“I have to go mail this letter. Can I do anything for you before I leave or while I am out?”
“The post is already gone my dear, and I am afraid it is going to rain.”
“I know mother, but he will be expecting my letter. I can catch the train postal bag.”
“All right but hurry back. I don’t need you now, but I will need you soon.”
“I will!”
Grace rushed out the door and to the train station. A soft drizzle had begun as she reached the station. The train puffed into the station and sighed as it came to a halt. Grace could not help but sigh with it, How I long to board the train and go west with it and the stage coach. I want to see Esperanza Springs. I want to see Mitch. Passengers were disembarking. The engine was being turned to face the west, and Grace watched for the postal bag.
“Grace!” a voice called. One that seemed familiar but strange to hear in this city.
Grace’s heart thumped. Am I imagining things or was that Mitch’s voice? She turned around.
There he stood hat in hand.
“Mitch!” Grace’s eyes lit up, the longing to see him, to run to him, broke all thoughts of manners. Grace burst into a run. His arms opened, and he caught close and whirled her around.
When he stopped, Grace looked up into his face hardly daring to breathe, to believe Mitch was standing there before her. “Are you really here?” she whispered.
Mitch squeezed her hand reassuringly, “When you wrote and said you couldn’t come to Esperanza Springs because of everything that is going on, I had to come. I had to see you again. It’s been too long.”
“Oh, Mitch! I have missed you so much! I was just longing to get on the train and come even though I couldn’t. How long can you stay?” Grace asked a bright pink slowly stealing into her cheeks. What did I just say all of that for? Why did I go running headlong into his arms? What must he think of me? At least he isn’t shocked.
“Three days.”
“Only three days?” Grace said before she could stop herself. She bit her lower lip trying to squeeze back the urge to cry. Such a short visit what does it mean?
“Don’t cry, we don’t have to say goodbye yet,” said Mitch as the tears sprang into her eyes.
“I am sorry I don’t know where that came from. I am just so glad you are here! Can you stay with us? We have plenty of room. Where are your bags?”
“Did I say I came here only to visit you and your family?”
Grace looked up into his face, her stomach dropping and twisting. Then she saw the look in his eye. “Don’t tease me, Mitch,” she pleaded softly with him.
“I won’t.” Mitch’s whole demeanor softening, he took her hand and picked up his bag with the other.
As they got ready to walk out into the rain, Mitch looked over at her. “You don’t have anything to cover your head. We can’t have that now can we?” he asked gently placing his own hat on her head.
Grace blushed but managed to consent with a whisper. “I guess not.”
They smiled at each other remembering a day not so long ago that he had done that.
Silently they walked on side by side. When they were half way home, Mitch turned to her. “What were you at the station for?”
“I-I was going to mail this letter to you,” Grace pulled the piece of paper from her pocket. “I guess I don’t need to now, though. I can just tell you what I wrote.” The sudden thought of handing Mitch a letter signed Affectionately Yours, Grace, gave her a queer feeling. She had no problems writing it. She meant it with all her heart…but she had never said such things to him before.
“I would love to read it if you don’t mind,” Mitch whispered.
Grace turned to him, the word ‘love’ putting a blush into her cheeks. Before her stood the man she had been falling in love with…had fallen in love with more than she ever dreamed. Grace pulled the letter from her pocket, and as she did so, a metal object fell onto the wet streets. In a moment Grace lunged after it, but Mitch reached it first. He turned it over in his hand.
~~~~~
My badge. She carries my badge with her. “Is this with you often?” Mitch asked looking at her.
She nodded color rising hotly in her cheeks. “All the time,” Grace whispered.
“Oh, Grace,” He stepped close.
~~~~~
A thousand emotions washed over Grace. She hid her face beneath the brim of his hat unsure what to feel or to say. His hand lifted her chin until their eyes met.
“Grace!” it was Ryan calling to her.
She started.
“Grace? Grace! Oh, there you are. Why, hello, Mitch. It’s nice to see you. Grace, Mother sent me after you with an umbrella, you forgot it,” said Ryan opening it and putting it over her head.
“Oh, thank you,” said Grace taking it from his hand. Mitch stepped beneath the sheltering mushroom shape and put his hat on his own head once again and stepped out into the rain.
The three made their way back, trying to feel comfortable but with no success.
I hate umbrellas! Muttered Grace in her heart. If they hadn’t been invented Ryan wouldn’t have come after me and if he hadn’t come after me, I could still be walking by Mitch’s side instead of making sure this thing doesn’t shed water on either of them.
When they entered the house, Mrs. Elroy’s voice could be heard calling. “Grace! Grace is that you?”
“Coming Mother!” Grace replied. “I’ll be back in a minute,” said Grace, looking over her shoulder, her heart skipping a beat with happiness.
“Yes, Mother? Oh, hello, Grandfather!” Grace burst across the room to give him a hug.
“Grace, Father just came home with the most fantastic story about you. He said you met a man at the station, you went running into his arms and let him hug you. Is this true?”
Grace colored vibrantly, her knees feeling weak. “Yes, mother, it is.”
“Whatever prompted you to do such a thing?”
Grace knelt beside her mother’s chair. “It is Mitch, he is here. Ryan and I brought him home.” Grace thought it would be best to put Ryan in the mix by the look on her Grandfather’s face.
“Mitch, the sheriff from Esperanza Springs? Here?”
“Yes. Mother he is courting me, remember?”
“Of course. I just didn’t expect him to come here.”
“Sheriff? What is a sheriff doing here? Where is this young man?” growled Grandfather.
“In the kitchen with Ryan,” admitted Grace trying not to wince.
“I am going to go see him for myself.”
Grace cringed as he left the room hiding her face against her mother’s knee.
“Grace.” said her mother stroking back her daughter’s hair from her face. “You love him don’t you?”
Grace could only nod, as a tear slipped down her cheek.
She heard her Grandfather’s voice boom in the kitchen. “So is this the young man who I saw with my granddaughter at the station. What is your name son?”
“Mitch, sir.”
“Well, well…I think we need to have a talk.”
Grace only saw Mitch at dinner that evening. They sat directly across from one another beside her grandfather who sat at the head of the table. Grace knew their every move was being scrutinized. She felt jumpy and nervous until she felt Mitch’s boot touching her shoe. Then their eyes met, and all of her worries washed away.
God, you know what needs to happen. You know what is going on. Please, help me to trust you with Mitch. I am just so scared that Grandfather will say no. I don’t know what I would do if that happened.
The second day Grandfather took Mitch out for a very, very long walk that lasted all day. But Grace managed not to worry though resentment was trying to build himself a wall in her heart. He came to visit me, and Grandfather is stealing all of his time. Oh, God, help me, please. Let Grandfather see what he means to me, if we are supposed to be together.
That night after dinner Grace retreated into the parl
or as Grandfather and Mitch were having another lengthy discussion and her mother was resting, Ryan was on duty until late. For what seemed like hours Grace sat in the dark trying to suppress her tears to no avail.
In near silence the parlor door opened. Grace didn’t turn to see who it was.
“Grace.”
“Mitch?” Grace raised her head, trying to hide the tears that had fallen.
“What is the matter, Grace?” asked Mitch taking a seat in the window seat beside her.
“Nothing much, it is rather childish.” I love him. How can I stand his going away tomorrow and Grandfather has kept him away? I can’t but I must!
“Can you tell me?” he said leaning closer.
Grace dropped her eyes to the ground. If I look into his eyes, I will lose it completely. “Mitch,” she whispered barely able to speak. “I have hardly seen you, and I don’t want to say goodbye.”
“Grace, I don’t want to say goodbye either.”
She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears.
“I don’t want to ever say goodbye to you, Grace.” slowly he slid to the floor on one knee. “Grace Elisabeth Elroy, since the day I met you, I have loved you, and slowly it has grown. I love you more than life itself. You are the most wonderful woman I will ever meet in my whole life. Inside and out you are beautiful. Grace—will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Grace nodded, trying to find her voice. At last, it came “Yes, Mitch, yes.”
His arms slipped around her, gently pulling her to his knee. She rested her head against his shoulder, tears of joy flowing down her cheeks.
In a moment they were seated on the floor, Mitch’s back against the wall, Grace leaning against him, her arms hugging his right arm as it wrapped around her, the left supporting her as she leaned back slightly, looking up into his face.
“What are we going to do now, Grace?”
“I don’t know. Grandfather and Mother want me to move in with her, Ryan wants me to go too. But I haven’t made up my mind what I should do.”
“And if I want you to come with me?”
Grace smiled. “I can’t think of anyone I would rather be with the whole world around and beyond.” There was a pause before she spoke again. “Mitch.”
“Yes, Grace?”
“I love you.” Grace smiled as she said the words aloud to him for the first time.
He smiled. “I love you too, and as a pledge of my love.” He freed his hand and dug into his breast pocket. “I have this. Will you do me the honor of wearing it?” he asked, pulling out a ring with a small red stone.
“All my life long.”
Mitch slid it onto her left hand. “Her price is far above rubies. You are priceless to me, Grace.”
Tears started up in her eyes again. “I can’t seem to stop crying,” Grace whispered wiping them away.
“Did I ever tell you that you are beautiful even when you are crying?”
Grace blushed, burying her face into his shirt. “Mitch.” She whispered half embarrassed half in love.
He lifted her face to look into his own. “It is true, Grace,” and he kissed one gently away as it trickled down her cheek.
Unexpectedly the door swung open, and Ryan stepped in. “Grace I—oh.” He stopped midsentence, frozen in the doorway. Grace hid her face in Mitch’s shoulder. He suddenly held her tighter, whispering in her ear. “I am sorry Grace.”
Grace showed her face from his shoulder and looked up into Mitch’s face. “I am not sorry. But he should be.”
Mitch smiled, and they both rose to their feet.
“I am sorry I just—wanted Grace but I don’t suppose you want me,” Ryan said coloring slightly still frozen to the spot.
Grace tripped lightly to his side and put her arms around his neck. “I will always want my brother.” She let her hands drop to her sides and looked up at him sideways in a slightly pleading manner. “It just would have been nice if you had knocked.”
“I’ll do that next time. But what is this I see?” Ryan asked catching his sister’s hand. Then he glanced up at Mitch. “I was wondering when you would ask her. It has almost been torture watching the two of you since you asked me. I am glad Grandfather finally let him ask. What are the two of you going to do now?”
Grace looked at Mitch, slipping back to his side. He took her hand in his with a squeeze. Grace smiled from the inside out, radiating even in the dim room.
“Well, we haven’t really decided yet,” sighed Mitch looking down at Grace.
“Grace, can Mitch and I talk for a little while?” Ryan asked.
Grace looked questioningly up into Mitch’s face. Her heart aching No, to Ryan’s question; so much time had already been stolen from them.
He pulled her close whispering in her ear. “It will only be a little while, Love. I think there is someone who would delight in hearing the news. Why don’t you go tell Mother?”
Grace smiled, “I’ll see you in a little while then?”
Mitch nodded and released her.
Mother received the news with great joy. “Ryan told me he had asked for your hand, but there was no knowing when he would ask after your Grandfather got a hold of him. I am so glad for you, my daughter. What are you going to do now? Come with me, stay with your brother, or go with Mitch?”
“Can I go with Mitch?” Grace asked her eyes half pleading, “But we would have to be married, and there is so much to do for a wedding, and he leaves tomorrow,” Grace said with a painful sigh.
“Maybe you will have to wait. But I do believe that is what they are discussing downstairs.”
“Deciding my future without me, I suppose.”
Grace’s mother laughed. “It is usually the way of men.”
“I thought Mitch would be…”
“Grace?” it was Mitch’s voice calling from the base of the stairs.
She was on her feet and going downstairs in an instant. Mitch caught her in his arms on the last step.
“How is your mother?”
“Happy. Mitch, is it true you have to leave tomorrow?”
“That is up to you, Grace, the deputies, are capable of everything while I am gone if that is what we want. Ryan and I have been talking, and he wants me to make a decision, but I won’t make it without you. Do you want to stay with your brother, go with your mother, or come with me?” he whispered.
“Ryan doesn’t mind that last one?”
“No, he suggested it as did your Grandfather.”
“I have waited six months for that question.”
“Does that mean your mind is made up?”
“Yes, Mitch it is.”
Chapter 41
A week later Mitch was riding in a stagecoach approaching Esperanza Springs. His arm was wrapped around Grace’s waist, and she leaned comfortably against him resting her head on his shoulder. “I can hardly believe we are nearly home Mitch.” She sighed.
“It will be home now that you are here.” He whispered.
“Mitch.”
“Yes.” He turned and looked directly into his wife’s eyes.
“God has been so good to us.”
“He has indeed.” He kissed her.
The stagecoach pulled to a stop. Mitch stepped out sweeping Grace into his arms as she stepped out. “Welcome to Esperanza Springs, Mrs. Williamson,” whispered Mitch affectionately in Grace’s ear.
The End
In Conclusion A Letter From The Author
Dear Reader,
Thank you for taking the time to read Sufficient Grace. I hope this book has given you hope. Like the hope that Grace found in Esperanza Springs.
Though there is no Mitch in my life, he was initially written as an illustration of God’s unfailing, unrelenting love towards us, even in our darkest moments. Jesus loves us. Mitch is that picture here in this book. A picture of Christ’s love. No love outside of Christ can satisfy the deep need, and cravings of our heart. For while, we were yet sinners Christ died for us, that we might ha
ve eternal life. So, this is just my brief exhortation, to look to Christ to fill the needs of your heart, find your identity in Him, anchor your soul to the rock that cannot be moved. Human relationships, cannot take the strain that was meant for Christ alone.
So, dear friend, I hope you continue to rest and trust in the Lord. Find the light and hold onto it, for it is good, and He will never Leave you nor forsake you. You are loved, with an everlasting love, don’t give up.
With a Heart Full of Hope,
Jessica Greyson
Sufficient Grace Page 24