His heart leapt at the sight of Blossom Everett sitting near the edge of the lake. She had a hand over her face to collect the tears. He inhaled sharply and remembered how he had first found her the other day, crying in the road. Chester forgot everything else as he ran over.
“Blossom?” Chester rushed. “Is that you?”
The young lady startled, turning toward him in the dim moonlight. It was a waning moon without much brightness. But Chester knew just what she looked like. He would know her anywhere.
Blossom rubbed her face with both hands, pulling herself up onto her feet before he made it over to her. She sniffled loudly before dropping her hands to her side when he reached her. Her lips curved into a tentative smile. He watched as she straightened her shoulders and waved.
“Chester, it’s good to see you,” Blossom greeted him happily. “I didn’t think I would see you so soon again.”
He hesitated, wondering what had just happened. Chester hesitated because he didn’t want her to cry, but he wanted to know how he could help her. Searching her eyes, he could see that she was trying her hardest to be strong. But they both knew the happiness was forced. He couldn’t put the crying he had heard from her to the back of his mind.
Though Chester didn’t know what was wrong, he just knew that she didn’t deserve to be miserable.
Chapter Ten
Blossom’s Beliefs
She didn’t mean to be caught.
After all, this was her pond that no one but her pet duck ever visited. On occasion folks passed by for a quick drink of water. But it was far out of the view of most townsfolk for them to care, too small to be of much use to others, and they had a river that the pond stemmed from that was preferred.
So this was her pond and she thought she was alone.
Blossom certainly hadn’t expected anyone to come out and find her at night, let alone for it to be Chester Lornsen. Heat ran up her cheeks as she prayed that darkness had settled well enough that any redness couldn’t be seen. He couldn’t possibly see her like this.
No one was supposed to, and that’s why she had left the house. Blossom tried so hard to be a good person and a good daughter. But there were nights where the pressure and the fear got to her, leaving her wondering what she had done wrong and why nothing felt right.
It had been a couple of months since she had done this, but every once in a while, she left the house at night so her father wouldn’t hear her cry. There was so much emotion caught up in her chest sometimes that she needed to clear her mind and empty her thoughts out to the world. No one usually bothered her since she did it late at night.
At first, she had assumed she was in danger.
Her heart had leapt in fear. She had been through so much lately that Blossom didn’t know what to think. It could be a fox or a bear or a thief. But she certainly hadn’t expected Chester to be there. So when he had hurried over to her side, arms out to be of help, she tried to dry her tears and tell herself to behave.
He didn’t look like a thief and he certainly didn’t act like one. Blossom had tried to give him a bright smile as though to convince both of them that nothing was wrong.
And she felt that she might have been able to accomplish such a thing had he not taken a deep breath and glanced back at her face. Perhaps he couldn’t see the redness, Blossom realized, but she most likely had tear stains across her cheeks.
“It’s good to see you as well,” the young man offered slowly as he cocked his head to study her thoughtfully. “What is it? Something’s wrong.”
She opened her mouth to protest that nothing was wrong. But even if something was wrong, it wasn’t any of his business or his concern. They hardly knew one another. It was a bold question for a stranger to ask.
Except then Blossom looked up into his dark eyes. She couldn’t see their color very well, but they appeared soft and sincere. Immediately she knew he could be no such thief as she had feared. He was too good of a man to commit any such crime. And the way he spoke assured her that he would not let any harm befall her. The man was a gentleman and a handsome one.
Yet she still hesitated. She had never been interrupted so late at night. Nor had she expected Chester or anyone to arrive. Blossom searched for words. Looking around, she wished she could put her emotions into words better even as her tongue twisted. “I’m all right. But thank you, Chester, I… I don’t know what it is. I mean that I do. But I don’t. I’m fine. That’s what I’m trying to say.”
Chester shook his head as if he didn’t believe her. “Are you sure? What happened?”
“Nothing,” she assured him with a watery smile. Wiping away a stray tear, she glanced around to see how close her home was. Not close enough for her father to hear them. She swallowed and slowly started walking. Chester fell in step with her, his eyes trailing around but always coming back to her.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” he offered after a moment. “Are you worried about your father?”
For a second her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. “Yes and no.” She gave him a sheepish smile before wrapping her arms around herself for comfort. “I come out here sometimes. Isn’t it beautiful? And so peaceful. It helps me to think better, I suppose. Away from the house. And I don’t want to bother my father.”
He nodded politely. “Of course. He needs his rest.”
Blossom’s heart warmed as she found that he remembered. Her eyes skittered over to him, eyeing him thoughtfully. The man was dressed simply as usual. His hat was gone for once, but now he wore a jacket. It was a fine one, though casual like the rest of his clothing. She couldn’t help but note there was nothing remarkable about anything he wore or in the way he acted. But there was something about him that was beyond remarkable. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Right.” She glanced behind her at the house, praying her father still slept easily. “He does. And I don’t want to upset him. After everything that happened… I can’t help but be worried. He’s all I have left. I don’t know what I would do if I lost my father. So I come out here and think about everything once he is abed. But I’m afraid my emotions got the better of me this time,” Blossom added sheepishly.
He shook his head. “That’s all right. I think I understand. You’ve been through a lot, Blossom. I just hope being out here helps. It is peaceful, I can see. And very calming.”
His words were in earnest. She couldn’t help but smile and nod. “Thank you. It really is. And besides, I’ve always found it easier to talk to God when I’m out in nature. It feels like he’s everywhere. That way I don’t really feel alone either when I’m out here thinking.”
“Hm.”
She didn’t expect such a short response. Blossom glanced up at Chester to find him thinking hard. Then she realized what she had said. Unable to help herself, she asked, “Do you believe in God?”
His eyes turned to her as proof that was just what he had been thinking about. A small knot formed in her stomach as she waited anxiously for him to say something. Though she couldn’t ever recall finding him at their church on Sundays, his calming presence reminded her of sitting in the pews and singing hymns. Perhaps he was there but she had never noticed him.
“I think so.” Glancing over at her, Chester offered a sheepish smile and a shrug. “I’ve never been too sure. I really think someone is out there looking over everyone. But I’m not too sure how well involved he might be. I guess I’m not exactly an expert or anything.”
Blossom’s lips pressed tightly together to hold back a smile. She glanced up at him before turning back to the ground. “I don’t know if anyone is. I like to think God knows each and every one of us. He created each of us. So I think he must love each of us.”
“That sounds nice,” Chester admitted to her. “It would be nice to be thought of like that.”
“To be loved?” She nodded. “It would. It is. Don’t you think He loves you?”
To that, Chester hesitated before shrugging. It looked like he had
something on his mind but he was reluctant to say what it was. Several moments passed without him saying something. An uneasy feeling settled in Blossom’s stomach. But it wasn’t for her; instead, for him. She worried that he might feel even more alone than she felt sometimes. It pained her to consider that possibility for no one deserved to be alone.
“Perhaps.” Chester said at last. “And perhaps some people don’t deserve to be loved.”
Blossom inhaled sharply at the words. She felt her heart constrict at the idea. It was a painful one. Her thoughts wandered as she thought of the people she didn’t like. But she didn’t hate anyone. Even after what had happened with her mother, she had learned to turn to God for hope and guidance. He didn’t want anyone to suffer. There were bad choices made but God saw the goodness in everyone, whether they knew it was there or not.
Even as she believed this, she struggled to put it into words. Her breathing was shallow as she bit her lip and tried to think. She didn’t want to offend Chester. They hardly knew one another. But she wanted to give him the reassurance she knew of so that he wasn’t alone.
“I think they do.” She swallowed hard. “I think God offers forgiveness and mercy.”
“That would be nice,” he mumbled in acknowledgement. Then he sighed and ruffled his hair. “Sometimes I don’t know about that. I want to believe that he does. But I guess I haven’t learned too much about God to know any better. After all, if people are supposed to be like God, then shouldn’t people follow his ways? Shouldn’t we see in the people around us the essence of God? If so, then I don’t know what is real or not.”
Her brow furrowed over the words he had said. Turning up to study him, she wondered if she understood right. He was talking about something that she wasn’t entirely certain that she understood. Blossom bit her lip and let them walk for a moment before speaking up again.
“Is this about the looks that people give you?” She ventured.
The man huffed slightly before nodding. Blossom could feel his eyes on her when he glanced at her. “You noticed?”
She looked up at Chester and gave him a small smile before nodding. “I’m afraid I have.”
He inhaled deeply before craning his neck up to look at the stars above them. She copied his movement to find the night sky bright and beautiful. There were stars all over the sky. Sometimes they looked so big that Blossom thought for sure that if she just reached a little higher that she might be able to reach one.
Until that happened, however, she would be satisfied by reaching out to those around her. “What is on your mind?”
Chester cleared his throat before appearing to shrug off his feelings a second time. Then he sighed. “I should be used to it. And I try hard not to let it get to me. But sometimes, I am a bit bothered by the stares. People like to believe whatever fits best in their mind. I’m a bad person because I did one bad thing or because they heard I did something wrong. There is never room for forgiveness or redemption with others.”
She didn’t know what to say. Pressing her palms together, Blossom tried to think. “I’m sorry. They are not being very kind, then, if they don’t let you learn. It is hard to change our minds sometime.”
He gave a short chuckle before forcing a nod. “Indeed. And I don’t blame anyone. I don’t want trouble, nor do I seek it. But I suppose what you said would be nice to have someday. To be welcomed where I once wasn’t. But it’s only a dream. Some days I think of leaving so that perhaps I could be better welcomed elsewhere.”
“That must be difficult to feel so alone,” she mused. Then she found herself hoping that he wouldn’t leave. Though they hardly knew each other, Blossom felt herself greatly in his debt. Chester was a kind young man and he deserved the chance to be happy. Her eyes trailed up his figure as they walked, thinking about his words.
They were both troubled, it would appear. She didn’t know what she would do if she lost anything and he was struggling to understand what to do now that he had lost something. The town streets and people could only do so much for them. Blossom found herself asking God in her heart for guidance in knowing what to say to Chester. Perhaps there was something she could tell him that would ease his heavy burdens.
“May I ask why everyone looks at you that way?” Blossom swallowed her fear as she glanced up at him.
She had managed to keep her voice from cracking, though she didn’t know how. Over and over she had pondered about it since seeing everyone look at Chester in that manner made her feel as though she were missing out on a secret. She worried it would not be a good one. Even her father knew about it. They knew about Chester.
A cold wind passed by them, ruffling her hair. Blossom suddenly shivered, feeling the chill run down her spine.
She wrapped her arms around herself just as a heavy weight settled on her shoulders. Looking up, she found Chester setting his jacket on her. He offered her a nod before flattening the collar so it wasn’t touching her chin.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “But aren’t you cold?”
Chester shook his head as they continued walking. “I’m all right. I know I should answer your question, Blossom. And while I am ashamed of my past, I want to be honest.” He inhaled deeply as he spoke in a measured tone. “You are one of the few people here who treat me like a human. If I tell you about my past, I don’t think you would treat me as you do now. You could treat me like the others.”
“No, I…” Blossom hesitated because she could not guarantee her reaction and she knew it. She bit her lip as she digested his words. They were honest and polite, as the man always was. It troubled her that she didn’t know whatever secret past he was hiding.
Except then she realized that it didn’t matter. Her brow furrowed as she looked up at the man and studied him. When Chester noticed what she was doing, he stopped where they stood on the far end of the pond. His hands fell out of his pockets as he lowered his gaze to match hers. She couldn’t see many colors in the dark lighting under the skies, but she still remembered the color of his skin and his eyes and his hair.
Right then, she could see him as he was. Blossom could hardly explain it to herself. But Chester Lornsen made sense as the man he was standing before her. His heart was open and his mind was alert. He was just himself just like she was herself in the truest sense. The man wasn’t playing games with her or teasing her or mistreating her. He merely wanted to be seen for who he was in that very moment. And she could see it.
Her lips slowly curved into a smile as she nodded. Blossom liked who she saw right there before her. It was a good man. She felt warmth flood her cheeks and again she was grateful for the night.
“I understand, Chester. Thank you for your honesty.” She nudged her head and they resumed walking. Several moments passed before she decidedly added, “I hope one day you will trust me enough to tell me. Not for my curiosity, but because we are friends.”
“Friends. Is that what we are?”
Chester stopped walking again to turn to her. His eyes trailed over her face curiously as though he were trying to look for any secrets she might be hiding. But there weren’t any. So she offered him a smile. And then she offered him a hand. He hesitated and then took it.
“Yes,” Blossom assured him. “We are most definitely friends.”
His smile was brighter than any of the stars in the sky above them. “I would like that, Blossom.”
A light feeling soared through her heart. Blossom could hardly explain it, for it was like a rushing sensation that made her fingertips tingle where Chester took his hand and it ran through the rest of her body.
It felt like a dance. Her worries had faded bit by bit since they had started walking. Now, they were all gone. Her brow was no longer furrowed and she was no longer frowning. Instead, she felt filled with hope for the future.
They walked a few steps forward whilst holding hands. It was a quiet evening where she could see her duck resting on the water and her family’s cottage in the distance. The two of them had rounded the
final bend as they reached the main road.
Blossom was just thinking about bringing the topic back to God when she heard something. At first, she thought it was a predator in the night crossing their path. But Chester whirled around first as she heard the distinct sound of something clicking.
There was nothing natural about the sound. She didn’t have time to scream, only praying that God was with her. Her heart hammered as she whirled around to find someone stepping out of the shadows toward them.
Chapter Eleven
Chester’s Past
Chester didn’t like to lie.
But he wasn’t certain that he had meant to be so honest with Blossom either as they walked around in the moonlight. There was something about her that compelled him to want to be better and try harder. He wanted to be a good person who did good things just for her.
A Deal with the Cowboy’s Tangled Heart: A Historical Western Romance Book Page 9
