Late September 1944
The first nip of fall tinged the air, but the hint of a looming Indian summer promised autumn hadn’t officially arrived. Anna sat on the Wisdoms’ front steps and hoped it would arrive in time for the corn harvest. She’d already arranged to spend that week home, helping with meals and anything else Papa needed.
She marveled at the changes in him. Since she’d told him Brent had escaped, he’d returned to his work with the farm. He didn’t need her there on weekends to hold his hand and finish chores. Instead, those days were often filled with good-natured ribbing when Gus and Teddy came for dinner. They’d josh and tell tall tales with Papa until long after Anna gave up and went to bed.
With one breath she felt nothing but relief. Other times she wondered if he needed her at all anymore. She couldn’t imagine finding her only purpose at the air base. Little remained for her at home, and a curious emptiness gnawed her.
The screech of the front door opening pulled Anna from her thoughts.
“Anna.” Anna turned to see Mrs. Wisdom step onto the porch. “You’ve got a phone call. Sounds like your soldier.”
Warmth replaced the uneasiness that had surrounded her. It amazed her that the mere thought of Sid could do that. “Thank you.” Anna followed Mrs. Wisdom inside and into the kitchen.
“Hello.”
“Anna, are you free tonight?”
She paused as if checking her full calendar. “I could squeeze time in for you.”
How was it possible to hear him smile across the phone?
“I won’t have long, but let’s grab a piece of pie somewhere.” The hope in Sid’s voice made her want to agree to almost anything he would ask.
“I think we have some left from dinner. Mrs. Wisdom won’t mind if we eat it.”
“Sounds even better. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” Sid rang off.
Anna rushed up the stairs to her room.
Dottie lounged on her bed, reading a book. “What’s the hurry?”
“Sid’s coming over.”
A knowing grin curved Dottie’s lips. “That explains it. Let me try to do something with that impossible hair.”
Anna sat down on the floor and handed Dottie a hairbrush.
“Do you think Sid feels for you anything close to what you feel for him?”
Anna sighed. That was the question that plagued her when they were apart. She hoped, even prayed, that he did. If he didn’t, she wasn’t sure what she would do. Her heart felt entwined with his.
Sid drove the truck across Kearney to the Wisdoms’. His heart raced at the opportunity to see Anna. Any time with her was valuable, and he wondered if that was good. She filled his thoughts and drove him to distraction. He couldn’t imagine living the rest of his life without her. Spending time with her made him want to be a better man, someone she could honor. No one else drew that out of him.
Maybe she was the one. He’d prayed about it. But he’d also decided they needed to spend time together, build their friendship, and see what their relationship contained. Would she forever think of him as a nice soldier that she once knew.
That wasn’t enough for him. He wanted more. But he wanted it in God’s timing.
And no matter how he prayed, he hadn’t received the freedom to move ahead. Not yet. Hard as it was, he’d wait for that release.
That didn’t mean he had to stay away, though. As he pulled up to the Wisdoms’ home and saw Anna waiting on the front porch, his heart caught in his throat.
He only wanted to be with her gazing into those amazing eyes and hearing her heart.
September rolled into October, and Anna returned to the farm for the long week of the corn harvest. Storm clouds threatened on the horizon, and the radio carried word that the fields to the south were pounded by rain. Anna prayed the storms would keep to the south or disappear altogether until after harvest. She hated hearing the rain devastated any crop.
Papa paced the house, pausing at each window to swipe the curtain aside and stare at the sky. Occasionally, a curse would escape his lips, followed by a quick apology and prayer for protection.
“Please sit down, Papa. You’re driving me crazy with your constant pacing.” Anna pulled the coffeepot off the stove. “I’ve brewed some fresh coffee. Sit down, and I’ll pour you a cup.”
“I don’t need something to add to my jitters.” Papa harrumphed and took a seat. Anna handed him a mug, then watched as his fingers laced and unlaced around the cup. Back and forth in a gesture that telegraphed his fear.
She settled down next to him and placed a hand over his. “Papa, we can’t do anything about the storm but pray. Maybe God will send it around us.”
“Or maybe He’ll send it right through here.” His head bowed, and Anna didn’t know if he’d ever seemed so defeated. “Girl, we can’t survive many more hits.”
“God has seen us through so much, He won’t leave us now. And we’ll fight to keep the farm for Brent. If we have to let it go at some point, God will have something else in mind for us. You have to believe that.”
Papa shook his head and stood. “I’m going to walk the fields.”
Anna watched him leave and prayed that God would push the storm away. Papa might not endure another test.
The next morning the sound of large raindrops pounded the windowpanes jerked Anna from sleep. She hurried out of bed to the window and brushed the curtain aside. Puddles stood in the yard. How had she not heard the storm during the night? She grabbed her robe and hurried to the kitchen.
Papa sat at the table, head in his hands, bottle of whiskey next to his mug of coffee.
Anna scurried toward him and grabbed the whiskey before he could look up. “Papa, no.”
A dark scowl covered his face as he stared at her. “Leave it be, girl. What else am I supposed to do?”
“It’s rain. It’ll end, and the clouds will clear. Soon we’ll be in the fields.”
“This is Nebraska. It’s practically Columbus Day, and we could have a hard freeze before we get back in those fields.”
“Can we do anything about it?” She waited. “I didn’t think so. Your choices are to start drinking again or trust God.”
Papa sagged against the table. “I can’t do this on my own.”
“Good. That’s exactly where God wants us. Recognizing that life is more than we can handle on our own without Him.” Anna took the bottle to the sink and set it down. “Papa, I can’t worry about you when I’m in Kearney. You have to choose to stay sober. Mama would want it, but you have to do it.” She sighed. “I’ll go get dressed and handle the chores.”
Anna slopped through the rain and puddles to take care of the cow and chickens. By midmorning the rain had stopped. It would take days to dry, and soon as it did, they could hurry into the fields.
She returned to the house with hesitant steps. What if Papa had picked up the bottle of whiskey after all? Instead, she found him pouring over material.
“Maybe it’s time to try something new. I’ve heard good things about soybeans.”
Anna nodded. “Could be a welcome change for the land.”
“Don’t worry, Anna.” He looked at her with hope in his eyes. “We’ll make it. Gus came out to tell me that we’ll have his corn harvester as soon as the fields dry. I was afraid we’d lost our window, but he’ll take care of it.”
“Then we won’t need prisoners to get the crop in?”
“We’ll let the machines do the heavy work, but we’ll need the men, too. It’ll be a record harvest once the water drains.” Papa plotted out plans on a piece of paper as he poured over the brochures.
For the first time in a long while, Anna believed him. The farm would make it regardless of the weather. And if Papa was fine, she should start preparing for her future.