Page 301 of Conveniently Wed
“He came in last week and had these drawn up. They’re legal and binding, in the event of his death. Doc and Pastor Whitting thought you’d want to know sooner rather than later that Erik provided for you,” Mitch said, taking a drink of the coffee Nora handed him. “You’ll see copies of his investments, holdings, bank statement. It’s all there.”
“Thank you for bringing this out.” Aundy tapped the stack of papers with her fingers. “I appreciate it so much.”
“My pleasure, Mrs. Erickson. Your husband is a smart businessman and a good friend,” Mitch said. He finished his coffee and stood to his feet. “If there is anything I can do to help you, just let me know.”
Grateful for the presence of Nora on one side of her and Garrett on the other, Aundy stared at the rain-soaked grave swallowing Erik’s coffin as two men slowly lowered it into the hole.
Unable to concentrate on the words Pastor Whitting said, Aundy fought back her tears as she stood ramrod straight, heedless to the achingly cold wind and frigid rain falling on the large gathering at the cemetery.
Although Erik had no family, the number of people attending his service indicated he was rich in friends.
If his kindness to her through his letters and the things he had done in preparation for her arrival attested to his character, Erik would leave behind a legacy of a good, thoughtful man who put others ahead of himself.
Erik lingered for three long days. The doctor kept him medicated so he didn’t feel pain, but it also prevented him from being lucid.
Aundy sat next to his bed, holding his hand in hers. As she read aloud passages he’d underlined in his Bible, she felt pressure on her fingers. She was surprised to see Erik’s pain-glazed eyes staring at her when she looked at his face.
“Aundy,” he whispered in a raspy breath. “I’m sorry.”
“Erik, don’t be sorry. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.” She smiled reassuringly although she couldn’t stop the tears rolling down her cheeks.
“You’re a good wife.” Erik’s voice was weak as he squeezed her hand. “Thank you for coming.”
“You’re a wonderful husband, Erik. Thank you for marrying me, for providing for me. I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done.”
“Glad to do it.” Erik closed his eyes and drifted off. He drew his last breath a few hours later.
Mourning a life cut short and the loss of her dreams, Aundy grieved for the life she and Erik would have built together as she stood at her husband’s graveside.
Thoughts of other funerals, other lives that ended too soon, caused a sob to wrack across her shoulders. She compressed her lips to keep it from escaping.
Nora, who stood to her right, found her hand and squeezed her fingers, trying to infuse a touch of comfort.
However, Aundy was beyond comforting. She was tired of death, tired of mourning, tired of life taking such unexpected and unpleasant turns.
Two years earlier, her father and fiancé, her beloved Gunther, died when the trench they were digging for a new water line collapsed and buried them, along with three other men. By the time the company they worked for dug them out, only one of the men survived. After their funerals, Aundy’s mother took to her bed and died a month later.
Financially struggling to keep their family together, Aundy’s younger siblings looked to her for strength and guidance. Ilsa was only fifteen at the time and Lars was eighteen. He ran away a few weeks later, leaving a note saying he was off to make his way in the world and not to worry about him.
To deal with so much loss in such a short time, Aundy threw herself into looking for a job, applying for secretarial and teaching positions, but found it impossible to secure anything due to her lack of experience. Desperate for work, she took the job as a seamstress at the factory. She managed to keep their apartment for a while before she had to let it go.
Ilsa agreed to work for their aunt in her dress shop. Aunt Louisa would provide room and board, promising to pay Ilsa a dollar a week for her work and allow her access to all her scrap fabrics to use as she wished. Although both girls thought Louisa was harsh and mean-spirited, it was a better alternative for Ilsa than factory work.
The girls packed up the belongings they absolutely couldn’t bear to lose. Ilsa took most of them with her to Aunt Louisa’s home. Aundy kept a few heirlooms and moved into a boarding house near the factory. She helped cook and clean in the mornings and evenings in trade for her room and board, saving every penny she could, hoping someday life would improve.
Bone-tired and dispirited after a miserable day at work, the discovery of Erik’s ad had been like a ray of light illuminating a pitch-black night.
Convinced she had found a way to not only better her future but also Ilsa’s, Aundy’s hopes and dreams were once again in tatters, along with her heart.
She swiped at the tears she could no longer hold back as they mingled with raindrops on her cheeks. Aundy nodded at Pastor Whitting as he finished the service and looked her direction.
“Come on, honey, let’s get you out of this rain,” Nora said, steering Aundy in the direction of their canopy-topped surrey. Numbly, she followed Nora and accepted Garrett’s help into the back seat.
His father, J.B., sat on the front seat, unable to walk in the mud to the graveside service, but wanting to pay his respects to his neighbor and friend.
Thrown by his horse the previous year, the injuries to J.B.’s back and leg had been so severe, he’d spent months in bed, unable to move. Recently, he’d shown improvement, getting up and walking short distances with the help of a cane.
Garrett, who moved to Portland after graduating from college, wanted to experience life in a bigger city while working for an agriculture export company. When he learned of his father’s accident, he hurried home to take over management of the ranch and decided to stay.
