Earthly Vows (34 page)

Angel sat on the sofa, wearing Jeb’s robe, her eyes closed. Fern stayed to make a meal. “I’m glad you’re here,” said Jeb.

“I’m grateful,” said Angel. She looked it.

Ida May kept running back into the room to make sure she was really back.

“I’m sorry for what happened to you at Claudia’s,” said Jeb. “I wasn’t paying close enough attention to you.”

“I wasn’t either, that is, paying you enough mind. But if I never went, I’d not know.”

“Know what?”

“My family is here,” she said.

Ida May slumped onto the sofa, tossing her legs across Angel’s lap. “Miss Coulter wants to know if you want tea,” she said.

“Big glass,” said Angel.

“That boy, Nash, Deputy Faulk says he’ll go to jail,” said Jeb.

“I know.” Angel shoved Ida May’s long legs off her lap.

“Did you care about him?”

“I felt sorry for him. I think he needed me.”

“He didn’t hurt you?”

“Not once, Jeb. I’d tell you. Before, maybe not. But it feels good to lay it all out.”

“Agreed. From now on, we all lay it all out. Nothing kept back.”

Fern stood in the hallway. “Don’t give up every secret, Angel,” she said. “We need to keep a few between ourselves, us women.”

“Don’t listen to her,” said Jeb.

“Supper’s ready,” said Fern.

A
HARD FREEZE HIT
A
RDMORE, BUT NOT
cold enough to put a damper on a December wedding. Jeb almost talked Fern into eloping, but now seeing the holly in the arbor,
he saw what Abigail wanted to see. Coulters were spilling into the reception hall, the nuptials having been said. The deacons
from First Community drove down together. Henry passed Jeb an envelope. “For the honeymoon, from all of us,” he said.

Will Honeysack walked right up to him, holding a slice of wedding cake. “Beautiful ceremony. Not so modest as Fern said, though.”

“You’d have to know Abigail,” said Jeb. He was glad for some of the frivolous touches following a long dry spell in Oklahoma.

Donna Faye and Angel were in blue dresses; Ida May was given a white dress like the bride’s, being one of the flower girls.
Fern’s other sister, Ruby, came and served as a bridesmaid too. All of Fern’s family, including Buddy and Lewis, kept toasting
the couple. Fern finally came into the hall. She had changed out of her wedding dress into a nice outfit for the trip.

“Where’s the honeymoon?” asked Will.

“A place in the Poconos. You ever heard of it?”

Will hadn’t.

“Someplace where Abigail and Francis stayed when they were married. She insisted.”

“I hear you’re flying, Jeb,” said Will.

“I hear that too.” He had never flown before, not anywhere at any time. But it was time to enjoy a first with his bride. Walton
walked in, a woman on his arm. Jeb excused himself. “Will, I need to meet someone,” he said.

Anna was gracious, her face a vigorous pink. “I’m glad to see you,” Fern said, and then handed Anna a glass of punch.

Anna took the glass, a bracelet jingling at her wrist.

Jeb saw the sapphires and emeralds in the silver setting. “That’s a lovely piece,” he said it to Anna, but he was looking
at Fern.

“I thought it was lost. But it showed up. I’m so glad to have it back,” said Anna.

Walton kissed the top of her head.

“We learn what’s important, don’t we?” asked Fern. “How to appreciate what we’ve got while we can.”

P
ATRICIA
H
ICKMAN
is an award-winning author whose work has been praised by critics and readers alike. Her writing has been hailed by peers
as the “new and lyrical voice of the South,” and described in such glowing terms as quirky, beautiful, a triumph, humorous,
intimate, deep, and a virtual feast for the senses. Patty earned an MFA degree in writing from Queens University of Charlotte.
She loves experiencing life to the fullest and can sometimes be found exploring the salt marshes of North Carolina’s Outer
Banks or river tubing down Deep Creek with her handsome boys. She and her husband have founded two churches in North Carolina,
the second of which her husband is the senior pastor. They have three children, two on earth and one angel in heaven. You
may correspond with the author at
www.patriciahickman.com
.

1. Jeb is not completely honest with Fern in the beginning about the full purpose of their trip to Ardmore. He justifies his
   lack of full disclosure by rationalizing that if the new pulpit position might be a chance occurrence, why trouble her? Does
   this indicate that he might secretly fear she will protest? Was he being dishonest or protective?
   
2. Angel finally seems to be more accepting of Jeb and Fern’s union. She begins to see herself as a member of a real family,
   her unspoken desire throughout the series. But when her sister Claudia is finally discovered to be living near Oklahoma City,
   she suddenly has to prepare herself for the inevitable—that after all these years, she will be reunited with her true family.
   Have you ever had to move away from your family and then be reliant on others to serve as your surrogate family? Was that
   a positive experience?
   
3. First Community Church in Oklahoma City welcomes Jeb with a sense of serving him as he serves others. With all of the problems
   he has faced as pastor of Church in the Dell, the sudden presence of a strong infrastructure and support are a huge temptation
   for Jeb. He has had to serve without pay at times, occasionally without support, and suffered self-doubt when some of his
   wise decisions faced criticism. Our loyalties tend to root for the home team—in this case the families of Church in the Dell—but,
   like Jeb, our human nature tends to seek out havens of support over nests of conflict. Have you had to make a difficult life-change
   decision and worry that you were looking for an easier life? What did you learn through the process?
   
4. When Jeb finds Fern and Walton Baer on the roof garden of the Skirvin, he is alarmed by the past intimacy they seem to
   have shared. Like Fern, we may avoid discussions about certain aspects of our past with our spouse. Prior to marriage, how
   much should be divulged and what should remain hidden?
   
5. If you’ve read the first books in the Millwood Hollow series, what was your impression of Fern? How did it change? Do you
   feel others know you because you have been authentic? Do you suffer from trying to present your life as perfect in every way?
   How do you feel when you are loved in spite of your flaws?
   
6. Angel prepares to leave with Claudia but Willie and Ida May will remain under Jeb’s care until she has had the chance to
   scope out what a life with Claudia might be like. In spite of her flaws, Angel has always made the responsible decision when
   it comes to her siblings. This was a common thread among people I interviewed who have lived through hard times. How might
   sibling relationships vary today as compared to families who lived through the Great Depression? What can we learn about relationships
   by studying lives lived in adversity?
   
7. Fern wants nothing to do with Walt Baer until she finds out his wife has a terminal illness. She accepts the volunteer
   assignment of taking time to care for her. Did she do this out of an ulterior motive or was she motivated by compassion?
   
8. Even though Angel and Claudia have come from the same parents, distance and a dissimilar set of learning tools have shaped
   their lives differently. How has Angel’s character changed since she last saw Claudia? What were the factors in her life that
   served as a change agent?
   
9. Nash serves as get-away man for a gangster relative. But he paints himself as a chauffeur to Angel and seems to believe
   his own fictions—that clothes make the man, that a wad of cash in his pocket makes him a winner. He even compares himself
   to the men who sit along the roads in migrant camps, believing he has found success while they have succumbed to the wound
   of national failure. Have you gone through hard times? Did a new set of clothes help your sense of self-worth? Improve your
   circumstances? How did hard times help shape your views of personal success or failure?
   
10. An artist in a wheelchair symbolizes hope for Jeb and his acquired belief that adversity and pain create beauty and a
    window to the soul. Because God has given us all the gift of free will, He may use adversity to open our hearts to Him, or
    provide a window into our souls. Has life taught you any similar lessons?
    
11. Angel has a different view of family and home at the end of the story than the opinion she touted at the beginning of
    the series. What has she learned about what makes up a family? Have you or someone you know had to create a family out of
    a patchwork of lives? What was learned from it?
    

Sadly, we have to say farewell to the Nubeys and the Welbys, but not to one another. I hope that you have enjoyed your visit
and that you have found a connection of friendship in sharing this series with others. If you have not yet considered a life
of faith in Jesus Christ, please know that He loves you and has a plan for your life. You can pray right now and know the
transformation that comes when you embark on the great journey of faith. Please write and let me know how faith came alive
to you through the reading of this series.

Your friend and sojourner,

Patricia Hickman

www.patriciahickman.com