by Mark Goodwin
She had no flowers but Vicky had managed to bind several branches of pine, cedar, and holly together with a length of taupe twine for a bouquet. Mr. Pritchard had another tree trunk set up which served as his podium. Vicky had scavenged together a smattering of candles in various colors and arranged them on sections of firewood in various lengths stood up on their ends and placed carefully around the podium.
Gavin wore a button-down shirt, his black hoodie, and jeans. Despite the imperfect circumstances, Kate couldn’t have been more excited about the day.
Pritchard looked at Kate, Gavin, and Vicky, who stood by Kate’s side. “The other boy ain’t comin’?”
Vicky smiled. “Sam is helping to get everything ready at Mr. Davis’ garage.”
Kate looked curiously at her niece but wasn’t going to make any inquiries at such a solemn ceremony.
Pritchard opened his Bible and read multiple verses about marriage. Afterward, he closed the well-worn book and tucked it beneath his arm. “Kate, you figurin’ on stickin’ by the boy here, in sickness and health, poverty and plenty, forsakin’ all others, till death do you part?”
She beamed at Gavin. “I do.”
“Boy? You gonna hold up your end of it? Love your woman as Christ loves his church? Cause if you ain’t, best say so now. Might break her heart but least you won’t be breakin’ your vow made before God. Hebrews says it’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Ain’t nothin’ to be taken lightly.”
Gavin seemed unmoved by Pritchard’s caveat. He stared into Kate’s eyes. “I do.”
“Very well then, I pronounce you husband and wife. From this day forward you are one flesh. You can’t go back to bein’ two several persons no more than I can separate the corn from the cheddar in a mess of cheese grits.”
Gavin appeared to have been stolen from his enraptured state by the allegorical comparison between mountain cuisine and marriage. He turned to the self-appointed preacher and looked at him curiously.
“What’re you eyeballin’ me about, boy? Go on! Kiss her!” Pritchard waved his hand in an almost threatening manner.
Gavin complied. Kate melted into his arms as they kissed long and passionately.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough. There’s youngin’s about!” Pritchard clapped his hands to break up the matrimonial expression of affection.
“I’m not a kid, Mr. Pritchard.” Vicky crossed her arms tightly to protest the accusation of immaturity.
“Well, don’t none of us want to see all that. It’s why they made honeymoons.” Pritchard adjusted his Bible to be more secure under his arm and headed toward his house. “Best get on over to Pete Davis’ before the food gets cold. I’ll see y’all down yonder.”
“What food?” Kate asked. But Pritchard didn’t answer. She turned to her niece who seemed to know something of the matter as well. “What is Mr. Pritchard talking about?”
“I didn’t tell anyone!” Vicky put her hands up as if surrendering to the police. “I promise!”
“Vicky!” Kate reiterated. “Tell me what is going on.”
“Evidently, the word got out. The community wanted to respect your wishes to elope in secret, but they didn’t see the harm in throwing you a surprise reception. They’ve all scraped together whatever they could find to make some really nice dishes. You have to go, Aunt Kate.”
She felt touched by the thoughtfulness of the people she’d come to know as much more than neighbors over the last two months. “What do you think?” Kate turned to her husband.
“I could eat.” Gavin smiled and led her down the hill.
Upon entering Peter Davis’ garage, Kate and Gavin were congratulated by all of their friends and neighbors.
Dressed in a gray suit, Don offered them each a glass of champagne.
“Where did you get champagne?” Amazed by the lengths at which her community had gone to make a nice reception, Kate took the glass.
“It’s just the one bottle. Everyone else has punch, which is really just several different flavors of Kool-Aid mixed together. ” Don put his arm around his wife, Mary, and pulled her close to himself. “Kim Sweeny sent over the champagne. She’d been saving it for a special occasion and wanted the two of you to have it.”
“That was very kind of her.” Kate surveyed the attendees. “I don’t suppose she felt like coming, being so soon after Herman’s death.”
Don’s eyes were sympathetic. “No. She’s having a pretty rough time. The Hesses are staying with her. The arrangement is somewhat out of necessity since the Hesses’ house burnt to the ground, but I think it’s good for Kim to not be alone in that big old house.”
Kate glanced at the concrete floor. “I’ll send Kim a thank you note.”
Jack and Kelly Russo stood on the other side of the newlyweds. With one hand around his wife, Jack lifted the clear plastic cup containing a reddish-orange concoction. “I’d like to propose a toast.”
Kate smiled and gripped Gavin’s hand with her free hand.
Jack spoke loudly for all to hear. “To this magnificent couple, may God bless you with happiness, prosperity, perseverance, and hope. And may He shield you from the dangers and anxieties of this troubled world.”
Kate and Gavin knocked their glasses together and took a sip from their respective glasses as did the guests.
“I’m so happy for you guys.” Annie Cobb hugged Kate. “I hate to rush you but you should go ahead and cut the cake. We only have two people on duty at the gate and the others working security need to get back to their posts.”
“Cake?” Kate looked toward the table at the rear of the room. A beautifully decorated cake sat at the center. “How on earth…”
“Kelly Russo made it.” Corey Cobb stood next to his daughter, a crutch under each of his arms.
Kate turned to Kelly. “It’s so beautiful that I don’t want to cut it!”
“Well cut it you will.” Kelly escorted the couple toward the back table. “It’s what I used to do before the world ended. I’m happy to be able to do it again.”
Kate cut the cake making sure two pieces went to the guards watching over the checkpoint. Then, she and Gavin took a seat next to the cake and ate.
Also on crutches, Stanley Hess hobbled over to the table and took a seat next to them. Judy Hess sat next to Stanley.
“Hey, it’s good to see you both. Thanks for coming.” Gavin shook Stanley’s hand.
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Stanley seemed sincere.
Kate let her fork rest on her plate. “I’m sorry about your house. I wish there had been another way.”
Stanley waved his hand in the air. “It’s just a house. We’re staying with Kim for now. But perhaps in the spring, we’ll take over one of the other vacated homes in the neighborhood.” He looked sad and gazed at the table top. “Maybe if I had come to this conclusion earlier, we could have put together a better plan. Then, maybe Herman would still be alive.”
Judy rubbed her husband’s back to console him.
Kate shook her head. “You can’t blame yourself for that, Stanley. It’s not your fault that bad people are taking advantage of the crisis and preying on their fellow human beings like animals.”
He forced a smile. “Our two families had become the best of friends over the years. And every time I look at Kim crushed by grief, I can’t help but think that things could have turned out differently if I hadn’t been so selfish.”
Gavin patted the man’s arm. “Don’t beat yourself up. No one is in a hurry to watch their home go up in flames. Were you able to salvage anything?”
“Only your wedding gift.” Judy smiled tenderly at Kate.
“Our wedding gift?” Kate felt perplexed, wondering if she’d heard the woman wrong.
Stanley nodded. “Yes. The house is gone. We haven’t been able to identify any of our belongings except a few kitchen items which are heavily damaged. But, the chimney is standing erect, like a monument to the world that was.”
&nbs
p; Kate still didn’t understand but smiled anyway.
Judy took over the explanation. “Below the chimney, inside our fireplace is a very nice wood-burning stove insert. We understand you only have an open fireplace and thought it might be of use to you.”
Kate’s eyes lit up. Thinking about how they’d get through the freezing winter had been a source of great anxiety for her. “What about you?”
“Kim has a wood burning stove upstairs and one in the basement as well,” Stanley replied.
Gavin added, “Next year when you move, you might want it then.”
Judy shook her head. “We’re not even sure that we’ll want to move. Kim and I are very close. I hate the thought of leaving her in the house alone, especially in this environment.”
Stanley agreed with a nod. “But if we do, we’ll probably pick a house with a wood burning stove, preferably one in the center of the house as opposed to an exterior wall.”
“I don’t know what to say. Thank you.” Gratitude welled up inside Kate.
“It’s us who should be thanking you,” Stanley said. “We’d have never survived if it hadn’t been for the good folks of Apple Blossom Acres. I haven’t been able to inspect it, but the flue liner should still be intact. Jack said he’d pull it out and install it inside your chimney. I’d help him get the stove over to your place but…” Stanley glanced down at his bum leg.
“We appreciate it, more than you can imagine,” Kate said.
“We’re only sorry that we couldn’t have had it installed for your wedding night. It would have been so cozy and nice for you.” Judy lifted her fork and began eating again.
Mr. Pritchard had sat down behind Kate midway through the conversation. With a mouthful of cake, he said, “Ain’t no need to be a worryin’ about these two youngins. They ain’t about to freeze tonight. Matter of fact, it’s liable to be so hot in there that they’ll have to open a window.”
Kate’s face turned red. “Mr. Pritchard!”
“Simmer down girl! Ain’t no secret to nobody in here what y’all fixin to do!”
She buried her head in her husband’s arm. Even Gavin began to blush.
Kate and Gavin mingled with the other guests for the next hour, then they made their exit.
CHAPTER 27
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
John 10:10a
Monday evening, Kate, Gavin, Sam, and Vicky sat around a foldable card table, which they’d set up in the living room in front of their new stove insert.
Sam tallied up the score from the last hand. “That’s it. Guys win again. Looks like Kate and Vicky will be doing the dishes for the next two weeks.”
“No way!” Vicky banged her fist on the flimsy table. “Double or nothing, come on, Sam. Deal the cards!”
Kate put her hands in the air. “I’m going to cut my losses right here. Besides, I think we’re going to turn in for the night.”
Sam shuffled the deck. “Gavin, if we keep this up, we could get out of household chores all the way through the spring.”
Gavin pushed away from the table. “Hate to disappoint you, but I’m beat.”
“Beat? It’s eight o’clock. Come on, bro. We’re on a run!” Sam pleaded.
“Where’s your sense of romance, Sam?” Vicky shot her brother a dirty look. “Let it go. They just got married. This is supposed to be their honeymoon. It’s bad enough that they have to share the house with us.”
“Oh.” Sam seemed to have a revelation.
Embarrassed, Kate bit her lip and quickly dismissed herself from the table.
The security walkie-talkie came to life. It was Rainey Russo. “Main gate checkpoint calling for Kate.”
Kate stopped in her tracks and turned to retrieve the radio from the kitchen counter. “This is Kate, go ahead.”
“Your brother is headed up to the house.”
She pressed the talk key. “My brother? Why is he coming up here? Why didn’t you call me before you let him in?”
Rainey replied, “He had ID. I verified that it was your brother. I figured he wasn’t able to make it to the wedding and was coming by to congratulate you. Mr. Wilcox is on duty with me. He agreed that it was the right thing to do. Did we do something wrong?”
Kate set her teeth tightly against one another and squinted in regret. “It’s okay, you didn’t know, but he’s not welcome in the neighborhood. Where’s your dad?”
“Having dinner probably. He and Don are coming on shift at ten.”
Kate pressed the talk key again. “Let your dad know that Boyd is here and tell everyone to be on the lookout. My brother showing up spells disaster.”
A knock came to the door. Kate motioned toward Gavin. “Get your rifle ready and hang out in the bedroom. Stay back and listen for trouble.”
Kate waited for Gavin to get to the bedroom before answering the door. “Mr. Pritchard?”
Pritchard came in carrying a bag of salt. “Boy that stove sure do keep it warm in here, don’t it? Anyhow, I ain’t come to take up your time, ‘specially it bein’ your weddin’ week and all. I just wanted to drop off some salt. Pitch a handful of it in the fire now and again and it’ll keep the creosote from buildin’ up in your flue. Them rich folk over in Laurel Ridge don’t take care of nothin’. Ain’t no tellin’ when they last had that liner cleaned out.”
“Thanks, Mr. Pritchard but we have salt.” Kate passed the bag of rock salt back to the man.
“No, you keep it. I stocked up on salt and a few other items. Like I said, I knew the judgment was a comin’ based on what the good book said.” Pritchard looked into Kate’s eyes. “What’s a matter with you, child? Buyer’s remorse?”
“What?”
“Cold feet, you already wishin’ you hadn’t hitched up with the boy? Is he treatin’ you right? Cause if’n he don’t, I’ll haul him out behind the woodshed quick as a fly over a frog pond.”
“No, Gavin treats me fine.”
“Then you best just count your blessin’s. Besides, I’m too old for you, so you wasn’t gonna find no better lookin’ man anyhow.”
“No, Mr. Pritchard, I’m in a state of absolute wedded bliss, but my dirt bag of a brother decided to stop by and I know it can’t be good.”
“Oh, him. Where’s that devil at?”
“He’s walking up from the checkpoint now.”
Another knock came to the door.
Pritchard grabbed the doorknob and jerked it open. “Now you listen here! We told you not to show your sorry hide around these parts no more! What in the world are you a doin’ comin’ around here? Carry yourself back to the rock you done crawled out from under ‘for I jerk a knot in your tail!” Pritchard pointed beyond Boyd without giving him a chance to speak.
Boyd’s face was contorted into a look of vast annoyance. “Kate, tell this old man to get out of my way and let me in. I’ve got something you’re gonna want to hear.”
Kate bit her thumbnail. “Mr. Pritchard, let him in. Let’s see what he has to say.”
“Don’t you be a eyeballin’ me, boy!” Pritchard raised his hand as if to back slap Boyd when he walked in the door.
Boyd winced and quickly moved away from the cantankerous old man.
“Say what you have to say, then get out of here.” Kate crossed her arms tightly.
“That’s no way to speak to someone who’s just trying to do you a favor.” Boyd made himself comfortable on the couch.
Pritchard followed him like a hound dog circling a treed raccoon. “We don’t need no favors nor no help from you, boy. If’n you see me in a fight with a bear, don’t raise a finger to help me. If you want to help somebody, help the bear. I’ll take my chances.”
“Stop calling me boy!” He stitched his brows together. “Kate, I come in peace on behalf of Reverend Graves.”
“Reverend Graves? Who is that?” She stepped closer to the couch but did not sit down.
“Lloyd Graves, he’s found Jesus and he wants to forgive you for
killing his brother.”
“Which Jesus did that ol’ polecat find?” Pritchard quizzed.
Boyd held up his hands as if bewildered. “I don’t know, old man, how many Jesuses are there?”
“There’s the Only Begotten Son of God that the Good Book teaches us about, then there’s that pot smokin’ hippy that they worship in most of the churches I’ve ever set foot in, you’ve got the Jesus them devils from the Spanish Inquisition was a prayin’ to.” Pritchard ticked them off one by one with his fingers. “There’s more Jesuses than you can shake a stick at. People cobble together attributes from the real Jesus and mix ‘em up with their own wicked notions of how God ought to be; like some sacred Mr. Potato Head. Then, they bow down to their little Mr. Potato Head Jesus same as you would any other idol.”
Boyd stared at the old man with his mouth open, as if he were completely befuddled.
Kate brought the conversation back on topic. “You were saying, Boyd?”
“Ahhh, yeah. So, Reverend Graves is willing to let bygones be bygones.”
“How magnanimous of him,” Kate said. “Considering his brother killed my brother and was intending to add Vicky and me to his stable, I think he should be sending me a thank you note for ridding the earth of that scumbag.”
Boyd wrinkled his nose. “Where’s your sense of forgiveness?”
“Oh, I forgive him, I just don’t want to share a planet with people like Jason Graves. And I hope Lloyd is truly reformed. Thank you for delivering the message. I’m glad to see you’ve made some new friends. So, if that’s all, I guess you should be going.”
Boyd crossed his hands and sat forward on the couch. “We still have the matter of reparations.”
Kate sighed. “Okay, Boyd. Enlighten me. Does the good reverend want to reimburse me for the damage his brother did to my house? Try to compensate us for our pain and suffering? Nothing he can offer will replace Terry, so I think it would be best if we just stay clear of each other.”
