Favorite Wife by Susan Ray Schmidt Page A

about, but it was none of my business. “Grandma,” I said instead, lightly fingering the keys, “I need to tell to you about something.”
    â€œWell, go ahead, dear. What is it?”
    I turned and searched her wrinkled face. “I had this strange dream last night,” I began. Quickly I told her about the scary blackness around me, the snakes and evil spirits and the feeling that I was going to hell. And then I told her about my quickly uttered prayer, and the appearance of a man. “What does it all mean, Grandma?” I asked in conclusion. “If anyone can tell me, you can.”
    She looked at me steadily throughout my account. “Do you know who it was?” she repeated my mother’s question.
    My face reddened, but I managed to look her in the eyes as I squeaked, “Your son, Verlan.”
    Grandma tried, but she couldn’t hide the pleased look that crossed her face. “Are you sure it was him?” The thrill in her voice was unmistakable.
    I smiled at her, and suddenly I felt like crying. She approved of me marrying her son. Verlan was a special man, and Grandma knew it. “What does the dream mean, Grandma?” I reminded her.
    â€œWhy, honey, there’s no doubt in my mind what it means. Our Heavenly Father knows that you’re almost of marriageable age, and He loves you and recognizes you as a Daughter of the True Church. I’ve known there was something special about you since you were a small child, and He knows it, too. He’s guiding your life even though you’re not aware of it, and He has your spiritual welfare in mind. However, if you fail to follow His guidance, you are an open target for Satan’s trap.” Grandma gave me a serious, almost brooding look. “I have a feeling Satan is standing by watching you and has big plans to ruin your life. You must always keep the Lord close to you. He knows your potential, and I’m even surer of it since you told me about Verlan being the one in your dream. Verlan is a powerful influence for good in this world, Susan, and he’s going to need strong wives to back him in his mission.”
    â€œGrandma,” I said quickly, “you can’t say a word to him about all this. If he’s the one God wants me to marry, he will know, too. I would just die if he thought I was chasing him! I’ll remember what you’ve told me, and I’ll just wait and see what happens. Do you promise?”
    She smiled at me and squeezed my hand with her bent, knobby fingers. “You know I won’t say anything. Let him chase you! It’s good for a man not to be too sure of where he stands with a woman. It makes him appreciate her more. Now,” she concluded briskly, pointing at the thick music book, “where were we?”
    It was late when I left Grandma’s house. The sun had all but dipped behind the blue mountains, causing a rosy orange glow over the colony. A rooster in the distance was crowing as though it was dawn instead of dusk.
    I felt elated as I hurried along the streets of the little Mexican pueblo, my home for eight years. God loved me! He wanted me to be the wife of the president of His church. I didn’t know Verlan at all, really, but the thought didn’t even scare me. In fact, I felt relaxed about my future. I had no doubt that I would fit into his family and learn to love him, just as the brethren had told those other girls would happen to them.
    It was all I could do to keep from skipping down the road while I thought about him. I thought about his wives, too. I knew his first three wives, but only slightly. Charlotte, his first wife, was tall, olive-complexioned and serious. Irene, his blond, plump second wife, was Charlotte’s half-sister, and was always full of jokes and laughter. Lucy, his third wife, was a cousin to the other two and was quiet and unobtrusive. He had married two Mexican girls since his family had moved to Baja. I