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Benjamin counted the twelve steps it took to reach the doors of the post office again. Lily had promised to write after he’d left Saturday. But Monday came and went without a letter. If he didn’t get one this afternoon, he feared she could have possibly changed her mind. He opened the door, went inside, and only a few people were waiting.
Luckily, Robert had called late yesterday with the details for the Cumberland bid. His mind stayed occupied for the rest of the afternoon tackling the plans and specifications. If Ebbe would be saved from the DuCate’s clutches, this would be their best chance. The scale of the project was the largest he’d ever worked on and the deadline was set for Friday by five o’clock. He would for sure have some long days and nights ahead.
He filed in line behind a young woman with a boy around four or five. It didn’t take the youngster long to become antsy. The child would peek out on one side of his mother, make a face, and disappear behind her skirt. After a second, the boy would reappear on the opposite side with another goofy facial expression. He hoped one day he’d have a son who’d be just as silly.
The next few windows opened and he waved as the little boy again peeked around his mother. The clerk was the same man from yesterday. “I’m here again.” Benjamin smiled. “Did any mail come in for me today?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I saw one with your name on it this morning. One second, let me get it for you.”
Once outside, Benjamin ran down the steps and across the street all in under a minute. He rested his shoulder against a tree. Carefully, he ran his finger under the envelope flap before pulling out the contents. He flipped up the top third of the letter to see she’d written two days ago. Unfolding the letter the rest of the way, he read the first paragraph. And grinned.
July 23, 1933 – Sunday
Dearest Benjamin,
When I awoke this morning, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I’m still having a hard time believing you’d come all the way here for me, but I’m so very happy you did. You were able to ease my worries even though everyone and everything is against us. You’ve shown me you are standing up for what you believe in. I’m letting you know I’m never going to give up this time. As long as you are by my side, I’ll be right next to you.
I hope your trip back was good. My week should go by fast as I have a shift every day, except Saturday when I finally have an entire day off. We had such a good time at the beach. Maybe the next time Emmett and Anna could come along. I’d enjoy the company. I’ve prayed for your family since you left, and I always add a special intention in sympathy for their plight. You are a good man for helping find a solution and I hope they’ll appreciate your efforts no matter the outcome.
I’m going to close now and check at the front desk if they have a stamp so I can put this in the mail. Let me know when you receive it. I’m thinking you should have it by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. Hoping you write soon, looking forward to reading your letter.
Missing and loving you,
Lily
His body relaxed against the tree. Lily had written. The best part was she’d promised she would never give up. He read her words again and gently put it back into the envelope. I miss you too. Stuffing the letter into his pocket, he skipped down the sidewalk toward Ebbe.
Benjamin slipped into the side door and removed his hat. Dampness had formed under his fedora from the humid jaunt.
“You’re back from lunch a little late.” Louie popped out from around the feed sacks.
“I walked down to the post office and back.” He pivoted on his heel in the hallway toward his cousin. “The car got a flat and I dropped it off at the station.” He grabbed a hanky from his breast pocket, wiping it across his forehead. “Has my father made it in yet?”
“No. But if I see him, I’ll send him your way.” Louie tossed a sack on his shoulder. “Can’t tell if that sweat of yours is from nervousness or this damn heat. Are you gonna tell me if Lily wrote to you or not?”
He tapped his pocket and smiled. “She sure did.”
Louie stepped up toe to toe with Benjamin. “Great, now get out of my way. This bag is heavy.”
Stepping aside, he let Louie pass into the hall. “I’ll be in my office.” He slipped through the doorway and swung it shut behind him. Piles of paper were strewn about on his desk mostly for the Cumberland bid. He slid a stack over, opened a drawer, and rummaged around for a few clean sheets of paper. If he could get his letter out and send it special within the next several hours, Lily could have his correspondence tomorrow. He sat, rolled his chair closer to the desk, and copied the calendar date onto the paper.
July 25, 1933 – Tue at the office
Darling,
He glanced up at the movement of his door opening and shook his head. Certainly, he shouldn’t be surprised. She’d forewarned him the last time he saw her. “Vivian.” He turned over the letter and stood up. “What can I do for you? I’m in the middle of an important project.”
“Are you going to help me with the chair?” She took a few steps in. “This won’t take long.”
Benjamin rubbed across his rigid jaw. “Of course.” He walked around and pulled the chair away from the front of his desk. “Please have a seat.” Turning around he gathered notes, calculations, and other confidential information. He flipped them upside down on the corner of his desk, stiffly sitting in his chair. “I can spare a few minutes.”
“Obviously, you’re working on something secretive.” Vivian grinned mischievously while scooting closer to the desk. “Anybody I know?” She bent forward and moved a few papers, lifting a piece for a peek.
Benjamin smacked the paper. “I doubt it. But I’m sure you didn’t stop by to check on my abilities. If it’s about the conversation you had with me the last time, I haven’t had a spare minute lately.” He didn’t assume she’d let him off so painlessly, but what did it hurt to try? “Next week will hopefully be better.”
Vivian glared with pursing lips. “Do you have any clue what trouble I’ve gone through since you ended our engagement? Don’t think for one second you’ll dismiss me so effortlessly.” She tugged at her gloved fingertips and pulled the covering from her hands. “Instead, let’s talk about the money your father owes mine.” She slapped her pristine white gloves on his desk. “If you show some effort, maybe my father will be a bit more tolerant of Christian’s financial position.”
His pulse sped at her smugness. Just as he suspected, she’d been involved with exercising the rights of the note. “My father’s debt has nothing to do with us and I resent what you’ve done. But I can say, I’m not at all astonished by your maneuver.” He couldn’t hold back providing an equally diabolical ploy. “Although, maybe I’ve been waiting for a reason to leave Ebbe and now might be my chance. Besides, if my father signs over his half of the company I’m out of a job.”
“You wouldn’t!” Her reddish-orange lips curled.
He hoped the warning penetrated her stubborn mind. Everything about her had always been the importance of what money could get for her. If he didn’t have any, he figured her shallowness would inadvertently be revealed. “Without my status, I’m not as attractive, am I?”
Her fingers fisted her gloves. “That’s far from the truth and you know it. Such a ridiculous comment.” She spoke in a tart, snappy tone. “Who would want to live poor? Aside from Lily who’s penniless and has no job. What kind of influence did she have on you anyway?”
His head drew back. “What did you say?” Had he heard her correctly?
“Well, she must have had some kind of effect—”
“Not that, you said she has no job. What do you mean?”
Vivian placed her hand over her mouth for a moment. “She got caught taking money at Livingston’s. The manager fired her and rightly so. Haven’t you heard?”
“How did you?”
Her lips tensed and her eyes glanced upward for a split second. “Sallie’s Beauty Parlor.”
The last time she’d worn that same expression, she’d lied to him. What was she trying to hide? Lily lost her job, that had been the truth. Which left who Vivian had heard the story from. But why make that up? Pressing her any further wouldn’t glean a truthful confession. Besides, the sense something just wasn’t right washed over him the instant she’d hesitated. He needed her to leave before he antagonized her further. After this weekend he’d have a better idea if this bid would be viable to save the company and get her out of his life once and for all. “I should get back to work. How about I send for you next week and we continue the conversation then?”
Vivian curled her fingers around her gloves, shaking them in the air. “I’m going to say what I came here for. Then you can mull it over until next week. But know I will require a firm decision from you one way or the other.” She raised her chin high, exposing her neck. “I’ve been patient; the Lord knows. In so many ways I’ve reminded you of your commitment. You told me we were going to be together forever. A deep connection like that doesn’t just disappear. There’s been nothing that has gotten your attention, up till now. You’ve forced me to corner you like this.” She edged closer. “You can save Ebbe. I know you want to. Marry me and Father will forgive the debt.” Her tinted lips twisted cleverly.
Benjamin’s nostrils flared while he drew the heaviness of the air into his lungs. This strategic game had to end. He wouldn’t be her pawn and she certainly wouldn’t be his queen. The sacrifice would be too much. “Such a tempting offer, but—”
Vivian pressed her finger to his lips. “Shh! Don’t be too hasty. You’ve got your family and a business to think about.” She slipped her finger down until it fell off his chin. “I’ll await your call by Tuesday.”
The sound of her heels clicking against the wooden floor mirrored a ticking time bomb for his future. She’d given him exactly one week. Everything hinged on this Cumberland bid and beating out some of the finest supply companies in the industry. For sure there would be a narrow margin between having a low bid and still making enough. But what was the dollar figure to pay off the debt? And when would his father be back, so he could find out? If there wasn’t sufficient profit, his time spent would be useless.
Benjamin reclined into the chair, closing his eyes. His shoulders were heavily burdened, but he would use any amount of ingenuity he could muster. He wanted Lily to have a comfortable life. She deserved as much. He sat up, turned over the letter, and continued writing.
I’m sure if you knew how many trips I’ve made to the post office, you would have written sooner. It seems more like a week than two days. I’m not going to make you wait too long so if I send this special, you should get this tomorrow.
Tap, tap.
Benjamin glanced up and motioned at his father. “Please come in and shut the door.” He flipped the paper over, replaced the cap on the pen, and leaned forward.
“Louie said you were looking for me.” Father walked over toward the desk.
“I wanted to let you in on some possibly good news.”
Father pulled out the chair and sat squarely in front of him. “After my meeting at the bank this morning, I could use some. I realized a loan would be unlikely, but I had to try.”
“Not even some of it?”
“What good would that do?”
Benjamin lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. “What if we came up with the balance somewhere else?” He grabbed the papers from his desk corner. “Robert gave me a lead on a huge project near Cumberland for a university building. I’ve been doing some preliminary calculating since yesterday. I think we could get this one, but the bid is due in three days.”
“Let me take a look.”
Benjamin passed Father his notes on the bid request. “It’s going to take a great deal of work, but I’m willing to stay late every night to meet the deadline. If you’re at all questioning my commitment, this should prove I’m trying. Please understand, I don’t want to lose Ebbe, but I can’t let you or Mother control my choices any longer.” His agitated stomach gave him a sudden sense of nausea. But he had to present his option. He lifted his chin, attempting to appear more confident. “I have a proposal for you.”
Father continued glancing through the papers. “So, what is it you want?”
“The size of this project might be enough to cover the debt. Can you tell me how much Walter’s asking for?”
Father placed the notes onto the desk. “You do realize winning a bid like this is a long shot.” He grabbed a pen, scribbled on a piece of paper, and folded it in half. “This is just between us.” He held up the paper between two fingers.
“Of course.” Benjamin reached out, slipping the figure from his father’s grasp. He unfolded it. His eyelids blinked rapidly, and he took another glance. “That’s a lot of money.” He rubbed his hand over his eyes. “But this bid is our best chance at paying it off and getting out from under the reign of the DuCates.”
“If anyone can make this happen, I’d venture it would be you. I should have recognized your abilities sooner. You are business-savvy and that always leads to a good outcome.” Father quirked an eyebrow and smiled. “I’m proud of what you’re trying to do. This time I’ll assist you instead of directing you.”
“Thank you, Father.” Benjamin held a hand over his racing heart. “There is one more imperative piece to this whole bid.” His voice faintly quivered and he cleared his throat. “No matter the outcome, you and Mother will accept Lily in my life without question and treat her with the respect she deserves.” His chest tightened against his lungs. He could barely breathe.
Father’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Son, if you want Lily in your life your mother and I will not stop you. Maybe in time, we’ll be able to welcome her into the family. That is all I can promise. I’m certain you must know society won’t conform so easily or quickly either.” Father stood and firmly shook his hand. “Lily must be one special lady.” He walked through the doorway.
“She certainly is.” Benjamin pressed a hand to his throat where his bottled breath had at last released. He turned over the letter and removed the cap off the pen. He had the best news to tell her.
If you didn’t realize how much I loved you before, I sure hope you do now. It made me happy to hear you’re not going to give up on us. I don’t think I could go through that again. I want you to know, Darling, that I have never missed you so much and I wake up in my sleep with a lump in my throat thinking about you.
I’ll be busy this whole week working on a large bid that’s due Friday for a company in Chicago. If we get it, we should have enough to pay Walter. Since we haven’t done business with them before, I want to deliver our offer in person. I can stop by you for a visit. I’ll see if Emmett and Anna can come along too. They can keep you company Friday until I get back. Then we can all spend the day together Saturday when you have off.
The best news is all my efforts aren’t going unnoticed by my father. He agreed not to stand in the way of us being together. I believe more than ever everything will turn out positively. I’m sure your praying didn’t hurt. Keep it up, we’ll need all the help we can get.
I also wanted to tell you the trip back was very lonesome. I hope though soon, you’ll be riding back with me and then it sure won’t be lonesome.
All my love,
Benjamin
P.S. Vivian stopped in to see me and I have some suspicions I’ll need to look into. She knew about what happened with your job. I don’t believe how she’s claiming she heard the story.