by MagdalenMary495
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program
"Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and
have been used without permission. No
copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.
Molly Richards sat in front of her dressing table, holding a
hand mirror up to study her hair. Biting a corner of her lip, she used her left
hand to push a slipping hair pin in place. There! Molly smiled at her image in
the mirror. With all her reddish blond hair piled on top of her head in an
elegant poof she looked grown up. Maybe even older than twelve.
Careful not to breathe too deeply and dislodge the hard won hairdo, Molly laid
down the mirror and pulled a cigar box out of the dressing table drawer. She
opened the box, took out the memorandum book with an elegant title, “Memory
Verses” engraved in gold on the front and turned to the page with her most
treasured possession. Jarrod Barkley smiled at her from the picture she’d
clipped out of the Stockton Eagle. It had come with an article about Jarrod’s
entrance into law school but Molly threw that part away. It had been hard
enough to keep the picture from her nosy sister, Josie, always peeking though
her things. If she ever had to give an excuse for having the picture, she could
honestly say she’d clipped it for the advertisement on the back. Surely even
Mama could find nothing wrong with keeping an advertisement for owning a complete
set of Dickens.
He was so handsome.
Molly sighed. Sure was hard to look forward to the first day of school like she
had before Jarrod graduated. Just being in the same room with him....be still
my heart, Molly thought. Once Miss Briggs had assigned Jarrod to help Molly
with her multiplication tables. He’d sat right next to her, touched her pencil
and smiled with those deep blue eyes and asked, “You got that now?” School sure
hadn’t been the same since Jarrod went away. But today...today she might see
him again. A thrill shivered all through her at the hope this day promised.
While Molly had been saddened to hear Mrs. Barkley had a case of influenza, she
couldn’t help the jumpy excitement that coursed through her heart when Audra
told her Jarrod planned to come home for a visit to see his mother. Audra had
told her, right outside Papa’s store on Saturday, how she planned to ask Jarrod
to drive her to school on the first day. Today was the first day and if Molly
timed it right...Jarrod would have to drive past the crossroads where Papa’s
farm connected with the school road. Molly trembled in anticipation.
What if..what if...Jarrod saw her walking to school with her elegant, grown up
hair do and asked Audra, “Who is that stylish young woman?”
Maybe, even though she was still young, he’d see she was the one meant for him
all his life. Maybe...he’d invite her to...to...
“Molly! Time for breakfast!”
“Coming, Mama!” Molly kissed the air near the picture of Jarrod, stuffed it
back into her book and cigar box and shoved the drawer firmly in place. After
she’d worn out two previous pictures of Jarrod Barkley by kissing the paper,
she was careful now to make sure her lips never touched the precious image.
“Ha ha, Mama,” her brother, Burt heehawed as she came into the dining room,
“Look at Molly’s hair. Looks like she got stuck standing downwind of a
tornado!”
Tears welled in Molly eyes as she took her place at the table. Her hair looked
alright to her in the mirror. Didn’t it? Her sister, Josie, met her eyes and
snickered. Didn’t it look nice? Grown up?
“Heaven’s, Molly Elizabeth, what have you done, child?”
Mama sat a platter of ham in front of Pa’s place and stood with her hands on
her hips studying Molly's up-swept hair. Pa hid a smirk behind his auburn
mustache as he began to fork slices of ham onto the plates stacked by his right
hand.
Mama walked behind Molly, jerked out the hair pins so her curls dropped down
into their usual twisted little girl corkscrews.
“Can’t I wear my hair up just this once, Mama. For the first day of school?”
Pulling out a chair beside Pa, Mama sat down heavily, took up the basket of
biscuits and began passing them to Josie. “No, you’re too young.”
Too young? Too young? Most of the time Mama complained she was too big. You’re
too big for that! Be a big girl and stop that! Molly jerked the biscuit basket
from Josie’s hand, picked out one and threw it down on her plate. Josie
snickered. Pouting, Molly took a sulky bite of biscuit and tapped her foot
against the table leg.
“That’s enough of that temper, Miss,” Mama threatened. “Unless you want to go
to the parlor for a talk with Douglas.”
A talk? A talk? Molly sulked more, bottling up all the anger she felt, like she
didn’t know the only one talking would be Douglas. Whack, whack on her
backside, that’s what Douglas would say. She wouldn’t get in one word she’d be
crying too hard.
“Now, Lucy,” Pa said as he almost always did, “you keep talking about that
stick like he’s a real person, folks are gonna think we got another child we
keep hidden.”
Mama took up a bite of egg, not the least bit upset over Pa’s words it seemed,
“He’s a good stout piece of Douglas fir and I couldn’t have raised three
children without him,” She leveled a glance at Molly, “especially this naughty
miss here.”
I’m too old for Douglas, Molly argued silently, hurrying to eat her ham and
eggs, but you couldn’t argue with Mama. Ever. Hoping to change the subject, she
took a gulp of milk, wiped her mouth with the linen napkin and asked, “Mama,
may I leave early for school today, please?”
“You’ll have to do the breakfast dishes first. Josie asked to leave early and I
told her she could.”
“All by myself?” Molly protested, knowing but not caring she was coming closer
to trying her Mama’s patience. Mama didn’t like her patience tried, she said so
often enough. “I’ll be late for school.”
“Not if you hurry,” Mama answered undisturbed. Josie grinned a sly grin. Molly
would almost think Josie knew her secret plan to hop a ride to school in Jarrod
Barkley’s buggy except Josie was sweet on a boy named Patrick McCallahan. She
waited until Mama’s attention was on pouring Papa’s coffee to dart out her
tongue at Josie. Why’d she have to get such a mean sister when God was passing
them out? Miss Perfect.
Stomping into the kitchen after breakfast, Molly pumped water and put the
teakettle on the stove to heat. Wiping away tears she scooped up lye soap and
plopped it into the dishpan. It wasn’t fair. It just wasn’t fair. She’d never
get to the crossroads in time for Jarrod and Audra to offer her a ride.
Sniffing away tears, Molly dropped the glasses in swishing them around
carefully so not to spill water on her new blue school dress. Mama came into
the kitchen with the platters. Taking her apron off the hook, she began to tie
it on. “Go on ahead, Molly, I’ll do the dishes.”
“Oh, Mama, thank you! Thank you!” She ran to hug her mother around her ample
waist.
Mama stopped, lifted her chin and spoke , “Next time don’t spend so much time
fiddling with your hair. If you’d asked before Josie, I’d have let you leave
early.”
That was like Mama, couldn’t just do something nice without spoiling it with a
lesson. “Yes, Mama,” Molly answered trying not to sound glum.
“Now lollygagging from you after school either, Miss. The preacher’s coming to
dinner and I’ve got to have help getting it on the table.” Mama plunged her
hands into the soapy water. “You get yourself home here to help or else.”
With that warning thought in mind, Molly hurried out the door. Maybe the
Barkley's would be late too.
Molly ran the last half mile to school. She’d missed the Barkleys. She arrived
breathless, red faced with her hair flying around her cheeks and sticking to
her lips. Intent on not being late, she hurried toward the school door, not
noticing in time the back of a gentleman standing on the steps talking to Miss
Briggs. Molly ran into him, hard. If he hadn’t turned in time, grabbed her arms
and held on, she’d have tumbled backward down the stairs.
“Whoa,” he said, helping to stand her on her feet, “looks like this little lady
can’t wait for school to begin Amelia.”
Him. It was him. Molly’s mouth went dry. She couldn’t speak a word. “Molly,”
Miss Briggs scolded, “where are your manners? Tell Mr. Barkley, you’re sorry
for almost knocking him down.”
With a great effort, Molly managed a strangled, whispered, “I’m sorry, Mr.
Barkley.”
“That’s quite alright, Molly,” he bestowed a warm forgiving smile on her, eyes
twinkling like they knew a secret he’d only share with her.
Molly went weak in the knees. If she didn’t get inside and sit down they
wouldn’t hold her up another second. He’d remembered her name!
The rest of the school day dragged along. At the first recess, Nick Barkley
cornered her on the school house steps and started using that hateful nickname
again just like he had since her first days in Stockton School.
“Hey, it’s little carrot top, Molly!” He teased. Nick had nicknames for all the
little girls in the school. Some of them giggled and flirted when he used them,
sure he liked them best. Molly figured that was okay if you were one of the
girls Nick called, “Sweetie” or “Cookie, but “carrot top?” It wasn’t as awful
as Clara Bentley’s nickname, “knows all, tells all,” but almost.
As always, Molly tried to argue back. “The tops of carrots are green, Nick
Barkley!” She screamed, getting all red in the face even though she knew it
just made him tease more. “My hair’s not green!”
“No,” he taunted with that smirking grin, “it’s just bright and red. Like a
carrot!”
Molly balled her fist in rage. How dare he? How dare he? Before she could stop
herself, she let all the fury out and punched him right in the stomach. He went
“oof!” and clutched his middle like maybe she’d really hurt him. For just a
minute, Molly felt glad. He was always teasing or tugging on her curls or
making silly faces when she got up to recite. It served him right.
“What did you do that for?” He asked in a squeaky voice, having a hard time
drawing a deep enough breath to talk.
“Cause you’re mean, that’s why!” Molly shouted at him. “Always calling names
and pulling hair and...” Molly’s anger got the better of her and she kicked him
right in the shin. It might have been alright. It was a good hard, swift
kick-but somehow Molly’s leg got off balance and she tumbled backwards into the
dirt. She was so startled, embarrassed and humiliated, she couldn’t keep from
crying.
Nick, still holding his stomach and wincing from the pain in his shin, reached
over to help her up. “Aw, you stupid kid.”
“Leave me alone!” Molly screamed shoving his helping hands away. Later, Molly
thought how awful it was Miss Briggs chose that moment to come out of the
schoolhouse and get the wrong idea.
“Nicholas Barkley! Are you already in trouble? Pushing a little girl down on
the first day of school?” She came toward them with a grim determination to get
to the bottom of this altercation.
Nick groaned. With his back to Miss Briggs he hissed down at Molly, “Why’d you
have to be so stupid? My father made me swear I’d try not to get in trouble
this year. He said if I behaved this year and got good reports, he’d let me buy
a new stallion. Today’s just the first day!”
“I’m sorry, Nick,” Molly whispered, truly sorry for the anguish on his face.
She tried, when Miss Briggs demanded an explanation, to take the blame. Miss
Briggs, who’d been their teacher for the past four years, thought she knew
better. If it looked like Nick’s fault, it usually was and Molly was just
trying to take up for him. All the little girls were sweet on Nick Barkley and
would go to any lengths to keep him from being punished. Miss Briggs refused to
allow Molly to admit to any wrongdoing.
“You’ll be staying after school, Nicholas,” Miss Briggs announced to the
downcast Nick and teary Molly.
“Yes, ma’am,” Nick answered sullenly. He glared, his dark eyes narrowed, at
Molly. He brushed rudely past her as Molly tried to offer her remorse. She’d
heard Mr. Barkley was even stricter than Mama. Probably Nick could kiss that
stallion goodbye. What a horrible first day this was turning out to be and it
wasn’t even time for lunch.
That day never seemed to end. Clara Bentley, who was sweet
on Nick, kept sending evil looks in Molly’s direction. At noon, Molly found
someone had put ants in her lunch pail, probably Clara or her friend, Susan,
who was also smitten with Nick. Molly tossed her lunch to a skinny pup who
wandered into the school yard and sat for the rest of recess with a hard,
hurting lump in the middle of her throat. When little Audra Barkley, shared
half an apple, Molly felt even worse at the unexpected kindness. Guilt over
Nick and disappointment at not riding to school with Jarrod gnawed a pain in
her stomach.
By the time Miss Briggs dismissed them for the day, Molly was only too glad to
leave. On her way out, she tried again to apologize to Nick. He just stared
though her like she wasn’t there. Quick tears pricked her eyes as she followed
her classmates out into the sunny afternoon.
“You’d better hurry home,” Josie reminded her smugly from her perch on the back
of Patrick’s horse. “Mama said.”
Mama said. Mama said. Molly mocked Josie behind her back. Glumly, she put one
foot in front of the other and began the long walk home. Alone. A gentle tug on
the back of her dress stopped her before she’d gone two steps. Molly turned to
see Audra, still looking like a little princess in a blue cotton dress with
ruffles around the collar. Must be nice, Molly thought in her gloom, to be so
beautiful without even trying. To have golden hair instead of this awful red.
“Molly? Isn’t Nick coming out?”
“Why, no, Audra. Didn’t you hear Miss Briggs say he had to stay after school?”
Audra’s rosebud mouth puckered, “For how long?”
“An hour.”
“But he’s suppose to walk me to Mrs. Cooper’s house for my piano lesson!” Audra
wailed, blue eyes filling with tears. “I can’t be late! I can’t! I promised my
father I would try my best not to be late this year.” Tears coursing down her
cheeks, Audra confided while she dug in the pocket of her dress for a
handkerchief, “Lack of punctuality is my worst fault, father said. I promised
I’d try ever so much harder this year not to be late. I can’t wait a whole hour
to get to my piano lesson!”
Molly sympathized, more with Mr. Barkley than with Audra. Poor Mr. Barkley, too
bad Audra and Nick had already broken their promises to him on the first day of
school. Good thing he had one perfect child like Jarrod.
“Could you walk me to Mrs. Cooper’s house, Molly? So I won’t be late?”
“But, Audra...” If she took Audra, she’d be late getting home. “I can’t. My
mother told me to come straight home.”
Audra’s lips pouted, tears spilled from her solemn eyes as she stared at Molly
with a poor-little-me expression. Oh, dirty darn. Audra had been nice enough to
share her apple at lunch.
“Well, hurry, then! I have to get home soon!”
Mrs. Cooper’s house was in the opposite direction from Molly’s home, but she
thought if she hurried she might still be able to get home before Mama got too
angry. She didn’t count on being stopped by Mrs. Cooper asking if Papa had
gotten in that new shipment of dimity fabric yet. Mama always stressed being
polite to Papa’s customers, so Molly did her best not to fidget and answer as
Mama would want her to. It even gave her a good excuse for being late.
“Mrs. Cooper stopped me, Mama. I had to answer her.” But even with that as an
excuse, Molly began to run after she left Stockton. Time had a habit of
slipping away faster than you thought, especially if you’d been told to hurry
home.
Almost to the crossroads where she turned toward home, Molly didn’t see the tree
root she tripped over with her clumsy feet. She’d been running hard with a
stitch in her side, tears blinding her eyes and those dratted red curls
sticking to her sweaty neck. Falling hard, Molly skinned the palms of both
hands and wrenched her ankle so hard the pain shot halfway to her knee.
Stunned, at first, she sat with her books scattered hither and yon trying to
pull her wits about her. When she tried to stand, her ankle hurt so much she
just gave up and wept.
Covering her eyes with her hands, Molly sobbed out all the disappointment of
the day. It had started with such high hopes and they’d all come crashing down
at her feet. Could it get any worse?
Crying harder, Molly didn’t hear the sound of a buggy, the patient clopping of
horseshoes coming her way until it was almost upon her. A startled, “whoa!”
above her head made her jump. Molly looked up to see who’d found in this
disgraceful position. Him! It was him! Jarrod Barkley come to her rescue.
Turning a deep shade of humiliated red, Molly buried her face deeper into her
hands. Not him, not now! Finding her sitting in the dirt with her dress all
mussed and dirty, those stupid little girl curls tangled and her nose dripping
like a leaky pump...what would he think?
“Molly? Are you hurt?”
She heard him jump from the buggy and come to kneel beside her on the road.
Molly shook her head frantically no. If he would just leave! She could get home
somehow, even if she had to crawl.
“You aren’t hurt?” He questioned. “Are you sick?”
“No, no! Please, Mr. Barkley, could you just leave?”
How impolite! What would he think? A shuddering sob escaped before she could
stop it, her shoulders began to heave and Molly couldn’t hold back the tears
anymore. This awful, awful day!
“Molly,” he sounded calm, reasonable, “you’re sitting in the middle of the road
crying. Now I know something must have happened. Why don’t you tell me what it
is and I’ll see if I can help.”
Molly kept shaking her head no. Go, go, go, she plead silently, not daring to
open her mouth again. What dreadful words might come out next? If he just
hadn’t put his hand on her shoulder touching her and squeezing reassurances,
Molly might have held out...but when he touched her it all just burst out.
“I fell and wrenched my ankle!” She wailed. “It hurts and I can’t walk and I’ll
be late getting home and Mama....” Molly looked up into his face, the caring
concern in his midnight blue eyes and wept in big, chocking sobs. “Mama’s gonna
be awful angry. This has been the worst first day of school I ever had an’ I
don’t wanna go home!”
“Now, it can’t be as bad as all that,” he spoke quietly, gently. “Let me help
you into the buggy. I’ll take you home and explain to your mother.”
Molly couldn’t seem to stop crying but it didn’t keep her from enjoying having
Jarrod Barkley pick her up off the road and sit her carefully in his buggy. He
smelled so nice, like bay rum from the barber shop and maybe like Papa’s pipe
tobacco. She wondered briefly if Jarrod SMOKED in college. He was so daring and
strong! He picked her up like she didn’t weigh more than a silk hair ribbon.
Molly heart beat in skips and hops the whole brief time he held her in his
arms.
“There now,” he smiled at her as he took his place behind the reins. “Why don’t
I drive real slow and you can tell me why this has been the worst day of school
you’ve ever had?”
Before she quite knew how it happened, Molly began to pour into his
understanding ears the story of the whole miserable day. She left out a few
pertinent facts, like fixing her hair and hoping to hitch a ride to school in
his buggy, put she told him everything else. Brushing tears from her cheeks,
she told him about getting Nick into trouble and taking Audra to her piano
lesson and even about the ants in her lunch pail. He was so nice to talk to, so
patient and calm.
Molly thought he was just about the nicest man she knew.
“Nick doesn’t usually need anyone to get him into trouble,” Jarrod said when
she’d finished telling him everything.
“But it really wasn’t his fault, Mr. Barkley,” Molly hastened to explain. “I
feel so awful because now your father will be angry with him.”
Jarrod smiled at her. “Oh, I think I can straighten this out with father.”
For the first time that day Molly felt a glimmer of hope. “Really? It would
make me feel ever so much better if you could! Then maybe Nick wouldn’t tease
so much at...” Molly stopped, bit her lip and twisted the hem of her skirt
around her finger. If Nick found out she’d tattled, he’d never stop calling her
names.
“Nick doesn’t make a nuisance of himself at school does he?” Jarrod asked
shrewdly. “Like he did when he was younger?”
Molly’s gnawed at her bottom lip before answering. “Well, not really. Just
silly things like taking hair ribbons and pulling hair. Most of the girls like
it but I don’t! He’s always calling me carrot top!”
“The tops of carrots,” Jarrod said very seriously, “are green. Not the color of
your lovely hair.”
Her lovely hair? Molly thought she might swoon if she knew how. Did he really,
truly think this awful red hair was lovely? Or was he just saying that to be
nice? How old did you have to be before you were sure a man was sincere or just
teasing?
“That’s what I told, Nick,” Molly chose the safer ground of agreeing with him
just in case he wasn’t teasing her.
Jarrod looked sideways at her, flicking the reins a little at the horse he
asked, “You aren’t sweet on my brother, Nick are you?”
“Oh, no!” Molly spoke up before she thought about what she was saying, “
There’s someone I like much better. He’s not anything like Nick.” Dirty, dirty
darn.
“Ah, and does he share your affection?”
Molly gulped, thinking, don’t I wish on every first star he did? “No, he
don’t...he doesn’t notice me at all.”
“I see,” Jarrod said wisely, “an affair of the heart.”
An affair of the heart? Molly’s romantic nature grabbed that idea. How grand!
How grownup it sounded! She tried to make her face into tragic lines, as might
befit someone who had an affair of the heart with an uncaring beau. “I don’t
expect he’s ever gonna notice me. He’s older,” she confided.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if some day he does notice you. You’re a very pretty
girl.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls, Mr. Barkley.”
“Only the pretty ones,” he said and winked.
Molly blushed and looked away. If this ride could just last forever...if she
and Jarrod could keep driving far, far away over the horizon instead of up the
road toward her house. Home and Mama and being late and...Douglas.
"Please don’t take me home," Molly whimpered a
little, forgetting about affairs of the heart and everything but the trouble
she was in now. “I’m in dreadful trouble for being late.”
“Surely your mother can’t be angry because you were hurt?”
You don’t understand, she wanted to blurt out. Mama will say I should have come
straight home and not lollygagged or I wouldn’t have got hurt in the first
place. Like the scared little school girl she was, she burst into tears again,
“You don’t understand, Mr. Barkley! Mama told me to hurry home and I didn’t so
now she’s gonna make me have a talk with Douglas!”
“Douglas, who?” Jarrod, who’d known the Richards for years, had never heard of
that family member. Mr. Richards’ name was Sam, the son’s name was Burt. He was
puzzled at Molly’s obvious distress over having to face this Douglas because
she was late getting home. “Is he a relative?”
Even through her tears, Molly knew this conversation was heading into dangerous
ground. She’d managed to keep Douglas a secret through all the years she’d
shared a schoolroom with Jarrod Barkley. She didn’t intend in him finding out
now. “He’s a...” remembering Papa’s words at breakfast, she lied, “a kind of a
cousin. He punishes us when we’re naughty.”
Molly lifted her woebegone face and sobbed, “I hate Douglas!”
Jarrod didn’t have time to get to the bottom of this crisis. Just as he pulled
the buggy to a stop before the house, Mrs. Richards came out shoving her dress
sleeves up to her elbows. With a peeved expression on her face and a severe
gleam in her eyes, she greeted him politely while holding in her obvious anger
at her daughter.
“Jarrod, I see you’ve brought my naughty child home.” Her gaze swept over Molly
with a promise of punishment to come. “And where have you been, miss? Didn’t I
tell you to get home right after school? You’re in for it now, girl!”
Naughty child? What would he think? Molly could feel her heart cracking in
two.. Having to talk to Douglas wasn’t going to be as bad as having Jarrod
Barkley think she was another silly little girl.
If Mama just wouldn’t humiliate her like this! If she’d just wait till he left
to scold! Molly didn’t see how she had a tear left in her head but more and
more kept dripping over her raw eyelids, sliding down her cheeks.
“Mrs. Richards, I’m afraid I have a confession to make,” Startled by Jarrod’s
pleasant voice trying to soothe her mother, Molly looked up to see a shamefaced
look on his face. “It isn’t Molly fault for being late. It’s we, Barkley's who
have held her up this afternoon. Will you forgive us?”
“I don’t understand,” Mama said with a puzzled frown on her brow.
Jarrod jumped from the buggy and went to stand in front of Mama. “You see, Mrs.
Richards, your thoughtful daughter,” he looked back at Molly and winked, “has
saved my little sister, Audra, from being late to her piano lesson. You know
Mrs. Cooper, of course, what a regular harridan she can be about punctuality.”
“I do indeed.” Mama laughed, actually laughed out loud. Oh, he was a good
lawyer already if he could make Mama laugh.
“She asked me about some fabric Papa ordered for her, Mama,” Molly supplied
hoping she might divert her anger further, “So I was polite just like you
always said.”
“A daughter to be proud of, Mrs. Richards,” Jarrod followed right away with
more praise in her behalf. “When I think of Audra outside the schoolhouse
crying, waiting for my brother, Nick to show up...well...I can’t tell you how
much it warms my heart to know there are Good Samaritans like your daughter,
Molly, in this world.”
Mama looked like she might be softening some at Jarrod’s words. Grumping a
little, she looked at Molly still sitting in the buggy. “Well, I expect she did
have a good excuse for being late. Get on down with you now, Molly, you got
potatoes to peel.”
“I can’t, Mama. I hurt my ankle.” Jarrod moved to stand by the buggy as if to
shield Molly from Mama’s anger.
“Yes, Mrs. Richards, your pride in your daughter must know no bounds. Do you
know, she did her good deed in secret and was rushing home when tragedy
struck?” Molly didn’t know exactly what Jarrod meant but it sounded lovely
anyway. From Mama’s bewildered look, she didn’t know either but was still
listening. That had to be a good sign. “ I found her in tears by the side of
the road where she twisted her ankle hurrying home like the obedient child she
is...in terrible pain but still determined to get home.”
Mama understood that at once. “You’re hurt, child?” Instantly, conjured by the
magic of Jarrod’s smooth talk, Mama was all agitated concern. She rushed to
Molly’s side, looking down at her foot. “Which ankle?”
Molly pointed to her throbbing ankle. “It hurts awful bad,” she said tearfully
in a small voice.
Instantly, Mama was all love and solicitude, easing off Molly’s shoe over her
swollen limb.
Molly tried to be brave but it throbbed so badly she couldn’t help whimpering
in pain. Her ankle had already turned a horrible shade of purple and blue. A
sick feeling rolled in her stomach as Mama poked at the swelling. With a quick
gasp of pain, Molly clutched Jarrod’s arm, digging her nails in tight.
“Aw, Molly, what have you done, girl? We’d best have the doctor out I think.
Although how we’re to go for him I don’t know. Mr. Richards is still at his
store and me here trying to get dinner ready for the visiting preacher.”
“Allow me, please, Mrs. Richards,” Jarrod spoke up, not seeming to mind Molly’s
grip on his arm. “We’ve caused you enough trouble this afternoon. I’m on my way
into Stockton anyway to pick up Audra from her piano lesson.”
Mama looked pleased over this arrangement. “If it wouldn’t be out of your way,
Jarrod. It’d be right neighborly of you. Thank you.”
“I’d best carry Molly into the house first,” Jarrod answered.
Molly tried her best to keep breathing but it was hard. Loosening her clench on
Jarrod’s arm, she did as he instructed and put her arm around his neck instead.
Imagine! Jarrod Barkley was carrying her up in his arms for the second time
that day! Molly knew her heart didn’t beat a beat as he picked her up, carried
her into the house and sat her gently down on the parlor sofa where Mama
instructed him to put her. As he sat her down, her heart lurched back into
rhythm and a longing sigh of breath escaped her lips. If he could just hold her
forever, how sweet that would be...
Doctor Merar beat the visiting preacher by half an hour. He strapped Molly’s
ankle up, gave Mama some powders in case she had pain during the night and
instructed her to keep off it for a few days. Just as he was getting his hat
and picking up his black bag, he pulled a small bag of red and white striped
candy from his coat pocket.
“Almost forgot, Molly. Jarrod Barkley sent along a little thank you for helping
Audra this afternoon. He said he hopes you feel better soon.”
Thankfully, Mama smiled indulgently at the candy and didn’t insist Molly put it
away until later.
Molly knew even after she ate the candy, she’d keep the little pink bag forever
tucked away in her “Memory Verses” book. He had thought of her and bought her a
present! Candy ! Wasn’t that what a beau always gave his sweetheart?
Later that night Molly lay awake thinking over the day. It hadn’t turned out so
awful for the first day of school after all. She’d gotten to ride home from
school with Jarrod. He carried her not once, but twice! He’d given her candy
and kept Mama from being angry. Even with her ankle throbbing so badly it teased
tears from the corners of her eyes, Molly couldn’t help but be glad.
And someday...someday Jarrod would notice her. Molly was certain of it.
Molly Elizabeth Barkley. It had a nice ring to it. Someday, it would happen and
right after the wedding, Molly knew the first thing she’d ask Jarrod to do . .
. throw Douglas in the fire.