Free Changing Traditions, A Christmas Novella by Rachel Rittenhouse

PROLOGUE
     
    Prologue - April 16, 1865
     
    Dear Diary,
     
    It should have been a day
of rejoicing and I guess in a sense, it was. The war between the
states is finally over. Poppa is home, and what a relief to see him
safe.
    My sister is reunited with
her husband. Carolyn and Scott were married only a week before
Scott left for the war. Watching them together brings tears to my
eyes knowing how much my sister missed him.
    But this is where it
stings. Albert didn’t come home to me.
    When he broke off our
courtship before he left, I assumed that as soon as the war ended
he would be back. I never quit writing to him. In fact that was
what kept me going most days. Albert said he didn’t want to die and
hold me back.
    What stings is that he
didn’t die. Nettie would have told me if that were true. Perhaps he
realized that he only had a childhood fascination with me. Maybe I
am just not important to him.
    Or maybe I should keep
writing him and wait for him to come to me.
     
    Poppa’s voice broke
through Bethany’s writing. “Now, where’s my Bethy?”
    Pushing the mournful
thoughts from her mind, Bethany hurried down from the loft,
determined to put on a cheerful front. “Oh Poppa, I’m so glad
you’re home.” In an instant, she was pulled in a hug that
threatened to cut of all air flow. Not that she cared. Breathing in
his woody smell, Bethany was sure she would be happy to stay right
in his arms.
    When her older brother
Jesse came home early from the war with his leg amputated, Bethany
began to imagine all sorts of things that might have happened to
Poppa and Albert. It was bad enough to hear when Henry was
killed.
    As the rest of the family
went inside, Bethany sat out on the porch step to wonder and think
by herself. She wasn’t left out there long before Jesse was by her
side.
    “ Penny for your thoughts,
sister, though I can already guess they are miles away.”
    How was it possible to
have a brother who knew you so well? “I am so happy that Poppa and
Scott have come home safe, truly I am, Jesse. But I am concerned
for Albert. If it is true that the war ended, why hasn’t he come to
see me?”
    “ I’m afraid I have no
answer for you, Bethy. You could always go into town and see if he
went to see his family first. That is always a strong
possibility.”
    “ I can’t leave Poppa when
he’s just returned.”
    “ Then why are you out
here?”
    Bethany thought about what
Jesse said and then she stood. “How right you are, Jesse. Here I
am, worrying for nothing, when I should be inside with Poppa.
Albert will come and see me soon enough, of that I am
sure.”
    Jesse’s face relaxed some,
but Bethany doubted the words that she uttered. Would Albert really
come? If he didn’t come right away, did he not care for her after
being away almost two years?
    Into the evening, Bethany
continued to look out the window, but still no sign of Albert.
Would he ever come?

 
     
     
     
     
     
CHAPTER ONE
     
    The
November snow was beginning to fall lightly as Bethany hurried into
the main part of town. Of course, the one day when she decided to
walk instead of ride, it would begin to snow.
    Hurrying into the post
office, Bethany shook off the bits of snow that clung to her
bonnet. Upon seeing her, Mr. McCrutchen greeted her with a loud
hello. “Hoping the snow doesn’t continue on, ey, Miss Bethany?
Though we’ve had storms blow in at times earlier than
this.”
    Bethany couldn’t help but
smile at the friendliness of the Irish postman. “That it is, sir.
By any chance would you have a letter for me?”
    The man’s eyes dimmed,
“Sorry, lass, there still be nothing. I wish I could bring you
better news one of these days.”
    Despite the disappointment
looming, Bethany tried to put on a cheery face. “Thank you
anyways.” She handed the letter Momma asked her to mail and
departed the post office.
    Tears stung Bethany’s eyes
as she hurried down town. Eight months since the war ended and
seven months had