McKenzie

by Penny Zeller

  Would every kiss be as overwhelming as Zach’s or had the situation made her overly excitable? The questions popped into her mind faster than she could answer them, and she decided, for the moment, to cherish the feeling of her husband’s first kiss.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Ipresent to you Mr. and Mrs. Zach Sawyer! Congratulations!” Reverend Eugene exclaimed after Zach and McKenzie ended their kiss. He patted them both on the back and sent them on their way down the aisle to see the townsfolk waiting outside the chapel.

  A group of women, including Rosemary, quickly approached the newlyweds. “Congratulations, dear! I know you and Zach will be very happy,” Rosemary said, stepping forward to hand McKenzie a handmade quilt. “On behalf of our quilting circle, I would like to present you with this gift.”

  McKenzie looked down at the quilt as she took it from Rosemary and felt humbled. It was not as thick and luxurious as her bedding at home in Boston, which she had ordered from a specialty imports store, but it had probably taken the women hours of effort, and she appreciated it. “Thank you,” she said.

  “You’re quite welcome! Let me introduce you to the ladies in our circle,” Rosemary said, then gestured to each woman in turn: “This is Myrtle, Reverend Eugene’s wife. Here is Lucille Granger; she owns Granger Mercantile with her husband, Fred. This is Diane Orville; she’s married to Doc Orville. Then, we have Eliza Renkley; she and her husband, Billy Lee, have a ranch not too far from yours. Marie Kinion, here, is married to the sheriff, Clyde Kinion, and Wilma Waterson’s husband, Wayne, is a blacksmith.”

  “Nice to meet you all,” McKenzie said. Zach had left her side and was speaking to several men in the shade of a tree, and she felt odd standing in the middle of a group of women who were so opposite from herself in every way. She doubted any of them had ever been to a city like Boston or lived in a fine home.

  “We would love for you to join us in the quiltin’ circle,” said Eliza. “Do you sew?”

  “I do,” McKenzie replied.

  “Well, that settles it, then,” said Lucille. “You’re our newest member!”

  “All in favor of inviting McKenzie Sawyer to join the quilting circle, say aye,” said Marie.

  Each woman voted in McKenzie’s favor, and several of them gave her a hug. “We’re happy to have you in Pine Haven, and we’ll do whatever we can to make you feel welcome here,” said Myrtle.

  “We’ve baked some goodies for the potluck,” Diane put in, “so, after you’re finished meeting and greeting, please help yourself to a meal. Wilma also baked a grand wedding cake for you and Zach—it’s over on the far table.”

  “Thank you,” McKenzie said again, surprised at the charity of these strangers. While she delighted in spending time at teas and parties with her friends back home, she doubted they’d ever prepare a meal or bake a cake for her. Why should they? Only cooks and maids did such menial tasks.

  The townspeople continued to greet McKenzie, and she floated from stranger to stranger, amazed at their genuine kindness.

  When she felt a tug on her arm, she looked down to see Davey smiling up at her. “Can I call you Ma now?” he asked.

  McKenzie couldn’t believe how quickly Davey’s clean appearance during the wedding had taken a turn for the worse. His trousers were caked with mud, and his once white shirt was spattered with dots of different colors, probably from his lunch. McKenzie could almost hear her own mother scolding him for being so ungentlemanly and telling him to pass his clothes immediately to Nellie to launder.

  “Well, can I?” Davey persisted.

  “Yes, Davey. That would be fine,” McKenzie answered with a smile. How quickly Davey is earning a place in my heart, she thought. The realization both touched her and troubled her at the same time.

  After the potluck reception, Zach and McKenzie rode most of the way to the ranch in silence. McKenzie turned her gaze to the band on her finger. Had she married Louis, she would be wearing only the finest of diamonds mounted on a pure gold band. But she had married Zach, and the plain ring in no way could be considered exceptional. She doubted the band was real gold, and it certainly wasn’t studded with any diamonds. She wondered why one would even bother to purchase such a dismal piece of jewelry.

  She opened her hand and then folded it into a fist, watching the ring maintain its secure place on her left ring finger. It doesn’t matter, she reminded herself. In a few short months, the ring would be removed and tossed away, never to be seen again.

  ***

  As Zach drove the wagon, he watched McKenzie out of the corner of his eye. He wished he knew what was going through her mind. She had shared so little with him since her arrival, and his own shyness prevented him from asking her the questions that traveled through his mind like a runaway horse. Was she happy? Was she still thinking about losing consciousness during the wedding? Did she regret her decision to become his wife? Lord, enable me to be the kind of husband You designed me to be, he prayed silently. And, thank You, Lord, for letting McKenzie be so easy on the eyes. He stifled a chuckle. After all, he’d convinced himself not to be concerned at all about his new wife’s appearance, and now, here he sat, next to the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Watching her walk up the aisle with Asa during the wedding ceremony had taken the breath from him. Not that he would have hesitated to marry her, had she been plain, but he felt a sense of honor and privilege to think that God had chosen someone so beautifully made for him. Please, let her love me the way I promise to love her, he prayed.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  On Wednesday morning, a tiny voice and a knock at the door interrupted McKenzie’s sleep. “Ma? Ma?” McKenzie rolled over and sat up in her bed. What was that?

  “Ma? Ma? Come quick!”

  McKenzie bolted from her bed and rushed to the door. When she opened it, she saw Davey standing there. “What is it, Davey? Is something wrong?” She realized that responding to the name “Ma” would take some getting used to.

  “No, Ma; nothing’s wrong. It’s just that your wedding present is here.”

  “Davey, it’s not even morning yet. Go back to bed, please.” McKenzie winced. She’d only been Davey’s ‘ma’ for less than a day, and already she was telling him what to do.

  “No, I can’t go back to bed. Besides, it’s mornin’ time. The rooster already crowed.” He reached for McKenzie’s hand. “Come on. I can’t wait for you to see your wedding present!”

  McKenzie sighed. What could be so important that she would be awakened at least two hours before her normal rising time? “Just a minute, Davey. Let me put on my cloak.” She slipped her arms through the garment and buttoned it over her nightgown.

  “We don’t got too much time,” Davey said.

  “You mean, we don’t have too much time,” McKenzie corrected him.

  “That, too. You’ll see why when you come out to the barn.” Holding McKenzie’s hand, he led her through the house and outside.

  “Did you say my wedding present is here?” McKenzie asked when the words finally clicked in her mind.

  “Yep! I can’t believe it. Pa says it’s perfect timing. Wait till you see it!”

  McKenzie was hoping to receive a jeweled broach or a pearl necklace. However, if her gift was in the barn, as Davey had said, it probably wasn’t a piece of jewelry. Perhaps, Zach had purchased for her a new armoire with a gold-framed mirror. She smiled at the notion.

  “Wait a minute,” Davey said, interrupting her thoughts.

  “What is it?” McKenzie asked, her hand still firmly gripped in Davey’s.

  “Look at that sunrise, Ma. Isn’t it bootiful? Pa says only the Lord could create somethin’ so bootiful.”

  McKenzie turned her head in the direction Davey pointed. Sure enough, pinkish hues fanned the sky as the vibrant sunrise made its appearance. Feeling somewhat ashamed, she realized that she’d never before marveled at a sunrise. Had it been because the buildings were so tall in Boston that they blocked the magnificence? Because she had never awak
ened early enough to see it? Or, because she simply never had taken the time to view such a piece of artistry? “Yes, it is beautiful, Davey.”

  “I think I like God’s sunrises even better than His rainbows,” Davey admitted.

  McKenzie stared down at Davey. His blond hair stuck up in odd places from last night’s sleep and made a ruffled design at the back of his head. His blue eyes were bright, and a dimple creased his right cheek. “Do you like rainbows, Ma?” he asked her.

  “I do,” McKenzie said, even as she realized she’d never seen a real rainbow. She’d seen paintings of them, of course, but never the real thing. “Do you have a lot of rainbows here?” she asked.

  “Only sometimes, after it rains. It’s ’cause God told Noah He’d never flood the world again. It’s a promise.”

  “Really? That’s why we have rainbows?” McKenzie asked him.

  “Yep.”

  McKenzie stared at Davey in awe. She had never learned about the origin of rainbows. Davey will be a smart man someday, she mused.

  “We better get to the barn. Pa’s waitin’,” Davey said, pulling again on McKenzie’s hand.

  They entered the barn, and McKenzie scrunched her nose at the unfamiliar smell of hay. She saw Zach rise from his crouched position beside a white horse.

  ***

  “Good morning, McKenzie,” Zach said, standing up when he saw her and Davey. He attempted to hide a smirk at the sight of McKenzie’s white nightgown peeking out from beneath her cloak and the look of her hair in disarray.

  “Good morning,” McKenzie replied. “Davey said my wedding present was in the barn?”

  “Yes—she’s right here.” Zach leaned down again and scooped up a small, brown and white foal. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

  “I beg your pardon?” McKenzie said, sounding incredulous.

  “I named her Starlight,” Davey spoke up. “I hope that’s okay. It’s ’cause she has a star on her forehead. See?” He pointed to the foal’s head. “She can’t stand very good, either. It’s ’cause she’s just born.”

  Zach laughed. “You’re right, Davey. But, each day, she’ll become stronger and stronger, and, before long, she’ll be able to walk and run, just like her mother, Sugar.”

  “The horse is my gift?” McKenzie asked, staring blankly at him.

  “The foal, yes,” Zach said. “I know she’s tiny now, but I thought you’d enjoy having your own horse. It’s really something to watch a foal grow up, and, if she’s anything like her mother, she’ll be easy to train. She’ll make a good horse.”

  “You are giving me a horse for my wedding present?”

  What was making it so hard for McKenzie to understand? “Yes, I am giving you a horse for your wedding present,” Zach confirmed, creasing his eyebrows in concern. Did McKenzie not like her gift? He’d been so sure she would embrace his idea, since she’d said in a letter that she’d never ridden a horse but was eager to try. He remembered the first time he’d had a horse of his own, and how ecstatic he’d been.

  “I guess I don’t believe it,” McKenzie said, her voice quiet. “Thank you, Zach, for the horse,” she said after a moment. “I guess I was just expecting something different. But, thank you all the same.”

  Zach stared at McKenzie. Unsure of how to respond, he prayed for guidance, and then said, “I’m sorry if I disappointed you. I truly thought you’d like a horse.” The last thing he’d wanted to do was disappoint her, but he’d done it. As he watched McKenzie walk out of the barn, he recalled what his father had told him about not making a big deal of the small things. Although her response to his gift had crushed more than his ego, he decided to classify this incident as a small thing and think nothing more of it.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  McKenzie walked into the house and up to her room. Of all the odd things she’d encountered so far on this mercy trip, the gift of a foal had been the most unexpected. She had wished so much for a more fitting present. When she’d been a child, she’d always received everything she had asked for and more. While she didn’t fault Zach for not knowing what she would want for a wedding gift, she did wish he had asked her.

  McKenzie plopped onto her bed with a sigh. It was still early in the morning, and she wondered whether she would be able to fall back to sleep. Lying back down on the bed, she closed her eyes. Perhaps she should get dressed and help Rosemary with breakfast. After all, that’s what Zach probably expected of her. It seemed as though the work on the ranch never ended. No sooner had one meal been served than another one had to be prepared. To add to her troubles, McKenzie felt herself growing increasingly lonely. Suddenly, she felt a wave of self-pity at her plight. She had expected her plan to find Kaydie to turn out differently than it had thus far.

  When McKenzie had come to Pine Haven, she had sent a brief telegram to inform her parents of her safe arrival. She hadn’t yet taken the time to write them. She figured now was as good a time as any, especially since she was missing them and felt the need to vent her feelings. So, she opened one of her trunks and pulled out some stationery and a pencil. Then, sitting at the little wooden table, she began to write.

  Dearest Mother and Father,

  I hope this letter finds you well. As for me, I am nothing short of miserable. I don’t even know where to begin.

  First of all, there is something I need to tell you. I’ll not go into detail now, but I am now a married woman. Please do not be alarmed, as this is only a marriage of convenience with a man who wanted a mail-order bride; it will last only until I find Kaydie. I know Father will find it fitting to annul it once I return to Boston.

  Zach, the man I married, seems to find it fitting to make ridiculous demands of me. He fails to treat me kindly and expects me to live in a home that is worse than those inhabited by poverty-stricken folks in Boston. I have no friends here, and there are no modern conveniences. In short, I don’t know how much longer I can remain on this temporary adventure I have decided to undertake.

  I have not yet located Kaydie, but I hope to place a posting in town and inquire of as many people as possible about whether they know of her whereabouts. I keep hoping that I will find her soon, for her sake as much as for mine.

  Yet, as bad as things are, I again ask that you not come for me.

  Please tell Biddie, Nellie, and Helen hello for me.

  Your daughter,

  McKenzie

  PS: I might as well tell you now that there is no woman named Isadora Jones. The person I was writing to wasn’t a destitute mother, but the man I married, Zach Sawyer.

  Later that day, McKenzie accompanied Rosemary to town on some errands. Her first stop was the post office, where she handed her letter to Mr. Victor to mail. The sooner someone else knew of her plight, the better.

  ***

  The following weekend, everyone on the ranch went to church together on Sunday. Zach assisted McKenzie onto the wagon seat beside him, and Davey, Rosemary, Asa, and Jonah climbed into the back of the wagon.

  The congregants meandered up the stairs of the church, each shaking Reverend Eugene’s hand on their way inside. McKenzie followed Zach and sat down in a pew between him and Davey. Earlier that morning, her family would have attended the service at their own church in Boston. Suddenly, she missed those Sunday mornings at church, which were usually followed by an afternoon meal at the home of close friends. She knew no such thing would be occurring in Pine Haven today.

  “Welcome to Pine Haven Chapel,” Reverend Eugene said when the service began. “Would you all rise and join me in signing hymn number fifty-eight, ‘The Solid Rock’?”

  McKenzie watched as those around her reached for the hymnals scattered about in the pews and opened them. Zach leaned closer to McKenzie to share his hymnal with her.

  As Myrtle began to play the tune on the piano, the people lifted up their voices to the Lord, singing, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

  McKenzie had always sung
along with the hymns at church, yet, the music had never moved her much. Like the tradition of going to church, it was just another ritual that had to be observed every Sunday before she could go about her other activities.

  When the hymn ended with an amen, Reverend Eugene asked that everyone sit down and join him in prayer. “Dear heavenly Father, we thank You for allowing us to meet here today to worship You. What a blessing it is that we have the freedom to do so. Please prepare each heart for the sermon I am about to deliver and enable me to deliver that message in a way that is pleasing to You. It is in Your precious name that we pray, amen.” Reverend Eugene looked out at the congregation and smiled. “It is nice to see all of you here today. I would like to take a minute to welcome a new person to our fellowship. Mrs. Zachary Sawyer, would you please stand?”

  Feeling nausea rise within her, McKenzie slowly stood to her feet. “Welcome, Mrs. Sawyer. We are so blessed to have you here. As many of you know, this dear lady married our own Zach Sawyer last week. Please make her feel welcome.”

  “Thank you,” McKenzie said, her voice barely audible. She sat back down and attempted to conceal the quick, shallow breathing that had overtaken her. Had she ever been welcomed in such a way before as she was continually being welcomed in Pine Haven? No. Not even at the tea parties and balls did anyone give a second thought that she was in attendance. Yet, here, people seemed to genuinely care that she was now a part of their town. She stifled the tears that threatened to come. If they only knew her real reason for being here, and what she intended to do once her goal was accomplished, she doubted they’d be so glad to have her in their midst. If she had come to Pine Haven without an ulterior motive, she would have been humbled by the outpouring of kindness. She might even have come to like the people of the town and cultivate friendships with them. After all, they had given her a warmer welcome and more ready acceptance than anyone else ever had.