“He’ll be fine!” Bob didn’t want her to seek out any other man, let alone one who lived in the woods.
“All right.” They had reached the barber shop. “Have a good afternoon. I’m not sure if I’ll find time to make supper, so we might be stopping by the diner.”
He frowned. “Do you know I’ve gotten so used to your cooking, I don’t even like going to the diner anymore?”
She grinned. “Glad to hear it! We still might have to go tonight, but I’ll try to make it home in time to cook supper.”
As soon as he was gone, Jessie hurried upstairs and put the last few stitches into the curtains. She’d been told the pastor and his wife would help her hang them when she arrived, so Jessie folded them up and tucked them under her arm, hurrying out the door toward the church. She was excited to be able to get the last things ready for school to start Monday. It was going to be glorious, teaching all the children of Nowhere how to read and write. Oh, and do math. She’d have to do that as well.
When she got to the church, the men were still hanging the blackboard, so she sat in the front pew and watched. The pastor and his wife were both there, and they had a curtain rod lying on the floor in front of them. Mrs. Johnson came to sit beside her, clapping her hands. “I’m so excited to have a school in town. This is going to change so many things around here.”
“For the good, I hope,” Jessie replied with a smile.
“Of course for the good. I know many of the mothers try to teach their children, but a lot of them are illiterate too, so there’s no point. They do well if they can teach them how to count to ten.”
“I know I have my work cut out for me, but I’m so excited. Teaching is my second favorite thing in the whole world.”
“What’s your favorite thing?” Mrs. Johnson looked genuinely curious.
“I enjoy writing. I always have. I once thought I’d be a famous novelist, but I just don’t have the courage to share my stories, so I keep them tucked away.” Jessie shrugged. “I’ll have to be content to teach the students how to write creatively and hope one of them becomes a famous author.”
“I don’t think you should give up on your dream. Keep writing. Someday you’ll feel like you can share something. I just know it.”
“Maybe someday. We’ll see.”
Finally the men were finished hanging the blackboard, and Jessie got to her feet, holding up the purple curtains for the pastor to see. “What do you think?”
“I think they’ll look fine covering the blackboard every Sunday.” Pastor Johnson rubbed his hands together. “Let’s get them hung up, and then you can do whatever else you want to do to get ready for Monday. I know the people in town are excited for us to finally have a school.”
The three of them worked together throughout the afternoon, hanging the curtains and making sure everything was ready for class to start on Monday.
It was almost five when they finished, and Jessie hurried home. She wanted to be able to fix something for supper, but she had nothing in mind. She’d look through their food and figure something out if it was possible.
By the time Bob was home from work, Jessie had meat pies made up. They weren’t perfect, but they were food. He walked into the kitchen and sniffed. “Something smells wonderful.”
“Meat pies. They’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes. How was your afternoon?” Jessie set the table as she asked.
“It was good. Lots of haircuts. I think every young boy in town was in today to get his hair cut for school.”
Jessie smiled, pleased that the parents were taking the classes seriously. “Wonderful. I can’t wait to see them all on Monday morning.”
“Most of them seem to be excited for school to start. They were asking me about you and if you’d be a strict teacher. One boy asked if you had a ruler ready to rap his knuckles with, because he knows he’ll be getting into trouble.”
She laughed. “I rarely rap knuckles, but I will if I absolutely have to. It’s easier to talk to parents than use corporal punishment.” She wiped off the counter and cleaned everything up as much as she could while she waited for the meat pies to finish cooking.
“I’m sure Philip will be pleased to hear that. He’s heard stories of teachers who rap knuckles apparently, and he’s worried his will never be the same.” Bob grinned at her as she fluttered around the kitchen, getting everything ready. He couldn’t help but wonder if she would be this rushed every evening. How much would change when she started teaching?
“I hope you’re hungry,” she said. “This is one of my favorite meals to make.”
“It smells wonderful, so I’m sure I’ll love it. Remember, even the worst thing you cook is a million times better than the best thing my mother cooks.”
“That’s very true. I hope it will always stay that way.”
“If it doesn’t, I might have to run away.” He winked at her as he took his seat at the table. He was ready to eat.
Chapter Ten
Dear Journal,
I get to start teaching school today. The blackboard was up on Friday, and everything is ready. I’m nervous and excited all at once. You’d think this was my first time in front of a classroom. It will be my first time teaching arithmetic and history, and God forbid, science. I hope I won’t be an utter failure at those subjects. I know I’ll do well with reading and writing.
Today will challenge me and show me what I’m made of. It can’t do anything but, can it?
Jessamine was at the church thirty minutes early on Monday morning. When it was time for school to start, she went to the door and called her students in, pleased to finally meet them.
As the children filed into the classroom, she asked for his or her name, and made a mark next to their name on her list of students. She told each child where to sit before going to the front of the room. She wrote her name on the board, realizing it was the first time she was calling herself Mrs. Samuels instead of Miss Stewart.
She carefully explained her classroom rules, telling the students they must ask permission to use the outhouse and there could be no talking while she was talking.
When she had finished with the rules, she had every student stand and introduce him or herself and tell how much schooling they’d had, if any. As she made notes next to each name, she was pleased that what she’d expected after meeting with the parents seemed to be the same as what the children were telling her.
The morning flew by as she worked on teaching them all the alphabet, and how to count and do simple arithmetic. She read aloud from Little Women, a favorite of hers, trying to show the children the world that would be opened up to them when they could read for themselves.
She excused her students for lunch at noon, and put her head down on her desk. It had been a good morning but an exhausting one.
She heard a throat clear and looked up to see Bob standing in front of her. He held two plates full of food. “What’s this? I brought a sandwich!”
“I didn’t think a sandwich would be enough for the first day of school. You look tired already and it’s only lunch time.”
Jessie smiled. “That’s true. I am weary, but I’m hungry. Are you eating with me?” She knew he’d gone to the diner, and was thankful he’d thought of her.
“Of course. If the teacher says I may, that is.”
“The teacher is thrilled for the company.”
He put both plates on the table, and she reached for one of them. “How is it going so far? Are the children behaving? Have you rapped Philip’s knuckles yet?”
“Not yet. He’s actually been very well behaved. All the children have been.” She took a bite of the meatloaf and sighed. “It went exceptionally well. We worked on the alphabet and a little simple arithmetic. I’ll do some history this afternoon.”
“Good. The children looked happy.” Bob was thrilled that her first day was going so well.
“They seem to be. And I’m enjoying the challenge of teaching so many at different levels. I’ll get used to it
soon and it will be a breeze.” Jessie looked around at the empty desks in the room. “I want them all to love learning.”
“They will. Because you love teaching. A good teacher will make most children love learning. There’ll be one or two who don’t, but you’ll be surprised how many will.” Bob finished his meal. “I’m going to head back home. I just wanted to check on the teacher.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you bringing me lunch.”
“It was no problem.” Bob took both plates to carry them back to the diner. They didn’t usually allow their dishes to be taken out of the restaurant, but Bob had been their best customer for years.
After dropping the plates off, he headed home. He didn’t know what she planned to make for supper, but he would get any cleaning done so she wouldn’t have to think about it when she got home.
As he was straightening a couple of things in their bedroom, her journal fell open. He didn’t mean to read it, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. In the journal he saw his name and the fact that she’d acted like an utter idiot. Hmm…
He flipped back to the first page and began reading, even though he knew it was a mistake. These were her private thoughts, and he had no business even thinking about reading it. But read he did. All the way through to the entry that morning where she talked about being nervous about her new school.
He closed the journal and traced her name on the cover. Jessamine. He had long since stopped thinking of her that way and begun seeing her as Jessie. Jessamine was a woman who was completely out of his reach. A girl coming across the country on a train to meet him.
Jessie was his beautiful wife, who cooked him wonderful meals and treated him with nothing but respect. Jessie was the woman he loved.
* * *
When Jessie got home from school that afternoon, she was ready to collapse. She’d enjoyed the day, but it had been absolutely exhausting. It had seemed to last a week as she learned the names of her new students and taught them each to write their own names. That had been her first day’s goal, to have them all writing their names, and it had been accomplished.
She immediately went to the kitchen to start a stew for supper. She had all of the carrots chopped up and the meat cut up. She only had to start it all cooking, and peel and dice the carrots.
Once the stew was on the stove she looked around the apartment, checking to see where Bob was, but he was nowhere in sight. She was actually pleased because she could take a quick nap. She knew the first day of school was always the most tiring for her. She wouldn’t need a nap every day, but that day she did. And since Bob wasn’t around, she was going to take it.
Yawning, she slipped under the covers, fully dressed. She would be up again soon to cook, so it didn’t matter if she kept her clothes on.
* * *
Bob rushed down Main Street, hurrying toward Adam Roberts’ house. Adam Roberts was a botanist who spent most of his time in the greenhouse he’d built in his backyard.
When Bob reached the other man’s home, he knocked and waited for a moment. There was no answer, as he’d expected, so he immediately went around back to the greenhouse, finding the man there, puttering in his workspace.
Adam looked up at him with a smile. “Bob, what are you doing here?”
“I was hoping you had some flowers that I could buy from you. I want to make a grand gesture with my wife tonight, and flowers would be a huge help.”
Adam smiled. “I have some violets back here. The roses aren’t blooming yet, so I wouldn’t recommend those.”
“Violets would be fine. How much?”
Adam stared at the younger man for a moment before nodding. “I’m done studying these particular specimens. You may have them at no charge. It will make room for the lilacs I’m wanting to start here.”
Bob frowned. “I’m happy to pay you.”
“No need. You’re truly doing me a favor.”
“All right.” Bob waited as the other man carefully cut off the flowers and bound the stems together.
“You’ll want to put them in water when you get home. They’ll stay fresh longer that way.”
Bob accepted the flowers and nodded. “Thank you so much. Your next haircut is on the house.”
“That I’ll take. Sounds like a fair exchange to me.”
“Thanks again.” Bob hurried out of the greenhouse and toward the mercantile. He needed something to go with the flowers.
At the mercantile, he looked in the glass case at the front of the store, quickly spotting what he was looking for. He pointed and Mr. Peabody smiled and boxed up his purchase. “Thank you!”
He rushed out again, toward the apartment, noting that it was well past five. Jessie should be home and supper should be almost ready. His sweet wife was sure to make him supper, even though she was clearly exhausted.
When he walked into the apartment, he immediately caught a whiff of the stew that was on the stove. It already smelled delicious, but he had no idea where his wife was. He began searching the few rooms of their home, finding her in their bed, sound asleep. She was curled on her side and her palm was under her cheek.
He sat down on the edge of the bed right beside her and softly said her name.
Jessie came awake slowly, blinking rapidly. “Bob?”
“Hi.” He thrust the flowers toward her. “These are for you.”
She sat up in bed, not sure why he was giving her flowers, but she loved them. “Thank you. They’re lovely.”
He then handed her a long flat box. “I saw this and it reminded me of you.”
She opened the box and found a pearl necklace. She’d never owned any type of jewelry, and this stunned her. She stroked a finger over one of the pearls. “What’s the occasion?”
“Do I need an occasion to give my beautiful wife gifts?”
Jessie frowned. “I suppose not, but you’ve never done anything like this before.”
“Call them the first day of school gifts.”
“All right.” She still wasn’t sure what he was doing, but she would happily take the nice things he’d brought her.
“How was your afternoon?” he asked softly, his palm against her cheek.
“It was good. Busy. Before we left for the day, every student in class could write his or her own name. I wasn’t sure we’d accomplish it, but it was my goal for the day.” The smile she gave him was that of sheer joy.
“Good job. I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you.” She hid a yawn behind her hand. “I need to get up and check on supper. I hope you’re hungry.”
“I’m always hungry,” Bob responded.
Jessie smiled. “I think that’s true.” She waited until he stood before she slid from the bed, surprised when he caught her by the waist and kissed her. The kiss was anything but platonic. He had never kissed her quite that way before.
Bob watched her as she walked from the room, the flowers in one hand and the pearls in the other. He followed Jessie into the kitchen, where she put the flowers in a glass filled with water before heading for the stew. She tasted it and added some seasoning. When she tasted it again, she smiled. “It’s ready.”
She carefully cut bread off a loaf and carried butter to the table to go with it. Then she served them each a bowl of the stew.
While they ate, she noticed he was watching her with a slightly goofy smile on his face. What had gotten into the man?
They did the dishes together as usual, and afterward he caught her hand. She expected him to pull her into the parlor, but instead he led her into their bedroom. “What are we doing here?”
Bob kissed her sweetly. “I’m about to have relations with the woman I love with all my heart. Is that all right with you?”
She stared at him for a moment, surprised by his words. He’d never said anything about love before, and he’d planned to wait a month. They had another week and a half to go. “Love?”
He nodded, leading her to the foot of the bed and sitting beside her. “I never meant to make
you feel inadequate. I thought I was being a good, considerate husband by giving you a month before we made love. I realize now what a huge mistake I’ve made, and I want to make it up to you.”
“I really don’t understand.”
He closed his eyes for a minute, realizing he needed to confess. “I was cleaning while you were teaching today, trying to make your life easier.”
“I appreciate that.” Why was he telling her this?
“I picked up your journal, and was just going to move it, but I dropped it, and it fell open, and my name was on the page…and I read it. Every single page of it. I know I shouldn’t have, but it helped me understand you so much better. Will you forgive me?”
Jessie thought about everything she had written about him in her journal and she felt her face grow hot. “You read it all?”
He nodded. “I should have closed it as soon as I saw it lying open, but…I didn’t.”
She shook her head. “So now you’re trying to make me feel better by pretending you have feelings for me?”
“No! I’m being honest about how I feel because I now know you’re ready to hear it.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. “I would never reject you, Jessamine. You are the woman I prayed would come to me, and so much more. I expected to have an ugly woman step off the train. I never dreamed a mail-order bride could look half as beautiful as you do.”
She sighed. “I would rather you not read my journal again.” She was still having a hard time wrapping her mind around what was happening.
“I won’t. I promise. I’ll even make you a box with a lock on it, and then you can keep the key with you. I’ll never be able to read it.”
“That’s not necessary. Your word is enough.” She looked down at her hands, which were pressed against his chest. “Bob, I’m sure you’ve guessed after reading my journal, but I love you too. I wish I’d been able to tell you without you already knowing, but it didn’t work out that way.”
“Hearing you say it means so much more than reading about your feelings. I’m sorry I made you doubt yourself and feel bad about that.”
Jessamine’s Journal: The Alphabet Mail-Order Brides Page 9