Adams Mourning: A Christian Historical Romance (The Adams Series Book 1) Read online

  At the station, Auntie Sadie swept Sarah into her arms and whispered, "I am so, so sorry child. Your Papa and your Mama were great people. I am so, so sorry."

  For the first time in months, Sarah felt safe. Her grief welled up and spilled onto Sadie's shoulder. The older woman didn't seem to mind a bit. Her healthy body embraced Sarah as if she was holding the grief of the young lady. She patted Sarah softly and swept back the hair from her face. "From today on Sarah, we are going forward. We won't look back. The good Lord has seen fit to keep us in the land of the living and so we won't look back. We won't look back."

  Sarah and Sadie settled into the upstairs rooms on the top floor of the Kunz building. Though spacious the rooms were sparse, since the majority of Papa’s money was invested in the restaurant on the main floor. The defining feature of the room was the oversized windows looking out on the Courthouse Square below. The interior was bright and open with pure white walls and dark wood floors. Each woman had a bedroom with a sleigh bed, an oak dresser, and a rectangular dress mirror.

  The ladies shared a sitting room, wood stove, and a small washroom. With the restaurant downstairs, there was no need for a full kitchen. Instead, the women placed a small dining table in the middle of the room for their morning and evening tea. All in all, Sarah and Sadie quickly settled into their new life together.

  Still, Sarah sometimes wondered if years of living alone had made her Auntie a bit peculiar. For Sadie’s life seemed to be an ongoing conversation. Each day she talked aloud to God as if He was just standing in the room. Odder still, Sadie believed God was talking back to her and would carry on discussions regardless of the company.

  One thing was sure; Auntie Sadie was an expert baker. She could bake both fancy and farm bread on an old wood stove hardly fit for use. What was Sadie's secret? She talked to the yeast. She would command it to multiply and increase because God gave Adam dominion over the earth. And wouldn't you know it, the bread always rose HIGHER than any food Sarah had ever seen. While the method was unusual, the results were sure to make the restaurant famous throughout Washington Valley.

  The days ticked away as the ladies prepared to open the restaurant on May 1, 1889, Papa and Mama’s anniversary. Matthew returned to Kansas City leaving Sarah and Sadie with a sound building. Still, it needed a woman's touch. Sarah spent days hemming tablecloths while Sadie worked on matching curtains of burgundy toile. They placed fresh wildflowers in tiny vases at the center of each of the round tables, and when the white china finally arrived, it felt like Christmas Day.

  At the entrance, Sarah hung Papa and Mama’s wedding photo. Under it, she printed the words, “Founders Charles and Emily Kunz, Kansas City, Mo.”

  "The Kunz Eaterie” was Adams third location for a sit-down meal. It would compete with the long established Saner Saloon and the newer, Harold House. Sarah just knew she and Sadie, could make a go of it. The opportunity was everywhere. Adams countryside was teeming with young farmers, railroad workers, and homestead prospectors, all in need of a good meal. Each group wanted a homemade supper, and Sarah and Sadie were prepared to give it to them.

  Unfortunately, Sarah's biggest challenge had nothing to do with her cooking skills. As an unmarried woman, she faced increased scrutiny. It didn't help when the editor of the Adam's Gazette wrote,

  " …while a woman may be able to cook, she certainly cannot be expected to succeed in business without a husband."

  Sarah was determined to prove them wrong.

  The Eaterie

  Light streamed through Sarah's bedroom window. It was morning again. In the last month, the days seemed to blur from one to the next. Sarah remembered only waking and falling asleep then starting all over once more. Stretching long and hard, Sarah rose from her bed and began to dress.

  Gone were her mourning clothes. It was simply too hot to be wearing black in the kitchen. She had replaced her black crepe with a simple white skirt and blouse tied back with a burgundy toile apron. Her dark brown hair was piled high and pinned ruthlessly to her head. The last thing Sarah needed was a mound of hair falling in the middle of the day. She was convinced that whoever created women’s hairstyles had never actually worked in a kitchen.

  Sarah’s body ached from her constant state of motion. The morning priority was breakfast preparation and serving incoming guests. A small respite came between breakfast and dinner giving Sarah just enough time to catch her breath and clean the tables and floor. By twelve the dinner crowd was pouring through the doors in need of a hearty meal before returning to the field or shop. Two o’clock was Sarah's time to hunt for supper supplies. If she needed anything, the hour between two and three was her time to find it. If she were lucky, Mr. Dusin from the mercantile would pop his head into the kitchen and ask for a grocery list.

  By three P.M. Sadie was busy baking rolls for supper along with pie's and cakes for the hungry crowds. Supper was served from five to eight p.m. With luck, the dining room would be empty by nine and be clean by nine thirty p.m. Evening was Sarah's favorite time of day. When the shop curtains closed, she would re-set tables, wash the pots and clean the floors, all by the lamp light.

  Sarah would never have survived without Sadie; she was a real God send. Sadie's morning consisted of gathering the eggs from chickens she kept in the alleyway behind the building. She then baked hot, fresh buns and brewed fresh coffee and tea. Sarah could always count on crisp toasted bread and a steaming cup of English tea every morning.

  By the time Sarah was ready to cook breakfast, Sadie had finished baking and was washing the pans. When Auntie wasn't baking or talking to Jesus, she was scrubbing napkins and tablecloths in the cellar. Somehow, Sadie kept it all going. Her primary goal was to bless Sarah, and when she saw something needed doing, she didn't hesitate to take it on.

  Sadie was also a people person while Sarah was shy. The town teamed with close-knit extended families. Without a husband or children, Sarah found it difficult to connect with the town folk. It was easier to lose herself in the kitchen then find a way to make friends. Perhaps, if Mama and Papa had been here, it might have been different. They had been a family unit and Papa was as outgoing as Auntie Sadie. He always had a passel of friends.

  Not that Sarah had time to make friends, running a business took far more energy than she had ever imagined. In truth, Sarah had not known what to expect from a business. She only wanted to move forward. She wanted to survive the loss of her family and prove something to her Kansas City relations and herself. Each passing day strengthened her desire to prove herself, this time to the City of Adams.

  From the moment the Kunz Eaterie opened, the town had been skeptical. Sarah had no connection to the lifeblood of the community. She was a single woman running a business. To them, she was "foreign." Not a day went by when a person didn't poke their head in the door then nod their head in disbelief or concern. Sarah knew they were checking to see if she was still open. Gossip in a small town is a terrible thing. No matter who peeked in the door, Sarah smiled and waved but deep inside she hurt.

  She thought back to the first time the infamous, Mr. Saner walked through her door. The Kunz Eaterie hadn’t been opened a full 24 hours before the town’s most prominent businessman came calling.

  In his hand-tailored suit and crisp top hat, Andrew Saner stood out from the crowd. His sandy brown hair flew in a variety of directions every time he removed his hat. It was probably the only thing in Adams that wasn’t under his control. Mr. Saner was the richest man in Adams and little happened in the town without his consent.

  On that day, he had looked long and hard at Sarah, tugging his long, wiry mustache. Slowly he took her hand in his and expressed his deepest sympathy for her loss. He lost no time in telling Sarah how much he admired her “spunk.” Mr Saner felt she had done an excellent job finishing the building. He glanced around taking in the tin tiled ceiling and the toile drapes. He tapped his foot on the dark wood floors and smiled appreciatively at the scrolling wallpaper along the edge of the dining
room wall. It was certainly a testament to the power of a woman.

  Of course, she didn't believe his words for a moment. There was something unsettling about his gaze and the way he twisted and tugged at his mustache. Then he dropped the hammer. Mr. Saner offered to take the business off her hands and save her from any further embarrassment. He assured her he would pay full price wanting to help her in a time of need. Saner made it clear that his desire to buy the building had never wavered and now was as good a time as any.

  At that moment, Adams seemed a cold, hard place to call home. Loneliness and insecurity swept over Sarah and prickled her skin. How could she expect to succeed when Adams itself expected her to fail?

  How long would it take to feel welcomed or accepted? She had lived in Adams for nearly two years but felt as isolated now as when her parents had first died.

  Sarah declined Mr. Saner's generous offer. Removing her hand from his cold, clammy grip. After that, Sarah retreated into herself. She would not be manipulated by this town or this man. She had stayed here to make the town a better place and fulfill her family dream. She played by the rules. Why couldn’t he?

  Insecurities of the youngest child stirred her emotions. Suddenly, she was seven again and always in the way, but this time, Sarah had to set her vulnerability aside. She had to get her head on straight and not let Andrew Saner intimidate her. She shook her head at the distant memory hoping to erase it from her mind.

  Still, in the midst of her insecurity, nothing fazed Auntie Sadie. She was always busy meeting and greeting the community. She joined the Methodist church choir and the quilting circle. Sarah would never know where her Aunt found all that energy. Somehow Sadie found time to make friends with the grocer and with the farm supply where she purchased chicks and feed. She even befriended the "ladies from B Street" chatting in the alley offering fresh baked bread, coffee and kindness rarely seen with those types of women.

  Auntie was no respecter of people; that was for sure, and she didn’t mind adding Mr. Saner to her prayers. Still, she saw the pain and discontent he had sown in the community and advised Sarah to stay clear.

  Just then, Sadie's voice rang out in the hallway and brought Sarah from the land of thoughts. "Sarah honey, your buns, and tea are ready. Come on down; I have fried us some fresh eggs as well. Those chickens have been laying way more eggs than seems natural!” A smile moved across Sarah's weary face. Without her Auntie, she would have starved.

  

  Now the day was upon them, and despite criticism, new customers came through the doors each day. Unfortunately, Sarah never knew how many to expect. Some days she had barely enough food to serve and on other days she was feeding dogs in the alley. She longed for a regular flow of clientele.

  People were still resistant to eating in a place where they didn't know the folk who owned it. It mattered little that the only other place to eat in town was the Saner Saloon. Sarah had never been in the Saloon, but Papa said the food was like eating tough bits of shoe leather. Course, people, didn't go to the Saloon for food. They went for a drink and then for food. Sarah doubted they could taste the food after they had drunk themselves silly.

  The Harold House served meals as well but only to its paying guests. If you weren't staying at the boarding house, you could not get a home cooked meal. The only exception to this was special occasions when the owner would host a wedding reception in their large dining room. On these rare occasions, the non-guest might get a taste of the fare.

  Sarah lived at the boarding house a full nine months, and she had to admit the food was good. Mrs. Harold was of German decent and many a meal featured sauerkraut and sausage. Mrs. Harold could make a strudel lighter than air and promised to bring some for Sarah whenever she craved it.

  For a small town, Adams was growing quickly. Many who ate at Kunz Eaterie were travelers passing on their way farther west. The Eaterie also fed many ranchers who came for supplies and left town before Saloon life was in full swing. There was also an ever growing group of immigrant homesteaders who arrived in town from their farms.

  The locals were another story. Sarah knew she would need to advertise but with five newspapers in town, it was an expensive proposition. To avoid offense she would need to advertise in each of the dailies so for now, Sarah relied on good old word of mouth.

  Signage had become a concern. Sarah needed a better sign on the front windows, and she needed it in more than just English. She figured if she had a sign made in English, German and Swedish she had a better chance of reaching the locals. As an immigrant community, many of the locals did not speak English. Of course, this was just another place to spend money, and her inheritance was running out fast. Unlike Andrew Saner, Sarah had a limited budget. She had to do what she could with what she had.

  Sarah slipped back into the kitchen and began to fry a set of lamb chops for the large round table in the front.

  Sadie sauntered up holding a set of freshly laundered napkins. "Honey, you look worried again. There's no sense in struggling with what only God can manage. You've got to turn it over to Him. Right Jesus? He says right. He's gonna take care of us just fine."

  Sadie took a long breath and continued. "Look into that dining room, do you see those kind folks eating your excellent food? They're gonna tell others, and they will tell others, and in no time this dining room is going to be full. We just keep being our best and God; He will take care of the rest."

  The strange thing was, Sadie always knew just what Sarah was thinking. Papa had said Sadie had "the knowing." A gift that gave her the ability to connect with people's unspoken thoughts and needs.

  She rested her hand on Sarah's shoulder and said, "My, those do smell good!"

  Sarah said, "Mama's recipe can't be beaten!"

  Just then the front door opened causing the brass bell to ring in the wind. A tall, slim figure man dressed in an elegant city suit strolled in. He wasn't from this part of Kansas; that was for sure. The gentleman looked around the dining room choosing a small table near the back. He pulled out a chair and placed his brown leather case and an oversized book next to him.

  Sarah called over, "Be right there, Sir" and turned the lamb chops over to Sadie. With a smile of thanks, Sarah grabbed the menu and moved toward her new customer.

  The guest was young, just a few years older than Sarah. He wore long straight sideburns and had reddish brown hair; His pale skin was offset by his bright green eyes that sparkled when he smiled. On his nose, Sarah saw just a hint of the freckles which must have covered his face as a boy.

  "I am looking for Miss Kunz," he said in a hushed voice. "Is that you? I heard she was young and pretty, and you seem to fit the bill like they said."

  "I don't know who told you about me but yes" answered Sarah, straightening her apron and fussing with the bow at the back, " I am Miss Kunz."

  "I am pleased to meet you.” He stood and extended his hand, “ I am Mr. Thomas Calloway of Kansas City, Kansas. I would like to have a word with you when you have some time."

  Sarah shook his hand and looked around the room. It was just twelve-thirty, and the dinner crowd would not end until two. Without thinking, she pulled her hand from his grasp and passed it through her hair making sure the mighty mass was still secure. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, a recent bad habit acquired while waiting for orders.

  "I will be busy until at least two. May I get you some dinner and talk to you then?" she asked.

  "As long as it includes that famous pie. I can wait as long as you need. Just keep the food a coming!"

  With that, she turned back to the kitchen to ponder what Mr. Thomas Calloway could want with Sarah Kunz.

  Office Of Law

  Mr. Thomas Calloway proved he was a patient man. For the first time, the dinner guests kept the tables full till half past three. Sadie began clearing place settings while Sarah hurried over to speak to Mr. Calloway. In the last three hours, Thomas Calloway drank no less than six cups of Sadie's strongest coffee. He also consum
ed two pieces of her pie, one gooseberry, and one peach. Thomas spent his time studying his leather bound book and making notes on a large paper pad while he waited. Sarah hoped he wasn't taking notes on what they were doing wrong.

  "Mr. Calloway, I am so sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I hope you had enough to eat. Can I get you anything else?" Sarah asked.

  "Miss Kunz if you feed me anymore I will pop right here and now. No, Ma'am, it was as fine a meal as you would find anywhere. Please sit down with me and rest those weary feet." Thomas stood and pulled out a high-backed spindled chair for her.

  Sarah was happy to sit down. Her feet ached from the morning, and she couldn’t wait to give them a bit of rest.

  "Miss Kunz, My name is Thomas Calloway, and I am a newly barred lawyer.”

  Sarah's heart sunk deep into her chest. A lawyer was the last thing she needed. Tears welled in her eyes, and her voice quivered when she spoke.