Kay's Story pt 11 - George's Letter

“Dear Lianna,” George wrote.

 So you went and did it—told me goodbye as quickly as we’d said hello.  Can’t lie and say I’m happy you’ll get to see that beaut of a country agin, though I know how much you loved it.  talked my hear off bout them pearly shores and what not, you did.  Can’t lie and say I wasn’t right excited to get to see you agin every day when I got home.  That was my first thought the second I felt the bullet go through my leg, knowing it went in a real bad angle—they’d have ta send me home—home to you.—

            “Oh George,” Elianna sighed, touched by his devoted affection and an ounce of pity.  She felt a prayer for him, looking out over the water, back toward the general direction of home.

     I guess I hoped that with a few years passing, David away, him and Sylvia still together, that I could come home and win ya.  The nurses told me I had a winning sorta smile, but I know it’d take more than a handsome face to win ya.  I had all sorts of plans, Lianna…

     Truth is that I think you’re just about the prettiest girl in this whole, wide world, and I seen some more of it now, too, Lianna.  And smart and kind and all lit up with love for God (see, you even got me gettin all poetical!  Don’t laugh too hard).

     Really, though, Lianna, you’re magic to me.

     Can’t lie and say I wish you weren’t going, but I’m proud of you.  Don’t let Sylvia get you all fussed up.  You can write all your complaints in letters and send em to me, since you won’t be able to blow your horn in my ear behind the Mayhurst fields no more.  Go on and write the real nasty stuff.  I promise I’ll burn em after I read them.

     Just don’t forget me Lianna.  And come back when you got them kids, Burt and Corly or whatever, in shape, all right? 

     Love, George.

Elianna closed her eyes as she finished the letter, feeling the tears spill out as she did.  Poor, dear George.  She really did care for him much, but with the same fondness she felt for Peter and Stephen.  Her heart of hearts was still, and ever would be, she feared, tied up in the hands of a man who loved another.  How could it be, she thought as she had so many times, that David could think he loved her—insensitive, godless Sylvia?  After all their years as best friends, truest comrades.  They’d been through so much together, fell in love with God together, bore the weight of countless visions of glory together.  And now his mind was so far from hers, both physically and in thoughts, hopes, dreams.  For she dreamed of him, and he dreamed of Sylvia.

            Perhaps the years away would change his mind, like George thought they might’ve changed Elianna’s.  Then again, David’s mind was just as resolute and unyielding as hers—the were so alike. 

            It was then that a particularly strong gust sprang up and snatched George’s letter out of her hands.  So engrossed in her thoughts and emotions was she that it took her a minute to turn and see where it had flown to.  Finally she caught it’s trail and bounded after it, across the deck, around the corner, halting only as it hit straight on the feet of someone standing there facing Elianna.

            She stopped abruptly, jolted from the pit of her stomach.  Earthy green eyes pored into hers with more interest and intensity than she’d ever seen in them, usually so aloof and impassive.

            “It would seem that you’re developing a habit dropping things at my feet,” said Ferdinand, stooping slowly to retrieve the runaway letter.

            Elianna’s cheeks flushed wildly.  She didn’t think he’d noticed her clumsily scrambling to scoop up her hat from his feet the first day on board, in the crowd surrounding the governor of Virginia.

            “It’s hardly on purpose!  The wind—it came up, unpredictably.” 

            “My, I haven’t seen that shade of red on cheeks before.  It quite resembles the tomatoes they served on my salad at lunch.”

            Eyes widening with horror, Elianna’s throat constricted dangerously.  She felt her cheeks warm even further tat the thought of choking on her own tongue right in front of this perfect specimen of a man.

            “Ah look at that!  Even redder.  Be careful, child, you look as though you might pop!  Come, I can’t be that intimidating, can I?”

            Elianna nodded her head with innocent frankness before catching herself and vehemently changing the direction of her nods to say, “No.” 

            Ferdinand laughed—a deep, husky sound that curled Elianna’s toes in her lace-up boots.

            “Did you want this back?” he asked, glancing casually down at George’s note.

            Without thinking of ladylike decorum, Elianna snatched it out of his hands, turned on her heel and fled, horrified at her ridiculous behavior and even more at the swirl of emotions flying every which way over her soul.  She had always been on the shy side, but this was something else entirely.  Elianna had never felt like such a stammering fool!  She hurried as quickly as she could without being terribly conspicuous and finally arrived at her quarters.  Closing the door behind her, she drew in a huge breath, exhaling slowly in attempts to calm her racing heart.