Threads of Love (21 page)

Once they were seated, he continued, “I know you’re tired, and I don’t plan to keep you up long, but I hope you’ll consent to our being married a week from Saturday. Mrs. Aplington and the other women at church have already begun planning the festivities for afterward, and I announced in church we’d be getting married on your return. The preacher says he’ll keep the date open, and I’ve got some ideas about a wedding trip. You’ve got your wedding dress, so there’s nothing to hold us back,” he said convincingly.

“I think that sounds fine, except I don’t want to go on a wedding trip. I’ve just gotten home,” she answered.

“Don’t you think we need a little time alone, without the children around?” he asked, not wanting to sound selfish but sure he did not want to marry and return home to the five children on their wedding day.

“What would you think about our staying at your cabin for a week or so after we’re married? Just the two of us. We could see if Maggie would stay with the children, but we’d still be close by.”

“I think that would be just fine,” he answered, giving her a hug. “It’s so good to have you home. You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed you. Now, I think I’d better let you get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning,” he said and gave her a kiss.

She stood on the porch watching as he made his way toward the smaller cabin. He was almost to his cabin when he turned and shouted loudly, “I love you, Phiney.”

Smiling, she turned and walked into the house, savoring the pure joy of being back home with her Kansas family.

A light tap on the door awakened Delphinia from a sound sleep, and she was surprised to see the sun already beginning its ascent. A cool autumn breeze drifted through the small bedroom window as she called out, “Who is it?”

“Just me,” came Tessie’s voice. “May I come in?” she asked.

“Of course you can,” Delphinia answered and watched as the young redhead walked into the room and plopped herself at the foot of the bed.

“How can you be sleeping like this? You’re always first up, and here it is your wedding day when you should be all fluttery or something, and you’re sleeping like a baby,” Tessie exclaimed, full of frustration that she was the only one awake on a day she considered should be full of excitement from dawn until dark.

“I’m not sure why I’m still asleep,” Delphinia answered. “Perhaps because I wasn’t able to doze off until a short time ago,” she admitted.

“Well, now that you’re awake, what do we do first?” Tessie questioned, beginning to bounce on the side of the bed, unable to control her anticipation.

“For starters, you can quit jostling the bed,” Delphinia answered with a smile. “If you really want to help, you can get breakfast started. Jonathan will be through with chores before I get out of bed, at this rate,” she said, throwing back the covers and swinging her feet over the side of the bed.

“Aw, that’s not what I meant. I want to really do something. You know, for the wedding,” Tessie replied.

“Wedding or not, we still have to eat breakfast, Tessie. The wedding isn’t until this afternoon, and we’ve got to finish our regular work before we can get ready,” Delphinia prodded.

“Okay, I’ll get breakfast started,” she answered, somewhat disheartened.

Delphinia smiled inwardly at the girl’s excitement over the wedding.
Seems like only yesterday, she didn’t even want me on this homestead, and now you’d think this wedding was the greatest event of her life
, Delphinia mused, thankful that God had been so good to all of them.

By three o’clock, the appointed time to leave the cabin, Delphinia wasn’t sure anything was ready. If Maggie Landry hadn’t shown up early to help, they wouldn’t have been to the church until dusk. Insistent that Jonathan not see her before the wedding, the Aplingtons agreed Delphinia would go to the church with them, and Jonathan could bring the rest of the family in the buckboard. The twins protested vehemently when Delphinia began to leave, Nate tugged on her gown, while Nettie kept calling after her in a tearful voice, trying to suck her thumb and cry at the same time.

Mrs. Aplington and some of the other women had been to the church earlier that day, carrying in food and bringing fall flowers from their gardens to decorate the church. Their handiwork was beautiful, and Delphinia was touched by all they had done, but even more by their love and acceptance.

As she began her slow walk down the aisle to meet her future husband, Jonathan smiled broadly, noting she was pressing down the gathers in the skirt of her wedding dress as she walked to meet him. When she reached his side, Jonathan leaned down and whispered, “There’s nothing to be nervous about, Phiney.”

“I’m not nervous. I’m very calm,” she replied, her quivering voice belying that statement.

“Now, Phiney, we’re in the house of God and there you go, trying to fib to me,” he muttered back.

“Why are you trying to upset me, Jonathan?” she questioned, her voice louder than she intended, causing the guests to wonder just what was taking place.

The pastor loudly cleared his throat and whispered to both of them, “May we begin?”

“Well, I wish you would. We’re in our places,” came Delphinia’s feisty response.

“She’s something, isn’t she?” Jonathan remarked to the preacher with a broad smile. “Sorry for the delay, but I wanted her to relax and enjoy the wedding. She needs to get a little fired up before she can calm down,” he said to the pastor, who merely shook his head, not sure he even wanted to try to understand that explanation.

As they exchanged their vows and pledged their love, Delphinia knew her parents and Granny were with them. In fact, if the truth were known, Granny was probably up in heaven impatiently tapping her foot and saying, “It’s about time!”

The festivities were still in full swing at the church when the young couple made their way back to Jonathan’s house.

“Tessie said she put something in the back of the buggy for us,” Delphinia advised Jonathan when they arrived at his cabin.

Reaching behind him, he pulled out a wicker basket. The handle was wrapped with white ribbon and topped with two large bows. Entering the house, he placed it on a small wooden table and then returned to the buggy, lifted Delphinia into his arms, and carried her into the cabin.

Placing her on the floor in front of him, he gathered her into his arms and kissed her with such passion, she felt her body go limp as she leaned against him. “That, Mrs. Wilshire, is how I intend to be kissed every morning, noon, and evening from now on,” he announced, being careful to hold her upright.

“I’m not sure how much work I’ll get done if you kiss me like that all day long,” she answered with a smile.

“Let’s see what Tessie sent along for us,” he said, keeping her by his side as he lifted the covering from the basket. “Looks like she didn’t want you to spend your first day of married life having to cook for me,” he told her. She peeked around him and saw fried chicken, a jar of homemade preserves, two loaves of bread, pickles, and sandwiches that had been cut into heart shapes, causing both of them to smile.

“There’s a note in here, too. I’ll let you open it,” he said.

The note was written on a heart-shaped piece of paper and on the outside it said,
Before you open this, walk into the bedroom
.

Jonathan took her hand, guiding her into the small bedroom, and watched as Delphinia’s face shone with absolute joy. “Oh, Jonathan, it’s my quilt. How did you ever get my quilt back?”

“I didn’t,” he said. “The last time we were in town Tessie saw the Indian who had been to the cabin. He was carrying your quilt over his arm. There was no holding her back. She went straight to him, and the next thing I knew, she had his knife and was cutting off some more of her hair. I sat watching to make sure nothing would happen. A short time later she returned to the wagon with your quilt,” he answered.

“What does her note say?” he asked.

She opened it and read it out loud.

Dedicated to my husband, Jim,
for giving me the wonderful opportunity to become
one of the threads woven into the fabric of his life,
and in memory of our daughter, Michelle,
with whom we shall be rewoven in heaven.

C
harlie Banion stared down at the list of names scribbled on his calendar; Mary had scheduled five interviews starting at one o’clock. Allowing a half hour for each, he could still catch the four o’clock train and be in Florence for dinner. Hopefully this group would be better than the last. He had been at this three days now and still hadn’t met the quota he needed for the remaining railroad jobs. No doubt the boss was going to be unhappy with his lack of success.

Might as well get a bite to eat before I start again
, he thought, wishing the afternoon was already behind him. Tapping his pencil on the large wooden desk, he leaned back in his chair and wondered why it had been so difficult to find the employees he was looking for this time. It was easy enough locating general laborers to lay track, but now they needed some good, reliable men with mechanical skills to keep the trains running. His attempt to find the caliber of employees they were looking for had failed, especially when the applicants were told they would have to relocate to smaller towns.

“Sitting here thinking about it isn’t going to accomplish anything,” he mumbled to himself, walking toward the office door.

“I’ll be back in time for my one o’clock appointment, Mary,” he said, striding past the secretary’s desk.

“Yes, sir. I’ll put the file on your desk,” she answered. He didn’t even glance her way as he nodded his head in affirmation.

“Isn’t he the most handsome thing you’ve ever seen?” Mary inquired of the short, round brunette sitting at the desk across the room.

“I guess. That is, if you like single men who are six feet tall with broad shoulders, wavy black hair, and slate gray eyes,” she answered, both of them giggling at her response.

“He doesn’t seem to notice me at all,” Mary complained, “even though I take forever primping for work when I know he’ll be around.”

“Maybe he’s got a gal at one of the other stations or back East somewhere,” Cora volunteered, aware that most men found it difficult to overlook Mary Wilson, even when she didn’t primp for hours.

“I’d even be willing to share him with one of those Eastern society women. At least until I get him hooked,” Mary responded, pushing back from her desk. “Guess I’ll go to lunch, too. Maybe I can find a seat next to Mr. Banion. Keep an eye on things until I get back,” she ordered Cora, who sat looking after her with a look of envy and admiration etched on her face.

Tessie Wilshire stared out the window of the clacking train, unable to keep her mind from racing. The newly bloomed columbine and wild flax were poking their blossoms toward the sun after a long cold winter. Fields of winter wheat appeared in shades of bright green, giving the countryside the appearance of a huge well-manicured lawn.

In about three months this will be a sea of golden yellow ready for the threshers and harvest crews
, she thought. She had forgotten the beauty of these wheat fields and the Kansas prairie. It was hard to believe that she had been gone so long, and yet, things hadn’t changed so very much.
I’ve missed it more than I realized
, she mused, trying to keep herself from thinking about the upcoming interview.