Authors: Sandra Robbins
Beside her, Granny kept her eyes focused on the horse that pulled the buggy. She had spoken little since they left the cabin. As if she could read Anna's thoughts, Granny turned to her. “It's a purty day, ain't it?”
Anna sighed. “Oh, yes. I've never seen a more beautiful day.”
Granny's hands tightened on the reins. “You nervous 'bout meetin' folks today?”
The familiar churning in her stomach reminded Anna of what lay ahead of her at church that morning. She forced a smile to her lips and turned to face Granny. “A little. After all, I've only met Simon and the Fergusons.” Her face warmed, and she bit down on her lip. “And Luke Jackson, of course.”
Granny snorted and straightened in her seat. “No need to worry 'bout seein' Luke today. He don't never darken the door of the church.”
Anna opened her mouth to respond, but at that moment she
caught a glimpse of a barn behind the cabin they were passing. She craned her neck to get a better view of the strange structure before she turned to Granny.
“The barns in the Cove aren't like the ones we have at home.”
Granny didn't take her eyes off the road. “What do the barns look like over at Strawberry Plains?”
Anna thought a moment. “Well, they look likeâ¦likeâ¦well, they look like a barn. But the ones here look like somebody built two little houses side by side and then set a bigger house on top of them.”
Granny chuckled. “I s'pose they do look strange to you, but it's what works best in the Cove. It's called a cantilever barn.”
Anna opened her mouth to ask another question about the strange-looking structures she'd seen ever since coming to the Cove, but the church where Simon preached was coming into view. The small house of worship almost seemed to glow in the Sunday morning sunlight. Granny guided the horse into the yard and pulled to a stop.
Anna clasped her hands in her lap and glanced around at the assembled wagons and buggies scattered across the yard surrounding the church. A young man and woman stepped onto the church porch. As he reached to open the door, the woman turned, her gaze raking Anna. The simple homespun dress and sunbonnet with its ribbons tied under her chin offered a stark contrast to Anna's blue-and-white cotton dress with its leg-of-mutton sleeves and full skirt gathered tightly at the waist.
Her mother had spent hours sewing the dress made from the material Robert had bought at the general store in Strawberry Plains. Now as Anna looked down at the full skirt that billowed about her legs, she felt out of place. Next Sunday she would wear a plainer dress, but there was nothing to do about it at the present.
She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. It was time to meet the people of Cades Cove, and all she could do was be herself and hope they liked her. Simon had assured her they would be friendly, and she hoped he was right.
A wagon stopped beside them and the young driver pulled back on the reins, set the brake, and jumped down. He tipped his hat to
Granny and smiled. “Wait a minute, Granny. Let me tie these here horses to this tree, and I'll git yours next.”
Granny nodded in his direction. “Thank ye kindly, Andrew.” She leaned over to Anna and whispered in her ear. “Now, don't go a-thinkin' I can't handle my own horse, but when a friend offers help, you need to let 'em have the blessin'.”
Anna smiled. Her Poppa had often said the same thing. “I'll remember that, Granny.”
Granny leaned over and whispered to Anna. “Andrew's wife, Gracie, is just about ready to give birth. You'll git to meet her 'fore too long.”
After Andrew had tied Granny's horse to a tree, he helped Granny from the buggy. When he reached out to Anna, she grabbed his hand and hopped to the ground. “Thank you.”
He tipped his hat again. “My pleasure, Miss.”
Granny glanced at Anna. “Anna, this be Andrew Long.” She inclined her head toward Anna. “This here is Anna Prentiss, Andrew. She's helpin' me for the summer. She'll be a-comin' with me when it's Gracie's time.”
Andrew's lips tightened, and he stared at her as if he was trying to decide if this stranger standing in front of him could be trusted to help his wife when the time came for their child to be born. He gave a slight nod, but his somber expression didn't change. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Anna.”
“I'm happy to be here. I can't wait to meet your wife. Is she here today?”
“No, ma'am. She ain't feelin' too good. Maybe next Sunday.”
Granny chuckled and took Anna by the arm. “We better git inside, or Simon's gonna start without us.”
They stepped into the church and halted as Anna let her gaze rove over the interior. A table with a cross on it sat in front of the pulpit. Rough-hewn benches, very different from the pews in her church at home, lined the sanctuary on either side of the center aisle.
As if a silent signal had been given, the people sitting in the church pews turned and looked toward the rear of the church. Granny
nodded to those on the back benches and, with Anna in tow, walked down the aisle.
Anna's skin warmed at the perusal of the congregation. Every eye was trained on her, and she felt like she was a prisoner walking the last steps to her execution. She tried to smile, but no one returned the gesture or spoke as she and Granny made their way to the front of the church. When they reached the second pew from the front, Granny pointed to the seat. “This here is where I sit.”
Anna sank onto the bench, straightened her shoulders, and turned to Granny. “There seems to be a good crowd here today.”
Granny leaned close and whispered, “There is. Sunday is the time we git to visit with each other.” She patted Anna's hand. “And you gonna git to know ev'rybody too. They may be strangers now, but 'fore long they'll be friends.”
Anna glanced across the aisle and smiled at a young woman who stared at her. Without acknowledging the friendly gesture, the woman ducked her head and stared at her hands. Anna sighed and glanced back at the cross at the front of the church. Suddenly a sweet peace filled her soul. Even if she was among strangers this was a place where God was worshipped, and she wanted to be a part of it.
A door at the front of the church opened and Simon entered to the left of the pulpit. He smiled when he spotted herâwas that smile just for her?âand her heart thudded. He showed no signs of having fallen off a roof a few days earlier. If anything, he was more handsome than ever. He laid his Bible on the pulpit and stepped down to speak to a man who sat on the front pew across the aisle.
Anna leaned close to Granny. “I'm looking forward to hearing Simon preach.”
“Oh, he's a good preacher,” Granny said. “Good singer too. He'll lead us in a few hymns 'fore he gits down to preachin', though.”
A rustling movement sounded behind them. “Mornin', Granny,” a deep male voice said.
Anna glanced over her shoulder at the couple who sat behind them. “John, Martha,” Granny said. “Good to see you.”
“We's glad to be here.” The soft female voice differed from the man's.
The young woman's eyes glowed from an inner happiness probably produced by the fact that she was expecting a baby. Wisps of blonde hair stuck out from the bonnet, framing a face that almost took Anna's breath because of its beauty. The corners of her hazel eyes crinkled as she smiled at Anna.
“And you must be Miss Anna?”
Before Anna could answer, Granny spoke up. “Yup, this here's Anna Prentiss. She's the one helpin' me this summer. She may even be here when it's your time, Martha.” She glanced at Anna. “Anna, meet John and Martha Martin.”
Anna nodded in recognition of the names. “Oh, I'm so glad to meet you. Simon's told me about you.” She looked at John. A little taller than Simon, he had the same broad shoulders and dark hair. “I can see the resemblance between you and Simon.”
John and Martha exchanged a quick glance. “He's told us a right smart bit 'bout you too,” John said.
Granny chuckled. “That Simon's been a reg'lar vis'tor ever since Anna came.”
Suddenly the air seemed stuffy in the church. Anna picked up a paper fanâit had an advertisement for a funeral home in Knoxville on the back of itâand waved it in front of her face. “I'm looking forward to getting to know you better, Martha.”
Martha leaned forward and pressed Anna's shoulder. “Me too, Anna.”
Granny straightened. “It looks like Simon's 'bout ready to git the singin' started.”
Anna turned to look at Simon and spied the pump organ sitting to the side of the congregation. It reminded her of the one Poppa had brought home when she was a little girl. Ornate carving swirled across the tall upright instrument, and little shelves on either side of the music rack held some old hymnals. She couldn't see the keyboard, but from where she sat the organ appeared to be in good condition.
Simon picked up a hymnal and announced the page number. As the people turned to it, Anna looked around to see who would play the organ, but no one stepped forward. She leaned over to Granny.
“Who plays the organ?”
“We ain't had nobody to play since Miriam died 'bout a year back.”
Anna glanced back at the instrument. “That's a shame. It looks like such a nice organ. Almost like the one I had.”
Granny stopped trying to find the page in the hymnal. “Child, can you play that thang?”
Anna smothered a giggle. “I suppose so. I played the one at home.”
From the front of the church Simon's voice caught their attention. “Now let's raise our voices in song to the Lord this beautiful morning.”
Granny jumped up and pointed a bony finger at the organ. “Hold on there, Simon. I jest found out that Anna here can play the organ. Why don't we let her help us out with our singin' this mornin'?”
Simon stared at her. “Why, Miss Prentiss, we'd be honored to have you accompany us. Come on down.”
Every head in the church turned in her direction, and Anna's face felt as if it was on fire. Embarrassment at her forward attitude made her want to beg off, but then she looked back at the organ. The urge to play it overcame everything else, and she stood up and walked to the front of the church.
Simon stepped from the pulpit to the organ and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “These hymnals are from a singing school we had here a few years ago. The folks know nearly every song by its page number. When we finish one hymn, somebody will call out a number, and we'll sing that one.”
She nodded. “All right. Which one is first?”
He flipped through the pages. “How about number fifteen?”
She turned to the page and propped the book on the music rack. “âOld Time Religion.' I like that one.”
She seated herself on the bench, studied the stops, and pulled the ones she thought would produce the best sound. Slowly she began to pump the pedals, filling the bellows with air, and placed her hands on the keyboard. The first touch of the keys released a sweet sound as she played an introduction to the song.
She glanced up at Simon, smiled, and nodded for him to begin. His tenor voice rang out and the congregation joined in. The people
jumped to their feet and sang, their voices reaching to the rafters of the church. When they finished, a voice in the back rang out. “Number twenty-four!”
Anna turned to “Amazing Grace” and played an introduction. One after another, requests were shouted from the congregation, and before she knew it they had spent at least twenty minutes in singing.
Finally Simon brought the singing to a halt and turned to her. “Thank you, Miss Prentiss, for blessing us with your playing today. It's been a long time since we've been able to sing with our organ. We're thankful the Lord sent you, and we hope you'll play as long as you're here.”
She nodded, slipped from the bench, and stared at the floor as she walked back to the pew where Granny sat.
As Simon opened his Bible, Anna was struck with how handsome and confident he looked in the pulpit. He looked as if he had been born to stand before the people and preach God's Word. That became even more evident to her as his sermon unfolded.
He preached that day on Psalm 100 and how thankful the children of God should be for all the Lord had done for them. Throughout the sermon,
Amens!
rose from every corner of the church. The more the men agreed with Simon's words, the harder he preached. At one point he stopped and took off his jacket. Dark circles dampened his white shirt, but it seemed to inspire him to expound even more on the God he loved.
At the end of the sermon he asked Anna to come play again. Anna was touched by the number of people who came from the back of the church to kneel at the front and offer up prayers before they shook Simon's hand and returned to their seats. It had been a long time since she had been in a service where the Spirit of God seemed to hover over the congregation. The thought made her heart lighter as she played the final chords of the final hymn.
After the closing prayer, two young girls wedged their way through the congregation and stood by the front pew. Anna smiled at them. “Hello. How are you today?”