Kelly's Chance (13 page)

“Good. Now will you let me help you stable the mules?”

She nodded.

Mike grabbed his jacket off the wall peg by the door. “You lead one mule, and I’ll take the other.”

A moment later, they stepped into the driving rain, but Mike paid it no mind. All he could think about was spending the next hour or so in the company of Kelly McGregor.

***

During the next half hour, Kelly and Mike got the mules fed and bedded down for the night. Kelly was grateful for his help and the loan of the barn. It meant Herman and Hector had a warm, dry place to rest, without the bouncing and swaying from the rough waters caused by the storm.

Truth be told, Kelly dreaded going to her own room. It would be hard to sleep with the boat bobbing all over the place. She’d probably have to tie herself in bed in order to keep from being tossed onto the floor.

“I was wondering if you and your folks would like to stay at my place tonight,” Mike said, as he rubbed Herman down with an old towel.

“Your place?”

“My house. I’ve got plenty of room.”

Kelly wondered if Mike had been able to read her mind. Or was he smart enough to figure out how difficult it would be to spend the night on a boat riding the waves of a storm?

“I’d have to ask Papa and Mama,” she said. “They might agree, but I’m not sure.”

“Would you prefer it if I asked them instead?”

“That probably would be best. Papa’s usually more open to things if it comes from someone other than me.”

Mike hung the towel on a nail and moved toward Kelly, who’d been drying Hector off with a piece of heavy cloth. “I take it you and your pa don’t get along.”

Kelly lowered her gaze to the wooden floor. “I used to think he liked me well enough, but ever since Sarah left, he’s been actin’ meaner than ever.”

Mike’s heart clenched. He hated to see the way Kelly’s shoulders drooped or hear the resignation in her voice. “Are you afraid of him, Kelly?”

She nodded slowly. “Sometimes.”

“Has he ever hit you?”

“Not since I was little. Then it was only a swat on the backside.” Kelly’s eyes filled with tears, and it was all Mike could do to keep from kissing her. “Papa mostly yells, but sometimes he makes me do things I know are wrong.”

“Like what?”

She sucked in her lower lip. “The other day, a bunch of chickens was runnin’ around near the towpath. He insisted I grab hold of one and give it to Mama to cook for our supper that night.”

Mike drew in a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “But that’s stealing. Doesn’t your dad know taking things that don’t belong to you is breaking one of God’s commandments?”

“Papa don’t care about God. He thinks Mama is plain silly for readin’ her Bible every night.”

“What do you think would have happened if you’d refused to do what your dad asked?”

“I don’t know, but I didn’t think I should find out.”

Mike could hardly believe Kelly’s dad had asked her to do something so wrong, but it was equally hard to understand why she wouldn’t stand up to him. If he didn’t threaten her physically, what kind of hold did the man have on her?

“Does your dad refuse to pay you if you don’t do what he asks?” Mike questioned.

Kelly planted her hands on her hips. “I told you the other day, Papa has never paid me a single penny for leadin’ the mules.”

Mike reached up to scratch the side of his head. He’d forgotten about their conversation about Kelly’s lack of money. That was why she wanted to sell some of her artwork. And it was one more reason Mike had to help make it happen.

“It’s all Sarah’s fault for runnin’ off with one of the lock tender’s sons. She made Papa angry and left me with all the work.” Kelly balled her fingers into tight fists, and Mike wondered if she might want to punch someone. He took a few steps back, just in case.

Before he had a chance to respond to her tirade, Kelly announced, “I’m afraid men are all the same, and I ain’t never gettin’ married, that’s for certain sure!”

Mike felt like he’d been kicked in the gut. Never marry? Had he heard her right? If Kelly was dead set against marriage, what hope did he have of winning her hand? About all he could do was try to be her friend, but he sure wished he could figure out some way to prove to her that all men weren’t like her dad.

***

Kelly felt the heat of embarrassment flood her face. What had possessed her to spout off like that in front of Mike? He’d been helping her with the mules and sure didn’t deserve such wrath. She knew she should apologize, but the words stuck in her throat.

She grabbed a hunk of hay and fed it to Hector. Maybe if she kept her hands busy, she wouldn’t have to think about anything else.

“Why don’t you finish up with the mules while I go talk to your folks and see if they’d like to spend the night at my place?” Mike suggested.

Kelly nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

She heard the barn door close behind Mike, and she dropped to her knees. “Oh, Lord, I’m sorry for bein’ such a grouch. Guess I’m just tired and out of sorts tonight ’cause of the storm and all.”

Tears streamed down Kelly’s cheeks. Mike thought she was a sinner for taking that chicken. He didn’t understand how things were with Papa, either. To make matters worse, Mike had been kind to her, and she’d yelled at him in return. What must he think of her now?

“I’m sorry for stealin’ the chicken, Lord. Give me the courage to tell Papa no from now on.”

Kelly dried her eyes with the backs of her hands and was about to leave the barn when Mike showed up with Mama.

“Where’s Papa?” Kelly questioned.

Her mother sighed deeply. “He’s bound and determined to stay on the boat tonight. Never mind that it’s rockin’ back and forth like a bucking mule.” She wrinkled her nose. “And now the roof ’s leaking as well.”

“So are you and me gonna stay at Mike’s house?” Kelly asked.

“Yes, and it was a very kind offer, wouldn’tcha say?”

Kelly nodded in response and smiled at Mike. “Sorry for snappin’ like a turtle.”

He winked at her. “Apology accepted.”

***

For the next two days, the storm continued, and Papa refused to leave the boat. He said he might lose it if he did, but Kelly knew the truth. Her dad didn’t want to appear needy in front of Mike. He’d rather sit on his vessel and be tossed about like a chunk of wood thrown into a raging river than accept anyone’s charity.

Sitting at Mike’s kitchen table with her drawing tablet, Kelly thought about Proverbs 12:27, a verse of scripture she’d learned as a child:
“The substance of a diligent man is precious.”
Papa was diligent, that was for sure. Too bad he wasn’t kinder or more concerned about his family.

The last two nights, she and Mama had shared a bed inside a real home, and Kelly found herself wishing even more that she could leave the life of a mule driver behind.

“Aren’t you gonna eat some breakfast?” Mama asked, pushing a bowl of oatmeal in front of Kelly.

“I will, after I finish this drawing.”

Mama leaned forward with her elbows on the table. “What are you makin’?”

“It’s a picture of our boat bein’ tossed by the rising waters. I took a walk down to the canal this morning so I could see how things were lookin’.” Kelly frowned. “The rain hasn’t let up one little bit, and I figure God must be awful angry with someone.”

Mama looked at Kelly as if she’d taken leave of her senses. “What would make ya say somethin’ like that?”

“Doesn’t God cause the rain and winds to come whenever He’s mad?”

Reaching across the table, Mama took hold of Kelly’s hand. “Storms are part of the world we live in, but I don’t believe God sends ’em to make us pay for our sins.”

“Really?”

Mama nodded. “The Bible tells us in Psalm 34:19, ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.’ Everyone goes through trials, and some of those come in the form of storms, sickness, or other such things. That don’t mean we’re bein’ punished, but we can have the assurance that even though we’ll have afflictions, God will deliver us in His time.”

Kelly tried to concentrate on her drawing, but Mama’s words kept rolling around in her head.
When’s my time comin’ to be delivered, Lord? When are You gonna give me enough money so I can leave this terrible way of life?

She grabbed the hunk of charcoal and continued to draw, not wanting to think about her situation. It was bad enough that the storm wasn’t letting up and Papa refused to get off the boat. She didn’t wish to spend the rest of the day worried about God’s direction for her life. If more of her drawings didn’t sell soon, she’d have to figure out some other way to make money on her own. When they wintered in Easton, Kelly might get a job in one of the factories. Then she’d have plenty of money, and Papa could find someone else to lead the mules.

A few minutes later, the door flew open, and Papa lumbered into the room. Mama jumped up and moved quickly toward him.

“Oh, Amos, it’s so good to see you. Can I fix ya a bowl of oatmeal or maybe some flapjacks?”

He stormed right past Mama as though she hadn’t said a word about food. “Stupid weather! It ain’t bad enough we lost so much time with sickness and mule problems; now we’re stuck here ’til the storm passes by. I’m gettin’ sick of sittin’ around doin’ nothin’, and I can’t believe my family abandoned me to come get all cozy-like over here at the storekeeper’s place!”

Kelly tried to ignore her dad’s outburst, but it was hard, especially with him breathing down her neck, as he was now. She could feel his hot breath against her cheek, as he leaned his head close to the table. “What’s that you’re doin’?” he snarled.

“I’m drawin’ a picture of our boat in the storm.”

“Humph! Ain’t it bad enough I have to endure the torment of bein’ tossed around like a cork? Do ya have to rub salt in the wounds by makin’ a dumb picture to remind me of my plight?”

Kelly opened her mouth to reply, but Papa jerked the piece of paper right off the table. “This is trash and deserves to be treated as such!” With that, he marched across the room, flung open the door on the woodstove, and tossed Kelly’s picture into the fire.

She shot out of her seat, but it was too late. Angry flames of red had already engulfed her precious drawing.

“How could you, Papa?” she cried. “How could you be so cruel?” Kelly rushed from the house, not caring that she wasn’t wearing a jacket.

***

Mike glanced out the store window and was surprised to see Kelly run past. She wasn’t wearing a jacket, and the rain was still pouring down. She would be drenched within seconds.

He yanked the door open and hurried out after her. She raced into the barn, and Mike was right behind her.

“Kelly, what are you doing out here without a coat?” he hollered as he followed her into the mules’ stall.

She kept her head down, and he could see her shoulders shaking.

Mike rushed over to her. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

She lifted her gaze to his, her dark eyes filled with tears. He ached to hold her in his arms—to kiss away those tears. He might have, too, if he hadn’t been afraid of her response.

“I was working on a drawing of our boat this mornin’, and Papa got mad and threw it into the fire,” she sobbed.

Mike took hold of Kelly’s arms. “Why would he do such a thing?”

“He stormed into your kitchen, yelled about the weather, and said I was rubbin’ salt into his wounds by makin’ a picture of the boat in the storm. Then he said my picture was trash and deserved to be treated as such. That’s when he turned it to ashes.” Tears streamed down Kelly’s face, and Mike instinctively reached up to wipe them away with the back of his hand.

“I’m so sorry, Kelly. I promise someday things will be better for you.”

“How can you say that? Are you able to see into the future and know what’s ahead?” she wailed.

Mike shook his head slowly. Kelly was right; he couldn’t be sure what the future held for either of them. He wanted things to be better and wished she would allow him to love her and help her. If Kelly were to marry him, Mike would gladly spend the rest of his life taking care of her. If only he felt free to tell her that.

“God loves you, Kelly, and He wants only the best for you.”

She glared up at him. “If God loves me so much, then why do I have to work long hours with no pay? And why’s Papa so mean?”

“God gives each of us a free will, and your dad is the way he is by his own choosing. We can pray for him and set a good example, but nobody can make him change until he’s ready.”

Kelly sniffed deeply. “I don’t care if he ever changes. All I care about is earnin’ enough money to make it on my own. I need that chance, so if you want to pray about somethin’, then ask God to help
me.”

Mike’s hand rested comfortably on her shoulder. With only a slight pull, she would be close enough for him to kiss. The urge was nearly overwhelming, and he moved away, fighting for control. Kelly had made clear how she felt about marriage. Even if she were attracted to him—and he suspected she was—they had no hope of a future together. He wanted marriage and children so much. All she seemed to care about was drawing pictures and making money so she could support herself. Didn’t Kelly realize he was more than willing to care for her needs? As long as he was able to draw breath, Mike would never let his wife or children do without.

“I’ll be praying, Kelly,” he mumbled. “Praying for both you and your dad.”

***

The following Monday, the rain finally stopped, and the canal waters had receded enough so the McGregors could move on. Kelly felt a deep sense of sadness as she said good-bye to Mike. He truly was her friend, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was attracted to him. She would miss their daily chats as she cared for the mules. She would miss his kind words and caring attitude. As the days of summer continued, she hoped they would stop by his store on a regular basis—not only to see if any of her paintings had sold, but also so she could spend more time with Mike.