Redeeming Light

by Annette O'Hare

  “No! You shouldn’t be here, Sarah!” Frederick said.

  Her lips tightened into a straight line. Warding off the tears stinging her eyes had become a daunting task. “I can and I will! These are my people, and I’m going to help them.” She turned back to the water and plunged her arms in, grabbing hold of another body.

  Frederick helped her pull the dark-skinned woman on deck.

  No more words were exchanged.

  There were no words to adequately describe the horrific sight.

  ~*~

  Frederick was more than relieved when the Texas City Port came into view. In the six and a half miles they’d traveled from the Bolivar Peninsula, the passengers and crew pulled forty bodies from the bay.

  The barge pulled up to the dock.

  His precious Sarah worked by his side the whole time without complaint. He would ask her to marry him, but not now, not here. His feelings for her were stronger than anything he’d ever experienced. She was all he’d ever wanted in a woman.

  She caught him staring at her.

  “I must look frightful.” Sarah touched one of her long, blonde curls.

  He nudged her chin up. “I’ve never seen you look more beautiful.”

  Sarah brought his hand to her lips and kissed it while looking into his eyes. “And you look very handsome wearing Daddy’s hat.”

  Frederick inched the Stetson up on his head. “Well, I suppose we ought to do this.” Taking Sarah by the hand, he led their way off the barge with the rest of her family.

  Safely on land, Frederick turned back and looked at all the bodies littering the barge deck. How thankful he was that God had allowed them to survive the storm.

  Sarah squeezed his hand.

  The small town of Texas City, Texas was overrun with refugees from the island. Those who survived the storm were in a mass exodus from the island to towns farther north. Most had no home to return to. Joining the evacuees was a throng of manned carriages at the ready for anyone needing passage.

  Frederick hoped Mr. Logan and his family had been able to leave the island before it was too late. But there was no use dwelling on things he had no control over.

  “Sarah, Frederick. Come over here and let’s talk.” Melvin motioned them over to a low, decorative fence where Mrs. McKinney sat holding the baby. Louise sat next to her. The poor woman lacked color in her cheeks. She needed rest. Melvin looked at Frederick when he spoke. “It’s time we regroup and come up with a plan.” The man didn’t look much better off than his wife.

  It was time to take charge of the bedraggled crew. Frederick looked at Sarah’s mother. “Mrs. McKinney, might I make a suggestion?”

  “Well, of course you can. You have as much a say in what we do as any one of us.”

  “Why, thank you.” He straightened his grubby shirt. “I think our best option is to travel to Houston to the home of your brother, my employer.” Frederick paused to gauge her reaction. He gestured toward the carriage drivers. “I, I would like to ask a few of those gentlemen if anyone is heading toward Houston. If you are in agreement, of course.”

  “I suppose we don’t have much other choice, son.”

  Frederick squeezed her hand. She smiled at him before they took off toward the rows of carriages. Mrs. McKinney had put her trust in him. She called him “son.” He would do everything in his power to deserve the esteemed moniker.

  40

  Sarah’s back ached. The wagon’s wheels struck every rut, rock, and ravine on the road, and there was another hour’s ride ahead of them. Glancing around, Sarah’s family all looked uncomfortable, but Louise looked as if she was on her last bit of strength. At least the driver made good time in the forty-two miles between Texas City and Houston.

  They weren’t alone on the bumpy ride. The driver allowed two other families to join them in the wagon. No one dared complain about the cramped conditions. The wealthiest families were on the same level as the poor. There were none who hadn’t suffered great losses. “Mama.” Sarah reached over and tapped her mother’s knee. “Mama, do you think Uncle Jeremiah will have received your wire by the time we arrive?”

  “I don’t know, honey. I just pray they’re there and not in Galveston.”

  Sarah slumped back against the wagon’s sidewall. She hadn’t entertained the thought that they might not even be at their Houston ranch. Summer had passed; why would they still be in Galveston? “No. I don’t think they would have been there.”

  “I pray you’re right, honey.”

  Frederick whispered in Sarah’s ear. “Don’t worry, love. I’m sure they’re fine.”

  She put both arms around Frederick’s and squeezed tight. The excitement she felt about seeing her uncle and aunt quickly melted into a puddle of fear in the pit of her stomach. She closed her eyes, refusing to cry, and fell asleep clinging to Frederick’s arm.

  ~*~

  Sarah awakened with a start. She dreamed she was back in the lighthouse. It swayed back and forth so much that she’d fallen out and was trying to swim through rough storm waters. She hugged Frederick’s arm still within her grasp, thankful it had only been a dream.

  Uncle Jeremiah’s ranch was up ahead.

  The driver whipped the reins, and his team picked up the pace.

  Uncle Jeremiah, Aunt Wilma, a half dozen hired hands, and a handful of grandchildren stood in the yard waving at them.

  Relief washed over Sarah. She met Mama’s gaze. “They’re all right, Mama.”

  Her beleaguered mother attempted to smile. She closed her eyes and raised a hand toward heaven, her prayers obviously answered.

  The driver stopped the wagon.

  Everyone, including the two families who had joined them, climbed out of the wagon.

  Sarah’s uncle and all his family and workers met them halfway.

  Mama collapsed into her brother’s open arms.

  Louise walked beside Melvin who held their newborn baby.

  Aunt Wilma quickly made the connection. She gasped, put her hands to her cheeks, and then made a beeline toward the young family. “The baby has come!”

  Before Melvin could protest, she whisked the tiny bundle from his hands. “Come, come now to the house. I need to take care of you.”

  Sarah was happy for someone to help her weary sister. She squeezed Frederick’s hand.

  Uncle Jeremiah patted Mama’s back before letting her go. He walked toward Sarah and Frederick with his hand outstretched.

  Frederick dropped Sarah’s hand and wiped it off on his grubby pants before shaking his boss’s hand.

  Uncle Jeremiah put his other arm around Frederick’s back and pulled him in for a hug, clapping his hand against his back. “I’m so glad to see you.” Uncle Jeremiah released Frederick and took a long look at him. “The hat looks good on you, Son.” He chuckled and then caught Sarah up in a bear hug. He kissed the top of her head. “Thank God you are all safe.”

  “And I thank God you weren’t in Galveston.”

  His eyes revealed the sadness of what happened. He turned to the group of displaced Galvestonians. “You are all welcome to stay for dinner. My men are smoking briskets out back, and my wife is making a washtub full of potato salad. There’s plenty for everyone.”

  A rousing round of thank yous and cries of joy came from the weary travelers and the wagon driver.

  When Uncle Jeremiah headed toward the back yard, the people followed him.

  ~*~

  Uncle Jeremiah’s men cooked up quite a feast. Everyone ate until they hurt.

  Thanking Uncle Jeremiah for the well-known Texas hospitality, the other two families loaded up in the wagon and took off. The driver refused to take the money Uncle Jeremiah offered him, saying the dinner was payment enough and that it was the least he could do after all they had been through.

  Sarah would eventually go out to the pasture to see the breed stock she’d sent here months before. But for now, she was happy to sit on the big, wooden porch swing and listen to the birds sing. As long as sh
e had Frederick by her side. He rubbed his thumb lightly across the back of her hand sending a ripple up her spine. The way he looked at her with those green eyes stirred her desire for him.

  The screen door swung open wide, and Uncle Jeremiah, Mama, Aunt Wilma, and Melvin stepped out onto the porch. Each one of them held mugs of steaming coffee. Mama, Aunt Wilma and Melvin headed for the table and chairs. Melvin put his mug down and pulled out chairs for the women. Uncle Jeremiah leaned against the porch railing and took a long sip of his coffee.

  Sarah sat up straight, hoping the blush on her cheeks would go unnoticed. “Mama, where are Louise and the baby?”

  “Your Aunt Wilma took them to one of the spare bedrooms to sleep. Poor things were exhausted.” An oppressive cloud of gloom seemed to surround her mother.

  Sarah understood why, they had lost everything. But she couldn’t forget that God had spared their lives.

  Uncle Jeremiah looked at Frederick and smiled. “I can’t believe you made it all the way from Beaumont to the lighthouse on Bolivar. The very place where Sarah was! Now that’s true love.”

  Sarah took a sideways glance at her beau. He smiled, squeezing her hand.

  “Yes, well I’m a man of my word. I told Sarah I would return for her and I did. I’ll never leave her again.”

  Mama covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

  Aunt Wilma put her arm around her shoulders to comfort her.

  Sarah rose from the swing and went to her side. She pulled out the chair next to her and sat. “What is it, Mama?” Sarah took her mother’s hands and pulled them away from her face.

  Mama wiped her eyes and sucked in a gulping breath. “What are we going to do, Sarah? We lost everything…the house, the ranch, and everything in it. How much does God think I can handle? I’ve lost my three husbands—divorced one, and buried two. Now I don’t have a husband. I don’t have any money. I don’t have anything! What am I supposed to do?”

  Sarah’s heart ached at the devastation in her mother’s words. She took Mama’s hands and squeezed them. “I know, Mama, but it’ll be all right. Uncle Jeremiah said we could stay here.”

  “That’s right. You are all welcome to stay for as long as you need to.” Aunt Wilma tried her best to soothe Mama.

  “And we have our lives, don’t we? And you have Baby Melvin.”

  Mama smiled at the mention of her precious grandbaby.

  “Mama, you know as well as anyone that God knew exactly what was going to happen to us. And…He had everything figured out before the storm even formed in the Gulf.”

  Mama nodded in agreement.

  “He’s still on His throne, and He’s still in control.” Sarah gave Mama a sheepish grin. “You want to know how I know that?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Sarah stood and turned away from the men so they wouldn’t see her reaching beneath her skirt. She fumbled a moment with the secret pocket hidden between the seams of the tattered garment until she had what she wanted. She sat back down beside Mama and placed the folded piece of paper in the palm of her hand. She closed Mama’s fingers around it and let go with a big smile.

  “What’s this?”

  “Well, open it up and see!”

  Mama unfolded the thick paper.

  “What is it?” Melvin asked, craning his neck to see.

  Mama‘s hands began to shake. She started sobbing again, but this time they were tears of joy. She reached out her other arm, and Sarah gladly fell into her embrace. The bank note waved to and fro in Mama’s hand. Sarah never had the chance to do anything with the money she’d received from the sale of Papa’s last herd.

  Mama whispered in her ear. “You didn’t spend the money.”

  “God knew we would need it more now.”

  “He has truly delivered us.”

  Sarah cried along with Mama, acknowledging the awesome power of God. An old, familiar verse came to her mind. She whispered it to Mama. “But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

  “Yes, He does, baby girl. Yes, He does.”

  41

  Sarah entered the parlor, supporting her back with her left hand. Her long, full skirt swished back and forth as she walked across the room to the desk situated in front of the side window. Carefully lowering herself into the desk chair, she took in a deep breath and released it. For a moment she stared at the tall stack of legal papers before softly chuckling. Oh, Frederick…

  As difficult as it was, she managed to reach over the documents retrieving her journal from amongst Frederick’s work. She pulled out the desk drawer and took one of the extravagant Waterman pens from its case. The beautiful matching set had been a wedding present from Louise and Melvin.

  Opening the journal, she set pen to paper inking the date, Wednesday, June 5, 1901. She paused, relaxing her hand as she thought what to write. When nothing immediately came to mind, she used her most elegant curlicue penmanship to write the new name she was so proud to call her own. She was pleased with the results.

  Sarah Jane Chessher.

  Sarah startled when a sudden hiccup escaped her mouth. She giggled and put her hand atop her growing belly. “Your grandma would say, ‘that baby is going to have a head full of hair!’” A smile graced Sarah’s face thinking of Mama and how she swore by those old wives’ tales. She missed Mama, but was happy to read in her latest letter about how she, Louise, and Melvin had put down money on a huge house in Bay City, Texas. Mama finally had her boardinghouse. Why she chose another place right on the Gulf of Mexico was a mystery to Sarah.

  All three sisters and Mama kept in close contact. Grace’s letters always made her laugh. Her stories about life in Tennessee with her preacher boy were hilarious. Their weekly letters were like a big slice of homemade pie. It was something to look forward to, something comfortable one really loved, like sleeping in one’s own bed after a long trip. Sarah smiled. Turning her attention back to her journal, she wrote.

  I’ve never been so happy in all my life. Feeling our baby move and knowing that he or she is growing inside me is the most wonderful sensation I’ve ever known. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I would love the life I have now. God has blessed Frederick and I beyond measure. I owe it all to the fact my husband now has his faith firmly planted in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. I no longer worry. Thank You, God.

  Who would have ever thought I would be happy in Beaumont, Texas? When Uncle Jeremiah suggested Frederick and I move here to open a second law office I wanted to cry. Turns out it was the best idea he ever had. Ever since those men struck oil on Spindletop Hill, people have been crawling out of the woodwork needing Frederick to file their legal claims.

  Funny how things work out the way they do. All I know is that I love my Frederick and as long as I’m by his side my heart is content. I suppose that Bible verse is true. All things really do work together for good to them that love God and who are called according to His purpose.

  Sarah set the pen on the desk and closed her journal. With one hand on her belly and her other hand on the edge of the chair, she stood—a task growing more difficult by the day. Moving toward the door, she remembered how Frederick teased her, accusing her of walking like a penguin. She had no idea how penguins walked, but imagined it must be much the same as how big bellied, pregnant women walked.

  “Woof, woof, woof!” Rex bolted into the parlor.

  Sarah went outside for fresh air around the same time every day, and he knew her routine. “Sit.” Sarah gave the command as she removed Rex’s lead from the coat hook where it hung.

  Rex sat and waited while the leash was attached to his collar.

  “Good boy, Rex.” Sarah had promised to come back for him, and she kept her word. Opening the front door of their small house, Sarah breathed in the sweet smell of gardenias blooming outside their door. All the houses in town featured a quaint front porch. Even though Sarah knew more about raising cattle than she did about decorating, she had d
one her best to make the front of their home as inviting as possible. Sarah attached Rex’s leash to the hook Frederick screwed into the wood railing. The dog made three complete circles before lying down on the porch.

  Sarah sat at the charming little wrought iron conversation set that she and Frederick bought second hand and re-painted a crisp shade of yellow. A pot of bright pink petunias sat in the middle of the table. She plucked wilted flowers from the plant and off the tabletop and slipped them into her skirt pocket. With a contented smile, Sarah rubbed the round bump covering her middle. The baby was quiet now.

  A man with a handlebar mustache and an expensive looking suit rode down the street on a beautiful brown and white paint. The clip-clop of hooves on the pavement tore at her heart. She missed Ginger in the worst way. But that part of her life was behind her…for now anyway.

  “Hello, Sarah!”

  Rex barked at the intruder, and Sarah looked up to see who was calling. “Oh, hello, Angela.” She waved at the woman standing on the sidewalk in front of her house.

  Sensing no threat, Rex put his head back down on the cool porch.

  “Lovely weather we’re having.” The young woman took one hand off the baby carriage she was pushing to adjust the bonnet ribbon tied at her neck. “Albeit hot, though.”

  “Yes, I can attest to that.” Sarah smiled, fanning herself with her hand. “And how is that little man of yours doing?”

  The woman smiled at the tiny baby in her carriage. “He’s perfect. You’ll think the same thing when yours arrives.”

  Sarah placed her hand on her belly and laughed. “I’m sure I will!”

  “Take care, Sarah.”

  “I will. Goodbye now.”

  Relaxing against the back of her chair, she observed the hustle and bustle of the big city of Beaumont. Having been raised on the Bolivar Peninsula, most any town was a big city to Sarah. Horse and buggies dashed down the busy street in front of their house. Telephone poles were going up all around town. Like Galveston had been prior to the storm, Beaumont was a forerunner for every sort of newfangled concept. How long before Frederick insisted they get a telephone in their home?