by Rye Hart
“I suppose it did,” I mused, looking around. “What do you think it means?”
“Not sure,” he said softly.
There was a nervous edge to his voice and I didn’t like it. I’d never heard Rick sound unsure, let along nervous. If he was worried about something, then there was probably something worth worrying about.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, mounting my own horse and nudging it along.
“I’m sure it’s fine, but this is tornado weather, you know,” he murmured, patting his shirt pockets for his cigarettes.
“Is it?” I asked, looking around.
“Yes. We should get home quickly.”
I nodded and urged my horse along, casting him a soft smirk. He got the hint and soon we were racing home, our horses neck and neck. It was as if we were racing the storm itself. The sky above our cabin was as clear as it had been earlier that morning, but the dark clouds looming over head were creeping up over our house.
We walked inside together and I took off my sun hat, hanging it up near the door before Rick snatched me up and pulled me close to his strong chest. I melted in his arms and moaned as his lips pressed against mine. I would never get tired of feeling his body pressed close to mine. His warmth radiated through me and made every inch of me tingle. My blood turned to fire in my veins whenever he touched me.
We parted and he moved to kiss my neck, pressing me up against the wall to taste my skin. He was always hungry for me. We’d agreed not to take each other before we were married but there was something wonderful about feeling desired. We wouldn’t act on it, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t explore each other just a little.
My fingers tangled in his hair as his lips grazed over my scar. I shuddered a little and pulled him away, yanking him down for another hungry kiss. We clung to each other, whispering sweet nothings in each other’s ears.
Just as my eyes fluttered closed again, there was a loud bang. I jumped and yelped, eyes wide as Rick pushed away from me, his gaze at the window. He stood up straight and went to the door, opening it only to have it ripped from his hands by the dangerously strong winds.
I followed him to the door, looking out over our farm land. My eyes widened as they wandered skyward, taking in the strange funnel-shaped cloud that seemed to be getting bigger and bigger with each passing moment. I’d never seen a tornado in Georgia, though I’d heard of them. Now that I was staring the cyclone down, I had the sudden urge to flee as far and as fast as I could. I wanted to get away and I wanted to take Rick with me. It filled me with a strange sort of primal fear. I gripped his hand and started tugging him back inside. It only made sense that the walls of our home would protect us.
He grabbed me by the shoulders, his eyes calm, though there was a hint of fear behind them. “Listen to me, go down to the cellar and wait there for me.”
“The cellar? Where are you going to go?” I gasped, my voice already rising in panic.
“I’m going to set the cattle free. The more scattered they are, the better chance we have of saving some.”
“It’s not worth it Rick!” I said, my eyes wild with fear. “You could die!”
“This is our livelihood, Corine! It has to be done.”
“Then let me help you!”
“No!” he gripped my shoulders and gave me a little shake. “Please! The biggest thing you can do for me is stay safe.”
I whimpered softly, tears coming to my eyes. Finally, I embraced him and then released him, watching him go head first into the most terrifying storm I’d ever seen.
Chapter Nine
I put my hand over my mouth to keep from crying out to him, knowing it would only distract him and possibly put him in danger. The cattle were already panicking and I didn't want to add my own fear to the list of things he had to worry about.
As he approached the barn, I ran out the door to the side of our house where the shutter doors slammed against the frame. I forced the lock open and started down the dark stairs, squinting in the pitch black darkness.
I managed to find a lamp and lit it carefully, pulling it off the hook and turning back towards the two heavy doors. I wanted Rick to have plenty of light when he came down the stairs.
The smell of brine burned my nose and I glanced around at all the jars of pickled vegetables and meats, thankful that we wouldn't starve if we were trapped down here.
There was no way of keeping time in the darkness. I stared at the doors, which were shaking even more violently now. Panic rose in my chest as I tried to figure out how long it had been since I first came down here. I wasn't exactly sure, but I knew it had been too long. Rick should have been here with me by now.
I ran towards the cellar doors and threw my thin body against them, forcing them open despite the force of the winds. They flew open and I stumbled into the yard, falling on my hands and knees. My thin legs were no match for the strong gusts of wind.
The rain was coming down so hard it stung my skin, leaving me breathless. The wind whipped my hair against my face and neck, leaving tiny, angry red lines. I managed to force myself to my feet and look around, squinting against the rain. That's when I saw him.
Rick was trapped under a large fence post the wind had managed to blow over. He was pinned by the leg and couldn’t free himself.. He was still conscious, struggling under the heavy post and cursing towards the skies as the cyclone loomed closer and closer.
My eyes widened and I ran as fast as I could, dodging branches and other projectiles the wind heaved at me. I didn’t care what happened to me. All the scrapes and cuts would be worth it if I could make it to him. I somehow managed to cross the soft, mucky yard and make it to the pen. I dug my heels into the mud and pushed myself forward on my knees, starting to yank desperately at the post that was holding the love of my life down.
He stared at me, eyes wide with disbelief. “What are you doing? Get out of here!” he screamed, trying to push me away.
“NO! I’m not leaving you out here! We’re in this together!” I snapped, struggling to be heard over the wind.
He was still trying to push my away, but I wasn’t having any of it. The wind was starting to howl now and the terrified cows were stomping past us, barely avoiding trampling us. Despite all the danger around us, I wasn’t concerned with anything other than Rick.
After a few moments of desperately trying to move the post on my own, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. He was still screaming at me to leave, but I wasn’t going to listen. We were either going to get out of this together or we were going to die together. Those were the only two options.
I managed to find a lighter, thinner piece of wood and I jammed it under the post, putting all of my weight into the leverage. I’d seen my father do this when our till got stuck in the mud. I could only pray that the trick would work now. Slowly but surely, the post started to roll and Rick’s leg was free. I glanced at it and I could tell it was broken; it didn’t take a doctor’s eye to see that.
The tornado was starting to tear shingles off a neighbor’s roof and I gasped, draping Rick’s arm over my shoulder and helping him to his feet.
“Come on!” I shouted.
“You stupid girl!” he yelled as we limped across the yard, somehow making it into the cellar before the tornado had a chance to sweep us away.
We collapsed on the dirt floor, panting desperately and drenched in rain. I shivered as the adrenaline wore off, teeth chattering against the cold that was wracking my body. Rick pulled me into his arms, kissing my hair and face.
“You stupid, stupid girl,” he whispered again, though there was a smile in his voice. “Why did you do that?” he whispered. “You could have been killed.”
It took me a while to get the words out around my chattering teeth. “You could have been killed too, when you rescued me from the Indians, but that didn’t stop you. And you didn’t even know who I was,” I whispered. “You had no reason to save me, but you did anyway, and after you saved me, you brought me into your home and g
ave me a shot at a normal life,” I said.
I looked up at him, my eyes wide as a smile came across my face. I touched his cheek and reached up, pressing our lips together.
“Besides, when you love someone, running out into a tornado doesn’t sound that crazy,” I said with a sheepish smile.
His eyes widened a moment and he finally pulled me into his arms again, holding me tight. “Corine, I love you too,” he whispered in my ear.
My heart leapt with joy and I leaned back to kiss his face, smiling down at him as the storm raged on outside. No matter what happened, I knew it would be okay because he loved me.
We held each other through the storm, ignoring the violent rattling as the door tried to shake off its hinges. I kept myself busy by wrapping his leg and trying to keep his mind off the pain with loving words and kisses.
Soon enough the storm passed and we made our way up the stairs, moving slowly but surely until we could push the doors open. The sun poured in and I actually had to turn away for a moment. I was surprised that it would be so brought after such a terrible storm.
The yard was torn up and cows were scattered around our plot of land, though they all seemed to be intact, munching on grass as if nothing had happened. Rick offered me a small smile and put his hands on his hips.
“I guess we better get busy getting our farm back together huh?”
“Are you in a hurry?” I teased softly.
“Of course I am. We’re going to need money for the wedding.”
Chapter Ten
Love was one thing, but a wedding was an entirely different beast. I hadn’t expected things to move so fast, but I wasn’t upset in the least about it. My life was finally coming together in a way I never imagined it could. I was in love and I was free.
The tornado that tore through our community left a wake of destruction, but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t bounce back from. The people of Boulder, Colorado were resilient and soon enough they’d picked their lives up and got back into the swing of things. It sounded crazy to say, but the tornado was one of the best days of my life. It was the day I really started living.
Rick’s leg was hurt pretty badly, but the doctor assured us that it would heal up just fine in time. I’d tried convincing Rick to wait until his leg was fully healed before we got married, but he would hear none of it.
“Springtime is the prettiest time of year here,” he said. “And I want to marry the prettiest girl in the world during the prettiest season.”
There was no way I was going to change his mind, so a few weeks after the tornado, we were married. It was a simple ceremony, though everyone in the small town showed up. Even Claire came, looking as angry and bitter as always. Part of me was glad she was there I wanted her to see that I’d won whatever game she thought we were playing. I had the grand prize.
My life was perfect. I was in love and I was living in the western wilderness, making my own path, and so far it was beautiful. We stayed in our house, cultivating the land and raising our livestock. We were an unstoppable team that would soon get bigger.
Soon after we were married I became pregnant and our world would change forever. Rick was the most nervous papa I’d ever seen in my life. He fretted over my every step and urged me not to work. If he had it his way, I probably would have been laid up in bed my entire pregnancy while he spoon fed me.
I couldn’t blame his fears, though. These were dangerous times for babies and mamas alike, though I had few worries. I was strong and I knew our baby would be strong. We’d survived so much and I wasn’t about to let this take me out.
Grace was born just as spring rolled around again. She had hazel eyes and a head of thick, fiery waves. The day she was born, I told Rick that we’d have to keep an eye on her. She was going to be a tenacious girl, just like her mama. I wasn’t wrong either.
I smiled and leaned against one of the posts that held our porch up. The same porch that me and Rick shared our first kiss under. There had been many more kisses and I was sure there would be many more to come. Rick and Grace were running through the tall grass, Grace’s bare feet kicking up dust as she squealed and hid behind a tree.
Grace was four now and she was challenging our little town every day. She was an outspoken girl but we never punished her for it. I wanted her to be loud and demanding. I wanted her to be a strong woman. I’d grown into one, but I wanted her to be strong from the start.
We never told her to be quiet and we never told her she couldn’t play with the boys. Many of the people in town questioned our parenting, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. My daughter wasn’t going to be a frail woman who fainted at the sight of blood, or who was too proper to care for the pigs. She was going to be the type of woman who cared for herself.
Grace squealed as her papa scooped her into his arms and kissed her face over and over again. I watched them with a small smile on my face and I sighed happily. I’d always questioned my future when I was younger, but I knew this was my destiny, and I couldn’t have been happier about it.
This was my happily ever after.
The End
Eden
Chapter One
Springtime had finally come to upstate New York. The maple trees were showing signs of life, and the crocus were popping out all around the flower beds. The gentle warm breeze carried the promise. The sun was beginning to rise as the sound of Mr. Duggan’s wagon was making its way up the street. Every Monday and Thursday, Mr. Duggan’s wagon would come up the street and deliver milk to the homes in the area. Mr. Duggan was a nice man, a widower for the past ten years. His wife Polly died tragically during the birth of their youngest son Michael. Luke and James were only boys themselves when she passed on, leaving Matthew Duggan the job of not only running his dairy farm, but of raising his sons. Every woman in town from twenty to forty had their eye on him, but Matthew only had eyes for my sister Rose.
Sarah Rose O’Bannon was the oldest daughter of the O’Bannon children. She was a red-haired beauty with emerald eyes that spoke to her Celtic heritage. Rose was nearing her twenty-first birthday and papa liked the idea of her settling down soon. Papa equally liked the idea that Matthew Duggan would likely ask for her hand in marriage. There was no question that Matthew was taken by Rose, as every time he saw her his face lit up like a candle. Unfortunately, Rose didn’t feel the same way.
Rose was fond enough of Matthew, but she did not look on him romantically. Rose wanted adventure and excitement, not the safe and stable life Matthew would offer. She wanted to travel the world and see all of the beauty the lands had to offer. One day she might like to settle down with a man of her own choosing, not one her father had picked out; certainly not one already saddled with three children. But our papa still held onto his old-fashioned ideas that he should be the one to say who was worthy of his daughters’ hands. Suddenly there was a light tapping at my door and I heard Rose’s voice.
“Eden, Eden are you up?”
I walked over to the door and opened it as Rose rushed in and plopped down on my bed. I took the chair across from her and raised my eyebrows.
“What is so important that you had to see me before breakfast?” I asked.
“Eden, do you know what the tenth of next month is?”
“Of course, it’s your birthday. If you’re hinting at a gift Rose, I told you I’m not telling you what I’m getting you.”
“Eden you don’t understand, papa is going to make me get engaged to Matthew. Oh Eden, I can’t go through with it. I don’t want to be forced into marrying an old man. I wasn’t meant for a dairy farm. This is not how I want to spend the rest of my life Eden,” she whined.
“Well don’t you think you should tell papa?” I asked. “Maybe you can change his mind.”
In truth, we both knew nothing would change papa’s mind, not even mama. I felt sorry for Rose, and for myself, as I knew that in two years’ time, I would face the same dilemma. Rose looked up at me, a strange smile on her face.
“I mi
ght have a better idea,” she said, grinning.
She pulled an envelope from her pocket, took out a letter and handed it to me.
“I’ve been writing to this gentleman in Colorado for the past six months now and he has sent me this letter. He has asked me to come out there and marry him.”
I looked at the letter than back to Rose, astonished.
“Marry you? Rose how? You know nothing of this man! Rose, what are you thinking?” I asked her.
“Just read the letter Eden.”
I looked down at the letter and began to read.
My Dearest Sarah, I am sad to know that I will not be there to celebrate your birthday next month but I hope that you will soon be with me here in Colorado. I long to be with you and pray that soon you and I can be together. I anxiously wait for your response and joyfully make plans for your arrival. We shall be married soon after you arrive here. With love Jason.
I looked at her, my eyes wide. “Rose,” I began. “How exactly did you come to write to this man? Who exactly is he? What does he do for a living? And how on Earth do you expect to get to Colorado without papa stopping you?” “One question at a time Eden. His name is Jason Saunders and he lives in Colorado Springs. He was a miner but now works for the railroad charting out the route of the trains that pass through the towns in Colorado. I saw his advertisement in this paper, and that’s how I began to write to him,” she said, pulling a paper out of her pocket. The paper was called Mrs. Stallman’s Mail Order Brides and the advertisements were lists of men who placed articles about wanting a wife and an address where to write.
I look at Rose. “Rose you can’t be serious! How do you know he is telling you the truth?” I asked. “Yes I am serious Eden. His first letter told me all about himself. He’s twenty-eight years old. He was born in Wyoming and he went to Colorado where he worked in the silver mine until he decided that he would offer his expertise to the railroad since they needed someone who knew the mountains like he does. And I can’t tell you how, but I just know he is telling me the truth.”
