A New Life In California: Book 3--Search For Meaning Series

by Angela Dempsey

I understand also about your feelings for Jake. I, however, find myself wanting to meet you, anyway. I would be willing to marry you and raise your child as my own. I am a Christian and I believe the children need to be raised to know God.

  I myself have suffered tragedy. I lost my wife and child two years ago. The loneliness has all but overtaken me.

  I am not looking for a traditional marriage. I need help with my daughter Cora who is almost seven. She needs a woman in her life.

  I own a mercantile near Tulsa OK, in a territory called Claremore. I can provide a stable life for you and your child. I will give you the run of the house above the store. I will sleep in the spare room downstairs.

  If this is acceptable to you, please write me back and let me know. I will make arrangements to come and meet you. We can get married in Lawrence, Kansas. I will let you make the arrangements for the ceremony.

  Looking forward to hearing from you.

  Harold Dean

  Lucy found herself optimistic about her situation. She also felt sadness fill her heart. She didn’t want to marry anyone but Jake. She started wondering where he was and why he had not contacted her. She blamed herself for what happened with Henry. She thought again about what happened and wondered if she could have changed the outcome, if she would have fought harder.

  She then felt like she needed to let go of what happened. God had given her a gift. Her child would be raised to know and love God. After thinking about Harold’s letter overnight, the next morning she drafted a reply.

  Mr. Dean:

  I agree to the terms you have proposed in your letter. I am thankful for you agreeing to take on my baby and myself.

  Let me know when you will be arriving, I will meet you at the train. We can be married within a few days of your arrival.

  Looking forward to meeting you,

  Lucy Dawson

  Cooper mailed the letter for Lucy that afternoon. She was excited but nervous. She was marrying a stranger, instead of the love of her life. She allowed herself some time alone on Elise’s prayer bench to cry over her loss.

  She spent some time praying, then she went back in the house to help Elise with dinner. They talked while they worked. Elise tried to encourage her by telling her everything would work out the way it is supposed to work out. She encouraged her to just hold on to her faith.

  Emma brought Rose over for a little while that afternoon. It was nice for Lucy to talk to her and try to get to know her a little better. She asked Emma if she would stand up with her to get married. Emma said she would be happy to stand up with her.

  Emma and Jessie stayed for supper before going home. They all talked and got to know one another a little better. Lucy really liked Cooper and his family. She knew God sent Virginia to her that day she was in the woods crying.

  So much had happened since that day. It seemed like a lifetime ago. She caught her mind wandering to Jake and that walk by the pond. How he kissed her so tenderly. She remembered her excitement when he asked her to marry him.

  Rose crying broke through the fog in Lucy’s mind. She knew she needed to figure out a way of letting go of Jake, but how? That was her big question.

  With supper over, Lucy helped Elise clean up the kitchen before retiring for the night to read. But she sat for an hour, reading the same page. All her thoughts were on Jake and why she didn’t at least get a letter from him.

  Two weeks later she received a letter from Harold. He told her he would be on the train arriving on the tenth of July. He said he got tickets for her, him and his daughter on the return trip the thirteenth.

  She felt a little bit sad. She hoped Jake would show up by now. Her faith in him was starting to waiver. She thought he loved her and none of this would matter, but maybe it was too much for him.

  She took a walk that evening to Elise’s prayer bench. She prayed for Jake to show up if he was going to before she married Harold.

  Chapter 10

  Jake was feeling stronger. There was tension between him and Patsy. Ever since that night, she woke him screaming. He knew she was attracted to him. He felt a little attraction to her, but his heart belonged to Lucy. When Patsy came in that evening Jake told her he was strong enough to continue his journey.

  She looked sad, “Are you sure you have to go? You are welcome to stay with me.”

  Jake felt sadness prick his heart how could he ever say thank you for all she has done for him. “Patsy, I am so very grateful for all you have done for me. I don’t know how I could ever repay you for your kindness. But I have a girl that is waiting for me in Kansas. She is probably worried sick. I must go.”

  Patsy had tears in her eyes. She turned her back to him. “I will make sure you have a large breakfast and have provisions ready.”

  “I want to leave some money with you. I can’t pay you all that I owe you. Thank you so much for everything.”

  She walked out of the room. He felt sad that he had upset her. He knew leaving sooner than later was for the best. The longer he stayed the more he didn’t want to leave.

  He finally fell asleep after midnight. He dreamed of Lucy and their walk by the pond. As he went to kiss her, she disappeared. He woke suddenly; then realized he was dreaming. He whispered in the dark, “Lucy…I am trying to get to you. Please don’t give up on me.”

  The next day breakfast was a solemn occasion. He ate and they talked very little. He wrote down her address. He promised to send her a note to let her know he made it to Kansas safely.

  He hugged her tightly before mounting up on his horse. “Thank you again for your kindness.”

  “You are welcome. If you ever find yourself this way again stop by and see me.”

  He placed his hat on his head and rode away. The first motion of the horse made him feel a little stiff. He finally got into a rhythm and covered a lot of ground that morning.

  He decided to water his horse and give it a break around midday. He ate the pie that Patsy had packed for him, along with a biscuit. He fondly thought about how sweet she had been to him.

  He found himself comparing the two women. He wondered if Patsy would be alright. He couldn’t wait to get to Lucy. He had a long way to go. He was determined to get there as quickly as possible.

  As night began to fall, Jake made camp by a river for the night. He had the same dream of Lucy slipping away. When he woke he was worried; he prayed for Lucy to not give up on him.

  It was still dark, but he knew he would not be able to sleep. He made coffee and warmed up some food. After eating, he extinguished the fire then packed his horse and the mule he purchased. The guy at the livery told him the guy was a good one, but Jake found him to be stubborn. He rode by moonlight for about an hour before the sun started rising. It was a beautiful sight. Gold and shades of orange. He breathed in the fresh smell of the dew.

  It was late morning before he gave his horse and mule a rest. He ate quickly then loaded the pack back on the mule. Both animals had gotten plenty of water. Jake was ready to go forward.

  He pushed his animals a little hard the rest of the day. He stopped only fifteen minutes to water the animals and give them a little time to graze on a patch of grass he found. It was already getting dark when he found a spot to camp for the night.

  He ate and then fell into a deep sleep. He actually rested well. The sun rising woke him. He made coffee to help him wake up. Again, he prayed for Lucy to be patient and not give up on him. He quickly loaded his animals and was off towards Kansas.

  He thanked God for good weather. He was also thankful for the beauty that was all around him. He couldn’t wait to get to Kansas to see the beauty that was waiting for him there. He missed Lucy so badly. He remembered her beautiful golden hair and the way her eyes light up when he enters the room. He thought about her on his journey.

  He pushed the animals as hard as he felt like he could safely. At one point the mule stopped. He couldn’t get it to go one more step. He decided it was time to eat supper and rest. He prayed for God to send Patsy s
omeone to share her life with that will love her. He prayed for things to continue to go well for him and his journey.

  Chapter 11

  Elmer Brentwood arrived in town early one morning. He traveled about one hundred miles to get to Lawrence, Kansas. He entered the general store and asked Charles if he knew Fenton Elmer Perdue.

  That was a name that Charles had not heard for a few years. Fenton had been the town drunk. There was a lot of tragedy in that family. He told the young man he was sorry to tell him that Fenton passed away about three years earlier.

  Elmer felt like someone had hit him with a train. He was crushed by the news. Then Charles told him that Fenton’s son Jesse lived just out of town on a ranch.

  Elmer was surprised that Fenton had a son. He asked Charles about Jesse’s age. It turns out that Jesse is two years older than Elmer.

  Elmer thanked Charles for directions to Jesse’s ranch. He walked outside and got on his horse to go see Jesse.

  When he arrived at the ranch, he knocked on the door. Emma answered, “Ma’am, I am looking For Jesse Perdue.

  “I am his wife Emma, Jesse is out checking on our herd.”

  “Would you mind if I wait, it is really important that I talk with him.”

  Emma invited him in and offered him some coffee. He graciously accepted the cup. She offered him some breakfast. He told her he already ate. Then she offered him a piece of cake. He thanked her and accepted a piece of her blackberry cake.

  “Ma’am this is the best cake.”

  Emma smiled, “Thank you, blackberry cake is Jesse’s favorite.”

  Jesse walked in and looked at the stranger at his table. There was something familiar about him. He stood up from the table, “You must be Jesse Perdue.”

  “I am Elmer Brentwood. I live about a hundred miles away in Prairie School, Kansas. I came to see your father; Fenton. The store owner told me he passed away.”

  “That is correct, what did you want with him?”

  Elmer took a deep breath. “Well, my mother recently passed away. In her night table, I found a letter to me. It said that my father did not die when I was a baby. It went on to explain when your father was working in our town; she fell in love with him. They had an affair. He couldn’t stay with my mother because he felt obligated to your mom and you. But he was in love with her.”

  Jesse went around and sat down at the table. He didn’t say anything for a long time. Elmer had also sat back down at the table. Emma was feeling bad for Jesse. She sat down and took his hand.

  Jesse put his face in his hands. “That is what my dad meant when he yelled at me that I ruined his life and kept him from being happy. He blamed me for not being with your mother. That is why he was mean to my mother. That is why he drank all of the time.” Jesse broke down and cried for the first time since his pa’s death. Everything suddenly became clear to Jesse. All of the unanswered questions in his mind, suddenly had answers.

  Elmer said, “I am sorry. I came here because I wanted to get to know my father. I would like to get to know you.”

  Jesse took a deep breath. “I need to take a walk.” He stood and walked out the front door.

  Emma looked at Elmer. “Just give him some time to absorb all of this news. His father was always drunk and was very mean to Jesse. He was always beating on Jesse and his ma.”

  Elmer looked sad, “I am sorry, maybe I should not have come here.”

  “Do you have someplace to stay?” Emma asked.

  “Not yet, I was going to get a room at the hotel in town for a few days.”

  “We have extra space in our bunkhouse if you want to stay for a few days. I am sure Jesse will want to talk to you more once the shock wears off.”

  “I won’t impose. Tell him he can find me at the hotel when he wants to talk. Thank you for the cake. It was nice to meet you.”

  He picked up his hat and walked out the door. He mounted upon his horse and rode back into town. He got a room at the hotel. By the time he got settled it was early evening. He decided he needed a drink, so he went to the saloon.

  He raised his glass, “This is for you pa.”

  Jesse went to the hotel to find Elmer later that evening. He was not in his room. Jesse wondered if he was in the restaurant. He didn’t see him there. He decided to check the saloon. There he was perched on a bar stool, drinking himself into a stupor. The same spot Fenton always sat.

  Jesse went over and tried to talk to him. He was too drunk to make much sense. He accused Jesse of feeling like he is too good for his brother. It took Jesse thirty minutes to convince him to go back to his room.

  Jesse helped Elmer to bed then he went back to his ranch. Around noon the next day, Jesse showed up at Elmer’s hotel. He was still asleep. Jesse woke him and Elmer grumbled about having a hangover. Jesse left and brought back food and black coffee from the restaurant.

  Once he got Elmer sobered up a little he asked him if he drank all the time. Elmer said, “Probably more than I should, mostly when I am upset.”

  Jesse felt concern for his brother. He wanted to help him if he could. It wasn’t his fault that their father had chosen to abandon his ma. Jesse couldn’t understand why he stayed with them if he hated them so much and was in love with Elmer’s ma.

  Jesse offered him a job on his ranch. He thought if Elmer was a ranch hand, it would give them time to get to know him. Elmer said he didn’t have much experience on a ranch. Jesse told him he would teach him. Elmer seemed excited about being close to him.

  Jesse helped him move into the bunkhouse that afternoon. The other three ranch hands were welcoming to Elmer. He ate supper with them that evening. Jesse was encouraged that he would be able to help him.

  Emma was concerned that Elmer was going to be a challenge for Jesse. She started praying for wisdom and guidance. She hoped that Elmer was not like his pa.

  Chapter 12

  Harold’s train arrived. Cooper and Lucy met the train. Harold’s daughter stayed with an aunt while he made the trip. He decided to take a couple of weeks to get to know Lucy. He didn’t want to keep Cora out of school that long.

  Lucy was surprised when she met him. She had in her mind what he would look like. He was twenty-five years old; with light brown hair. He looked nothing like she pictured. He wasn’t much taller than she was, but he had a nice smile. She found herself comparing him to Jake. He was nothing like handsome Jake.

  Her thoughts drifted to Jake and she felt sadness. She wished he was standing there in front of her instead of this man she didn’t know.

  She hoped since she was about to marry him that there would be some kind of small spark. But she felt nothing. She and Cooper greeted him. Cooper told him he made room in their bunkhouse for him.

  They didn’t have a lot to say all the way back to the ranch. Cooper felt bad for both of them. He was even more thankful for Elise. He couldn’t imagine marrying a woman he had never met.

  Harold got settled in the bunkhouse. Afterward, he asked Lucy to take a walk with him. They talked and tried to get to know one another. She started to relax a little around him.

  The next day, Harold rode into town with Cooper to get supplies. He was introduced to Charles. He was told that Charles was leaving early next week for California. But he didn’t need to worry, the new preacher would be in town Tuesday.

  While Harold was shopping he heard someone enter the store. He looked up and his eyes met Lydia’s. They both stood staring at one another for a few seconds. Harold had not met anyone that stirred his heart since his wife died, until that moment.

  Cooper introduced Lydia Bradley to Harold. He was almost speechless. He was struck by her beauty. She had brown hair and piercing gray eyes. She was twenty years old.

  Lydia had been the town’s school teacher since Emma quit teaching. She seemed to be attracted to Harold as well. Cooper felt trouble brewing, he felt bad for Lucy. He wished Jake would show up.

  Harold continued to talk to Lucy. He attended Sunday services with her. The tow
n made it a big event since Charles and Mary Ellen were leaving on the train; Tuesday.

  After service, the town had a picnic to honor Charles and Mary Ellen. Lilly and Zain were excited to have their own store. But Lilly was going to miss her parents terribly.

  Lucy looked for Harold, he had gone to get them a glass of lemonade. He was talking to Lydia at the lemonade table. They seemed to be getting along well. She was laughing at something he said, Lucy wondered what was so funny.

  She was starting to get the feeling that maybe they had a spark between them, she didn’t know what to do. If only Jake would show up. Harold noticed her looking their directions and hurried over to Lucy’s side.

  “Lydia is very nice don’t you think?” She said to Harold.

  He looked a little embarrassed, “Yes, she is very nice. She is funny too.”

  “Harold, I don’t want you to keep our agreement if you have a chance at happiness. If you think you could have that with Lydia then I release you from the agreement.”

  He looked thoughtfully for a moment, “No, I gave you my word. We will get married as soon as the new preacher arrives.”

  They spent the rest of the evening together. Lucy found him to be a nice man, but there definitely was not a spark between them. She wondered if he would try to get Lydia’s attention if he had not given her his word.

  They all went Tuesday morning to see Charles and Mary Ellen off on the train. They were excited and sad at the same time. Elise and Mary Ellen both cried, as well at Lilly.

  The next few days Lucy spent time with Harold. She couldn’t imagine spending her life with him, but what choice did she have? He already told her in his letter that he wasn’t looking for a wife in the traditional sense of the word. He just needed help with his daughter.

  She needed a father for her baby. That is what she bargained for and she would have to deal with the disappointment.

  She went down to the prayer bench and prayed that Jake would show up before she married Harold. She missed Jake and longed for a life with him. She knew in her heart that she would have a happy life with Jake.