THE PATH TO A PROMISE, CHAPTER 2

 

CHAPTER TWO 

True to his word, David and Bud sent Henry and Ben to help on the farm. Between the two young men, they herded the cattle, tended the fall crops, and mended fences, among other daily farm chores. They took most of the herd to the market in September, lessening the work. The Winters and the Johnson families came together to help Lizzie keep up with all the farm duties in the absence of Dan.

Fall marched into the Ozarks, painting a vibrant russet, gold, and amber tapestry across the hills and hollows. The sunny days, warm like freshly baked cinnamon buns out of the oven, gave way to chilly nights that nipped at the skin, each growing shorter than the last. Autumn was as fickle as an Ozark breeze—one moment offering the lingering warmth of Indian summer, the next, a cool breath that hinted at winter's approach. The trees shed their leaves in bursts, drifting down like confetti.

Olive and Henry fell into a comfortable routine over the past weeks, their time together a bright spot in the quiet rhythms of farm life. Each evening, they gathered around the supper table, sharing simple meals that Olive and Lizzie prepared. With Lizzie often occupied with business in town after Dan's death, Olive took on the responsibility of caring for little Clara Mae and keeping the house.

Olive always had a pot of fresh coffee and tea ready, and a cake, cookies, or pie baked. In the afternoon, Henry and Ben would saunter up to the front porch, the earthy scent of fields clinging to their clothes, and sit with her. Clara Mae played nearby with her dolls, rocking horse, and blocks.

The more time Henry spent at Lizzie’s farm their bond grew. What began as casual companionship blossomed into something more. A quick game of checkers on the porch or a round of horseshoes in the yard became their way of stealing a few moments of joy amid the day's demands. Henry had a way of coaxing the shyness out of Olive, his easy laughter and gentle teasing drawing out a side of her she didn't know existed. She enjoyed the moments and cherished his laughter, the joking, and the silly antics that were a daily ritual.

As August ended, Olive turned thirteen. The day passed quietly, marked by a simple cake and kind words. A flutter of excitement stirred in her chest. She was growing up, and with each passing day, she felt herself inching closer to her secret dream of going to college. It was a dream she kept hidden. Henry kept his secret about needing a wife to secure his inheritance. As the days passed, a plan formed and spread in his heart.

Henry worked in the crisp air on an early October morning, replacing a fence post that had rotted away. He shrugged off his jacket, letting the sun's rays warm his back as he wrestled the decayed post from its hole. His thoughts drifted to his father's ultimatum a month ago. At twenty-two, his brothers' relentless teasing about his bachelorhood had only fueled his stubbornness, but his father's demand struck a nerve. He needed to find a wife and settle down. And the sooner the better! Henry proudly claimed that he had not found the right girl yet.

Plenty of pretty girls at the church picnics and the community socials cast hopeful glances his way, but Henry preferred playful banter over serious conversations. He was known for being easygoing, always ready with a joke, and quick to sidestep anything that felt too heavy. He danced with many, but none had captured his heart—until recently. The trial had stirred something in him, bringing Olive into sharp focus. Seeing her daily at the farm kept his mind on the brown-eyed girl. Thoughts of her simmered in his mind like embers waiting to catch fire. The cool water barely quenched his growing heat as Henry paused to drink from his flask.

Could Olive be the one to secure his future? Over the past few months, he admired her strength and kindness. But was he ready to settle down? The thought caught in his throat like a dry lump.

Henry and Olive grew up together, yet he'd never truly seen her before. Now, he noticed the molasses hue of her long hair and how her deep brown eyes, round as a white-tailed deer's, gleamed with a maiden's purity. These newfound realizations set his heart thudding with a rhythm as old as his father's big bass drum. He had to find someone so why not Olive?

Henry set the fence post in the hole. His brother had married Olive’s sister. The two families had a bond. Why wouldn’t their relationship work? He pushed the dirt around the new post with the toe of his boot, then stomped around it, settling it in. His daddy pushed him to get on with his life and leave their house. He supposed Daddy was right, it was time to find a wife. Get married. Settle down. He grimaced at number three.

Did he need to love the girl he was going to marry? He pondered the question. All he wanted was his inheritance. He would not answer whether he loved his bride or not. The more he thought of marriage, the more dread melted over him like butter on a hot biscuit. His throat choked up as if he’d swallowed chicken feathers. He didn’t know the first thing about how to woo a woman. How in the world was he going to convince Olive to marry him? He should ask his older brothers! Among the five of them, surely, he would get some good ideas.

Once his brothers heard his predicament, they would tease him again. He wished his oldest brother lived closer, but Lewis was a successful businessman in Texas. His brother, Frank, lived two counties away. That left Tom, George, or Walter. Walter had been sick most of the year, and his wife, Minnie, just had a baby boy. Henry would not bother him. Tom and George had strong, solid marriages. They lived off the land, as their father had taught them. Their wives were good Christian women who bore fine, healthy children. Undoubtedly, one of them would help him—and maybe help him discover God again.

With a gouge to his gut, pangs of disobedience filled his heart. Mother would be disappointed if she knew the truth about his relationship with God. She said everyone needed a prayer-filled life with the Savior. He grunted as he pushed that thought away. Back to the real world, the world of receiving his inheritance.

Urgency spilled over him like the waterfall at Sugar Creek. He finished the work on the fence and put his tools in the wagon. Throwing his jacket over one shoulder, he had a new mission to accomplish. Get advice. Get a wife. Get his land.

 

***

The newly formed United Brethren Church scheduled its dedication on a Sunday in November. Preacher Akehurst organized the church and called for people to build a congregation to praise the Lord and support each other as united brothers and sisters in the Word. Bud and Nancy Johnson were charter members, working to ensure every family in the area knew of the church. Now, the dedication services were approaching.

To prepare for the big day, Olive and Lizzie worked on dresses for the occasion. Lizzie, still mourning, was remaking a black dress by adding a white crocheted collar. Her finances were strained since Dan’s death. The farm and the blacksmith shop kept her and Clara Mae fed and the taxes paid, but left little for anything else, especially new clothes.

Olive decided to wear a buttercream yellow dress with tiny sprigs of flowers dotting the material. The bodice had a wide collar and plain white buttons. She added lace around the collar and removed the old buttons to stitch new pearl buttons in their place. The buttons were a gift from Lydia Madison, Lizzie’s childhood friend.

October deepened into chilly days and nights. Henry and Ben always arrived at the farm to do the chores and check on Lizzie, Olive, and Clara Mae. Henry’s blue eyes stole her breath away. They reminded her of ocean pictures; his black hair was like the crows circling the old dead tree in the valley—so blue-black it gleamed. She looked forward to the daily smiles and conversation with the handsome raven-haired man.

Thoughts of Henry naturally led to thoughts of marriage. Why, she'd never given marriage much thought. The sing-song rhyme played in her brain. Olive and Henry sitting in a tree, ki-s-s-i-n-g; first comes love, then comes marriage, then they're pushing a baby carriage! That thought made her want to run outside and throw up! Mama delivered the neighborhood women’s babies. And she helped care for Clara Mae. But why the woman had a baby in her belly was another subject. Did it all come about after a couple got married?

And where did love fit into the mix? A baby was love. She loved her parents. Weddings revolved around love. She read about love in dime novels and the continuing stories printed in the newspapers. There were fairy tales about Cinderella and Snow White. The Bible spoke of love and loving one another. Comparing the stories to what she felt when she thought of Henry, did love cause her to smile? Or when he stood near her and her heart thumped, was that love?

Remembering how Daniel and Lizzie courted, her smile faded. Panic filled her belly at the thought of courting a boy. She must talk to Lizzie about this! But did she want to spill the beans and ask somebody about it? Yes, she'd talk to Lizzie, her friend and confidante.

After Clara Mae was asleep that night, Lizzie joined Olive by the hearth. The fire sizzled and hissed, and a burning log pushed down into the glowing embers, throwing sparks high. The warm wood heat enveloped the room like a teddy bear’s welcome hug. The oil lamp’s glow cast shadows against the walls, with scents of oil and wood.

Lizzie sat in the Birchwood rocking chair. She shoved her hair away from her face and closed her eyes. With a heavy sigh, she said, “My back’s bothering me real bad tonight. And Clara Mae’s fussiness isn’t helping. She’s exhausted and sleeping now. Sickness is making rounds. I hope we don’t come down with it.”

Olive made another stitch, tied off the thread that held the last pearl button, and then laid it aside. Now was the time to talk to her sister. “Lizzie, I have a question. It’s important.”

“Of course! What is it?”

“Babies. I want to know all about babies.” Olive twirled a length of hair around her finger. She tapped her stockinged feet on the rug.

Lizzie’s brow rose, and she sat up in the rocker. “What about babies?” Her eyes swept over her younger sibling, carefully taking in the details of Olive’s young body. She knew Olive and Henry were spending a significant amount of time together. Suddenly, her fingers grasped the rounded ends of the rocker’s arms. She struggled for breath. "Are you sick?”

Olive’s facial expression changed when she saw Lizzie’s glare. “No, I’m fine. I want to know about babies. We’ve watched Mama helping the new mothers. But how do the babies get in the woman’s stomach?”

A smile creased Lizzie’s face, and she huffed a sigh. Her eyes grew round and bright like the moon in the night sky. A grin crept over her mouth. "Babies come from the relationship between a man and a woman.”

“When they get married?”

“Well, no, not always,” Lizzie answered, shaking her head. She looked down at the floor. Her hair, tied up in a bun on the top of her head, was loosening. When Lizzie spoke, it flopped to the left and the right.

Distant thunder rumbled and took the girls by surprise. Thunderstorms late in the year were unusual, although Missouri weather was always uncertain, no matter the season or the time of day or night. Bizarre storms were produced when warm and cold fronts met, and tornadoes and hailstorms could ruin farmers’ crops and destroy entire towns.

Lizzie pulled the shawl around her shoulders. Looking at her sister, she continued. “Love and babies don’t always go hand in hand.”

“Why?” Olive pulled her legs underneath her and snuggled into the knitted throw.

“When a man and woman are attracted to one another, they court. If they follow God’s commandments in the Good Book and behave themselves, they get married. Then they sleep in the same bed together, Sister. They have relations. That’s what makes a baby in a woman’s belly.”

Olive asked all kinds of questions. The subject was taboo in their household. Their mother avoided the subject of the marriage bed, and her daughters learned what was expected of them when they lay in it.

The storm blew in with quick fierceness. As it battered the house that night, Olive and Lizzie ignored it as they talked. Olive was relieved to be able to voice her thoughts and tell her sister about how she felt. Lizzie helped her with those anxious questions and gave good advice about courting a man, becoming engaged, and marriage.

Later, in bed, Olive lay thinking about it. She wasn’t sure she liked having these feelings for Henry Winters. Was she ready to leave Mama and Papa and live with a man? Or have a baby! Babies meant work. If she had a baby to care for, how could she attend college and become a newspaper journalist? How would she travel and sell engaging stories? First things first. Get the money. Buy a camera. Find a college. Don’t have a baby.

Another thought struck her. Did she have romantic feelings for Henry? Did he have them for her? Maybe it was only friendship. Olive recognized the love in her sister’s voice when she spoke about Dan. Lizzie found love; maybe Olive should, too. Maybe it was time to grow up. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was time to decide if she had romantic feelings for Henry Winters.

That was a lot of maybes.