Read Online Peppermint Sticks for Susie by Joannie Kay - Free Book Online
Authors: Joannie Kay
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good here."
"It is. But, it depends on what the special of the day is. You might be better off ordering the special." Jennifer spoke with the wisdom of experience. She had lunch in the restaurant nearly every day... except for Sunday, when she used to eat at the boarding house. Mrs. Neely didn't offer lunch to her boarders... except for Sunday.
They were seated immediately since the waitress recognized Jennifer and knew she needed to get back to work as soon as she finished eating. When one of the cowboys loudly complained that he was there first, Stephanie gave him a look and said, "You're in town for the day to pick up supplies, Buck. Miss Jenny has to get back to the store in a flash. You've got plenty of time."
"Yeah, I do," Buck agreed, then added mournfully, "But I'm hongry, Miss Stephanie!" Everyone in the restaurant laughed, including Buck.
"Someone throw this man a bone to chaw on!" Stephanie called over her shoulder, and there was laughter as another cowboy from a different ranch tossed Buck a biscuit.
"Glad y'all took me at my word," Buck said happily as he promptly took a bite of the biscuit while he waited for the next seat to open up.
"The special today is baked ham, with mashed taters, biscuits, and red-eye gravy," Stephanie leaned down to tell them. "You'd be best to order the fried chicken today, Miss Jenny. That gravy is too salty for my taste!"
"We'll both have fried chicken then, ma'am," Alex spoke up. Stephanie nodded and took off before he could ask for anything else.
Jennifer couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face. "Don't worry, Alex. Stephanie will bring us what is good. She's been taking care of me every day for lunch for the last few years now... since my folks were killed and I went to work for Mr. MacGregor."
"It's none of my business, but why did you move out of your home? Didn't your parents leave it to you?"
"Papa had a mortgage, and since I was only sixteen, the bank insisted the house be sold to pay off the bank. It sold for a bit more, and after I sold off the furniture, I built up a nice little nest egg. I try very hard to live on the money I earn working for Mr. McGregor, and keep a bit back, too. That was what I had to get out of Mrs. Neely's house before I left. I had a small purse hidden with close to two hundred dollars in it," she whispered.
"Why didn't you put that in the bank, Jenny?"
She shrugged. "Banks are robbed. I have a pretty large account there, but I don't believe in having every cent I own in the same place. And, what if I need some money in a hurry? This way I can just go home and grab it."
"So, you have a large amount in your bedroom at the Beckley's?" Alex demanded. "What if the house burned to the ground?" He was exasperated with her.
"Then I have money in the bank I can fall back on," she said calmly, then smiled at him when he rolled his eyes upward.
"Jenny, if you have that much money, then why are you stealing peppermint sticks for Susie from Angus?" Alex demanded.
"He needs to learn to be more generous; and the mon can afford it!" she said, imitating his brogue. "If he was having troubles with his business, I would pay him. And, I will make sure he is paid from now on. He wasn't interested in the fact that YOU paid for the last ones. He thought I was committing a crime and I needed a lesson with his tawse. You were right when you accused me of being angry that night. I was... and embarrassed, too. I also want to talk to you, Alex."
"I'll hear you out, but I doubt you are going to change my mind. You flat out disobeyed me and earned yourself a switching in the process."
"Shhhhhh!" she whispered, hoping that Stephanie didn't hear what Alex said since she was rushing toward them with a tray of food.
"Now, y'all eat up. I'll bring out pie and coffee later...?" She looked at Alex questioningly. "That's the way Miss Jenny likes hers...?"
Alex looked at the tall glasses of milk the woman brought and nodded happily. "You do it up proud,
"It is. But, it depends on what the special of the day is. You might be better off ordering the special." Jennifer spoke with the wisdom of experience. She had lunch in the restaurant nearly every day... except for Sunday, when she used to eat at the boarding house. Mrs. Neely didn't offer lunch to her boarders... except for Sunday.
They were seated immediately since the waitress recognized Jennifer and knew she needed to get back to work as soon as she finished eating. When one of the cowboys loudly complained that he was there first, Stephanie gave him a look and said, "You're in town for the day to pick up supplies, Buck. Miss Jenny has to get back to the store in a flash. You've got plenty of time."
"Yeah, I do," Buck agreed, then added mournfully, "But I'm hongry, Miss Stephanie!" Everyone in the restaurant laughed, including Buck.
"Someone throw this man a bone to chaw on!" Stephanie called over her shoulder, and there was laughter as another cowboy from a different ranch tossed Buck a biscuit.
"Glad y'all took me at my word," Buck said happily as he promptly took a bite of the biscuit while he waited for the next seat to open up.
"The special today is baked ham, with mashed taters, biscuits, and red-eye gravy," Stephanie leaned down to tell them. "You'd be best to order the fried chicken today, Miss Jenny. That gravy is too salty for my taste!"
"We'll both have fried chicken then, ma'am," Alex spoke up. Stephanie nodded and took off before he could ask for anything else.
Jennifer couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face. "Don't worry, Alex. Stephanie will bring us what is good. She's been taking care of me every day for lunch for the last few years now... since my folks were killed and I went to work for Mr. MacGregor."
"It's none of my business, but why did you move out of your home? Didn't your parents leave it to you?"
"Papa had a mortgage, and since I was only sixteen, the bank insisted the house be sold to pay off the bank. It sold for a bit more, and after I sold off the furniture, I built up a nice little nest egg. I try very hard to live on the money I earn working for Mr. McGregor, and keep a bit back, too. That was what I had to get out of Mrs. Neely's house before I left. I had a small purse hidden with close to two hundred dollars in it," she whispered.
"Why didn't you put that in the bank, Jenny?"
She shrugged. "Banks are robbed. I have a pretty large account there, but I don't believe in having every cent I own in the same place. And, what if I need some money in a hurry? This way I can just go home and grab it."
"So, you have a large amount in your bedroom at the Beckley's?" Alex demanded. "What if the house burned to the ground?" He was exasperated with her.
"Then I have money in the bank I can fall back on," she said calmly, then smiled at him when he rolled his eyes upward.
"Jenny, if you have that much money, then why are you stealing peppermint sticks for Susie from Angus?" Alex demanded.
"He needs to learn to be more generous; and the mon can afford it!" she said, imitating his brogue. "If he was having troubles with his business, I would pay him. And, I will make sure he is paid from now on. He wasn't interested in the fact that YOU paid for the last ones. He thought I was committing a crime and I needed a lesson with his tawse. You were right when you accused me of being angry that night. I was... and embarrassed, too. I also want to talk to you, Alex."
"I'll hear you out, but I doubt you are going to change my mind. You flat out disobeyed me and earned yourself a switching in the process."
"Shhhhhh!" she whispered, hoping that Stephanie didn't hear what Alex said since she was rushing toward them with a tray of food.
"Now, y'all eat up. I'll bring out pie and coffee later...?" She looked at Alex questioningly. "That's the way Miss Jenny likes hers...?"
Alex looked at the tall glasses of milk the woman brought and nodded happily. "You do it up proud,
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