Chapter Four #3
“I know in our letters we discussed me only bringing Rebecca and Maria,” she began, “But even before our aunt changed her mind about the boys, I was hating the idea. I thought I would be okay with it, but as the days passed, I grew more and more uncomfortable with it. We’ve never been separated before.
Then at the last minute, our aunt changed her mind about the boys, and Garrett, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t leave them.
They would have gone to an orphanage and I don’t know if I ever would have seen them again, and I couldn’t bear that thought.
We’re all each other has had for a long time and I’m… I’m not ready to let go of them yet.”
Garrett’s heart hammered as he took in her words; fear, understanding, and worry all swirling in his mind.
He knew how much she loved her siblings.
She’d written more about them than herself in her letters.
He also knew how awful orphanages could be.
He’d never had a brother or sister of his own, but he’d seen plenty of other siblings get split up when he’d stayed in an orphanage before running away.
“In your letters,” Hannah went on, her eyes still swimming with tears, “You said you had always wondered what it would be like to have a big family. I thought, I hoped, that after our plans changed so suddenly, you would be alright with me bringing all five of them.”
She swallowed, a tear escaping down her cheek as her hands shook harder in his.
“However, if it’s too much, I understand. I want this life with you, I do. What we wrote about in our letters sounds like a dream. But I won’t give up my siblings for it.”
Hannah’s dedication toward her family left Garrett awe-struck.
How long had he craved such a connection just like the one she spoke of?
Mr. Dawson had come close by taking him under his wing, but even that relationship now seemed shallow compared to what Hannah seemed to have with her siblings.
Even if his house was small, even if he had been caught off-guard, he realized that despite how it looked, Dean was wrong.
“Of course you won’t,” Garrett answered, feeling his anxiety start to calm, “And you won’t have to, either. I still think you’re the incredible woman I got to know through our letters, and I want to see this marriage through with you.”
Hannah’s relief was instant and apparent as he said his words, and her replying smile had feelings stirring in his chest.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her stiff shoulders sagging, “We will show you, all of us, that we can earn our keep.”
Garrett let out a soft laugh as he let go of her hands.
“Don’t worry about that right now,” he gently insisted. “This is um, well, it’s been a hectic day for all of us, I’d wager, and I’m sure we’d all appreciate the chance to cool off from it.”
This time it was Hannah who let out a soft laugh, even though she still seemed close to tears.
“Yes, yes, that would be lovely,” she agreed, falling into step with him as they headed back toward the wagon.
***
Unable to sleep, Garrett climbed down from the loft in the barn and made his way to the house.
He silently opened the door and stepped inside the cool, darkened home he’d built with his own hands, and looked through the rooms. To his surprise, he found three of the bedrooms completely empty.
He found Hannah, Rebecca, and Maria all in Hannah’s bed, and scattered around the small floor were Isaac, Jacob, and Louis.
He smiled a little at their apparent bond with one another; finding it endearing that despite the space, they’d still chosen to remain together.
Five, he thought again; still boggled by the large number.
He’d known Hannah had five siblings, but he’d never once stopped to think that they all would be coming.
He’d have to build at least one other bedroom, that was certain.
Two would be better. He wouldn’t be surprised if they all slept in the same room for a little while longer, but eventually, as they grew more comfortable, that would change. Everyone would need their space.
Yet as he’d sheepishly shown Hannah and her siblings around the small house he’d built earlier, none of them seemed disappointed in the size, the color of the walls, or anything he had been worrying about.
In fact, they all seemed to be in wonder of the house, especially with how much cooler the earthen walls kept the air.
They’d all breathed sighs of relief as they came inside, no doubt overwhelmed by the Texas heat.
However, as he looked over them now, a different sort of doubt settled in.
Could he do this? Could he juggle a family this large and the ranch, and the new problems that came with his suspicious visitors earlier that day? Or was it all going to be too much? Could he hold it all on his shoulders? Or was he going to crumble under the weight?
“Send me a sign, Lord,” he whispered softly as he watched over the sleeping brood of siblings, “Send me a sign that I’m on the path You want for me. Lead and I will follow.”
He silently said amen, and quietly left the house, hoping God would answer him soon.