Tomorrow's Promise: Mail Order Bride

Chapter Eight Not a hosue

“Is this the neighbor’s house?” Belinda asked.

“No it’s mine.” Kris replied with pride in his voice.

“A servant’s house, then?”

“No, this is where I live.”

               Belinda couldn’t breath; this was a stack in the middle of no where. Kris looked at her questioningly, and then the realization seeped in. Oh my goodness, this is the house he was talking about it wasn’t as grand, as he told her on the way up here. The house was made of wood and looked worse then a servant’s quarters at David’s estate. Well, she never saw the servant’s quarters but they had to look better then this stack. Kris rode up to the front of the little stack and helped her down. She started to walk up to the stairs Kris took her by surprise, when he sloped down and took her into his arms.

“What are you doing?” She couldn’t keep the shock out of her voice, she was so close to Kris’s face. She could feel his hot breath on her cheek; she’d never been so close to another man who wasn’t David before. Never this close, she started to feel the blush creep up her neck and up her already hot face.

“I am taking my wife into her new home for the first time.”

Why did Kris feel like blushing, he was 28 for goodness sakes. The last girl that he took into his arms, was when he was 17 and so in love with Ashley. However, she didn’t love him because her left with some other man to be married.  Lord, please help me be the kind of husband that you are to us, Lord, your bride. Kris  felt a peace after his prayer to the Lord. He took Belinda into the house and put her down. He looked into her face to try and read some emotion from her eyes. The strange thing was that he couldn’t see any emotion.

               Belinda couldn’t believe her eyes, the first room in the house was the parlor. The parlor had a worn down sofa that was an ugly brown that looked like it had seen better days. The wall white plaster and pine woodwork floor was smooth and had a large dark brown woven rug. However, the floor was dusty and needed a good cleaning. He had a rough handmade wooden table. There was a fire place on one wall the also needed a good cleaning. She looked at Kris and saw a look of wonder and pride on his face. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings so she kept her mouth closed. Kris walked her into the kitchen door that was on the other part of the parlor. The kitchen was connected to the parlor. The kitchen had a pot belly stove and a little table on the side. On one side there were many hooks on the wall that held kitchen utensils like two iron skillets, two iron pots and an eggbeater. There was a wooden shelf by the wall that held a coffee pot, steel teakettle, coffee cups, tin cups, and a wooden box that she assumed held spoons, folks, knifes, She turned to her right and saw a open door. The bed room had a feather bed beside a window and on either side of the bed was a side table with a gas lamp. The right side of the room had a trunk that must have belong to Kris on either side of the door was a rough hewn wardrobe. The floor had two dark brown woven rug and on e of the feet of the bed. The whole time Kris was showing her the house he kept telling her low long it took him to build it. After looking at the house she could see that it was a really nice house that had a feeling of peace.

“How do you like the house?” Kris asked.

Belinda kept her mouth closed for about a minute. She saw the look of wonder on Kris’s face and couldn’t help but smile.

“It’s a beautiful house Kris!” Kris smiled, he had a smile that could light up any cloudy night.

“Thank you, I’m so happy that you think the house is beautiful. God has blessed me so much in my life.” Belinda just looked at him and didn’t say a work.

“Well, let’s eat the dinner that my mother packed for us to eat tonight. She’s sorry she couldn’t meet you my father is feeling under the weather today. But she’s be here tomorrow to meet you.”  Belinda nodded her head.

               After dinner Kris left her to go out and feed the animals. Before he left he brought her trunk inside from the wagon. So as he was outside she went into the bedroom to get ready for the long night ahead of her. She opened her trunk and got out a nightgown to change into. After she changed she sat on the bed to wait for Kris to come inside. She remembered that all she had to do is close her eyes and imagine something else. She heard the front door open and close, she began to breath slowly. She heard footsteps walking towards the bedroom door. She knew that in just a couple of moments Kris was going to walk into this room. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt as bad as with David. Maybe he’d just leave her alone. Are you crazy Belinda, he’s a man and all they want is someone to warm their beds. The voice in her head told her. She wasn’t going to cry and she was going to let him do whatever he wanted to her.

               Kris walked up to the bedroom door and moved his hand to open the door but stopped himself. Lord, please help me be loving towards my wife tonight. Kris prayed quietly to himself. He waited for the Lord to tell him what to do next; it didn’t take long until he heard it in his heart. Not tonight, bring her to me first! In his mind Kris keep telling himself “but it’s my wedding night can’t I be with my wife?”  However, he knew that answer to that already. Your will be done, Lord, I may not understand. But I love you and I am going to do what you command of me.

               Belinda pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. The door slowly opened and Kris walked inside. She couldn’t raise her eyes to look at his face.

“I’m ready when you are?” She tried to make her voice sound strong but it came out all weak.

“Not tonight you’re tired and need to rest.”

She couldn’t believe her ears, rest! He doesn’t want you. He knows you’re a weak little child. He wants you to go back to wherever you came from so he can get himself a new wife. The evil voice kept saying in her ear.

“Why don’t you want me?” She tried to make her voice sound strong but again it came out all weak and prophetic.

“No, I think you’re beautiful and I’d be crazy not to desire you. However you look tired and really need to rest. “ Kris got ready for bed and laid down.  

“Um, aren’t you going to sleep in the other room?”

Kris turned and looked into her eyes and looked confused. Belinda never had slept in the same bed with another man before. David had his own room that he slept in all the time, he never slept with her in the same bed.

“This is our room, Belinda, and this is our bed. However, if you’re not comfortable I’ll sleep on the floor?”

Belinda couldn’t push this man out of his own bed. She quickly got under the blankets and tried to stay away from the massive man sleeping so close to her. She tried to close her eyes but sleep wouldn’t come to her. She had to get out of this house. This man was playing too much on her emotions. As soon as he fall asleep she would run away, she didn’t know where she was going to go; all she knew is that she had to get out of this house. She closed her eyes for a second and soon found herself asleep, maybe she was tired after all.