© Copyright 2005 by Charlotte Ann Zuzak

Ella Webster sighed as she looked over her property from the porch of her old stone farmhouse. This land had belonged to her family for over one hundred years. She sat in her rocking chair and watched the cows meander to the barn. Fall was Ella’s favorite time of year. The foliage was especially brilliant this year because of the rainy periods they’d had during the summer. A late day fog touched by a setting sun created a velvet haze. If I could only hold on to moments like this and frame them, thought Ella.

At fifty she had the athletic build of a much younger woman. Her long, sandy hair, touched by gray, was braided and hung in a thick plait down her back. Not what one would describe as beautiful, nonetheless Ella was a striking woman. A widow at thirty she had worked the farm by herself with the help of a hired man and raised two sons.

It had been a wonderful day. She had bought the Higgenbottom farm that bordered hers. Rachel Higgenbottom, the last member of the family of one of the original settlers, had died and there was no one to take over the land. The farm had gone to auction this morning. With money that had been carefully invested through the years Ella had managed to outbid Joel Scruggs who was just waiting to add the property to his outlet mall which backed up to the two farms. He had also approached Ella, thinking that he would overwhelm “that dumb farm woman” with the money he offered her for her own farm.

Joel had never run into the likes of Ella, however. Instead of being able to practice his oily persuasiveness, he found himself listening to a woman who, although she had no college training, had a knowledge about real estate that boggled his mind. When Ella was finished with him he couldn’t move his plump girth fast enough to get away from her.

Ella glanced up as a truck drove in and Josh Heiden, her neighbor down the line, got out. Josh owned a farm on down the road. They had been friends since grade school, and everyone had been surprised when Ella and Josh married other people. They had been so close. He also was now widowed, his three children grown and out of college. They had no interest in farming and had settled in distant cities.

“I did it!” she hollered, a big grin on her face, clasping her hands over her head.

Josh ran up to her and hugged her. “Knew you could do it!”

“Yeah, I gave Joel a bad time. Told him what he could do with his outlet mall.” She grinned and a sparkle came to her eyes.

Josh laughed and sat down on the porch steps. “What now?”

“Miz Higgenbottom’s foreman is staying on. He’s relieved that he has a job and can stay with a farm. His wife is due soon. Told him the cottage was his to live in. Decorate it however they want. The wages aren’t great right now, but I hope to increase his salary later on. His dream is to have a farm of his own. Who knows? I won’t be around forever.”

“Ellie, where do you plan on going? You’ll live to be one hundred!” He sat in the rocker next to hers. “What are you going to do with the main house? That place is huge!”

“I have my dreams, Josh.” She rested her chin on her clasped hands. “I hope eventually to have a bed and breakfast. Maybe take one or two of the rooms and use them as a shop for things like home-canned goods, breads, pies, and crafts on consignment. Some of the women around here do beautiful craft work and should be able to get something for their talents.”

“Land’s been good to us, Ellie. Lot of hard work, though.”

“It is, and I’m tired at the end of the day, but a good tired. My kids think I’m crazy. They were gone after college, just like yours.”

Josh took off his cap and slowly scratched his head. “You know, Ellie, you’re still a good-looking woman. Ever think of remarrying?”

“What brought that on?” Ellie was wide-eyed.

“Well...” He leaned toward her and grabbed her hand. “For heaven’s sake, woman. How long have we known each other?”

Ellie shrugged her shoulders. “Long time.”

“Same grade school,” he sputtered. “Same junior and senior high. I was always around. Took you to the prom our senior year. That was considered pretty serious for young people not going on to college.”

Ella looked down at her rough hands and smiled. Josh had been a good-looking boy way back then and was a handsome man now. He was tall and muscular with a thick head of hair just starting to turn gray.

“Ellie, remember when I went away for a year right after high school? I had to see of I’d find something better in the city. After I did my investigating I intended to come back here and ask you to marry me. I wrote to you all the time, and that one-year got a little longer. I was still looking for something I never found.” His eyes grew sad. “Came home to hear about your engagement to Billie Webster. How did that ever happen?”

“Josh,” she said softly, “ You never said anything about marriage to me.”

“Oh, come on! You must have sensed something!”

“Josh, unless something is said, nothing is certain.” She put her head against the back of the rocker. “It was a good marriage. We worked hard, had good children and established one of the best farms in the state!”

“And love?”

“Josh! It was a good marriage! Enough!”

Standing, he pulled her up from her seat and put his arms around her. They stood that way for a few minutes as Ella’s heartbeat accelerated. She remembered feeling this way the night of the prom.

“Uh, Ellie.” He stood back, his face now crimson. “I’ve got some things to do at home. Got to get ready for the fair tomorrow.”

She nodded. “Miz H’s foreman and some of his friends are going to load up some of my cattle to go.”

“Need any extra help?”

“No, I--well, yes, as a matter of fact...”

“I’ll be over after breakfast, about six.” He touched her arm and turned to go. “My foreman will be over before that, so I’ll be free.”

She smiled and nodded. “Have a good evening, Josh.”

Ella walked slowly into the house. She would leave the door open a little while longer. The house still held the delicious smell of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, which she had used in pumpkin, pies that morning after her triumphant settlement. She went to the kitchen and pulled out her breadboard and flour. When she was thinking she liked to be doing something with her hands, and having a loaf of fresh bread when she was done thinking was always so appealing.

She felt herself relax as she got into the rhythm of kneading the dough. When the bread was finally baked the odor permeated the entire house. Ella set it out to cool. She would have it for breakfast. Maybe Josh would like a few pieces with some of her homemade preserves before they took off for the fair.

Ella hadn’t thought about having a man in her life for many years. She smiled to herself thinking that she had not answered his question about whether or not she’d thought about getting married again. She’d been so stunned at what he’d said. Was that a proposal tonight? If so, it was pretty indirect!

She shook her head as she thought about some of the things that not many people knew about Josh. Ella wondered if his wife had ever known that he loved to write poetry.

She had discovered his writing ability in high school when some of his work fell to the ground as he was walking her home one day. He tried to snatch it away from her as she bent over to pick it up. Instead of laughing at him she asked him if she could read some more of his poems. Ella wished she had somehow kept some of them. She could remember a few lines from some of her favorite ones. It was amazing that Josh Heiden, not exactly a talker, could express himself so beautifully with his writing.

There had been one special poem about love. At the time she had wondered if he had any girl in mind. Ella never thought of herself.

By the time Josh made it to Ella’s farm the next day, everything was ready to go. The foreman and his helpers had loaded the cattle and had already left. Josh hoisted boxes of her canned goods, which she intended to sell into the back of his truck. Opening the door on the passenger side, he helped Ella into the truck.

The day could not have been more beautiful. The orange and red of the leaves against the cloudless blue sky was breathtaking. Ella sold the cattle and all of her canned goods. Josh sold some sheep. The fair was quite a crowd drawer; many of the people who came wanted to do something other than wander around the outlet mall.

Toward the end of the day Josh approached Ella as she was talking to some friends. Smiling at Ella they made excuses to leave when they saw him coming.

“Hey, Ellie, getting hungry?”

“I could stand a meal where I can sit and eat instead of stand and snack.”

“How about we go to the Chicken Shack if you’re ready to leave?”

“Been a long day, Josh. I’m ready.”

The Chicken Shack, not to be judged by its name, had long been known by the local people for its good home cooking, and had been featured on PBS.

After they had placed their orders, Josh pulled a piece of paper out of his shirt pocket. “This is really old. Not very good. I wrote it in high school and found it in the attic the other day.” He played with the tattered, folded notebook paper, shifting around in his seat. Finally he pushed it toward her. “Here. You read it,” he mumbled and turned red.

As she picked it up and unfolded it, Ella drew in a sharp breath. It was the poem he had dropped so many years ago! It talked of a special love and wanting to spend the rest of his life with this special love!

“Josh,” she said softly, “This is the poem you dropped on the way home from school one day.”

“I know.” He looked down at his clasped hands. “You never guessed it was meant for you. I still love you, Ellie. Still want to be married to you.”

“Why don’t you ask?” She smiled shyly. “Look at me, Josh.”

He looked up and reached over for her hand. “Ellie will you marry me? And will you go to the jewelry store with me tomorrow to pick out an engagement ring to make it official?”

“Yes, to both questions!”

They looked at each other with love and contentment. Ella felt as if time had taken her back to the night of the prom. She wasn’t wearing the dress her mother had slaved over, but the feelings were there.




HEY! and don't forget to e-mail Charlotte Ann Zuzak if you have a comment!


zuz@zoominternet.net

Author's Note: Charlotte has a bachelor’s degree from Albion College and a master’s from the University of Michigan, both in foreign languages. In addition to writing, Charlotte enjoys a career as church organist and accompanist for voice students at Grove City College. At the moment she is also studying the Celtic harp. She and her husband, a retired college dean, travel extensively throughout western and eastern Europe. In July ’05 they traveled to Poland. They have a daughter who is an MD.

Charlotte’s travel plans for 2006 include Spain, Russia and Sicily. She taught Spanish on the high school and college level for thirty years before turning back to her original major, music.

Charlotte’s poetry and short stories have been published in The Storyteller, Apropos, Cochran’s Corner, Hidden Oak and several other publications.





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