the piano goes to america-5

the piano goes to america-5

fiction
edward w pritchard

for Mr. and Mrs. President
from your humble subject in Ohio

The fight was over and they were walking the three miles from the Canal boat to the farm. He had watched her cautiously and carefully as he told her there would be up to 20 members of the congregation working at the farm and farm house when they arrived. Setting up the piano was the official reason for the visit but it was just to help and have a look for there would be many of the other wives. Later Olivia would find out that the wives did this to have something significant to do, but that was later.

Olivia was now easy to get along with again, like before. She told her Husband, DR. Sharp [ doctor of divinity], named Bradford, but Cole to her it was fine about the house guests. She would love to meet them today before the Service tomorrow. As long as Cole kept his promise not to withhold information or to try to ["spin-{anachronism alert}] the details of life she was happy now. She made a quick mental note to her self not to mention the service again for now, it made him anxious, she could help him with preparation later.

They were like they were when he courted her back in Connecticut. They couldn't keep away from each other and the world was significant and alluring. As they walked a cool breeze pushed them towards each other and the sunshine bid them touch. She began to laugh and tease and run and before they knew it they were at the farm.

The rest of the morning and the afternoon was a whirl but their lives now began to unfold in a hidden significant way. She had purposes and plans again and all fell into order accordingly.

About two o clock one of the older women, a merchants wife began to gently direct everybody out of the house and out to the gate. In a few minutes all the guests were gone. Before he left the hotel owner, not in the new congregation slipped Dr. Sharp an envelope, it had the $4.00 Bradford had paid this morning for the expensive hotel room, a gift to the new Minister.

Cole was trying to work on his sermon for tomorrow as Olivia worked around her new kitchen moving things that the other ladies had put here or there and looking out of the small windows at her yard and fields. After a few minutes she went and sat with him at the table and began to write his sermon for him.

About 6:30 they were done with the sermon and somewhere far away their future daughter was demanding her right to life.

Connecticut was the parent
and Ohio was the child
and England was the grandparents
and the girl was tommorrow

End