by Linda Ford
They edged in beside Tom and Nellie. Nellie squeezed Grace’s hand. “I’m glad to see you,” she whispered.
Grace leaned close so no one else would hear her. “How are you feeling?”
Nellie wrinkled her nose. “Big and awkward.” She rubbed the side of her stomach.
The organist began to pump out hymns, and Reverend Albright rose to his place behind the pulpit.
Nellie had a full-throated singing voice that made Grace enjoy singing the hymns. Then Reverend Albright opened his Bible and leaned over the pulpit. “What a friend we have in Jesus.”
From his first word, Grace listened intently. He made it sound so possible, so wonderful. But it was so different from her experience, she wondered how he could be right.
After the service, Nellie turned to her. “I prepared a cold lunch. We were hoping you’d share it with us in the park.”
Grace turned to Billy.
“Sounds like fun.”
The four of them were soon seated on blankets in the park. Grace helped Nellie put out the food. As they ate, she glanced around the park. Others were also enjoying a Sunday picnic.
“There’s Old Len. He’s with someone.”
“That’s his sister, Maude,” Nellie said. “They live together in that little cottage beside the livery barn.” She nodded toward others, pointing out who they were and where they lived.
The meal over, Grace jumped up to put things away. “You sit right there,” she told Nellie.
Nellie sank back. “Thank you, Grace. I don’t mind if I do. I’ve been so tired all week.”
Tom pulled her down to lay her head in his lap. “Of course, she won’t listen to me when I tell her to take it easy.”
“I want to get everything done before the baby comes.”
“You don’t have to can enough stuff for five families,” Tom scolded.
Grace glanced at Billy, stretched out on the blanket, his eyes closed, his chest gently rising and falling. She was almost certain he had fallen asleep. She sat close to him, longing to have him lay his head in her lap so she could caress his forehead and stroke his hair, but she didn’t want to waken him. Instead, she turned toward Nellie. “Couldn’t I help you with the garden and canning? You could teach me how to do it at the same time.”
Tom’s eyes lighted with gratitude.
Nellie spoke without opening her eyes. “I would like to teach you. And you could help me by taking some of the excess off my hands.”
Monday morning, Grace did the laundry, but as soon as she cleaned up after breakfast the next day, she drove over to Nellie’s where Nellie already had a large tub of beans picked.
They sat together, tipping and tailing beans, washing and boiling them, packing them into jars, then slipping them into the hot water bath.
Grace wiped the perspiration from her brow. “This is hot, hard work. No wonder you’ve been tired. Exactly how many jars have you done up already?”
“I’ve lost track, but somewhere around 120, I think.”
“What on earth will you do with all that?”
Nellie gave her gentle, unruffled smile. “Eat it, I suppose. Oh, I know it’s more than Tom and I will eat in a winter, but with a child coming and all… .” She lifted one shoulder. “I guess it’s my mother’s fault. She always said she liked to have a year ahead in case the garden failed. Besides, I have enough to share with you.”
Feeling guilty that she might be the cause of Nellie having too much to do, Grace returned to preparing beans. “It’s an awful lot of work.”
“I know, but it’s so nice to go down to the cellar in the middle of winter and see those jars of food.”
“I suppose it’s nice to know you don’t have to worry about going hungry.”
For a moment they worked in silence, then Grace turned the conversation to another topic. “What did you think of Reverend Albright’s sermon?”
Nellie’s whole face lit up with her smile. “I thought it was wonderful and so true. Just the reminder I needed.”
“But he made it sound like God is as close as you are to me.”
Nellie nodded. “He is. He’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”
“I never had a brother; only my sister, Irene, who was really more like a mother than a sister. She accompanied me to Canada.”
“Where is she now?”
Grace smiled. “She’s in Alberta. She married Billy’s cousin, a widower with two little boys.”
“Didn’t you have a close friend?”
“Addie King. She lived next door. Her parents let her have all sorts of freedom I wasn’t allowed. So when we got together we did things forbidden for me.”
Nellie’s hands were still for the first time all morning. “What sort of things?”
“Addie loved to climb trees.” Grace laughed. “When Father caught me in the branches of the oak, I thought he would have a fit he was so upset. I was banned from playing with Addie for two weeks, and then we were under strict supervision of Irene.”
“But why should he object so strongly?”
Grace shrugged and made a little face. “I guess I almost died as a baby and didn’t thrive for a long time. I think they got used to protecting me.”
“I don’t understand then how you met Billy.”
“It was forbidden for me to go near the hospital, but I disobeyed Father. It was so boring at home. Addie had long since moved to London, Irene and Father were both off at jobs. I was expected to sit at home and amuse myself quietly.” She frowned, remembering the boredom. “I’m so glad Billy took me away from that stifling atmosphere. I was terrified at first about coming out to Alberta, but I like it, and it isn’t at all forbidding.”
“You’re a plucky young lady.”
Grace snorted. “I’m a fearful young woman, ill equipped to face the responsibilities of a wife. Thankfully, Billy is patient.”
“Guess it helps that he’s madly in love with you.”
Eyes wide, Grace stared at Nellie.
Nellie blinked. “Why surely you know that?”
Grace could do no more than shake her head, tears choking her throat.
“Oh, Grace. How can you miss what’s as plain as the nose on your face? Billy almost falls over his feet, he’s so struck on you.”
Grace busied herself snipping beans while she steadied her thoughts. “I love him so much it frightens me.”
For a moment, Nellie didn’t reply, then in her gentle voice she said, “Love should never make you afraid.”
Grace jerked her head up. “You’re right. It shouldn’t.” She slumped forward. “But sometimes it does.”
“But love is God’s greatest gift. Not only does He love us, but He put in each of us the capacity to love and be loved.”
“You sound like Reverend Albright.”
Nellie laughed. “That’s the nicest compliment I’ve had in a long time.” She grew serious again. “If you mean because he said God’s love makes it possible to be friends with Him, then it’s because I agree with him.”
“I guess that’s the part I don’t understand: How can we dare to call God a friend? It sounds irreverent to me.”
“I suppose it would be irreverent if God didn’t extend the invitation. Jesus said He called us friends, not servants. Having said He wishes us to be friends, we have only to accept His offer.”
“I see what you’re saying,” Grace murmured. But still she couldn’t accept it. It didn’t feel right to say a holy, almighty, powerful God could be your friend.
Nellie moaned softly, pressing her hand against her side.
Grace sprang to her side. “Is something wrong?”
“No. Baby is getting a little crowded, that’s all.”
“I can handle these beans on my own until the next lot is due to go in the canner. You go lie down and rest awhile.”
Nellie gave her a grateful look. “You sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course I don’t.” She made shooing motions. “Go now.”
“I’m going barnstorming,” Billy said a few days later.
“What does that mean?”
“It means flying to every little town we can find and offering rides for two dollars. And if we get lucky enough to find a few fairs, we might persuade the town to pay fifty dollars to see some stunt flying.”
Grace finally turned from scrubbing a pot she’d burned gravy in. Alarm shot through her veins, making her voice sharp. “Every town? Stunt flying? You said you wouldn’t be doing any of that. You promised me.”
Billy nodded, his expression regretful. “I know what I said and I meant it, but in the last month we’ve only had one man wanting to be taken to Banff, and a trip to Turner Valley to deliver a package. If I don’t do something, we’ll go hungry this winter.”
Grace choked back the sour panic rising in her throat. “I thought we had lots of money.”
“We bought a car and an airplane. There’s rent on this place. There’s food and gasoline.” He shrugged. “We had enough to get started.” His voice dropped to a mumble. “I thought business would be better than it is.”
Grace dropped to a chair.
He looked down at the floor. Suddenly, he brightened. “You’ve seen how interested people are in flying. I hear there’s good money in barnstorming and doing fairs.”
Still Grace said nothing.
“I figure we start down the highway, stopping at every little town, taking in every fair we can find. It’s that time of year. We could make enough to last us the winter.”
Only one word interested her. “We?”
“I’ll fly Gracie Two, and you’ll come along in the car. That way I have a way getting around when I’m on the ground.”
Grace stared at him, her mind whirling with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. Finally, she said, “I see.”
“Makes perfect sense.”
“Of course.” Her thoughts were still too fragmented to know what she thought.
“We’ll camp out to save money. It will be like our first night together here. That was fun, wasn’t it?”
Her insides turned to butter. “It was. So what do we have to do to get ready? When are we leaving?”
Billy laughed. “I knew you’d be practical about this.” He slapped his palms together. “Let’s get organized.” He began to list what they would need—bedding, a tarp for protection, food, dishes—
Grace threw up her hands. “It sounds like we’re leaving immediately.”
Billy laughed. “Let’s wait until morning.”
Dusk fell around them before they had everything packed in boxes and secured to the car.
“That’s the works. Just one more thing.” He gave Grace a narrow-eyed look.
She glanced down at her dress, now dusty and soiled despite the apron covering much of it. “What?”
“You know how dusty it will be in the car.”
She nodded.
“I think you need to think about something more practical than fancy flowered dresses and useless women’s shoes.”
Her look was steady, suspicious. “What are you suggesting?”
“Come with me. I’ll show you.” He led her to the barn and pulled from a shelf a rolled up bundle. “Here, try these.” He flipped the bundle open. It contained a small flight suit, goggles, and a leather helmet. He reached up again and brought down a pair of leather boots.
Grace looked at them carefully. Everything was new and exactly the right size for her. “I see this whole idea is spur of the moment.”
He laughed. “Yup. It just crossed my mind a few minutes ago.”
“And you happened to have everything the right size just lying around.”
He looked innocent. “Can’t imagine what prompted me to buy them last time I was in Edmonton. Isn’t life amazing?”
She giggled. “Not half as amazing as you.”
It was his turn to look suspicious. “You mean that as a compliment, right?”
Tossing her head, she turned her back, heading toward the door. “What else?”
He hurried to her side. “You going to try them on now?”
She cast him a slanted look, seeing the eager light in his eyes. “If you’d like.”
He nodded, his eyes ablaze.
He waited while she went in to remove her dress, stockings, and shoes, and slip into the coveralls. She found a pair of Billy’s socks, then pulled on the boots, surprised at how light and comfortable they were. Before she returned to Billy, she stood in front of the mirror, examining the affect.
The flight suit was form fitting. She blushed to see how it revealed her curves and narrow waist. Yet it sat easy on her shoulders. She knew it would protect her from the dust far better than her own clothes did. She bundled her long hair to the top of her head and tried to put on the helmet, but she had too much hair. Leaving the tight hat perched atop her head, she stepped outside for Billy to see.
He let out a long low whistle, then circled her, studying her figure in such a way as to make her cheeks grow hot.
“You’re making me nervous.”
“I’m only admiring the beautiful woman I married.” He stood in front of her, pressing his finger to his chin, appearing to be in deep concentration. His gaze slid slowly up and down her figure, coming to rest at last on her face. “You know, you’ve grown more beautiful since we came west.” He leaned closer, studying her face. “It’s in your expression.” His brows drew together. “You’ve lost that frightened little-girl look.” He trailed warm fingers down her cheek, coming to rest on her chin. “You have become a beautiful, confident woman.”
She giggled. “Not very womanly in this outfit.”
His eyes twinkled. “Far more womanly than you can imagine.” He bent and kissed her. “Now I think we need to do something about your hair.”
“My hair?” Her hands automatically touched it.
“It will never fit into a helmet, and unless it does, you’ll have to contend with the dust every day.” He tilted his head from side to side. “How would you like one of those new, shorter styles?”
She’d seen pictures of young woman with their hair shingled or cut into a boyish mop. It didn’t seem quite right, yet, as Billy said, it would be far more practical. “Have you ever seen a woman with short hair?”
“Lots of them. You’d look really swell with your blond curls.”
His admiration made her forget her own reservations. “I don’t have time to get it cut.”
“We can do it tonight.”
“That ‘we’ business again. I’m supposing you propose to cut it for me?”
His eyes glistened. “I could. It doesn’t look so hard.”
“Billy, nothing looks hard to you.”
“Am I ever wrong?”
“I suppose not. At least, not so far.”
“Come on. Take a chance.”
She gave in. “I guess it does make sense. But somehow I fear I will regret letting you do this.”
He cut her locks, letting them fall around her feet, then stood back and surveyed his work with a satisfied grin. “It looks good to me.”
“Let me see.” She rushed to the mirror. Her hair hung to her ears in loose curls. Billy had managed to shape it so it clung to her cheeks and forehead. Grace gasped. “I can’t believe that’s me.”
“Didn’t know you were so pretty, did you?”
She didn’t answer, simply stared at this exotic stranger. Finally she turned away. “I can’t get used to it.” She shook her head. “I feel so light.” Yet secretly, the cut pleased her. All her life she’d struggle with her heavy, curly hair. Irene had complained about the hours it took to wash and dry it and do it up in plaits or more grown-up styles. The idea of cutting it had never entered Grace’s mind, and she was quite certain both Irene and Father would have had a fit if she’d suggested it. But it was the perfect answer. She shook her head again. “I think I like it.”
“I knew you would. Aren’t I always right?”
She giggled. “As if you would admit it if you weren’t.”
He pretended to be offended. “Of course I would. If I were.” He pulled her close. “I like it too. Now I can feel it any time I want without worrying about you having to spend hours repairing the damage.” As if to prove his point, he plunged his fingers through her curls, rubbing her scalp, sending pleasure through her veins.
Billy stretched out on the ground beside the car. They had set up camp between the car and the airplane, a tarp stretched between the two.
Grace bent over the fire, stirring a pot of stew and checking the biscuits in the Dutch oven.
“It was another good day.” Billy’s voice was muffled.
“How many did you take up? I lost track after fifteen.”
“This was the best day yet. I took up twenty. And one of them was from Rose Creek, the next big town on this line. We talked about me doing a show there, and he said if I showed up Friday afternoon, they would feature me in the evening entertainment.”
Grace paused. So far there had been no stunt flying, and she hoped it would remain that way. “It looks as if the weather will hold.”
“Sure was hot today. How did you manage down here?”
She knew he meant on the ground. “I stayed in the shade.”
They had been on the road almost two weeks and settled into an easy routine. Every morning, Billy got Grace to spin the prop, then took off in the airplane following the railway tracks and a maze of roads. At each town, Billy chose a level field nearby and landed Gracie Two. By the time Grace caught up, there were usually several people clustered around. Billy promised rides at two dollars each. Sometimes there were enough customers to start immediately. Other times, he drove into town and marched up and down the streets, telling everyone of his offer.
Every night they camped beside the airplane.
“Supper’s ready.” She handed him a plate of stew and some biscuits.
He sat up and dug into the food eagerly. “You sure are turning into a good cook.” He waved a biscuit at her. “Not that I ever doubted you would. You can do anything you put your mind to.”
“I like cooking outdoors. Guess I don’t feel like I have to live up to anyone’s expectations out here.”
