Blues Along the River

by Sandra Robbins

  Maybe Dante and Daniel were right. Reading the Bible might be a start, but he didn’t have much faith that it would work.

  ❧

  On Christmas night, Victoria sat in the parlor of her home alone. Marcus had disappeared into his father’s old room shortly after they’d eaten a light supper, and she hadn’t seen him since. That was two hours ago.

  During her time alone, she’d thought of everything Savannah and Tave had talked to her about today. She had even brought her Bible down from upstairs and sat in the parlor, reading as she tried to find a way to try to reach her husband. As she flipped idly through the pages, a passage in Hebrews caught her attention, and she read it. When she finished, she reread the passage. “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.”

  The verses made her heart sink. She had not held fast to her profession of faith. Instead, she had married a man who didn’t share her beliefs and didn’t understand her love and concern for other people.

  How many times in the last months had she berated Marcus because he didn’t agree with her instead of telling him of God’s love for him? Her impulsive manner and sharp tongue had displayed no kindness. Guilt for her actions flowed through her. She clasped her hands and bowed her head.

  “Oh God,” she prayed, “help me to be kinder to my husband. Tell me how to show him Your love through my actions. I promise You, Lord, from this day forward I will hold fast to my profession of faith. Give me the words and the actions to show Marcus Your love.”

  She raised her head and thought of Marcus alone in his father’s room. What did he do all the hours he spent there? Laying the Bible aside, she rose from the chair and walked to the staircase. Her knees trembled as she put her foot on the first tread and lifted her head to stare toward the upper floor of the house. She took a deep breath and mounted the stairs.

  When she arrived at the closed door to her father-in-law’s room, she raised her clenched fist and knocked. “Marcus, are you in there?”

  Through the paneled door, she heard the sound of footsteps approach, and the door swung open. Marcus’s eyes held no emotion as he stared at her. “Victoria, what do you want?”

  She breathed a silent prayer that God would give her the words to speak to her husband. She smiled. “I wanted to tell you what a wonderful Christmas our first one together was. I enjoyed the day at Cottonwood, and”—she reached to the collar of her dress and touched the brooch she’d pinned there—“I love my Christmas present from you. I’ve never had a piece of jewelry as beautiful, and I wanted to thank you again.”

  He gazed at the brooch for a moment before he looked into her eyes. “And I liked the socks and scarf you knitted for me.”

  “I hope so. Even in Alabama it gets cold on January mornings. I thought some heavy socks and a scarf around your neck might help you stay warm.”

  A small smile pulled at his lips. “Thank you for thinking of me.”

  She blinked back the tears that wanted to fill her eyes. “I think about you all the time, Marcus. You may not believe that because of the way I act sometimes. I warned you before we were married that I was impulsive, and I know I’ve said things to hurt you. I’m sorry for that. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

  His eyes grew wide. “You want me to forgive you?”

  She moved closer to him. “Yes. I haven’t been as thoughtful of you as I should be. After all, you’re the most important person in the world to me. I love you, Marcus, and I want us to be happy.”

  He reached out and took her hand in his. “I want that, too. I haven’t been as understanding of you as I should have been, and I’m sorry about that. But I do love you, Victoria, and I’ll try to be a better husband.” He glanced over his shoulder, but she couldn’t see what he was looking at. “Dante and Daniel gave me a Bible today with some passages marked for me to read. I’ve been trying to understand them, but so much of it is strange to me.”

  “I’ve been reading my Bible, too. Maybe if we studied it together, we could discuss it and see what God wants to tell us.”

  His grip tightened on her hand. “I don’t know anything about God. Will you help me learn?”

  A tear slid down her cheek. “That’s what I should have been doing all along instead of arguing with you because we didn’t think alike. I want you to know God.”

  “Thank you.”

  She reached up and caressed his cheek with her hand. “Marcus, I miss you so much at night. Do you have to sleep in your father’s room?”

  He pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. “Do you want me to come back to our bedroom?”

  “Yes.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. “I never should have left. Please forgive me for that. I want to be with you all the time.”

  “I want that, too.”

  “Wait a minute.” He released her, walked back into the room, and blew out the oil lamp on the table. When he stepped back into the hall, he held a Bible in his hand. He wrapped his free arm around her shoulder and smiled down at her. “This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had.”

  Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared up at him. “Me, too. But something tells me this is just the beginning for happier times at Pembrook.”

  Thirteen

  On a June afternoon six months later, Victoria stepped onto the veranda of the big house at Pembrook, put her hands in the small of her back, and stretched. She’d stayed in bed longer this morning, secretly enjoying the first pangs of impending labor.

  She hadn’t told Marcus of her discomfort before he left because the baby wasn’t due for two more weeks, and he had too much to do in the fields to spend his time worrying about her. Besides, Sally was with her, and her mother would arrive in three days on the Alabama Maiden to spend a few weeks. This morning, however, she waited, enduring the erratic pains that had come and gone since early morning, until she could be sure it was time to send for Dr. Spencer.

  Now as she lifted her face to the warm sun, she thrilled at the thought that her baby would be born today. She could hardly wait to hold him. She’d been sure from the first that it would be a boy, but Marcus said he’d be happy with a girl.

  She smiled as she thought of all the changes that had taken place at Pembrook since Christmas night when she and Marcus had started on their journey of reconciliation. They had carried through on their decision to study the Bible and had devoted several hours each night to reading and discussing God’s Word. That time spent together had repaired the brokenness of their marriage, and she treasured those moments.

  Over the past months, she had grown in her understanding of the importance of God in one’s life, and Marcus had slowly come to an awareness of his need for God. Her happiest moment had come a few months before when he had finally accepted Christ. As a new believer, he spent a lot of time talking with Daniel as his new way of looking at life took root in his soul.

  His continued remote attitude toward the tenant farmers and their families hadn’t improved, and that worried her. Sally and James were the exceptions. For the past few months, he’d seemed to come to an appreciation of all they did for Pembrook. Perhaps the absence of Victoria’s mother had made him understand how important Sally’s attentive care of Victoria was to her. He also had come to understand Victoria’s love of James’s music.

  In February when Victoria had mentioned how she wished James had a real guitar, Marcus had told her to order one from Montgomery if she liked. James had been overwhelmed when the instrument arrived, and he’d spent hours ever since playing for Victoria.

  A disappointment to Victoria had been the departure of two families from Pembrook. One had taken Henry Walton’s place at Cottonwood, and the other one had gone to Oak Hill. Marcus had soon found other tenants to take their places, but she sensed he was saddened by the loss of the two families who’d been there for years.

  She had prayed abo
ut it and had received peace about the problem. In her heart she knew it was just a matter of time until Marcus would be able to let go of the old ideas of the past and would embrace all the residents of Pembrook as he had Sally and James.

  Victoria closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet smell of the roses that bloomed beside the house. Life had never been sweeter, and she’d never been happier.

  “Miz Raines, you out here?” Sally’s voice from the back door caused her to turn.

  “I’m here, Sally. What is it?”

  “I don’t need nothin’. Just wanta keep my eye on you. Now doan you go wand’rin’ off nowheres. I done promised Mistuh Mahcus I be lookin’ out for you.”

  Victoria laughed. “I’m not going anywhere. I just came out for a breath of air.”

  Sally stepped onto the veranda and studied Victoria. “You feelin’ all right?”

  Victoria rubbed the small of her back again and frowned. “I don’t know. I’m having some pain in my lower back.”

  “Show me where you hurt.” Sally’s eyebrows pulled down across her nose.

  “Right here. It’s—” Victoria’s mouth dropped open, and she placed her hand on her stomach.

  “Miz Raines, what the matter?”

  “I—I just had my first hard contraction,” she stammered. “I guess it’s time to send for Dr. Spencer.”

  Sally took her by the arm and guided her to a chair on the veranda. “You sit down right here. I gonna run to the barn and tell James to get Mistuh Mahcus. Then I’ll git you in bed. I be back ’fore you knows it.”

  Victoria eased into the chair and watched as Sally hiked her skirt up and ran toward the barn. She couldn’t help but giggle at Sally’s long legs skimming across the ground. She looked up into the sky and said a prayer of thanks. It wouldn’t be long before she’d be holding her baby, and she couldn’t wait.

  ❧

  Marcus sat beside the bed where Victoria lay and held her hand. His heart thumped so loudly in his chest he was afraid she might hear, but she didn’t seem to notice. The clock in the downstairs hallway chimed, and he bit down on his lip. James had left to get Dr. Spencer hours ago, and he hadn’t returned. What could be keeping him?

  “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well before I left this morning?” he asked.

  Victoria ran her thumb over the top of his hand. “I knew you had a lot planned today. I didn’t want to upset you before I knew for sure what was happening.”

  On the other side of the bed, Sally wrung the water from a cloth and mopped Victoria’s face. “This here gonna make you feels better, Miz Raines.”

  Victoria gasped and squeezed his hand. After what seemed an eternity, she relaxed and smiled at Sally. “Thank you, Sally. That feels good.”

  Sally nodded. “I ’member what I feel like when my James born. Now doan you worry none. Sally gonna be right here wit’ you till that little baby git here.”

  “Thank you, Sally. I don’t know what I would do without you.” She turned her head and smiled at Marcus. “And thank you, too, for sitting here beside me. I feel bad that you had to come home.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. “And where else do you think I’d be? I gave James instructions he was to come for me the minute anything happened. I’m going to stay with you until Dr. Spencer gets here. Then I imagine he’ll make me leave. But for now, I’m right where I want to be.”

  She smiled. “And where I want you to be.”

  The front door of the house opened, and Marcus could hear footsteps on the stairway. “I believe Dr. Spencer has arrived.”

  Sally rushed to the bedroom door and opened it just as the doctor appeared in the doorway. He strode into the room, set his bag on the floor beside the bed, and bent over Victoria. He took Victoria’s hand and smiled down at her. “Sorry it took me so long to get here. I was out on another call, and James had to wait until I returned. But I’m here now and ready to go to work. Are you ready to become a mother?”

  “I am. I’ve been waiting for this day.”

  “Then let’s see what’s happening here.” He looked over at Marcus. “It’s time for you to say your good-byes for a while. Sally and I will take over now. Go on downstairs and wait in the parlor while I examine Victoria. I’ll come down in a little while and tell you how things are going.”

  “All right.” Marcus stood and leaned over Victoria. “I won’t be far away.”

  She smiled up at him. “I’ll be fine. I’ll see you later.”

  As he gazed down at her, the reality of what was about to take place filled him with a fear like he’d never known in his life. Victoria was about to endure pain and suffering like she’d never known, and he was scared. Masking the terror that filled his heart, he bent over her again and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you.”

  She gazed up at him, and in her eyes he saw love shining for him. He’d never seen that from another person, and suddenly he wanted to do anything he could to make what she was about to endure easier. But he couldn’t. All he could do was pray to the God he was just getting to know.

  An hour later at the sound of footsteps on the staircase, Marcus rushed to the parlor door. Sally stopped at the bottom as he approached. She grasped the bottom corner of her apron and rolled the fabric between her fingers.

  “What’s wrong? Where’s Dr. Spencer?” Marcus asked.

  She pointed upstairs. “He still with Miz Raines. He done asked me to go find James.”

  “Find James? Why?” Sally tried to step around him, but he blocked her way. “Sally, what’s the matter? Why does he want James?”

  “He want James to go fetch Miss Tave over to here. He say she done helped him birth babies before, and he need her. He say the preacher can sit wit’ you.” She backed away. “I’s got to go, Mistuh Mahcus. He say I need to hurry.”

  Marcus stepped aside. “Of course. Tell James to saddle the fastest horse and ride to Daniel and Tave’s house as quickly as he can.”

  “Yas, suh. I will.”

  When Sally disappeared out the door, Marcus looked up at the staircase landing. He had to find out what was going on up there. He stepped onto the first tread and then hesitated. Dr. Spencer was alone with Victoria at the moment, and he didn’t want to pull him away from her. With a sigh he stepped back to the hallway and reentered the parlor.

  The Bible he’d been reading at night with Victoria lay on a table beside one of the chairs, and he picked it up. For now all he could do was place Victoria and Dr. Spencer in God’s hands. He opened the book and began to read.

  It was only a few minutes before he heard Sally rush back up the stairs, but Dr. Spencer didn’t appear in the parlor for another hour. When he did, he stopped at the door. “Marcus, may I speak to you for a moment?”

  Marcus closed the Bible and pushed to his feet. His heart sank at the worried expression on Dr. Spencer’s face. “Of course. Come in.”

  Dr. Spencer walked into the room and stopped in front of him. “I’m sorry I haven’t gotten down here sooner, but I’ve been busy.” He motioned to the chairs. “Why don’t we sit down?”

  Marcus’s body trembled in fear of what Dr. Spencer was about to say. He dropped into a chair, and Dr. Spencer sat down facing him. He scooted to the edge of the seat. “Most times babies are born without any problems at all, but sometimes something that no one expected happens. I’m afraid we have a problem.”

  Marcus grasped the arms of the chair and squeezed. “What kind of problem?”

  Dr. Spencer exhaled. “The baby is breech, Marcus. Do you know what that means?”

  He swallowed back the fear that knotted his stomach. “Yes. I’ve seen calves that are breech.”

  “I’m sure you have, and you probably know that there are several ways this can occur. In Victoria’s case, the baby is lying crosswise instead of head down as he should be.”

  The words pounded into Marcus’s head. The vision of the cow that had died giving birth flashed into his mind. “What are you going
to do?”

  “I have tried several times to turn the baby, but I haven’t had any luck. I don’t want to try too often because it’s hard on Victoria. Of course, we’re just in the beginning hours of labor. I may be successful later.”

  “And if you’re not?”

  Dr. Spencer’s mouth pursed. “Let’s not talk about that. For now I’ll concentrate on keeping Victoria as comfortable as possible and see what happens. I’ve sent for my daughter. She’s helped me at times with problems such as this. I also told Sally to ask James to go to Cottonwood and bring Mamie. She’s assisted many women in childbirth. I imagine Savannah will come with her. So you will probably have some company before long.”

  “That’s all right. Maybe it will keep my thoughts occupied.”

  “Would you like to see Victoria before everybody gets here?”

  Marcus jumped to his feet. “Yes.”

  He followed Dr. Spencer up the stairs and into the bedroom. As he walked to the bed, he glanced at Sally, who was still applying cool cloths to Victoria’s head. He nodded to her as he bent over Victoria.

  “Victoria, are you awake?”

  Her eyelids fluttered open, and she smiled. She reached up and grasped his hand. “Marcus, you came back to see me. I’m so sorry you’re all alone downstairs while Sally and Dr. Spencer are with me. Are you making it all right by yourself? If you’re hungry, Sally can go downstairs and fix you something to eat.”

  “I’m not hungry, Victoria.” Her concern for his welfare brought tears to his eyes. “Don’t worry about me. You just concentrate on getting our child here.”

  She smiled and closed her eyes. “I will. I can hardly wait.”

  Her face contorted into a mask of pain, and her head thrashed on the pillow. Her groan chilled his blood, and he whirled around toward Dr. Spencer. “What’s happening?”

  Dr. Spencer stepped forward. “It’s another contraction. You’d better go now.”

  Marcus stumbled to the door but looked back at his wife writhing on the bed. With tears streaming down his face, he ran from the room and down the stairs. He slammed the parlor door and fell to his knees.