by Faye Sonja
The standoff with Tobias Steel had become the biggest news in the area. Papers from all over the county had done interviews with the three orphan boys who’d stood up against the notorious outlaw. But the standoff with Tobias was nothing compared to the bullets Mark had been dodging since becoming Pastor of Perry Lake Church.
He and Nancy had completely circled the open kitchen. Mark’s back was not to the front door. He could make a dash for it. Nancy seemed to know what he was planning. She quickly took hold of the broom and yanked Mark towards her. For such a small woman, she was strong. She grabbed the lapel of his jean shirt. There was water in her eyes. She looked ready to cry. “Mark, please. Don’t marry this woman. Marry me. I love you.”
Mark’s eyes flew wide. “What? Why would you love me?” He was confused. Mark felt like he was missing something, because for the life of him, Mark could not come up with a reason for Nancy to feel this way, especially since they had never courted, and he didn’t fancy her.
She gave him the reason he was looking for. “You always say the sweetest things to me, Mark. No one else talks like you.” Her hands went behind his head and had begun to run through his dirty blond hair.
Mark felt like his heart was going to give out. Mark pulled Nancy’s hands from around his head. His blue eyes held hers. He let out a faint laugh, though not in humor, but more in the need to comfort the sadness in her eyes. “Nancy, I say nice things to every girl. You know that. You've seen me do it. It’s just the way I am.”
Nancy began to shake. Her head moved back and forth in denial. Her heart seemed to be breaking right before Mark’s eyes. Mark had never felt so low in his life. The tears she’d been holding now falling to the floor. “But, you don’t look at the other girls like you look at me. I know you want me. Don’t leave me Mark, please.”
Mark let out a ragged breath. Daniel warned him on numerous occasions that his flirting would get him into trouble, but Mark never saw this coming. Not in a million years. Now, he had to find a way to let her down easy. “Nancy, I’m getting married. I’m not married yet, but I’ve already promised myself to something else.” He’d meant what he said. Mark barely ever made oaths. But if he ever gave his word, he’d keep it. For a long time, his word was all he had. “You need to leave, Nancy.”
“Just one kiss?” Her hands were still in his. The tears on her small upturned face were drying. She stopped crying, but there were faint hiccups.
Mark sighed. “I don’t know, Nancy.”
Nancy pushed closer to him. She brought her head close to his. She whispered, “I won’t tell anyone.” Her eyes were no longer sad. Now, they held a darkness in them that didn’t look wholesome. A slow grin began to part her lips.
Mark’s eyes widened. “Nancy…?”
They both jumped when Mark’s front door slammed opened. Daniel stood there. His look had been one of alarm, but quickly turned to anger when he spotted Mark and Nancy together. Daniel looked menacing standing in the doorway. A long scar was embedded deeply on the left side of his face, which always made him look rough and scrappy, but in reality, Daniel was a nice guy and once he, himself had got married, he’d gotten soft. But Mark wasn’t going to try the giant’s patience at the moment.
Mark backed away from Nancy. “Daniel, for once, it’s really not what it looks like.” It almost could have been, Mark admitted to himself. He hated that, but it was true. He knew he was supposed to resist the devil and all that, but at times, it was difficult, when pretty women would tempt him. It was just another reason to get married. Settling down could straighten him out. It wasn’t Mark’s fault that he was great looking. He couldn’t be blamed for the way women looked at him.
Daniel didn’t move from the front door, but his anger seemed to be pouring off of him. “You’re bride’s train was in a wreck just outside Kansas City.”
Mark’s eyes went wide. He ran for the front door and passed by Daniel. “Let’s go.” Nothing else mattered to Mark at the moment. He’d deal with this mess later. Right now, his bride to be needed his help.
* * *
2
“Will Her Vision Return?”
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“ No one had ever touched her
so sweetly before. No man
had ever kissed her before. ”
.
Hannah woke up in a bed. She felt her body resting on a soft sheet. She felt tired and tried to remember what had happened. She’d been a passenger on a train when it derailed and crashed. “Where am I?” she wondered aloud.
She could hear voices from the foot of the bed, but she ignored them for the moment. She moved her fingers first. Each one. They seemed fine. Her toes were next. Yup, they were still there. Lifting her hands, she skirted them briefly over herself. Everything seemed to be intact, but her head was killing her. She winced when he felt a cut on the side of her temple. Her hands were forcibly moved back to her sides. “Don’t move.” It was the soft voice of a woman. Hannah wasn’t aware of the presence at her side. The pain that was shooting through Hannah’s head was reassuring. Hannah wasn’t dead.
The woman’s words stopped the discussion of the men. She could hear footsteps moving towards her. Hannah didn’t recognize the voices she’d heard. She began to sit herself up, but it was much too painful. Her back hurt. The footsteps coming towards her moved faster. A pair of arms went around her. “Let me help you.”
“I’ve got it.”
“No, let me help,” the arms grew tighter. Hannah wasn’t sure what she had on, but something told her that her dress was gone. She felt embarrassed in his man’s arms, but allowed him to help her, only so he’d back away once the task was done. But he didn’t, not fully. Hannah felt his hands grab hers. They were large. They were rubbing hers. She felt the weight of him settle onto the bed next to her. “How are you feeling?”
His voice. There was something to it, Hannah thought. It was gentle, and warm, though firm. There was a confidence in this mysterious. Hannah liked it. “Where am I?”
The stranger’s hands stopped moving. He sat very still. Hannah imagined that he’d probably stopped breathing as well. “Your eyes.”
Hannah’s heart fluttered. Yes. Her eyes were a light gray, almost white. They’d were of a bright sea blue before she’d been blinded, but… that had been many years ago.
Another pair of feet began to move towards her. “I noticed her eyes. I’d hoped they’d clear before she awoke, but it seems that the accident has blinded her.” The man speaking had a professional air to his voice. A knowing quality that the educated seemed to develop over time. It’s the voice that says, ‘I know everything’. Hannah guessed him to be a doctor,
The pair of hands holding Hannah’s tightened just then. “Will her vision return?” It was the warm, smooth voice speaking again.
“Only time will tell.”
Hannah began to shake her head, but felt a jolt of pain stop her. The doctor, Hannah was guessing, wasn’t a very good one. Either that, or he simply wasn’t educated about sight. Hannah knew almost everything about them, if only to understand herself better. She was just about to tell the two men that she’d never see, when the man holding her spoke.
“Sarah, I don’t want to worry that I’ll back out of marrying you. I’ve promised myself to you and I’ll keep my promise to you. Would you still like to get married or do you want to go back home?”
Hannah stilled. He’d called her Sarah. Did he think she was Sarah from the train? Oh dear. What was this man’s name? Why couldn’t Hannah recall anything Sarah had said? The woman just talked and talked for hours. Hannah shook her head and the pain almost made her faint.
“Let’s lay you back down. You’re lucky to be alive. Only three people from your car survived. You, a little boy, and an old woman.”
Hannah began to panic. Did that mean Sarah was dead? How awful. Hannah came to like the chatty woma
n. She’d been so young and full of dreams. A part of Hannah’s heart went out to her. A heavy cloud of sadness soon settled over Hannah. Laying sounded like a good idea, but Hannah had to tell him. Sarah’s intended husband had to know. She wasn’t Sarah. She was Hannah.
Once Hannah’s head hit the pillow, the name came back to her. “Mark.”
“I’m here, Sarah. I’m right here.” His hands tightened around hers again. “If you’ll still have me, I’d like to marry you, but you think on it.” His words were soft and calming. “If you need me, I’ll be right outside the door. Nurse Barbara will stay around to tend to you.” His hand let her go, but then Hannah felt them go to each of her sides. The faint press of lips touched her forehead and Hannah sighed. No one had ever touched her so sweetly before. No man had ever kissed her before. This man thought she was Sarah and was still willing to marry Sarah even if she couldn’t see. Hannah had never heard of a more romantic thing in all her days, and for a moment, she wished she was Sarah. She wished she was Sarah so she could have this man.
Tears welled up in Hannah’s eyes. It had been so long since Hannah wanted something so badly. She’d grown out of asking for silly things a long, long time ago. Hannah prayed for God not to take her mother, but he had. Hannah had asked God for her father’s love, but Mr. Grace left Hannah to grow up in the school for the blind and when she’d returned home, he didn’t greet her with open arms. Instead, he’d suggested that she return to the school. Hannah was done asking for things now. Over the years, she’d learned to depend on herself, because she couldn’t count on anyone else. But this? Did Hannah dare ask God for one last thing? Could she?
Hannah heard to the sound of footsteps leave, and the door soon closed behind them. Someone else still moved around the room. “That’s a beautiful broach you have there.” It was the woman. Hannah guessed it was Nurse Barbara, but she had no idea what the woman was talking about.
“Broach?” Hannah asked.
“Yes, it was found in your hand. Mark said he’d bought it for you and then sent it to you. It’s how you were identified in the pile of bodies.” She sighed heavily. “You had it wrapped so tightly in your hand. It was like you knew your whole world depended on it.”
So, that’s why they thought she was Sarah. The broach. Now, Hannah was really confused as to what she do. It seemed like everything had fallen into place for Hannah. Maybe God was still in the business of answering prayers.
“It truly is a beautiful broach.”
Hannah smiled. “It is, isn’t it?”
* * *
As Mark slide the ring on Hannah’s finger, she tried not to shake. He’d just promised to love and cherish her until the end of time, in front of the pastor and two of his relatives. When it was Hannah’s turn, she did the same, sliding the ring into place, saying her vows, and then waiting for the inevitable.
Hannah could feel Mark’s warm breath against her face right before she felt his lips touch hers. Hannah found herself on her tiptoes, wishing for the kiss to last forever. It all too quickly ended, and everyone present applauded the newly married couple.
“Ready to go home, Hannah?” Mark asked.
Hannah smiled. Everything seemed to be moving so quickly. She’d asked him to start calling her Hannah, telling him that Sarah was her middle name. It had been one of the first of her many lies. If Sarah hadn’t been so talkative, Hannah was sure she wouldn’t have been able to make Mark believe she was the woman he’d written to for months. Thinking of Sarah made Hannah sad. She made a mental note to send a telegram to the family, letting them know that their daughter was gone. She didn’t want them going on believing that their daughter was still alive, living somewhere clear on the other side of the country. That would be too cruel.
“Not before I’ve been formally introduced,” a deep voice said.
“Me and Paula too,” a much softer, feminine voice chimed in.
Mark walked Hannah over to them. “Daniel, Katherine, this is my beautiful wife, Hannah. Hannah, this is my family. My brother, his wife, and their two year old daughter, Paula.”
“Nice to meet you all,” Hannah said first. She held her hands in front of her. Mark hadn’t been lying when he’d called Hannah beautiful. Her hair was such a deep shade of black, it was almost blue. Her skin was pale and unblemished. Her eyes were almond shaped and were surrounded by a bed of black lashes. She had a pointed nose and an angled face. Her gorgeous hair and pale skin made her look like a goddess from a children’s fairy tale. She was beautiful in the most powerful way.
Katherine moved forward and wrapped the woman up in a warm hug. Mark saw the shock on Hannah’s face, but didn’t say anything. Katherine had become quite motherly since having Paula. Almost subdued. Calmer. But the woman had been anything but those things when he first came to know her. Katherine was a plump woman, and would rip the head off any person who felt she needed reminding of the fact that she was on the shy side of heavy. Even now, Katherine wasn’t afraid to put someone in their place, but somewhere along the way, Daniel’s love and Paula’s adoration had softened the woman up. “It’s so nice to have another woman in the family. These men drive me crazy,” Katherine said in a loud whisper.
“I heard that,” Mark said.
“You were supposed to,” Katherine said as she turned towards him.
Hannah laughed. Daniel hugged her next. Hannah basically disappeared in his embrace. She had to steady herself once he let her go.
Mark walked over and helped Paula hold her hand out to shake, but then realized Hannah couldn’t see what he was doing. So, he put Paula down, grabbed one of Paula’s hands, grabbed one of Hannah’s, and helped the two shake. Paula was smiling. Pale blue eyes like her mother’s shined up at him. Hannah was not smiling. “If you’ll tell me what what’s going on around me, I can respond accordingly.”
Mark narrowed his eyes. “But you couldn’t see Paula’s hand.”
“Then inform me that we were to shake hands and I will hold my hand out. I’m blind, Mark, not dumb.”
Mark sighed in frustration.
“Oh, I like her already,” Katherine said.
Mark narrowed his eyes at Katherine. Katherine didn’t even blink. They’d bumped heads plenty of times in the past. Mark was usually in the wrong. Okay, Mark was always in the wrong, but that didn’t mean he’d back down.
“You guys going to the game?” Daniel asked.
Mark sighed. “No.”
“What game?” Hannah asked.
“Just a baseball game,” Mark replied.
Katherine leaned in towards Hannah. Her pale blue eyes twinkled with glee. “The church is sponsoring it. The game was supposed to be for the kids, but somehow most of the adults got involved. Mark and Daniel are on separate teams. Today is the final game.”
“Sounds like fun,” Hannah said.
Mark didn’t know how to reply to that. Looking around, he could see that Daniel and Katherine didn’t know how to respond either. Apparently, the lack of noise caused Hannah to continue. “We should go.”
“But…” Mark stopped himself. He was just getting ready to inform Hannah that she was blind, but he was sure that she knew that already. Ever since he’d helped her out of the sick room in Nurse Barbara’s home, Hannah seemed to refuse his aid. She’d only asked for his arm while they walked, but nothing more. She was so good that if Mark were a betting man, which he wasn’t, he’d almost believe that Hannah could see.
“Yes, to answer everyone’s question. I am blind,” Hannah began. “But if the game is important to you, Mark, then we should go. I don’t want to you to stop enjoying life on my behalf.”
Mark lowered his voice. “But what will you do while we play?”
“She can sit with me and mommy.”
Katherine clapped her hands in agreement. The little girl knew her name, and responded when she was called. “Paula, sit.” Her mother said.
Katherine smiled down at her daughter. “Yes, Paula sit down sweetie.”
&nb
sp; “Okay mommy.” Paula answered back in a soft whisper, right before she sat down next to Katherine. Paula knew where to find comfort. Mark smiled at her. Not for the first time either. His heart yearned for a kid. It was all Daniel’s fault. Before Daniel had got married, Mark didn’t want anything to do with being married or having the responsibility of kids, but in the last few years, it seemed that the old Mark was gone. Yeah, he’d been pushed into getting married by the old folk at his church, but a part of him wanted what Katherine and Daniel had. A family.
Mark had never had a family of his own. Not a real one anyway. Daniel wasn’t his blood brother. Mark and Daniel had grown up in a small orphanage in eastern Kansas. The home was run by their house mother, Paula. Paula just loved the two. She’d loved all her children like they were her very own. She hadn’t had a lot to give them, but Paula had given them all she had, and Mark and Daniel had taken it. But when the boys got older, Paula’s wonderful food and loving embrace, just wasn’t enough for their rambling spirits. The boys soon ended up wandering around, looking for work, when they’d been found by Tobias Steele, the leader of one of the biggest gangs in the west. Tobias had offered them the one thing the boys wanted more than anything else, to never go hungry again. Upon hearing those words, Mark, Daniel, and their other brother, Joshua, would have done just about anything. And they had.
Mark shook his head to erase the memories. They were too dark to think upon. If he allowed himself to dwell on those moments, they would capture him, control him, steal his soul, and leave him feeling empty inside.
“Well?” Hannah asked, interrupting Mark’s burdening thoughts. God bless the woman. “We’ll go.”
“Good,” Hannah went back to her meal.
The discussion after that moved on to other things. Mark just stood there grinning, trying to figure out his mysterious new wife.
* * *
