hold Papa’s watch. “The Lord provided.”

Louisa released a chortle of joy. She stuck her head inside the shop and bellowed, “Rose! Come here!”

Moments later Rose joined them, her face wreathed in worry. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing’s the matter. Christina has travel money. She’s going after the twins.”

Rose raised her hands and crowed, “Hallelujah!” Then she sobered. “But the house isn’t ready. Where will you put them?”

“Back with the Spencers.” Christina slid her fist holding the ten dollar bill into her pocket. “They indicated a willingness to provide a temporary home for Joe and Florie. And with this money I can purchase plaster. Mr. Creeger said he’d go to the house in the evenings and plaster the kitchen as soon as the townsmen have the outside walls rebuilt.”

Rose clapped her hands. “Oh, glory! It won’t be long now, and we’ll all be together again.”

Christina cautioned, “We’ll have to wait for lumber, of course. Mr. Jonnson indicated he wouldn’t have more wood to spare until his new shipment of logs arrives. That could be the end of April.” The waiting was torturous, but Christina had little choice. As Papa used to say, beggars couldn’t be choosers. She’d have to bide her time at the boardinghouse until the lumber was available.

The pair of elderly women nodded soberly. Rose took Christina’s hand. “I’m not trying to be pushy—I know you’re a grown woman and capable of making your own decisions—but I don’t feel too comfortable about you traveling all the way to Topeka by yourself.”

Louisa gave a somber nod. “I agree. A woman traveling alone? Why, it’s deemed unseemly.”

The word
unseemly
pierced Christina. She pushed aside the recollection of someone else accusing her of being unseemly. “Regardless, I have little choice.” Who would travel with her? For reasons beyond her understanding, Levi Jonnson’s face appeared in her memory as if requesting him to accompany her would be more proper than traveling alone. She must be overly tired to entertain such a ridiculous thought.

Rose pursed her lips, clearly disapproving. “When do you intend to go?”

Christina gave an uncertain shrug. “I need to make arrangements with Mrs. Beasley to find a replacement. I don’t imagine she’ll be in much of a rush to do so. She seems perfectly content allowing me to handle the cooking and cleanup chores.”

Louisa let out a gasp and grabbed Christina’s arms. “I’ll do it!”

Christina stared at the older woman. “Are you sure? It’s a great deal of work.”

“Why, of course. I helped Cora those days you were ill, so I know what to do, and I don’t mind a bit. It’ll make me feel as though I’m helping you bring those youngsters home again.”

Christina threw her arms around Loiusa. “Thank you!” If Mrs. Beasley agreed, Christina could leave for Topeka on Monday’s train and be back with the children by Tuesday night.

Rose sidled up to Christina. “Honey, as much as I want to see those curly-haired scamps brought home, I still don’t like the idea of you going all the way to Topeka on your own. All sorts of ills can befall a woman traveling alone.”

Christina smiled—her first genuine smile in days. How the woman’s concern warmed her. “I’ll be fine, Rose. Truly I will.”

Rose drew back her shoulders and peered down her narrow nose at Christina. “Yes you will. Because, my dear, I’m going, too!”

Chapter 29

Levi rubbed a final application of linseed oil into the top of the finished buffet. The grain of the oak glowed like polished brass. Even though he’d chosen not to add embellishments such as engravings or decorative carvings, the buffet was beautiful—a real work of art. Any woman would be proud to store her finest dishes behind its raised panel doors. His hand stilled in its task, and he released a disgruntled huff. No woman would be using this buffet. It would go in the corner of his dining area to hold his simple tin plates.

Why was he thinking of women? Another derisive snort left his lips. Not women. One woman—Miss Willems. He couldn’t seem to erase her from his mind. And he knew why.

He angled his head to watch Tommy for a few moments. The boy sat cross-legged on the floor in the area Levi had cleared for him, fingers twisting the shredded lengths of canvas into a woven square. Every day, all day, for the past week the boy had dropped into that same spot and had performed the same task. When he reached the end of the lengths, he unraveled them and started again. Over and over and over …

He practiced with the same diligence Levi had witnessed on previous weeks, but over the past days—since last Sunday—he’d shown no delight in his work. He never smiled. He made no cheerful exclamations. No eager queries—“Mr. Jonnson, come look! Is it better this time?”—begged Levi to offer a word of praise. Tommy had retreated into a bubble of solitude that couldn’t be penetrated. Each day Levi’s concern for the boy grew.

He dipped his rag in the bowl of oil and returned to rubbing the buffet. Should he take Tommy to town and leave him with Miss Willems? Maybe
she’d be able to break through the barriers the boy had built around himself. A feeling of failure swept over Levi, bending him forward. He pressed his palm to his forehead, fighting the urge to rail in fury at his helplessness. Why had he opened himself up to this boy? Once again he’d been forced to watch someone who mattered to him descend into a pit of melancholy.

A sigh—deep and burdened—came from behind him. He shifted to peer at Tommy, who’d bowed over his lap and buried his face in his arms. The boy’s shoulders shook in silent sobs. Levi had witnessed similar soundless outpourings of grief over the past days, but despite repeatedly asking Tommy to share the reason for his sorrow, the boy hadn’t spoken a word of explanation.

So this time, even though Levi longed to offer comfort, he remained rooted in place, his lips clamped tight, and waited for the tears to run their course. While he waited, he made the decision to return Tommy to town. To Miss Willems’s care. He couldn’t do anything more for Tommy than he could for Far all those years ago. And once Tommy was no longer under his roof—out of sight and hearing—he’d be able to go back to his solitary existence without having to worry about anyone but himself.