A Chance to Love (Life's a Chance Book 3) Page 2

  He was pulled from his thoughts when Isabella knelt down beside him and held a white daisy in her hand.

  “This is for you.”

  He smiled, reaching for the flower. “Thank you, Isabella. It’s lovely.”

  She grinned and stood up quickly before walking over to where Harriet was leaning up against a tree. “Auntie, I got you a flower too.”

  “Why, thank you! Daisies are so elegant, don’t you think?”

  Isabella nodded eagerly. “I wish I could make a crown with them.”

  “I know how to make those. If you find enough and bring them back here, I could help you.”

  “I’ll go get some more.” Isabella jumped up and hurried off in the direction she’d come from.

  Nathaniel looked to Harriet and felt a wave of gratitude rush over him. When she had first come to Burchcreek as a mail-order bride for his brother, she was there for his children, and had been a motherly figure in their lives. And during her short stay leading up to her and Matthew’s marriage, had shown him how to cook somewhat edible food.

  She had left her mark on Burchcreek from the moment she’d arrived, as had many other people. Everyone around him had a role. A purpose. And sometimes Nathaniel felt like he was just floating around looking for somewhere to belong.

  “Pa, look at this feather I found. What kind of bird do you think it’s from?”

  Nathaniel turned to look at his son, who held a white and brown feather in his hands. “I’m not sure. We could probably find out, though, if we asked someone who knows more about birds than I do.”

  “Could I keep it?” George looked down at his feather, pride glowing on his face.

  “Of course.”

  “Do you think if someone had enough feathers, they would be able to make wings that would allow people to fly?”

  Nathaniel forced himself not to smile, noticing the serious look on his son’s face. A face of determination. “Maybe. You would need a lot of feathers, though, to do that.”

  “I better start looking for more.”

  As Nathaniel watched George run back in the direction he’d come from, he wondered how to tell him that he wouldn’t be able to fly by building wings. Humans were just too big and heavy to do something like flying. Maybe with a machine… He laughed at the thought and decided he would face the problem when it came about. He imagined George would lose interest in it anyway, after a few feathers.

  He was proud of his three children. Somehow, they’d grown up to be well-behaved, and even though he sometimes doubted what he was doing, all three were still alive. That had to count for something. If Isabella were still alive, he knew things would be much different, but he hoped he was raising them in a way she would approve of.

  The thought of letting her down often kept him awake at night.

  Chapter 5

  Adelia stood in front of the mirror, working at pinning her long, light brown hair up as her brother appeared in the now open doorway of his bedroom.

  “Good morning.” He yawned, making his way to the table.

  Adelia didn’t turn around, but only watched him in the mirror while she finished with her hair. “There’s a plate with eggs and bacon there for you. I did all the other dishes, but I have to leave for work soon.”

  “That’s okay, I can wash my stuff once I’m done.”

  Adelia nodded, moving her hands away to check that her hair looked all right. Today was her first day working at the Tiller Café and she didn’t want to make any mistakes. The process of finding a job in Burchcreek had been tiresome, but she’d given herself time to rest over the weekend. She had been close to giving up before she’d gone into the café and fortunately, the owner had been very excited to have some extra help.

  Apparently, Mrs. Tiller had always had her daughter working there with her, but the daughter had recently married and begun her own life.

  Adelia didn’t particularly care why the job was available. She was just glad it was. She had worked in the kitchen at the orphanage for nearly five years when she’d been given the position after being released from the system. She’d had nowhere to go, and the orphanage had pitied her.

  The owner, Mr. Hilton, had never said he felt bad for her, but she could tell. She knew when people pitied her. They got that sad look in their eyes, and usually slanted their head slightly as they spoke in a soft voice. It drove her mad.

  At least she would have experience in the kitchen, and because of her past work, she’d gotten the job.

  “Why do you have to be at work so early?”

  “It’s not early. I’m always up at this time anyway.”

  “You’re sure you don’t need a ride?”

  Adelia rolled her eyes, reaching for the sandwich she’d made earlier, shoving it into her dark blue, knitted bag. “I can walk. Besides, you’ve barely woken up. Never mind you driving a wagon.”

  “All right, well, have a good day.” Timothy smiled, reaching for the plate she’d set in the middle of the table.

  Adelia shut the door behind her and made her way across the yard to the dirt path that seemed to be a common occurrence in Wyoming. She was used to the cobbled streets, and rows of buildings surrounding them in Virginia.

  She’d never explored Richmond much while she’d lived there. She knew the area around the orphanage but as for the rest of the city, she couldn’t say.

  The cool morning air nipped at her face, but it didn’t bother her much. Perhaps it was the nerves for the day ahead that caused the ache in her stomach to be so persistent, but the cold air actually seemed to help a little.

  As she walked, birds sang their merry songs, and some cattle nearby bellowed. Adelia pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders and quickened her pace. She wished she’d worn something warmer, but she knew the day would soon heat up once the sun had been given a chance to rise higher.

  Adelia carefully recalled the path that would take her to Burchcreek, and she sometimes wondered what would happen if she were to take a wrong turn. It seemed too empty here, with nothing but fields, and flat plains around her that stretched on for miles. A rare house could be seen every now and then.

  This made Adelia a little nervous. If something happened to her on the way, no one would know where she was.

  With this thought in mind, she made the rest of the walk full of nerves until she soon arrived in town and made it to the steps of the café.

  Closing her eyes, she let out a long breath. I can do this.

  Raising her hand, she knocked on the door a few times and opened her eyes to look around at the motionless town.

  After knocking a second time, Mrs. Tiller appeared in the window and unlocked the door before opening it.

  “Good morning, Miss Mason. You’re early.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to be late.”

  Mrs. Tiller smiled, motioning for her to come inside. “Early isn’t a bad thing. I was just working on getting some bread in the oven if you’d like to come help. We don’t open until seven, but there’s lots to do before then.”

  “Of course.”

  “Come along.” Mrs. Tiller walked around a table, and Adelia followed her behind the counter and through a door which led to a small kitchen. “There’s an apron over by the back door, and you can hang your belongings there.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.” Hands shaking, Adelia hurried to the hook where a long white apron hung, and she replaced it with her shawl and bag.

  “So where are you from, Miss Mason?”

  Adelia turned to face Mrs. Tiller as she tied the apron around her waist. “Richmond, Virginia.”

  “My, you’ve come a long way. What inspired the move out west?”

  “I just…wanted a fresh start, and this is where my brother lives, so it worked out this way.”

  Mrs. Tiller nodded, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand, leaving a streak of flour on her face. “I see. Well, Burchcreek is a wonderful community and I’m sure you’ll like it here.”

  “Ye
s, it’s been quite nice so far.”

  “And I’m sure being closer to your brother will be nice. How long had it been since you’d last seen him?”

  Adelia felt the color rising to her cheeks at the question. She knew the inquiry came from the best intentions, and Mrs. Tiller had no idea about the family life she had. “Well, I haven’t seen him in eighteen years. I was sent to an orphanage when I was six, and so, I never knew Timothy until I reached out to him.”

  Mrs. Tiller nodded, not looking up from where she was pouring some flour into the bowl. “Well, it’s good to hear you’ve been able to finally find him. I’ve not had the chance to meet Mr. Mason as he tends to keep to his farm for the most part.”

  “Yes…I’m glad I found him.”

  Mrs. Tiller took a deep breath and wiped her hands on her apron. “Would you want to go wipe down the tables, and the counter by the till?”

  “Of course.” Adelia nodded, feeling her work focus take hold. It was time to earn her way and create her own path. She knew she had to work hard to get to where she wanted to be, and this job was the first step toward that life.

  Chapter 6

  “Pa? What are you doing here?” Kate giggled running down the steps from the school, and into Nathaniel’s arms.

  “I had to come to town to place an order with Mr. Tysen, and I thought it would be nice if I gave you three a ride home.” He smiled, ruffling Kate’s hair as Isabella and George caught up to their little sister.

  “We got the results for our arithmetic test back today, and I got every question right.” Isabella beamed, her dark brown eyes sparkling.

  Nathaniel raised his eyebrows, reaching to wrap his arm over Isabella’s shoulders. “I’m very proud of you, dear. Smart like your ma. How about we walk over to the café and we can all get a treat to celebrate?”

  “You’re the best, Pa.”

  He smiled and began walking in the direction of the Tiller Café with Isabella still tucked under his arm, and the younger children close by. As they crossed the street, he noticed Mr. Ryson sweeping the porch of the mercantile.

  “Good day, Mr. Ryson.” Nathaniel raised his arm to wave, and Mr. Ryson looked up and gave a quick nod.

  “Good day to you as well, Mr. Anderson!”

  Nathaniel always found himself taken aback by the new mercantile. It had been built about a year ago after the original one from his childhood had burned down. Without the mercantile, it had been a struggle to get supplies. So he was glad the Ryson’s were able to rebuild.

  It had been there as long as he could remember, and it had taken him some time to get used to the new building standing there.

  George reached the door of the café first and he pulled the door open as the girls went inside. Nathaniel followed after them into the quiet café where a few other customers were sitting.

  His three kids went up to the counter where a young woman with light brown hair pinned back stood. Nathaniel found his eyes instantly drawn to the dark red mark on her forehead just above her right eye, which left a slit through the middle of her eyebrow.

  He couldn’t remember ever seeing the woman before, and he wondered if she was perhaps a relative of the Tiller family.

  “Good afternoon, what can I get for you?” she asked, looking down at the children, and then up at him.

  Nathaniel rested his hand on Isabella’s shoulder and smiled down at her. “You all go pick something from the display.”

  When the children went to peer into the glass, Nathaniel slid his hands into his pockets. “They can be a bit indecisive so this may take a while.”

  “Oh, there’s no rush,” the woman said, her face remaining serious, as she looked toward the window and seemed to fixate on the outside world.

  Nathaniel raised his eyebrows slightly, looking to his children again. Kate had her face pressed up against the glass, and he quickly hurried to pull her away. He knew Mrs. Tiller didn’t mind the children touching the glass, but he hated the thought of creating more cleaning for someone.

  “How many times must I tell you not to touch the glass, silly goose.” He shook his head, grinning as Kate giggled.

  “Could I get a slice of apple pie, please?” Isabella turned to look at him, and Nathaniel nodded.

  “What about you two?”

  “A strawberry jam tart, please,” George said.

  Nathaniel looked to Kate who nodded, rocking on her heels slightly. “I want that too, please.”

  “All right, you three all go wait on the front porch. Listen to your sister.” Nathaniel used his arms to guide the three children in the direction of the door, and once they were on their way, he turned back to the woman standing by the cash register. “Sorry about that, they get excited about treats.”

  “What would they like?” she said, her ice-blue eyes meeting his.

  He scratched the back of his neck, wondering where the bubbly Mrs. Tiller was. “A slice of apple pie, and three of the strawberry tarts, please.”

  She quickly scribbled the amounts down and looked up at him. “Bring the plates back in when you’re done.”

  Nathaniel nodded quickly. “Of course, ma’am.”

  Just as the woman reached into the display for the pie, Mrs. Tiller came out of the kitchen. “Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Anderson. How are the children?”

  “Very well thank you—they’re waiting outside while I get them some treats.”

  “That’s good to hear. I see you’ve met Miss Mason. Today is her first day working here.” Mrs. Tiller glanced to where Miss Mason was lifting a piece of pie onto a small, white plate.

  Nathaniel nodded. “It’s good to see you’ve got some help around here again. You always work much too hard.”

  “Hard work is good for a person.”

  “That it is.” Nathaniel glanced to Miss Mason who had now set all four plates on the counter and stood quietly by the cash register. “And how much does it come to?”

  Miss Mason looked up and opened her mouth but was stopped by Mrs. Tiller.

  “Nothing. Consider it my gift to you for your constant business here.”

  Nathaniel shook his head. “I insist I pay, Mrs. Tiller, but thank you.”

  “No, I insist.” Mrs. Tiller grabbed two of the plates. “I’ll help you carry them out.”

  With a sigh, Nathaniel reached for the other plates, knowing that Mrs. Tiller was impossible to argue with when she had an idea in mind. He started in the direction of the door before remembering Miss Mason.

  He turned around and nodded. “Good day, Miss Mason. It was nice meeting you.”

  “Thank you. You, too.” She pursed her lips, and quickly made her way into the kitchen.

  Nathaniel watched after her, and shrugged, not sure why she seemed so cold. He imagined she was just reserved, but he’d felt almost unwelcome when ordering. Perhaps it was just because he was too used to Mrs. Tiller’s bubbly personality.

  Dismissing Miss Mason from his thoughts, he made it outside where Mrs. Tiller was standing next to the table his children were sitting at.

  “You’re a smart girl, Isabella.” Mrs. Tiller smiled. “All of you children are bright students.”

  Nathaniel set the plate with the pie down in front of Isabella.

  “Thank you, Pa.”

  “Well, I’ll leave you to enjoy your treats. Come say goodbye before you leave,” Mrs. Tiller said, as she walked briskly back inside.

  Nathaniel could never remember a time where Mrs. Tiller wasn’t going at full speed. He didn’t know how she didn’t suffer from exhaustion.

  “Pa, who was the lady at the counter?” Kate asked, taking a bite of her tart, jam already on the tip of her nose.

  “Mrs. Tiller introduced me to her after you left. Her name is Miss Mason, and she’s just been hired to start working here.”

  Kate nodded, more focused on her food. Nathaniel just smiled, looking at each of the kids, grateful he had them in his life. They were his world and gave him a reason to get out of bed each day and w
ork hard to provide for them.

  Chapter 7

  Adelia sat quietly at the table while her brother sat across from her, reading through a newspaper.

  “So, you never said how your first day went.” Timothy glanced up at her, and Adelia shrugged.

  “It was good.”

  He raised his eyebrows slightly. “Well, that’s good. I suppose this job will allow you to meet many of the people in town.”

  Adelia nodded, looking down at her hands. “Yes, I met some of them today. Although I don’t remember many of their names.”

  “I was the same way when I first arrived here. You’ll get it eventually.”

  Adelia didn’t say anything, but instead just looked at her brother. His dark hair was cut short on the sides, but the front hung over his eyes slightly, and his eyes were a dark brown. She wondered which of their parents he resembled the most.

  Eventually, Adelia worked up the courage to begin the conversation she’d been wanting to have since arriving. “So, how did you end up here after all these years?”

  He folded the paper up neatly and set it down on the table. “Well, I decided to move out west after Grandma passed away. I’d always wanted to get away from the city life, and the opportunity to farm out here was available.”

  “Both of them have passed on?”

  Timothy nodded, scratching the back of his neck. “Grandfather had a heart problem and died when I was seventeen. Grandmother only died about two years ago.”

  “I see.” Adelia hesitated before continuing, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you. It’s been hard without them.”

  “I can imagine.”

  Silence returned to the room, and Adelia tried to think of something to say. She had so many questions but wording them at the right time felt impossible.