City Girl Page 3

3--3r

  '

  "How are you feeling?" Darvi asked Liberty.

  "Most of the time, I'm fine. Mornings are still rough."

  "Was the trip a bit long for you?"

  38

  "At times, but I worked to hide it."

  Darvi smiled. "Why was that?"

  "Slater wasn't really sure that he wanted me to do this,

  so I was trying not to worry him."

  "Tell me something, Liberty," Darvi suddenly sat forward

  and asked. "Were you surprised when you first met

  the brothers, how little they look alike?"

  Liberty had a good laugh over this.

  "It lasts until you get to know them and watch them

  interact. They become so similar then that you forget about

  their looks."

  22

  24 lori wick

  "I haven't had much time with all three," Darvi noted,

  wondering if there would be such a time. She had enjoyed

  some great visits with Cash in Texas but had only just met

  Slater and Liberty.

  39

  "Are you all set for the wedding?" Liberty asked.

  "I think I am. I've told myself I can't go crazy over every

  detail, and that seems to help. I don't know if my mother is

  sleeping at all, but most of the time I'm peaceful."

  "Are there days you wish you'd just up and married?"

  "Every day," Darvi said dryly, as both women heard

  their hosts returning. And the timing couldn't have been

  better. Charles and Virginia had no more arrived with the

  tray full of coffee and cake than Cash, Dakota, and Slater

  showed up.

  "How was dinner?" Charles asked first.

  "Excellent," he was told, his sons thanking him for the

  recommendation.

  "How are you?" Dakota asked, having sat close to Darvi

  and taken her hand.

  "Fine. We had a wonderful meal."

  The two smiled into each other's eyes for a moment.

  Slater had slipped into the seat next to his wife, his eyes

  studying her as they often did, first her face and then her

  waistline. Following his eyes and train of thought. Liberty

  40

  smiled, and he caught her. He was giving her a stern look

  for laughing at his concern when his mother offered him

  coffee.

  "Yes, please."

  "So did you boys do anything else?" Virginia asked

  when she had served everyone and taken her seat.

  Slater gave the details of the evening, which did consist

  only of eating a leisurely meal and coming home. He ended

  by teasing his mother. "We looked over the desserts at the

  restaurant, but we knew we'd get a better offer here."

  This said, he took a bite of cake, his eyes sparkling over

  his mother's laugh.

  City Girl 25

  "Is that so?" She tried to sound outraged, but she was

  still chuckling.

  "It worked, Mother," Dakota reminded her, and

  everyone laughed at her look of surprise.

  "This sounds fun," said a voice from the edge of the

  room, and everyone turned to see Gretchen Rawlings in the

  41

  doorway.

  "Come in, Mama," Charles invited, standing to give her

  his seat. "Have some cake."

  "I couldn't eat another bite," she told him, having just

  returned from dinner with friends and taking the chair he

  offered.

  ' "What restaurant did you visit?" This came from Cash,

  and in the time that followed, the eight of them fell into

  good conversation. The topics ranged from old family stories

  to the latest political subject Some resorted to filibuster

  tactics to keep the floor, and with plenty of cake and coffee,

  it seemed they would go all night

  Darvi didn't want it to end, but she knew that her

  coming in would disturb her parents and thought that an

  early getaway from the Rawlingses might be better. All

  were sorry to see her go, but everyone was gracious as she

  and Dakota walked to the door and made their way outside.

  "Have I mentioned that I'm sick of walking you home?"

  Dakota offered, his hand holding Darvi's as they covered

  the distance between his parents' house and hers.

  42

  Darvi tried not to be hurt by his words but found herself

  glad that it was dark out

  "No," she said quietly, working to keep her voice

  normal "I don't think you've said that"

  They had arrived on Darvi's front porch, a dark place at

  this time of the night. Dakota waited only until they had

  stopped moving to bring her gently against his chest and

  whisper in her ear, "I want to keep you with me. I'm sick

  of leaving you at your door and having to walk away."

  Darvi relaxed in his arms, so enjoying his tender hold.

  26 lori wick

  "It's not long now/" she said as she felt him kiss her

  brow.

  "Forty-eight hours."

  Darvi tipped her head back and tried to see him in the

  dark.

  "Mrs. Dakota Rawlings. I like the sound of that."

  Dakota bent and kissed her, not a long kiss--that had to

  wait-^but one filled with the tenderness he felt for her.

  43

  "I'd better let you go in."

  "All right. Ill see you tomorrow evening at the family

  dinner, and then on Saturday..."

  Dakota laughed. "I'll be there."

  With one more hug, he stepped off the porch and

  walked into the night. Behind him, he heard Darvi's door

  open and close. Just a few more days and she could be with

  him, but in the meantime, his family was gathered as they

  hadn't been for a long time. He was eager to get home and

  share in that celebration too.

  %r

  "Cash," his mother said to him much later that night

  The family had laughed and talked until some were

  drooping in their seats. When people started to head off to

  bed, Cash grabbed the serving tray for his mother and

  walked it into the kitchen. He hadn't planned to linger, but

  she caught him before he could leave.

  "Yes?"

  44

  'It's time you got married," she said without warning.

  If Cash hadn't contained himself, he would have

  laughed.

  "Why is that?" he managed, a small smile coming to his

  mouth.

  "Well," she tried, her brow furrowed a little as if she

  expected him to already know. "I was just watching your

  City Girl 27

  brothers with Libby and Darvi tonight, and I thought, 1

  want that for Cash too/"

  "I appreciate that, Mother, but sometimes if s easier said

  than done."

  Virginia looked thoughtful. "I suppose it is." Her eyes

  shifted around the room, gazing lovingly at the contents

  before looking back to her son. "Between this house and

  the ranch house, I prefer the ranch house. Did you know

  that, Cash?"

  "No."

  "Virginia smiled. "You father built that ranch house for

  45

  us. This house was already built. I love the kitchen at the

  ranch house and all the rooms. I love the way if s laid out

  We've had some great times in this house, and I wouldn't

  want to mo
ve back to Texas, but I do miss that house." She

  looked Cash in the eye. "But even with all of that, I have no

  problem with another woman living there. I want you to

  marry someone who will enjoy the ranch with you. I want

  your children to grow up there, as you boys did."

  Cash so appreciated his mother's words, but he couldn't

  exactly promise to give her what she wished. He wondered

  what she would say if he told her what her other sons had

  said to him that very evening. He ended up smiling at her

  and saying nothing at all.

  "Well, dear," she said quietly, in what Cash knew to be

  her mother's voice, "when the time comes, remember that

  your mother will be delighted."

  "Thank you, Mother," he said sincerely, knowing no end

  of relief that she didn't expect to hear a plan to make this

  happen. And her eyes, just before she hugged him, told

  him how deeply he was loved. He took himself off to bed,

  46

  his heart wondering if God was trying to tell him something

  or if Dakota's wedding had just put everyone into a

  matrimonial mood.

  %r $ 28 lori wick

  "You look a little pale," Cash said to Dakota just an hour

  before the big event

  "Do I?" Dakota asked, looking vague and not quite

  focusing on his brother's face.

  "Sit down, Dak." Slater took his arm and led him to a

  chair.

  "All right," Dakota agreed, but he sat for only a matter

  of seconds.

  "Is it hot in here to you?"

  Thinking that letting him pace might be the best thing,

  Slater and Cash stood back while Dakota moved to open

  the window.

  At the same time, all three men heard laughter from the

  next room.

  47

  "It sounds like the ladies are having a party," Slater said

  casually, but Dakota did not Appear to have heard.

  "How are you?" Virginia asked as she sailed through the

  door, Charles at her heels.

  "We're fine," Slater replied, his eyes sparkling. "Aren't

  we, Dak?"

  But Dakota wasn't listening. He had finally sat down

  and was staring blankly out the window.

  His father found this highly amusing and started to

  laugh. His whole family was nearly hysterical before the

  groom noticed.

  "What did I miss?"

  No one could answer him. It had been a busy time for

  everyone, which left a certain level of fatigue on each

  person's part, making the incident seem funnier than it

  might have been. Nevertheless Dakota began to smile. His

  father's face was getting red, and he laughed a little in

  return.

  "I think they're ready for you," one of the wedding coordinators

  said to Charles and Virginia as she stuck her head

  48

  in the door.

  "Thank you. Well be right there," Virginia responded

  agreeably, moving swiftly to hug Dakota and say something

  City Girl 29

  quietly in his ear. Charles didn't hug him, but he smiled as

  he moved out the door, an older version of the groom himself.

  Dakota had been watching him and smiled in return.

  The room was still quiet after the older Rawlingses went

  on their way, but the tension was gone. Cash, Dakota, and

  Slater sat quietly and talked--something they never

  seemed to tire of doing--until it was their turn to join the

  wedding party.

  3r Sr

  Dakota's quiet and distracted state before the ceremony

  had not been the result of second thoughts. Not for a

  moment did he doubt whether or not he and Darvi should

  be married. But his heart had been prayerful, asking God

  49

  to bless this union and help him to be the husband he

  needed to be. For this reason and many more, he was now

  able to stand in great joy and excitement and watch Darvi

  come up the aisle toward him.

  Darvi's dress was a stylish creation of satin and lace, the

  very latest in fashion with a bustle that was just coming

  back into style. But the groom, had he been willing to admit

  it, didn't take much notice. His eyes intent on hers, he

  offered his arm when she neared, barely aware of the way

  Mr. Wingate let her go and took a seat with his wife.

  Hundreds of people from St Louis and family from far

  and wide had turned out to see these nuptials, but the bride

  and groom were hardly aware of them. Darvi heard

  someone sniff and thought her mother might be tearful,

  but she herself didn't want to cry at all. She worked to keep

  her eyes on Pastor Daniel Cooper, a man she had come to

  love and deeply respect since her conversion, but her gaze

  strayed repeatedly to Dakota, who was just as distracted

  by her presence.

  They both grew solemn when it was time to repeat their

  50

  vows, promises they were taking very seriously, and in

  30 lori wick

  rather short order, they were pronounced husband and

  wife. Mr. and Mrs. Dakota Rawlings turned to face the

  church and found smiles at every glance. The couple led

  the way out of the sanctuary to the large hall where a banquet

  had been prepared. Taking their seats at the head

  table, they were joined by the family, and the merrymaking

  began.

  "She looks beautiful/' Liberty said to Slater, her head

  bent forward slightly to see down the table.

  "Urn hmm," he agreed, looking at his wife's face. "Like

  another bride I remember."

  Liberty smiled as they leaned to kiss each other.

  Down the table, Darvi was saying to Dakota, "It went so

  fast. Beforehand it felt like forever, and now here if s all

  behind us."

  51

  Dakota smiled at her enthusiasm just as his stomach

  growled.

  "Didn't you eat breakfast?" she asked him.

  "I can't remember."

  Darvi looked very pleased with herself. "Well, you have

  a wife now. She'll see that you don't go hungry."

  And down the table some more, Cash was sitting with

  Darvi's youngest bridesmaid, a sweet girl of 11 who

  wanted to know all about ranching.

  "How do the cattle get to market?"

  "We round them up and load them onto the train."

  Not wishing to be impolite, she tried not to show her

  dismay.

  "Doesn't it smell rather bad?"

  Cash smiled. "In summer it does."

  "What do the people do/ just ride with a hankie over

  their noses?"

  "Well, the cattle are not with the people, They have special

  52

  train cars."

  Cash watched as she bit her Up and giggled.

  "I thought they were right in with the people."

  City Girl 31

  "That would smell rather bad," he said and made her

  laugh again.

  -*-

  Hours later, after good food and lots of hugs and good

  wishes, the bride and groom climbed into a covered carriage

  and settled against the plush seat.

  "You know," Dakota said for his wife's ears alone, his

  arm holding her close, "I couldn't help
but notice that this

  dress has a lot of buttons down the back."

  Darvi turned to look at him.

  "It does, doesn't it? Do you think that will be a

  problem?"

  "Not for me." He sounded very satisfied. "I'm a very

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  patient man."

  Darvi started to laugh, but Dakota caught it with a kiss

  before they both settled back to finish the ride to the hotel.

  "3r

  "I've been reading the Bible/' Charles told Cash at

  breakfast the next morning.

  "What have you been reading?"

  "Genesis," the older man answered and then seemed to

  be searching for words. "I'm a businessman, Cash. I try

  never to lead with my heart."

  Cash waited, sure his father was going somewhere with

  this.

  "I guess I'm just trying to say that I never saw God as

  logical before, but I'm very impressed with how He laid

  out the world and commanded Adam to care for it. And

  even after Adam and Eve had to leave the garden, God had

  plans for them. He never set them adrift, as it were."

  "No, He sure didn't. Genesis is a great place to start,

  54

  Father. That was wise of you to start at the beginning."

  32 lori wick

  "There are some things that confuse me, though. I mean,

  why would Noah, after being so disciplined to do this huge

  job God gave him, get drunk?"

  Cash smiled a little. "And why do I, knowing I was

  bought with a price, Christ's precious blood, commit sins

  and want my own way?"

  "Why do you?" Charles persisted, truly needing an

  answer.

  "Because I'm still a sinner. Scripture says the spirit is

  willing, but the flesh is weak I've been saved from eternal

  death, but as long as I'm on this earth, the battle with my

  flesh will continue. I can choose not to sin at any time-- God's Spirit inside of me gives me the strength to do that-- but I don't always choose it. I sometimes want to sin and don't care that I've put myself out of fellowship with God."

  "What does that mean, 'put yourself out of fellowship'?"

  "My faith in Christ's life, death, and resurrection made

  me clean before God, but sin separates us from God, so

  when I sin, I lose communion with Him. I'm still His

  55

  child--if s impossible to lose that--but until I confess my

  sin and repent of it, there's a barrier between God and me.

  He's a huge, forgiving God, so I have no excuse. I just need

  to agree with Him about my sin, and all lines of communication

  become open again."

  Charles nodded, his face intent He was opening his

  mouth to speak again but suddenly stopped. Cash saw his