A Flood of Love by Tracie Peterson

Author:Tracie Peterson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction, FIC042110, FIC042030
ISBN: 9781493417117
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2020-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Katiann came into the Harvey House as she often did, but this time she plopped down at the lunch counter and gave a heavy sigh. “I’m in a snit.”

Gretchen raised a brow. “A snit?” She forced back a smile. “Why are you in a snit?”

“Mrs. Escalante quit.” The child planted her elbows on the counter. “And for no good reason.”

Knowing Katiann’s rambunctiousness and ability to try the patience of everyone around her, Gretchen could imagine many good reasons for the old woman to give her notice.

“Why don’t I get you a piece of pie, and you can tell me about it?” Gretchen went to the pie case and chose Katiann’s favorite custard pie. She put the huge Harvey House-sized slice in front of the child, then grabbed two forks. Since no one else was in the dining room, she decided to break the rules and eat with Katiann before the next train filled the house with hungry passengers.

Katiann picked up the fork. “It’s just not fair. Daddy is going to be so mad. He made me promise not to aggravate this one.” She took a bite of the pie and shook her head.

“Well, sometimes the things we think are acceptable . . . aren’t. You know that Mrs. Escalante likes to know where you are at all times, and still you run off. Like right now, I bet she doesn’t know you’re here.”

“She doesn’t care ’cause she quit,” Katiann said around a mouthful of pie.

Gretchen ate a bite and tried to figure out how to soften the consequences for the child. She hated to think of Dirk punishing her.

“The worst of it is that Daddy is going to come home from work, and there’ll be no supper. He hates that. He likes to clean up and then have supper right away. I think it’s ’cause he doesn’t always stop for lunch. But now Mrs. Escalante is gone, and there’s no supper. Just chicken sitting in the icebox.”

“Well, how about this? I complete my work in about an hour. Then I can come over to your house and fix supper.”

Katiann’s entire face lit up. “Do you know how to cook chicken?”

“I do. In fact, I can make quite a few dishes using chicken. So, finish what you want of this pie.” Gretchen grabbed another quick bite for herself. “The train is due any minute, so it would be best if you took it to the kitchen and ate there.”

Katiann nodded, picking up the plate. “Thanks, Gretchen. You saved my bacon.”

Gretchen felt her lips twitch. “‘Saved your bacon’? Where’d you learn to talk like that?”

Katiann shrugged. “The Horney Toad men, of course.”

“Well, I wouldn’t get your hopes up completely. Your father will still have something to say about all of this. After all, who’s going to fix supper tomorrow?”

“Why can’t you? I mean, if you can really cook.”

Gretchen rolled her eyes. “I can really cook, but I have a job here, and your father will need someone to care for you.”

“I’m old enough to take care of myself.

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