“Let go of me.”
He was surprised and stepped back, dropping his hold. “I didn’t mean any harm. Just wanted to persuade you to go with me.”
“Well, that isn’t the way to do it.” She felt her cheeks flush. “I’m sorry for hitting you. I don’t know what came over me.”
“Is there a problem?”
Susanna was relieved to hear Owen’s voice. She looked at him and smiled. “I’m afraid I overreacted. Hercules was just asking me to lunch, and I told him no, but then my nerves got the best of me. I am sorry, Herc.”
The boomer nodded. “Me too. Your brother wouldn’t take kindly to me manhandling his sister. I don’t know what got into me. Guess I was just excited.”
She nodded. “Well, let’s forget about it.”
Herc glanced at Owen and then nodded. “Good idea. Nice to see you, Mrs. Jenkins. Owen.” He quickly walked away.
“I don’t know exactly what all just happened,” Owen said, “but I wondered if you wanted to go to lunch with me.”
She turned to face him. “I’d like that very much, but could we just grab a couple of sandwiches and go sit by the river? It’s such a beautiful day, and the rains have stopped. I’d like very much to be outside.”
“I think that sounds great.”
“Oh, I’d like to change my clothes.”
Owen nodded. “Why don’t I go to the Harvey House and get us some food while you go change?”
“That sounds perfect.”
He hesitated a moment. “I, uh, want to say something about you getting saved, but I’m not sure what a person should say.”
She laughed. “Especially given the fact that I’ve already spent most of my life believing in God and Jesus and going to church. But somehow it just felt important to confess it with Pastor Lewis.”
He shrugged. “No one can doubt your intentions now. Maybe it’s a good thing to make it public so folks know what you stand for.”
“That sounds right. Now they all know I stand for Jesus.”
Owen pointed down the street. “It looks like they’re getting quite the line at the Harvey House. I’d better get over there.”
“No. I have a better idea.” They were already close to the river. “Why don’t we just take a walk? We can go back to the hotel afterward, I’ll fix some sandwiches, and we can eat there. I have some other things Lia brought over too. We can have a veritable feast. Right now I just feel like walking.”
“And you don’t mind not changing your clothes?”
“I’m fine, if you don’t mind carrying your Bible.”
“It’s not that heavy.” Owen tucked it under his arm.
They walked for a while, enjoying the river and the picturesque way it cut through the desert. Susanna hadn’t been this happy since Mark was alive and well. Owen gave her a feeling of joy and security that had long been missing. She knew without a doubt she was starting to have strong feelings for him.
“I’m glad you wanted to go for a walk,” Owen said. “I like the way it makes me feel at peace.”
“Yes.” She looked over at him and found him watching her. She smiled and returned her gaze straight ahead. What must he think of her? She had suggested this time alone.
“How are things with your folks?” he asked.
“About the same. They’re starting to be quite vocal about this all being my fault. At first it was Uncle Harrison’s fault, but now it’s mine because I could have helped them remain in Topeka and never let them know I had the means.”
“How could you have kept them in Topeka?”
She smiled. “The money Mark left me.”
“Oh, that. Of course.” He shook his head. “I am sorry.”
She liked the way he’d responded as if the money didn’t matter. “Money changes everything.”
“If it helps,” he said, chuckling, “I have a sizable bank account myself. Without family or a wife to support, I’ve been able to put away most of my salary these last fifteen years.”
She laughed. “Well, good. We can rest assured that we don’t need each other’s money.” She paused and sobered. “Actually, that is very nice to know.”
He nodded. “I suppose it is. Folks are always taking advantage of each other, it seems.”
“Especially in my family. Money has corrupted everything.” She shook her head and thought of how sad it was to admit such a thing. Her parents had never found contentment and probably never would. “As I said, at first my parents could blame Uncle Harrison, and now they can blame me. Mother has schemed to get me to give her large amounts of money, even telling me that she’s ill and needs to go to California to see a doctor.” Susanna shook her head. “Honestly, if I thought it would make things right for them, I would give all I have.”
“But it won’t fix the problem.”
“No,” she admitted. “I’m not sure anything will. Neither Father nor Mother will admit their part in their circumstances.” She stopped and turned to face Owen. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this. I suppose I just need a friend to help me bear the burden, but you certainly didn’t ask for that.”
He touched her arm. “I’m asking for it now. I’ve come to care for you, Susanna. I think you know that.”
She gave a little sigh. “I know that I’ve come to care for you. I enjoy our talks and time together. I’m just sorry that you seem so intricately drawn into my family’s problems. I know Gary isn’t working out well. I can tell by the way he acts around you.”
“It’s true. He’s a real problem, and I fear I will have to move him to another department. He’s begged me not to do that, but I think it’s only because he fears someone else wouldn’t be as lenient.”
“Most likely.”
Owen glanced down at the ground. “I don’t know what to do. There are times when I think he’s really trying, and other times he reminds me of my brother.”
“How is that?”
“Daniel wouldn’t listen either. Or if he did, he wouldn’t do what he was supposed to do. He died in an accident at the shops, and it was because he wouldn’t follow procedure. It killed another man too. My father blamed me, and when he died a year later, I’m ashamed to say I felt mostly relief. Relief that he couldn’t go on blaming me.”
“I’m so sorry, Owen.”
“Daniel was so spoiled. Mom died when he was just two. Our grandparents raised us after that. Our father was a train engineer and gone most of the time. Daniel was allowed to do anything he wanted. I was already twelve and was expected to be helpful, to watch over him. I was angry at my mother’s death and closed myself off from other people. No one had time to worry about it, so I just kept on being that way. When Grandma and Grandpa died, it only made me more determined never to be close to anyone. It wasn’t until I came here and met Pastor Lewis that I learned to open up again. Even so, I don’t make a lot of friends. Just a few at a time. It seems safer that way.”
“I understand. Mark, my husband, was my only real friend for most of my life. A couple of girls befriended me, but their friendship was so superficial that I lost interest. It seemed wrong to invest so much time and energy in something that wasn’t real.”