Milly bit her lip, but she was still listening.
“Now, what’s my point?” Elaine continued. “I’ll tell you. We are all responsible for our choices, but sometimes life is complicated. Sometimes we cause the complication and sometimes others make it that way. I don’t know why it was so different for Nadina and me, except to say that I was a simple girl.”
“You understand that your mother is not talking about intelligence, don’t you, Milly?” Kevin cut in. “She talking about how simple life can be if we obey God; not easy, but simple.”
Milly nodded and Elaine went on. “I would say that Jackie is not a simple girl. Eddie is. Here they are, sisters, raised in the same home and yet completely different. Eddie trusted God for the man she loved, and she is able to give of herself. For reasons that no one seems to understand, Jackie guards herself carefully. If she were a poker player, I’d say she keeps her cards very close to her chest. She doesn’t let herself out, nor does she let anyone in.
“When you can’t give of yourself, Milly, your world is very small. Addy Fontaine came to town, and I befriended her. I took a risk. For all I know, she could have hurt and used me in a terrible way, but she didn’t. Jackie is not willing to give of herself. She’s pretty, so Clayton was probably attracted to her, but I think he’s found that she’s not the girl for him. Remember how you felt when Pastor Munroe’s nephew was here?”
Milly was blushing, but she nodded.
“You wouldn’t go out the door unless every hair was in place. We were late for church all summer because you took so much time in front of the mirror fretting over your appearance. Do you worry like that when Paddy’s around?”
“No,” Milly admitted with a smile.
“Do you understand what your mother is saying, Milly?” her father wished to know.
“I think so. Clayton can relax now because Jackie’s just a friend.”
“Right.”
“How do you know all of this, Mom?”
“Clay has talked to your father off and on. His heart is so big and caring, but he wants a woman who will care as much as he does and not keep him at arm’s length. Changes come with age, but by 16 you can usually tell what a person is going to be like. Outgoing, independent, shy, talkative, bold, levelheaded…” Elaine shrugged. “It usually comes to the surface by the time you’re Jackie’s age. I think Clay is seeing this and feels that a relationship would not be what’s best for both of them. Besides, he’s leaving at the end of the summer. It will make it all the harder to leave if his heart is committed here in Georgetown.”
Milly nodded. It made so much sense. Her young heart had prayed many times about this, and now she understood.
Had she only known it, she would have continued her prayers for someone down the road who was struggling as well–someone much closer to Jackie than herself.
“I wish I understood, Danny,” Addy said softly, trying not to cry. “I told Jackie that she couldn’t be afraid of the risk, and now Clayton treats her like anyone else. For a while there I thought there might be something special. I think she’s going to feel betrayed.”
Danny looked with compassion at her mother, but said, “She’s having a better time with him these days, Mother. I mean, she’s laughed more in the last few weeks than I’ve seen her laugh in a long time.”
Addy nodded. “She’s missed Eddie more than any of us do.”
“And in all fairness, Mother,” Danny now spoke beyond her years, “Jackie is very prickly if she gets embarrassed. She’s also arrogant and sometimes behaves like a child when she doesn’t get her way. It’s a wonder Clay even wants to befriend her.”
Addy burst into tears, and Danny felt terrible. She went to her mother and sat close.
“I’m sorry, Mother; I shouldn’t have said that.”
Addy took several minutes to compose herself. Danny sat quietly, feeling utterly wretched.
“I’m sorry, Mother,” she repeated.
“It’s not your fault, Danny. You spoke the truth, but a mother never thinks it’s going to happen to her child. A mother never thinks her child is going to be the unlovable one. Years ago I knew a girl who was so inquisitive that no one wanted anything to do with her. She listened in on conversations, read our diaries if she had the chance, and then went home and told her mother everything. She was so intrusive that we just shunned her.” Addy sighed. “And now my own daughter is so hard to get close to that people won’t even give her a chance.”
Danny didn’t know what to say, but a little bit of anger was kindling inside of her toward Clayton Taggart. She knew it wasn’t his fault exactly, but Danny didn’t want Jackie to be hurt.
“Have I upset you, Danny?” Her mother had been watching her face closely.
“I feel angry with Tag,” she admitted.
Addy turned her daughter’s face toward her and spoke gently, reminding herself that Danny was rather young to be burdened with this. “As you reminded me, honey, Jackie is having a good time with Clay right now. That means Jackie’s hurt is probably bigger in my mind than in real life.”
Danny nodded.
“You won’t say anything?”
“No.”
“Good girl. We’ll just keep praying, Danny. We’ll pray until we get this right.”
16
“Why do you want to teach school, Clay?” Jackie asked.
“Yeah, Tag,” Sammy added. “I can’t wait to be done with school, and you want to be there every day, all day!”
Clayton smiled at her incredulous tone but admitted, “It’s just a dream I have.” His voice turned wistful. “I love kids, and I love the thought of seeing them discover new things. I think to teach a child is to touch his life and help him to go out into the world more prepared.”
Jackie stopped and stared. Sammy halted on the hot, dusty street as well. The three of them were a block off the main street of town. June had already turned to July, and Clayton, whose shirt was damp with perspiration, had to squint into the sun as he looked at both of them.
“What did I say?” he finally asked.
Jackie shrugged. “I’ve just never heard anyone talk about their work like that. For the first time I see how much this means to you.”
“Then you haven’t been very observant, Miss Fontaine,” he teased her, “because I’ve been going on about this for months.”
Jackie playfully put her chin in the air and walked on. Clayton tugged on her hair as she passed, and Sammy only smiled. They both heard Jackie sigh.
“We’d better get back, Sammy. Father will think we’ve left town.”
“What will you do now, Tag?” Sammy asked him.
“Oh, I might get a haircut or just go to the livery and wait for Milton to finish the repairs on the wagon.”
“I think you should come back to the store so we can put you to work,” Jackie told him.
“Now who’s being a pest?” Clayton asked and watched her laugh.
When they’d arrived back at the main street, Clayton said, “I’ll see you two later.” He turned and waved. The girls did the same and moved on toward the store. When they arrived at the store, just a few doors down, Jackie hesitated before going inside. She stood at the hardware door and watched Clayton go up the street, the sun turning his hair a shiny gold color. He moved past the barber shop and into the livery. Sammy observed her sister’s actions, tilting her head to one side much like Eddie used to do.
“Are you going to marry Clay, Jackie?”
Jackie immediately dropped her eyes but did not grow angry. “He doesn’t like me in that way, Sammy,” was all she would say.
The younger girl didn’t push the point. Jackie was relieved, but in her heart she was talking to Eddie as if she were present.
I did it, Eddie. I made friends with Clayton Taggart. And just like you said, he’s wonderful to the people he cares for. Thanks, Eddie.
Sammy had moved into the store, and Jackie now followed more slowly, still thinking it was wonderful to have Clayt
on as a friend. And somehow, at that very moment, Jackie knew they would be friends forever. The fact that he was getting ready to leave in just a little over a month was not to be considered; Jackie had become very proficient at pushing it from her mind. She did so now as she went for the broom and began to work on the front walk.
The calendar read July 9, 1874, almost a year to the day that the Fontaines had arrived in town. Addy gave strict instructions to the girls about the day’s activities before leaving for the store. Morgan had been suffering with a raging summer cold, and although he was feeling better, Addy actually convinced him to sleep in. Lexa would accompany her mother to the store, while the other girls were to work quietly and not bicker or disturb him.
Addy and Lexa let themselves in the back door and found that all was quiet. Addy wasn’t certain but thought this might have been unusual. It seemed to her that Mitch was always up and around in the morning but tended to go to his apartment long before the store closed. Addy shrugged and got busy. Morgan enjoyed staying late and also coming in early. Mitch had surely begun to bank on that, and it gave him the freedom to lie–in once in a while.
However, as the first hour of work progressed, Addy became uncomfortable. She didn’t wish to disturb the older man, but something was not quite right. When there were no customers in the store, she moved to the stairs.
“Lexa,” Addy called to her, “I’m going to run up to your uncle’s for a moment. Be certain to stay out front.”
“All right, Mother,” came the obedient reply as Lexa came from the rear and worked on a tall display of canned goods.
Morgan came in the back door just seconds after Addy left, and Lexa calmly told him where her mother had gone. Morgan nodded, still feeling a little out of sorts. He had come, telling himself that he must not overly burden Addy and the store couldn’t run itself.
“Mitch?” Addy called softly as she knocked for the second time. There was still no answer. She bit her lip in indecision. She had never invaded his privacy before and only hoped as she turned the handle that he would understand her concern.
“Mitch?” she tried again, stepping into the hallway of his apartment. Things were dark and rather dreary for a summer day with all of the window coverings still drawn, but Addy knew where Mitch’s bedroom was and moved quietly past the sitting room to that doorway. The door stood wide open. She peered into the rather shadowy interior and tried one more time.
“Mitch, are you all right?”
A low sound came from the direction of the bed, and Addy swiftly moved to the window. She drew back the heavy curtains on one window and then on the other before rushing to the bed.
“Mitch!” Addy’s voice was low and urgent. “What is it, Mitch?”
The old man rasped. “It was bad last night, Addy … so bad.”
“I’ll get help, Mitch. Just hold on.” Addy turned and fled the room. She dashed down the stairs, nearly falling in her haste and shouting to Lexa.
“Go for the doctor, Lexa! Hurry!” She was turning to dash back up to Mitch when she spotted a thunderstruck Morgan.
“Oh, Morgan, please come with me. Mitch is in a bad way.”
She turned and ran once again to her brother-in-law’s side. He hadn’t moved in the bed at all. Addy grabbed a chair and positioned it close to his side. She bumped the edge of the mattress, and the old man’s eyes suddenly opened.
“I’m sorry, Mitch.” Addy was barely holding her tears. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Morgan had arrived as well and stood in the doorway, unnoticed by the two people within.
“It’s all right, Addy. I need to rouse myself and talk to you.”
“No, Mitch,” she protested. “Just rest.”
His head moved on the pillow. “I have things to say. The medicine is no longer helping. It won’t be long now.”
Addy spotted the small vial on the room’s lone nightstand and realized that this was no passing illness. She recalled how poorly he looked just before and after the wedding, but he had seemed fine later. She was going to tell him to see the doctor, but suddenly there hadn’t seemed to be a need.
“Addy?”
“I’m listening, Mitch.” Addy could say nothing else.
“Make sure he knows.”
“Morgan?”
“Yes. There’s more to this life than work and money. I took too long to find out, but it’s true. Make sure he sees where his real treasure must be stored.”
“I will.” Tears poured down Addy’s face. She reached to take Mitch’s hand. His grip was surprisingly strong, and Addy wanted to sob.
“Tell the girls I love them,” he managed. Before Addy could assure him, old Doc Edwardson came through the door.
He moved silently to the bed and picked up Mitch’s wrist. The dying man struggled to open his eyes and look at him.
“You’ve been a horrible patient,” the doctor scolded him gently. “You were supposed to come back and see me.”
“Didn’t need to. I still had medicine.”
The doctor only grunted in reply.
Suddenly Mitch grabbed his hand. “Make sure Addy knows that I love her, Ed, and the girls too.”
Doc Edwardson squeezed his patient’s hand. “They know, Mitch. You’ve shown them a thousand times.”
Mitch seemed to remember suddenly that Addy was there and turned to her. “It’s meant so much to have you here, Addy. I can’t say—”
Addy was sobbing now, feeling like her heart was going to burst, but still managed to reply, “I’m not ready for you to go, Mitch.”
“I know, Addy. That’s why you’ve got to make Morgan see.”
The doctor, moving his head to look at the man still framed in the doorway, brought Addy’s head around as well.
“Oh, Morgan,” she said softly. “You’re here. He’s here, Mitch,” Addy said, turning back to him. “You can tell him.”
Feeling like a man in a nightmare, Morgan came forward awkwardly. He knew his brother hadn’t been doing well and that he’d been tired lately, but death had never occurred to him. It just couldn’t be. The doctor moved aside for him, and he forced himself to sit on the edge of the bed. Mitch immediately reached for his hand, and Morgan grasped his firmly.
“I couldn’t ruin the wedding,” Mitch got out. “God brought you here so I could tell you the way, but you haven’t listened. Addy understands, Morgan. Don’t let your pride send you to hell. Ask her. Ask her today.”
His breath left him with those words, and Addy heard a soft disturbance at the door. Her four daughters stood looking in, their eyes wide with fear and tears. Addy motioned them to the foot of the bed.
“The girls are here, Mitch,” Addy told him gently.
“Good,” he gasped. “Tell them, Addy. Tell them how much their Uncle Mitch loved them. Eddie and Robert too.”
His eyes fluttered, and Addy’s panicked gaze flew to Doc Edwardson, but he was taking Mitch’s pulse.
“He’s still with us,” the physician spoke gently, “but it won’t be long.”
A shudder ran over Addy’s frame. She wanted to cry, but she also wanted to be aware of everything. If she let herself go, she might miss someone needing her. She asked God for wisdom right then. This was so clearly His timing, and Addy, even in her grief, desperately wanted to be used to see to His work. A moment passed before she could find her voice, but a few seconds later she began to recite.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.” All four girls joined her, their voices soft in the hushed room. “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.”
“Amen,” Doc Edwardson spoke solemnly, and the girls moved around the bed to be near their mother. They would have gone to their father, but he looked carved from stone.
They all watched as Uncle Mitch moved slightly on the bed. He didn’t thrash. His arm raised in seeming agitation, his breath came in a gasp, but his eyes remained closed. His hand then went to his chest, clutching at his nightshirt. Tears filled Addy’s eyes once again as she thought he might be in pain. A second later he lay completely still.
Doc Edwardson moved to the bed one more time. He held Mitch’s wrist for a long time and then gently laid the limp hand on the old man’s chest. Then he stepped back and stood against one wall.
Addy was openly sobbing now, and so were the girls. Only the old doctor heard Morgan’s hoarse voice when he said, “Goodbye, Mitch.”
17
It seemed that every resident of Georgetown turned out for the funeral of Mitchell Fontaine. Pastor Munroe held the service at the graveside, and it was to God’s glory that he was able to point out the basis for the differences in Mitch’s behavior in the last few years. His voice was kind as he spoke, but his words carried great weight.
“I could stand here and tell you that Mitch was a good man, and it would be true. I might also tell you that because he was good, we know he is in heaven, but there I must draw the line. Mitchell Fontaine is not in heaven because of anything he did. Mitch is in heaven because of his belief in Jesus Christ and His saving work on the cross. You may not want to hear or accept this—Mitch almost didn’t—but he understood his need before it was too late.”
Pastor Munroe talked a little bit about Mitch’s life in George-town. He’d come to the area with his wife in 1859. At that time Georgetown was little more than a settlement of miners gathered along Clear Creek to prospect. The pastor told of some of the civic–minded projects Mitch had been involved with, and with his eyes on the crowd, some of whom were the wealthiest mine owners in town, he ended with yet another word about Mitch’s decision, urging anyone in need to come to him.