Orphan Train Romance 1 - 5 (8 page)

“What’s her name?” Grace asked as she pulled the kitten out from the cloth.  It was gray and white in color.

“You can choose, but choose a girl’s name.”

Grace scrunched her eyes closed for a few seconds in thought, and then announced, “I’m going to name her Emma.”

Amanda heard a gasp behind her.  She turned around and saw Jeremy standing there.

“That was ma’s name,” he quietly explained.

Amanda looked at Craig and watched as he sat next to Grace giving her instructions on the kitten’s care.  Amanda felt the stirrings of new love within her for her new husband.  She more than just cared for him.  She was falling in love with him.

Amanda also spent a few days a week at the dress shop.  Craig had provided her with a buggy and horse and she always took Grace with her.  Amanda had quickly found a young woman, Julie, to train, and she was now doing most of the work for the shop.  Amanda was finding that she was losing her desire to own a dress shop.  She had only started the shop to keep her busy and because there was a need for someone to make dresses in Maple Grove. 

She now wanted to be busy at the farm taking care of her new family.  Amanda hoped that she could someday in the near future transfer the store to Julie.  She knew Craig would be happy with that decision since he expressed just that morning his worry that she was taking care of too many things.  He wanted her to be able to take the time to enjoy her new family. 

But not everything in Amanda’s new life had a silver lining.  She was very concerned about Grace’s leg.  She could tell it hurt and bothered Grace, although she did have better days where she could walk more.  Craig refused to talk about it with Amanda, although he carried Grace around whenever he could and always showed caring and concern for her.

Amanda had tried to talk the situation out with Craig a few times, and he would turn away or leave the room.  Amanda got the definite message he resented the idea she had the money and means to help Grace and he did not.  Amanda started to feel that Craig was rejecting her and she wondered if he regretted his multiple proposals now that he was stuck with her and knew about her money. 

****

Craig watched as Amanda drove away in the buggy with Grace at her side as they headed towards town to work in her dress shop.  He had noticed that there was sadness in her eyes and he knew his reaction about her money was hurting her.

He did not know why it bothered him so much that she had more money than he did.   Ever since he had been out on his own at the age of 15, he was proud that he was able to support himself.   He had worked hard and long hours and saved every penny he could. He had went without needed clothing and other items and only ate simple foods.  It took almost 15 years, but he was finally able to purchase the farm he now owned and he was proud of this accomplishment.  He had succeeded further than his father ever had.

Did he resent that Amanda’s money was essentially given to her?  That she hadn’t really worked for it or earned it?  That it was inheritance money?  He knew she was a hard worker.  She had done well with her dress shop.  She did her share helping Lily with meals and keeping the farmhouse clean.  The children looked clean and well cared for.  She was an excellent mother.  He could tell she cared deeply for them and loved them.

He enjoyed watching her as she read to Grace or played checkers with Jeremy.  She was different when the children were around her, more alive and less sad.  She was constantly touching them and giving them hugs, letting them know in her own way that she loved them and was glad they were in her life. 

When she was alone with him, she was more formal and distant.  She allowed him to hold and kiss her at night and she seemed to enjoy the closeness as much as he did, yet it seemed to him she only talked to him when she needed to, and it was usually when she had questions about the children or the house. 

For the first few days after the doctor visit, she tried to talk to him about her concerns for Grace, but he always rebuffed her, and would quickly walk away with an excuse that he needed to take care of a chore or an animal on the farm.  She had since stopped trying to talk to him about it. 

He wished the money didn’t bother him so much.  He wished he had known about it before he married her.  He wished she hadn’t kept the knowledge from him, though she adamantly denied keeping it from him on purpose. 

If he had known, would have he still married her?  Craig thought long and hard about that question and was able to quickly answer that, yes, he still would have married her.  He suddenly realized that he loved her and was grateful circumstances made it so she finally agreed to marry him.  He missed seeing her smile that was just for him.  Suddenly everything within him longed for that sight.  He knew he needed to come to terms with her money.  He just didn’t know how to do that.

Three weeks after the doctor’s visit, Amanda decided she had given Craig enough time to get used to the idea of her money.  After the children were in bed one evening, Amanda invited Craig into the kitchen for some leftover cake and coffee.

“We need to talk about Grace,” Amanda started the conversation when they were seated across from each other.

“Why?  Is something wrong?”

“I think her leg is really bothering her,” Amanda explained.  “She has lived a fairly sedentary lifestyle before coming here.  She probably didn’t need to move around very much in the orphanage.  But now that she is living on a farm, she wants to walk and she tries to, and I’m afraid she could be causing more damage to her leg.”

Craig sighed.  “What are you trying to say, Amanda?”  His lips thinned as if he knew the answer.

“I think we need to reconsider using the money David left me to fix her leg, now.”

“You know my feelings about this,” Craig fairly shouted at her.  “We wait until the crops are in.”

“Is it fair to make Grace wait because of your pride?”  Amanda asked.

“This isn’t about pride.  It’s about me as the head of this household supporting this family.”

“And what about my role?”  Amanda questioned.  “Aren’t we partners in this marriage?  Shouldn’t we be raising these children together?”

“Yes, your role is the care of the children and the house.  That is a wife’s role.”

“Shouldn’t we be sharing these roles?”

“Yes, when it’s needed.”  While they were arguing, neither saw a shadow in the kitchen doorway.

“It will be expensive to fix Grace’s leg.  We need to wait until I can earn the money and that won’t happen until the crops are in.”  Craig stood up.  “I have made this decision.  I don’t want to talk about it again.”  He left the kitchen and went outside to make his final check on the animals in the barn before bed.  The shadow in the kitchen doorway slowly disappeared.

Amanda sat at the kitchen table trying to fight tears from her eyes.  She had learned to love Craig.  She loved how good he was to the kids.  He treated both children the same, not favoring one over the other.  He was a good father and she knew his hesitation was not because he didn’t love Grace and didn’t want her leg fixed.  She wished her money wasn’t coming between them in their marriage.

I’ll just have to really watch Grace and do my best to keep her quiet until she can have the surgery in the fall,
Amanda thought. 
When this is all over, I am going to divide the money and put it in a trust fund for the children.  That way it will no longer be my money, but will be Jeremy and Grace’s money.  Maybe Craig will feel better about it then.

***

Jeremy crept slowly back to his bed.  He had gotten up because he was thirsty and wanted a drink of water.  He heard Amanda and Craig talking in the kitchen and heard Grace’s name, so he stood in the hallway to listen.  What he heard scared him.  He heard his new parents talking about her leg, how bad it was and how expensive it would be to fix, so they had to wait a long time until they earned the money.

Jeremy crept back to his bed and crawled in under the covers and curled up into a ball.  He knew it cost a lot of money to adopt them.  Craig and Amanda had spent a lot of money the day they agreed to be his and Grace’s parents.  He felt really bad and knew he needed to do something.  Maybe he could help tons around the farm, get up early when his new dad did, and work until the sun went down.  Maybe that would help.  Jeremy thought about the money Craig was giving him for the little work he had done around the farm.  It wasn’t much, but maybe it would be enough to help Grace, at least a little bit.

Then suddenly Jeremy knew what he needed to do.  He did not want to be a burden on this new family.  He loved it here on the farm and really wanted to stay, but maybe if he used his money he had earned, got on the train and went back to the orphanage, there would be extra money to get Grace’s leg fixed.  They could take the clothes back to the store that was purchased for him and his harmonica.  They would only need to feed Grace.  That could give them extra money to get Grace’s leg fixed.

****

The next morning, Amanda woke up right after Craig left their bed to start the day.  She washed her face with the water that was sitting on the bureau in a large bowl and brushed her hair.  She braided it and rolled it up into her usual bun in the back of her head.  She put on a yellow and blue flowered dress and left her room.

She opened Jeremy’s bedroom door quietly and peeked inside.  She could see that he was still asleep, buried under his covers like usual.  Amanda chuckled to herself.  She didn’t know how he could sleep under blankets that way since it had been so hot lately.  She next checked Grace’s room and saw that she was also quietly sleeping, with her curly blond hair spread out all over her pillow.  Grace’s new kitten was curled up at the foot of her bed and lifted her head up briefly to see who had disturbed her sleep. 

She walked down the stairs and entered the kitchen to help Lily get breakfast ready.

“Good morning,” Amanda greeted Lily.

“Good morning, Mrs. Parker,” Lily repeated.  “We get rain today, maybe.  Good for crops.”

“Yes, it would be nice to get a rainstorm.  It should cool things off a bit, too.  It’s been so hot this week,” Amanda replied.

Both women worked together frying bacon, making pancakes, and scrambled eggs, talking together as they worked.

Amanda looked at the clock and knew Craig and John would be coming in soon for the morning meal.  She promised herself that she would greet Craig as if she wasn’t angry.  She remembered her promise to herself to make sure Grace didn’t walk too much.  She stopped and listened carefully to the floor above, making sure she didn’t hear any little footsteps.  Grace had tried to leave her room and go down the stairs on her own before.

All of the sudden Craig rushed in.  “Where’s Jeremy?” he demanded the women.

“Why, he’s up in his bed.  I checked on him before I came down to help fix breakfast,” Amanda said. 

“Apache is missing.  I can’t find him anywhere.  He was there last night when I checked the animals.”

“Would someone have stolen him?” Amanda wondered.

“I doubt it.  If someone wanted to take him, they would have likely taken the other horses also.”

Both Amanda and Craig looked at each other, both coming to the same horrible conclusion together.

“Jeremy!”  The both yelled as they raced up the stairs.  Craig beat her to Jeremy’s room first and he ran inside. 

“See, he is under the covers asleep, just like I saw him when I checked on him earlier.”  Amanda explained pointing to the mound on the bed, but Craig walked over and pulled the covers off the bed.  There lay a rolled up blanket and pillows instead of Jeremy. 

“Make sure Grace is still in her bed,” Craig ordered as he left the room to see for himself.

They both ran into Grace’s room and she was sitting up in bed rubbing her eyes sleepily.  “Is it breakfast time?” she asked them.

“In a little while,” Craig answered.  “Do you know where Jeremy is?”

Grace shook her head and started to climb out of bed.  “I’ll help find him.”

Amanda stopped her.  “Let’s get you dressed first.  Maybe daddy will find him before we’re done.”  She tried to speak as calm as she could, but she looked at Craig and her eyes were frightened.

“Maybe he is in the barn or somewhere around the farm and I just didn’t see him,” Craig said as he rushed out of Grace’s room.  “I’ll go look around.”