Father was gone before she could offer any protest or encouragement. That was best for now, she figured. Uncle Harrison was beyond angry.
“I’m sorry for interfering,” Susanna said after her father had gone. “I’m afraid I’ve made a mess of things.”
“Tell me about this house they’re living in.”
“I bought it. Mother immediately started in upon our arrival and was so unreasonable I could hardly bear it. She was ready to climb aboard a train bound for who knows where, and of course Father would have followed. I thought maybe if I found them a better situation, they would both relax and see the blessings they had to work with. Instead, it has only made matters worse. Mother refuses to do anything for herself, and so it fell to me. Frankly, I don’t have time to keep up with the cleaning and laundry here and take care of the family at the same time. I hired a lady from church to help with cooking and cleaning at the house.”
“So they are back to being waited on hand and foot.”
“If not by this woman, it would be by me. I’m afraid I can’t long bear my mother’s sobbing and complaints.”
“Susanna, you must be strong. I asked you to come here to be my eyes and ears, not to make matters worse.” Her uncle, although understanding, was firm in his tone. “Your mother has to learn to take care of things for herself. She needs to take over this hotel and know what it is to work. Your father needs the same thing. Perhaps you should go back to Topeka.”
She thought of Owen and shook her head. “I don’t think that’s the answer.”
“Perhaps not, but without you here, they can hardly expect you to do everything.”
“Well, at least father has been coming to work regularly every morning. And at dawn. He wants to be here to check people out as they leave and make certain they pay their bill. He appears to be trying to do what you asked of him.”
“No, because he isn’t living here and taking full responsibility. He was to live here and be the hotel’s full-time manager. Your mother was to clean and maintain the laundry for each room. They were to endure this punishment to teach them to appreciate what they had. They have no more understanding of why they’re here than when I first imposed this punishment on them.”
“I doubt they ever will. They’re set in their ways, Uncle Harrison. The lessons should have come when Father was young.”
“Believe me, there were lessons aplenty. Your grandfather was more than patient.”
“Hello, I am here,” announced a voice from the lobby.
“That will be Manuel. He’ll watch the front desk in case someone comes to check in. It’s doubtful, since we won’t have a train in until later today, but I told Father he shouldn’t just lock the front door and expect that there would be no one.”
“Of course not. It’s a business,” the older man said, rolling his gaze heavenward. “Oh, it vexes me.” He shook his head. “Who is this boy, Manuel? Is he reliable?”
“Yes, of course. He’s a sort of adopted son to our pastor and his wife. Manuel’s family died during an epidemic when he was quite young. The pastor and his wife took him in, and he’s been with them ever since. He’s quite reliable. Why don’t you let me introduce you?”
Susanna went to greet Manuel. “Manuel, this is my uncle, Harrison Ragsdale. He owns this hotel.”
Her uncle looked at the young man and gave a nod.
Manuel was wearing an older but neat suit with a white shirt and starched collar. He smiled and greeted the older man. “I’m glad to meet you.”
Uncle Harrison nodded again but said nothing.
“Someone will be back by one o’clock,” Susanna promised.
With her uncle beside her, Susanna led the way to the little house. She prayed her father and mother would both realize the importance of this visit and take it seriously. She prayed her mother would stop with her pretenses and avoidances and face the truth of what was expected of her. Most of all, Susanna prayed for peace between her parents and uncle.
Uncle Harrison was impressed with the coolness of the house and immediately expressed as much. He handed Susanna his hat. “It’s remarkable that the adobe accounts for this. I must order a study of this, for I plan to build additional hotels in the south. It would be to my benefit to consider this manner of construction.”
Susanna drew Lia out of the kitchen. “Uncle Harrison, this is Lia Branson. She helps out a few hours each day and has made our luncheon.”
“I am happy to meet you,” Lia declared with a smile. “I will have your lunch ready soon.”
Mother and Father came out of their bedroom. Mother looked more than a little miffed at the interruption to her day.
“Harrison,” she said, nodding. “I see you have come.”
“Gladys.” He gave a nodding bow. “You are looking fit.”
“I am hardly that. I’ve been wasting away. This climate is not good for me at all.”
He chuckled. “Well, for someone on death’s door, you look remarkably well.”
She frowned and shook her head. “I can see you are without reason.”
“I have plenty of reason, my dear lady.” Uncle Harrison looked around the small living area and then to the door Susanna’s folks had just come through. “I presume that is a bedroom.”
Susanna nodded. “And on the opposite side is another small room where Gary stays.”
“But we will soon change that and get him to stay at the hotel with you. Honestly, Herbert, you lack all sense in letting your widowed daughter live there alone. What were you thinking? As I made clear, the hotel was where you and Gladys were to live.”
“I cannot abide that place. I simply cannot. It’s much too hot, and I will faint if I have to stay there even an hour,” Susanna’s mother said, shaking her index finger at her brother-in-law. “You are heartless, and I wonder what your wife would say if you imposed the same on her.”
“My wife understands her station and has never put on the airs that you do, madam.”
“Oh!” Mother huffed.
“As I was telling Herbert at the hotel, the entire idea of you coming here was to learn how to work for your living. To see the value in going at an investment from the inside out. Learning to appreciate what you have, rather than constantly trying to get what you don’t.”
Mother took out her fan and began to wave it rapidly. Susanna feared she might decide to faint for dramatic effect and jumped in.
“I’m sure Gary won’t mind coming to the hotel, Uncle. There’s room enough for both of us to stay there quite comfortably.”
“Hardly,” Mother said, pausing the fan. “There was only one main room with two tiny bedrooms. Jail cells are bigger than what you sentenced us with.”
“And your husband could just as easily end up in one, if he doesn’t learn to manage his money better,” Uncle Harrison responded. “Do you realize the conman who robbed you is being hunted by the government? He is responsible for criminal acts against the government. What if he chooses to implicate your husband as a partner in his acts?”
“He wouldn’t dare. Herbert has never done anything criminal.”
Susanna saw her father’s face pale. This meeting was getting worse by the minute. Thankfully, Lia was setting the table with food.