“Hush Emmitt. What is a wife for if not to be with you in sickness and in health?” Rachel said with an honest smile.
“Has my sister been as kind to you as she has to me?” he asked.
“Oh yes she certainly has. I’m afraid we haven’t had much of a chance to talk about anything other than you though. She has been so worried about you and your condition Emmitt.” Rachel held out both of her hands to hold his before adding, “as have I.”
“In time you will get to know each other surely,” he said. “You are family now after all.”
Rachel sensed that Angela disapproved greatly of their marriage and even her presence in the house. Still maintaining her pride as an excellent judge of character, Rachel assumed that Angela was just being protective of her baby brother. As she should be with all that he has gone through, she thought. She knew it would take time for Emmitt to regain his strength and it would take time for Angela to come around and trust that their marriage was going to bring Emmitt much happiness. She had the patience to see this through.
“How wonderful to have a family,” Rachel said before planting a gentle kiss on her husband’s forehead.
***
December 24
Angela entered her brother’s room early the next morning to bring him a breakfast she had prepared. She was also fully dressed, including her coat, as she brought in a heaping plate of bacon, eggs and toast. She looked as if she was on her way out into town.
“Oh Emmitt, my dear brother. What have you gotten yourself into?”
Angela sat on the bed next to Emmitt as he began devouring the breakfast she had prepared for him. His appetite had returned to a state of near insatiable hunger as of yesterday and that was a tremendous relief to everyone. A full belly would help him regain his strength.
“Whatever do you mean?” asked Emmitt with butter from the toast dripping down his chin.
“That woman who calls herself your wife,” said Angela. “Where did you find her? Why am I, your sister, only finding out about her when you are near death?”
Emmitt felt embarrassed by his sister’s chastising of him. He had not intended to keep it a secret but felt no need to share the fact that his wife married him without loving him initially. He did not know whether he would have woken up on any given morning a few weeks back to find Rachel gone, leaving him and Pally behind.
“Angela, I have been so lonely since…” he stopped himself. His feelings were too much for him to explain. “I believe that Margaret would want me to remarry and be happy again.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” she said furiously. “Do you know that I met your new wife a few weeks back before you yourself even met her?”
Emmitt was confused. He could tell by the tone of her voice that Angela was about to tell him something he may not want to hear. But what choice did he have? Angela was going to say whatever she felt she needed to say. She had a lack of subtlety and she was not going to let Emmitt’s illness stand in her way of telling what she believed he needed to hear.
“That woman looked me straight in the eye and told me that she does not believe in love,” she began. “Do you know that she was raised in a city orphanage? What kind of manners do you think they teach children there? I love you dear brother and I do not want you to be lonely, but that woman is a stranger who is unfit to replace Margaret. A girl like Rachel is only after a man like you for your wealth.”
“Angela, I’m not replacing Margaret,” Emmitt said. He was starting to get emotional and Angela could hear it in his voice. “Rachel is a wonderful girl who has stood by me through my suffering and all she has asked for in return is my love.”
Angela stood up from the bed and made her way to the door before turning around to say, “mark my words Emmitt. That girl is from the gutter and will steal everything from you.” She paused, leaving an awkward silence in the air before laying the final blow. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself Emmitt Townshend. I’m sure that Margaret is rolling in her grave.”
Emmitt sat there in silence, stunned, staring at his sister.
Angela cleared her throat and wiped a tear from her eye. “I have to go now. I have been here long enough. My husband and children are expecting me for Christmas. We will be back to see you in the New Year. Merry Christmas Emmitt.”
“Christmas?”
“Yes Emmitt, it is Christmas eve.”
Angela’s words haunted Emmitt that night as he tried desperately to forget the things she said. Am I trying to replace Margaret? Would she really be ashamed of me?
He had been grieving long enough to know that these thoughts would pass just as the long nights do before the sunrise. The one thought that he could not stop from thinking had nothing to do with Margaret at all though. He could not stop himself from wondering about Rachel.
Would Rachel really love me if I did not have this home, this farm, or any of the financial assets that I do? And what good are these things if I cannot share them with a wife who will love me?
***
December 25
Emmitt barely slept that night. He could not imagine going on with life without truelove to lean on in good times and bad. All he could think was, I need to escape it all.
Rachel was planning to cook a full breakfast for Emmitt and herself on Christmas morning. She woke early and made her way from her pink room to the kitchen. She had gathered the bacon, eggs and sausages while the water boiled for tea. The note was left on the kitchen table for Rachel to see when she began to prepare breakfast that morning. She was unsure of what it was. Maybe a clue that will lead me to a surprise Christmas present, she thought. Her heart sank as soon as she read the first line.
Rachel,
I thank you for everything you have done for me these past weeks since you came into my life. You have been lovely and kind to me. I am leaving you this home and the farm because I have no desire to keep them. My possessions are keeping me from knowing if I could be loved without them.
I will be travelling by train, to where I do not know. I must search to find a new place to call home, for I am unsure where my heart belongs here with you.
Please ask one of my sisters to take care of Pally.
Emmitt
Rachel dropped the letter and ran to the barn faster than she had ever run in her life. She was still in her nightdress with nothing on her feet. The sun had yet to rise fully at this point in the morning. She intended to take one of the horses to the train station in an effort to find Emmitt before it was too late. She had no idea how to ride a horse properly, but that was a thought that had not even occurred to her at this point. All she knew for sure was that she had to get to the train station. Who knows if he has left yet or not?
As she rushed into the barn she was alarmed to find Emmitt about to saddle one of the horses. She was immediately struck by the sadness in his eyes. His entire demeanor was different. He looked defeated, but Rachel still recognized the man she loved behind weakened physical appearance. It’s not too late, Rachel thought to herself.
“Emmitt, wait please,” she shouted aloud, “take me with you.”
Her shouting startled Emmitt but the sound of her voice woke him out of his sad hazy state. Hear she was, outside and barefoot on Christmas morning, showing concern for him. Still, he was skeptical of what he was hearing her say.
“Take you with me?” he asked.
“Yes!” she shouted, near hysterical at this point.
Emmitt was stunned and confused. He briefly wondered if he was having another feverish dream but abandoned the thought when he saw Rachel shivering.
“You would leave all this behind for me?” he asked.
Rachel took a deep breath and without batting an eye declared, “Yes. My heart belongs to you now.”
Emmitt could feel his heart expanding as though her love was projecting directly to it. Rachel began walking steadily towards Emmitt. A smile was forming on her face as tears rolled down her cheeks. She took another deep breath in effort
to steady her voice and said, “Wherever you go I will be with you.” She put her hands to her chest over her heart and said, “My home is with you.”
Emmitt dropped the saddle as he and Rachel rushed toward one another. He could see the tears streaming down her face as he reached his arms out to catch her as she jumped into his arms nearly knocking him backwards into a small stack of hay.
“I love you Emmitt Townshend,” she whispered into his ear. And at the sound of those words Emmitt pulled his head back to look Rachel in the eye before passionately kissing her, as though this act of affection would erase all of the loneliness he had felt since being widowed.
After this kiss concluded Rachel placed her hands on the sides of his face and pleaded, “please be my husband.”
Emmitt was so emotional that he could not speak. He held her tight and nodded his before kissing her again. He then quickly and smoothly swept her up off her feet and into his arms as he began to carry her back to the house.
***
The sounds of laughter began filling the house as Emmitt carried Rachel through the front door. The happy couple went to the living room where the sisters had decorated a small Christmas tree while Emmitt was still ill. Pally was found to be lying happily before the fireplace this Christmas morning. As Emmitt bent down to pet his dear dog Rachel was already in the kitchen preparing the morning tea.
“I am so sorry dear that I don’t have any presents for you this Christmas,” said Emmitt. “As you know I have been a little under the weather.”
“Don’t be silly,” she responded as she placed two steaming cups on the living room coffee table.
Emmitt held his cup for a long silent moment before raising it up and outward, a move that immediately roused the attention of his wife. She was happy to be back inside of the house with Emmitt where it was warm but she was still a little nervous due to his emotional state. He looked calm and at peace for maybe the first time since he had picked her up at the train station. And so, with his cup already raised in the air, he stood up and placed his other hand over his heart.
“I would like to propose a toast,” he began. “To my beautiful wife, Rachel, the most wonderful gift I could receive this Christmas.”
“And I would like to propose a toast as well,” Rachel added. “To my wonderful husband, Emmitt, the man who showed me the meaning of true love. Merry Christmas.”
The happy couple smiled at one another, savoring the fact that the future ahead of them looked bright. Rachel had thought of a gift she would love to share with Emmitt next Christmas. She was fairly confident that he would approve and that it would bring him joy as well. She wondered, is it too soon to bring it up? Of course the answer was no, it was never too soon for Rachel to be honest. She decided that she would bring it up during dinner that night.
“Emmitt,” she said. “I have something I want to tell you and you don’t have to say anything back right now if you are not ready to.”
Emmitt was unsure of how to respond. He nodded for her to go ahead and speak.
“Emmitt, I would love for us to adopt a child next Christmas,” she said. “Perhaps we might find one named Margaret.”
“Nothing could make me happier Rachel,” Emmitt said immediately as he felt tears in his well up in his eyes.
“Are you sure? I didn’t mean to upset you dear.”
“No Rachel, you don’t understand. These are tears of joy,” he exclaimed.
The couple stayed up until midnight by the fire before retiring to bed together. They found that even after all the time they had spent together, building a bond in the last month, they still had so much to learn about one another. They were now ready to share in their lives together, as husband and wife, and to provide a loving home for a child. Some would call this true love, but to Emmitt and Rachel it was their own Christmas miracle.
*****
THE END.
Wandering Cowboy
Mail Order Bride
CHRISTIAN MICHAEL
Chapter 1
Little River, Montana
Dora Sullivan stepped from the rickety stagecoach coated in dust onto the muddy ground. She felt grimy and exhausted but she’d made it. Smoothing a hand over the front of her skirt, she looked around. Men milled about or walked to-and-fro carrying various items but no one seemed to be looking for her, just at her.
Worry knotted her stomach. She wasn’t sure what Hank Mills looked like, he’d only said tall with brown hair, but she was sure he would have recognized her—if only for the fact that she was the only woman who had exited the stagecoach.
Taking a few steps forward, a hand landed heavily on her shoulder causing her to jump. “Sorry, Miss,” the coach driver said with a smile beneath his large moustache, “Just wasn’t sure where you wanted yer trunk?”
Blinking rapidly, she looked from the trunk to the man then back to the trunk. “Is there a hotel nearby?”
He nodded once. “Yup.”
“Please take it there then.”
“Sure thing.”
He turned and left and she searched the crowd again before resigning herself to the fact that Hank wasn’t there. Or if he was, he wasn’t coming to claim her. A thought slammed into her chest. Was that it? Had he taken one look at her and wasn’t interested?
But, looking into the gawking stares of the men surrounding her she didn’t think that was the reason. She was by no means the most beautiful woman, but she had a feeling men in the West took what they could get. Not that that thought was comforting.
Stepping up to the ticket window she leaned closer, “Excuse me.”
“Yeah,” a booming voice said from behind the bars.
“Can you direct me to the local hotel.”
“Down the street. Take a right. It’s on the right.” The man went back to his newspaper without another glance her way.
Trying to shake off the rudeness of the man, she held her head high and pounded down the boardwalk. Just as the disinterested window clerk had said, the hotel appeared on the right and she entered, relishing the calm tranquility of the interior. It wasn’t as nice as places she had seen in Massachusetts but she hadn’t been accustomed to finery anyway.
“Hello,” she said at the desk. “I’d like to reserve a room.”
The clerk helped her, taking almost the last of her reserved money, then directed her to the post office where she hoped someone would know about Hank Mills—her fiancé.
“Yeah, I knew Hank,” the post office worker said.
Dora froze. Knew? “I’m sorry, what do you mean…knew?”
“He passed away a few weeks back. Some kinda accident as I heard it.”
Her heart pounded in her chest and the constriction of her throat kept her from answering.
“Why do you ask?”
“I—” her voice cracked, “I was to marry him.”
The clerk’s mouth dropped open to form an “O” shape. “Really?”
“Yes,” she said, feeling the shock morph to terror like a live thing in her chest. This couldn’t be happening.
“I’m sorry ma’am. Real sorry, but he’s gone. I wasn’t sure who to forward his mail to. Heard about a brother he had and I just tracked him down the other day. Did you want to contact him maybe?”
Dora tried to think through what the man was saying. Contact Hank’s brother? Why…but then she considered the fact that, if she didn’t contact him, who would? She had at least gotten to know Hank a little through their letter writing and, though she never thought she would truly love him, she had felt certain they would be happy. Eventually.
“Yes,” she said, surprising herself. “I’ll write him a letter.”
Nodding, as if to convince herself, she turned around and made her way back to the quite safety of the hotel. She couldn’t afford to stay for much longer as a guest nor could she afford to buy a train ticket back. Maybe, just maybe, she could gain work at the hotel until she figured out what to do with her life.
All of her plans ha
d fallen through and she was alone. Utterly alone.
***
Raymond Ellis adjusted his seat in the saddle. He was used to riding long periods of time and today was no different. He had a lot of territory to cover if he was going to make it half way to his next job by dusk.
The town sat ahead, the dusty streets busy with foot traffic and horses. He rode down the main street on his way to see the smithy. His horse needed a new shoe and he needed supplies. It would hopefully be a quick stop, but a necessary one.
After leaving the horse to be tended to, he walked toward the general store, the list of provisions he needed fresh in his mind. There wouldn’t be another town for a few days so he needed to stock up. He jumped up onto the boardwalk and toward the door of the general store just as a woman barreled out—and straight into him.
“Ouch!” she said, stepping back and nearly falling over.
“Steady there,” Raymond said, reaching out rough and calloused hands to steady her.
She stepped back, a wild, frightened look in her eye. “Don’t touch me.”
He yanked his hands away, holding them up to show he meant no harm. “I’m sorry, miss,” he offered a small smile, “Just making sure you didn’t fall over.”
[2015] Cowboy Saves a Widow Page 6
