The Tender Flame (20 page)

“That’s good. You two always have a good time together.” He turned to Jessica. “Something special you were going to tell me about Brenda’s visit today?”

Grant loaded David’s plate, too, and handed it to him.

“Yes. I didn’t tell Mama about it after Brenda left because I wanted to talk to both of you at the same time.”

“What is it, dear?” Carrie asked.

Jessica laid her fork down and cleared her throat. “Well … you and Daddy know that when a woman reaches eighteen—as Brenda and I have—and she doesn’t have any prospects for marriage, she begins to fear that she might become an old maid.”

Grant let out a low chuckle. “What did I tell you just the other night, Carrie?”

“Daddy and I have actually been talking about this,” Carrie said. “We’re glad you’ve kept your head, honey, and haven’t jumped at some of the young men you’ve dated when they have brought up marriage. Better by far to let the Lord bring that certain young man into your life in His own time and His own way. So … what about Brenda?”

“She’s got me worried.”

“How’s that?”

“She’s … well, she’s looking into becoming a mail order bride.”

“A what?” Daniel said. “Brenda’s gonna mail herself to some guy and marry him?”

“Not quite, son,” Grant said. “Let’s hear about it, Jessica.”

“When she came to see me today, she had the classified advertisement section of yesterday’s
Baltimore Press
with her. They have that column where men out west advertise for women to come and marry them.

“Well, Brenda showed me an ad from a man who lives in Nevada. He said in the ad that he’s a Christian and wants a wife who’s devoted to Jesus. He said he’s done well in gold mining and can provide well for his mail order bride.”

“And Brenda is going to reply to the ad?” Carrie asked.

“She says she’ll throw some tough questions at him in her letter and see how he answers. She wants to make sure he’s a genuine child of God.”

Grant shook his head. “She’s being awfully foolish.”

“That’s how I feel, Daddy. I told her I could never bring myself to become a mail order bride. But she says she’s prayed about it and believes she should reply. Her parents say it can’t hurt to write the man and ask for more information about him.”

“Downright foolish,” Grant said. “She shouldn’t jump the gun and get ahead of God. Seems to me the Lord has some young man in Maryland for Brenda to marry. She’d better be very careful.”

“That’s what I told her, Daddy.”

“I agree she should be careful,” Carrie said, “but on the other hand, I don’t think we should limit God. He, of course, will not go against His Word and lead a child of His to marry an unsaved person, but who’s to say the Lord couldn’t bring Christians together through the mail?”

Grant frowned and shook his head.

“Nobody asked me, but I think Mama’s right,” Daniel said. “I think it’d be neat to have the Lord bring a couple together through the mail.”

“Be different, anyhow,” David said. “God could do it that way, couldn’t He, Dad?”

“Well, son, I can’t argue that He could. It would be quite rare, but like your mother said, we can’t limit God. I just hope that if Brenda goes ahead with this, she does it slowly, carefully, and with a lot of prayer.”

“I’m sure that will be her intention, Daddy,” Jessica said, “but I hope her fear of becoming an old maid won’t cause her to make a big mistake. I love Brenda so much, and I don’t want to see her mess up her life.”

“We’ll have to pray for her,” Carrie said. She lifted a hand to her brow and pressed her fingertips to her temple.

“Sweetheart, are you all right?” Grant said.

“I … I feel a bit tired.”

Jessica shoved her chair back and said, “Mama, you go sit with Daddy in the parlor and rest. I’ll take care of the table and clean up the kitchen.”

“The boys can help you,” Grant said.

“It’s all right, Daddy. It’s bath night for my darling brothers, and I wouldn’t want them to miss that. I’ll take care of cleaning up.”

Carrie smiled at her daughter. “Thank you, Jessica. I’ll take you up on it. Just for tonight, you understand.”

“We’ll see,” Jessica said as she kissed her mother’s cheek.

Jessica watched her mother as her father helped her to the parlor; she sent a prayer toward heaven for her mother’s recovery.

The next afternoon, Brenda accompanied her mother when she came to visit Carrie. While the mothers sat in the parlor and talked, the daughters went to Jessica’s room.

“I did it, Jessica! I wrote the letter to Gil Simmons last night and mailed it this morning. It’ll take at least a week to get to him, and if he responds, another week for me to hear back.”

“I’m glad you said, ‘If he responds.’ He may receive lots of letters and pick out his bride before he even gets your letter.”

“Yes, I’m prepared for that. I only want God’s will in my life. I want the man He has chosen for me.”

Jessica embraced her friend. “I love you, Brenda, and I’ve been praying you won’t allow your fear of becoming an old maid to cloud your judgment. The Lord has His plan for both of our lives, and we must be patient and let Him work it out.”

Brenda gave her friend a squeeze, then said, “I’m going to visit my Aunt Bertha over in Fairfax, Virginia, for a few days. She’s my mother’s older sister. Great Christian lady. Her husband died a few years back, and their only child died at age two.”

“I’m glad she has you to help relieve some of the loneliness once in a while. How soon are you going?”

“Tomorrow. Would you like to go with me? I’ve told Aunt Bertha about you many times. When we wired back and forth about this visit, she said to tell you to come with me if you can.”

“Oh, I’d love to go. But I can’t leave Mama with the housework.”

Brenda let a sly grin curve her mouth. “That’s all taken care of.”

“What?”

“Mom said that if you wanted to go, she would come over and take care of things over here.”

“Oh, I can’t ask her to do that.”

“You don’t have to. Mom’s already volunteered. How about it? We won’t stay more than four or five days, and we’d have a great time.”

“Well, all right then.”

It was early afternoon the next day when Brenda and Jessica alighted from the surrey they’d hired at the Fairfax depot to bring them to Aunt Bertha’s house. The adorable white clapboard with bright, shiny green shutters sat in the middle of a garden of jewel-colored flowers. Through each gleaming window, white lace curtains moved gently in the breeze.

Before the girls reached the front steps, the door opened and a smiling little lady who stood barely five feet tall stepped onto the porch. “Brenda! It’s wonderful to see you!”

Brenda embraced her aunt, then introduced her best friend. Bertha gave Jessica a hug, and the girl inhaled the sweet scent of lavender.

Aunt Bertha had the kindest eyes Jessica had ever seen. They sparkled with merriment and were set in a round face of soft, milky skin and apricot-hued cheeks. She wore her snow white hair in a single long braid coiled at the back of her head.

“Well, come on in, young ladies,” Bertha said, opening the door wide.

Jessica followed Brenda to the rear of the house and entered a
tiny, immaculate bedroom decorated with frilly things. There were shelves lined with trinkets and figurines.

“You girls unpack, then come to the kitchen. I’ll have some refreshments for you.”

Jessica sent an inquiring glance to her friend.

Brenda giggled. “Might as well get used to it, Jess. Aunt Bertha will try to fatten us up while we’re here.”

In the days that followed, Bertha was seldom still. She bustled from one thing to another, making sure her young guests were comfortable.

On Sunday morning, the girls rose extra early and dressed with special care for the church services. They insisted on helping Aunt Bertha with breakfast, and soon the three of them sat down to fried ham and eggs with hot biscuits and honey.

When they had eaten their fill, the girls washed and dried the dishes while Bertha started preparations for Sunday dinner. She wanted as much done as possible before they went to church.

While the cleanup was being done, Jessica watched Bertha, who was a lively bundle of energy. Jessica couldn’t help but think of her mother and how much her illness had slowed her in the past several months. Determined to let nothing mar this pleasant day, Jessica dispelled the small frown from between her eyebrows and turned a sunny smile toward Aunt Bertha, saying, “Looks like Sunday dinner is going to be real good!”

The church was only a short distance from Aunt Bertha’s house, and as the three women walked along, Brenda said, “I’ve told Jessica about Pastor Wilkins, Aunt Bertha. She’s really looking forward to hearing him preach.”

“She’ll have to wait till tonight. We’re having a guest speaker this morning.”

“Oh, really? Who is it?”

“I can’t recall. Pastor told us last Sunday, but I’m terrible at
remembering names. Anyway, he’s a young man who just graduated from Arlington Seminary. He was valedictorian of his class at graduation in May, and Pastor said he’s quite the preacher. I’m sure we’ll enjoy his message.”

After Sunday school, Bertha led the way to her favorite pew, five rows from the front and directly in line with the pulpit. The piano and pump organ were playing a lilting gospel song.

Soon the choir was in place, and the music director came to the pulpit and began a rousing, lively song service with the choir and congregation standing. While they sang, two men entered from a side door and crossed the platform.

Brenda leaned close to Jessica. “The older man is Pastor Wilkins.”

Jessica smiled. “I assumed as much.”

Jessica looked more carefully at the young man and was puzzled that he looked familiar. She kept her eyes on him as he stood beside the pastor in front of the choir loft. Suddenly her heart lurched and she swallowed hard. She studied his face to be sure, then leaned close to her best friend and said, “Brenda, I know that young man!”

“You do? Who is he?”

“It’s Josh, Brenda! Josh Cornell!”

B
ERTHA PRESSED CLOSE TO HER NIECE
and said, “She knows him? Who is he?”

“Someone she’s known for a long time but hasn’t seen in nine years, Auntie. We’ll tell you more later.”

Bertha nodded, and the song came to a close.

Pastor Wilkins went to the pulpit and prayed, then bid the congregation be seated. While the choir was singing a special number, Jessica kept her eyes on Josh.

Brenda saw the effect Josh’s presence had on Jessica. She reached down, took hold of her friend’s hand, and squeezed. Jessica gave her a fleeting glance and smiled.

After announcements and the offering, followed by more congregational singing, a ladies’ trio sang the latest Fanny Crosby gospel song. Then Pastor Owen Wilkins stepped to the pulpit.

Wilkins told the crowd that he had heard their guest speaker preach to the students in chapel service at Arlington Seminary a few weeks earlier and was deeply impressed by him. He wanted his people to hear this dynamic young man. Introducing Joshua Cornell as one of the most promising graduates of Arlington Seminary, he invited him to the pulpit and then sat down.

Josh’s manner was relaxed as he looked out over the large crowd and made some introductory remarks, then opened his Bible, announced the Scripture passage, and began his message.

While he preached, his gaze ran across Jessica several times, but there was no sign of recognition.

At the invitation to come forward, several people walked the aisle
to be led to Jesus, and many Christians came to the altar to dedicate their lives to serve the Lord better.

When the service was over, Josh stood at the vestibule door with the pastor and his wife, greeting people and shaking their hands. Jessica got in the slow-moving line with Brenda and her aunt. The closer she drew to Josh, the more her heart pounded. She discreetly wiped her moist palms on her dress and breathed a prayer.

“Afraid he won’t know you?” Brenda whispered to Jessica.

Jessica shrugged. “I was only nine years old when he last saw me. Brenda … will you do me a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Since you know the pastor and his wife, would you introduce me to them so Josh can hear you? I want to see if he’ll pick up on it.”

“Be glad to.”

Two or three agonizing minutes passed. Then Brenda stood before the pastor and his wife. They told her how nice it was to see her again and made some comments to Aunt Bertha about what a lovely niece she had.

Jessica watched Josh turn away slightly to listen to a man’s question about a point in his sermon. Just as Brenda drew Jessica closer to the pastor and his wife for introductions, Josh turned to see who was next to greet. He heard Brenda say, “Pastor and Mrs. Wilkins, I would like for you to meet my very best friend in all the world, Jessica Smith.”

Josh looked intently at Jessica, who was telling the Wilkinses how glad she was to meet them.

“Jessica! It’s you!”

“Hello, Josh. It’s been a long time.”

A broad smile lit up his face. “Jessica, I can hardly believe what I’m seeing! This beautiful young woman is my little friend from Fort Union!”