“Good morning ladies, William.” My father pulled out a chair for mother.
“I see you met Tamesha.” Mother took her seat while our father walked to the other end of the table and took his own. “I believe you and Jackson will be very happy with her.”
“Mother, you never told me you had hired someone already.”
“I told you not to worry, I would take care of staffing your home.” She smiled sweetly and added creamer to her coffee.
“But I figured I would have some say in it. Besides, we do not even have a home yet to staff.”
“You will, my dear. Plus, Tamesha comes highly recommended. She and her husband, Davonte, worked for Mr. and Mrs. Seaton. You remember them, the elderly couple several streets over? Anyway, I ran into their daughter-in-law last week and she told me that Mr. Seaton had finally moved in with them. Mrs. Seaton passed away two months ago and since then they have been trying to talk him into it. Of course, he did not want to impose on his children but his health has been very poor. So she said she was keeping an ear open if anyone was looking for some help. Tamesha was born into their household and Davonte joined them when he and Tamesha were married fifteen years ago. So I hired them both for you. They are in their early thirties. She is a marvelous cook and he has experience tending the stables and other household repairs. They are a very charming couple and they only have one child. Her name is Betsy and she is eight. She is a delightful young girl who is very talented with the sewing and is learning how to cook. I do not believe she will be any trouble at all. Plus, she will be wonderful help with your babies.”
“But, Mother, I have never met them,” I tried to interject.
“That is why they will be shadowing here until the wedding. So you and Jackson can get to know them. Plus, I also hired you another housekeeper.”
“I thought you were going to let us take Cora with us.”
“I am, but you and Jackson will be starting a family right away, so you will need a minimum of two housekeepers, a cook, and stableman.”
“Who is this other woman you hired?”
“She is also from the Seaton household. Her name is Bertina. She is only twenty-two years old and she is Tamesha’s little sister. She is working with both Mimi and Cora this week.”
“All right.” I wasn’t sure what else to say so I turned back to my breakfast.
“I do not understand why you are so hesitant, dear. Emily and I both interviewed all three of them last Friday and even met Betsy. We both felt that they would be a perfect match . . . personality wise with you and Jackson.” My mother looked truly hurt and I immediately felt horrible.
“I am sorry, Mother. I am sure they are. I am only worried about finding a home. We are running out of time,” I tried to explain.
“I am sure Jackson will take care of everything,” Father piped in. “You do not need to worry about such things.”
“Yes, Father.” I placed my napkin upon the table. “Please excuse me, Jackson will be here in a few minutes.” Olivia grinned sympathetically as I walked out of the room.
***
“Did you know that our mothers have already hired our staff?” I asked Jackson on our way home from church.
“My mother mentioned it to me last evening.”
“I guess they are shadowing our staff this week. I met our cook, Tamesha. Her husband . . . oh, I cannot recall his name at the moment, is going to take care of the stables and repairs. They also have an eight year old daughter named Betsy who Mother says will be wonderful for our children,” I snickered. “Too bad she will be in her late teens before they are born.”
“There was one more also, right?”
“Yes, Tamesha’s younger sister, Bertina, I think.”
“Mother said they are from the Seaton estate. If that is the case, they will need no training from us. Mr. Seaton was a tyrant to his servants as well as his family. I am sure they are all happy to be out of that environment,” Jackson said.
“I vaguely remember seeing the Seatons years ago.”
“I do not believe either of them ventured out much in the last few years. I heard they were both declining rapidly in the last several years or so.” Jackson steered the horses past our road. “There is a house Father wanted us to look at if you do not mind.”
“How could I mind? We need to decide on something.” I snuggled in closer to him.
***
Jackson sighed heavily as we walked off the porch of the tiny two-bedroom cottage. “I cannot believe my father sent us over here to look at this place. It is not even large enough to house the staff they hired for us.” He chuckled in a non-humorous way.
“Perhaps he did not know how small it was,” I offered as he helped me into the carriage.
“This is getting ridiculous, you do realize that?” The tension and frustration was written all over his beautiful face.
I decided it was best not to answer him. We rode home in silence.
CHAPTER 27
Sunday, December 20, 2009
I WAS THE FIRST to awaken the next morning. The house was eerily quiet as I wandered downstairs. The early morning light was struggling to break through the clouds and I could barely navigate my way around the unfamiliar surroundings. I was starving but I didn’t want to impose on them by searching their kitchen cabinets. Besides, I doubted there was any food in the house anyway. I knew his parents had gone to bed shortly after I did. I suddenly began to wish I knew my way around the area. Just so I could get something to eat and some coffee. Instead I got my book and took a seat next to the Christmas tree, which I was sure Phoebe had put up in anticipation of our arrival and read until someone else decided to get up.
About nine thirty Jackson strolled down the stairs. By then I was lying comfortably on the couch making myself completely at home and engrossed in my book.
“Good morning,” Jackson leaned down and kissed me softly. “How did you sleep?”
“Very well.”
“Are you hungry? I am starving and I will bet there is nothing to eat in this house.” He sat down on the edge of the couch beside me. “Want to go find something to eat?”
“Sure, I could eat.” I didn’t want to admit to him how hungry I was or that I was dying for some coffee.
“All right, get your purse and I will leave a note for my parents.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. Jackson took off towards the kitchen while I quietly ran back upstairs and put the book on the bed. I grabbed my coat and purse and rushed back down to him.
***
Jackson pulled into the parking lot of a little café a few miles from their house. It was quite charming and had probably been there forever. We took a seat in a booth and began looking over the menus when the waitress brought over a couple of mugs and a pot of steaming coffee.
“Are you ready to order?” the petite blond waitress asked.
“Yes, I will have the spinach and mushroom omelet, hash browns, and a glass of orange juice.” Jackson smiled and handed her the menu.
“And for you?” She looked down at me
“I’ll have the same. Thank you.” I handed her my menu.
“All right,” she scribbled on her pad and walked away.
I added sugar and creamer to my coffee and played with the spoon while stirring it. “So, what are our big plans for today?”
“I thought I would take you over to BU and show you around campus.”
“Seriously?” I almost jumped out of my seat.
“I figured you might want to see where you will be going to school next fall.” He slid his hand across the table and laid it over mine. “That ring looks really good on you.”
“Thank you; I think so. I love it!” I took a sip of my coffee. “I don’t know why but I was so nervous yesterday that my dad was going to see it.”
“But he already knows we are engaged.” Jackson looked confused.
“I just feel bad that our engagement is causing him so many problems with Ethan and my mom.”<
br />
“Things will work themselves out,” he assured me.
“Glad you are still an optimist.” I sighed heavily. I no longer held any optimism where my mom and Ethan were concerned.
***
We parked the Durango in one of the student parking lots. There were only two other cars in the entire lot. I wrapped my scarf a little tighter around my neck and buttoned up my coat. The wind was bitter cold and cut right through me.
“This is it.” Jackson waved his outstretched arms. “What do you think?”
“It’s huge!” I slowly looked all around me completely in awe of it all. “I had no idea it was so big.”
“I thought you looked it up online,” he said, giving me a strange look.
“I did, but it looks a lot smaller on a computer screen,” I laughed.
“Yes, I would imagine so.” He walked over and put his arm around me. “Come on, I’ll show you around. Pretty soon you will get used to it and it will not seem so big at all and you will wonder how you ever felt intimidated by it.”
We walked across the quad. There was a mixture of old and new buildings throughout the enormous campus. I loved the architecture, especially on the old buildings. They had so much character. like nothing we had around our suburban part of Chicago. Most of the walkways were concrete but still, some of them were brick-lined and very beautiful. They reminded me a lot of the cobblestone walkway that lined the street in front of our homes in my other life. Somehow that little glimpse of the past made me feel less scared of this place.
“Did you know that the Boston Public Library is the oldest library in the country?” Jackson said as we browsed through the campus book store.
“Really?”
“Yes, and Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone here in a BU lab in 1875.” He gave me a cocky grin.
“What are you? Some sort of encyclopedia of useless information?” I gave him a playful shove.
“I spent four years here. I guess I picked up some trivial knowledge here and there,” he laughed. “There is always something going on either on or off campus. There are tons of museums, theaters, concerts, sporting events, and historical sites. You are going to absolutely love it.”
“I know I will.” I took his hand in mine. “As long as we are together, I could be happy anywhere.” I leaned up and kissed him quickly.
***
By the time we arrived back at the house, Phoebe, Carson, and Wallace had joined his parents. Phoebe and Emily were in the kitchen putting groceries away when we walked in.
“Jackson Wyatt?” Emily’s voice rang out. “Please come here.”
We hurried into the kitchen as Phoebe passed by us. “You’re in trouble,” she whispered to Jackson in a low voice.
“Jackson, I understand that you want to show Jocelyn around but could you at least be considerate enough to think about us? You left your father and me here with no vehicle and no groceries. I had to call your sister over to take me to the store.” She paused at the island holding a roast.
“I apologize. I was not thinking.” He looked slightly embarrassed to be chastised by his mother in front of me.
“I’m sorry, Emily.” I didn’t know what to say. I had never really seen her upset before.
Luckily Wallace scurried into the kitchen and broke the tension. He wrapped his little arms around his grandmother’s leg and she happily picked him up promptly kissed his chubby little cheek. Jackson seized the opportunity and disappeared back out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with her.
***
Phoebe and Emily began cooking supper. I offered to help but they only let me cut up the potatoes. The three of us talked about BU and the different majors I was considering. Phoebe recalled her days there and how much she had loved it. She said the coursework was grueling but she had loved being a cheerleader there and being involved in various campus activities. She reminded me more and more of Sidney. I couldn’t help but think that the two of them would probably become the best of friends once they met at our wedding next summer.
A short while later Alex and Leslie showed up with their children. Lucinda was six and Charlie was almost four years old. They were so adorable and immediately began running around playing with little Wallace. Cindy Lou, as her family liked to call her because her favorite storybook was How the Grinch Stole Christmas, was a very precocious young girl much like the character she enjoyed from the story. Her blond pigtails adorned bright red ribbons that matched the jumper she was wearing and her white tights with red polka dots. She favored Leslie a great deal. Charlie, on the other hand, resembled Alex more than his mother. Like Alex, his hair was the same color as Emily’s although they got their stature from Robert.
All of us gathered around the oversized dining room table for dinner. I sat between Jackson and Phoebe and enjoyed the playful dynamics of his family. They easily teased each other, laughed, and purposely tormented one another. It reminded me a great deal of how my family used to behave before our engagement was announced. I watched them throughout the meal and said very little, suddenly missing the family I’d left in Chicago.
CHAPTER 28
Thursday, December 22, 1878
TWO DAYS until the wedding. The words rang through my ears before I even opened my eyes. I was almost in sheer panic mode as we still had yet to find a place to live after the ceremony. Even though I knew we could either stay here or at the Chandler estate, it was something that neither of us wanted to do.
Mimi opened my door and carried in my breakfast tray. “Rise n’ shine, Ms. Jocelyn.”
“Good morning, Mimi. How are you this morning?” I propped myself up on the pillows.
“I’s feeling well. I so excited, two more days till the wedding.”
“And we still have yet to find a home,” I sighed heavily.
“Don’t-cha fret, you will.” She set the tray down in front of me.
“Thank you very much, Mimi, but I was planning on eating downstairs. Why the special treatment?”
“I’s only got two more days to spoils you.” She smiled and sat down on the edge of my bed. “I’s gonna miss you something awful, Ms. Jocelyn.”
“I’m going to miss you too, Mimi. I cannot imagine not having you with me every day and you being the first person I see every morning.” I reached over and hugged her tightly. “Oh Mimi, why can’t I take you with me? Is there no way Mother would let you go and Cora could stay here?” I whined like a small child.
“Now, child, that’ll never work. I’s can’t leave my Eddie. He needs me too.”
“Of course, Eddie could come too. Tamesha and her husband could stay here in your place.” But Mimi shook her head slowly.
“Ya’ll be all right. Now’s eat up. Your food’s getting cold.”
***
Mother was already bustling about making everyone crazy. She was supervising Cora and Missy on where to put each ornament on the Christmas tree although they had been doing it for years. Poor Bertina was putting the stockings and the garland up on the mantel. I could hear my mother correcting her over and over again about the order of the stockings. She liked them a specific way from Father at one end, her, then her eldest child, their spouse, and so on with the children listed by age from oldest to youngest. There was no way Bertina could possibly get something like that right in the short amount of time she had been here.
I walked over and gently took the stocking she was holding out of her hands. “Honestly, Mother, you should have let Missy or Cora put up the stockings.” I gave her a sour grin. Bertina looked like she was about to cry.
“Oh yes, I am sorry. What was I thinking?” She shook her head slightly. “Bertina, would you please set the garland and bows on the stair railing. Jocelyn, please finish the stockings.”
Bertina took the rolls of garland and mountain of red velvet bows out into the foyer and began working diligently. “Mother, what time are you going over to decorate the church?”
“I thought we would head over there around t
wo. Emily and Phoebe wanted to go with us and she is working on the finishing touches on the gowns.” She pointed her hand to where she wanted that particular ornament Missy was placing on the tree.
I paused for a moment when I realized that Olivia and Jackson now had their own stockings added to ours. “When did you make these?”
She turned and noticed what I was holding in my hand. “Mimi made those. I have been so busy with your wedding it never occurred to me. Luckily, she remembered. She brought them down last evening. She did a beautiful job on them.”
“Yes, she did,” I traced my fingers gently over them before hanging them up on the mantel next to William’s and my stockings.
I was completely exhausted by the time evening set in. Mother and Emily had everyone jumping around doing ten things at once. Even being the bride did not lessen my subjection to their harsh orders. By the time they had agreed they had tortured us enough for one day I wasn’t even sure I liked either of them anymore.
I crawled beneath the warm coverlets and rolled over to face the hearth. The fire was roaring and I watched the shadows dancing across my walls. It was a familiar habit that I’d done since childhood. For some strange reason it had always made me feel safe and secure. It was home, my room, my life. And now the time was closing in on saying goodbye to it all.
The feeling left me both excited and sad. Things had changed so much in the last couple weeks my head was still reeling. I was doing my best to wrap my mind around EVE and tried to think like the Chandlers and my uncle did, that this gift was truly a gift . . . the best of both worlds. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine what it was going to be like to go to Boston University. The part of me that had always dreamt of furthering my education was ecstatic. I could not wait to walk the campus grounds, attend classes, and explore the sciences.
It all seemed so unbelievable to me. I couldn’t imagine what my father would think about me going all the way to Boston to attend the university. He would have a nervous breakdown at the mere mention of it considering I wasn’t even allowed to touch the books in his study. I smiled to myself at just the thought of what my mother would think of it. She would surely faint thinking of her daughter doing something she considered so improper for a young lady. I could almost hear her voice in my head telling me that I shouldn’t even entertain such inappropriate thoughts.
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