HEARTACHE OF WAR

Heartbroken Dessa stood next to Mama and Papa and watched Mitch go out of sight through the trees. Tears flowed like fire down her cheeks. How could he leave them for a stupid war?

Mama patted her shoulder, but said nothing because she couldn’t speak either. She was crying as hard as her daughter. Their world had been torn apart, and Dessa was afraid it would never be the same again.

Papa cleared his throat. “Come on, girls. Let’s get back in the house before you catch your death standing out here in the cold bareheaded.”

Dessa stumbled along, staring over her shoulder for one last brief glimpse of her brother. Nothing there but shadowy woods. Without Mitchell the normal gaiety of Christmas in Kansas City would be drab as those leafless trees moaning and clattering like skeletons dancing in the cold December wind.

“But Papa, I’m bored with staying at home.” Dessa stood her ground against his scowl. “ I don’t want to learn to tat or embroider. I want to work in one of the stores. You need extra help for the holidays.”

“Perhaps you’d like to go away to one of those fancy boarding schools. I’d assure you you wouldn’t be bored there.”

The implied threat sent chills down her back. “God, no.” Immediately she bit her tongue. Papa did not tolerate the use of the Lord’s name in vain.

“Watch your tongue young lady, or that’s exactly where you’ll be. In a flash.”

“I’m sorry, but Papa, I’m eighteen, a woman grown.”

“Yes, and it’s time you found yourself a husband and settled down.”

“All the good men have gone off to war. Where would you like me to look for this husband?”

Papa sighed and waved an arm about. “Plenty of men bought off going to war.”

“And you would like me to settle for one of them? Rich cowards. With our Mitchell out there somewhere. Never would I even look twice at a man like that.”

“Please, child. I have to go downtown. There’s a problem at the store there. Without Mitchell I’m short handed —”

“I know, and I can help. I’m good with people. Let me just try it. Take me with you and you’ll see, I will sell more fashionable clothes than anyone you’ve got in any of the stores.”

Papa lifted his shoulders and glanced about, as if in search of help from Mama, who wisely remained in the kitchen when Dessa and Papa got into it, as she put it. When he saw no escape, he gestured around the room.

“All right, child, but I know I’ll regret this. Get your things and we’ll see what you’re made of.”

Dessa went to work in the downtown Fallon’s that day, and immediately endeared herself to everyone who shopped there. After Christmas, when business dropped off a bit, she feared Papa might let her go, but he didn’t. For the first time in her life she felt useful, not the rich little girl growing up with everything handed to her on a silver platter. If Mitchell hadn’t been gone off to the war, she’d have been content.

That April the war ended and Dessa readied herself for Mitch’s return. But he didn’t come and neither did a letter that he might be on the way. She dared not think of the worst, but by the end of summer it was clear her brother wasn’t coming home. The entire household went into mourning, and Mama took to her bed. Papa grew gaunt and let his store managers handle business. Dessa spent hours in her room, refusing to face the idea that she might never see her brother again.

Then a letter came from Virginia City, Montana saying that Mitch was alive. But it wasn’t from him, it was from some woman who claimed to have seen him.

Mama crawled from her bed and began tossing clothing from the chiffarobe. Papa paced the floor, reading and re-reading the letter.

“Papa, you know it’s probably not true. I want to believe it, we want to believe it. But who is this woman? She probably just wants money from you.”

He nodded fiercely. “Yes, yes, child, you’re right, I know it. If our Mitchell was alive he would’ve been in touch by now. But I simply can’t discount it out of hand. Our store in Virginia City is sorely in need of better management. It wouldn’t hurt if I went there where I could investigate this at length from close at hand.”

“You’re not going without me, Mr. Fallon,” Mama shouted, hands fisted at her sides.

“Someone has to remain here and run the household, and be available should something arise at one of the stores that can only be handled by family.”

Dessa glanced from her father’s stern face to Mama’s tearful one. The possibility of her brother’s being alive had brought Mama back from the brink of death. It was only right she go with Papa.

“I’ll stay then,” Dessa said. “But promise you’ll let me know the minute you find out anything. And that you’ll allow me to join you if it’s true and my brother is alive.”

Mama and Papa stared at her a moment. “Alone?” Mama whispered. “No, I won’t allow that.”

“Hush,” Papa said, taking her hand in his. “We’ll hire someone to accompany her, should it be necessary.”

That night Dessa lay awake for hours, imagining the discovery that her brother was alive. But that was foolish, wasn’t it? Just plain foolish.

Follow Dessa in the search for her brother in Montana Dreams.