by Annie Boone
“It’ll come to you. Why don’t you read some of those letters while you wait for her to wake up?” she chuckled.
Caleb shook his head. “Don’t you have a family of your own to take care of? Shouldn’t you head out to them?”
She laughed loudly and clapped a hand over her mouth. They were both laughing and trying to stop. She finally just waved a hand and blew him a kiss as she walked out the door.
Chapter Four
Caleb paced the room for a minute then tiptoed to his daughter’s room. She was sleeping with her favorite doll tucked in beside her. He tiptoed to his own bedroom and sat down on the bed. With a heavy sigh, he looked in the top drawer of his bureau and pulled out two bundles of letters. He turned resolutely and took the letters to the dining room.
He placed the letters on the table and looked at them. Finally, he sat down and pulled the first bundle closer to him. His fingers trembled slightly as he untied the twine that was holding them together. Then, the letters were loose and he spread them out in front of him.
He closed his eyes and picked one. As he opened it, his heart was racing. This letter was from a young lady from Chicago, Illinois. She seemed to come from money and was educated by the tone of her words and her high class handwriting. He set her letter aside.
The next random letter was from a woman in Virginia. She lived on a farm with her parents and many siblings. She had nothing, or so her letter said. She was looking for a husband to take her away from her poverty stricken life. His heart went out to her, but he didn’t want to bring a desperate woman like this into their home.
He pulled out several envelopes with interesting handwriting. None of them had anything to say that appealed to him, though. He untied the second bundle and looked through that stack. He found a few that looked attractive for one reason or another. None of these made him want to meet the woman who wrote them.
He pulled one more from the pile in front of him. He didn’t know which bundle it came from as they’d all mixed together now. This one was from Boston, Massachusetts. He turned it over and pulled back the seal.
Hmm, nice handwriting, he thought as he opened the letter.
Dear Mr. Jefferson,
My name is Audrey Norris. I’m a 27 year old widow and I have a six year old daughter. My mother lives with us in Boston. We are three generations who depend on each other and we must stay together. Family is everything.
My husband died unexpectedly only a short time ago and I am grieving, but making do. I found out just today that he left us in a financial mess. I can find no way to care for my family in Boston, at least nothing safe and legal. My faith and my self-esteem make it impossible for me to pursue those options.
Your ad states that you lost your wife. Please accept my deepest sympathies for your loss. I’m sure raising your daughter without her mother is difficult. I know from experience how hard it is to raise a child alone. If you and I come to an agreement, please know that I would be delighted to care for your daughter. I would love her and treat her as if she were my own. My daughter, Daisy, is a loving little girl who makes friends easily. I’m sure that these two girls would become wonderful friends.
I hope that you’ll answer. I’d like to learn more about you and the family you mention.
Sincerely,
Audrey Norris
Caleb read the letter again. There was no mention of love or romance. This Audrey Norris didn’t seem to be anything but practical. She also promised to love Beatrice as her own. All good signs and the kind of arrangement he was looking for.
People could say anything in a letter, though. Could he believe her? Could he believe any of these women who had written? Janine would tell him he had to trust someone at some point. Was this that time? Maybe so. He took out paper and a pen and started writing.
Dear Mrs. Norris,
I got your letter. Thank you for writing. I’m sorry for the loss of your dear husband and your predicament. Sometimes I wonder why God puts us through some of the difficulties we face, but that’s probably talk for another day.
You sound like a nice and responsible woman. I appreciate your promise to care for my daughter. Her name is Beatrice and she’s a beautiful seven year old. My family helps as much as they can, but what we need is a woman’s influence in this house. Or that’s what my sister keeps telling me, anyway. I’m sure she’s right, she always is.
I’m the town blacksmith and I do a pretty good business. My shop is in the middle of town making it convenient for people to come by to get work done. Cutter’s Creek is a nice place to raise a family. I’m sure you’d like it here.
I agree that your Daisy and my Beatrice would be good companions for each other. I don’t know if you and I are a good match, but we can find out if you’re willing. Please write again soon.
Yours truly,
Caleb Jefferson
He folded and sealed the letter without reading it again. If he hesitated at all he knew he wouldn’t send the letter. He needed to get Janine off his back. He also needed to get a mother for Beatrice. If he was honest, Janine really was right.
The letter was addressed and ready to go. He would post it first thing tomorrow morning. If she wrote back, he would offer to bring her and her family here. He decided he had to see where this would go.
Janine was going to be happy with him. Whew. One problem solved. At least for now.
Chapter Five
Audrey sat down at the kitchen table across from her mother. Her drawn face showed signs of worry and a lack of sleep.
“Daisy got to school just fine. I’m going to go to the bank this morning. I’ve got a little money I can give them and maybe they’ll let us stay in the house a little longer,” Audrey said.
“I’ve got some I can throw in the pot, too. I found a bit I’d put away. I’d forgotten it until yesterday. I can’t believe I’d forget something like that!” Kathleen looked distraught at her oversight.
“Thank you, Mother. Anything will help.”
“Once we find out what the bank will do, we’ll need to get serious about what happens next,” said Kathleen.
“I was thinking the same thing. I believe we have about another month or so, and then we’ll be forced to move.”
“What’s going on with your friend, Caleb? Is he ready to pop the question? I really thought this process would move a little faster than this. What’s the hold up?”
“Well, I think we both want to be sure this is the right thing. There are children to think of. And there’s you, too.”
“Don’t worry about me, Audrey. I can handle anything. Even Montana winters. Can’t be worse than Boston snow or Irish rain.”
Audrey smiled. Her mother always managed to look at the bright side, even if bright was still pretty dim.
“I’m not sure how to proceed with him. I feel like I’ve said everything I need to say to get him interested. I’ve appealed to his love for his daughter and I’ve stayed away from all talk of romance. That part hasn’t been hard since I don’t want romance, either.”
“But Audrey,” Kathleen whined. “Don’t give up on love. You’re too young to give up.”
“Mother, I’m not giving up. It’s just that my husband died only a year ago. I loved him for twelve years. I’m not ready to replace him yet. Maybe Caleb Jefferson is the man for me. If so, I’ll love him as long as God sees fit. If not, then I’ll fulfill my promise and be the care giver in his family. God is putting this plan in motion. At least I hope He is. We need Him to move more quickly,” she chuckled.
Audrey was about to leave to go take care of her issues at the bank when she heard the mail drop through the slot. She went to pick it up. Unbelievably, a letter from Caleb Jefferson was in the pile. She hoped her answer to prayer was there. The envelope was thicker than usual. She tore it open to see what was inside.
She gasped out loud when she saw what he’d sent. She didn’t even pay attention to the letter, her eyes were stuck on the three thick train tickets. Maybe I won’t even have to
go to the bank today, she thought. Thank you, Lord!
She set the tickets aside to read the letter. It was short and to the point.
Dear Mrs. Norris,
I think it’s time for us to move forward. You’ll be a good addition to our household and I’ll help you solve your housing issue in Boston. Come to Cutter’s Creek at your first convenience. Advise your arrival time and I’ll be at the station to meet you and your family.
Have a safe journey,
Caleb Jefferson
Audrey couldn’t believe it. God was good, indeed. She said a quick prayer of thanksgiving. “Mother! Come quick!” she yelled.
Kathleen scurried into the main room. “What’s wrong? What is it?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Look at this!” She held up the train tickets. “Three train tickets to Montana!”
“Praise the Lord!”
“How fast do you think we can be ready to go? A week?”
“Probably. It may take a few more days, but a week is a good target,” replied Kathleen.
“I don’t think I’m going to bother going to the bank. I’ll send them a letter the day before we go and they can do whatever they want to with this house.”
“All right, then. We’d better get busy!”
Audrey went to school to meet Daisy and walk her home. She decided to share the news about their move on their way home. This would be more casual and she probably wouldn’t get so anxious as she would if they had a formal discussion.
“So how was school today? Did you learn anything?” Audrey asked her daughter.
“It was good. I did learn something,” replied Daisy.
“So what was the thing you learned?”
“Big and little letters.”
“That’s pretty interesting. Did you like learning it?”
“I guess so. I want to learn more about reading. When will we do that?”
“Soon. You have to learn this part first and then the reading part will happen. Sound good?”
Daisy nodded. “Are we moving, Mama?”
Audrey was stunned by the question. She was planning to have that conversation now and Daisy was bringing it up on her own. This was odd.
“Why do you ask, Daisy?”
“I heard you and Grammy talking. I didn’t mean to sneak and listen. I was getting a cookie and you were loud,” she answered.
“It’s all right. You’re not in trouble. What do you think about moving?”
“I’m not sure. I’d miss my friends.” She lowered her head and stuck out her bottom lip in a bit of a pout.
“I know, but you’d get to make new friends. It would be fun. Wouldn’t you like to make some new friends? And what if one of those new friends actually lived in the house with us? What would you think of that?”
Daisy perked up. “Like a sister? I’d like that!”
Audrey smiled. This might work out after all, she thought. “Exactly! So this is what’s going to happen. We’re going to pack all our things in trunks. Then we’re going to ride on a train to Montana. It’s a long way away from here, but there are mountains and it’s beautiful. I hear there are plenty of wildflowers there, too.”
“Oh! I like that!” exclaimed her daughter.
One load off her mind and several more to take care of. This was a very good start. She’d write the letter to Caleb tonight to let him know what day they’d be leaving.
Chapter Six
Since Caleb had mailed the letter to Audrey, he felt sick to his stomach every time he thought about it. He knew he’d done the right thing, but he was a wreck over it.
He watched for her response and when it came, he wasn’t sure he wanted to read it. This was going to change his life forever if she had agreed to come here. It would change life for Beatrice, too, and that was his real goal. He would make this work if for no other reason than to make life easier for her.
He couldn’t put it off any longer. He needed to know her answer. He opened the letter and scanned quickly through it.
Dear Mr. Jefferson,
I thank you for your generous offer. I’ll be honest and tell you that I’m a bit nervous about this move. It will be a change for my daughter, but I think she’ll adapt well in time.
The other concern I have is that you didn’t mention marriage. Just so we’re clear on this matter, I get the idea that you’re not interested in a marriage of love. That’s fine with me. I hope that we can develop mutual respect and genuine affection eventually. A marriage of convenience is acceptable to me. However, I will not live with a man I’m not married to. So get prepared for a wedding at some point soon after we arrive.
We will leave Boston on Monday, April 19th. I expect that we’ll arrive by Friday.
Sincerely,
Audrey Norris
Hmm. She really gets to the point, he thought.
But, the good news was that she had agreed to come to Cutter’s Creek. Even better news was that she consented to a marriage of convenience. He’d planned to drag out the wedding process, but it sounded like she wasn’t going to stand for any foolishness. He supposed he could adjust. Anything for his daughter.
“Caleb! Beatrice!”
He heard Janine’s voice coming from the front of the house. “In here!” he called. She wandered into the kitchen where he was standing holding the letter from Audrey.
“Oh, another letter. Can I see this one? You’ve been so stingy with the information. This has been no fun at all!” she pouted.
“Janine, you knew why I did it. There was no fun to it. Here, see for yourself.” He handed her the letter and she grabbed it from him with excitement.
The smile faded from her face slowly as she read. By the time she got to the end, she was almost frowning. “Why did you choose this woman? She seems as boring as you.”
Caleb laughed. “I guess she is. That’s why I chose her. I don’t want some sweet young thing coming in here and messing things up. I don’t want to manage any expectations. I just want some help with my daughter.”
“Well, I’m surprised. I didn’t expect you to hold out for this. I suppose we could have just gotten a nursemaid or something. Oh well, too late for that,” she said.
He looked at her and shook his head. “You’re something else. I finally do what you want and you’re still not happy. Don’t ask me to do anything else with my own life for you.”
She took the half loaf of bread on the countertop and cut off a slice. “Have you got any jam?”
“In the cupboard behind you,” he said. “Fix me one, too, will you?”
She smiled at him. “Of course. Now listen. You can’t live with her until you’re married. It wouldn’t be proper.”
He looked confused. “So where will she stay? One of the reasons she’s keen to come here is that her husband left her in a financial bind. She can’t afford her own place or a hotel. I’m not going to pay for another place when I’ve got a big enough house for all of us. She did mention she won’t live with a man she’s not married to.”
“You simply can’t live here with her until you’re married. It won’t matter that you’re not sharing a bed.” She laughed when Caleb blushed.
“If you say so. I guess I can build an apartment at the shop.”
“Don’t do that. Just stay with us. We’ve got room. It’ll only be temporary, anyway.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t want to impose. You might get on my nerves, too.”
“You won’t be an imposition. And if I get on your nerves, I hope you’ll see that waiting a long time to marry her won’t be a good move.”
“All right,” he said. He wasn’t happy with the arrangement but it was the best he could do on short notice. “I guess I could still have meals here as long as I sleep somewhere else. Is that acceptable?”
She nodded. “This is wonderful jam. Did Mother make it?”
He nodded. “I think Beatrice picked the berries from their garden. Speaking of Mother, did you tell her about all this?”
�
�No. That’s your job.”
“Oh, great. I dread breaking this news. I don’t think she’s going to like it.”
“You might be surprised. She loves you and wants you to be happy. She wants the best for Beatrice. If she believes this is the best thing, then she’ll support it. You better tell her before Audrey gets here, though. If she finds out late, that’ll annoy her. You may not recover from it.”
He smiled and nodded. “She does like to be in the know. I’ll go talk to her tomorrow. Wish me luck.”
“Better than that, I’ll pray for you,” she winked at him and walked out of the kitchen toward the front door. “See you later!”
Besides his mother, he also needed to tell Beatrice. He’d hinted that something like this might happen, but he’d been vague and she didn’t ask questions. Now he was going to have to let her in on his plan.
After supper, he got her to help with the dishes. There weren’t many to do, since his cooking skills were limited and it was only the two of them at the table. She wasn’t thrilled at helping clear the supper dishes, but he ignored her scowls.
“So, do you remember I told you that there might be a lady who would come here to live?” he asked as casually as he could manage.
She thought for a minute and scrunched up her face. “I sort of remember.”
“Well, so this lady who lives in Boston right now is a new friend of mine. She has a daughter a year younger than you. She’s going to move here with her daughter. They’ll live here with us.”
“Really? Why won’t she live in her own house?”
“Well, that’s the funny part. This will be her house, too. She’s going to marry me. We’ll be a family. What do you think about that?” he asked hopefully.
“Will we be happy?”
“Yes, we will,” Caleb replied with confidence even though he didn’t feel it.
“I guess that’s fine then. I wish I knew her already, but I guess it’ll be all right. What’s her name?”
“Her name is Audrey and her daughter’s name is Daisy. She’s also bringing her mother, so you’ll have another grandmother-like person in your life. I’m sure she’ll spoil you and I’ll have to argue with her about it.” He smiled and ruffled her dark hair.