An Unlikely Place for Love

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  She was relieved when it was time to separate out to play different games. She played horseshoes but was no good at it.

  “It’s a good thing I didn’t bet on you for this game,” Sam told her.

  “I have to admit that this isn’t my strength,” she agreed. She pretended to drink another gulp of beer from another bottle the men had handed her. She poured some of it on the ground when she bent down to tie one of her bootlaces. If she had drunk all the beer they had handed her, then she would have given her true identity away an hour ago. She wasn’t used to drinking much except for the occasional glass of wine.

  “Would you like to see what Georgia was like?” Sam and Tim’s mother asked her at one point during the afternoon while she stood around talking to Sam, Tim, their mother and Jeff. “It might be nice to put a name with a face. I know Chad doesn’t have any pictures of her in their house.”

  She noticed that the mother didn’t refer to it as his house. She shrugged and agreed to go to the house. It seemed that Georgia’s mother took great delight in showing off Georgia to anyone who cared to listen. She wondered where that left Lacy. Lacy wasn’t granted as much attention as Georgia was, even though Lacy was still alive. She had briefly met Lacy but Lacy stuck with the other women while she stuck with the men.

  When she entered Mrs. Montgomery’s simple three story home, the pictures of all four of her children lined the walls of the house. Georgia had been the oldest, so naturally, there were more pictures of her. Sam was the second oldest, Tim was the third oldest, and Lacy was the youngest. Lacy still lived at home because she hadn’t found a man to marry yet.

  “How old are you, Billy?” Mrs. Montgomery asked her.

  “Twenty-eight,” she replied as she took in all the pictures in wonder. The woman obviously adored her children. She wondered where Mr. Montgomery fit into her world since there was only one picture of him, and that one was smaller than the others.

  “You are the right age for Lacy,” she thoughtfully stated. She bit her lower lip, as if considering the match.

  Kate quickly cleared her throat. She had to put a stop to this. “Mrs. Montgomery,” she began, “I will be leaving within a month or two, so I don’t plan to stick around for long. I am checking out different parts of the country in my quest for adventure.”

  “That is nice. However, if you should encounter the right woman, I’m sure you’ll find that marriage will be even more exciting than traveling.”

  She cringed. The woman had no idea how unlikely the idea of her marrying Lacy really was. Kate considered that it was proof that her disguise was working. She followed the woman to a closed door at the top of the first flight of stairs.

  “This is Georgia’s bedroom,” the woman told her. She rested her hand on the doorknob and put the other hand over her heart. “Georgia was so lovely. Chad adored her, of course.”

  Kate took her mind off of the pictures lining the hallway and forced her attention on the woman as she opened the door and led her into the large bedroom.

  “We gave Georgia the biggest bedroom since she was the oldest child,” her mother said. “Sometimes, if I stand still and listen, I can almost hear Georgia singing one of her favorite songs. She had the most beautiful voice. She is surely singing with the angels in Heaven now. Heaven is blessed to have her there, though we miss her terribly.”

  That depends on who you talk to. Kate took in the room in amazement. It was like a museum. Mrs. Montgomery apparently dusted the room often, for it looked as if Georgia was sleeping there. The light pink bed sheets and comforter were neatly made on the bed. Five white pillows with lacy pink trim were placed in order from smallest to largest at the head of the bed. A group of stuffed animals sat on the bed too. The bedroom dresser featured pictures of Georgia from infancy to adulthood. Kate had to admit that Georgia was good looking. She could see why Chad was initially attracted to her.

  But I’m beautiful as well. He might even find me to his liking if I took off the disguise. She caught herself by surprise at such thoughts. She hadn’t expected to feel a wave of jealousy over seeing pictures of his dead wife. She forced herself to focus on Georgia’s mother who was rambling on about the kind of person Georgia was.

  “My little girl was such a sweet person. She couldn’t hurt anything or anyone. She cared deeply for all of God’s creatures. She was always protecting her little brothers and sister. She had a natural mothering instinct about her. It was such a shame that Chad wasn’t able to perform his husbandly duty to her. Though I don’t blame him for it. How can a man help whether or not he can give a woman children? Georgia loved him so much that she stayed with him anyway. She told me that when she married him, it was for life. And he was devoted to her. Without her around, he’s lost his will to live. She was his strength. Wherever he went, he took her with him. He couldn’t bear to be away from her.”

  “But he has nothing in his house that would indicate he was even married,” she said in disbelief.

  “He was too upset to be reminded of her death. It nearly drove him insane to lose her.”

  Did Mrs. Montgomery actually believe that? As she looked at the woman, it was apparent that she did.

  “Georgia was one of a kind.” Her mother sighed sadly. “There aren’t many women like her around.” She went to the dresser and picked up Georgia’s diary. “Would you like to read some of her entries? It will give you an idea of how she was.”

  Now this was something Kate had to see. She nodded and took the diary from the woman. She didn’t know whether to believe her eyes or not. Georgia had written nothing but praises for her family and the town she lived in. She was upbeat and loved life. She even wrote prayers to God about protecting her family and friends. This doesn’t match up to the picture of her I get when I am in Chad’s house. Chad didn’t speak of her. In fact, he seemed like he wanted to forget she even existed. But even according to her brothers and father, Georgia was an outstanding woman. Someone’s either lying or delusional. Was it possible that Chad was so distraught over losing her that he mentally blocked her from his mind so he didn’t have to deal with the pain of her death? She had been so sure of what Georgia had been like before that day, but standing in Georgia’s old room, surrounded by her things and reading her diary, she wasn’t sure of what to think anymore.

  “Do you think well of Chad?” she finally asked Mrs. Montgomery.

  “Yes. He is a fine man. He was good to my daughter.”

  Kate shook her head, trying to clear it from the fog that she felt like she was drifting through. How could Mrs. Montgomery like him when the rest of the family detested him? Suddenly, everything seemed overwhelming to her.

  “I shouldn’t keep you here all day.” Mrs. Montgomery smiled as she took the diary and placed it gently on the dresser. She adjusted the hairbrush. “There. That’s the way Georgia liked it.”

  She numbly followed the old woman out of the room and watched her close the door. Then she went outside. She breathed a sigh of relief. It felt good to be in the warm sun where people were laughing and talking around her. She felt as if she had walked from death back into life. Time had seemed to stand still while she was in Georgia’s room. She was relieved to be out of that creepy house.

  Chapter Four

  On Monday, Chad decided to repair the roof of his house which had been damaged during the last hailstorm. He repaired the barn roof first because it was the smaller of the two tasks. He had Sam and Bob work on the roof since they were thinner than Tim and Jeff. The less weight he had to put on the roof, the better. He explained the process of repairing the roof to Bob who intently listened to his instructions. He gave them the materials to set down the items they would need and went to his own corner to work on his part of the roof. A few minutes into the process, he noticed that Bob was rubbing his arms.

  “What’s wrong?” he called out to the new farmhand.

  “Some of these nails are hard to pound in with the hammer,” Bob replied.

  Is he kidding? �
��What’s so hard about it?”

  “It takes a lot of strength to do.”

  “Well, you’re a man, right?”

  Bob looked at him in disbelief. “Are you implying I’m not?”

  “If you’re already worn out from this simple task? Yes.”

  He could tell that Bob was greatly upset by his statement but turned back to his work. Chad cringed as Bob haphazardly pounded a large nail into the wood. He sighed and stood up to investigate the quality of Bob’s work.

  “Give him a break,” Sam said.

  “Did I ask for your opinion?” Chad shot back.

  Sam stood up. “I don’t have to be doing this today.”

  “Then don’t. And you won’t get paid either.”

  “Fine. Billy, let’s go.”

  “No, Sam,” Bob argued. “I need this job.”

  Sam calmed down.

  Chad looked at the poor quality of Bob’s work. If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear that Bob was really a woman. He sighed. “Take the new boards and bring them to me and Sam when we ask for them. Alright?”

  Bob silently put the hammer down and did as instructed.

  About halfway through the project, Bob stumbled over a box of nails which went flying all over the place. He lost his balance and fell off the side of the roof. Chad and Sam ran over to the see where he landed and tried not to laugh when they saw that Bob had landed in the bushes next to the house. Chad knew that Bob wasn’t seriously hurt, though his ego might have taken a blow. A skunk ran out from the bush and sprayed Bob who screamed in protest.

  That sounds like a woman’s scream. Pushing the thought aside, Chad shook his head in amusement and climbed down the ladder. He went over to Bob who looked horrified. He cringed at the stench that was all over his new farmhand. “Get into the metal tub in the barn. I’ll get you the tomato juice to get that skunk smell off of you.”

  “What? Why can’t I just wash off in the river?” Bob quickly stood up and adjusted his hat. He touched his beard.

  “Because regular water won’t get the smell out. You need tomato juice. Fortunately for you, I got some.”

  “I don’t know, boss. I’m not comfortable with the idea of you seeing me naked.”

  He rolled his eyes. “It’s not like you’re a woman. You don’t have anything interesting for me to look at.”

  “Believe me, boss. It would be much better if you didn’t look at me at all.”

  “Why? Are you tiny down there?” Sam asked from over the roof.

  Bob looked appalled. “I’m huge. I don’t want to embarrass the boss.”

  Chad rolled his eyes again. “We’re not here to talk about penis size. We’re here to work. Fine. Since you are so particular, I won’t look. I promise. Now, I’ll get the metal tub ready for you, since it’s apparent you don’t have the strength to move heavy objects.”

  “Excuse me. I suppose I need to have a heart to heart talk with the Creator about the way He made me.”

  Chad sighed. “I’m sorry, Bob, but you aren’t cut out for this line of work. Once you leave here, I’d recommend you find a desk job.”

  Bob silently followed him to the barn where he pulled out the tub. “Can you put it over there in that corner?”

  He glanced at the spot which had several piles of neatly stacked hay to hide him from anyone who entered the barn. “Aren’t you taking this modesty thing a little too far? I assure you that I have everything you do. Really, I’m not going to look.”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Very well.” He dragged the tub over to the corner and left so Bob could get undressed. When he returned with the jars of tomato juice, Bob was hunched in the tub. Chad made sure not to look as he handed Bob the opened jars to pour into the tub. “Be sure to wash your clothes in that juice too. And then you can go to the river to wash up. I’ll leave a couple of towels and a bar of soap for you on this pile of hay. Alright?”

  “Just let me know when you’re done putting out the towels and soap. I don’t want to be seen by anyone.”

  “I’ll be sure to keep everyone away from viewing you. Not that anyone is interested in looking at you,” he grumbled as he ran to do the tasks at hand. He didn’t understand Bob at all. The man was clearly out of his element on the farm. Why did he pick this job when others would have been better suited for him?

  ***

  Though Bob seemed sissy for a man, Chad was still glad that Bob was his farmhand since Bob was a hard worker who actually did what Chad told him to do. He was relieved that Bob didn’t join Tim, Jeff, and Sam in their rounds of criticisms and sarcasm when it came to their personal views about him. It was one thing for Georgia’s relatives to condescend him but for an outsider to do the same would have been more upsetting since Bob didn’t even know him well enough to make an accurate judgment.

  The only friend Chad did have in the town was Travis who kept his opinions on any given subject to himself. He was of the opinion that he needed to mind his own business, and Chad respected him for that. Bob wasn’t good about keeping his opinions to himself but at least he didn’t look down at Chad.

  It was Tuesday evening at dinner when Bob decided to have a conversation with him. Usually, he and Bob ate in silence when they ate breakfast and dinner. Since Bob ate with Tim, Sam and Jeff during lunch, Chad made it a point to be busy doing something else during that time. He didn’t mind eating with Bob, but there was no way he would eat with the other three men who made his life almost as miserable as Georgia had. Except with them at least, they went home at night. He still didn’t understand how Bob got along so well with them. He had heard that Bob won every horse race, so it made sense that the three men admired him for that. They seemed to almost worship the newcomer. How unfortunate it was for them that Bob didn’t marry Georgia. But he wouldn’t wish Georgia on anyone. That kind of misery was best left alone.

  Bob cleared his throat after he swallowed some stew. Chad was beginning to recognize that was an indication that Bob was about to speak.

  “What is it?” Chad asked.

  Bob looked surprised that Chad spoke first. Bob took a deep breath. “Do you mind if I ask you some questions regarding your wife?”

  “Yes,” he simply replied. He took a drink of milk and set it back down on the table.

  Bob frowned and stared at his bowl.

  “Haven’t the other farmhands and the people in town told you about her?” he pointedly asked.

  Bob looked back at him.

  He was struck by Bob’s eyes. There was something about his clear blue eyes. It was as if he could see right into his soul. Chad turned his gaze to the meal in front of him and pretended to be interested in it.

  “Well, I’m hearing conflicting messages depending on who I talk to,” Bob began. “When I’m here, I get the impression that she was a hard woman to be with, but when I talk to anyone else, she almost sounds like a saint. I mean, they really talk her up as if she could do no wrong. Now, I know that’s impossible because everyone is a sinner. No one is perfect. That’s why we need Jesus in our lives.”

  “That explains it,” Chad interrupted him.

  He looked startled. “Explains what?”

  “That’s why you actually do your work. You’re a Christian.”

  “Yes, I am. Are you one?”

  He nodded. “I am.”

  “Was Georgia?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. She said she was. She could quote Scripture and say the most eloquent prayers at church, but you’d never know she was one when I was alone with her.”

  “What was she like?”

  Chad realized he said too much. “I don’t want to talk about it.” He drank the rest of his milk and put the glass in his empty bowl.

  “Do you want to know what they’re saying about her?”

  “I already know. They think she was wonderful and that she was too good for me.”

  “That’s pretty much what they said.”

  He hid his irritation. Though he k
new what they were saying, it bothered him that they were revealing this to the newcomer.

  “Have you seen her old bedroom?” Bob asked.

  “Her mother gave you the tour?” How could Bob fit in so quickly with those people? What was his secret?

  “She did. It was spooky. I almost expected Georgia to show up. That bedroom is a shrine to her.”

  “Her mother never could accept the fact that she was dead. I suspect that she pretends that Georgia is still alive.”

  “How sad.”

  He shrugged. “It’s how she copes.”

  “But what about her other kids? Isn’t she interested in them?”

  “Georgia was the favorite. Tim and Sam are alright, but they’re men so she doesn’t feel the close connection with them that she did with Georgia. Lacy...” He paused. “Lacy never had a chance.”

  “Do you like her?”

  “Lacy?”

  Bob nodded.

  “No. I don’t like anyone in that family. Well, I don’t mind the mother.” She had actually been nice to him.

  Bob looked relieved.

  “Did you meet Lacy?” Chad wondered.

  “I danced with her on Saturday. I danced with a lot of women that day.”

  “Look, I wouldn’t get involved with her if I were you. I mean, she seems nice and harmless on the surface but she’s got a lot of bitterness built up inside because she’s always been second best compared to Georgia. She had a tendency to want whatever Georgia had.”

  “Did that include you?”

  Again, Bob threw him off guard. “I don’t want to discuss it. Just know that Lacy is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. That whole family is messed up.”

  “So Georgia wasn’t a good wife then?”

  He stood up in aggravation. “Why do you care so much about it? You’re just a farmhand who’s going to be gone sometime this summer. You’ll be off to another state soon enough. Do you go around asking other people about their personal lives?”