Allison's Journey Read Free Page B

beside her. “It was sure hard to see her go.”
    “Then why’d you buy that bus ticket for her birthday?”
    “You know why, Catherine. I want Allison to have the chance to know her aunt Mary better and to learn to cook, sew, and keep house.”
    “Humph! She could have learned those things from me if she’d been willing to listen.” Plink. Plinkety-plink . Catherine dropped several more peas into the bowl braced between her knees.
    “You don’t sew very well; you said so yourself.” Herman pulled at a loose thread on his shirt. “Let’s face facts, Catherine. You and Allison have never hit it off. I believe that’s why she hasn’t learned as much as she should have under your teaching.”
    “And you think she’ll take to her aunt Mary better than me?”
    “I’m hoping she does.” Herman gave his beard a quick pull. “I’m also hoping Mary relates so well to Allison that she’ll want to give up her tomboy ways and become a woman.”
    “Jah, well, I could have related better to the girl if she hadn’t been so set on doing things her own way.” Catherine gave anundignified grunt. “Never did understand why Allison preferred to be outside doing chores with the boys when she should have been in the house learning to cook and clean.”
    “It might have helped if you’d been willing to let Allison try her hand at cooking more.”
    “I didn’t like the messes she made.” Catherine shrugged. “Besides, it’s quicker and neater if I do the cooking myself.”
    Herman leaned heavily against the chair and closed his eyes. The morning sun felt warm and helped soothe his jangled nerves. He hadn’t wanted to send Allison away. It had nearly broken his heart to see his only daughter board that bus, knowing she would be gone for three whole months and might even decide to stay in Missouri if she liked it there. But watching Allison turn into a tomboy and realizing that if she didn’t learn some womanly things she would never find a man to marry had made Herman decide it was time for a change. If Allison stayed in Pennsylvania under the tutelage of his sister, she would never learn the skills of a good homemaker.
    Herman grasped the arms of the chair and clenched his fingers. That was another reason he’d sent Allison to Missouri. She needed some time away from Catherine. He’d seen how frustrated she’d become the last few years, having to deal with his cantankerous sister. He’d even thought about asking Catherine to leave, but she’d been with them so long and really had no place else to go. His and Catherine’s folks had been dead a good many years, and their siblings, who used to live in Ohio near Catherine, had moved to a newly established community in Wisconsin. Since Catherine had never married, Herman felt responsible for her. After his wife’s death, he figured Catherine felt responsible for him and the children, too.
    “Are you sleeping?”
    Herman’s eyes snapped open. “Uh. . .no. Just thinking, is all.”
    Catherine lifted the bowl of peas into her arms and stood. “Jah, well, you can sit out here and think all you like. I need to get inside and start fixing our meal.”
    Herman nodded. “Call me when it’s ready.”

    With a weary sigh, Allison reached for her canvas tote and stood. It had taken a day and a half to get from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Springfield, Missouri. From Springfield, the bus had headed to the small town of Seymour, where someone was supposed to pick her up at Lazy Lee’s Gas Station. Allison had slept some on the bus, but the seats weren’t comfortable, and there wasn’t much leg room. She hadn’t rested nearly as well as she would have in her own bed.
    Allison glanced down at her dark blue dress. It was wrinkled and in need of washing. She knew she must look a mess. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about that now, for the bus had just pulled into Lazy Lee’s parking lot.
    Allison gathered up her satchel and stepped off the bus. She