Lorna Seilstad - [Lake Manawa Summers 03]

by The Ride of Her Life

  Sinking into a chair, Lilly sighed. This was ridiculous. They were being held hostage by a skunk. What else could she do? If she found Nick, he might be able to take care of the skunk, but what did he know about rabid animals? Besides, he needed every minute to work on the roller coaster if it was going to be done in time for the grand opening.

  Lilly stood and placed a hand on the door. Nick wasn’t the only man around. What about Mr. Tallman at the zoo? He understood animals, he was within running distance, and he’d know what to do.

  Eugenia touched Lilly’s arm. “Where are you going?”

  “To find Mr. Tallman.”

  “Miss Lilly, you mustn’t go out there. What if you get sprayed?”

  Levi whirled around. “I’ll go, Mama. I’m the fastest, and Stinky knows me.”

  “Stinky?” Lilly shook her head. “Please, honey, don’t get attached to him. And I need you to stay in here and keep Eugenia company.” She patted Eugenia’s hand. “I’ll run to the zoo, but if I see the skunk, I won’t move a muscle. I’ll be fine.”

  “I should go.” Eugenia straightened her shoulders. “After yesterday’s fire—”

  “Yesterday wasn’t all your fault. I should’ve been watching, and I should’ve told you not to use water on a grease fire.”

  “Still, let me go get Mr. Tallman. You’ll do a better job keeping Levi from going outside. With my luck, I’d sneeze and he’d be out the door.” Eugenia glanced at Levi, whose eyes were fixed on his mother. “Right, Levi?”

  He gave them an impish grin.

  Eugenia had a point, and they didn’t have a lot of time to waste. Nick and his men would be arriving within the hour. “Oh, all right. Run like the dickens, but remember what I said to do if you see the skunk?”

  “Freeze in place.”

  “Exactly.”

  Levi crossed his heart. “And I’ll keep an eye on Stinky for you.”

  “Thanks, Levi.” Eugenia fastened her linen cape about her neck.

  Easing the door open, Lilly said a prayer as Eugenia slipped outside. From the window, Lilly could see the skunk hadn’t noticed their movement. She exhaled slowly, releasing the breath she’d been holding.

  So far, so good.

  “Let’s go over this one more time.” Nick placed a finger on the drawing in front of him. “If you’re going to build roller coasters, you need to know the proper names.”

  “Why?” Percy’s voice cracked, betraying his young age. “The other fellas won’t let me do anything but haul boards and nails.”

  Nick glanced at Percy, whose yellow hair stuck from beneath his wide-brimmed hat like a scarecrow. He had a soft place in his heart for the boy. When he’d first found Percy, he was stealing raw potatoes from a store. After learning he had no family, Nick guessed the hunger in the young man’s eyes matched the hunger in his belly and had secured a job for him, much like Sean had done for Nick years ago. “You’re paying your dues, Percy. They’ll let you do more when they feel you’ve earned it. Now, let’s see if you can remember the parts of the trestle bent.”

  Percy sighed. “A bent has vertical posts. We’re setting our vertical posts in concrete.”

  “Good.” Nick pointed to the horizontal boards set at intervals on the bent. “And what are these called?”

  “Those are sills, and this one at the top is called the cap. It’s the largest and bears the most weight. It’s supported by the rest of the trestle bent.”

  Nick nodded in approval. “I’m impressed, Percy. So what are these diagonal boards?”

  “Braces?”

  “Yes, but what kind?”

  “Does it make a difference?”

  “Not if you’re always going to be hauling boards.” Nick drew his finger along the diagonal line. “It’s a sway brace. So after the bents are up, what do you connect them with?”

  Percy glanced at the other workers who’d already erected two trestle bents and were crisscrossing boards between them. “Extra sway braces?”

  Nick nodded. “They make the trestle more stable. We add additional braces where necessary. You’re a fast learner, Percy. Keep up the hard work.” He pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. “Now, you’d better hustle on over to the diner to help Mrs. Hart and Miss Eugenia.”

  Percy moaned. “Do I have to?”

  “None of that. Doing what needs to be done is what makes you a man. They may have some heavy lifting that requires your strength.” He clapped a hand on Percy’s shoulder. “Tell them we’ll be along shortly.”

  After watching the gangly youth trot off, Nick turned his attention to the rest of his crew. The men had worked hard despite the mud, and the work had gone well this morning. While some men worked on the engine house, others tackled the roller coaster structure itself. By the end of the week, they’d have most of the trestle bents up and braced if they continued at this rate. Then they’d be able to start adding the decking and rails. For the first time in days, he dared hope they might make the deadline.

  “Nick, how tall is this next trestle supposed to be?” Milt Hawkins called from the work site.

  Picking up his plans, Nick shielded his eyes from the sun and glanced from their location to his paper. “Forty-two feet. That one is still part of the coaster’s highest point.”

  He watched Milt remeasure the section before giving Al the signal to hoist the top half of the trestle structure into the air using the small, steam-operated building site crane. Like monkeys, Forest and Archie swung into place on the horizontal beams, took hold of the section, and began securing it. His stomach wadded in a ball. They made it look so easy, but Nick knew that wasn’t the case. One wrong move, one slip, could mean a fall where a man could be seriously injured. He took safety seriously on his site, but that didn’t mean accidents couldn’t happen, and he felt guilty for pushing them. Working quickly could make a man careless.

  For the second time that day, he said a prayer for the men and for himself. Father, please don’t let my pride make anyone else fall.

  Pacing from window to window in the front of the diner, Lilly kept her eye on the skunk. He continued his inebriated walk not far from the establishment, but there was still no sign of Eugenia.

  Lilly went to the back door and cracked it open. Hearing voices, she paused. Lord, please don’t let Eugenia get sprayed by the skunk. That poor girl has enough strikes against her already. And besides, I’d have to be in the kitchen with her stinking up the place for days.

  “Ahhh!” The shout was followed by a familiar stench wafting through the crack in the door.

  Lilly closed the door and moaned. Lord, was it because I forgot to say ‘amen’?

  But where was the skunk? She hadn’t seen anything.

  “Levi, where’s the skunk now?” she called into the dining room.

  “Stinky went around the side.”

  The back door swung open, and Eugenia hurried inside with her nose plugged. Mr. Tallman followed, but neither of them reeked of skunk spray.

  Lilly frowned. “I heard someone yell, but if you didn’t get sprayed, then who did?”

  “I heard it too.” Mr. Tallman put his hand on the knob. “Smelled it even more. Glad it wasn’t you, Mrs. Hart. You ladies stay here. I’ll find out who it was and take care of the skunk. If what Miss Eugenia said is true, it’s a dangerous animal. Probably distemper.”

  22

  “Mrs. Hart, can you come out here?”

  Lilly turned from the icebox in time to see the look of amusement on Mr. Tallman’s face. She set a jar of pickles on the counter, called to Eugenia to finish setting the table for lunch, and followed him outdoors.

  “Oh, Percy!” Lilly covered her mouth and nose with her hand. Her heart ached for him. She’d grown fond of the boy who was trying so hard to be a man. “You got sprayed?”

  Percy looked up from his seat on one of the Midway’s park benches. “I was coming to help you ladies in the kitchen. Nick said I had to, and the stinkin’ skunk got me.”

 
“Did he spray you directly? Are your eyes burning?”

  “No, ma’am. I saw him raise his tail, and I dove behind a bush. Still got a little on me, I guess.”

  Mr. Tallman laughed. “’Fraid so, son.”

  “I’ll just go wash in the lake, Mrs. Hart.” Percy stood. “I’ll be back to help you shortly.”

  Lilly held up her hand. “I’m afraid bathing in the lake will do no good. You need to get out of those smelly clothes right away. Mr. Tallman, if you’ll set up the washtub, I’ll have Eugenia help me get several jars of tomato juice from inside.”

  “There’s no way I’m going to take a bath out here in front of God and everybody.” Percy’s eyes, a soft pecan brown, grew as wide as gingersnaps. “Wait a minute. Did you say tomato juice?”

  “It cuts the stench, son.” Mr. Tallman picked up the shotgun he’d used to take care of the skunk and leaned it against the bench.

  “Do I look like I’m ready for the soup pot?”

  “Mrs. Hart, I’ll take the boy on back to my place so he’ll have some privacy. You can have one of the men bring over the tomato juice and a new set of clothes for the boy.”

  Percy bolted up. “No! You can’t tell them. They’ll rib me for months about getting sprayed.”

  Lilly’s head began to throb from the stench. “Nick will want to know, and your clothes will have to be burned.”

  “But I ain’t got but one other set of work clothes. If he hadn’t made me come here—”

  “Now, son, let’s get you washed, and we’ll worry about all that later.” Motioning to the paved walkway with the stock of the gun, Mr. Tallman indicated it was time to leave. He gave Lilly a nod and followed behind the slumping youth.

  Lilly hurried inside to find tomato juice before the men arrived. She slid the stool across the wood floor, wincing when it screeched. She climbed onto the stool and once again noticed it wobbled a bit. One leg must be shorter than the other three. She needed to get that repaired.

  Carefully, she stood. She reached for the first jar and tucked it in the crook of her arm, then reached for a second. They’d need at least four quarts, perhaps even five or six. Thank goodness Mr. Thorton had an ample supply of preserved goods. Unfortunately, she’d have to make several trips up and down the stool to secure enough jars without dropping any.

  “What are you doing up there?”

  Lilly startled at the sound of Nick’s voice. The stool wobbled. She grabbed for the shelf to steady herself, then glared at him. “You nearly made me fall.”

  “Which wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t climbing around like a monkey.” He crossed the kitchen, took the jars from her arms, and set them on the counter. Then he returned and held out his hand to assist her down. “I know Levi calls you Chipmunk Mama, but that doesn’t mean you need to live up to the name every time I turn around.”

  She turned back to the shelf. “I still need four more jars of tomato juice.”

  “What for? Even my men can’t use that much at one time.”

  “You’d be surprised.” She tucked another jar in the crook of her arm.

  “I’ll get them.” Instead of waiting for her answer, he grabbed her waist and lifted her to the ground.

  “Nick!” Her face flushed hot.

  Giving her a devilish smile, he stood on his tiptoes, lifted another three quarts from the shelf, and set the jars with the others. “So, what are you making with all these?”

  “A bath.”

  Nick’s eyebrows peaked. “Excuse me?”

  With a laugh, Lilly pointed to an empty crate.

  Nick snagged it and began filling it with the jars. “A bath? Wait a minute, did someone get sprayed by a skunk? I smelled it when we arrived. And where’s Percy? He should have been helping you get these down. Sometimes I’m not so sure about that boy.”

  Tapping the toe of her shoe, Lilly waited for Nick to put the pieces together. If he did so on his own, she wouldn’t be betraying Percy’s confidence.

  He set the last jar in the crate and turned to her. “He got sprayed?” Laughter shook his chest.

  “Your reaction is exactly why Percy didn’t want you or your men to know.”

  “Does he honestly think he can hide it? Tomato juice doesn’t work that well.” Nick sucked his cheeks, apparently trying to stop his grinning, but another chortle escaped. “So where is the poor kid?”

  “The skunk was sick. I had Eugenia fetch Mr. Tallman to take care of it, and he took poor Percy back to his place for a bath. He’s there waiting for the tomato juice. So if you’d kindly hand me the crate, I’ll deliver it.”

  “You?” Nick hefted the crate in his arms.

  “Yes, and you’ll need to fetch Percy another set of clothes. Mr. Tallman plans to burn what he was wearing.” Lilly tried to tug the crate from Nick. “Percy is concerned about his clothes. He says he has only one other set.”

  Nick pulled the crate away, and the jars rattled inside. “I’ll take care of the clothes, and I’ll deliver these. The boy’s humiliation is bad enough without a lady seeing him naked.”

  “I—I—I had no intention of allowing that to happen,” Lilly sputtered.

  Turning toward the door, Nick grinned. “Maybe you should go get a drink. You look a little flushed.”

  After the door banged shut behind him, Lilly patted her burning cheeks. For that, she wasn’t even going to keep a plate warm for Nick.

  She rolled her eyes. Well, maybe she should if he was taking care of Percy.

  Every man was hard at work by the time Nick arrived back at the roller coaster site with Percy. He patted his full stomach. Lilly had kept a plate warm for both him and Percy, and to his surprise, Eugenia’s corned beef had gone beyond palatable to downright tasty. Maybe Lilly would be able to teach her to cook after all.

  “Now, don’t let the men get to you, Percy. Sure, they’ll give you a hard time, but it will only last until something else comes along for them to joke about.”

  Percy shot him a glare.

  Not since Nick had delivered the tomato juice had the young man said a word to him. Obviously, Percy felt his boss was somehow to blame for this, but how had this become Nick’s fault? “You don’t smell nearly as bad as before.” Nick clapped him on the shoulder. “Besides, it’ll wear off in a couple of days.”

  Side by side, they walked the rest of the way until they met up with the others.

  “Whoooo-eeee!” Forest pinched his nose shut. “Percy, you smell like a skunk dipped in ketchup.”

  “Fellas, leave him be.” Nick pointed to the engine house. “Percy, why don’t you work with Archie and Frank today?”

  “You’re going to make them be inside with him?” Forest snickered.

  Nick couldn’t keep the corners of his mouth from curling upward. “On second thought, maybe you should continue your regular job out here.”

  “Hauling boards?” Percy’s chest heaved, and he shot Nick another heated glare.

  “Yes, Percy. That’s one part of your job.” He met the young man’s hard gaze and held it until Percy looked away. What was wrong with the boy? Nick turned to the others. “Let’s get back to work, fellas, and see if we can get as much done this afternoon as we did this morning.”

  After Nick made sure things were well under way, he took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Another set of hands—hardworking hands—would help this project out the most right now, and his name was the one on the line if this coaster failed.

  And with things finally looking more encouraging with Lilly, the last thing he wanted was to let her see she couldn’t count on him.

  How hard could it be to put a roast in the oven?

  As soon as Eugenia had finally completed the task, Lilly made an excuse to get out of the diner for a while. If she stayed, she feared she might end up using a cast-iron skillet as a weapon. So much for the morning’s progress.

  Why was she being so intolerant? Eugenia was improving, and she should give her credit for doing so. Lord, help my
words to be filled with kindness and grace toward Eugenia. Help me remember to be patient with her just as You are patient with me.

  Lilly found Levi outside playing with a toad. After he’d washed, the two of them headed for Marguerite’s. Levi needed some playmates, and she could use her friend’s good cheer.

  Levi skipped beside her, and Lilly drank in the sunshine. Spring filled the air with a sense of hope. Every bud ached to burst forth, but only the bravest had done so already. A few more warm days like this, and Lake Manawa would begin to sport its floral finery.

  She and Levi found Marguerite at the beach near the Grand Plaza, lounging in a deck chair on the boardwalk. She flipped a page in her copy of The Virginian, a Wild West story by Owen Wister, while Tate and Faith used a stick to put windows in their sand castle on the beach.

  “Lilly.” Marguerite motioned to another chair. “What a pleasant surprise.”

  After removing Levi’s shoes and socks, Lilly set him free to join his friends, then sat on the chair beside Marguerite. She drew in a deep breath of fresh, unskunk-scented air and released it slowly.

  “What’s going on?”

  “All Eugenia had to do was brown the roast and peel a bunch of carrots and potatoes, but the process took so long, I’m afraid the roast might not be tender by the time the men arrive for supper tonight. I asked her why she was taking a month of Sundays to peel the potatoes, and do you know what she told me?”

  “What?”

  “That she didn’t want to poke a potato in its eye.” Lilly moaned. “Sometimes watching Eugenia learn is downright painful.”

  Marguerite set her book aside. “Is she that bad in the kitchen?”

  “Worse, but she has such a good heart. Yesterday she started a fire. Didn’t Mark tell you?”

  Marguerite shook her head.

  “It’s not Eugenia’s fault. Her mother never taught her any of this, and she’s trying so hard to learn. I keep praying for more patience.”

  “You?” Marguerite adjusted her wide-brimmed hat with a grin.