Brides of Grasshopper Creek

by Faith-Ann Smith

  Chapter 5

  Tommy Merriweather had a breathing apparatus in his bedroom. Abigail looked at it as she settled him down in bed for a nap. It appeared to be such a harsh, robotic fixture in his room and it made her sad that the adorable little boy had to be tethered to such a contraption. Still, she was glad that it proved useful in helping him breathe while he slept.

  Reaching down, she gently petted the dark curls on his head. “He never complains,” Samuel said quietly, watching the two of them from the doorway of Tommy’s room. “Even when his mother died, he simply cried and asked me what we should do. He is so good at accepting things for what they are and moving forward as best as he can...it must be something he got from Gertrude.”

  Abigail looked over at him and smiled. She joined him in the doorway. “You seem to have managed pretty well, too. If I may say so, sir.” She blushed a little, hoping she was not being impertinent.

  Sam smiled back at her and took her hand, squeezing it affectionately. “Of course you may,” he said softly.

  Helen Copeland came down the hallway and saw the pair holding hands. She smiled knowingly at Abigail. “Have I missed much?” she asked them pleasantly. “I took a short nap in my room in the hope of waking up for your arrival, Mr. Merriweather, but I seem to have been a bit delayed.”

  He chuckled softly, releasing his hold on Abigail’s hand. He gave Helen a slight bow. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Copeland. You have not missed much. Not much goes on in this house that one could ‘miss’. I was just introducing Abigail here to my son.”

  Helen looked at him searchingly. His looks seemed to make her happy as well. Though looks were not everything, as she would be the first to tell Abigail. The key to a good husband was more in what he did, not how he looked whilst doing it. “I have heard about your little boy,” she said softly. “I am sorry that he is not well, sir. I hope that our presence here will help to lift his spirits somewhat. And yours as well.”

  “I thank you for that,” Sam said. “Now, please, may I request that you both join me for supper? I will find Bertha and make sure that it is ready as soon as possible.”

  Though he was young and a little bit nervous when it came to hosting his guests, Samuel was friendly and obviously doing his utmost to make sure that Abigail and Helen Copeland were comfortable.

  He went off in search of his silent housekeeper as Abigail and her mother went into the home’s dining room. They admired the fine linen of the table cloth. Abigail wondered how much influence the late Mrs. Merriweather had had on the home. It surely looked like it was in need of some sprucing up, but Samuel should be proud of how neat he had kept it.

  The thought of ‘sprucing up’ the place reminded Abigail that one thing the home needed for the approaching holiday was a Christmas tree. She thought that a large, colorfully decorated tree would help to make Tommy feel better. What child did not enjoy the Christmas season?

  Bertha soon joined the women in the dining room and asked them what they would like to eat for supper. She went off to prepare them a nice ham meal in the kitchens and Samuel returned, smiling and clapping his hands together once.

  “I trust that you are both settled in here,” he said politely, looking from Abigail to her mother. “Please, at any point, if you need anything, do let me or Bertha know. It has been a long time since we had guests – and even longer since we have had women around, other than Bertha, of course.”

  Abigail smiled gratefully at him. “There is one thing I was thinking about,” she said shyly. “Since the Christmas season is nearly upon us, I was thinking that it would be nice to have a tree. It does not have to be a very large tree,” she added, “just one that is big and grand enough, with decorations, for little Tommy to enjoy.”

  Samuel beamed at her. “I like the way you think,” he said. “Tomorrow morning, I shall endeavor to go out into the woods and chop down the best looking tree I can find.”

  The trio sat down at the dinner table and Bertha brought in a glazed ham on a platter, served with potatoes and broccoli on the side. Abigail and Helen happily ate their meals, smiling at Bertha and Samuel. Abigail thanked her lucky stars that she had found such a kind, caring man to take her in and make her life better. She knew with no doubt that she was making Sam’s life better, too, just by being there. She hoped that she would be able to bring comfort to Tommy’s life and make sure that his asthma stayed under control at least, if she could not make it entirely go away.

  “I am sorry that I did not meet you at the train station,” Samuel said. “I had to run to the store to get some more medicine to sooth Tommy’s coughing fits.”

  Abigail waved a hand at that. “Don’t be sorry,” she said kindly. “We believed that something like that must be the case. You have been caring for him by yourself for a long time. But now that we are here, you will be able to relax some.”

  Samuel smiled appreciatively at that. “You really are my angels. I’m so grateful to have you here. Thank you.”

  Chapter 6

  The next morning, Sam was true to his word. He went out bright and early before work and chopped down a tall spruce tree. Abigail awoke to the sound of him doing his best to quietly drag it into the house. He left it in the sitting room and went off to work at Merriweather Mining Corp.

  Abigail padded down the stairs to have a look at the tree. It was propped up nicely against the wall, but she knew that they were going to need some kind of stand for it. She wondered if Samuel was good with woodwork and would be able to make a Christmas tree stand.

  Quietly tiptoeing back upstairs, she went into Tommy’s room. He was awake, looking up at the ceiling, breathing through his apparatus. “Good morning,” Abigail softly said to him.

  He looked over at her and smiled slightly, though the apparatus made it difficult for him to move his mouth much.

  “Are you ready to come downstairs? Your daddy has a surprise for you.”

  She carefully unfastened him from his breathing aid and lifted him from his bed. As she carried him down the stairs, Tommy clung to her and her heart soared. He trusted her already, which made her so happy and relieved.

  When they reached the bottom of the steps and he saw the tree in the sitting room, he got so excited that she had to set him down. He rushed over to the tree, happily jumping up and down like any other five-year-old boy. She smiled at him, hoping that the jumping would not aggravate his ailing lungs but glad to see him moving around like a healthy child. “It’s perfect!” he declared. “When can we decorate it?”

  He started to wheeze a little bit, so Abigail picked him up again and carried him over to the couch for some rest. Tommy continued to stare up at the tree in wonder as he calmed down.

  “Your father is working hard so that we will all have a wonderful Christmas this year,” she told him, carefully brushing his hair behind his ears.

  Tommy looked up at her as she held him. “Are you going to be my new mother?” he asked her.

  She felt a bit awkward discussing such things with the portrait of Tommy’s late mother right there above them on the wall. Abigail had also not quite had the conversation with Samuel yet. It was assumed that they were to be married any day now, but she did not want to let Tommy know that in case Sam had not had the chance to explain the situation to his son.

  “No one can be your ‘new mother’,” Abigail told Tommy in a hushed voice. She gazed up at the portrait of the beautiful, mysterious young woman who was Tommy’s mother, and Samuel’s wife. “Your mother will always be your mother,” Abigail told the child. “And she will always be with you…I am here to take care of you and love you as much as I can, but I am not going to replace her in your heart. Do you understand?”

  Tommy nodded slightly. He looked up at the portrait of his mother. “I miss her,” he said sadly. “But I am glad that you are here with me now.”

  She smiled and cuddled him. “I am too,” she said.

  Samuel Merriweather came home to find his new little family all
gathered around in the living room, working together to get the Christmas tree situated in the best spot. Even Bertha was there, helping to make sure that the tree was moved to suit Abigail and Tommy’s specifications.

  “We should not forget this,” he told them with laughter in his voice. He went into the washroom and came out with a large vase full of water. Setting it down beneath the tree, he carefully lifted up the spruce and let it sit inside the vase. “This way, it will continue to stay looking green and lively,” he said, winking at his son.

  Since everyone was working together and seemed to be in the festive spirit, Samuel went off again and came back with a box full of Christmas decorations. Everyone worked together to hang ornaments and candles on the tree. At one point, he and Abigail attempted to put their ornaments on the same branch.

  She blushed at him. “Go ahead,” she told him.

  He looked into her eyes. “No, you had it first.”

  Bashfully, she placed her bauble on the bough.

  Samuel placed his ornament on a branch below hers, then he took her hand in his and gently squeezed it. “Abigail,” he said, keeping his voice low so the other merry-makers would not overhear them. “Would you please do me the honor of becoming my wife this Christmas? T’would be the best gift you could bestow upon me.”

  She gazed into his gentle blue eyes as her stomach fluttered with excitement and feelings of love. Abigail had not known Samuel very long, but she could see that he was a sweet, loving man. How on earth could she turn him down?

  She smiled and nodded. “Nothing would make me happier than to be your wife,” she replied.

  Beaming at her, he brought her hand to his lips and gave it a kiss.

  Before too long, the Christmas tree was decorated. Bertha went off to prepare everyone a hearty lunch. Tommy, though still a bit wheezy, was showing signs of improvement from the way he had seemed to be before the Copelands’ arrival.

  As they all sat around the table, Abigail was so happy because it truly felt like they were a little family. She helped to cut up Tommy’s sandwich into bite-sized pieces and made sure that he ate slow enough to not choke. His spirits had definitely been lifted by the Christmas tree. Perhaps that was not the only thing to have cheered him up…

  Chapter 7

  The church where Abigail and Samuel were to be married was all done up for Christmas as well. There were green garlands and red ribbons all over the aisles between the pews. Abigail thought it was just about the prettiest thing she had ever seen. True to what Samuel had said, they were to be married on Christmas Eve and be each other’s Christmas presents.

  Several people from the little town of Coos Bay were there to witness their marriage. Abigail could tell that quite a few of them were Samuel’s mining friends and employees. They seemed friendly, and hooted with joy as she walked down the aisle to meet Sam before the priest. She was wearing a lovely white lace dress that her mother Helen passed on to her from when she was married to the late Mr. Copeland.

  Sam looked especially dapper in a gray suit and a dark blue tie. She mostly saw him in his mining attire, even though he did not mine so much anymore. It was thrilling to see him looking so sharp. He looked every bit the handsome prince of her dreams. He took her hands, gazing affectionately into her eyes. “My sweet Abigail,” he said. “Before you came along, I was not sure what was to become of me and Tommy. Your gentle ways and loving heart have been a blessing to me. You’re my gift from afar and I cannot wait to share a life with you here.”

  He leaned in and kissed her cheek before slowly placing her wedding ring on her finger.

  The priest asked if she had anything to say. Abigail nodded, clearing her throat a little bit.

  “I used to think that my life was pretty much planned out and settled for me, but something was missing. That something was you and little Tommy. I feel more at home here in this strange place than I could ever feel back in New York. I am so glad to have found you.”

  Abigail slowly placed the ring on Samuel’s finger. Her hands were shaking a bit, but she was able to keep them steady enough to do their job. As soon as the ring was on him, she looked up into his eyes excitedly, biting her lip.

  Once they were wed, Sam dipped Abigail back a bit and gave her a passionate kiss. She felt herself blushing and willed herself not to faint from how romantic it was.

  A white horse and buggy brought the family home. Abigail felt as if she was in a fairy tale.

  “Are you my new mother now?” Tommy asked her, drowsy and happy, as she carried him to bed for his nap.

  “Do you want me to be?” she asked him, rocking him a bit in her hands to help prepare him for a good sleep before dinnertime.

  He nodded. “Oh yes. Very much!”

  She chuckled, laying him down in the bed and tucking the blankets around him so he would not get cold. “Then I am. But remember what I told you,” she cautioned to him. “Keep your mother close in your heart, always. She will always be with you, watching over you and keeping you safe.”

  He put his little hand in hers and squeezed with as much energy as he could muster. “I will remember her. But you will keep me safe, too. I just know you will.”

  Abigail smiled down at Tommy. “You do?” she asked, feeling touched. “How do you know?”

  Tommy smiled back at her, closing his eyes. “Because Daddy says you’re an angel.”

  THE END

  Mail Order Bride: Adeline’s Story

  Mountain Brides Of Wyoming

  Faith-Ann Smith

  Mail Order Bride: Adeline’s Story

  New York City – 1868

  Adeline Brandt longs to raise a family. Her loving husband Robert promises to fulfill this desire but tragically perishes in the Civil War. Shortly after his death, doctors tell the already grief-stricken Adeline that she is barren; she will never experience the joy of having children of her own.

  In an attempt to ease her suffering, a childhood friend offers what she thinks is the perfect solution to escape Adeline’s woes: to head out west to the frontier as a mail order bride and get a fresh start on life. Adeline hesitates, but decides to accept the offer.

  A handsome widower named Alexander Raymond is looking for a wife who can help him open the first library in Cheyenne, Wyoming. His plan? Marriage in name only, and young Adeline seems to fit the bill nicely.

  Can Adeline set aside her pain and sorrow for the chance to love again? And will God bless her with the greatest gift of all?

  Chapter 1

  I’m so sorry to bear bad news, Mrs. Brandt, but there is nothing more I can do.

  Adeline registered the doctor’s words through the roar in her ears, the beating of her heart and the despair in her soul.

  She longed to escape the sterile office with its white walls, bound volumes and bottled sets, but her numb legs clung to heavy beams of solid wood beneath her feet.

  In a desperate attempt to clutch at hope—however slight it might be—she pleaded, “Doctor, maybe you’re not sure. It has only been three months and I have the feelings. If we wait just a moment longer, it might—”

  Her words trailed into thin air when he lowered his head to the sheets of paper on his table. His sad gaze reflected a depth of understanding reserved only for his most difficult cases. It struck Adeline like a powerful blow and left her shaken to the core.

  When he reached over and took her hands in his own, she held her breath.

  “I do not wish to give you false hope, Mrs. Brandt. My colleagues both here in New York and in Boston agree with my findings. Unless a miracle happens, you will never bear a child.”

  Somewhere in the adjacent room, a baby’s cry ripped through the air and Adeline jumped.

  You will never bear a child.

  The words infused a hurt she couldn’t express in words. How could she not know the joy of having a baby of her own to comfort or to croon a tender lullaby to?

  Unable to sit any longer, Adeline rushed to her feet with a painful gasp and clutche
d the edge of the table to steady herself. The doctor’s sympathetic, well-meaning apologies fell on deaf ears and she bolted in a tearful blur.

  Dear God, please help me.

  Chapter 2

  Dark clouds rumbled across the sky and a cool wind began to blow. Thunder roared in the distance and translucent raindrops hammered the thin rooftop.

  The bleak row house on the Lower East Side offered little natural warmth but Adeline did not complain. When her husband Robert died near the end of the Civil War, she moved in with her childhood friend Bethany. The move offered Adeline much comfort to deal with the loss and she enjoyed the association.

  “Would you like a cup of hot tea, Addie?”

  Adeline shifted on the threadbare seat and raised her tear-stained blue eyes. A sad smile hovered near the edge of her lips at Bethany’s use of the name ‘Addie’. Robert used the same pet name and it always brought back fond memories.

  “I think I’d better have something to keep up my strength.”

  Bethany agreed with a pained look but felt the need to offer some solution to the problem. “What are you going to do, Addie? Have you decided?”

  Good question. With a tired sigh, Adeline shrugged slim shoulders and smoothed sun kissed waves across one shoulder. Nipping her inner cheek, she murmured. “I never thought being alone could be so difficult. Robert promised me when we first married that we would raise a family and spend the rest of our lives in eternal happiness. I knew it wouldn’t last forever but I didn’t know it wouldn’t even last a year. And when I lost him, I thought it was the worst thing that could ever happen to me—I was wrong.”