Jessie (7 page)

“You're getting married?” Jeb asked, his face showing his surprise as he looked at the young couple on his sofa.

“Yes,” Jessie said, her face aglow. The day in the store had been the longest of her life. Long before suppertime she had wanted to run to the Dorns and tell them the good news, but she made herself wait until closing.

“Congratulations,” Jeb finally said, realizing he was genuinely pleased. “When is the day?”

“That depends a little on you, Jeb,” Jessie said, her eyes searching his. “We want to go away for a few days. I thought we could close the store at noon on a Saturday and get married that afternoon, but then we want to stay away until Wednesday.”

“And I would work on that Monday and Tuesday?”

“Right.”

“Which ones?”

“You tell us,” Seth said, wishing it could be this Saturday.

“Patience will be home in about half an hour,” Jeb said, consulting his watch and knowing how pleased she was going to be with this news. “Can you wait so I can check her calendar?”

The couple willingly agreed, Jessie settling a little closer to Seth's side. The three of them talked until Patience made an appearance, and much to Seth and Jessie's delight, Jeb agreed to mind the store in just two weeks.

“Who is going to marry you?” Patience asked, having already hugged her husband's young cousin.

Seth and Jessie looked at each other, having completely forgotten this necessary portion of the agenda. Their surprised looks made the older couple laugh, which got all of them to laughing.

Patience was ready to put coffee on and serve an impromptu dessert, but Seth knew that Pastor English did not stay up very late, and they wanted to talk to him that night. With excitement filling them and a little bit of fear that he would say no, they didn't linger with the Dorns but headed for the parsonage.

“Are you coming up?” Jessie asked when Seth walked her home a few hours later.

“Do you want me to?” Seth asked, studying her face in the swiftly fading light.

Jessie nodded, and Seth stared at her. He knew that many people would say he couldn't love this woman in less than a month's time, but they were wrong. He loved her completely, and for that reason he found himself shaking his head no.

“We'll be married in less than two weeks,” he said, more for himself than for her.

Jessie sighed, not sure if she appreciated the gesture or not. She had never been in love before, and in her mind this was perfect.

“I love you,” Jessie said, wanting to say it over and over.

“I love you too,” Seth said, having second thoughts about waiting but then hearing a door slam and a man's voice somewhere behind them. Jessie had a reputation in this town, and he would not damage that.

“I'll see you in the morning,” Seth said, giving her a swift kiss and moving on his way.

Jessie sighed as she unlocked the back door and then shut it behind her, but this time it was one of contentment. She would see him in the morning and every morning for the rest of their lives.

December 1873

Seth and Jessie Redding took to married life and running the store with the ease of breathing. Neither one minded rising early, and they genuinely enjoyed their customers, but come Sunday, they did little but enjoy each other's company.

They had taken a short trip after the wedding and had to come back way before they were ready, but neither one minded overly much. They had their evenings to themselves and all day Sunday. And the in-between times as well. Seth was always ready for a hug and kiss, and more than one morning the store opened late because he was still teasing his wife by chasing her around the living room furniture.

“Look at the time!” Jessie said to him when they had been married for more than four months and Christmas was just a few weeks away. “I have to get downstairs.”

“Jessica,” Seth said in a coaxing voice as she darted around the sofa, stalking her very slowly. “Come and kiss your husband one more time.”

“No, Seth. You dislodge the pins from my hair.”

Seth pulled to a stop and put his hands in the air. Very deliberately, Jessie watching him all the while, he put them behind his back, causing his wife to smile.

“No hands,” he promised.

“Just one kiss?”

“Yes.”

“No hands?”

“Yes.”

Seth grinned wickedly as Jessie came near, but he was good at his word. They were about five minutes late getting the store opened, but no one was waiting.

“I'm going to have to take the time to check the front walk from an upstairs window,” Seth commented as he began to straighten the counter.

“Why is that?”

“Well, if we can see that no one is waiting, we can steal a little more time alone.”

Jessie smiled and went up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Seth looked down at her, asking himself why it had taken so long to find her. She was 21 and he was 23. They weren't old by anyone's estimation, but it felt as though too much time had been wasted not knowing and having each other.

“Good morning,” Pastor English greeted the couple as he came into the store. “How are Mr. and Mrs. Redding today?”

“Doing well,” Seth answered. “You certainly picked a cold day to be out.”

“Yes, I did, but I have a list of things I need, and it won't wait.”

“What can I help you with?” Jessie offered.

“I need to order some paper,” the pastor said, all the while praying that the couple would show some hunger for more than each other. His mind went back to the night they'd come to him. Yes, he'd agreed to marry them, but not before telling them that whether or not they wanted to hear it, a life lived without God was no life at all. They had listened patiently, with every sign of politeness, but he could tell he'd not gotten through.

Looking at Seth now, as he stayed close and watched Jessie find the item in the catalog and start the order process, he realized he'd not been surprised when they had fallen for each other. He had seen in Seth that Jessie was special to him. He also saw signs of selfishness, but he was not without conscience. He could see that Jessie's settledness in the apartment and the mercantile was appealing to him. The wise pastor also knew that it didn't hurt Seth's feelings that Jessie was a beauty. She was also kind. He knew she was not perfect, but there was much to like about Jessie. Seth had made a good match.

“Now, don't forget,” the pastor said when he'd thanked them for their help, determining also to say what was on his mind, “I continue to pray for the both of you, and you know where I live.”

“Thank you, Pastor,” Jessie said, much as her father had over the years.

Neither Redding spoke further of it after the man pulled his coat collar high and went on his way. Indeed they would have said there was nothing to talk about. Pastor English was peddling God, and Token Creek's newest married couple was simply not interested.

March 1874

“What do you mean you moved the tobacco?” Jessie asked, her face showing how completely she disapproved.

“I think if it's near the pipes, we'll sell more pipes. That's how men think.”

“I want it on the front counter,” Jessie said, a note of finality to her voice. Seth ignored it.

“Let's try it here and see what happens.”

“No,” Jessie said, and this time Seth grew angry.

“Why can't I try anything? Why must nothing be changed in this store?”

“Because it works,” Jessie said, turning to walk away.

Seth looked after her, frustration filling him, and decided he'd had enough. He had started by asking her if he could make changes, but she always said no. Then he'd gone to changing what he wanted but always switching it back when she noticed and grew upset. This time he dug his heels in. The change was a good one. If she wanted it changed back she could do it herself.

“I thought I told you to put the tobacco back,” Jessie said an hour later, finding Seth working the storeroom.

He faced her, speaking quietly. “I'm not your employee anymore, Jessie.”

“I didn't say you were,” Jessie replied, not catching on at all.

“But that's the way I'm treated. You order me around as though I work for you.”

“I wouldn't have to do that if you would leave things as they are.”

Seth stared at her and saw that she meant what she said with all her heart. No matter what he said, she was not going to change. When he spoke, his voice sounded sad, but inside there was more resentment than sadness.

“I can see that you don't really need me out front. I'll just go back to keeping the storeroom in order and getting the orders from the train station.”

Jessie looked as stunned as she felt, but Seth didn't comment. He collected his hat and coat and walked through the store, heading out the front door. Jessie didn't see him until minutes before it was time to close for the day. He came in without a word to her and headed to the storeroom to hang up his coat. Jessie followed, hurt by his actions but much calmer than she had been earlier.

“Where have you been?”

“Just out,” he said, not mentioning the saloon he'd sat in all afternoon. “There was nothing at the train station, and I knew the storeroom was in order.”

Jessie asked herself how this could happen. They had been doing so well. What was wrong with the way she had the store?

“What's happening to us, Seth?”

Seth had been ready to head up the stairs, cold and hungry, but he made himself stop.

“I want to be more than your servant, Jessie. I'm a man with a brain, not some mindless idiot. If I have an idea, I want to try it.”

“But my father,” Jessie began, but Seth had heard this before and put his hand up.

“I don't want to hear about your father. He's dead.”

This would normally have made Jessie mad, but this time she was only surprised and hurt.

“I just don't want him to be disappointed in me,” she admitted for the first time.