31

Margaret pulled the last little pair of overalls from the washtub and twisted them round and round, allowing the water to flow back into the tub. When the pants stopped dripping, she tossed the twisted ball into the basket on the floor beside her. She looked at her hands, red and aching from the soap, the scrubbing, and the twisting. And worst of all, the clothes weren’t even finished. They still had to be hung on the line to dry.

Mama came in the kitchen and dumped another load of laundry into the washtub. Margaret let her head drop back. “Ugh, Mama, how dare you?” she half-teased and held her hands up for Mama to see. “Look at my hands. They look like little lobster claws.”

“I’m sorry, honey, but until they invent some fancy machine that does the washing for us, I’m afraid this is our lot in life.” Mama stirred the pot of soup cooking on the stove.

“Soup smells good.” Margaret pushed the new pile of clothes down into the water to soak. “You sure made a big pot of it.”

“Thank you. I don’t know how to make this recipe any smaller. Sure wish your papa was here to enjoy it. It’s his favorite.”

Margaret sat down at the kitchen table and wiped her hands on a towel. “Wonder how Papa is faring and if Elizabeth is doing well at the asylum.”

Mama poured a cup of coffee and sat down. “I’ve been wondering that myself. Seems as if they’ve been gone an awful long time, but I don’t know how far it is to Austin…could take a long time, for all I know.”

Mama missed Papa and Elizabeth. Sadness continued to follow her through the days. Not even Jeremiah’s chubby cheeks made her smile.

“I sure hope Papa was right about them being able to help Elizabeth.” Margaret missed her sister too. But her loss was tempered with the fact that Elizabeth had disappeared into herself long before she left for the asylum. “I’ve never seen anyone in such a bad way…well, except for Mr. Langley’s son, that is.” Margaret swirled her finger around on the tablecloth, intentionally not making eye contact with Mama.

“Yes, his passing was so sad, but in some ways it was a blessing. Sometimes when people are so bad off, it seems better if God just goes on and takes them home.” Mama stirred a spoonful of honey into her coffee. “Poor boy, his brain was so far gone he didn’t even know who his papa was anymore.”

Margaret looked at her blotchy red hands and her broken fingernails. “He sure didn’t last long when he took the fever.”

“No, he sure didn’t.” She took a sip of coffee.

“It was good of you and Papa to minister to Mr. Langley after he passed.”

“Well, it was the Christian thing to do. And because we did, we made a new friend.” Mama held the cup of coffee between two hands as she spoke. “Mr. Langley really did care about Elizabeth, you know. He told us that many a time when we took food over to him.”

“I know, Mama. We all care very much about Elizabeth.” Margaret returned to the washtub. “I just pray she gets the help she needs.”

“I do too, honey.”

Margaret plunged back into the washing and dreamed of Thomas. She silently prayed for his safety…wherever he was.

Mama tended to the boiling pot of soup.

“Oh, Mama, wouldn’t it be lovely if I was washing clothes for Thomas and my very own family?”

Mama shook her head. “Margaret, it wouldn’t matter if you were doing the wash for Queen Victoria, believe me, it wouldn’t be lovely.”

Did Mama actually make a joke? Margaret pulled her hands out of the tub and flicked water at her.

Mama’s eyes grew wide.

Margaret started laughing…then Mama laughed too. Margaret went to her mother and put her arms around her. She thanked God for the laughter even though she knew it was only a mask to hide Mama’s sadness.

The front screen door opened and slammed shut.

“Mama, Mama!” June rushed into the kitchen and nearly ran over Margaret and Mama. She looked at the two of them hugging each other. “OK…” She then seemed to remember what she came in for and shouted as loud as she had when she first came in. “Mama?”

Margaret released Mama.

“What is it, June?” Mama asked.

“Mama, Papa’s coming up the road in an honest-to-goodness horse and buggy. And…and he ain’t alone.” June turned around and ran back out of the house.

Mama folded her hands and looked heavenward. “Thank You, Jesus.” As she said the words, tears started to fall.

~*~

Thomas flipped the reins. “Come on, Fargus, get, get.” The closer he came to Margaret, the more he hastened the horse.

Mr. Logan held onto his hat. “Take it easy, son. We want to get there in one piece.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but we’re almost there, and I’m wanting to see yer daughter something awful.”

Mr. Logan laughed at him. “Yep, there’s someone there I’m wanting to see something awful too, son.”

June ran out the front door with Mrs. Logan close behind.

Jeremiah toddled after them, running on sturdy little legs.

A man came from around the house. Must be the Navy man Mr. Logan had told him about. But where was Margaret?

Mr. Logan hopped off the wagon when Thomas eased Fargus to a stop.

“Papa, Papa, you’re home.” June jumped into Papa’s outstretched arms.

Mrs. Logan noticed him and her eyes lit up even more.

Mr. Logan put June on the ground and swung Jeremiah in the air. The baby chortled with glee. Mr. Logan set him back on the ground.

Mr. and Mrs. Logan hugged and kissed.

June ran to Thomas and held her hands up, wanting him to pick her up.

“Where’s Margaret, young’un?”

June giggled, put her hands on his cheeks, and shook his face. “She don’t know you’re here, silly.”

Thomas turned toward the house when the screen door opened.

Margaret stepped onto the porch. She smiled at the sight of her parents’ joyous reunion. And then her gaze met his. Her hand flew to her mouth. She stepped off the porch and ran to him.

He put June on the ground and rushed to meet her halfway. When they reached each other, Margaret fell into his embrace. She didn’t even look at his face. She held him tight, and he had no objection to it. Thomas lifted her chin and kissed her with the passion of having been apart for six long months.

Everything came to a complete stop while they held each other. The rest of the world faded away and it was as if they were the last two people left on earth.

“Ewwww.” June scowled at them and her nose scrunched up.

Margaret looked up at him, her cheeks a bold red. A smile crept onto her face.

Thomas let out a small chuckle, and then they both laughed…loud and long.

Mrs. Logan stepped away from Mr. Logan long enough to give Thomas a big hug. “Well, isn’t this a surprise? How in the world did Jeb find you?”

Thomas released Margaret’s hand and she hugged her papa. “It’s hard to believe, ma’am, but yer husband and I ran into each other in Brenham, Texas.”

“Brenham, Texas,” Mrs. Logan repeated.

“Yes, ma’am….Texas is a mighty big state, but it certainly is a small world.”

Mrs. Logan gasped. “Oh, my goodness, I was so shocked at seeing the both of you together that I forgot to ask about Elizabeth!”

Mr. Logan raised his hand. “She’s just fine, Caroline. They’re giving her the best treatment available, and I was told we would receive an update very soon.” He gestured to Ensign Miller. “Thomas, I want you to meet Ensign Carol Jerome Miller.”

Thomas held his hand out. “Nice to meet ye, Ensign Miller.”

“Nice to meet you, Thomas, but you can call me Jerry.”

“Well, Jerry, Mr. Logan tells me you’ve been taking care of his fine family in his absence.”

“Yes, but it’s been the other way around. They’ve taken good care of me.” He patted his belly. “Couple of fine cooks you have here.”

Mr. Logan smiled and nodded his head. “That’s for sure.” He released Margaret’s hand, put his arm around his wife’s shoulders, and squeezed her tight. “Can’t wait to eat some of Mama’s good grub.”

Mrs. Logan smiled and nestled close to his side.

“Mr. Logan, I’ve received word that the tower is scheduled to ship out of New Orleans in early July. I’ve spent the past few weeks clearing off the pad sight, but there’s still a lot of work to be done before its arrival.”

“Yep, plenty of foliage has taken over the pad in the past three years or more.”

“Yes, sir,” Jerry said before he turned to Thomas. “Margaret here tells me you’re a Navy man like myself.”

“Yes, that I am.”

“Well, I was wondering if you might be interested in a job. You can help me finish clearing the sight and as soon as the tower arrives, you can assist in the erection.”

“I’d very much like that…Jerry.” Thomas felt strange calling a junior naval officer by his first name. “I’d like to talk to you about that, but first, there’s something I’ve waited a very long time to do.” Thomas took Margaret’s hands into his. He knelt down before her. “I know this isn’t very romantic, but here goes. Margaret Frances Logan, I’ve loved ye since the first time I set eyes on ye that day on the beach. I thought ye were an angel come to take me up to heaven. But instead, ye saved my life. We’ve been through some good times, and we’ve been through some bad times, and through it all I’ve loved ye with all my heart. So I ask ye today, Margaret Logan…will ye do me the honor of marrying me, lass?” Thomas looked into her eyes, trying to judge the outcome. He wasn’t sure if the look on Margaret’s face meant she would laugh or cry until she fell to her knees and threw her arms around him.

“Oh, yes, yes, of course I’ll marry you, Thomas Murphy!”