***
Alta felt the release of the shackles from her wrists and tears filled her eyes. It felt so good to be free!
Simon’s strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her in close. He pressed a kiss to her temple and rubbed soothing circles over her back as he whispered that everything was all right now. Sobs wracked her body, but with his calming presence she soon quieted down.
Pulling back just enough to see into his eyes she said, “You did it. You rescued me.”
“I told you I would protect you and I meant it.” His lips quirked in a smile.
“I never doubted you.”
“Good,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to her lips.
“What happens now?”
He looked around, taking in the town’s dusty scenery. “I hadn’t thought this far ahead.”
“There’s a judge in town,” the deputy said as the sheriff took Ed up the steps into the jail.
Simon laughed. “What do you say? Want to get married, my dear?”
“Yes.” Now, more than ever, she knew she wanted to be married to this strong, brave man in front of her.
A shadow passed through his eyes. “I still don’t know how I’ll provide for you.”
“Let’s figure that out later,” she said, reaching down to take his hand between both of hers. “I’ll stand by you no matter what.”
She could see the confidence her words produce in him and felt the rush of emotion at the fact that they would be married that very day. It was why she had come out West, but it was more than that now. She could see—he had proved to her—that Simon would do everything in his power to protect her. He not only loved her, but he cherished her and would do as the Lord commanded, by putting her first.
With a grin, Simon pulled her toward where the deputy had pointed. They were getting married!
***
Walking out of the judge’s office a newly married man gave Simon a feeling of lightness. It was as if he was walking on clouds, floating around. Everything had changed in the span of a day. How that was possible she wasn’t sure, but there was the truth.
Then again, he knew how it was possible. The Lord had orchestrated it all.
The sun beat down on them as they walked hand in hand through the dusty streets toward the hotel. He would rent a room for them for the day and then they would figure out what to do. He had to go back to White River to close down his church, but then what?
God, what do you have for us?
Even as he thought the prayer he saw the deputy making his way toward them.
“Well?” the man said, squinting in the bright light.
“Meet my wife,” Simon said by way of introduction.
The deputy laughed. “Name’s Gus, miss. Happy to meet you.”
“Likewise,” she said. Simon noticed the pretty blush on Alta’s cheeks and wanted to pull her close and kiss her right there, but he would wait. There would be plenty of time for kissing later.
“I wanted to catch you before you left town, if you are leaving town?” Gus asked.
“Uh, well we’re heading to the hotel now. I figured we’d leave in the morning.”
“Got a thought for you.” Gus nodded, rubbing a hand along his jaw. “Upon your suggestion we looked into the pastor in town and found some…unsavory connections. Needless to say, he’s been removed from his post and it turns out there’s an opening. If I remember correctly, you’re a pastor?”
Hope surged through Simon at the man’s words. Could it be? Was this the Lord’s next step?
“I am.”
“I suppose you’ve also got a position of your own, but I thought it worth asking if you knew of anyone who could fill the pulpit here in town. We’ve got a whole lot of folks who look forward to Sunday services.”
“You do?” Simon’s question was out before he could think it through.
The deputy laughed. “Believe it or now, we do. Our sheriff here sees a direct connection between church attendance and crime so he’s keen on getting someone in quick. Know of anyone looking for a job as a pastor?”
Simon nearly laughed then looked down at Alta. Her sweet smile belied her excitement and the reality that they were both thinking the same thing. This had been God’s plan all along.
“As a matter of fact, I’ve been recently released from my pastorate in White River and I was looking for another church to step into.”
“You don’t say,” Gus said, his eyes widening.
“I do.”
“Then let’s go talk with the sheriff,” Gus said, his excitement obvious.
“We’ll be there in a minute, but I’d like to discuss this with my wife first.”
“Oh,” Gus took a step back, a grin on his face, “You got it. We’ll see you soon.”
He left and Simon turned to Alta, hardly believing what had just happened.
“Why didn’t you accept right away,” she asked.
He pulled her around the corner of a building to give them some privacy then turned to face her. “Because you’re my wife now and all decisions affect us.”
“I trust you,” she said, her eyes glistening in the light and reflecting the trust she spoke of. “I know you’ll choose what’s best for us.”
His heart swelled with love for his wife and pride in her acceptance. She had proven that trust by being brave when trapped with Ed and he knew she would continue to prove it to him through their years of marriage.
“I don’t deserve you, my love,” he whispered before he bent down to kiss her passionately.
When they parted, she rested her hand on his cheek. “Love isn’t about deserving.”
And she was right. God gave good gifts to His children regardless of their worth, and right now Simon and Alta knew the fullness of His blessing in their marriage.
THE END.
Lost and Found
Mail Order Bride
CHRISTIAN MICHAEL
Chapter 1 – More Than This
Trinity carefully threaded the needle, and held her hand as steady as she could as she lined it up with the open seam. Mending was her least favorite chore, and mending fine linen was the worst. At least cotton was easy to work with and didn’t slip between her fingers as she tried to hold it together.
“Mind that you don’t sew the back to the front when you stitch up that side.”
Old Mrs. Graham spoke without even looking over at Trinity, causing her to jump. She thought Mrs. Graham had gone out for the afternoon, and she didn’t hear her employer come back in.
“You know I always mind where I am stitching, Mrs. Graham, don’t you worry. I won’t send it out without you looking it over first.”
Trinity didn’t look up as she replied, hoping she gave off the impression she had known Mrs. Graham had been there the whole time. She had gone round and round with Mrs. Graham about a number of things, and she didn’t like it when the old woman watched her. It made Trinity feel as though Mrs. Graham didn’t trust her.
“Well one can never be too careful. This is our livelihood, after all, and if the customer isn’t happy, then I’m not happy. You want me to be happy, don’t you?”
Mrs. Graham switched from a bossy tone to a shaky tone as she asked the question, trying to elicit all the sympathy she could out of Trinity. Trinity knew the old woman’s games, however, and didn’t play along. She was tired of being manipulated. Tired of working for a nit-picky old woman. Tired of sewing this shirt.
“I think the customer is going to be plenty happy with this shirt. I declare I don’t know of a place in all of Vermont that is fancy enough to justify a shirt such as this one.”
The words had scarcely escaped Trinity’s lips when she heard Mrs. Graham clicking her tongue. She cringed on the inside. Mrs. Graham only did that when she was going to lecture Trinity, or treat her like a little girl. Trinity wasn’t sure which was about to happen, but she mentally braced herself for the event.
“You poor, poor girl. Of course you wouldn’t know of such things. A gi
rl that was left on a doorstep would by no means understand that there are fine places here. Fine places where all of the people dress in fancy clothes and eat fancy foods. Foods you never even heard of, Child.”
Trinity let her mind wander. She hated it when Mrs. Graham referred to her childhood. And she hated it when Mrs. Graham treated her like a little girl that knew nothing of the world outside. Sure, she had been abandoned as a child, but that didn’t make her any poorer than anyone else. Most of the time, Mrs. Graham wouldn’t say anything about it, but there were days she just wouldn’t let Trinity forget.
Trinity was, by relation, Mrs. Graham’s adopted niece. It was Graham’s brother, the preacher of the town that had found Trinity on the steps of the church many years ago. He had never formally adopted her, but he had seen to it that she was cared for by the families that attended his church.
Trinity was thankful to him for his kindness, and to Mrs. Graham as well for the part she had played in Trinity’s growing up life, as well as giving her a job when she was of age, but part of Trinity hated it here. Not just working for Mrs. Graham, but in the tiny town she lived in nestled in the rolling hills of Vermont.
Trinity longed for a life of adventure. A life where she felt she belonged. True, the Graham’s and Preacher Davis had been most welcoming, as had many of the families Trinity had spent her time with as a child, but none of them felt like her real family.
She had always seen her classmates with their siblings and their parents, and it was clear they belonged. Though they did their best to make Trinity feel part of the family, she never felt that kind of connection to anyone, and she didn’t know why.
Now, as she grew older, it was assumed she was going to help Mrs. Graham in her old age, and eventually take over the business. Many people in town assumed she was going to help run the church and take care of things for Preacher Davis when he was traveling, but Trinity had other plans.
Deep down inside, she felt there had to be more to life than this. More to life than sewing these shirts that were brought in day after day, and more to life than running errands for an old woman that simply didn’t want to do them herself. There had to be more to life than the families that all felt sorry for her in her situation, and the tiny houses she walked past every single day.
In fact, there had to be more to life than this little town, in this little state. She had heard tales of the West, and the adventures people had when they went out there. It was exactly the life that she wanted.
“Trinity! Do you hear me?”
Trinity jumped as her mind was brought back to the moment, and she realized Mrs. Graham was still talking to her.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Graham, my mind was wandering.”
“No doubt you were trying to imagine that kind of restaurant for yourself, eh?”
Trinity had no idea what Mrs. Graham had been talking about, but she nodded anyway. A smile broke across Mrs. Graham’s face, and she clicked her tongue once more.
“I’d say that’s enough of that for now. Tell you what. Here is a letter I needed mailed today… would you mind doing that for me?”
Trinity muffed a sigh inside herself, and forced a smile in return. She nodded and rose to take the letter, thinking once again that there had to be more to life than this.
Chapter 2 – A Walk About Town
“Trinity! Trinity, Trinity!”
Trinity stopped to see who was calling her name, and to her delight she saw her good friend Olga running her way. Olga had been one of Trinity’s closest friends growing up, perhaps it was because Olga’s parents had moved to America from Slovakia, and Olga had always felt like an outsider around the American children at school.
“Olga! How are you? I’ve been thinking I ought to call on you one of these days.”
Trinity slowed her pace so her friend could keep up with her. Olga had been born with a foot deformity, and always walked with a minor limp. It wasn’t enough to stop her from getting around easily, but it was enough for the other children to poke fun at her. This is part of the reason she and Trinity had become such good friends.
“I have been well. Looking all over for a job, but nobody is hiring right now. I’m getting along well enough for now, but I’m going to need something a little better before the snow flies. How is old Mrs. Cranky?”
“Mrs. Graham is doing quite well herself, thank you.”
Trinity replied, but she had to stifle a laugh.
There were few people Trinity knew that she could relate to. All of them were in such awe of Mrs. Graham, few actually realized how difficult of a woman she really was. Always making promised she could never keep, and following those promises she would either back out completely, or make Trinity fulfill them. Yet everyone in town spoke of how kind and giving Mrs. Graham was.
“I’m sure she is going to continue to do quite well so long as she has you around to do her bidding. Is she even paying you enough to keep all of her promises for her?”
Olga’s face blushed red after she asked the question, and she put her hand over her mouth.
“Sorry, it’s not my place to ask what you are making, but I still doubt she is paying you enough to be her slave as well as her seamstress.”
“It’s ok. I wish I could say I made a lot more for my work, but I have to remember that I do owe her and her brother a great deal of kindness. They practically raised me, after all.”
“Oh pish posh! The whole town raised you, and they get the glory. If I were you, I’d-“
Olga was cut off in the middle of her sentence by a laugh, and the two girls turned to see Ashley and her friends walking towards them. They were all dressed in fine dresses, and carrying umbrellas to keep the sun off of them. Each of them also carried a small fan, and giggled to each other as they stopped next to Trinity and Olga.
“Oh, we’re sorry, we didn’t see you here.”
Ashley spoke with a false sweetness, and her friends erupted with laughter.
“I don’t get what’s so funny, but don’t you ladies have other places to be?”
Trinity didn’t have time for their games, but her comment caused the smiled to vanish off of Ashley’s face. She strode over, swinging her hips as she did, and holding out her gloved hand. A diamond ring glinted in the sunlight on her finger, and Olga gasped. Trinity didn’t look at all interested.
“Didn’t you hear? I have become engaged to Mr. Collins, and we are on our way to the train station. I am paying to take all of my friends with me to pick out the finest dress in New York. I must look good for the wedding.”
“You’re going all the way to New York for a wedding gown?”
Olga’s eyes widened with amazement.
“Yes, they don’t carry anything fancy enough around here. You must be quite speechless.”
“Actually, I was thinking that is quite a waste.”
Trinity was blunt in her reply and Ashley’s jaw dropped, but Olga burst out laughing. Fire flashed through Ashley’s eyes, and she leaned in close to Trinity.
“I’ll have you know, when I am married, I am going to be the wealthiest woman in the state. I will want for nothing ever again, and you… what will you have? A sewing job. That’s it. You have no parents, no family, and no husband, and I say it’s a no wonder!”
Her friends’ giggles filled the air, and Trinity could feel her cheeks burn. She opened her mouth to reply, but Ashley turned and waltzed away before anything came out. Trinity could feel her eyes fill with tears of fury, but she brushed them away.
“Don’t let her get to you. You know how Mr. Collins is. I wouldn’t marry him even if he asked me to!” Olga scrunched up her face at the thought, and Trinity smiled.
“She’s right though. I don’t have a family of any kind. At least you have your mother and your father, and I am sure things are going to progress between you and Peter one of these days.”
Olga blushed at the mention of the boy she liked and she tried to change the subject.
“You’re special, T
rin… that means you are going to need a special kind of husband. One that is as wild and free as you are. You know, like a cowboy!”
Trinity agreed, but Olga said she had to be moving along. She gave Trinity a hug and told her to keep her chin up, as things were sure to work out as they always had. Trinity forced a smile and assured her friend she was happy.
As Olga limped away, Trinity’s mind raced. The fact of the matter was that she wasn’t happy here, and she couldn’t keep doing this over and over. She knew it wouldn’t be long before Olga was engaged as well, then her time would be spent elsewhere.
Trinity had to make a change, and soon.
Chapter 3 – The Idea
Trinity’s thoughts were jumping from one topic to another as she made her way to the post office. She wondered how she was going to get out West, and what she was going to do when she got there. Surely there were people out there that needed their clothes mended, but then again, surely there were people out there that could mend their clothes.
She knew the West was no place for a woman to be alone. There were all kinds of tales of outlaws and Indians, and scoundrels of all kinds, all preying upon the unsuspecting female traveler. No, if she was going out West, she needed to have a rough idea of what to expect when she got out there.
Suddenly, she bumped into a tall, skinny man standing at the foot of the stairway leading up to the post office. Trinity didn’t know where he had come from. One minute she hadn’t seen anyone there, and the next, she had run into a complete stranger that just seemed to appear out of nowhere.
“Excuse me, Sir, I didn’t see you.”
[2016] Widow Finds Love Page 26