Ardis closed her
eyes against the sunshine. It was so bright and hot she felt as
though it would peel the skin right off her bones. She tried with
all of her imagination to think of a soft spring day in Tuckaleechee
Cove, Tennessee, her hometown. She imagined the silver mist, and
green brilliance tickling the trees, and fields into life. She felt
the moist cool of being at the river. The dry heat of reality began
to face, leaving the silver, green, soft, cool, of her memory
imagining.
A male voice with a
hint of nasal tone pulled her thoughts abruptly back. “Ardis,
Ardis Kay McKechnie Bee, why are you closing your eyes? Are you
sick?”
A frustrated groan
escaped Ardis before she could pull it back. “Tom, I'm fine, just
hot. I was just thinking and wishing for the cool of Tuckaleechee
Cove in springtime. Can't you imagine the gentle mist rising in the
morning? Imagine the Little River pouring out of the Great
Smokey's?”
Confusion was on
Tom's too handsome face. “Ardis, Mother needs your help to prepare
dinner. She sent me to find you.”
Ardis looked up at
her brand new husband, Thomas Aidan Bee, and softly sighed. He was
very handsome, with even white teeth, a square jaw, deep brown eyes,
and thick, brown, wavy hair. He also had a rich baritone singing
voice that set all the other girls hearts a flutter. Why didn't she
feel anything for him but the dull, flat, sort of affection that you
would feel for a brother?
Maybe it would help
if Tom had even a slight amount of imagination. Maybe if he liked to
read about anything other than the mythic heroes of their Scottish
heritage or how to grow crops. No, his conversation was exactly like
his reading. He loved discussing how many potatoes he could grow on
an acre, and how long the crop growth season was.
When Tom and Ardis
arrived back at camp, Mrs. Bee was red from the blast heat of an open
fire. Her beautiful brown hair was hanging in stringy, limp,
tendrils around her face.
Ardis walked
straight to her Mother-in law. Softly she said, “Forgive me Mother
Bee. I'm afraid I lost track of the time. I'll finish making
dinner.”
Fiona McFarland Bee
turned her cross, fire-reddened face towards Ardis. “Yes, Ardis,
you're a wife now, and soon, you'll be a mother. You have no time
anymore for girlish fancies.”
Ardis took over the
stirring, seasoning, and simmering of prairie dog stew. In her mind
she kept repeating her Mother's words. “Remember Ardie Kay, Fiona
Bee talks very sternly but she has a loving, caring heart. You can't
judge a book by it's cover.”
Ardis had lost both
of her parents the year before to Diphtheria. After that she had
bounced from one home to another. Tom had made her dying parents a
promise that when Ardis turned seventeen he would marry her.
Ardis kept
repeating in her mind her Mother's words, while looking at Fiona.
Fiona didn't have a soft place on her entire body. She was lean as
rawhide. Her dress was simple and Spartan. It didn't even have a
piece of lace to soften it.
The one feature
that flattered the decidedly plain woman was thick, brown, wavy,
waist-length hair. She always wore it in a simple bun on the back of
her head during the day. At night she took it down. She brushed it
for a long time before braiding it for sleep. Ardis had seen it
down. It was lovely, like a soft, lacy shawl across Fiona's
shoulders.
As the Bee family
ate that evening, Ardis felt frustration rise. She thought, “It's
as though Tom and I are already an old married couple. He doesn't
compliment me, ever! He never talks about anything other than the
grand old times of Scotland when men were warriors, or the price a
bushel of corn will bring at market.”
Ardis rubbed the
back of her neck. She was trying to relieve a knot that had been
bothering her. All at once she felt a strong, firm, pair of hands
rubbing her neck gently. “I'm sorry if
your neck is aching. Thanks you for helping to make such a fine
meal.”
Ardis squealed as
though she were five, not a responsible, married woman of seventeen.
Turning she threw her arms around her Father-in-law, Aidan William
Bee. Aidan twirled his Daughter-in-law while she giggled. Ardis
adored her Father-in-law. He was playful, funny, and loving. He
made everyone around him happy.
Ardis often found
herself wishing that Tom was more like his enchanting Father, and
less like his practical, earthbound Mother. Tom's parents were a
definite case of the attraction of opposites.
Fiona spoke up,
“Aidan Bee, put Ardis down. The others in the wagon train will
think we're heathens.”
Aidan carefully put Ardis down. He winked
at her, and chucked her under the chin.
Next he turned. He
picked up his wife. He spun her in circles.
Fiona kept saying,
“Aidan, put me down. Whatever are you thinking?”
Ardis noticed that
Fiona looked pleased even as she protested.
Finally Aidan eased
Fiona back to earth. She smoothed her skirts. Leaning down Aidan
claimed Fiona's lips. After a moment he drew back and said, “Aha,
I thought so. You weren't worried about Ardis being a lady. You
were just jealous.”
Fiona said, “Go
on Aidan, do you think that you will get around to growing up
someday?”
Rumpling his
youngster’s hair Aidan said lovingly, “Billy boy, have ye been
minding your Ma?”
“I try Da, I
really try.”
Chuckling, Aidan
said in a teasing tone, “Yes son, I know that you are very trying.”
Aidan crossed to
Tom. He gave him a warm, fatherly, hug. “Listen to the woman Tom,
and me a respectable Father, and Husband bringing home meat for the
fire.” Aidan pointed to a dead duck, and rabbit.
Ardis wrinkled her
nose. She knew she should be dutiful, and clean them but she hated
the task. If Ardis could create the world they would never eat
animals. Indeed in Ardis' world animals would all be pets. They
wouldn't eat each other. They would all subsist on fruits and
vegetable only. It took all of her
will power to walk over, and pick up the two dead animals.
Tom knew how odious
she found the task. He spoke up, “I'll clean them Ardis. It won't
take me long.” Tom took the animals from Ardis, and started
walking away.
Fiona stopped him.
“Tom, put those down. Catching the meat is men's work. Cleaning
the meat is the women’s job. Ardis needs to learn her duties now
that you're married.”
Tom said dutifully,
“Yes Mother,” and handed the game back to Ardis.
As Ardis skinned
and cleaned the animals she muttered to herself, “Yes Mother,
certainly Mother, I'm not a grown-up man with a mind of my own,
Mother. Please tell me everything I should do, Mother.” Ardis was
so busy grumbling she didn't hear Aidan approach behind her.
“Let me take care
of those Ardie Kay.”
Squealing, Ardis
whirled around holding a half-skinned rabbit in front of her like a
shield.
“I'm sorry
daughter. I didn't mean to startle you. I just thought you might
like a hand.”
Ardis blushed
crimson thinking of what her Father-in-law must have overheard her
say.
Without missing a
beat Aidan said, “Don't let Fiona upset you Ardie Kay. She has led
a very difficult life. She was the oldest of ten children. Her
Parents both died of diphtheria, like your parents, when she was only
fourteen. She also lost her two youngest Sisters at the same time.
She raised the other seven children herself.” Aidan continued
softly with a rich Scottish burr in his voice, “Fiona doesn't mean
to be unkind. She's just doing the best that she knows how.”
Ardis grinned
sheepishly. “I'm sorry Papa Aidan. It wasn't Mother Bee that
upset me so much as Tom. When will he grow up, and remember he's a
husband now, not a little boy obeying his mother?”
Both of them fell
silent as they worked in rhythm. Finally Aidan spoke. “How long
have you two been married Ardie Kay, three months?”
“Yes, Papa
Aidan.”
Aidan continued,
“It's taken Tom twenty years to learn to obey his mother. It will
probably take him a while longer to learn to listen to you.” They
both chuckled at the idea. “Ardie Kay please give Tom a little
longer to learn that he has a new first loyalty. Also be patient
while Fiona understands the idea.”
Working together
they were soon finished. “I'll speak to Tom, Ardie Kay, and Fiona.
Be patient with us dear. We're far from perfect but we love you
very much.” Aidan leaned over and kissed Ardis' cheek.
“Thank you Papa
Aidan. I love all of you too.”
This evening was
like most others on their trail to Oregon. After dinner was
finished, and cleared away, the Bee family gathered around their
campfire.
There were two Bee brothers. Tom was the oldest by
thirteen years. His Brother, Billy, was seven.
Billy looked a
great deal like his older Brother. That's where the similarity
ended. Billy Bee was a curious, imaginative, little boy. He dearly
loved Ardis. She would make up stories, and sing songs to him.
Billy would add his own details. The Bee family all
loved to sing. Billy also loved to create songs. His voice was a
pure, sweet, sound. His singing enlivened the heart of all who heard
him.
The family also
loved to dance. They hadn't danced in a long time. At the end of a
day of walking they were too weary to dance.
Aidan ended the
family time a little earlier than he usually did. “It's time for
family prayer. We will have an early start in the morning. Our
trail leader says that we need to make up for the time we lost when
we were all sick a while back.”
Seemingly on cue,
Fiona coughed. It was a deep, dry, rasping, sound. She had been the
sickest of the whole wagon train. She was still far from well. Fiona spoke up,
“Honestly Aidan, I don't know if I can walk another step forward.”
Ardis put her arms
around the stiff, brittle, form of her Mother-in-law. “Mother Bee,
go get some rest. I will tuck in Billy. I'll also make certain that
the animals are secure for the night.”
Fiona gently
touched Ardis' cheek. “You know the good Lord never blessed me
with a daughter, until now. Thank you Ardie Kay.”
As a family they
prayed. Fiona left to go to their bed in the wagon.
Aidan spoke up,
“Tom, son, I need to speak to you alone.” Something in Aidan's
tone alarmed Ardis but she pushed away her concerns with the
immediate tasks at hand.
Billy walked with
her. They checked to make certain that the chickens were secure in
their little portable coop. Next they checked on the oxen, and the
goat.
Finally, Ardis
helped Billy prepare for bed. When he was snug in the back of the
wagon, Ardis sang to him, “Bye lo Billy, Papa's gone a hunting, to
get a lovely rabbit skin, to wrap our darling Billy in.”
Billy protested,
“Ah, Ardie Kay, that song is for babies. I'm a big boy now. Last
week Papa said that I'm almost a man!”
Ardis rumpled
Billy's thick, curly, locks. “Don't be growing up so quickly
Billy. All the girls in the camp will be chasing after you. Just
remember you're my sweetheart!”
“Nah, Ardie Kay,
you've gone and married Tom. Everybody knows that you can't marry
two men. Besides I sorta' fancy that Elizabeth Owens. She can stick
her tongue out so far that she can touch her nose with it!”
“Indeed, Billy,
that is a skill far superior to any that I've mastered in life. But
can Elizabeth do this?” Ardis began humming. While she hummed she
held one finger alongside her nose. Then she gently tapped the other
side of her nose, making the humming warble, and vibrate.
Billy watched
spellbound. “Teach me Ardie Kay! Please teach me!” Billy's
eyes were enormous with wonder.
“I will be happy
to teach you Billy,”
Billy whooped. He
began clapping his hands.
“Tomorrow.”
Ardis finished her statement.
Billy moaned, “No,
now Ardie Kay, teach me now!”
Ardis smiled
wisely. “If I taught you now what would you be looking forward to
tomorrow? Now, down on your
knees, darling, to talk to the dear Lord.”
Billy slid down in
an instant. He said, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord
my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my
soul to take. God bless Ma, and Papa, and Ardie Kay, and Tom, and
me.”
“And I,” Ardis
replied, automatically correcting Billy's grammar.
“Why do I need
God to bless my eye?” Billy questioned innocently.
“Never mind,”
Ardis said, “Finish your prayers.”
Billy continued,
“God bless Ardie Kay to remember to teach me how to play my nose,
in Jesus name, Amen.”
“Amen,” Ardis
echoed, “Now climb into your covers.” Ardis tucked the blanket
in around Billy. She kissed his warm, sweat sticky, cheek.
“Nuts, Ardie
Kay,” Billy wiped the offensive kiss off his cheek with the back of
his hand. “Why'd you go and do that mushy stuff?”
“I just can't
help myself Billy. You're just too darn handsome for the good of
women everywhere.”
Billy giggled.
“Ardie Kay, lean over. I have a secret to tell ya.”
Obediently, Ardis
leaned her ear down to Billy's mouth.
“I love you Ardie
Kay,” Billy whispered.
Ardis felt her
heart grow warm. “I love you too Billy Bee,” Ardis whispered
back. “Sweet dreams, handsome prince. May God's brightest angels
watch over you.”
As she climbed out
of the wagon she saw that Tom and Aidan were standing by the
campfire. Their words were unusually animated for the late hour of
the night. Ardis stayed in the shadow of the wagon to hear Aidan
speaking, “Use your head, Tom. I wouldn't have told you if I
thought that you'd go off half-cocked.”
Tom threw his arms
up in the air, “You of all people know that we come from a proud
land of warriors. Fighting is the thing that we Scottish do best.”
Aidan was agitated.
“This isn't our battle son. This isn't Scotland or the great
bloody past. How will your Mother feel, and what of Ardie Kay? I
believe you promised to share your life with her and take care of
her? There was something about a promise to her dying parents?”
Worried, Ardis
strode purposefully towards Tom and Aidan. “What is this all
about?”
Tom got excited and
rubbed his hands together, “It's started, Ardis.”
“What in Heaven's
name are you talking about Tom? What's started?”
“War, it's war!
Fort Sumter has been fired on. It's official.”
Ardis sat down on
the nearest object, a stump. Her bones suddenly felt more liquid
than solid.
Tom frowned at
Ardis. Frustrated, he clenched his fists in his pockets. “I know
as a woman you can't understand. When I was tiny Father told me of
the great Scottish warriors. Don't you see? This is my
chance. I must give back to this land, this place that gave me
life.”
Ardis stood and
gave Tom an icy glare, “Strange, you say this land gave you life.
I thought your Mother did.” Ardis grabbed Tom by the arms, “Oh
Tom, it would be different if you were fighting to protect our
families, or our homes. This isn't our war. This war belongs to
someone else. This war belongs to the people who believe in slavery.
This war belongs to the slaves trying to be free.”
“Ardis we all
belong to the United States of America. This battle belongs to all
men, all of them, in this new country. If the south secedes and
forms a new country we lose all of those grand things that George
Washington and the brave men of the revolutionary war won.” Tom continued,
“Remember that powerful declaration that we learned in school? 'We
hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.
That all men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable
rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.” All of them were silent for a moment. They were
feeling the power of the words ring across the years.
“You're going
then.” Ardis said the words flatly. Finally acceptance had come.
Tom nodded up and down. Ardis felt a glimmer of attraction for Tom
beyond her normal feelings of brotherly fondness for him. It was
driven by the knowledge that she may lose him forever.
Tom pulled her
close and then gently lowered his lips to hers. Ardis felt no magic.
There was no surge of sparks. Still she told herself that it felt
good to be in the strong circle of Tom's arms. That was enough.
Tom ended the kiss.
“Don't worry Ardis, I'll be home before you know it. We won't
have to fight very hard to whup those rebel southerners. Then I'll
come back to you. We'll build our home, grow our crops, and have a
family. It will be right. You'll see.”
Sensing that Tom
needed her approval, Ardis squared her shoulders, lifted her chin,
and smiled at him through the veil of her tears.
