The Reason For Grace (Sequel to A Reason To Stay)

Chapter 15

Payton rose early. Today was laundry day and she wanted to finish before the sun was high in the sky. It was an exhausting task on any day but two weeks from her due date and the hot August sun beating down her, only made it worse. In the almost two weeks since Doris had moved in she had taken over the garden and canning. She also had taken on most of Payton's cleaning chores. Today though, Payton was going to pull one over on the older lady. She was going to have it started and be elbow deep in suds before Doris knew what was happening.

Payton tip toed out of the room, looking in on Nate asleep in his crib in the adjoining room. She still was amazed at how beautiful the room was. A single window faced the west. Plaster walls and ceilings and a smooth wood floor. She, Doris and Malissia had all worked to together to make rugs for each bedroom. Nate's was a blue, green and brown rag rug. It was round and the colors added so much to the small space. Joshua was making him a new bed but it just wasn't finished yet. So, for now he slept in the small crib. Nate was snoring and she left him alone afraid if she pulled the blanket over him, he would wake.

 She stopped by the children's room and peeked inside. Both Hannah and Tommy had kicked the covers off during the night. Hannah was asleep on her stomach, Tommy on his side facing away from his sister. Their room was much like Nate's. Their rag rug was rectangle and  red, white and green scraps of material made it up. Payton stopped and thanked God for her beautiful children. They were all so healthy and each one amazed her.

As she made her way down the stair case she thanked him that he had provided them with such a large lovely home. She peeked into the sitting room and smiled when she spotted the settae. Joshua had brought it home only three days earlier. When they had talked about building the house she had asked for one. She had never dreamed that Joshua had actually ordered one for her. It was beautiful. It was green and gold with cherry stained legs.

Payton walked into the room and let hand hand glide over the back. It was so beautiful. Her mother had had a settee. Payton could still remember sitting on it learning needle point from her grandmother. Her mother had several store bought chairs with cushions but they had lived inside of town and her father had been a merchant. So he had a little more of an income than a small farmer. Payton knew that Joshua had some money saved up when they married but she just wasn't sure how much. She knew he had gotten a loan to build the house but she had no clue how big of a loan. She didn't even know how much money he had in the bank.

She sighed, it didn't really matter to her. She lovingly touched the arm of the furniture and smiled. Joshua was a good man and handsome too. She giggled. He had continued to keep his beard shaved, something she rather liked. She blushed suddenly. No one was around to see her and no one but her knew her thoughts... She loved her husband. She sighed remembering that first day he came to hitch up the wagon. She must have looked a fright, crying with her hair and clothes a mess from trying to hitch the wagon herself. It was a wonder he didn't run for the hills. She touched her swollen abdomen, but he hadn't. He had kept coming by to help her. Not even with the intentions of taking her as his wife. A giggle escaped her lips, and his proposal... oh, how funny now to think that she had agreed. Yes it was all ordained of God because what man in his right mind would want to take on a skinny, expecting, widowed, mother of two as his wife with nothing to bring to the marriage but problems. And him... she hadn't even been attracted to him. She thought his beard was a mess and those glasses hiding his eyes... She sighed, yes she knew God had thrown them together and it was no mistake.

She sighed as she left the sittting room and headed for her kitchen. She wished her parents could be here to see what all Joshua had done for her. He was always trying to make her happy. Giving her gifts and telling her he loved her. He was a wonderful father to the children. She touched her stomach. "Oh, Lord," she said with closed eyes, "Please let this go okay. Please let me be able to give Joshua a baby of his own. I want him to be able to look into the eyes of a child and see some of himself. I want him to know the joy you feel when you watch your child and know that the way he holds his head is the same as your father or the way she laughs is the same as your sister.... I want him to have those precious gifts. Please Lord, if it could be your will let me and this baby both live. Let us have this child to raise together...Amen." She took a deep breath and set about to make breakfast.