by Cyndi Raye
The sound of the supper bell rang loud and clear. Tommy patted his pony, waving goodbye and promising he’d be back to tuck him in bed.
They walked the worn path to Nora’s house, Tommy in the middle, one little hand holding onto Melodys and the other Adams. Melody laughed at something Tommy said and looked at Adam, whose eyes were on her. They stared into each others eyes for a slight moment. When Melody turned away, she caught Nora standing on the porch, her hand still on the bell watching them.
“Hi Ma,” Adam said, swinging Tommy’s arm while they walked.
“We’re hungry!” Tommy shouted out, letting go of their hands and running toward the porch. “Guess what, Nora? I’m going to put my pony to bed after supper. Want to help tuck him in?”
Nora looked away to smile at Tommy but not before giving the two of them a pointed look. It made Melody realize when Tommy let go and ran to the porch, Adam had folded her hand in his. It happened so naturally, she hadn’t even realized it happened.
Supper time at Nora’s house was always fun and interesting. Everyone always stood at their chair until a prayer was said, then the men would dig in like they hadn’t eaten in two weeks. After about two and a half minutes of chewing food, more like gulping it down, the men would only then talk about their day. Satisfied, they’d retire to the porch where Nora always brought out one of her delicious desserts.
Tonight, everyone seemed distracted and quiet. Melody noticed how the men wandered off after a slice of Nora’s special chocolate cake, wanting to turn in early.
Adam stood. “Tommy, if you want to tuck in your pony, we better go now. Do you mind, Melody?”
“Not at all, I’ll help Nora with the dishes.”
Abigail began to get up from the bench outside. It was a dark night, the moon’s rays a dull light in the background. Even the stars weren’t shining. “I’ll help for a bit,” she told the ladies. “Adam, do you mind asking Luke if he would walk me home a little early?”
Nora turned to her daughter-in-law. “Are you ill? You seemed awful quiet tonight, too.”
Melody stood quickly to help. She had been pining away over Adam that she hadn’t noticed Abigail’s distress. “Why don’t you sit, Abigail. Let me and Nora do the clean up.”
Nora agreed, insisting Abigail stay put. Adam hurried to the barn to get Luke. Before the two ladies even went inside, Luke was at his wife’s side. He picked her up in his arms and carried her off to their cabin across the yard.
Nora snorted, holding the screen door for Melody to go first. “I wonder when they are going to make their announcement?”
“What announcement? Oh, my! You mean? Abigail is with child?”
Nora nodded. “Not much gets past me. She’s been feeling under the weather this past week, unable to keep breakfast down.”
Melody began to stack the plates on a pile. “How wonderful! Your first grandchild. Do you suppose Luke even knows?”
“The way he ran up here and carried her home, I think he suspects and is waiting for her to let the cat out of the bag so to speak.”
Melody tied an apron over her dress, dipping her hands in the dish water. “I’m sure she will as soon as she is certain. I can ask Abigail if she’d like to go to town to see the doctor if you’d like?”
Nora shook her head. “We should stay out of it, I suppose, however hard that will be. As for you, Melody, I’m glad you are here. I see you and Adam have remained very close.”
“I am glad he is still my best friend. I don’t believe I treated him very well while I was married.”
“Oh? How so?”
Melody shrugged one shoulder. “Adam was always there for me. I didn’t tell him about my marriage concerns. Aren’t best friends supposed to tell each other everything?”
Nora smiled. “I suppose so, and yet there are always things we don’t wish to reveal at times. I remember how Robert always checked up on me. We shared so much together. He understood when I wanted time alone so he allowed me to ride off across the prairie with my hair let down. I often rode for hours at a time. I guess we were best friends. But, we loved each other the way a man and a woman did, too. And yet, towards the end, there was something Robert had kept from me. I’m not sure what it was or if I’ll ever know. He’s gone now so it’s not important. But perhaps best friends don’t always have to tell each other everything.”
Melody was touched by the story Nora revealed. The saddest part was Melody knew about the secret he had been keeping from her. She vowed to never reveal it and no one would ever know. It was time to focus back on Adam.
“Adam looks at me as his best friend. We are best friends. Nora, am I not supposed to feel anything more for Adam? Because, I’m afraid I do.”
Nora set down a cup she was drying and turned to Melody. “It is probably too soon after your marriage and divorce, Melody. There is a problem having strong feelings for Adam. Or, romantic feelings. You know I love you like a daughter. But, he built a cabin for his new bride that will be here in two weeks time. Adam is a man of moral and will honor his word to go through with the arrangement. I don’t want you hurt any more than you have been.”
Melody bit her lip. Hearing the truth from his Ma made her realize the enormity of the situation. Adam would never be hers. She realized it last night and today but tried to forget a bride was coming to marry him. “You’re right, Nora. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’ve always loved Adam. You have no idea how much I’ve cared about him.”
Nora took Melody in her arms. “Then why didn’t you tell him five years ago?”
She didn’t dare tell Nora why she had backed away. The fact she knew about the pact her sons had made so Nora would never find out about the secret was a large burden to carry. “I, I didn’t understand my feelings then. I heard him say he’d never marry and I believed him. Now look, he’s getting married.”
Nora held her at arms length, a puzzled look on her face. “Oh, Melody, not you, too! I know my sons are hiding something from me but now you?”
Melody’s skin stood on end. She would never betray Adam. Taking a deep breath, she laughed. “Oh, Nora, don’t be silly. Your boys are always hiding things they’ve done. I’ll bet they have so many secrets you will never be able to keep up with them all.”
Nora stood back, hands on her hips now, staring at Melody. About a minute later, after Melody held her breath while smiling, Nora shook her head. “You are probably right. I’ve been the head of this family for so long, I’m starting to dream things that are not there. I’m sorry, Melody.”
She busied her hands pulling off her apron, keeping eyes downcast in case the older woman saw the truth. “It’s fine. Don’t worry too much, your sons love you so much. Now, why don’t we sit on the porch for awhile.”
Nora yawned. “It’s been a long day for me. You go ahead. Just remember my words concerning Adam. I don’t want you to get hurt. Some day a nice man will come along for you to fall in love with.”
After Nora went to bed, Melody stood on the porch, hands gripping the railing tight as Nora’s words repeated themselves in her head.
It wasn’t fair. She married Thomas because of the brothers vow to never marry. All three brothers had promised that day to stay single and never leave their mother alone. Now, here they are, five years later, Luke married to a wonderful woman and Adam about to be married. The only one not married yet was Samuel. All because of the sins of a father. She guessed the secret would remain between the three men. And her.
Why wasn’t Samuel married yet? Melody peeked around the corner, listening for Tommy in the barn but all she heard were muffled voices. A thought began to grow.
She hurried inside to knock on Nora’s bedroom door. The door swung open. “Melody? Is there something wrong.”
“Why isn’t Samuel married yet?”
Nora opened wider, motioning her inside. “Well, I am forbidden from ordering more than one mail order bride at a time. Miss Addie’s rules. She says because the brothers are so close they
needed time to adjust to each other’s marriages.”
A smile crossed her face. “So you have not ordered a bride for Samuel yet?”
She shook her head. “No, not yet. One at a time, that is all Miss Addie will allow. Not until we are sure Adam’s bride works out. The contract has a three month trial period. If either one decides not to continue with the marriage, it can be annulled as long as the marriage bed remains pure.”
Melody clapped her hands. “That’s wonderful!”
“Wonderful? How is it wonderful? Do you realize how long this is taking? I’d love to have all my boys married by next week if it were up to me.”
Melody gave her a devilish look. “Nora, I have an idea.”
<><>
Adam ruffled Tommy’s hair. “Come on, son. It’s time to go to bed.”
Tommy yawned. “I don’t want to leave my pony out here all by himself. What if he gets lonely? Can I sleep here?”
“I’m afraid not, Tommy. Besides, there are other horses in here to keep him company. I tell you what. When you wake up, we’ll come out after breakfast so you can check on him?”
Tommy gave his pony a hug and crawled over the top of the gate. “Promise?”
“Of course, I promise.”
“My daddy never kept his. Are you sure you won’t have something else to do?”
Adam swung Tommy up in his arms. “Son, I will never let you down. But you’ve been let down so much that I’m going to have to show you. So you go on up to bed and you’ll see first thing in the morning I’ll keep my word to you.”
Tommy wrapped his arms around Adam’s neck. “Thanks. I love you, Adam.”
“I love you, too, kid. Now go on, get to bed.”
Adam sat on the step listening to Tommy’s muffled words before he went off to bed.
A few minutes later, the screen door opened and closed. He knew it was her.
Even before she sat down beside him, Adam felt her presence everywhere. It was always that way between the two of them.
No words were needed. Adam slid over, placing an arm around her shoulders. She fit against him like she always belonged there. Like it was her place.
The moon shone brightly this evening. It was round and looked so close to the earth, brightening the miles and miles of ranch land that belonged to the Whites.
Melody sighed.
He loved her sigh. Always had. It was one of those noises you look forward to hearing. It made him feel as if his touch made her happy.
He knew in two weeks a mail order bride would be walking down the garden path to marry him. Adam closed his eyes, brushing a small kiss across Melody’s hair. If he was able to change things, he would.
At first he wanted to throw caution to the wind, declare his love and insist she follow him to the alter.
But his word was his bond. He made a promise to his Ma. To the bride who was going to be here in two weeks time.
“What’s on your mind this evening, Adam?” Melody’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
“I’m so happy you are here, Melody. I hope you know this.”
“I do. You’ve been my best friend since forever. I want to apologize for not telling you how unhappy my marriage was.”
He leaned over to place a kiss on her cheek. Her softness had him inhaling her sweet scent. “I wish it were different,” he told her.
She stared at the moon’s rays, beating down on the land. “Between us?”
He nodded. She felt it more than saw him shake his head. “I’ve always cared for you. More than you know. It would be an honor to take care of you, Melody. To love you more than a best friend would. But, I made a vow to Ma to marry the mail order bride coming in two weeks.”
The sadness he felt now that it was out in the open was about to destroy him. If he were any other man, he’d say to hell with the mail order bride and marry Melody.
Yet, he was not that kind of man.
A promise was a promise. A vow, a vow.
“You can always change your mind. A man has a right to do so.”
“No, I don’t break a promise.” He took her shoulders. “Why, Melody? I know you feel the same way towards me. It’s always been this way between us. We’d make the perfect couple and yet you ran away with that city boy?”
“I didn’t think you ever had any interest in marriage or I would have stayed. Trust me, I wanted to be your wife since forever.”
Adam swore under his breath. “I’ll be honest, the day you came here a married woman, I rode the ranch for three days, cursing myself that I never told you I loved you.”
“You love me?” she whispered.
“I do, I always will.” He took her hand and kissed the palm. “I only wish the promise I made to Ma had never happened but I am a man of my word. I hope we can still be best friends.”
Melody stood. She shook her head. “I don’t think we can be, Adam. Your new wife will become your best friend.” She took his hand and gave it a tug. “Let’s go inside. It’s getting chilly.”
Adam shook his head, backing away. “You go on, Melody. I have some things to do yet.” He turned and walked away, not looking back. When he heard the screen door close, Adam kicked the dirt with his booted foot.
He turned around to see her douse the oil lamp, darkening the kitchen. It was a quiet night, no sounds from the barn. Everyone had a long, hard day, turning in early, not even a card game tonight. Adam stood for the longest time, realizing by promising his mother he’d marry a mail order bride he was giving up everything he had ever dreamed of.
Melody had been out of reach for five long years. Even though when she first married, it had hurt him deeply, he had been determined back then not to marry and bring anyone home to the ranch because of the secret. Perhaps it had been his fault she married someone else. Except, she hadn’t known of their pact to never marry.
But when Ma was determined to marry them off, and Luke had fallen in love, their long ago pact became void. Even though they’d never give up the secret, Adam had wanted to share his life with someone and so he agreed with his Ma. He gave his word.
Then Melody came home, divorced.
How would he live here every single day with a woman he didn’t love and have the one he’d die for so close?
How was he going to get through this?
Chapter 8
“I thought I was going to get married at the church in Wichita Falls? I don’t understand these sudden changes.”
Nora smiled. “We want to give you the best wedding ever, so it has been decided that you will get married here on the ranch. We’ll send one of the boys to pick up your bride when it’s time. I’ll notify the Reverend in Wichita Falls of the change.”
“It doesn’t much matter to me. I don’t want you making a fuss, Ma. Simple is fine.” Simple, fast and get it over with is what Adam was thinking. He had no heart for a wedding.
“Oh, leave it to us,” Nora told him, turning back to finish discussing the meal plans.
As he watched their excitement, he wished Ma and Melody were planning her own wedding. To him. It was an impossible thought because he had promised to marry someone else.
He did know one thing, Adam didn’t want a big celebration. “I wish you’d keep it family only, not a whole lot of neighbors and such.”
“Oh, don’t be silly, Adam. Now, don’t you fret. We will plan out everything and all you have to do is show up.” Nora looked at Melody, her face filled with excitement. Melody seemed awfully happy herself.
He had been moping around here for the last week and a half and the woman he loved was happily helping to plan out his wedding ceremony.
Melody looked up with a wide smile on her face, her eyes bright. “I hope you don’t mind but I thought I’d invite a few of my friends from Cooper’s Ridge. Oh, and the pastor wants to officiate at the ceremony. We don’t even have to have the reverend from Wichita Falls make the long trip here. Isn’t that wonderful?”
Melody sat on the far end of the kitchen ta
ble, an expectant look on her face as if she wanted him to be as excited as she apparently was. Adam stared back a moment, hurt that she was able to get over her feelings so fast.
His voice came out more gruff than planned. “I’m fine with whatever you want to do.” Adam turned on his heels and left, slamming the screen door in his wake.
It infuriated him even more when he heard giggles coming from the kitchen. What in the world had gotten into his Ma and Melody? They acted as if the whole world revolved around a stupid wedding. For all he cared, maybe he wouldn’t even show up.
Adam saddled up and rode across the prairie, needing to clear his head. He rode long and hard until stopping by their favorite watering hole.
Reclining on the grassy bank, his mind went back to the days when life was easier, before Pa died. He thought about how three brothers had rode together with Pa each and every day, working the ranch, turning it into what it was today.
Even after Pa was gone, the three of them had always shared everything. Getting through the days watching and helping Ma recover from losing a husband had been hard. Having been left to carry the load of work on the ranch had been tough before they hired men to help. Yet, the three of them always stuck together, they had made a life on this ranch, a good life despite the sadness of losing their Pa.
When Melody and her parents came by for a visit, she had been his retreat. Spending time with her, riding, carrying on with his brothers, they all had become so close. For some reason, Melody had clung to him more so than the others.
Adam ached for her to be by his side. Once he was married, there would no longer be days of riding together or fooling around in the creek, or even sitting here, remembering how fortunate they were.
The woman he loved would eventually find someone else and he’d be married to his own mail order bride. From the letters she had sent, his mail order bride seemed a nice person and her looks were suitable and yet, she would never be Melody.
If he were lucky, his new bride would find him hideous and demand to be sent back within three months. He may be a man of honor but what if he made sure there would be no marriage consummation? What if he showed his bride there was a better life out there without him? What if he fixed her up with someone else?
