supposed that, in essence, it positioned a stepping-stone in their small community, and she hoped that stepping-stone might be utilized by other women in the months and years to come; used again and again.
Luke placed his mother’s chickens into her wagon, and Liz surveyed their placement, adjusting the wooden cages as she saw fit. Luke smiled at his mom and gave her a hug.
“They could drop off,” she defended. “It’s not going to be trails like we are accustomed to. These trails are much shakier and not used so often.”
“Are you set?” he asked her.
Liz’s eyes widened and she smiled. “Yes, I suppose I am all set.”
“Good! I can’t wait to get out of here! I wonder how far we’ll make it today.”
Liz smiled at Luke’s excitement. “Where’s Bear?”
“Grandpa has him,” he said, motioning toward his grandfather and Thomas. “Bear! Come boy!” Luke whistled.
The fluffy-haired black ball ran toward them, stopping just in time to keep from colliding with Liz. Luke patted the dog’s sides and rubbed his head with two hands.
“Are you all set, boy?” The dog grew more and more excited with Luke’s encouraging words, and he began to bark. “Good boy,” Luke assured him.
The wagons had been lined up according to Grandpa Lucas’s instructions and stood patiently with drivers now onboard. Liz’s grandfather decided that the best manner to travel would be in pairs, two wagons traveling side-by-side and two wagons traveling behind and so forth. This allowed each person a partner who could assist them if necessary. The wagons had been arranged accordingly, and Grandpa Lucas appeared satisfied to have the matter settled in his favor. Thomas took the lead out front, the leader for the wagon train. He also agreed that this method of travel was a good idea in case one of the ladies needed help with the reins. Behind his wagon, Liz and Megan teamed up, then Abby and Emma, Luke and Blue, and John as a single at the back. Chet planned to ride on horseback. Thomas’s saddle horse had been tied to the side of his lead wagon, and Grandpa Lucas insisted that they take a few extra horses along, leaving them fresh in case they were needed to scout ahead or search for water, so they’d tied them to the back of John’s wagon.
“It looks like we’re rough and ready!” Luke exclaimed, and he wrapped his arm around his mother’s shoulders. The current of excitement emanating from him felt palpable. “We’re off to start a whole new life.”
Liz took one last look over her shoulder before she nodded.
A whole new life.
She wondered for a moment whether she’d truly let go of the old one.
Lucas had given all of his granddaughters a final hug, and Thomas noticed Liz’s pretty eyes well up with emotion as she turned away. Lucas saluted the men with a handshake and a few words of advice, and he asked everyone to join him as he said a prayer for them before they left. He asked God to keep His hand over the group and guide them in safety and health. He asked special wisdom and grace for Thomas as the trail leader, and for the overall protection of each person, calling them by name.
“Amen,” everyone said together as he finished his prayer.
Lucas raised his hand to Liz. “Will those chickens be a bother?”
“They won’t,” Liz quipped. “They know how much I love chicken soup.”
“Thomas!”
“Yes, sir?”
“Take my women to Texas!”
“I will, sir!” he replied with a firm nod.
The millworkers that stood watching erupted into applause, clapping and hollering at the wagons, waving their hands and shouting their goodbyes.
Thomas slapped the reins and shouted at his horses to start them off. The wagons pulled out of the yard while all of the millworkers and Lucas stood by, watching and waving. Thomas looked back as he rounded the curve and caught a glimpse of Liz as she watched the house and her beloved porch grow smaller and smaller. He imagined how she felt, like she might never
Luke placed his mother’s chickens into her wagon, and Liz surveyed their placement, adjusting the wooden cages as she saw fit. Luke smiled at his mom and gave her a hug.
“They could drop off,” she defended. “It’s not going to be trails like we are accustomed to. These trails are much shakier and not used so often.”
“Are you set?” he asked her.
Liz’s eyes widened and she smiled. “Yes, I suppose I am all set.”
“Good! I can’t wait to get out of here! I wonder how far we’ll make it today.”
Liz smiled at Luke’s excitement. “Where’s Bear?”
“Grandpa has him,” he said, motioning toward his grandfather and Thomas. “Bear! Come boy!” Luke whistled.
The fluffy-haired black ball ran toward them, stopping just in time to keep from colliding with Liz. Luke patted the dog’s sides and rubbed his head with two hands.
“Are you all set, boy?” The dog grew more and more excited with Luke’s encouraging words, and he began to bark. “Good boy,” Luke assured him.
The wagons had been lined up according to Grandpa Lucas’s instructions and stood patiently with drivers now onboard. Liz’s grandfather decided that the best manner to travel would be in pairs, two wagons traveling side-by-side and two wagons traveling behind and so forth. This allowed each person a partner who could assist them if necessary. The wagons had been arranged accordingly, and Grandpa Lucas appeared satisfied to have the matter settled in his favor. Thomas took the lead out front, the leader for the wagon train. He also agreed that this method of travel was a good idea in case one of the ladies needed help with the reins. Behind his wagon, Liz and Megan teamed up, then Abby and Emma, Luke and Blue, and John as a single at the back. Chet planned to ride on horseback. Thomas’s saddle horse had been tied to the side of his lead wagon, and Grandpa Lucas insisted that they take a few extra horses along, leaving them fresh in case they were needed to scout ahead or search for water, so they’d tied them to the back of John’s wagon.
“It looks like we’re rough and ready!” Luke exclaimed, and he wrapped his arm around his mother’s shoulders. The current of excitement emanating from him felt palpable. “We’re off to start a whole new life.”
Liz took one last look over her shoulder before she nodded.
A whole new life.
She wondered for a moment whether she’d truly let go of the old one.
Lucas had given all of his granddaughters a final hug, and Thomas noticed Liz’s pretty eyes well up with emotion as she turned away. Lucas saluted the men with a handshake and a few words of advice, and he asked everyone to join him as he said a prayer for them before they left. He asked God to keep His hand over the group and guide them in safety and health. He asked special wisdom and grace for Thomas as the trail leader, and for the overall protection of each person, calling them by name.
“Amen,” everyone said together as he finished his prayer.
Lucas raised his hand to Liz. “Will those chickens be a bother?”
“They won’t,” Liz quipped. “They know how much I love chicken soup.”
“Thomas!”
“Yes, sir?”
“Take my women to Texas!”
“I will, sir!” he replied with a firm nod.
The millworkers that stood watching erupted into applause, clapping and hollering at the wagons, waving their hands and shouting their goodbyes.
Thomas slapped the reins and shouted at his horses to start them off. The wagons pulled out of the yard while all of the millworkers and Lucas stood by, watching and waving. Thomas looked back as he rounded the curve and caught a glimpse of Liz as she watched the house and her beloved porch grow smaller and smaller. He imagined how she felt, like she might never
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