The Gift of Twins

by Gabrielle Meyer

  “Is Mrs. Carver still unwell?” Ben asked, taking his seat across from Emmy and interrupting her wayward thoughts. “She tried to wait as long as she could to give you some time to study.”

  Dismay filled Emmy’s chest. “She didn’t have to do that.”

  “I told her you wouldn’t mind, but she insisted.”

  Emmy shook her head. “She’s such a dear, isn’t she?”

  “I’m very happy she agreed to come and help with the boys.” His countenance fell once again and he looked into the flames.

  She couldn’t hold back her question any longer. “Is everything all right?”

  He didn’t answer her at first, but eventually looked away from the fireplace and met her gaze. “I visited the boys’ grandfather this morning.”

  Emmy stopped rocking and leaned forward. “And?”

  Ben rose and rubbed the back of his neck. “The man is living in deplorable conditions—but worse than that, he had nothing good to say about the boys’ father.”

  “Did you find out where the father is living?”

  “He wouldn’t tell me.”

  “What will you do?”

  Ben paced over to the window and back to Emmy. “I’m wrestling with that very question. I might have to make a trip to St. Paul and ask around for him there. I’ve considered placing some ads in newspapers around the state, but I don’t know if it will help.”

  “What if you don’t ever find him? What will happen to the boys then?”

  Ben’s eyes were filled with uncertainty as he studied Emmy. “I don’t know.”

  “Will you keep them?”

  “Mrs. Carver can only stay until after Christmas. I couldn’t raise two boys on my own without her.”

  “Is there someone else who could help?”

  Ben sighed and took the poker from the nail next to the fireplace. He readjusted the logs and sparks flew up the chimney. “I don’t know of anyone right now.” He set the poker back on the nail and faced her again. “But I do know that God brought them here for a purpose and He’s not going to leave me guessing forever. Eventually I’ll know what to do.”

  A funny thought came to her and she lowered her eyes, heat filling her cheeks at the thought.

  “What?” he asked.

  “It’s nothing.”

  “What is it?” he asked again, sitting in his chair.

  “It’s just a thought I had.” She shook her head and waved her hand aside. “It’s not worth sharing.”

  His eyes filled with amusement. “It made your cheeks turn pink.”

  Her hands flew up to her cheeks as mortification filled her chest.

  Ben’s laughter was rich and hearty. “I believe you’re embarrassed, Miss Emmy.”

  Emmy wanted to leave the room, afraid he’d get the truth out of her.

  “You must tell me now.” He came to the edge of his seat. “I promise there’s nothing you could say that would be as embarrassing as you think.”

  She tried to laugh it off. “I just thought of another way you could keep the boys without finding a housekeeper—but it’s just a silly notion.”

  “Try me.”

  She did laugh this time. “You won’t let it rest, will you?”

  He shook his head, a grin on his face. “I’m usually pretty persistent.”

  “Fine.” She might as well get it over with. “I simply thought you could keep the boys if you found a wife.”

  His smile fell and his face became very serious. “The thought has crossed my mind.”

  Emmy suddenly felt overly warm sitting by the fire. She and Ben had been friendly from the start, but she always felt a little different in his presence, as if her heart was aware of something her mind could not conceive. The feeling struck her again, leaving her shaky and uncertain of herself.

  The silence dragged on and she felt the need to say something, so she started to ramble. “It’s not a bad idea—if the boys need a permanent home. They’d be very blessed to have you as a father and they couldn’t ask for a better life.” More heat filled her cheeks. “I mean, they could do a lot worse.”

  Ben’s smile returned and he finally looked away from her. “I suppose you’re right.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” she said quickly. “I meant—”

  “I know what you meant.” He turned his smile back to her, amused at her ramblings, no doubt. “Thank you.”

  She bit her lip, lest she start prattling on again.

  “Have you found everyone you need for the spelling contest?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said a bit too quickly, thankful he’d changed the subject, and then went on more calmly. “I have ten gentlemen who have agreed to participate.”

  “I think it will be good for the community to come together this way.”

  “I hope so.”

  He was quiet for a moment. “You’re doing a good job, Emmy. The parents are happy, the children are eager to go to school and the school board is pleased.”

  His words made her cheeks fill with heat once again, but this time she wasn’t embarrassed. This time the heat came from the pleasure of his compliment. “Thank you.”

  “I’m happy we made a mistake—or rather, I’m happy God knew what He was doing when He sent you.”

  Emmy sat up a bit straighter under his praise, hoping and praying she could continue to find favor with Reverend Lahaye—and the rest of the school board, of course.

  Chapter Eight

  Emmy smiled at the gathered audience, almost giddy at the number of people who had crowded into the schoolhouse for her first Friday Frolic. Friends and neighbors visited with one another as people continued to come in through the cloakroom door. Ben and Abram Cooper stood near the door, representing the school board and greeting those who were just arriving. Mr. Samuelson and his children had not yet arrived, and she wondered if they would.

  Adam Russell walked through the door and paused to speak to Ben, and then he caught Emmy’s eye and made his way down the aisle to the front of the room.

  “Hello, Miss Wilkes.” His smile was dashing and he was one of the best-dressed men in the room. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

  “And you, Mr. Russell. Thank you for coming.”

  “Where would you like me?” he asked. “I’ve studied all the words on the list and I think I have a fair shot at this spelling contest.”

  She pointed to the side of the room where the other contestants had already begun to line up. “You may wait over there until we get started.”

  He nodded and began to walk away, but then he paused and glanced around before addressing her. “Would it be too presumptuous to ask if I may walk you home this evening?”

  Emmy glanced toward the door where Ben was shaking the hand of a new arrival. He must have sensed her gaze, because he looked in her direction and smiled. Levi and Zeb sat in the front row, having come to the school earlier with her and Ben to light the lanterns and stoke the fire. They both grinned at her with expectant faces, their little legs swinging beneath the bench.

  “I believe I already have several escorts taking me home this evening,” she said to Mr. Russell. “Thank you for the offer.”

  “It is my great misfortune.” He took a step back. “Maybe next time I’ll get to you first.”

  She appreciated his manners and agreeable nature, but she also felt bad that she was using Ben and the boys as an excuse to avoid any and every gentleman who made the same request. There had already been several that evening, and each time she gave the same answer.

  Emmy pulled her pocket watch out and saw that it was exactly seven o’clock. With a few nerves fluttering in her stomach, she tapped her ruler against her desk to call the room to order.

  “Thank you all for coming,” she
said with a sincere smile.

  Everyone found their seats, while others were forced to stand against the walls.

  Ben and Abram walked along the side of the room and stood with the other contestants. Still, Mr. Samuelson did not show.

  “Tonight I am happy to welcome you to the first Friday Frolic,” Emmy said to the audience. “It is my hope to have a social event each Friday night for the remainder of the year, weather permitting, ending with the Christmas pageant on the last Thursday.” After that, she didn’t know if she’d still be there.

  Happy comments were passed from one community member to the next and Emmy was forced to wait until the room quieted once again.

  “This first week will be a spelling contest—but not just any spelling contest.” She paused and several people in the room met her gaze with a knowing smile. “I have asked ten prominent men from our community to participate and they have generously given of their time and talents.”

  The audience clapped and the contestants bowed in good-natured fun.

  “Each contestant will be given a word to spell and if he has spelled it correctly, he will remain up front. If he doesn’t spell it correctly, he will be asked to take a seat. Each round will increase in difficulty until only one contestant remains standing.” Emmy took up a piece of paper she had on her desk with the names of each man and then waved them over to the front of the room where she stood. “I’d like to introduce the contestants and then we’ll begin.”

  The men came to the front, though she suspected none but Mr. Russell needed an introduction. Ben stood taller than the other men, his dark hair and eyes drawing her attention. He was one of the handsomest men she’d ever known. When he met her gaze, her cheeks warmed and she was happy he couldn’t read her thoughts.

  She quickly made the introductions and then moved on to the spelling portion of the evening. Much laughter, teasing and fun ensued. Mr. Fadling was the first to miss a word, followed by Mr. Hubbard and then Mr. Harper, the owner of an emporium on Main Street. Next went Jude Allen, Dr. Jodan and the attorney, Roald Hall. As each round progressed, the men were forced to sit down one by one. Finally, the last three contestants remaining were Mr. Russell, Abram Cooper, a mill owner and the original founder of Little Falls, and Ben. Emmy stood at the front of the room and faced Abram. “Your word is ubiquitous.”

  “Could you please use that in a sentence?” Abram asked.

  “The father’s ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family.” Her sentence gained several chuckles, but Abram was too deep in thought to notice.

  “Ubiquitous,” Abram said, his brows furrowed. “U-b-i-q-u-a-t-o-u-s. Ubiquitous.”

  There was a pause and then Emmy said, “I’m sorry, that’s incorrect.”

  The audience applauded his effort, and truth be told, he looked relieved to sit next to Charlotte and be done.

  Ben and Mr. Russell looked at Emmy expectantly.

  “We have our two final contestants,” Emmy said to the audience.

  Again, they applauded. Mr. Russell clasped his hands together and shook them over his head, as if he was already the champion. The crowd laughed and cheered him on to victory.

  “Mr. Russell.” Emmy waited until the room quieted before she continued. “This word is for you. Bacciferous.”

  His brow came up. “Sentence, please?”

  “The bush was bacciferous, producing more berries than we could eat.”

  “Bacciferous. B-a-c—” He paused. “B-a-s-i-f-e-r-o-u-s. Bacciferous.”

  Emmy shook her head. “I’m sorry.” She looked at Ben. “If you spell this next word correctly, you’re the winner. If you don’t, Mr. Russell is still in the contest.”

  Ben stood straight and took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

  The room was completely still as she spoke. “Your word is beneficence.”

  “Sentence?”

  “Your unswerving beneficence to the community is truly a gift.” Emmy smiled at Ben, hoping he knew that she meant what she said.

  “Beneficence,” Ben said. “B-e-n-e-f-i-c-e-n-c-e. Beneficence.”

  Again, there was a pause.

  Emmy couldn’t contain her grin. “You’re correct!”

  The audience clapped and stood to their feet.

  “Three cheers for the preacher!” someone shouted from the back of the room.

  Ben smiled at those assembled and then shook Mr. Russell’s hand.

  The room filled with laughter and conversation while Mrs. Carver oversaw setting up the refreshment table. Mr. Russell moved on to speak to the people standing nearby and Emmy used the opportunity to congratulate Ben.

  “You did a marvelous job, Ben.”

  “Thank you. So did you.”

  “Me?” Emmy pointed at herself. “What did I do?”

  “This whole evening was your doing. Well done.”

  Levi and Zeb ran up to Emmy, their cheeks pink from excitement. “Miss Wilkes, may we have a cookie?” Levi asked. “Mrs. Carver said we needed to ask.”

  “You may.” Emmy ruffled his blond hair. “Tell Mrs. Carver to begin serving whenever she’s ready.”

  The boys shared a grin and ran off to deliver the good news. One of their fellow students, Brett Morgan, stopped Zeb and said something that Emmy couldn’t hear. Zeb nodded and turned to Levi, but Levi shook his head, a frown on his face. For a moment, Zeb looked torn between his brother and his friend, but then he took off with Brett. Levi’s little mouth fell open as he watched Zeb join Brett and George Cooper as they played jacks in the corner of the room with a few other boys.

  “Would you look at that,” Ben said. “Zeb found a friend.”

  Emmy nodded, though her happiness for Zeb was overshadowed by her concern for Levi. “I wish Levi would join in with the others.”

  “Give him some time.”

  Emmy had been watching Levi for the past two weeks. Unlike Zeb, who was easy to please and quick to make a friend, Levi was often frustrated and wanted his own way. He hadn’t made a single friend in the whole school. When she asked the other children why they didn’t include Levi, they often told her he didn’t want to play what they wanted, so they didn’t ask him anymore. She was watching for ways to encourage the boy, but she had found some children were harder to teach the art of socialization to than others.

  “Miss Wilkes.” Mr. Archibald, the man who boarded at the Hubbards, was at Emmy’s elbow. A hint of alcohol was on his breath and his eyes were glazed with overindulgence. She hadn’t noticed him before now. Had he only just arrived? “Aaron and I wanted to come to the spelling contest. Are we too late?”

  The man who had chased her around the table in the Hubbards’ front parlor joined Mr. Archibald and was smiling at her with a toothy grin. He looked as if he’d tried to clean up his appearance, but his clothes were wrinkly and his curly hair had slipped down to cover his forehead. “Hello, Miss Wilkes,” he drawled in a drunken slur. “Do you remember me? Name’s Aaron Chambers.”

  How could she forget? “Of course I remember you, Mr. Chambers. Thank you both for coming. Please help yourself to a refreshment. There should be some nice, strong coffee, too.”

  Emmy turned back to speak to Ben, but Mr. Archibald stepped in her way, putting his hand on her arm to stop her.

  She looked down at his hand and pulled out of his grasp.

  “We didn’t come for refreshments,” he said, his eyes roaming her up and down. “We came to see you.”

  “The way I see it, I still deserve a dance,” Mr. Chambers said as he swayed. “And one way or the other, I aim to get it.”

  Ben took a protective step toward Emmy, though she didn’t even know if he realized what he did.

  “I have no wish to dance with you, Mr. Chambers.” Emmy straightened her back and lowered her voice, afraid the others might hea
r their conversation and report to Mr. Samuelson. “I think it’s best if you leave now.”

  “I won’t leave until you tell me when I’ll get my dance.”

  Ben stepped between them and looked right at Mr. Chambers. “Miss Wilkes never promised you anything.” His voice was kind but firm. “And a gentleman never demands anything from a lady. Now, you can either walk out of here on your own two feet, or I can get a few friends and we’ll carry you out.”

  Mr. Chambers and Mr. Archibald looked at Ben for a minute, and then Mr. Chambers hit Mr. Archibald on the arm. “Let’s leave, Archie. I don’t need a sermon.”

  “What about your dance?” Mr. Archibald asked.

  Mr. Chambers looked at Emmy and then at Ben. “It’s not worth it.”

  The men turned away and walked toward the door, tripping over those who stood in their way.

  Emmy let out a relived sigh.

  “It’s the trouble with being single,” Ben said, turning to Emmy, his voice serious, yet apologetic. “They think they have the right to take liberties. If you were married, they wouldn’t bother.”

  It was one of the things her parents had been worried about when she planned her trip to Minnesota. Her father was most concerned about her safety—but then he never knew that Ben would be there for her. She didn’t know what she would do without him.

  * * *

  Ben stood by the refreshment table, a glass of punch in hand as he watched Emmy interact with her students and their parents. She stood speaking with Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, the owners of Morgan Lumber. Ben had come to know them through the church and in the community. Their daughter, Molly, attended the school with her younger brother, Brett. Two smaller boys were still at home with Mrs. Morgan.

  As Emmy spoke with them, he couldn’t help but admire her animation and passion. He couldn’t hear what she said, but whatever it was, it made the Morgans beam.

  “We’re about done,” Mrs. Carver said, coming up to Ben. “Would you like me to take the boys home and get them tucked into bed?”

  Ben set down his punch glass and nodded. “I’d appreciate that. I’ll stay with Emmy to help her close up and we’ll meet you back home later.”