A Loving Vow To Be Made (Book 1 of The Loving You Series)

Chapter 2.

When Savannah walked into the general store, Timothy Pearson already knew that by the look in her eyes that Ms. Eden was determined to ask for something in which he had no time to listen. When she approached the counter, Timothy eyed her with suspicion, he knew what went on in the Eden household, and or rather what he heard went on there. Her father was known as the town drunk, he sometimes sees Jon staggering around town holding a near-empty whiskey bottle close to his mouth. And the way he went on living his life and how he treated his daughters disgusted him. Jon was once a respected man in town. After many years overseeing the mine, he was promoted to the position of manager of the Dusty Trail, the mine that was located outside the town. He had a loving wife who stood by his side when he had his share of some bad days, as any married man would have, then he has a beautiful young daughter in Savannah too. Timothy could recall the time when Savannah arrived in the Eden family, it was a joyous occasion for Ruthie, but the birth of his daughter didn't sit too well with Jon what's so ever, which confused him and many others Jon associated with back then. You'd think that the birth of a child would excite a newly proud father, but it didn't appear so for Jon Eden. As the years went by and Savannah blossomed into a lovely young woman, the terror in Ruthie and Savannah's eyes deepened. Soon, Jon lost his job at the mine and he turned his sorrows to the bottle and began beating on his family. It soon got really bad when little Quinn was born as well, whether it was the lack of no male children being born or another girl, things began growing deeper and darker for the Eden family, especially when Ruthie began to sicken and wasting away to nothing. It tore Timothy clean through whenever he saw the intense grief that shadowed those young girls face after her mother passed away, So too did the sheer rage that filled him whenever Jon would slap her when she either didn't do or say something right in his presence. Timothy glanced at the clock and noticed that it was noon, knowing full well that Jon would be asleep at this time of the day, he was shocked that she was able to get away from the house. At age nineteen, Timothy could still see the grief in her eyes but he also saw the proud determination to live show upon her body, this made him proud for some strange reason, it was as if she was his daughter rather than someone else's. When she cleared her throat to gain his attention Timothy snapped out of his innermost ramblings and looked to the child.

      "How many I help you, Miss Eden?"

Savannah breathed in deep squared her shoulders and asked him the question that she was determined to ask him. However, the slight shake of his head in denial made Savannah's shoulders slump slightly in defeat. Not taking no for an answer she inquired again, referring to his wife's due date rapidly approaching. When she saw him sigh, a tiny ray of hope flickered within her, knowing that she might be able to attain a position to take over the care of herself and her sister. Mr. Pearson excused himself, in order to ask his wife's opinion of the matter. Savannah from her vantage point could see almost clearly the silent conversation that was going on in front of her. When she saw Mr. Pearson slag his shoulders and turn away to check something in the storage room, that slight ray of hope almost extinguished, that is until she saw Mrs. Pearson slowly approach her. 

"Now what can I help you with Miss Eden?"

Savannah got down on her knees and began to beg Rosie for any job that she might have for her.

"Come, child, please get up! As my husband said, we don't need anything here but I may have another job for you. I just need to ask you something, do you know how to cook and make meals?"

"Of Course I do, mama taught me to bake and cook when I was a little girl!"

"Well, that's good to hear! The reason I needed to ask you that was because a friend of the mayor has agreed to come here and become our sheriff. You know as well as I do, that after the death of Sheriff Graham, our quiet little town has become a recent target to some violent and vicious gangs. Anyway, I was asked to be the cleaner and cook for him. Unfortunately, with me being so close to my due date, I'm afraid I won't be able to do that task; are you interested?"

Savannah nodded and shook Molly's hand gladly.

"I just have to order some supplies, then I have to take Quinn home. Could you by any chance start an account for me? And I'll pay you when I get my first paycheck."

Savannah then wandered over to the shelves of candy and withdrew a few peppermint sticks and proceeded to place them in a brown paper cone. Once outside the general store, Savannah located Quinn, who was sitting on the steps of the boardwalk. Savannah handed her the candy, smoothed her hair and began to explain to her, why she had to go home and wait.

Upon hearing from her sister why she had to go home, Quinn let go of her hand and proceeded to throw a tantrum. Savannah rolled her eyes and was about to scold her when she happened to see Ms. Nadia coming across the street and heading in the same direction they were, this gave Savannah a wonderful idea. She grabbed a hold of the struggling hand of Quinn and made her way towards Ms. Nadia.

"Good morning, Ms. Nadia, could you do me a small favor? Could you drop off Quinn at our home? So that I could purchase some supplies at the general store? Aimee Nadia moved her basket to the other hand and waited for Quinn to grab a hold of it.

"Quinn is scared to go home, even though we live very close by. Savannah saw the worried look on Aimee's face and sighed, there is no need to feel frightened, Savannah pulled out of her pocket her watch, looked at the time...

Father should be asleep by now and should not bother you."

Savannah then kissed Quinn on the cheek and ran back to the general store. When she was done with her shopping, Savannah soon realized that she couldn't carry all of her packages. Not noticing where she was going she tripped and almost fell. Thankfully she was able to catch herself. She also noticed that someone else helped her regain her balance. Savannah didn't know who this person was until the top package was removed away from her face, and when that happened, she shivered, because right in front of her stood Jack Pearson. For reasons, Savannah couldn't make any sense of, Jack's presence scared Savannah so much. She knew that it had something to do with his eyes. His eyes were dark grayish green, they had a dark leering a sort of dead look to them;

The look in them caused great fear to rise up inside her. For another reason the way he smirked at her seemed to bring forth a distant and disturbing memory that Savannah's mind tried to bury away, and for once in her life, Savannah was nervous with those whom she thought she knew. Shaking that thought from her mind, Savannah took a deep breath and replied back to Jack.

"I'm fine, Jack I can handle these packages without your assistance!"

She replied. Jack studied her expression as well as the way in which she stood before him. He noticed that she was very leery of him and unsure on how to respond to him, and even though she was speaking to him in a matter that slightly disappointed and disturbed him; Jack shrugged it aside. He leaned against the general store's post and grinned at her.

"By the way you're speaking to me Miss Eden, it seems to me that you don't like me very much."

He sneered at her.

"No! Of course not. Pardon me, Jack, but I have to go right now."

She bowed her head and quickly ran past him. As he watched her run away from him, Jack quietly laughed to himself. He couldn't wait to have her to himself, he was so glad he had her father's loyalty in his back pocket. Jon Eden was known as the town drunk. Only when he was sober did Jon really know of Jack's real life. But he wouldn't admit it outright unless you gave him a lot to drink, but then again Jon Eden was always a drunk. Always willing to do anything for a glass of whiskey.