Forever in Love (Book One of the Armstrong Series)

by Rita Hestand

"Sam is a wonderful person, father George. He's kind, and always thinking of others."

  "Exactly!" George turned back to the window. "Joe used to worry more about whether we were making money than whether they were in some danger."

  Melanie's head dropped and she stared at the floor. "I like the changes in him father George. I really do."

  "A woman would…"

  "I couldn't ask for a better husband." Melanie smiled.

  "I'm glad you are happy here, Melanie…"

  "I am happy, father George. Joe is everything I ever hoped for in a husband."

  "Then maybe I can expect a grandchild soon?" George encouraged.

  Melanie's head jerked up and she stared at the old man for a long moment…"Maybe…would you excuse me, father George? I must get something for my stomach…"

  "Of course." George stared after her as she headed for the kitchen.

  Joe gathered the workers together and spoke to them about the weather. Everyone's head jerked up to the clouds.

  In minutes, several of them scattered and wagon loads of hay and cotton were being loaded into the barn as they spoke.

  "Feed the stock, lock the barn down and get to your homes as soon as the last pumpkins leave. I want everyone safe." Joe told them. "Those clouds look ominous."

  It seemed as though he had lit a match under them as they scattered to finish the chores that needed doing.

  Wagonloads of people were coming and going, taking advantage of the free pumpkins. Many of the poor came every year to partake of the generous offer. Ole Jen already carved several pumpkins and made pies.

  However, oddly enough, as she usually put them on the windowsill to cool, she noted the wind picking up, and closed the windows.

  When Melanie came into the kitchen with her nose snarled, Ole Jen went to her side. "Feeling poorly this morning, Miss Melanie?"

  "A little. Do you have some of that soda water you fix up?"

  "Sure I do. Come sit down and I'll get some for you. Your stomach upset?" Ole Jen went to the cupboard.

  "A little, it's the bacon, is it rank or something?"

  "No, not at all."

  "It smells so…" Melanie complained, as her face when ashen.

  Ole Jen felt her forehead. "You ain't got no fever. This will fix you right up though."

  "Thank you. I'm sorry to bother you."

  "No bother…how long you been feelin' bad?" Ole Jen asked eyeing her.

  "Just this morning…"

  "Uh huh…" Ole Jen drawled and went to the cupboard. "Had your monthly lately?"

  Melanie looked shocked at first. She hadn't given that a thought. "As a matter of fact…Oh dear…Ole Jen…?"

  "Uh huh. That's what I'm thinkin' too. You is pregnant…"

  "But…I can't be…I mean. Can I?" Melanie frowned at her.

  "Child, only the Lord knows. But I would expect so." Ole Jen chuckled. "It only takes one time to get pregnant child. And you and Mr. Joe have been goin' at it steady now.""

  "But…I can't be…it's too soon, Ole Jen…" Melanie cried.

  "Your Mr. Joe, he's what they call potent! I heard one of them ill reputes say that one time." Old Jen was laughing.

  Melanie didn't know what to do with her hands as she wrung them in her lap. "Oh I just can't be…yet!"

  "And why on earth not?"

  Melanie glanced up at Ole Jen who was holding the soda water for her. "We've had so little time together. I wanted to wait a year or two before we started having a family…"

  "The Lord works in mysterious ways child. I done told you that. You is pregnant."

  "Shh…don't tell anyone yet. I must see the doctor to be sure."

  "How long has it been since you had your monthly?" Ole Jen's eyes widened.

  Melanie thought back, then her eyes got big and round, "Two…nearly three months. That would mean I got pregnant almost during my honeymoon."

  Ole Jen laughed, "Must have been some honeymoon."

  Melanie blushed. "It was the best honeymoon ever…"

  "Yes ma'am, I can see that." Ole Jen laughed. "So when you gonna tell him."

  "Uh…I don't know. I must wait and have the doctor confirm it first…I'll go next month, if I don't get my monthly."

  Ole Jen frowned. "Ain't you happy that you are pregnant?"

  Melanie tried not to frown, and tried to find an answer for her. "I'm not even sure I am…"

  Ole Jen turned her chin up and stared at her face. "Well I am. I can see it in your face." Melanie looked perplexed. "The face gets fuller when you are. I guess I will have to keep quiet for another month then."

  "Please, and thank you…" Melanie said and ran up the stairs.

  She threw herself on her bed and cried. After a few minutes, she sat up. What was wrong with her? Why wasn't she happy to be pregnant?

  It was nothing short of selfishness that made her want to keep the news quiet. For a couple of months now she had basked in Joe's affection. They'd had many nights of making love and her being the center of his attention. But now that would change. She'd have to share his love with the baby.

  A baby! She remembered as a young girl imaging herself with a family of children. It had delighted her. So what had changed?

  She knew the answer. She had wanted to marry Joe so long ago. She had dreamed of the day. Then Carmen came along and almost snatched Joe from her. It was then she had changed. She had become more possessive of Joe, and jealous of Carmen. Then the war came along and snatched him away from her. Nearly five years of dreaming of the day, when it finally became a reality. For a while she had been the center of his attention, and she loved it. Couldn't she enjoy his attention a little longer before she had to share with anyone?

  Now she had to grow up, she scolded herself silently. She had to be an adult. Marriage was merely a fulfilment. Having a baby would change everything.

  Still, it was Joe's baby, and that thought made her happy.

  She imagined having a little boy, just like him, running at her feet, making mischief, and she laughed.

  What was she afraid of? Joe loved her and this would make him very happy. Therefore, she would be happy too.

  For this next month, she would relish being the center of his attention. She would make love with him every night, way into the night. She would be the temptress he had sought in Carmen.

  Smiling, she lay back on the bed and dreamed of Joe caressing her; it sent a thrill through her. She wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed. "Oh Joe…I love you so!"

  She'd be the best and prettiest mother there ever was. Joe would be proud to walk down the streets of town announcing his child and his beautiful bride too.

  What was she fretting for? Joe loved her. And giving him a child was something no one else could do. Not even Carmen!

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The storms came that very evening, violent storms with lightning streaking the sky. All the workers went home. Joe was busy making sure everything was secure.

  That was when he noticed the twister coming. He ran back inside the house to alert all the others.

  "Take cover Melanie, a twister is headed our way…." Joe cautioned.

  "But where?" Melanie almost screamed.

  "Hide under the bed, you'll be safe there." Joe motioned for her to slip under the bed.

  Then he rushed to tell his father and Ole Jen.

  Ole Jen was watching and her eyes were big as saucers. "It's a twister Mr. Joe…what are we gonna do?"

  "Go into your closet and don't come out until I call you." Joe told her.

  "Yes sir…" She scurried into her closet and shut the door.

  "Don't come out until I tell you…" Joe warned her.

  "Yes sir," she cried out, her voice trembling as she spoke.

  George was fumbling about with a book, when Joe rushed in. "You must take cover father, a twister is headed straight for us." Joe warned.

  "A twister?" George looked up and dropped the book in his hand. "Are you sure?"

  "Of co
urse I'm sure father. Now get yourself in the hall closet until it is gone." Joe told him, guiding him to the hall closet.

  "Where are you going, son?" George asked in a tight voice.

  "To be with Melanie," He told him, "just stay there until I call you."

  George nodded and got into the closet.

  The other maids and butler had backed into the pantry and hid there.

  Joe climbed the stairs two at a time and went to be with Melanie.

  "Has it come yet?" She whispered as he slid next to her.

  "No, you'll know when it's here; it will sound like a train coming." Joe informed her.

  She grabbed his hand and held on.

  However, the sound never came and Joe hesitated to get up and look.

  After twenty minutes though, he decided something had changed. He went to the bedroom window and looked out.

  "Is it gone?" Melanie called to him.

  "My God….my God!" He declared.

  "What's wrong?" Melanie peeked out to look at him.

  He was standing there at the window, tense and his eyes wide. "It turned…it's headed straight for the workers shacks."

  "Thank God," Melanie breathed as she slid out from under the bed and straightened her clothes.

  "I've got to warn them…" Joe said shooting Melanie a look of regard.

  "Warn them! Are you insane, you'll be killed?" Melanie cried out.

  "No…it's moving slow, I can barely see the outline, but if I go around it, I can warn them. I'll take the wagon, it's still hitched."

  "But Joe…"

  Before she could protest, further he was scrambling down the stairs and out the back to where the wagon was in the barn. He saw that no one had unharnessed the horses, in their haste they'd left it that way, so he took off, after opening the barn door.

  Whipping the horses into action, he sped around the black funnel cloud and headed for the workers.

  He reached the first shack just moments before the twister struck, but they came running out and he motioned for them to get on the wagon. He did this until he reached the last shack.

  "Ain't nobody there, in that one, it belonged to Jethro." One of them told Joe.

  Joe sped away from the roar of the twister, but the workers saw their shacks going up one by one like piano keys floating in the sky. The sound was horrific and the smell of death was right behind them. Things were flying everywhere. An old wagon went up in the air and landed only a few feet from their wagon. Joe hurried back toward the main house. He had a wagon full of people and they were all screaming, as they looked back and saw their homes being destroyed.

  Joe ran the wagon straight into the yard and everyone got out and stared toward their homes.

  "They's gone, Mister Joe…they's gone." One old black woman said, tears running down her cheeks. She was gripping his arm so hard he lost feeling.

  "Don't you mind that, y'all come on into the big house and we'll figure something out. Right now, we just need to all be safe." Joe told them, quieting them.

  As he brought men, women and children into the big house the cook and a couple of maids came out to greet them. They began to talk among themselves and looked so out of place standing there.

  Joe looked around them. "Sophie, get everyone some coffee, and go sit by the fire. We'll figure out what we are going to do soon." Joe instructed.

  "Yes sir…" Sophie moved to the kitchen and the women followed. "We'll fix us some vitals and warm by the fire."

  The temperature had dropped twenty degrees and the chill in the air had everyone moving about trying to keep warm.

  Joe nodded.

  Some of the men gathered around him. "What we gonna do, Mister Joe. Ain't got no homes to go back to."

  Joe searched their worried faces.

  "Well, we're all family here. You're all part of the Armstrong family. You chose to stay here when freed, that makes you family. So after we've eaten and rested, we'll figure out a plan." Joe told them. "Sophie get some help from the other women and get some food on the table." Joe directed her.

  "Yes sir," Sophie began motioning to some of the women.

  "Yes sir, let's build a fire in the fireplace, for Mr. Joe." Sim said.

  Joe went into the back room where Ole Jen stayed and knocked on the closet door. "Ole Jen, it's Joe. It's safe to come out now."

  Ole Jen turned the knob of the door and came out. Her eyes were big and questioning.

  "It didn't hit us, Ole Jen. But…I'm afraid it hit all the workers homes. So they are all here. Sophie is cooking some supper; help out all you can, make them comfortable. Get them some blankets and stuff to make a bed with. I've got to get back to father and Melanie."

  "Yes sir…Mr. Joe?"

  "Yes?" He turned as he was about to go.

  "Can I have a hug?" Ole Jen asked looking at him with tears in her eyes.

  "Sure," He came toward her and hugged her tight. "It's alright now, we can rebuild."

  "Yes we can!" She smiled and pulled away. "I guess my prayin' did some good."

  Joe looked into her tear-stained face and smiled again. "I think it did. Now, I've got to get father out of the closet and check on Melanie then I'll be down to discuss what we need to do."

  "You is takin' charge just fine, Mr. Joe." Ole Jen laughed.

  "Thanks."

  He hurried to the closet where he left his father. "It's alright father, you can come out now."

  His father came out and looked about. "How much damage did we get?"

  "None here. But….all the shacks were destroyed."

  George looked alarmed, "All of them?"

  "Yes sir, I went and got them and they are congregating at the fireplace."

  George looked at Joe. "You went and got them?"

  "Yes, I didn't want them hurt."

  "All of them?"

  "All of them."

  "Thank God. Well, we'll start rebuilding right away." George huffed.

  "Let's get it organized father!" Joe smiled and patted him on the back.

  "I can't believe you did that!"

  "Let's not make a big thing of it father."

  As they joined the men in the parlor, one of them came up to George. "Mr. Joe saved us, Mr. Armstrong."

  "Yes, I can see that. I'm glad everyone is alright."

  Melanie came down the stairs and stared at everyone. "Is everyone alright?" She asked, searching the crowd.

  Joe walked over to her, put his arm protectively around her and smiled. "So it would seem…"

  George called everyone's attention before the food was put on the table.

  "Gather around everyone. There will be damages everywhere, all over town too, so we must go about helping those that can't help themselves. Someone needs to stop over at Melanie's mother and make sure she is all right. And your cousins place, and our neighbors. There might be some that are hurt, even dead from this. We must work together as a community to take care of everyone. So after our meal, I want us to spread out and around and find out how much damage has been done and what we can do to help." George announced.

  "That's an excellent idea, father." Joe put his hand on his father's back.

  "If anyone knows of any sick, or elderly, we need to check with them first. As they will be the most vulnerable." George instructed.

  "Also…we'll open this place up for all of you to sleep and rest."

  "Thank you Mr. Armstrong," Sophie came up to him and put her hands on top of his. "You’re a grand master."

  Thinking most of their troubles over with, they all ate, some just sitting on the floor.

  However, Joe decided to make a few rounds outside to make sure the storm was leaving.

  What he found was even more shocking. Several of the shacks had caught fire and the fire was out of control.

  "N-no!" Joe blurted loudly.

  Someone came outside to look. "Fire!" They yelled.

  Everyone came running out the back door and saw the flames creeping slowly toward the main house, Golden Manor
.

  George came out, and his face was paling as he spoke. "Wet the house down. We have to wet it down. Make a backfire, Joe. And get everyone around this house with buckets."

  Joe didn't bother with an answer, he moved into action as though he'd thought the same thoughts.

  Carefully he went to the edge of the fire and began with some help to build a backfire, hoping to turn the fire away from the big house.

  While all the women formed a circle around the house and began throwing water everywhere.

  Buckets were handed down a long line and water was distributed all over.

  They battled the tempting blaze for hours.

  The backfire began to work and the flames began to take on a different route. Everyone was bone tired by the time the flames began to subside.

  It was nearly dawn and people were giving out from pure exhaustion. Sophie and Ole Jen had cooked half the night for all the people.

  Smoke billowed up into a black cloud. Everyone looked almost black from the soot.

  Even the children had helped and not one person turned away.

  George finally sprawled himself on the yard.

  "Are you alright, father?" Joe asked coming to bend over his father.

  "Yes, I think so. But I don't want to smell smoke for a very long time…"

  "Yeah, me either." Joe laughed.

  Melanie came up beside them, soot was all over her face, and her dress was ruined, but she was smiling. "Not a single person was hurt."

  "Good." George bellowed and sat up. "Good Lord, Melanie, you look pitiful."

  She laughed, "Then we've done our jobs well."

  A few minutes later, her mother arrived. "Are you alright, dear?" She ran up to Melanie and grasped her hand.

  "I'm fine mother, how is it at home?"

  "It took the barn, but nothing else. However Digs died, trying to save the animals."

  "Oh mother, I'm so sorry….He'd been with you forever."

  "He was a good man. A good worker."

  "Looks like the whole valley is going to be needing a bit of help." George glanced about, seeing smoke coming from unknown places, and rain beginning to pour down on them. "Let's go inside and see if we can't rustle up some coffee."

  "I see you are no worse for wear, you old rascal." Minerva smirked.

  George eyed Melanie's mother with scrutiny, then broke out in a smile. "It's hard to get a good man down." He winked at her.