Chapter Nine
“Austin,” Louisa scolded as he pulled Lainey Turnmeyer’s pigtail braid that Sunday. “Stop right this instant.” She sighed heavily, clapping her hands. “One more time through, children, and then we can be done.”
They were practicing for the Founder’s Day Festival program, and the children were…
distracted at best. In this one rehearsal alone, Tommy Thorton had decided to do a running spin kick and accidentally ended up in the church’s rose bush.
Little Lainey had almost hit Austin in the nose after the way he kept pulling her braid.
She was a year younger than him, but full of spunk and Ellie couldn’t blame her for growing weary of his shenanigans.
“I don’t wanna,” Benjamin whined as he plopped down to a seated position. “I wanna hear more about Gideon and his army. Why can’t we do that instead of sing?”
All the boys and some of the girls echoed the sentiment, and Ellie couldn’t disagree with them.
“Children,” she said softly as she moved in front of them.
They quieted down, a trick she’d learned from Louisa when she needed them all to pay attention was to speak softly.
Their curiosity would get the better of them sometimes, and they’d listen.
“Mrs. Florence has asked us to perform at the festival. Now, we all love Mrs. Florence, don’t we? ”
The children nodded, and of course, they did.
Florence and Hal Day were one of the sweetest couples she’d ever met.
Hal ran the livery, and Florence was involved in all manner of things in town.
Mostly, she was exceedingly kind and welcoming to anyone new to town, and Mr. Hal always had penny candies ready and waiting for any children who wanted them.
“Good,” Ellie continued. “Sometimes, we do something we don’t necessarily want to do for the sake of someone we love, but the faster we run through our song, the faster you can all go play until church starts.”
Cecily stood in the back where she’d been doing her best to keep the children around her quiet, but there was only so much she could do.
“Besides, I heard they’ll have lots of cakes and pies at the festival, but if you guys don’t shape up you might not get any.
” A mischievous glint in her eye had Ellie turning to hide her grin, but Louisa didn’t even try.
“That’s a girl with seven younger siblings right there,” Louisa said as the children straightened right up and prepared to perform.
“Children do tend to be highly food motivated.” Even as Cecily and Louisa spoke, Ellie could see the children’s eyes lighting up as they whispered about what goodies their families had planned to bring.
“I am too, I suppose,” Ellie agreed. They began to sing, and six-year-old Abbie Turner sang so loudly and off key Ellie fought the urge to cover her ears.
Still the little curly headed blonde with the big ribbon in her hair was so cute it was more charming than anything.
The boys began to fidget, of course, and some of the older ones barely did any motions Louisa had taught.
All in all, Ellie was pleased with their cooperation.
“Wonderful,” Louisa said with a clap as they finished.
“That’s all I need from you today. We’ll adjourn for now and come back next week for even more lessons from the life of Gideon.
Next time, we’ll learn how he got a little too big for his britches and forgot all God had done for him, and how we can avoid the same in our own lives. ”
As the children ran off to play for the twenty or so minutes until church started, Louisa, Amelia Burgen, and Ellie gathered together.
Amelia’s son, Nathan, had been in an awful accident roughly a month before at their family’s sawmill, but Callie had managed to save his life by amputating his leg.
He’d gone home, and Amelia and her husband traded off coming to church so someone could stay with Nathan.
Amelia looked tired, and Ellie took her hand. “How is Nathan doing?”
“He’s getting a little better everyday, but Dr. Thorn says it’ll be a good while before he feels like himself again. He goes in and out of melancholy at the idea of how much his life will change, but he’s mostly kept a good outlook.”
“If it’s too much to help with Sunday School,” Louisa said quickly. “You know you’re welcome to step back. We can handle it.”
Amelia shook her head. “I’d like to help when I can be here.
The children bring me a lot of joy, and even though I’m only able to be here every other week, it’s something I look forward to.
” Ellie would never forget sitting in the waiting room of the clinic while Callie and Jacob performed surgery on Nathan, every second touch and go as she’d had to cauterize the vessels in his leg to stop the bleeding.
Still, Amelia had fallen to her knees and petitioned the Lord every moment to save her son.
It had been an example of a faith Ellie had never witnessed before, and it had encouraged her burgeoning one greatly.
“We’re glad you’re here, especially when Micah and I have to go to California.
” They didn’t know exactly when the trip would happen, as Mr. Goddard was still doing research into procedures there and working up a document for the judge, but it would more than likely be sooner rather than later.
Ellie wasn’t sure how she felt about their impending trip, as the whole thing felt like a brick in her stomach whenever she thought of it.
Being on the ranch, helping Louisa with the children even though it wasn’t what she wanted to pour her energy into long term, it had been healing.
What exactly she did want to pour her energy into long term, she didn’t know.
The thought of the art she’d left behind in California, as well as any and all skills she’d learned from Miss Lutken, threatened to break her heart a little further.
Could she ask Micah for some art supplies here? Would he think her silly or foolish?
“I’m praying this ugly business is all put to rest for you soon,” Amelia said with a soft smile.
“You know, I don’t know if I’ve ever told you Bertram and I were a marriage of convenience.
I grew up here, and he’d already started the sawmill.
The aunt I’d lived with most of my life passed away, and I was about to sign with an agency in New Orleans to become a mail order bride when he stopped me and told me he’d marry me.
” Her eyes softened, clearly miles and years away.
“It was hard at first, but it’s been one of the best decisions of my life. ”
Ellie fought back the tears threatening at her words.
“Thank you for sharing that with me, Amelia. It means more than you know.” She’d not even been married a week, but doubts and questions of whether or not she should regret her choice continued to crash into her like arrows to armor.
She was doing all she could to keep them from penetrating her head and heart, but some days it felt like a fool’s errand.
“How…how long before it felt…I don’t know. Normal, I suppose?”
Amelia didn’t speak for a moment, clearly thinking over her answer.
“I can’t remember the exact timeline, but I do know within a year I found out I was expecting our oldest, Paul, and I don’t think I’d ever felt so much peace and contentment as I had in that moment.
Bertram and I, we didn’t experience the type of love which slammed into you and took your breath away.
It was softer, and I had some issues of my own to work through. ”
It sounded familiar. “He gave you time? To trust him?”
“He did. My Bertram never pushed me for even a moment, and slowly our love unfolded rather than exploded, if that makes sense. I prefer it that way, to be honest, as it felt like I discovered new things to love about him for years rather than feeling everything all at once. It built a firm foundation for our life, and I thank the Lord for our story daily.”
Louisa had been quiet until then, but she spoke now.
“There are marriages of convenience and arrangement all over Scripture, Ellie. In fact, at that time, it was rare to marry for love. The Lord can work in a home built on convenience as easily as He can work in a home built on initial attraction and feelings of love.”
They were right, but what if she couldn’t even bring herself to sleep in the same room as her husband?
How could they possibly build a life together?
As though Amelia read her thoughts, she nudged Ellie’s shoulder.
“I can see the gears turning in your head, Ellie. Don’t underestimate the Lord, but don’t jump ahead of Him either.
One day at a time, take one step after another in the Lord’s will, and He’ll take you where you need to go. ”
“You know,” Abe said as all four of the present Sutton brothers watched the children run and play with other children from the community. “It feels good to know our kids aren’t any better behaved than any of the others.”
As if to prove his point, Toby Wright tackled his brother, Jimmy, over an apparent foul ball in their baseball game. The two boys came to blows, squarely dirtying their church clothes until their older brother, Byron, broke it up as their mother, Jane, stormed in to read them the riot act.
Isaac chuckled, probably glad for once it wasn’t Austin and Benjamin rolling around in the dirt. “It does feel somewhat validating, doesn’t it?”
As Jane Wright tugged the boys over to their father by their ears, Micah thought back to some of the early days before Louisa arrived.
“It feels night and day, doesn’t it?” Ever since the Sutton kids had gotten kicked out of school in town, they’d all felt like outcasts among the rest of the kids in town.
Except for Isaac’s three he adopted, they were all orphaned or abandoned, and their behavior issues made sense to anyone with enough empathy to try to understand.
Now, months later, all the Sutton kids had intermingled with children from town.
Sophia and Liza played double dutch with some of the girls.
The boys were all involved in the baseball game, and Cecily stood with some of the older girls as they talked and giggled about whatever it was girls that age talked and giggled about.
“Louisa’s a miracle worker,” Isaac agreed. “I thank the Lord every day he brought her into our lives. Speaking of the work the Lord’s doing, have you heard anything from Mr. Goddard about heading to California?”
“No,” Micah replied. “He’s still working on the document for the judge based on Judge Coin’s ruling. I don’t know if it’ll make a difference, but it’ll give us our best chance.”
“Do you need any money to pay Goddard’s fees?” Isaac’s question was non-judgemental, and Micah appreciated how quickly his brother had come around from suspicion to support. “The ranch is doing really well this year, and there’s nothing more important than family.”
“I’ve got it for now,” Micah answered. “I think he’s cutting me a deal, honestly, but I haven’t had a problem covering his fees yet.
” When Goddard had initially quoted Micah, he’d been shocked at how inexpensive the lawyer’s fees were.
It wasn’t until he thought about it more he realized the man had clearly undercut his normal fees in an effort to help them.
He appreciated it, but he’d pay wherever he needed if it meant Ellie could get closure.
Jacob chuckled, shoving his hands in his pockets as he studied his fiance where she stood with Pastor Jim at the church steps.
“You’re welcome to send some of that excess towards the clinic, brother.
There’s some equipment Callie would really like to purchase to help her diagnostically, but unfortunately, they’re pricey and require electricity. ”
“I heard a rumor at the bank the other day the town council was looking into bringing electricity to Cloverdale,” Abe said. “Lawrence Junction got it recently, so maybe we’ll get it soon too.”
Isaac shook his head. “Can you imagine? I’m not sure the town would know what to do with it.
I sure wouldn’t.” Isaac and Micah had always been slower to accept change for the ranch and life in general than Jacob and Abe.
It had taken Isaac years to be convinced to utilize barbed wire for his fencing after it had been developed and they’d seen a demonstration at the stockyards, but he’d finally come around last fall.
Their conversation moved from electric lights back to things they did understand - namely cattle.
By the time church began, Micah felt a little bit of the tension he hadn’t realized he’d been carrying lifting at his brother’s offer.
It wasn't that he didn't have the money, but knowing his family supported his choice to marry Ellie enough to help cover their legal fees felt like the confirmation he needed.
As the church bells rang to summon them inside, Micah made a beeline for Ellie and took her hand as the group moved toward the steps.
“Sunday School looked like it went well.” She was in her element with the children, as happy and relaxed as he ever saw her.
“Are you feeling good about the performance?”
“I think it’ll all work out,” she said with the slightest of smirks.
“Florence may regret ever asking us to perform, but there will be something on stage.” With that, Micah led them to their seats and placed his arm across the back of the pew behind Ellie and watched her closely.
Would she shy away? Instead, she settled in close and nestled into his side in a way that made him feel ten feet tall.
Being this woman’s safety, the place she went when she needed reassurance, he prayed he’d never take it for granted.