Sarah's Choice (10 page)

“You’re right, but I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Is Kelly in the house or her studio?” Sarah asked, changing the subject. If she kept talking about Sammy she’d get all worked up.

“She’s in her studio, painting. Why don’t you visit with her awhile? I’m sure she’d be glad to see you.”

“Okay.” Sarah started in the direction of the adjoining art studio, when she heard the familiar moaning of a conch shell. She moved quickly to the front window. “Maybe that’s Elias and Sammy.” She stepped outside and waited until the boat came around the bend, but when it came into her line of vision, she realized it was traveling toward Easton, so it couldn’t be them.

She was just about to step back into the store, when Patrick O’Grady, the town’s blacksmith, showed up.

“Top of the mornin’, Sarah,” he said, tipping the straw hat he wore over his curly red hair. “How are you doin’ this fine spring day?”

“I’ve been better,” she mumbled.

“I heard about the fall you took a few days ago and have been wonderin’ how you were doin’. Fact is, I’d planned to come by your place yesterday, but I got so busy in my shop that I couldn’t get away.”

“I’m doing some better, and my ribs aren’t quite so sore.”

“That’s good to hear.” He grinned, and the deep dimples in his cheeks seemed to be winking at her. “Say, I was wondering. Would you and your youngsters be interested in goin’ on a picnic with me this Sunday? Thought maybe we could start out in the morning and do some fishin’ in the canal before we eat.”

Sarah’s fingers tightened around the edge of her jacket. “Well, uh…we always go to church on Sundays.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. Well, how about we get together later in the day?”

“Maybe some other time—when my ribs are feeling better, and my boy Sammy’s back home.”

“Where’d he go?”

Sarah explained about Sammy’s unexpected trip with Elias and ended it by saying, “So I don’t feel that I can go anywhere until my boy’s home safe and sound.”

“When I was in here the other day I heard the preacher and his wife say they’d been lookin’ for Sammy. But I figured the boy had probably just gone off fishin’ somewhere.” Patrick’s nose wrinkled as he gave an undignified snort. “What in the world was that boatman thinking? He had no right to take off with a kid as young as Sammy.”

“I’ve been thinking the very same thing.”

Another conch shell blew, and a few minutes later a boat came into view. Sarah’s heart gave a lurch. It was Elias’s boat, and there was Sammy, leading the mules.

As the boat pulled up to a wooden post near the store, Sarah lifted the edge of her skirt and raced through the tall grass, ready to give both Elias and Sammy a piece of her mind.

O
h, I’m so glad you’re back.” Sarah pulled Sammy close and hugged him tightly. “I was worried sick about you.”

When Sammy looked up at her, his eyes shone brightly. “I did real good leadin’ the mules; Elias said so.” He patted the pocket in his trousers. “He paid me for helpin’ him, too.”

Sarah looked up at Elias and shook her finger, the way she often did when one of her children had done something wrong. “What were you thinking, taking off with my boy like that—and without even getting my permission?”

Elias’s face turned red, matching the birthmark on his cheek. “But I…I thought—that is, I mean, Sammy said you’d given him your permission.”

Sarah shook her head. “I told him no. You were right there when I said it, too.”

“I realize that, but Sammy said you’d changed your mind, and…”

Sarah turned back to Sammy. “Did you lie to Elias and tell him I said it was okay for you to lead his mules?”

Sammy nodded slowly and dropped his gaze to the ground. “I wanted to earn some money so I could—”

“There’s no excuse for lying; I’ve taught you better than that.” Sarah’s hands shook as she held them firmly at her sides. “You disobeyed me, and then lied to Elias, and now you’ll need to be punished.” She pointed to the store. “Go inside and wait for me. I’ll be in soon, and then we’ll be heading for home.”

Sammy’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, Mama. Sure didn’t mean to upset ya, but I—”

“Just go into the store; we’ll talk about this later. Oh, and please tell Uncle Mike to ask one of his customers from town to let Pastor William and Betsy know that you’ve come home.”

“I can let them know,” Elias spoke up. “I have to go into town to check on Bobby, my mule driver, so it’ll be right on my way.”

“Okay, thanks,” Sarah mumbled.

Sammy started to walk away but turned back and looked up at Elias. “Thanks for all the things ya taught me. I had a real good time.”

Elias smiled and nodded. “I had a good time with you, too.”

Sammy turned and sprinted to the store.

“I’m really sorry about this,” Elias said. “If I’d had any idea that Sammy—”

“Sammy’s only a boy. You shouldn’t have taken his word. You should have checked with me first.”

He nodded. “You’re right. In fact, I take the full blame, so please don’t be too hard on Sammy.”

Irritation welled in Sarah’s soul. “Don’t tell me how to raise my son. Sammy lied, and he needs a reminder not to do it again.”

“You’re right, of course. I only meant that it wasn’t solely his fault, and I hope you’ll take that into consideration.”

“I’ll consider all that needs to be considered. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get my kids and go home.” She started to move away, but Elias touched her arm, and she whirled around to face him. “What?”

“How are your ribs? Are they better?”

“They’re not fully healed, but I’m sure I can manage to do my work again now.”

“Why not give yourself another day or so to heal? I’ll be staying here until Monday morning, so Ned may as well continue opening the lock for the rest of the day, and since Sunday’s a day of rest it’ll give us all a chance to renew.”

Sarah considered Elias’s suggestion. He really did seem to care about her predicament. “That’s fine,” she said with a nod. “If I don’t have to worry about the lock for the rest of the day it’ll give me some time to care for my kids. From the looks of Sammy’s trousers and shirt, I’d say he and his clothes both need a good washing.”

“We had some rain on the way to Easton, which made the towpath quite muddy.”

“Oh, I know all about the muddy towpath. I traipsed through more mud than I care to think about when I was a girl leading my papa’s mules.”

Elias quirked an eyebrow. “I didn’t realize you’d ever been a mule driver. I thought maybe you’d grown up in the lock tender’s house.”

“No, my husband’s folks tended the lock before he took it over, and then after he died, it became my job.” Sarah frowned. “I hated walking the towpath when I was a girl, so when I turned eighteen, I ran away with Sam, and we got married. We both worked in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, for a time, before returning here to Walnutport.” Sarah didn’t know why she was telling Elias all this. She barely knew the man, and it was really none of his business, and yet he seemed so easy to talk to and seemed to be interested in what she was saying. “I’d better go,” she murmured. “Thanks for bringing Sammy home safe.” Sarah turned and hurried toward the store.

Elias, still feeling bad about taking Sammy without checking with Sarah first, headed over to the lock to see Ned. He found him sitting on a rock close to the canal, with a fishing pole in his hand.

“I saw your boat pull in,” Ned said when Elias took a seat on the ground next to him. “Sure took ya long enough to get up to Easton and back here again.”

“Since Sammy’s not an experienced mule driver, I didn’t want to push him too hard. We also had some rainy weather to deal with.”

Ned grunted. “I heard you’d taken the kid along. His mama wasn’t too happy about that, ya know. In fact, I had to hear about it several times.”

“Yes, I’m sure. I’ve apologized to Sarah for taking Sammy’s word and not checking with her first.” Elias frowned. “I still don’t understand why he lied to me.”

Ned spit a wad of chewing tobacco into the canal. “Lyin’s what kids do best.” He snorted. “ ‘Course I’m sure someone as good as you has never told a lie in his life.”

“I’m not perfect, and I think everyone’s lied at some time or another. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, ‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.’ ”

Ned spat again. “Don’t start preachin’ to me, now. I ain’t in the mood.”

“I wasn’t preaching. I was just saying that everyone has sinned, which means that most people have told a lie or two.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

Elias decided it was time for a change in conversation. “I see you’re making good use of your time when you’re not bringing a boat through the lock,” he said, motioning to the fishing pole in Ned’s hand.

“Yep. Thought I might catch me a mess of fish for supper tonight. ‘Course I’d figured on offerin’ them to Sarah, since she’s been feedin’ me while you’ve been gone. Now that you’re back, and since Sarah’s feelin’ better, I’d better quit fishin’ so we can be on our way to Mauch Chunk.”

Elias shook his head. “I’ve decided to stay here for the rest of today and Sunday, of course. We’ll head out on Monday morning.”

Ned’s bushy eyebrows lifted high on his forehead. “And waste the rest of a perfectly good day? Are ya crazy, man?”

“No, I’m not crazy, and need I remind you that you’re working for me, not the other way around? So I’d appreciate it if you just accepted my decision without grumbling about it.”

“But why would ya wanna hang around here all day when you’ve got a load of coal to pick up?”

“So you can continue opening the lock. I think Sarah needs an extra day or so to allow her ribs to heal sufficiently. If we stay here until Monday, it’ll give me a chance to visit the church in Walnutport, too.”

Ned squinted his beady eyes, and his thin lips compressed. “Guess if you wanna go to church, that’s your decision, but don’t look for me to tag along.”

Elias shrugged. “That’s entirely up to you.” He pulled himself to his feet. “We’ll eat on the boat tonight, so if you catch any fish, we can have them for supper.”

“Mike Cooper loaned me this fishin’ pole, since mine was on your boat. Why don’t ya go over to his store and see if he’s got another pole you can use? That way we’ll have twice as many fish for supper.”

“It’s tempting, but I need to go over to the boardinghouse where we left Bobby with his aunt Martha and see if he’s feeling better and will be ready to lead the mules on Monday morning. You haven’t heard anything about how the boy’s doing, have you?”

Ned shook his head. “Been too busy here to check on him.”

“Okay. After I inquire about Bobby, I need to stop by the preacher’s house and let him and his wife know that Sammy made it home okay. I’ll either see you back here or at the boat.”

“Sure thing, boss. Whatever you say.”

Elias shook his head as he walked away. He hoped that someday Ned might be won to the Lord, but he wouldn’t push. He’d just allow things to come naturally and let the Lord lead.

O
n Sunday morning as Sarah sat on one of the wooden pews in church with her children, she was surprised to see Elias enter the sanctuary and take a seat in the pew across from her. As the first song, “We Have an Anchor,” was announced, everyone stood. Sammy slipped quickly past Sarah and darted across the aisle to stand beside Elias.