While Sean held her close he whispered in her ear that she was the most important person on earth to him. He told her that from now on, he would be taking much better care of her. Charlie tried once again to tell him she was fine, but he silenced her with a kiss.
Neither one of them realized that Kaitlin had come into the room just in time to witness that kiss. She turned back to the kitchen with a smile on her face. The only thing better than having Sean come home was having him home with the woman he loved and who loved him in return.
forty-eight
Charlie had been in Santa Rosa for about eight days when the dam that carefully held her emotions in check shattered. It was a Sunday morning, and while still in the bedroom getting dressed for the day Sean innocently teased her about once again falling asleep when conversation was going on around her.
To Sean’s utter amazement, Charlie burst into tears. He apologized several times, but she seemed inconsolable. Staying with her until the harsh sobs had passed, Sean left her still crying softly on the edge of the bed to tell Kate they would not be joining the family for church.
When he returned to the room, he found that she was once again readying for church. In a soft voice Sean told her that he didn’t think they should go; they needed some time alone to talk. Sean stood helpless as she once again erupted into tears.
He stood back for only an instant before going to her and taking her in his arms. With gentle movements he removed her dress and slipped her back into the nightgown she had just changed from. Charlie was still crying into the handkerchief that Sean had pressed into her hands when Sean lifted her and put her back beneath the covers of the bed.
He expected her to fall back to sleep immediately, but after some minutes, with her eyes still closed and voice shuddering, she began to speak.
“I can’t do it, Sean, I just can’t do it. I can’t remember anyone’s name, and I think they’re offended when I forget. My back hurts constantly. And it’s almost Christmas! We don’t have gifts for anyone. I’m tired all the time. I’m so tired.”
Sean listened to all of this in silence and then climbed onto the bed beside her. He smoothed the hair away from her wet cheek and used the handkerchief to dry her face. She had developed a body-shaking case of the hiccups by the time Sean’s arms were back around her.
“You’re frightened about a lot of things, Charlotte, and I hate to think how long you’ve been keeping all of this to yourself.” His voice was compassionate and coaxing.
“I want you to be proud of me.” Her voice faltered with suppressed sobs. “I don’t want to do anything to stand in the way of our going to Hawaii.”
“No man could be more proud of his wife than I am,” he told her with tender assurance. “And as far as Hawaii goes, I’m glad you brought it up because I’ve been praying about that very subject.”
Charlie shifted so she could look at Sean’s face. “You’ve changed your mind? You don’t think I’ll be a good missionary?”
“You will be a wonderful missionary,” he told her with a kiss. “But I don’t think there’s any hurry. Our money is in the bank, and after Christmas I think we should find a place of our own. That will take the pressure off as to when we should leave. It might be two months after the baby is born, and it might be two years. Rigg has already asked me to work part-time for him at the mercantile, and I don’t think I’ll have trouble finding other employment.”
“But if it weren’t for me, you’d leave now?” Charlie looked utterly despondent.
“No, my darling Charlie, I wouldn’t. There is still one person whom I haven’t even been able to talk with about all of this, and that’s my father. His opinion means a lot to me, and I need to write and ask for his counsel. Now, I have a question for you. Are you sorry we left Visalia?”
Charlie answered immediately. “No, in fact I can see why you talk so fondly of Santa Rosa; it’s a wonderful town. But I do miss Sadie, and my world feels turned on end right now, and—”
She couldn’t go on, but she didn’t need to; Sean understood completely. They talked until Charlie yawned expansively.
“I’m sorry I’m so tired all the time.”
Sean laughed and shook his head. “You’re way too hard on yourself. When Katie was pregnant with Gretchen, all she did was sleep. It was even worse with Molly, since she had Gretchen to care for at the same time.” Sean kissed her softly. “Go to sleep. When you wake up I’ll make you some breakfast.”
Charlie was too tired to reply, and almost before Sean could remove his arms from around her she was asleep.
Sean took advantage of the quiet house and sat in the living room to read his Bible. He then spent a long time on his knees praying for Charlie. He asked God to help her to know Him better, and to understand that God’s love for her was all-encompassing. He prayed for her physical needs and for those of the baby.
He then went on to pray for himself, especially that he would accept whatever future God had for him. He asked for sensitivity to Charlie’s needs, and about when they should move on from Santa Rosa. Still very peaceful about being there, he asked God to show him in an unmistakable way when Hawaii, or anywhere else, was right for them.
Charlie awoke more than an hour later, and after they ate breakfast she and Sean spent some time in prayer before reading the newspaper.
The next morning Kaitlin took Charlie to meet Dr. Grade, the doctor who had delivered both Gretchen and Molly. He gave Charlie a good report on the baby’s position, as well as a clean bill of health for herself. Kate, who was very cognizant of Charlie’s fatigue, watched her face closely when she asked if Charlie wanted to do some Christmas shopping.
“Do you have time?”
“Sure,” Kate told her easily. “Sean is playing with the girls, Rigg is working, and Marcail is at school. I have, for the moment, time on my hands.” Katie gave a little shrug and Charlie laughed.
The women went to Rigg’s Mercantile, and Charlie was able to cover over half of her Christmas list. The only gift she hesitated on was a pair of black stockings for Marcail.
“Won’t she be embarrassed to open these in front of everyone?”
Kaitlin chuckled. “Not Marc; she is quite drawn to feminine attire. I promise you, she’ll love them.”
Kate knew that she still had plenty of time before her girls would even ask about her, but after making her purchases Charlie was flagging. Kate asked if they could finish on another day, and Charlie was more than willing to comply. Their conversation on the walk home was light and carefree.
“I would have said that running a livery was the hardest job on earth,” Charlie commented. “But now that I’m pregnant, I’ve changed my opinion.”
“And to think,” Kaitlin said with wonder in her voice, “for a while you did both.”
“Not really, Katie. Sean has been rather hennish since I fainted on the Fourth of July.”
“Well, since you’re obviously not a person who will ease up, I can see why.”
Charlie knew she was right, so all she did was smile. Kate did not miss that smile. She decided that as soon as she was home, she would have a talk with her brother and sister-in-law.
“How did you know we were thinking of moving?” Charlie asked Kaitlin.
“I didn’t, not for certain. But Rigg and I talked about it last night. We both think that getting your own place is fine, but we think you should wait until after the baby is born.”
Sean and Charlie exchanged a look. He knew Charlie thought she was a great burden because no one let her wash clothes or do work of any kind, but he also remembered how sick his mother had been when they first came to San Francisco. Aunt Maureen had not let her lift a finger. While it couldn’t change the fact that she was very ill, it did remove the weight of housework. With the baby coming, it was doubtful that Charlie would have another chance to receive such a rest.
“I think it’s a great idea, but I know Charlie is concerned about being a burden.”
Charlie gave Sean
a look that told him she wished he hadn’t said that, but he was not sorry. As he hoped, Kaitlin knew just the right thing to say.
“I can’t quite describe to you, Charlie, how long we’ve waited to see Sean like this. I’m not talking about physically; I’m talking about spiritually. I don’t know if you’ll understand this, but it’s our privilege to help you. I think you both need nurturing right now, and the fact that we get to reach out to you means more than I can say.”
There was nothing Charlie could say to this, except thanks, and she did. It didn’t change her desire to help, and she hoped Katie would agree, but Charlie knew she needed to take herself off and spend some time in prayer.
She put aside her pride and was able to admit to herself how badly she needed the rest they were offering. She also found a verse that became very special to her in the days to come, Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
forty-nine
Two days before Christmas Charlie sat in the living room with Gretchen, listening to her chatter on about people whom Charlie thought she remembered might be her cousins. Why it was so hard to learn everyone’s name and relationship, Charlie was still not sure. To add to the confusion, when Gretchen got excited her speech was not as clear, and names like Cleo, Willy, Joey, Paige, and Sutton flew at her so fast that she couldn’t keep them straight.
Marcail entered the room in time to see Charlie looking utterly bewildered. A few minutes later Gretchen jumped down from the couch and went happily on her way. A look of determination crossed Charlie’s face. Had Sean seen it, he would have laughed, since it usually meant she had work for him. Marcail smiled in her sweet way, unaware of the fact that Charlie was going to keep her in the living room for the next hour.
“Marcail,” Charlie said with quiet determination. “I wonder if you could do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
“I’d like you to start at the top and tell me the names of the people in this family. I want to know who Sutton and Paige are, and all the others. Not just their names, but how they’re related to Sean.”
Marcail smiled. Charlie looked ready to take the world in her hands. Marcail thought she was wonderful.
“That’s a pretty tall order, but I’ll give it a try.”
Charlie nodded, her brow furrowed in concentration. She made herself a little more comfortable on the sofa, and Marcail began.
“I guess the main family is the Taylors, so I’ll start with Bill and May and their kids, the oldest of whom is Rigg. Rigg is a Riggs and not a Taylor because his father died when he was little and May married Bill. You, of course, know who his wife and children are.” Marcail waited for Charlie to nod and then moved on.
“Next is Jeff Taylor. His wife is Bobbie, and their children are Cleo and Sutton. Bobbie’s parents are Jake and Maryanne Bradford. Bobbie also has an older sister named Alice. Alice and her husband have twins named Paige and Wesley. Bobbie’s brother is Troy. Troy is married to Carla, and they have a little boy named Jacob, after his grandpa.”
Charlie nodded again, this time with a little more understanding, and Marcail continued.
“After Jeff is Gilbert. You met him two Sundays ago. He’s not married and still lives with Bill and May. After Gil comes Nathan. Nathan’s wife is Brenda and their little guy is Willy.”
“Who is Joey?”
“Oh, Joey Parker,” Marcail looked almost apologetic. “He’s my age. We go to school together. He’s not related to us, but is a good friend of the family. Gretchen talks about him because she thinks he’s wonderful.”
“Is there anyone who’s going to be at Taylors on Christmas Day you haven’t mentioned?”
Marcail thought for a moment. “Joey’s dad, Mr. Parker, will be there. Not everyone will be there for the meal, Charlotte. Some have other family in town, and they’ll just come for dessert.”
Charlie smiled at her understanding tone. “Marcail, has anyone told you lately that you’re wonderful?”
Marcail only smiled and then looked at the front door as a knock sounded. She made a move to answer it, but Charlie stopped her.
“I’ll get it, Marc. I’ve been sitting too long as it is.”
Charlie was a little stiff in her movements as she waddled toward the door, and the person on the other side knocked a second time before she could get there. Charlie swung the door open and even though there was plenty of light, it took her a few moments to respond.
Patrick Donovan’s face broke into a huge grin as he took in his daughter-in-law’s startled face and swollen form.
“Well now,” he spoke softly. “I thought I would be the one doing the surprising, but I can see that the surprise is on me.”
Charlie beamed and moved to hug Sean’s father. The door opened directly into the living room, so it only took a moment for Marcail to see that her father had arrived. Her happy shout brought the household running.
Patrick was not able to get a word in for some minutes. He was hugged, pulled this way and that, and questioned until he could do nothing but laugh at the pandemonium. When the family settled down, Patrick’s gaze settled on his son. Sean smiled at him, but his look turned curious when Patrick continued to stare.
“So tell us how you came to be here,” Kaitlin asked when the silence lengthened.
“I think Sean is the only one who can tell me that.”
“What do you mean?” Marcail spoke this time.
“Just that I knew I had to come. I knew he planned to be here from Katie’s letter and that I had to see him.”
This time it was Sean and Charlie who looked at each other. Charlie’s face lit with such a peaceful smile that Sean felt his throat close. She knew Sean had written to his father asking how he felt about their coming to Hawaii, but the letter had obviously missed him.
Father and son did not get a chance to talk just then, because both Molly and Gretchen wanted their grandpa’s attention, but the adults knew their time would come that evening when the children were in bed.
Rigg kissed his wife and thanked her for supper before asking her if she wanted him to play with the girls or do the dishes. Kate was more than ready to give her daughters over to their father, so Rigg ushered them into the living room for games.
They started with “horsey” rides around the room, and when everyone was flushed with laughter, they settled onto the sofa with a book. Patrick and Sean were still in the kitchen with Kate and Marcail. Charlie was in the living room, enjoying the story along with the children.
It seemed like no time at all before the girls were kissing everyone goodnight and being carted off to bed by their loving, but somewhat tuckered, father. Kate served coffee in the living room and when all was quiet, Patrick spoke.
“Knowing how seasick I always become, getting on that boat was the last thing I wanted to do,” he admitted softly. “Although I must admit it seemed a little better this time. But no matter; I had to come. I didn’t even stop to see Maureen. Now, Sean, tell me why I’m here.”
“I wrote to you that we were leaving Visalia and coming here, and even though it seems you missed my letter, you would have known that from Kate’s.” Sean went on to explain how Charlie had come to grips with leaving, Witt’s unexpected visit to announce a buyer for the livery, and all the other details leading up to that moment.
“I laid it out in the letter, but the main point was not to give you information, but to ask your advice. Charlie and I value your opinion, and we want to know what you think of our coming to Hawaii to work with you.”
Patrick couldn’t answer. Sean had shared with him during the summer about this very desire, and Patrick suspected this was the reason it had been so heavy on his heart to be here, but hearing it with his own ears brought him more joy than he thought possible.
“We’ve prayed for so long that God would send willing workers, Sean.” Patrick’s voice was thick with emotion. “Come, Sean. Bring your family and come as soon as God l
eads. I understand that you may want to wait to travel with the baby, but come. We need you in the islands.”
Everyone tried to talk at the same time after that. Above the conversation Rigg could be heard telling Sean and Charlie that he wanted them to continue living at the house until they left. When some of the excitement died down, Charlie found herself to be the center of attention.
“Charlotte,” Kate implored, “would you mind telling us a little of how you and Sean met?”
Charlie chuckled. “It wasn’t exactly what you’d call conventional. In fact, until I came to know the Lord, I couldn’t have told you why I was at that hanging, but I see now that it was all a part of His plan.”
“When did you fall in love?” Marcail asked with a teenager’s curiosity about romance.
“I think it happened for me when Sean punched a man in the face to protect me.”
Every mouth in the room dropped open. Charlie and Sean couldn’t help grinning at each other, even though it hadn’t been at all funny at the time. Everyone in the room was gawking at them. Sean finally took pity on his family and explained. Katie looked ready to punch Murphy herself when she found out he had assaulted Charlie.
The conversation moved to how Sean had spent the years prior to meeting Charlie. His family was at once captivated and grieved for all he had been through because of the choices he made. The last question of the evening came from Patrick, and it was addressed to Charlie.
“How did you come to know that you could move away from your home?”
Charlie smiled at the eldest Donovan. “It was the Lord again. For years I’d been so content, and then I suddenly had this blacksmith to whom I happened to be married, and one of the first things I noticed was how he looked more natural with a Bible in his hand than a hammer. I knew then it was just a matter of time.” She paused and turned her smile to Sean. “And now our going to Hawaii—that too I think is just a matter of time.”