Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to come this way, she thought to herself. I should have announced my arrival, instead of making it a surprise, she reflected silently. But, what’s done is done, and she was here now. She tried to take a deep breath to calm down her nerves and her heart that was beating like crazy. After all, how often does it happen that a young woman travels for miles and miles to meet her future husband?
It had all started innocently enough a few months ago. She decided to do something that many would condemn her for, namely to reply to a mail order bride advertisement. Of course, before Noemie did this, she had a long, hard talk with her parents about the entire thing and what it could mean for her. Needless to say, neither of her parents were too thrilled about it. That wasn’t the right way to meet a husband, her ma had said, while her pa just nodded in agreement.
But then again, Noemie wasn’t in what one would call a normal, everyday situation herself. The riding accident had left her barren, and while the doctor did say that the possibility always exists, that hope never dies and that our good Lord works in mysterious ways, Noemie knew that the moment she mentioned this little fact to a prospective husband, she would ruin her chances with him. Because what were we put on this Earth for other than to procreate, to leave a mark on it by leaving progeny?
Yes, it did happen occasionally that someone, either man or woman, was unable to fulfill this divine role placed upon us by Him, but then again it was His choice that these people were unable to do so. And for whatever reason this happened, they had to comply. So, Noemie complied, with a smile on her face, though the older she got, the sadder her heart grew. As a result, she knew that finding a husband the regular old‐fashioned way wasn’t for her. And the mail order bride way seemed to be it.
So, after she had explained everything to her parents, they finally agreed and offered their full support in this unusual matter. After leafing through several editions of their daily newspaper, Noemie finally found someone who seemed to be perfect for her: Callaway Saunders. He was about her age, hardworking, a good and honest Christian man. And best of all, he explicitly stated, “Apply only if you don’t want children.”
Now, it wasn’t that Noemie didn’t want children. It was just that the situation was so that she hadn’t been given a choice in the first place. And this somehow made things easier for her, to simply go along with what Callaway wanted. Her first reply was short and to the point. She didn’t want to pour her heart out only to find out that he wasn’t interested in her. But he replied soon after and in more words than she’d offered him, so she thought a better response was due.
She told him about her childhood, about Butterfly, not neglecting to mention the consequences of the riding incident, about her love for the written word, for Nature and for all living things. He shared most of her interests, and it seemed that they really were two peas in a pod.
Several months passed by, then, finally, he offered her to come to his ranch and officially become his wife. The proposal made her extremely happy, and when she shared the news with her parents, they shared in her joy. They offered to accompany her to the Saunders ranch, but being the stubborn and free‐willed soul that she was, Noemie decided that she would arrive sooner than expected and surprise Callaway. This way, she thought, she would be sure of his feelings for her.
And now, here she was. Standing in front of the door that was to grant her access to a new life, where she would be a happily married woman.
Her arm was raised again, and this time, it did its bidding. It rang the doorbell, and then returned to a resting position next to Noemie’s shivering body. Saying she was nervous would be an understatement. But there was more to it. She felt joy, excitement, anxiety, but also deep appreciation and an even deeper belief that God had sent her here on a very important mission, which was yet to be revealed to her.
“I’m a‐comin’!” She heard a voice from inside. Upon opening the door, the voice revealed a body, that of a maid, who greeted her with a smile.
“Yes?” the maid asked.
“H‐hello. I’m here to see Callaway Saunders,” Noemie said, more calmly than she thought she would.
“And who may I say is callin’?” The maid eyed her suitcase.
“Noemie Radford, please.” She sounded her name like bells, and as soon as she did so, the maid’s eyes widened.
“Oh, Miss Radford!” She almost yelled at Noemie. “We didn’t expect ya till next week! Come in, come in!” She opened the door wide and welcomed her inside.
Noemie was right. The inside of the house was just as cozy and as comforting as she had imagined. The furniture was old, but well taken care of. The draperies were long and heavy, keeping the midday sun out while retaining a fresh coolness inside.
She was led into a parlor and told to sit down and relax while Mr. Callaway was called for. Apparently he was still in the stables. One of the cows was pregnant and it was any minute that its little calf was to see the light of day. This thought made her smile, Callaway welcoming a new life into this world. But then harsh reality hit her like a ton of bricks and her smile disappeared. Still, she tried to shake these negative thoughts. After all, she was here, about to meet her future husband for the first time ever. And it was a joyous occasion.
In front of her, there was a silver tray, and on it, a glass of fresh lemonade, icy cold, and a few cookies, which looked delicious. She took a big gulp of the lemonade and treated herself to a cookie while she waited. As she was chewing the final piece, the door swung open and a rock of a man entered.
His face was darkened by the sun, but his hair was almost blonde in places, while most of it was hazel brown. His eyes, deep and dark, peered at the guest that was sitting in his parlor. The sleeves of his checkered shirt were rolled up to the elbows, and she could see his glistening muscles even from underneath his shirt. Callaway was obviously a man who was no stranger to hard work.
He started walking towards her immediately.
“Noemie!” he exclaimed, with a row of pearly whites that flashed her. “I thought you’d be comin’ next week!” He was surprised. “But I’m sure glad you’re here now.”
She stood up to offer him a hand, thinking a hug at this point might be overly familiar, but he didn’t feel the same way. He grabbed her frail body in his enormous arms and squeezed her tight. It felt safe and warm. She closed her eyes. She wanted to stay wrapped in his arms forever.
“So, so glad you’re here.” He looked at her straight in the eye, and she thought she’d melt. “Why didn’t ya tell me you were comin’? I’d have waited for ya somewhere, or sent a carriage…” He seemed worried that his future wife had been traveling all by herself. “Bad things could have happened to ya, and then what’d I do?” He hugged her again.
Noemie wasn’t expecting such a warm welcome, but she was sure happy for it. She returned his hug.
“It’s fine, Callaway. Nothing bad happened, I was safe. Don’t worry. What matters now is that I’m here.” She smiled at him, and in another attack of affection, he brought her hands to his lips, kissing them gently. She could feel that his lips were a little chapped, but they felt nice on her skin.
“Rose’ll show ya to your room.” He continued. “You can freshen up there, and you’ll of course be stayin’ there until we’re officially married.” He added, smiling. Obviously, the thought brought him much pleasure. “It’s all ready for next week, so we can welcome all the guests that wish to join us and raise a toast to our future happiness.”
Noemie felt as if she was going to cry. Callaway was wonderful. She couldn’t have asked for a more loving, dear, affectionate man, and here he was, just for her. She placed her hand on his cheek, and caressed him gently.
“Thank you… for everything.” She smiled.
“No, I should be thankin’ you,” he added softly. “Now, off with ya!” He tried to sound serious. “I got work to do, and then I’ll join ya in a while, after you rest a little. Still can’t believe you weren’t afraid to t
ravel all that way by yourself,” he added, musingly, as he put his hat back on and left the house.
Chapter 3
The following week, everything was organized for their wedding. The house looked even more beautiful than usual, with all the flowers and banners decorating it, and it seemed that even the animals on the ranch knew that something big and important was happening, because they were all on their best behavior. Noemie and Callaway welcomed her parents and all the other guests, and enjoyed a day of wedding bliss.
It couldn’t have gone better. Noemie wore her mother’s old wedding dress, which suited her perfectly. Her luscious hair was tied in a beautiful bun, with one big white flower placed right in the middle. She wore her veil only for the ceremony, choosing to remove it later on. She wanted to be able to see everything and everyone clearly, especially Callaway.
As she was gazing into his eyes, saying, “I do,” she considered herself the luckiest girl in the world. There she was, with such a permanent flaw, and there he was, the man who didn’t care whether she had that flaw or not because they seemed to go together perfectly.
It all felt like a beautiful dream, and Noemie never wanted to wake up. Fortunately for her, it seemed that she didn’t have to.
As the young newlyweds were dancing together, all the other guests freed the floor for them. They looked so blissful and very much in love. Noemie’s mother grabbed her husband’s hand. No words were said. No words were necessary. Love was in the air. Things were finally where they should be and it seemed that everyone was happy with where they were.
The guests danced well into the hours of morning, when it was time for everyone to go home. Noemie’s parents stayed for a few days longer, but not wanting to impose on the privacy of the newlyweds, they decided to cut their visit short. After hugging both their daughter and their son-in-law tightly, they waved their goodbyes.
That night, as the couple was ready to retire, Callaway was lying in bed, watching Noemie brush her luscious long hair.
“You are so beautiful,” he suddenly said. It made her blush, as she returned her gaze in the mirror. “I’m so lucky I found ya,” he continued, as he looked at her lovingly. “I never thought I’d meet someone who wanted the same things as me, or better yet, who didn’t want them.”
She knew what he was talking about, and somehow it made her a little sad. Everything was perfect, she honestly thought so, but being aware of the fact that she’d never hear a baby crying for her clenched at her heart. How could she not want children? How could any woman not want them when it was ingrained in them, when it came so naturally? But she knew that that path wasn’t meant for her. God Almighty put her on another path, and she had to do was comply. She didn’t know why this was happening, to her of all people, of all women, but she knew she had to cope. There was no other way. And in these moments, she remembered the wise words of her mother: “Whenever doubt strikes at your heart, little one, pray to Him. Pray with all your heart and He will reply, because He is watching and He is listening. He has a special mission for each and every one of us, and even though we might not understand it, we might find it too difficult to bear, trust in Him that He knows what He is doing. He will show you the way. He won’t leave you stranded. Just believe and pray with all your heart.”
Noemie knew it was so. It was just difficult sometimes to come to terms with the truth.
She smiled back at Callaway, this wonderful man who was looking at her so lovingly, who would hug her forever and make any kind of pain go away. She knew he’d pull down the moon for her, if only she wanted him to. She loved him with all her heart. And she doubted there could be anyone else in the world she could love as much.
Having brushed her hair, she joined him in bed, and they fell asleep, snuggled in each other’s arms. However, they weren’t able to sleep very well that night because something outside made the dogs bark like mad. Noemie woke up and saw a thin strip of moonlight coming in between the drapes. She elbowed Callaway gently when she heard how madly the dogs were barking.
“Callaway,” She whispered. “Call. Wake up.”
He was drowsy, but his eyes were open. “What is it?”
“I think someone’s on the ranch. A stranger,” Noemie revealed to him, though the dogs had known this well before she did.
“I’m sure it’s just a squirrel. Go back to sleep.” He turned around.
Noemie remained propped up in bed and kept listening to the dogs. She didn’t know them very well yet, but she knew that they wouldn’t bark at something insignificant for so long. No dog would. There was something else going on.
“Call?” she called to him. “I think we should see what’s making the dogs bark so loud.”
Callaway sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was get up from his warm and comfortable bed and go outside into the dark for something that’d turn out to be a chipmunk or a squirrel. But, he didn’t want to refuse her.
“OK, OK. I’m getting’ up,” he finally said and Noemie felt relieved. The dogs really worried her. She was afraid something bad might happen.
Callaway got out of bed and she joined him.
“Where do ya think you’re goin’?” He asked. “Stay here.” He instructed, as he left the room. She rushed to the window, which overlooked the patio. She knew that she’d see him the moment he left the house. Intently looking down, she could hear the dogs calming down. Still barking, but less. However, she didn’t see Call anywhere outside. Was he still in the house? Was he alright?
All of a sudden, a thousand bad thoughts infested her mind. What if there was a thief in the house?
What if he had attacked Call and was now coming up the stairs for her? Maybe she could make a run for it and get the help. Who lived in the house next door?
She peered through the bedroom door and into the hallway. It all seemed quiet. No noise that would suggest any wrongdoing. So, if everything was alright, where was Call? She couldn’t stop worrying and knew that she couldn’t just stay in the bedroom, waiting for him to return.
She pushed the door gently, until it was open just enough for her to squeeze through. She tried to make as little noise as possible, remembering not to step on the floorboards that she knew would squeak. As she approached the outer door, she could see a figure standing there. And that was all it was doing, just standing there, looking downward.
The entire house was dark, no lights were turned on, so she couldn’t be sure whether that silhouette belonged to Callaway or not. In any case, if she wanted to get out of the house and get help, she’d have to go past it, so there was no other way than forward. She took careful steps, one at a time, making sure to get near the person without him noticing her. When she was close enough, she could see the outline of Callaway’s face, illuminated by the moonlight and his soft curls fluttering in the night breeze.
She sighed with relief as she grabbed him gently by the hand.
“Call?” She called for him, and he shuddered upon hearing her voice. He seemed to have been miles and miles away, just stuck there on the doorway. Something wouldn’t let him move forward or backward.
Noemie had no idea what was going on.
“Call? Darling, are you alright?” She tried to push past him through the door, but he wouldn’t budge. He was frozen there, unable or unwilling to move – she wasn’t sure which one.
“Call, you’re scaring me…” Suddenly, the sound of her voice shook him and he returned to reality. He looked at her and then moved from the doorway, without a word. As if to show her something. She turned her gaze to the same place where he had just been standing, and to her surprise, saw a little wicker basket resting on their doorstep. At first, she couldn’t see clearly what it was, but then she jumped back as she noticed that something inside the basket moved. She grabbed Callaway’s elbow.
“What’s inside?” She asked, frightened.
He took a long pause before answering.
“A baby.”
His words hit her completely out of the blue.
A baby? What would a baby be doing on their doorstep, at this time of night?
“A baby?” She repeated.
“A baby.” The tone of his voice was the same.
Seeing that he wouldn’t move, she approached the basket. Removing the white blanket that was hiding everything except the baby’s head, she revealed a little baby girl, dressed in a white cotton dress, a little cap and a pair of socks. There was nothing else in there. No food for the baby, no additional clothes, no note as to who she was or why she was left there – nothing. Absolutely nothing. She lifted the baby out of the basket. It smiled at her. Noemie expected the baby to start crying, to show some kind of dissatisfaction with the whole situation, but it was the opposite. The baby seemed to be happy to be there, held by Noemie who couldn’t help but smile as well.
Callaway was stone cold serious, still standing in the same place he was a few minutes ago.
“We’d best get her inside.” Noemie finally spoke, but there was no reply from Callaway.
Without waiting for him to come around, she took the baby into the kitchen and prepared some milk, trying to figure out a way to feed a baby without any bottles around. Finally, Callaway followed her into the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” he asked, all serious.
“Feeding the poor thing. It must be starving,” she replied without even looking at him, tending to the milk.
“Whose baby is it?” His question seemed ridiculous.
“How am I supposed to know?” she asked, though she wasn’t annoyed. She was too busy with the baby.
“What are we gonna do with it?” he kept asking.
All of a sudden, she stopped. She had no answer to his question. She didn’t know.
“I don’t know, Callaway. I honestly don’t know.”
“We should give it back,” he stated, as if it was the most natural thing to do.
“Yes,” she replied, though part of her didn’t agree. “And we shall. But not now.” She turned to the baby and gave her some milk carefully. The baby giggled happily. It was the sweetest sound Noemie had ever heard.
Romance: Western Mail Order Bride Bethany's Love -Clean Christian Historical Romance (Western Mail Order Bride Short Shorties Series) Page 160
