by A. J. Goode
“But -- the train,” she reminded him. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“I know, my love.” He touched his forehead to hers. “I don’t want to let you go. Not now. Not ever. But I’ll be here waiting for you in the spring. Now that I know you love me, I can wait forever.”
“Not forever,” she whispered. “Just until March.”
“Just until March.”
Adam kissed her then, holding her so tightly that she almost forgot how to breathe. She kissed him back until the whoops and catcalls of the crowd made them both laugh out loud. “We’re creating a scene, Mr. Phillips,” she said primly.
“Good. Every married couple should create a scene at least once in their lives.” His jovial tone subsided as he pulled his nieces into a joint hug that included all four of them. “Girls, I trust you to take good care of your Aunt Caroline in New York. Bring her back to me in March, all right?”
“Yessir.” They answered as one.
Then it was time for farewells and more tears, and Caroline, Emily, and Sophie boarded the train.
“I love you all!” Adam shouted from the platform moments later as the train began to move.
Caroline watched him shrink away in the distance until she could no longer see him, and then turned resolutely in her seat. She ached inside at the thought of leaving Serenity, but she took comfort in the knowledge that she and the girls would all be returning together in the spring.
“It’s not forever,” she told herself. “Just until March.”
A Word From the Author
The summer of 1871 was unusually hot and dry across most of the American Midwest. Dry conditions in some areas were made worse by the logging industry’s practice of clear-cutting the forests and leaving behind unneeded tree tops and small branches. At the same time, homes were constructed primarily of wood, and some of the towns boasted of roads made of rough wooden planks.
On their own, any one of these conditions might have created a certain degree of a fire hazard. Together, united with the powerful winds that sweep across the Great Lakes, they created a situation that was basically a catastrophe waiting to happen.
Tragedy struck on the night of Sunday, October 8, 1871. Uncontrolled fires tore through Chicago as well as towns across Michigan and as far north as Peshtigo, Wisconsin. Michigan cities that were heavily damaged included Holland, Port Huron, and Manistee, but many smaller towns and villages suffered losses too.
Historians estimate that as many as 2,400 people lost their lives during the fires that were finally extinguished on Tuesday, October 10. The exact number will never be known.
The story that Adam tells about the Sleeping Bear is a Native American legend that explains the creation of Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes and North and South Manitou Islands. The tall tales that he shares about Michigan winds are also stories passed down through generations of proud Michiganders.
I thank you for reading my story about the residents of the town of Serenity, and I hope you’ll come back to read the story of what happens when the town gets a spunky new schoolteacher.
Other Books by A.J. Goode
Brides of Serenity
Letters to Caroline
Victoria’s Lessons (Coming in 2017)
Love, Charlotte (Coming in 2017)
Beach Haven
Her House Divided
His Heart Aflame
Their Love Rekindled
A Soul Redeemed (Coming in 2017)
Humor
Have a Good One
Fat, Fifty, and Menopausal
