She placed her head in her hands and groaned. He didn’t understand it. The way everything happened, the way he explained it, the way his mother had to have taken it… It all spelled disaster.
Putting her hands down, she turned to face him and said, “There’s only one thing we can do. You’ll have to tell them to go back to Vermont.”
He laughed. “What?”
“I’m serious, Rick. Your mother will never think well of me. It’ll always be awkward between me and her.”
“No, it won’t. I told her you’re wonderful.”
“Which she doesn’t believe.”
“You didn’t let me finish. I also told her she’s going to have to be nice to you and get to know you. I made it clear to both of my parents that if they don’t give you a chance, then they can’t be around us. I told them that my life is with you, and if it comes to the point where I have to choose between you or them, I’ll choose you. My father was nice to you yesterday. Didn’t you notice that?”
“Yes, but it didn’t work for you mother.” And why would it? His mother had to think the worst of her, and she didn’t see any way she could rectify it. “Why can’t you tell them to go back to Vermont?”
“Because where they live is up to them.”
“But don’t you see how awkward things will be? Yesterday might not have been tense for you, but it was for me. I had to stay quiet almost the entire time, and that’s not easy for me. What happens when I want to say something and she doesn’t approve of it?”
His smile faded. “Do you think I’ll stand by if she criticizes you?”
“That’s just it. She’s going to keep finding fault with me because she already thinks I’m a bad wife.”
“Give it time. You’ve only been with her twice.”
She inwardly shuddered. “And how many times must I be with her before you understand things won’t get resolved?”
He sighed. “You’re making this into a bigger problem than it is. My mother’s not unreasonable.”
“I’m sure she’s not when people aren’t manipulating his son to do their bidding.”
“I wouldn’t have married you if I didn’t want to. Nothing you could’ve done would have worked if I didn’t fall in love with you.”
“But she doesn’t think that!”
He ran his hands through his hair and groaned. “I don’t know what you want me to do. I’m sorry I told them anything at all. I should’ve just said I decided to marry you instead of Ethel Mae and not explained why.”
“Well, it’s too late to change things.”
“So what do you want me to do?”
“Tell them to go back to Vermont.”
Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. “I’m not doing that. They’re my parents, and even if things are tense right now, I don’t believe they will always be that way. They’re not unreasonable people. And I like having them nearby. When we have children, I want them to do the things I never got to do with my grandparents. I want them to go fishing with my father, and I want my mother to be able to tell them stories she used to tell me when I was a child. My grandparents died before I was born. I would have liked to have known them. I think them being in Omaha is wonderful.”
She rubbed the area between her eyes. Arguing with Rick was giving her a headache. Why couldn’t he see how much this whole thing was hurting her? She’d always envisioned getting along with her future husband’s parents, but it wasn’t turning out to be anything like she’d hoped. And now she was supposed to let her children spend time with her mother-in-law who detested her?
“You need to give it time,” Rick quietly said. “It was my mistake because I didn’t tell them as soon as I became interested in you. I was so excited to be with you that I didn’t think about it. I’m sorry.”
Dropping her arms at her sides, she thought over her options and decided she needed the advice of someone who always knew the best way to handle any situation. “I need to see my ma. She’ll know what to do.”
He nodded. “Alright. Next Saturday, we’ll—”
“Next Saturday? I want to go out there tonight.”
“But it’s six.”
“I need her help right now, Rick. I can’t wait for Saturday.”
“But tomorrow’s Monday. I need to go to work. I can’t do that if I take the time to go out there and come back here tonight.”
“You don’t have to go with me. I can take a buggy out there. I’ll just rent one from the stable.”
“This is ridiculous. Just wait until next Saturday, and I’ll take you there.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to wait. I want to get the matter resolved as soon as possible.”
“I have a better idea,” Rick began. “I’ll bring my mother here, and we’ll all sit and talk about it.”
“I need to ask my mother if that’s a good idea or not.”
“You need to ask your mother? This doesn’t involve her.”
“Which is why her opinion is so important to me. I need someone who isn’t involved in this to steer me in the right direction.”
“I don’t like you bringing someone else into this, Sally.”
“Why? Because you think my mother won’t like what your mother’s doing?”
He stiffened. “That’s not fair. I don’t agree with my mother’s estimation of you, but she’s still my mother. I keep telling you that she’ll come around to seeing what a wonderful lady you are, but you don’t listen to me.”
“You don’t know that she’ll accept me, Rick. She might tell you she does because you’re her son, but she might not mean it.”
“She doesn’t lie.”
“Everyone lies at some point, Rick!”
“Like you lied to me about Ethel Mae liking someone else or that I needed to pretend to like you in order to get her attention?”
Bristling, she crossed her arms again. “Or like you knowing what I did and pretending you didn’t?”
“So you’re right! We all lie at some point.”
She wasn’t sure what to say to that. It almost seemed wrong to point out that even if people did lie, his mother lying to him about accepting her was far worse than the little white lie she told him. It wasn’t like she was hurting anyone when she told her lie, and besides, Ethel Mae didn’t want to be with him. And he knew full well what she’d done when he asked her to marry him so what was the harm? Unless… “Do you regret marrying me?” she asked, almost afraid of his answer.
“No.” He stood up and walked over to her so he could put his arms around her. “No, I don’t. I might not have realized you were the right one for me if I didn’t get to spend time with you because of Ethel Mae.”
Relieved, she hugged him back.
He gave her a kiss and asked, “Would it really help you feel better if you talked to your mother?”
“Yes. She knows how to handle these situations, and I want to make sure I do the right thing.”
“Alright. And in the meantime, I’ll talk to my mother.”
She nodded and thanked him.
“I’ll take you to your parents,” he whispered and kissed her again. “And before you ask, I know I said I didn’t want to go all the way out there and back because I have to work tomorrow, but I want to make sure you get there safely.”
“My ma can bring me back.”
“When will you be back?”
“Tomorrow before supper. All I really need to do is talk to her.”
He nodded and slipped his arm around her waist. “At least you’re only leaving me for one night.”
Amused, she smiled at him. “I’m not leaving you, Rick. I’m happy with you.”
He returned her smile and squeezed her waist. “Hopefully, we can keep it that way.”
Feeling much better since she knew her mother would know exactly what to do, she left the house with him.
Chapter Twenty
“Sally, what are you doing here?” her mother asked that evening as she opened the front door.
<
br /> Joel peered around their mother and narrowed his eyes at Sally and Rick who stood on the porch. “You can’t give her back, Rick. She’s your problem now.”
“Joel, hush,” their mother admonished.
Sally glared at him. “It’s not sunset yet. Shouldn’t you be helping Pa, Tom and David in the barn or fields?”
He gawked. “I was thirsty, so I came to get a drink of water.”
“Must you always use that as an excuse?” she asked.
“Ma’s water tastes better.”
Just as Sally was about to protest, their mother cleared her throat and motioned for Sally and Rick to come into the house. “Let’s not keep Rick waiting. We’ll get you something to drink and eat before you head back to town,” she told him.
“No, thank you, ma’am,” Rick replied as he entered the house and set Sally’s carpet bag on the floor. “I need to get home so I can get a good night’s sleep.” He gave Sally a kiss on the cheek.
Joel gagged. “I hope you don’t make it a habit of doing that all the time.”
Amused, Sally gave him a triumphant grin. “Don’t worry, Joel. When you’re older, you’ll be kissing young ladies.”
“I don’t think so,” he protested. “I don’t do disgusting things.”
Their mother’s eyebrow rose. “Oh? You tried to bring a snake into the house the other day.”
“That’s not disgusting. Snakes eat mice. They’re the perfect indoor critter.”
Their mother blanched and pressed a hand to her throat. “Do we have a mouse in this house?”
“No, not yet. But do you want to take your chances on one getting in?”
With a sigh that was a mixture of relief and frustration, she gestured for him to go outside. “Go help your pa and brothers.”
Though he grumbled, he obeyed.
Sally shook her head. “I thought he’d never leave. Why do you let him in here so much when he should be out there working?”
Her mother shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s the last child I’m going to have, and he likes being with me. Your other brothers pretty much run out of here as soon as they’re done eating, so I don’t see them a lot during the day.”
“He’s only in here to avoid working. I’m telling you that boy is lazy. I don’t know if he’ll ever get a good job.”
“Sure, he will.”
“For your sake, I hope so.”
Rick patted the small of Sally’s back. “I better go home.”
After they said good-bye to him and he left, Sally shut the door behind her and sighed. “You’re much too nice to that boy.”
“Who? Rick?” her mother asked.
“No! Joel.”
“Sally, when you’re a mother, you’ll understand. Children grow up so fast. I have six children, and only four are still living at home. Why, look at you and Richard. You’re already married. It won’t be long before Tom’s married and living on his own. You can’t begrudge a mother for letting her youngest spend a little time with her during the long day when everyone else is out in the fields.”
“You have Jenny.”
“Yes, but she likes to spend most of her free time sewing instead of talking to me.”
Sally smiled at her mother. “But when she is an adult and married, you know she’ll always come home when she needs your wise advice. You’re the perfect person to talk to.”
“So there’s a reason you wanted to see me other than missing me?”
“I did miss you, but yes, I need your advice, too.”
“Well, take that carpet bag up to your old bedroom, and we’ll talk in the kitchen.”
Sally nodded and retrieved her bag and hurried up the steps to her old room, not surprised to see that Jenny was sitting in the rocker by the window and sewing a shirt.
Jenny looked up at her. “Don’t tell me Rick got rid of you already.”
Feigning indignation at her sister’s teasing tone, Sally said, “He wouldn’t dare do such a thing! I’m too wonderful.”
Giggling, Jenny pulled her needle through a sleeve. “Is everything alright between you two?”
“Yes, it is.” She walked over to her old bed and put the carpet bag down. “I just need to talk to Ma tonight. I’ll be going back home tomorrow.”
“What do you need to talk to Ma about?”
“Never you mind. It’s about being married.”
She sighed and jutted out her lower lip. “That means it’ll be a good conversation. I wish I was older so I could hear the interesting things women say when they’re together.”
Sally walked over to her and patted her on the head. “With any luck, you won’t have to worry about the kind of thing I do.”
Before Jenny could press her for more information, she hurried out of the room and went to the kitchen where her mother was pouring some tea punch. Glad they had time alone, Sally pulled out a chair and sat at the table.
Her mother set the glasses on the table and sat across from her. “Sally, you can’t run away from your problems. If something’s troubling you, you need to stay home and take care of it.”
“I know, Ma. But does that mean I can’t ask you for advice when I need it?”
Her mother smiled. “No, of course not. What’s wrong?”
After she took a sip of the tea punch, she sighed. “I found out why Rick’s mother doesn’t like me.” For the next half hour, she explained everything she learned, often expressing her frustration over the situation. When she was done, she concluded by asking, “What am I supposed to do?”
“I think you and Rick should sit down with his parents and explain everything. Allow them to express their concerns, and answer those concerns honestly.”
“And if his mother still doesn’t like me?”
Her mother shrugged. “Then she doesn’t like you. I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do to make her like you. You’re just going to have to be honest with her and hope for the best.”
Sally knew her mother was right, but she’d hoped there was some magical thing she could tell his mother that would make everything better right away. Hiding her disappointment, she thanked her mother for the advice.
The kitchen door opened and Tom blinked when he saw Sally. “What are you doing here?”
“Joel didn’t tell you?” Sally asked, surprised since Joel usually told Tom everything that happened on the farm.
“I haven’t seen him since supper, which means I had a good day,” Tom quipped.
Their mother stood up. “Go to the parlor, and we’ll bring you some tea punch.”
As he hastened to obey, she walked over to the door and peered out of it. Returning to Sally, she said, “Joel and Dave are washing up at the well.”
“You mean Joel didn’t run off to hide in the loft?” Sally teased.
Her mother shot her a pointed look. “He has been known to work out there.”
“Sure, when someone is hovering over him to make sure he does it.”
“You’d be surprised by how hard he works when he wants something. Now, let’s get the men something to drink. They’ve been working hard and need something to quench their thirst.”
Deciding to stop teasing her mother about Joel, Sally stood up and helped her pour tea punch into more glasses.
***
The next day, Sally’s mother almost didn’t take her back to town because of the thunderstorm that rolled through the area. But when Sally looked out the window and saw that the rain had ceased, she grew anxious and turned to her mother who was resting on the couch in the parlor.
“I think it’s safe to go back,” Sally said, hoping her impatience wouldn’t betray her.
Her mother, however, noticed it and laughed. “For someone who made it a point to come out here last night, you sure are in a hurry to leave.”
She sighed, her cheeks warm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply I don’t enjoy being here.”
With an amused smile, her mother rose from the couch and peered out the window. “I know, hone
y. It’s only natural for a young bride to miss her husband when she goes away.” She glanced at her and nodded. “You’re in luck. I think the worst is over. If we get any more rain, it’ll be light. I’ll have your pa bring the buggy to the house.”
“Thanks, Ma.”
Sally returned her attention to the window as her mother left the room. The refreshing breeze wafted into the room, and she closed her eyes to enjoy it. Few things were as refreshing as the smell of the air after a rainfall. When she opened her eyes, she saw her mother as she headed for the barn to talk to her father.
With a glance at her carpet bag, she decided to wait on the porch. She picked up her bag, but before she left the house, she went to the kitchen where Jenny was sewing. A couple of sheets of paper rested on the table, and she stopped every couple of seconds from her sewing to read from the instructions.
“Are you working on a skirt?” Sally asked.
Jenny looked up at her and smiled. “Yes. I want to try to make something bigger than a shirt.”
“You really enjoy sewing, don’t you?”
“Yes. It’s a nice way to relax.”
“I don’t mind it myself. It’s certainly better than cooking.”
Jenny shrugged. “Cooking’s not so bad as long as you just have a few ingredients to worry about.”
“If you say so.” Sally didn’t care for it whether she had a few ingredients or a lot. She could think of many things she’d rather be doing, and not all of them were pleasant tasks. “Good luck with that skirt.”
“Thanks.”
Sally stepped onto the porch in time for her father to pull the buggy up to the house. Her mother sat beside him, and Sally noticed the way he patted her mother’s hand affectionately before getting out of the buggy. She moved over in the seat and picked up the reins while Sally bounded down the steps, her heart pounding in excitement. Soon, she’d see Rick!
Her mother gave her a knowing smile as she set the carpet bag at her feet and sat beside her. “I’m sure Rick is as happy to have you back as you are to return home.”
“Am I that obvious?”
“I’m afraid so.” Her mother picked up the reins and urged the horse forward. “Do you feel better about his mother?”
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