Voices From Within (Book 2)

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

Thanturnam Women

Tuesday at the Henderson Accounting office was a repeat of Monday. The files stacked up on everyone's desk, and messenger boys delivered receipts and requests for reports. Ridge tried to keep up, as did the surrounding staff. By four o'clock, customers coming through the door slowed down considerably. Snow was falling. The staff took time to tidy up their areas.

Ridge transferred his "Out" folders to the proper desk to be checked and filed. Then he grabbed his "In" pile and placed them in his satchel. His desk was clean. Everyone, including Mr. Henderson, had packed up work to take home.

Snow meant travel would be impossible tomorrow in the city. The staff would work at their homes, return the following day with work completed, and not lose any wages. At five o'clock, Mr. Henderson locked the door and hung the "Closed" sign on the door.

The snow was coming straight down as Garrett Henderson drove his carriage through the streets of York. By the time he and Ridge had reached the residential area, the visibility was sharply reduced as the wind blew out of the northeast.

The men were covered in snow when they reached the carriage house. Ridge felt at home, jumping out of the carriage, and opening the enormous doors. Garrett drove his horse and carriage in out of the snow. Ridge closed the doors behind him. Both men undid the harness and reins. They used towels and bedding to rub down the horse. They pushed the carriage into place, and Ridge wiped down the leather seats.

After they completed the chores for all the horses in the barn, the men opened the walk door. The storm had intensified, and they struggled against the wind to walk. When they reached the house with their satchels, Mrs. Henderson welcomed them into the kitchen entrance.

Their housekeeper, Nana, took a broom to the men, brushing off the snow. They removed their capes and hats and helped each other with their tall riding boots. Everyone was talking about the weather and being snowed in the house when the men arrived.

The exhilaration of riding through the storm made for delightful conversation during the evening's meal. After supper, the men helped both women clear the dining room table. Garrett and Ridge set up work areas and laid out their folders from their satchels, allowing the top ones to dry.

The two men worked late into the night while the strong northerly winds blew. When the clocked chimed eleven, Ridge excused himself for the evening, telling Garrett the work would be there in the morning.

Tuesday night Ridge was exhausted and fell asleep almost immediately to the roars of the wind. By Wednesday morning, the city was buried with eight inches of snow, but it was hard to measure with the wind blowing. Visibility was near zero, and temperatures had plummeted.

All day Wednesday, Ridge and Garrett worked on their paperwork until they finished in the late afternoon. The man of the house brought a bottle of whiskey to celebrate. The two men toasted to the achievement of finishing the paperwork.

By the second drink, the truth leaked out how they both felt about the endless paperwork. Ridge grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil as they brainstormed ideas. They discussed the extra help needed, extra furniture, and eventually, a bigger office.

They brainstormed ideas on cutting back on the paperwork and making each person's job more efficient yet accountable if they sign off on their work. Ridge wrote notes as he saw how excited Garrett was about the ideas. By six o'clock, Mrs. Henderson chased the men from the table and made them put away their work.

"You have worked all day. Tonight, we will have dinner and talk about other things," said Mrs. Henderson.

Garrett and Ridge packed up their satchels for tomorrow's journey to the office, weather permitting. Pauline set the table, and Nana served a delightful meal of beef pot pie, creamy peas and potatoes, freshly baked buns, and apple cobbler with whipped cream.