Their Road to Redemption by Patrice Lewis

Author:Patrice Lewis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-03-30T14:59:27+00:00

* * *

Thomas rose from his chair, stretched out his back and shut the ledgers on the desk in front of him. It was just a few minutes before the store closed for the day, and he went toward the cash register, as was his habit, to get the day’s tally.

Mabel was busy adding up numbers, and he knew better than to disturb her concentration. Idly, he watched as Abe gently rounded up a few straggling customers, letting them know the store would be closing shortly. Amos Yoder had already closed down the bakery and coffee sections and was busy disinfecting the playthings in the toddler area. All in all, it was a typical end-of-day routine.

He wondered how Emma’s appointment had gone.

“Ready,” called Mabel.

“Ja, gut,” he replied. He joined her behind the cash register and, together, they recorded the day’s sales and provided Thomas with the following morning’s list of vendor payouts.

The bell over the door jingled and Thomas looked up to see Emma, two bright spots of color in her cheeks. He smiled, but his words of greeting died in his mouth.

She looked shell-shocked, walking like an automaton. She ignored him and zeroed in on Mabel, who was still fussing with the day’s receipts.

“How did it go?” he inquired as she approached the cash register.

“Mabel, do you and Abe have a moment?” she asked in a strained voice. “I have a question for you.”

Mabel looked at her in surprise. “Ja, sure,” the older woman answered and raised her voice. “Abe? Emma’s here. She has a question...”

Abe lumbered over. “Guder nammidaag, Emma. How did your appointment with the banker go?”

Thomas noticed Emma’s hands shook as she cleared her throat.

“I have a serious question to ask you both,” she said. “Would you consider cosigning a loan for me to secure the loan I need to open a store next door?”

There was a shocked silence. Thomas watched as Abe and Mabel exchanged a lightning glance. The air became heavy with the pregnant pause.

“No,” Thomas said into the void. “Abe and Mabel, I do not recommend this.”

Emma whirled. “Who asked you?” she hissed in a vicious tone as she glared at him.

“Nobody,” he replied, keeping his voice even. “But as the store’s bookkeeper, it’s my business to safeguard the Yoders’ business interests. If you’re asking them to cosign a loan, I can only imagine it’s because the banker turned you down. That must mean he didn’t feel your business plan was strong enough to justify the risk. So, no, I don’t recommend the Yoders should cosign a loan for you.”

“Emma, dear, you know we’d do anything for you,” inserted Abe gently. “But I can’t help but feel Thomas is right in this instance.”

“Ja,” agreed Mabel. “If the bank turned you down, we can’t jeopardize our own business by funding something that might fail. We’ve worked too hard to take a risk like that.”

“This is your fault.” Emma turned furiously upon Thomas. “You’re trying to thwart my plans.”

“Emma!” exclaimed Abe.

Her words cut across Thomas like a knife, but he knew he was in the right.

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