Spring Will Come (41 page)

             
“But look at him!” another protested.  “He’s filthy.”

             
“I suppose you’d be dirty, too, if you’d just done what he claims to have done.”  His voice grew even more serious.  “And I
am
looking at him.  I see a man with honest eyes.  A man with a strong body that could be put to good use for our cause.”

             
The room was taut with tension.  Moses continued to wait silently. 

             
Captain Jenkins walked forward.  “Tell me about Captain Jones, Moses.”

             
“Captain Jones is about six feet tall, sir.  He has dark hair and brown eyes.  His build is very muscular.  I believe he told me he comes from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  Before the war he was a construction contractor.  The captain is a fine commander.  He is strict, but he cares about his men.”

             
Captain Jenkins stared at Moses for several long minutes then nodded his head abruptly.  “He’s telling the truth,” he declared.  “No one could know that much about a man and not really know him.”

             
“How do we know he’s not making it up?” an officer cried.

             
Captain Jenkins spun to glare at them.  “I went to college with Captain Bill Jones,” he snapped.  “We were roommates.” The room lapsed into stunned silence while Moses fought the desire to sag with relief.  The captain turned back to him, this time with a kind expression on his face.   “Didn’t you tell me Captain Jones wanted you back in eight days?”

             
“Yes, sir!”  Moses said strongly. 

             
“We better get you on your way,” Captain Jenkins replied.  “There is a ship leaving tomorrow morning.   You can go aboard tonight if you want.”  He scribbled out some orders on a sheet of paper and thrust them at Moses.   “You leave at first light.”

             
“Yes, sir!”  Moses said with a grin.   Saluting, he turned and left the room, careful not to throw a gloating look toward the bewildered officers still staring at him. 

             
“I’m going to be fine, Moses.  Quit worrying,” June chided.  “I’m staying right here in this camp until my Simon comes for me.”

             
Moses tried to push down his concern.  “I just hate to leave you with no family.  I know Aunt Abby would welcome you.”

             
“You heard Wally and Deidre say they would keep an eye on me.  And what do you mean saying I have no family?  Simon is the most beautiful son there ever was!  I’m sure Aunt Abby is a wonderful person.  I hope to meet her someday.  But I am not leaving this camp without my husband.  That’s final,” she added in a voice that meant business.

             
Moses knew that voice from way back.  It was the same one his mama had used when he had pushed her too hard on an issue she wasn’t planning to budge on.  Moses finally nodded, knowing he would just have to trust God to take care of his little sister.  “You win,” he mumbled.

             
June rushed forward to throw her arms around him.  “You’ve done what you promised Daddy you would do.  You’ve taken care of me.  I’m free now, Moses.  I’m free!  Everything else be gravy.”  Her eyes shone.  “I’m gonna get me a paying job, and I’m going to school so I can read and write just like you.”

             
“I wish Rose could teach you,” Moses muttered, still wishing he could take June to Philadelphia and leave her and baby Simon where he knew they would be safe.  

             
June stared up into his face.  “One day I’m gonna meet that wife of yours.  And when I do, I’m going to tell her she got the best man in the world for her husband - next to my Simon, of course,” she added with a mischievous grin. 

             
Moses laughed, hugged her hard, dropped a kiss on Simon’s forehead, and then picked up his small bag.  “You’ll be hearing from me,” he promised.              

             
He stepped off the porch then turned right to walk to the ship landing.  His walk was brisk and purposeful.  He was heading back to his unit and his commander.  He was almost on the outskirts of the camp when he turned to wave one more time.  Suddenly he froze, staring hard into the distance.   There was something familiar about a woman walking in the midst of the crowded street. Why did he feel as if he should know her?  He stood still, staring, trying to bridge the distance with his eyes.  What was impossible to bridge with his eyes somehow was accomplished with his heart.  Without knowing why - he just knew.  His heart was pounding as he slowly retraced his steps, his eyes never leaving the woman moving with the crowd, talking and laughing. 

             
Moses drew closer until finally his eyes confirmed what his heart had told him.  His heart was beating so hard he could not force words from his mouth.  All he could do was stare as he closed the distance.  He was no more than thirty feet away when the woman finally looked up.  There was a look of total disbelief - followed by an explosion of joy.

             
“Moses!”

             
“Rose!”  Moses closed the last thirty feet with a few mighty bounds.  Questions would come later.  Great laughter rolled up from deep within and spilled into the evening air.  Lifting her easily, he spun her in great circles.

             
Rose was laughing as hard as he was when he finally put her down.  “Moses!” she cried again.  “What ... How...  Where...?”

             
Moses silenced her questions with a kiss.  It was only the laughter of the people watching that made him pull back.  He grinned at them all, kissed his wife again, and then stepped back.  “Maybe we should tell all these people I’m your husband.”

             
“We figured that out ourselves,” one woman called out.  “Miss Rose has been telling us about you ever since she got here.  You should be real proud of your wife, Mr. Moses.  She be the finest teacher we have here.”

             
Moses looked lovingly at his wife.  Lifting an eyebrow, he said, “A teacher…?”

             
Rose smiled.  “I couldn’t get a letter to you.  I knew Aunt Abby would tell you I was here.  I just couldn’t wait.  The need here – ”

             
Moses silenced her with a finger to her lips.  “We can talk about it later.  I’m just glad you’re here now.  Where are you staying?”

             
“There’s a house not far from here.  A group of us teachers live there together.”

Suddenly Moses groaned.  He had completely forgotten he was shipping out in the morning.

              “What is it, Moses?”  Rose asked anxiously.

             
Moses just shook his head, took her hand, and turned to the crowd.  “I’m glad to hear my wife has won your hearts.  I have a boat to catch early tomorrow morning so I can report back to my army unit. Which of you fine people is going to loan us your house for a night?”

             
“Moses!” Rose gasped, trying to hide her wide smile.

             
“I reckon my family can move over next door,” an elderly woman volunteered.  “There only be four of us.”  She continued on with a sparkle in her eyes.  “You’re lucky, Mr. Moses.  There ain’t nobody here who wouldn’t want to do something for Miss Rose.”

             
“But Mabel,” Rose started to protest.

             
“That is mighty nice of you, Mabel,” Moses interrupted.  “We will be happy to accept. Which one is your house?”   Mabel pointed it out.  “Thank you.  Will it be all right if we return in an hour?”  When she nodded, he turned to the rest of the crowd.  “Now if you’ll all excuse us...” 

             
Laughter followed them as they moved down the street.  Crowds of excited children ran in front of them, leading the way.   Moses took Rose’s hand when they reached the little clapboard house he had just left minutes earlier. 

             
“Why are we stopping here?”  Rose asked.  Her hand was gripping his tightly as if she were afraid he would disappear if she let go.

             
Moses grinned down at her.  “There’s someone I would like you to meet.” 

             
Just then June appeared on the porch with baby Simon in her arms and a curious expression on her face.  “Moses?  What you be doing back here?”  Glancing suspiciously at the couple’s linked hands, June’s eyes rested on Rose.

             
Moses couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.  “Rose, I’d like you to meet my sister June.  And this is her new baby, Simon.” Rose looked from Moses to June then back to Moses.  She opened her mouth, but no words came out.  Moses laughed loudly then pulled Rose up onto the tiny porch.  “Let’s all go inside.  We have a lot of talking to do.”

Day was giving way to night when Moses and Rose stepped back out onto the porch.  Rose turned and gave June a big hug.  “This has been so wonderful,” she said warmly.  “I never thought I would have family here in the camp.”  Her head was spinning from the events of the day.  Just yesterday, Mr. Crosby had offered to have a house built for her before summer’s end so she could live closer to her students.  She had declined, having no desire to live alone.  She had not yet gotten over her fear from the attack on Annie’s family.  It had been easy to choose to remain with the other teachers.  Now it was different.  She would tell Mr. Crosby she had changed her mind.  Plans had been made for June and the baby to move in with her. 

              June hugged Simon closer.  “Neither did I,” she said softly, her eyes filling with tears again.  “I was makin’ myself be brave for Moses so he would go, but my insides was like jelly.”

             
Moses stepped forward and gave her one final embrace.  “I have to leave early in the morning.  You and Rose take good care of each other.”

             
Thankfully it was not far to Mabel’s house.  Rose nodded and smiled when people called her name, but her eyes never left Moses’ face.  He looked down at her often, his eyes warming her with the love she saw there. 

             
The door had barely closed behind them when Moses pulled her into his arms.  “Rose,” he murmured softly, his lips caressing her hair.

             
Rose melted into his embrace, still hardly able to believe she was actually with her husband.  All her questions had been answered in the two hours they had spent with June, but the magic still held her in its grip.  “I love you,” she whispered, reaching up to touch his cheek.  “Oh, how I love you.”

             
Moses grabbed her hand and held it against his cheek then turned it over to kiss it tenderly.  “You’re all that’s kept me going sometimes,” he said gruffly. 

             
Rose felt a sudden wave of love wash through her whole body.  She had never seen such a vulnerable expression on her strong husband’s face.  She knew in her heart he had been through awful times.  Maybe he would want to tell her tonight.  Maybe he wouldn’t.  It didn’t matter.  All that mattered was filling his heart with enough love to stand whatever else was coming his way.   She pulled his face down to hers and kissed him with a deep, lingering kiss.