I do not own The Magic of Ordinary Days.
Ray and Livy are precious.
The Magic of A Good Man
What Livy Singleton Did
Dear Livy,
I have loved you every day.
I will love you every day.
For all my days.
Ray Singleton stands in the dooryard of his family farmhouse.
And watches the woman he loves and the woman who finally loves him drive away down the snowy dirt road.
She'd let him help her down the steps.
Let him help her across the dooryard.
Let him open the truck door for her.
Close the truck door for her.
And watches as she . . .
"I love you, Ray."
"I love you, Livy."
. . . drives the Beet Box down the road through the snow.
Away from him.
He's freezing cold and the wind is painful as it runs through him.
But he can't wipe the smile off of his face that is plastered there.
That . ..
She loves me.
She loves me.
. . . Livy Dunne Singleton . . .
She loves me.
. . . loves him.
And . . .
She's coming back.
. . . is not leaving him.
And she loves me.
He doesn't quite know what to do with himself when the truck finally disappears out of sight.
Hank will arrive any minute to pick him up and drive into Wilson . . .
"Well, Ray, I've never seen you look so happy. You gotta grin bigger 'n the Colorado River on your face!"
"Yeah, yeah. It's a good day."
. . . for supplies.
"Well, whaddya say we shake a leg?"
"Yeah. Let's burn some daylight. I wanna get back home."
To see my wife.
". . . , Livy?"
"Yeah, yeah, looks like."
But-
"Why is she outside setting a fire?"
And where's my truck?
The wind hits him and it's cold, it hurts.
She's in a dress, no gloves, he can't imagine she's not freezing.
And a freezing mama can't be good for the baby.
"Livy!"
She staggers toward him as he runs around the truck.
"What in the world are you doing?!"
His hat goes off and he can't give it a second thought because-
"Getting ready for our baby!"
Our baby?!
Our!
And joy and exhilaration floods him, she's in his arms, he presses his forehead to hers, cups her beautiful, freezing face in his hands and savors the moment of rapturous-
She's having the baby now!
And Ray Singleton grabs up his wife in his arms with the power of ten men-
"Our baby's coming! Our baby's coming!"
-screaming at Hank, at the wind, at the whole world-
". . . right over!"
"Hurry!"
-and runs his pregnant wife into the house-
"Here, sit down, sit down, we gotta warm you up."
-and sets her in the chair he had sat in just hours earlier.
When he thought she was leaving him.
He sets her down.
And kneels before her . . .
"Your hands, they're so cold."
. . . and rubs her hands with his own.
Putting one at a time between his larger ones.
Blowing on them.
Worrying over them.
Trying to warm them up.
He slides her shoes off, puts his hands on her feet, so swollen and chilled.
"What were you doing out there in the snow, Livy? You could have frozen to death!"
She's shaking her head, stammering and shaking, teeth chattering.
"Florrie had a man she wanted me to drive down toward New Mexico. He was part of the work crew. A deserter."
Stammering and shaking.
"She'd made him a uniform to look like a soldier. She wanted me to drive him to meet a friend, to escape across the border."
Teeth chattering.
"I . . . I talked her out of it. Made her and Rose go back to Granada. Drove him here. Gave him a change of your clothes."
Ray realizes his mouth is hanging open in shock.
"The Beet Box's tank was on empty so I hid the gas can and gave him a chance to steal the truck."
And awe.
"He took it. I'm sorry. But it was the only way to keep Florrie and Rose safe. They could have gotten in big trouble for helping him."
Yeah, no kidding.
"You did all that while in labor?!"
She smiles, but it's weak.
"No. My water only broke right before I called the sheriff to tell him where he'd be and burned the fake uniform."
And Ray realizes his hands have left her feet and are holding her hands.
And she's letting him.
"You burned the uniform."
She nods.
And Ray Singleton . . .
"Will you . . . will you go get my slippers next to my bed please?"
. . . goes to get the slippers his wife has asked for.
"I'm sorry I let him steal the truck. The sheriff'll bring it back. Are you mad?"
And he huffs an incredulous breath of disbelief and humor.
"No, Livy. Of course not. I'm . . . I'm just impressed. I never would have thought of all that."
And she smiles.
And he's still kneeling before her.
"Is there . . . is there anything I can do?"
She laughs, shifts, grimaces.
Speaks.
"I . . . I don't know. I've never been in labor before. I don't really know what I'm supposed to do."
She smiles and he smiles with her.
Brings her hands up to his lips.
Kisses them.
"Martha will be here soon. She gave birth to all her children at home. She'll know what to do."
And so they sit.
And they . . .
Any minute now.
. . . wait.
"I want to say something, Ray. Before your sister gets here. While it's just us."
And her eyes are clear.
Calm.
Direct.
And Ray Singleton waits . . .
"Okay. What is it?"
. . . for what she wants to say.
"I, uh, I had a necklace. A gold locket. I wore it every day I've been here."
Yes. He's seen it.
Figured it was a momento.
From her mother.
"It was, uh, it was his. Edward's. Well, it had his picture in it and I'd look at it when I was alone. And pretend he was out there and still wanted me."
He doesn't know why she's telling him this, can't imagine she'd want to hurt him now. Not with everything that's happened between them, even just today.
"I burned it. Along with the fake uniform. It was junk. I got rid of it."
And then she smiles, strokes a hand along his face, sending tingles through his skin.
"I'm yours now, Ray. Forever. Without question. Without hesitation. If you'll have me."
And it's easy to answer her.
Through the tears brimming in his eyes, for the second time today, tracking their way down his cheeks.
"Yes, Livy. I'd be proud to."
Down both their cheeks.
"I love you, Ray."
As she pulls his face close.
"I love you too, Livy."
And kisses him.
"Hello? Livy? Ray?"
"In here, Martha."