Minnie (Orlan Orphans Book 11)

by Kirsten Osbourne

  Minnie looked down at the floor, embarrassed.

  “What are you doing here?” Frank stared at his sister-in-law. He liked Minnie well enough, but unexpected house calls didn’t seem like her at all.

  Minnie knotted her hands nervously. “I was hoping, if it’s not too much trouble, that I could stay and eat dinner with you all tonight.”

  “Okay, Minnie. I’ll set an extra place at the table, but you need to tell me why you came here,” Evelyn said, picking up a few toys from the floor.

  Minnie blushed. “It’s personal.”

  Frank’s eyes widened. “In that case, I’ll go change my shirt for dinner. You women can talk about whatever it is you need to talk about. I’ve learned from experience that sometimes, I just do not want to know what’s going on in a woman’s head.”

  Evelyn smiled at Frank gratefully. He walked out of the room, his boots clicking on the wood floors. “Come on, Minnie—you can tell me what this big personal secret is about while you help me set the table.”

  Minnie followed Evelyn into the kitchen and watched as Evelyn took out plates and silverware. The sisters began to place the dishware on the table as they talked.

  “It’s not like you to be so secretive,” Evelyn noted.

  Minnie nodded and took a deep breath. “Troy Jacobs has asked me to go out with him.”

  Evelyn squealed. “Oh, my goodness, Minnie! I didn’t know that!”

  “Yes, and I’m nervous about going out with him. I was hoping you could tell me a little more about what he likes and what he doesn’t like.” Minnie smiled.

  “Let me think.” Evelyn brushed her hands against her skirt. “He really is quiet, the strong and silent type, you know? It’s hard for me to think about anything he’d really like to talk about.”

  “What about the ranch?” Minnie suggested. “He seems to enjoy his work here.”

  “Yes, that’s a good point. I know! We’ll ask Frank at dinner.” Evelyn clapped her hands together. “Oh, I hope Troy asks you to marry him. Then you could move out here near us.”

  “Hold on a minute. We haven’t even been out on the date yet!” Minnie exclaimed.

  Frank poked his head in the kitchen. “Safe for me to come in?”

  “Yes, have a seat. I’ll get the children.” Evelyn disappeared into the living area and came back with baby Frances. Daniel wasn’t far behind her.

  “Hello, Aunt Minnie.” Daniel gave Minnie a huge smile. Minnie knew he could be a handful, but he had certainly inherited his father’s charm.

  “Hello, Daniel,” Minnie replied. Everyone took a seat at the table. Frances sat in Evelyn’s lap.

  Evelyn spooned out green beans and baked chicken to her family, and everyone began to eat their food. “How was your day, dear?” Evelyn asked Frank.

  Frank sighed. “We’re having a good season so far. You never know what the cattle might do when it comes to the heat, though.”

  “Oh, is the weather supposed to get warmer?” Minnie inquired.

  Frank smirked. “It’ll get warmer, all right. The newspaper said we’re to expect a ten degree increase over the next two weeks.”

  “Oh, my.” Minnie was surprised. “That is warm!” Since she had grown up in New York, she had never fully adjusted to Nowhere’s warmer climate. On days where temperatures climbed, she preferred to stay indoors.

  “In times of inclement weather, it sure is great that we have Frank’s men who do such good and hard work.” Evelyn winked at Minnie.

  “Yes, I’m lucky that I have a team of men I can trust here,” Frank agreed. “Wasn’t always like that when we lived in Georgia.”

  “That Troy Jacobs, what a fine man he is! Frank, don’t you agree?” Evelyn continued.

  Frank frowned as he took another bite of chicken. “Troy? He’s a fine fellow, sure.”

  “I do wonder what a man like that . . . what he might enjoy doing. Do you have any idea?” Evelyn continued in an innocent voice.

  Frank grimaced. “Evelyn, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you had taken a shine to Troy Jacobs.”

  “No, obviously that’s not true. You know I only have eyes for one man.” Evelyn stared openly back at her husband. She knew one of the things he loved about her was that she would speak back to him the same way he spoke to her. “I just want to learn a little more about the men that work for you. Can’t I show a little interest in your employees?”

  Frank looked back and forth between Minnie and Evelyn. “I have a feeling you two are up to something. I haven’t figured out what, exactly.”

  Minnie looked at Frank, wide-eyed. “I would be interested in learning more, too, Frank. I only see the men that work for you at church. I’d love to hear more about them.”

  Frank thought for a minute. “Hm. I guess I should tell you about Freckles, right?” Freckles was a pale, red-headed boy with, as his name implied, a face full of freckles. He was barely sixteen and certainly not old enough for Minnie whatsoever.

  Minnie and Evelyn both frowned, and Frank smiled. “Or I could tell you all about old Mr. McFadden, who helps with the animals from time to time. I could tell you all about his life and the things he’s seen.”

  “Maybe we could start with Troy, though,” Evelyn said.

  “Aha! I had a feeling it was something to do with Troy.” Frank looked at Minnie. “You don’t have a crush on him, do you?”

  Minnie buried her face in her hands.

  “I knew it!” Frank grinned broadly. “Well, Troy’s a wonderful man. I’d trust him with my life. I think you two are going to have a nice time together. I support it.”

  “Oh, thank you!” Minnie cried. She had never had a brother, but she felt like some of her brothers-in-law acted like they were her brother sometimes. They made her feel safe and protected, just like Cletus did.

  For the rest of the dinner, Frank teased Minnie a little, but he also had only good things to say about Troy Jacobs. As Minnie helped Evelyn clean the kitchen after dinner, she thought about it. Troy could offer her a very nice life. Perhaps everything did have a way of working itself out!

  Chapter 6

  A few evenings later, Minnie sat across from Troy at the Nowhere ice cream parlor. He had paid for two chocolate sundaes with cherries on top, and Minnie eagerly dug in to her dessert.

  Troy hadn’t said much for most of the evening. Minnie hoped the ice cream might loosen his lips a bit. He was very nice and pleasant, but he just didn’t seem to talk very much. She tried to ask him several questions, but nothing seemed to put him in a talkative mood.

  “Do you come here often?” Minnie tried to make conversation.

  “No, I don’t,” Troy answered politely.

  “I don’t either, but I love the flavors!” Minnie commented.

  “Mm.” Troy took another bite of his ice cream.

  Minnie looked around at the other patrons of the ice cream parlor. Many young men and women were chatting animatedly. A family with three small children were laughing in the corner. And an older couple, even older than Edna Petunia and Cletus, were sharing the same ice cream cone.

  Troy and Minnie sat silently for a few moments, eating their ice cream carefully. Minnie knew everyone else in the parlor was having a much better time than she and Troy. She didn’t know what the problem was. He was very handsome and caring. But something just wasn’t working.

  Minnie had heard her older sisters saying, “When you meet the right man, you just know!” Well, unfortunately, she just knew she had met the wrong one.

  Minnie nervously wracked her brain, trying to think of what she would do if Troy asked her for another date. She knew she had to be honest with him, but she didn’t know the best way to do that.

  Minnie found her thoughts drifting to Timothy, wondering what he was doing that evening. She imagined Timothy at the very same ice cream parlor on a date with a young woman of Minnie’s age. Just the thought of Timothy with another woman made Minnie’s blood boil. Without realizing it, she squeezed her spoon so
hard it flew out of her hand. The spoon landed on the floor with a clang, and the older couple looked up, startled.

  Troy laughed for the first time all evening. “Some grip you have there. Let me get you a new spoon.” Troy stood up, went to the counter, and came back with a new spoon for Minnie.

  “Thank you.” Minnie took the spoon from Troy and resumed eating her ice cream. She hoped he would make another joke—or say anything at all—but Troy remained silent until they had finished their sundaes.

  “I suppose I should be getting you home to your family.” Troy motioned to the clock on the parlor wall.

  Minnie nodded. “I suppose you should.”

  As they walked to Troy’s wagon, Minnie hoped Troy wouldn’t ask her out on a date again. She couldn’t believe she had been dreaming about the two of them getting married! Unfortunately, now she knew that Troy wasn’t the man for her.

  Troy helped Minnie into the wagon and then went around to the other side and climbed in himself. With a flick of the reins, they set off toward the Sanders’s house. Troy slowed the horses as they approached the house.

  Troy looked at Minnie nervously. “I had a very nice time with you tonight, Minnie.”

  “Thank you again for the ice cream, Troy,” Minnie said. She was grateful that he had talked to Cletus and taken her out. She just didn’t plan to repeat their date.

  “I was wondering . . . if you’d like to go out with me again sometime?” Troy’s eyes looked so hopeful that Minnie felt absolutely awful.

  “Oh, Troy.” Minnie sighed. “You are a wonderful man, and you are going to make someone an incredible husband one day. But I think we should stay friends. I don’t see this relationship going anywhere romantically.”

  Troy looked down at his hands. “I see.”

  “I’m so sorry. I wish I felt differently. But I know that God has a plan for us all. I don’t think you and I are meant for each other. But thank you so much for asking me to go out with you. I really appreciate it.” Minnie tried to get Troy to understand how she felt.

  Troy was nothing if not polite. “Thank you for agreeing to go out with me. I am sorry it didn’t work out, but I did have a nice time. I hope you have a good evening, Minnie.”

  “Thank you, Troy. You too!” Minnie climbed down out of the wagon and walked quickly back into the Sanders’ house. She couldn’t wait to change out of her date clothes and get ready for bed. It had been a long and disappointing day.

  That evening, Minnie had a dream about a wedding. She was the bride, wearing a long, lace-covered dress, and she walked down the longest aisle she’d ever seen before. When she got to the altar, she tried to look up at her groom, but she couldn’t see his face.

  Minnie woke up in a cold sweat. She felt guilty for turning Troy down for a second date, but she knew inside her heart that she’d made the right decision. She worried, though, that this would mean she’d be alone forever. Minnie knew there was nothing wrong with that and that Edna Petunia had been alone for many years before she’d found Cletus. But Minnie had always pictured herself falling in love, getting married, and having children.

  Minnie could not get back to sleep. She turned over and over again in her bed all night and felt terrible in the morning.

  “What’s wrong with you? You look atrocious!” Edna Petunia commented at breakfast.

  Minnie took a sharp breath. She wasn’t prepared for Edna Petunia’s brutal honesty at this hour. “I didn’t get much sleep.”

  “I hope it wasn’t that Troy Jacobs keeping you awake. Did he get you home at a reasonable hour? I fell asleep on the sofa!” Edna Petunia scolded.

  “Oh, no. That wasn’t it at all. To tell the truth, things didn’t go very well with Troy. I won’t be going out with him again. It’s not his fault at all. He’s perfectly nice. I just didn’t really . . . feel anything,” Minnie confessed.

  “That’s too bad,” Alice remarked. “He’s so handsome!”

  “Yes, he’s dreamy!” Theresa chimed in.

  “That may be true, but he barely talked to me at all last night!” Minnie exclaimed. “Maybe it’s strange, but I want a man who I can actually have a conversation with!”

  Edna Petunia shrugged. “I can’t blame you for that, Minnie. I’m sure the right man is out there for you somewhere.”

  Minnie sighed. “I sure hope so, Edna Petunia. I sure hope so.”

  Edna Petunia reached into her bosom and took out a peppermint stick. “Here, dear.” She held it out to Minnie.

  “No thank you, Edna Petunia.” Minnie shook her head sadly. She didn’t know what could fix the way she was feeling, but a sweaty old peppermint stick was definitely not the answer.

  Chapter 7

  The mayor’s office was preparing for the annual town picnic, and Minnie and Agatha worked overtime to make sure they were ready for the big event. Minnie was glad to have the distraction of extra work so she didn’t have to think about the lack of romance in her life.

  One day, after finally leaving the office at seven o’clock, she heard a familiar chugging sound behind her. She spun around on her heel and saw John David’s car pulling up beside her.

  “Minnie! I haven’t seen you in a while. Would you like a ride?” John David tipped his hat.

  Minnie thought about it. “Sure. I don’t see why not. Thank you.”

  “You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately,” John David told Minnie.

  Minnie took a deep breath. “You have?”

  “I understand the reason why you didn’t want to go on a date with me. But in case things don’t work out with the other fellow, I wanted to let you know, the offer still stands.” John David clenched his hands around the steering wheel. He didn’t normally get nervous, but he was nervous now, and it showed.

  “It does?” Minnie asked hopefully.

  John David grinned. “Absolutely. Minnie, you’re the sweetest and most beautiful girl in this town. I’d be honored to go on a date with you.”

  Minnie was flattered. “I did go on a date with Troy Jacobs, as I told you. I realized that the two of us—Troy and me, that is—were not meant to be a couple. So . . . if you’ll still have me, I’d love to go out with you.”

  John David couldn’t believe his ears. “That’s wonderful news! I want to make the most of this moment, Minnie. How about I pick you up tomorrow night after work and take you out for a nice dinner?”

  “That sounds lovely.” Minnie smiled.

  John David pulled up to the Sanders’ house. “Here you are.”

  “Thanks again, John David. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” Minnie waved goodbye.

  John David waved back and drove off.

  Minnie walked slowly into the house, where her sisters greeted her.

  “I heard loud noises. Was that an automobile?” Martha questioned.

  “Who drove you home, Minnie?” Theresa tugged on Minnie’s sleeve.

  Minnie didn’t want to get her hopes up like the last time she’d been on a date, so she decided to only tell her sisters the bare minimum amount of information. “John David Samuel gave me a ride home.” She kept her voice as casual as possible.

  Minnie walked up the stairs and went into her bedroom. Her sisters followed and made their way into her room as well. Although all the rooms in the Sanders’s home were large and spacious, squeezing six sisters into one at the same time took a little work.

  “Tell us about John David!” Katie demanded.

  “Are you going on a date with him?” Hattie wanted to know.

  “Will you marry him?” Theresa jumped up and down.

  “Girls! Everyone, calm down!” Minnie spoke forcefully, and the girls quieted. “I need a little privacy. I’ll tell you all about this later.”

  Minnie’s sisters sighed, but they made their way to the door to exit the bedroom. “When is later?” Theresa grumbled on her way out.

  “Thank you, ladies!” Minnie called after them. She waited until they were fully down the hall and then shut the
door. Finally, a little peace and quiet. She could sit and think.

  Minnie tried to imagine what her date with John David would be like. He had mentioned a nice dinner. There were a few proper restaurants outside of Nowhere, but Minnie thought those would be too far away for John David to take her. Still, he must have had some tricks up his sleeve. John David seemed like he was always thinking and planning.

  Minnie joined her family for dinner but stayed quiet throughout the meal. Miraculously, her sisters didn’t tease her or ask too many questions. Instead, it was just a normal, relaxing, uneventful meal. Minnie felt she could get used to those.

  Minnie wore her favorite ivory blouse and blue skirt for her date with John David, and she waited anxiously outside the mayor’s office at the end of the day. Agatha and the mayor had left to go home earlier, and Minnie had stayed to finish filing paperwork. At five o’clock, she had locked up the building and was waiting on the street for a sign of John David.

  Minnie was nervous. It wasn’t like John David to be late.

  Finally, she heard the familiar chugging noise.

  “I’m so sorry I’m late!” John David panted, clearly out of breath. He had pulled the car up next to Minnie and held a giant bouquet of flowers in front of her face.

  Minnie accepted the bouquet. She buried her nose in the flowers and took a deep breath. “These are beautiful. Thank you.”

  “I am so sorry. I was helping my father out in the office today, and one thing led to another. I won’t let it happen again.” John David looked at Minnie earnestly, and she knew he was telling the truth.

  “Don’t worry about it. Now, where are we going?” Minnie laughed and hopped into the car. She had known John David for quite some time. She knew for a fact that he never had a problem with talking. Things were looking up already.

  “It’s a surprise,” John David replied. Minnie was excited to find out what John David had planned for them.

  A half-hour later, John David pulled up to an elegant, stately home, nearly as big as Edna Petunia and Cletus’s.