Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine

by McClure, Marcia Lynn

  “Thank ya, Miss Savannah,” Johnny mumbled.

  Johnny looked to Nate and Willy, still wiping tears on their shirtsleeves.

  “It’s all right, boys,” Johnny said, tousling their hair. “I’m fine. Everything is fine.”

  Nate and Willy rushed forward, flinging themselves against Johnny and hugging him desperately. Vivianna watched as Lowell joined them, smiling at the pure joy displayed on his young face.

  The mob had nearly succeeded in hanging Johnny. Justin had been the cause of it. Vivianna looked to Justin, and he shook his head in an expression of guilt and self-loathing. She wanted to go to Justin—to slap him once more. Yet the knowledge she’d nearly lost the man she loved began to wash over her like a sudden illness, and she began to sway—felt the bleak darkness of a faint overtaking her.

  “Vivi!” she heard Johnny say—and she was in his arms. He kissed her cheek, her mouth—and she was invigorated before the faint took her.

  “Johnny!” she breathed. “I nearly lost you! What if they’d…what if they’d…”

  “They didn’t,” he told her. “They didn’t. I’m here…and I’ll never leave you, Vivianna. I love you.” He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, grinned, and added, “But I do hate Alabama. Do you think you could marry me quick and let me take you home to Texas?”

  Still trembling with residual terror, she nodded, wrapped her arms around Johnny’s neck, and whispered, “Yes! Oh yes, Johnny! I love you. Oh, how I love you!”

  “Kiss her again, Mr. Johnny,” Lowell said. “The way I taught ya now.”

  Vivianna watched as Johnny looked to Lowell. He chuckled and nodded at the boy.

  “Pull her in good to ya…like a gun stock to your shoulder,” Lowell instructed.

  Johnny did as he was told—pulled Vivianna into a commanding embrace.

  “Now kiss her good and hard…like I told ya,” Lowell said.

  “He’s a bossy little cuss, ain’t he?” Johnny asked, gazing into Vivianna’s eyes.

  “Yes,” Vivianna breathed. Johnny was holding her; she was in his arms! Her boundless joy was overwhelming.

  “Still, I guess I better do what he says,” Johnny mumbled.

  “I guess so,” Vivianna whispered.

  “That’s the way, Mr. Johnny!” Vivianna heard Lowell giggle as Johnny’s mouth melted to her own. “Step up and see how it’s done, fellers! I taught him everything he knows about kissin’ women, Miss Savannah.”

  “Then heaven help me, Lowell!” Savannah laughed. “Heaven help me!”

  EPILOGUE

  Vivianna closed her eyes. Inhaling the sweet scent of the crisp autumn air, she smiled. Johnny had been right; there was nothing like Texas! She opened her eyes, gazing out across the landscape to the cattle grazing on the hillside—reveling in the feel of the fresh, fragrant breeze weaving through her loose hair.

  She wondered if she would ever miss the balmy feel of Alabama. She was certain she would; she must. One day she might miss it, for she was born there, had known her family there. Yet she felt it would be a far-off day. More than Alabama, she missed Savannah and the boys—Nate, Willy, Caleb, and Lowell. Even at times she missed Justin—the Justin she’d known as a child. Yet she did not miss Alabama, for the dryer, fresher air of Texas—the unimpaired vision of the far-reaching landscape—it gifted her very soul a sense of freedom.

  She heard the drumming of horse hooves and turned, smiling as she saw Johnny riding toward her. Though it seemed quite impossible, each time she saw him, her heart swelled for knowing his handsome countenance. He sat tall and straight in the saddle—a very commanding vision indeed. Oh, how she loved him! As her heart began to beat madly—as butterflies took flight in her stomach—she smiled and waved as he rode toward her.

  She thought of the moment earlier that morning when she’d awakened in the warmth and power of his arms, just as she had every morning since they’d wed a month before. There was nothing in the world so wonderful to Vivianna Tabor as waking up in Johnny’s arms—knowing his kiss as her first pleasure of the day. She thought of the nights spent in his arms as well, blushing with delight in thinking of the passion the moonlight ever led them to sharing.

  Johnny reined in, dismounted, and gathered Vivianna into his arms. “It’s a bit chilly out here, darlin’,” he said, pressing his warm mouth to hers. “Let me warm ya up a bit.” He kissed her again, and Vivianna’s arms encircled his neck as she bathed in the sweet, moist flavor of his mouth.

  He broke the seal of their lips, smiling as he raked a strong hand through her hair. His dark eyes smoldered with the love he owned for her. Vivianna could see her own reflection in them, and she could not resist kissing him once again.

  “I’ve got somethin’ for ya, Vivi,” Johnny said.

  “What?” she asked.

  He looped the bridle reins to a nearby post. Reaching into the back pocket of his trousers, he smiled as he produced a letter.

  “I think we are about to be thoroughly entertained, my angel,” he chuckled.

  Vivianna smiled—bit her lip with delighted anticipation.

  “From Lowell?” she asked.

  Johnny nodded and handed her the letter.

  Vivianna giggled with delighted anticipation. Taking Johnny’s hand, she led him to one of the large logs sitting around the firepit. They were some ways away from the house, and Johnny’s parents were due to arrive any time to help bring in the cattle. Still, Vivianna knew Johnny would hear them coming, so she figured there was no harm in taking a moment to read Lowell’s letter.

  She felt excitement rising in her as she opened the envelope and removed the pages of the letter. Lowell’s letters were always amusing—and informative.

  “Are you ready, darlin’?” Vivianna asked Johnny.

  Johnny smiled, nodded, and stretched his long legs out before him.

  “This will be good. It always is,” he chuckled.

  Vivianna cleared her throat and looked at Lowell’s letter.

  “Dear Johnny and Vivianna,” she began reading, “I am sitting here in the cemetery. I have just been watching Miss Savannah and Mister Maggee sparking in the old arbor. Mister Maggee does not need any lessons in kissing women. I think that is good for Miss Savannah. I hope Johnny is still doing fine with kissing you, Vivianna. I tried to teach him well. Please write to me if he needs my advice.”

  Instantly, Johnny and Vivianna burst into laughter. Such a hard laughter made continuing to read difficult, for Vivianna could not catch her breath. Johnny doubled over with laughing so hard! Still, at last they were able to sigh, wipe the moisture from their eyes, and continue.

  Vivianna sighed and read.

  Miss Savannah is very happy that no one wanted to hang Mister Maggee for knocking that Reb’s head on his son’s tombstone. The sheriff has said that it was an accident and that Mister Maggee is fine to go about his life. I think Nate and Willy will have a new daddy soon.

  The sheriff wrote a letter to that dead Reb’s mama. I think that is a kind thing. I do not know if I would have wrote a letter to her. Still I think it is the right thing to do. So I will not hate the sheriff for writing it.

  Justin and that loose woman Tilly Winder married one another. I heard Miss Savannah tell Mister Maggee that Tilly Winder’s father demanded that Justin marry her. I hope they will be happy. Well…that is a lie. I am still angry with Justin for almost causing Johnny to hang. I will try to feel better about that someday.

  I have seen many things of late. I have seen Caleb sparking with a pretty girl with dark hair. Her name is Emily. She is pretty, but I do not care for her name. I knew a girl with that name, Emily, before and she was a mean girl. She once put a snake down my back, and I hate snakes. So I do not like girls named Emily. I will never kiss one. The only one I may kiss is Caleb’s Emily if she wants me to kiss her.

  Again Johnny’s laughter caused Vivianna to giggle. Still, biting her lip she continued—determined to finish Lowell’s sweet letter.

  I am w
ell. I miss you both. Sometimes I think I should have gone with you to Texas as you asked me to. But most times I am glad I am here with Nate and Willy and Caleb and Miss Savannah. Miss Savannah loves me and tells me I am her son as much as Nate and Willy. Also, me and Nate and Willy have great fun. We are still finding bones. We found a dead skunk. We skinned it and boiled it. Miss Savannah made us sleep in our fort for a week. She said we smelled bad. Still, the skunk boiled up good, and we have his bones in our collection. So, even though I miss you, Mister Johnny, and you, Miss Vivianna, I am happy.

  I must go now. Nate has found a dead bull snake. We are going to skin it. I will write to you again. Please write to me. I love you both and will remain yours forever, Lowell.

  Vivianna folded the letter—sighed with both gladness and melancholy.

  “I miss him,” Johnny mumbled.

  Vivianna looked to her handsome husband—saw the moisture in his eyes as he gazed out to the horizon. “Me too,” she whispered, feeling tears in her own eyes.

  “Vivi?” he said then—and she glanced back to him.

  “What, darlin’?”

  Johnny’s brow drew into a frown, and he slowly stood—his attention still fixed to the horizon.

  “I need my gun,” he mumbled.

  Vivianna followed Johnny’s gaze. As he hurried to his horse, pulling his rifle from the rifle sheath of his saddle, she raised one hand to shade her eyes from the bright Texas sun.

  Two riders were approaching. They were already close enough that Vivianna could see they were not Indians. She and Johnny had been so enchanted by Lowell’s letter they had not heard the riders approach. Vivianna’s heart began to beat with fear. Of late, there had been no incidents in or around Gainesville that should cause worry. Still, renegade soldiers, still angry over the war, yet appeared now and again.

  Johnny stepped in front of her—readied his rifle as Vivianna watched the men ride closer. Closer they came—closer—and as they became more easily visible, Vivianna’s eyes widened. She thought certain her heart would beat from her breast—for each man sat tall in his saddle. Each man had a distinct manner of riding—a manner that Vivianna recognized. Yet it couldn’t be! It couldn’t!

  “Samuel!” Vivianna breathed. “Augie!”

  “What?” Johnny asked, frowning to her—still aiming his rifle at the approaching men.

  “It’s Sam and Augie!” Vivianna cried. “It’s them, Johnny! I swear it!”

  “Vivi,” Johnny began. Yet he lowered his rifle as the two men reined in before him.

  “Vivianna?” one of the men asked.

  Vivianna’s heart hammered wildly, and tears misted her eyes, yet she recognized her own violet eyes looking back at her—her mother’s beautiful blue-violet eyes!

  “Samuel!” Vivianna cried, racing forward as the men quickly dismounted.

  At once, Sam caught her in a powerful embrace. “Viv!” he breathed, his voice breaking with emotion.

  Vivianna looked beyond Samuel—left his arms to enter those of Augustus. “Augie!” she cried. “Oh, Augie!’

  “Baby sister,” Augie chuckled. “We thought you were dead, darlin’! We thought you were dead!”

  “Where have you been?” Vivianna cried with simultaneous joy and pain. “Where have you boys been?”

  She drew away from Augie and brushed the tears from her cheeks as more followed. She looked from one to the other—from her brother Samuel to her brother Augustus. She wasn’t sure it was real! Could they really be there with her—with her and Johnny?

  “We heard the family had been killed,” Sam explained, wiping a tear from the corner of his eyes. “We thought you’d been killed too. We didn’t write, because we thought there was no reason to…thought nobody was there to receive the letters.”

  “Vivianna,” Augie said, leaning forward and kissing her cheek. “We thought you were dead! It wasn’t ’til we decided to go back and see what had been done with the house…to visit y’all’s restin’ places that we found out the truth! Thank the Lord we stopped in at the Turner place, Viv. Thank the Lord!”

  Vivianna sobbed—buried her face in her hands and sobbed with overpowering joy and relief! Her arms and legs felt weak, and she was grateful to suddenly find herself sobbing in Johnny’s arms—held close and protected against his strong body.

  “I’m Johnny,” she heard Johnny say.

  She felt him shake hands with each of her brothers.

  “We heard a lot about you, Johnny Tabor,” Sam said. “It seems you’re a man to be reckoned with.”

  Somewhat recomposed, Vivianna turned to face her brothers again. Sam and Augie! She could not believe they stood before her.

  “From what Miss Savannah told us, you’re right worthy of our baby sister,” Augie added.

  “Well, I don’t know about worthy,” Johnny began, “but I couldn’t live without her.”

  “Oh, Viv!” Sam said, chuckling and drawing Vivianna from Johnny’s arms and into his own once more. “Viv! I’m sorry we caused you so much pain! We didn’t know you were alive. We were ignorant not to make certain you’d been lost with Daddy and Mama before now. I’m so sorry.”

  Vivianna wept—wept with whole and complete joy as Augie took her in his arms again then.

  “I’m so sorry, Viv,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she whispered. “You’re here. You’re alive, and you’re here. That’s all that matters now.”

  Augie released, her and Vivianna smiled at him.

  “Heard you did your worst of it at Andersonville, Johnny,” Sam said.

  Johnny nodded. “I did. I sure did. And you boys?”

  Augie chuckled. “Well, we’re hopin’ there’s somethin’ ’round Gainesville for two men lookin’ for work to do. I figure we’ll all need a lifetime to tell the stories between us.”

  Johnny nodded. “Well, if you boys don’t mind cattle…me and my daddy can keep ya busy for the rest of your lives.”

  Both Sam and Augie nodded.

  Sam reached out and caressed Vivianna’s cheek with the back of his hand. “I wouldn’t mind anything that kept me near my baby sister,” he said.

  “Well, y’all unload your gear in the barn. We’ll give your horses somethin’ and then head for the house,” Johnny said. “We all got a lot of talkin’ to do.”

  “Thank ya, Johnny,” Augie said.

  Sam nodded, brushed another tear from his temple, and kissed Vivianna’s cheek. “Baby sister,” he said, shaking his head. “Oh! I almost forgot,” he exclaimed suddenly. Moving to his saddlebags, he opened one, removing a book.

  Vivianna frowned with curiosity as he handed it to her.

  “It’s from that little red-haired feller Miss Savannah took in,” he said. “He says the book ain’t the gift. It’s what’s inside. He said he wanted to make certain you and Johnny had a little piece of somethin’.”

  “Head on over to the barn, boys,” Johnny said, nodding toward the barn. “I’ll be right behind ya.”

  “All right. Thank ya, Johnny,” Sam said.

  Augie nodded and said, “Thank ya.”

  As her brothers started toward the barn, Vivianna frowned as she opened the book. She gasped—more tears moistening her cheeks as she saw the sprigs of honeysuckle vine and blossoms perfectly pressed between the pages of several sections of the book.

  A small piece of paper slipped from the book, floating gently toward the ground. Johnny caught it, however, and read, “To Mister Johnny and Miss Vivianna. I went out to your special sparking place and picked a few vine parts for you. I don’t know if there are any pretty honeysuckle vines in Texas…so I thought I would send these. From Lowell.”

  Johnny smiled as he looked at the pressed flowers and leaves between the pages of the book. “That boy has more sense of things than anybody I ever knew,” he said.

  “Yes, he does,” Vivianna said. She glanced to Sam and Augie, smiling as she watched Sam point to several cattl
e grazing nearby and nudge Augie with his elbow. “It’s a miracle, Johnny. I still can’t believe it,” she whispered.

  Johnny shook his head in mutual disbelief. “It is a miracle…them comin’ here…bein’ alive.”

  Vivianna looked to Johnny—placed a tender palm to his rugged cheek. “Yes. Sam and Augie are a miracle too,” she said. “But I mean you. The miracle heaven sent for me…was you.”

  “I love you, Vivi,” Johnny whispered as he gathered her into his arms.

  “I love you, Johnny,” Vivianna breathed.

  “Now, my own little honeysuckle blossom,” he mumbled, “give me that nectar you keep in your mouth.”

  Vivianna smiled as Johnny kissed her—held tight to the book between whose pages a young boy had pressed the sprigs of a wild honeysuckle vine.

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  I was in fifth grade the year I read Gone with the Wind. Not only was Margaret Mitchell’s Civil War (and beyond) epic the first real novel I read, but it also still stands as the thickest, longest, highest page count novel I ever read! In fact, I believe that it was because of that reading experience that I’d always look at the page count of book after that, and if it was longer than four hundred pages, I wouldn’t even crack the spine. But I digress.

  Reading Gone with the Wind was incredible, inspiring, and eye-opening, and I have to say, I think it impacted me so greatly that it actually helped mold who I became. Oddly enough, I don’t like sad endings (as you well know by now). There’s enough going on in reality incorporating sad endings that I never have any desire to experience one in fiction. Thus, it seems strange to me that I did love Gone with the Wind so much. But as you know (if you’ve been lost in that book), it’s a historically fascinating journey—and I love history!

  Shortly after I read the book, the movie version of Gone with the Wind experienced a limited rerelease, and I was able to go to the old Hiland theater house in Albuquerque (when the plush seats and other original decor still existed) and watch the enormous, crushed red velvet, gold-tasseled curtains part just before the movie started. Then there was the sound of the movie reel beginning (something I’m sad that children today will never experience), the lights on the screen, and voilà—Gone with the Wind as no one has ever seen it since! The movie affected me just as deeply as the book had. I thought (and still think) that Vivien Leigh is one of the most beautiful women ever, and the sheer scope and lavishness of the cinematography dazzled and inspired me like no other movie I had ever seen.