by AlLee, Jennifer L. ; Breidenbach, Angela; Franklin, Darlene
He tugged her back when she tried to stand. “I’m going about this wrong, darling. I want to marry you.”
“To combine the farms. That’s all right. You may come to love me in time.”
“I do love you, silly girl.” He pulled her to her knees beside him then cupped her face in his hands. “I have a ring passed down from my grandmother. Will you marry me and wear that ring? No more competing in anything, fairs or matters of the heart. I want us to be a team, dear girl.”
She let the tears fall. “Go ask Pa. Right this instant.”
He planted a quick kiss on her forehead and helped her back into her chair. “Wait here?”
She nodded. “I’m not going anywhere.” Even the pain in her ankle couldn’t diminish the joy of the moment.
While he went to ask her father’s blessing, Annie Mae reached for a wet rag from the sink and set to work wiping the table, her spirits lighter than they’d been in two years. How much easier life would have been if she’d only listened to Pa and searched God’s will before sulking like a child because her plans hadn’t gone the way she’d wanted them to.
Now she’d received her proposal of marriage in a coffee-stained dress in the kitchen of an old farmhouse. It couldn’t be more perfect, except … she thought of the small shack on the edge of the farm’s property. Built of stone and rich Arkansas clay, it had been her grandparents’ home while they’d built the house her family now lived in. With a little work, it would be perfect. She tossed the rag into the sink and waited for Jonathan to return.
He rushed into the kitchen. “We have his blessing. When do you want to get married?”
“I want to show you something first.” She stood slowly, grabbed an oil lamp from a hook on the wall, and took his hand. “It’s not too far. I can make it if you let me lean on you. Will you come?”
“I’ll follow you anywhere.” But rather than let her limp, he swooped her into his arms.
She directed him past the hog pens to a small cabin among the trees. “I want to live here. How long will it take to fix it up?”
He cast her a surprised look then set her on her feet and lifted the latch on the weathered door, pushing it open. “It’s hard to see, but I guess it has living quarters and a separate bedroom?”
“Yes.” She lit a rusty lantern and hung it on a hook. Dust coated the few pieces of handmade furniture left behind and the shelves for holding food. “I’d like some cabinets. I can live with the pump for running water if a pipe could be brought to the house. I thought this would be perfect for us until you could build something better. There’s no electricity, so another couple of windows would be nice.”
He put his arm around her shoulders. “It’s perfect. I can have this ready for us in a month, with electricity.”
She turned to face him. “Then I will marry you in thirty-one days.”
His brow furrowed as he thought. “That’s a Wednesday, I think.”
“Then the following Saturday.” That would give her time to sew a few things to cozy up the place. Excitement coursed through her so strongly she doubted she’d sleep a wink the entire time. “I know we could live with one of our families, but—”
“I understand. Having our own place is better, and this little house is between the two. It won’t be a hardship living here with you. I’ll count it as paradise.”
She snuggled into him. “We’d best get back. One more thing, if you don’t mind.”
“Anything.”
“Could I have another kiss, please? I rather liked the last one.”
He laughed and obliged.
Annie Mae sat in the middle of her family’s living room and looked around the group of women from church. They were here to bestow gifts and offer congratulations. Once word got out about her upcoming nuptials, the community had been more generous than she could have imagined.
The people of Rabbit Hollow might not have a lot in the way of money, but love and generosity abounded. Annie Mae gazed at the stack of embroidered dish towels, a wedding quilt, and pots and pans, some slightly used or dented, but she cherished every one.
While she planned on using the quilt Belle had muddied on what seemed a day very long ago, the wedding quilt the pastor’s wife gave her would make a beautiful decorative item hanging over the faded sofa Pa had found.
Jonathan had asked her to stay away from their future home while he readied it for them, and she’d been dying of curiosity. Pa said things were coming along famously and that her groom-to-be was skilled with a hammer. Ma promised she would get a few of the ladies from church to take over the gifts and other items a woman needed to set up house. Things were moving at such a fast pace, Annie Mae felt she was living in a dream.
“How’s the wedding dress coming?” Mrs. Morrillton asked. “Your mother said she was updating her own gown for you.”
“It’s beautiful. I wouldn’t want to wear anything else.” She thought of the dress hanging in her bureau. The simple lines of the satin gown made her feel like the most elegant Hollywood starlet. “I’m as ready for Saturday as I can be.”
“You’ve caught our most eligible bachelor,” another woman, Mrs. Pruitt, whose family owned a nearby chicken farm, said, tying off the pumpkin-and-gold afghan she’d crocheted. “My Betsy is plumb green with envy. Now she’s set her sights on Duane Wilson, the banker’s son from Pineville. He isn’t as fine to look at as Jonathan, but his pockets are a bit fuller.”
“Money isn’t everything,” Annie Mae said.
“Spoken like a true girl blinded by love. During these times, a few dollars are a blessing.”
It pained Annie Mae to think of how she so recently worried about money herself. With Jonathan’s quick mind and strong back, they’d want for very little. “I am very blessed.” She stood and moved to the table where cookies and punch were laid out.
She needed a moment to compose herself since the woman’s words dredged up the feelings she’d fought so hard to suppress. Worry was a part of Annie Mae. A part she would have to work daily to leave in God’s hands. She took a deep breath and turned back to her guests. “Please, enjoy the refreshments. I am beyond grateful for your generosity, as I’m sure Jonathan will be.”
“I’ve heard tell your man is so busy on your new house you rarely see each other.” Mrs. Pruitt took three cookies. “You’ll be virtual strangers on your wedding night.”
“We’ve known each other our whole lives, Mrs. Pruitt.” Would the woman ever stop? Annie Mae glanced around the room. When her gaze met her mother’s, she silently implored for help.
“Let me help you.” Mama filled a glass with punch and led the outspoken woman to her seat. “We appreciate your concern for Annie Mae and Jonathan, but my husband and I believe in letting newlyweds figure some things out on their own. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“A wise course of action.” The woman plopped into her seat.
Annie Mae exhaled slowly. Mama always knew the right words to say. Annie Mae was nervous enough about starting a new life with Jonathan without some busybody putting negative thoughts into her head.
Jonathan set the last of the new windows in place. He’d managed to purchase a large one from a house being torn down and put that in the front, using the smaller windows in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. He’d no sooner finished than a group of trucks and a backhoe pulled next to the cottage.
“We might as well dig you a new hole for the outhouse,” Mr. Thompkins said. “The old one’s been filled in for quite a while.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. Thank you. It’s a ‘necessity’ for sure.” Jonathan grinned.
“Horace over there will finish the electricity, and you’ll have a day or two to relax before marrying my girl. Her mother is chomping at the bit to pretty the place up.”
“I’ll be out of their hair tomorrow.” Jonathan stepped back and surveyed his work. He’d filled holes with fresh clay, repaired boards inside and given them a fresh coat of white paint, built cabinets and a counter, insta
lled water and a pump … the list went on. What with working here and at home, he was bone tired and couldn’t be happier. After all, the work was for him and Annie Mae. He hoped she’d be pleased with his efforts.
“You’ve done well.” Mr. Thompkins clapped him on the shoulder. “A lot of work and money went into making this place ready for my daughter.”
“It’s worth it, sir.” He had a hog or two he could sell to make ends meet. They’d be fine. Not to mention the piglets from Daisy. “We’ll get together next week and see what chores I can help you with around your place.”
“About that. Take a walk with me.” Mr. Thompkins led Jonathan past the barn and the hog pens. “There’s no reason for us to keep these animals separate any longer. I say we combine the two farms for real. Build new pens between the two properties and split any profit, except from personal animals like chickens and milk cows. That will make us the largest hog farm in the state.”
Jonathan grinned. “I like that idea. What will we call ourselves?”
“Something simple like M & T Farms. If you’re marrying into the family, we might as well take it all the way.” He held out his hand.
Jonathan nodded and sealed the deal with a handshake. “I hope you can give me until next week before I start work on those new pens. I’d like to enjoy my new bride a bit.”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m the boss, son. We’re equal partners. Your father would be proud.”
Emotion burned in Jonathan’s throat. “Thank you.”
“Let’s go supervise that crowd and finish the work today.”
Together, they headed back to the small cabin, Jonathan’s head full of thoughts on ways to improve the farm once it became one. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined the wonder of God giving him all the desires of his heart. Not only the prettiest girl in Rabbit Hollow but now the state’s largest hog farm.
Annie Mae would never have to worry about anything ever again. He’d make sure of that.
Chapter 10
Annie Mae turned this way and that in front of the mirror, trying to get a good angle of herself in her mother’s wedding dress. The veil skimmed past her shoulders and trailed three feet on the floor behind her. The satin dress hugged her bodice then fell past her hips in a pearl-colored sheen. She glanced at the clock. Jonathan was late. Almost an hour late.
“Don’t worry. He’ll be here.” Mama gave a shaky smile and cut a look toward the door. “Your pa will come through that door any minute with the news.”
“What if he changed his mind?” Annie Mae perched carefully on a wooden chair. “I took a long time to give him an answer. Maybe this is his way of paying me back?”
“Don’t be silly. Do you think he would have spent all that time and money on that little cabin if he wasn’t going to marry you? The man is smitten, for sure.” Her voice was confident, but she bit her bottom lip.
“Even you’re worried.” Annie Mae folded her arms. “What if he’s been in an accident?” His truck could be mangled against a tree or turned over in a ditch. Mama was right. Jonathan loved her. Only a catastrophe of epic proportions would keep him from their wedding. She bolted from the room. “Pa, take me to look for him.”
“In your wedding gown?” His brow furrowed.
“It’s only a dress. Please.” She clutched his arm. “Something is wrong.”
“Very well. Let me tell Pastor Forrest.” He left the church’s atrium and returned moments later. “The pastor and a few others will search with us.”
Annie Mae prayed she wasn’t making a big fuss where one didn’t need to be made, but her heart told her that Jonathan needed her. She draped her veil over her arm, hitched her dress to her knees, and rushed to the truck.
“Let me help.” Mama hurried toward her. “This old truck will smear dirt all over you. If you insist on going without changing, then at least let me help keep you clean.” She opened the door and held Annie Mae’s dress out of the way while she climbed in. Mama slid in beside her, taking Annie Mae’s hand in her lap. “We’ll find him. He’ll be fine.”
Annie Mae closed her eyes and prayed. Surely God wouldn’t have brought her this far only to take away the man she loved. Just when she’d begun to put her constant worrying in His hands, she was thrust back into the abyss.
Halfway between the church and the Mercer farm, Pa pulled to the side of the road. “There he is. Looks like a flat tire.” He shoved open his door and jumped to the ground.
Annie Mae leaned past her mother. “He isn’t standing to greet us. Something is wrong.”
“Let me get the dress.” Mama held her veil and train out of the way.
Once Annie Mae’s feet were on the ground, she pulled free and ran to Jonathan’s side, unmindful of her veil trailing in the dirt. She knelt beside him. “What’s wrong?”
He gave her a sheepish grin. “You look beautiful.”
“Jonathan.” She exhaled sharply.
“The tire rim fell on my shoe. I’m stuck.”
“Can’t you pull your foot out?” Pa asked, squatting next to them.
“I’ve tied the laces too tight. The rim isn’t on my toes, just the tip of the shoe.” His gaze never left Annie Mae’s face. “I’m sorry, love. I would have gotten there eventually.”
“Not without help.” She smiled back. “Pa will get the truck lifted.”
“The jack broke. That’s why the truck fell.”
Her heart sank. “What about the wedding?”
He glanced over her shoulder. “I see the pastor.”
“You want to get married here?”
“Why not? I’ve waited years for this moment.” He grasped her hand. “I know it’s ridiculous, but I can’t wait another moment. It’ll be the wedding everyone will talk about all year.”
“I think it’s romantic.” She giggled. “All right. I’ll marry you here and now.”
“Then I’m glad I came along,” Mama said, her eyes shimmering. “I wouldn’t have wanted to miss a roadside wedding for anything in the world.”
Pa laughed. “I still walked the bride down the aisle, in a way. Pastor?”
“Let’s get this wedding started.” Pastor Forrest motioned for one of the guests who had come along to find a jack to lift the truck. Upon hearing that the man would have to head home then return, the pastor transferred his attention back to the wedding couple. “Dearly beloved …”
When prompted, Annie Mae bent her head and kissed her husband. “This wedding will go down in the history of Rabbit Hollow,” she whispered against his lips.
“It’s a story to tell our future children for sure.” He leaned back on his hands. “I’m sorry. I know this isn’t how you planned the day to be.”
“It’s perfect.” She sat on a blanket Mama provided. “As long as I became your wife, I don’t care how it happened. Once you’re free, we’ll head back to the church and join in what’s left of the festivities.” Surprisingly, the day couldn’t be more perfect.
The important thing was that they were married. The sun was shining. Her parents were there to witness the nuptials. God was in His heaven. What more could a girl ask for?
By the time the truck was off Jonathan’s permanently indented shoe, the sun had begun its descent over the mountains. Pa got the tire changed, and they all drove back to the church where, thankfully, someone had informed the guests of what had happened.
The women of the church had kept the food warm and the punch cool, and they all lined up to welcome the bride and groom. The events of the day might have happened a bit backward than what was normal, but Annie Mae slipped her arm through her husband’s and sailed across the church lawn into the building while rice rained upon their heads.
“Does it upset you that we aren’t going on a honeymoon?” Jonathan searched Annie Mae’s face in the light of the moon. After the ceremony and following party were concluded, and wedding gifts packed into the bed of the truck, he’d invited Annie Mae for a stroll around the farms. After all the subtle j
oking about the wedding night, he wanted to tell her of his and her father’s plans in order to settle her nerves a bit.
“The cabin is our honeymoon.” She pressed against his arm. “Someday, maybe, we can take a trip, but it isn’t necessary.”
“I love you, Mrs. Mercer.”
“That’s a very good thing, Mr. Mercer, because I love you. Now, tell me of your plans for our future.”
“So you won’t worry?”
“I doubt I’ll worry much with you by my side.”
Her trust filled Jonathan with the urge to be the best man and farmer he could be. With Annie Mae as his wife, Mr. Thompkins as his partner, and God over it all, he had no doubt their future would be bright. The depression wouldn’t last forever, and America would once again be the prosperous country they loved.
He told her of the plans to combine the two farms into one large farm rather than keeping them separate. He told her how they wanted to expand, beginning with Daisy’s litter of piglets. Already, Belle was expecting a litter of her own by a boar with good bloodlines. “The future is bright, my love, as bright as the North Star.”
They sat on a rock wall and gazed at the night sky. Annie Mae leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Her hair smelled of the rose-scented shampoo she used. He still couldn’t believe she was his wife.
“I’m ready to go home now,” she said. “I want to wake up beside you and fix your breakfast. I still haven’t seen the cottage with our things inside, nor the changes you’ve made. Mama said all the lights would be on for us.”
“I’m ready.” More than ready, if truth be told.
“Rocking chairs,” Annie Mae said as the cabin came into view. She clasped her hands in front of her chest. “We can sit on the porch on nice evenings.”
“Those were a gift from someone. I’ve never seen them before.” The house was lit up like a grand hotel he saw once. All the curtains were open to let the light spill into the yard, showcasing barrels of flowers.