Beneath the Heavens

by Barlow, Lindsey;

  “Very well,” Esther said with a smile, although Joseph detected ice in her voice. The two walked side by side to her wagon.

  “If I may ask, why is your wagon painted like a gypsy cart?”

  “It is a gypsy cart!” Michael said proudly. “Mom and I painted it. Do you like it?”

  “I love it.” Joseph bounced Michael, making the boy laugh. “Where I come from the people paint with bright colors. My own home has multi-colored walls stenciled with flowers and murals. I like bright colors.” He gazed over at Esther who looked ahead with a periodic glance at Michael. “So, Miss Esther, do you take Michael to school every day?”

  “Yes, yes I do.”

  “Pick him up?”

  This time she looked at Joseph with her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as if he were some strange animal she had never seen before.

  “Yes, I take him and I fetch him every day. I am his mother.”

  “Oh, well that’s good.” Joseph looked ahead, suppressing a smile. He would make sure he saw her every day, twice a day with some luck. He would ask Abby all about her, and maybe she could give some insight as to why this lovely woman was showing him no interest at all.

  When they reached the cart, Joseph lifted Michael into the seat. Esther had begun to hitch up the horse, but Joseph walked over and placed a hand on hers to stop her. To his surprise she recoiled sharply at his touch.

  “Oh, Miss, I am so sorry. I meant only to stop you so I could—”

  “No, no, its fine.” Esther laughed nervously, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “You merely surprised me, that’s all.” Esther gripped the side of her dress to keep from trembling.

  “I was just going to say I will hitch the horse for you.”

  She nodded with an agreeable smile. “Umm, thank you, Mr.—”

  He looked at her sharply.

  Esther smiled and nodded an apology. “I mean Joseph. Thank you, Joseph.”

  When the horse was hitched, Esther walked over to the right side to pull herself up. Joseph came and stood by her and held out his hand to help her up. Esther looked at it quietly; his hand could easily crush her own. A tingle went down her spine; she did not want to take it, but she also did not want to be rude. So with a deep breath and a plastered on smile, she took his hand. To her surprise it was warm and gentle, his other hand he placed on her lower back as he supported her weight and helped her into the driver’s seat. As soon as she was settled Esther pulled her hand away, hoping that her eagerness to escape his touch was not too obvious.

  Esther relaxed once her body was free of his touch. “Thank you again, Joseph. It was a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Likewise Miss Esther,” he turned his gaze to Michael. “Well Michael, I guess I will see you tomorrow.”

  Michael nodded eagerly, “See you tomorrow as well Mr. Joseph,” he said, trying to imitate a Texan accent. Then with a farewell nod Esther snapped the reins and led the horse away from Joseph without a glance behind her.

  Michael was a chatterbox the whole way home. He told her about Joseph’s belt buckle, his Indian bracelet, the way he talked, walked, how tall he was. Michael even rehearsed his and Joseph’s entire conversation. Esther listened not bothering to reply. Michael simply was infatuated with a man who he had deemed heroic. This was natural for children. Finally, as their home came into view Michael said, “He will be a good dad, don’t you think Mom?”

  “Wait…what?” Esther dropped the reins.

  “I said that he will be a good dad. He is everything that you said my dad would be.”

  Esther bit her lip. She knew it had been a bad idea to talk about a future father who was entirely fictional. Here she had built up false hope in Michael, not thinking any harm would come of it, at least not for a while. How was she supposed to know that a Texas Ranger fitting her exact imaginative description would ride into town?

  I shall never marry, Esther recited as she had countless times before.

  The thought brought her comfort. Yet it had made Michael so happy to feel that God was preparing a father for him, and she hadn’t had the heart to tell him that his momma was too—damaged was the wrong word—but what was the right word? Through faith and prayer she felt stronger and happier than ever, but there were too many scars, too many fears, and a distinct lack of trust and respect for men.

  “Michael listen, we don’t even know Joseph. He may not be your father, so you cannot go around telling people that he is, alright?’

  Michael pouted but finally nodded, muttering, “I know he is, though.”

  Esther sighed. “How could you possibly know that?” she asked, feeling more discouraged than annoyed.

  “Because when I saw him I felt warm, happy, and peaceful—and didn’t you say that is how God speaks to us?”

  Esther bit her lip again. It felt as if all her mothering and well-intentioned words of comfort were being used against her today.

  “Sometimes it is easy to confuse emotions with what the Holy Spirit is saying to us.”

  Michael frowned. “I don’t know what that means,” he said angrily. Esther breathed out a short laugh. Michael always got mad when his young mind did not understand things.

  “Listen, love, let’s not worry about it tonight. Come help me with dinner and we can start a new book, then take a bath and head off to bed with some hot cocoa,” she suggested.

  That was enough to change Michael’s mood, but Esther remained unsettled. She would have to tell Michael one day that she had no intention on marrying. Besides, what man could truly love Michael as she did?

  Six

  Abby was combing out her wet hair while Joseph borrowed her writing desk. He was looking more pensive than usual. “What are you writing, Joe?” she asked, walking into the kitchen to stir the soup. She prayed that it was all right. The recipe was easy to follow as was the one for the butter and flour biscuits cooking in the oven. Still, she worried. Even simple cooking seemed hard for her.

  Joseph set down the ink quill and crumbled up the paper. “Nothing—well, nothing that needs to be written now.”

  “Oh, are we having secrets between us now?” Abby teased before testing the soup—good, not great, but good. She set about ladling a giant bowl for Joseph and then smothered a few biscuits with some honey butter that Esther had made for her. Last she poured two glasses of milk. “Joseph, I have dinner ready.”

  Joseph sighed, reluctant to eat Abby’s cooking, but the poor girl had spent so much time over it that he felt obligated. When he sat down at the table, Abby quickly set about making herself a bowl and then sat across from him.

  “I’ll pray,” she offered. Joseph bowed his head, the steam from the soup wetting his face. It actually smelled pretty good. When Abby closed with an “Amen” she stared excitedly at Joseph and the soup. With a brave breath Joseph lifted a full spoon to his mouth.

  “Well?” Abby asked, her voice hinting of worry.

  Joseph swallowed. “Not bad, Abby. Much better than those cookies you attempted last Christmas,” he smiled.

  Abby shuddered in remembrance. “I don’t know if I would call those cookies when the dogs would not even play with them.”

  “Oh, they did. It was just that the cookies chipped their teeth,” he teased and took a hearty bite of a biscuit. “Mmm, good spread, whatever it is.”

  “Its honey butter,” Abby said. “Esther made me some along with the curtains.”

  Joseph coughed and hit his chest. “Esther, huh?”

  Abby lifted an eyebrow. “Yes, Esther,” she said, eyeing her brother suspiciously.

  Joseph nodded. “So Abby, what do you know about Esther?” He wasn’t one to gossip, but Esther had been the first woman he’d met who had shown no interest in him. And for once, it bothered him.

  Abby shrugged. “Honestly, the woman is a mystery. She has been most kind to me and everyone loves her, but I wouldn’t say she was close to anyone, besides maybe Eliza, who she knew from back East, but even then, I don’t kno
w how close they are.”

  “Do you know anything about her husband?”

  Abby shook her head, “Again another mystery. Her uncle is a doctor and his wife is a nurse. They run a small clinic in town. Esther is the midwife and a right good one from what I’ve heard and seen. She loves it here and never talks about her life back East. As far as I know, she has no intentions of ever leaving Tall Pine. As far as a husband,” Abby continued, “I assume he passed away.” She began layering up a biscuit generously with honey butter. It felt so good to eat.

  “Does she have, well, a suitor of some sort?” Joseph asked nonchalantly, and then regretted the question when he looked up to see Abby grinning at him wide-eyed. “Now Abby—” he began, but was cut off.

  “Why Joseph Silver, I do believe you have a crush on Miss Esther Callen! And I thought the tough, cold-hearted Texas Ranger would not be tied down by any woman,” she teased.

  Joseph rolled his eyes. “Calm down, Abby. I only met her once.”

  Once is enough. I need her; I have longed for her without knowing it.

  Joseph knew Esther was the one for him, but he would die before admitting to his sister that he’d fallen in love at first sight like some silly schoolboy. And, maybe it wasn’t love, but rather a divine knowledge that she belonged with him. It was as if God had placed in his heart the sure knowledge that he needed Esther.

  “I always told you this would happen. I said that you would never love just any woman, but when you do fall for one, you will fall hard.” She shook her head with an annoyed expression. “I don’t know why people don’t listen to me more.”

  “Listen Abby, I am not saying that I don’t find her attractive—”

  “Of course you find her attractive. Who wouldn’t? Did you know she puts a berry juice salve on her lips and cheeks? I tried it, but it does not look as good on me as it does her. Esther is beautiful. Can you imagine what cute babies you would have? They’d be awfully tall—”

  “Abby!” Joseph interrupted loudly. Abby blinked with a “what did I say” expression. “Abby,” Joseph said again softly, “before you go on talking babies and weddings—”

  “Wedding and then babies,” she corrected with a smile.

  Joseph chuckled. “Before you go on, I just want to make sure that you don’t mention my interest to her. I don’t know if she would even consider me courting her, let alone—” he was about to say marry her. Marry her? For goodness sake, he was actually entertaining the idea. No, not entertaining, he was planning on it. “Well, getting to know her better. She did not seem to be even aware of me today.”

  Abby waved her hand with a “tsk” sound. “Oh, that is just her reserved personality. All these people in Tall Pine have it, both the farmers and the miners. You have to coax them, be persistent in order to get to know them. Mind you, I haven’t been here long, but still I’ve caught on to a few things. Back in Texas people are open and speak their minds, but here, things are different.”

  “Maybe,” Joseph grunted before resuming to eat his soup. They were silent for a few minutes before Abby started the conversation again.

  “So who were you writing, Joe?” she asked casually.

  “Your father,” Joseph muttered.

  “Dad?” Abby asked surprised. “You were writing Dad? Careful, he may die of a heart attack from the shock of it.” Abby shook her head. Joseph was full of surprises today. First he showed interest in a woman—a woman with a child. Then, he began writing his stepfather. He never, ever, ever wrote to his stepfather.

  “Hmm, well don’t worry, I haven’t written a letter to him just yet.”

  Abby tapped her foot. She desperately wanted to pursue this conversation, but she had to tread carefully. She could tease Joseph about Esther because so far nothing had happened. Like he said, he’d only just met her. Her father on the other hand was a different matter. It was always awkward between them, and Joseph rarely talked about it. Jefferson was forever trying to bond, but Joseph had this fixed idea that no other man could be his father and that he did not even need another father.

  “If you don’t mind me asking,” she began hesitantly, “what were you writing about? Maybe you just want to let him know you arrived here safely, or that I was alright?” She offered two options that he could choose from just in case he did not want to reveal what he was really writing about. To her surprise, Joseph told the truth.

  “I was asking him about the ranch. Some time ago he offered to, well, to have me start taking over the cattle business. That is, if I was willing to leave the Rangers. I was merely asking him if that offer was still intact.” He popped another biscuit in his mouth not making eye contact with Abby, which she was glad of, as she feared she would shriek with delight if he looked at her. Joseph taking over the ranch meant that he would be around. It meant he would live long and happy. It meant a lot of things. Did Esther have anything to do with this? If she did, how could anything happen between them if he was only going to stay two weeks?

  As if reading her thoughts, Joseph cleared his throat, wiping his mouth with a napkin and settling back in his chair. “Abby, how long does the school season last?”

  “Another month, maybe two; it depends on the weather, really. Once blizzards hit, school is out and then we begin again in spring. Why do you ask?”

  “I was also going to let Jeff know that I will be staying longer, possibly a month.”

  Maybe more if it took that long.

  “A month?” Abby exclaimed.

  “Maybe a little longer depending how things are going… with you, I mean. I want to get the schoolhouse and this little place,” he nodded at the surrounding house, “all sealed up tight before the winter hits. Colorado winters can be fierce, you know.”

  Abby giggled and shook her head knowingly.

  Joseph frowned. “What are you laughing at?” he asked, taking a swig of milk.

  “Oh, I am just thinking that if you plan on leaving in a month or two, then big brother you better move quick.”

  “Quick? You mean fixing the house? Abby I can have this place done in—”

  “Oh, I am not talking about the house,” she said with a wink. “All I’m saying Joe is that you don’t have the luxury to take your time with her. You will have to forgo gentlemanly behavior and snag that woman before you leave, but you also can’t scare her off.”

  Joseph replied with a half-smile.

  Abby stood up and nodded for him to leave. “Go finish your letter, and I will clean up,” she offered.

  Joseph nodded and walked back to the desk again, thinking about what Abby said. After this afternoon he had decided to not be so forward with Esther, but Abby was right. He needed to be home before the winter to get his affairs in order. With only two months, he would have to make his intentions known fairly soon. On the other hand, he had not missed her flinch when he’d touched her. This was not the usual reaction that women had when he touched them.

  Why had she flinched? Perhaps she was still mourning her husband?

  Joseph frowned. What should be his first move? What should he say? How should he act?

  After a few minutes, Joseph decided it was time for bed. When it came to chasing criminals, finding lost cattle, and dodging bullets, he could remain pretty calm. A few minutes of trying to figure out how to court a female and he was as anxious as a bronco tied down.

  This should be fun, he smiled to himself before heading to bed.

  /

  Michael was not pleased. He was not pleased at all. He stood with arms folded as his mother, who usually bent to his will, sat on the wagon, reins in hand with the same stone-like stare that he was giving her.

  “You always walk me up to the schoolhouse.” He folded his arms and glared.

  “Yes, I do, but it won’t hurt you if I drop you off in the wagon. My ankle hurts. It is as simple as that,” Esther said, turning slightly red as she always did when she lied.

  Michael tilted his head. “It didn’t hurt this morning when you were m
aking breakfast and getting yourself ready,” he noted.

  Esther sighed, waving a defeated hand in the air. Sometimes Michael was too smart. “Listen Michael, I am already letting you wear that ridiculous belt buckle and that hat—”

  “Ridiculous? You said I looked like a real cowboy,” Michael wailed, his bottom lip trembling, “but you think I look ridiculous?”

  Esther leaned her head back with motherly guilt.

  She knew what Michael was doing this morning as he rummaged through the house looking for a belt buckle. He wanted to look like the Ranger, Abby’s brother. Joseph, what trouble are you going to cause me?

  Esther looked at the schoolhouse. Joseph was hammering something on the left side, probably a loose board. If she walked up with her son there would be no way to avoid him, but Michael now stood with a broken heart and little boy tears that pulled on her heart. So with a small groan she lowered herself onto the ground and went and kneeled in front of her son.

  “Michael, I am sorry. I am not myself today, and I am saying things I don’t mean. I truly think that you look incredibly handsome, like a real cowboy. If I did not think you looked handsome I would not have let you wear this belt buckle and hat. Remember when I made you take the feathers out of your hair?”

  Michael’s mouth twitched. “You said I looked more like a bird than a brave Indian Chief.”

  “That’s right, and then we made you leather moccasins instead. I am saying this so that you believe me when I say that I think you look wonderful.” She stroked his cheek. She loved her son so much and fretted every day about whether or not she was raising him right. He was such a wonderful gift and the last thing she wanted was to hurt this miracle God had given her.

  “I don’t look ridiculous?”

  “Not ridiculous in the least.”