she suddenly spoke, “Don’t worry about it, Cass. I’ll think of something, but you have to give me some time, alright?”
“Alright,” Cassie agreed, “but please, don’t take too long, okay?” She threw the pillow aside, stood, bent down and gave her sister a quick hug, then ran from the room.
***
Two more months had passed, with only one left before the wedding, Steven thought. He felt as if he had to be the luckiest man alive. He would soon take Miranda as his wife, and she would be his forever. He couldn’t wait, but for now, he had things to do, so he pulled on his overalls, and after throwing the quilt over his bed, hurried downstairs for breakfast. “Good morning,” everyone,” he greeted, as he entered the kitchen. “Isn’t it a beautiful morning?”
His mother was standing at the stove, taking up the last pieces of bacon and putting them on a plate. She looked up, and motioned for him then to place it on the table, before taking his seat. “Good morning, Son. Aren’t you in a good mood? What’s brought this all about, as if I have to ask?” She chuckled.
Samantha, who was placing the last plate on the table, laughed and remarked, “He’s realized there’s only one month left. Isn’t that right, little brother?”
Before sitting down, he walked over to his sister and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then did the same to his mother. He then turned again to Sam, slyly answering, “Why, big sister, I don’t know what you’re talking about? I’m always in a good mood.” Filling his plate with bacon, eggs and toast, he asked, “Where’s Michael?”
Arthur Reynolds cut in, “Well, son, it looks as if we’re going to be having new neighbors. Sam and Michael have decided to move to the country.”
Glancing over at his sister, Steven exclaimed, “That’s great! I was sure getting attached to that niece of mine. Now, I won’t have to miss her. I can see her anytime I want.”
Amelia joined them at the table. She scooped a helping of eggs onto her plate as she excitedly added, “Yes, and this way we can watch our granddaughter grow up.”
Steven just smiled, knowing how much this meant to his mother. She had missed Sam so much since she had gotten married. Finishing the last of his breakfast, he repeated, “You never did tell me where Michael is.”
“He went to the Lumber Mill,” Arthur answered, “and asked if we would meet him there, but he had some other things to tend to first. It is alright with you, isn’t it?” He was going to stop by and ask O’Leary if you could be a little late this morning.”
“Why sure. I’ll be glad to help all I can, providing it is alright with Mr. O’Leary. You know how he can be sometimes, but sales have been kind of slow lately. He’ll be glad to get Michaels business, so I don’t think he’ll complain too much.”
“Good, it’s settled then,” Arthur looked pleased, as he pushed his chair away from the table. “You finish up here, and as soon as you’re done, we’ll be on our way. I’ll just go hitch up the wagon.”
“Sure thing, Pa,” Steven said, as he scooped another bite of food into his mouth.
***
As they drove into town that morning, everything was unusually quiet. Hardly anyone was about. As they reached the Lumber Mill, Arthur dismounted and went to speak with Mr. O’Leary. “Town’s awful dead this morning. I wonder why?”
Stroking his long white beard, O’Leary answered, “Haven’t you heard? It looks like we’re going into war. Arkansas has joined the Confederacy. A lot of our young men will be marching off to battle
“Alright,” Cassie agreed, “but please, don’t take too long, okay?” She threw the pillow aside, stood, bent down and gave her sister a quick hug, then ran from the room.
***
Two more months had passed, with only one left before the wedding, Steven thought. He felt as if he had to be the luckiest man alive. He would soon take Miranda as his wife, and she would be his forever. He couldn’t wait, but for now, he had things to do, so he pulled on his overalls, and after throwing the quilt over his bed, hurried downstairs for breakfast. “Good morning,” everyone,” he greeted, as he entered the kitchen. “Isn’t it a beautiful morning?”
His mother was standing at the stove, taking up the last pieces of bacon and putting them on a plate. She looked up, and motioned for him then to place it on the table, before taking his seat. “Good morning, Son. Aren’t you in a good mood? What’s brought this all about, as if I have to ask?” She chuckled.
Samantha, who was placing the last plate on the table, laughed and remarked, “He’s realized there’s only one month left. Isn’t that right, little brother?”
Before sitting down, he walked over to his sister and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then did the same to his mother. He then turned again to Sam, slyly answering, “Why, big sister, I don’t know what you’re talking about? I’m always in a good mood.” Filling his plate with bacon, eggs and toast, he asked, “Where’s Michael?”
Arthur Reynolds cut in, “Well, son, it looks as if we’re going to be having new neighbors. Sam and Michael have decided to move to the country.”
Glancing over at his sister, Steven exclaimed, “That’s great! I was sure getting attached to that niece of mine. Now, I won’t have to miss her. I can see her anytime I want.”
Amelia joined them at the table. She scooped a helping of eggs onto her plate as she excitedly added, “Yes, and this way we can watch our granddaughter grow up.”
Steven just smiled, knowing how much this meant to his mother. She had missed Sam so much since she had gotten married. Finishing the last of his breakfast, he repeated, “You never did tell me where Michael is.”
“He went to the Lumber Mill,” Arthur answered, “and asked if we would meet him there, but he had some other things to tend to first. It is alright with you, isn’t it?” He was going to stop by and ask O’Leary if you could be a little late this morning.”
“Why sure. I’ll be glad to help all I can, providing it is alright with Mr. O’Leary. You know how he can be sometimes, but sales have been kind of slow lately. He’ll be glad to get Michaels business, so I don’t think he’ll complain too much.”
“Good, it’s settled then,” Arthur looked pleased, as he pushed his chair away from the table. “You finish up here, and as soon as you’re done, we’ll be on our way. I’ll just go hitch up the wagon.”
“Sure thing, Pa,” Steven said, as he scooped another bite of food into his mouth.
***
As they drove into town that morning, everything was unusually quiet. Hardly anyone was about. As they reached the Lumber Mill, Arthur dismounted and went to speak with Mr. O’Leary. “Town’s awful dead this morning. I wonder why?”
Stroking his long white beard, O’Leary answered, “Haven’t you heard? It looks like we’re going into war. Arkansas has joined the Confederacy. A lot of our young men will be marching off to battle
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