Abner's Adventure

by Kirsten Osbourne

  Catherine exhaled as soon as Abner had gone. She was doing her best to be polite, and she was truly beginning to care for him, but she was exhausted. She had been on her hands and knees scrubbing for most of the morning, and the house still had plenty of work for her to do.

  Still, Catherine reflected, she was glad she wasn’t working at the factory. At least with Abner, she could build a future. Even though it might require some initial work, she was willing to do her best to shape him into the husband she wanted. Yes, Catherine thought, that’s just what I’ll do. I’ll make him into the man of my dreams.

  With this new idea, Catherine began to see possibilities all over the house. She cut fresh flowers from the overgrown garden outside and placed them around the house in glasses filled with water. She found a few bolts of fabric and fashioned them into makeshift curtains. It added a certain element of class to the home. Though it was small, it was starting to look respectable.

  Catherine sighed as she stepped over the pot in the kitchen. Fortunately, it had stopped raining, but she had no idea how to patch a leaky roof. It was a task she had to leave to Abner, though. She didn’t mind getting her hands dirty, but she was not willing to expose herself to the indignity of climbing a ladder onto the roof. She decided to start a list of things he would need to do to make the house habitable. She put fixing the roof at the top.

  The pantry wasn’t bare, but it didn’t contain many foods Catherine knew how to prepare. Ever since the fire, she had lived alone and had learned to make simple meals for dinner. But she longed for the days when Mrs. Phillips kept the pantry stocked with all of the ingredients for her and her brother’s favorite meals. She decided to ask Abner if she could help him purchase groceries the next time he went to the mercantile.

  She looked at the array of cans and tinned meats before her. Nothing looked particularly appealing, but she would figure out a way to make do. She wondered what kinds of foods Abner liked to eat. As she remembered how eagerly he had eaten his odd porridge for breakfast, she realized that anything she made could only be an improvement over his cooking.

  The afternoon passed quickly. Catherine dusted every surface she could think of, folded and put away her belongings, and washed Abner’s dirty clothes that she found strewn about the house.

  When Abner got home, he couldn’t believe what a difference Catherine had already made in his home. “It looks wonderful in here!”

  Catherine smiled. “Thank you. I hope you don’t mind.” She tried not to grimace as Abner stomped around the house in his work boots, tracking mud throughout the freshly scrubbed floors. At least she would have something to keep her busy tomorrow.

  “Of course I don’t mind,” Abner said earnestly. “This home is yours now as well as mine. I want you to be comfortable here.”

  “I made a casserole for dinner.” Catherine set a pan on the table.

  Abner admired the casserole. He was starving. Catherine had also placed a variety of plates, bowls, spoons, and forks on the table. He frowned as he sat down. “Are we expecting someone else for dinner?”

  “No, we’re not,” Catherine replied. “Why do you ask?”

  Abner wrinkled his brow as he pointed to the extra forks and plates. “There are so many forks, I thought this couldn’t possibly be for the two of us.”

  Catherine thought about that for a minute. “Your mother didn’t set the table this way when you were a boy?”

  “No, she just put out the utensils we needed.”

  Catherine brought out a salad in a bowl. She served some onto one of the plates for Abner, then served herself. She sat down and picked up one of the smaller forks on the table and began to eat.

  Abner began to eat as well.

  Catherine coughed as she saw that Abner wasn’t using his salad fork. Was this another one of his jokes? Catherine wasn’t used to having a man's company. During the years she worked at the factory, she lived in a meager room and took all her meals alone.

  “Are you all right?” Abner asked, concerned that Catherine was choking.

  “I’m fine,” Catherine said. She picked up her salad fork and waved it as a reminder.

  Abner smiled. Catherine clearly had a humorous side as well. He waved his fork in the air. Then he picked up his spoon and did the same.

  But Catherine only looked confused.

  Abner felt awful. “What's wrong? I’m sorry if I did something wrong!”

  She shook her head. “It’s nothing. I’m overreacting.”

  “What is it, Catherine? You can tell me anything. I’m your husband,” Abner declared. He wanted her to trust him.

  Catherine didn’t think she should tell him. “It’s silly!”

  Abner stopped eating. He thought it was serious because of the look on her face. “You can tell me.”

  “You’re eating your salad with the wrong fork,” Catherine said. She looked as if it really bothered her.

  Abner stood up and walked over to her. He patted her on the shoulder awkwardly. “I’m sorry. I’ll eat with the right fork. Show me which one to use!”

  Catherine managed a smile. “Thank you, Abner. I shouldn’t be upset about the fork.”

  Abner was seriously confused. “Then why are you upset?”

  Catherine looked up at Abner. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”

  “Well, why don’t we finish our dinner?” Abner suggested. “It’s going to get cold, and I don’t want to waste such a delicious-looking meal.”

  Catherine pursed her lips. “Yes, let’s finish. I spent a long time cooking, and there’s no reason for everything to be spoiled because I’m being silly.” She picked up her fork again, and made sure he knew which one to use as she finished her salad.

  Abner sighed. Was he ever going to understand his wife? He sat back down and carefully used the right fork to finish his salad. When he finished, he began eating the casserole. It tasted just as delicious as it looked. “Is it all right if I get more?” he asked.

  Catherine nodded, pleased he was enjoying her cooking. As soon as she finished, she did the dishes and said she was going to lie down. She slipped into the bedroom and closed the curtain behind her.

  Abner didn’t like the idea that he and his wife were not sleeping in the same bed yet. He knew that it was his right if he wanted to do so, but something else told him to take some time and allow Catherine to adjust to her new surroundings.

  Abner wondered if there was anything he could do to make Catherine comfortable in their home. Perhaps there were more decorations she could put up that would suit her taste more than his sparse furniture.

  He paced and paced, unsure of what to do. He wished his mother were still alive so he could ask her what to do. She would understand a woman’s wants and needs. Abner was perplexed by Catherine, but hopefully that would soon change. They were married, and soon, he hoped they’d start acting like it.

  After hours of indecision, Abner finally decided to sleep on the couch again. He tossed and turned throughout the night, feeling sorry for how upset Catherine had been at dinner.

  Abner rose at the dawn’s first light and prepared his own breakfast. He snuck out of the house quietly, not wanting to wake Catherine. He had a stop to make before work.

  Abner approached the large house and hoped he wasn’t about to disturb the owners. He knocked on the door tentatively. No one answered, so he knocked a little louder. He waited.

  Just as he began to knock again, the door opened, and Cletus Sanders, wearing a robe and slippers, glared at him. “It’s far too early for this nonsense, Abner! Our girls are all married! Go away!”

  Abner shook his head. “It’s not that, sir. I need to speak to Edna Petunia.”

  Cletus growled. “She’s spoken for, too!”

  Abner blushed. “That’s not what I meant, sir! It’s about my wife. The mail-order bride that Edna Petunia sent for.”

  Cletus scowled. “I’ll see if she'll come down. Did you have to come here at this hour?”

  Abner nodded ea
rnestly. “It was the only thing I could think of.”

  Cletus’s expression softened. “Wait here.”

  A few minutes later, Edna Petunia stomped down the stairs. “Abner! It’s too early,” she complained. “What do you want?”

  “I need your help,” Abner pleaded. “Catherine doesn’t seem happy here. I don’t know what to do!”

  Edna Petunia sighed. “I’ll put on some tea. Sit down in the parlor.” Abner went into the informal parlor while Edna Petunia boiled water for tea. He fidgeted as he waited.

  When the tea was ready, Edna Petunia brought in two cups with saucers and set one in front of Abner. “Tell me everything.”

  Abner’s words came out in a hurried jumble. “Catherine doesn’t seem happy. She was upset at dinner. She said it was because I didn’t eat with the right fork, and I don’t even know what she was talking about! She was so upset, and now I’m upset, and we’re not sleeping in the same bed, and I sure want to sleep in the same bed, but she keeps going to bed without me. And I don’t know what to do!”

  Edna Petunia held up her hand. “Slow down. One thing at a time.”

  Abner didn’t know where to begin. “I’m worried Catherine’s going to leave me.”

  Edna Petunia frowned. “No, my friend Mrs. Thatcher wouldn’t send me a girl who would run off on her husband. Not after you took your marriage vows.” She reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a peppermint stick, offering it to him.

  Abner took the peppermint stick, feeling a little relieved to hear that. “But I don’t think she’s happy with me.”

  “Why do you think that?” Edna Petunia asked.

  “She seems to cry a lot. And we haven’t—err—had marital relations yet,” Abner admitted.

  Edna Petunia scoffed. “You must be joking, Abner. You two youngsters haven’t played hide the pickle yet?”

  Despite the situation, Abner nearly chuckled at Edna Petunia’s question. He had never known a woman of Edna Petunia’s age to be so forthcoming about what happened between a husband and wife. Then he remembered what they were talking about and shook his head sadly. “She hasn’t outright rejected me. But she’s gone to bed early two nights in a row. I didn’t want to disturb her, so I’ve been sleeping on the sofa.”

  Edna Petunia shook her head in disbelief. “Well, Abner, that’s your problem right there. To truly become man and wife you need to have some special private time together. If you don’t have that, your marriage is in trouble.”

  “I thought you said I didn’t have anything to worry about because Catherine’s a respectable woman!” Abner protested.

  “That was before you told me you haven’t shared the marital bed yet,” Edna Petunia countered.

  “Well, how am I supposed to do that if she’ll barely even talk to me?” Abner was at a loss. Was his situation hopeless?

  “What kinds of things does she like?” Edna Petunia asked.

  Abner shrugged. “I don’t know. I think she likes flowers because she put them around the house.”

  “That’s a start,” Edna Petunia said. “Bring her flowers daily. Maybe chocolates, too. Sometimes that gets a woman in an amorous mood.”

  “I can do that!” Abner said, starting to cheer up a little.

  “Find out what other things she likes,” Edna Petunia instructed. “If you make her more comfortable, she’ll open up to you more. And treat her with respect. Truly listen to what she’s telling you.”

  “What if I don’t understand what she’s telling me?” Abner thought about the salad fork conversation. He still didn’t understand what Catherine had been so upset about.

  “Just try your hardest.” Edna Petunia waved her hand. “And one more thing.”

  Abner leaned in. “What’s that?”

  “You are not to wake me or my husband up at this hour ever again!” Edna Petunia shouted, then threw her head back and laughed.

  Abner joined in, even though he wasn’t sure if she was joking or not. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “You can see yourself out,” Edna Petunia said. “I need to get back to my husband. We were in the middle of some private business when you came knocking on our door.” Edna Petunia winked at Abner, and he blushed.

  Abner walked to the door and let himself out of the house. He tried to remember Edna Petunia’s advice. He needed to find something that Catherine liked. Flowers would be a good start, but what else could he get for her that would make her feel at home?

  At work, Abner was silent for most of the day. Instead of going home for lunch, he went into town and stopped at the mercantile. He found Lewis Darcy at the counter.

  Lewis smiled at Abner. “How is married life treating you, Abner?”

  Abner sighed. “Not very well, I’m afraid.”

  “What’s wrong?” Lewis asked.

  “I need to make Catherine feel more comfortable in our house. I was hoping to buy her some nice things she might like,” Abner explained.

  “I see,” Lewis said. “I think this might be something that Ruby could help with more than I could. Wait down here and I’ll get her.” Lewis disappeared into the stairwell.

  A few moments later, Ruby came downstairs. “Abner! Lewis told me you needed my help.”

  Abner nodded gratefully. “Yes, I’ll take any help I can get!”

  “Let’s see. I think you should start with a necklace. Any new bride would be thrilled with a nice piece of jewelry,” Ruby advised. She pointed to a dainty chain of pearls. “What about this one?”

  “That’s a good idea,” Abner agreed.

  “Do you know if she likes sweets?” Ruby asked.

  Abner shook his head dolefully. “I don’t know. I haven’t asked.”

  “Perhaps you could bring her some ice cream after work. If you hurry, it won’t melt on your way home,” Ruby suggested.

  “That’s a great idea,” Abner replied. “What else?”

  “It might help for Catherine to meet some other young women of her age. She seems like she’s close in age to Katie,” Ruby said, mentioning her youngest sister. "She was recently married, too, so they’ll be able to relate to one another.”

  “That’s a terrific idea!” Abner began to cheer up. Surely having friends in Nowhere would improve Catherine’s mood.

  “Good. I think that’s a good start for now, don’t you?” Ruby soothed. She felt sorry for Abner. He was clearly trying his best. And the poor man didn’t have any sisters or a mother around to guide him.

  “Yes. That’s exactly what I needed. Thank you so much, Ruby!” Abner said, thankful for the advice. He paid for the necklace and waited as Ruby carefully wrapped it in a small box. Then he hurried back to work, tucking the jewelry box in his pocket.

  Abner thought of Catherine as he worked. He hoped she liked the necklace and would be surprised. He wondered what she would make for dinner that evening. There was no doubt that she was an incredible cook. He just hoped that tonight, unlike the previous day, she’d eat something.

  Abner hurried home after work. On his path, he found some zinnias that looked stunning. He picked a bunch of them and rushed back to the house. Catherine was in the kitchen when he arrived. “Hello! I’m home!”

  Catherine looked up and did her best to smile. It had been a long day of cooking and cleaning, and she was exhausted. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed like there was another part of the house that was dusty or messy.

  Abner walked over to Catherine and presented the zinnias and a small box to her. “These are for you.”

  Catherine was touched. She found a glass for the flowers and put water in it so they would keep. Then she opened the box and pulled out a delicate pearl necklace. “Thank you, Abner. This is beautiful. And the flowers are lovely!”

  “Would you like to put it on?” Abner asked eagerly.

  “Right now?” Catherine laughed. She felt underdressed in her apron and a house skirt.

  “Well, why not?” Abner shrugged.

  “Okay,” Catherine agreed. She lift
ed her hair, allowing Abner to clasp the necklace. As Abner touched her skin, she felt a tingling sensation run through her body. Startled, she stepped forward and let her hair down again.

  Abner grinned. He was happy to have done something right for a change. He clapped his hands together. “It smells wonderful in here. What have you been cooking?”

  Catherine smiled. “It’s a surprise.”

  Abner was impressed. “Wow. I can’t wait to find out what it is.”

  “Well, you’ll have to wait a little longer. I have a few finishing touches to prepare. Can you wait in the bedroom?” Catherine asked.

  “I suppose so.” Abner felt confused, but did as he was told. In the bedroom, he was amazed to see that all of his clothes had been picked up, washed, and folded. The bedroom looked like a completely different space. Everything was in order, neat and tidy. Catherine had even found a different set of blankets for the bed so that it was completely covered. Abner didn’t know how she had found the time to do all that and cook meals for him. He was a lucky man.

  Still, being in the bedroom also made him uneasy because of what it represented. This was his first time in his bedroom in three days. If he and Catherine were to have a healthy marriage, he had to stay in here with her. But he didn’t know how to bring it up. He knew she was trying, but he still felt like he couldn’t speak plainly with her. He had no idea how she really felt about him.

  Abner gulped and realized he had to talk to Catherine that evening. He would tell her that he had to sleep in the bedroom with her that night. It was his right, and it was about time. There would be no more sleeping on the sofa.

  Content, Abner sat down on the bed and leaned back. All the stress had drained his energy. Maybe he would take a quick nap before dinner . . .

  The next thing Abner knew, Catherine was calling his name. He sat up with a start. “Come in!” He rubbed his eyes.

  Catherine wiggled the curtains a little. “Dinner is ready.”

  Abner frowned. “You can come in the bedroom. You don’t have to stay outside.” He didn’t like that his wife behaved so formally around him.

  Catherine opened the curtains, blushing. “I was worried you wanted some private time. I didn’t want to interrupt.”