Earthly Vows (5 page)

“So this is about your father?”

She responded with an irritated sigh.

“Imagine, Fern, me in a city pulpit. No more smalltown pettiness, smart folks with big ideas.”

“Hear yourself, Jeb. You’ve already moved us into Oklahoma City.”

“And what’s wrong with that? I’ve slaved over Church in the Dell, and for little payback.”

She didn’t argue. “Nazareth is needy, I’ll admit that.”

“Fern, I’ve been speaking in the pulpit for quite some time. I can use a message from last week. We’ll be in Oklahoma City.
We’ll get a couple of nice rooms, one for you and the girls and one for Willie and me. Monday, we’ll see the sights, eat in
a good restaurant. I’m thinking of you too.”

“You’ve already decided then.”

“We don’t have to give them an answer this weekend, do we?”

“No, we don’t.” She got up from the chair and went to the window. Several couples were engaged in conversation out on the
walk. “The Flauverts are good people.”

“Fern, all I’ve ever known is hand-to-mouth.”

“I finally got used to the idea of being a minister’s wife in Nazareth. I never imagined myself being anywhere else.”

“We’re giving them a look, is all.”

A quiet moment passed between them.

“I guess we’d better join the Flauverts at their luncheon,” she said, resignation seeping in. “I’m going to go and freshen
up. Rachel offered me her bedroom.” She picked up her handbag and snapped it closed. She kissed Jeb and left him standing
alone in Flauvert’s study.

Jeb had not noticed until now how many bookcases lined Flauvert’s walls. It was a large study, and framed photographs hung
decoratively around the room. Rachel stood next to Jonathan in most of the photographs. She was a plain woman, slender and
tastefully dressed, her lips faintly tinged.

Fern had never been plain or ordinary. She was complicated, more like, always asking questions. He liked that about her, usually.

The door opened and Jonathan peered into the room. “How did it go with the missus?”

“I’ll accept your offer of speaking on Sunday.”

“Fern’s a smart woman.”

“She’s marrying me, isn’t she?”

Jonathan opened the door wide. “I’d like to introduce you to some of our faculty, one of whom is our son George. He graduated
college in May. Maybe before you head back to Nazareth, I can meet your young charges.”

“You’ll like them too. They have their charms, Angel especially.”

“Nothing better for a church than a respectable minister and his family to lead the way. Come and try Sophie’s chicken wings.”

The afternoon wound down, the sun as gold as hay. The occasional car or horse and wagon rolling past the Coulters’ front gate
sent Angel to her feet. The telegram had not left her hands since Abigail handed it to her. The view from the screened-in
back porch offered the best view of the road. Jeb and Fern had been due back from lunch for two hours.

Road dust lifted, hovering above a copse of trees beyond the horse stable. Angel leaned back against the settee and sighed
until she heard the sound of a car motor rumbling down the shaded lane. Finally the Coulter Packard nosed into the clearing.

Miss Coulter wore a white hat and fumbled with it from the front passenger seat. Her face was tanning in the Oklahoma sun,
but the women from Ardmore had a tendency to tan, at least the ones who played golf.

Fern talked to her more often, now that she and Jeb were engaged. She would like to have a mother like Fern, only not necessarily
Fern. She could not explain her reasons precisely. Fern liked having her way and so did Angel. Fern could communicate exactly
what she wanted with lightning speed, making it hard to calculate a reliable comeback. It was things like that that annoyed
her.

But Ida May took to Fern, as had Willie, looking more to Fern now for comfort. Willie’s questions about Claudia indicated
an alarm had gone off in both him and Ida May. She would have to study the matter.

She came to her feet and opened the back screen porch door wide, leaning out and faintly smiling at Jeb. Fern got out of the
car carrying a dress store box. Angel held up the telegram and said, “It’s from Claudia. She’s here in Oklahoma.”

“In town, your sister?” asked Jeb.

“Norman. She’s coming Friday.”

“Angel, I’m tickled to death! What good news, and here with us so close by. Does my mother know? How did Claudia find you
here?” asked Fern.

“Miz Abigail made a telephone call and, after some time, she found her.”

“She’s a surprise a minute,” said Fern. “Never said a word to me.”

Jeb opened the door and Fern went inside. He took a breath, pursing his lips, but not saying anything at all.

“I can’t believe it, can you, Jeb?” asked Angel.

“After all this time, no I can’t.” His brows came together, but he kept looking down, taking a breath as if he didn’t know
what to say.

Angel placed the telegram on the table next to the settee. “You think she’ll want us, Jeb?”

“Of course she will. She’s your sister, isn’t she?”

“How do you feel about that, Jeb? Us maybe leaving to go and be with Claudia?” There was a pause and then Angel said, “That’s
what you’ve been waiting for, isn’t it, Jeb?”

“You’ve been waiting for this day, Angel. It’s not my business to say either way how I feel.” He opened the door for her as
he had for Fern. Instead of following Fern into the kitchen, he ascended the stairs. Halfway up, he stopped and said, “Be
happy, Angel. That’s all.”

J
EB SLEPT RESTLESSLY
T
HURSDAY NIGHT
. H
E
woke up at twelve, at one-sixteen, four o’clock, and again as Abigail’s rooster crowed at five on Friday morning. His calves
were tangled in the cotton linen sheets. The feather mattress had swallowed him up into its center and he sweated like a pig
at slaughter. Plainly, morning came too soon.

Ida May ran down the hall singing a cereal ditty on the way to Abigail Coulter’s washroom as she had every morning since they
had arrived in Ardmore. Her high and tinny voice squeaked out the rhyme in step with her pounding feet.

It’s good for growing babies, and grown-ups too to eat. For all the family’s breakfast, you can’t beat Cream of Wheat.

The bedroom door opened. Angel stuck in her head and said, “Claudia’s bus will be coming soon, thirty minutes. You’ll be ready?”

Jeb kicked off the sheet. “I will. Where’s my coffee, Biggest?”

“Downstairs. Who am I? The maid?” She laughed and closed the door.

Jeb showered, dressed, and, coming out into the hall, met Fern coming up the steps. She kissed him and said, “I’ve never seen
Angel so excited.”

He walked past, towel-drying his hair.

“You forgot to shave,” she said.

“I thought I’d go for coffee first.”

“Did you sleep? You look like what the cat dragged in.”

He stopped in front of a hall mirror and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t sleep well away from home.”

“Is that it?”

“What else would it be?” he asked.

“How do you feel about Claudia coming to town? You’ve not said a word since Angel told you.”

“Angel needs her family. I’m happy for her,” he told her. “It’s as I said, that I don’t sleep well away from home, that’s
all.”

“You know this means that we won’t be able to take the Welbys along with us into Oklahoma City tonight?”

That was a good thought.

“We can’t go, just the two of us, babe, although I’m tempted.” Jeb kissed her forehead. “We have to go. I promised.”

“I’ll ask my sister Donna to join us. You’ve not met her. I’ll see her this morning after you leave to pick up Claudia. I
forgot about all that until Mother reminded me. She’s going to make up my room today for Claudia after we leave.”

“That means she’s got all three Welbys and then Claudia too. You sure she doesn’t mind?”

“Says she doesn’t.”

Jeb rested at the top of the staircase, staring down at the entry.

“Are you all right?” asked Fern. “What is it, Jeb?”

Angel’s and Willie’s voices drifted up from the kitchen.

“Maybe it is Claudia. Or Nazareth. Or both.”

Myrna called them down to breakfast. The pork sausage smell drifted up the stairwell.

“I’ll go and shave and then meet you downstairs,” said Jeb. He lathered up and shaved and then put on a pair of brown trousers
that would be good for travel for the day trip into Oklahoma City. Then he hurried downstairs. The Coulters sat around Abigail’s
kitchen table. Fern sat beside him and they ate in a hurry so that he could drive Angel downtown.

Ida May and Willie had already eaten. Willie kept peeking into the kitchen to see if Jeb was coming or not. He had a look
about him that drew Jeb’s attention. “You needing to say something, Willie Boy?”

“After you eat, maybe.” He disappeared into the parlor.

Angel ran in breathless, holding a dark blue hat. “I’m ready to go to the bus station, Jeb,” she said. “You look awful.”

Jeb picked up his napkin and fork and handed his plate to Myrna.

“We’ll be waiting, Angel,” said Fern. “Can’t wait to meet the long-awaited Claudia.” She kept her eyes planted on Angel, came
out of her chair, and then held out her arms. “Give us a hug, girl.”

Angel put her arms around Fern. Instead of letting go after a few seconds, Fern held on, drawing Angel close. Angel buried
her face in Fern’s shoulder.

Fern’s face softened. She tightened her grip around Angel.

Angel’s sniffling turned to sobbing. “It’s—been— so—long!”

“Let it all out now, Angel. You’ll want Claudia to see your smiling self,” said Fern.

Abigail brought her hands to her face and kept saying, “Dear me, dear me.”

Ida May ran and gave Angel a handkerchief.

“What’s wrong with everyone?” asked Willie.

Jeb retrieved his hat from the hat stand and said, “Women’s business, Willie Boy. Let’s go outside.”

Willie lagged behind Jeb, his gaze fixed behind him on the women all bawling in the kitchen. “Who gets the reason women cry
all over one another?”

Jeb opened the door and led Willie out under the shade of an oak once planted by Fern’s grandmother. “Speak to me, Willie.
You look like you have something to say.”

He stammered around for a minute before he finally said, “This may sound like I ain’t as happy as Angel about Claudia coming.
I am. But I’ve been wondering about us. I mean, does this mean that we’re done with knowing you and Miss Coulter? Not that
you ever asked for us. I know Angel finagled us under your roof.”

“Willie, who says that Claudia is going to take you all in? Let’s meet her first and let her have her say. As for Fern and
me being done with you, as you put it, no, we’ll never be done with you.”

Willie cast his eyes across the pasture toward home.

“How do you want all of this to turn out?” asked Jeb.

“I wish I knew. Angel, she always knows what she wants and she’ll be the first to tell you too. Why is it I never seem to
know what I want?”

“Maybe you haven’t been asked often enough.”

Willie looked up at Jeb, as though he were having his first reflection on life. “Haven’t we been a family, Jeb?” He crouched
beneath the tree and wrote in the dirt with his finger.

“You’re a smart boy, Willie. Give me your take on it.”

“People who sleep under the same roof so’s they can all take care of one another, get in one another’s business and such.”

“Do I get in your business?”

“All the time.” He came to his feet. “If you didn’t, wouldn’t I go bad? I know I would.”

“Families have to let go too. The question is, do you think it’s time to move on, to join your sister?”

“I know I’m supposed to want to say yes, but something’s keeping me from it.” He laughed. “Fact is, I like things the way
they are. Miss Coulter, she’s a good lady and looks after us and I had this idea that after you-all married, she’d be my momma.”
He swallowed hard. “I sound like a fool.”

Jeb wanted to promise Willie that he would never have to leave, that he would go and meet Claudia at the bus stop and then
send her back home. The two of them stood staring at the ground. A crow flew overhead calling to the sun.

“I guess I’d better go and get your sister.”

The door opened and Angel came through the doorway, wearing the blue hat.

Willie turned and marched out into the pasture. He walked with a halting gait, his shoulders squared.