My Forever Love

by Wendy Lindstrom

  The thick night air enfolded her like a pair of arms, as if to comfort her and quell her runaway thoughts. Crickets and peepers and the buzz of insects created a vast ocean of sound.

  Everything at Crane Landing seemed bigger and more vibrant than the quaint beauty of Fredonia. At home, the burbling sound of Canadaway Creek and the quiet lapping waves that rolled in and out on the shore of Lake Erie were the sounds of home and love. She didn’t know it... she felt it. Just as she felt carried away by the gushing cascade of the Crane River and the undulating breathy roar of the ocean. Their energy excited her and made her want to bound across the ocean in one of those magnificent schooners Adam helped build.

  Here at Crane Landing she felt healing and growth and a future were possible. In Fredonia she felt rooted in a past where she could no longer grow. Knowing that filled her with guilt. Her heart ached because she genuinely cared about and missed her family. The more time she spent with her father and grandmother—and Adam—the more she felt their love and her own in return.

  Another mewl of distress filled her ears and she wondered for a moment if it came from her own anguished heart.

  But the cry had come from the river’s edge and compelled her to seek the poor creature. A distant howl of a coyote made her question her decision to leave the porch. There was no telling what might be lurking in the dark shadows. Still, she went, unable to resist that small cry for help. Navigating by moonlight, Rebecca crossed the narrow patch of lawn in her slippers. The closer she got to the source of the mewling sound the easier it was to recognize it as the cries of a kitten. She found the tiny critter at the edge of the river bank.

  “Hello, little one,” she cooed softly, kneeling to make herself smaller and to better see the kitten crouched at the edge of a swatch of moonlight several feet away.

  She worried she may startle it away, but it seemed to understand she was there to help. The kitten ran to her on tiny legs the length of Rebecca’s small finger.

  While the kitten sniffed and rubbed against her hand, Rebecca remained still, giving it time to feel safe with her. But the little fur ball scampered straight up the sleeve of her robe and tucked itself in the crook of her neck as if it couldn’t bear to be alone another second.

  “You poor baby,” she said, cupping its trembling body against her neck as she returned to the kitchen. Once she freed the kitten from the tangle of her loose hair and collar of her robe, she promptly fetched a saucer of milk from the ice box.

  The kitten purred and lapped the saucer clean as if it hadn’t eaten in days.

  Rebecca stroked its gray-striped back with her finger. “You’ve had a rough start, haven’t you, little tiger?”

  The kitten was barely bigger than her hand.

  Rebecca sat on the kitchen floor and trailed her finger over the maple floorboards.

  The kitten batted her hand with tiny paws.

  She sat there laughing quietly and playing with the kitten until it tired and climbed onto her lap. It circled once and curled up in the fluffy folds of her robe.

  “What am I supposed to do with you?” she asked, knowing she couldn’t put the kitten back outside to fend for itself. “There are too many predators that would consider you a meal, little one.” As she and the kitten looked at one another, Rebecca smiled. “You need a name.” A quick check told Rebecca that the kitten was a female, or as close as she could tell at its young age. “All right, Jojo, I’ll keep you safe tonight and see if we can reunite you with your mama tomorrow.”

  Feeling it safer to contain the kitten in her bed chamber, Rebecca fetched a wooden crate from the scullery and took both the crate and the kitten to her room. She closed the door and let Jojo explore the chamber as she herself had done earlier that evening. At a loss, Rebecca finally decided to use her knit shawl to line the box and make a warm bed for the kitten.

  “It’s time to rest now, sweetie.” She placed the kitten on the shawl and stroked its tiny back, hoping it would settle and fall asleep.

  Jojo wanted nothing to do with the box and was intent on climbing back into Rebecca’s arms.

  Worried that the kitten’s mewling would wake her father, who had many hours of traveling ahead of him and needed his rest, Rebecca took Jojo to bed with her.

  “This is just until you settle down,” she told the kitten, but as Rebecca lay there listening to Jojo’s comforting purr and feeling the warmth of its little body snuggled into the crook of her neck, she drifted off.

  She woke in the morning surprisingly refreshed after four hours of dreamless sleep.

  Jojo was not on the bed.

  With a start, Rebecca sat up hoping the kitten hadn’t gotten into anything or escaped the room when her father or grandmother looked in on her as they often did.

  Jojo was in the basket of pine shavings pawing the mixture of wood chips and sawdust atop what smelled like something Rebecca needed to dispose of quickly.

  “Oh, my,” she said, throwing back the covers and vaulting out of bed.

  Her unexpected flurry startled Jojo. The kitten bounded out of the basket and scurried toward the closed door.

  Rebecca immediately stopped. “I’m sorry, baby,” she cooed softly. “It’s all right. I didn’t mean to scare you.” She spoke quietly to Jojo and eased out of bed. “Gracious you’re a stinky little girl, but also much smarter than I apparently am. Thank you for not soiling this lovely carpet.”

  Pulling on her robe, Rebecca coaxed the kitten into her arms. “Let’s get you some breakfast and then see about finding your mama.” She carried the kitten in one hand and the basket in the other.

  When she walked into the kitchen her father and grandmother greeted her with a smile, but when they saw—and smelled—what she carried they both raised their eyebrows.

  “Daddy, would you open the door, please?”

  Without a single question he leaned over, grabbed the latch and swung the door open.

  Laughing, Rebecca stepped outside. She put Jojo in the grass where the kitten immediately started chasing a moth.

  Her father followed her outside. “Where did you find that little guy?” he asked.

  “It’s a girl and I found her last night when I stepped outside for a bit of air.” Rebecca turned back and surprised him with a kiss on the cheek. “I wish you didn’t have to leave today,” she said, and she genuinely meant it.

  A look of heartbreak and fierce love filled his eyes and he pulled her into a hug. “I wish I didn’t have to leave you here, sprite.” It felt as if his strong arms could easily carry her and the heavy weight of her fears. It was tempting to go home with him and live within the safety of her father’s arms, but she was a grown woman and needed to find her own way.

  “I’ll be fine, Daddy. Truly. I like it here.”

  “I know, and that makes me afraid you won’t want to come home.” He rocked her in his arms as if needing to hold her for a moment. “What are you going to do with the little chipmunk,” he asked, gesturing with his chin at Jojo.

  “I’m going to return her to her mother if I can find her,” Rebecca said, stepping out of his fatherly embrace. “I’ll introduce myself to our neighbors this morning and see if they might have a mama cat that’s missing a kitten.”

  “They probably won’t admit it if they do,” her father said, a half smile on his face.

  Rebecca agreed but hoped that wouldn’t be the case. She knew what it was like to be lost and she didn’t want anyone, including even the smallest creature, to experience that worry and heartache.

  The five neighbors Rebecca met were lovely folks, several of whom invited her back when she could stay for a longer visit, but not one of them owned a cat with kittens. Even the Crane family and their staff had no knowledge of the mother cat, although Mary took the opportunity to offer Rebecca a ride to church Sunday morning, which Rebecca accepted with great anticipation.

  Giving her search one final attempt, Rebecca crossed the river and called at a pretty little cottage on the hill. To her s
urprise, Dawson Crane sat on the porch with an old hound beside him and large fluffy cat on his lap.

  “What brings you calling this sunny morning?” he asked, shushing the dog that barked but barely lifted his head to do so.

  “I’m in search of a mother cat,” she said, smiling at the endearing site of the proclaimed bachelor revealing his tender side in such a sweet manner. “I found a five or six-week-old kitten last night. Could she belong to this pretty feline?” She extended her hand and let the cat sniff her fingers. “Are you missing a baby?”

  “No, he’s not missing a baby,” Dawson said, laughter ripe in his voice.

  Rebecca laughed at her mistake and scratched the cat’s head. “Well, I beg your pardon, Mister Catnip. Perhaps you know Jojo’s mother?”

  “Jojo?” Dawson asked.

  “I named the kitten,” Rebecca admitted sheepishly. “Might you have any idea where to find her mother?”

  “With apologies to your tender sensibilities, Miss Grayson, but I suspect Jojo’s mother and the rest of the litter were likely the victims of the coyotes that creep in a little too close on occasion.”

  “Oh, no...” Rebecca felt her stomach turn queasy. “I truly hope not.”

  “Me too, but it happens. That’s why I keep Tuck and Sir John close at hand. The boys stay in the house or yard during the day and I don’t let them wander at night. There’s nothing but misfortune for our furry friends in the woods at night.”

  “I’m sure,” Rebecca said. “Well, it seems I’m in need of some sawdust, Mr. Crane. Do you think I might get a basketful from the mill?”

  Dawson laughed. “I think you could get a whole wagon load if you ask that young suitor of yours. I don’t work every day anymore, but I’m sure you’ll find Adam there should you choose to walk down the hill.”

  “A basketful should suffice for now,” Rebecca said, but her mind was already at the mill with Adam. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Crane. I think I’ll take that walk now and see about getting some sawdust delivered.”

  “Thought I might call on you ladies this evening, if you wouldn’t mind the company.”

  “I’d be delighted and I’m sure my grandmother would greatly enjoy your visit.”

  “Then I shall call around seven. I have a carriage come round each Sunday morning to cart me to church service. I’d be honored to give you and your grandmother a lift to service,” Dawson said, giving Sir John an ear rub the cat was thoroughly enjoying if his loud purring was any indication.

  “Thank you, Mr. Crane. I’ve been offered a lift by your niece Mary, but I suspect Grandmother would appreciate your offer. When I return home I’ll pass along your invitation and let her know you’ll be stopping in this evening.”

  Home. The word resonated in Rebecca’s mind as she crossed the river and headed down River Road toward the bay where the mill sat... where Adam worked... where her past and future seemed to be tied to one man. She could sever that tie, she knew, but the truth was she didn’t want to. The more she saw of Adam the more intrigued and interested she became in him.

  It took her fifteen minutes to reach the mill and another ten minutes for one of the crew to locate Adam, who was working in the shipyard. When she saw him riding aboard one of the wagons used to transport lumber and supplies from the mill to the shipyard, she felt silly for interrupting his day with a ridiculous request for sawdust.

  When he spied her waiting at the outer edge of the mill yard where she’d been asked to wait, a warm smile lifted his lips.

  She couldn’t take her eyes off him. From his windblown hair to his dusty boots he was a strong handsome man capable of turning any woman’s head—and he had certainly gotten her attention.

  The wagon rolled to a stop a few feet away from her. Adam leapt off the seat and gave the driver a nod as if to thank him. The older man bobbed his head and pulled away, wagon rattling and harnesses jangling as he returned to his job. Adam surveyed her quickly as if to assure himself she was whole and healthy. “I’m honored by your presence, Rebecca, but must confess to being baffled as well. Is anything amiss?”

  His concern made her visit seem foolish. “I had thought to make a simple request, Adam, but I fear I’ve been intrusive and inconsiderate instead. I’m sorry to have concerned you. Daddy is on his way home. Grandmother is fine as am I. I’m here because I’ve got a kitten that soiled the pretty basket and lovely pine shavings you brought to me yesterday. I came here hoping I might get a sack or two of sawdust for my kitten to make use of at night.”

  Adam tilted his head, a funny sort of grin on his face. “You have a kitten?”

  Rebecca returned his smile, her heart lifting at the memory of Jojo snuggling against her neck as she fell asleep during the night. “I found her by the river last night,” she said. “I tried to locate her mother this morning without any luck.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It appears that Jojo will be staying with me, which is why I need some sawdust.”

  “Jojo is it?”

  Her smile widened and she nodded. “She’s quite darling, Adam.”

  “I’m not surprised she found you,” he said with a light laugh. “Much to your parents’ dismay you seemed to attract every stray cat or dog in the village.”

  “Did I?” she asked, pleased to know she had rescued creatures in need.

  “You did, and apparently still do,” he answered, his eyes filled with playful adoration. “I’ll bring some sawdust with me when I come for supper. Will that be soon enough?”

  “That would be wonderful, Adam. Shall I pay for it now?”

  “You shall not,” he said. “There’s no charge for sawdust, although you may owe me a stroll this evening for delivering it to your door.”

  “Only if we can walk along the river,” she said, enjoying their flirting.

  “We’ll go wherever those pretty feet of yours wish to tread.”

  Laughing, she said, “All right, but for now they need to carry me back home. I’ve taken you away from your work too long. I will see you this evening, Adam.”

  With that, she turned in the direction of the pretty house on the river and one little kitten that needed her as much as she seemed to need it.

  When she returned, her grandmother was sitting on the front porch with her knitting bag. Jojo was playing at her feet with a small ball of yarn. The sight was as endearing as seeing Dawson Crane and Sir John enjoying a morning cuddle.

  “What are you knitting?” Rebecca asked as she joined her grandmother on the porch.

  “Oh, nothing much,” Grandma said. “My hands just needed something to do, I suppose.”

  “I thought you might be enjoying the back porch and the view of the river,” Rebecca said.

  Grandma shrugged. “I found it made me a little sad this morning after your father left.” She lowered her knitting needles to her lap. “All that water rushing to go somewhere reminded me how busy this world is getting. In my day we traveled as far as our horse could take us in a day. Now my babies are rolling away on trains and crossing oceans on ships. Looking at the orchard yonder made me feel a little closer to home is all.”

  A hard rush of guilt made Rebecca’s stomach queasy. “Grandma, did you want to go home with Daddy?” she asked.

  “No, dear.” Grandma smiled and patted her hand. “I just wish I could keep all my babies in one place. You and Adam are out here and it won’t be long before my other grandchildren are setting off to see the world.”

  “We’ll be going home soon, Grandma. Shall I ask Doctor Samuel to let me go home now?”

  “Of course not, honey. Despite my momentary melancholy I’m quite enjoying our stay.”

  “Dawson Crane seems to be enjoying our stay as well,” Rebecca said, giving her grandmother a knowing smile. “He has offered to drive us to service on Sunday. I’ll be riding in with Mary Crane, but I told him you might appreciate his invitation.”

  “Hmmh... that I might.” Grandma took up her knitting again. “Perhaps I’ll take a walk this evening and del
iver my answer.”

  “He plans to call on you this evening.”

  “That will be even better,” she said, keeping her eyes on the clacking needles. “We can take a walk together.”

  Jojo tumbled over Rebecca’s foot in avid pursuit of the cushy ball and trailing string.

  Rebecca reached down and hand-wrestled the little fur ball. “I see Grandma is already spoiling you.”

  “I suspect you didn’t find her mother?” Grandma asked.

  Rebecca’s heart sank and she shook her head. “No. Dawson thinks we won’t ever find her.”

  “Oh, dear, that’s too bad.”

  Nodding her agreement, Rebecca sat quietly for a moment watching Jojo play. Suddenly, she lifted her head and asked, “Grandma, who has crossed the ocean on a ship?”

  Looking up from her knitting, her grandmother’s eyes were filled with an emotion Rebecca didn’t recognize. “No one yet, sweetheart, but I suspect you and Adam will be the first of my grandchildren to see what’s on the other side of that vast body of water.”

  Stunned, Rebecca sat with her mouth open. “Grandma, how could you predict such a thing? More so, how can you be so certain that I would cross an ocean with Adam?”

  “I’m not certain of anything, honey. It’s just a feeling I have, and I’m not sure if I’m more happy for you or sad for me.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  That evening Rebecca got her walk along the river that Adam had promised her.

  “Let’s see if you can still beat me at skipping stones,” Adam said, his playful challenge too engaging to resist.

  Rebecca stood beside him at the edge of the river a short distance from her house. She had left Jojo with Grandma and Dawson who were happy sitting on the porch talking with each other after supper instead of taking a walk “How do I play?” Rebecca asked.

  His eyebrow shot upward, revealing his surprise. “You don’t remember?”

  She shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”

  “Well, I may have just found one thing I’m glad you’ve forgotten,” he said, surprising her in return. “Come on. I can hardly wait to test your skill.” He caught her hand and led her to a small clearing. There he scraped up several flat rocks from the bank. “The goal is to get the most skips when you sail your stone across the water.” He demonstrated, getting three skips from the stone before it sank in the river. He passed a flat stone to her. “Your turn.”