The Bridge At Euharlee

By Janet Sawyer Peck

The Bridge at Euharlee is a fiction novel set in the rural area of one of the few national historic bridges in America. This book will delight readers who love to solve a good mystery. It reveals the diverse cultures and history that make up rural State of Georgia landscape. It is filled with enough drama and romance to keep every reader guessing until the last page,

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781329842755

Book preview

The Bridge At Euharlee

The Bridge at Euharlee

By Janet Sawyer Peck

Copyright

©2016 Janet Sawyer Peck

TXu1579237 2oo7

ISBN 978-1-329-84275-5

This book is a work of fiction

All rights reserved by author

For Shannon

Who told me about Euharlee

Love

Love is a verb

An action

A state of being

Love should not hurt

It should heal

Nor will it bruise

But will soothe

Love will restore

A broken spirit

When love hurts

It has ceased to be love.

JFSP

Prologue

Trailer Trash! Even in her numbed condition, the words echoed like a taunt in the mind of twenty three-year old Tallia Bulla, called Tallee by family and friends.  Since coming from Waco Texas to reside in north Georgia, she often heard the phrase and become very familiar with the meaning of the term. And this is where she ended up, the lowest level of society that you could be labeled in the south.

Now it seemed that because of one unexpected and unexplainable spark ignited in the dry ever-present pine straw in this drought- ridden summer, she was to join the ranks. Her bitter attitude was contrary to her normal nature. However, in the past several months, circumstances seemed to conspire to cause the young woman to become extremely bitter and uncharitable.

First her husband of merely ten months seemed to have abandoned her, with a baby due in two short weeks. And now this she sighed, tears welling up and spilling over. The distraught woman wiped them away with a sodden handkerchief some kind person had pressed into her hand.

The young woman was a pathetic figure standing there, with her soggy tee shirt clinging limply to her body, clearly outlining her large swollen body. Her hair and face, wet and grimy from soot and the humidity that blanketed; the area was being made more humid by the water pouring from the hoses of the firefighters. Her normally clear green eyes were reddened and puffy and her cheeks were streaked with sweat and tears as she watched her home burn before her eyes.

At the moment the woman’s normally sun-bronzed complexion appeared chalky white in the sweltering glare of the afternoon sun as if all of the blood had left her body. She sat immobile unable to tear her eyes from what once had been her home.

On closer inspection, the eyes that gazed so steadily seemed vacant with no focus. As though shock had mercifully set in numbing the pain. Still, survival is instinctive in all living creatures. With a great amount of effort she turned her head fighting to erase the horrible sight from her mind. Fear rising in her heart that the scene would cause her mind to collapse completely.

Chapter 1

Ma'm, let me help you, A gruff male voice intruded insistently.

In confusion, the young woman turned her reddened eyes and fastened them on the tall gray hair man who waited patiently at the open car door, his hand held out to assist her out of the vehicle.

Awkwardly, she complied slowly moving her advanced pregnant, body out of the seat and gratefully grasping the man's proffered hand. He steadied her solicitously, as her plastic thronged feet made contact with the hot graveled road.

Just short of eye level to the man who was average height. Tallee smiled gratefully at her benefactor, Then she released his hand and smoothed the voluminous pink tee shirt she wore over her large belly as far as it would go. The soot grimed garment nearly covered the white cotton shorts she wore underneath.

With the scorching late afternoon sun beat down mercilessly on her bare head, dampening the long dark brown ponytail that was wound carelessly at the nape of her neck., the pair gazed awkwardly in unison at the white metal mobile home. And the heat radiated off the metal roof in visible rays as it squatted, like a shiny box surrounded by dry yellow grass, a concrete pad with no canopy to protect from the scorching sun.

There was no greenery at all to greet the eye of the young woman except a green plastic garbage can that had lost its lid. Viewing the sun baked yard, she would have been grateful for even the sight of one of the hated pine trees that gave her sinuses so much trouble.

This was to be her home for now and she knew that she should be grateful. Say words of gratitude to this kind gentleman who brought you here, she ordered herself silently. Nevertheless, the words and the manners she was taught since childhood seemed to be gone along with everything else she owned.

The man had been nothing but kind to Tallee since he approached her, as she stood at the edge of her driveway staring in shocked horror at the ashes of her home. Wondering at the time she looked up at the sun that hung to the extreme right of her and focused her attention on the time. And numbed by the events of the morning, it did not occur to Tallee to glance at the delicate gold watch on her wrist, a present from her husband, her absent from the scene husband. However, the focus of her thoughts was not on the problem of her missing husband at present.

This tall soft spoken, man, stretching his hand out to her now was the good Samaritan that removed her from the awful scene of her home a pile of smoking ash. That kind of help was what she needed to on at the moment. Not a missing husband.

Jordan Bulla, Talle's twenty five-year-old husband, was at the moment, in Orlando interviewing for a job opportunity. at Universal studio's theme park. Because of the business marketing degree that he had just earned from Georgia Tech, it was almost a sure thing that he would get the position that a family member set up for him. And he had been keyed up and elated as he packed to leave. Excitedly planning the nice house he would be able to afford for his family.

In truth Jordan was never pleased with living in the neglected, run down country house that his parents had given them after their hasty wedding. Complaining at every family dinner that the house was a constant source of problems and inconveniences, as old untended houses were.

Tallee on the contrary, had been happy in the old place. Because she only needed Jordan to make her happy. The inconveniences that her husband complained about were not problems, because she was used to making do with practically anything. Tallees parents Gorden and Almeda Arnold lived in a small very modest house in Waco Texas and were was not as affluent, as her her husbands family was, far from it.

Gordon Arnold was a car salesman and Tallee's mother, Sheron was a teacher in the same elementary school that Tallee attended as a child. All of the couples savings had gone to educate their only daughter. The plan being that she would return to teach school also in their small community.

Tallee quickly learned that her husband was used to much better living standards than their rural existence provided. And she was in complete agreement that he should go and get settled in a new, better paying position and come back for her. Two months ago, when he left for his interview, there had been plenty of time to move before the birth of their baby. However, as the weeks went by without even a telephone call, Tallee began to fear that she had been forgotten, and she felt abandoned.

Then, today she came home from shopping for groceries in nearby Cartersville to find the house in flames, with firefighters battling the blaze in the oppressive afternoon heat. When a soot-blackened fire man approached, Talle explained that, she did not have any one to call, and she did not know where her husband was. She did not reveal that for the past months Jordan's family ignored her existence.

The kind man immediately offered her a place to stay.  And, without hesitation she accepted the offer. At the time.  the conversation seemed merely to be a vague buzzing noise, since her attention kept returning to the activity of the men who were busy putting out stubborn hot spots in the rubble of water-blackened debris that had been her home.

Come on in out of the sun, Miz Bulla The man invited, gently motioning to the young woman. It will be cooler inside. We keep the electricity on and there's air conditioning. Watch your step," The kindly firefighter cautioned as Tallee wavered unsteadily.

With his hand on her arm, the man led the woman up the narrow packed dirt, gravel path, through dry grass that made up the front yard of her new home. He assisted her up the rail-less wooden steps. Once inside the room the exhausted young woman immediately sank into the nearest chair located just inside the door.

Seated in the cotton flower covered chair that was surprisingly comfortable, Talle looked around without interest. The interior was flooded with sunlight from large white blind covered windows and the place was spotlessly clean. The pink pastel shade of the short pile carpet that added to the overall brightness of the interior, said a woman had picked the color.

The kitchen, open and visible from the living room had all the needed appliances, with the cabinets finished in a light natural wood tone. Considering the age and shabbiness of the mobile home park where it was located, the trailer had an unexpectedly clean and cheerful interior.

Here are your groceries, Ma'm, I'll set them on the table. You might want to put them away. The kind fireman spoke at her elbow, holding two bags of food that she had left home, just hours ago, to purchase. Your car will be brought over to you by one of the men later. He said.

Tallee turned to the man and blinked as if surprised at his presence.

Thank you, what was your name? I'm sorry I didn't catch it.

Akers, Udell Akers. He responded.

Thank you, Mr. Akers, for all that you have done. I don't know what I would have done without you. It was a belated but heartfelt show of appreciation.

That's all right, young lady, The man brushed her words aside, If there's anything else I can do? He looked at her expectantly as if waiting for her to command him further. When she did not, he continued. Are you sure there ain't someone I can call? You shouldn't be here by yourself right now.

No, She answered. My family lives in Texas. I'll be all right.

What about your husband's family? Tallee shook her head negatively. You have some friends? The man persisted doggedly. I can call anyone, long distance don't matter.

No, I'll be all right. I'm used to being by myself, She insisted stubbornly.

Ma'm, I cain't feel right about leavin' you like this in your condition. The man fretted. But the folks next door are good people and goin' to bring you some thin' to sleep in tonight. My wife, Etta, will be by tomorrow, I know our church will have some money and help for you so don't you worry none on that cause. Every things gonna work out and we'll find your husband for you. He promised and then asked again. Can you name anybody might help out that way?

He has a brother in Smyrna. I guess he should know about the house anyway, it belongs to the family, Talle answered at the mans persistence..

Well I'll sure let him know. You just give me his number. Udell said.

I don't know his telephone number, off hand, The book with the numbers was in the house. Tallee replied. but, his name is Fred, Frederick Bulla and he lives on Partham Road in Smyrna. It's past the hospital.

All right I'll see what I can find. You just get settled in and you need something you can call me, He wrote a number on a scrap of paper and handed it to her. Ken Tatum is right next door. He looks out on the place for his mother who owns this park and others we just passed. The old woman is a good woman so you need something just give him a holler. And the phone over there is on, so don't be afraid to use it.

Thank you Mr. Akers, Tallee sighed, fighting tears at the man's extreme kindness. I'll be fine. Thank you again.

Don't mention it. I'm more than glad to help you out. And I'll find that husband of yours for you, don't you worry none. He replied gruffly and took a reluctant leave.  Though his last words sounded hallow to