Welcome! This is picture prompt week. We write our stories to a picture and limit it to 300 words. In order not to give away too much of the plot of "Too Late for Goodbye", I'm switching stories this week. We start "Sarah's Dilemma" - book 2 of my historical romance series, The Catskills Saga. The picture is reminiscent of the yoke used on oxen to transport Sarah and her family to Fitch's Eddy.
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April 1788
Sarah Chesney stood in the doorway of
the room she shared with her younger sister, Lizzy. The little girl stood on
her bed.
“Catch me, Papa,” she said, her shining
eyes bright with mischief.
Caleb Tanner, Sarah’s stepfather,
waited a few steps away. He opened his arms.
“Come, my Lizzy!”
Shrieking with laughter, the
seven-year-old leaped off the bed into his arms. He closed them around her,
hugging her to his chest.
Sarah frowned. Abigail placed a hand
on her daughter’s shoulder. She leaned down to whisper. “I know.”
Sarah turned away and stepped into
the hall.
“She’ll never remember our father.
The real Papa.” Sarah’s eyes wetted, her chest tightened as she thought about
George Chesney.
“It’s hard for you, isn’t it?”
Sarah nodded. Abby hugged her. “You’ll
never forget him. And neither will your brother. But Lizzy was so young when we
lost him. She needs a father. Caleb needs a daughter. Don’t be angry with her. He’s
good to her.”
Sarah stared at her hands. “That he
is. Because if he wasn’t, I’d sick Sam on him. Or maybe take a broom handle to
him myself.”
Abby laughed.
“Is he good to you? Are you happy?”
Sarah took her mother’s hand.
A serene smile spread over Abigail’s
face. “He is good to me. I didn’t think I could ever be happy again. But I am.
I thank God for bringing Caleb into my life.” Abby kissed her daughter’s head.
“You have Caleb, but I have no one.”
“You have me, Caleb, Sam, Grandma,
and Lizzy. Not exactly no one.”
Sarah made a face. “You’re never
here.”
“Oh yes I am.”
“You sleep at Caleb’s house.”
“A wife sleeps with her husband.”
“Am I old enough to be a wife, Mama?”
Sarah turned big eyes to her mother.
“Maybe.”
