“Oh my goodness,” April sighed when she saw what was inside. Her jaw all but dropped.
“It’s beautiful,” she added, reaching her hand in and running it over the soft fabric and lace.
“A beautiful girl deserves a beautiful wedding dress,” Mrs. Wilson said, admiring April as she admired her gift.
“But, it’s too much,” April retorted. “I can’t—”
“Hush, hush,” Mrs. Wilson said. “Like this party, this dress is something you deserve. I hope and pray it serves you well.”
April let go of the fancy garment and rushed into Mrs. Wilson’s arms.
“Thank you,” April said, “for everything.”
“And thank you,” Mrs. Wilson replied.
The baker shook his head when he saw the women crying as they embrace—but, by the end of the party, after numerous other heartfelt moments like this, he, too, found himself moved to tears.
TWO
“How was the party?” Aunt Beth asked as soon as she heard the door open. Her head was bowed and she was busy setting the table for dinner, but, nonetheless, she still acknowledged her niece’s arrival home.
“You knew about the party?” April replied, catching her breath. She set her parcels down on the counter, then came round to help her aunt prepare the meal.
“Of course I knew,” Aunt Beth responded. “We were invited too, and were planning on going. But, we decided against it last minute… all things considered.”
“I understand,” April said. The smile on her face faded into a look of concern.
“Where is she?” April asked, rifling through her parcels again.
“In her room,” Aunt Beth answered.
April smiled and nodded at her aunt, and left the room. In all her preparations leading up to her departure, she’d taken care of so many things… But, there was one thing left to take care of—and, indeed, April knew it’d be the hardest.
“Who’s there?” a young voice inquired no sooner than April finished knocking on the door.
“It’s me, April,” April replied.
“Go away!” the young voice shouted back. “Go off to Texas already! That’s where you wanna be, not here!”
“Jessica, please—” April started.
“Jessica, please,” the voice mocked back. “I said ‘please’ to you a thousand times. I said, ‘Please, don’t leave.’ But, you’re still leaving—so leave!”
Without so much as another knock or word, April pushed open the door.
“What are you doing? You can’t just barge in here like—” the young girl whinnied from her bed.
“Oh, yes, I can, young lady,” April assured her niece. “I may not be much older than you, but I’m still your elder—and, that’s no way to talk to me.”
Jessica shook her head from side to side and crossed her arms across her chest. At 14, the young girl was just perfecting the art of putting up a fuss.
“So, what?” Jessica asked, rolling her eyes. “You’re done with your party with your friends, and now you’re coming to say ‘goodbye’ to me?... Well, goodbye, and good ridding’s to you!”
“Jessica, please,” April said calmly, moving toward the bed. “Don’t be so harsh. I’m leaving tomorrow, and I—”
“I know you’re leaving tomorrow,” Jessica interrupted. “You’re going to Texas to start a new life, and forgetting about the one you already started here. You’re forgetting about all the good people here, about my parents… and me.”
“I’m not forgetting about anything or anyone,” April assured the girl. “But, I am moving on with my life. I’m going to Texas to marry and start a life of adventure. You know, well enough, that I haven’t been able to find those things here.”
Jessica lowered her head and turned her eyes away from April’s.
“I know, I know,” Jessica replied. “But, why do you need a husband? Why do you need adventure? Can’t you just stay here? In a few years, you could take over Mrs. Wilson’s sewing shop—and, I could be your seamstress. We could work together, and we could—”
“Jessica,” April said softly, “we’ve been over this before… I need more out of life than sewing garments in a backroom—and, so do you.”
April had been living with her Aunt Beth and Uncle Henry for the past 10 years, since her father died in an industrial accident. Jessica was but 4 years old when April first moved in, and had grown accustomed to having her around. In fact, she couldn’t imagine life without her, which is why she took it so hard when she learned of April’s plans to leave.
But, alas, April had good reason to leave. As she’d told her niece, countless times, she couldn’t find what she was looking for in Pennsylvania. Namely, she couldn’t find a man who would marry her “as is.”
A short while after her father died, April suffered through a horrible fever that all but killed her. She survived the fever, however—though not without permanent damage. The doctor told her that her insides had been harmed irreparably and that, as a result, she would never be able to have children.
When April learned that she was barren, she knew she would be hard-pressed to find a suitable man to marry. Her former sweetheart, George, abandoned all interest in her, since he hailed from a large Christian family and dreamed of having numerous children and creating a large family of his own; and most other eligible men her age were already promised to others, or had promised themselves to live a family life that April simply could not live.
Once children were off the table, April began dreaming of a life filled with travel and adventure—and, that, too, was something Pennsylvania could not give her. The east coast was a well-settled area. There wasn’t much left to explore or stake, and, once people planted their roots, they usually stuck around and stayed put.
April had tried meeting with a professional matchmaker to find her a spouse. But, the only potential spouses the woman turned up locally were widowers, single fathers, or old stubborn men who need a woman in their lives for stability and care.
“If you want adventure, you won’t find it here,” the matchmaker had told her. “Your best chances are to look in the mail-order bride newspapers. There are scores of men from all over the country looking for all different kinds of wives in there—and, perhaps, there you’ll find one that suits you.”
So, April turned to the arranged bride newspapers. And, indeed, she found a man that suited her in the Matrimonial Gazette—and, when she did, she was elated. It was as if the impossible had happened, as if a lifelong dream she thought she’d never realize had finally been fulfilled. Everyone around April shared in her joy as well—everyone, for the most part, that is. Jessica was disappointed from the moment she heard the news.
But, April had tried her best to make Jessica see the credence of her choice. In fact, she tried to use it to teach the young girl a lesson and inspire her, to give her hope that her dreams and seemingly “impossible” goals could come true as well.
Jessica had long talked about pursuing an education and becoming a nurse—maybe even a doctor. April thought that, if Jessica could see her achieve her “impossible” dreams, maybe Jessica would have faith that hers could be achieved too and would more adamantly pursue her own goals.
“One day, when you’re older,” April said, sitting down on Jessica’s bed, “you’ll look back and remember this day… And, you won’t remember it as the day our relationship ended, but as the day that both of our new, promising lives began.
“If I were to stay here and do as you said—if we were to take over Mrs. Wilson’s business in a few years—I’d wither away into a spinster without ever seeing this world, and you’d never go on to study medicine and help others. What good would any of that do? Look at all we’d both be missing in order to preserve something that neither of us truly wants.”
April reached out and put her arm around Jessica’s shoulder, and Jessica woefully shook her head. “But—” Jessica started. But, before she could go on, she stopped herself.
“You’
re right,” the teenager went on, sighing, as she bowed her head. “But, just because you speak the truth, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to hear.”
April chuckled at Jessica’s clever use of words, then leaned closer to hug the girl.
“I’ll miss you terribly,” she told Jessica. “But, trust me, this is all for the best.”
As Jessica hugged back, April cherished the tenderness of their embrace and thanked God for blessing her with such an understanding, ambitious niece. She prayed for the best for the young girl—though, if she’d known what the next few weeks had in store for her, she’d have probably been better served to pray for herself.
THREE
“He’s a cowboy,” April explained. “He’s 29 and owns his own small property in Texas. But he travels frequently, to sell the animals he breeds. I’ll be going along with him on his travels—once we’re married.”
The young woman sitting beside April nodded her head and smiled. She, too, was on the train headed westward to Texas to marry, but she was not as talkative as the new friend she’d found.
“He told me he’s been all over Texas and has even traveled to Arizona and California,” April went on. “I can’t wait to see what those places are like. I’m sure the sights, sounds, and people are much different than anything I’ve ever known.”
April and had travel companion had met about a week into the train ride across the country. The other girl got on board somewhere in the Midwest, around Chicago perhaps, and decided to take a seat next to April for convenience’s sake. But, April saw that “convenience” as an opportunity for “conversation” and since talked the girl’s ear off and went on and on about Miles for the next three days.
“Did I tell you he can play the banjo?” April asked.
The woman nodded. Indeed, April had told her this, twice before.
“He said he likes to play at camp, under the stars, as he travels,” April went on. “I’ve been practicing some church hymns over the past few months, to accompany him as he plays.”
“He also said he’s quite a dancer,” April added. “Though, I’m not too familiar with many dance steps… I guess that’s something I’ll have to learn in time—and, I’m sure it’ll be great fun to learn.”
The other woman looked back at April, nodded her head again, and smiled. Her name was Clara, and she’d talked about her husband-to-be a bit too, but hadn’t had nearly as much to say as April.
It wasn’t that April was bragging about Miles, mind you. Bragging, boasting, and the like weren’t really like her. She was just very excited and found it difficult to keep her mouth shut and wanted to talk about him to anyone willing to hear.
And, Clara was definitely willing to hear. She wasn’t as social a creature as April to begin with, and she was very intrigued by what April had to say about Miles. He sounded much more interesting than the man she was going to Texas to marry, who, by his accounts, was a middle-aged, overweight store owner in search of someone to help him raise his three sons.
“I’m sure there’s so much I will learn from him,” April said, reaching into her pocket. For the umpteenth time since she’d boarded the train, she pulled out the picture of Miles—and, for the umpteenth time she offered to show it to Clara, who’d already seen it several times.
“He’s very handsome,” Clara said, appraising the photograph yet again. “I’m sure you’ll be very happy together.”
“Yes,” April said, staring down at Miles’ image. Of course, it was a black and white image, but she colored it in with the details he’d provided in his letters. She put blue in his pale eyes and light brown in his hair and saw the face of an angel staring back at her.
“I spent every penny I had in order to buy my train ticket to go out West and marry him,” April explain, still staring at the picture. “And, even though I am now financially drained, it seems like a wise investment, all told.”
April looked up from the photo and glanced at Clara, whose eyes were now closed. She chuckled at her sleeping companion, then closed her eyes as well and thought more about the man she was going to meet.
It had been difficult for her to bring up the subject of children in her letters with Miles, she remembered. Though, once she did, she seemed to take her condition right well. Though I have enough love to give children, he’d written her, I’d much rather focus all of that love on my wife.
All things considered, April couldn’t have asked for much better as far as Miles’ response. He seemed both to understand her predicament and appreciate it as well, which made him the perfect match for her.
But, he was already pretty close to perfect to begin with, she thought. He liked making music and dancing. He like adventure and traveling. He liked smiling and laughing. He liked…
With so many lovely thoughts in her head, April was calmed and, eventually, lulled to sleep. But, even in her sleep, she continued to think lovely thoughts of Miles and had the loveliest dreams.
Yet, unfortunately, just as those dreams were starting to get good, April was roused—and, soon enough, her nightmare began.
FOUR
“GALVESTON!” the porter shouted.
April shifted in her seat. She’d heard the word before and figured she was still dreaming.
“GALVESTON!” the porter shouted again. “We’ll be pulling in to Galveston, Texas, within the half-hour.”
This time, when April heard the man’s voice, she was brought back to the waking world. She sat upright, and, as she did, the photograph of Miles, which she’d been holding onto desperately, and lovingly, all throughout her sleep, fell to the floor.
“Wake up,” April said, nudging Clara as she bent down to retrieve the photo. “We’re just outside of Galveston.”
“Oh my,” Clara said, opening her eyes and yawning. “Thanks for waking me! It’d been a horrible shame to’ve come this far only to sleep through my stop.”
The two women giggled and collected their things, then sat on the edges of their seats as they waited for the train to pull into the station at Galveston. Surprisingly, even though there were a million things still on her mind, April remained silent for the remainder of the journey, and quietly counted the seconds until she got to see Miles face to face.
“GALVESTON!” the porter yelled again, a grueling 20 minutes later. “Pulling in to Galveston, Texas… All passengers bound for Galveston and its surrounding settlements, get hold of your things!”
April sprung up from her seat while the train was still moving.
“This is it,” she said, smiling at Clara. “Our husbands are waiting!”
Clara looked up at April and shook her head with a grin. She, too, was excited to meet the man she was to marry, but she couldn’t quite match April’s elation.
As the train started to slow, April grabbed her stuff and ran to the front of the car.
By the time the porter caught up with April at the door, April had all but pried it open herself. He seemed both shocked and entertained by her eagerness, and didn’t take any personal offense when she nearly knocked him as she dragged her trunk past him, off the train.
Once April was out of the train, her eyes slowly adjusted to the mid-afternoon sunlight, and she scanned the station for Miles. When she’d sent her last letter, accepting his proposal, she included her travel itinerary, so she knew that he was expecting her and would be at the station—now, it was just a matter of finding him amongst the crowd.
There were about a dozen other passengers who got off of the train in Galveston, including Clara, and there were more than twice as many people there to meet and greet them. So, indeed, there were a great deal of people around her, but April was confident she’d be able to discern Miles’ ruggedly handsome angel-like face from the rest of them.
To her left, a young family greeted an older couple. To her right, a stern marm and bashful bachelor greeted a homely girl and her infant child. In the distance, a school child exchanged pleasantries with an elderly woman who must’ve been four times her
age. And, several yards away, a plump man stood with three plump adolescent boys.
The clamor around April started to die down as small groups of people started veering off in different directions, headed toward their carriages and horses. April, however, remained fixed in place, looking around her, in search of Miles—who, for all intents and purposes, did not appear to be there.
April started doing the math in her head. She’d sent her letter accepting Mile’s proposal some three weeks before departing Pennsylvania, and she was certain he must have received it by now.
For a split-second, she thought that maybe, just maybe, the train had traveled quicker, or slower, than expected and arrived in Galveston at a different time than she’d originally planned. But, she knew that couldn’t be the case. After all, all those other people, including Clara’s fat fiancé, were on the scene to meet their wards.
Perhaps Miles, himself, had gotten confused about the days, April thought to herself. Or, perhaps he was running late. Maybe he was delayed because of work, or maybe he’d stopped off on the side of the road to play the banjo and sing a song.
Whatever the case, Miles was not there, and, other than a few workers, April was left alone at the platform, which frightened her. She was a stranger to Galveston and didn’t know anyone or anything of it or its surrounding towns.
No less, April grabbed her trunk and started walking away from the platform, toward what looked like a town hub. After walking a bit, she noticed four men collected outside of a storefront, conversing by their horses. They were some distance away, and she tried to make out their faces, to see if Miles was one of them.
Though she couldn’t see the men very well, April safely concluded that Miles was not among them. They all looked rugged, but looked too rugged to be him, and they each were of different shapes and sizes, none of which matched the photo she held so dear.
With no other options on hand, April decided to take a risk and do something unheard of. Although it defied every social convention she’d been taught, she decided to approach the group of men and ask them for help. She assumed they were locals, like Miles, and could probably tell them were to find him—and, she concluded, approaching them, would likely be safer than having them approach her. Plus, talking to unfamiliar men collected in front of a storefront seemed a better option than standing in solitude on the outskirts on an unfamiliar outpost as it came close to dark.
Mail Order Bride: JUMBO Mail Order Bride 20 Book Box Set Page 5
