Shattered Trail

Chapter Nine

A week or so after the meeting with the Reeds, Mrs. Emmerson and I head back to the dress shop to pick up my gown. After thanking Ms. Strout profusely, we take it back to my home, to pack it away in my trunk.

I purposely haven't packed anything in it yet, so that we may be able to put the dress in the bottom. I don't suppose I'll be retrieving it any time soon, and the bottom is where I know it will stay the cleanest and driest.

I scrubbed out my small trunk about a week ago, so that there won't be a speck of dirt in it- I don't want anything dirtying my belongings. I've let it sit behind the house for a day, so that the sunshine and air may freshen it a bit. I don't want my possessions smelling musty, although I suppose that will be nearly unavoidable on the journey.

When we arrive home, I lead Mrs. Emmerson in and make her sit down in the chair. “I'll be right back, Faith. I just need to get my trunk from out back.” I walk behind the house and pick up my trunk. It's not heavy for me now, not in the least- even though it's made of heavy wood, but I know that soon I'll scarcely be able to carry it, when all my belongings are inside of it.

When I come back inside the house is looking around the house. “I don't know how you manage to keep it so clean in here, Antonia,” she says. “I can hardly keep my own home clean. How do you do it?”

I shrug and set my trunk down. “It's quite a bit smaller than your home, and there's only one of me. Besides, you have a store to work in, also, and I have plenty of time on my hands. I sweep and such quite a bit.”

“But now you won't,” she says, turning away. “Oh, Antonia, I'm so proud of you for being brave enough to go on this journey.” She reaches out, and we wrap our arms around each other. I can feel her wet tears in my hair, and I can feel my own sliding down my cheeks.

“You now we'll never see each other again,” she sniffs. “But we'll write letters and such, Antonia, won't we?”

“Of course,” I tell her, sniffing as well. “When we stop at forts, I'll write letters, and once we get to Oregon Territory, I'll write at least once a week.”

She nods, and we wipe our eyes and commence packing my dress. After exchanging a few more words, she goes home, and I'm all alone once again.

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The next few weeks are filled with preparing for the trip. Since I really don't have much to pack, I'm putting that off for the last few days, but I need to figure out what to do with the house. I suppose, like most people who begin a journey like this, I could just abandon it, but that doesn't seem right. I can't stand the thought of my childhood home falling apart and becoming more and more dilapidated as the years go by.

I'm contemplating what to do with the house one day while walking in town, when a man on the street suddenly stops me. “Antonia Slate?” he asks, studying my face.

“Yes?”I ask, confused. I've never seen this man around town before.

“Oh, thank the Lord. I've been looking for you everywhere. The Emmerson fellow at the store told me what you looked like, and I've been trying to find you. Is it true that you'll be leaving for Oregon Territory soon?”

“Yes.”

“And you'll never be coming back here, ever again?”

“That's correct.”

He's starting to look more and more excited by the minute. “I'm new to town, and I need a home to live in. I've been staying in the boarding house down the street for the last couple of weeks, and I need somewhere to live permanently. The Emmerson man told me that you were going away, and you'd have any empty house, and I was just wondering... Would you consider selling your home?”