When dawn rose over the mountain, Doctor Morgan was busy working. Who knows what he is up to as they look down the road? It was just another normal day for some, as the boys went to school and Wayne and Richard worked on the house.
Except for Martha, she had a different task in mind as she visited the two aunts. She wanted to see if they could help solve her problem with Richard or give her any ideas on where to turn next. Martha knocked on the cottage door, only to find Mary at home. Mary offered a spot of weak tea due to the baby, some fresh milk, and a seat by the fire.
"Mary, as you know, Betty's gone home with the girls. That way, she can help them better there, but the problem is she wants," take a sip of milk and with her tea. "Richard to come home to," looking downcast. "And he doesn't want to go just yet. I need him here to help Wayne, and there's something else." As she whispers, looking around the corners and out the window. "I think Danny and EJ might be in trouble," she whispered, taking another sip of the tea with milk.
"Trouble?" Mary responded, surprised.
"Yes, trouble. Let me explain," Martha said. She told her the story of what happened at the barn the day before and the story of the storm that was coming as she looked down the road when the stranger went into the house looking for EJ and locked them out of the boy's rooms, which seemed like a long time ago but still very fresh in her mind. "That's why I need him just a bit longer, just another month, maybe two until the girls go home," she said.
"Martha, I was coming over to see you," Mary said, trying not to change the mood. Regarding this." Mary showed the note she left for Granny, that very same note that she was going home with the girls, leaving a way for Granny to contact her if a problem arose. "I was concerned about Richard myself. Now I know I had the right to be," Mary said, sipping her tea.
"There's only one thing to do, dear, for him to stay here and for me to take his place. He's no match for a bunch of stubborn women and girls. Not with those two, I would know. You leave it to me, dear," she said, patting her hand and sipping her tea. Martha, feeling much better about confiding in her new friend as they talked awhile about the new house, how exciting it will be to finely to move into it in a few weeks.
She watched Lizzy come in from town with the groceries for the week and visit. Mary catches her up on the news. "She what?" Lizzy replied, rolling her eyes.
Mary nods. "And she wants Richard to join her in a couple of days," Mary said.
"Now? How can she, Martha?" Mary laughed at her surprised look and offered her a cup of tea. Mary filled her in on the happenings that she had missed, watching her poor sister's face color drain pale. "You've got to be kidding," as she looks at Martha. Martha shakes her head no. Lizzy looked at Mary, shocked, then out the window and sighed. "Poor Richard. No, Martha, he's staying right here with you as long as he needs to be, we'll see to that," she said as she poured another cup of tea.
Martha thanked them with a hug and left, heading back to the cottage to tell the girls the news about Richard before going to the house to tell him personally. As they bring over their lunch, this time keeping a close eye on the boys in one of the finished bedrooms. "Oh, Wayne, it's beautiful," as the girls danced around the empty space, looking out the windows. "Richard, I talked with Mary and Lizzy, and they agreed with me; you don't have to go unless, of course, you want to?" The girls hug him and kiss him on the cheek, begging him to stay and then tickling him till he cries uncle, with the boys wrestling him to the ground.
"Alright, alright, I'll stay," he said with a big smile on his face, swinging the three boys around the room.
"Now then," Martha said, smiling at the bare window. "We women have work to do," giving Richard and Wayne another kiss and hug and cleaning up lunch, heading back to the cottage to get ready for a little shopping of their own and leaving the three boys with the aunts to watch and keep a close eye on them while they are gone. They borrowed Richard's car and were off to New Downing to set up a shop of their own for fabric and cloth as they swung by Renee's place to take her along. After all, she is their friend and partner and knows more about setting up a shop than they do.
The four ladies walked up and down the square, peering into shops, discussing which place would be best to put one. Renee suggests high traffic for this shop would be unwise, as there is too much dust and mud on the cotton and the prints. Best try to keep it simple, then expand later as Martha and the girls agreed to find a location near Doc Hatfield's office. Right next door was a dress shop for women. They nodded, "Perfect," and opened the door to the dress shop.
The ladies go in and ask the clerk who owns the shop next door. "Nobody, ma'am, but I am new here myself," she said as she hung up some more nice dresses on a rack to sell. "But if you are thinking of setting up shop here, you better talk to Sheriff Whitmore first and the Mayor to get a license," she said as she pointed to hers on the wall.
Martha and Renee didn't say anything regarding the matter and tried not to laugh and asked, "So," looking at her name tag, "Megan Winslow."
"Oh, please just call me Meg since I think we're going to be neighbors and all," she said. "Alright, Meg, did you make all those dresses?" They asked as the girls admired the handy work.
"Why yes, I did," she replied.
"Well then, ladies, I think we found us a new home," Martha said, looking over at Meg and laughing as she gave them a puzzled look. Martha introduced themselves to her, watching her eyes widen and stutter, nearly fainting on the floor. "You see, Meg, we want to open up a fabric shop right next door, but as you said, I'll talk to my husband and the Mayor to get a license to make it legal," they all giggle.
"Other than that, Meg, it looks like we're going to be just fine," Renee replies.
The ladies left the store giggling as they walked over to the Mayor's house as proud as a peacock on their way to the Sunday festival. Knocking on the door, not finding him home, he finds his wife instead. She invited them all in for a spot of tea and some fresh sugar cookies on a plate; you see, she has a sweet spot. "Martha, I do say, I and my husband sure like it in New Downing. He's like a different person, and I get to see a lot more of him," she said as she smiled and dotted her eyes, thinking of the long nights and days without him. "So how can I help you, ladies?" She asked.
Martha and Renee tell her about the empty shop by the Doc's office and how they like to turn it into a fabric shop. "A fabric shop right down here in New Downing, what a wonderful idea. Go on," she said.
"The problem is we need a license to run it and possibly some help, but first, the license," Martha said.
"Boulder Dash," she said as she perked up her shoulders. Now then, you go open up that shop of yours, Martha, and I'll send my husband over straight away, and I'll buy whatever you need to put into it to get you started." She writes out a note and hands it to her.
"But―" Martha tried to reply.
"No buts, dear, this is what this town needs. Cloth, you are just the women to fill it," she said as she sent them on their way.
Martha and the girls returned to the shop to see what they needed. As they opened the doors, dust flew everywhere, and they sneezed. "It looks like it was an old storage room," Martha said, covering their mouths from all the dust.
Renee writes down a good cleaning out and a mop. Looking at the walls, Martha notices there aren't any shelves, just bare walls, and bare wooden boards to write down. Wayne, to make it into a shop as soon as the women and the boys can clean it out and get rid of the musty smell holding her nose. The ladies closed the door behind them with a note in the window, "Martha and Renee fabric shop opening soon," placed it in the small window.
Dusting off their clothes outside and looking back at their new shop with a new sparkle in their eyes, they walk down to Mr. River's telegram office. "Hello, Mr. Rivers. How's business going with the new post office?" Martha asked.
"Fine, fine. Your husband sure had a good idea. In fact, we're starting a third one down on Third Street as the town gets bigger, right next to the newsstand on the corner while Third Street is being built. What can I do for you ladies?" He asked.
"Oh, just need to send off a telegram for some fabric for our new shop," Martha said.
"You don't say, where are you putting this new shop of yours?" he asked.
"Right next to Doc's and the new dress shop."
"Well, that will get business drumming around here. Say, you thought of putting an ad about the fabric store in the paper or column in the magazine? It couldn't hurt; that's what Ms. Megan Winslow did: look at all the dresses she sells. Heck, she gets orders all the time from all over the county," he replied. "But if you are talking about that little old storeroom, I wouldn't waste my time with it. It's not big enough to do anything with maybe a small office, and I thought Megan was considering purchasing it. No, what you need to do is go down on Third Street. There are lots of new shops that would be perfect for you."
"Thanks, Mr. Rivers will do that. I think the shop would work there because of the dress shop next door, but we will take it under advisement," Renee and Martha replied as they nodded.
"Just go over to Mr. Grams and tell him I sent you; he'll know what to do. Now, then, let's look at this telegram," he said. Martha and Renee quickly compiled a list of fabric they needed from the warehouse in Arizona.
Aunty M. we are opening a fabric shop. Stop.
We need fifty of every kind of fabric. Stop.
We need fifty of every color of fabric. Stop.
Morgan is up to no good. Stop.
We miss you. Stop.
Martha, Renee, and the girls. Stop―End of telegram.
They placed a five-dollar bill on the counter. Mr. Rivers passed the five-dollar bill back to them. "Ladies," he said, shaking his head. "You know your money is no good here," he smiled and walked them to the door.
The ladies took his advice and walked into Mr. Gram's paper and printing office up to the counter. They could see him printing the afternoon paper with his new helpers. "Good afternoon, ladies," they said as they nodded to him. How may I help you, fine gals?" He asked.
"Yes," Renee looked at Martha, giving her a nudge. Julie and Anna smiled at Ma for being so shy when more than one person was around, giving her a little more of a push. Renee said, "Yes, we'd like to ask you about putting an ad in the paper and in one of those catalogs regarding our little store that we are about to open," she said as the four ladies smiled at him and batted their eyes.
"I see," he smiled, "and what kind of store are you going to open?" He asked as he took out a notepad.
Martha whispers really softly, "A fabric store." Renee can see that Mr. Grams does not quite hear her and announces it for her.
"A woman's fabric store."
"Yes, that would come in handy around here," looking at his bare windows. "Will it have fabric to make curtains for storefronts?" He asked.
Martha's shyness fades away. "Of course, it would, Mr. Grams, and all types of linen for the house and stores, that's the point really," backing him into a small corner, staring him down.
"Alright, alright," he said and wrote the ad. "So you are opening a fabric store. I am glad and will be happy to oblige with the order when you are ready. I'll print the addition on paper, make up some flyers, and put them in the catalog when you are ready," shaking her hand.
They walked out the door of the printing shop smiling, thinking of their new fabric shop. Now, all that was left to do was make it into a shop, fill it up, and find the help to run it. They spent the rest of the day in Payson gathering food and supplies for the home before returning and dropping Renee off at the farm to wait for her boys to return home from school.
Martha made a list of things she would need for the shop. While waiting for the boys to come home from school, the girls started to put things together in a little box, like a mop, rags, and lots of soap to clean the place out before Wayne could take measurements for her new shop before the fabric arrived.
She looked at the copy of the fabric she ordered. The question in her mind was, where would she store it all? And is it going to be enough? As she realized all the problems running a shop were inventory, she was bewildered and staggering in finding places to put it all. "What I need is a little storage area. I'm hoping Renee and Wayne might have an idea." She puts it off for right now and goes on about her day, preparing for the day to clean the little shop as she sighed, looking down the road.
The boys are finally home from school. As the boys enter the door, she finishes pulling the bread out of the oven to cool it and setting the roast in for tonight. Sam, Danny, and Ted run to the door to greet them, jumping all over them. They want to play with the boys as they pick them up in their arms, tip them upside down, and then roll them across the floor as they dogpile on top of them to tickle them and wrestle them to the floor.
Ma laughs, watching the boys, then lifts them one by one and hands them to Julie and Anna so they can change into their work clothes. Pa is waiting for them at the farm, and it is time for the three little ones' baths as they go down the hall.
The boys quickly changed and headed to the farm, but not before receiving a warm kiss and hug from their ma and going out the door, yelling, "Not too late, boys," as she waved them down the road. EJ looks back at her, smiles, and waves to her as he goes around the corner, then Ma returns to the house and smiles, then sighs. Patting down her apron, she returned to work preparing tonight's meal, thinking how nice it would be to be in the house cooking in her new kitchen for her family once more.
Pa and Richard saw the boys come up the road, waving to them to go to the barn to help with the table as they loaded it into the wagon with the chairs. EJ looks at his Pa's craftsmanship with the table and the size. "Pa, are you sure it's big enough?" He asked.
Pa laughs. "I hope so." He questioned it himself. The boys carry the table and chairs into the house, set them in the new dining room, and look around it.
"You're right, Pa; it does need a woman's touch," Robert said as he gazed about the room.
"Plus a few sisters we know," Richard said.
"Hey now," as Will slaps Richard on the back.
"They're not that bad," Robert replies.
"No, just kidding," Richard said, chasing him around the room with the broom. As he entered, Richard nearly knocked Mr. Stringham over.
"Well, what we got here?" he said, putting down the clipboard for a moment to look at the large table and chairs.
"Oh, that's my wife's new dining room set," Wayne said as Mr. Stringham ran his fingers over the table, then bent down to admire the craftsmanship and whistles.
"My, it is a big one, that's for sure," Mr. Stringham said while the boys and Wayne looked around the house. "All that's left," Mr. Stringham said, picking up the clipboard, "is painting the rooms and the brickwork outside of course and the porch. Other than that, I say, hum, maybe sometime tomorrow or next week or sooner. I'd be thinking' about moving in," he replied.
"Thanks, Mr. Stringham," Wayne said, shaking his hand and shouting, "Hallelujah." He kicked up his heels and danced right then and there with his boys.
Pa was so excited; he had to go home and tell his wife as they all headed home to celebrate the good news. Pa rushed in the door so fast that poor Martha thought something was wrong as he yelled. "Martha, Martha, come quick!" She dashes for the door in such a panic as the door flies open, and Wayne picks her up off the ground, kissing her. "Martha, the house, it's done. Did you hear me? It's done. Except for some painting and the porch outside, brickwork, other than that, it's done," kissing her one more time. "They say we can start moving in whenever you like," and kissed her again, knocking the wind right out of her before setting her down.
Martha takes a couple of steps back to regain herself. "Are you sure, Wayne?" she asked as he nods.
"Yes, dear, that's what Mr. Stringham said. We can move in as soon as the painting is done," he replied.
Martha staggers about for a minute, looking at the cottage, starts to yell for the girls, then changes her mind, and whispers to Wayne. "Let's tell them at dinner, and I have a surprise for you as well," she said as she winked back.
Wayne and the boys help Ma finish dinner and set the table with all its simple home splendor. Ma looked at Pa and the boys on one side and the little ones with the girls on the other. It may be crowded, but nobody seemed to mind. As Pa stands, he clears his throat, clicking on the glass. "I have an announcement to make," looking at Ma across the table. Then, he looked at the boys and then at the girls; he smiled. He takes a deep breath and says. "The Downing's is moving back to the farm; the house is done." Then he sits back down, gloating.
The table was all abuzz with the news as Ma stood, clicking her glass. "I have an announcement of our own," she said, looking at the girls and then at Pa and the boys. "As of today, we are opening a fabric shop here in town, aren't we, girls?" She said as they nodded. Pa and the boys' mouths dropped, staring at Ma and the girls like, when did this happen?
This, of course, set the table all abuzz as well after things quieted down a bit. Pa discussed what was happening with the new house, and Ma discussed the problems they were having with the shop, including finding a spot for the inventory, cleaning out the new shop, and building the shelves and shop inside.