by Ruby Hill
Laura laughed as Michael continued to hold her hand while helping her into the buggy. But before Michael could help her into the buggy, James headed their way screaming.
"What's going on here? Laura, what do you think you're doing?"
The loud, familiar voice frightened Laura. Michael let go of Laura's hand as Laura turned around to face James. James pulled his arm back and quickly swung a balled up fist toward Michael's jaw. Michael ducked and backed up to avoid another angry encounter from James.
Deciding not to waste his energy on Michael, James turned toward Laura, "This is the second time I've caught you with Michael. You're my girl. That means you act respectable. Imagine what these old women are gonna say about your reputation."
"You're worried about my reputation? I fell into a mud puddle, and Mr. Cummings was kind enough to come to my aid. Would you rather he just ignored the fact that I needed help?"
Michael interrupted, "James, I didn't mean no harm. I was just helping her into her buggy."
James ignored Michael and continued his tirade against Laura, "After all that I've done for you, you go behind my back and flirt with other men. I don't know how ladies act in big cities, but out here, ladies stay true to their men."
Bewildered, Laura stayed quiet. People had started coming out of the store to see what the commotion was about. Laura hid her face in her hands and pretended that nobody could see her. She wanted to hide; she wanted to run away.
Quietly, she said to James, "After all that you've done for me? You have been kind to me on occasions, but I have not acted dishonorable. If anything, you've acted dishonorable. I will not continue to let you embarrass me in front of the whole town. You do not own me, and I kindly ask that you leave me alone."
"Leave you alone? I could have any woman in this town. You come to town with your fancy clothes and your fancy talk. You're an outsider. I was willing to take you in. You're lucky that I pay you any attention at all."
By this time, Laura was crying, and Michael came to her defense, "That's enough, James. Miss Brooks, can I take you home?"
Realizing that Michael's help would create even more gossip, she shook her head in refusal as she helped herself into the buggy. She was on her way home as fast as she could get the horses to move. More than anything, she wished her father would come to rescue her and take her back to Boston. How she longed for her friends back home and the comfort of familiarity.
Colorado lost its beauty as Laura let her mind go down the path of everything that was going wrong. Ever since she arrived, she felt like a thin film of dirt was covering every inch of her body. Now, she was caked in mud. The people were different. They dressed differently, talked differently, and had completely different interests. She longed for discussions about literature or a trip to the theater. She wanted to shop for new bonnets and try new, expensive toiletries. This was not the life she wanted. She was filthy, cold, and tired of all the men in this small Colorado town.
When she arrived, Uncle Robert and Thomas saw Laura's tear-stained face and muddied dress.
"Girl, what happened? Are you alright? Did someone hurt you?" asked Uncle Robert, with a sincere worry in his voice.
His intensity made Laura realize how awful she must have looked. Uncle Robert helped her down from the buggy while Thomas ran inside to fetch Aunt June.
Aunt June came running and embraced Laura with force. Laura began to cry again. She thanked her family her for their concern but expressed she was alright and just wanted to get cleaned up. She told them the shortened version of the story, simply letting them know that she fell in a mud puddle and was embarrassed. She left out the part about the scuffle between James and Michael.
Laura decided she wasn't going to tell her aunt and uncle what happened at the general store. She would offer all of her worries up to God for the time being and focus on getting through the day without shedding any more tears. Yes, she would much rather be anywhere but Colorado, but that wasn't an option. She couldn't let her sorrow reach the point of no return. She had to accept her fate and make the best out of her situation. She took a few deep breaths and decided to do her best to enjoy making Christmas cookies, a tradition that was new to her.
She heard James's voice as she entered the kitchen, and her heart sunk. She wasn't ready to face him yet. Aunt June saw Laura before she had time to turn around and hide.
"Oh, you poor dear," cooed Aunt June. "James just told us what that awful Mr. Cummings did to you. Imagine, him trying to flirt with you when he knew that you and James were spending time together. You were lucky that James was there to rescue you."
This twisted version was so far from the truth that Laura sat silently in utter disbelief. Laura decided that avoidance was the best tactic until James was gone. She smiled, but did nothing to confirm the validity of James's story.
"Aunt June, I would like to put the day's events behind me. I think we better get back to making cookies if we plan to finish before nightfall."
Aunt June understood that Laura didn't want to talk about the situation.
"Okay, dear. Would you like to walk James out?"
"No, thank you, Aunt June. I believe that James can see himself out."
"Now don't be rude. James came all the way over to here to make sure you were in good spirits."
To appease her aunt, Laura walked James to the door. When he tried to engage in conversation, Laura turned her back to him and walked back to the kitchen. James slammed the door on his way out.
Laura felt the need to justify her behavior, "That man is unbelievable. He has a temper that would please the devil."
"Laura," said Aunt June with a firmness not to be reckoned with, "I won't have any talk of the devil in this house. James is like family to us."
"Sorry, Aunt June."
It was clear whose side Aunt June was on. Once again, she was alone. Coming to Colorado had been a big mistake. She could have found factory work in Boston until she received her inheritance. She might have even found a husband in Boston. Laura's entire body was hot with anger, disbelief, and grief. The overpowering emotions nearly took over her self-control, but she reined in her feelings and continued helping her aunt. Annie arrived home from school early to help finish the cookies. Even though she was still upset, she engaged in small talk because she didn't want to ruin the day for Annie.
Laura continued to make cookies with her aunt and cousin well into the night, but she regretted that decision when the loud bell once again startled her from a much-needed slumber. Breakfast was simple as Aunt June had a full day ahead of her delivering her famous gingerbread cookies. Annie headed off to school, and Laura bundled up in warm winter clothing to help Aunt June with the deliveries. She found the blanket that Michael had wrapped her in after barn dance and decided to bring it along to stay warm.
While delivering cookies, Aunt June introduced Laura to all the families and gushed over what a joyful addition Laura was to their household. It was clear that Aunt June wasn't holding any grudges from her treatment of James. Laura was reintroduced to a lot of the women she had met at the barn dance or at church. There were even a few distant relatives that Laura met that she didn't know existed.
She was used to neighbors living very close together, so the sheer distance between each home was staggering. Laura was thankful she grabbed Michael's blanket as most of the day was spent outdoors while traveling from house to house. She would have to remember to return Michael's blanket to him one day, but for the time being, she felt compelled to keep it.
Their final stop was James's house. Laura was nervous and silently wished that James would be attending to his work on the ranch. When they reached the front door, James answered and welcomed each lady with a kiss on the hand. Aunt June and James's mother had been lifelong friends, so the women wanted to spend some time alone to catch up. Aunt June suggested that James and Laura sit in the parlor room while the two older women sat at the kitchen table.
James sat across from Laura, staring her
down. Finally, he spoke.
"Looks like you owe me an apology this time."
Laura audibly gasped, but managed to speak, "I owe you an apology? Mr. Cummings was helping me up after I fell into a mud puddle. He was being a complete gentleman. Your jealous behavior was irrational and rude."
"Irrational? Why was he holding your hand? Why were you smiling at him? You don't deserve me anyway. You're an orphan with no money who don't even know how to cook. You're no good anyway."
"James, you had no reason to get angry. Mr. Cummings was helping me. That's it. You attempted to punch him in the face and then told my Aunt June that you came to my rescue. I don't need you to rescue me. I need to be rescued from you. Your temper is unbearable and your words are harsh. I don't need to explain anything further because I did nothing wrong." She wanted to have the final word, "At the general store, you told me that you could have any other woman. If you have so many offers, I suggest you accept one of them."
She figured the conversation would end there, but he kept it going.
"Well, maybe I already have," said James with a wry smile.
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Laura, slightly hurt.
"Rebecca has always had eyes for me. When you left the barn dance, she was happy to keep me company."
Laura didn't need to come up with a comeback, Aunt June and James's mother swooped in to take Laura's side. Eavesdropping apparently was a favorite pastime of Aunt June.
Laura wasn't sure which woman was speaking because when one stopped yelling, the other one started.
"How dare you take advantage of Laura when she's new to town? You were raised better, boy."
"You threw a punch at Michael?"
"How could you possibly take back up with Rebecca?"
"Where are your manners? You're a disgrace."
Laura covered her mouth to hide her smile. James's mom apologized for her son as she walked her to the door. Aunt June apologized profusely for not taking her side as they loaded themselves up into the buggy.
On the way back home, they passed by a large house built on a particularly large ranch.
"Why aren't we stopping there with cookies?" asked Laura.
"Oh, that's the Cummings ranch. Mary Cummings and I stopped talking more than ten years ago."
"Why, what happened?"
"Well, to be honest, I really don't know," said Aunt June as she seemed to be deep in thought. "After Mr. Cummings died, Mary stopped speaking to me."
Laura and Aunt June sat in silence the rest of the way to the ranch. The annual cookie delivery was complete.
5
The following morning, Laura had some free time after breakfast. It was an unseasonably warm day for December, so Laura decided to take a walk down to the church. Christmas time had always been her favorite, and her father did everything in his power to make it special for her each year. She wanted to spend some time with God for comfort.
The scenery was breathtaking. It looked as if diamonds were covering the ground as the sun reflected off of the melting snow. She passed houses and shops that were decorating for the upcoming celebrations. The snowcapped mountains created the perfect backdrop to this perfect Christmas scene.
The church was empty, so she chose a pew close to the front. She lowered her head in prayer and cried for a few minutes over the loss of her father. The grief came in waves. Some days she didn't cry at all, while other days seemed like she would never heal from the pain.
She heard a cough and turned around to see Michael Cummings sitting a few rows behind her.
"Pardon me, Miss Brooks, I didn't mean to startle you. May I join you?"
Laura nodded. She couldn't imagine James would be visiting the church today, so she didn't expect any angry interruptions to their conversation.
"Why are you here?" questioned Laura. "It's not Sunday."
"I come here often to be alone. This time of year is especially hard for our family. We lost Pa ten years ago around this time."
"I am sorry for your loss," said Laura, understanding the significance of a father's death.
"Why are you here?" asked Michael.
"I also lost my father. Actually, that's why I moved to Colorado. Aunt June and Uncle Robert are my only living kin."
"I'm sorry for your loss, too. It's not easy, and I can't offer up any words to take away the heartache. Only time makes it easier to accept, although I have found that the pain is never completely gone."
"To be honest, I just feel lost," confided Laura. She didn't know why she was sharing her feelings, but Laura didn't stop herself. "I've tried to listen to what God is telling me, but I keep misinterpreting His messages. I thought Aunt June's invitation to come and live in Colorado was an answer to my prayers, but I don't really fit in here. After the barn dance, I thought God was telling me to forgive James because of the pastor's sermon on forgiveness. Obviously, that was a bad choice. I don't know what I am supposed to do next. I guess I came here for some guidance."
"Well, God does things in His own timing. I just wish He would give us a better clue of what He's up to," laughed Michael. He continued, "God wanted you to come to Colorado, or you wouldn't be here. I know I have enjoyed seeing you around town. Although I think my mama and your Aunt June might be upset that we keep running into each other."
Michael smiled again. Laura felt comfortable with Michael.
"As far as forgiving James, I believe that God does want you to forgive him. The Bible gives us many messages about forgiveness. However, forgiving James is not the same as accepting his shameful behavior. You can forgive James without rekindling a friendship. Staying angry won't do you no good. You'll be the only one who suffers if you can't forgive and let go."
Laura and Michael continued to talk for hours. She learned that Michael had to manage the ranch when he was just 18 years old after his father's death. Michael had to take on the responsibility of providing for his mother and his young sister. Even though he had hired help, he didn't have much time for friends or finding the right woman to marry. He never finished school, but read every book he could get his hands on. He loved waking up before the sun each day to watch the sun rise over the mountains.
Michael learned that Laura was just as kind as her eyes foretold. She didn't know how to cook, although she was learning. She had never ridden a horse prior to her Colorado arrival. She was an avid reader of Shakespeare, and milk made her stomach hurt.
Michael and Laura lost track of time as they shared their interests, hopes and dreams. When Laura realized how much time had passed, she panicked. Aunt June would need her help with the afternoon chores, but the walk home was at least an hour. Michael offered to take her home on his buggy to save time. Laura walked the last quarter-mile home so Aunt June wouldn't see that she had been with Michael. The last thing she needed was to start another scandal.
* * *
Over the next few weeks, Laura snuck out every morning to meet Michael at his special spot to watch the sunrise. They would talk about everything from their childhoods to their favorite foods. They would even spend time praying together. They each found comfort in sharing their grief over their losses.
December 23rd, the day before Christmas Eve, Laura woke up early as usual to meet Michael. Laura wrapped the gift she had made for Michael with a red bow. She had finally made some friends with the women in town and attended their Wednesday afternoon quilting gatherings. She had spent the past few weeks making a blanket for Michael.
When she reached their special spot, she pulled out the blanket. As she gave him the gift, she said, "You have given me immeasurable amounts of comfort over these past few weeks through your kind words. I made this blanket for you to keep you warm and hopefully bring you some comfort. The stitching isn't perfect, as I never was good at sewing. But I thought the imperfection made it more personal."
Michael's smiled brighter than the morning sun. Laura's heartfelt gift meant more to him than she would ever know. He didn't have any close friends, a
nd besides his mother and his sister, nobody had ever given him a handmade gift. Laura saw the genuine gratitude in Michael's green eyes and wished more than anything that they could spend Christmas together.
Michael was thinking the same thing, but he verbalized his desires, "I wish that your aunt and my ma would put their differences behind them. They're just two old croakers who are stuck in their ways. I'd love to spend Christmas with you."
Michael gently grabbed Laura's hand and placed it on his heart. She moved closer to him as he wrapped his strong arms around her. She felt safe as he stroked her back. Her worries disappeared and in that moment, she was extremely grateful she had come to Colorado. She raised her head as he looked down at her and their eyes met. The moment seemed right and he lifted her up effortlessly and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her tight as he tenderly kissed her. It seemed like they were the only two people who existed.
As the kiss ended, Michael carefully lowered Laura to the ground. Michael reached into his pocket and handed Laura a small box that was wrapped in colorful paper. Laura didn't expect a gift, so she was nervous as she unwrapped the present. The box contained a copy of A Midsummer's Night Dream. In one of their conversations, Laura told Michael that this was her favorite work by Shakespeare, and she had left it in Boston. Laura's heart warmed to the fact that Michael remembered such a simple detail.
"There's more," said Michael. "Open the book."
Inside the book was a beautiful necklace with a ruby heart pendant. It was breathtaking.
"It was my grandmother's," explained Michael.
Laura was suddenly embarrassed by the gift she gave Michael. She had spent hours toiling over the patchwork, but he had presented her with a family heirloom that was too beautiful for her to accept.
"Oh Michael, I couldn't…" her voice trailed off.
"Please. I want you to have it. My grandfather gave it to my grandmother on their wedding anniversary. Before my grandmother died, she said I was supposed to give this to the woman that stole my heart. She said it would bring us as many happy years as she had with my grandpa."