Whatever Tomorrow Brings (The Californians 1) by Lori Wick Page B
Authors: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, General, Grief, Romance, tragedy, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, San Francisco (Calif.), California - History - 1850-1950, Hawaii
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have a wife. He believed that if he was to have a wife, God would provide one. But the fact that God was in control did not change his desires, the deepest of which was to have a family.
"I thought I told you to get rid of those hats Rigg," an elderly farmer spoke in a gruff, good-natured voice, causing Rigg and Jeff to smile. "They're costing me a fortune." As if on cue, the man's wife appeared with a hat on her head and one in each hand.
"I can't decide," she spoke before she saw the young men. "Oh, hello Jeff, hello Rigg."
"Hello, Mrs. Wallace," Rigg spoke. "I hope you're finding what you need."
"Well, I just can't choose between these hats. You always have such nice hats, Rigg."
"You could take all three," Rigg said with exaggerated innocence.
"Rigg!" sounded the gruff voice from the chair. Laughter was heard as the younger men chose to exit on that note.
The men were headed to Burt Kemp's office to check with him on the vacant teaching position. On the way, the teacher they'd just lost became the topic.
"Mom told me to look you over today and see if you're losing weight."
Rigg laughed. "I will admit to you that I miss Marty's cooking."
The last four schoolteachers had all been men, and Rigg's large home, situated two blocks from the school, had been the perfect place for the men to live. Rigg had gotten along very well with all of them, but he hadn't enjoyed anyone's company as much as the last one, Marty Wright.
Marty's hobby was cooking and Rigg hadn't eaten so well since he'd turned 23 and moved into his grandparents old home three years ago. But two weeks ago Marty had come down with a severe case of pneumonia. Rigg experienced the scare of his life at how quickly the younger man had gone down. School had been called off for a week, but it became clear even after it was no longer a life-and-death situation, that Marty was not going to be able to finish the school year. His parents, who lived in nearby Fulton, came and took him home to recover.
Thus, the ad was put into papers as far away as San Francisco. So far the response had been poor.
Burt Kemp was head of the school board and a kind man. He welcomed Rigg and Jeff into his cluttered office and told them no applications had come in.
"I really wish this had been settled. But I've talked with Greg Carson and he's agreed to take over for me when I leave. In fact he's coming over in a while to make sure he knows what to do."
"When do you go?" Rigg wanted to know.
"This afternoon, late." Burt said the words apologetically and shrugged.
"Don't be sorry, Burt. You need this time with your daughter. I'm sure Greg can handle it." Even as Jeff said the words, Greg's one fault came to mind. He was extremely tightfisted. It didn't often affect his position on the school board but it always made Jeff a little uncomfortable.
The men broke up later and Jeff made his way back to the shipping office that his parents, William and Mabel, May for short, ran. It was actually his father who was on the school board but he'd been tied up and asked Jeff to go with Rigg. He would fill him in after the next stagecoach was unloaded. It was due any time.
The stagecoach, with its weary travelers, slowed and came to a complete stop near the shipping office.
On the trip Marcail had fallen asleep and was now revived to full energy. Even Sean had dozed off and didn't look very tired. Kaitlin, on the other hand, was not sure her legs were going to hold her. Every muscle in her body ached and her mouth and throat were so dry they felt as if they had been stuffed with an old rag.
A young man who should be in school, Kaitlin thought vaguely, helped them with their bags and when Sean asked directions to Burt Kemp's office, he gave them politely.
"Who was that?" Jeff approached, as the Donovans walked away.
"I don't know," Nathan Taylor answered. Nate was Jeff's youngest brother. "They're headed to Burt's. I hope he's not a schoolteacher."
"I'll bet you do," Jeff laughed,
"I thought I told you to get rid of those hats Rigg," an elderly farmer spoke in a gruff, good-natured voice, causing Rigg and Jeff to smile. "They're costing me a fortune." As if on cue, the man's wife appeared with a hat on her head and one in each hand.
"I can't decide," she spoke before she saw the young men. "Oh, hello Jeff, hello Rigg."
"Hello, Mrs. Wallace," Rigg spoke. "I hope you're finding what you need."
"Well, I just can't choose between these hats. You always have such nice hats, Rigg."
"You could take all three," Rigg said with exaggerated innocence.
"Rigg!" sounded the gruff voice from the chair. Laughter was heard as the younger men chose to exit on that note.
The men were headed to Burt Kemp's office to check with him on the vacant teaching position. On the way, the teacher they'd just lost became the topic.
"Mom told me to look you over today and see if you're losing weight."
Rigg laughed. "I will admit to you that I miss Marty's cooking."
The last four schoolteachers had all been men, and Rigg's large home, situated two blocks from the school, had been the perfect place for the men to live. Rigg had gotten along very well with all of them, but he hadn't enjoyed anyone's company as much as the last one, Marty Wright.
Marty's hobby was cooking and Rigg hadn't eaten so well since he'd turned 23 and moved into his grandparents old home three years ago. But two weeks ago Marty had come down with a severe case of pneumonia. Rigg experienced the scare of his life at how quickly the younger man had gone down. School had been called off for a week, but it became clear even after it was no longer a life-and-death situation, that Marty was not going to be able to finish the school year. His parents, who lived in nearby Fulton, came and took him home to recover.
Thus, the ad was put into papers as far away as San Francisco. So far the response had been poor.
Burt Kemp was head of the school board and a kind man. He welcomed Rigg and Jeff into his cluttered office and told them no applications had come in.
"I really wish this had been settled. But I've talked with Greg Carson and he's agreed to take over for me when I leave. In fact he's coming over in a while to make sure he knows what to do."
"When do you go?" Rigg wanted to know.
"This afternoon, late." Burt said the words apologetically and shrugged.
"Don't be sorry, Burt. You need this time with your daughter. I'm sure Greg can handle it." Even as Jeff said the words, Greg's one fault came to mind. He was extremely tightfisted. It didn't often affect his position on the school board but it always made Jeff a little uncomfortable.
The men broke up later and Jeff made his way back to the shipping office that his parents, William and Mabel, May for short, ran. It was actually his father who was on the school board but he'd been tied up and asked Jeff to go with Rigg. He would fill him in after the next stagecoach was unloaded. It was due any time.
The stagecoach, with its weary travelers, slowed and came to a complete stop near the shipping office.
On the trip Marcail had fallen asleep and was now revived to full energy. Even Sean had dozed off and didn't look very tired. Kaitlin, on the other hand, was not sure her legs were going to hold her. Every muscle in her body ached and her mouth and throat were so dry they felt as if they had been stuffed with an old rag.
A young man who should be in school, Kaitlin thought vaguely, helped them with their bags and when Sean asked directions to Burt Kemp's office, he gave them politely.
"Who was that?" Jeff approached, as the Donovans walked away.
"I don't know," Nathan Taylor answered. Nate was Jeff's youngest brother. "They're headed to Burt's. I hope he's not a schoolteacher."
"I'll bet you do," Jeff laughed,
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