The Springtime Mail Order Bride by Kit Morgan Page B

up into the wagon bed, sat, and started to whistle.  Aralan glanced backwards now and then, his eyes narrowed, and Samijo wondered if he wasn’t upset with his brother about something.  She sighed.  She was going to have to learn the ins and outs of the Weaver clan. Especially now that she was one of them.
    Arlan brought the wagon to a halt in front of his families two-story, white farmhouse.  She took in the sight of lace curtains in the windows, a porch swing, and pretty vines that c rept up one corner of the house and onto the porch rail.  She had no doubt the vine, whatever it was, bloomed in the summer. The house was quaint and charming, and she loved it.
    “There you are!” a woman exclaimed as she came out the front door. “You’re a sight for sore eyes. I though you’d never get here.”
    “Howdy, ma. Feeling better?”
      The woman ignored her son and looked right at Samijo. “I’m right as rain, now.”
    Samijo smiled.  The woman was petite, shorter than herself, and thin.  Her hair looked to have been the same color of her son’s at one time, but was heavily mixed with grey. Her blue eyes were piercing, and gave Samijo the feeling that the small woman would brook no argument from her sons when it came down to it.  Tiny she was, weak she wasn’t, and it was all in her eyes. “Hello,” she greeted. “I’m Samijo.”
    “No you’re not, you’re my new daughter, now get down off that wagon so I can give you a nice big hug of a welcome!”
    Samijo smiled, and blushed at the woman’s enthusiasm. She didn’t know how to react. No one had made such a fuss over her on a first meeting. 
    Arlan helped her down as Benjamin hopped out of the wagon. As soon as her own feet touched the ground, the little woman was on her.  She grabbed Samijo’s hands into her own and shook them both. “My but you’re a pretty thing, and tall too.”
    “She’s not that tall, ma,” Arlan said as he went to the back of the wagon and started to take out some of Samijo’s things.
    “She’s certainly taller than me,” his mother replied. “But then, everyone is.”
    Samijo smiled down at her. “I hear you haven’t been feeling well.”
    “Who told you that? I’ve never felt better,” the woman replied.
    “She lies all the time,” Benjamin said. “Don’t believe a word she says.”
    Samijo smiled again. “She’s too pretty to be a liar.”
    Araln stopped what he was doing and stared at her. Benjamin came around the wagon and patted one of the horses. “Ma? She’s trying to butter you up.”
    “No I’m not. Aral an told me that honesty brings out the best in people, and if that’s so, then you must be very honest, because you’re very pretty.”
    Arlan’s face lit up with a wide smile. “That she is,” he said, just before his face took on a flat expression. “But don’t turn your back on her.”
    Their mother rolled her eyes. “Pay them no mind, they’re like this all the time. Now, let’s get one thing straight before we do anything else.”
    “What’s that?” Samijo asked.
    “You’re to call me Ma, just like my boys. You’re part of my family now, and I want you feel at home.”
    “All right, I can do that.”
    “I can do that …” the woman prompted.
Samijo glanced at Arlan, who smiled and nodded. “I can do that, Ma .”
    “Right you can! Now you boys get that wagon unloaded while me and my new daugh ter go fix some lunch.” She hugged Samijo then, her thin arms wrapping around her like steel. For such a little thing, her strength was amazing. “I’m so very glad you’re here at last,” she mumbled against Samijo’s shoulder. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited.”
    Samijo raised her hands, and patted the woman on the back, not sure of what else to do. It was then she remembered Mrs. Gunderson’s words. His ma has been trying to see him married for years.
    She smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the warm hug until it was over.  Ma then took her by the elbow