Pewter Angels (14 page)

And Henry had a feeling that Mr. Engelmann wouldn’t laugh at him for wondering about guardian angels. All the stress of the evening lingering in his shoulders melted and dissolved into the mattress.
Yeah, Mr. Engelmann
…

A deep peace settled within and he closed his eyes and slept.

H
enry told Mr. Engelmann
about the movie and the date. Mr. Engelmann laughed when he described the episode with the fat man, but his cheerful expression turned to one of deep concern when Henry told him how Eddy and his friends had threatened them and taken Jenny to the park.

“Was Jenny … harmed in any way?”

“No, she said she was fine, just frightened by it all. It was a good thing those people in the car came by, though. God knows what might have happened.”

“Yes, yes, thank the good Lord you found her right away.”

Shaking his head, he said, “My, my, what can happen when people drink!” Mr. Engelmann pulled off his glasses and gave Henry a direct look, “Those boys should be reported to the police.”

“Yeah, we were going to, but Jenny didn’t want to cause any trouble being new here and all that. I think she’s worried reporting them might cause problems at school. She just wanted to get home. But I
hate
Eddy and his cronies for scaring her so badly. Someday, I’m gonna pay them back.”

Mr. Engelmann put his hand on Henry’s shoulder. “I understand, Henry. What those boys did was wrong and very upsetting. Eddy, hmm? Mr. Zeigler’s boy?”

“Yeah, that’s him. Eddy Zeigler, short and cocky. He needs his face pushed in.” Bitterness choked him and he clenched his fists.

Mr. Engelmann looked away. His next words were quiet.

“That young Eddy needs a lot of help.”

“Yeah, I’ll help him all right—to a swift kick in the rear end.”

“And what good would that do?”

“It would smarten him up in a hurry, that’s what!”

“Perhaps for a while, until he does it again, or something even more serious.”

“So what would you have me do? Give him a hug?”

“You’re too upset, right now, to …” Mr. Engelmann looked at Henry compassionately and said, “What they did was wrong and they should be punished. But you must let the injury go or suffer further injury, trapped by your own anger. Always remember, Henry, the Lord says that the blind cannot lead the blind or else both will fall in the ditch.”

Mr. Engelmann held Henry’s eyes for a long moment. Henry wasn’t sure what to think. Mr. Engelmann had agreed that what those guys had done was bad, but it sounded like he wanted Henry to forgive them and maybe even try to help them. It sort of took the steam out of Henry’s anger. Mr. Engelmann took a breath to add something else when customers entered the store.

The opportunity to talk further never presented itself. Henry’s day was filled with serving customers, restocking shelves and managing the store when Mr. Engelmann was tending to Anna.

The next few days convinced Henry that he could confide in Mr. Engelmann. He treated his customers with caring and sincerity. He understood their problems and their feelings. Perhaps what impressed Henry most was the way Mr. Engelmann accepted everyone and never criticized. People were relaxed when they talked to him, never defensive. If he disagreed, he would remain silent and listen. He would reflect their feelings and concerns to show he understood, then sometimes offer a different path or a new thought for their consideration, trusting them to work it out for themselves. It was a side of Mr. Engelmann that Henry hadn’t seen, and probably would never have known if he hadn’t started working there.

After two weeks of work
, Henry had noticed many of the customers were elderly and obviously had trouble walking to the store. Those who lived closer to Safeway would often go there instead so as not to have to carry their purchases so far.

“You know, Mr. Engelmann,” Henry said one day, “I think we can increase our sales and help the customers who can’t carry their groceries very far.”

“Hmm. Yes, my heart goes out to our older customers who have trouble walking here, but what can we do?”

“Well, I could deliver groceries on my bike as a free service.”

Mr. Engelmann raised an eyebrow, eyes widening. “Yes, yes, our seniors would find that such a blessing. That is a wonderful idea, Henry. I will buy a carrier for your bike.”

“That’d be great! Then I could make several deliveries at once.”

They smiled at each other. The weary look in Mr. Engelmann’s eyes brightened into a joyful twinkle. The phone rang, startling them both. Henry answered.

“Good morning, Engelmann’s Grocery. Good morning, Mrs. Feisel.” Henry picked up a pencil and jotted down the items she wanted, then added, “By the way, Mrs. Feisel, you don’t need to have your son pick up your groceries after work today. We just started a delivery service. I can bring them to you later this morning. No, it’s no trouble, at all. We are happy to help you out .… Certainly, I’ll add those items to your list …. Glad we could help. No, you don’t have to pay for it. You’re welcome. ’Bye.”

Mr. Engelmann stared at his young employee. He shook his head and let his gasp of amazement turn into a chuckle.

Sales increased almost immediately. The older customers couldn’t thank Mr. Engelmann and Henry enough. And Henry was thrilled when some customers started tipping him.

But Henry was even more personally rewarded by the exchange he overheard between Mr. Engelmann and Mr. Mahoney when the tax man walked into the store in the third week of July.

“Ah, good morning Mr. Mahoney.” The cheerful, lively tone in Mr. Engelmann’s voice caught the tax man by surprise. It was unusual for him to be greeted in such a manner, especially by someone who owed the city such a large sum of money.

“’Morning, Mr. Engelmann. I was in the area and thought I’d stop in to see how you’re doing. An offer for the lot was tendered two days ago but it was so low, I flatly refused. It’s hard to understand how people will try to take advantage of another’s difficulties.”

“I appreciate that, Mr. Mahoney. We’re doing our best to make the payments you need.”

“Well, just keep in mind that another offer may not be so easily turned down. The director is anxious to have this account cleared up—it’s not good to have a business unable to meet its obligations like every one else.”

“I fully understand, Mr. Mahoney, however, I believe we are getting back on track.”

Mr. Mahoney turned and looked at Henry stocking the shelves. “I see you still have that young boy employed.”

“Yes, yes, Henry is proving to be a huge help. A very fine, capable young man. The shelves are always stocked now, I am free to tend to my wife and look,” Mr. Engelmann pointed to the back wall behind the meat deli, “he has painted the downstairs and now is starting up here … see?”

Mr. Mahoney looked at the fresh coat of white paint on the back east walls where the painting had stopped. “I see. There is quite a difference.”

“And we have started a delivery service, which is helping our sales as well.” Mr. Engelmann beamed as he spoke. He hadn’t had much cause to smile during the tax man’s previous visits.

“Well, I hope these improvements translate into an ability to deal with the amount in arrears.”

“That’s just the thing, Mr. Mahoney—it already has.”

Mr. Mahoney stared at the proprietor as he opened the till, lifted the cash drawer and pulled out a cheque.

“Just last evening after doing the books, I told Anna that we could make a payment to the city. Here, you can have this now and I won’t have to mail it.”

Mr. Mahoney took the cheque, fully expecting to see the usual $50 payment. His eyes widened, raising his thin brows as he silently mouthed the amount.
Three hundred dollars
. He slowly raised his eyes. “This is a more substantial payment, Mr. Engelmann, and before the end of the month, too.”

Mr. Mahoney turned to where Henry stood behind the second aisle. He ducked just in time to keep Mr. Mahoney from seeing the huge grin overtaking his face.

“Well, thank you, Mr. Engelmann. I will visit you again in a few weeks.” He looked Henry’s way again, turned back to Mr. Engelmann, nodded and left the store.

As the summer passed
, Jenny and Henry became inseparable. They saw each other every day without fail. Whenever Jenny had to come to the grocery store for something, she timed her trip to coincide with Henry’s break. They would go out back, sit together on the crate, hold hands and share a soda. Henry worked twice as hard when Jenny came by to lessen any concern Mr. Engelmann might have that her presence was a distraction.

Ever since Henry had brought Jenny home late from the movie, though, Mrs. Sarsky seemed distant towards him. Each time he called on her, Mrs. Sarsky’s response was colder and more abrupt. Something was wrong, but he wasn’t sure what to do about it. He talked to Jenny, but she only said not to worry, that it was just his imagination. Henry knew better. This was the first time he’d ever felt rejected and, despite Jenny’s assurances, it bothered him.

Although Mr. Engelmann liked Jenny and always beamed whenever she came into the store, he expressed concern over how much they saw of each other.

“Henry,” he jested one day, “Jenny is here so often, I think my sales of Orange Crush have tripled.”

Henry just smiled at him.

“Do you still see your other friends?”

“Oh, sometimes, but not as much as I used to.”

“Well, it’s good to have a balance among your friends, to keep in touch and spend time with all of them.”

“Oh, for sure, Mr. Engelmann, it’s just that I like Jenny so much and—” A customer walked into the store then, ending their conversation, and Henry got back to work.

One evening in early August,
Henry went outside to sit on the front steps after supper. He looked over towards Jenny’s house, but didn’t see her. After a few minutes, though, the screen door opened and Jenny bounded out. His spirits shot up as they always did when he saw her.

She waved at him as she skipped down her front steps and walked towards his house. He was glad she was coming his way—he was becoming more and more anxious about calling on her.

They met at his gate and headed north. As soon as they crossed the street, their hands found each other. They walked in silence, desiring only to be together for every minute possible, yet both had sensed growing concern from their parents—especially Jenny’s—about the amount of time they spent together and the fact that they’d grown so close so quickly. Henry had kissed Jenny for the first time two weeks ago. A wonderful sensation had swept through his body as her full lips touched his. He’d been overwhelmed, only wanting to feel that way again. And Jenny felt the same way, he knew; they’d kissed twelve times since then, every one fanning the flames of their desire to be together. Henry wanted Jenny more than anything he ever wanted in his life.

But there was such turmoil and frustration too. Henry wondered if Jenny felt it too. He stopped and turned towards her.

“Jenny, what are we going to do? I want to be with you so much. I don’t think I can bear it, not seeing you every day. I just want to—”

Jenny put a finger on his lips to silence him. She looked at him tenderly, love glowing in her clear blue eyes.

“I want to see you all the time, too, but perhaps our parents are right. Maybe we do need to slow down a bit—”

“But, Jenny,” he argued, moving her finger away and holding her hand to his chest, “I can’t live without you! You’re all I think about!”

“I know. Me too. But if we keep seeing each other all the time, they might tell us to stop seeing each other altogether.”

“They can’t do that!” Henry was outraged, fearful. “That would be awful!”

“I know,” said Jenny, the sparkle in her eyes fading a bit. “That’s why I think it’s important to lessen everyone’s concern a little. What if … what if we saw each other every other day? And maybe then you’d like me all the more!” she quipped with a wink.

Before Henry could form a protest, she stood on her tiptoes and brought her soft, warm lips to his. Then nothing mattered. The heaviness Henry had felt only a moment earlier vanished as he was instantly transported into a state of sheer ecstasy, a complete oneness with Jenny.

Reluctantly, they released their embrace and resumed their walk. As they did, Henry saw Mr. and Mrs. Tearhorst sitting on their front steps. They had been watching them the whole time.

“Good evening, Henry. Nice night,” Mrs. Tearhorst said with a smirk.

Henry went bright red but Jenny just smiled and looked down. “Good evening, Mr. Tearhorst, Mrs. Tearhorst,” Henry mumbled as he and Jenny walked a little faster to get out of their sight.

As the Tearhorsts faded behind him, Henry found himself wishing he had met Jenny four years from now, when he’d finished with school and had a job. He’d marry her in a flash. He would work two jobs—even three if he had to—to support her.

It all seemed so distant, so far into the future. He wished they could be together now, but he knew Jenny was right. They were seeing a lot of each other, and his wanting wasn’t just to hold and kiss her but to have her totally. His yearning was a physical ache. He squeezed Jenny’s hand all the tighter, thinking about it. “You’re so quiet, Henry. What are you thinking about?”

He sighed. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe we should slow down a little. But I don’t know if I can.”