Abner's Adventure Read online

  Abner took Catherine’s hand in his own. “It’s not nothing, Catherine. You’ve really made this house a home. And I hope soon, I can come back here and we can truly live together as man and wife.”

  A tingle rippled up Catherine’s arm and throughout her body. “I want that, too,” she whispered.

  Abner leaned in closer. “When we’re apart, you’re all I can think about,” Abner confided.

  Catherine’s heart began to pound. “I feel the same way.” She hadn’t thought it would be possible when they’d first met, but in that short time, she’d already grown to care about him and consider his needs around the clock.

  Abner was inches away from Catherine’s delicate face. He pressed forward, pushing his lips against hers. He kissed them gently, then more deliberately.

  Catherine thought her heart was going to leap out of her chest. She had never been kissed before, and it was an incredible feeling. Abner deepened the kiss, and she responded, feeling new sensations throughout her body.

  Abner couldn’t stop kissing Catherine. He caressed her arms, wanting to go further and do more but unsure of how far to push. He decided to keep kissing her for as long as she would allow.

  Catherine was running out of breath. She pushed Abner away, trying to catch it, but all she could do was giggle.

  “What’s wrong?” Abner asked.

  “I-need-to-catch-my-breath,” Catherine said between spurts of laughter.

  Soon, Abner was laughing, too. “Should we move into the bedroom?”

  Catherine grew serious. “I’m not sure.”

  “Oh.” Abner hung his head sadly.

  Catherine tried to explain her feelings, but words failed her. “It’s not that I don’t—I just—”

  “You just what?” Abner genuinely wanted to understand.

  “This is all new to me, Abner,” Catherine said. It was impossible to take all of her feelings and express them in words.

  “I should go,” Abner said. If Catherine wasn’t going to let him into their marital bed even after a wonderful evening and a passionate kiss, would she ever allow him in? Was all of this work pointless?

  Catherine bit her lip. She could tell Abner was upset, and she knew that she had hurt his feelings, but she needed a little more time. It had been a lovely evening, but Catherine wasn’t sure if she was truly ready to consummate their marriage.

  She wanted to tell Abner all this, but nothing was coming out correctly. Instead, she walked him to the door. “Goodnight, Abner.”

  “Goodnight, Catherine,” Abner said stiffly. “Thank you for a wonderful dinner.”

  Catherine kissed him on his cheek.

  Abner simply nodded and exited the cabin. He began the trip back to Bagley, his mind replaying the events of the past few minutes. He had never felt more attracted to Catherine or more hopeful for their relationship, but then she had stopped things from going any further.

  What did that mean? Was there any hope for their marriage? Abner exhaled in frustration. It was going to be a long night.

  Chapter 8

  “Pass me that rope!” Tom called to Abner.

  Abner yawned. He thought he had heard his name, but he wasn’t sure.

  “Abner!” Tom yelled.

  “Hm?” Abner looked around. Tom was shouting something at him. Abner blinked and rubbed his eyes. He hadn’t gotten more than an hour of sleep. He had tossed and turned all night, worrying about Catherine and their relationship.

  “I asked for the rope!” Tom called again, frustrated. What had gotten into Abner?

  “Oh!” Abner replied. He went over to the supply rack and picked up a coil of rope, then threw it up to Tom, who was propped against the side of the barn, doing repairs.

  “About time!” Tom remarked as he caught the rope.

  “Huh?” Abner scratched his head.

  “Never mind,” Tom replied.

  Abner couldn’t wait until the workday was done so he could go back into his little cabin and collapse before dinner. He would take a long nap so he’d be fresh and well-rested before seeing Catherine again. After the strange way the previous evening had ended, he wanted to be ready for anything.

  The morning was dragging. The men were working on some damage that had been done to the barn in a recent storm, and the work was tedious and time-consuming. Abner hoped they’d be able to finish the repairs that day instead of stretching them into the next.

  He couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss he’d shared with Catherine. It was both a beautiful and a painful memory for him. He had loved the feeling of kissing her and holding her against him. She fit perfectly into his arms, and she seemed to be enjoying herself, too. But then she had stopped things and said he shouldn’t come into the bedroom with her.

  He had thought that was what they both wanted, but Catherine apparently had a different idea. He had asked her why, but she hadn’t articulated her thoughts. Now he worried. Was she having second thoughts about their marriage? Did she want to leave Nowhere, abandoning her husband and the vows they’d made to one another?

  Abner also worried that he’d done something to deserve this. Catherine was a wonderful woman and everything he’d ever wanted in a wife. It made him think that there was something wrong with him that made her want to keep her distance.

  Abner also knew that Catherine wasn’t perfect either. She could be persnickety at times, but he could handle that as long as she was willing to be a willing partner in their marriage.

  “Abner! Where’s your head at today?” Tom asked.

  Abner blinked. Tom had climbed down the ladder and was standing a few feet away from him. “What?”

  Tom shook his head. “Whatever’s going on with you, Abner, you really need to snap out of it. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.” Tom gestured to the group of men working on the barn. Many were up on ladders, hammering nails or passing supplies to each other.

  Abner nodded. “Yes, sir. What did you need?”

  “I asked you for a wrench,” Tom replied.

  “Sorry,” Abner said sheepishly. He handed Tom a farm wrench from the toolbox sitting next to him.

  “Thanks,” Tom said and climbed back up on the ladder.

  “Dad! Timmy’s sick!” One of the McClain boys ran toward the ladder, crying for Tom.

  Tom descended. “What’s all this about?”

  “Mama was taking care of him, but then he got sick, and she’s cleaning it up! But then Tommy got sick, too−”

  Tom sighed. “Abner, take my place. I need to deal with this.”

  Abner nodded. Tom handed him the rope and the farm wrench. “Be careful.”

  “I always am,” Abner replied.

  Felix took a break and joined Abner by the side of the barn. “That storm really wrecked things around here. Are you as exhausted as I am?”

  Abner nodded glumly.

  “You look pretty upset,” Felix remarked. “Are things still difficult with Catherine?”

  “Yes,” Abner replied. There was no use in hiding anything from Felix. He’d find out soon enough. “It’s gotten so bad that I’m living here in one of the cabins.”

  Felix stared at Abner in disbelief. “I had no idea it was that bad. I’m sorry, Ab.”

  “Thank you,” Abner said earnestly. At least he knew that no matter what happened, he had Felix on his side.

  Felix picked up a piece of wood from a pile of debris. “I guess we should get back to work. Do you want to go up the ladder, or do you want me to?”

  Abner sighed. “Doesn’t matter to me. I can do it.” He scrambled up the ladder, but his mind was completely focused on Catherine.

  “Here you go.” Felix handed Abner the piece of wood and his hammer, and Abner began nailing the board back into place. “When was the last time you spoke to Catherine?”

  “Last night.” Abner’s eyes glazed as he remembered feeling Catherine’s skin against his. “It was wonderful.”

  “Well, what went wrong?” Felix asked, confused.


  “I don’t quite know,” Abner said honestly. “It all happened so fast. Things were going well, and then I suggested something that I thought she wanted. Not long after that, she was showing me to the door.”

  “That’s rough,” Felix said sympathetically. “Maybe she just needs a little time.”

  “That’s what she keeps saying,” Abner commented. “But how much time does she need? We’re already married!”

  Felix shrugged. “I’m not married, so I don’t know the answer to that.” He bent down and grabbed another board, then lifted it into the air.

  Abner bent down from his spot on the ladder and took the board from Felix. He nailed it into place.

  “I hope you two work things out,” Felix said.

  “I do, too,” Abner agreed.

  They worked in silence for a while as the morning dragged on. The pile of boards that needed to be put back onto the barn seemed endless. “I reckon we’ll be here for the next two days at least,” Felix said.

  Abner groaned. “I’m already bored.” He preferred doing anything else to barn repairs.

  “At least you have me and my sparkling personality to talk to,” Felix told him.

  Abner laughed for the first time all day. He wished he felt as comfortable in front of Catherine as he did with Felix. With Catherine, he always felt pressure to do or say the right thing. She seemed to be very concerned with manners and etiquette, whereas Abner simply tried to be a good person. Before he knew it, his mood had soured as he thought about how strained his relationship with his wife was.

  “Aw, cheer up, Abner!” Felix called as he passed another board to him. “I’m sure you two will stop fighting soon. Then you’ll probably have a dozen kids and forget all about me.”

  “I hope you’re right. But I’d never forget about you, Felix. I couldn’t if I tried. We work together!” Abner joked. He reached down for the board and began to lose his balance.

  Felix saw Abner swaying on top of the ladder and stretched his arms in the air. “Do you need a hand?”

  But it was too late. Abner’s bottom foot slipped off the ladder, and he fell toward the ground, landing in a heap.

  Felix bent down toward Abner’s face. “Are you okay, Ab?”

  Abner didn’t respond.

  Felix felt Abner’s wrist. His heart was still beating, and he was breathing normally. It seemed like he was fast asleep. Felix began to shout for help. He prayed that his best friend would be all right.

  Chapter 9

  Catherine put the finishing touches on the casserole she had made for dinner and stood back to admire her work. Abner would be home any minute, and she hoped he’d like what she had prepared. It was one of his mother’s recipes.

  She planned on apologizing for the events of the previous night. She had gotten scared and instead of expressing herself, she had upset Abner and caused him to leave. She vowed not to make the same mistake again.

  Suddenly, there was a pounding on the door. Catherine paused. “Abner, you don’t have to knock!”

  But the pounding only grew louder. Catherine walked to the door and opened it. To her surprise, Tom McClain stood there with a group of men behind him, all huddled in a circle.

  “Tom, what are you doing here?” Catherine asked, puzzled.

  “We need to get Abner inside, now!” Tom rushed into the house.

  Catherine became frightened. “What are you talking about?”

  The men in a circle followed Tom inside. Catherine realized that they were carrying someone—a man. Her heart lurched. It was Abner!

  The men set Abner down on the sofa and propped his legs up.

  “What happened?” Catherine couldn’t believe what was happening. “Will he be all right?”

  A young man with a plump face came up to Catherine. “It was my fault, Catherine. I’m Felix. Abner’s best friend. We were working together, and I passed a board to him, and he lost his balance and fell!”

  Another man approached Catherine solemnly. “We’ve sent for the doctor. We’ll know more then.”

  Catherine hurried to Abner’s side, taking his hand in hers. Her head was spinning.

  Tom came over to speak with her. “I know this must be very scary, but I’m sure the doctor will arrive soon. Are you all right?”

  Catherine shook her head. “I’m not sure.”

  “We’ll stay with you until the doctor comes,” Tom said, and he sat down next to her.

  The other men crowded around Abner, propping him up and making sure he looked comfortable. Through it all, Abner didn’t make a sound. Catherine’s heart pounded. She had taken Abner for granted, and now he was badly injured. She prayed that he would wake up soon.

  There was a loud knock at the door, and Catherine stood up to answer it. A tall man with a doctor’s bag stood at the door. “I’m Stephen Bennett, one of the town doctors. I understand Abner’s been hurt.”

  Catherine nodded her head and stepped aside to let Dr. Bennett in. Two women followed him.

  “Hi, I’m Hope Bennett. Dr. Bennett’s wife,” the first woman said.

  The other woman gave Catherine a big hug. “I’m Katie Cavett. Her sister.”

  “I think you’ve met one of our other sisters, Penny,” Hope added.

  It all started to make sense to Catherine. “You must be Edna Petunia’s daughters.”

  “That’s right! Our adoptive mother is truly one of a kind,” Katie said, eyes sparkling.

  “We came here to see how you’re doing. I’m sure my husband will take care of Abner, but we’re here to take care of you!” Hope explained.

  Catherine’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t need taken care of. I just want Abner to be well.”

  “That’s what we want, too,” Katie said, taking Catherine’s hand. “Please, let us help out. Would you like some tea?”

  Catherine sighed. Tea did sound lovely. “This is my house. I should be making tea for you.”

  “Nonsense,” Hope said. She put a kettle on as Katie guided Catherine to take a seat at the kitchen table.

  The women kept Catherine company as Dr. Bennett examined Abner. Every few moments, Catherine’s eyes drifted over to Abner. She was so worried about him, she had lost her appetite. Hope and Katie encouraged her to drink her tea, but she could barely swallow.

  After what seemed like a very long time, the other men left, and Dr. Bennett came to the table to speak with Catherine. Hope and Katie stood up to give them privacy.

  “Please, tell me what’s wrong with Abner,” Catherine pleaded.

  Dr. Bennett sighed. “Abner hit his head pretty hard when he fell. I think he’s going to be all right, but he hasn’t opened his eyes yet.”

  “What does that mean?” Catherine asked.

  Dr. Bennett shook his head. “It’s nothing to worry about, but you’ll need to watch him closely for the next few days. He should wake up soon, and when he does, you’ll need to help him because he’ll likely be a bit confused for a few days.”

  “I see. Is there anything else I can do for him?” Catherine asked.

  Dr. Bennett nodded. “As soon as he wakes up, he should drink plenty of water and eat something. His body will need some nourishment.”

  “I understand,” Catherine replied, standing up. “I’ll get started now.” She would be ready with all of Abner’s favorites as soon as he opened his eyes.

  “Would you like some help?” Katie asked.

  Catherine paused, unsure.

  “Please. It’s why we came,” Hope told her.

  Catherine realized it might be nice to have some companionship while she waited for Abner to wake up. “All right.”

  Dr. Bennett returned to Abner’s side and monitored him while the women stayed in the kitchen.

  Catherine thought for a moment. “I think soup would be nice once he wakes up. It will help to keep him hydrated.”

  “Good idea,” Katie replied. She found a stock pot in the cupboard and pulled it out.

  “Abner also loves cookies.
I’ll make a fresh batch," Catherine said. She was still worried about Abner, but she felt reassured that Dr. Bennett thought he’d make a full recovery. As she got the flour and the sugar from the pantry, Catherine remembered the casserole she’d prepared. “Is anyone hungry for a green bean casserole? It’s going to go to waste if you don’t help me eat it.”

  Dr. Bennett looked over at Catherine. “That sounds delicious, but I don’t want to trouble you.”

  “It’s no trouble,” Catherine replied. Katie and Hope nodded in agreement. Catherine got out three plates and scooped out a portion of the casserole for each of them.

  “Aren’t you going to eat?” Katie asked.

  Catherine shook her head. “I’m not hungry. I’ll eat when Abner eats.”

  “You should eat something,” Dr. Bennett said gently.

  But Catherine shook her head. “I’ll eat later.” She placed all of the ingredients in a bowl and mixed them together. She kneaded the dough with her hands until it was smooth, then formed the cookies, placed them on a pan, and put them into the stove.

  “Why don’t you have a little soup?” Katie suggested.

  “Just a taste,” Hope added.

  Catherine set her lips in a firm line. “No, thank you.”

  A few minutes later, the smell of freshly baked cookies wafted through the home.

  On the sofa, Abner’s nose perked up. He blinked his eyes open, then rubbed them. “Doc Bennett? What are you doing here?”

  Catherine rushed to Abner’s side. “Oh, thank goodness!” She knelt down and plastered a huge kiss on Abner’s lips.

  Abner thought he must still be dreaming. He had never seen Catherine act so excited to see him, let alone kiss him in front of other people. Abner tried to talk, but his throat felt dry and scratchy. He coughed a few times and sniffed the air. “Cookies?”

  Catherine threw her head back and let out a loud laugh. “You can have as many cookies as you want!”

  Abner perked up at this. He felt so strange. “What happened?”

  Dr. Bennett walked over to Abner and put his hand on his forehead. “You’ll need to take it easy for a few days, Abner. You had a bad fall from a ladder at the McClain’s property.”