Cora's Deception (9781476398280) (33 page)

“Good morning.” Reverend Donovan hurried
forward to meet them. He shook hands with Father and Ben then
turned to Mother. “How are you doing, Mrs. Jackson?”

She gave him a sweet smile. “I’m fine. How
are you, Brother Tim?”

He laughed. “Fit as a fiddle and ready to
help a fiddler get married.”

Cora couldn’t help but smile at his silly
play on words. He spoke to each in turn before he came to her.
“Miss Jackson, I believe you’re the one Miss Stark is expecting in
my cabin. I’ve turned my domain over to you ladies this morning, so
feel free to go right in and make yourself at home. We’ll be
starting in about fifteen minutes, I imagine. Maybe I can talk this
young man into coming for you when it’s time?”

The pastor turned to Lenny and enlisted him
in taking the message. Cora slipped outside and went around the
church to the parsonage in back. The grass had been clipped and a
wild rose bush grew against the side of Reverend Donovan’s house.
When she stepped inside, a clean, neat sitting room greeted her.
For a bachelor, he seemed to take pride in his surroundings.

“Oh, Cora, I’m so glad you’re here.” Ivy, as
usual, looked beautiful. She’d arranged her dark hair on her head
in shining curls, and she wore a pure white veil tossed back over
her hair. “I’ve been so afeard you wouldn’t show up.”

Cora ignored the pang that struck her heart
as Aaron’s image came to mind. He knew Ivy would be getting
married. He’d given her his blessing. Why wasn’t he here?

“I promised, Ivy.”

“I know.” Ivy stood in front of a mirror on
the wall. “Ain’t it strange for a bachelor to have such a nice
mirror in his house?” She smoothed one errant lock of hair into
place.

“I suppose it is.” Most of the furnishings
in the one room Cora could see were nice. Where had the preacher
gotten them? “He seems to like nice things.”

Ivy’s eyes grew large, and she turned to
look at Cora. “He ain’t married, you know. You might just as well
forget all about Aaron. You could do a lot worse than Brother
Tim.”

Cora’s mouth fell open. How could Ivy say
such a thing? She shook her head. “No, I’ll never marry. I’ll never
stop loving Aaron. Not ever. If he feels the same for me, he’ll
come home.”

“Well now, that’s the thing.” Ivy shook her
head. “Aaron loves you too much to come back here. ’Course, he
don’t know George lost you too. I reckon he thinks you’re married
by now. But he still won’t come back. He said he couldn’t stay here
where you’d been. It’d hurt too much. You might as well find
someone to love, Cora. I think the preacher’d be just right for
you.”

Cora tried to laugh, but it sounded more
like a sob. Imagine being married to the preacher. Then she’d never
escape going to church. She’d be sitting on the pew every service,
listening to her own husband shout out warning of dire consequences
for her sinful ways.

She shook her head. No, she’d never marry.
The very thought curdled her stomach. “Reverend Donovan said they’d
be ready to start in about fifteen minutes. Is there anything I can
do to help?”

“Now, don’t laugh.” Ivy’s lips twitched.
“There’s this one little spot on my back that itches, and I can’t
reach it. It’s right where the shoulder blade sticks out. I
declare, sometimes I envy Old Blue. That dog for sure’s scratched
ever single inch of his back.”

This time, Cora did giggle, and it felt
wonderful.

A hush came over the guests at Ivy’s wedding
when Cora stepped into the church and began a slow walk up the
center aisle. She stepped to the side in front and turned to watch
Ivy glide toward her future husband. Ralph had been waiting
outside, and he now walked beside his sister. A flush of anger
burned Cora’s cheeks. Aaron should have given Ivy away. How could
he have done this? What would it have hurt for him to trust her
love? How many times did he expect her to say she wanted him and
him alone? But no! He’d chosen to believe a lie when the truth
stared him in the face.

Cora shoved her rage toward Aaron to the
side and tried to concentrate on the wedding. Ivy truly looked
happy. Mr. Reid puffed out his chest and grinned as if he’d won the
prize belle of the ball. Maybe he had. Ivy had changed lately.
Everyone was changing. Why couldn’t things stay the same? Somehow,
she got through the wedding, but afterward home seemed even
drearier than before.

The next morning, she repeated her actions
of the day before and rose early. Today, her mind raced with
memories of Aaron and the last night she’d seen him. Letting her go
off with that puffed up toad as if he didn’t care. He could’ve
stopped her. If he cared, he would have.

She jerked a bowl from the shelf and dumped
in flour, baking powder, and salt. Lard followed. She held the bowl
against her side and used her wooden spoon as if Aaron were hiding
in the ingredients. If she could catch him, he’d feel the sting for
sure. Her spoon beat a staccato against the sides of the bowl.

“All right. You can quiet down now. I’m up.”
Father closed the bedroom door and tiptoed across the floor in his
bare feet, carrying his boots.

Cora looked up. “Oh, Father, I’m sorry. I
didn’t mean to wake you.”

He grinned. “You didn’t. I usually get up
about now.” He sat at the table and pulled on one of the shoes in
his hand. “But we might hold down the noise for your mother. She’s
not feeling well.”

“What’s wrong?”

Father’s normally merry eyes grew serious.
“She didn’t get much sleep last night. This might be a good time to
move Nora to her own bed.”

“She could sleep with Eliza and me.”

Father grinned. “Why? So you can spoil her
even more?”

Cora nodded. “Sure. She’s one of the few
pleasures in my life now.”

“Is that why you were beating a hole in
Mother’s dishes?” He indicated the bowl still in her hands.

A long sigh escaped Cora’s lungs. She dumped
the dough out, kneaded it a few times, and smoothed it with a
wooden rolling pin. Next, she began stabbing it with a tin cup
dipped in flour. “I’ve decided to be angry with Aaron.”

“Good.” Father nodded. “That’s a healthy
emotion. He probably deserves it.”

“He believed a lie. He had no right to
listen to someone like George. He should’ve trusted me.”

Father chuckled. “I couldn’t agree with you
more. He oughta be horsewhipped.”

Cora jerked her head up, her eyes wide. “I
wouldn’t go so far as to . . .”

The amusement in her father’s eyes stopped
her. She laughed with him. “Oh, Father, I’m angry with him and
defending him at the same time. What’s wrong with me?”

Father stood and gave her a hug. “Nothing.
There’s not a thing wrong with my Cora that time won’t cure.” He
headed toward the back door. “I’ll be outside. Let me know when
those biscuits are done.”

Cora had oatmeal cooked, meat frying, and
was taking up the biscuits when Ben and Esther came downstairs
followed by Eliza. Ben’s only reaction to Cora’s industry was
raised eyebrows as he went past. “I’ll tell Father breakfast is
about ready.”

“What’d you do, get up in the middle of the
night again?” Eliza shook her head. “If you make a habit of this,
I’m not going to complain.”

“I couldn’t sleep.” Cora set a skillet on
the table. “If you want to help, there’s still gravy to make, and
Mother’s not well, so I think we should fix her a try.”

“I’ll make the gravy.” Esther stepped
forward. “Eliza, do you mind fixing a tray for your mother? I think
Cora’s done enough.”

“Oh, that’s fine. I’d like to make the tray
and take it in to her.” Cora took a plate and dipped a spoonful of
oatmeal before Eliza could stop her.

“What’s wrong with Mother, Cora?” Eliza
watched, her eyes wide and questioning.

“I don’t know. Father said she didn’t feel
well this morning. Maybe she’s just tired.”

Eliza sighed. “She hasn’t been well since
Nora was born. I’m afraid, Cora. I don’t want to lose her.”

Fear struck Cora’s heart as if she’d been
stabbed by a thrown dart. She paused for a second and then placed
two slices of bacon on the plate. “Don’t be afraid, Eliza. Mother
is still young. We aren’t going to lose her.”

They couldn’t lose Mother, or Father either.
Cora brushed Eliza’s fears aside. No need to borrow trouble. She
finished making the tray for Mother and carried it to the bedroom
door, then knocked and went in. She glanced toward the bed. Nora
still slept. Mother had scooted up with her shoulders against the
pillows, holding her Bible. She lay it aside and smiled at Cora,
but when she started to speak, a spasm of dry coughing stopped
her.

“Mother, are you all right?” Cora set the
tray on the foot of the bed and rushed to her side.

“I’ll be fine.” Mother pressed her hand
against her chest. “I’ve caught a chest cold. They always seem
worse in the summer.”

When she leaned back against the pillows,
Cora picked up the tray. I brought you some breakfast.”

“Thank you, Cora.” Mother took the tray from
Cora and placed it across her lap. She looked up with a smile.
“Will you stay and visit while I eat?”

“Yes, of course.” Cora sat on the end of the
bed.

Mother bowed her head, her eyes closed, her
lips moving. When she looked up, a tiny smile curved her mouth. “I
haven’t carried my share of the load around here lately, have
I?”

Cora shook her head. “We don’t want you
doing anything except getting well. Esther’s a hard worker and so
is Eliza.”

Mother smiled. “Yes, Ben’s wife is a
treasure among women. Just as my daughters are. I couldn’t ask for
better girls.”

Cora’s heart warmed at the praise.

Then Mother’s brows drew together. “Cora,
are you going to be all right—about Aaron?”

“I don’t know. I think so.” Cora stared at
her hands clenched in her lap. Just the mention of Aaron the last
few days made her want to hit something. “Right now I’m just
angry.”

Mother’s eyebrow lifted. “Angry? What
about?”

“Aaron.” Cora flounced off the bed. She
walked away a few steps and then back. “Oh, Mother, he had no right
to leave. The least he could have done was talk to me to learn the
truth. Don’t you see? He believed a lie when all the time the truth
was right there in front of him. All he had to do was ask me and
believe.

A soft gasp from the bed brought Cora to her
mother. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.” A tear slid down Mother’s cheek.
“Oh, Cora darling, You and Aaron are so similar, each of you
failing to ask and believe. I’m the one you should be angry with,
not Aaron.”

“You’ve done nothing wrong.” Cora knelt
beside the bed and clasped her mother’s hand.

Mother turned to her, holding her gaze.
“Yes, Cora, I have. I taught you to believe a lie. I trained you to
believe you are a Christian, even though you have never been born
again.”

Cora’s heart began a heavy beat. “I don’t
understand.”

“Don’t you see? You believed all the years
of your childhood we were Christians. Ben believed, too, until he
discovered he needed to be born again. He could remember no time in
his life when he had made a commitment to Jesus.”

Why did Mother say these things? A tingle of
dread crept through Cora’s body, frightening her. Why was she going
into this now? She should be focusing on getting well. Only love
for her mother kept her in the room.

“Please, dear.” Mother dried her eyes. “Hand
me my Bible.”

Cora obeyed, though she’d rather be anywhere
else.

After turning pages, Mother handed the open
Bible back. “Will you read? It’s Ephesians 4:18. It’s talking about
those who don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior.”

Cora began reading. “‘Having the
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God
through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of
their heart.’”

She looked up. “Are you saying I’m
ignorant?”

“No.” Mother coughed. “You have been blind
to the truth. You can surely see we are all sinners, and God sent
His son Jesus to save us from our blindness. Can you forgive me for
leading you astray?”

“Of course.” Cora whispered, her head
bowed.

“Please, explain to me what you think I’m
trying to tell you.” Mother persisted.

Cora glanced at the door, but she couldn’t
leave now. She took a deep breath. “All my life I’ve believed a
Christian is someone who goes to church and lives a good life.
You’re saying that isn’t true. Then what is a Christian?”

“One who commits his life to the Lord.”

“Mother, I have work to do, and I know
you’re tired. You’ve scarcely touched your food.”

She stood, closed the Bible, and put it
down. “I’ll think about what you’ve said. I’m not angry with you,
though.” She smiled. “I’m not even angry with Aaron anymore. Maybe
believing a lie is easier than believing the truth sometimes.”

“I’m praying for you that you’ll find the
way.” Mother closed her eyes.

Cora took the scarcely touched breakfast and
slipped from the room.

She couldn’t get the conversation with her
mother out of her mind. Mother didn’t know, but the lie she was
already a Christian, a good person, had started crumbling the day
Esther told her she needed to be born again. Maybe that’s why she’d
become so angry. More crumbled away when Ben changed and even
because of some things Father said. And now mother. Aaron had taken
away a large chunk of the lie when he’d been born again. That’s
what they all called it. As if it were a new beginning.

The lie all but crumbled into dust as she
moved through each day and thought about her mother’s words. In its
place remained an ugly, scary void.

Cora sat beside Mother’s
bed when she could throughout the next few days, searching her
Bible for the truth. She found John 14:6 where Jesus spoke.
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father but by me.