Journey to Forgiveness by Laurean Brooks

Author:Laurean Brooks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: White Rose Publishing (an entity of Pelican Ventures, LLC)
Published: 2009-01-21T00:00:00+00:00

Journey to Forgiveness

Chapter Twelve

Jenny would make sure Austin Grant had no opportunity to sit next to her at the evening meal. During breakfast and lunch, the women served the men first, eating only after the crew returned to work. The evening meal was different; the ladies served the men, and then filled their plates to eat along with them. Because she had tarried in the kitchen last night, Jenny had no other choice but to sit next to Austin.

But that would not happen tonight. She would leave the kitchen as soon as the men were served, find a spot so tight that it allowed not one inch of spare room on either side. After the run-in with him earlier, Jenny was not ready to face Austin. She had overreacted as usual, losing her temper.

Jenny worked alongside her aunt, Caroline, and Trudy. The crew had devoured their lunch and the last dirty dish had been washed when Jenny glanced at the clock. Two o’clock. The little ones were napping. When they awoke, they would be bursting with energy.

One of the mothers worked in nearby Pekin. Elizabeth, Katy, and Nancy cared for her children along with their own, during the week. Jenny had volunteered to help with the little tykes this afternoon.

She turned to her aunt and spread her drying towel out on the counter. “I promised Elizabeth Daniels I would help her with the children after they wake from their naps. It looks like everything is in order here. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll check on them.”

****

Jenny lost track of time, and was left alone in the kitchen at the evening meal. Her obsession with tidying up before she filled her plate had made her last again. Well, almost last. Where was Austin? She swiped the wet dishcloth across the counter, wondering what he was doing. All the workers had moved through the line. Everyone was busy eating. Everyone but Austin. This made two nights he had been late for dinner. Someone should check on him.

But no one else suspected him of wrongdoing. It was up to her to investigate. When Jenny was younger, she had imagined herself a sleuth. This could be her chance to put it into practice. Her eyes scanned the room. Everyone appeared to be engrossed in conversation or preoccupied with eating. No one would miss her if she slipped out.

Jenny stepped out into the cool, refreshing spring air. In less than an hour, the sun would sink behind the horizon. Austin was nowhere in sight.

Then, a slight movement inside the church bus caught her attention. She flattened her back against the building and inched toward the corner. When she reached it, Jenny craned her neck to peek around the side. Her heart skipped a beat. Through the opened bus door, Austin Grant knelt in front of a metal box.

She watched him reach into the box, scoop up a stack of bills and count them. He laid a few bills back into the box, and then stuffed a sizable roll into his pants pocket.

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