Mine Eyes Have Seen

Chapter One FAMILY That morning, Sarah Beth and Mattie had gone across to Hawk Man's camp. Abe noticed that Helga was washing clothes down beside the creek, not far from their temporary structures. He approached quietly, and scuffed the ground with his foot so as not to scare her. She turned around, and then stood up. “So you told her,” he said. The young woman looked up at him. “I thought she should know. It was her idea.” “Why didn't you tell me first?” “I don't know,” she said. “Maybe because there's nothing you can do about it. But she could get angry or crazy, and try to make me leave.” Abe tried hard to think of something, anything, he could say. Helga came closer and pressed herself against him, wrapping him in her arms. “It's ours, yours and mine, isn't it?” She started to cry. “Isn't it?” He slowly lifted his own arms and held her. “Yes, of course.” They stood there, locked in a seemingly timeless embrace until she said, “I told you I loved you, but I didn't think you believed me.” She pulled his head down toward her own, but he eased away from her kiss. “Yes, but…” “Mr. Abe, or just Abe, as you taught me to call you, if you turn away from me now, you will never see me or your child again. I promise you that. I love you and I want this to be just our child. Please.” “Of course,” he said. He kissed her for the first time since Sarah Beth had returned home from her time away with Hawk Man. She gently pushed him back and smiled up into his eyes. Neither spoke, and he left quickly, saddled his horse at the stable, and rode off toward the partly finished house. He wanted to complete the installation of the ironwork he got from his neighbor Mike Skinner, brackets that would hold railings for the porch steps, and hinges for the trap door that opened to the cellar. Helga watched him go, her lips still held motionless in the shape of their kiss. He was so different now that Sarah Beth was back, and now that he knew she was with child, but his kiss was the same as the first time she'd ever felt it. She wasn't afraid he would turn away from her now, it was more that she feared Sarah Beth, who had been her best friend. She wondered what would become of her now that she had done what the wife couldn't do in giving Abe a child, the hope of his future. If Sarah Beth did make her leave or tried to take the child from her, Helga knew she would fight, for the child, and for the man. She turned and knelt down to her laundry work, smiling to herself, now thinking only of this new life within her, thinking only good thoughts for their child. A short time later, as Helga was hanging the wet clothes on the line, Sarah Beth and Mattie returned from the Indian camp across the way. Mattie had only just learned to ride, and Ginger seemed to suit her fine, an experienced horse understanding this new rider's lack of skill. Helga walked over to assist the older woman down from the saddle. “Well, Lord have mercy,” Mattie said, stumbling a bit as she got to the ground, “I have rode a horse across a river and back. Now isn't that something?” Sarah Beth laughed and took the reins from Helga and led both horses toward the corral. “More like a creek than a river, I'd say.” “Yes, well all right, but it was still water to ride through. Felt like I was an Israelite crossing Jordan right here in this here Jordan Valley. My, my, my.” Sarah Beth stopped and said, “Helga, maybe you shouldn't be reaching up like that to put the washing on the line. Leave it be and I'll do it as soon as these horses are taken care of.” Mattie laughed and said confidentially to Helga, “Land sakes girl, she's going to worry about you from now on. Now me, I was still pulling a garden plough the week before my first one was born. Probably made it easier.” She pushed the kerchief holding her hair into place. “I'd best go get some bread started. That's a nice horse. I appreciate your letting me use her. I think she'll take to me after a bit.” Helga smiled and said, “I think she already likes you. Besides I've got Dandy now, and he's going to take all my horse attention from now on. Isn't he a beauty?” She nodded toward the nearby field and whistled, causing the dark bay horse to raise his head and whinny back to her. “It's like he already knew me when I got him.” Mattie smiled, saying, “A match made in heaven, as they say,” and then walked off toward the kitchen shed, thinking about the other match, the one that made a baby with this girl. Where was that match made, in heaven or…? It remained to be seen. She shook her head and ducked through the doorway into the small kitchen. When the horses were put out, Sarah Beth came inside, and asked Mattie if she needed any help. The woman shook her head and continued the soft song that accompanied her kneading of the bread. “Then I think I'll ride out and see if Abe needs any help at the house. Mattie, it's going to be so wonderful when it's done, and can you imagine making bread and everything else in that huge kitchen?” Mattie stopped what she was doing and looked at the young woman. “Not sure I'd call it huge, but it's certainly big enough.” “Oh Mattie, here you're the one calling a creek a river and then telling me what isn't huge. You're so funny sometimes.” She turned and ducked out the doorway.