would collect by the time I was sixty.
“I know you don"t like me to bring this up,” Agnes
warned.
My eyes narrowed. What could she be talking
about?
“If you married Todd, we would be sisters!”
I quickly hushed her. “That"s impossible. Don"t start
trying to fix me up with him again. I will never be interested
in him that way and you know it.”
“Even if it means we would be sisters?”
“Yes.”
She groaned. “Oh, it"s just as well. We would get
bored of each other because we"d see each other all the
time.”
I chuckled. “Yes, that would be devastating.”
“I hear you"re coming to dinner next week. I"l bring
out the new game Father bought. It"s a mind bender, so you
have to think on your feet.”
“Sounds fun. At least, it will get me through the
dinner.”
“Old people talking about how their kids are doing. I
don"t like it either. I always feel put on the spot.”
“At least you get to share the spotlight with six other
siblings.”
“Yes, I just love being compared to Todd"s
intelligence, Abigail"s dancing, Lucy"s drawing, Miranda"s
spel ing, Colleen"s cooking, and Judy"s writing. What have I
got? I"m Agnes the big talker. A talker. That"s my special
talent.”
“Talking is good. You tell wonderful stories.”
“And what good is that?”
“Wel , you"ve made me feel much better. You"re a
great source of encouragement.”
“Thank you, Ann.”
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Falling In Love With Her Husband
I smiled. “You"re a wonderful friend. Thank you for
listening and caring.”
“Any time.” She looked at the church door and saw
that her family was ready to leave. “I"l see you at school
tomorrow.”
I nodded and strolled to my parents.
***
The week passed. I hardly ate anything. I spent my
free time locked in my room so I could cry. I didn"t even
want Ginny to comfort me. I wanted to be left alone. At
school, I went through the necessary motions. I couldn"t
concentrate much on what the teacher said. What would it
matter anyway? In one month, I would never have to learn
anything new again. I would attend many social functions in
hopes of finding a husband. That was what my whole life
was about to become. The quest to find the man who would
care for me and the children we"d have together. Though I
greatly desired those things, I didn"t see how anyone but
Kent would adequately fill that position.
Rebecca let as many students as possible know of
her engagement. One time, I thought she gave me a cold
look but decided I imagined it. After all, she didn"t have any
reason to dislike me. She had Kent.
During lunch on Wednesday, Creepy Alex put a frog
on Rebecca"s chair. She bolted from her seat and
screamed so loud the entire school could hear her. Agnes
and I giggled from across the cafeteria.
“What do you think you"re doing?” Kent yelled at
Alex, his face red with anger.
“Don"t get riled up,” Todd defended his friend. “He
was joking around.”
Kent stood in front of the two boys. Todd and Alex
weren"t as tall as he was, so they looked small compared to
him. By now the entire student body was quiet.
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Falling In Love With Her Husband
“It was a small frog,” Alex said. “We meant no harm
by it.”
I rolled my eyes. It was obvious that Alex did it
himself, but once again, he was pulling Todd into his pranks
with him.
“I ought to teach you a lesson about playing pranks.
Nobody likes a joker.” Kent looked directly at Alex.
Apparently, Kent knew Todd had nothing to do with the
prank too.
“Come on, Alex. Let"s go,” Todd said. “He"s not
worth your time.”
“Is that an insult?” Kent demanded.
Todd shrugged. “Depends on how you take it. I just
don"t want to see anyone get into a fight, that"s all.”
“I"l let this one go. But don"t play anymore pranks on
Rebecca.”
“I won"t,” Alex promised, his face glum.
Kent sat back down as Todd and Alex sauntered
away. The students slowly turned back to their
conversations.
“Creepy Alex strikes again,” I commented under my
breath.
“Oh Ann, it was just a harmless prank,” Agnes
replied.
“He"s extremely annoying.”
“I don"t know. I actually think he"s good looking. I"d
let him call on me if he wanted.”
I gave her a disgusted look. “It"s a good thing I"m not
going to marry Todd because I"d have to kill Alex if he ever
became my brother-in-law.”
“I doubt Alex would find me interesting anyway. He"s
going to go to a college and make something of himself.”
“Something like a fool.” I chuckled at my joke.
“When are you going to get over that pebble
incident? He hasn"t bothered you since that day.”
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Falling In Love With Her Husband
“That is true. Hmm... Maybe if he had, Kent would
have stood up for me.”
“You don"t need anyone to stand up for you. You"re
so strong-willed and independent, you can handle people on
your own. Rebecca"s weaker. She needs support.”
I frowned. “Do you think that"s why Kent is marrying
her instead of me?”
“No. He"s just stupid.”
I stared at the half-eaten food on my plate. It would
be nice if a man felt the need to protect me.
Someone
who"d treat me as if I were the most important person in the
world.
Someone like Todd.
30
Falling In Love With Her Husband
Todd’s Point of View
I contemplated telling Ann about my love for her. I
didn"t think she would be pleased, which was the only
reason I hesitated to do so. It was apparent to anyone who
cared to notice that she loved Kent. I knew there was no
way she would go to North Dakota with me, and even if I
stayed in Virginia and worked at my father"s bank, she
would either continue to mourn over Kent or find someone
else. The realization depressed me, but it did help me
realize which path I should pursue. I would go to North
Dakota without her. Perhaps I could find someone else out
there. I wondered if anyone could ever take her place.
It was Thursday after school when I had another
confrontation with my father. I was sitting at my usual desk
at the bank and wishing for the five o"clock hour so I could
go home. I worked there every day after school. Though I
was still a newcomer to banking, my father insisted I take a
position as the loan officer. He had dreams of me owning
the bank someday and was eager to start me at a higher
pay scale than a teller. I saved aside all the money I made
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Falling In Love With Her Husband
into my moving account. I had already purchased two
horses to replace the two I would take with me. I had been
with Lightning and Thunder since I was fifteen and couldn"t
bear to part with them. I also had a covered wagon. I had
even packed aside my belongings that I planned to take. I
was just waiting for Alex"s relatives to confirm that Mr. Martin
was indeed selling his house and farm.
“Todd, please come into my office,” my father said as
he walked by my desk.
Since I didn"t have any customers, I followed him
and sat in the chair across from him.
He sat down in his chair and placed his elbows on
the table, his hands neatly folded. It suddenly felt like I was
at an inquisition. “What do you think of your position here at
the bank?”
I sighed. This wasn"t going to be a good discussion.
“I don"t.”
He frowned. “Perhaps I should give you another
position.”
“That won"t work either. I keep telling you that I don"t
enjoy this.”
“How can you be sure? You haven"t given your job a
chance. I"m offering you a legacy. Surely, you will want
something to leave your children.”
I inwardly groaned.
“Someday you wil get married and have children.
What better gift can you leave them than this bank?”
“There"s no guarantee I wil get married or that I wil
have sons. I would have to have a son to leave the name
„Brothers" on the bank.”
“Miss Statesman is no longer seeing that Kent
Ashton fellow. Perhaps you can court her. I could arrange
something with her parents if you"d like.”
“No. She"s not interested.” The last thing I wanted
was my father to arrange my love life for me. “What made
you think of her anyway?”
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Falling In Love With Her Husband
“It"s obvious to everyone that you love her. My
advice is to be there for her and let her cry on your shoulder.
It may be the very thing that will get her to finally notice you.
It worked for your mother.”
My head was spinning. It was obvious to everyone
that I loved her? Did that mean she knew too?
“Wel , don"t let any of that trouble you,” my father
continued. “There are plenty of other young ladies you can
choose from. You have years to explore your options.
What matters now is your job.”
I tuned him out as he ran through a long list of
reasons why banking was the perfect job for someone in my
economic status. I had heard this many times, but today it
was especially irritating. Perhaps the realization that
everyone knew what I felt for Ann was the final straw.
“Father, please stop.” I tried to be kind while being
firm. “I have no intention of working here after I graduate.
I"ve been praying about this for a long time, and I really feel
led to farm.”
“Farmers don"t make as much money as we do. It"s
a necessary profession since we all need to eat, but it is
beneath you. You were born into a wealthy family. Your
name means something. Don"t waste it.”
“Life is more than money.”
“Money helps you provide for your wife and children.
The Bible makes it clear that a righteous man leaves an
inheritance to his children"s children. It also says to honor
your parents. The best way to honor me is to work here.”
“Is there anything else?” I final y asked when I
realized he wasn"t going to listen to me no matter how many
times I told him that his dream wasn"t my path in life.
“I"l open up the mortgage officer"s position for you
next Monday. You might find that more to your liking.”
I couldn"t believe it.
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Falling In Love With Her Husband
“One more thing before you leave,” he added. “If
you pursue this farming thing, you can consider yourself
dead to the family. You may go.”
I quietly stood up and left his office. I returned to my
desk and willed myself to calm down.
If I ever have
children, I will let them do what they want with their lives.
***
The next day before school began, I stopped by
Alex"s desk and sat in the seat next to his before Debbie
needed it. “Have you heard anything about the Martin
farm?” I whispered my question so no one overheard us.
“It"s available. Do you want me to get my aunt and
uncle to get a loan set up for you? I can send them your
down payment.”
I glanced at Ann. She looked like she was trying to
ignore Kent and Rebecca who were sitting close together
and talking.
“When are you going to give up on Scary Annie?”
Alex asked.
I laughed. “She"s not scary.”
“Any girl who dumps sand on me and hits me with a
broom is scary.” He shook his head. “I can only imagine
what she"l do when her future husband upsets her. If it
were me, I"d sleep with one hand on a gun for protection.”
“You"re exaggerating.”
“Maybe. But I wouldn"t take my chances. I don"t
know why, but you like to live dangerously.”
“What you interpret as scary is what I call passion. If
you grew up with a house full of sisters who never fought
back, you"d understand.”
“I stil wouldn"t sleep with the light off.” He
momentarily shuddered.
If I was in bed with Ann, the last thing I"d be doing
was sleeping. I doubted she"d let me sleep either. When
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Falling In Love With Her Husband
she got involved with something, she gave it everything she