Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee

by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

  At that moment, Travis was thankful the little girl couldn’t see. He had surely broken every rule there was by kissing her sister.

  Heaven kept her eyes connected to his as she stepped back from him. “I am waiting for Travis to bring out the rocker. It’s such a beautiful day. I thought I could keep my weight off of my ankle and still be outside.”

  “Well, standing there looking at each other is not going to bring the rocker outside,” Angel said.

  Travis broke away from Heaven’s magnetic eyes.

  They both stared at Angel.

  “How do you know we are looking at each other?” Heaven’s hand went to her cheek.

  “I can’t see you if that is what you all are thinking.” Angel grinned. “But I listened to your footsteps, and I can tell where you are, and Travis stopped right by yours, so I guessed you were looking at each other. Was I right?”

  Heaven’s face was beet red.

  Her sister had caught the informal use of his name. Travis rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “Yes Little Miss, you’re right.”

  “But what I don’t understand is why you stopped moving and then didn’t say anything. Are you mad at each other?” Angel stepped out on the porch close to her sister as if she could protect her from Travis. And Travis thought she probably just did protect her sister from a few more kisses.

  “No, we aren’t mad.” Heaven finally spoke. “Why don’t you get the Bible, and I’ll read to you. Travis is going to groom his horse, so he can listen, too.”

  “I’ll get it. Can we read about Jesus being tempted by Satan? I like that story, because I always get tempted by stuff, but Jesus always wins.” Angel went back into the cabin.

  Travis let out his breath. “Do you think she knows?”

  “I don’t know. It’s one of her favorite stories, but it does seem fortuitous that she picked it for today. Maybe it would be a good one for us to pay heed.” Heaven touched his arm gently.

  Travis nodded and stepped away to get the chair.

  “Travis?”

  He turned to face her. “Thank you. It has been a long time since I was kissed. I had forgotten how wonderful it feels, but I think it best that it not happen again.”

  “You’re welcome.” Who had kissed her before? And why didn’t his kisses feel better than those of whoever had kissed her before? Travis didn’t care for that thought at all.

  Glory be. Heaven wanted another one of those kisses. She was sure when Travis’s—she could call him that now that he’d slid his lips across hers and she’d let him—lips touched hers, the whispers from the cedar trees stopped, the chickens quit cackling, and her world grew a lot warmer.

  And then Angel had bounded out the door. Good thing, too, because Heaven would have gone back for more of those block-out-the-world, good-feeling kisses from that man.

  Chapter 17

  Annabelle hadn’t been this hot since last August. She fanned her face with her hand, wishing for a real fan. Mrs. Miles’s face was gleaming, and she kept dabbing it with her handkerchief. Both of them had dressed for the winter temperatures. It surprised her that the climate was so different from back home.

  “Why don’t you take off your coat, dear?” Mrs. Miles asked while peeling off hers. “It’s so hot.”

  Take it off? She couldn’t, not until she had a safe place to put it. “I’m fine, really. This way I can keep my traveling clothes a bit cleaner.” And she wouldn’t have to worry about misplacing her future.

  The carriage wobbled and bobbed for hours it seemed. Jake had been silent for this part of the trip, as had his mother. Annabelle brushed her forehead with her hand. A headache edged sideways and slipped into her body the minute she climbed in the carriage, and it proceeded to swell with each mile that passed.

  “Do you know how much longer, Jake? I think we could all use a break. It would be nice to get out of the carriage and walk a bit.” She smiled her best save-the-next-dance-for-me smile. He scowled at her.

  Was this what it would have been like to have a brother? If so, she was glad to be an only child. When they were younger, she’d wanted Jake for a brother because he was fun and even his teasing made her feel special.

  “We should be coming to the town soon.” He squared his shoulders and looked straight ahead as if making sure she wouldn’t continue making conversation with him.

  “Are you feeling okay, Mrs. Miles?” Annabelle patted the woman’s hand.

  “’Tis hot today, isn’t it? So odd for this time of year.” Mrs. Miles waved her hand in front of her face to stir the air.

  “Do you think it’s like this all the time? We are far west of Nashville.” Annabelle tugged at her collar, hoping to allow a small breeze to flow into the neckline. Nothing but humidity entered. They rolled past another long line of cedar trees.

  “I really don’t know, dear.”

  Annabelle was tired of seeing cedar trees and poplar trees and cypress trees. At first she thought the cypress were interesting, with their multifingered roots rising out of the low-standing water. Now they held no interest. She wanted to see Heaven and was quite ready to get away from grumpy Jake.

  “Friendship’s up ahead,” Jake said. “We’ll need to water these horses before going much further.”

  “Heaven doesn’t live far from here then. Her letter said she was on the west side of town.” Joy fluttered through her. She needed to hug her friend, someone who understood what it was like not to have a husband and a baby on her hip.

  “We’ll stop in town and ask someone. You and Mother can get out for a bit.”

  “It would be nice to get some refreshments before we rush to the Wharton’s. We don’t want to embarrass her by dropping in unexpectedly and catching her unprepared for visitors.” Mrs. Miles brushed her graying strands of hair with her hands. “Do I look presentable, Annabelle?”

  “Yes ma’am, you do.” She patted her own coif to make sure all the strands were neatly tucked inside the net. Her excitement grew as the carriage climbed the small hill. Soon her life would change for the better. She closed her eyes and envisioned her shop, but beyond a building painted yellow, she couldn’t see the store’s sign. She needed a name for her business. Once she had that, she was sure the vision in her mind would be complete. Heaven would help her think of a good one. She had a knack for that sort of thinking. The carriage wheels slowed, and she opened her eyes. They had arrived.

  Jake stopped the carriage in the middle of the street next to the public well. “I’ll water the horses. Why don’t you two go inside the general store we passed on the corner and see if you can get directions to the Whartons.”

  The carriage swayed as Mrs. Miles stood. “I do hope they have something cool to drink.”

  Jake climbed down and raised his arms to help his mother to the ground. “We might need to find a café if you are wanting a snack. You can ask about that as well.”

  Annabelle waited for him to turn and help her disembark. When her feet hit the ground, she gave him a half smile. “Thank you, Jake, for being so considerate of us on this trip.”

  She linked arms with Mrs. Miles, and they crossed the street to the boardwalk that ran along the buildings.

  The store held a slight touch of coolness between its wood walls. Not enough to cool off a man who’d been driving in the hot sun, but enough to appreciate. Jake blinked a few times to adjust his eyes. After the bright sunlight, it took a bit to adjust to the store light.

  It was bigger than he’d thought from the outside. A few women stood close to the counter. They had several bolts of fabric in front of them. He didn’t see Annabelle and his mother.

  He glanced around at the various items offered for sale, including a selection of Christmas gifts. He supposed he should get something for his mother before he left for the West. He’d come back into town later and pick it up. Annabelle could give it to his mother for him.

  He found the women at the front of the store standing in front of a china display. He almost smiled a
t the coat draped over Annabelle’s arm. She’d finally admitted to being hot and taken it off. “Annabelle, did you ask for directions?”

  “Um, not yet. We saw this pretty dish”—she held up a small china dish covered in roses—”and we were trying to decide if we should get it for Heaven.”

  “Doesn’t look all that useful to me. Guess I’ll get the directions while you two shop.” To get to the counter, he scooted past the two chatting women with the fabric. He noticed they’d added lace to their selection. Jake excused himself and scooted around them so he could talk to the clerk who waited behind the counter.

  “I’m looking for the Wharton place.” Jake’s nose twitched at the brine odor rising from the barrel of pickles next to the counter.

  The clerk’s eyebrows edged up, “You are? That other fellow that went that way awhile back never came back.”

  One of the women at the end of the counter gasped, distracting Jake.

  “Mrs. Reynolds, you didn’t just leave her there?”

  “She wouldn’t leave. Besides, he is a doctor, and she’s hurt.”

  Jake brought himself out of the women’s gossip and back to the conversation he’d started. “Another man?”

  “Yep, he was looking for Caleb’s place. Told him he’d better have a gun with him.”

  Another gasp behind him. Really, women were so emotional, full of gossip.

  “She really shot him?”

  That got Jake’s attention. He whipped his head toward the gossipers.

  “So, son, what do you want with Caleb’s place?” Jake turned back.

  “I was asking why you needed to get to Caleb’s?” The clerk leaned forward on the counter, searching Jake’s face for something.

  “His daughter is my—my friend. I’ve brought her best friend and my mother along as well. For a visit.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be glad to see her friends.”

  “She said she was aiming over his head and missed.” The other voice piped up. Mrs. Reynolds, he guessed. She must be the town gossip.

  “God was watching out for him.”

  “Heaven, too, and Angel. Where would that girl go if her sister went to jail?”

  Jake stilled. Were they talking about his Heaven? Had she found someone else then? She’d shot him? And he was living with her? Without marrying her?

  A crack of thunder rolled through the building, shaking the glass windowpanes. Jake whirled around. The widows no longer let in the hot sunlight. The sky had taken on a bruised appearance.

  A man burst through the door. The wind came from behind him, banging the door against the wall, shattering the glass. “Tornado’s a comin’! Everyone in the cellar!”

  Chapter 18

  Travis stared up at the bunching clouds. The sky had turned dark gray green. The wind whipped away the heat. A branch snapped and splashed into the creek. He didn’t like the dropping temperature. He pulled the fishing line back to the shore and collected the bucket of caught fish. He’d clean them back at the cabin. He wanted to get there, just in case the weather took a turn for the worse.

  He did. He wanted to be with Heaven. One kiss and she’d filled the giant hole left in him from Mary’s devious behavior. Thank You, God. Caleb was right, heaven did wait for him here in Friendship. Now he needed to convince Heaven that being married was the best thing to do. He had a feeling she was going to fight him on this. She kept asking him questions about how to do things so she could do them when he moved on, even though he told her repeatedly he wasn’t budging from this land.

  The air felt heavy and thick on his face.

  Lightning filled the sky, followed by a volley of thunder close enough to make a hardened soldier jump. The wind rushed around him, pushing him forward, urging him to take bigger strides. The clouds ripped open and sent driving rain so solid it felt like nails piercing his face. He dropped the fish and the pole. Thunder sounded overhead, his ears popped once, then twice, and the sky turned pea green. A loud rushing of wind buffeted his face, making it sting. It grew darker, and it seemed time had skipped ahead to midnight. Then he heard it. Wind that strong had to mean—a tornado!

  He ran but gave up and dove for a gulley when the dark gray cloud spiraled just north of him. His breath caught. He wasn’t in danger, but Heaven and Angel were. He struggled against the wind. He had to get to them. The wind knocked him to the ground, and in desperation he crawled toward the cabin and prayed as he’d never prayed before.

  The sky had grown darker. Rain again. Heaven was sick of it. She collected her knitting and went inside. “Angel, another storm is coming. Do you think you can get the rocker back inside? It’s heavy, and I don’t think I can help because of my ankle.”

  Angel set the doll she’d been playing with on the settee. “I can try.”

  Heaven followed her to the porch.

  Angel tried pulling, but the rocker barely moved. “It’s too heavy.”

  “That all right. Maybe Travis will come back before it rains. I’m sure he’ll notice the clouds piling up. Then he can bring it inside.”

  “It won’t hurt it to get a little wet, since it’s just wood.” Angel pushed past her and went back inside and curled up on the couch with her doll.

  Heaven shrugged. “I guess it would eventually dry out.” She dropped her knitting basket onto the kitchen table. She touched the coffeepot on the stove to see if it was still warm. It wasn’t hot but warm enough. She flipped over a china cup she left out to dry and filled it halfway. She didn’t want to risk spilling a full cup while she hobbled back to sit by Angel.

  She sat next to her sister and set the cup on the small table next to the settee. “Would you like me to read to you while you play?”

  “Can you read the story about David killing the giant?” Angel kissed her doll’s cheek. “I like that one.”

  “Me, too.” Heaven picked up the heavy Bible from the side table and flipped it open to1 Samuel and turned the pages until she reached chapter seventeen. “Here it is.” She began reading the story and had just reached the part where David asked what the reward would be for killing Goliath when Angel grabbed her arm. “What?”

  “My ears are popping. Something’s wrong.” Angel cocked her head.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I hear something different. Like the wind is going faster than I’ve ever heard it go before. It’s noisy.” Angel paced the floor, fiddling with her ears.

  “It’s just the storm.” Heaven placed the ribbon bookmark inside the Bible and closed it. “I’m sure it is.” But Angel might be right. She’d never seen the sky turn so dark in the middle of the day.

  “No Heaven. Listen. It’s not just raining. The wind—it doesn’t sound right. We have to get in the cellar.” Angel grabbed Heaven’s hand and pulled. “Please believe me. We have to go now!”

  Heaven sprung to her feet and followed her sister. She pulled open the trap door to expose the wooden ladder. “Angel, you go first.” Heaven feared it would take her too long and Angel wouldn’t have time to get down the ladder. At least Angel would be safe in the cellar.

  Heaven left the trap door open. She couldn’t close it, because she would have to put more weight on her sore ankle. Just as she made it to the bottom rung, something blew through the window, and shards of glass sailed down the steps.

  Heaven screamed. She grabbed Angel around the waist, and the two of them squatted against the back row of shelves holding the canned green beans. Thunder shook the shelves.

  A roar rushed over the house. A high pitched screeching made them cover their ears. Then it grew quiet.

  “The animals!” Angel grabbed Heaven’s arm and pulled her toward the stairs. “Mr. Jackson was outside!”

  “So is Travis, but we can’t go yet. It might not be over.” Heaven yanked Angel back from the bottom stair. They toppled to the dirt floor.

  A rush of wind once again roared over their head. And then there was only the patter of rain.

  “How did you know we should com
e down here, Angel?”

  “On a walk last spring, Pa and I saw a tree pulled up by its roots. Pa said sometimes wind out here blows hard enough to do that, and if it happened, I should get in the cellar.”

  “I’m glad Pa told you, because I didn’t know that.” Heaven couldn’t wait any longer. “I have to see if Travis made it back.”

  “I’m coming with you.” Angel hopped off the floor and followed her sister upstairs.

  In the kitchen, Heaven grasped Angel’s arm before she went past her. “The glass windows are all broken, and … and nothing is in the right place.”

  “But we just made it a home.” Angel’s voice wavered.

  Heaven wanted to cry, too. “The front door is gone, and the table is upside down.” A chair leg impaled the glass book case and hung like an oddly shaped coatrack. Then she noticed the cold wind coming from the side where the bedroom was. Only it wasn’t there anymore. The doorway led to the outside.

  “Angel, this is bad. Ma and Pa’s room is gone. Just gone. Hold on to my hand, and I’ll tell you what’s happened. I want to go outside and see if any of our things are there.”

  “Is Pa and Ma’s picture gone?”

  “Probably.” And a lot more. She had left the Bible with their family records on the settee, and it was on its side. The rug under it hadn’t moved, and … She stopped, and Angel bumped into her. “Angel, that is the oddest thing.”

  “What?”

  “The cup of coffee I was drinking is still sitting undisturbed on the little table. If you only looked at the table and cup, you wouldn’t know anything happened in here.”

  She stepped through the doorless opening onto the porch. “The rocker is gone, too.” She’d never be able to get another rocker that brought so much comfort through memories. The sun was now shining as if there had never been a storm. Heaven gazed upon the pieces of the bedroom walls scattered across the yard. There was no sign of the bed or the quilt that had covered it. Something glimmered, and her heart raced. Could it be the photo of her ma and pa? “Wait here, Angel. I think I see something.”