The Soldier's Lady (37 page)

How Emma managed to keep from bawling after that, I don't know. But by now Katie was already playing the music, and at last they were all ready. Emma wiped her eyes one last time, drew in a deep breath, then took hold of the two men's arms.

Emma had asked the two brothers to walk her down to Micah. She had never known her own father and they were more like a father than anyone had ever been to her. Papa had only one daughter and she was black—me!—so why shouldn't he have a black adoptive daughter too? And as they now walked slowly down the stairs, Emma between them on both their arms, I'd never seen such a sight. Here were two white men acting as fathers to a motherless, fatherless black girl. Uncle Ward was trying to keep serious, but Papa had a big grin on his face like he often did. You could tell he was enjoying it!

I glanced over at Micah from where I stood. He was staring straight at Emma as they came slowly down, one step at a time, in time to Katie's music.
The expression on his face was filled with such love. But it was more than that too—you could see that he was proud of Emma, proud of the lady she had become.

They reached the bottom of the stairs. The rest of us stepped back a little as they walked across the room to where Micah stood with Reverend Hall. Beside Micah stood Jeremiah, with Henry next to him.

Katie came to the end of the processional she had been playing and stopped. She stood up and came over to join Josepha, Aleta, and me.

“Dearly beloved,” said Reverend Hall, “we are gathered here this day to unite this man and this woman in holy matrimony. If any man should show just cause why they should not be so united, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.”

He waited briefly, then glanced one at a time to the two men.

“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” he asked.

“We do,” said Papa and Uncle Ward together.

Emma stepped forward, beaming all the more, turned around, slipped her hand through Micah's arm, and stood at his side. Papa and Uncle Ward went over to stand beside Henry and Jeremiah. Katie and Josepha and Aleta and I all walked up and spread out on the other side next to Emma. Across the room on two chairs, the only two spectators for the ceremony were Mr. Butler and Mrs. Hall.

“I would like to say a few words,” said Reverend
Hall, “before we continue with the actual ceremony. I have watched as you here at Rosewood have grown as a family. First there was just Kathleen and Mary Ann. Then Emma came, then Aleta, and gradually the rest of you have joined them. Your numbers have not only grown, but so have your bonds as a family. It is a perfect example of what our politicians call peaceful coexistence of the races. But for you it has nothing to do with politics, but with the love you all have for one another. And though you may not realize it, the whole community is watching. Some may hate you for it. But many are also learning to respect you for it.

“You are following the words of Jesus. You have taken in the widow and the orphan and the homeless. Kathleen and Mary Ann, you were orphans yourselves, and yet you have taken in any and all who came and needed your help. And the rest of you too, you have opened your hearts and your home to one and all.

“Therefore, the love we celebrate this day between Micah and Emma is testimony as the fruit of that love that accepts all people no matter what the color of his or her skin. This is how it is to be among men. This is how God intended it to be. That so few live by God's design does not mean we are not to live so ourselves. You have lived so, and I believe that is why God's favor rests on Rosewood.

“Now I realize, as I said, that there is resentment on the part of some in the community, and that this great experiment in which you are engaged will no
doubt continue to face opposition. But let that not deter you from continuing in good faith and with fortitude, for God will surely reward and bless your efforts.

“And so, Micah and Emma, never forget as you journey along life's road together, that your love was born out of obedience to the command of Christ to love one another, and thus may you look to that command likewise to perfect your own love as husband and wife.”

He stopped and glanced around at all the rest of us, then again to Micah and Emma.

“Do you, Micah Duff,” he began, “take this woman to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part, according to God's holy ordinance?”

“Yes, I do,” replied Micah.

“Do you, Emma Tolan,” he said, turning to Emma, “take this man to be your wedded husband
. . .”

As he said the vow to Emma, I could not help but think back to the first day Katie and I had seen Emma in the barn, frightened and hysterical out of her wits with William on the way.

“Da missus . . . she's gwine scold me again! I'm done fer now!” I could still hear her frightened and scatterbrained voice in my memory like it was yesterday. “Please, missus . . . don't hurt me! I'm sorry I done took yer bread. I know I ain't got no right ter
be here, but I din't hab no place ter go, an' dey's after me an' I'm feared. It hurts fearsome bad. Please, missus . . . please help me!”

How could the calm, radiant, peaceful, grown-up young lady beside me possibly be the same person?

“. . . to have and to hold from this day forward. . . .” Reverend Hall was saying.

Seeing Emma standing beside me was like watching a flower blossom. Just look at her! I thought.

Was this what God wanted to do with us all? Were we all, in God's eyes, like Emma had seemed to us at first? Was God tenderly and patiently trying to draw the real person out of us, like Micah had drawn the real person out of Emma that he saw so clearly but that she couldn't even see herself?

Was God's business in life doing that same thing with us—trying to help us blossom as the human flowers He saw in His mind when He created us?

Was He doing that, even now, with me?

What a wonderful thought, that God saw more wonderful things, and more wonderful potential, in me than I could imagine. And that He was working to make the flower that was me—Mayme Daniels!—blossom in beautiful ways that I couldn't see right now, but that He could see and that He would bring out from inside me one day.

Again, Reverend Hall's voice came back into my hearing as he finished speaking to Emma.

“. . . for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till
death do you part, according to God's holy ordinance?”

“I do,” said Emma.

“Inasmuch as you, Micah, and you, Emma, have declared before God and these witnesses your wish to be united in marriage, and have pledged love and fidelity each to the other, I now pronounce you man and wife.—Ladies and gentlemen, may I have the honor to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Micah Duff!”

Everybody gathered around Micah and Emma with hugs and handshakes and congratulations, and even a few kisses. But by then I was feeling like Emma was a pretty lucky girl, and so I was looking around the room for Jeremiah. I went up to him and our eyes met, and I think we were probably thinking the same thing. He put his arm around me and we stood there together a little off to the side while everyone else bustled around Micah and Emma.

Meanwhile, Josepha hurried to the kitchen to continue preparations for the great wedding feast we had planned.

F
AREWELL

37

T
he trip to Charlotte the day after the wedding was festive and exciting. We had to take two wagons to fit everybody in. Mr. Thurston's boy came over to milk the cows while we were gone.

Just before we left, I saw Emma standing out in front of William's grave with the new headstone on it. This time she didn't stay long. After one final cry and quiet good-bye, she turned and walked to where the rest of us were waiting in the two wagons. She would never forget her son. But she was ready to leave the place where she had given him birth and where his earthly body would stay behind after she was gone. From now on she would carry William in her heart.

Emma was ready to begin her new life as Mrs. Micah Duff.

Fifteen minutes later we were on the road. This time we took blankets because we knew we'd never find a hotel that would put up a mixed group like us
for the night! Papa and Uncle Ward paid for Micah and Emma to stay in a colored hotel. All the rest of us slept outside the city. Then we met them again the next morning to take them to the train station. There we saw Micah and Emma off on their life together and their trip west on the new railroad.

Even before we reached the station, it began to get quiet amongst us. The good-byes were getting close and we knew it would be hard.

Micah bought tickets for Atlanta. From there they would make their way over the next several days to Omaha. After that they would be bound for California and Oregon!

We were all gathered around on the platform making small talk and pretending to be happy when we weren't. But pretty soon the station clock showed that the time was getting close.

At last Emma walked up to my papa and looked him straight in the eyes.

“Thank you, Mister Templeton,” she said.

I could see that Papa was fighting tears as he smiled back at her. He took her in his arms and gave her a great fatherly embrace.

“You be good, little girl!” he said in a husky voice.

“I will, Mister Templeton. I will.”

“You turned out to be a mighty fine girl. You and me, we both had some growing up to do when we first came to Rosewood, didn't we?”

“I reckon you's right, Mister Templeton,” smiled Emma.

“I'm proud of you, Emma.”

“Thank you,” she said in a whisper.

She stepped back as Papa released her, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Then she turned to Uncle Ward.

“Mister Ward,” she said, “I'm so glad you come ter Rosewood when you did. We all owe everythin' ter you. An' thank you for what you said ter me before da wedding. I won't neber forgit it.”

Uncle Ward mumbled something, wiped at his eyes, and also gave her a hug.

She and Josepha embraced. Even Josepha was choked up, which wasn't like her at all.

At last she turned to Katie and me. There was a great lump in my throat. I glanced away as she and Katie embraced.

“Remember when I thought you wuz da mistress an' kept callin' you Missus, Miz Katie?” said Emma with a smile. “I cudn't hab imagined dat a white girl cud care about someone like me. I'll never forgit you. You opened yer home ter me. But mostly you let me be yer frien'. Thank you, Miz Katie.”

Katie was sobbing by now and hugged Emma but could hardly manage to say a word.

At last she turned to me and smiled. My eyes filled with tears.

“Oh, Emma!” I said and rushed toward her. We held each other for a few bittersweet seconds.

“Mayme,” she whispered, “you an' Miz Katie saved my life. I owe you everything. You'll always be da best frien' I'll eber have.”

“Emma . . . I love you.”

“An' I love you, Mayme. Thank you. I'll never forgit you.”

She stepped back. We all tried to draw in deep breaths, but it was hard. I went to Jeremiah's side. He took my hand and squeezed it.