[2016] Alone and Pregnant

by Christian Michael

  Trinity rose from her spot and walked over to the window, looking out to see if she could find them. Maddie was chasing after her father, jumping in the puddles as she did. Trinity laughed to herself. That little girl was awfully cute. Part of her wished she was out there with them, but that feeling that told her she didn’t belong crept back up.

  With a sigh, Trinity walked back to her room and grabbed the letter. She was going to leave it on the counter for them to find when they got back. By then, she would be well on her way to town, if not on the stage already. Trinity gathered her things, buttoned her coat, and made sure the note was where they would find it.

  Then, with one final look about the house, she took a long breath in and let it out again slowly, and she left.

  Chapter 8 – Coming Home

  The rain started again before Trinity made it to town. She hoped it wasn’t raining enough back at the house to make Emmett and Maddie come back early. Trinity wanted to get a good start before they got back. She didn’t have much to carry, Trinity only took a couple of dresses to begin with, and the only thing she really wanted to keep was the glass figure Emmett had purchased for her the day she had arrived.

  The stage was in and out of town often enough, Trinity knew it wouldn’t be hard to find a ride today. If she had gotten enough of a head start, she may even be to the next town before they found out where she had gone. It wasn’t that Trinity wanted to run away from them, but she didn’t’ want them to feel badly about her leaving.

  It really wasn’t anything they had done. It was the fact she didn’t feel she belonged anywhere, and that was something she explained right in the letter she had left. Trinity hoped they would understand, and that they wouldn’t blame themselves. She had even left her address in case they wanted to write to her when she got back.

  All in all, Trinity didn’t feel good about what she was doing, but she felt worse about staying. She wanted to be where she felt she belonged, and she didn’t here. At least back home in the church she felt like she had a place, even though it wasn’t a place she liked. A place was a place, and that was all that mattered to her.

  Trinity purchased a ticket for the next stage that was coming through. It was set to run through in an hour, so she had some time to wait. Trinity pulled her bag over to the side of the platform, and sat down. If they took their time on their walk, she should be getting on the stagecoach about the same time they were getting back inside. All in all, it would be perfect timing.

  When they got to town, she would be gone, and things would all go back to the way they had always been before. Trinity ignored that gnawing feeling inside of her that told her she was making a mistake, and with resolve in her posture, she sat tall, waiting for the stage to arrive.

  As she sat there, Trinity couldn’t help but notice the emptiness that filled her heart. She didn’t know why, but there was something that felt like it was missing. She had never noticed this feeling before, and wondered if she had always felt this way without even realizing it. It wasn’t really a pain, but more of a dullness that was in her chest.

  She sighed, hoping it would go away, but it didn’t.

  As the minutes passed, it got worse, and for the first time in a long time, Trinity thought she was going to miss them. She wondered if she was making a mistake, but shrugged off the feeling, telling herself she was just nervous for the journey.

  Suddenly, Trinity thought she heard something.

  It wasn’t the stagecoach.

  It was her name. Someone was calling her name.

  Trinity rose, and turned around. There, running up the road as quickly as she could, was little Maddie. Emmett wasn’t far behind. They both looked worried, and Trinity could see that Maddie had been crying.

  Maddie threw her arms around Trinity as soon as she reached her, sobbing into her shoulder.

  “Don’t go, Trinity! Please don’t!”

  Trinity held her, but stood up when Emmett reached her.

  “Emmett… what’s all this about? Didn’t you see my letter?”

  “I did, and I came as quickly as I could. Trinity… do you really think we don’t want you there?”

  Trinity didn’t know what to say. She had felt that way, but she didn’t know why. They hadn’t done anything to make her feel that way. She nodded, then shook her head.

  “It’s not that you did anything, Emmett… It’s just that I don’t belong. I have never had a family. I have never had a mother or a father, or any brothers or sisters. I don’t belong in one. You have each other, and it is wonderful, but you don’t need me.”

  There were tears in her eyes as she spoke, and Emmett reached out and pulled her close, with Maddie in between them.

  “Trinity. You have meant more to me than anyone has in years. And Maddie, too. You are the mother and the wife that I needed, and everything to Maddie. I know it can be hard, but I can’t just let you go. I need you. Maddie needs you. I love you, Trinity.”

  “I love you, too!”

  Maddie was still crying into Trinity’s dress, and at that moment, something came over her. She felt that wall that she held in her heart melt away. It was a new feeling… one she never experienced before. It felt as though a burden had been lifted, yet all of her emotions came out all at once.

  Trinity burst into tears, and let Emmett hold her.

  “You guys really want me to stay?”

  “More than anything!”

  Maddie chimed up in her shrill voice.

  “More than anything. Please stay.”

  Emmett whispered the words in her ear, and for the first time in her life, Trinity felt loved. She felt like she truly belonged here, and she felt she needed these two as much as they needed her.

  For the first time in her entire life, Trinity had found her family.

  THE END.

  The Christmas Bride

  Mail Order Bride

  CHRISTIAN MICHAEL

  Hoboken, New Jersey 1890

  Kayla Anderson sat in her parent’s home looking at all the empty rooms where her memories were stored. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled past her lashes as she wept for the life that had been uselessly ripped from her hands. Two weeks ago she’d been happy, the well-loved child of doting parents. Now she was parentless and heartbroken, her only thread of hope, an advertisement for a mail-order bride.

  She scoffed at the idea. Just barely eighteen she couldn’t imagine being someone’s wife, but what other choice did she have? She’d spent every penny she’d had burying her parents. The advertisement said the man would pay her travel expenses and for a hotel when she arrived before any permanent decisions were made. The promise of security, even if the arrangement didn’t work out, was enough to have her sending the man a wire to see if he still needed a bride.

  Stopping by the post office, Kayla sent the wire, with a special request to hurry the reply. She had two more days and her parent’s house would be rented to a couple who’d just moved to the area. Sighing, Kayla headed for the grocery store. She had ten dollars left to her name to make the next two days livable. She returned home with some bread and peanut butter. It’d go the furthest in feeding her for the next few days as Kayla clung to the hope that her answers lay in Texas.

  ***

  Curt Langley breathed in the smell of fresh coffee as he sat on his porch. He watched the pretty purples and pinks of the sunrise spread over the horizon and wondered how anyone could question the existence of God. Just looking at his ranch, spread out across the plains of Texas, he could see the obvious fingerprints of a loving creator.

  It’d been a week since he’d posted an ad in all the East Coast newspapers. Desperate for a friend and someone to take care of him, Curt had decided that placing an ad for a mail-order bride was the quickest way to find someone to fill the position he had open. Being a fairly new state, Texas had nearly ten men for every woman. While he wasn’t looking for a wife, it was easier said than done to find a woman who’d stay on his ranch and cook and clean for hi
m. Tired of eating hard tack and biscuits, Curt had put an ad in the papers back east for a woman who could cook and clean to come to his town.

  He’d thought about specifying an age, but wasn’t sure that was the best way to find capable candidates. He was so desperate he figured the more women who applied the better.

  “Senor Langley!” Curt’s foreman Tomas said, holding up a yellow slip of paper. “The post office man bring this by senor.”

  “Thank you Tomas,” Curt said, taking the paper. Convinced his workers should speak, write and read English, he never spoke to them in their native language, even though he knew it fluently. Looking down at his notice, it seemed a woman was more than willing to come to Texas and asked that he rush his reply if he was still in the market for a wife. Grinning, Curt had Tomas saddle his horse.

  “I need to go take care of this,” he told him. “I’ll be back as soon as it’s done.”

  “Yes sir,” Tomas said with a shake of his head.

  Curt wheeled his stallion around and took off for town. Forty minutes later he sat in the post office awaiting a wire answer from Miss Anderson. He mulled her name over in his mind. Kayla Anderson. He wondered how her parents had chosen her name. Was it just one they heard and liked or did it have a more sentimental tone to it than that. He’d wired enough funds to more than pay for her travel. He hoped she’d answer quickly. Once he knew for sure that she would come, he’d head over to Rose McClaire’s boarding house and rent a room for the month. That should be ample enough time for both Miss Anderson and himself to decide whether or not their arrangement would work out.

  ***

  Kayla had awoken for the first time in two weeks with a clear mind. She wouldn’t call it hope really, but there was a certain amount of anticipation in her step as she headed for the post office. She stepped through the door, thankful to be out of the chilly October air.

  “Hi Charlie,” she said, greeting the clerk who was on duty. “I don’t suppose there’s been an answer to my wire?”

  “Actually, I just received a wire answer and a transfer of nearly five hundred dollars. To be given to you should you read the answer and agree.”

  Kayla didn’t want to show her surprise, but it wasn’t an easy thing to hide. “May I have the wire first please?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Charlie said, handing over the common yellow paper.

  Dear Miss Anderson Stop Thank you very much for answering my ad Stop So far you’re the first woman to do so Stop I suppose this is because of its unusual nature Stop I hope this letter finds you well and that you still plan to come to Texas Stop If so, please find enclosed a sum of five hundred U.S. Dollars Stop Come with all haste Stop I will be ready when you get here Stop Please send reply of confirmation or declination Stop Truly Yours, Curt Leopold Langley Lubbock Texas Stop

  “Charlie, will you please send this in reply to Mr. Curt Langley,” Kayla said. “Dear Mr. Langley Stop I gladly accept your invitation to come to Texas Stop I greatly appreciate your paying my passage Stop Please expect me within the week as I plan to leave this very afternoon Stop I’m hopeful this arrangement will benefit us both Stop Kindly Yours, Kayla Anderson Stop”

  “Sure will ma’am,” Charlie smiled. “Although it’ll cost quite a sum to send that much wordage.”

  “That’s fine,” Kayla smiled. “Please deduct it from the sum Mr. Langley sent.” After waiting for the message to be sent, Kayla took the leftover funds and headed for the train depot.

  “May I help you Miss?”

  “Yes, sir. I’d like a one way ticket to Lubbock, Texas.”

  “Are you traveling alone ma’am?” the depot master asked, obviously concerned.

  “Technically yes, but I’ll have plenty of company on the train.”

  “Oh, I don’t doubt that ma’am. You just be sure to find a nice woman or couple to travel with most of the way you hear?”

  “The Lord will carry me through and guide me where I need to be, when I need to be there.”

  “Well good luck to you ma’am,” the depot master smiled as he handed Kayla her ticket.

  “Thank you.”

  ***

  Curt waited anxiously the following Saturday as the hour drew near for Kayla’s train to come in. She’d sent a reply within minutes a week ago to tell him she’d be on the next train. Now he was pacing up and down the boardwalk, awaiting a woman he’d never even seen. He just hoped she could cook and clean.

  The train whistle blew and Curt looked down the tracks to see the huge steam engine leading the passenger cars, one of which carried Kayla Lynette Anderson. He’d wondered about her ever since he’d gotten her response to his ad. He’d inquired about her travel arrangements but hadn’t expected the surprise of her traveling alone. It wasn’t entirely unheard of, but it was an odd and extremely concerning path, especially when he’d sent for her personally.

  The train came to a stop and passengers filed off in droves. It seemed more and more people every day were coming to stake their claims on the land of Texas. It was sort of nice knowing a woman would be coming to his home. He waited patiently for everyone to clear out, figuring he’d know the woman he was looking for when she was the only one left there.

  As the massive crowd began to thin, Curt caught site of a woman who mesmerized him and took his breath away. The mixture of her platinum blonde hair and pretty blue eyes enchanted him. He thought about asking her what her name was, but he knew it’d be rude to the woman he was actually waiting for. As the crowd thinned even more however, Curt realized that this stunningly beautiful woman had yet to meet anyone who might be waiting for her.

  “Ma’am, might you be Miss Kayla Anderson?”

  “I am,” the beautiful woman smiled. Curt knew that if she’d taken his breath away earlier, he’d be completely tongue-tied if he spent too much time thinking about her and her future at his home. “I take it you’re Mr. Langley?”

  “I am,” Curt said, extending his hand. He shook Kayla’s hand, picked up all of her belongings and seeing what else needed to be toted to his carriage. “Please call me Curt. I hope you don’t mind not having some of the modern conveniences.”

  “It’s not a problem,” Kayla reassured him. “I’ve cooked on everything from a fire outside to a hearth fire to a wood stove. Whatever you might have I’ll make do with.”

  Curt couldn’t believe that the woman talking to him would be cooking and cleaning for him. If he were going on looks alone, he might rethink getting married. Still, she was here and he’d promised to put her up until she decided if this arrangement would work for her.

  “May I take your bag?”

  “Yes please. Thank you.”

  “You’re most welcome,” Curt smiled. “Do you have a trunk as well?”

  “I don’t. I didn’t want to spend too much of the funds you sent so I only brought my satchel.”

  “Alright,” Curt said. “We’ll get you settled and then we can go to the café, if you’d like, and discuss our arrangement.”

  “Okay,” Kayla agreed.

  ***

  She’d never have imagined that Curt Langley would be so handsome. The contrast between his dark, curly hair and his beautiful and bright blue eyes was shocking to say the least. She imagined plenty of women stopped and stared at him. She wondered, not for the first time, why he hadn’t been able to find a wife here in his hometown. Then she stepped into the street and realized that the number of available women was scarce, to say the least.

  “I must admit Mr., er Curt, I at first found your ad a bit odd.”

  “I don’t doubt it,” he laughed. He helped her up into the wagon and saw her settled before sitting down next to her. “It took quite a lot of thought before I was ready to send it. As you can see though, the number of women I could choose from is slim to none.”

  “I do see,” Kayla said, nodding in agreement. “So where will I be staying?”

  “I’ve reserved a room for you for the next month at Rose McClaire’s boarding house.
It includes your room and two meals a day. I took the liberty of presuming you’d perhaps eat lunch or supper at the ranch during the day.”

  “I’d like that,” Kayla smiled. “Thank you.”

  “It was my pleasure Miss Anderson.”

  “Please, if I am to call you Curt, you must call me Kayla.”

  “Alright Kayla,” he said, his eyes all but burning her with their directness. Still, she liked the way her name rolled off his tongue. So far he’d been nothing but a gentleman and Kayla found herself comfortable in the presence of Curt Langley.

  They checked her into the boardinghouse and Kayla was thankful that Curt waited while she was given the tour. “Obviously men are not allowed up to your room and will only be allowed to visit from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon during the weekend and on Saturday. Sundays the visiting is from noon until four.

  “Breakfast is at eight AM sharp, lunch at one PM and dinner promptly at six PM. If you’re going to be late I will hold a meal for you if given proper notice. If you’re not going to attend at all I’d greatly appreciate advanced notice as I cook for all my guests.

  “Mr. Langley has paid for your stay for the next month. Should you need to stay longer than that the cost is fifty cents a day, which includes your meals.”

  “Thank you Ms. McClaire,” Kayla said, adding a smile.

  “You’re welcome dear. Please, call me Katie and don’t worry about lunch today. I have it on good authority that Curt will be taking you out for the noon meal.”

  “Do you know much about him?”

  “Only that if I were fifteen years younger I’d give you a run for your money. Truthfully he’s quite a mystery. He’s quiet most of the time and likes to keep to himself. That I know of he’s quite well off, but doesn’t flaunt it like so many easterners like to do when they come here. He’s a regular at church so my guess is his faith is important to him and he’s one of the kindest men our town has. If I were you I’d make my soul searching quick before another woman came along to snatch him up.”