The Christmas Gift (A Wyoming Mail Order Bride Holiday 1) Read online

“It’s only been six months. Give yourself more time,” Beth said softly. There was such sadness in her eyes. Sometimes Naomi forgot that Aunt Beth was mama’s baby sister. She had suffered a great loss, too.

  “It’s not getting better. I cannot live like this. The grieving is too much to bear. And I know they wouldn’t want this for me. They wouldn’t, Aunt Beth!”

  Beth bit her lip to hide her tears and nodded. “All right, you can pursue this crazy notion, but on the condition that I help you find a match. I must give my blessing. I won’t have you running off to marry just anyone, you hear? Your mama would be very disappointed in me if I let her daughter go out west to marry a scoundrel.”

  Naomi wrapped her arms around her aunt and squeezed her tight. “I love you, Aunt Beth.”

  “I love you too, honey. That’s why I need to make sure you find a good man.”

  Chapter Three

  Summer turned to fall and before Naomi knew it, it was November. She had dreaded the arrival of cold weather because the Christmas season eventually came with it. She was hopeful that her new opportunity along with the support of her extended family would help her get through it. The new opportunity was one Mr. Jackson Pierce. She thought back to the progression of their long distance relationship.

  She’d found his ad several months prior. There was nothing romantic about his ad. In fact it was quite practical. “I’m not looking for romance,” it read, “but I would very much like a family.”

  Naomi was sure she didn’t want a loveless marriage, but she did want to find someone who was open to letting things move slowly. She thought maybe Mr. Pierce might be a good match for her. She’d never been in love before and she was young. She’d had a boyfriend before the fire, but he’d disappeared when she became unresponsive to him and everyone else. Maybe this was the best plan ever for getting her life in order.

  She pondered and prayed over it for a few days. Was this really a potential match for her or not? Did she really want to marry a man who had no interest in romance at all? Finally, she showed the ad to Beth.

  “I don’t know, Naomi. This sounds a bit dodgy. He is willing to have children with someone he doesn’t love? You’re very young. Too young to tie yourself to a man who will refuse to love you,” Aunt Beth said when she read the ad.

  “I think he sounds like a respectable man. I’d really like to write to him and see what he says. He may not even answer, you know. Sometimes they don’t, I’ve heard.”

  “Go ahead, then. Let’s see what he has to say.” Beth still sounded skeptical but she at least had agreed to have Naomi begin a correspondence with this intriguing man from Cheyenne, Wyoming.

  Naomi sent a letter that day. She was honest with Jackson and told him of her loss. She explained that she now lived with her Aunt and her family, but what she desired was a family of her own. She told him she wasn’t looking for riches, just a way to begin picking up the pieces of her life again.

  A return letter arrived from Jackson two and a half weeks later. His first letter seemed just as honest as hers. He was happy she had written to him and he expressed sympathy for her loss. He explained a little about himself. He was a successful rancher and his reason for seeking a mail order bride was that the women in Cheyenne were already married or far too late in years to bear children. He said that he did want children. He hoped that one day his son would run his ranch and make him proud.

  Well, that was reasonable, Naomi thought.

  He broached the romance issue by saying that he isn’t good at understanding how a woman’s heart works. He said that he would be generous and kind to his wife and family. He ended by asking her to write back with more information about herself if she was interested in going further.

  The two had corresponded for some time and she felt like he was a good and sincere man. She actually felt like they were in a courtship. He was a very good writer and he was kind and humorous in his letters. She had come to trust him and she looked forward to his letters very much.

  Then, in mid-November, she received the letter she’d been waiting on. The letter that she hoped would come. He asked her to come to Wyoming to marry him. The proposal as such wasn’t flowery or special. It was practical, but also kind and generous. He sent money for train fare so she didn’t have to travel in a coach or use her own money for the fare.

  Naomi read the letter three times before she showed it to her aunt. Beth’s mouth twitched. “He does seem sincere, but how can we be sure?”

  “I’ll never know for sure unless I meet him. If he is as sincere as his letter, then it would be imprudent to decline his offer. If this letter is a lie and the man who wrote it is nothing that is portrayed here, then I promise I’ll come back to Massachusetts. But I don’t think that will happen. I’ve been writing to him for long enough that I think I would have seen any insincerities by now.”

  “It would appear as though you have already made up your mind,” Beth said half-heartedly.

  “I still desire your blessing,” Naomi said.

  “Oh my sweet girl, after all that you’ve been through, how could I deny you this adventure?”

  “Thank you, Aunt Beth! I’m going to write back to him straight away and tell him I’ll meet him in Wyoming before Christmas.”

  “Before Christmas? Wait. You mean you won’t celebrate with us?”

  “I’ve been dreading Christmas so much. I’m not sure how I’ll be able to celebrate again. I need to be away from where my life fell apart last year. I love you and Uncle Richard and the kids with all my heart, but I need to figure out a new way to celebrate even if it’s just for this year.”

  ***

  Naomi wrote her response right away and walked into town to drop it off at the post office. She stopped at the mercantile to buy some supplies to make a gift for Jackson. She didn’t want to arrive empty handed, especially not on Christmas.

  Her mother had taught her how to make ornaments and they’d made new ones every year for their tree. She felt that maybe doing something she’d learned from her mama would give her strength and calmness. Giving an ornament to Jackson would hold meaning, but wouldn’t be an embarrassingly grand gesture. It came from the heart and that’s what mattered most. And her heart was grateful to him for giving her a chance at a new life.

  She spent the next few weeks getting ready for her trip. It would take about a week to travel from Massachusetts to Wyoming. Naomi had never been on a train before. In fact, she’d never been outside of Massachusetts at all and she was excited about the trip.

  Jackson responded with a letter that he was happy that she had accepted his proposal. He sent more money that he told her she should use for anything she needed to prepare for the trip and any incidentals long the way. He gave her instructions on what to do when she got to Cheyenne so that he could fetch her from the station.

  She liked that he was a man of his word and was in fact generous and already providing for his bride-to-be. She did have some money of her own, but she felt the need to spend it sparingly in case she needed it.

  She knew he would never be romantic with her, but she wondered if he would ever be her friend. She had lost so many friends since the fire. The people simply didn’t know how to act around Naomi, so they ignored her. It was cruel, but it made her value the importance of true friendship. She felt like one day she would want romance and hoped that her marriage would grow. She hoped that Jackson would one day love her, but she would worry about that later.

  Naomi sent a letter back thanking Jackson for his kindness. It was a simple and short note to him. She also told him she was very much looking forward to meeting him in person. She reminded him that she would be arriving in time for Christmas. She knew the letter would arrive before she did, so she kissed the envelope, and prayed that it would bring the same hope she felt to her husband-to-be in Wyoming.

  Last Christmas Naomi had experienced the worst tragedy imaginable. She had to believe that life would get better, and desp
ite what Jackson said, perhaps love was a possibility.

  ***

  As the day drew near for Naomi to depart, Aunt Beth helped her pack. They did a little each day the week before her journey began. Naomi saw that the whole thing was difficult for her aunt because she got teary-eyed every time they put more things in her trunks.

  “You’re going off to become a bride, and I won’t even be able to see you on your wedding day,” Beth cried the day before Naomi was to leave. They were putting the final items in her last trunk when she sat down on the bed and looked at her niece.

  “I’ll write a really long letter and tell you all about it. It won’t be a big deal, anyway. You know that,” Naomi said in an attempt to cheer her up. “You know I love you and Uncle Richard, and of course the kids… but this is your life. I need to go find mine.”

  “I know. You’re adventurous, just like your mama. You remind me so much of her!”

  “Do you think she would have been proud of me?”

  “I know she would have. You’re searching for happiness. Not many people have the will to go after what they want. You’re a very strong woman, Naomi.”

  Strong. She had been told that repeatedly after the fire. She wasn’t strong enough to save them. None of them. And that would always haunt her. She had felt anything but strong as she’d cried on her knees at their graves those many weeks.

  At that moment, she realized that God truly had taken her through all those difficult steps to get her to a place where she was finally ready to take charge of her life again. She was going to continue to trust Him.

  “Naomi? What do you think?” She stopped her thought and looked up at Beth. It took her a moment to understand what she was showing her. It was a simple, but pretty white lace dress. It was a wedding dress.

  “Oh, my. It’s beautiful. Where did it come from?” Naomi asked in awe. She reached out to touch the delicate lace.

  “It’s from your uncle and me. We wanted to be able to give you a wedding present, so now at least I know you’ll have a proper dress.”

  “Oh, Aunt Beth! It’s lovely! I love it!” Naomi took the dress and held it up to her shoulders, catching her reflection in the looking glass. Most of her dresses were simple house dresses. She had some Sunday church dresses, but those were nothing nearly this nice. Of course wedding dresses were supposed to be wonderfully special and this one was perfect. Having a beautiful dress to get married in gave her the extra boost of confidence she needed to board that train.

  “Thank you Aunt Beth, it really is beautiful. I’m honored to wear the dress you and Uncle Richard have given me.”

  Aunt Beth took Naomi’s hand in hers. “You’re beautiful, Naomi. Never forget that. This dress will only enhance what’s already there.”

  “Do you think Jackson will like me?”

  “I think he will love you. How could he not?”

  “Last Christmas I was a daughter, a sister. And now I’m neither of those, but soon I’ll become a wife. So much has changed and is changing still.”

  “Change is inevitable, but never forget who you are. You’ll always be a daughter, and a sister. Just because they’re gone, doesn’t mean you aren’t those things. You’re also a cousin, a niece, a friend. There are so many things that you are, Naomi. And I do know that you will be a wonderful wife. Mr. Pierce is one lucky man to have had you of all people answer his ad.”

  Naomi smiled. She hoped he felt the same way. “Did you love Uncle Richard right away?”

  “We cared deeply for each other, how could we not? We had known each other since we were children. But I knew I loved him when I saw him holding Adam for the first time. I can’t explain it, there was a deeper connection. When I saw Adam, I knew he was created by love. And that’s how I knew I loved your Uncle Richard.”

  “That’s a beautiful way to describe love.”

  “Well, love is a beautiful thing, and if Mr. Pierce is the right man for you, then love shall blossom between you. It is inevitable.”

  “Even if he only wants a wife because of practical reasons?”

  “Well, I think any good marriage begins for practical reasons. Practical doesn’t mean there’s no room for love.”

  “Thank you, Aunt Beth. Not just for the dress, but for the year. I wouldn’t have made it this far without you.” Naomi’s voice was starting to crack with emotion.

  “You’ve made it this far, and you are about to go even farther. I can’t wait to hear what your life is like in Wyoming. And just remember, you can always come home. There’s no shame in that. Do what’s best for you, and don’t be pressured into any decisions that you are not certain of.”

  “You have my word.”

  Chapter Four

  The train had a soft sway to it as it carried its passengers along the tracks. Naomi was fascinated watching who got on and off at every stop. There were single people and families. She enjoyed watching the families together and dreamed about what her family would be like once she had it.

  She was also paying attention to where she was in her journey. She would be making two changes along the way, one in Chicago and another in Denver, and she needed to be aware of when to change trains. She was hoping everything happened like it was supposed to.

  The time alone on the train was giving her plenty of time to think. She had brought all the letters Jackson had written with her. She reread them every day, over and over, looking for clues to making their union a success. Her brain was full. Watching the other passengers, paying attention to where she was, and trying to figure out her husband-to-be before she even met him was a job.

  “Naomi, please understand, I want to be able to provide for my wife. I want someone who will depend on me.”

  His words were contradictory, but she didn’t think that Jackson was trying to be insincere. He made it clear he did not want a romantic relationship. He had mentioned it more than once in his letters, but then to write this? He clearly sought someone he could take care of—grow old together. Wasn’t that true love? Naomi was convinced that his heart and his mind wanted two separate things.

  “Most men would be so bold as to say that a pretty face is all they need. Well, a pretty face is nice, but it’s not everything. These superficial ways of thinking don’t matter to me, I want a person committed to this journey. We have spoken already about the importance of family. The tragedy that befell yours is unspeakable and I am so sorry for your loss. Having said that, I do desire a family of my own. I don’t need a large family, but having a son would make my life complete. My ranch was given to me by my father. It was given to him by my grandfather. A son to hand over my business to is somewhat of a tradition in the Pierce family line. I do not wish to see that tradition end.”

  Naomi wondered if she would be able to provide a son for him. She knew of barren women in her town. Those that longed for children that never came. She felt healthy, and was surely young enough, but what if she could only give Jackson daughters? Would he divorce her over such a thing? Shame her? Naomi shook away the vile thoughts and tried to flood her mind with positive ideas and happy notions.

  She did have a good chuckle over his remarks about the woman he married not having to be attractive. Not many men would admit to that. She knew what he looked like from the ad in the paper. The photo was a little fuzzy, but she got the general idea of his appearance – it the photo was truly of him.

  He was rather distinguished looking with his mustache and defined jawline. His gaze was intense, but she wouldn’t expect anything else from a successful businessman. She did wonder what he would look like if he smiled. She was convinced a smile would turn him into a very handsome man.

  Naomi was always told that she looked just like her mother. That was a very high compliment, for her mother was beautiful. She had her same blonde hair, pale skin with the fairest dust of blush upon her cheeks and bright blue eyes. Her imagination ran away with her as she began to imagine the two of them side by side, a baby in
her arms. The fantasy felt so within her reach, and she took out his letters again, smiling and getting little butterflies in her stomach as she reread every word.

  ***

  Naomi was happy she had thought of her little craft to make on the train. There really wasn’t that much else to do. Most people read, or went to the dining car if they needed social interaction. A few women were crocheting, some were darning socks, and so Naomi took to the embroidery she had learned and began to create an angel to decorate Jackson’s tree.

  Before the fire, she had always loved Christmas, but now it was associated with pain and loss. She wanted to find that joy again. She imagined herself baking cookies while Jackson trimmed the tree in their cozy little house. It would be so interesting to see his little Christmas traditions, and she romanticized the idea of how beautiful his ranch would look draped with holly.

  She wondered if he had a piano, for hers was lost in the fire, and she hadn’t played in over a year. She would love to play and sing songs of Christmas cheer with him and family friends. She wondered if he had parties for his staff, and imagined herself hosting a wonderful Christmas celebration. Every thought was more wonderful than the last and she grew in anticipation of stepping foot on Cheyenne soil and becoming Mrs. Pierce.

  She put all of her heart and soul into making that angel for Jackson. It gave her a sense of purpose and she felt it was symbolic. In the midst of all her sadness, he was her Christmas angel.

  “That’s a beautiful angel,” a woman knitting across from her said. “Is it for anyone special?” she asked, making polite conversation.

  “Why, yes,” Naomi said. “It’s for my intended husband.” She almost giggled when she said out loud. She looked at the woman and smiled brightly. The happiness and joy spilled out of her heart.

  Chapter Five