Heaven Must Wait

by Brenda B. Taylor

Heaven Must Wait

  The Wades Of Crawford County Series

  A Novella

  Brenda B Taylor

  Heaven Must Wait

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in reviews. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

  Copyright © 2013 Brenda B Taylor

  ISBN: 978-0-9888105-0-1

  Published by Bethabara Press

  Cover © Cora Graphics

  Photographs © Beth Taylor and Lisa Bagherpour/Fotolia

  Model: Serena Holland

  All scripture is taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version. Public domain.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously

  Dedication

  This story is dedicated to the Windle family who followed their hearts and left Tennessee to settle in the Cuba, Missouri area then ventured to the Neutral Territory of Louisiana and settled there.

  "O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble." Isaiah 33:2

  Chapter One

  Cuba, Missouri

  May 1867

  Their loud, harsh voices drifted to the porch. They weren’t exactly screaming at each other, but Pa didn’t sound like himself, and neither did Ralph. Leann knew both men to be headstrong in trying to get a point across. Should she go inside and stop this argument? She rose from the chair.

  "Leave them alone, Leann." Ma's rocking chair creaked out a steady rhythm. "They’ll cool off in a minute. Your father and Ralph are both stubborn, but reasonable men."

  Leann stood beside a post on the front porch of the Clark home, gazing across the meadow. The summer sun began to slip behind the horizon, painting colors of pink and purple across the afternoon sky. The sound of clucking chickens came from behind the house in the chicken coop. The family dog turned around in the dust of the front yard until he made a bed then began licking a paw.

  "I’m afraid for Ralph. Pa might forbid him to come around here." Leann twisted the fabric of her cotton skirt.

  "Sit down." Her mother tugged on Leann’s sleeve. "Leave them be. The girls will be in from gathering the eggs in a few minutes, and your Pa won’t raise his voice around them."

  Leann sat down just as the front door opened and Ralph rushed out on the porch. He grabbed her by the hand, pulling her from the chair.

  "We need to talk." He nodded at Ma while speaking through clenched teeth. "Excuse us, Mrs. Clark, but I need to talk to Leann."

  Ralph led Leann along until they reached the large oak tree not far from the house where his horse stood tied. She heard the front door slam, again, and knew Pa came outside to join Ma on the porch.

  Ralph turned to Leann, his face dark with a scowl. "He said, no. You’re too young, and I can’t provide for you good enough. We have to wait until you’re eighteen. It don’t matter your ma and mine were your age when they married. He’s expecting us to wait."

  Leann put her hand on Ralph's arm and looked into his deep brown eyes. The unruly lock of brown hair escaped his hat and fell across his creased forehead. How could she comfort him with her own heart so heavy?

  Tears filled Leann's eyes. "I’m sorry. I wish he would change his mind, but I know he won’t."

  "Your pa’s a stubborn man." Ralph looked toward the house where her parents sat on the porch talking in low tones, then bent down and kissed her lips with his hands clutching her arms. "He didn’t say I had to stay away from you." His warm breath fanned across her face.