Anna's Visions

ANNA’S VISIONS

Joy Redmond

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this book may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage
and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author, except in
the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

Editor in Chief: Nik Morton

Publisher’s Note:

This is a work of fiction.
All names, characters, places, and events are the work of the author’s imagination.

Any resemblance to real
persons, places, or events is coincidental.

Solstice Publishing -
www.solsticepublishing.com

Copyright 2012 Joy Redmond

Dedicated in loving memory of Jill Humphries and
little Anna.

Chapter One

Anna

Anna West lived with her parents and three brothers in
a one-room log cabin in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. Burlap sacks hung
across ropes as dividers for sleeping spaces. Her bed was a feather tick,
spread on the bare floor.

Every day Anna carried gallon buckets of water to and
fro for cooking and also for bathing. She was responsible for storing
perishable food in the root cellar, milking the cows, and then taking the pails
to a cold spring to keep the milk from spoiling. She brought in wood for the
stove and helped her mother with the cooking and cleanup afterward. Though
exhaustion claimed her by the end of each day, Anna never grumbled. This was
her family, and she loved them. They all worked hard to look after one another.

Once a month, Anna rode down the mountain in a wagon
with her pa, where they bought supplies from the general store. She didn’t like
how people in the valley stared at her and her family when they rode down the
street. A woman in a fancy blue dress stepped out of one of the shops. She
glanced
their way, and her face pulled into a scowl, like
someone held a pile of manure to her nose. Her reaction was nothing new.

“Pa, look at them snobs. They’ve got their noses in
the air like they think we stink or something!”

Pa chuckled and replied, “
Don’t you
pay them no
mind. We’re poor, but we’re as good as those high-falutin’
knuckleheads.”

Anna nodded and held her head high. “That’s right, Pa.
We’re mountaineers, which makes us special. I’ll never let them get under my
skin.” She covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled. “I’ll admit though,
I’d like to spit on a few.”

Pa patted Anna’s knee. “Well, spitting on them would
only bring you down to their level. But you’re right about one thing, daughter.
We’re a special breed and contrary to what valley people think, we’re not
inbreeding half-wits. We may not be school-educated, but we’ve got natural
smarts.”

“I’ve proved that, Pa. I got better marks than the
other kids in school, and most of them were valley kids.”

“Yes, you did, daughter,” Pa said. “You’re the first
one in our family to graduate from high school, and I’m proud of you for making
all those trips up and down the mountain on foot when I was cutting timber and
couldn’t take you in the wagon.”

“It was good for me. Those trips made my leg muscles
strong enough to kick a slat out of a barn door,” Anna said with a smile.
“And to kick the boys when they picked on me.”

Pa’s mind seemed to be miles away as they rode in
silence for a few minutes until Anna added, “I’m proud of that diploma, too. If
we have enough money, could I buy a frame for it so I can put it in my hope
chest?”

“I think we can manage that,” replied Pa. “What all do
you have in your hope chest?”

“I’ve got two quilts that
me
and Ma hand stitched and some crocheted doilies, and I’ve got lots of notes
about all the other things I hope to have someday.”

Pa’s eyes filled with tears. “I hope you get
everything your heart desires, daughter. You deserve the best because you’re a
special person. You’re a seer, and that’s a gift from God, which means he chose
you for greatness.”

Anna wiped her own tears. Her brothers were
embarrassed by her gift. Sometimes she wondered if they thought she was crazy,
or worse, cursed. But Anna knew it was special and it warmed her heart to know
her pa did, too

* * * *

One bright sunshiny day in May, Anna and Pa made their
usual trip down the mountain, and when they reached the town, Anna sat up
straight, held her head high, and made eye contact with each person who looked
her way. Then she took off her sunbonnet, shook her long black hair, letting it
cascade down her back. Her dark-brown eyes were sparkling with pride as she
nodded and smiled at passersby.
 

Pa looked over at Anna with a gleam in his eyes. “I
have a surprise for you today. Ma wants us to buy some material so she can make
you a new skirt and blouse for the big shindig at the Nelson place this
Saturday. Old man Nelson has five sons, and maybe one of them will take a
liking to you. You’re eighteen now, and that’s considered an old maid in these
parts.”

Anna sneered. “I don’t like any of those Nelsons. They
drink too much moonshine. And I don’t care if I am an old maid. I ain’t going
to marry until I find a man that makes my heart pound at the sight of him. He
won’t be a drinker of evil spirits either; I can tell you that much!”

“I hear you, girl, and I agree,” Pa said. “True love
is hard to find, but don’t settle for less. Marrying the wrong man would be
worse than being an old maid. You listen to what your heart tells you. Love
will find you.”

Pa parked the wagon and tied the horses, and then
helped Anna down from the wagon. As soon as they entered the general store,
Anna headed for the fabric table. She closely examined each blot, wondering
which color would look best on her. Finally, she picked out red-and-white
checkered material for the skirt and solid white for the blouse. She also
selected frilly lace for the edges of the blouse collar and sleeve hems.

The following Saturday, she rolled strands of her long
dark hair around rag strips. That evening, she wore her new blouse and her full
skirt over layers of petticoats that had huge ruffles around the hems. The
petticoats made the skirt stand out in a full circle. She pulled the rags from
her hair and let the ringlets fall to below her shoulders. The only mirror in
the cabin was wavy and cracked, distorting her image, but she hoped she’d be
the prettiest girl at the dance.

Soon she and her family were on their way. They could
hear the lively sound of fiddles, banjos, and harmonicas a quarter mile before they
reached the Nelson place. As the wagon bounced along the road, Anna tapped her
feet and her body swayed to the music.

Pa pulled the wagon beside several others and tied the
horses to a hitching post. Anna didn’t wait for one of her brothers to help her
down. She lifted her skirt and jumped to the ground. Pa held out his arm and
ushered her into the barn.

As they entered the barn, a square dance was in full
swing. Anna grabbed Pa’s hand, her feet itching to dance. “Come on, Pa, let’s
loosen up,” Anna said, tugging on his big calloused hand.

As the dancers began changing partners, doing a
do-si-do, Anna suddenly found herself in the arms of a handsome stranger – and
looking into the same face she’d seen in a vision the previous week. He was
tall and slim with red hair and a few freckles across his nose and cheeks. He
smelled like bay rum, and the touch of his hand sent shivers up her spine. By
the time the dance had ended, she was lightheaded. She walked across the floor
and stood beside Ma. Then her heart quickened as she saw the handsome stranger
walking toward them.

“May I get you a glass of lemonade?” he asked, his
voice sounding like music to her ears.

She managed to stammer, “Y-yes, thank you. A body gets
mighty thirsty after a good dance.” Her face heated, and she was sure it turned
beet red. She had seen him in a vision, which meant their paths were meant to
cross, but was it for love – or heartbreak?

As the young man walked away, Anna whispered, “
Ma,
isn’t he the most handsome man you ever laid eyes on? My
heart’s pounding like thunder. I’ve never seen him around these parts. I wonder
who he is and where he’s from.”

“I think you’ll get a chance to find out, since he
seems to be smitten with you,” Ma replied. “Don’t let him out of your sight.
I’ve got a good feeling about him.” She paused a moment, and then added, “But
he
is
a stranger. We’ll need to find out more about him. You know Pa
don’t trust strangers.”

“Shush,” Anna whispered, “He’s coming back with the
lemonade.”

When the tall young man reached their side, he said,
“Here you go, ladies.” He looked at Ma, smiled, and added, “I hope you don’t
mind, ma’am, but I got one for you, too.” Then he asked, “Would you mind if
your daughter and I step outside so we can talk? It’s pretty loud in here.”

Ma smiled and replied, “I think that would be all
right.” She looked at Anna and said, “Your Pa and your brothers will be close
by.”

Anna’s face turned red. Why did her brothers have to
keep an eye on her?
If they poked their heads
out the barn door every few minutes and gave her sly looks she’d faint from
embarrassment, she was sure, and should their stares or snickers cause this
handsome man to be so uncomfortable that he’d come back inside before they got
to know each other, she’d simply lay herself down on the ground and will
herself to die.

Once outside, the young man said, “Do you think we
could go up on that hill over there so we could sit and talk a spell?”

“I think that would be acceptable. We’ll still be in
eyesight of Pa.”

They made their way up the hill and stood beside a
large weeping willow, where the young man took a white handkerchief from his
back pocket and spread it on the ground. Then he held Anna’s hand as she eased
herself down and sat.

He sat beside her, drew in a deep breath, and said,
“I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Thomas Morgan, but you can call me Tom.”

Anna’s heart fluttered as she smiled. “I’m Anna West.
Nice to meet you, Tom.”
She studied him closely, and then
asked, “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No, I’m not. I’m visiting relatives over on Flat
Ridge. I’ll be leaving in a couple days. I sure wish I had met you sooner,” he
said, with the most beautiful smile Anna had ever seen.

Her heart sank. “You’re leaving soon? I thought maybe
you were a newcomer to these parts. Where do you live?”

Tom reached for her hand and held it tenderly. “I live
in Western Kentucky, about a four-day drive from here. Actually, I could have
probably made the trip in three days, but I took my time so I could admire the
sights. There was some beautiful scenery on the way here, and I love the
mountains. Western Kentucky is flat,” he said. Then, chuckling, he added,
“Well, we do have some hills that are steep enough to wind you after you’ve
climbed them on foot.”

Anna let Tom continue to hold her hand, never wanting
him to let go. “How often do you come here to see your kin?” she asked, her
heart aching, fearing it might a few years before he would return.

Tom smiled and squeezed her hand. “This is my first
trip, but I can tell you that it won’t be the last – that is, if I can call on
you.”

Anna’s breath caught in her throat. She fanned her
face with her hand and said, “I think my parents will let you
come
calling. When will you be back?”

Tom dropped his head and scratched his ear a couple
times. “I’m not sure. I’ll have to plan it according to my crops and
livestock.” He paused, and then added, “I’ll tell you what. If your parents
will let me come courting, I’ll extend my stay for another week – maybe two.”

Anna smiled. “That would be nice. I hope you can stay.
I’ll get permission from Ma and Pa for you to come courting, but you’ll have to
call on me at my house. We can sit out in the
yard,
sit under a tree, and talk. Could you tell me more about yourself?”

“Well, I’m twenty-two years old, my parents died in
the 1919 influenza epidemic, my only brother moved out to the West Coast, I
live in a big house, and I get mighty lonesome. My grandparents hailed from
these parts, and all my life I heard my grandma tell stories about the Smokey
Mountains. I always longed to see them, and I must say that being on top of a
mountain is like being in Heaven.”

Anna smiled. “I love the mountains, too. It’s like you
can reach up, climb onto a cloud, and see right into Heaven’s door. But you
know what? I’ve always wanted to see other parts of the country. Western
Kentucky sounds nice.”

“I think you’d love Kentucky. When I was a teenager,
my grandpa told me, ‘Tom, boy, if you want to find you a good woman, you need
to get you one from the mountains of Tennessee. She’ll know how to keep a man
happy and keep the home fires burning. Just look at me and your grandma.’”

Anna felt light-headed. Was he looking for a wife?
Although they’d just met, she was smitten. Could he be the one? Was Tom Morgan
her true love?

“Would you like to go back inside?” Tom finally said,
breaking the silence. “I want to ask your parents for permission to court you,
and then I’d like to dance some more. It’s been a long time since I’ve had the
chance to dance with a beautiful girl, and if I’m not being too forward, I
think you’re the most beautiful girl I ever laid my eyes on.”

Anna blushed. “Why thank you. We probably should get
back before Pa comes looking for us – but I think he’ll let you come courting.
You’ll be the first boy who’s asked Ma and Pa.”

“What? A beautiful girl like you should have beaus
fighting for your attention!” Tom said with a look of surprise. “You are
joking, right?”

“No, I’m not kidding,” Anna replied. “I’ll admit there
have been a couple who talked to me about it, but I wasn’t interested, so I
told them there was no use in asking Ma and Pa. Around these parts most of the
boys drink moonshine, and I don’t take to drinkers.” She narrowed her eyes.
“Are you a drinker?”