Triple Creek Ranch - Part 18

Hello Friday Fiction Fans!
I'm actually getting this ready to post Thursday night since I'll be leaving about 6:00 AM to head over to help finish setting up for the conference. We spent most of today setting up, but there is still more to do.
Let me see, this week has been busy, but it was nice to be home until Wednesday. On Saturday Mom and I went to Connie's to check our booth since it had been two weeks since we'd been there. I got a new hat. :) Then we went to get our birthday sundaes at Culver's. Yum.
On Sunday there were no babies at church! :( But I did get a nap when we got home.
Monday came and suddenly there were only two days before we left again! Yikes! I had to get things done and that evening we went over to my brother's for supper and to help out some.
Mom and I went over to my brother's and worked. I played with the kiddos some and helped get DVDs on the spinner racks.
Mom, S and I left on Wednesday morning and headed down to TX. I must say the roads in OK aren't that great. They haven't been improved at all since we used to drive down to Big Sandy to visit my brother when he was in ALERT. :P
And like I said, today was busy setting up.


I got a little writing done Monday night, but not much.
Hope you enjoy this next part of Triple Creek Ranch. :)

Part 18

    This she did with her head high and her nose tipped up. She knew she was causing a sensation with her dress and her fine hat, and, if the truth be told, she thoroughly enjoyed it.
    Orlena didn’t hear a word of the sermon that morning, for her eyes were busy taking in every detail of the small country church and her mind was calculating just how much the dresses and hats which she could see before her cost and comparing them in her mind to her own wardrobe. Her lip curled slightly at the thought of the difference between them. Orlena had never been taught to think of much else besides herself and money and had never learned the joy of loving Jesus and serving Him; she had never even known of anyone who followed their Savior in their daily life except Mrs. O’Connor, until her grandmother’s death had brought her to Triple Creek Ranch.
    Even if Orlena didn’t hear the sermon, Norman and Jenelle did, and were helped.
    “Thou hast planted my feet on the Rock and established my goings.” Mr. Kirby read the text once more. “If your feet are planted on the Rock of Jesus Christ,” he said, “your goings, your ways, yes, and even the trials which seem so hard to bear, have been placed before you by a loving Saviour that your faith might be established more firmly. So, if you feel overwhelmed by life, go to your Rock, that Rock in a weary land which cannot change, go to Him for strength and He will establish you.”

    On Monday, Norman drove his wife and sister into town to do some shopping. He had some things to pick up for the ranch as well. Normally Hardrich or Lloyd or one of the other hands would have made the necessary trip for supplies, but Mr. Mavrich didn’t trust his sister’s temper, therefore, he went himself.
    It was several hours before the trio returned to the ranch, leaving busy tongues to talk in town about Triple Creek’s newest member. Orlena had made it very clear that she disapproved of nearly everything she saw. Having discovered that no rich silks or expensive real lace were to be had in the small store, she left everything up to Jenelle, merely sniffing when asked an opinion and remarking that “it might do for a servant or a cook.”
    Jenelle had been much relieved when Norman had left them to do their own shopping while he did his, for she was afraid some of his sister’s remarks would not have settled well with him. It was difficult to deal with Orlena, Jenelle admitted that, but she also realized the wisdom of a quiet answer, or in some cases, no answer at all.

    Being too tired to work on new clothes when they returned, Jenelle laid aside the material for another day.
    “I wonder if Orlena will enjoy sewing her own clothes?” Mrs. Mavrich mused while she drew the curtains in the front room to shut out the afternoon sun. Then another thought struck her and she paused. How could she have forgotten that today was the day the entire ranch ate together? What would Orlena think of eating with the ranch hands? Should she tell her or wait and let her find out when it was time to eat?
    “Perhaps it would be best to wait. At least for the time being.” Jenelle sighed and brushed a few stray pieces of hair off her face. Brightening suddenly, she smiled. “I’ll have help with the meal tonight at least,” she whispered.
    She wouldn’t have admitted it to anyone, but the fierce heat as well as the extra work and stress her young sister was causing had made her more tired that she had been for a while. Tonight would be different for on Monday nights Al St. John, the bunk house cook came to lend a hand. Al also worked with the others, but when it came to cooking, all the hands agreed that no one, with the exception of Mrs. Mavrich, could cook like big St. John.

    Out in the fields, Norman turned to his husky field hand and crew chef. “St. John, be sure you don’t let my wife do much cooking tonight. She’s worn out.”
    “How am I supposed to do that, Boss, when she’s the one in charge?”
    There was a general smile among the ranch hands for it was a well known fact that since Norman Mavrich had brought his wife to the Triple Creek, things about the house had been under the management of Mrs. Mavrich. No one had ever complained, for Jenelle ran the house smoothly and treated the men as friends not just as hired hands.
    After thinking a minute, Norman spoke. “I’ll send Hearter to help out and you can tell Mrs. Mavrich I said for her to take it easy.”
    Al St. John nodded and grinned. “I can do that, Boss.” Then he turned to his future assistant. “How good are you at scrubbin’ taters?” he asked.
    “Don’t know,” Lloyd retorted pushing back his hat. “Never scrubbed ‘em. I just ate ‘em dirt an’ all.”
    A roar of laughter greeted this comeback before the hands returned to their work.

    Thus it was that Jenelle, attired in her kitchen apron with her sleeves rolled up, turned around in surprise as not only Al came in, but Lloyd too. St. John delivered Norman’s message and Jenelle smiled. She understood and appreciated her husbands kindness in sending extra kitchen help.
    “If you both work on the meal,” she complained with a laugh, “what will I do?”
    The two men looked at each other in confusion. How were they to know what the lady of the house should do?
    Smiling at their bewilderment, Jenelle put them at ease by saying, “I’ll tell you what, I’ll set the table and if you should need anything, you can let me know.”