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Chapter Twenty-Four

In late August, Jane sat next to Eliza, John, Brian, and Charlotte in church while Jeremy gave his sermon.  She caught the glimmer of pride in Eliza’s eyes and reached out to squeeze Eliza’s hand.  Even though Jeremy assumed his pastoral responsibilities a month ago, Eliza often commented that she couldn’t believe her son was a preacher.  And as Eliza glanced at Jane with tears in her eyes, Jane smiled, glad that mother and son had been reunited.

The movement in her belly brought Jane’s attention to the impending birth of her child.  She rubbed her stomach and reminded herself in as little two weeks, she might be holding a little girl or a boy.

Lucy returned to the pew with a sleeping baby boy.  Jane caught the peaceful expression on Michael’s face and thought that for someone born two and a half weeks ago, he seemed surprisingly big.  If it was up to her, newborns would stay smaller longer.  She anticipated holding her own child and knew the time would be too brief before the child grew too big to cuddle anymore.  Jane turned her attention back to Jeremy who was giving a sermon.

“Sometimes,” Jeremy concluded, “we might not understand why God gives us a trial in our lives.  Maybe we’ll eventually see His plan.  Maybe we won’t.  All He asks is for us to trust Him.  He will work all things for good.  Now, I ask you to bow your head in prayer.”

After the prayer ended, Jane joined Jeremy who did his usual round of greeting people.  “That was a lovely sermon,” she told him.

“It’s one I wanted to give a long time ago but couldn’t bring myself to do.  Sometimes it’s hard to feel the blessings in a trial when we’re going through it.” Smiling, he glanced at her stomach and added, “I’m very blessed.”

“Just wait until the baby is crying in the middle of the night,” she teased, recalling how tired Lucy that morning.

“I don’t mind lending a helping hand, and you know my mother loves spending time with her grandchildren.”

“Yes, and it’s nice that Brian and Lucy’s children will be able to play with ours.  I think our children are lucky.”

“I won’t argue that one.”

Addy and Frank came up to them, and Frank shook Jeremy’s hand while Addy gave her a hug.  “I bet you’re ready to give birth,” Addy said in a low voice so the men wouldn’t overhear.

“I am, to be honest.  I can hardly move without waddling, and I swear, I have to roll out of bed these days,” Jane said.

“At least you don’t have heartburn,” Lucy commented as she came over to them.  “I had to spend my last month sleeping while I sat up in bed.  That’s not the most comfortable feeling in the world, but I will say it was worth it.” She looked at her baby and grinned.

“Can I hold him?” Jane asked.

“Of course, you can.” Lucy placed Michael in Jane’s arms.  “It’s good practice for you.”

Jane stared in awe at her nephew and thought about Hank and Irene.  She recalled seeing them when they were this little, and for a moment, she wished she could see them but reminded herself that next summer, her brother said he and Susie would bring the children for a visit.  The relationship she had with her brother and Susie wasn’t as close as what she shared with Rebecca, but they had at least started on the path and maybe one day, they’d be good friends.

Addy said something that made Lucy laugh, and Jane’s attention shifted back to them.  “What did I miss?” Jane asked.

Addy chuckled and said, “I was just saying that poor Eliza’s going to have her hands full with grandchildren.  She’ll want to dote on all of them, and I imagine they’ll be fighting over who gets her attention.”

“That’s because Eliza’s easy to like,” Lucy replied.  “People, no matter what the age, are attracted to her.”

“It’s her gift,” Jane added.  “She’s a lot like my sister.”

They glanced at Eliza who was holding Charlotte while she talked to a few people.  Jane didn’t know how Eliza did it, but the people seemed captivated by what she was saying.

“Yes, she definitely has a gift,” Addy said.  “The rest of us will have to be content in the shadows.”

“At least there’s good company in the shadows,” Jane replied with a laugh.  She stroked Michael’s cheek.  “He’s so adorable.”

“Yours will be, too.  I don’t know of any babies who aren’t adorable,” Addy said, ruffling Michael’s thin blond hair.

“It makes up for all the messes they make,” Lucy joked.

Jane glanced at Jeremy who was talking to a couple whose children surrounded them, and if she guessed right, the man was Old Willy and the woman Daphne.  The older children in the group looked bored, so Daphne told them they could go outside and play.  As the eager kids hurried out of the church, Eliza expertly dodged them while she carried Charlotte over to Lucy.

“Daphne and Old Willy are expecting another little one early next year,” Eliza said, chuckling.  “I remember when Willy was all by himself, sad because his house was empty since his wife had passed on and his children were out of the house.  Well, he’s got his hands full now.  The poor man probably wishes for some quiet.”

Addy giggled.  “Considering all the grandchildren he’ll have, I doubt he’ll ever get it.”

“Oh, he’s got a soft heart,” Lucy said.  “I’m sure he manages just fine, as long as he stuffs his ears with something.”

The women laughed.

“What is funny?” Charlotte asked.

“You’ll understand when you’re a mother,” Lucy replied, brushing Charlotte’s curls from her eyes.

“Will you be coming over for lunch?” Eliza asked them.  “I put a roast in the oven.  I used Lucy’s recipe, so it should be edible.”

“We’d love to,” Jane replied, knowing Jeremy would accept the invitation if he was there.

“Brian and I will come,” Lucy added.

“Frank and I can’t this time,” Addy said.  “We’re going to work on rearranging some things in the store.”

“Do you want to hold Michael?” Jane asked Eliza when she noticed the way Eliza smiled at him.

“I’d love to,” Eliza replied, taking him in her arms and cooing to him.  “Lucy, I hope you don’t mind if show him to Charity and Bethany.  They haven’t seen him yet, and they asked about him when I came to town last week.”

Lucy nodded her consent, so Eliza headed over to her friends.

Jane watched Eliza so she could remember who Charity and Bethany were.  It was still taking time to connect the names with the faces.  Jeremy didn’t have that problem, something she envied just a little bit but figured it was a good thing he didn’t since it was his job to know who people were.  She glanced at him again and caught him smiling in her direction as John and Brian approached with a couple of John’s brothers—more names she didn’t know yet.  But at least she knew they were John’s brothers.  And at least she didn’t have to stand around and wonder what to do after the service anymore.  As Lucy and Addy continued to chat, she turned her attention back to him, glad she found a group of friends she could be comfortable with.  Though a part of her missed Rebecca and Edith, she was happy.  Just as Jeremy had said in the sermon, God had worked things out for good—not only for him, but for her as well.

***

That Christmas, Jane bundled her three-month-old daughter, Rebecca, in a thick blanket and held her in her arms.  No one was more surprised than she was when Rebecca was born with a hair full of red hair.  It was the exact same shade as Eliza’s hair, and Jane thought it was nice to see that part of Eliza in her child.

“Are you ready?” Jeremy asked as he came out of the bedroom, adjusting his tie.

“Yes.  Becky’s been changed and fed, so she’s ready.”

He walked over to them and kissed Jane.  “She’s not tired at all, is she?”

Jane chuckled as Becky’s eyes shifted from Jeremy to her.  “No, but that’s a good thing.  Your mother will want to talk to her, I’m sure.”

“Yes, I’m sure, too.” As he went to the closet to get his coat, he said, “I see you have a letter on the table over here to send to Edith.  Didn’t she just write to you?”

“She did, but I like to answer right away or I’ll forget.”

“How is she doing?”

“Good.  Her son is sitting now, and Wilbur got a slight pay raise.”

He slipped his coat on and buttoned it before he grabbed his hat.  “That is good.” With a sigh, he added, “They say it takes longer for a woman to get ready, but I proved them wrong, didn’t I?”

She chuckled as she headed for the door.  “To be fair, you stayed up with Becky so I could sleep.  You are allowed to take longer to get ready this morning.”

He opened the door and followed her outside.  “So Charity has a Christmas get-together every year?”

“That’s what your mother says.” Jane held Becky closer to protect her from the brisk wind.  “She says that Charity goes all out for it, too.  Apparently, it was one of the things Charity loved most about being back east.”

They strolled down the road and passed the church that was on the corner of the main street.  As a squirrel ran by them, Jeremy nudged her in the arm.  “There goes one of your squirrels.”

“It’s not my squirrel.”

“Every time I see a squirrel, I think of you and how you enjoy watching it run from tree to tree.”

Another squirrel chased the one that darted in front of them before, and she giggled.  “Well, they are cute, aren’t they?  I can’t help but enjoy how they play together.” They turned down another road, and she saw the people gathered in front of Charity’s home.  “Oh my, when Eliza said everyone in town came to this party, she wasn’t kidding.”

“It can’t be everyone…I think.”

Amused, she made eye contact with him.  “I hope we don’t get lost in that house.  It’s sure to be a maze of people.”

“I have no worries about that.  I could find you anywhere.  You’re a part of me.”

When they were two houses away from Charity’s, Eliza bounded down the porch steps from where she was talking to a few people and hurried toward them.  “It’s nice to see you, three,” she said as she hugged Jane, careful to not squeeze too tight.  “How is my granddaughter treating you?  Is she sleeping through the night yet?”

“Not yet,” Jane replied as she placed Becky in Eliza’s arms.  “Thankfully, I have Jeremy to help.”

“Nice to know my boy is doing right by his wife,” Eliza teased, glancing in Jeremy’s direction.

“I can’t say my motives are entirely selfless,” he replied.  “When Jane’s rested enough, she makes cake.”

With a sigh, Eliza told Jane, “Just like a man.  Always thinking with his stomach.  Well, you’ll be happy to know that Charity has some cake for dessert.”

His eyes sparkled.  “Then it’s going to be a good afternoon.”

“What did I say?” Eliza told Jane.  “With their stomachs.  Come along.  We need to get my little angel here into the house where it’s nice and warm.”

Jane smiled at Jeremy, noting the joy in his eyes as they joined Eliza and went to the house to enjoy the day with each other and with their friends.

]]> http://ruthannnordin.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/bride-of-second-chances-post-36/feed/ 0 ruthannnordin http://ruthannnordin.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/bride-of-second-chances-post-35/ http://ruthannnordin.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/bride-of-second-chances-post-35/#comments Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:36:56 +0000 Ruth Ann Nordin http://ruthannnordin.wordpress.com/?p=2098 Continue reading →]]> Hey, everyone.  Got sick yesterday and ended up either sleeping or doing stuff with my kids.  I did nothing online except answer a couple of emails.  Post 36 will be it for this book.

I’m still exhausted, and some of these reasons stem from issues in my personal life that I’m not at liberty to discuss.  There is no way I can keep going with a first draft blog.  So I’ll be shutting this blog down very soon.  Any questions or concerns can be sent to ynotspringfield@aol.com.

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Chapter Twenty-Three

In May, Jeremy received word that he could pastor the church in South Dakota.  He knew that Jane would be excited, so he left the post office in a hurry.  When he got home, he called out her name, but she wasn’t there.  Despite his disappointment, he set the letter on the table in the entryway to show her when she came home.  Since he had nothing else to do at the moment, he decided to get a head start on packing.  He knew he didn’t have to, but he was too excited to sit still.

He went to the bedroom to sort through the closet for anything he could pack right away and found the small box with the remaining items that had belonged to Rebecca.  Funny how he forgot the box was there.  He considered it was a sign that he healed and moved on, but as he opened it to examine the contents, he felt the lingering sense of love he’d had for her.  He did still love her; he always would.  But the love he had for Jane wasn’t diminished because of it.  In some ways, he appreciated Jane a lot more because he was aware of how fragile life could be.

He took the box with him and sat on the bed.  Fingering Rebecca’s wedding ring, he recalled the day they got married and smiled.  She’d been a lovely bride, and she gave him good memories.  He put her wedding ring aside, he took out the necklace and put it on the nightstand beside the bed.  Perhaps Jane might like the necklace.  He couldn’t think of a single reason why Rebecca wouldn’t want Jane to have it.

His gaze fell on the fountain pen and leather-bound journal.  Maybe he could look through the journal.  He’d been unable to do it after her death because all it did was serve to bring back unwanted memories.  But since he could now sort through her things with a sense of gratefulness for the time he’d had with her, he might be able to read her entries.

He took the book out and thumbed through the pages.  He remembered when she read the entries to him and how excited she’d been.  She embraced life.  Sitting on the sidelines and waiting for life to happen weren’t for her.  It showed up in her entries.  He wasn’t under the impression she was perfect, but she was a lovely woman.  Almost as lovely as Jane.

He set down the journal for a moment and wondered if he was wrong for thinking that Jane was lovelier.  Because when he thought about it, Jane was.  She didn’t stand out in the crowd, but she had a gentle and sweet spirit that made her a friend he could depend on no matter what happened.  He’d always felt a friendship to her, but until they married, he hadn’t looked at her as a woman who was desirable to touch and love.

With Rebecca, the attraction was immediate, and he did love her.  With Jane, love came softly; he wasn’t even aware it was happening.  And in some ways, that made Jane lovelier.  He wasn’t sure if Rebecca would be content knowing he fell in love with her sister, but then he figured she was happy where she was at and that’s what mattered.

Returning his attention to the journal, he read more entries and caught himself laughing on a couple of them.  He would keep the journal.  He liked remembering Rebecca, and his and Jane’s child might one day be interested in knowing what his or her aunt was like.

As he came to the last entry, his smile faltered.  She wrote of congestion in her chest and coughing, but she was determined to keep her spirits up, figuring it was a simple illness that would soon pass.  She wouldn’t recover, and even as he sat there, reading as she wrote what she planned to do once she got well, a tear slid down his cheek.

As he put the journal on his lap so he could wipe his eyes, a piece of paper fell out of it.  Curious, he got off the bed and picked the folded paper up.  He set the journal down and opened the paper, realizing it was a letter Rebecca had written to him a week before her death.  He had no idea she wrote it.  She must have intended for him to find it.  The journal had been on the nightstand beside her, but he didn’t think she had the strength to write anything.  Even if he knew she wrote the letter, he might not have read it when the wounds were too new, too fresh.

His hands trembled as he blinked back his tears and read it.

My dearest Jeremy,

I suspect this is the last time I’ll write to you.  I tried to tell you on several occasions what’s been pressing on my heart, but every time I mention the possibly I won’t keep living, you stop me.  I know you don’t want to think of it.  We had dreams of children and grandchildren.  The day we married and you etched our names into the tree to show them is my most cherished memory.  The time granted us was brief but wonderful.  I couldn’t have asked for a better husband.  I thank God every day for you.

I want you to be happy, my love.  I hope you’ll continue to dream of children and grandchildren.  I want that for you.  I know you’ll grieve my passing for a season, but once the season is done, my prayer is that you’ll marry again.  What I couldn’t give you, I hope another will.  As I write this, I keep thinking of Jane.  If she hasn’t found a husband by the time you’re ready, I hope you’ll consider marrying her.  She’ll be good to you.

I love you, Jeremy.  Thank you for the best seven months of my life.

With all my heart,

Rebecca

This time he didn’t stop his tears.  Of all the things Rebecca did for him, the letter was the best gift he ever received.  He tucked the letter into the journal and placed it into the box.  After he put the lid back on the box, he set it aside to pack.  Before he tackled packing, he decided he should pay Rebecca a visit.

He left the house and collected the wildfires that grew along the path that went to the cemetery.  The walk to Rebecca’s grave didn’t weigh him down this time.  There was still the sorrow he’d gotten used to, but underneath it was a sense of relief.

When he reached her grave, he removed a couple of weeds from around the headstone and set the flowers in front of it.  “It’s been awhile since I last came here, but it wasn’t until today that I found the letter you wrote me in your journal.” Swallowing the lump in his throat, he smiled and touched the headstone.  “Thank you, Rebecca.  You have no idea how much it means to me.  Or maybe you do.”

He waited for the urge to cry to pass before he continued.

“Jane and I are expecting a child this September.  We talked about names and think Rebecca would suit, should we have a girl.  I’ll show your nieces and nephews your journal so they’ll know how wonderful you were.  I’m afraid I can’t take them here to see you.  I’ll be going to South Dakota to minister a church in a small town.  I expect this to be for the rest of my life, so I don’t think I’ll be coming back.  But some day, when my time comes, I’ll see you again.  I love you.”

He remained beside her grave for another few minutes before he stood and returned home.  His steps were light, and he was content with knowing Rebecca was happy that he found love again with her sister.  It was one of the most freeing moments he’d ever experienced, and he was ready to fully embrace the future that loomed before him.

***

When Jane came home from buying a few grocery items, she was surprised that Jeremy rushed to greet her in the entryway.  He took the sack from her and kissed her.

“I have good news,” he said with a wide smile on his face.  “We’ll be moving to South Dakota.”

“We will?” she gasped.  “When?”

“In July.”

“That’s wonderful!”

“I thought you’d be excited.”

She followed him into the kitchen.  “I’ll write to Lucy and Eliza and let them know.”

“I already did.”

“You did?”

Shrugging, he put the sack on the table and started taking out the contents.  “I waited for you, but you took so long in coming that I decided to make good use of my time.”

“I’m sorry.  I went to visit Gerdy.  She’s settled in nicely to her daughter’s home, and she wanted to show me around.  Then I had coffee and tarts with her family.”

“That’s fine.  I’m not complaining, though it was hard to wait since I wanted to see your face when you found out.”

She helped him put the items away and grinned.  “Was it worth the wait?”

“It was.  You look so beautiful when you’re surprised.”

“If you say so…” She put the flour sack on the shelf and put the sack away.  “This will be a good change, don’t you think?”

“Yes, and it’ll be nice to make up for lost time with my mother.  But even better is knowing you’ll be with me.  It’s a nice day.  Would you like to go for a walk?  Maybe we’ll see some squirrels playing around the trees?”

“I’d like that.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze.  “How are you feeling?”

Realizing he meant her pregnancy, she brought her hands to her belly where she was beginning to show in her fifth month.  “I’m good.  It’s exciting now that I can feel the baby move.  Lucy was right.  It’s one of the best experiences in the world.”

He led her to the front door and opened it.  “I don’t know.  You’ll have to go through childbirth. As brave as I’d like to be, I don’t think I could handle it.  Women are definitely stronger than men.”

She stepped through the doorway and he followed before he shut the door.  He took her hand, and they strolled down the path that she came to associate with him and all the walks they’d enjoyed over the past few months.

“I’m going to miss walking through here,” she said, motioning to the trees lining their path.

“We’ll find another path to walk in South Dakota.”

A squirrel ran up a nearby tree, and she smiled.  “And they’ll have squirrels to entertain us, I’m sure.”

“I’m sure.  We’ll have lots of new memories to make up there.  We have the future waiting for us, and I’m looking forward to each and every day with you.”

She stopped and took a good look at him, noting the carefree smile on his face and the spark in his eyes.

He halted and turned to her.  “What is it?”

“Well, you…” Uncertain, she continued, “You’re looking toward the future.”

“Yes.”

Since he waited for her to speak, she shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I suppose it’s strange because I can’t remember the last time you seemed so certain about the future.  You usually say you hope or want the future to be a certain way, but from what you just said, you imply it’s a sure thing.”

With a chuckle, he took her in his arms and kissed her.  “You’re right.  I haven’t talked like this in a long time.  But I’m ready to, Jane.  The future spans before us, and I see you with me, having children and seeing our grandchildren.” Bringing his hands up to her face, he cupped her face in his hands.  “I love you, Jane.  You are the most important person in my life, and I’m going to be savor each day we’re granted to be together.  I don’t know about you, but I’m planning for those days to span a lifetime.”

Her heart swelled with excitement.  He did love her, and it wasn’t a love where she had to be second to Rebecca.  She had her own place in his heart and life that Rebecca didn’t.  Blinking back her tears, she laughed.  “Yes, we’ll have many years together.  We’ll grow old and gray.  We won’t walk so fast anymore.  We’ll fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon while we’re resting in our rocking chairs.  And though our eye sight and hearing might grow dim, our love will burn brighter every year we have together.”

“Yes, that’s our future.”

“I couldn’t ask for a better one.”

He pulled her closer and kissed her, and she melted in his arms while the rest of the world slipped away.

Jane watched as Charlotte bent by the creek to roll up a small ball of snow.  She threw it into the water and giggled as the snow melted before she ran to find more snow.

“She certainly doesn’t get bored out here, does she?” Jane commented, amused by the girl’s enthusiasm.

“No, she doesn’t,” Lucy replied, tucking her hands into her coat pocket.  “That’s the last snowball you can throw into the creek, Charlotte.  We need to get back to the house.  It’s not that warm out yet.” With a slight shiver, she turned to Jane.  “You’d think by now I would have adjusted to the winters here.”

“It’s colder out today than it was yesterday,” Jane said.

“Maybe that’s it.  We did have a couple of warmer days for awhile there.  My body must have thought it was time for spring.”

“Toward the end of winter, I tend to get restless for the warmer weather.”

“I appreciate the warm weather much more because of winters.”

Jane nodded her agreement.  “I remember being glad for the warm weather because it gave my niece and nephew a chance to play outside.  They didn’t fidget so much inside then.”

“Yes, that’s true.” After a moment of silence, she continued, “I’ll miss you when you leave.  It’s hard to believe it’s already been a week since you and Jeremy came here.  The time’s flown by.”

“I’ll miss you, too, but maybe Jeremy’s request to serve in the church here will be granted.”

“You’ll write and keep me posted on what’s happening, won’t you?”

“I’ll send you word as soon as I find out either way.”

“I know I said it before, but I hope you can move here.  Our children can grow up and play together.”

Jane chuckled.  “I have a feeling if they did, Charlotte would be the one to lead the others.”

Lucy smiled as she waved for Charlotte to throw her snowball into the creek.  “I’m afraid you’re right.  She’ll be the oldest.  Leading the others can’t be helped.”

Charlotte threw the snow and ran over to them.  “Can we eat?”

“I’ll make something when we get back.” Lucy took Charlotte’s hand and they headed back toward the house.  Looking at Jane, she asked, “Are you looking forward to being a mother?”

Stepping over tree roots, Jane said, “I am.  I didn’t think I would have children when I married Jeremy.  He was in love with my sister.  I don’t believe a woman was better loved.”

“He loves you, Jane.  It’s obvious when you two are together.”

“Well, yes, he does love me, and I’ve been fortunate for that.”

“But…?”

“Rebecca was his first love.  I came after.”

“Granted, I haven’t seen him with Rebecca, so it’s hard to make a comparison, but he adores you.  You don’t have to be your sister.  You’re special because you’re you.”

“You didn’t know Rebecca and how people responded to her.  Everyone liked her more than they liked me.  I’m not complaining, Lucy.  I was happy for her.  She was one of the kindest people to me.  I’m just glad Jeremy’s opened his heart to me.”

“He’s done more than open his heart to you.  He’s given it to you.” Smiling, Lucy tucked her free arm around Jane’s.  “I know it’s easier to see things when you’re the observer.  I know that the people in Lincoln held Rebecca in high esteem, and I remember what you said about Marcy when you overheard her talking to a friend.”

“And Rebecca and Marcy were close friends.”

“And you and I are close friends, are we not?  I know we’ve only known each other for a week, but I enjoy your friendship immensely.  While I was growing up, I’d hoped that Meredith and I might one day get over the difficulties I told you about.”

“Yes,” Jane whispered, recalling all that Lucy’s sister had done before her untimely death.  Hearing about Meredith’s betrayal made Jane that much more grateful for Rebecca.  “I’m sorry that Meredith tried to kill you.  I can’t imagine anyone being so hateful.” Even Marcy wouldn’t go that far.  The worst she did was talk badly about people behind their backs.

“It’s all in the past,” Lucy replied.

“Does it ever bother you?”

“Sometimes, but it gets less and less as time goes on.”

Jane’s gaze went up ahead to Lucy’s house as it came into view, and her eyebrows furrowed when she noticed Jeremy sitting on the porch by the kitchen door.  It was hard to tell what he was thinking from the distance between them, but she wondered if the talk he had with Eliza went well or not.  She thought he would be gone longer than the short time she’d been with Lucy.

“Carry me,” Charlotte told Lucy.

Lucy let go of Jane and picked her daughter up.  “I think you’ll be ready for a nap after you eat.”

“No.” Though Charlotte protested, she yawned.

Lucy shot Jane a knowing look, and Jane chuckled.

When they reached the porch, Jane saw that Jeremy was smiling, so she surmised the talk was a good one.

“Would you like to come in?” Lucy asked Jeremy as she stepped up the porch steps.

“No, thank you.  I’d like to speak to Jane and go back to my mother’s, if that’s alright?” He looked at Jane.

Jane nodded her consent and remained at the bottom of the porch steps.

“In that case, I’ll see you both after Charlotte gets up from her nap,” Lucy said as she carried the still-yawning girl into the house.

Once Lucy shut the door, Jeremy bounded down the steps, and Jane returned his smile.  “I take it the talk went well.”

“It did.  It wasn’t what I expected, but I appreciate everything she went through a lot more.  You know, some people let small things prevent them from enjoying life, but even after all she’s been through, she finds a reason to be thankful for what she has.  I don’t see that enough in my line of work.”

“That’s good.  Then all that worrying you did was for nothing.”

He chuckled.  “You were right.” He took her hand and squeezed it.  “What’s behind those trees?”

“The creek that runs along the property.”

“Would you like to show it to me?”

“Sure.  As long as we keep walking, it won’t get too cold.”

She led the way down the path she’d just walked with Lucy and Charlotte.  She debated whether or not to ask him about his talk with Eliza.  It wasn’t her business to intrude on a private moment between a mother and son, but he’d been open with all of his thoughts even before they married that it felt natural to share everything with him.  They reached the creek and he stopped walking, so she halted her steps.

“Jane, you’re the only one I’d trust with what I learned, and that goes for anyone I’ve ever known, even my parents who raised me.”

“What about…?” She hesitated to continue.

“Rebecca?” he filled in for her.

With a shrug, she said, “It seems logical that you would share everything with her.”

“I would have told her I was adopted, but I don’t think I would have told her anything else.”

Surprised, she turned her gaze from the creek so she could study his face.

“I can’t explain it.  I loved her.  You know that, but I always felt I could talk to you about anything.  Back then, it wasn’t a romantic inclination, and if she was still alive, I wouldn’t tell you that my mother was a prostitute.  I would have kept it to myself, and I wouldn’t have searched for her.  I would have kept it in the past.”

“I don’t understand, Jeremy.  Rebecca would have understood if you told her.”

“I’m not sure.  Maybe she would have, or maybe not.  She was good friends with Marcy.  The two were more alike than she and you were.  You were her sister and I know you two were close, but she was a little closer to Marcy.”

Jane couldn’t argue that observation.  While Rebecca brought Jane to Marcy’s on occasion and included her in the conversation, more often than not, she told Marcy things she never told Jane.  But to be fair, Jane had disclosed things to Edith she didn’t disclose to Rebecca, though she could only recall two things Edith knew that Rebecca didn’t.  One was her secret envy of Rebecca because Rebecca got along with everyone she met.  The other was how upset she’d been growing up that her parents favored Rebecca.

He squeezed Jane’s hand.  “You know how Marcy is.  Do you think Rebecca would have withheld anything from her?”

She sighed.  “No, I don’t.”

“And what do you think Marcy would think of me being born out of wedlock because my mother was a prostitute?”

“She wouldn’t have liked it, but surely, Rebecca would have known this was one thing she couldn’t tell Marcy.”

“I don’t know, and the uncertainty would have held me back.”

“But it bothered you when you found out.” She recalled how he’d been during the sermon after he came back from his father’s funeral and how troubled he’d been at the potluck.  “I don’t think keeping it to yourself would have been good for you.”

“Looking back, I agree.  Jane, I know Marcy held high standards on what a person should be, especially a preacher, and sometimes I wonder if that’s part of what Rebecca liked about me.” He let go of her hand and sat on a log.  “I wasn’t the only one who wanted to court her.”

She sat next to him.  “I know.” Will and her mother tried to talk a couple of disappointed suitors into courting Jane, but none were interested.  Her cheeks warmed.  At the time, she didn’t know what was more embarrassing: the fact that they tried to secure a husband for her or the fact that the men refused to even consider her worth a second glance.

“Marcy once made a comment that Rebecca couldn’t do better than a man of God.”

“That’s not why Rebecca married you.  She loved you.”

“I know.  I don’t doubt that.  I just think that, unlike Rebecca, I can tell you everything without fear that I’ll disappoint you or you’ll tell the wrong person.  Some people judge others by circumstances they can’t control.  I know that you won’t think less of me because of my father.”

“Your father?”

“Yes.  He wasn’t one of my mother’s customers like we thought.” He drew her closer to him and she settled in his arms.  “He was my mother’s uncle.”

“What?”

“After her parents died, she went to live with her aunt and uncle.  Without going into detail, her uncle took advantage of the situation, and when she got pregnant, he sold her into prostitution.”

“That’s horrible, Jeremy.”

“Yes, it is, and it wasn’t easy for my mother to tell me about it.  Even now, I can see that part of her past brings her pain.  She did the best she could with what happened to her and made sure I had good people to raise me as their son.”

“She’s a good woman.”

“Yes, she is.  Thank you for bringing me here to meet her.”

She let out a soft chuckled.  “All I did was suggest it.  You decided to find her.”

“Because I had your support.  I never would have made it this far if it hadn’t been for you.  You’re the better part of me.” He gave her a kiss and smiled.  “I love you, Jane.”

She returned his smile.  “I love you, too.”

After he stood, he helped her to her feet and took in their surroundings.  “This is a nice spot.  I can see why Lucy and Brian like to come here.”

“There’s a sense of peace in listening to the water,” she replied, her head still spinning from what she just learned.  She didn’t know what surprised her more: finding out he trusted her in ways he never trusted Rebecca or the truth of his parentage.  It would take time to absorb everything.  “So, are all your questions answered?”

Looking back at her, he brought his arm around her shoulders and led her away from the creek.  “Yes, they are.”

“Good.  I’m glad.”

“The decision is up to the Lord, of course, but I hope I get to pastor the church in this town.  It’d be nice to make up for lost time.”

“I hope so, too.”

“You know, if you have your mind set to it, I’d say that us moving here is a sure thing.”

She laughed.  “Then I suppose I should set my mind to it then.”

Chuckling, he squeezed her shoulders and gave her a kiss on the cheek before they continued down the path to Eliza and John’s house.

That Sunday, Jane sat between Eliza and Lucy while Jeremy gave the sermon.  Brian sat next to Lucy, and John sat next to John.  It reminded her of when her parents were alive.  She’d sit between her parents, her sister, and her brother and his family.  Sometimes she missed how things used to be, but as she glanced at Lucy and Eliza, she felt a sense of peace at how things turned out.  When she caught the unshed tears and proud smile on Eliza’s face, she touched Eliza’s hand.

Eliza looked at her and brushed the tears away.  “There he is talking about finding joy and I’m crying,” she whispered.

“Yes, but you’re crying out of joy,” she softly replied.

Eliza nodded.  “I never I’d hear my son speak, much less see what a fine man he turned out to be.  God has blessed me more than I deserve.”

“He has for me, too.”

Squeezing her hand, Eliza smiled at her before they turned their attention back to Jeremy.

After the sermon, Jane stood next to Jeremy as people came up to talk to him, as she was used to doing.  To her surprise, Eliza stood with her and introduced her to the people in town, often throwing in a charming story to help Jane remember who was who.  Lucy and Charlotte joined them a little later while Brian went with John to talk to some of the men in town.  Jane tried to remember the names of John’s brothers, but the men looked a lot alike so it was hard to keep them separated.

“Are you overwhelmed by everyone?” Lucy quietly asked Jane while Eliza and Addy talked to Charity and Daphne.

“No.  Eliza does a good job of making people feel comfortable in new situations,” Jane replied.

“She does, doesn’t she?  That’s one of the things I love most about her.” Jane watched while Eliza fussed over Charlotte’s bonnet.  “She loves being a grandmother.”

“She’s already started on a blanket for our babies, but don’t tell her I told you.  She’s even putting the month they’re going to be born on the blankets.  She figures if she gets an early start on them, she has plenty of time to correct any mistakes she makes.”

“That’s nice of her.”

“I know Jeremy can’t just pick up and move anywhere he wants, but it’d be nice if he could be our preacher.  Then our children could grow up together and be friends.  You know, I did have a sister, but we didn’t get along.  I’ll have to tell you about it sometime, but I often wished she and I had the kind of relationship we do.”

“I like being with you, too,” Jane confessed.  “I’m sorry you didn’t have a good friendship with your sister.” Her life had been blessed with Rebecca, and it was hard to imagine how things might have been if she and Rebecca hadn’t been the closest of friends.  Even if Rebecca hadn’t lived long, she’d made the world a better place.  With a sigh, she said, “I’d love for our children to grow up together and be friends.”

“It’s too bad I didn’t get to meet Rebecca.  She sounds like she was a lovely person.”

“She was.  I suppose a part of me will always miss her.”

“That’s a good thing, Jane.  I know it isn’t good she’s no longer here, but it’s good that you had the kind of friendship where you miss her as much as you do.”

Jane nodded, thinking to tell Lucy that she was sorry that Lucy didn’t have fond memories of her sister.  Lucy didn’t have to say it.  It was evident in the dismissive tone in Lucy’s voice when she referred to her sister.

“Maybe God brought us together so we could be sisters.  We are sisters-in-law, after all,” Lucy said.

Jane considered Lucy’s comment.  The timing of Rebecca’s death, her marriage to Jeremy, Edith’s move to Omaha, finding Eliza, and this town needing a preacher at this moment in time…  Perhaps the incidences that didn’t seem to connect were all a part of a bigger plan God had in their lives.  And if it turned out that Jeremy could come here to shepherd this church, then that would only confirm it.  The pieces all fit nicely.

Eliza and Addy headed over to her and Lucy so she tucked aside her thoughts for the time being.

***

Two days later, Jeremy took Jane back out to John and Eliza’s residence.  On the way there, he ran through the familiar debate in his mind.  If he was going to broach the subject of how his mother ended up in prostitution, it would have to be today.  The next day, the stagecoach was due in town, and he had to get back to his church.  He knew the subject he wished to discuss with his mother would be a sensitive one and would be best done without anyone else in the vicinity.

Taking a deep breath, he ran his fingers over the reins he held in his hands as the horse led them onto John and Eliza’s property.  “Jane, I have to know how she ended up in a saloon at such a young age.” The confession wasn’t an easy one to make, but of all people he could tell, it was Jane.  She knew more about him than anyone else, and she didn’t judge him for his decisions.  He glanced at her.  “I figure John and Brian will be working on the chairs this time of day.  I don’t know if Lucy will be at the house, but I think it’d be better that I talk to my mother alone.”

“Lucy mentioned wanting to take me to the creek so I could see her favorite spot.  We’ll do that, and I’ll go to her house until you come for me.”

Looking at her kind eyes, he smiled.  “You always seem to know what I need.”

She shrugged.  “I think you need to know this so you can move forward, even if it’s not pleasant.”

It couldn’t be pleasant.  Not if his mother didn’t tell him that part of her life when she made it a habit of talking about her childhood with her parents, her life with John, and her life with Brian and Lucy.  But she never mentioned how she ended up in prostitution, and he suspected it had something to do with him.

Instead of going to John and Eliza’s house, he opted to take the buggy to Brian and Lucy’s house.  Lucy came onto the porch as they neared her home.  Once he pulled up to a stop, Lucy bounded down the steps with Charlotte at her heels.

“I’ll get myself out,” Jane told him as she stepped out the buggy.  “Good morning, Lucy.  Is it alright if I stay here with you for awhile?”

“Of course, it is,” Lucy said as Charlotte lifted her arms up so Jane would pick her up.  “We can talk about things that would bore men.”

Noting the twinkle in Lucy’s eye, Jeremy replied, “Then it’s a good thing I won’t be around.”

“Take your time,” Jane told him.

He nodded his thanks to them and led the horse toward Eliza and John’s.  When he reached the barn, he took his time in unhitching the horse and putting in the stall.  This was it.  Tucking his hands into his coat pockets, he strolled the length between the barn and the house, not bothering to step around patches of melting snow.  He reached the kitchen door and knocked on it.

He only had to wait for five seconds before Eliza opened the door with a towel in her hands.  “Morning, Jeremy,” she greeted as she threw it over her right shoulder and opened the screen door for him.  “Where’s Jane?  Is she feeling alright?”

“Jane’s fine.  She’s visiting Lucy.” He cleared his throat.  “I hope that’s alright.  I wanted to speak to you alone.”

A worried frown crossed her face and for a moment, he thought she was going to say no, but she nodded and waved him in.  “I just finished with the dishes so I have time to talk.  Would you like something to drink?  I was thinking of making some tea.  Every once in awhile, I like a break from coffee.”

He stepped into the house and wiped his feet on the rug by the door.  “Tea would be fine.”

She closed the door and motioned for him to sit down while she filled the teapot with water.

Now that he was alone with her, he didn’t know where to begin.  Swallowing the lump in his throat, he took off his hat and smoothed his hair before he hung his coat and hat on the coat tree.  With a deep breath, he moved forward and sat at the kitchen table.  He rested his hands on his knees and tried to determine the best way to bring up the subject.

Turning from the cook stove where she set the teapot, she softly asked, “You want to know about your birth?”

His face flushed from partial embarrassment given the sensitive nature of the discussion.  “I figured that out.  You were at the saloon when I was born.  It’s not hard to deduct what happened there.” He cleared his throat and forced himself to make eye contact.  “I wondered how you ended up in a saloon.  I was born when you were fourteen.  I can’t imagine why your parents would allow you to go there in the first place.”

She looked away from him, choosing, instead, to stare at her hands which gripped the chair in front of her.  She remained standing, a signal that this conversation was just as hard, if not harder, for her than it was for him.  “What you’re asking is how you were born,” she said in a tone so low he barely heard her.

His eyebrows furrowed.  What did her becoming a prostitute have to do with him?

In a louder voice, she continued, “I ended up in the saloon because I was carrying you.”

“I don’t understand.  You mean one of the men who…came to your room…wasn’t my father?”

“No, none of them were.” She glanced at the teapot and took it off the cook stove to set aside.  “I can’t focus on the tea while we’re having this talk.” She wiped her hands on her apron before she pulled out her chair and sat down.  Squaring her shoulders, she released her breath and finally looked at him.  “I’ll tell you what you want to know, but I have to warn you, it’s not pretty.”

“I gathered as much,” he whispered.

“But it doesn’t change how I feel about you.  I still love you, and I’m glad you found me.”

His stomach tensed.  He came this far.  He wasn’t going to back out now.  “You’ve prepared me.”

“After my parents died, my mother’s sister and her husband took me in.”

“Your aunt and uncle?”

“Yes.  That’s another way of putting it.” She adjusted the tablecloth and folded her hands in front of her, her knuckles white even as she maintained eye contact with him.  “My uncle wasn’t exactly a good man.  I never felt safe around him, and I avoided him as much as I could.  But…well…that didn’t stop him from coming into my bedroom at night.” Her voice trailed off and she turned her attention to her hands.

Shock prevented him from telling her to stop.  He knew.  She didn’t have to continue at this point, but he couldn’t speak so she did.

“I told him no, but what can a fourteen-year-old do against a man?” Her voice wavered and she grabbed the towel off of her shoulder so she could wipe her eyes.

The knots in Jeremy’s gut tightened.  “I get the idea.”

She sniffed back her tears.  “I hid it for as long as I could, but my aunt figured out I was child.  She refused to accept it was her husband who did it.  They blamed the boys in the neighborhood.  They decided to get rid of me, and he sold me to the saloon owner in Omaha.  That’s how I ended up in prostitution.”

He wasn’t sure what to think.  He’d heard terrible things in his time as a preacher, but he’d never heard anything this awful.

“The owner wasn’t happy to say the least when he realized I was with child, but the Grahams happened to find out about my situation when I went to see a doctor and offered to take you and raise you as their own.  The owner agreed to it, and so when the time came for me to give birth, they came to get you and take you home.” She brushed away more tears from her cheeks and sighed.  “They were such nice people.  I knew they would give you a good life.  It didn’t matter how you were conceived.  I loved you, and it broke my heart that day when you were born and I wasn’t allowed to hold you, not even once.  The doctor handed you to Mrs. Graham and the owner hurried your parents out of the saloon.  Your parents sent me a letter and a picture of you, and I knew you were safe and loved, and that was what mattered.  They did right by you.  You became a good man.  A mother couldn’t be prouder.”

He blinked, willing his own tears away.  What could he say?  She was smiling and crying at the same time, and as much as he wanted to express his disgust at what her uncle did to her, he knew it wasn’t the response she needed.

“There’s something you should understand when you came to my door a week ago,” she continued.  “For a moment, I thought you were my uncle.  At first glance, you looked just like him, but as I studied your face more, I saw myself in you, too.  That’s why it took me awhile to overcome my shock.  I hope you didn’t think it was because I wasn’t happy to see you.  I was.  I never imagined the Grahams would tell you about me, and for sure, I didn’t think you would care enough to find me, especially given the fact that I used to be a prostitute.”

“There are many things I’ve learned over my years in the ministry, and one of them is that too many people judge a person based on where they’ve been instead of where they are now.  You were too young to make a decision when you became a prostitute, but you gathered the courage to leave and that’s what counts.”

She wiped her eyes again and chuckled.  “Those are beautiful words.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that with…” He couldn’t bring himself to say his father because as far as he was concerned, her uncle didn’t have a right to that title, so he finished with, “him.  No one deserves that.  You don’t have to worry me.  I’m proud to be your son.”

She burst into tears and got up so she could hug him.  “Thank you.”

He returned her hug and forced his voice to remain steady.  “Thank you, Ma.” He swallowed the lump in his throat.  “Thank you for letting the Grahams raise me so I could have a good life.”

After a few moments, she went to the cook stove and put the teapot back on the range.  “Is there anything else you want to know?”

“No, you’ve answered all of my questions.” Standing up, he added, “I’ll get Jane and come back.”

Smiling, she nodded.

Returning her smile, he left the house.

The next day, Jane sat with Lucy and Eliza in the parlor of Eliza’s house while Charlotte took a nap in the other room.  She pulled the needle through the cloth square she was sewing into the quilt.  “I notice you like yellow,” she told Eliza as she scanned the various shades of yellow Eliza wanted for her blanket.

“I do,” Eliza admitted from across from Jane and Lucy as she sewed in a square on the other side.  “It’s such a beautiful color, one of hope and joy.  When I was a girl, my parents took me to a meadow where we’d have a picnic, and I’d play among the yellow flowers.  Yellow brings back good memories.”

Jane smiled.  “That’s a lovely story.  My best memories while growing up were Christmases.  My father would read the Gospel of Luke, we’d sing songs, and open gifts.  We didn’t have much money while growing up, so we had to make each other our gifts.  My brother would make me and Rebecca the same thing every year.  He would take the leftover popcorn we didn’t put on the tree and make necklaces of them.  Then he’d have our mother help him draw angels to put in the middle.  We collected those necklaces for years.  One year, Rebecca and I made dolls for each other, and we spent the year making clothes for them.  We usually chipped in and made our father and mother a scarf or socks.”

“It sounds like you had wonderful Christmases,” Lucy commented as she selected a square to add to the quilt.  “My favorite childhood memory was going to the lake by my house and reading a book.”

Jane smiled.  “Sounds lovely.”

“It was.  Brian and I like to go to the creek down that way.” Lucy indicated where she meant before she pulled the thread through the fabric.  “Charlotte’s finally getting to the age where she will sit for a bit so I can read.  Sometimes Eliza watches her so I can go alone if I want to rest.  It brings back good memories.”

Eliza winked at Jane.  “And it gives me a good excuse to spend time with my granddaughter.  I can’t say I don’t have an ulterior motive when I suggest Lucy take a break so she can go to the creek.”

Jane chuckled.  “There’s nothing wrong with that.  I used to enjoy watching my niece and nephew so my sister-in-law could get a break.  She might have taken advantage on some occasions, but I still enjoyed the time I spent with them.  After the falling-out I have with my brother, I didn’t get to see them except when I ran into them in a store.”

“May I ask what caused the falling-out?” Eliza asked.

“My brother sold me to a man who wanted to marry me.”

Lucy and Eliza stopped sewing and stared at her in disbelief.

With a sigh, Jane shrugged.  “It’s true.  My brother and I worked things out to a point, but it’ll never be the same.”

“This person your brother sold you to wasn’t Jeremy, was it?” Lucy asked.

“Oh, no.  Jeremy married me so I wouldn’t have to marry Micah.  Micah was disgusting.  He farted and burped in public.” Thinking back on the potluck her brother made her go to with Micah made Jane laugh.  “I didn’t think it was funny at the time, but looking back, I suppose it was.  I was forced to go with Micah to a potluck and ran off to hide during the get-together.”

An amused grin appeared on Eliza and Lucy’s lips.  “You really hid?” Lucy asked.

“I did.  I ran to the back of the house and waited until it was time to clean up before I returned,” Jane replied.

Eliza giggled.  “I’m sure you didn’t bolt to the back of the house, but that’s the way I imagine it.”

“Well, it was close to it, to be honest,” Jane said.

“So how did you end up marrying Jeremy?” Lucy asked.

Jane’s face grew warm.  “When he found out what my brother did, he told my brother that Micah wasn’t going to marry me and to make sure Micah didn’t, he married me.”

“That’s romantic.”

“At the time, it wasn’t.  You see, he was married to my sister, and after she died, he had a hard time of it.  I could tell the difference in his sermons when she was alive and after she wasn’t.  My sister was a lovely person,” Jane softly said.  “It doesn’t seem fair that someone like her had to go before her time.  Sometimes I miss her.  She was my dearest friend.”

“What was her name?” Eliza asked.

“Rebecca.  She died a few months after marrying Jeremy.  It was a hard time for all of us.”

“It must have been nice to have a good relationship with her,” Lucy said, “even if she died young.  At least you were friends.”

Jane sensed a tone of regret in Lucy’s voice but decided she didn’t know Lucy well enough—not yet at least—to feel comfortable prying into Lucy’s life.  Since Lucy didn’t volunteer the information, Jane decided to let the matter go.  “Anyway, I married Jeremy so I wouldn’t have to marry Micah, and it’s turned out to be the best thing that happened to me, though I’m sorry I had to lose my sister for it to happen.”

“He loves you,” Eliza told her.  “I know the look a man gives a woman when he loves her, and he has that look when he turns his attention to you.  I’m glad you gave him a second chance to be happy.  All I’ve ever wanted for him was that he’d be happy.”

Jane’s face flushed with pleasure.  “He’s made me happy, too.”

Smiling, Eliza set her side of the quilt down.  “I’m glad you two came.  I hoped and prayed for good things for him, and it’s wonderful to see him doing better than I dreamt possible.”

Jane finished her square and noticed the others weren’t sewing.  “Are we done for now?”

“I thought the men might like something hot to drink.”

“That’s a good idea,” Lucy agreed.  “It’s been awhile since they had anything.”

Eager to see the men at work on the furniture in the work shed, Jane stood with the others and put on her coat.  She carried a plate of cookies while Eliza and Lucy carried the coffee and cups.

“It’s lovely here in South Dakota,” Jane commented.  “It’s colder than what I’m used to, but it’s lovely all the same.”

“It’s been so long since I’ve been in Nebraska that I hardly remember what the winters were like,” Eliza said as their boots crunched on the snow.  “I admit that I enjoy being here most because of the good people here.  Where you live isn’t so important as who you live with.”

“That’s true,” Jane replied.  Rebecca and Edith’s absences from Lincoln left a hole in her heart.  If it weren’t for Jeremy, she didn’t know what she’d do.  “What do you think of South Dakota?” she asked Lucy.

“I love it more than Minnesota.  It’s peaceful and quiet out here.  I am wondering what it’s like to be married to a preacher.”

Jane chuckled.  “Despite what people think, Jeremy’s not perfect.  I used to think he was because of his profession, but when we have our first argument, I was relieved.  I no longer felt like I was living with someone who never sinned.  It’s easier to relate to someone who’s human, you know?  A lot of people request to talk to him, so he stays busy and can be called out in the middle of the night.  I don’t mind all of that, but sometimes it’s hard for me to think of what to say to some parishioners after a service.  I don’t know what to say most of the time, so I stay by his side.”

Lucy gave her a sly smile.  “You should have Eliza with you. She has the gift of gab.”

Eliza sighed good-naturedly.  “It’s a blessing and a curse.  Sometimes I think I put some people to sleep with my ramblings.”

“Nonsense,” Lucy replied.  “You make even the most boring story sound interesting.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.  Do you mean I talk about boring things?” she teased.

“Oh, you’re silly.  Of course not, but you could talk about painting a fence and make it sound like fun.  You and Tom Sawyer have that in common.  You could talk anyone into anything.”

“Yes, but he did that to get out of working, if I recall right.”

“He did.” As they neared the shed, Lucy asked, “Have you read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Jane?”

“No, I can’t say I have,” Jane replied.

“Well, if you want, I can lend you my copy.”

They stopped in front of the shed and Eliza turned to them.  “I thought it was fine.  The Scarlet Letter was much better, but The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was much better than that horrible Romeo and Juliet book.”

“What was wrong with Romeo and Juliet?” Jane asked.

“Well, I thought I was going to get a romance, and while there was a romance, the two ended up committing suicide.  I prefer a happy ending when I read.  Granted, life doesn’t always end in a happy ending, but when I read, I read to escape.” Eliza paused and smiled as she placed her hand on the doorknob.  “However, I will say that we’ve all had our happy endings, haven’t we?  We have good men in our lives, and that’s important.”

“Yes, it is,” Lucy agreed.  “We’re very lucky.”

Eliza nodded as she turned the knob, and as they entered the shed, Jane welcomed the warmth coming from the small box stove in the room.  She stomped her feet on the mat by the door so she wouldn’t trace snow through the shed.

Eliza set the tray with the coffee pot on the table next to the door.  “We thought you men might like a snack after all your hard work.”

“I smell cookies,” Brian said from where he sanded a chair leg.

“Yes, but can you guess what’s in them?”

“Oatmeal?”

Jane’s eyes grew wide.  Lucy was right.  Brian could pick up on things with surprising accuracy.  John stood up and made a sign that she learned meant ‘thank you’ while he took the coffee pot to pour coffee into the three cups.

Jeremy also stood and went over to Jane.  “I don’t think there’s any danger of me leaving the ministry to make furniture.  I messed up with staining one of the chairs.  Don’t even get me started on my attempt to sand down one of the arms.  John redid both so you can’t tell where I goofed.”

She smiled and handed him a couple of cookies.  “We all have our strengths.  Yours is in front of the congregation.”

“It’s easier speaking to a group than fiddling with a piece of wood.”

“Speak for yourself,” Brian called out from where he sat.

John handed Jeremy a cup of coffee before he signed to Eliza.

“John says you did fine, Jeremy,” Eliza said.  “It takes time to learn how to make furniture.”

“You’re being too kind,” Jeremy replied with a smile.  “I don’t have a knack for it.”

John waved his hand to dismiss Jeremy’s protest and brought Brian a cup and some cookies.  Then he returned to Eliza for his own cup and cookies.

“Think of it this way,” Lucy began, “if you made furniture, then who would give the sermons?”

“True,” Jeremy replied.

“I wonder if Preacher Brown would be willing to let you give this Sunday’s sermon,” Eliza said before she bit into a cookie.  “I’ve love to listen to one of your sermons.”

Jane noted the look of pleasure on Jeremy’s face and was glad his mother chose to give him such a high compliment.  It was good his fears had been for nothing.  His mother was as happy to see him as Jane hoped.  “Maybe we could ask,” she told him.

“He’s a temporary preacher, so I’m sure he would,” Eliza added.  “He’s getting up in years and plans to return to where he grew up in Iowa to be with his younger brother and his family.”

“Isn’t there a preacher due to come in who will stay?” Jane asked.

“Not yet,” Eliza replied.  “Preacher Brown will stay until one does.  He’s waiting for word to come in.”

Jane glanced at Jeremy but figured it was best to ask him what he thought about requesting this town to minister to when they were alone.  There was nothing tying her to Lincoln, and she didn’t think there was anything holding Jeremy there either.  A new start might be nice, and she enjoyed talking to Eliza and Lucy.  It’d been a long time since she felt comfortable talking to a group of women.  For sure, it was refreshing after overhearing what Marcy thought of her.

Jeremy set his empty cup down.  “When Jane and I return to town today, we’ll pay Preacher Brown a visit and see what he thinks of me giving a sermon on Sunday.”

Eliza’s smile widened.  “I hope he says yes.”

The rest indicated their agreement and chatted a little longer before the women returned the empty coffee pot and dishes to the house.

When Jeremy and Jane left in the buggy Addy and Frank let them borrow, she turned him.  “What do you think of being here?  Do you like it?”

He took her hand in his and said, “Yes, I do.  My mother is a nice woman.  I’m glad I got a chance to meet her.”

Sensing his hesitation, she asked, “What is it?”

He shrugged.  “I keep wondering how she became a prostitute?  How does a girl at fourteen end up at the top of a saloon giving her son away for adoption?  I mean, I understand how she got pregnant since it was the result of the business, but didn’t she have family she could have gone to instead of running to a saloon for employment?”

“I don’t know.  Are you going to ask?”

“I’ve been thinking about it.  Do you think she’ll tell me?”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

“Whatever the story is, I’m sure it’s not pleasant.  There’s a reason why she’s told me everything else but that.”

“If it’s important for you to know, then you should ask.”

“It might not be my business.”

“No, it might not,” she softly agreed.  “You’ll have to do what you feel is right.”

After a couple minutes of silence, he cleared his throat.  “I suppose we should make a stop at Preacher Brown’s before we return to the boarding house.”

She squeezed his hand, understanding that asking his mother about her past would have to be a decision only he could make.

]]> http://ruthannnordin.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/bride-of-second-chances-post-32/feed/ 0 ruthannnordin http://ruthannnordin.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/bride-of-second-chances-post-31/ http://ruthannnordin.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/bride-of-second-chances-post-31/#comments Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:12:42 +0000 Ruth Ann Nordin http://ruthannnordin.wordpress.com/?p=2087 Continue reading →]]> Chapter Nineteen

In a trip that seemed much too short to Jeremy, they arrived at a house located outside of town.  Addy pulled her buckboard to a stop and pointed to the other house further down the property.  “Brian and Lucy live there with their little girl, Charlotte.  John and Eliza adopted Brian.  They found him walking in the fields when his father abandoned him.”

From beside Jeremy, Jane gasped.  “His father abandoned him?”

Addy knocked and set the brake.  “Probably because he was blind.  Some people don’t want to take care of children with a handicap.  I don’t know the details of that one, and it’s none of my business so I don’t ask.” She shook her head and sighed.  “I’ll never forget how scared he looked.”

“That’s awful.  How is he doing now?”

“Much better, thankfully.  He and John make furniture over in that work shed.”

Jeremy noted the building Addy pointed to before he removed the blanket over their legs.  After he hopped down from the buckboard, he helped Jane and Addy down.  As Addy led the way to the front door, he looked at Jane.  “It’s silly that I should be nervous,” he softly told her.

With an understanding smile, she slipped her gloved arm through his.  “It’d be silly if you weren’t.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he whispered, not sure if she heard him or not.

When they reached the closed door, Addy said, “This is their kitchen door.  I know there’s a front door, but they rarely ever use it.” She knocked on the door and clasped her hands again.

He took a deep breath in an attempt to settle his racing heart.  Well, this was it.  Soon enough, he’d know if the trip had been worth it or not.  Jane squeezed his arm, and he silently thanked her.

The door opened, and from the way Addy described her, he knew it was Eliza.  Her hair still red, but with a few grays, was pulled back into a braid.  Her lips were turned up into a smile, and from the laughter inside the house, the people she was with were having a good conversation.  He studied her face, trying to determine if they looked alike, as Addy claimed, but he couldn’t tell if he did or not.  He glanced at Jane whose eyes had widened, and he had no idea what she was thinking.

“Afternoon, Addy,” Eliza said before her attention turned from Jane to Jeremy.  For a moment, her smile faltered.  She blinked and swallowed.  “Uh…hello.” Her smile returned, though it seemed forced.  “Will you come in?” She held the door open and moved aside.

Jeremy wasn’t sure if he wanted to go in.  Something about him unnerved her, and he wondered if Addy’s claim that Eliza would be happy was wrong.  The only reason he followed Addy and Jane into the house was because Jane squeezed his arm again.  With uncertain steps, he entered the house and stood close to Jane.

The little girl with golden wavy hair ran over to the kitchen table where a young blonde woman who was beginning to show in her pregnancy put the child in her lap.  The woman saw Jeremy and let out a slight gasp.  The blond man sitting next to her stared seemed to stare through Jeremy and Jane, though his eyebrows furrowed when the woman gasped.  Across the table from them, a man close to Eliza’s age stood and walked over to Addy and Eliza, his eyes drifting from Eliza to Jeremy.

Jeremy shifted from one foot to the other, not sure what to say.  He should have understood that thing would be awkward.  He hadn’t given anyone time to prepare for his coming, and by the way they stared at him, he knew he had to be Eliza’s son.  They kept looking from her to him, and as he accessed her face, he caught the similarities.  The only thing he didn’t have was her forehead or chin, but there was no doubt she was his real mother.

Eliza pressed her hand over her mouth and let out a startled cry that made Jeremy take a step back.  Of all his years being a preacher and having to talk people through difficult situations, he had no idea what to say.

Addy cleared her throat.  “This is Jeremy and Jane Graham.  They came all the way from Lincoln, Nebraska.  Jeremy and Jane, this is Eliza and her husband John Evans.  Over there is Lucy and Brian with their little girl, Charlotte.”

As in on cue, Lucy and Brian stood.  Lucy carried the girl in her arms.  Not knowing what else to do, Jeremy shook the men’s hands and nodded a greeting to Lucy.  He had a hard time looking at his mother since she couldn’t seem to stop staring at him with tears in her eyes.  John put his arms around her and patted her back.

Beside him, Jane took a deep breath and told Eliza, “We probably should have sent a letter before we came.  We didn’t even know Jeremy was adopted until his father joined the Lord a few months ago.  On his deathbed, he told Jeremy about you.  From there, we went to Omaha and met up with a preacher by the name Bill Peters who told us he sent you here.  We weren’t sure if you were here or still alive, but we thought we’d come anyway and…and…”

Eliza stepped up to Jeremy and brushed the tears from her eyes, but it did no good since she cried harder.  “I never thought I’d see you.  I long ago gave up on every running into her by chance, but here you are and the Grahams took such good care of you, just as I knew they would.”

She did love him.  She didn’t have to say the words.  The tenderness in her tone and care in her eyes spoke for her.  She hadn’t forgotten him.  When she hugged him, he wrapped his arms around her, swallowing the lump in his throat.  He hadn’t been sure if he would be glad he and Jane made the trip, but now he was.

Eliza pulled away and laughed even as she wiped away more tears.  “This is your wife?”

“Yes,” he replied and turned to Jane.  “She’s my better half.” As an afterthought, he added, “She’s expecting.”

“You are?” Eliza asked her as she hugged her.

Jane smiled and brushed away her own tears.  “Yes.  The baby will be here in September.”

“I can’t believe it.” Eliza looked from Jane to Jeremy and laughed again.  “I just can’t believe it.”

“I thought you’d be happy,” Addy told her.

“It was a shock to be sure, but a good one.  Did you have any brothers or sisters while growing up?” Eliza asked Jeremy.

“No.  My parents couldn’t have any children,” he replied.

“Well, now you have a brother,” Eliza said.  “Brian is my son.  John and I adopted him when he was eight.  He’s been married to Lucy almost four years now, and their daughter just turned three and they’re expecting another child in August.  Isn’t it wonderful that you’ll be having children so close together?”

“It is,” Jane replied with a smile in Lucy’s direction.

Lucy walked over to Jane.  “Congratulations.  Do you have any names picked out?”

Jane glanced at Jeremy and smiled.  “We haven’t discussed names yet.  Part of it doesn’t seem real yet.”

“I remember that feeling,” Lucy replied.  “Would you like to sit in the parlor and talk?”

Jane looked at Jeremy, and understanding her hesitation, he nodded an encouragement for her to go.

John motioned to Eliza who said, “Oh, we should take your coats.  Then we can get settled and make up for lost time.”

As Jeremy shrugged out of his coat, his eyes happened to drift to the parlor where three pictures rested on the mantle.  Just as Addy said, a picture of him when he was a baby was there.  He liked that.

“Will you stay for supper?” Eliza asked.  “I can’t cook well, but Lucy makes a tasty roast.”

Jeremy glanced at Jane to see what her thoughts were, but instead of looking at him, she was talking to Lucy about their trip.  Smiling, he said, “We’d love to.”

He took Jane’s coat and hat and put them on the coat tree next to his before he followed John, Eliza, and Brian to the kitchen table.  Addy joined Lucy and Jane as Jeremy sat across from John and next to Brian.

Brian smiled and turned his head in Jeremy’s direction.  “I have no idea what to say around a bunch of women who fuss over children, so I thought it’d be safer to stay here.”

Jeremy chuckled.  “A group of women together can be intimidating.” He glanced at John, recalling how Addy said he was mute, and wondered how it would be best to communicate with him.

Eliza set an extra cup of coffee on the table.  “Oh come now.  There’s nothing intimidating about a group of women.  We’re harmless.”

John put his hand under Brian’s and made gestures that caused Brian to laugh.  “Pa says you don’t see women the way a man does.”

“Women should be intimidated by a group of men, but they aren’t,” Eliza said as she set sugar next to Jeremy’s cup and sat next to John.

Jeremy thought the way a mute man communicated with a blind one was fascinating, so he watched as John rolled his eyes but signed into Brian’s hand.

“Do you know sign language?” Eliza asked Jeremy.

Putting a spoonful of sugar into his coffee, Jeremy shook his head.  “I haven’t had the opportunity to learn it.”

“Be sure to tell him what your pa is saying,” she told Brian.  “Don’t give each other secret messages.” Glancing at Jeremy, she said, “They’re apt to do that, you know.  They pretend as if no one else exists at times.”

John shook his head at her.

“It is so true,” she replied.  When he waved his hand as if to dismiss her observation, she sighed.  “You’ll have to forgive them.  Sometimes they’re in a world of their own.”

With a smile, Jeremy stirred the sugar and set the spoon aside so he could take a sip of the hot drink.

“Pa said that it’s nice that Jeremy and Jane came here,” Brian said.

“It is nice,” she replied and smiled at Jeremy.  “I admit you caught me by surprise, but it was a good one.  Looking at you, I see the Grahams took good care of you.  I don’t remember the husband’s name, but I remember the wife’s name was Agatha.”

“My father’s name was Thomas,” Jeremy said.

“They were such wonderful people, but Thomas isn’t alive anymore?  What about Agatha?”

“She went passed away five years ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.  I imagined that they were still alive and enjoying their grandchildren.” After a moment, she continued, “You had a happy childhood, didn’t you?”

“Yes.  I can’t complain about my upbringing.  They didn’t always give into what I wanted, but they were fair and taught me right from wrong.”

She nodded.  “That’s exactly what a boy needs.  And you grew up in Grand Island?  I haven’t been there.  Is it nice?”

“It is.  I didn’t leave until I got send to pastor a church in Lincoln.”

“You’re a preacher?”

“I spent some time working at the general store in Grand Island before I figured out God called me to be a preacher.  I received the education I needed and got sent to Lincoln.  That’s where I met Jane.  She grew up there.”

Eliza pressed her hand to her heart and looked at John.  “A preacher?  Can you imagine that?”

John signed to her.

She laughed.  “Oh, you did not.” She turned to Jeremy.  “He says he knew it when you walked through the door.  Seriously, John, you can’t tell someone’s profession just by looking at them.  Why, no one can tell you and Brian make furniture, especially since Brian can’t see.  So no, you didn’t know Jeremy was a preacher when he walked through the door.”

John signed again.

“Preachers do not have a certain way of entering a room.  You are impossible.” She sighed.  “Don’t mind him, Jeremy.  He can’t tell these things.”

Brian chuckled.  “This is normal for Ma and Pa, Jeremy.  After awhile, you learn to ignore the banter.”

“Well, it’s absurd someone would claim to know another person’s profession just by looking at them,” Eliza said before turning her attention back to Jeremy.  “You’re happy then?  Life’s treated you well?”

Jeremy glanced at Jane who laughed along with Lucy at something Addy said.  “Yes, life has treated me well.  I’ve been blessed more than I deserve.” The last of his uncertainty departing, he continued to tell them about his life.

We left off at the point where Jane and Jeremy are on their way to see Eliza. 

*********************************************************************

Chapter Eighteen

Two months later, Jane took Jeremy’s hand and squeezed it.  There was a lot of uncertainty involved in going to South Dakota, and as the train neared Sioux Falls, she noted the rising tension in his body.

“I should have written her first,” he said.

She smiled and shifted in her seat so that she could get a better look at him.  “Everything will be fine.”

“There’s no telling if she’s even alive.  We may have wasted a trip.”

“It was lovely to see the country, so it wasn’t a waste.  Plus, it’s been nice to have you all to myself.” Noting his smile, she grinned.  “I liked learning more about you.”

Looking at her, he said, “I liked more about you, too.  You’re right.  If nothing else, it was good to have time alone.” With a quick scan of the full train car, he shrugged, “Almost.”

“I hope your mother’s alive.  It’d be wonderful for her to see how well you turned out.” He didn’t answer, so she added, “You did turn out wonderfully, Jeremy.  If you were my son, I’d be proud of you.  When I think of what Bill Peters said about her and how much she wanted a better life, it breaks my heart.  I hope she got the life she wanted.  I’d love to go there and find she’s happy.”

“I wouldn’t have taken you for a dreamer.”

“I don’t consider myself a dreamer,” she protested with a chuckle.

“True.  You often have both feet on the ground, but I think in your heart, you like to believe the best in all things.”

“And what’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing.  I like it.  It’s refreshing.” He squeezed her hand.  “I hope that part of you never changes.”

“I have a feeling that everything’s going to work out,” she whispered.  “I can’t explain why.  I just do.”

“I’m glad you’re with me.  I don’t know what to expect, but I hope you’re right.”

“You worry she won’t like seeing you?”

He shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Maybe I’ll remind her of that time in her life she’d rather forget.”

“No.  From the way you said your father spoke about her, it sounded like it broke her heart to let you go.” The train slowed, so she glanced out the window and saw they were in Sioux Falls.  “I suppose this is our stop.”

Clearing his throat, he nodded.  The train came to a stop, and he grabbed their carpet bags before they departed the train.  The station was bustling with activity, so she slipped her arm around his as they made their way through the crowd.  Once they got outside, she let go of his arm and took in the activity of the area as she buttoned her coat.

“The first thing we should do is find a hotel,” he said.  “Then we’ll get something to eat.  After that, we’ll look into getting a stage coach.  How are you feeling?”

“A little tired, but I’m doing well.”

“We can rest a bit before we eat.” He motioned down the street.  “That looks like a good spot to spend the night.”

Nodding, she walked with him through the hustle and bustle of Sioux Falls as people went about their business.  If she’d been alone, this would be a terrifying experience, but since she was with Jeremy, she embraced the adventure that this trip brought.

Once they reached the hotel, they checked into their room and he set the carpetbags on the floor.  She glanced at him as she took her hat off.  As brave as he tried to appear, she recognized his apprehension.  Perhaps nothing she could say reassured him.  He’d have to see his mother and find out what Jane already knew in her heart, which was that a mother couldn’t help but love her child.  Even Susie, for all her faults, loved her children.

He put his hat on the small dresser and took off his shoes before he settled on the bed.  Placing her hat next to his, she joined him on the bed, content to snuggle up to him.

Wrapping her in his arms, he said, “It feels good to lie down after all that sitting.”

She chuckled.  “It does.”

After a long moment of silence passed between them, he whispered, “You’ll stay with me when I see her, won’t you?”

“Of course, I will, and when you want me to leave you two alone, I will.”

He squeezed her shoulders.  “Thank you.”

***

The next cloudy day brought them to the town Preacher Peters led them to.  Jeremy stepped out of the stagecoach and helped Jane down before he turned to the driver and paid him.  Collecting the two carpetbags, he took a deep breath and scanned the small town.  It was an odd feeling—standing on the quiet dusty road while several people shot him and Jane quizzical glances.  His gaze fell to the women, wondering if one of them might be his mother.  He recalled Peters saying his mother had red hair, and since none of the women did, he knew she wasn’t any of them.

Taking a deep breath, he noted Jane’s encouraging smile and walked with her toward the general store.  He wasn’t sure why that seemed to be the place to start, except the driver had stopped right in front of the small building settled in the middle of the business district.  Here goes nothing, he thought as he followed Jane into the store.

A man from behind the counter stopped sorting through the money in his cash register and smiled at them.  “Afternoon.  Name’s Frank Garrison.  Are you looking to move here or just paying a visit?”

Jeremy opened his mouth to speak but realized there was a lump in his throat.  After he cleared it, he said, “Actually, my wife and I wondered about someone who might live in this town.  We don’t have an address.  I’m afraid all we have is her name.”

“We know everyone here,” Frank replied.  “What’s the name?”

“Eliza Nitsick.”

Frank’s eyebrows furrowed.  “We don’t know anyone with the last name Nitsick, but we do have a woman named Eliza.  Before she married John Evans, she was Eliza Sweet.”

Jeremy didn’t know whether he was relieved or disappointed.  There didn’t seem to be any reason to believe that they were talking about the same Eliza.

A woman came out from the back of the store carrying a box full of stable food and set it on the counter.

Frank turned to her.  “Addy, before she married John, Eliza’s last name was Sweet, wasn’t it?”

“My, I haven’t heard that last name in the longest time,” she said with a chuckle.  Brushing a stray strand of hair back from her eyes, she looked over at Jeremy, her eyes growing wide and the laughter dying.  “You’re here to see someone named Eliza?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jeremy replied, grateful that Jane offered him an encouraging smile.

“But the Eliza’s he’s looking for has the last name Nitsick,” Frank told Addy.

“Eliza didn’t remember her real last name, Frank.” With a wide smile, she nudged Frank in the arm.  “Doesn’t he look like the Eliza we know?”

“Does he?” Frank asked, turning his eyes to Jeremy.

Uncomfortable with the couple’s scrutiny, Jeremy shifted from one foot to another.  He didn’t want to say the Eliza they knew might be his mother, but he suspected that’s what Addy was getting at.

Addy hurried over to Jeremy and Jane.  “Eliza is my dearest friend, and she confided to me that she doesn’t remember her last name, so she made up the name Sweet.” She chuckled.  “She was put on the spot when she first got here and saw a package of sugar.  That’s why she called herself Eliza Sweet.”

“That is funny,” Jane said, laughing.

The knots in Jeremy’s stomach tightened, but he forced himself to smile in hopes they didn’t detect his unease.

“I can take you out to her place,” Addy offered.  “If she’s not the right person, I can bring you back, too.”

Jeremy glanced from an excited Addy to Frank who was still inspecting him before he turned his eyes to Jane.  “We should find a hotel first, I think.”

Jane nodded and looked at Addy.  “Is there a place for lodging?”

“Oh, you’re welcome to stay with us if you wish,” Addy replied.  “We have a spare bedroom that no one uses.”

“While I appreciate the offer,” Jeremy began, “but I’d feel more comfortable in a hotel.” So much of this was happening too fast.  He needed a quiet place to process everything.

“I understand,” Addy said.  “We don’t have a hotel, as you call it, but we do have a boarding house.  I can take you there.  Molly Richie currently has a room that’s vacant.  After we get you settled, I’ll take you out to see Eliza.  Then we’ll know for sure if she’s the one you came for.  Let me get my coat, and we’ll head on over to Molly’s first.” She hurried to the room in the back.

Jeremy gave Frank a nod.  “Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it,” Frank replied with a twinkle in his eye.  “She’s been itching to visit Eliza for the last couple weeks.”

Addy returned from the front of the store, said good-bye to Frank, and started asking Jane where they came from and how long they planned to stay.  He was only half-aware of what Jane said.  His gaze kept darting to all the women lingering around outside.  Could one of them be his mother?  He glanced at Addy who continued to talk to Jane.  If Eliza was outside, Addy would make it a point to stop on her way to Molly’s boarding house, but she kept walking so he knew none of them could be Eliza.

Once they reached Molly’s front door, Addy knocked and then opened it.  “Molly?” she called out as she entered the house.  Since she waved for Jeremy and Jane to join her, they did.  She shut the door.  “Molly?”

“In the kitchen, Addy!”

They went to the kitchen where Molly was rolling dough out on her work table.  When she saw them, she put the rolling pin aside and wiped her hands on her apron.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t realize you brought someone with you.”

“This is…” Addy’s eyes widened.  “Oh, how silly of me!  I forgot to introduce myself.  Forgive me.  I got so excited because…  Well, never mind.  I’m Addy Garrison.  My husband, Frank, owns the general store.  This is Molly Richie.”

“We’re Jeremy and Jane Graham,” Jane replied.

Why Addy squealed and clapped her hands, Jeremy didn’t understand why she was so enthusiastic about learning their names.

She and Molly shared a knowing look, and she squealed again.  “Eliza’s going to be so happy to see you!”

He frowned and checked to see what Jane thought of this unexpected situation.  Jane gave a slight shrug but kept a smile on her face.

“You look a lot like Eliza,” Addy told him.  “Her hair is red and yours is brown, but you have the same features on your face.  She told me about her son that she couldn’t raise, and she said a couple with the last name Graham adopted him.  You’re the right age.”

He felt some of the tension leave his body.  “She told you about me?”

“You’ve been on her mind all this time.  She prays for you every day and keeps a picture of you over her fireplace.”

“She has a picture of me?”

“A picture of you when you were a baby.  The Grahams sent it to her shortly after they took you home with them.”

He glanced at Molly.  “Does everyone know about me?”

“It’s a small town,” Addy replied.

Releasing his breath, he wondered if that was a good thing or not.  Did they know the circumstances surrounding his birth?  And if so, why weren’t they shunning him for being a bastard?

Molly stepped forward and motioned to the kitchen door.  “You can stay for as long as you need.  Any kin of Eliza’s is welcome here.”

Surprised, he joined the other women as they left the kitchen and went up the stairs.  On their way, they passed one of the boarders, exchanged a quick greeting, and continued down a narrow hallway.  Molly rambled on about the rules in the house, and when the topic of the Saturday evening bath came up, his attention shifted to Jane.

“You have a temporary preacher?” Jane asked.

“To fill in until one can come here to stay,” Molly replied.  “The one we had went to be with the Lord.”

“Jeremy’s a preacher.”

Addy and Molly stopped at a closed door and exchanged excited looks.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say someone upstairs is behind this,” Molly told Addy as she opened the door.

“There are no coincidences, Molly,” Addy replied.

Molly pointed to the room and moved aside so Jeremy could put the bags on the floor by the bed.  “I want you to think of this as your home during your stay.”

“You have a lovely view of the town,” Jane commented as she peered out the window.

“This is one of the best rooms in the house.  You can leave the curtains open without the sun coming directly into the room,” Molly said.  “I need to get back to making biscuits.  It’s so nice to meet you two.” She gave Jane a hug and smiled at Jeremy.  “Eliza’s going to be so happy.”

After she left the room, Jane turned to him.  “Would you like to see her now or rest for a bit first?”

Encouraged by the fact that his mother seemed to care for him after all, he said, “I suppose now is as good a time as any.”

Addy clasped her hands over her heart.  “I can’t wait to see Eliza’s face when she sees you.  You’ll make her so happy.”

He hoped that would be the case but held off on being too optimistic in case he was disappointed.  Regardless of what happened, Jane would be with him, and that gave him strength to proceed.  He took Jane by the arm, knowing it was more for his benefit than for hers that he touch her, and walked out of the room to meet the woman who gave him life.

I also need to cut back on some things to stop feeling overwhelmed all the time, and this blog is one of them.  I’m also quitting the newsletter and my pen name.  Those were all time consuming, and I was able to juggle it all for a while, but I’ve become too exhausted to do it anymore. 

I will post up Bride of Second Chances when I finish it.  I’ve had to take that offline, as you know.  It’s slow going, but it’s still going.  I have two and a half chapters left.  My goal is to be done and post it up by July 1.  Soon after that, I will delete this blog.

From now on, I’ll be focusing on the blog dedicated to writing updates of what I’m working on, character interviews, excerpts from my works in progress, and other things that come to mind.  Here’s the link if you’re interested: http://ruthannnordinauthorblog.wordpress.com/.  I like the header on this blog, so I transferred it over there.  That’s why it looks just like this one.   

Some people have asked about coupons on future books.  For reasons I can’t disclose in a public forum, I had to quit that promotional tool. 

I’m sorry to have to remove this blog soon.  Any comments can be directed to ynotspringfield@aol.com.

An Unlikely Place for Love is now up on Smashwords in its contemporary version.  It’s being uploaded to Amazon and will take a couple of days to show up there.  When it uploads to places like Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, Apple, and Diesel, I can’t say for sure.  Smashwords has to approve the new version before it sends it out to the other sites, and some of the sites (esp. Sony) takes a couple of months to get things uploaded.  Barnes & Noble and Apple seem to be pretty quick (within three weeks from the time I upload my books to Smashwords).  Kobo and Diesel…I’m not sure.  I’m thinking a month to a month and a half.

But hey, if I was going through a traditional publisher, it would take between 1 – 2 years for a new book to come out so this method is a lot quicker–one of the many reasons I’ve opted to publish my own books.  The main reason is that I love having full control of my work (from the content of the book to the cover and being able to post anything I want to on my blog without worrying about the publisher’s copyright). 

Here’s the Smashwords coupon for a free download of the new version if you’re interested:  LK59F

And here’s the link to the Smashwords page: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/9196

I still have the old version on hand because I like the old version better, but since this is part of a series, I made it contemporary to fit with An Inconvenient Marriage and The Cold Wife.  I could have kept it historical, but I really like the characters and how they show up in the three books in this series so I made it contemporary.

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As a side note that has nothing to do with anything I just wrote above….

Once I finish Shotgun Groom (Joel Larson’s story), I plan to write about Dave and Mary Larson’s eight kids.  (Yeah, I know.  That’s a lot, but for some reason the number eight keeps popping up in my head when it comes to them so I’m going with it. )  Anyway, with Dave and Mary’s children, I plan to marry some of them off to the children that were born to characters in other series I’ve written.

For example, one of Lucy and Brian’s children might end up with one of Dave and Mary’s children.  I also have plans to marry Jonathan (the husband of Marcy in Bride of Second Chances) to one of Dave and Mary’s daughters.  I didn’t care for Marcy in Bride of Second Chances, and I’m planning to “off” her somehow.  I know.  It’s mean to kill a character, but Jonathan’s been bugging me about getting him a good wife.

This is way in the future at this point, but this is where I’m going with the Nebraska series, and I’d love to mix that series with the others I’ve done if possible.

Enough rambling.  I promised my kids I’d take them to the park.    Hope everyone is enjoying their day!

I’m not changing any more of my books.  My suggestion to anyone who doesn’t care for the way I write is to find another author.  I’m not trying to be snarky when I say that, but I can’t please everyone.  If nothing else, May has taught me that very important lesson. 

Brave Beginnings is up on Amazon on Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Beginnings-Native-American-Romance-ebook/dp/B0052HKDZS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1306968007&sr=1-1. 

Brave Beginnings is also up on Smashwords at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/62866.

It is pending approval at Smashwords, which means it takes longer to go to Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, Apple, and Diesel.  Sony takes the longest.  So expect it to be about 3 weeks to 3 months before it’s up on the site you choose.  Barnes & Noble and Apple are pretty quick, so I’d say the end of June for those places.  Kobo and Diesel, maybe July.  Sony, who knows?  I have no control over how long it takes for this stuff to happen.

As for Bride of Second Chances, all I can say it’s very slow going.  I have managed 200 words a day on average for about a week.  So I don’t want to post anything when I have trouble getting words down.  In addition to the four books I went back to redo, there have been a multiple of personal issues to deal with, and needless to say, it’s drained me.  It’s frustating to sit at a computer and spend one hour to write one sentence.  Yes, that is how slow I am today.  I’ll do good to hit 100 words. 

So I’m not posting anything until I finish this book.  I don’t know if I can finish before July 1, but my husband will come home from South Korea where he’s deployed until Feb. 2012 and my priority is to spend time with him while he’s here for a month.  So regardless of whether I finish Bride of Second Chances, I’m taking July 1-31 off.  I won’t blog or email either.  I’d like to finish the rough draft for Bride of Second Chances, but whether I can or not remains to be seen.  If I keep tying 200 words a day, I won’t finish it.  I am about 15,000 words away from being done, and I don’t want to rush it just to finish it.

So that’s the latest and greatest around here.  Hopefully, those reading this are doing better than I am right now.