WILLOW CREEK WYOMING TERRITORY SPRING 1883 THE WIND MOVED ACROSS THE PLAINS IN LONG WHISPERING STROKES BENDING THE PRAIRIE GRASS LIKE WAVES ON A RESTLESS SEA IN A SMALL CLAPBOARD HOUSE BESIDE A WEATHER WORN SCHOOLHOUSE EMMELINE SLOAN SAT HUNCHED OVER HER DESK PEN SCRATCHING ACROSS PAPER THE LANTERN BESIDE HER BURNED LOW ITS FLAME TREMBLING WITH EVERY DRAFT THAT PRESSED THROUGH THE CRACKS IN THE WALL SHE HAD TAUGHT CHILDREN THEIR LETTERS AND SUMS ALL DAY KEPT THE STOVE BURNING WITH TOO LITTLE WOOD AND RETURNED HOME TO A HOUSE THAT ECHOED WITH SILENCE
EMMELINE HAD LONG TOLD HERSELF THAT TEACHING WAS ENOUGH THAT THE CHILDREN’S LAUGHTER AND LEARNING WOULD BE COMPANIONS ENOUGH BUT THE TRUTH SETTLED HEAVY ON HER SHOULDERS THAT EVENING THE HOMESTEAD WAS FAILING HER OXEN WERE THIN AND HER NIGHTS STRETCHED TOO LONG SHE WANTED SOMEONE TO SHARE THE BURDEN WITH SOMEONE WHO WOULD LOOK HER IN THE EYE AND SEE HER NOT ONLY AS A SCHOOLMARM BUT AS A WOMAN SO SHE WROTE HER ADVERTISEMENT WAS SIMPLE WITHOUT FLOURISHES SHE ASKED FOR A MAN WHO VALUED HONESTY WHO WOULD NOT SHRINK FROM HARD WORK
AND WHO MIGHT SHARE HER FONDNESS FOR BOOKS AND QUIET CONVERSATION SHE SIGNED THE LETTER AS SHE ALWAYS DID IN MATTERS OF BUSINESS E SLOANE A NAME THAT CARRIED NO HINT OF GENDER PERHAPS IT WAS SAFER THAT WAY A MAN MIGHT READ HER WORDS WITHOUT PREJUDICE WITHOUT IMAGINING SOME FRAGILE WOMAN IN GINGHAM WHEN SHE FOLDED THE PAPER AND SLID IT INTO AN ENVELOPE SHE PRESSED IT CLOSED WITH A FIRM HAND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS SHE FELT A FLICKER OF HOPE OUTSIDE THE PRAIRIE STRETCHED ON ENDLESS AND UNBROKEN THE SKY WAS WIDE PAINTED WITH THE LAST STROKES OF DUSK
EMMELINE STOOD IN THE DOORWAY AND BREATHED THE COOL AIR THE LETTER TUCKED AGAINST HER CHEST SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE HORIZON SHE BELIEVED A MAN OF WORDS AND KINDNESS MIGHT BE WAITING SOMEONE WHO WOULD NOT LAUGH AT HER DREAM OF TURNING THIS PATCH OF DRY LAND INTO BOTH A SCHOOL AND A HOME SHE WHISPERED IT HAS TO BE ENOUGH THEN SHE BLEW OUT THE LANTERN AND LEFT THE ROOM IN DARKNESS THE LETTER SEALED WITH THE WEIGHT OF HER LONGING THE STAGECOACH RATTLED INTO THE DUSTY TOWN OF WILLOW CREEK WHEELS CRUNCHING OVER LOOSE STONES
IT ARRIVED MIDMORNING WHEN MOST OF THE TOWN WAS OUT RANCHERS TRADING SUPPLIES CHILDREN RUNNING ERRANDS FOR THEIR MOTHERS OLD MEN WHITTLING ON THE BOARDWALKS FOLKS PAUSED THEIR BUSINESS WHEN THE COACH HALTED HEADS TURNING AS THOUGH THEY COULD SENSE SOMETHING UNUSUAL HAD JUST STEPPED ACROSS THEIR THRESHOLD THE FIRST TO DISEMBARK WAS A WOMAN IN A FEATHERED HAT BOUND FOR DENVER THEN CAME A CLERK WITH A VALISE GLANCING NERVOUSLY AT HIS POCKET WATCH FINALLY THE DOOR FRAME DARKENED A MAN DUCKED LOW THEN UNFOLDED HIMSELF INTO THE STREET
LIKE A MOUNTAIN RISING HE WAS TALL IMPOSSIBLY TALL 6 FOOT 5 IF HE WAS AN INCH SHOULDERS BROAD HANDS LIKE SLABS HIS COAT STRETCHED TIGHT ACROSS MUSCLE HIS HAIR WAS DARK AND SHAGGY HIS BEARD ROUGH HUED WHEN HIS BOOTS HIT THE EARTH THE GROUND SEEMED TO TAKE NOTE CHILDREN STARED WOMEN WHISPERED BEHIND GLOVED HANDS THE BLACKSMITH GAVE A LOW WHISTLE EMMELINE SLOAN WAS THERE WAITING WITH HER SCHOOL TEACHER’S COMPOSURE FIXED LIKE A SHIELD SHE HAD PRESSED HER BEST DRESS AND BRAIDED HER HAIR EXPECTING A MAN WITH A SCHOLAR’S BEARING
PERHAPS A GENTLE VOICE AND SPECTACLES TO MATCH INSTEAD SHE SAW THIS GIANT THIS FIGURE OUT OF LEGEND LOOMING OVER THE BOARDWALK HER BREATH CAUGHT IN HER THROAT NOT FROM ADMIRATION BUT FROM DISBELIEF THE MAN APPROACHED HER WITH HEAVY DELIBERATE STEPS HE TIPPED HIS HAT ONCE HIS VOICE LOW AND GRAVELED MA’AM WILLIAM BLAINE I RECKON YOU’RE E.
SLOAN THE WAY HE SAID IT CARRIED NO JUDGMENT ONLY CERTAINTY YET EMMELINE FELT HER CHEEKS BURN SHE NODDED STIFFLY I AM YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY AYE HE GLANCED AROUND AT THE STARES UNBOTHERED THEN SET HIS TRUNK DOWN AT HER FEET FIGURE WE BEST GET ON BEFORE THE TOWN MAKES A SHOW OF US THE WORDS THOUGH PLAIN CARRIED A STRANGE KIND OF GENTLENESS EMMELINE STOOD SILENT A MOMENT LONGER STRUGGLING TO MATCH THE REALITY BEFORE HER WITH THE HUSBAND SHE HAD IMAGINED SHE HAD ASKED FOR AN INTELLECTUAL INSTEAD THE WEST HAD SENT HER A GIANT
THE WIND PICKED UP DUST ACROSS THE STREET SWIRLING AROUND THEM AS IF TO SAY THE STORY HAD ONLY JUST BEGUN THE ROAD FROM TOWN TO EMMELINE’S HOMESTEAD WAS ROUGH AND SUN BAKED A NARROW TRACK CUTTING THROUGH BRITTLE GRASS WILLIAM CARRIED HIS TRUNK ACROSS THE WAGON BED WITH A SINGLE ARM THEN SETTLED WORDLESSLY BESIDE HER AS SHE STEERED THE TEAM HOME HIS PRESENCE FILLED THE SMALL WAGON EVERY MOVEMENT OF HIS FRAME A REMINDER THAT HE WAS NOT THE MAN SHE HAD EXPECTED THE HOUSE CAME INTO VIEW AT SUNDOWN A MODEST CLAPBOARD DWELLING BESIDE THE ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE
SHE KEPT CHILDREN’S CHALK STILL CLUNG TO THE BOARD INSIDE AND THE SCENT OF INK AND DRY DUST LINGERED IN THE AIR WILLIAM SET DOWN HIS TRUNK BY THE DOOR DUCKING HIS HEAD TO CLEAR THE LOW FRAME EMELINE BUSIED HERSELF WITH SUPPER THE SKILLET HISSED WITH BEANS AND PORK WHILE CORNBREAD BAKED SLOW IN THE STOVE SHE SPOKE LITTLE UNCERTAIN WHAT TO SAY TO THIS STRANGER WHO WAS NOW HER HUSBAND IN ALL BUT CEREMONY WILLIAM SAT AT THE TABLE LARGE HANDS RESTING HEAVY AGAINST THE WOOD EYES LOWERED AS THOUGH AFRAID THEY MIGHT BETRAY TOO MUCH
AT LAST SHE BROKE THE SILENCE I TRUST THE JOURNEY WASN’T TOO HARD HARD ENOUGH HIS VOICE WAS DEEP STEADY LIKE ROCKS SHIFTING IN A RIVERBED AFTER A PAUSE BUT I’VE KNOWN WORSE EMALINE STUDIED HIM IN THE LAMPLIGHT THE WAY HIS SHOULDERS SEEMED TOO BROAD FOR THE CHAIR THE WAY HIS SHIRT AND SUSPENDERS SAT STIFFLY ON HIM AS THOUGH THEY BELONGED TO ANOTHER MAN SHE HAD WRITTEN FOR A HUSBAND WHO MIGHT TALK OF POETRY OR HISTORY SOMEONE WHO WOULD READ BY THE FIRE AFTER CHORES WERE DONE NOW HERE SAT A MAN WHO SEEMED CARVED FROM OAK AND SILENCE
SHE SET A PLATE BEFORE HIM AND TRIED AGAIN DO YOU READ MUCH MISTER BLAINE? HIS EYES LIFTED TO HERS SHARP YET NOT UNKIND SOME ENOUGH TO KEEP A BIBLE CLOSE ENOUGH TO FAVOR THE PSALMS HE PICKED UP HIS FORK WITH A CAREFUL HAND AS IF AWARE OF THE STRENGTH BEHIND EVERY MOTION THE ANSWER SURPRISED HER IT WASN’T A SCHOLAR’S REPLY BUT IT WASN’T THE EMPTINESS SHE HAD FEARED EITHER SOMETHING STIRRED IN HER THE FAINTEST CRACK IN HER WALL OF DISAPPOINTMENT THEY ATE IN SILENCE AFTER THAT THE LAMPLIT THROWING LONG SHADOWS ACROSS THE ROOM
OUTSIDE THE WIND MOANED AGAINST THE SHUTTERS A SOUND AS LONELY AS THE PRAIRIE ITSELF EMMELINE FELT THE WEIGHT OF WHAT SHE HAD CHOSEN OR PERHAPS WHAT HAD BEEN CHOSEN FOR HER AND WONDERED IF SHE HAD THE COURAGE TO SEE IT THROUGH SPRING HAD COME IN FITS AND STARTS SOME DAYS THE PRAIRIE SHONE WITH SUN AND PROMISE OTHERS THE WIND BIT SHARP ENOUGH TO CARRY WINTER BACK INTO ONE’S BONES ON THE MORNING EMMELINE YOKED HER OXEN TO BREAK THE HARD SOIL OF HER FIELD A CROWD HAD GATHERED NEAR THE FENCE LINE MORRISON WAS AMONG THEM SAMUEL MORRISON
BROAD OF CHEST SMUG IN BEARING WITH HIS TWO GROWN SONS AT HIS BACK HE LIKED TO LINGER WHERE TROUBLE MIGHT SPROUT AND TODAY HIS EYES NARROWED ON EMMELINE AS IF HE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR HER TO FALTER YOU SURE ABOUT THIS SCHOOLMARM? HAHA THAT TEAM LOOKS NEAR AS THIN AS YOUR CHANCES EMMELINE FORCED HER JAW TIGHT AND SNAPPED THE REINS THE OXEN STRAINED FORWARD HOOVES TEARING AT THE EARTH THE PLOW BIT THE GROUND STUBBORN AND HEAVY FOR A FEW YARDS SHE MANAGED BUT THEN THE TEAM JERKED SIDEWAYS STARTLED BY THE CROWD’S NOISE AND BOLTED
THE PLOW TORE ACROSS THE BOUNDARY STRAIGHT THROUGH DEACONESS HARPER’S VEGETABLE GARDEN CARROTS BEANS AND YOUNG CABBAGE RIPPED FROM THE SOIL IN A STORM OF DIRT HARPER CRIED OUT HANDS FLYING TO HER APRON MORRISON LAUGHED A LOW CUTTING SOUND THOUGHT SO A WOMAN TRYING TO FARM IS LIKE A CROW TRYING TO SING EMMELINE FOUGHT THE REINS DIGGING IN HER HEELS BUT THE OXEN DRAGGED HER LIKE A CHILD CLUTCHING A RUNAWAY SLED HER BOOTS SLIPPED IN THE CHURNED MUD THE CROWD’S LAUGHTER GREW SHARPER THEN WILLIAM MOVED HE STRODE INTO THE FURROW
HIS LONG LEGS EATING THE GROUND IN THREE POWERFUL STEPS WITH ONE GREAT ARM HE SEIZED THE YOKE HIS OTHER HAND PRESSING AGAINST THE NECK OF THE LEAD OX HIS VOICE THOUGH DEEP CARRIED CALM STEADY NOW EASY BOYS THE ANIMALS SLOWED THEIR PANIC EASING UNDER HIS WEIGHT AND TONE WITH A FINAL TUG HE BROUGHT THEM TO STILLNESS BREATHING HARD BUT CONTROLLED DUST HUNG IN THE AIR AROUND HIM SETTLING ON HIS SHOULDERS LIKE A MANTLE THE CROWD FELL INTO SILENCE WILLIAM STRAIGHTENED STILL HOLDING THE YOKE AS THOUGH IT WEIGHED NOTHING
HE LOOKED ONCE AT EMMELINE NOT IN TRIUMPH NOT IN REPROACH BUT WITH QUIET STEADINESS BEFORE LEADING THE OXEN BACK TOWARD THE BARN MORRISON’S LAUGHTER FALTERED HE SPAT INTO THE DIRT AND MUTTERED LOOKS LIKE THE GIANTS GOOD FOR SOMETHING AFTER ALL BUT HIS EYES HELD A NEW GLINT ONE OF CHALLENGE NOT YET SPENT BY EVENING THE TALE OF THE RUNAWAY OXEN HAD TRAVELED FASTER THAN WILDFIRE WILLOW CREEK WAS A SMALL TOWN AND NEWS ESPECIALLY NEWS OF A WOMAN’S FAILURE NEEDED NO WINGS TO SPREAD BY THE TIME EMMELINE WALKED THE SHORT PATH FROM HER BARN
TO THE SCHOOLHOUSE THE NEXT MORNING WHISPERS CHASED HER STEPS LIKE SHADOWS AT THE WELL TWO WOMEN DREW BUCKETS AND BENT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER DID YOU HEAR? MORRISON SAYS SHE NEAR TORE UP HARPER’S WHOLE GARDEN WOULD HAVE BEEN WORSE IF A GIANT HADN’T STEPPED IN ON THE BOARDWALK A PAIR OF RANCH HANDS GRINNED THAT SCHOOLMARM’S HIDING BEHIND HER HUSBAND ALREADY HAHA BIG MAN DOES THE MUSCLE WORK SHE DOES THE TEACHING FAIR TRADE I SUPPOSE THOUGH DON’T SEEM RIGHT EVEN INSIDE THE SCHOOLHOUSE EMMELINE FELT IT THE OLDER CHILDREN
SHUFFLED IN WITH THEIR YOUNGER BROTHERS AND SISTERS GLANCING AT HER WITH DOUBT WHISPERS CARRIED FROM BENCH TO BENCH COULD SHE RUN BOTH SCHOOL AND LAND? OR IS SHE JUST PLAYING FARMER UNTIL A REAL MAN STEPS UP? THE SHARPEST BLOW CAME THAT AFTERNOON WHEN DEACONESS HARPER STOPPED BY SHE WAS NOT UNKIND BUT HER WORDS CUT NONE THE LESS MISS SLOAN I KNOW YOUR HEART’S IN THE RIGHT PLACE BUT MORRISON’S BEEN SPEAKING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD HE SAYS A WOMAN OUGHTN’T CARRY BOTH TEACHING AND RANCHING ON HER SHOULDERS SAYS YOU’VE TAKEN ON MORE THAN’S PROPER
EMMELINE FELT HER FACE FLUSH DOES HE NOW? THE DEACONESS SIGHED FOLK LISTEN TO HIM THEY SEE YOUR HUSBAND’S SIZE AND THINK YOU’VE TRADED ONE BURDEN FOR ANOTHER A MAN OF BRAWN NOT BOOKS THAT EVENING EMMELINE SAT ON THE PORCH STEPS HEAD BOWED INTO HER HANDS SHE HAD WANTED A PARTNER WHO WOULD STAND BESIDE HER IN BOTH WORK AND THOUGHT SOMEONE WHO WOULD DEBATE LESSONS OR QUOTE POETRY OVER SUPPER INSTEAD SHE HAD A MAN WHO TOWERED OVER HER LIKE SOME STORYBOOK GIANT SILENT AS A STONE LATER THAT WEEK WILLIAM SAT OUTSIDE REPAIRING A BROKEN SCHOOLHOUSE BENCH
HIS HANDS SHAPED THE WOOD WITH STEADY CARE BUT WHAT CAUGHT EMMELINE’S EAR WAS THE LOW SOUND OF HIM HUMMING SHE STEPPED CLOSER AND REALIZED IT WAS NOT A TUNE BUT A PSALM MURMURED IN RHYTHM WITH EACH STROKE OF THE PLANE THE DISCOVERY UNSETTLED HER THE BRUTE THE TOWN MOCKED CARRIED SCRIPTURE IN HIS CHEST AS EASILY AS BREATH HE SAID NOTHING ONLY LOWERED HIMSELF ONTO THE STEP BESIDE HER THAT EVENING HIS PRESENCE WAS HEAVY BUT STEADY THE QUIET OF HIM WRAPPING AROUND HER LIKE THE EVENING WIND YET THE SILENCE CARRIED ITS OWN WEIGHT
AND SHE WONDERED HOW LONG SHE COULD BEAR IT THE SUN WAS SETTING PAINTING THE SKY IN STROKES OF FIRE AND ROSE THE PRAIRIE STRETCHING ENDLESS AND LONESOME BEFORE THEM EMMELINE SAT ON THE PORCH HER HANDS CLASPED TIGHT IN HER LAP WILLIAM HAD FINISHED IN THE BARN HIS BOOTS HEAVY AGAINST THE BOARDS AS HE JOINED HER HE SAT A GOOD SPACE AWAY ELBOWS RESTING ON HIS KNEES HIS BROAD FRAME SHADOWED AGAINST THE DYING LIGHT FOR A LONG WHILE NEITHER SPOKE THE HUSH OF EVENING PRESSED AROUND THEM THE LOWING OF CATTLE THE CALL OF A MEADOW LARK
THE WHISPER OF WIND ACROSS BRITTLE GRASS AT LAST EMMELINE FOUND HER VOICE THIN BUT STEADY I ASKED FOR A HUSBAND WHO MIGHT SHARE MY BOOKS SOMEONE WHO’D SPEAK TO ME OF WORDS NOT ONLY CHORES INSTEAD INSTEAD THE TOWN SAYS I HIDE BEHIND YOU THAT I’M WEAK THAT YOU’RE NOTHING BUT STRENGTH THE WORDS HUNG BETWEEN THEM SHARP AS BARBED WIRE WILLIAM’S JAW TIGHTENED HE LOOKED DOWN AT HIS HANDS SCARRED AND BROAD THEN SPOKE LOW THAT’S HOW THEY’VE ALWAYS SEEN ME A BRUTE A BEAST FIT TO HAUL AND FIGHT BUT NEVER TRUSTED FOR THOUGHT
MY SIZE ENTERS A ROOM BEFORE I DO AND MEN RECKON THEY’VE ALREADY JUDGED MY WORTH HE PAUSED THEN LIFTED HIS GAZE TO HER EYES SHADOWED YET CLEAR BUT I READ SLOWLY AYE BUT I DO PSALMS MOSTLY SOMETIMES THE PROPHETS WORDS I CARRY LIKE STONES IN MY POCKET TO TURN OVER WHEN SILENCE GROWS HEAVY EMMELINE BLINKED STARTLED SHE HAD NEVER HEARD HIS VOICE SOFTEN LIKE THAT NEVER HEARD IT CARRY SOMETHING BEYOND PLAIN SPEECH SHE SEARCHED HIS FACE AND FOUND NO JEST THERE ONLY QUIET TRUTH A WARMTH SPREAD THROUGH HER CHEST FRAGILE BUT REAL
SHE HAD THOUGHT HIM NOTHING BUT A WALL OF FLESH AND SILENCE BUT THERE IN HIS EYES SHE GLIMPSED A MAN WHO WANTED TO BE SEEN I WAS WRONG SHE WHISPERED WILLIAM SHOOK HIS HEAD NOT WRONG JUST NOT YET SEEN THE WHOLE OF ME THE AIR BETWEEN THEM SHIFTED GENTLE AS THE DUSK BREEZE EMMELINE FELT HER SHOULDERS EASE A SLIVER OF TRUST ROOTING WHERE DOUBT HAD GROWN THE SILENCE THAT FOLLOWED WAS NO LONGER HEAVY IT WAS SOMETHING SHARED THE NEXT MORNING WILLIAM WENT TO HARPER’S GARDEN KNEELING AMONG THE RUINED ROWS HE DUG WITH HIS BARE HANDS
RESETTING POSTS REPLANTING WHAT COULD BE SAVED NEIGHBORS PASSING BY SLOWED TO WATCH AT FIRST THEY SMIRKED BUT WHEN HARPER HERSELF STEPPED ONTO THE PORCH SHE FOUND HER GARDEN MENDED MORE THAN SHE EXPECTED THANK YOU MISTER BLAINE SHE SAID VOICE SOFTER THAN BEFORE WORDS SPREAD AND THE GOSSIP ABOUT FAILURE BEGAN TO TURN EVER SO SLIGHTLY TOWARD RESPECT AND FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HIS ARRIVAL EMMELINE DID NOT FEEL ALONE BESIDE HIM THE NIGHT TURNED COLD AND A STEADY WIND PUSHED AGAINST THE SHUTTERS OF THE SCHOOLHOUSE
INSIDE THE SINGLE LANTERN CAST A POOL OF AMBER LIGHT ACROSS THE TABLE EMMELINE SAT WITH A STACK OF PAPERS OLD LESSONS UNPAID BILLS THOUGH HER EYES KEPT DRIFTING TO THE SMALL BUNDLE TUCKED BENEATH HER ELBOW PAPERS CREASED AND WORN THE ONES THAT HAD CARRIED HER HOPES ACROSS MILES OF PRAIRIE WILLIAM ENTERED QUIETLY DUCKING HIS HEAD THROUGH THE LOW DOORWAY HIS HAIR WAS DAMP FROM WASHING HIS SHIRT LOOSE AT THE COLLAR HE HESITATED AS THOUGH UNSURE HE BELONGED IN THAT SMALL ROOM FILLED WITH CHALK DUST AND CHILDREN’S ECHOES
EMMELINE LIFTED THE SMALL BUNDLE OF PAPERS THEIR EDGES CREASED FROM HANDLING AND SET THEM ON THE TABLE THESE ARE THE DRAFTS OF THE LETTERS I SENT THE WORDS THAT BROUGHT YOU HERE WILLIAM STEPPED CLOSER HIS HAND HOVERING BEFORE HE TOOK THEM HIS FINGERS WERE CAREFUL FAR GENTLER THAN HIS SIZE SUGGESTED AS HE UNFOLDED THE FIRST PAGE HIS LIPS MOVED SLIGHTLY AS HE READ VOICE LOW I DO NOT SEEK GRANDNESS ONLY HONESTY I HOPE FOR A HUSBAND WHO WILL SHARE BOTH BURDENS AND QUIET JOYS HE LOOKED UP AT HER SOMETHING UNSPOKEN IN HIS EYES
WHEN I READ THESE I DIDN’T PICTURE A SCHOOLMARM I RECKONED THEY WERE WRITTEN BY SOMEONE PLAIN SPOKEN MAYBE A RANCHER NOT A WOMAN WHO TEACHES CHILDREN THEIR LETTERS SHE FELT HER CHEEKS WARM I SIGNED E. SLOAN WITHOUT THE MISS IT SEEMED SAFER WILLIAM NODDED WHAT STRUCK ME WASN’T WHAT THE NAME IT WAS THE WAY YOU SPOKE PLAIN YOU DIDN’T DRESS IT UP YOU ASKED FOR PARTNERSHIP NOT PITY I’VE NEVER SEEN WORDS LIKE THAT I WANTED TO ANSWER THE ROOM SEEMED SMALLER IN THAT MOMENT THE AIR THICK WITH THE CLOSENESS OF THEIR VOICES
EMMELINE’S HEART BEAT FAST SHE HAD THOUGHT HIM INCAPABLE OF SPEAKING SUCH THINGS YET HERE HE WAS CONFESSING WITH WORDS STEADIER THAN HER OWN THEIR HANDS BRUSHED AS HE SET THE LETTER DOWN THE TOUCH LINGERED ROUGH CALLOUS AGAINST HER FINER SKIN AND SHE DID NOT PULL AWAY HIS EYES MET HERS AND FOR THE FIRST TIME SHE SAW A FLICKER OF WARMTH BREAK THROUGH THE WALL OF SILENCE OUTSIDE THE PRAIRIE WIND WHISTLED AGAINST THE SHUTTERS A RESTLESS SONG INSIDE THE QUIET BETWEEN THEM SHIFTED NOT EMPTY BUT EXPECTANT AS THOUGH THE LETTERS THEMSELVES
HAD BEGUN TO BREATHE AGAIN THE DAYS GREW WARMER AND THE LAND PRESSED HARD AGAINST ALL WHO WORKED IT ONE AFTERNOON AS EMMELINE WALKED THE FENCE LINE SHE SPOTTED MORRISON AND HIS TWO SONS ON HER SIDE OF THE BOUNDARY BOOTS PLANTED DEEP IN HER GRASS AS THOUGH THEY OWNED THE PLACE HER PULSE QUICKENED BUT SHE LIFTED HER CHIN MORRISON YOU’VE NO RIGHT HERE THAT FENCE MARKS THE LINE MORRISON TURNED HIS SMIRK SPREADING SLOW LINE LOOKS CROOKED TO ME MAYBE THE LAND NEEDS STRONGER HANDS HIS GAZE FLICKED TO WILLIAM WHO HAD STEPPED UP BEHIND HER SILENT BUT TOWERING
MAN LIKE HIM COULD DO WELL ENOUGH ON HIS OWN DON’T NEED A SCHOOLMARM MEDDLING EMMELINE’S VOICE CUT SHARPER THAN SHE EXPECTED THIS LAND IS MINE BOUGHT AND PAID DEED SIGNED IF YOU THINK OTHERWISE BRING YOUR PROOF BEFORE THE LAW THE AIR THICKENED MORRISON’S SONS SHIFTED THEIR EYES FLICKING TO WILLIAM’S SIZE AND STRENGTH WILLIAM DID NOT MOVE HIS PRESENCE ALONE A WALL HE RESTED ONE HAND ON THE FENCE POST CALM BUT UNYIELDING MORRISON SPAT INTO THE DIRT LAWS SLOW OUT HERE SOMETIMES NEIGHBORS SETTLE THINGS QUICKER EMMELINE’S HEART THUDDED BUT SHE STEPPED FORWARD
I’LL NOT BE BULLIED OFF WHAT’S MINE YOU BRING THE SHERIFF IF YOU’VE A CLAIM OTHERWISE STEP BACK FOR A MOMENT THE PRAIRIE SEEMED TO HOLD ITS BREATH THEN MORRISON CHUCKLED LOW A SOUND MEANT TO SCRAPE SUIT YOURSELF BUT FOLK WILL TALK WHEN THEY SEE A WOMAN HIDING BEHIND HER GIANT HE TUGGED HIS SONS TOWARD THE BOUNDARY COME ON BOYS AIN’T WORTH WASTING SWEAT TODAY THEY CROSSED BACK OVER DUST CURLING BEHIND THEIR BOOTS AS THE SILENCE SETTLED EMMELINE EXHALED SHAKILY SHE TURNED BUT BEFORE SHE COULD SPEAK HER FOOT CAUGHT ON A LOOSE BOARD IN THE FENCE
SHE STUMBLED AND WILLIAM’S ARM SHOT OUT STEADYING HER WITH SURPRISING GENTLENESS HER HAND LINGERED ON HIS FOREARM ROUGH AND SOLID BENEATH HER TOUCH FOR A HEARTBEAT THEIR EYES MET UNSPOKEN WORDS PASSING BETWEEN THEM SHE LET GO RELUCTANTLY PULSE STILL UNSTEADY AND WALKED BACK TOWARD THE HOUSE WITH HIM CLOSE BEHIND THAT EVENING THE HOUSE SMELLED OF SMOKE AND PINE THE FIRE CRACKLING LOW IN THE HEARTH EMMELINE SET A SMALL BOX ON THE TABLE HER FINGERS LINGERING ON THE LID WILLIAM SAT ACROSS FROM HER SHOULDERS HUNCHED
AS THOUGH AFRAID HIS BULK MIGHT UNSETTLE THE ROOM SHE DREW A BREATH I THOUGHT WHEN YOU CAME THAT WE WERE MISMATCHED I WANTED A MAN OF BOOKS I WANTED WORDS NOT WEIGHT HER EYES LIFTED TO MEET HIS BUT TODAY WHEN MORRISON STOOD THERE WITH HIS SONS AND HIS THREATS YOU HELD STEADY AND I FOUND MY WORDS BECAUSE YOU STOOD WITH ME WILLIAM SHIFTED BROW FURROWED AS THOUGH HER PRAISE UNSETTLED MORE THAN SCORN EVER COULD EMMELINE OPENED THE BOX INSIDE LAY A RING CARVED FROM DARK OAK ITS SURFACE WAS SMOOTH BUT IMPERFECT EDGES MARKED BY THE HAND THAT HAD SHAPED IT
THIS WOOD CAME FROM MY FATHER’S DESK THE SAME DESK WHERE I LEARNED TO WRITE THE ONE THAT HELD MY FIRST BOOKS HE PASSED BEFORE HE COULD SEE THIS PLACE BUT I KEPT THE WOOD AND NOW I OFFER IT TO YOU HER HANDS TREMBLED SLIGHTLY AS SHE LIFTED THE RING AND SLID IT TOWARD HIM NOT AS A BARGAIN NOT AS AN ARRANGEMENT AS A CHOICE WILLIAM TOOK THE RING TURNING IT BETWEEN HIS THICK FINGERS HE TRIED IT AGAINST HIS FINGER BUT IT WOULD NOT PASS HIS KNUCKLE FOR A MOMENT SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM HEAVY AS STONE THEN HIS LIPS CURVED IN THE FAINTEST SMILE
IT DOESN’T FIT BUT MAYBE THAT’S RIGHT THINGS WORTH KEEPING SELDOM FIT EASY HE SET THE RING BACK ON THE TABLE HIS VOICE GENTLER THAN SHE HAD EVER HEARD IT WE’LL RESHAPE IT LIKE WE’LL RESHAPE THIS LIFE PIECE BY PIECE TOGETHER FOR A BREATH THEY ONLY STARED AT ONE ANOTHER FIRELIGHT FLICKERING BETWEEN THEM THE RING WARM IN HIS HAND THEN THE WEIGHT OF WEEKS OF SILENCE OF DOUBT AND LONGING BROKE LIKE A DAM HIS HAND CUPPED THE SIDE OF HER FACE ROUGH BUT TREMBLING WITH CARE WHILE HER FINGERS PRESSED AGAINST HIS CHEST FEELING THE STRENGTH THAT WAS NOW HERS TO CLAIM
IT WAS NOT GENTLE NOT MEASURED IT WAS THE UNSPOKEN ANSWER TO EVERY DOUBT EVERY WHISPERED RUMOR EVERY LONELY NIGHT THEY HAD BORNE APART WHEN AT LAST THEY PARTED BREATHLESS THE FIRE CRACKLED LOUDER AS THOUGH IT TOO HAD BEEN WAITING OUTSIDE THE PRAIRIE WIND MOVED ON LEAVING THE HOUSE QUIET BUT FULL SIX MONTHS PASSED AND THE PRAIRIE ROLLED INTO SUMMER THEN LEANED TOWARD AUTUMN WHERE ONCE EMMELINE’S LAND HAD LOOKED WORN AND UNCERTAIN NOW ROWS OF CORN STOOD STRAIGHT AND GOLD FENCES WERE MENDED AND THE SCHOOLHOUSE RANG WITH CHILDREN’S LAUGHTER
WILLIAM’S HAND WAS IN EVERYTHING THE BARN ONCE SAGGING STOOD SQUARE AND STRONG WITH NEW BEAMS HE HAD HEWN HIMSELF THE OXEN ONCE RESTLESS WORKED STEADY BENEATH HIS CALM COMMANDS MOST SURPRISING OF ALL THE SCHOOLHOUSE BORE HIS TOUCH BENCHES HE HAD SHAPED FROM PINE THEIR SURFACES SANDED SMOOTH SO NO CHILD WOULD CATCH A SPLINTER ONE AFTERNOON EMMELINE WATCHED FROM THE DOORWAY AS WILLIAM LINGERED INSIDE THE CLASSROOM A GROUP OF CHILDREN PRESSED A BOOK INTO HIS HAND GIGGLING AT HIS RELUCTANCE HE CLEARED HIS THROAT THE GREAT SOUND FILLING THE ROOM
THEN BEGAN TO READ HIS VOICE WAS SLOW MEASURED STUMBLING AT TIMES BUT HE PRESSED ON THE CHILDREN LISTENED WIDE EYED AND WHEN HE FINISHED THEY CLAPPED A FLUSH CREPT UP HIS NECK AS HE HANDED THE BOOK BACK BEST LEAVE THE READING TO YOUR TEACHER YET EMMELINE SAW THE WAY HIS EYES SOFTENED THE WAY HIS MOUTH TUGGED IN A SMILE HE TRIED TO HIDE SHE STEPPED FORWARD RESTING A HAND ON HIS ARM YOU SEE THEY LOOK AT YOU AS MORE THAN MUSCLE HE GLANCED AT HER THE CORNERS OF HIS EYES CRINKLING RECKON I HAVE YOU TO THANK FOR THAT
OUTSIDE NEIGHBORS PASSED AND TIPPED THEIR HATS MORRISON NO LONGER CAME BY WITH JEERS THE MAN MUTTERED STILL BUT AFTER THE SHOWDOWN AT THE FENCE HIS VOICE CARRIED LESS WEIGHT RESPECT HAD SETTLED WHERE RIDICULE ONCE LIVED AND THOUGH SOME EYES STILL JUDGED NONE COULD DENY WHAT EMMELINE AND WILLIAM HAD BUILT THAT NIGHT BY THE FIRE EMMELINE SAT CLOSE BESIDE WILLIAM HER HEAD LEANING AGAINST HIS ARM THE RING OF OAK NOW RESHAPED TO FIT HIS GREAT FINGER CAUGHT THE LIGHT AS HE TURNED IT ABSENTLY NEVER THOUGHT A SCHOOLMARM WOULD BE THE ONE TO
STEADY ME AND I NEVER THOUGHT A GIANT WOULD BE THE ONE TO TEACH ME STRENGTH THEY SAT TOGETHER THE CRACKLE OF FIRE FILLING THE SILENCE BETWEEN WORDS AND IN THAT SILENCE LAY A PEACE RICHER THAN EITHER HAD KNOWN ALONE WINTER HAD COME TO WILLOW CREEK THE PRAIRIE LYING UNDER A PALE SHROUD OF SNOW THE CHURCH STOOD WARM WITH LANTERNS ITS WINDOWS GLOWING AGAINST THE LONG NIGHT INSIDE NEIGHBORS FILLED THE PEWS COATS STEAMING FROM THE COLD SOME CAME CURIOUS SOME DOUBTFUL STILL BUT ALL HAD GATHERED TO WITNESS WHAT COULD NO LONGER BE DISMISSED AS CHANCE
AT THE FRONT STOOD EMMELINE SLOAN THE SCHOOLMARM ONCE WHISPERED ABOUT AS TOO AMBITIOUS TOO STUBBORN TOO ALONE BESIDE HER TOWERED WILLIAM BLAINE THE GIANT WHO HAD BEEN CALLED NOTHING MORE THAN BRAWN TOGETHER THEY WAITED NOT WITH NERVOUSNESS BUT WITH THE STEADINESS FORGED THROUGH MONTHS OF TRIAL THE MINISTER SPOKE WORDS SIMPLE AND DIRECT HANDS WERE JOINED VOWS EXCHANGED AND WHEN THE RING RESHAPED FROM HER FATHER’S OAK DESK SLID OVER WILLIAM’S GREAT FINGER THE CONGREGATION STIRRED WHAT HAD ONCE BEEN LAUGHABLE MISMATCHED EVEN MOCKED
NOW CARRIED A QUIET GRAVITY THAT NONE COULD DENY WHEN THE MINISTER CLOSED HIS BIBLE AND BLESSED THEM EMMELINE AND WILLIAM TURNED TO FACE THE GATHERING FOR A MOMENT SILENCE REIGNED THEN ONE OF THE SCHOOL CHILDREN CLAPPED SMALL HANDS ECHOING THROUGH THE CHURCH ANOTHER JOINED THEN ANOTHER UNTIL THE SOUND FILLED THE RAFTERS THE NEIGHBORS FOLLOWED APPLAUSE ROLLING LIKE THUNDER AT THE BACK MORRISON ROSE JAW TIGHT A SCHOOLMARM AND A GIANT WORLD’S TURNED UPSIDE DOWN YET EVEN AS HE SAID IT HE TIPPED HIS HAT STIFFLY AND WALKED OUT INTO THE SNOW
THE MURMURS OF DISAPPROVAL FOLLOWED HIM BUT THE APPLAUSE CARRIED ON WITHOUT PAUSE DROWNING HIS BITTERNESS IN THEIR THUNDER THAT NIGHT A FIRE BURNED IN THE HEARTH OF THEIR HOMESTEAD SNOW DRIFTED AGAINST THE WINDOWS BUT INSIDE WAS WARMTH EMMELINE SAT CLOSE BESIDE WILLIAM THEIR SHOULDERS TOUCHING THEIR SILENCE COMPANIONABLE HE REACHED FOR HER HAND THUMB BRUSHING LIGHTLY AGAINST HER SKIN YOU GAVE ME MORE THAN A PLACE YOU GAVE ME A LIFE WORTH STANDING FOR SHE LOOKED AT HIM THE FIRELIGHT FLICKERING IN HER EYES AND
YOU GAVE ME MORE THAN STRENGTH YOU GAVE ME STEADINESS WHEN I HAD NONE OUTSIDE THE WIND CARRIED ACROSS THE ENDLESS PRAIRIE THE SAME WIND THAT HAD ONCE SEEMED LONELY AND SHARP NOW IT FELT LIKE A SONG CARRYING THEIR STORY INTO THE DARK NOT OF A SCHOOLMARM AND A GIANT MISMATCHED AND DOUBTFUL BUT OF TWO SOULS WHO HAD FOUND IN EACH OTHER WHAT THE FRONTIER ITSELF DEMANDED RESILIENCE TRUST AND BELONGING THEIR LOVE WAS NOT FRAGILE IT WAS AS ROUGH HEWN AND ENDURING AS THE LAND BENEATH THEIR FEET AND LIKE THE PRAIRIE IT STRETCHED WIDE
BOUNDLESS AND TRUE
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