Love in 1865

Chapter Five

"Are you alright? By sound of your conversation with your mom this Paul guy is a real piece of leather." I scoffed, "More like he is a bull and I am the color red, and no matter how hard I try, I barely miss the horns. I don't know. Part of me thinks I shouldn't feel this way. I mean, I stood up the son of the most beloved man in town and moved in with somebody I met yesterday and work for today. There is just so much resentment in my heart for someone I should only pity." We neared the shop, and as the horses stopped, Cassian slid from his seat to guide them into the stable. "Listen, you did that yes, but you also refused to marry an entitled man who was using your nephews as leverage, and you're choosing to take your life back. There will be moments like this where you are either unsure about how you feel or you are unsure about how you feel about others. It doesn't matter how pessimistic or optimistic you think, there will be days like this and there will be better days and worse days. Remember that you are making decisions to help you, and that these decisions will shape you. Now, if you are still ready to finish this day, might we go pick out your room?"

After maybe fifteen minutes of steep stairs we reached a hallway like the one in my dream with many rooms lining its borders. We walked to the very end of the hallway where a purple door stood invitingly; I opened the door, due to Cassian's lack of hands (he was holding my trunk). The whole room was purple in every shade, and each shade seemed to tell a story; every inch of this place had a feel for memories. I daren't touch anything, so I watched Cassian as he set the trunk on the bed, which had previously been hidden by the dark of the drapes that he opened. "This room was supposed to be my wife's. I left the day after we married to find a lawyer for a legal case, but when I came home, she had been taken from me. The people of this town- your father not included- buried her, and I never got to say goodbye. She never even got to see her room." I saw the redness in his eyes consume, so I sat beside him on the bed. "I think she'd like the room- I mean- I like it. Please tell me more about her! How old were you when you met? How did you meet? How did you know she was the one?" Cassian chuckled as I pressed for answers. "Her name was Sadine. It was Sunday after church when we met. I was a very quiet lad, and I was walking to an oak tree to read my bible. She came to me riding a wild steed. She didn't really come to me- she trampled me with her horse! She was very apologetic, and I only lost a couple teeth. Sadine was the outgoing sweetheart fathers cried and prayed they'd never have, but all the boys wanted. She was sixteen when she showed up at my parents house and told me to marry her. I assumed she was half joking, but her parents were planning on moving to another country. We were able to convince her parents to stay, and together our families built this house for her and I. We married the day the construction was completed, and the rest is history." Cassian made his way to the door and looked back at me. "I don't remember if I cleaned the closet out, so I can take care of it if you want." I assured him I would take care of it, and let him leave. I was getting comfortable and began to make this room my own, and I loved every bit of it. I realized that he did understand me more than I thought.