Flowers for Travis

By Frona Lewis

Lilly Harper is different than most young women her age. While other women are having babies she is making dolls. When her friends Tyler and Lucy are killed Lilly moves out to the farm to take care of their daughter and Lucy's mama. Lilly uses the money she makes from selling her dolls to buy necessities until Tyler's brother, Travis can be located. Travis Addison had not been home in six years when he felt a sudden urge to return. Expecting a joyous homecoming he was not prepared for what awaited him. Instead of his brother greeting him, he was met by a young woman, a niece, his brother's mother-in-law, and a young Negro man. Suddenly, his joy turned to sorrow. But with this new family and strength from the Lord he soon realizes his sorrow has turned to joy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 7, 2003
• ISBN: 9780595752768

Frona Lewis

Frona Lewis lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. She and husband Ron have three children and five grandchildren.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

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Lilly arrived home later than she had planned. She would have to work fast to get supper ready. They ate supper at the same time every evening since she was twelve years old. It was not an easy task having it on the table at the same time every day, especially for Lillian Grace Harper. She was easily distracted, and today on her way home was a perfect example.

After visiting with Sarah Jane, and her new little one, she was determined to go straight home and start supper. How was she to know that Widow Baines would be out looking for her dog, Sammy? They finally found him behind the livery stable chasing a gray kitten. And then, Tommy Griffin was sitting on the front step trying to read a book. When he saw Lilly he called to her to help him with a word he didn’t know. She found herself reading the whole book to him. Of course when she noticed Granny Smith, a lady of eighty-two, trying to carry her clothes in off the line, she had to stop and help. It was the neighborly thing to do.

Mrs. Baxter reminded her often that she needed to learn to be a good wife. She decided a long time ago that her husband, if she ever got one, would not demand supper at the same time every night! And that was another thing. Lately, all Mrs. Baxter could talk about was how Lilly needed to find a husband and settle down. Settle down indeed!

At nineteen most girls, or ladies as Mrs. Baxter would say, are already married and have at least one baby. Mrs. Baxter’s idea of settling down sounded very boring to Lilly. And who says a good wife has her husband’s supper ready at the same time every night?

Mama never knew when Pa would be home. Sometimes she and Mama would be so busy working in the garden or swimming in the creek that they would forget it was time for supper until their stomachs growled. Oh, Mama how I miss you.

Thank you, Lord. Mrs. Baxter had fallen asleep in her chair, her book lying on her lap. With a little luck Lilly could have supper prepared before she awoke. As she peeled potatoes her mind wandered back to the day she found out Mama was going to die.

Lilly, I don’t have much longer here on this earth, Mama explained. You know I’ve been sick for a long time now. Doc Howard said I might just have a few weeks left. I’ve asked Mrs. Baxter if you could live with her. She said she would be glad to have you.

No, cried Lilly, Mama you can’t leave me. I need you!

I’ve always tried to teach you well. You know how to cook and clean, you will be a big help to Mrs. Baxter, said Mama.

Why, Mama? I don’t understand.

I know you don’t, dear. When the good Lord is ready for us, he calls us home. It’s my time, honey. But you just remember you’re never alone. Jesus will always be with you. Have faith in the Lord, honey, he will never forsake you.

What about Pa, can’t I stay with him? questioned Lilly.

You know how your pa is Lilly, he can’t stay in one place long enough to look after a girl your age. You need a woman to lead you into adulthood, replied Mama.

The potato soup was bubbling on the stove while Lilly sliced the bread. For seven years she had lived with Mrs. Baxter. They got along well but Lilly knew it was time to start thinking about the future. She did want a home and a child. It was funny how she never pictured a man in her life. Pa was never around much. It was always her and Mama. She wondered where Pa was today and if he was still living. She hadn’t heard from him since Mama died.

Lillian, why ever on earth did you let me sleep so long? Mrs. Baxter asked, entering the room.

I know how you like your beauty sleep, answered Lilly.

Beauty sleep, ha. I’m afraid it’s a little too late for that, laughed Mrs. Baxter.

Lilly loved to make Mrs. Baxter laugh. Mama always said Lilly, darlin’, I believe it’s our job to bring joy to others. Mama always did her part to share joy and Lilly believed it was her mission to carry on.

Potato soup? I must have slept longer than I thought. When I sat down to read you were not even home yet, said Mrs. Baxter.

I did visit with Sarah Jane longer than I intended.

How is that new baby of hers?

He is just the sweetest little thing. I could hold him for hours! He has the cutest little nose, rosy cheeks, velvety soft skin, and hair like peach fuzz.

You should have your own child by now you’re not getting any younger.

Here we go again thought Lilly, as she dipped the soup into two bowls. Why does everyone keep reminding her she should be married by now? Who was she suppose to marry? Even Sarah Jane mentioned it today, Lilly, don’t you want to get married and have your own baby? They had been friends since they were about seven years old. Even though they visited often they seemed to be drifting apart. They no longer had much in common. Sarah Jane had the baby and her husband to take care.

Several of the girls that she went to school with met each week for quilting. While other ladies quilted, she made dolls. She didn’t feel like she fit in anymore.

The Good Lord has a plan for your life, Lilly. He speaks in a soft voice and you have to listen real careful. Don’t try to get ahead of His plan. Mama’s words echoed. Well Mama that is getting harder to do. It wasn’t like she had not had any offers.

Mr. James asked her to marry him after his wife died and left him with five children. Lillian, he said, your pa and I have always been good friends. You’ve known me since you were just a little tiny girl. You know I would treat you right.

I’m sorry about your wife, Mr. James, but when I get married I want it to be because I love the man I marry, answered Lilly. Charlotte Sue married him within a week. And then there was Jesse Logan, a nice young man with big dreams. He was going west to find gold. Marry me, Lilly, today. I’m leaving tomorrow to go out west to search for gold. When I make a lot of money, I’ll send for you. We’ll have tonight together. Now wasn’t that a romantic proposal, Lilly thought.

I’ll take my chances. I’m waiting on love. When the right man comes along I’ll know it. I’ll feel it, she replied to Mrs. Baxter.

I’ve told you before Lillian, I didn’t even know Mr. Baxter when I married him. I met him on Wednesday and we were married on Sunday. It worked out for us just fine. Probably, because you had his supper on the table every evening at exactly 6 p.m. I admit it wasn’t easy at first. Men expect a lot from their wives, but you learn to do what has to be done.

That’s all right for some women, Lilly thought, but not her. She was waiting on the right man at the right time. It had to be love. She refused to settle for less! Suddenly, she realized she had lost her appetite. "I’m not very hungry,

Mrs. Baxter. I think I’ll go for a walk. I’ll be back to wash the dishes in a little while."

She had to get out and get some fresh air. She loved the outdoors-especially sunsets. It would be nice to share a beautiful sunset with someone you loved. There it was again, LOVE. Maybe she would never find it. Some women were old maids. Mama sure loved Pa. She always defended him even to the point of making excuses for him.

Now that she was older, she realized things were not as they should have been. Pa would be gone for days. Mama would always explain that it was hard for Pa to stay in one place very long. But he would always come back to Mama. She was always there waiting for him to return. Sometimes he would stay home for weeks at a time. They would wake up one morning and he’d be gone again.

Perhaps, Lilly expected too much in a husband. He had to be kind, believe in the Lord, work hard, provide a good home, love her, and if he happened to be good looking, it would be a bonus. She sat on the creek bank with her feet dangling in the water. She closed her eyes and listened to the water as it flowed over the rocks. Slowly she inhaled the fresh air. It was so peaceful out here.

Ahh! she shrieked, her eyes flew open, there stood Sammy, Widow Baines dog licking her hand. What are you doing down here, Sammy? She noticed it was beginning to get dark. The last thing she remembered was watching the sunset and day dreaming about what her husband would be like. She would have to hurry to get home before dark. She wasn’t afraid, but it worried Mrs. Baxter.

You don’t know what might be lurking out there in the dark. A lady should always be in before dusk, she would say. Reluctantly, Lilly dried her feet on her skirt and put on her shoes. She would love to walk back to the house barefoot, but ladies did not do such things.

She wondered why she was different from the other girls her age. She decided it must be because Mama was different. Mama would run around the yard without shoes. She would stop and read books to Lilly instead of finishing the housework. She always told Lilly, Them chores that we didn’t get done today, will still be there tomorrow. Of course Pa wouldn’t come in causing a ruckus, like a lot of men folk. Sammy took off towards home.

By the time she got the kitchen tidied up it would be time to retire to her room. She enjoyed this time of evening. She loved to read and sew. She tried to write in her journal each night, but many times she was too tired. Tonight she would sew.

As she walked back toward the house her mind drifted back to the day Mama told her what goes on between a man and a woman. When Mama explained the act that created babies, Lilly was appalled. Mama, I could never do that, it’s disgusting!

It’s what the Lord intended. I know to a girl, of your age, it doesn’t sound very pleasant but with the right man it’s wonderful.

How do you know when it’s the right man?

You’ll know. Many women settle for less than love, but don’t you do it Lilly. Now you know your pa isn’t like a lot of men. Most women couldn’t have put up with his wayward ways, but I love him and he loves me. It’s going to be hard on him when I’m gone. I don’t know what he’ll do. You remember what I said Lilly, don’t settle for less than true love.

After all these years I haven’t forgotten, Lilly sighed as a tear trickled down her cheek.

Mrs. Baxter was sitting on the porch waiting for Lilly to return. Watching her approach she noticed how lovely of a young woman she had blossomed into. Her skin was smooth with a golden glow from spending long hour’s outdoors. She wore her waist length hair hanging with the sides pulled back away from her face. Of course most of the women her age wore their hair up, but not Lillian.

As she got closer, Mary thought she saw her wipe a tear from her cheek. Maybe I’ve been too hard on her, she thought.

Lilly, I was beginning to worry about you. You’ve been gone quite some time now. Her blue eyes, which always had a sparkle, were blinking back tears. Is everything all right? inquired Mrs. Baxter.

I’m fine. Sometimes I get to thinking about Mama and time slips away before I realize it.

Your mama was a wonderful woman.

Thanks for waiting out here for me. I’m going to clean up the kitchen now and go to my room.

Good night, dear said Mrs. Baxter.

Next to the outdoors, her room was her favorite spot. It was a small, but comfortable room. On the floor, beside her bed, lay the bright multi-colored rug that Mrs. Baxter had made for her Christmas gift when she was fourteen. The faded worn quilt on her bed was Mama’s. One thing that would make her room complete was a sewing machine. A gentle breeze flowed through the curtains as she sewed.

Nobody understood her love for the dolls she created. Ladies her age were not interested in dolls. She should have outgrown her passion for them a long time ago. Maybe it was because she grew up an only child. Maybe it was because she lost her mother when she was a child. Whatever the reason, she had always loved dolls. Mama understood it. Actually, her mama must have instilled it in her. She couldn’t remember a time when she didn’t have dolls. Mama believed that all little girls needed a doll of their very own. Lilly’s favorite doll was Betty named after her mama. Mama made Betty, for Lilly’s seventh birthday.

Lilly and Betty would work in the garden. They would have tea parties. Lilly could tell Betty things that she couldn’t tell others. She would hold her when she cried. Like the night she found out Mama was going to die. She could use her for a pillow when she fell asleep on the floor. After Mama died, Betty was always there with her. Night after lonely night, it was Betty that listened to Lilly, groan and cry, because she missed her mama.

As she got older she wanted to share the joy and comfort that Betty brought her. One night, as she was praying before bed, the idea came to her. She would make another Betty and another and another. She was sure a lot of little girls needed a friend. If she could get Mrs. Carter to put them in her store maybe papas would buy them for their little girls.

In the three years since she made her first one, she had sold twelve Betty dolls. She got off to a slow start. Mrs. Baxter gave her some scrap material to work with. The first one turned out so bad she wouldn’t even name it Betty. The next one was a little better so she named it Bet. Finally, her third doll truly earned the right to be called Betty.

She recalled how she got up early the next morning and headed for Carter’s General Store. It was a lovely morning. The sun was shining, birds singing, and butterflies fluttering around. Lilly had gone over and over in her mind what she would say to Mrs. Carter. "Mrs. Carter what do you think of this doll I made?" she would say. Why that is a lovely doll, dear. Why don’t I try to sell her for you?

That is a wonderful idea! Thank you so much. Lilly would reply. Mrs. Carter would insist, Lilly, why don’t you make several more? I’m sure I can sell as many as you make. She entered the front door and had to wait for the customers to leave so she could talk to Mrs. Carter in private.

She loved to look at the fabric, lace, and ribbons. One day she would be able to buy these things. Finally, the store was empty and she cleared her throat.

Mrs. Carter I made this doll and was wondering if you would be willing to put her on display and see if anyone would buy her, croaked Lilly.

I’m sorry, Lilly, what did you say about that doll? asked Mrs. Carter.

When Lilly told how she had been praying for a purpose in life she felt the Lord had directed her to make dolls. Mrs. Carter was reluctant at first. She explained how folks around there didn’t have enough money for the necessities let alone something as frivolous as a store bought doll. Mama’s make dolls for their little girls, she said.

Not all little girls have mothers, Lilly whispered. Mrs. Carter must have felt sorry for her because she agreed to give it a chance.

At first Lilly would hurry to the store every day to see if anyone had bought her Betty. After the first week, she felt foolish and decided to wait a week before returning to check on Betty. Sure enough when she entered the store there sat Betty in the exact spot she had been the week before. Mrs. Carter told her not to worry. She said that several little girls had asked their mama’s to buy the beautiful doll. Mrs. Thomas, told her little Bessie to wait until pa got back from the cattle drive and he just might buy it for her.

If I were you, Lilly, I would go ahead and make another one. Mrs. Jones said she sure hoped she could get Mr. Jones to buy one for the girls to share. With her havin’ five girls and three boys she don’t have no time to make dolls.

Lilly went home and asked Mrs. Baxter if she could have some more scrap material. Mary said she was welcome to use whatever she wanted. It hurt her eyes and hands to sew and at her age she had enough dresses to last the rest of her life. When Mrs. Baxter opened the old trunk where she kept her remnants Lilly’s heart raced. She closed her eyes and envisioned all the Betty’s she could make. She especially enjoyed designing their dresses.

Lilly loved working on her dolls and felt a sense of accomplishment each time she finished one. Currently she had three Betty dolls in the store. When she could no longer hold her eyes open she decided it was time for bed. As she was drifting off to sleep, she breathed a prayer thanking God for all she had.

* * *

Mary Baxter sat on the porch waiting for Lillian to get home. The younger woman had left later than usual. She had stayed up late working on her dolls. She planned to ride out and visit Lucy Addison, if Mr. Jackson let her borrow a mare. Tom Jackson owned the livery stable and often loaned Lilly one of his mares so she could go out to the Addison farm.

Mary decided last night that she was going to have to give her the letter from her father. She had been holding on to it, for the last two days, trying to decide what she was going to do with it. Her first thought was to tear it up and throw it away. Ordinarily, Lilly would have picked up the mail herself. Mary had walked to town with her, the day it came, and went to the post office while Lilly went to the general store.

Frank Harper had never been the husband or father that he needed to be. Betty, Lillian’s mama, always made excuses for him. But the truth was, he just never took the responsibility for his family. She didn’t know if Betty knew that he was a gambler or not. Betty Harper took care of her little girl by herself. They planted a little garden to keep food on the table while he was gone. Sometimes he would come home with enough money that they could buy a few extras.

After all this time what does he want? Lillian used to hope, pray, and wait for a letter from her pa. Finally, after a couple of years she gave up. Mary hated to see him come back into her life just to leave her