Page 63 of The Preacher's Bride

He shook his head. “No, you’re a good woman, Mia, and you deserve more than what I’ve given you.”

She looked at him, confused.

Caleb let out a deep breath. “Mia, I need to tell you… what happened… to Jessica.”

Mia shook her head. “Caleb, you don’t have to—”

“Yes, I do,” he said as he turned his attention to the road. “She had a cough for some time, and when I asked her about it, she brushed it off, saying that it was nothing. I should have known better. It got to the point that she was coughing up blood.”

Mia gasped.

Caleb paused for a moment as memories washed over him. “I tried to get her to see Doc Morgan, but she wouldn’t go. Anyway, one Sunday morning, she wasn’t feeling well. I tried to get her to stay at home, but she wanted to go to church. She was fine during the service, but she collapsed afterward. I rushed her to the house and Doc Morgan came, but it was too late. She died later that night. Colton and Madison were with me, and Ella had kept the children at their farm.” He let out a deep breath. Somehow, it felt better to talk about it now. To get it out.

Mia gingerly touched his arm, bringing him back to the present. “Caleb, it wasn’t your fault—”

“Mia, I should have forced her to see Doc Morgan—”

“Caleb,” she interrupted. “There is no cure for influenza besides bedrest. There was nothing you could have done.”

He nodded. Although he knew she was right, it was still hard to hear.

“Caleb, I know it isn’t easy.”

“It’s been hard,” he admitted, letting out a deep breath.

She covered his hand with hers. “I know, but you have to find a way to let go of the past and move on.”

He smirked as he looked into her eyes. “So, you want me to forget?”

Mia shook her head. “No, never forget. But you have to find a way to go on.”

Caleb nodded. “It’s easier said than done.”

She let her hand drop. “Yes, it is.” Mia let out a deep breath. “Take all the time you need, Caleb. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Thank you.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. They pulled to a stop in front of the house, his house, their house together now. It was so confusing. “Mia, just give me time.” He looked into her eyes. “I want to be a good husband to you, but I need time.”

She gave him a small smile as she nodded. “Take all the time you need. As I said, I’m not going anywhere.”

Deep down, he just hoped it was true.

As the week wore on, Mia was true to her word. Caleb noticed that she became better with running the house and soon got into a rhythm. To his surprise, she started getting up even earlier—before sunrise—to collect the eggs before the children woke, or to get something out of the root cellar. She also visited Ella and helped with the babies a few times during the week. It appeared that Mia, Ms. Jenkins, and Madison were all taking turns helping out. Caleb went over to check on them at night, as well.

He couldn’t help but admire Mia’s independence. In one way, she reminded him so much of Jessica, and then in other ways, she was nothing like her at all. It was time that he stopped comparing her to Jessica and to start seeing her for who she was inside.

One morning, Caleb walked out of the bedroom, and she was sitting on the rocking chair, sewing by the firelight, and didn’t see him come in.

“You’re going to hurt your eyes, sewing in this light.”

“Oh!” She jumped as she quickly hid what she had been working on inside her sewing basket, and then tucked it into the writing desk and closed the doors.

It spiked his attention, but then again, women had their secrets. “When do you sleep?”

Mia laughed. “Oh, I sleep. Don’t worry.”

He took a step forward. “Make sure to take care of yourself.”

“I’m fine.”

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