Janet Barton - A Daughter’s Return

“I will, Mama.”

“Good morning, everyone,” Mrs. Heaton said from the end of the table.

“Morning, Granma!” Jenny held her plate while Rebecca filled it from the sideboard. Her grandmother helped Jenny get settled at the table while Rebecca filled her own plate.

Ben helped himself to sausage, eggs and the best biscuits around and took his seat at the table. “You two are up earlier than usual today. Do you have a big day planned?” he asked.

“We’re going to drop Jenny off to help Aunt Violet with baby Marcus while Mama and I do the shopping this morning. And I might visit Kathleen later today to see if she needs any help getting ready for the housewarming this weekend,” Rebecca said. “I’m going to telephone her after breakfast.”

“That is coming up, isn’t it? It will be good to get together with everyone again,” Ben said.

“It certainly will,” Mrs. Heaton said. “And next week the workers will be here to start remodeling the third floor. It shouldn’t take too long to make the changes. Once it’s finished, I’ll put an advertisement in the paper. Or do you think I should just put a sign out?”

“I’d put the sign out. You’re more likely to get people who know of or have heard of Heaton House that way and I think you’d have your new boarders in no time,” Ben said.

“I think Ben’s right, Mama,” Rebecca added.

“I’ll give it a try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll put an ad in the paper. I’ve always acquired new boarders quickly and I do hate to keep turning down people who see the ad after I’ve let the rooms.

Ben stood. “I’d better get going. You all have a nice day and I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, Mr. Ben,” Jenny said. “See you later.”

“I look forward to it, Jenny. You have fun with baby Marcus.”

She nodded. “I will.”

Ben’s gaze met Rebecca’s and her smile warmed him clear through to his heart. Funny how none of the other woman here had ever had that effect on him. He liked them all, but he’d never felt...quite the same way about them. He still didn’t know why it’d been so easy to open up to Rebecca as he had the night before. But he wasn’t sorry. He hoped one day she’d open up to him.

* * *

After dropping Jenny off at Michael and Violet’s to play with baby Marcus, and having some hug-and-kisses time with him themselves, Rebecca and her mother were on their way to the grocer’s. The day before, they’d taken stock of the kitchen pantry, made a menu for the rest of the week and then prepared a shopping list from the menu.

The grocer welcomed them in and her mother introduced them. “Mr. Hale, this is my daughter, Rebecca Dickerson. She’ll be doing some of the shopping in the future and I’m going to show her how I go about it.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Mrs. Dickerson. There’s no one better to teach a person about ordering for a boardinghouse than your mother. You’ll learn a lot from her. I do hope we’ll still be seeing you, too, Mrs. Heaton?”

“Of course you will. But I have two precious grandchildren to spend time with now and I won’t mind giving up grocery-buying time to do that when I can.”

“Ah, well, I can understand that. I’ve a couple grandchildren of my own I like to spend time with. It’s too bad my wife passed away before they were born. She would have loved being a grandmother, just as you do.”

The expression in Mr. Hale’s eyes as he looked at her mother made Rebecca wonder if he might be a bit attracted to her. She could definitely see he had great respect for her mother and within a few minutes she knew why.

She was very precise in the amounts she ordered, she had no problem asking for the best price he could give her and she insisted on the freshest of everything she ordered, from vegetables to dairy products. She zipped around the store faster than Rebecca could keep up with her.

“Mama, slow down a bit. I’m trying to take notes, but you’re going much too fast for me.”

The proprietor chuckled. “She goes too fast for me sometimes, too, Mrs. Dickerson.”

Her mother came to a sudden stop and turned to them with a smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was being hard to keep up with. I’ll try to go a little slower.”

She did just that, which gave Rebecca a chance to make a list of things she needed to remember on the small note pad she’d brought with her.

When they had finished giving the grocer their order for staples—flour, sugar and the like, then fruits, mostly canned this time of year, and vegetables, some canned and some fresh—Rebecca was surprised that the end price wasn’t higher.

The grocer promised to have everything delivered as soon as possible, and then it was on to the butcher’s for the meat. The day was quite chilly, but nothing like it’d been the night before. The wind had died down and while the air was brisk, it didn’t take one’s breath away and they were able to converse along the way.

“Mama, I think Mr. Hale might be sweet on you.”

Her mother looked at her and laughed. “Oh, Rebecca. No. I don’t think so. He just likes my business.”

“I don’t think that’s all he likes. I saw the way he looked at you. He is a widower. Perhaps he’s in the market for a wife.”

“Well, it certainly wouldn’t be me. I enjoy watching my boarders’ romances, but remarrying is not something I ever give a thought to for myself. Your papa was my first and only love, dear.”

“I know. But that doesn’t mean you couldn’t fall in love again. You should give it some thought.”

Her mother chuckled and shook her head. “I don’t think so. I like my life just as it is and I have so much to be thankful for. I have my family reunited and two precious grandchildren, I have Heaton House and the boarders—my life is full and I don’t have time for courting or romance. But you’re still young, dear. I hope one day you’ll start thinking of finding Jenny a papa.”

That was not something Rebecca wanted to talk about at all, and she was relieved that they’d arrived at the butcher shop so she didn’t have to comment. But she had a feeling her mother would be bringing the subject up at another time.

They entered the shop and Rebecca was introduced to Mr. Kelly. He was behind the meat counter and she wondered how he kept his white apron so pristine.

“Nice to meet the daughter of one of my best customers,” Mr. Kelly said. “She is also one of my most demanding. Nothing but the best for her boarders, she always says.”

Rebecca smiled, then stood back and made notes as her mother tried to get the very best deal she could on the meat she ordered to be delivered on different days that week.

“And you know I want the freshest you have on the day it gets to Heaton House.” Her mother smiled at the butcher.

He smiled back with a twinkle in his eye. “I do know that, Mrs. Heaton. And I know that if I don’t deliver what I promise, you’ll be back in here with it, demanding your money back.”

“You’re certainly right about that, Mr. Kelly,” her mother agreed.

“Your word of mouth has gotten me many a new customer over the years, Mrs. Heaton. I’ll not be disappointing you.”

“Thank you. I think you are the best butcher in the neighborhood and you haven’t let me down yet.”

“Nor do I intend to. You ladies have a nice day.”

“The same to you,” Rebecca’s mother said.

They walked out and Rebecca linked arms with her mother. “You certainly know how to do business with these people, Mama. I have much to learn.”

“You’ll do fine. You catch on quickly. Ben told me you’ll be ready for advanced bookkeeping in no time at all.”

“He did?”

“Yes, he did.”

The fact that Ben truly did think she was intelligent made Rebecca feel she could learn whatever she needed to so that she could find a good position when the time was right. For right now, she was enjoying learning again and spending time with her mother. And she found herself looking forward to attending class at the Y the next evening.