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Chapter Sixty-two
Isaac entered his bedroom at the Johnson home, feeling physically and mentally tired, his heart hurting over the situation with his daughter. His mind replaying the futile conversations they'd had over her choice, as well as the arguments he'd had with Sean and Ned, fighting the truth in their words, that him leaving would only further weaken his already fragile relationship with Marita. Isaac heaved a frustrated, but sorrowful sigh, trying to force away his grief as he made his way over to the bed. Then began unbuttoning his coat, planning to wash and change before leaving for his trip, when he noticed something on the bed, a package, next to the clothes he planned to put on. A package wrapped in a red tissue-like paper with a thin green ribbon laced around its top and what looked like a note attached to its side. Isaac instantly knew that the package was from Marita, which filled him with a happiness that was bittersweet. He then slowly moved the clothes aside and took a seat on the bed, then picked up the gift and read the note that was attached to its side…
Dearest Pa,
I thought you might get hungry during your train ride to Louisville so I made you a snack, your favorite – a nut log. I also included a little something else. It's nothing big, just something I made for you for the holiday. Have a safe trip. I hope that I'll see you soon. I love you.
Merry Christmas,
Marita
Isaac swallowed back the tears ignited by his daughter's gentle soul and unconditional love, moved by how she was so much like her mother. He then slowly unwrapped the gift and was immediately rushed with the sweet scent of vanilla emanating from the nut log that was wrapped in additional tissues to keep it from soiling the beautifully hand knitted socks that lay next to it inside the package. Tears swelled in Isaac's heart once more at the significance of such a gift. Remembering how for months he'd been asking Marita to make him another pair of bed socks, but she'd been so busy, working for Sean and Ned, then moving to Cholena, that she'd never gotten around to sewing him a pair. For a moment Isaac sat there on the side of the bed, staring at the socks his daughter had made, overwhelmed with love and loneliness, missing her so much, wanting to forgo his plans to leave and stay for the holiday...before he gradually reigned in his emotions, pushing his longing and pain away as he put the gifts Marita had made for him aside. Then stood from the bed, still struggling with an array of feelings that were conflicting him within, and resumed with hesitance in preparing to make his train.
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Vivian slowly walked up to the Logan door, briefly recalling the last time she'd seen Sean, thinking of the horrible things he'd said; how he'd told her he never wanted to see her again, and why he'd never love her. Vivian's heart rushed with anger and pain at the memory of his harsh words, as well as anguish and guilt over her need to come here when her father could take his last breath at any moment. Vivian then drew a deep breath, ignoring the guilt within, determined to see this through, to learn the truth, before she then firmly knocked on the door...
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"You look beautiful." Alice asserted with a smile as Marita stood from the dressing desk and nervously brushed her hands over the front of her gown, while taking a deep breath.
"Alice is right!" Lexy sprightly concurred. "You're going to knock Sean's socks off!"
"Thank you." Marita beamed. Her heart rushing with anticipation and joy, still finding this moment, this day, so unbelievable.
"So are you ready?" Alice then asked. Her voice giddy with delight.
"More than ready." Marita uttered impassionedly.
"Okay then." Alice gaily sighed. "Let's...get you to your wedding!" She then eagerly exclaimed.
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"I'm sorry Ms. Vivian, but the Logans ain't acceptin visitors." The servant nervously conveyed in response to Vivian's terse inquiry as to why he hadn't properly invited her into the house.
"Pardon me, but I'm hardly a vis..."
"George I'll handle this." A voice interjected, halting Vivian's response and surprising both she and the servant, who then immediately obeyed the command that had been implied and quickly exited the doorway allowing his boss to take his place...
"Mr. Lo..."
"Vivian you know that you're not welcome here." Ned calmly stated, before Vivian could fully utter her thought, skillfully hiding the deep anxiety he felt at her showing up now – minutes before Sean and Marita's wedding was due to start.
"Mr. Logan I know that I'm not welcome here." Vivian responded with weak restraint. "But I need to speak with Sean."
"I'm sorry but that's not possible." Ned firmly refused. "Now please leave."
"I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers." Vivian uttered shakily, her restraint quickly giving way to bitterness and ire.
"Vivian what are you talking about?" Ned questioned with confusion and a hint of frustration. "There're no answers to b..."
"I'm talking about Sean marrying that Negro!"
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"…and the flowers are just lovely…" Alice declared, speaking of the roses that adorned the Great Room as she, Lexy and Marita walked towards the stairs, when Marita suddenly stopped, drawn from her loving thoughts of Sean and her lingering musing of her pa, by Alice's mention of flowers. "What is it?" Alice immediately asked as she too stopped, along with Lexy, who'd been leading the way.
"My bouquet." Marita replied as she turned her eyes to Alice. "In all of the excitement I left it in the room."
"I'll get it!" Lexy promptly volunteered, before Alice could respond. "It's on the bed right?"
"Yes." Marita confirmed. Right away, Lexy rushed back down the hall, giving Alice no chance to stop her or for Marita to thank her, heading for the bedroom, leaving Marita and her sister to wait just a few feet away from the stairs…
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"What! What're yo..."
"Save it Mr. Logan!" Vivian harshly interjected, cutting short Ned's response that reeked with shock and alarm. "I see the truth in your eyes." She said. Her gaze piercing and glazed with tears. "Sean's marrying her. He's marrying that Negro."
"You're wrong." Ned lied, holding Vivian's stare, attempting to counter her accurately deducing his unguarded response to her knowledge of the wedding.
"Is the ceremony today?" Vivian continued woundedly, ignoring Ned's reply, wise to its falsity. "Is it happening right now? Is that why it's 'not possible' for me to see Sean?" She angrily queried.
"No." Ned stiffly denied, determined to keep up the lie despite its futility, knowing that it would only make things worse if he admitted the truth. "You're not seeing Sean because I will not allow my family's holiday to be ruined with your presence and accusations." He declared.
"Your family's holiday?" Vivian nearly shrieked with exasperation. "What about my life?" She questioned with rage. "What about the little dignity I have left being destroyed by Sean marrying that Negro!" She cried. "It wasn't enough that he humiliated me twice because of his 'love' for her. Now he's going to marry her! Well I won't let him do this! I'll stop him!" She severely avowed as she moved to push her way past Ned.
"No!" Ned exclaimed, staying her attempt to strong arm her way into the house by swiftly stepping outside the door and further blocking her path. "You will leave here right now!" He ordered with faint ease, his patience quickly wearing thin.
"I'm not going anywhere until I see Sean, until he faces what he's doing to me!" Vivian heatedly rebuffed.
"Vivian I will have you forcibly removed if I have to." Ned threatened with a seriousness that was etched with wrath.
"You can't shut me out that easily. I'll just..." Vivian defiantly resumed, when her words were suddenly subdued by Ned furiously calling her coachman who stood nearby, at the foot of the porch's stairs...
"Get her out of here!" Ned ordered with incense to her coachman after getting the man's attention. "Get her out of here right now! Before I send for the Sheriff and have you both arrested for trespassing!"
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"Lexy what have you been doing?" Alice inquired with a scolding sigh upon seeing her sister appear in the hallway before her, just as she made her way down the hall towards the room where Marita had dressed for the wedding. "Marita and I have been waiting for…"
"It's snowing!" Lexy zestfully disclosed, interrupting her sister's reprimand.
"What!" Alice irritably replied, with slight confusion in her voice.
"It's snowing!" Lexy asserted once more, upon reaching her sister midway down the hall, causing Alice to heave another frustrated sigh at the reason for Lexy's delay in getting the bouquet. "Can this day get any more perfect!" Lexy cheerfully posed.
"Yes. It can." Alice answered, annoyance in her tone. "When Marita and Sean get married." She stated. "Now come on, we have to get Marita downstairs." She directed as she grabbed her sister's free hand and quickly led her down the hall towards Marita who was waiting around the corner near the stairs.
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"Miss Vivian please." The coachman begged, now standing behind her on the porch, urging her to leave the property like Ned had commanded, fearful of the man's threat to have them arrested. "We must go. You can't be in no trouble here at Christmas. Specially with your father so ill. Please lets just go." The man beseeched.
"Sean's not going to get away with this." Vivian warned, her voice trembling with fury, pain and shock. Shock that Mr. Logan had actually threatened to have her arrested. "He and that Neg..."
"Go home Vivian." Ned authoritatively seethed, his gaze furious and stern.
"Miss Vivian please..." The coachman pled once more.
"This isn't over." Vivian threatened as she held Ned's gaze. "I'll never let Sean rest for what he's done to me." She emotionally vowed, lingering for a moment, cursing Ned with her stare, before she then finally turned away, grudgingly, and allowed her coachman to help her down the stairs. Ned stood there watching her, his raging anger gradually abating due to the relief that was growing within. His thankfulness that he was able to get her to leave before Sean discovered she was there, or worse Marita came down those stairs in her wedding dress and in plain sight for Vivian to see. He hated that things had gotten so ugly. He sighed with regret. He never wanted to threaten her with a possible arrest, but he had no choice. Better her be forced off the property than Sean and Marita's wedding being ruined. Ned's gaze remained firmly ahead, still watching Vivian as snow lightly fell around her and her coachman, who now helped her into to the carriage. Ned was now feeling somewhat concerned over the threats Vivian had made, while too wondering who'd spilled the news about the wedding, when just as the coachman hurriedly moved around the carriage and took his seat on the stage, Ned heard voices, accompanied with footsteps descending the stairs inside. Ned quickly retreated back into the house shutting the door behind him...
"Pa who was that?" Lexy pried, gleefulness in her tone as she led the way down the stairs with Marita in the middle and Alice bringing up the rear.
"No one honey." Ned lied with a forced smile, choosing, for now, to forget Vivian's threats and to focus on the wonderful event at hand – his son's wedding. Ned then turned his eyes to Marita, instantly struck by her breathtaking beauty. "Marita you look lovely." He uttered with sincere awe in a fatherly tone. Then proceeded to convey to her how special she was to him and the family, and how happy he was that she was marrying Sean, which prompted Marita to give him a hug and emotionally thank him for his love and support...
"Sean's waiting." Ned quietly uttered as Marita pulled back from the embrace. Her eyes misty with joy, even as her heart still pained at the absence of her pa. "You ready?" He queried with a smile.
"Yes." Marita nervously breathed. Ned's smile slightly broadened, reflecting his elation for her and his son and obscuring the disappointment he felt in his friend, Isaac, being a no show at his own daughter's wedding. Before he then took Marita's arm in his, and they followed a buoyant Lexy and Alice, who led the way down the hall. Their destination the Great Room, where their brother, their father's son, Marita's future husband, anxiously awaited his bride...