by Mills, DiAnn
I’ve always had a keen sense of direction, but not even a compass could assist me now. Oh Lord, be my feet and lead me to Simon.
“Simon, Turnip,” he tried calling again. The roar of the wind met his ears.
After what he believed was several minutes, he bumped into the well. He’d walked in the opposite direction! Making his way around it until he could grab the well handle, Gabe closed his eyes and turned in the direction of what he believed was the barn. Every second became a prayer. On he went, his feet feeling as though they were laden with weights. The way seemed endless, and ofttimes he fell.
“Pa.” He strained to hear again. “Pa, I’m scared and cold.”
Praise God. Simon must be in the barn. Guide me, Lord.
Gabe tried to speed his trek, but the elements slammed into him as though an invisible wall had been erected. “I’m coming, Simon. Have faith.”
With his chest aching and each step an effort, Gabe at last touched the side of the dugout where he believed Simon awaited inside. “Simon, I’m by the barn wall.”
Nothing. Not even the hint of sound indicating the boy rested safely inside.
Gabe repeated his words. Keep him in Your arms. I beg of You. Rounding the barn, he found the opening. A few moments later, he stepped inside and scanned the small area. A pair of arms seized him about the waist. Gabe wrapped his arms around Simon, wanting to shelter him forever from the cold and wind.
“You came,” Simon said between sobs. “I thought I’d die here with Turnip and the animals.”
Turnip’s tale thumped against Gabe’s leg. Never had the dog looked so good. “I heard you calling for me,” Gabe said, carefully inspecting him from head to toe. Luckily, the boy had dressed warmly before leaving the cabin.
Simon shook his head. “I didn’t call for you. I just waited and talked to God about being scared.”
Thank You, Lord, for sending Your angels to minister to me and keep Simon safe. Joy raced through Gabe’s veins, while he hugged the boy closer.
“You’re the best pa ever,” the boy said, clinging to Gabe’s snow-covered body.
“We must give the credit to our Lord,” Gabe replied, tucking Simon’s muffler securely around his neck and face. “Oh, Simon, what made you decide to come looking for Turnip?”
“I didn’t. I heard you get up early and wanted to help with the chores, but with the blizzard, I couldn’t find the barn. Turnip guided me here, but you were already gone.”
The dog nuzzled Gabe’s leg, and he patted him. No doubt, God had used stranger-looking angels than a mangy dog.
“We need to head back. Your mother and brother are very worried. First, let’s check on the animals and pray.”
And they did, thanking God for taking care of Simon and sending His angels to help Gabe.
“Ready?” Gabe asked, dreading the walk ahead.
Simon nodded. “Don’t let go of my hand, please.”
“I’ll do better than that. I’ll carry you.” Although Gabe wondered how he’d make it back with the extra load, he knew God hadn’t brought him this far to desert him now. He’d follow the rope. Gathering up Simon, he whispered, “Keep your head down against the wind, and pray.”
“Yes, Pa. I love you.”
❧
Lena could wait no longer. Gabe had been gone an hour, with every minute taking a toll on her heart. She must do something.
“Caleb, I’m going out there. I’ll follow the rope, so don’t worry.” Pulling on her heavy clothes, she ignored her son’s protests.
“Then, I’m going with you,” he said stubbornly, reaching for his coat.
“I won’t lose two sons in this blizzard.”
“And I won’t lose my ma, pa, and brother either.”
Bravery doesn’t need to be so dangerous. “I want you to stay here, please.”
Caleb stood before her dressed for the weather. “I’m going with you.” He lifted the latch. “We’ll both follow the rope.”
Lena made her way to the post, but the rope was gone. She searched the other side of the porch. Nothing. She kneeled on her hands and knees, frantically searching for the loose end. She felt certain Gabe had secured his end to the right side. Caleb joined her. The wind stole her breath, but she refused to give up. The snow could have covered the rope in a matter of moments, but without it, Gabe would never find his way to the cabin. She prayed and wept—for Simon, Gabe, and the love she possessed for both of them.
Caleb tugged at her coat. She ignored him. He tugged harder and began to drag her back. “I found it,” he shouted.
Lena wrapped her fingers around the frayed ends and clung to it as though she held the hand of God. She and Caleb managed to crawl back onto the porch and to the door. Securing the rope around the porch post had proved useless. She’d not let it go until she saw her family. Help them, Father. Bring them back to me.
“I’ll stay out here and hold it,” Caleb shouted above the wind.
“No, I’m stronger. Go back inside.”
“I’m nearly twelve, Ma, and I’m staying.”
He sounded so much like James, so much like Gabe—so much like a man. She didn’t argue.
Lena’s whole body grew numb with the cold. Every so often she stomped her feet and forced her body to move. Caleb followed her example. Where are they?
Then the rope moved. Perhaps the wind had grasped it and toyed with her mind. She felt another pull and grabbed Caleb’s arm.
“They’re coming! I can feel it.” She laughed and cried at the same time, simply believing Gabe had Simon. After all, he’d said he’d bring back her son—their son.
The minutes dragged on before she caught sight of Gabe trudging through the snow, carrying Simon with Turnip beside them. For a moment, she feared her eyes might deceive her, but then Caleb called out to Gabe, and he answered. Tears froze on her cheeks.
Once the wind and snow lay outside and she saw Simon and Gabe were safe, Lena threw her arms around Gabe’s snow-laden body and sobbed on his chest.
“Simon’s fine,” Gabe soothed. “He was in the barn with Turnip staying warm with the animals.”
“I was afraid I’d lost you both. Oh, you dear, sweet man, I love you so.”
fourteen
She. . .she loves me? Surely I’m mistaken. She must mean Simon. Gabe pushed Lena’s show of exuberance to the far corner of his heart. Later he’d contemplate those words when solitude embraced his mind and body.
A shiver rippled through Gabe’s body, and he suddenly noticed that his teeth were chattering uncontrollably. Practical matters must be addressed first.
Gabe thought he’d be freezing till the day he crossed over the threshold from earth to heaven. . .and poor Simon. Even sitting by the fire and cocooned in a blanket, the boy still shivered.
A teasing thought passed through Gabe’s mind. “When I was in Philadelphia, I read about this doctor who believes we all would be healthier if we took a bath every day rather than once a week.”
Caleb and Simon’s eyes widened in obvious disbelief.
“Might be a little cold to start that today, don’t you think?” Gabe asked and caught an amused glance from Lena. “Although, if you want, I could bring in enough snow to melt for the tub.”
“Not today,” Simon replied. “I’d rather work on my lessons all day until it’s dark.”
Laughing, Lena kissed Simon’s cheek. “Drink this,” she said gently.
“What is it?” He stared at the cup of brown-colored liquid.
“Tea with honey. It will help you get warm on the inside.”
Simon peered up at Gabe as though looking for his approval. “Yes, drink it. You’ll be glad you did. I’m having plenty of coffee to warm me up. Our insides are cold, Son.”
The boy nodded and reached through the blanket for the tea. Gabe smiled. Lena was right when she said Simon usually did the totally unexpected. He’d never offered to help with chores before. And to venture out on this horrendous day? No one in this household would
ever doubt the presence of God. Gabe carefully recorded the story in his journal to read when the problems of life seemed overwhelming. After he’d told Lena about thinking he’d heard Simon’s voice call out to him, she’d cried again.
Her endearing words when they entered the cabin still nestled deep in his heart. Had she really meant them, or was she simply filled with gratitude? Emotion often guided a woman’s response to external stimuli, and he fully understood if she’d simply overreacted in her enthusiasm to find Simon safe. But he desperately wanted to believe otherwise.
She handed him another cup of coffee. “Are you doing all right?”
“Yes, thank you.” Her very presence intoxicated him.
“Do you still want to talk to me about something tonight?”
Even more so. “If you’re not exhausted.”
She smiled and laid her hand on his shoulder. “I have a topic of my own, if you’re not too tired.”
Simply listening to your voice fills me with joy. “We will have a good evening together.” Speaking more softly, he added, “You are an excellent wife, Lena. As I said on our wedding day, I’m honored.”
She blushed, and her reaction surprised him. Clearly flustered, she rose and wrung her hands. “Ah, Caleb, would you like to get the Noah’s Ark from the chest under my bed? I think Simon would enjoy playing with it.”
“And when you’re finished, I’ll read to you,” Gabe added. “I have a new book I believe you will enjoy.”
“It’s not about snow, is it?” Simon asked, holding his cup with both hands. “Or wolves?”
Gabe chuckled. “No, Son. The book is called Moby Dick by Herman Melville. The story is about a whale and a sea captain.”
Simon grinned before taking a sip of tea. “I can hardly wait.”
“Me too,” Caleb echoed from the other room. “A real adventure. Might I read a bit of it aloud?”
“Most assuredly.” In times like these, Gabe forgot the boys’ pranks and mischievous ways and dwelled on his intense love for them and all they represented.
The day passed quickly with quiet activity. While Gabe read, Lena sewed by the fire. When evening shadows stole across the sky, she prepared corn in one of the thirty different ways she knew to use it. The challenge had become a joke to them, especially when they all grew tired of cornbread, mush, flapjacks, and molasses.
Lena possessed a radiance about her that he didn’t quite understand; perhaps her glow came from the fact Simon had not frozen to death. These past four months had seen both lads in perilous circumstances. Was this the way of raising children? He’d rather think not, but the logical side of him told him otherwise. No wonder parents’ hair grew gray. He’d always attributed it to wisdom, but now he credited the color difference to the hardships of parenting. In reflecting on his past, Gabe knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t trade one moment with his family.
God, You have blessed me beyond my most secret thoughts. All I can say is thank You.
Once the boys were in bed, Lena tended to her sewing while Gabe wrote in his journal, recording every moment of the day.
I thank the Lord for His deliverance today, he concluded. Now, I cannot let the words of my heart stay imprisoned any longer. I will tell Lena this evening of my love for her. To hold it back any longer would be to deny my very own existence.
He closed the book and set it aside. Now that the words were in print, he must brave forward.
“Would you like another cup of coffee?” Lena asked.
He studied her cherished face as he mustered the courage to begin. “No, thank you.”
She drew her rocker closer to his chair. “Are you plenty warm?”
“Yes, I’m content.” His heart began to pound more furiously than drummers in a parade. “You mentioned your desire to speak with me about a matter.”
She nodded and stared into the fire. Her cheeks flushed, kindling his curiosity.
“You’re not becoming ill, are you?” He leaned up on his chair to view her more closely. The thought of touching her forehead crossed his mind.
“Oh, no. I’m perfectly fine,” she hastily replied.
Easing back, he folded his hands across his once ample stomach. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”
She rose and paced back and forth in front of the fire. “Do you remember what I told you this morning when you returned with Simon?”
She’s full of regret. I surmised as much. “Yes, I do remember.” With great effort, he stared up into her face.
Slowly, she removed her apron and laid it across the rocker. Inhaling deeply, she sat in front of him on the rug. “I meant every word,” she whispered.
Gabe thought his heart had stopped.
She moistened her lips. “I’ve known for weeks, but I didn’t want you to think of me as brash.” Lowering her head, she picked at a loose tuft on the rug.
Have I heard correctly? Is this a dream? But when he glanced at the top of her head, he dared not lose his nerve. Gently he lifted her chin and smiled into those green pools he’d grown to cherish.
“And I have loved you for weeks, but I was uncertain of your response.”
She looked innocent, fragile, her lovely features silhouetted by the fire, her pursed lips equally inviting. Gabe bent and kissed his wife. It was a soft kiss, a tender kiss, but a luxury that invited more. . .and more.
“I do love you, Lena,” he whispered. “You are my life and my joy. I never dreamed I’d be so blessed.”
She drew back from him. With a sweet smile, she pulled the pins from her raven-colored hair and allowed the long tresses to cascade down her back. Taking his hand, she said, “I believe it’s time we became man and wife.”
❧
Lena woke and wiped the sleep from her eyes. Sometime during the night the winds had stopped. Gabe had risen in the wee hours of the morning and tried not to stir her, but she knew the instant he’d climbed out of bed. For two weeks now, they’d been true husband and wife, and she treasured their tender relationship.
“Go back to sleep,” he’d whispered earlier. “The snowstorm is over, and I want to check on the cattle.”
“I’ll go with you,” she said, unable to bear the thought of him leaving her side. She’d become unashamedly possessive.
He’d leaned over and kissed her. “No, my dear. I won’t be long.” For the first time in years, she felt loved and protected. Her eyes closed. How wonderful to love and be loved. Surely this would last for a hundred years.
Now, as morning graced the skies and the shades of rose and amber ushered in the dawn, Lena met the day with happiness and hope for the future. She had a husband who cherished and adored her—and considered her sons as his own. What more could she ever ask?
This morning he planned to ride over to the Shafers and make sure they had fared well during the storm. Most likely the snow held drifts in some places higher than the cabin. She and Gabe had already experienced the snow drifting to the top of their door, holding them captive within their home.
Lena sighed and listened to see if Caleb and Simon were up. She should go with Gabe. Dagget despised her husband, ridiculing him each morning when he brought milk. Gabe had asked him one day if he detested his presence so much, then why didn’t he buy a cow. However today, the children wouldn’t get any milk until the wagon could get through.
As she dressed, her thoughts drifted back to those first few weeks when Gabe had tried so hard to learn everything he could about the farm. He’d hammered his thumb, spilled a bucket of milk, spooked the horses while learning to drive the wagon, and nearly gotten sprayed by a skunk. The dear man did not give up, even when drenched by a downpour in the midst of patching the dugout roof. She’d admired his courage and stamina. Every day a new adventure brought them closer—even the unpleasant and frightening challenges. There had been a time—and not so long ago—when she’d believed no man could ever take James’s place. How wrong she’d been. God had indeed brought her the best.
❧
God had indeed brought Gabe the best. He treasured his family and their relationship. Two weeks ago, he and Lena had confessed their love for each other, and now he actually felt like a married man. Never had he dreamed his life might contain such fulfillment. Oh, there were disagreements here and there, and Simon would always be unpredictable, but to have his heart’s desire fulfilled. . .well, he simply couldn’t put a price on what it all meant to him. When Lena looked at him with her impish smile, he melted faster than the snow in spring.
This morning, he had a job to do. Neither the cold nor the snow could stop him from braving the elements to reach the Shafers. He worried about the Shafer children, especially when he noted the many times sour, old Dagget had been drinking by the time he arrived with milk. He’d seen the scurvy sores on the children’s thin arms and faces, and Lena had sent dried fruit and vegetables to add more nutrition to their diet. Caleb and Simon had passed their old coats, mittens, mufflers, and hats on to them, but Gabe doubted if Dagget even noticed.
The Shafer children were mannerly, and Gabe had allowed Amanda to borrow a few books. She always thanked him, eager to report on what she’d read and often pointing out confusing words for his explanation. He appreciated her willingness to educate herself, especially in this part of the country where most women lived to bear children and work the farms. Amanda had done her best to school her brothers and sisters with a McGuffey Reader, but she didn’t have any slates or chalk. Gabe found extra in his trunk so she could teach them to write and learn arithmetic.
Smoke curled above the dugout in the distance. He breathed a sigh of relief. He’d feared their home had caved in with the weight of the snow. An abundance of it had fallen in the last two weeks, so much he’d climbed onto the roof of his house and barn to clean them off.
The image of the little Shafer girl with her bruised face and obvious terror haunted him. Not once had he seen her since she ran from him, Dagget’s repugnant laughter echoing through the barn.
Dismounting his horse, Gabe saw the door had more than three feet of snow banked against it. Not seeing a shovel, he used his gloved hands to scoop a path wide enough for the door to open. He knocked soundly. Amanda answered, her eyes red. A whimpering child could be heard in the background.
