Interview for a Wife by Ruth Ann Nordin
Chapter Eighteen
When it was two, Deanne couldn’t help but wonder how Amber’s day had gone. She tried to concentrate on her work, but she kept checking the time.
The whole day had been such an unusual one. That morning, it’d been so busy she’d needed to temporarily close the store. And now time was passing so slowly because there weren’t any customers. She couldn’t help but note the irony. Why couldn’t it be busy right now so she’d be distracted from glancing at the pocket watch all the time?
Bill must have noticed her impatience, for he suggested, “Why don’t you go to Aunt Marsha’s? I’ll close the store by myself today.”
“You don’t mind?” she asked.
“If it gets busy, I’ll send someone to get you.”
“Alright. It’s a deal.” She gave him a kiss then left the store.
She had to stop herself from running to Marsha’s home. There was no sense in making others wonder why she was in a hurry.
She didn’t realize how important it was to her that Amber had a good day until she overheard Amber discussing her day with Marsha from the kitchen.
“Mama,” Vernon called out to her from the corner of the parlor where he was playing with his toys.
It took Deanne a moment to realize he was talking to her, and the only reason she had figured that out was because he was heading in her direction with his arms raised up in a way that let her know he wanted her to pick him up.
She went over to him and gathered him into her arms. He rested his head on her shoulder, and her heart warmed. This was nice. She never thought she’d get a chance to hold a child like this. The fact that he felt comfortable enough with her to call her his mother and rest his head on her shoulder brought tears to her eyes.
“I thought I heard Vernon call out to someone,” Marsha said as she came into the parlor.
Amber followed close behind, and Deanne noticed the big smile on the girl’s face. Deanne relaxed. Good. The day had been a good one.
“Betty said she likes my hair,” Amber said as she came up to her.
“Betty?” Deanne asked as her mind went to all of the customers she’d come across in the store.
“She’s a nine-year-old student at the school,” Marsha said. “While the children were playing, she came up to Amber and started talking to her. I got a chance to see her as she and Amber were leaving the schoolhouse together. It seems like Amber’s made her first friend.”
“Betty wants me to teach her how to decorate her hair with ribbons like this,” Amber told Deanne. “Can you teach me so I can teach her?”
“I’ll be happy to,” Deanne replied.
Amber’s grin widened. “Oh good! I told her I’m going to grow my hair all the way down to the middle of my back like yours. Then I’ll be pretty like you.”
“You’re already pretty,” Deanne said.
“But I’ll be prettier when my hair is longer.”
Amber spoke in such a matter-of-fact way that both Deanne and Marsha laughed.
“I’m afraid keeping her hair just past her shoulders was my idea,” Marsha said. “I don’t have the patience to comb through tangles. I’m glad you do.”
“I braid the hair. Then it doesn’t tangle so much,” Deanne replied. Turning her attention back to the girl, she added, “I’m glad you had a good day. Does this mean you feel better about going to school tomorrow?”
Amber nodded. “I’m not scared anymore. Pretending I was in church worked.”
Deanne smiled in pleasure that her advice had been beneficial.
“Amber and I are making cookies to celebrate,” Marsha told Deanne. “I think the first batch is about ready.”
Vernon perked up and wiggled to get out of Deanne’s arms. “I want cookies!”
Deanne set him down, and he bolted straight for the kitchen.
“I don’t know a single child who doesn’t like cookies,” Marsha said.
Deanne imagined there wasn’t an adult who didn’t like cookies, either, but there was no doubt children were more expressive in how much they enjoyed them. And that was nice. One thing she was learning about children was that they didn’t hide what they thought. They were open and honest. Maybe they were open and honest to a fault at times, but she liked knowing what Amber and Vernon were thinking. It helped her to know if what she was doing as a mother was good or not.
Amber took Deanne’s hand and led her to the kitchen. “I made one of the cookies for you.”
“You did?” Deanne asked.
Amber nodded as they entered the kitchen. “It’s in the shape of a heart. Aunt Marsha said that’s the shape that means you like someone.”
Marsha leaned to Deanne and whispered. “It doesn’t look like a heart, but that’s what it’s supposed to be.”
Deanne smiled. “I’m touched, Amber. I don’t know what to say.”
Marsha took the tray out of the oven and put it on the table so the cookies could cool off. “This is the one for you.”
As Marsha had warned, the cookie was more in the shape of an awkward egg than a heart, but Deanne thought it was the best-looking cookie she’d ever seen. It was a shame she had to eat it.
“Thank you, Amber,” Deanne said and hugged the girl. “It’s perfect.”
Amber beamed.
Marsha winked at Deanne as she helped Vernon into a chair, and Deanne turned her attention to taking the cookies off of the tray and putting them on a plate.
***
Bill ended up closing the store by himself. As he reached the front door of his aunt and uncle’s house, he heard laughter coming from inside. He was ready to open the door when his uncle called out that he would get it for him.
“I heard it was unusually busy this morning at the store,” Uncle Henry told him as he came up behind him on the ramp.
Bill turned his gaze to him. “Yes, but Deanne and I managed through it.”
“Good to hear. I know those days used to be hard on you. Looking at you now, I can see you managed just fine. She’s turned into a huge help in the store.”
“Yes, she has. She’s exactly what I was looking for when I posted the ad.”
His uncle gave him a pat on the shoulder. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“She’s good with the children, too,” Bill added. “She didn’t stop worrying about Amber all day. She has a natural mothering instinct in her.”
“Some women are like that. Deanne has a big heart. Someone like that should be a wife and mother.”
Bill couldn’t agree more.
Uncle Henry opened the door and helped Bill through the doorway.
Amber ran out of the kitchen and went straight over to Bill and hopped onto his lap. “I had a wonderful day. I love school!”
He hugged her. “Good. Your ma and I wondered how things went. She worried about you. She said you were nervous.”
“I was, but I’m not anymore. I can’t wait to go back tomorrow. Do you want to hear what happened?”
“I do. What do you think, Uncle Henry?”
“I’m ready to hear all about your day, Amber.” Uncle Henry took Bill’s hat and placed it next to his hat by the door. Then he picked her up. “You can tell us all about it during supper.”
Bill followed them and saw the flurry of activity in the kitchen as Deanne, Aunt Marsha, and Vernon were getting the table ready. Upon noticing him, Deanne hurried over to him.
“I didn’t realize it was so late,” she said. “Did things get busy at the store?”
“No. It was quiet.” He squeezed her hand and smiled. “You have nothing to worry about. Everything is fine.”
She returned his smile. “I’ll be able to help you out for the whole day tomorrow. I promise.”
“Aunt Marsha and I made cookies,” Amber said as Uncle Henry put her in a chair. “But you can’t eat any until after the meal.”
Deanne rolled her eyes. “She says that even though the rest of us snuck in a couple while making supper,” she whispered.
“There’s a benefit to being the cook,” Bill said. “You get to sample the food.”
Deanne chuckled. “That’s true.”
“Come on and sit,” Aunt Marsha called out. “We don’t want the food to get cold.”
With a smile, Bill joined Deanne and went to the table where everyone had an enjoyable meal as Amber told them all about her day.