Where the Wildflowers Grow

By Sharon Stevens

Millie Rowe was a little more than intrigued with her mysterious heritage. Raised as an only child she had lead a lonely childhood. Now since she was marrying her one true love she wants more than ever to connect to her roots, to belong somewhere. On her quest she finds many mysterious and interesting facts about who she is and wh

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sharon Stevens
• Release date: Mar 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781734800913

Sharon Stevens

The author is a mature woman with a wide range of experience in life. The author has spent time in the army, has been a Cub Leader for over ten years, and is a volunteer in local stately home Arlington Court.

Book preview

Tennessee 1890

Chapter 1

At the end of a meadow where the wildflowers grow sits a small white cottage covered with green ivy and windows that always seem to be smiling out at the world. There lived two sisters, Maddie and Eliza,

getting on up in their years now, growing old and withering like the once lovely cottage their parents had left them so many years ago. Locked within their memories of yesterdays when on long after Sunday meeting days they would play and run through the wildflowers. Sometimes they would sit for hours laughing and sharing their daydreams and thoughts of what their futures might hold, wondering if they would ever leave these foothills of Tennessee or their lovely meadow.

Yes, such a very long time ago thought Eliza as she stooped to pick the first wildflowers of the year. She always carried Maddie the first flowers on her birthday. As she had done every year since she had lost Maddie to influenza. Eliza missed her sister terribly. She yearned for the days when they would share tea in their little flower garden out back.

Mama had planted it for she had loved her flowers so. Mama always said as long as you have flowers to surround you, you were never really alone. But Eliza did feel alone as she always did after visiting Papa, Mama, and Maddie, all gone now for many years. Even old Laps, their faithful protector, had now gone on. She felt truly alone, so she clung to her memories especially the ones of her sister today.

She was recollecting on the times when Mama had sent them to the old farmers stand where the old fellers would swap stories all day while selling their wares. It was only a little ways down from the cottage down a long beautiful old winding country road. It was lined on both sides with tall oak trees that seemed to have been there forever. The girls enjoyed their walks through the beautiful ole’ trees. For this was about the only time they got to leave the farm. Excepting on Sundays and the one day a week Mama let them attend school at the little red school house. For all their other days were taken up with chores so this is what they would call their secret adventure and they would giggle all the way there.

Mama didn’t take to gardening anymore ever since she lost Papa, exceptin for a few flowers here and there. Instead she would sell her fresh eggs or swap them for something we needed. Mama didn’t have money to spend on frivolous things. That’s why when the travelin’ man as we called him, never did know his name, came calling trying to sell Mama his pots and pans she would shoo him away and send him packing. She said her old black bean pot would do her just fine for she hadn’t the wants of them there fancy things. Mama steered us clear of him. She said Beware of them strangers what with the roving eye.

We always heeded Mamas’ word. So on market day we would always put our ears out for the clomping of horses’hooves. But on one day as we headed out with Mamas’ eggs and ole’ Laps by our side, Maddies’ name for him for he loved our laps to sleep on, we heard the old wagon rumbling down the road. Ole Laps gave out a yell and started in on his protecting bark. Maddie knew she couldn’t keep him quiet. Eliza recalled Maddie pushing her behind one of the big old trees and telling her to be very still and quiet.

As the wagon got closer Eliza could see it was the travelin’ man. She was suddenly very afraid because she knew he had a roving eye as Mama called it. And it seemed to be fixated on Maddie. She was a beautiful girl with long flowing golden hair and eyes as blue as the sky. Papa always said she was his ray of sunshine. Maddie tried to hush Laps up, but to no avail. The traveling man had hit poor Laps with one of his pans and sent him yelping. Maddie was screaming. Eliza wanted to help her sister but she was frozen where she stood. She still feels sad about that horrific day knowing she hadn’t done anything to help.

When the traveling man went on his way the girls gathered up their dog and went back home having never gone to the market. Days and months went by and Maddie knew she was with child. She told no one, not even Eliza, until she could not carry her burden of shame any longer. She didn’t want this child, not this way, but she had no choice. She finally relented and shared her secret with her sister. They had never told Mama about that horrible incident, and didn’t want to now.

Eliza promised her she would help her although she had no idea what to expect, and neither did poor Maddie. So Maddie stayed hidden under her big work aprons, and waited for the dreaded arrival of her baby. Mama always said that forgiveness of ones self, kindled forgiveness for others. But Maddie couldn’t bring herself to forgive the travelin man so she carried along with her unborn child the sin of guilt and shame, never realizing that she was not to blame. She had done nothing wrong.

At only fifteen she hardly even knew the ways of the world or men for that matter. Mama never spoke of such things excepting among the older women and she wasn’t considered old enough to listen in on their conversations. So she kept her secret to herself exceptin of course for Eliza whom she knew she would have to employ help from when the time came. If only they could figure out what to do with the baby. She was at a loss and so she began to pray for God’s guidance. For after all Mama always said there’s always sunshine after the storm. So she kept these words of comfort close to her heart.

The time had come for new beginnings, for spring was right around the corner. The birds were singing and the flowers were beginning to bud. Maddie also had a new beginning although of what she didn’t yet know. Mama watched Maddie with concern for she was movin’ slower at her chores and she seemed to be moody a lot. But when Mama asked her what was ailing her Maddie would just smile and say nothing. Mama studied on things for a while and since her sister Mavis was due for her spring visit, Mama decided it might do Maddie some good to have a change of scenery. And so when she asked Maddie if she would like to go visit her aunt, Maddie was thrilled but she knew she couldn’t go without her sister. So Mama said she could make it awhile on her own. Her friend and good neighbor Adalee just lived about a mile or so away if she were to need any help.

Aunt Mavis would be arriving in a day or two and the girls were to travel back with her. Their Aunt Mavis was delighted to be having both her nieces to come stay with her for she was an old spinster and had no children of her own. The girls were excited about a trip into town for they loved to see the store bought dresses in the general store for Mama made all their clothes.

And so as it was all set they were to be leaving on the first of March. The trip was rough for Maddie. Her back was aching the whole way. Just a few days after they arrived poor Maddie was scared and really didn’t know much about these things. Only that she knew she had to tell Eliza she was hurtin’ so.

Now there was an old doc what just moved into town and lived above the saloon. And so it was that Eliza got the idea to ask her Aunt if they might walk the boardwalk up to the general store, which happened to go right by the saloon. Their Aunt Mavis was a dressmaker herself and she knew how the girls’ liked to look at the store bought ones. She was busy trying to fill an order so she gave them permission to go without her.

This was working out fine for they had found a young couple to take the baby. Now to just get the birthin’ over with. Eliza helped her sister creep quietly up the stairs to the doc. He was surprised by Maddies’ situation for a girl so young. But he didn’t ask any questions for he knew the young girl was in a lot of pain.

The baby came quickly and Maddie delivered a beautiful baby girl with a head full of golden curls. The old doctor asked for no money for they

had none to give. But they did promise him one of their brand new piglets and he graciously accepted. They wrapped the baby in a borrowed blanket from doc. And was prepared to go when doc asked Maddie what her baby’s name was. Well she burst into tears for she knew if she held her and named her she would not be able to give her away.

The old doc placed Maddies baby in her arms and she knew from that moment on as she held her sweet innocent baby girl that she wasn’t giving her up. For all the guilt and shame melted away from the coldness of her heart, and was replaced with peace and serenity. She had even forgiven the travelin’ man, for he had given her a beautiful gift. So with a smile on her face and love in her heart she looked upon the face of her beautiful little angel and named her Gracie. For she knew with God’s grace she would figure out a way to keep her child.

Millie 1990

Chapter 2

Millie awoke to birds chirping, and a beautiful spring day with her excitement just too much to contain. For today she was marrying her childhood playmate, her highschool sweetheart, and her very best friend. Today she would become Mrs. Michael Rowe. All the preparations had been taken care of and there was just one more thing on her list to do, a trip back to the attic. It was the space in which she had practically grown up. She had spent hours up there playing in her make believe world.

She was an only child and so she kept herself entertained. Her mother had died in childbirth when she was only six years old and since her dad had never remarried she had been raised mostly by her Mothers’ sister Aunt Lottie. Aunt Lottie was a happy soul, always laughing and going about her day humming a happy song. She was a plump little woman who had never had any children, so she considered Millie to be her own.

She had