Prairie (Journey of Dreams) by Havig Chautona

Author:Havig, Chautona [Havig, Chautona]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 2013-02-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Autumn in Prairie crept over the hills and grasses as if viewed through sepia colored glasses, until one morning I awoke and saw an explosion of the rich colors I associated with fall. There weren’t many trees with deep reds and rusts, but the ones that existed were like the first crocus of spring, peeking out through the snow—extra special because of the contrast. The air grew brisk, the winds howled much more consistently at night and often during the day. All of nature seemed to sing with the beauty of the autumn Prairie.

I wasn’t allowed near my house anymore. Saturday was the housewarming, and the men of Prairie, now that harvest was complete, worked constantly to finish the little things that seemed inconsequential to me. Lloyd assured me that I’d be grateful for things like baseboards, paint, light fixtures, and a very large woodpile. The times I tried to visit the Korbecks, someone, usually a small child, would race up to me, tie a blindfold around my eyes, and lead me gently past the house. Around the little bend, they’d remove the blindfold, grinning, and rush back with the impish giggles that I remembered from my own special surprises for Mama all those seasons ago.

Friday afternoon, Lucille sent me from the house, insisting that I visit Leigh, Maggie, or Faith West. She didn’t care where I went, but I wasn’t to come home until bedtime. I wanted to cheat and walk behind my house where they wouldn’t expect to see me, but instead, I took the long dirt road behind Lucille’s house and crossed the harvested wheat fields. Once I knew I had passed the bend in the road near my house, I climbed the slight embankment and continued on my way to the Korbeck land.

Dread overtook me as I saw Lloyd step off the front porch and beckon me to his side. He’d want to show me the puppy. Already, the puppies’ eyes were open and they strayed from Sadie’s side often. This left Sadie free to “welcome” us as we entered her domain. I hated every second of the self-induced torture I endured in order to please a man and appease his sense of chivalry. The trade-off didn’t seem equitable to my fear-riddled mind.

“Come inside. Steve took Sadie for a run. She’s been feeling cagey.”

Of all the things I loved about Prairie, a few marred the perfection of life in a place where everything flowed as freely as the creek behind my home. Of those few, one rose as a pinnacle of my discomfort. The dog. Lloyd encouraged me, with every visit, to name the animal, show affection that I didn’t even feel for it, and ultimately, make it a part of my new family.

How odd it was to think of myself as part of a family again. The child that the Lord knitted in my womb would mean that Mama wouldn’t die with me. Mama’s grandchild, a granddaughter if my prayers were effectual, would grow

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