Daniel's POV
"Are you sure you're ready to be a husband, Daniel?" Abigail asked as we fed the horses. One of my favorite horses was named Jake. I used to ride him when I was younger, back when he was young and fast. Jake was getting old now, but he was still one of the best horses in town. He was gentle and humble, unlike Abi's horse, Jack. Jack was wild and fearless. I think he scared some of the other horses sometimes.
"I'm ready. I love Casey," I assured Abi.
"Good, I really want her to be my sister in law," Abigail joked.
"Come on, son, we have a lot to do today," my daed said as he got into the buggy. We've been having a lot of work lately. There's a new bakery opening up in town and they needed chairs and tables. Jacob and Mark were building the tables while daed and I built the chairs. We're making between twenty and thirty chairs. Daed had been building like crazy to get it done. David came to work twice a week and only for a few hours. He didn't want Seth and Helen to become a burden. I personally thought that it was good practice for the future. Casey has assured and reassured me that she doesn't want a baby anytime soon, but I think she secretly does.
"All right," I said as I rubbed Jake's nose. "I'll be back, buddy."
I jumped into the wagon and we left. I knew work would pass by slowly today. Whenever we had a lot of the same work to do, time moved in slow motion.
By the time I finished my third chair, only two hours had passed. I had to work the register and build chairs today. Normally David would build and I'd work the register on busy days like this, but he wasn't there.
Even though slow days were the worst, I sucked it up as best as I could and went to work. Daed and I couldn't even take a lunch break today. Those chairs had to be finished by Friday.
By the end of the day, my hands felt stiff and hot. They felt like I had caught them on fire. The tips of my fingers were so red they looked like I painted them that color.
"Son, I'm going to go over to the Bishop's place. We have an important meeting to discuss some things in town. Do you think you can get our horse and buggy back home without destroying anything?"
"Very funny. I've got this, Daed. You go ahead."
Daed placed his hat on his head and left the store. I swept the store and dusted the shelves to make everything look more presentable. After I fixed up the store, I put my hat on and walked outside.
Ugh, it's freezing.
I blew my breath into my hands and rubbed them together swiftly. I couldn't believe how cold it was. We'd probably be getting some snow soon. Snow. I hadn't seen snow since I left.
I climbed into the wagon and started on my way. It was such a dark night. Clouds covered the moon and stars. I could smell the rain in the distance. We were in for quite a storm tomorrow.
As I went along, I saw a young lady walking down the road. It was too cold and certainly too dark to be outside walking alone. I pulled back, making the horses stop, and jumped out of my seat.
"Excuse me," I said as I approached the young woman, "it's kind of cold and dark out here. Do you need a ride?"
The young lady turned around and I noticed that it was just Catherine.
"Oh, hey, Daniel. I'm okay," she smiled.
Even though I wanted to get in my wagon and go home, I knew I couldn't let Catherine walk home in this weather. Her home was in the opposite direction, too. It would take her forever to get home. The wind alone could blow her away.
"Please, I insist. You shouldn't be out in this weather."
"I didn't think you cared." She looked away from me.
"Of course I care, you're still my friend, Catherine."
"Oh," she said lowly.
"Come on, I just want to do something nice for you," I said, forcing a smile.
"Okay, sure."
I helped her into the wagon and she crossed her arms. The first few minutes of the ride were awkward, to say the least. When did our relationship become so...weird? Catherine used to tell me everything, she would practically talk my ear off. I hated how things had changed between us, but I couldn't help who I loved. She of all people should know that. Knowing I couldn't bear the awkwardness anymore, I decided to start a conversation with her.
"So, where were you going? Your house was in the other direction."
"I don't know. Away," she said without even looking at me.
"Why away?" I asked.
"Because."
"Because of what?" I asked as we slowly approached her house.
"Just because."
I gestured for the horses to stop and I jumped out of my seat again. Walking around the wagon, I went to her side and helped her out of her seat. She fixed her dress a little and then proceeded to walk away.
"Catherine," I said.
"What?" She asked, turning around to face me.
"Look," I said, walking towards her, "I don't want things to be weird between us. We were friends before anything. Why can't it be like that anymore?"
"You just don't get it, do you? I have to watch you marry another woman in a few weeks, Daniel. I was in love with you first. I was your best friend and you were mine. You were my first and only love. I waited four years for you to come back, and you're not even with me. How do you expect things to be between us? I'll never just want friendship from you. Never."
"Catherine, what do you want me to say? You have no idea how sorry I am that I hurt you. It was never my intention to hurt you. You have to know that."
"I don't know what I know anymore. Two months ago, if you would have told me you could walk across water, I would have believed you. Someone could have told me that you killed someone and I would have still loved you. I believed in you, Daniel. I believed in that promise you made me and I held on to it. I held it right here." She grabbed my hand and placed it over her heart. "You were everything to me. I'm more than hurt, I'm broken. Now I have to walk around and act like seeing you with her doesn't hurt me. And, you don't even care."
"I do care. Can't you see that? I'm trying so hard to prove it to you." I pleaded.
At that moment I went from being totally sure that I wanted to marry a Casey, to not knowing what I wanted. Maybe Catherine was right, she was with me first. I felt really bad about breaking my promise to her. Besides, Casey and I did move fast. Our relationship may have only seemed great because we were at the beginning of it. I mean, Casey was only eighteen. She had a lot more living to do, and so did I. And while looking in Catherine's eyes, I almost felt like I could love her one day, too.
"Do you feel that?" She asked, stepping closer and pushing my hand against her chest. "My heart beats faster just standing next to you. I thought you were the one. I thought we would get married one day. You ripped that away from me."
The two of us stood there staring at each other, not moving. Her eyes watered but she didn't cry. Her tears sat at the bottom of her eyes, never falling. She looked at me intensely. Her eyes were piercing my eyes, yet I couldn't look away.
There was so much tension between us, I couldn't take it anymore. As I went to move my hand, Catherine grabbed the back of my head and pulled me down. Before I could object, we were kissing. I was so startled and ended doing something stupid. I closed my eyes and kissed her back. I guess I was curious about my feelings for her. Maybe if I kissed her back, I would feel something and not end up breaking her heart. Maybe it was to see if there was something there.
I honestly didn't know why I kissed her back, but as soon as I kissed her, Casey's smile popped into my head. Then I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Casey was the one for me. I loved her, I wanted to marry her. My brief moment of confusion was incredibly stupid. Now more than ever I knew that marrying Casey was the right decision.
I pulled back and turned away from Catherine. I couldn't believe what I had just done. I must be the stupidest man in the whole world.
What did I just do?
"I know you felt the passion between us. I felt it, too." Catherine said. "I love you. That kiss was just a sign of how much we love each other. We're meant to be together, not you and Casey."
"I'm going home. Please, don't tell Casey about this."
* * * * * *
As I lie in bed that night, so many thoughts were running through my head. Above anything else, though, Casey was running through my head. She was the absolute best thing that had ever happened to me, and one little mistake could ruin everything. Catherine shouldn't have kissed me. I shouldn't have kissed her back. I could tell by the way she was acting after the kiss that she felt good about it. About us.
I eventually drifted off to sleep. How could I fall asleep with so much running through my head? I have no idea, I must have been really tired after work.
I woke up early the next morning and started my chores. After my daed and I tended to the animals, just like every morning, I went inside to eat breakfast. Guess who was there.
Casey.
She was sitting at the table smiling at my mother and Abigail as they talked. When I saw her I wanted to run away and hide, but I couldn't. Instead of running away, I sat down at the dinner table and ate breakfast. I wasn't listening to anyone, I didn't hear a word anyone said. Not to seem too suspicious, I occasionally smiled and nodded my head. Casey squeezed my hand under the table and smiled at me.
"I'm going to go load the wagon," I said to my daed as I got up.
"I'll go with you." Casey said.
"Okay." I said lowly.
Casey and I got up from the table and went outside. I threw a few wood pieces in the back of the wagon and as I turned around, Casey hugged me.
"What was that for?" I asked as she let me go.
"I don't really have a reason. I just wanted to hug you." She smiled.
"Okay, I should get going, and so should you."
"Oh, okay. I'll see you tonight?"
"Probably not. I have a lot of work today and I'll probably be really tired." I faked a yawn.
Sadness flashed in her eyes but she smiled anyway. I technically didn't lie. I would be busy all day, and by the time I get off work, I'll be exhausted. Tired or not, usually I would try to see Casey, but the guilt was eating me alive. I couldn't even look her in the eyes. I felt like the lowest person in the world at that moment.
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then." She said as she grabbed my hand.
"Yeah, tomorrow."
I slid my hand out of her hand slowly and she left.
I should have just told her about Catherine. At least I wouldn't feel so bad right now.
After a few minutes, daed was ready and we left for work. David showed up today. He looked better than he had been looking. While David and daed built more chairs, I worked the register today. It seemed like everyone in town came by. Midday, daed left to go build on Casey's barn a little more and David and I ran the store by ourselves. That was how it would be in a few years anyhow. David and I will take over the shop and daed will be home or out in the town building things in his spare time.
As the day was coming to an end, I began to clean up. The bell rang and when I turned around Catherine was smiling at me.
Why me?!
"We're closed," I said.
"I know. I was wondering if I could get a ride home? It's pretty chilly tonight and it's raining really hard out." She walked closer to me.
"No, I don't think that's a good idea. Get someone else to take you."
"I want you to take me."
I took a deep breath and placed my hands on the counter. As I bowed my head, I closed my eyes, hoping she would just go away. Why couldn't she take a hint? I admit, last night I sent her the wrong message. But I didn't have any desire to be with Catherine.
"Catherine, leave me alone. I don't know how else to say this nicely."
"So, after last night you're still going to treat me like this?" She asked in disbelief.
"Last night was a mistake. You shouldn't have kissed me and I shouldn't have kissed you back. It was a misunderstanding. You know I love Casey, not you. I don't think we should be friends anymore. We shouldn't have any contact at all."
"Our kiss was a mistake?!"
"Keep your voice down!" I whisper-yelled.
"I know you feel the same way about me, you're just confused and you don't know what to do."
"You're the one that's confused, Catherine. I. Don't. Love. You."
"I think you should go, Catherine," David said as he walked into the main part of the store. He had a stern look on his face. If I'm not mistaken, he looked angry.
"Fine. We're not done here." She walked out of the store swiftly.
David crossed his arms and stared at me. I felt guilty enough as it was, why was he there to patronize me?
"I'm going to walk home tonight," I said as I grabbed my hat.
"No you're not. We have to pick daed up from Casey's." David said.