Chapter 10

Finally, the finishing touches were done, and Margaret picked up the triangle, to ceremoniously call everyone to eat, though it wasn't really necessary as they were all gathered relatively close together. The men made their way over and Rev. Jacobson, who had come along with his wife, said a short prayer, not only blessing Jaris on this occasion, but praying for the welfare of his extended family and for his beautiful young wife-to-be, which caught Cordia by surprise. She opened her eyes and looked at Jaris, who just happened to be looking at her. She blushed and closed her eyes again, feeling like a little kid who had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, though in all fairness, he had his eyes open, too.

As the others dug into the bountiful feast that the Adams family had spread before them, Cordia wandered off toward the horse corral, too much on her mind to eat just now. Jaris's horse, a big appaloosa named Sam, came over to greet her, and she absent-mindedly began to stroke his long nose. She still felt an overwhelming sadness for those poor people who had lost so much. First their parents, now their brother. She was still feeling Carey's eyes on her, though he couldn't possibly see her now, as he was around the other side of the house with everyone else. Finally, she was thinking about Jaris. She wanted so badly to be in love with him and in many ways, she really did love him. But not in a way that was satisfying enough for her.

So many times in the past months, since he had asked her to be his wife last June, nearly a year ago now, he had asked her to set a date, to pick a month. At one point, he asked if she even thought it would be this year. But she had explained to him over and over, she had to see how the war was going to go, if there was going to be one, before she felt right planning a future. Though he had given in at first, he didn't seem to understand that she was serious about this issue. He seemed to think that she would change her mind. And, maybe she would. But right now, she just couldn't dream of marrying someone who was bound to enlist at a moment's notice. She sighed and ran her fingers through Sam's long main. The wind had died down and her own hair was actually beginning to look like human hair again, rather than a horse's mane. Just then, she heard someone calling her name. It was Jaris, of course, approaching her from around the house, the same way she had come. She turned and walked toward him giving Sam one more stroke as she went.

"Are you hiding?" he asked, a cup of coffee in his hand. Had she been gone that long? Were they already drinking coffee?

"No, just thinking," she said, forcing a smile.

He looped his arm through hers and began to walk back the way they had come. "Well, I have some news I need to tell everyone, and I think you ought to be present for it."

"News?" she asked, shielding her eyes from the sun. Perhaps that bonnet did some good after all. "What kind of news?"

"You'll see," he said, smiling broadly.

"But shouldn't you tell me first? I'm practically your wife," she inquired. It ought to be good for something.

He laughed. "Cordia always has to know everything first." By then they had made it most of the way back to the table. "Ladies and gentlemen, friends and family, I have a few words to say," he began, letting go of her arm, and raising his cup in the air, as if that would somehow draw everyone's attention. At first few people looked up, but then, when they realized it was the "guest of honor" speaking, the idle chatter stopped and all eyes were on Jaris as he made his important announcement.

"First of all," he began, "I want to thank my folks for this delicious birthday meal. And I can't wait to try the cake." Everyone laughed and his mother beamed proudly. "Second of all, Carey and I have an announcement." He looked at his cousin, who had also been standing, and was now walking over to stand on the other side of Jaris. "Carey and I enlisted yesterday. You are looking at Lt. Carey Adams, and Lt. Jaris Adams, Missouri State Guard." At first, everyone seemed to draw in a deep breath simultaneously. But then, there was a round of applause.

Cordia looked at the other people in the crowd—some were clapping wholeheartedly, others, who clearly wished he had enlisted for the Union—were only clapping in support of this young man on his birthday. His parents actually seemed to approve and were nodding proudly. Soon, everyone was standing and offering Jaris and Carey their congratulations. Even Carey's stern old father seemed not at all shocked or surprised at the announcement. So why was it that Cordia seemed to be the only one horrified at the thought of her fiancé joining in the war effort?

Just then, she noticed one other person who was not joining in the backslapping; Jaris's cousin, Will. He was sitting on the porch rail of the cabin, looking out past the pasture, past the woods beyond them, seemingly past the horizon itself. She studied him for a moment, seeing that he still seemed haggard and weary, but that he had changed into clean clothes, maybe even bathed. As she stared at him, he turned his head and looked at her, again, catching her eyes in that deep, almost mystifying stare. She caught her breath and looked away. Jaris was taking her arm again and was looking at her for some form of approval to his announcement. She smiled and nodded at him, as if to say she understood. She had known all along that she couldn't stop him anyway. And then, she couldn't help but peek back over her soon-to-be-husband's head to see if his cousin was still looking at her. But when she turned to look, he was gone.