do that! She fretted. What if he never comes back? What if she never saw him again?
“Cass, are you alright? You’re as white as a ghost!”
No , she thought. I’m not alright . She felt as if she was going to faint, as he reached out and held her in his arms until her shaking had subsided.
“Cass, I didn’t know you’d take it this hard. I’m sorry I dropped it on you like that. You see, the reason I came over here in the first place was to tell you the way I feel about you. I know that when we were younger we fought all the time, but when I was around twelve or thirteen, I started seeing you differently.”
He glanced at her face to see her expression, then noticing the way her eyes were beginning to glow, he continued. “At first I didn’t understand why it made me mad whenever some of the boys would pick on you, or talk to you, but then I came to understand why I felt as I did. Now, maybe you’re too young yet to know how you feel, but I’m not. You’re all I think about. Other girls don’t interest me. I’m in love with you, Cass. I don’t care if you laugh. I just had to tell you before I left, and ask if you would wait for me to return. Maybe by that time, you’ll know more how you feel.”
Cassandra was trembling, but not from fear this time, only happiness. “Oh Ben,” she exclaimed happily. “I don’t need to wait until you return to know how I feel. I’ve known how I feel about you for a long time now. I love you too, and yes, I would wait for you as long as it takes.”
He reached out and gently touched her face. She could see the love radiating from his dark brown eyes, as he leaned over and lightly touched his lips to hers. As he pulled away, he said, “I’ll be thinking of you all the time and I’ll write as often as I can.” He could see the tears filling her eyes and as the one spilled down her face, he gently wiped it away.
“Please, don’t cry Cass. I’ll be back before you know it.”
She only nodded, as she thought, or maybe you’ll never come back.
Chapter V
In late spring of 1861, hundreds of young men marched off to war, and some who would never return to see their loved ones again. Among those men leaving were Steven, Michael, Alec and Ben. Although Ben’s mother had tried so hard to convince her son that he was much too young to enlist, he would hear none of it.
He only held his head high and said, “Ma, you have to understand, I could never live with myself if I didn’t do my part in protecting my family. I’ll be alright. I’ll be home before you know it, I promise.”
Louise Williams spoke, her voice trembling. “Son, don’t make promises you may not be able to keep. Both of my sons, I …” she broke down crying.
As she embraced her youngest son, her whole body trembled, “I’ll be praying for you.” Then looking at Alec, added, “Both of you. Please, come home safely.” Turning to Alec, she begged, “Please, look after each other and write to me as often as you can, so I’ll know you’re both alright. I don’t know what I would do if I was to lose either of you.” She took Alec in her arms, her body still shivering.
“It’ll be alright, Ma. Really, it will,” he comforted. “We’ll look out for each other, I promise.”
“Now, Louise,” Ethan cut in, “just look at our two fine boys. Why, they look sturdy enough to take down the whole Union Army themselves. They’ll be fine.” With that, he gave each of them a pat on the back and a hug. “You write to your mother and me as soon as you get settled and let us know where you are.”
“We will, Pa.” Alec assured him. “Don’t worry.”
While they were still in conversation,
“Cass, are you alright? You’re as white as a ghost!”
No , she thought. I’m not alright . She felt as if she was going to faint, as he reached out and held her in his arms until her shaking had subsided.
“Cass, I didn’t know you’d take it this hard. I’m sorry I dropped it on you like that. You see, the reason I came over here in the first place was to tell you the way I feel about you. I know that when we were younger we fought all the time, but when I was around twelve or thirteen, I started seeing you differently.”
He glanced at her face to see her expression, then noticing the way her eyes were beginning to glow, he continued. “At first I didn’t understand why it made me mad whenever some of the boys would pick on you, or talk to you, but then I came to understand why I felt as I did. Now, maybe you’re too young yet to know how you feel, but I’m not. You’re all I think about. Other girls don’t interest me. I’m in love with you, Cass. I don’t care if you laugh. I just had to tell you before I left, and ask if you would wait for me to return. Maybe by that time, you’ll know more how you feel.”
Cassandra was trembling, but not from fear this time, only happiness. “Oh Ben,” she exclaimed happily. “I don’t need to wait until you return to know how I feel. I’ve known how I feel about you for a long time now. I love you too, and yes, I would wait for you as long as it takes.”
He reached out and gently touched her face. She could see the love radiating from his dark brown eyes, as he leaned over and lightly touched his lips to hers. As he pulled away, he said, “I’ll be thinking of you all the time and I’ll write as often as I can.” He could see the tears filling her eyes and as the one spilled down her face, he gently wiped it away.
“Please, don’t cry Cass. I’ll be back before you know it.”
She only nodded, as she thought, or maybe you’ll never come back.
Chapter V
In late spring of 1861, hundreds of young men marched off to war, and some who would never return to see their loved ones again. Among those men leaving were Steven, Michael, Alec and Ben. Although Ben’s mother had tried so hard to convince her son that he was much too young to enlist, he would hear none of it.
He only held his head high and said, “Ma, you have to understand, I could never live with myself if I didn’t do my part in protecting my family. I’ll be alright. I’ll be home before you know it, I promise.”
Louise Williams spoke, her voice trembling. “Son, don’t make promises you may not be able to keep. Both of my sons, I …” she broke down crying.
As she embraced her youngest son, her whole body trembled, “I’ll be praying for you.” Then looking at Alec, added, “Both of you. Please, come home safely.” Turning to Alec, she begged, “Please, look after each other and write to me as often as you can, so I’ll know you’re both alright. I don’t know what I would do if I was to lose either of you.” She took Alec in her arms, her body still shivering.
“It’ll be alright, Ma. Really, it will,” he comforted. “We’ll look out for each other, I promise.”
“Now, Louise,” Ethan cut in, “just look at our two fine boys. Why, they look sturdy enough to take down the whole Union Army themselves. They’ll be fine.” With that, he gave each of them a pat on the back and a hug. “You write to your mother and me as soon as you get settled and let us know where you are.”
“We will, Pa.” Alec assured him. “Don’t worry.”
While they were still in conversation,
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