By
Copyright 2014 Bethany Grace
New York City was a lonely place for all the people who lived in it. Sally tried to stay positive about her living situation, but the truth was that she just couldn’t understand the idea that out of all those people living there, she was the only one who believed in God.
Sally understood that the thought was an exaggeration. She knew that there had to be other Christians tucked away somewhere in all of the nooks and crannies in the enormous city. However, if there were good ones — truly pious men and women — she didn’t know where to find them.
She tried to be open-minded. She really did. Nevertheless, Sally knew that if she left her mind too open, the devil might try to slip in and do her harm. God was very specific in what he expected out of his flock, and Sally never, ever, wanted to disappoint her creator.
Growing and selling her own fruits and vegetables out of the small plot of earth behind her tiny cottage allowed her to come in contact with people from all walks of life. Women in furs who smelled of the richest perfume were sometimes the rudest of all, so concerned with vanity that they didn’t have room in their perfumed hearts for the Lord.
Sometimes, it was the most humble of people — those without homes — who had the brightest of God’s light in their hearts. Having nothing humbled a person, emptied him out until the Lord could fill them up. She’d give those wanderers whatever produce she hadn’t sold that day to help ensure the survival of their physical selves.
“Thank you, Miss Sally,” they’d cry enthusiastically, clutching the carrots, cucumbers, or potatoes to their chests. “God bless!”
It was only an expression, but she feared the blessing was overused and not understood properly. She often tried to pray with the people she gave the produce to, but they were too eager to leave and put some food in their bellies for that.
How could she help them see that if they followed God, he would never allow them to be hungry again?
Sally knew what it was like to have nothing. She had been there. As soon as she turned her life over to God, though, everything had changed. She stopped yearning so much for the unknown to be known, preferring to let God worry about those kinds of things.
Sally had been raised in an orphanage, her parents having abandoned her not long after she was born.
It used to make her sad to think about the fact that her parents hadn’t wanted her. There could have been some deficiency in her that had made them turn away, and for that, she wasn’t deserving of love.
When she finally found God, finally woke up and started listening to the orphanage-mandated Sunday church services, Sally found that she could put all of her burdens in the Lord’s arms and he would bear them for her.
God was so much stronger than her, but as soon as she trusted in him, he took all of her weaknesses away.
Well, nearly all of them.
Sally couldn’t help but feel lonely sometimes, even if she was living in the middle of the bustle of New York City.
She saw couples walking together on jaunts, visiting her house for some fresh produce. They held hands, grinned unabashedly at each other, and kissed. Sometimes, it made Sally blush to see them. If they were married, that was one thing. From her readings of the bible, God condoned and encouraged marriage. Sally had tried to study a particular portion of Corinthians to understand what a union with a man would be like, but it was very confusing.
“Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” However, because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.
For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
Marriage seemed to ward off some evil things but invited a completely different set of actions and duties Sally wasn’t sure she wanted to understand. Most of the time, she had comforted herself with the thought that she was young and didn’t need to marry yet.
That all changed when she turned twenty-five.
Something about that number that was so final. At twenty-five, Sally wasn’t sure what she’d imagined for herself. Growing up in an orphanage, she was taught to never expect much of anything. She was lucky to have the things she had, through the grace of God — her small but cozy cottage, the fruits and vegetables that she grew to be able to afford it, her health, and the few friendships she still tried to maintain here and there.
Sally gave thanks to the Lord every morning when she woke up, every night before she went to bed, and every waking moment that she remembered how blessed she was. A great many orphans never had a chance to lead good Christian lives. Why, Sally had even run into one of her previous peers selling herself right on the street corner. Sally knew that it would never come to that for her — and it was all because she carried the love of God in her heart.
However, in spite of her many, many blessings and in spite of how far she’d come, Sally still couldn’t help but feel lonely sometimes. It was such a big city, New York, but she was beginning to suspect that the man God meant for her to marry wasn’t among the thousands.
The men the same age was Sally who attended the church she went faithfully to every Sunday disappointed her. They seemed pious, at first glance, and at least looked like they believed in God and followed his instructions in their lives.
But, when she tried to spend time with them outside of the place of worship, all they could talk about was their livelihoods, the things they did in leisure, how boring scripture was. They never even cracked open a bible during the week — something Sally looked forward to doing every day.
She wrote off these men, these wolves in sheep’s clothing and comforted herself with the fact that she was young and marriage would happen for her eventually — God willing, of course.
However, Sally couldn’t help that her prayers to the Lord before she went to sleep were getting increasingly desperate.
“Dear God,” she prayed, kneeling beside her narrow bed. “If it is your will, please help me to find the man I’m meant to spend the rest of my life with. I feel that I have been alone my whole life. I know that you have been by my side every step of the way, but I wish to experience marriage, to know what it’s like to a hold my husband’s hand as we take walks, to have someone to love other than you, Lord.
“Forgive me, Lord, but I am envious of married couples I see. I pray that I could one day know that same love and companionship with a worthy partner. I want my husband to love you and your word just as much as I do. I hope I’m not being selfish in praying for this, Lord. I just wish that I could have someone by my side, someone to love for the rest of my days. Amen.”
Sally prayed several variations of that each day, having faith that the Lord would see fit to answer her prayers.
The answer came; just not where and how she expected it.
Sally was walking down to a tiny grocer’s on the corner of her street, basket in hand. She usually ate whatever she grew and didn’t sell or give away, but there were some things that she needed that didn’t come out of the ground; eggs, for example. Flour and sugar were other staples she scrimped and saved for, and coffee was a rare luxury, indeed.
Sometimes, she wished she could fry up a big platter of chicken or have a thick, juicy steak, but those things were out of her range.
Sam, the owner of the small store, would’ve probably given her a deal on a cut of meat if she asked for it, but she didn’t like asking for charity — not when there were those worse off than she was.
“Good afternoon, Sally,” Sam said cheerfully, tipping his hat at her as he wrote down a figure on a pad of paper in front of him.
“Hello, Sam,” she said. Something about seeing him made her feel secure. She could never put her finger on it, but he almost felt like a guardian angel. During the winter, he was especially dear to her. She tried to save as much money as she could, but not being able to grow and sell as many fruits and vegetables often meant that Sally couldn’t make ends meet in the colder months.
If she stayed away from the store for too long, Sam would amble down to her little cottage with a care package. Half the time, even if Sally was doing well, he wouldn’t accept her money. She would pay him and then find her pennies at the bottom of the sack with her groceries.
“What can I get you today?” he asked. “I just got a fresh batch of eggs in.”
“You read my mind,” she said, smiling. “I’m in the mood for a cake, but I didn’t have any eggs. Can I bring you a slice once it’s made?”
“That sounds wonderful,” Sam said, reaching into a bin and withdrawing a carton full of eggs. “I also have this for you.”
He held out a sealed envelope and Sally frowned, taking it. It was addressed to her in a handwriting that she didn’t recognize.
“Did this letter get delivered to you by mistake?” she asked. “That’s odd.” The postman who delivered her mail to her brought it right up to her front door. They knew each other by name, Sally often giving him some of her extra crops, and she knew he couldn’t have mistakenly delivered a letter with her name clearly marked on it to Sam.
“Just read it when you get a chance,” he said, smiling and patting her hand. When she tried to hand him a few coins for the eggs, he shook his head and wagged his finger at her.
Sally was only just able to get home before she tore into the envelope, curiosity consuming her.
She never could have guessed what it contained.
Dear Sally,
We — your father and me, that is — hope this letter finds you well. This may be difficult to believe, but you are not an orphan. The story of why you were raised the way you were is best left to tell in person, and that’s why we hope you will join us in California.
We sent this letter to Sam. He’s an old friend of your father’s who we entrusted to look after you from afar all these years. He has been — please don’t be upset — keeping us updated on your life from time to time, telling us what insights he’s gained whenever you go to the grocer’s. We are so pleased that you are a good Christian and an independent woman.
Sam noted to us that you aren’t yet married, nor has he ever noticed you with male companions. Your father and I know that we haven’t been there for you throughout these last twenty-five years, but we would like to start remedying that immediately. We know a very good man out here in California, an associate of our estate.
He, too, is single, and a very devout Christian. From what Sam tells us, we truly believe that this man would make a good match with you, if you’d consider it.
If you wish to meet your father and me, and see if you might grow to love this man we have in mind for you, Sam has a one-way train ticket to San Francisco for you. All you have to do is ask for it.
We know that you might now want to give up your life in New York City, and you have already had to give up so much because of us. We would understand completely if you do not want to come to California — even if you don’t want anything to do with your parents. We understand that you may be upset, and we know you have questions. We are waiting here for you with open arms and all the answers.
Please think about it. Pray about it. We look forward to meeting you, if that is God’s will.
Love,
Your parents
Sally read and reread the letter, having to sit down at one point just because she couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe that this letter was really from her parents. If she’d had parents her whole life, why had she been raised in the orphanage? It just didn’t make sense, and yet here she was, holding physical proof that her parents were alive and well and apparently living in California with a man they thought she might like to marry.
Right away, Sally recognized God’s hand in all of this. It was just too miraculous for him not to be involved.
“God, I prayed to you for something like this,” she said quietly, kneeling on the spot, right beside the kitchen table. “I just didn’t think I would be so confused and torn when I did get your answer.”
God worked in mysterious ways, and this was perhaps the strangest answer to a prayer she’d ever received. She’d asked for a husband, and here God gave her two parents and a possible fiancé. Sally was in such disbelief that she knew she couldn’t even begin to consider making a decision one way or another at this point.
Instead, she decided to bake.
Baking was therapeutic for Sally. She often found that it cleared her mind, led her to see and understand certain truths about her life, and gave her something physical to distract the rest of her with when faced with a problem.
Such as the problem when you thought you were an orphan for your entire life and then discovered that your parents were simply living in California, waiting for you to join them so that they could introduce you to the man you were supposed to spend the rest of your life with.
Using the eggs that Sam had given her — her need for eggs had changed her life today — she whipped up a simple cake, flavoring it with lemon. As it baked, she stirred together several ingredients for a homemade icing.
How had all of this happened so suddenly? She went from being alone in her life to having parents and a possible fiancé.
“Thank you, Lord,” she said. “I’m not ungrateful. I’m just extremely shocked.”
Once the cake had cooled sufficiently, Sally frosted it carefully before adding a slice of lemon on the top. She’d promised to bring Sam a slice after it was done. Not anymore. That man deserved the entire confection.
She carried it carefully down to the corner, realizing with each step she took that she could never fully thank the man for what he’d apparently been doing all these years. She’d always believed he was her guardian angel. Now, she knew it beyond the shadow of a doubt.
“That’s a lot bigger than a slice,” Sam remarked as she set the cake down on the countertop.
“Oh, Sam!” Sally threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
“I’m sorry I never told you,” he said, holding her out at arm’s length. “There were times when I really wanted to, Sally, especially when I saw you sad or upset. But it was their wish that you didn’t know they had abandoned you until they knew they could make it up to you somehow, and I supposed now’s the time.”
“They said they had someone I might want to marry,” she said, hardly believing the words that were coming out of her mouth. “They want me to come to California. They said you had a train ticket to San Francisco for me.”
“That I do,” Sam said, bending behind the counter and shuffling papers and boxes around. “Somewhere.”
When he finally held it out to her, crumpled though it was, taking it was like taking the ticket to the rest of her life.
Sally had already made her decision. She was going to leave New York City in favor of a brighter tomorrow. She was going to meet her parents — and the man they thought she would love — in California. She searched her heart and realized that she was more than ready to make the change.
“I wish you all the happiness in the world,” Sam said, giving her one last hug. “You’ll write to me, won’t you?”
“Of course I will,” Sally promised as she dashed out the door. The ticket could be redeemed whenever she wanted, but there was a fire inside of her that she could only quench with immediate action.
If possible, Sally wanted to leave tomorrow.
The sun had set by the time she ran into her cottage, breathless, and Sally knew she had preparations to make. She had to alert her landlord that she was vacating the premises. She had to find out what she was going to pack and what she was going to give away to those who needed it worse than she did.
Her plants, of course, would have to stay in New York. The notion was sad but necessary. She couldn’t take a garden on a train all the way across the country. She would have to be contented at the joy and security the fruits of her labor had brought her and hope that the next occupant of this cottage would benefit from them as much as she had.
Besides her bible, there was only one thing that Sally knew she wanted to take.
When her parents had left her at the orphanage as a baby — for whatever reason they had — she had been wrapped up in a simple black and white quilt. Sally had kept the quilt as a sort of talisman all this time. It used to be the only proof that she’d had parents at all. Now she had the letter — and the train ticket.
Still, Sally wouldn’t leave the quilt for anything. Even though she’d outgrown it long ago, she could still wrap herself up in it and feel secure. She’d always imagined that it was God giving her a hug, comforting her through whatever trial was happening in her life.
“God, thank you for this blessing,” Sally prayed, wrapping herself in the quilt now. “I apologize for my doubts and fears earlier. I know this is the path you want me to take. Thank you for this wonderful, unexpected gift. You have blessed me with this journey and I will never forget your mercy. Thank you. Amen.”
Sally had never had the opportunity to ride the train. She’d never had anywhere to go before this. She’d seen the station before, though, and the hustle and bustle and excitement of travel had lit up her imagination.
It was hard to imagine that she was going to be the one doing the traveling now — all the way to San Francisco.
She gave the conductor her ticket and he led her to a small private compartment — one of several in the passenger car. Sally thanked God — and her parents — yet again. She knew the other cars had just benches and no privacy. Though her berth was snug, it had a bed and a chair in it — plus a window all to her self.
“The restroom is at the end of the hall,” the conductor told her, pointing as Sally set her suitcase on the bed. “It’s shared among all the compartments. The dining car is farther down. Just follow your nose — you won’t be able to miss it.”
“Thank you,” Sally said, smiling as the conductor left to help other travelers.
She looked around what was going to be her home for the next few days as she traveled toward her future. It was snug, but clean and comfortable, and she was lucky to be traveling so well.
The first thing she did was to take her quilt out from her suitcase and spread it over her bed. The bible was the next thing that came out of the suitcase. She placed it on the pillow and smiled as the train lurched forward. She was on her way to her future, and she couldn’t wait to get there.
Pressing her face against the window, she watched New York City pass by outside. When the last buildings melted away, when the last factory smokestacks faded into the distance, when Sally started to see trees and rivers and villages she’d never seen before in her life, she felt incredibly alive — more alive than she ever had been in the city. She’d felt trapped living there, like she didn’t have a way to move forward. In the winters, if not for Sam, Sally was sure she would’ve starved to death.
Now, she had a chance to start all over again. Not many people got this kind of an opportunity, and Sally vowed not to let it go to waste. She was going to seize every chance she got her hands on, starting with exploring this new moving home.
The restroom was small but serviceable, just like her berth. She walked past it, through another passenger car with compartments like the one she was staying in, and then passed into the dining car.
In her excitement of packing and rushing to the station, Sally had forgotten to eat breakfast. She was starving, and the smells of all the delicious food being cooked and served to her fellow passengers was just too tempting to pass up.
She sat down at an empty table and tried not to look too excited — or too ravenous. She wanted to blend in with everyone else. The only problem was, everyone else had somebody to be with. Nobody was looking at the scenery outside, instead focused on their dining partner or their plate of steaming food.
Just a few days ago, Sally would’ve felt the sinful sting of envy. Now, though, she felt only joy. Soon, she’d have the opportunity to sit across from a man and stare lovingly into his eyes.
“Is this seat taken?”
Sally looked up and almost choked on her own saliva. Standing in front of her, wearing a nicely fitted suit, was the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on. His smile was kind and polite — and dazzling — and for a moment she didn’t know what to say.
“No one’s sitting there,” she said finally, her tongue feeling thick and awkward in her mouth. She was shy, but she didn’t know why. She talked to plenty of strangers when she was peddling her produce back and the city. What was so different about this man?
“I hope you don’t think I’m improper,” he said, resting his hand on the back of the empty chair but still not sitting down. Sally noticed that he swayed with the gentle movement of the train. “It’s just that there aren’t any empty tables — or empty chairs, for that matter — available. I’m a Christian man, and my name is Mark. If you’ll allow me to sit, I would be happy to pay for whatever you want on the menu.”
Sally didn’t know if she believed in love at first sight. It was something that had never crossed her mind.
What she did know was that there was something about the man standing in front of her — Mark — that she found immensely intriguing, immediately sparking her interest in him. Who said that she couldn’t have a friend for the duration of the journey? She had several days all to herself, after all.
“Please, Mark, sit,” she said, smiling and extending her hand toward the open chair. “My name is Sally.”
Mark turned out to be true to his word. As soon as the waiter brought them their menus, he told Sally to have whatever she wanted.
“But please, what are you having?” she asked. If she could get him to say that first, she would know what kind of price range they were looking at. She didn’t want to abuse the kindness he was doing for her.
“I’m having what I’m having and you’re having what you’re having,” he said, smiling at her. “Really. Choose whatever you want. Don’t concern yourself with the price. This is my treat for you having to endure me during your dinner.”
“Endure” wouldn’t have been the word that Sally chose to describe just how much fun she was having dining and chatting with a friendly stranger. It was part of her new imperative — to have adventures, to take advantage of this new opportunity to remake herself.
“Choose something,” Mark urged as the waiter shifted from foot to foot and looked bored. “Anything.”
Sally bit her lip and then grinned sheepishly. “Would a steak be too much?” She’d wanted steak for longer than she cared to admit. It seemed like something a rich person would dine on morning, noon, and night. She didn’t want Mark to think she was trying to take advantage of his kindness.
“The lady would like a steak,” he told the waiter. “And that sounds delicious, so I’ll have the same.”
The waiter sauntered away and Sally looked at Mark. He was incredibly tall, and from the way he dressed, seemed to have a good career. His blue eyes were kind and clear, and Sally didn’t feel improper at all, sitting with him and having dinner. He didn’t have that kind of demeanor.
“So, where are you traveling to?” Mark asked, taking a sip of water from his goblet. It had also warmed Sally’s heart to hear him refuse the wine the waiter had offered. Perhaps he really was a good Christian man.
“I’m going to San Francisco,” Sally said. “All the way to the end of the line.” The train had been stopping from time to time to let some people trickle on and off, but for the most part, everyone seemed to be in it for the long haul.
“Oh, good,” Mark said, grinning. “Me, too. I’m traveling alone, and was hoping for someone to help pass the time.”
Sally couldn’t help smiling even wider. She didn’t think she’d stopped smiling even for a moment ever since Mark sat down. She hoped she didn’t seem foolish.
“I was hoping for that, too,” she said. “Maybe God has brought us together for this very purpose.”
The waiter reappeared with their steaks, and Sally’s mouth watered. It was a juicy looking cut of beef, and steam rose from it. Her knife sliced through it easily and the first bite was just as delicious as she’d ever imagined it would be, melting in her mouth with flavor.
“You enjoy steak very much, I see,” Mark said, slicing into his own serving.
Sally blushed. “It’s my first time,” she confessed. “I’ve always wanted to try it.”
Mark looked shocked for only half a second before recovering his composure. “Well, I’m glad that I got to witness your very first bite of steak. To many, many more to come.”
They clinked their water goblets together in the silly toast and Sally had to giggle. He was fun loving and kind.
“What’s waiting for you in San Francisco?” she asked, trying to eat like a normal person. She wished she could just shove the whole steak in her mouth and wolf it down as quickly as possible. It was that delicious.
“A wife, I’m hoping,” Mark said, smiling. “Some friends of mine say they have the perfect woman for me. They were very convincing.”
Something inside of Sally was a little bit disappointed that he was spoken for, but she tried not to be too upset. After all, she was spoken for, too.
“What a coincidence,” she remarked. “I’m also going to San Francisco to meet the man who could become my husband.”
“Are you a part of a mail order bride service?” he asked, cocking his head. “I’ve heard a lot about those.”
“No,” Sally said quickly. “It’s also an arrangement through friends — well, through my parents, actually. Although I’m going to be meeting them, as well.”
“Meeting them?” Mark asked politely. “Are they traveling from somewhere, as well? Is San Francisco a convenient meeting point for you all?”
Sally plunged forward, aware that this wasn’t really a subject for polite, shallow small talk. Somehow, though, she felt like she could trust Mark. She felt like she’d known him for years.
“The thing is, I’ve never met my parents,” she said. “Not that I can remember, anyways. So when I say meet them in San Francisco —”
“My Lord,” Mark said, putting his knife and fork down in shock. “You really mean that you’re actually going to meet them for the first time.”
“Yes,” Sally said, nodding and popping another bite of steak in her mouth. “I’ve only just recently discovered that they exist. I was raised as an orphan, you see.”
“I did not see,” he said. Sally realized that she was shocking him more and more with each statement, but she couldn’t stop herself. She’d never had anyone she could talk to about these kinds of things. She’d never even known these things about herself.
“They said that once I was in San Francisco, they’d explain everything,” she continued. “I supposed that’s good. The thing is, I was almost angry when I first received that letter. I couldn’t understand why they’d remained hidden my entire life. Mark, God has been good to me, but I have known struggle.”
The image seemed to pain him. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. “No one should have to struggle. Least of all you.”
That was a strange thing to add, and Sally didn’t know how to react to it.
“It all turned out in the end,” she said cheerfully, spearing the last piece of steak on her plate and chomping down on it. “God has brought me this far. I’ll just keep following his path. It’s all I can do.”
“The Lord knows what we need, even if we don’t,” Mark agreed. “Are you still hungry? Another steak, perhaps?”
“Oh, I couldn’t,” Sally said, laughing and holding her stomach. That was a little bit of a fib. She felt like she could eat ten more steaks, but she really didn’t want to do that to Mark’s pocketbook. Besides, she didn’t need ten more steaks. One was more than enough. Ten was gluttonous.
“Tell me about the woman you’re supposed to marry,” she said, eager to find out more about her dining companion. “I’ve heard about mail order bride services, too. Are you a mail order groom?”
Mark laughed. “In a way, I supposed you could call me one,” he said, shrugging. “My friends wrote me a letter, telling me about this woman, and I came with wings on.”
“You’re from New York City?” It was strange that it took a journey clear across the country to find a man she was actually interested in. It was stranger still that they were both promised to other people already.
“That’s right,” he said. “Please, take some of my steak. I actually ate not too long ago. You ate yours with such gusto. It would please me if you had some of mine.”
“If you insist,” Sally said with only a moment’s hesitation. Should it worry her that she could happily eat steak all day? She didn’t feel like she should be worried.
“I found it hard to meet women I was interested in while living in New York City,” Mark said. “Honestly, San Francisco is the last place I’d look for a wife. I heard that so many men are going to California these days to make their livings that there’s a shortage of women.”
“But there’s one woman out there for you,” Sally said, smiling. “God works in mysterious ways.
They finished their meal — well, Sally finished Mark’s meal — and he paid the waiter. She caught a glimpse of the bill and felt like fainting. It was so much for two steaks. She couldn’t believe it.
“Stop,” Mark scolded softly. “You were such a delightful conversationalist that it was worth every last penny.”
They stood up at the same time and Sally held her hand out to shake his, but instead, Mark took her hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing it briefly.
“I hope we meet again,” he said. “I’m going to retire to my cabin, now, but I’d like to talk some more. Make this trip a little shorter. What do you say?”
“I would love that,” Sally said honestly. “Where should we meet?”
“Right back here,” Mark said, pointing at the table. “For a steak lunch. My treat for you having to put up with me.”
As full as her belly was, Sally’s mouth watered at the prospect.
“I look forward to it very much,” she said, smiling and walking back toward her berth.
Waking up on the train was startling. It had been almost a comfort to be rocked to sleep by the constant motion, the rhythm of the wheels on the rails, but it almost felt like lurching to her when she was in the twilight of wakefulness.
Sally got dressed and spent the morning reading her bible and exploring. She walked back through other passenger cars to get a bit of exercise. Back where there weren’t any private compartments, just benches, a man and woman traveling together rested intimately out in the open for all to see.
Sally blushed, but she couldn’t help studying their position out of curiosity.
The man was leaning up against the window; his mouth open in slumber, and his arm was around the woman’s waist. Her head was pushed up against his chest, and from the state of her hair, she looked like she had been nuzzling his shirt all night and morning, looking for a comfortable position.
They looked like they loved each other. Sally had a stray thought — what would it feel like if the man was Mark and the woman was she?
She walked away quickly, trying to flee the impure thought. Her possible fiancé was waiting for her in San Francisco, as was the woman Mark was supposed to marry. Sally sent up a quick prayer to God to try to banish her unclean yearnings. She couldn’t just go falling in love with every kind stranger she met. The train was much different from the big city. This was a unique slice of life, offering a taste of all different kinds of people.
It was soon lunchtime, and Sally went joyfully to the dining car. She found she was looking forward to seeing Mark again very much. She’d brought her bible along just in case he wanted to do a little bible study. Having someone genuine to study God’s word with sounded amazing.
She never had that with any of her fellow churchgoers. They were only interested in the appearance of going to church. They were only Christians when they were seated in the sanctuary.
He was already waiting for her in the dining car, sitting at the very same table that they’d met at last night and so was a delicious looking steak sandwich.
“I hope you don’t mind that I’ve already ordered for you,” he said, grinning at her. “You look lovely. Did you sleep well?”
“Well enough,” she said, blushing shyly. “Thank you. It’s strange to wake up on a train. At first, I didn’t know where I was. Then, I realized I couldn’t know where I was — we could be anywhere. We’ve been moving all night.”
Mark had a chicken sandwich in front of him, and they started eating. Sally wondered if she’d ever get tired of steak. She hoped not. She hoped she could eat it for every meal of every day for the rest of her life.
After lunch was finished and paid for, they roamed the train, finally settling down on some benches to watch the scenery pass outside. The verdant forests were amazing to see, as were the sparkling rivers.
“It was all created by God,” Mark said. “Can you imagine?”
“He is so good to us,” Sally said, shaking her head. “I only wish that more people realized it.”
They both read the bible for the better part of the afternoon, Sally enjoying herself immensely. Mark had a wonderful grasp of the bible, and he didn’t mind sharing his insights.
“Let me put my bible in my cabin quickly before dinner,” he said. “Let me guess. You want steak again.”
“You’ve read my mind,” Sally said. “Tell me if it’s not all right. Maybe I should have just a soup or something.”
“No,” Mark laughed. “You deserve steak for as long as you crave it. It delights me.”
Spending time with him delighted her, but Sally didn’t want to admit it to either of them. She didn’t want to create any awkwardness between their burgeoning friendship. It was nice to just have someone to talk to — a friend.
The days passed quickly like this, always meeting to eat, always reading the bible and praying together.
Sally discovered that she was wishing the journey would be longer than she knew it was.
She woke suddenly at a clap of thunder and shuddered, yanking her quilt above her head. She hated storms so much that they scared her. It had been like that her entire childhood, and it had taken one of the exasperated caretakers at the orphanage to tell her the reason why.
“Your parents dropped you off here in the middle of a storm, silly girl,” the old woman had fussed, “but that’s no reason to spend the rest of your life hiding from them.”
That little piece of knowledge somehow didn’t help allay her fears.
Another boom of thunder made her jump and try to huddle down even more in her bed. She willed herself to go back to sleep, to forget about the storm, but she was wide-awake with fear.
A bolt of lightning lit up her berth and the peal of thunder that followed was enough to send her scrambling out of bed, back out of her nightclothes and into her dress. She couldn’t stay here, alone, enduring this maelstrom. She just couldn’t. Surely, someone had to be awake. Just being in the company of someone else would be better than being alone.
However, all of the compartments around hers were closed and locked, and the dining car was empty. The night outside the train was dark, and heavy rain splattered against the windows. Sally shivered and jumped when the next bolt struck close, dazzling her, and then the thunder sent her scurrying away.
There was one place she thought she could go. Mark might understand if she just wanted to sit with him and talk, or read the bible some more. His cabin was comfortable large. He could sit on his bed and she could sit on the chair at the small table, like before.
She felt like a little girl as she crept through the passenger car with all the nice cabins. She wished she didn’t react so badly to storms, but she couldn’t help it. She never had been able to, and she’d faced the ire of many a caretaker because of her inability to sleep through a spate of thunder and lightning.
Sally hesitated for just a few seconds before rapping lightly on Mark’s door. It surprised her when he opened it almost immediately, but then a particularly raw boom of thunder sent her straight into his arms.
The embrace couldn’t have lasted for more than a couple of seconds, but Sally still marveled at how strong and comforting his arms were around her, how she felt better instantly by the simple gesture of a hug.
“I’m so sorry,” she yelped, jumping back as if she’d been burned. It wasn’t proper. They were both spoken for, practically. She shouldn’t have been so weak. She should’ve just read the bible in her own compartment until the storm passed and she could go back to sleep.
“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” Mark told her. He was still dressed, thankfully, and she could see his bible open on the table inside. “Did the storm wake you up?”
She nodded. “I’ve never been able to tolerate them,” she said. “Not ever.”
“Please, come in,” Mark said, shuffling aside so she could walk into his cabin. “It woke me, too. It’s quite strong. I’m tired enough to go to sleep, but it’s almost more exhausting to be continually woken up by a big boom of thunder. I thought that I might as well stay up and do something worthwhile with my time — read the bible.”
“You’re good,” Sally said, smiling nervously and jumping as another peal of thunder shook the cabin. “I wish I could’ve concentrated enough to read the bible. It’s just — this sounds stupid — I’m afraid of them.”
“Poor thing,” Mark soothed, and he hugged her again — meaningfully, this time, not just an accidental embrace. It was just as comforting as the first, and Sally didn’t feel improper this time. He was her friend, and friends helped each other through trials no matter how big or small they were.
“Thank you,” she said. “Better already.”
“Here’s an idea,” he began. “How about you lie down in my bed and I’ll read to you from the bible. That way, we’ll both be productive, honoring the Lord, and maybe you’ll be able to fall asleep.”
Sally hesitated for a few long moments. It was one thing to come seek comfort in Mark’s cabin, to hope to talk to him and distract herself from the storm. It was another thing to spend the night here.
“Just as friends,” he said quickly, holding up his hands disarmingly. “I promise.”
Sleep — or at least the promise of it — sounded so nice that Sally found herself nodding and smiling. Dress and all, she slipped beneath the covers of Mark’s bunk, interested to find that it was much softer than her own. There were many perks she didn’t know about in this part of the train.
“First, a passage from Isaiah,” Mark said. “Surely, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
“That’s a good one,” Sally said, smiling. “I wish that I could just stop being afraid. I wish that my faith was that strong in the Lord.”
“Keep praying,” he advised, both of them ignoring the boom of thunder that filled the cabin. “God will grant you peace from your fears, Sally.”
“Please, read some more from Isaiah,” she suggested. “I’ve always felt a connection to that book.”
Right.” Mark flipped through the pages, murmuring to himself as he dragged his finger down the face of his bible until he found what he was looking for. “Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; Neither feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; But you will forget the shame of your youth, And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.”
“Redemption through prayer,” Sally said. She realized she was feeling sleepier and sleepier, but she wanted to stay awake. She wanted to take advantage of this time with Mark and really get to know each other. There was no better way than to discuss the bible.
“You’re very astute,” he complimented her. “We all have to take good hard looks at our pasts and figure out what went wrong. Otherwise, we’re doomed to repeat them, doomed to never learn the lessons the Lord sent for us to learn.”
“I’m getting tired,” she confessed. “I hope you don’t find my rude if I just stop talking all of a sudden.”
Mark smiled at her, and it made her heart warm. “That’s the whole point, isn’t it?” he asked. “You need your rest. If you fall asleep, don’t worry. I’ll stay sitting here all night.”
Sally trusted him. He was a good and honorable man, and he brought her unbelievable comfort just by his very presence. Even though the storm still raged outside, Sally felt like she could drop off into slumber at any moment.
“Here, from Psalm 46,” he said, tapping the face of his bible. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
“It’s about the storm outside and our peace in here,” Sally said, but she was too deep in sleep to give the analysis voice.
Sally didn’t know which was the ruder awakening: the storm, or the sound of the conductor shouting just outside of the cabin.
“We’re not running a brothel here, sir!” the man was bellowing. Who could he possibly be yelling at?
Sally looked over to the chair to see if Mark was awake yet, but he wasn’t there.
“And your train is not being treated like a brothel, sir.”
Sally gasped and got out of bed, straightening her dress and her hair as best she could. Mark was outside of his cabin, and it was he who the conductor was yelling at.
Mark was being yelled at, and Sally was the reason for the dispute. She knew she shouldn’t have stayed the night. As innocent as it had been, she knew that it probably looked terribly improper to other people — people who didn’t know how good of friends she and Mark were.
Sally opened the door and stepped out into the fray.
“Please, sir,” she said, looking at the conductor. “I was frightened by the storm. Mark and I have struck up a friendship, and he agreed to allow me to rest for a bit in his room when I couldn’t sleep alone. I was an orphan, and my parents left me at the orphanage in the storm. I’ve never been able to last by myself through one.”
That was the truth about as bare as she could lay it. Sally had even run through downpours in New York City to be with Sam during such tempests.
“Nothing improper happened,” Mark put in. “I read passages from the bible until Sally fell asleep, then I drowsed at my table. We didn’t share the bed. I would never do that. I have nothing but respect and admiration for this young lady, and we’ve been helping each other pass the time on our way to San Francisco.”
“Well, you won’t have much more time to pass,” the conductor said, his temper cooling a bit. “We’re due in this afternoon.”
“Already?” Sally asked, dismayed. It seemed these past few days had flown by, and part of her never wanted to reach her destination.
It was clear that she was in love with Mark, that she loved him as more than a friend, and the thought broke her heart.
They could never be together. They both had other people waiting for them at the station.
“I’m going to go back to my berth, now,” Sally said, fleeing before either the conductor or Mark could see her tears.
She threw herself down on her bed, locking her compartment door behind her, and had a good, long cry. It was childish. She knew she should be enjoying the last few hours she had with her friend, but she just couldn’t pretend they were only friends anymore. They were much more than friends, she realized, but she didn’t know whether Mark realized it or not.
Perhaps he had asked God to remove Sally from his life, as Sally often asked for help with her temptations. It wasn’t right, the strange attraction they had for each other; not when they were both spoken for.
If the man her parents wanted her to marry were half as kind as Mark, Sally would be satisfied. There was no one else she wanted, but she accepted the fact that it could never be.
“Help me be strong, Lord,” she prayed, even as the tears continued down her face. “Thank you for bringing Mark into my life and showing me what kindness was possible from people. However, please, let him go easily from my life. Let me not grieve. We are not meant to be together romantically, Lord, and I know that. I know you have other plans for me. Please ease my suffering.”
If God had heard her, she had no indication. Sally felt as miserable as always. Praying usually helped relieve her of whatever anxiety was plaguing her, but this seemed different. She couldn’t banish Mark — or her attraction toward him — from her mind. She just couldn’t. She loved him too much. She’d loved him even before he sat down at her table in the dining car and purchased her first steak for her.
The fact that he loved God just as much as she did was another draw. How would the man who was supposed to be her husband compare to that? Sally wished that God would lift the veil on eternity just once and let her see the full extent of the path he laid out in front of her. She prayed for understanding and acceptance, but she knew she just had to keep going and trust in the Lord. He always knew what was best for her, and he wouldn’t give her loads that she couldn’t bear.
She could get through this. She needed to go tell Mark a proper goodbye.
Even as she had the thought, the train’s brakes squealed and she knew they had reached their destination. Sally quickly repacked her bag, making sure that her quilt and bible were safely inside, and walked through the cars to Mark’s cabin.
“I’m sorry for leaving so suddenly,” she said when she saw him, hauling his own luggage out of his cabin. “I just realized how much I treasured our friendship and how much I’d miss you once we reached San Francisco.”
He dropped his bags and crushed her to him, hugging her hard. It was both comfort and torture, and Sally was torn between sadness and relief when he finally let her go.
“I treasure your friendship, too,” he said. “I’ve spent the rest of the day praying, and I think we’ll see each other soon.”
“Do you?” Sally asked, eager to seize on any amount of succor she could. “How do you know?”
“I don’t know,” he said, shrugging. “But I can have faith, can’t I?”
“We can always have faith,” she said. “Perhaps we can correspond, even. Write letters to each other once we know where we’re going to be.”
“Perhaps,” Mark agreed. “You’ve made this journey both memorable and a pleasure, Sally, and I know God will allow our paths to cross again.”
“I hope he will,” Sally said, and they parted ways, stepping into the crowd outside.
Sally hadn’t been sure what or who she was looking for, but she soon pinpointed a man holding a placard with her name on it.
“Father?” she asked, but the man shook his head and laughed.
“No, dear girl,” he said. “I’m to collect you and bring you back to the estate. Do you have a trunk?”
“Just this bag,” she said, and he took it from her and loaded it into a carriage as fine as any she’d ever seen in New York.
“Does this belong to my parents,” she asked, running her hand over the shiny wood.
“Yes, ma’am,” the man said. “Now, hop in and I’ll take you to them.”
It was a cool day and Sally enjoyed the wind on her face. She still felt the sting of parting ways with Mark, but her heart was secure in the knowledge that if God wished them to meet again, they would. Now, her attention was focused more on meeting her parents.
She had come all this way, had unwittingly waited for twenty-five years for this moment.
Sending up a quick prayer for strength as the carriage pulled into a long road leading to a house on top of a hill, Sally’s eyes got wider and wider. Her parents had mentioned an estate in the letter they’d sent her in New York, but this was more like a sprawling miniature city. The house itself was enormous, but there were several other buildings on the property, some of them appearing to be cottages, and an enormous herd of cattle roamed down a pasture that trailed across the hills as far as Sally could see.
“This belongs to my parents?” she asked, dumbfounded and a little bit hurt. If they had all this, did they never have time for her? Was that the reason they’d dumped her at the orphanage?
“Yes, ma’am,” the driver told her as he opened the carriage door and helped her out. “This belongs to your parents, and it belongs to you.”
This fine estate was certainly several giant leaps up from the cottage she’d rented in New York, but Sally couldn’t help the nerves that jangled inside of her.
“I’ll see to your bags,” the driver said. “Go right on up to the door. Gil will see you in.”
“Is he my father?” she asked, and the driver had to laugh again.
“Begging your pardon, ma’am,” he said. “I’ve no right to laugh. This is all new to you. Gil is the head of your parents’ servants. He’ll take you directly to your parents.”
“Thank you,” she said, and walked up to the looming house. It was almost imposing, when she was standing right up next to it, but Sally tried to be brave. She banged the heavy knocker against the door and it was opened immediately.
“Miss Sally,” a refined looking man said. “Right this way.”
Sally moved as if she were in a dream. She could barely process her surroundings — all fine, inlaid wood and richly embellished furniture — let alone the fact that she was about to meet two people she always thought were dead.
She knew just who she was looking at as soon as she entered a large sitting room.
Looking at her mother was like looking into a window — if that window also factored in time. Her mother had the same dark hair as Sally, the same blue eyes, but her temples were an attractive silver color. Her father had salt and pepper hair and an infectious smile.
“Welcome home,” he said, holding his arms out to her, and Sally ran into them, her mother weeping and hugging them both.
Sally hadn’t been sure she would hug them like this, especially since she still had misgivings over the circumstances of her childhood. However, after the long journey, she was here now and she was truly glad to see them. It was a relief, especially after having to leave Mark, to hug them both, to see that they were real, that they existed after all this time.
“We have so much to tell you,” her father said.
“You are more beautiful than I could’ve imagined,” her mother put in. “Ask us anything. Please.”
“Why?” Sally asked, and they understood what she wanted to know immediately.
“Darling, the circumstances of your birth weren’t very fortunate,” her mother said, taking her by her hand. “Your father and I used to be very poor, and you were born out of wedlock. We didn’t have the money for a wedding, but we loved each other very much. We loved you the moment we met you, too, but we knew that you would always be an outcast because of us.
“We were so afraid for you and wanted you to have the best upbringing possible. We knew we couldn’t give that to you, not until we were married and had made our fortunes, and that’s why we left you at the orphanage.”
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy for you,” her father added. “So we were never easy on ourselves. We worked so hard, wanting to do the right thing, wanting to be parents you could be proud of. We eventually decided to move out to California. The cattle business has been very good to us, as you can see, and we decided it was time that you knew who your parents were.”
“I wouldn’t have cared if you’d been homeless, living on the streets,” Sally said. “You’re my parents. I love you. I wished we could’ve stayed together when I was little, but I understand now. I do.”
They all embraced again and Sally enjoyed the simple feeling of family, of belonging to people immediately because of the blood connection they shared. Family couldn’t be replicated anywhere else or in any other way. Sally thought her heart would burst from love for her parents. They had struggled just to make a good life for her, and it lifted her spirits.
Her parents were good people, and everything they’d ever done was just for love of her. She could forgive them for that. They only wanted the best for her.
“How was your trip?” her mother asked. “Was the train comfortable?”
“Yes,” Sally said wistfully, thinking unwillingly about Mark. “It was very comfortable. I had a wonderful time on the train. It was such an adventure.”
“Would you like to talk about the other reason we asked you to come to California?” her father asked, his eyes twinkling.
“Your letter mentioned that you had someone in mind for me to marry,” Sally said, her heart pounding in her chest. “Is that what you’re talking about?”
“Yes,” her mother said, her eyes shining, too. “Sam had been telling us about you, about how devout you were, and we knew someone who would make just the match for you. Would you like to meet him?”
“Is he here?” Sally asked, peering around.
“Come on in!” her father bellowed, startling her with his sudden exuberance.
Sally heard footsteps fall on the wooden floor behind her and she turned.
Mark stood in the threshold, beaming at her.
“What are you doing here?” she blurted out. He only grinned, not looking the least bit surprised to see her here.
“It seems that God has seen fit to do more than let us cross paths again,” Mark said. “My friends are your parents, and they’re the ones who encouraged me to meet you; to marry you.”
“Then, you’re the one they wanted me to marry?” she asked, flabbergasted. Was this all really happening, or was this just a continuation of the dream she couldn’t seem to escape?
“We met on the train,” Mark explained for her bewildered parents’ benefits. “We had an instant connection. I knew a little bit more than her about our situations, though, but I didn’t want to scare her off. I’m sorry, Sally. Will you forgive me for not telling you the moment I knew?”
“When did you know?” she asked.
“When you told me you were going to meet your parents for the first time,” he said. “When you were having your first steak.”
Sally pressed her hands against her hot cheeks. “This whole time,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t believe it.”
“Do you believe in miracles?” Mark asked, taking her hands in his and squeezing them gently, imparting the strength for her to keep standing somehow. “Do you believe that God let us fall in love in the train, let us part so that we’d realize how much we loved each other, and then brought us back together to be married?”
Sally didn’t have to think long and hard about it. She already knew.
“I do now,” she said, and they kissed deeply.