As dinnertime came closer, Alice pulled Emma and Helen into the kitchen as well and assigned all of them chores—putting food in serving dishes, setting the table, lighting candles, pouring milk for the children and water for adults. Pearl was glad to see she was included as an adult and given water instead of milk. Until recently, her father hadn’t seen her that way. Pearl tried to stay in the dining room where she could keep an eye on John, her father, and the younger girls.
Howie and Mrs. Donohue arrived, Howie carrying a covered pan containing his mother’s famous cobbler. “I had to use the apples I canned last year. I would have used fresh if they weren’t out of season right now,” Mrs. Donohue said apologetically as Howie carried the pan into the kitchen. On the other side of the swinging door, Pearl heard Alice exclaim over the treat. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“We don’t mind,” Emma said and then turned to John. “Mrs. Donohue makes the best cobbler. We all love it.”
Mrs. Donohue looked over her glasses at him. “You must be John Lawrence, here to help at the mill this summer.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m Mrs. Donohue from down the road. My son, Howie, and I will most likely be seeing a lot of you.”
“I certainly hope so, ma’am.” He smiled. “I’m very pleased to meet you.”
Later, after they were all seated around the dinner table and Alice had served the food, the questions from Mrs. Donohue to John began. Inwardly, Pearl groaned at the nosy way she kept probing at him, interrogating him under the guise of polite conversation. “So, Mr. Lawrence, you’re from Gladly Falls, north of here, is that right?”
John’s fork stopped halfway between his plate and his mouth. “Yes, ma’am.”
Her father spoke up. “We’re lucky John was able to come and help us, what with Wendall being laid up for the next few months.” Wendall had worked for their father at the mill all Pearl’s life. He was a good-hearted fellow but not all that swift in the head, and he had a fondness for the drink, far beyond what was usual for the men in their town. As of the week before last, he was laid up with a broken arm, a damaged shoulder, and a cracked pelvic bone, injuries that came from falling off the roof of his mother’s house. The doctor said he was lucky to be alive. Pearl secretly wondered if he’d escaped death because he was so pickled that he’d tumbled down gently instead of crashing to the ground.
“So is there no work for a young man such as yourself in Gladly Falls, Mr. Lawrence, that you had to come all the way here?” Mrs. Donohue speared a piece of potato and examined it before putting it in her mouth. Her tone was accusatory, but John didn’t seem to take it that way.
“Please call me John,” he said. “Gladly Falls is a very small town.” They all waited for him to say more, but he left it at that.
“I, for one, am very happy John is here to help,” Father said. “He’s a college man, Mrs. Donohue, and is set on becoming a doctor. I understand he saves every penny for tuition and his other expenses.” Their father smiled in John’s direction; he had a high regard for those who were thrifty and valued education.
Mrs. Donohue brightened at this. “Oh? A doctor! My Howie is quite the scholar himself. He will be heading off to the university after he finishes high school next year.” Howie flushed in embarrassment and kept his head down. “Perhaps you can tell Howie what he can expect at the university. No one around here continues their education much past primary school. Where is it you attend classes, Mr. Lawrence?”
“The Marquette University School of Medicine in Milwaukee.”
“I’ve heard good things about Marquette.”
“All true, ma’am.”
“Your parents must be very pleased.” Mrs. Donohue herself swelled with pride, looking at Howie as she spoke. “A son who is to be a doctor! My word, that’s quite an accomplishment.”
John nodded thoughtfully. “My mother is very proud and will be prouder still once I graduate.”
She frowned. “But is your father not proud as well?”
“It’s just my mother and myself,” John said, his head held high.
“A boy without a father. Such a shame.”
Their father broke into the conversation. “You of all people must understand, Mrs. Donohue, seeing as how you’ve done such a wonderful job raising Howie. The loss of a father leaves a tremendous void, but life goes on.”
“Of course,” she said hurriedly. “I’m sorry to have broached the subject.”
“No need to apologize,” John said. Pearl got the impression this wasn’t the first time he’d been asked about his father.
“It’s just so surprising to see another young man at this table. It’s usually just the Bennett girls and my Howie. Tell me,” she said, leaning forward to speak to Pearl’s father, “how is it that your family is related to young Mr. Lawrence?” The flame of the candle directly in front of her flickered.
Pearl found herself looking at Howie and rolling her eyes to signal that she thought his mother was a busybody. Despite his loyalty to his mother, his fondness for Pearl won out, and he grinned at her.
Their father said, “John’s mother has worked for my cousin’s family for a number of years. They consider John and his mother to be like family, and that is how we will think of John as well.” He cocked his head to one side. “I have long been outnumbered in this household, so I welcome John as I’d welcome a son. I’m very glad he is here to be my right-hand man.” He said it as if the subject was closed, but Mrs. Donohue couldn’t resist one more comment.
“A welcome addition, but having a young man around does change things, does it not?” She raised her eyebrows and looked from Pearl to Alice and then around the table to the other girls. “There’s so much to consider with so many young ladies in the household.”
“That is true,” their father agreed.
“You don’t have to worry, Mrs. Donohue. John will be sleeping in the barn,” Pearl said.
“Pearl!” Mrs. Donohue shrieked.
Their father sighed. “Pearl, where our guest will be staying is not appropriate dinnertime conversation.”
“Especially in mixed company.” Mrs. Donohue’s eyebrows knit sternly together. “You should know that, Pearl. A lady’s moral virtue is so important. If you want to be a respectable member of society, you need to think before you speak.”
“I’m sorry,” Pearl said meekly.
John just nodded and said, “Apology accepted. No harm done.” He turned to Howie. “Since we’ll be neighbors, perhaps you can show me how things are done around here.”
“I’d be happy to,” Howie said.
“Howie is always glad to serve,” Mrs. Donohue declared. “He follows the path of Jesus in that way.”
“Of course,” their father said. “He’s a fine young man and a credit to his mother.”
Mrs. Donohue beamed with pride and turned back to her cobbler.
“This is delicious,” Alice said, indicating her plate. “And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Daisy would lick the pan if I’d let her.”