Sarah's Promise (10 page)

I decided to straight-out ask what Sam hadn’t told me yet. “So when am I gonna meet Mr. Pratt, anyway?”

“I don’t know. He’s eccentric sometimes. Hasn’t told us when he’s coming over, but he knows you’re here. Maybe he’ll show up about suppertime. He’ll prob’ly wanna talk business first thing, but don’t worry. I’ll walk you through everything step-by-step and then make sure you understand any papers ’fore you sign ’em.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that offer. Sam seemed to think I was going to need explanations, not just someone to read, and that irked me.

Sam was supposed to open the store back up after lunch and work a couple days trying to clear inventory and settle his business before leaving. He asked me to go with him after we’d eaten, on the chance I might meet Uncle Milty. But he didn’t show up.

Just listening to Sam, I learned a lot about the goods in that store. He showed me the ledgers he was working in and told me that whatever way I’d used back home for recording orders and sales prob’ly wouldn’t work well here.

“I know the Worthams kept the WH books,” he said. “Sarah could handle that well enough here. Ain’t much to it. But I can help you till the wedding, and if she don’t wanna keep on afterward, I can visit and catch you up sometimes till you’re able to hire somebody regular.”

I didn’t even answer him. Sarah was already helping me with books sometimes. She and I had talked about there being even more of that one of these days. She didn’t mind a bit, and I didn’t mind asking her because we’d be a team. But there wasn’t no way I’d ask my older brother to do it. Did he really think I couldn’t figure out a way to get things done in a business without him? Of course I’d need help, but not his. He had enough to think about with six kids and a job of his own.

There weren’t very many customers that day, and eventually I went back to Sam’s house, where I could help Thelma pack. I begged some boxes for her from the local grocery stores, and that first day we made a lot of progress on the small stuff. While we were packing boxes, Thelma was the one to bring up another surprising idea.

“Franky, we’ve had people interested in this house, and we need to sell it quick. But if you want it, you an’ Sarah, we’d give you special terms. You could pay us direct and not have to go through the bank.”

The offer made me feel strange inside. “I would a’ thought Sam’d mention that.”

“He would’ve eventually. Takes him awhile sometimes to get round to everythin’ he’s thinkin’. He didn’t wanna seem pushy. But he said I could ask you about it myself if I wanted to.”

I shook my head at my oldest brother. He must’ve had all this planned out. Prob’ly thought this was just the kind of life I needed and he was doing me a big favor to hand it over. But it almost made me mad, because of what it surely meant. He didn’t think I could buy a home any other way. And he didn’t think I could take on a business without him helping work out the details.

If Thelma wondered why I was quiet the rest of the time till Sam got home, she didn’t ask. But I felt like throwing their things in the back of my truck and hauling them to Jacksonville as quick as I could so I could just go home. Here I was wanting to manage on my own, and my brother was only wanting to make it look like I was while he arranged the whole thing.

This must have seemed like a great solution to his own problems to get a buyer for the house and the store. And he could still feel like he was giving me what I wanted, setting me up where everybody’d think I was independent. He knew how I felt about that. I’d told him that I didn’t wanna go through life leaning on Sarah’s parents, or Kirk and that farm, for anything. I had to find a way to put down roots and make it on my own, away from all the watch care.

Even Sam’s. I figured I’d be telling him soon enough that Camp Point wasn’t for me. Maybe I’d take another look at Mt. Vernon. Or Marion.

Dearing and Mcleansboro were just too close. I hoped that Sarah would be able to understand that, and I knew I’d have to talk to her about it real soon now that it was clearer in my head. I loved my family. And I loved hers. But I couldn’t be sure they wouldn’t always be checking on us and treatin’ me like a kid if we stayed close, just because everybody took me to be different. I knew they meant well and they loved me. Especially Lizbeth and the Worthams. But I had to step away. At least for a while. To prove I could. Or I might never be satisfied with myself.

Mr. Pratt came for supper just like Sam predicted. It was plain he wasn’t happy about Sam leaving, and the first thing he did when the talking started was to offer Sam a raise to change his mind. I don’t think he liked the thought of talking to me. He didn’t seem to want nothin’ to do with me at all. Sam had said he was just eccentric. But I found out he was also pretty blunt.

When he got around to talking to me, he had one initial question. “How will you run my business if you can’t read the paperwork?”

Sam jumped in before I could answer. “I told you, Uncle Milty. Wait’ll you see his handiwork. It’ll bring customers from miles around. And he’s got a sharp mind for business. A real good memory. And a bright young woman itchin’ to marry him that’s well able to take care of all the books.”

Sam glanced at me quick but went right on talking. “He’s good with people, and his furniture’ll give the store the spark it needs. Ain’t nothin’ quite like it around here.”

Mr. Pratt nodded just a little and asked the next question straight to Sam. “When do I get to see it?”

“There’s samples still on my truck,” I broke in. “I’ll get ’em if you wanna look. But you oughta know that the only way I’d consider runnin’ your store is if you sell to me and step away.”

“He will,” Sam spoke up quick. “Just like with me. He’s not around much. Don’t wanna be. I’ve been the manager.”

“That’s not what I mean,” I said, looking at Mr. Pratt.

He nodded, and I was pretty sure he understood me. “Let’s see your handiwork,” he said simply. “I’ve sure heard it bragged on enough times.”

I brought in the cedar chest, the tot’s chair, and the carvings. Mr. Pratt liked them all. And then he asked to talk to me alone. Sam didn’t like that a bit, I could tell. But I appreciated it.

“Your brother’s leavin’ me in a bind,” Mr. Pratt admitted. “I can’t run the store myself anymore, but I don’t want to see it close. I’m willing to take a chance on you, but it don’t seem like either of us are too sure about this yet.”

He stopped and cleared his throat. “How about we just try things, say for six months to a year? I’ll rent you the place. You can buy my inventory or sell it for me on commission and fill the rest of the place with your work. If you decide you like the store, we can talk about you buying then. Or if you’d rather at that point, you can just walk away, no strings attached.”

I wondered at him, why he seemed so desperate. He didn’t know me at all except by Sam’s word. What did he think he needed? Ongoing income from the place? “Excuse me, sir, for askin’. But wouldn’t it be easier for you just to list it for sale in the local paper and find you a buyer right around here?”

“I don’t want an outright buyer. Not yet. I’m fond a’ that little store, and I don’t want to part with it completely till I’m good and ready.”

I sighed. “I doubt I’ll be interested. But when will you be ready?”

“A year or two. I’ll know. But till then I’d rent it to you. It’d be the same as yours. I’d step aside just like you want, except for collecting rent. An’ all the profit would be yours, except for what comes of my inventory. But you’d get no wage like Sam does. That’d be your price for havin’ me stay clear. What do you think?”

“Honestly, Mr. Pratt, I think you could put your terms for a renter, if that’s what you want, into the newspaper and find some young fella eager for the chance. I’d recommend it to you, ’cause I’m not prepared to promise you anythin’.”

He was angry. I could tell it in the little twitch of his eyebrow and the way his knuckles tightened across the crook of his cane. “Sam told me you were a willing worker and liable to jump at the opportunity. Didn’t he offer this house to you like he said he was going to? Contract for deed? You can’t beat the deal he’d give you just for being his brother. And this is a good house. You could raise a family here and have a good business just walking distance away.”

“Maybe so,” I acknowledged. “But I have no intention a’ buyin’ this house.”

“Why not?” He seemed truly surprised. “Did you tell Sam that?”

“Not yet.”

“There’s not a thing wrong with it. Or my store either.”

“I wouldn’t claim there is. Except that I’d like the right to choose a home and a business for myself.”

He laughed. “You’re not hankering for the help as much as he’s hankering to help you.”

“I guess not.”

He thumped his cane on the floor. “Well, Frank Hammond, I guess maybe I like you a little, even if you won’t help me out. Sorry I forgot part of your message when you were on the way here. Those things happen when you get up in years.”

He didn’t seem all that old to me. And I didn’t know what he was talking about. But I nodded. “It’s done. Nothing to worry ’bout now.”

“You do fine work. Would be an asset to the store like your brother said. Think on it at least, will you? We can talk again another time.”

“I’ll pray on it,” I told him. “But I don’t expect to wanna stay in this town, or to take up where Sam’s leavin’ off. So I hope you consider advertisin’ for somebody else to run your store.”

He barely grunted at that and was ready to leave. And Sam was pretty upset when he found out how our conversation had gone. He started to get after me for not thinking this through, but Thelma was much more conciliatory.

“Sammy, you can’t blame him for havin’ misgivings,” she said. “We’re so far away up here from everything he’s used to. Give him some time. He don’t have to decide tonight, anyway.”

Sam nodded solemnly and apologized to me.

They don’t understand
, I couldn’t help thinking.
Not even close.

I played with the kids until it was time to put them all to bed, and then I went to bed early myself. Tomorrow we’d start moving things to Jacksonville. Sam’d be along on the first trip and then after he went back to the store, I’d go ahead and haul some more by myself. The sooner we got all this done the better.

11

Sarah

The night of the Lion’s Club Carnival and Dance came and went, and I didn’t go. I wondered only fleetingly what Donald Mueller would think of my absence, and then I turned my attention to my wedding dress again.

It felt good to be working alongside my mother, her skilled hands with mine producing something I’d be so happy to wear. The dress was going to be beautiful, but the details were so intricate that it was a good thing we’d started early.

Dad drove me into town again when the day came for Frank’s next telephone call. I could barely sit still knowing he’d have something to say about the store by now, so it was awesome relief when he told me he didn’t want it. I was so thrilled I barely heard what he said next.

“I’ve gotta talk to you ’bout something real important, Sarah.”

“Important? What?”

There was a pause, and I knew he was gathering his thoughts. “I can’t live at home anymore. I need a place that’s just ours.”

“I know. We’ve talked about that. A place where you can restart the business on your own.”

“Yeah. But not Dearing. Not Mcleansboro.”

My hand around the phone receiver shook. “Why not?”

“It’s too close. Almost the same as home.”

“But that’s why I like them.”

“Maybe Marion, or Mt. Vernon,” he said slowly. “At least we’ve got some time to work this out.”

“I thought you wouldn’t mind living closer. We were looking at houses.”

“Maybe this is why we didn’t find one. It just ain’t right for me.”

It was a moment before I could answer. “Why, Frank?”

“I gotta make it on my own.”

“But you’ve been doing that for years!”

“Not the way most folks’d see it.”

“Who cares?” I blurted. “We don’t have to pay attention to what other people think.”

He was quiet. Too long.

“Frank? I’m trying to understand, really I am.”

“I guess this isn’t such a great thing to discuss over the telephone. I’m sorry.”

My heart thundered, hoping he’d see. “You don’t have to apologize. But why wouldn’t you feel like you were on your own around here? You do your own work and make money at it. Everybody knows that.”

He sighed. “I know what you’re sayin’, Sarah Jean. And maybe that oughta be good enough. But I need to stand on my own faith, my own effort, clear away from relyin’ on help.”

“Your family and mine have relied on you every bit as much as you’ve relied on them,” I tried to explain. “That’s what families do.”

“I know.” He sounded frustrated. “But you know I’m looked at different. I need you to pray for me. Maybe I got nothin’ to prove to nobody but myself. When it comes down to it, I guess all I need is the Lord’s guidance. He knows the best place for us to get a start.”

“Then that’s what I’ll pray, all right? For him to show you what would be the best place.”