Susanna's First Scene

Susanna clung to her bonnet as the crisp autumn wind swept her brunette curls into her face. Before her, the sun began painting the first signs of evening into the cloudy sky and she quickened her pace, hurrying down the dirt road in hopes of gaining a few spare moments. The door creaked as she stepped into the small shop, inhaling the aroma of leather.
“Well hello, Miss McDaniel.”  Twenty years in the new country had not softened his Irish accent. 
“Hello Mr. Jenkins. Papa asked me to ask after his gloves.”
“Michael finished them up this morning.” He shuffled in the cabinet beneath the cash box.
“Mrs. Jenkins feeling better?” Susanna glanced towards the workroom in the back.
“Recovering nicely, thank you.” He caught her eager eyes. “Now then, did ya come to pick up your father’s gloves or is there something else you came over for?”
Susanna dropped her eyes to the floor, her face flushing as she took the gloves.  “I just came for Papa’s gloves.”
“Well, don’t be shy.  You can see Michael if you like.” He smiled as he turned to the workroom. “Michael. It’s getting toward dark. You should see Miss McDaniel home.” 
“Yes sir.” A lanky blonde teenager stepped into the front room of the shop, trying to hide his excitement.
A shy smile crossed her lips, the same one that appeared each time she saw him in town.  “Hi Michael.”
“You better hurry, Michael. You still have chores at home.”
“Yes sir.” Michael opened the door for Susanna. “I made them gloves myself, Anna. I hope your Papa has use of them for a long time.”
“Oh, Michael, he will be so proud of you.” She slid her arm over his as they stepped into the dusky evening.
Neither spoke as they strolled towards her home in the setting sun.  Susanna was waiting for him to speak again, but Michael’s thoughts were on the evening.  He broke the silence as the worn path to her house was coming into view. 
“That is a beautiful dress you’re wearing today.”  He slowed his steps to prolong the walk, wanting just a few more minutes with her. 
Before she could protest, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the seclusion of a nearby grove.  They ran together toward the seashore, seeking solace beneath an arching maple.  Playfully, Michael pushed her towards the tree, covering her body with his.  The smell of leather wafting in the sea breeze, mixing with the salt water she had grown accustomed to.  He leaned down towards her, his head tilted expectantly.  His lips were close enough to hers to feel her warm breath on his face, smell the sweetness of her mouth.  Alone on the shore, the waves were the only witness to the passion of the young lovers. 
“Anna.  I love you.”  He was breathless, his heart pounding in his chest.
“I love you too, Michael.  Is something wrong?”
“No.  Everything is perfect.  I wanted to see you today.  I wanted to ask you…”  His blue eyes sparkled before he pulled his glance from her.  Michael took her hands and pulled her closer to him.
“Ask me what?”  Her emerald eyes danced with expectation.
“I wanted to know…if your father will give us permission…if you would marry me.”
“Michael…I.  Yes.” 
His arms encircled her waist and Susanna felt her feet leaving the ground.  She weighed nothing in his arms. Michael began to whirl Susanna in his arms.  She laughed, and Michael settled her back on the ground.  Susanna swayed with dizziness and Michael’s arm swept across the small of her back, steadying her. 
“Lets go talk to your father.  I want to ask him tonight.”
“Tonight?” 
“Yes.  Tonight.  My father has given me permission to ask him.”
“We should hurry then.  Father will be home soon and I want you to ask him as soon as he gets home.” 
He took her hand and Susanna felt the rough texture that had come after only a few years of work in his father’s leather shop.  She knew these were the hands that would carve out a future for them; tanning hides and making things to sell in the town.  Things sold to buy her something new, a trinket, some extra coal to keep the house warm for the children they would have pattering through the house in the next few years.
They walked the worn path through the maple trees that led from the seashore to the McDaniel house in silence.  A tugboat bellowed in the sunset and Susanna knew her father would be home.  The tugboat horn had come moments after he stepped in the front door each night as long as Susanna could remember.  Pulling on his arm, she began to run towards her house.  Minutes later, Susanna flung the front door to her house open and the couple rushed into the living room.
John McDaniel stood before the fireplace, his back to the couple as he waved his wet gloves over the open fire.  The home smelled of bread and saltwater, sweat and baked fish.  Susanna rushed towards the fire, throwing her arms around her father.
“Hello, Papa.  I’ve picked up your new gloves.  Michael made them himself.”
“Susie.  Where have you been?”  His voice was thick with an Irish accent. He turned from the fire and nodded at Michael.  “Mr. Jenkins.  Have you had my daughter out ignoring her chores again?”
“Mr. McDaniel, I’m in love with your daughter.”
“Well that’s nice son.”  He pushed his boots from his feet and sat them on the hearth to dry.
“Yes sir, and I want to marry her.”  Michael turned his gaze from John McDaniel to the wooden floor beneath him, scared he would be turned down.
“What is all the commotion in here?”  Sarah McDaniel wiped her hands on the apron as she walked in from the kitchen.
“Good evening, Mrs. McDaniel.”
“Good evening, Michael.  Susie forgot to tell me you would be joining us this evening.  If I had known you were coming I would have asked you to bring John’s gloves and let Susie tend to the house.”
“I apologize.  I won’t be able to stay.  Mother is expecting me back.”
“He came to see me.”  John McDaniel eased into the creaking rocking chair.  “Now then, seems the boy wants to marry our Susie.”
“Well John, you knew it was going to happen.”  She beamed, looking from her husband to the teenagers standing close to her.  “Susie’s almost fifteen.  You never expected her to be an old maid, did you?”
“No.  I never did.  I just never expected it this soon. Now then, I thought he would have waited until the spring.  But the boy has asked.  What do you think, Sarah?”
“John, you should know better than to ask me what I think.  You and I were fortunate enough to fall in love.  Our parents were kind enough to allow us to marry and I see no reason we should arrange our daughter’s future.  She is in love with him.  Michael has spent long enough working with his father to take over the business.  He will make a good husband, but this is not a decision for us.”
“Now then, Susie, what do you think?”
“Father I want to marry him.  I love Michael.  I want to raise his children and cook his dinner.  I want our house to smell like his leather shop the same way Mama loves our house smelling like salt and fish.”
John McDaniel shook his head.  “I see you two have already spoken about this.”
“Yes, Papa.”  Her emerald eyes turned to Michael.  “We have been dreaming of getting married.”
“Now then, I knew this day was going to come.  I have spoken to your father about it, we’re both in agreement.  I don’t see any reason why the two of you should not be allowed to get married.  But your father wants you to follow the cattle to Texas first.  Make sure you know what it is you want.’
Michael’s eyes turned to Susanna.  The glimmer in her emerald eyes shone back at him.  He turned again to Mr. McDaniel.  “I mean no disrespect sir, but I know what I want.”
“I know son, but you’d be best to take that train.  Your father worked hard to come to this country, just as I have.  Until you marry Susie and begin your own life together, you will obey your own father as Susie obeys me.  We both believe this voyage will help you out in the long run.  If you will take this train as your father requested, I will give my daughter's hand in marriage as soon as you return.”
“Thank you, sir.”  Michael stepped towards the fireplace and shook Mr. McDaniel’s hand before turning back to his wife.  “Mrs. McDaniel.  Thank you.”
“Oh, Michael.  You knew we would never turn you away from our daughter.  Susie, you can see him out.  Supper will be ready in ten minutes.  Don’t be long.”
“Yes ma’am.”  They stepped into the cool autumn night hand in hand.  Closing the door behind her, Susie turned to Michael.
“It’s Wednesday.” He said knowingly before his lips touched her briefly. He stepped backwards down the steps. “Goodnight Anna.  I love you.”
“I love you too, Michael.”  Susanna stepped back into the house, closing her eyes as she latched the door; remembering the feeling of his lips.
“Are you really going to marry him?” 
Susanna opened her eyes to see her sister standing on the stairs before her, a grin on her face.  “Yes, Lizzie.  I’m going to marry him.”
“And have babies?”
“Yes.”  She sat beside her sister on the stairs.  “And have babies.  Then you can be Aunt Lizzie.”
“Lots of babies?”
“Three.  We want three.  But if I have ten I’ll love them all the same.”
“Do you love him?”
“What do you know about love, Lizzie?  You’re only twelve.”
“Love makes babies.  Mama told me that.”
“Come on Lizzie.  Mama needs help in the kitchen.  We cannot sit around and talk about love all night.  You’ll know when you’re in love.  Trust me.”
The hours between supper and midnight passed slowly as Susanna waited for the stirrings of the house to stop, waited for the magic of midnight to cloak the darkness and allow her to sneak out to meet Michael.  As the hour crept over the house, she tiptoed to the front door, covered her arms with her shawl and  slid her boots on carefully tucking the hem of her nightgown into them.
Sliding the lock out of its place without a sound, she crept out of the house and followed the moonlit path to the familiar maple tree.  There, nestled under the arch of their tree, Susanna waited for Michael to show up beneath the full moon. Minutes later, he was whispering in her ear. 
“Anna, he said yes.  We’re getting married soon.”
“I know. It’s the most wonderful feeling. Mrs. Susanna Jenkins.” She tried her new name in a whisper.
“Anna I love you.”
  Sliding his hand behind her head, Michael lay Susanna on the ground beside him.  His hand slid slowly up her nightgown, the outline of his hand tracing her thigh.  Susanna covered her hand with his. “We should wait. Mama says it’s a sin.”
“Anna. I love you. We’re going to be together forever. It can’t be a sin when you know it’s right.”
“It’s okay, baby.  Trust me, I won’t hurt you.  Just think; when I get back from this trip, we’re going to be together forever.” “Forever?”
“Yes.  Forever.”
“Until we die.  That’s what you mean.”
“No baby.  Forever.  If we promise each other that after we die we’ll find each other, then we will.  Reverend Schmitz says our bodies die and our souls go to heaven.  We have to promise to make our souls find each other.  Will you promise me that?”
“I promise.”
He worked her nightgown up around her waist revealing the creamy flesh of her thighs.
“I’m scared.  Mama says it will hurt.” She whispered as his body covered hers beneath the light of a full moon.
“There’s no need to be scared. I would never hurt you, Anna. You know that.”
“I love you, Michael. We’re going to be together forever, right?”
“Forever, Anna.” His hands gently pushed her legs apart as his mouth found hers.