6

Chad dabbed at his mouth with the napkin, using it in an attempt to stifle a burp. The only other time he’d eaten so much in one meal had been yesterday, at Susan and Peter’s home for Christmas dinner. He’d expected today to eat Bart and Odelle’s leftovers, but everything today was fresh-cooked, maybe with a few recycled ingredients, but nothing obvious. Odelle had cooked a meal fit for a special guest, and he didn’t know how to feel about that.

He wasn’t special. He was just an ordinary guy. But the conversation had made him feel like he was a miracle dropped in on them from God. Everything he’d seen had shown him a solid company base, even if all their systems were a few decades behind the times. But then, that was the backbone of the company—building solid and well-crafted, heritage-type, old-fashioned furniture that looked like it had been built in another century. It wouldn’t be hard, after a few software updates, to bump their fiscal operation up to the current decade. It also wouldn’t be hard to update their marketing efforts with their current clients. Of course, first he’d have to spend some serious time with Anna, who apparently knew more than the owner about what made this business tick. But it was ticking, and ticking well, just a little slow.

Odelle smiled at him. “I know Susan would have sent much food home with you. But I hope you will at least take home some of my Schinkje sleesch to enjoy.”

Chad nearly choked on the sip of his coffee. Home. He didn’t have a home. Not in Minneapolis, and not here in Piney Meadows, either. For now, he couldn’t even sleep in his car if he wanted to, despite the fact that he would probably freeze to death if he tried. Ted still hadn’t sent his keys, his drivers’ license, or his wallet.

Even if he had the money and his credit cards, Piney Meadows didn’t have a hotel or motel. Since the town wasn’t a tourist mecca, he also doubted he would find a bed-and-breakfast. Come to think of it, he wondered if a town like this even had an apartment building where he could find a place to rent, which is what he’d assumed he would do.

He forced himself to smile back politely. “I would love to take home some of the . . . uh . . . what you said. It’s delicious, and you’re making me feel very spoiled. You’re a fantastic cook.”

Odelle waved one hand in the air and blushed. “Ach. You are being kind. But I do love to cook. It is good to have more people to cook for, since my daughters are married.” At the word married, Odelle turned to Anna. “I also had planned to invite William today, but he had told me of other plans. He had made promises for tonight.”

Interesting. Today at the factory William hadn’t been at his desk, he’d been in the factory taking stock of the materials. Chad had met William briefly, but hadn’t had a chance to talk to him or be introduced as his new boss. The first person he’d need to talk to in order to become more familiar with the business and their financial status would be the company accountant.

Now, Odelle’s words reminded him that in addition to assessing everyone’s skills and level of responsibilities, he’d also need to be aware of the relationships between the employees. Nothing had been said during her family’s Christmas dinner, but apparently there was more between Anna and William than merely being fellow employees.

Tomorrow, Bart would officially introduce him to all the staff, he’d be given an initiation into each department, and then, when things settled down, he would talk privately with Anna to learn the personal details he needed to know. Here, he wasn’t just the new kid on the block; he was an outsider to this lost-in-time community. He would always need to be aware of all the interpersonal relationships so he didn’t cross any lines or offend. He’d also have to learn more about this community in order to interact effectively with them.

Since Anna was his new personal assistant, he needed her to advise him.

He turned to Odelle. “Thank you for a wonderful supper. I’m honored that you would prepare such a special meal just for us.”

Odelle blushed, turned, and muttered something in German.

Bart stood. “Come. Let us sit in the living room to talk.”

Chad also stood, waiting for the ladies to precede them out of the kitchen. They both stood, but instead of leaving the room, they began clearing the table. Chad understood that they would need to pack up the food and get it into the fridge, so he followed Bart to the couch.

Just as had happened with Peter, Bart talked fondly about the town of Piney Meadows. And as during his time at Anna’s parents’ home, the women not only put the food into the fridge, they also cleaned the kitchen and washed and dried the dishes before joining the men in the living room.

Leave It to Beaver, with bonnets.

He didn’t know how he was going to get used to this, but if he was going to live here, he had no choice.

He told himself with each day he’d become a little more accustomed to it. Even more, he was going to need Anna’s help to do this. Fortunately, Anna was easy to talk to, and best of all, he had something to offer her in trade for her help.

They continued to chat about nothing in particular, until he saw his hosts starting to show signs of fatigue. It dawned on him that while he had slept the morning away after enjoying a big turkey dinner the day before, they had arisen early and gone to work. Also, since he’d seen how the town shut down not long after nightfall, he suspected that his hosts, unlike himself, were the early-to-bed-early-to-rise type.

Chad stood. “Thank you for a wonderful evening, but I think it’s time we called it a night. What time should I be at the factory tomorrow morning?”

Bart stood. “I will be there at six o’clock, but it is fine with me if you start later. How is seven?”

Inwardly, Chad grimaced. He’d started at eight o’clock at his old job in Minneapolis, and there, he didn’t have to slog through half a mile of snow in the dark. He’d merely taken the elevator to the underground parking area, where it was sheltered, made a trip to the drive-thru for a fresh cup of coffee, and driven to work on nicely plowed, salted streets. Likewise, at the end of his workday, even though at work he’d had outside parking, he always had both the block heater and the in-car heater plugged in, and he’d always had a comfortable drive home.

Bart, the owner of the company, didn’t own a car. They’d walked to Bart’s home, and likewise, he would have to walk back to Ted’s house. He would also have to walk to work until he got his car keys back. Or, maybe he’d have to walk to work all winter. He’d noticed on the way here that the streets had been hand-shoveled, and he hadn’t seen a single car or car tread in the soft snow. He didn’t know if Bart chose to walk to work, or if he perhaps didn’t own a car.

Anna also stood. “I also thank you for a wonderful meal. I will see you tomorrow at work, Bart. Odelle, I will see you at church on Sunday.”

Once outside, Anna pointed to the right. “We are to go in that direction.”

“Thanks. I would probably get lost without you, and I sure don’t want that to happen tonight.” Already, his teeth were chattering.

Anna nodded as she raised her fingers to touch the scarf she’d wrapped over her head and around her neck. “You must feel very cold. Would you like to use my scarf since you do not have a hat?”

He eyed her pink scarf and nodded. Without the scarf, she still had her bonnet protecting her head from the biting cold. In Minneapolis, he wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a pink scarf, but here, no one would see him, so he was safe. “That would be great. Thank you.”

“Do not let her know I have said this, but my mama asked yesterday why you had no hat, and she is knitting one for you. It should be finished by morning. I can bring it to you before work tomorrow.”

He nearly stumbled. “Your mother is knitting me a hat? She doesn’t even know me.”

Anna smiled. “My mama has a good heart. She has asked me if she can sew you a good winter coat, but I told her you no doubt had a warm coat at home.”

“I do,” he muttered. But it wasn’t anything like the knee-length double-breasted coat that Bart had been wearing. In Minneapolis he had only needed a coat warm enough to protect him from the elements between his car and the office door. He had a feeling he was going to be making a trip to the mall very soon.

If they had a mall in Piney Meadows. Or maybe when he went home to pack up, he’d go shopping on the way back.

He nearly stumbled again. Thinking of clothes, he didn’t have anything to wear tomorrow. He’d felt horrible wearing the same thing to Christmas dinner as he’d worn the day before, but he’d had no choice. Before he’d gone to Bart’s office, he’d used some of Ted’s laundry soap and washed his shirt and personal items in the sink before bed. He’d needed to look fresh for the interview, and now he was glad he had, because he’d been seen by all the employees. However, tomorrow, when introduced as the new general manager, he needed to look professional. On his first day as manager, he should be wearing his suit, which was in his closet in Minneapolis. Instead, he would be wearing the same clothes four days in a row. Even with them freshly washed, it wasn’t right. Some things even laundry soap didn’t fix.

He couldn’t even take the liberty of borrowing or buying something out of Ted’s closet. He was about four inches taller than Ted, and Ted had a stockier build. He didn’t even have to look to know that nothing would fit.

“Is there a place we can go shopping on the way home?” Even if that meant the chance some of his future staff would see him wearing a pink scarf.

Anna shook her head. “It is after six o’clock.”

Chad didn’t know why he’d asked. Of course, everything was closed. The winter sun had set.

In his mind’s eye, he watched any potential nightlife he’d envisioned going down the proverbial drain. Mentally he shook his head. No, those days were gone. He was done with a party nightlife and lack of focus. It was time to get his life in order, and this new job was the start.

“Is there anything open here after six o’clock any day?” he asked, already knowing the answer but saying the words anyway.

“Nein,” she answered with a completely straight face. “Of course not.”

One day he’d tell her that in the month before Christmas, most of the big-box stores were open 24–7 in the big cities.

Chad struggled not to quicken his pace, keeping in mind the height difference between them, which caused him to walk faster than Anna did. However, it was obvious from the white puffs of air as they walked that he was breathing much harder than Anna. It hit him that she had to be in much better physical condition, because he was getting out of breath and she wasn’t. She walked everywhere, including through the thigh-high snowdrifts, and he drove only on plowed streets. In fact, in addition to a new coat, he needed to buy new boots and a man-colored scarf. His ankle-high boots had become packed with snow and his feet were as numb as his nose.

He walked with Anna to her front door. It shouldn’t have shocked him that she simply reached for the doorknob, ready to open it, knowing it was unlocked even though it was dark out.

“Are there any stores within walking distance of Ted’s house where I can buy some new clothes? Or make that close to work. I’d like to do some shopping on my lunch break, if you can loan me a little money until I get my wallet back.”

He turned his head to see her smile.

He liked her smile. It was honest and sincere, and suddenly, he didn’t feel quite so cold anymore.

Even if he did have to walk everywhere, if everyone was as nice as Anna he really would like it here.

“Of course. About ten minutes away, that is where the stores are. You do not need money. Just tell them I sent you and your name. They will sell you what you need and wait for you to get your wallet back.” She giggled. “Besides, by tomorrow at lunch time, everyone will know who you are, anyway.”

She stopped talking, and he mentally filled in what she hadn’t said. Within hours, everyone, not only people who worked at the factory, would know that he was taking over Ted’s job, and by the nature of the job, his credit was good.

A scary thought.

Anna opened the door. “Good night, Chad. I will see you tomorrow morning. We can walk to work together, and I will make you some coffee before Bart goes over everything with you.”

Anna sat at her desk, her eyes focused on the door to Ted’s office—or rather, Chad’s office—and smiled.

She’d never seen a man so happy. Just before the lunch break, the courier service delivered a package containing Chad’s wallet and keys. Instead of eating his lunch, Chad had gone shopping, and he had returned wearing a new knee-length coat and new boots, carrying an armful of bags. It did her heart good to see that despite the new store-purchased clothing, he still wore the cap her mama had knitted for him.

Since Bart had gone into the back to check on something, Anna rose from her chair and walked into the office to check on Chad.

A new pair of padded mittens lay in the middle of the desk alongside the hat, and he’d deposited the bags onto the chair.

“You look warm.” Except for his red nose and pink cheeks.

He smiled, wider and brighter than he had since she’d met him. Her heart began beating in double time. He truly was a handsome man.

His grin widened even more. “Yeah. This coat is great. The lady in the store helped me pick it. The lining zips out for when it’s not so biting cold, and it’s also got a wind protector panel in the back. I didn’t know they made them like this.” He clicked his heels together. “And nice padded boots, too. I feel like a kid at Christmas.” As he shrugged out of the coat and draped it on the coatrack, Anna noted he also wore what looked like a new suit, a new shirt, and a tie. “I asked Bart to hold off on the general meeting to introduce me until after lunch.” He rubbed his palms together. “That’s now. As soon as I fix my hair.” Instead of going to the mens’ washroom, Chad looked at his reflection in the window and finger-combed his wavy blond hair. “They didn’t have my brand of hair gel, or actually, they didn’t have any hair gel, so this will have to do.” He straightened, wiggled his tie, and turned around. “When Bart comes back, it’ll be official.”

All Anna could do was stare. With his new clothes, Chad looked even more handsome, and he even seemed taller.

Anna cleared her throat. “Here he comes.”

With a quick stride, Bart entered the room, then skidded to a halt and looked up. Beside Chad, Bart looked . . . messy. And definitely harried. Also, just as she’d thought earlier, there did appear to be a bit more of a height difference with Chad’s stiff posture. Bart looked up and down at Chad’s new clothes, stopping at the tie. “I have called everyone into the lunchroom. Let us go.”

As soon as Chad stepped into the lunchroom, all the chatter ceased. “Everyone,” Bart called out, “I would like you to meet Chad Jones. Starting today, Chad is taking over for Ted. As you know, Chad is new to Piney Meadows, so please give him a warm welcome.”

Odelle stood beside one of the tables taking the plastic wrap off a cake she’d brought, then began to fuss with folding the napkins.

At first only a couple of the men came forward, but when everyone saw how easy Chad was to talk to, more of the men came to shake his hand and greet him. After he’d shaken hands with all the men, Chad walked to the back of the room and introduced himself to the ladies, who were helping Odelle serve the cake.

When Chad had spoken briefly to everyone, Bart took him back to the office, and Anna stayed behind to help the ladies clean up.

Elaine approached her first. “Who is this man? Where did he come from? I have never seen him before.” Her voice lowered. “He looks like he is from the cities.”

Anna nodded. “Ja. He is.”

Martha came to Anna’s other side. “How did Ted find this man? I saw Ted speaking to him at church, after our Christmas play. Then he left with Ted and Miranda. I hear he is staying at Ted’s house until Ted’s return.” Her voice lowered. “I have seen his car parked near the church since Christmas Eve. It is very fancy and looks like it goes very fast.”

Before Anna could answer, Elaine spoke again. “Sarah told me Ted and Miranda will be married soon. When is Ted coming back?”

Anna cleared her throat. “I do not know the answer to all your questions. Today when Ted phoned for Bart, I spoke to him first for a little while. He is not sure when he is coming back, as he has been hired at a new job in Seattle and he cannot leave his job to come here. He said he must wait until a weekend, when he can get flight times that will be good. But he said that Chad will do well for us. He has phoned Chad’s former workplace and told me that they spoke very highly of him.” Ted had told her more than just that. He’d spoken to some of the people Chad supervised before speaking to the owner of the company. All of them spoke very highly of Chad and not at all highly of the president of the company. Then when Ted spoke to the company president, he spoke even worse of Chad than the other people had spoken of him. Oddly, he’d told Ted to tell Chad that if Chad came back and begged, he would give him the job back. This told Ted that the decision to hire Chad was the right one, and Chad was hired.

Ted had also reminded Chad’s former boss to forward Chad’s vacation pay and all money owed promptly or he would take legal action.

Anna couldn’t believe Ted would have said such a thing.

She turned to Elaine as she put the last cup into the cupboard. “I must go back to the office now. I do not know what will happen, but surely many things will become different now that we have a new manager.”

A new manager from the cities.