The Gift of a Child

by Laura Abbot

  * * *

  The Friday morning of Rose’s two o’clock hearing at the courthouse, rain beat incessantly against the kitchen windows and strewed the yard with dead leaves. Alf, oblivious to the high drama about to occur on his behalf, played happily in the parlor with the set of tin soldiers Lavinia had ordered him from New York. Papa had left to call on two ailing patients, leaving Rose incapable of doing anything, but pacing the floor and praying.

  In a few short hours her future would either be ruined or made whole. She marched off to the kitchen to make bread. At least sifting and kneading might calm her runaway nerves.

  Bess arrived at one o’clock, shaking raindrops off her umbrella. “It’s still pouring out there and now the wind is coming up.” She held her hands out to the stove. “How are you?”

  Rose sighed. “Beside myself. I haven’t been able to sleep or eat much lately. Bess, I simply can’t imagine my life without Alf.”

  Bess turned and embraced her friend. “Oh, child, any judge with eyes in his head will see the bond you have with the boy. Does Alf understand what is happening this afternoon?”

  “Papa and I tried to prepare him. We told him this was a formality so that perhaps he could be my son forever and ever.”

  “What did he say to that?”

  “He broke my heart. He said since his E-nah was dead, he needed a mother and asked if after the hearing, he could call me Mama.”

  “He’s a dear child, and you and your family are to be commended for the sensitive way you’ve helped him recover from the horror of his mother’s death.”

  Rose offered Bess a cup of tea, and then the two sat drinking in a silence for which Rose was grateful. The time for platitudes or reassurance was long past. After a few minutes, Ezra burst through the door, leaving at his feet a puddle. “Noah had nothing on us. Much more of this and I’m commissioning an ark.”

  Rose hurried to the stove to get her father some hot tea. “Here, sit and join us.”

  “Alf?”

  “He’s playing in the parlor. I pray nothing happens to threaten his well-being.”

  “Buck up, dear. It will all be over soon.”

  Then, before she knew it, she was climbing into her father’s buggy next to Bess, with Alf perched on her lap. She wished the rat-a-tat of the rain on the roof didn’t sound quite so much like nails in a coffin.

  To her surprise, the courthouse was full of onlookers, most of them familiar—folks from church, patients of her father’s, ladies from the Library Society and others she didn’t recognize. Aunt Lavinia, with Hannah at her side, had established her territory in the first row and with a wave of her hand, summoned them forward to join her. “What are all these people doing here?” Rose whispered to her father.

  Ezra leaned in close. “Supporting you mainly, although I suppose for some, there’s an element of curiosity.”

  Rose gathered Alf close, sat down and looked around. No longer was this space a colorful, festive ballroom. Now it seemed austere and forbidding.

  “All rise. The Honorable Titus Cornett presiding.” A tall, rangy man with a shock of black hair and stern facial features entered in a black robe. From the first tap of his gavel until the sentencing of a thief, Rose could hardly focus for the heavy weight in her chest. Beside her, Alf yawned and fingered his agate. It was his nap time. Perhaps he could sleep through the proceedings.

  Then as if time had accelerated beyond her notice, the bailiff called their case. Her lawyer approached the bench. “Your Honor, I am appearing on behalf of Miss Rose Kellogg of this city to ask the court to execute an order to give her legal custody of the minor Alf, full name unknown.”

  The minute Alf heard his name, he roused and tugged Rose’s sleeve. “That’s me, Alf.”

  “Yes, my love.”

  Then Yarnell summarized Alf’s abandonment in the Kellogg barn, producing the original note left with him, the subsequent care Rose and her father had taken of the boy and finally, the circumstances of his having been taken back, presumably by his Indian mother.

  The judge interrupted. “What of the boy’s natural parents?”

  Yarnell paced before the judge, outlining the unfortunate and savage murder of the Pawnee woman. “The boy’s father signed the affidavit before you, attesting to the boy’s birth date and relinquishing all further legal claims to the child. With that act, we believe he has cleared any impediments to Miss Kellogg’s suit.”

  Rose sagged in relief. She had known nothing of the affidavit until now.

  The judge harrumphed, then muttered, “I suppose you have witnesses who can testify to Miss Kellogg’s fitness for motherhood.”

  “I have, Your Honor.”

  First Lily and then Bess took the stand to describe Alf’s living conditions and Rose’s loving care. The final witness was Pastor Dooley, who portrayed her as a faithful and prayerful churchgoer.

  As the minister returned to his seat, he paused briefly to settle a calming hand on her shoulder. Rose was starting to breathe a bit easier. Her case had been made. Surely the judge would find in her favor.

  Yarnell again approached the bench. “Your Honor, we ask that Miss Kellogg’s petition be granted forthwith.

  It will end now, praise God. Rose clutched the folds of her dress and waited for the Honorable Titus Cornett to fulfill her fondest wish.

  “Before I pass judgment on this matter, are there others in the court who wish to be heard at this time?”

  Others? What others? An ominous silence, broken only by a distant clap of thunder, hung over the court. Then, just as Rose was sure the judge would proceed, a shrill voice erupted from a back row. “Your Honor, I rise to speak in response to your question and to object to Rose Kellogg’s petition.”

  Rose buried her head in her father’s shoulder, her hopes fading. She would know that voice anywhere. Bertha Britten.

  * * *

  Lily’s restraining hand on his knee was all that kept Seth from bolting from his seat. He couldn’t believe the Britten woman. Everything had been proceeding smoothly, so smoothly, in fact, that he had been giving premature thanks to God for giving Rose custody of Alf. He should’ve learned not to count on anything. With an act of will, he turned his head to look at Bertha Britten, her holier-than-thou demeanor and grating voice setting his teeth on edge.

  “It seems to me, Judge Cornett, that we, as a community must accept both physical and moral responsibility for this poor orphan. While Rose Kellogg may be a fine person, as others have testified, she lacks the single most important quality of Christian motherhood.”

  The judge slouched back in his seat, fixing his eyes on the complainant. “Pray tell, Mrs...”

  “Britten.” Bertha quivered with indignation.

  “...Britten, what is this quality of which you speak?”

  “Why, it should be obvious to anyone. I’m surprised it wasn’t to Pastor Dooley, but be that as it may, Rose Kellogg is not married, sir. A child needs to be brought up in a Christian home with both a mother and a father. I would submit this is especially true for a male child.”

  A few spontaneous murmurs of agreement could be heard. Seth clenched his fists, longing to carry the woman bodily from the courtroom. How dare she so malign Rose, who had never done anything but love Alf?

  Yarnell leaped to his feet and implored the judge, “Your Honor, what is relevant here is the nature of care this boy is receiving, not Miss Kellogg’s marital status.” He turned and pointed at Rose and Alf, huddled together under the onslaught of criticism. “See the evidence for yourself. The boy regards my client as his port in the storm, as the one person in the world upon whom he can count. Would the court sever that bond simply because Miss Kellogg has never married? How many children have been raised by maiden aunts or widowed grandmothers? I fail to see how this situation is any different.”

>   Bertha stood her ground. “There are many of us lawfully wed, childless persons who would gladly undertake the rearing of this boy, persons who could provide both a father and a mother in a Christian environment. Marriage and parenthood are sacred, Your Honor, and I defy the court to deem otherwise by handing this child over to Miss Kellogg. There. I’ve had my say.” With that, she abruptly sat down.

  Beside him, Seth saw Lily wiping away a tear, and Caleb’s jaw was as clenched as if chewing rawhide. Seth couldn’t believe his own ears. The Brittens? Parents to Alf? Something had to be done. The judge leaned forward, folding his hands on top of the bench. An uncomfortable silence awaited his next words. Finally he spoke. “What is at stake here is Alf’s welfare and his future. It would be presumptuous to act hastily in this matter. I declare a twenty minute recess, after which time, I will render my decision.” With that, the judge swept toward his chambers.

  Seth could see Lavinia, Ezra and Bess gathered around Rose, whose pale, stricken face leveled him like a powerful blow. Across the way, Bertha Britten sat beside her milquetoast of a husband, arms folded across her chest, her head held high, as if daring any present to fault her position. Pastor Dooley had removed himself and stood at a window, his head bowed as if in prayer. “I have to stand up,” Seth muttered to Lily, who was rooted to the spot in shock. Not presuming to intrude upon Rose’s family group, Seth pushed through the crowd and down the stairs. He needed air. Outside, racked with worry, he paced in the rain, now a gentle shower, wondering how Bertha Britten could so willfully jeopardize Rose’s chances. Such pettiness defied description.

  He brushed off those who tried to engage him in conversation and prayed for a strategy to forestall the Britten woman’s influence on the judge. Maybe he, too, could speak to the court. He could talk about Rose’s cooking, her attention to the boy’s manners and dress, the way the two played together and took walks and... He kicked the unyielding trunk of an oak. He was no orator. But surely everyone in town could see how Rose loved the boy and how he, in turn, doted upon her. The very idea of anyone...anyone hurting Rose in such a callous, self-righteous manner made his blood boil. But what was he to do? Please God, if You’re listening, find me a way to help Rose and Alf.

  He straggled in behind the last few folks returning to the courtroom and slumped down next to Lily. “How are you?” he asked.

  “Oh, Seth, I’m so afraid. This is not looking good. I’ve overheard several here in the courtroom seriously questioning Rose’s unmarried state. During the recess I went to Rose. She’s terrified.”

  “All rise.”

  To Seth’s ear, no words had ever sounded so much like the trumpet of doom. Before resuming his seat, the judge paused and beckoned to Alf. “Come here, boy.”

  Alf looked inquiringly at Rose, who gave a slight nod. Embarrassed by the crowd, Alf approached the judge with his head bowed. The man took hold of his arm and knelt beside him. Whatever Cornett was saying or asking of Alf was inaudible. The spectators watched as the boy nodded his head a couple of times and then whispered something into the judge’s ear. Then the judge stood and shooed Alf back to his seat. Seth would give a great deal to know what had transpired in that brief conversation.

  Cornett returned to the bench and with a sigh began his pronouncement. “Rearing children is a sacred obligation bestowed by God. Therefore, it behooves parents to exercise discipline, patience, perseverance and love to nurture in a child all those gifts and talents that God has given him or her. Sometimes that can be an onerous and frustrating parental obligation. In a case where two parents are involved, perhaps one can exercise love when the other has reached the end of the tether. Mrs. Britten’s objections are ones I cannot overlook. On the other hand, evidence suggests that Miss Kellogg is devoted to the boy Alf and, thus far, has taken seriously her parental responsibility. Now the court would have no difficulty adjudicating this matter if Miss Kellogg, in fact, had a husband, but—

  The powers of heaven could not have kept Seth in his seat. “Go no further, Your Honor. What if Miss Kellogg were married? Would that make a difference?”

  “You are out of order, young man. Besides, your question is merely hypothetical.”

  “Rose,” Seth shouted as he hurried across the room, “Rose, will you marry me?” The onlookers gasped and then chattered excitedly among themselves.

  Oblivious to the hubbub Seth’s proposal had generated, Rose stood and slowly turned to face him, her fair skin mottled with red. “Seth, oh, Seth, don’t do this.” She shook her head in sadness.

  He knelt in the aisle by her chair and took her hands in his. “Please, Rose. Be my wife. Let me be a father to Alf.”

  “I can’t let you sacrifice yourself in this manner.”

  “Sett?” Alf wedged his way between them. “You marry Rose and then you’ll be my papa, my very own papa!”

  Seth caught Rose’s eye. “Be very careful now, my dear. We can make this work. It’s God’s answer to us, to Alf.”

  In a moment customarily filled with joy, Rose hesitated for long seconds before raising their clasped hands to her lips and choking out her answer. “Yes.”

  The judge banged his gavel. “Order in the court, order in the court.” Seth took Alf on his lap and settled next to Rose. “This is highly unusual.” Cornett glared at Seth. “I will not have you make a mockery of this court with your spontaneous outburst.”

  Seth set Alf aside and stood. “It is not my intention to make a mockery, Your Honor. Rose and I have been good friends for many months, and to some degree, we have participated together in the care of Alf, whom we both love dearly.” He faced Rose. “I would be honored to share my life with this woman and her son, if it please this court.”

  The judge took Seth’s measure for what seemed several minutes, then he said, “Sit down, sir.” He turned his gaze to the boy. “Alf, would you come forward now, please.”

  Alf again wandered over to the judge, who lifted him into his lap. “You told me your Rose is a good mother, is that right?”

  Alf nodded vigorously.

  “Remember when I asked you if you would like a father, too? What did you say?”

  “I know, I know. I said Sett!”

  “You certainly did, son.” The judge picked up his gavel and said, “In the matter of Miss Rose Kellogg’s petition for adoption of this young man, petition granted.” Then he banged his gavel and the courtroom exploded.

  Instead of entering his chambers, The Honorable Titus Cornett descended from the bench and approached Seth, clapped an arm on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. “Do right by these two.”

  “I will,” Seth replied, suddenly humbled by the manner in which God had answered his prayer. Before he could say anything further, Alf jumped into his arms. “Papa, Papa, Papa. I can call you Papa.”

  Rose had not moved, but stood studying the two of them. “Oh, Seth, what have we done?”

  As the courtroom cleared, Seth could say nothing, drained of words and emotionally spent. He was a reasonable man who stewed over decisions, certainly not one prone to spontaneous outbursts such as his proposal. Yet looking at Alf’s smile, how could he have done otherwise? Rose remained motionless, her expression unreadable.

  Their marriage, while solving the immediate problem of Alf’s adoption, would be unconventional, to put it mildly. Without Alf, would a wonderful woman like Rose ever have considered him? And there was always the danger that the more he invested of himself in these two, the greater his risk of getting hurt. Rarely had he allowed himself to consider marriage, but if it was to happen, no woman other than Rose had the potential to make him happy.

  “Seth, you rascal, you!” His brother approached and gave him a bear hug. Seth managed a smile. What was done was done, and he’d make the best of it.

  Amid their families’ questions and congratulations, Seth and Rose had no opportunity
to speak to one another. Ezra looked mildly concerned, Lily cradled her sister’s face and nodded her approval, Lavinia stood to one side, not so much shocked as smug, and Sophie had thrust her arm through Seth’s with a “Good for you, brother.” Mixed reactions. What else could he expect, particularly when he, too, was experiencing a storm of contradictory feelings?

  Pastor Dooley sidled up to him. “Seth, might I have a word with you?” The minister drew him aside. “That was a brave and compassionate thing you did, son. Yet I am concerned that yours was an intemperate decision. I would be reluctant to marry you and Rose unless I am convinced this is what you both want and that you will commit to a godly partnership as man and wife.”

  “I am a man of my word, sir. I believe God has led me to this moment, and while it may not have come about in the usual manner, my proposal was heartfelt. I shall do my best to provide for Rose and Alf and to create a wholesome Christian family.”

  “Good man. Before we proceed with the wedding, I will need to obtain those same assurances from Rose.”

  “I understand.”

  Seth stood apart, watching as the pastor sought out Rose and led her over to a window where they stood talking. Rose listened to what the minister was saying to her, all the time with her head bent and her fingers working the fabric of her skirt. She mumbled something and nodded her head twice. Seth could stand it no longer. He strode across the room and joined them, searching Rose’s face for a clue. Did she have serious doubts?

  “Seth, Rose has pledged herself to a marriage distinguished by mutual affection and respect. One with Christ at its center,” said the pastor.

  Seth let out a sigh of relief. He took Rose’s hands in his. “This marriage cannot be only about Alf. Rose, you are a fine woman who deserves to be treated with decency and affection. We have a friendship. That should serve us well. I’m ready to go forth if you are.”