eating a pickle sandwich. She quickly stuck it beneath the counter, but she had a big mouthful to swallow before she could offer to help me. I thought, ‘How odd. What kind of girl would eat a pickle sandwich?’ ”
“Why do you care what kind of sandwich she eats? Not everyone likes a side of beef for lunch every day.” William gave his brother a onceover glance. “You might do yourself a favor by eating a pickle sandwich every now and then.”
“Touché, brother.” Mason patted his belly. “Some of the girls like me this way. There’s a whole lot more to love.”
“Good point,” William said, grinning.
“You could use a little more meat on those long, lanky bones of yours.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” William took a step toward the stairs then stopped. “By the way, no offense intended.”
“None taken.”
William loved his brothers, even when they got on his nerves. Mason was the oldest of five children, three of them boys. William was the middle child, and Amos was the youngest. Their two sisters, the second oldest, Loretta, and the second from the youngest, Virginia, had both married young, and they already had five children between them. William loved his nieces and nephews and hoped he’d be blessed with children of his own someday.
* * * * *
Lillian arrived at the Five and Dime five minutes before the store opened the next morning. Mr. Joachim pounced on her the second she walked in. “You’re late.”
She glanced at the wall clock. “I still have five minutes.”
“You know I need you here early to get the place ready.”
With a sweeping gesture, she shook her head. “I swept and dusted yesterday before I left, so there shouldn’t be anything left to do.”
“I don’t want you cleaning while we have customers in the store.”
Lillian opened her mouth to argue and say that she cleaned between customers, but she knew it would be a losing battle. Besides, Mr. Joachim already seemed to be in a bad mood, and there was no point in infuriating him further. “Have you looked at the receipts?” she asked. “We had a good day yesterday.”
“That’s nice. Now get back behind the counter. I’ll open up.”
Within an hour, the store was packed with customers—mostly women picking up personal items and things for their homes. During the lunch hour, working girls came in looking for accessories and hair products. None of them wanted to be bothered taking advice from a girl who obviously didn’t use what she was selling. Following a brief afternoon lull, a more eclectic crowd arrived—women pushing strollers, children who’d gotten out of school, and a few regular customers.
Mr. Joachim remained at the store until closing. Afterward, he stood at the end of the main aisle as she walked up and down the rows with the feather duster. When she finished the last of the rows, he held out the broom and dustpan. Good thing she’d worn her flats, or she’d be limping. As it was, she had a blister on her foot from the day before. It hurt, but it wasn’t unbearable.
After she finished cleaning, he handed her an envelope. “Get your things and get outta here. See you Monday morning.”
She gladly did as she was told, and she clenched her jaw to keep from saying anything. Mr. Joachim wasn’t as bad as he came across, but as tired as she was, her thoughts weren’t exactly pleasant. She stuffed the envelope filled with her weekly pay into her purse and walked out the door.
The first thing she spotted when she rounded the corner toward home was William Tronnier standing on the side of the road, leaning against his automobile. When he noticed her, he lifted a hand and motioned for her to get in.
“Thank you,” she said, “but I can walk.”
“Why would you want to, with me right here?”
Good point, but she couldn’t get in without an argument. “I like walking?”
“Maybe so, but you’ve been on your feet all day. I’m giving you a chance to ride home in style.” A
“Why do you care what kind of sandwich she eats? Not everyone likes a side of beef for lunch every day.” William gave his brother a onceover glance. “You might do yourself a favor by eating a pickle sandwich every now and then.”
“Touché, brother.” Mason patted his belly. “Some of the girls like me this way. There’s a whole lot more to love.”
“Good point,” William said, grinning.
“You could use a little more meat on those long, lanky bones of yours.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” William took a step toward the stairs then stopped. “By the way, no offense intended.”
“None taken.”
William loved his brothers, even when they got on his nerves. Mason was the oldest of five children, three of them boys. William was the middle child, and Amos was the youngest. Their two sisters, the second oldest, Loretta, and the second from the youngest, Virginia, had both married young, and they already had five children between them. William loved his nieces and nephews and hoped he’d be blessed with children of his own someday.
* * * * *
Lillian arrived at the Five and Dime five minutes before the store opened the next morning. Mr. Joachim pounced on her the second she walked in. “You’re late.”
She glanced at the wall clock. “I still have five minutes.”
“You know I need you here early to get the place ready.”
With a sweeping gesture, she shook her head. “I swept and dusted yesterday before I left, so there shouldn’t be anything left to do.”
“I don’t want you cleaning while we have customers in the store.”
Lillian opened her mouth to argue and say that she cleaned between customers, but she knew it would be a losing battle. Besides, Mr. Joachim already seemed to be in a bad mood, and there was no point in infuriating him further. “Have you looked at the receipts?” she asked. “We had a good day yesterday.”
“That’s nice. Now get back behind the counter. I’ll open up.”
Within an hour, the store was packed with customers—mostly women picking up personal items and things for their homes. During the lunch hour, working girls came in looking for accessories and hair products. None of them wanted to be bothered taking advice from a girl who obviously didn’t use what she was selling. Following a brief afternoon lull, a more eclectic crowd arrived—women pushing strollers, children who’d gotten out of school, and a few regular customers.
Mr. Joachim remained at the store until closing. Afterward, he stood at the end of the main aisle as she walked up and down the rows with the feather duster. When she finished the last of the rows, he held out the broom and dustpan. Good thing she’d worn her flats, or she’d be limping. As it was, she had a blister on her foot from the day before. It hurt, but it wasn’t unbearable.
After she finished cleaning, he handed her an envelope. “Get your things and get outta here. See you Monday morning.”
She gladly did as she was told, and she clenched her jaw to keep from saying anything. Mr. Joachim wasn’t as bad as he came across, but as tired as she was, her thoughts weren’t exactly pleasant. She stuffed the envelope filled with her weekly pay into her purse and walked out the door.
The first thing she spotted when she rounded the corner toward home was William Tronnier standing on the side of the road, leaning against his automobile. When he noticed her, he lifted a hand and motioned for her to get in.
“Thank you,” she said, “but I can walk.”
“Why would you want to, with me right here?”
Good point, but she couldn’t get in without an argument. “I like walking?”
“Maybe so, but you’ve been on your feet all day. I’m giving you a chance to ride home in style.” A
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