wrapped around the pipe.” He jiggled his eyebrows playfully. “Masking tape doesn’t hold up too well when there’s a leak.”
Elma looked at Thelma and rolled her eyes. “Is that what you wrapped the pipe with?”
Feeling rather foolish, Thelma could only nod.
“It’s okay,” Dad reassured her. “I will not only see that the pipe is fixed, but I’ll repair the hole in the floor beneath it.”
Mom’s eyebrows shot up. “There’s a hole in the floor? Oh, Jacob, this old house must be falling apart.” She pointed to the missing handles on a few of the cupboards. “And those aren’t the only things that need fixing. When we stepped onto the porch to come inside this afternoon, I felt like I might fall through one of those squeaky boards.”
“Actually, we’ve started making lists of things we’ve found that need to be fixed or replaced,” Elma explained. “Unfortunately, our lists keep growing, and we’ve only been here two weeks.”
“The place does need some fixing up, but I’m sure that it has a few good years left.” Dad looked over at the twins and winked. “I won’t be able to fix everything for you, but I’ll get as much done as I can while your mamm and I are here—the most important things, at least.”
“Danki, Dad. We appreciate that,” the twins both said.
I wonder if I should tell Dad about the hot water tank right now,
Thelma thought.
Guess I’ll wait until later this evening to say anything. If I bring it up now, Mom will probably get upset. I can see by her expression and the tone of her voice that she thinks we made a mistake trying to take over this place. Well, we’re determined to make a go of it, and nothing she can say will change our minds.
Thelma glanced at her sister.
At least I hope Elma’s not having any second thoughts.
Chapter 12
K athryn shivered as she stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom next door. “Did you have any hot water when you took a shower?” she asked her husband.
Jacob shook his head. “I wouldn’t say it was hot. More like lukewarm.”
She rubbed her hands over her arms. “Mine was slightly warm for a few minutes, but then it turned cold. There must be something wrong with the water tank.”
“I’ll go down to the basement and take a look at it in the morning,” he said. “We had a long day traveling and stayed up late visiting with the twins. It’s time for you and I to go to bed.”
Kathryn yawned, turning back the covers. “You’re right. Tomorrow will be a busy day, and we need to be well rested. Those girls of ours need all the help they can get. While we’re here, I want to help out as much as possible.”
“Same here. I noticed that there’s a lot of outside work to be done.”
“I wish we could be with the twins longer than a week.” Her brows furrowed. “I’m worried about them, Jacob. They took on a huge task when they moved here, and to do it all by themselves, well, I think it’s way too much. If they had husbands it wouldn’t be so bad, but at the rate things are going, it doesn’t look like either of them will ever get married.”
“Never say never.” Jacob placed his hands gently on her shoulders. “You worry too much, Kathryn. If the good Lord wants our daughters to have mates, then it will happen in His time. And as far as them taking on the job of running my folks’ store and keeping up with this place… I think they’re up to the challenge. They made it through two weeks. Even with all they’ve found wrong so far, it sounds like they’re determined to make it work. We should be pleased to have daughters who don’t give up so easily.” He bent his head and kissed Kathryn’s cheek. “Now let’s go to bed and try to get a good night’s sleep.” Jacob waited for her to climb into bed before he turned off the gas lamp.
Kathryn drew in a deep breath and released it slowly.
Jacob may think the twins are up to the challenge, but I’m their mother, and I could tell the
Elma looked at Thelma and rolled her eyes. “Is that what you wrapped the pipe with?”
Feeling rather foolish, Thelma could only nod.
“It’s okay,” Dad reassured her. “I will not only see that the pipe is fixed, but I’ll repair the hole in the floor beneath it.”
Mom’s eyebrows shot up. “There’s a hole in the floor? Oh, Jacob, this old house must be falling apart.” She pointed to the missing handles on a few of the cupboards. “And those aren’t the only things that need fixing. When we stepped onto the porch to come inside this afternoon, I felt like I might fall through one of those squeaky boards.”
“Actually, we’ve started making lists of things we’ve found that need to be fixed or replaced,” Elma explained. “Unfortunately, our lists keep growing, and we’ve only been here two weeks.”
“The place does need some fixing up, but I’m sure that it has a few good years left.” Dad looked over at the twins and winked. “I won’t be able to fix everything for you, but I’ll get as much done as I can while your mamm and I are here—the most important things, at least.”
“Danki, Dad. We appreciate that,” the twins both said.
I wonder if I should tell Dad about the hot water tank right now,
Thelma thought.
Guess I’ll wait until later this evening to say anything. If I bring it up now, Mom will probably get upset. I can see by her expression and the tone of her voice that she thinks we made a mistake trying to take over this place. Well, we’re determined to make a go of it, and nothing she can say will change our minds.
Thelma glanced at her sister.
At least I hope Elma’s not having any second thoughts.
Chapter 12
K athryn shivered as she stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom next door. “Did you have any hot water when you took a shower?” she asked her husband.
Jacob shook his head. “I wouldn’t say it was hot. More like lukewarm.”
She rubbed her hands over her arms. “Mine was slightly warm for a few minutes, but then it turned cold. There must be something wrong with the water tank.”
“I’ll go down to the basement and take a look at it in the morning,” he said. “We had a long day traveling and stayed up late visiting with the twins. It’s time for you and I to go to bed.”
Kathryn yawned, turning back the covers. “You’re right. Tomorrow will be a busy day, and we need to be well rested. Those girls of ours need all the help they can get. While we’re here, I want to help out as much as possible.”
“Same here. I noticed that there’s a lot of outside work to be done.”
“I wish we could be with the twins longer than a week.” Her brows furrowed. “I’m worried about them, Jacob. They took on a huge task when they moved here, and to do it all by themselves, well, I think it’s way too much. If they had husbands it wouldn’t be so bad, but at the rate things are going, it doesn’t look like either of them will ever get married.”
“Never say never.” Jacob placed his hands gently on her shoulders. “You worry too much, Kathryn. If the good Lord wants our daughters to have mates, then it will happen in His time. And as far as them taking on the job of running my folks’ store and keeping up with this place… I think they’re up to the challenge. They made it through two weeks. Even with all they’ve found wrong so far, it sounds like they’re determined to make it work. We should be pleased to have daughters who don’t give up so easily.” He bent his head and kissed Kathryn’s cheek. “Now let’s go to bed and try to get a good night’s sleep.” Jacob waited for her to climb into bed before he turned off the gas lamp.
Kathryn drew in a deep breath and released it slowly.
Jacob may think the twins are up to the challenge, but I’m their mother, and I could tell the
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