Velma Kimball stood at the back door of the run-down double-wide she shared with her husband, Hank, and three of their children. They’d moved from Kentucky to Ohio a month ago but hadn’t yet made any real friends.
The sun shone brightly this ninth day of June, but Velma’s emotions swirled like a brewing storm. Nothing seemed to go right for her family. Seventeen-year-old Bobbie Sue had dropped out of school six months ago, and worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Berlin. It would be time for Velma to pick her up soon.
Velma was glad they’d gotten Bobbie Sue out of Kentucky, for her boyfriend there had been a bad influence, encouraging her to quit school, smoke, and sneak out of the house. Velma hoped things would be better now that Bobbie Sue was away from Kenny.
Clem, their oldest son, had left home two years ago, when he’d turned eighteen. They hadn’t heard from him since. Then there was Eddie, their ten-year-old son. The boy had a chip on his shoulder and often got in trouble at school. Maybe now that summer was here, Eddie would settle down and make some new friends. Peggy Ann, age eight, was Velma’s clingy child, which sometimes got on Velma’s nerves. The girl also needed friends, or at least something to keep her busy during the summer months.
To make matters worse, Velma’s husband, Hank, a truck driver, was often gone from home, leaving her to cope with the kids on her own.
As her frustration mounted, Velma kicked the rickety screen door with the toe of her worn-out sneaker. She’d been dealt a bad hand most of her life, and it was getting old. She longed for something better and hoped by moving they’d be getting a new start. Of course, leaving Kentucky wasn’t just about getting Bobbie Sue away from Kenny. Most of it had to do with the rift they’d had with Velma’s folks. It was sad to have to cut ties with one’s folks, but for Hank’s sake, Velma had done just that.
Velma’s mouth twisted as she balled her hands into fists. Maybe I shoulda married someone else—a man my parents approved of, at least. Well, it’s too late for regrets. It’s time to focus on our new life here in Ohio and hope things go better for me, Hank, and our kids.
With a gentle breeze blowing in her face, Heidi headed down the road in her open buggy toward Walnut Creek Cheese. She inhaled deeply. It was a warm, dry wind—the comfortable kind of breeze that didn’t give you goose bumps and wasn’t too humid.
Holding the ends of her covering ties between her teeth so her kapp would stay in place, she gripped the reins firmly to keep her horse from sprinting at full speed. Heidi hadn’t used Bobbins, their chestnut mare, for a few days, and she seemed eager to run.
It was hard to believe almost a week had gone by since her first children’s cooking class. With her second class just a week from tomorrow, she needed to make sure she had everything on hand. Since Heidi would be busy with other things the first several days of next week, today was the best time to get some shopping done. Lyle didn’t have an auction, so he’d volunteered to stay home with Marsha and Randy, which allowed Heidi to shop with no interruptions. It wasn’t often that she had time to be by herself these days, and she appreciated his willingness to supervise the children. No doubt, they would be good for him.
Their social worker had dropped by yesterday morning, and they’d had a good visit. Gail seemed pleased that Randy and Marsha were getting along well, and when Heidi told her about the cooking classes, Gail said it sounded like an interesting venture and wouldn’t mind taking cooking lessons herself sometime.
Driving along, Heidi saw a woman from their church district out mowing her lawn. She waved at Irene, and her neighbor responded with a hearty, “Nice to see you, Heidi!”
The heavy smell of fresh mowed grass filled Heidi’s senses, and an image of herself during childhood days came to mind. As a young girl, she loved being cushioned by the sweet-smelling grass and watching big white clouds float slowly across the sky. I’ll have to introduce Marsha and Randy to cloud watching some afternoon. Heidi smiled. Another thing I’m sure they would enjoy is a picnic in our backyard.
The thought of an evening meal of fried chicken, baked beans, potato chips, and sweet tea made her mouth water. Randy and Marsha would no doubt enjoy eating those too.
Heidi figured the children were due for a reward of some kind. Ever since the incident with the hose last Saturday, plus being caught with Kassidy’s phone, Randy had been on his best behavior. Marsha too, but then the quiet little girl always did as she was told. A family picnic seemed like a valid way to show her approval. Plus, her husband was a pushover when it came to her crispy, coated chicken.
She thought about the other night. When she’d tucked the kids into bed and read them the verse from the Bible about obedience, they’d promised to be good. Heidi hoped the other children who’d received a card would also take the verse to heart.
Despite the wind that had increased, the warmth of the sun felt pleasant to Heidi as she continued in the direction of the store. Sunlight always brightened her mood, and today was no exception. Since Randy and Marsha had come to live with them, Heidi had a renewed sense of hope for the future. She hadn’t spoken to Lyle yet about the possibility of trying to adopt the children, but hoped to talk to him soon. He’d become a father to their foster children in every way, so Heidi felt sure he would want to make Marsha and Randy legally theirs. She couldn’t imagine him saying anything but yes.
After Heidi pulled into the parking area and secured her horse, she headed into the cheese store. Grabbing a basket by the door, she moved along the refrigerator case, eyeing the many types of cheeses they offered.
Heidi noticed an English family picking out some different items. She wondered if they were tourists or lived in the area. The mother and father were soft spoken as they talked to the two children, allowing them each to pick out a treat. The boy seemed content as he chose some cheese and crackers. His sister took longer deciding, until she reached out for a small container of bear-shaped graham crackers.
Heidi turned away and tried a sample of habanero cheddar. It was so hot she couldn’t finish eating it, and ended up spitting it in a tissue she pulled from her purse. I hope no one saw me do that. Lyle might like the hot cheese, since he enjoys putting spicy salsa on some things we eat at home, but it’s certainly not for me. Waving her hand in front of her mouth, in the hope of cooling off, Heidi wished she’d brought her water bottle inside with her.
Not long after, she saw her friend Loretta and visited with her for a bit. They decided to go to another shop in the area and look around, since neither of them had their children along.
As Heidi walked beside Loretta, they shared the latest news, while looking at some of the gift items. Then they stopped for a dish of ice cream before going their separate ways. Of course, Heidi bought a gallon of ice cream that she put in a small cooler she’d brought along so she could take home a treat for Lyle and the children. She would serve it after supper.
“Are you ready to head for home?” Velma asked Bobbie Sue as she climbed into the passenger’s seat of Velma’s older model, mid-sized car. Eddie and Peggy Ann were in the back seat.
Bobbie Sue’s face reddened as she crossed her arms. “Oh, I’m ready, all right. The boss just fired me, so I won’t be comin’ back to this stupid diner anymore.” She scrunched her nose. “What a cruddy way to end the week.”
Velma blinked rapidly. “Why would Marilyn let you go?”
“Said I was mouthin’ off.” Bobbie Sue’s nostrils flared as she shook her head. “I think she made it up so she can hire her niece who moved here last week from Cincinnati.”
“Did she come right out and say that?”
“No, but it don’t take no genius to figure it out. All’s I did was tell the boss lady that I was sick and tired of gettin’ stuck with all the dirty work. I wanna wait on people, not be stuck washing dishes, cleaning tables, and sweeping the floors.” Bobbie Sue paused long enough to draw in a quick breath. “Marilyn plays favorites anyways, and when I heard her niece was here and would need a job, I had a feeling I’d probably get fired.”
Velma’s jaw clenched. Maybe Bobbie Sue was telling the truth, but since she often mouthed off, Marilyn may have let her go for a legitimate reason.
“Would you like me to talk to your boss? With any luck, maybe I can talk her into giving you your job back.”
Bobbie Sue shook her head. “Don’t bother, Mama. I’m sick of the job anyways.”
“Well, like it or not, you need to be working and paying room and board, like I did when I was your age.”
Her daughter just stared straight ahead.
“How long till we get to Uncle Patrick’s house?”
Keeping her concentration on the road ahead, Ellen responded to her daughter’s question. “It will be awhile. Probably about two hours to go yet.” Ellen couldn’t believe how busy Berlin was today.
“Yeah, but I can wait.” Becky folded her hands and rested them in her lap. “I wonder what we will have to eat tonight.”
“Your uncle said something about grilling hot dogs and burgers.” Ellen smiled. When Becky first learned they were going to her aunt, uncle, and cousins’ place for the weekend, she’d been excited. With Ellen’s brother and his family living in Wheeling, West Virginia, they didn’t get to see them regularly. Since Becky tended to be a bit shy around other children, it was good for her to spend time with her cousins, Alisha and Connie. Ellen was thankful she’d been able to get two days off in a row so they could make the trip. When she’d gotten off work today, she had gone home, put their suitcases in the car, and headed out with Becky. They would return home early Sunday evening, since Ellen’s shift on Monday would begin at six o’clock in the morning.
The traffic became heavier, no doubt due to the number of people getting off work, not to mention all of the tourists. And because it was Friday, everyone seemed anxious to get to wherever they were going. Already, one driver had cut in front of Ellen to gain some headway. She found an easy-listening station on the radio and turned the volume down to a soft level, hoping it would help soothe her nerves as she and Becky traveled the rest of the way. She was just as anxious as her daughter to see her brother and his family.
Patrick was two years older than Ellen, and their brother, Dean, was five years older. Because of their close ages, she and Patrick had always had a stronger relationship while growing up. They had a lot in common too. He was a doctor and she a nurse. They both enjoyed people and shared the same bubbly personality. Patrick had a strong relationship with God, and so did Ellen. Unfortunately, their older brother had strayed from his faith, and it had affected his marriage. Dean and Shelly were now divorced, and their three children lived with her in Texas.
I hope my older brother gets back on track before it’s too late, Ellen thought as she approached a stoplight. Shelly hasn’t remarried, so maybe there’s a chance that they could get back together.
Ellen noticed a compact car as it started through the intersection as the light turned green. At the same time, an older-model vehicle on the right sailed through the light without stopping. She gasped at the horrible sound as the vehicles collided, breaking glass and crunching metal.
From the backseat, Becky screamed.
Concerned that one or more of the passengers in either car might be hurt, Ellen pulled onto the shoulder of the road and turned off the ignition. “There, there Becky. It’s going to be okay.” This was the first time her daughter had witnessed an accident such as this. “Stay right here, though. I need to see if anyone was injured and call for help.”