Susan laughed self-consciously. “Thomas wandered off and we couldn’t find him. It really scared me.” She knew Albert would worry if he didn’t know exactly what had happened.
Albert stared at her for a moment. “Is that how you felt when Lewis and I were missing that day?”
“It is absolutely how I felt. I don’t want anything to happen to any of you boys.” She shook her head thinking back to her dread from that day as well. She’d never lost her siblings at home, but they didn’t tend to wander, and when they did, they left a trail of destruction that was easy to follow.
“Does that mean you’re going to stay?”
Susan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Of course I’m going to stay. Why would you think I wouldn’t?” Susan had no idea he was worried about her leaving them. Had he heard what she’d told David the day he and Lewis had gotten lost in The Acre?
He shrugged and kicked a pebble. David took Thomas’s hand and led him into the house. “Well, my real ma left. And all the nannies left.”
Susan put her arm around Albert’s shoulders and led him to the porch swing where they both sat. “Your real ma left because she died. She didn’t want to leave you. And the nannies left because you and your brother did mean things to them. Why did you do that?” She knew she should be focused on his worries of her leaving, but since he was opening up to her, she really wanted to know their reasoning for being so mean to the different nannies.
Albert shrugged. “We didn’t really want them here. Most of them just wanted to marry Pa. They didn’t care about us.”
“I do.” Susan was sure he already knew it, but she told him anyway.
“I know, Ma.” Albert rested his head on her shoulder. “I’m glad you were the one who didn’t leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” She was happy to be able to reassure him of that fact. She couldn’t imagine life without her husband and boys. “I love you and your brothers.”
“I love you, too, Ma.”
They sat together silently for a few minutes each of them happy the other was there. Finally, Susan asked, “Are you hungry? Sadie was making fried chicken a while ago. I bet it’s done.” She knew fried chicken was his favorite meal.
Albert stood up and offered her his hand to help her.
“Thank you, sir.” She accepted his help gracefully and they went into the house together.
Sadie was just putting dinner on the table. Mrs. Hackenshleimer stood beside the table wringing her hands together. “I’m so sorry I lost him. I’ll go pack my bags.”
Susan stared at her in disbelief. “You can’t abandon me now!” She didn’t want to think about doing it all alone without the older woman’s help.
Mrs. Hackenshleimer looked at Susan in surprise. “You mean I’m not fired?”
Susan shook her head. “Of course not! I need you!” She walked over and hugged the older woman. “You were the one who realized he was missing which is why we found him so quickly. I don’t know how long he would have been gone if you hadn’t said something when you did.”
“But I was the one who lost him in the first place!”
“We lost him together. We were both focused on other things and weren’t paying enough attention.” She wasn’t going to let the nanny take the full blame for something she’d done wrong as well.
Mrs. Hackenshleimer nodded slowly. “You still want me to stay?”
“Absolutely! Who else is going to help me potty train the twins?” Susan grinned at the nanny. “You’re done for the night, though. Go get your dinner.”
“Thank you.”
Susan took her seat at the foot of the table. The boys sat in the exact same places they’d been in the first time she’d eaten with them, and she realized the meal was the same, too. So much had happened in the time she’d been in Texas, and she was thankful she had her family. She remembered then she was supposed to write Harriett a few weeks after the wedding and let her know everything was all right. She made a mental note to write to her first thing in the morning so she wouldn’t forget.
They all joined hands and David prayed over the food, thanking God that Susan was in their lives and that they’d found Thomas. Thomas still had no idea he’d caused such an uproar, but he liked hearing his name in the prayer.
Susan turned to Lewis. “So how was school today?” She’d found that asking Lewis before she asked Albert was always a good thing. Lewis tended to not only tell her everything Albert had done wrong during the day, but he happily told on himself as well.
“Albert was making faces at Ruby again. He had to stand in the corner.”
Susan looked at Albert. “Who’s Ruby?” Was there a girl in the boy’s future? Wasn’t Ruby one of Beverly’s daughters?
Albert blushed. “Just a girl.”
“Is she pretty?” Susan wiggled her eyebrows as she asked the question, knowing her teasing would embarrass him.
He shrugged.
“What’s her last name?” She wasn’t going to give up until she knew everything there was to know about the little girl he made faces at during school. Wilma had said that was how her relationship with Ned had started.
“Smith.”
Susan looked at David. “Is Ruby Charles and Beverly’s daughter?” She tried to keep the absolute glee from her voice as she asked the question. Beverly would be beside herself is something happened between Albert and her precious little Ruby.
“Yes, she’s their oldest. Why?”
Susan’s smile lit up her entire face. She couldn’t wait until Wednesday so she could torment her friend over the fact that Albert thought her daughter was pretty. “No reason.” The smile didn’t leave her face as she continued her meal, though. She and Wilma were going to have a lot of fun teasing Beverly.
*****
In bed that night, David asked Susan why she’d been so excited to know Ruby was Beverly’s daughter.
Susan laughed. “Beverly’s convinced her perfect girls won’t marry any of our hellions, and Albert thinks ruby is pretty. She’s going to have a fit when I tell her about it tomorrow.”
David grinned. “Charles won’t be happy either. Let’s have them over for dinner so we can watch them squirm when Albert looks at their girl.”
“Yes, let’s!”
She sounded so excited at the prospect of watching their friends discomfort he couldn’t help but laugh. “You have an evil streak, wife.”
“And you like it, husband.”
“Why yes. Yes, I do.” He pulled her to him more tightly, loving even her mean streak. He would never have guessed when she stepped off the train just how well she fit in with his family.
“It’s why you love me.”
He chuckled. “It’s only one of the many reasons I love you.”
“Just so there’s one.” She snuggled into his side and rested her head on his shoulder. “I made the right decision marrying you.”
He hugged her closer. “I know you made the right decision for me and my boys.” He’d known that since the first week they’d married. How had he been so fortunate?
“Our boys.”
Epilogue
January 5th, 1885
Dear Harriett,
I was very happy to receive your letter yesterday. Things are still going very well for me here. I know I came to you determined that I didn’t want to marry a man who had children, but I’m so glad things worked out the way they did.
My boys make me smile every day. I can’t imagine what life would be like without them. Thomas and Walter are potty trained now. I can’t believe they’ll be three next month! Albert is still sweet on our neighbor’s daughter, little Ruby Smith. I tease her mother constantly about Albert being her future son-in-law. Lewis is determined he’s going to join the army to fight Indians as soon as he finishes school, and I pray every day he outgrows that notion.
My life is so very different than what I pictured it would be when I left Beckham, but it’s no less wonderful than I’d imagined. Thank you so much
for helping me.
I wish you every happiness in your future. If you ever need something from me, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I think of you as one of my very dearest friends and will always be grateful for the life I have thanks to your service. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours,
Susan
Susan folded the letter to get it ready to post. She still wondered what had happened to leave Harriett a widow at such a young age. And why did she limp? She knew they were questions she’d never be able to ask. She did hope her friend found happiness, though. It was sad to see such a pretty woman devote her life to others’ happiness and never find a true love of her own. Someday, she hoped to receive a letter telling her Harriett had found love.
Mail Order Madness Page 14
