Cora's Deception (9781476398280) (25 page)

Cora helped Eliza with cleanup. When Mother
started to lift the warm water from the stove, Cora stopped her.
“Mother, we can do this. Why don’t you relax? You’ve been working
hard this morning.”

“I think I will.” Mother patted Cora’s arm.
“You’re a wonderful daughter.” She smiled at Eliza. “Both of you
are. I believe I’ll lie down for a few minutes.”

When the door to their parents’ bedroom
closed, Cora looked at Eliza and lifted her eyebrows. “Well, what
do you think?”

Eliza stared at the closed door. “It’s the
baby’s time.”

“Yes, I think so too.” Cora poured water
into the dishpan. “She’s in pain.”

“Shouldn’t we get Mrs. Newkirk?” Eliza no
sooner asked than the door at the far end opened.

Mother crossed the sitting room to the
kitchen. She checked the water bucket and started to pull her large
kettle toward it.

“Mother, let me do that.” Cora took over and
moved the kettle. “Do you want me to fill this?”

“Yes, dear, if you don’t mind.” Mother
waited while Cora emptied the water into the kettle. “It might be a
good idea to run down to the creek and refill the bucket.”

“I’ll go.” Eliza took the bucket and headed
toward the door. “I’ll be glad when Father gets the well dug.”

“I’m sure we all will.” Mother placed her
hand against her side.

When Eliza went out, Cora turned toward her
mother. “Shouldn’t I send Ben for Mrs. Newkirk?”

Mother nodded. “Yes, it might be nice if she
were here.” She called after Cora. “There’s no great hurry. Tell
Mrs. Newkirk my sicknesses usually last a long time.”

Mother was right. Cora stood outside the
door of her parents’ room the next morning, listening to her
mother’s soft cries turn to muffled screams as the hours dragged
by. The baby refused to be born.

Vickie and John arrived just before noon.
Cora gladly let Vickie take charge as the oldest daughter. Worry
hung like a thick cloud over the house while everyone ate the noon
meal. After helping clean up, Cora retreated to the front porch.
There, she could worry in private. Staying inside with the men
talking in low tones depressed her. The rest of the afternoon, she
found chores to do outside or paced from one outbuilding to
another. Then Ben and John came outside to care for the animals.
Father stayed with Mother, as if he couldn’t bear to be away from
her for even a moment.

The two young boys came out and played for a
while before going back inside.

Finally, Cora sat on the porch and leaned
her head against the post. Mr. Newkirk arrived and went inside. He
likely thought his wife should be ready to go home by now. Today
was Saturday. She and Aaron had plans to go to John and Vickie’s
tomorrow for dinner. What would tomorrow bring? Surely, another
calamity wouldn’t befall their small community. First Aaron’s
father, now her mother.

With a deep sigh, Cora stood and went
inside. Ben and Mr. Newkirk sat together, their heads bowed. Were
they praying? Where was Father? Eliza and Vickie sat across the
room with the children playing quietly at their feet. A tiny cry,
muffled by the closed door, silenced the hum of voices in the
room.

After an eternity, the door opened, and
Father stepped out. He leaned against the closed door as if he
couldn’t stand, his face drawn and pale. He closed his eyes for a
moment then looked around the room. “We have a little girl.”

“Thank you, Lord.” That came from Ben.

“What about Mother?” Eliza stood and twisted
her fingers together.

“Is she all right?” Vickie slipped an arm
around Eliza. She held little Christopher on her other arm.

Father sank into the nearest chair. “Seven
times we’ve been through this, and never has there been a problem.”
He looked up with a sigh. “The baby is fine as far as we know.
Mother is still alive, but she’s very weak.”

The door to the bedroom flew open, and Mrs.
Newkirk called to Father. “Mr. Jackson, you need to come.”

Father jumped up and rushed after the
midwife. Before he closed the door, Mrs. Newkirk’s hushed voice
reached into the sitting room. “She’s bleeding too much.”

Cora gasped. Her eyes filled with tears.
Then Ben’s soft voice reached her. “Lord, I come before you now
lifting my mother up for healing. Please, touch her body . . .”

If Cora could scream, as he continued
praying for their mother’s life, she would. Why would God allow
this to happen? Mother was going to die. She knew it as well as she
knew she was standing in the middle of the sitting room floor.

Chapter 19

C
ora met Aaron at the edge of their yard. “Hi. Supper will be
ready in a few minutes.”

He grinned and took her hand. “I can wait.
Ain’t we goin’ to John and Vickie’s?”

They turned and walked toward the house.
“No, she’s staying here for a few days. I hope you don’t mind if we
eat here.”

He shook his head, his brows drawing
together in the way Cora found endearing. “Is anything wrong?”

Cora shook her head. “I have a new baby
sister. Vickie thinks she has to help since she’s the oldest.”

“Ah, I see.” His expression cleared.

“Would you like to meet her?” Cora stopped
at the porch and stepped on the first step so she was eye level
with him.

“I already met Vickie.” His eyes
twinkled.

“No, my little sister, and I don’t mean
Eliza.”

Aaron laughed. “I reckon I can take a
look.”

Cora tugged on his hand as she backed up on
the porch. “Come on then. You’ll love her just as soon as you see
her.”

Aaron let her pull him across the porch. “If
she’s anything like her big sister, I will.”

Cora’s heart skipped a beat. Had he admitted
he loved her? He’d never said anything like that before. Someday
soon, he’d say those important words to her. For now she laughed.
“If you aren’t careful, you’ll make me jealous of my own baby
sister.”

He grinned.

Inside, Cora released his hand and headed
toward the rocking chair where Eliza sat holding the tiny baby.
Cora took the infant, cuddling her close in her arms. She spoke
softly to the little one and nuzzled her neck.

She looked up to find Aaron watching her, an
intense look in his eyes. Warmth crept up her cheeks. “What are you
thinking?”

He shook his head. “You look downright
natural holding that little baby.”

She looked down at the bundle in her arms.
“I’ve had some experience with Lenny and Nicholas.”

Aaron grinned. “Are you gonna introduce
us?”

“Of course.” Cora lifted the infant toward
him. “This is Nora Abigail Jackson. Nora, this tall, handsome fella
here is Aaron Stark.”

His eyes met hers, and his eyebrows lifted.
“Handsome?”

She laughed to cover the confusion his
pleased expression caused then pushed the sleeping baby against his
chest. “You’re supposed to hold her now that you’ve been
introduced.”

“Hold her?” Aaron threw his hands out and
stepped back. “I can’t do that.”

“Why not? She won’t hurt you.” Cora took a
step forward.

“I’d break her. Or drop her.” He took
another step back. His eyes darted to either side as if he looked
for a way out.

Eliza giggled. Cora ignored her and moved
closer to Aaron. “You’ve never held a baby before, have you? Here,
I’ll keep hold of her. All you have to do is let her lie on your
arm. Can’t you do that?”

Aaron glanced toward the door, but held his
ground. He crooked his arm, and Cora placed her tiny sister against
the bend of his elbow. He looked down at the bundle of blankets and
infant on his arm, and the fear left his face. His expression
softened while a faint smile tilted his lips.

Then he looked up. An expression so intense
it took away her breath passed between them. He whispered two
words. “Maybe someday . . .”

~*~

Aaron loved her. Cora skipped through the
evening, and sleep eluded her that night. She hummed her happiness
the next morning until she went in to check on her mother.

“Cora, would you tell Ben I need to see
him?” Mother seemed so pale.

“Is something wrong?” Cora held her
breath.

Mother smiled. “No, darling. Not at all. I’d
just like a visit with Mrs. Newkirk. There’s something I want to
talk over with her. In fact, I’m feeling much stronger this
morning. Now isn’t that encouraging?”

Cora nodded and went in search of her
brother. Still, her earlier happiness had dimmed.

Mrs. Newkirk arrived shortly after they ate
their noon meal. She closed the door to Mother’s room and stayed
for over an hour. What could the women be discussing? Even Eliza
didn’t know. Finally, the door opened, and Mrs. Newkirk slipped
through, closing it behind her. She blotted her eyes, yet a smile
brightened her face.

“Mrs. Newkirk.” Cora caught her at the door.
“Is Mother all right?”

“Oh, yes. Your mother is fine. She has
assured me she’ll have a talk with you later.” Mrs. Newkirk
laughed. “She’s just fine now. Just fine.”

Cora watched her go and didn’t ask any more
questions. Mother would tell in her own time. But what could the
women have said that would make Mrs. Newkirk cry and laugh at the
same time? At least she said Mother was all right now.

That evening before bedtime, Cora joined her
family around Mother’s bed. Mother sat with pillows against the
headboard, cuddling Nora. Her face held a touch of color, and she
seemed relaxed. Hope for her recovery blossomed within Cora.

Mother smiled around the circle, including
each one. “I have something wonderful to tell you. Please get
comfortable to listen.”

Father sat on the edge of the bed and patted
Mother’s shoulder. “Of course, we’ll listen to whatever you have to
say.”

They shared a loving look. Mother patted
Nora’s back as she talked. “I’ve told you about my father, your
grandfather Melville. He was a very strict, religious man. In fact,
I grew up fearing to move about on Sunday lest I be switched for
breaking the Sabbath. My father had many “thou shalt nots” that I
resented and rebelled against.”

She smiled at Father. “I fell in love with
your father because he was everything my father was not. He enjoys
laughing and is kind to his wife and children. His razor strap is
used to sharpen his razor, not a tool of punishment as my father’s
was. I learned to fear both the strap and my father before I was
Nicholas’s age.”

“Oh, Mother, how terrible.” Vickie’s soft
cry voiced Cora’s feelings.

Mother nodded. “I always thought so, but the
most damage was what I did to myself when I decided I wanted
nothing to do with my father’s religion. I never turned my back on
church. I just chose one that wouldn’t rule my life.”

An inner light shone from Mother’s eyes.
“When Nora was born, we had a bit of trouble I hadn’t expected. I
thought I might die and came to realize that surface religion isn’t
enough. If I had died then, I’d have spent eternity without
God.”

Cora understood more than she wanted to
admit. Her own brush with death had frightened her. Because of it,
she now questioned some of her beliefs. She wasn’t even sure
anymore what being a Christian meant thanks to Ben’s talk after he
made up with Esther. Mostly the subject confused her, and she
preferred to avoid talking about it.

Mother turned toward Ben, who knelt beside
her bed. She reached toward him, and he took her hand. “Ben, I know
you’ve been born again. I understood when you tried to tell us
right after it happened. I’m so proud of you.”

She looked toward the others. “That’s what
I’m saying now. I asked Agnes Newkirk to pray with me. I’ve stopped
rebelling.”

Ben brought her hand to his cheek. Tears ran
down his face. “Oh, mother, I’m so glad. God is answering my
prayers.”

Cora looked at her father. He watched his
wife and son as if lost in the moment—or as if he didn’t understand
the emotions they shared. Cora didn’t know which, and she didn’t
care. She glanced toward the door. She’d heard enough for one
evening. As soon as she could, she kissed her mother’s cheek and
murmured a quick goodnight.

In her room, Cora snuggled under the covers
in the dark with her back to Eliza and pretended to sleep. Talking
to anyone about what had happened between her mother and Ben was
the last thing she wanted to do. Still, Mother’s words haunted her
thoughts until long after she should have slept.

Cora avoided any talk of Mother’s salvation,
as she called it. There was nothing wrong with Mother to start
with. Why did she think she needed to change? She should
concentrate on getting better. And she did regain strength, but not
as fast as Cora would have liked. Before she’d kept busy working
about the house or in the garden, but now she often rested in her
rocking chair. Most of the time, Mother balanced her Bible on one
arm and cuddled Nora in the other.

Ben seemed closer to Mother than before. In
many ways, he was the same big brother Cora had always looked up
to, but something was different. He seemed more mature. That might
be because of Esther. Cora couldn’t feel comfortable around her
friend, although she wasn’t angry with her any more.

She turned her thoughts toward the
unpleasant task of feeding the pigs. The Starks’ gift had
multiplied and every one of them had a ravenous appetite.

Cora carried the slop bucket across the yard
and poured its contents over the fence into the trough on the other
side. The pigs squealed and came running. She laughed. “Go ahead
and eat. You do know you’re being fattened up for a purpose, don’t
you?”

“Is that any way to talk to your winter’s
ham?” Ben called out, meeting her near the pen. He grinned and
shook his head. “Have you no heart?”

She giggled. “Sorry, but I was actually
thinking about bacon instead of ham.”