DECEMBER 20TH 1870
Hazel spent the bulk of the following few days making things to decorate her tree with. She made little white candles to attach to the ends of the branches that they could light on Christmas Eve, and she sugar-coated small green and red apples and some plums and tied ribbon to their stems and tied them to the tree. Decorating it was a bittersweet affair for her. It helped her feel in the Christmas spirit and not be so sad about missing Heath and her family, but it also brought memories of all the years she helped her mother decorate the tree. She missed her mother like crazy.
Sally helped her make red and white bows from some satin ribbon she found in the sewing room and they tied those on. When it was all finished, Hazel pronounced it the loveliest tree she had ever seen.
She had only seen John twice, and briefly, since the day he had brought her the tree. She had been wrapped up in her decorations and she had just assumed he had been busy with work. When she was finished however, she was anxious for him to see it.
“Sally, have you seen John today?”
“Not since breakfast Miss Hazel. Would you like me to go down to the tack house and see if he’s there?”
“Oh no.” Hazel told her. “It’s much too cold out there; I wouldn’t ask you to do that.”
“I wouldn’t mind, Miss Hazel.” Sally told her. The staff all loved their new mistress of the house. She was so kind, and they actually had to teach her how to have servants.
“No Sally, it’s really okay. I just want to show him the tree. I’m positive he’ll be back soon.”
“Yes ma’am.” Sally told her. “I’ll be in the kitchen then, helping cook if you need me.”
“Thank you for your help, Sally.” Hazel said, surprising the other girl by giving her a big hug.
“You’re welcome.” Sally said with a blush.
After Sally left, Mr. Lee came in with the mail. Hazel looked through it excitedly. There was a letter for her from her parents and a separate one from her little sister, Laura. She was a little disappointed that there was no mail for John, but it had only been four days since she had sent the letter for Becky to be mailed. She was getting ahead of herself. She took her letters and sat by the fire to read them. She opened Laura’s first:
Dear big sister,
You have no idea how boring my life is without you. Please come home, you can bring Heath with you if you love him. You still love me, right? Pa takes me to the docks with him now. At first I was happy, because I used to be jealous of you when you got to do it. But I’m not supposed to get near the boats or the water and I have to just sit all prim and proper on a bench and wait for him…Really Hazel, I want to die. Please come home or send for me.
All my love,
Little sister.
P.S. I paid for my own postage so I could mail this letter myself. I told Pa mine would get there first. Did it?
It was a short letter, but it had a huge impact. Hazel was sobbing by the time she finished reading it. Poor Laura, Hazel hadn’t given enough thought to how all of this was going to affect her little sister. She should write to her more at the very least, and she really should have tried to get her out to visit for Christmas. She tucked the letter in her pocket. She would write back and see if maybe her parents could send Laura out for New Year’s since it was likely too late for Christmas.
She was wiping her eyes and had just started to open the letter from her parents when she heard John’s voice say, “Hazel? What’s wrong? What happened? Who made you cry?” she looked up and saw him standing in the doorway. When he saw her face he rushed over and knelt in front of her. Taking her hand he said, “Tell me who upset you.”
Hazel smiled. “I’m fine, John. No one upset me, dear. My little sister wrote me a letter that made me a little sad.” she said.
John felt foolish. He had been ready to beat someone up, or fire them if that had been the case. He could feel his face flush red as he let go of her hand. “I’m sorry, Hazel…I just thought….”
She touched the side of his face with her hand sending a searing heat surging through his body. “It’s fine John. You have nothing to apologize for. You were being protective, like Heath asked you to.” The sound of his best friend’s name got him to his feet and mentally kicking himself in the butt.
He cleared his throat and looked up at the tree. Glad it was there to provide a change of subject, he said,
“Your tree looks beautiful. You’ve done a great job on it.”
She smiled brightly. “Thank you! Sally helped me with it. I love it, John. Thank you, again.”
“You’re welcome, Hazel.” he said.
“John, do you think Heath will be home in time for Christmas?” she asked him.
“I think he would drive the team through the fires of hell to get here and be with you for your first Christmas together.” he said. That made her smile again and she said,
“Thank you, John. I don’t mean to be selfish. I know that he’s working, but I miss him so.”
John smiled back and said, “I’d be willing to bet that his heart aches for you.”
“Thank you.” she said again. “Would you like me to get us some tea?”
“A warm cup of tea sounds really nice.” he told her. Hazel stood up and headed out to the kitchen. As she passed the big window she suddenly froze. John was about to ask her what was wrong when he saw her face light up. She gathered her skirts in her hands and raced for the door. Throwing it open wide and not seeming to notice that it was freezing cold and even sleeting a bit outside, she ran down the steps of the porch. John went after her but he stopped at the edge of the porch when he realized what she was running towards. There was a long line of long horn cattle coming up the road. John could see a cowboy on a horse along either side and one in front. The rest of the men were likely stretched along two miles of road behind them. Heath was usually in the back, but as the one in front slid down off his horse and John could see now that it was him. He ran towards Hazel as she ran towards him. When they met, he picked her up and swung her around and then took her into his arms and held her tight. John smiled, sadly and went back inside.
“Look at you!” Heath said, “You got prettier since I’ve been gone.”
“Oh Heath! I missed you awfully bad.”
Heath took her back in his arms and kissed her. It was the kind of kiss that curls a girl’s toes, and one unlike any that Hazel had ever had before. She was flushed and out of breath when he let her go and she wasn’t even sure that it had been proper, but she had loved it. He looked at her again and said,
“You’re going to catch your death of cold out here sweetheart. Let’s get you inside.”
When they got to the porch Hazel ran ahead and threw open the parlor doors. “John! Look who it is….” The parlor was empty. John had left.
“Well bless your heart; you got us a Christmas tree.” Heath said.
“John actually got the tree. It was really nice of him. Sally and I decorated it. Oh! I’m so happy you’re home in time for Christmas!” she said with a giggle.
Heath hugged her again and then he looked back at the tree and said, “So am I, sweetheart. This may well be the most beautiful tree that I’ve ever seen. Oh, that reminds me. I have a present for you.”
“A present? Christmas is still five days away.”
“It’s not a Christmas present.” he told her. “I got something for you on my trip to Mexico. It’s something you’ll need…soon, I hope.” he said with a grin.
“I can’t think of a thing I need….” Hazel started, but Heath was already at the front door. “Hank! Luke! Can you bring that trunk up here, please?”
Hank and Luke, two of Heath’s hands came in a few minutes later carrying a good-sized clothing trunk. “What in the world?” Hazel said.
“Thanks, guys.” Heath told them. “Have either of you seen John yet?”
“He’s already out there telling us where he wants them cattle turned out.” Luke told him. Heath smiled and sent the men on their way.
“Sometimes I worry that John needs more to think about than work.” he said to Hazel. “How was he while I was away?”
“He says he’s fine.” Hazel told him. “I think his back still bothers him a lot, and he’s awfully lonely. I helped him return a letter to a fine young lady from Kansas though, so I’m praying something good will come of that.”
Heath smiled again. “John’s lucky to have you.” he said.
“That’s what I told him.” Hazel said. Heath threw back his head and laughed.
“We’re all lucky to have you. Open your present.” he said as he handed her a key. Hazel was almost beside herself with curiosity. She couldn’t even imagine what he might have brought her in a huge trunk like this. She put the key in and when it was unlocked she began to slowly open it.
Heath laughed again and said, “It’s not Pandora’s box, dear. You can swing it open.” Hazel did then and when she reached in and pulled out what had been in the box she had tears in her eyes.
“Oh my goodness, Heath. Oh my gosh! It’s perfect, it’s beautiful! Oh my gosh!”
“Do you really like it? Because if you don’t, you can pick out whatever one you want.”
“Do I like it? I’d have to be insane not to. I can’t believe you did this, Heath. You shouldn’t have done this. It must have cost so much.”
Heath kissed her forehead and said, “Money means nothing if you don’t have someone you love to spoil with it. If it doesn’t fit, or you would like any other alterations, Greta is a whiz with a needle and thread and I’m sure that she’d love to help you.” Hazel was holding the dress up to her. It was a wedding dress, a white one with big, puffy sleeves and a long train. She couldn’t even imagine wearing it; she would feel like a princess.
“I can’t wait to try it on.” she told him.
Heath kissed her again and said, “Go ahead and when you come back down we can talk about planning the rest of the wedding.”
“Oh, but what about your trip? I’m such a selfish, greedy girl these days. I didn’t even ask you how things went.”
“It was cold and miserable and I missed you like the dickens.” he told her. Heath had a few moments along the trail that he almost had to physically pinch himself when he thought about Hazel here waiting for him. He knew that he was truly blessed to have found her. “Now go and try on your dress.” he told her with a grin.