Home? Where was home? Was it in Sweden? Or was it right here in Minnesota with people who accepted her for who she was. People who didn’t try to change her. Yes, it was starting to feel like home. With a tremulous smile, Olina finally looked away from Gustaf’s mesmerizing eyes. Today was a new day. Minnesota was her new home. Olina was going to make the best of it.
Child, let Me help you.
Olina almost heeded the quiet voice. Almost, but not quite.
❧
When Olina smiled, Gustaf could feel it touch his heart. It felt like the wings of a butterfly as it flitted across the flowers Gerda planted around the front porch. Soft, gentle, but a smile nonetheless. Olina needed to smile more. Maybe this was the start of something in her life. She looked as if she had made a discovery. . .or a resolution. Gustaf didn’t know which. But whichever it was, it would have far-reaching consequences in her life. He hoped those consequences would include him. Please, Gud.
❧
Adolph Braxton was waiting in the hotel lobby for them. He took them up to the third floor, the top floor. “We wanted to be away from the noise in the street.”
He opened the door to a large room that was at the back corner of the hotel. Windows on adjoining walls bathed the interior with sunlight.
Olina walked over to check the view. Since the hotel was taller than the building next door, she could look across the rooftops. The hotel was at the end of Main Street, so the windows at the back overlooked an open field.
Olina turned around. “This is a wonderful room. We’ll have lots of light to work by.”
Just then, Marja and Sophia walked in. Marja smiled and clapped her hands. “We thought this would be just right. Sophia and Adolph moved next door so you girls could have this room.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” Gerda exclaimed.
“Nonsense.” Sophia put her arm through her husband’s. “This room is the largest in the hotel. It’ll give you plenty of space to work. Our room is nice, too.” She smiled up at her husband. “Right, Dear?”
Adolph nodded. It looked to Olina as if his fair skin blushed a little under his bushy sideburns.
“We’ll bring the sewing machine up later today,” Marja said.
“Mrs. Braxton.” Gustaf walked to the door. “Would you like me to bring it in my wagon? I would be glad to.”
With a harrumph, Adolph said he would help Gustaf, and the two men left. Olina looked around. Heavy drapes hung at the windows. Olina walked over and discovered ties hanging high beside the window. She used them to hold the drapes open and allow the maximum of light to enter the room. Gerda went to the large canopy bed that was in one corner of the room. She sat on the side. Olina turned and surveyed the room. Even with the substantial wardrobe on the wall near the door and the table that sat against the other wall without a window, there was lots of space. There were even two straight chairs by the table. This would be a wonderful place to work.
“This room is as large as some people’s houses,” Gerda said as she walked to one of the two rocking chairs that flanked a small round table.
Sophia sat in one of the rockers. “That’s why we wanted you to have this room. You can spread out all over while you are working.”
While they were waiting for the men to return, Olina and Gerda showed their drawings of the clothing to the two Mrs. Braxtons. Sophia exclaimed over most of them.
“How am I ever going to choose which dresses for you to make for me?”
Marja Braxton sat on one of the straight chairs. She folded her hands in her lap. “That is a real problem. When Gerda and Olina made my new dress, I had only seen the one style.”
Olina stood looking out one of the windows at the back of the hotel. She could see a cluster of trees in the field. As the wind gently blew the branches, birds flitted in and out among the treetops, much as the birds at the farm had. It would be pleasant to watch them when she needed a break from the tedium of sewing. But maybe it wouldn’t be quite so tedious when they used the treadle machine. She hoped not.
Olina turned back toward the other three women. “I have an idea, Mrs. Braxton.”
“What?” Both women spoke in unison.
Marja laughed, then added, “You should call us Marja and Sophia. It would be a lot easier.”
Sophia nodded. “I agree. Now Olina, dear, what was your idea?”
Olina spread the drawings out on the table. “You should pick your favorite drawing. Bring us the fabric you want to use. We’ll start on that dress. Then you can choose the next favorite. That’ll give you a little time to decide what fabric to make it from while we are working on the first. We’ll make as many as we have time to this week, doing them one at a time like that.”
Marja clapped her hands. “What a wonderful idea. Olina, you are a smart girl. I’m so glad you came to Minnesota.” She pulled Olina into her arms and hugged her hard.
That hug reminded Olina of her mother. Maybe the people here did accept her for who she was. She could make a home for herself. Perhaps in time, she would find peace in her heart again.
When the men returned with the sewing machine, Olina was amazed. She had never seen anything like it. The black iron machine was attached to a small wooden table with iron legs. Under the table, a mesh contraption near the floor was attached to the machine above it. She had no idea how it could work, but she was eager to find out.
“Where is the manual?” Marja looked at the two men.
“Right here.” Gustaf pulled a booklet from his back pocket and handed it to her. “Sorry I had to fold it, but I couldn’t carry it and the machine at the same time.”
Marja gave it to Olina. “Tonight you girls can read this and try to see how it works. Sophia and I will come in the morning for you to take her measurements. We’ll bring the first fabric and notions.” She clapped her hands. “Oh, I’m getting so excited.”
“So am I,” Sophia agreed as she took Marja’s arm. “We need to go look at the fabric in the store. I have my eye on a couple of those drawings.” Adolph quietly joined the two women as they walked down the hall, chattering about the different dresses.
Gustaf turned to Gerda, but he watched Olina out of the corner of his eye. “Could I take you and Olina to lunch downstairs?”
Gerda stood up. “Is it noon already? Where has the morning gone?”
“One, it took awhile to get to town.” Gustaf counted on his fingers. “Two, we had to move your bags into your room. Three, we brought that heavy machine up two flights of stairs. That took time.”
“Oh, you.” Gerda playfully hit his arm. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I know.” Gustaf laughed with her. Then he turned to Olina. “May I escort you to lunch?” When Olina nodded, he continued, “We’ll let my sister come with us, if she’ll behave herself.”
Olina couldn’t help herself. She burst out laughing with them. It felt so good to share a fun time. Maybe her heart could heal.
In the dining room, they were served a rich beef stew with hot corn bread slathered with fresh butter. While they were eating, several people from church stopped to visit. When they found out that the girls were staying in town for a week, they issued many invitations. Gerda and Olina wouldn’t have to eat at the hotel very often, and they would have time to renew acquaintances and establish new friendships.
“I guess we’ll not be sewing all the time.” Gerda smiled at Olina.
“We need to sew a lot.” Olina kept thinking about the money they would earn.
“I know that Marja and Sophia won’t expect us to sew all our waking hours as if we were slaves.”
When the waitress brought apple cobbler for dessert, she asked if they had heard about the brush arbor meeting that was going on that week. Olina didn’t know what she was talking about, so Gustaf explained.
“We don’t have many of these since we have our own church building. Traveling evangelists hold meetings in an open-air structure with a roof made out of tree limbs. I’ve heard that wo
nderful things happen at them.” He got a faraway look on his face. “I’ve always wanted to attend one, and I hear this preacher has a powerful message.” He looked back at the young women. “I think I’ll come to town for the meeting tomorrow night.” Turning toward Olina, he asked, “May I escort the two of you?”
Before Olina could decline, she heard Gerda accept with eagerness. How could she not agree to accompany them? Maybe later she could think of a way out of it.
❧
Thank You, Father. On the way home late that afternoon, Gustaf was glad he had a reason to come to town tomorrow. He would have thought up some excuse, but this meeting was a good opportunity. He couldn’t imagine worshiping out in the open like that. The services in their church were formal. This sounded as though it would be a chance to relax and worship with abandon. Of course, he sometimes did that when he was out working in the fields. He would take a break and sit under the shade and sing praises to the Lord. He had even been known to walk around praising the Lord with a loud voice, but only when he knew no one was near.
Gustaf had heard people talk about the old-time brush arbor meetings and how they would contain a lot of praise and worship; the ministers presented the gospel in a forceful, but understandable manner. Gustaf wanted to hear that kind of sermon. And he wanted to see Olina touched in a service. Maybe this meeting would be the time God could reach her in a new way, bringing healing to her wounded heart.
Thirteen
When Marja and Sophia arrived the next morning, the four women spent an hour learning to use the sewing machine. It wasn’t as hard as Olina had feared it would be. Then Olina and Gerda measured Sophia. After Sophia showed them which dress she wanted them to make out of the fabric they brought, she and Marja left the young women to their work.
Olina and Gerda cut out the bodice first. While Gerda cut out the rest of the dress, Olina started sewing the bodice, using the machine. By lunchtime, the dress was far enough along that the girls were sure they could finish it that day.
With a spring in their steps, Gerda and Olina started down the stairs to see what the restaurant was serving for lunch. Before they reached the bottom step, Merta Swenson came through the front door.
After greeting them, she asked, “Have you eaten yet?” When they shook their heads, she continued, “I want you to come to my house for lunch.”
Merta served them chicken and dumplings, followed by gingerbread. This visit was the break from sewing that Gerda and Olina needed. After they were finished eating, Merta accompanied them on the walk back to the hotel.
“Remember how you said that you would like to move to town and be dressmakers here?” Merta asked as they reached the hotel.
“Yes,” Gerda answered, and Olina nodded.
Merta pointed to a house down the road a ways, but still clearly visible from town. “The Winslow house is for sale. An older widow lived there, but her son wanted her to move to California with him, so she did.”
Gerda studied the cottage for a minute. “From here, it looks as though it’s in good shape.”
“It is,” Merta agreed. “Everyone in church made sure she was taken care of. Some of the men are still taking care of things at the house until it sells.”
Olina could tell that it was a nice place and not at all small. She turned to Merta. “Do you have time to walk down there with us?”
“Please do.” Gerda stepped off the wooden sidewalk. “We could look around, couldn’t we?”
Merta took Olina’s arm and pulled her with them. “It’s not far. It won’t take long.”
The three young women walked along talking as they approached the cottage, set back from the road and surrounded by trees. When they reached the gate, Olina opened it and walked up on the front porch. It covered over half of the front of the house, with the front door at the end by whatever room projected beyond the porch. Olina stood in one of the two arches of the porch, which were held up by columns. She liked the shrubbery growing at the end and flowers beginning to bloom in the flower bed in front.
“I like this porch.” Olina turned and looked back toward town. “It would be pleasant to sit out here in the cool of the evening.” She slid down to sit on the top step. “I wish I had the money to buy this house, but I don’t.”
“Neither do I.” Gerda sat beside her. “Maybe Father and Gustaf could work out a deal with the owner. I would like to move closer to town. This is far enough out from town to be away from all the noise, but close enough to be safe and convenient.” She stood up and stepped away from the house. After turning, she looked up at the second story. “Merta, have you ever been inside?”
“Oh, yes.” Merta joined her and looked up, too. “The second floor has two bedrooms in the front. There are two smaller rooms behind them. She used them for storage.” Merta pointed to the room that was beside the porch. “That is the parlor. On the other side, she had a library. I think she used to be a schoolteacher, so she had lots of books. Behind those two rooms are a kitchen, with a large area for a table and chairs, and a big pantry.”
Olina stood up and looked back toward town. “It sounds perfect. If only. . .”
“We need to pray about this. Maybe the Lord wants us here.” Gerda took hold of both Olina’s hand and Merta’s. Then she asked God to provide a way. . .if He wanted them to live in this house.
❧
Just as Gerda and Olina sewed the last button on the dress, a knock sounded at the door.
“That must be Sophia.” Olina was glad for the opportunity to get up and move around. She stretched her arms over her head for a minute before she opened the door. “You’re just in ti—” She was startled and stopped with a gasp.
“Well, what a welcome.” Gustaf’s laughing gaze met her startled one. “I didn’t know you were expecting me.”
Olina could feel her cheeks redden. She wanted to hide them, but she couldn’t look away from him. She liked to see the merriment in his eyes. Was that something more? Whatever could it be? She shook her head. Why did Gustaf have this effect on her? Maybe it was because she had not expected to see him filling her doorway.
“We thought you were Sophia.” Gerda jumped up and came over to hug her brother. “But I’m glad you’re here, even though I don’t know why.” She stepped back. “Come in.”
Gustaf seemed to fill the room, too. Olina turned back to the dress they had dropped in a heap on the bed. She picked it up and started folding it as she listened to Gustaf and Gerda.
“Do I have to have a reason to come see my little sister?” With his finger, he flicked a curl that was drooping on her forehead.
Gerda playfully hit him on the arm. “You are a big tease. Isn’t that right, Olina?”
Olina looked at Gerda. “Yes, he does tease a lot.”
“So what brings you to town?” Gerda came over to help Olina finish folding the dress.
“Remember yesterday at lunch, I said I would be coming into town for the brush arbor meeting.” Gustaf looked from Gerda to Olina. “I came a little early. I wanted to check on the two of you so I can assure Father that you’re all right.”
Gerda rolled her eyes.
“I thought maybe you two lovely ladies would join me for dinner before the meeting.” Gustaf looked at Olina, waiting for her to answer.
They did have to eat. Olina picked up the dress and moved it to the table. With her back turned from Gustaf, she answered, “We could do that.”
All afternoon Olina and Gerda had been smelling roast beef cooking. “I think we are having roast.” Olina sniffed the air. “It smells like they are cooking yeast rolls. It should be good.”
Their meal was a congenial affair. Gustaf and Gerda kept up a lively conversation. Although Olina was quieter, she enjoyed listening to them.
“Gustaf.” Gerda sounded excited. “Merta, Olina, and I went to the Winslow house today.”
Gustaf swallowed a mouthful. “Why did you do that?”
“It’s for sale.” Gerda buttered a hot roll.
“I know that we don’t have the money to buy it.” Gerda put down the roll and clasped her hands in her lap. “But Olina and I would like to move closer to town.”
Gustaf raised his eyebrows. Olina looked down at her plate, but she peeked at Gustaf through her eyelashes. He turned toward Gerda.
“Why is that?”
“Oh, Gustaf.” Gerda placed her forearms on the table and eagerly leaned toward him. “There’s no dressmaker in Litchfield. Olina and I think we could make a living here.”
Gustaf looked thoughtful. “You might be able to.”
“It’s no use to think about it though.” Gerda sighed and picked up her forgotten roll. “Father would never let us do it. But the house would be perfect for us. The woman who lived there was a teacher, and she had a library with lots of windows. That room would make a wonderful workroom for us.”
Just then the waitress brought their dessert to them. In a moment, she returned with a large pitcher of water to refill their glasses and a cup of coffee for Gustaf.
When they had finished eating rice pudding with raisins and cinnamon, Gerda wiped her mouth with the napkin. “I would like to go to the meeting with you, Gustaf.”
“I had hoped you would say that.” He turned toward Olina. “What about you?”
“Of course she’ll go. She won’t want to sit alone in the hotel room.” Gerda got up from her chair. “We need to go freshen up before we leave. What time does it start?”
“You have plenty of time.” Gustaf helped Olina push her chair away from the table. He walked them into the lobby. As he watched the two go up the stairs, he called after them, “I’ll be waiting right here for you.”
When the young women came back down the stairs, August had joined Gustaf. The two men looked as if they were praying together. Surely they weren’t doing that right there in the lobby of the hotel. They must be having a private conversation.
Other Brother Page 9
