News from Home

Mattie went to the door and opened the heavy wooden thing to the heat outside. There stood the young Corporal Pullin who saluted her sharply. “Ma’am.  The Colonel wished for me to escort you to his office immediately.”
 
“Oh!” Mattie whispered.  Her husband had hardly ever asked her to come to his office and she was alarmed.
 
“Please, Ma’am.  He said he’ll have my stripes if I’m not back in 4 minutes!” he said trembling.
 
Mattie smiled wryly.  Gard always gave orders in a way that made grown men and even his fellow officers afraid for their lives. Mattie reached behind the door for her bonnet and slammed it on her head.  She looked back at Cecelia and hoped with her eyes that competence would find Cecelia. The Corporal offered his arm to the Colonel’s wife and Mattie took it keeping with proper etiquette.
 
“Tell me, do you know what this concerns, Corporal?” she asked in the blazing sunshine.
 
“No, ma’am.  I know that the Colonel was in his office and then he yelled at me to come and get ya.” He said. “He scares me something awful ma’am,” he said.
 
“Considering how he is to you enlisted men, I don’t know how you put up with him.”
 
“Considering ma’am but how you, being married to him and all, do you?”
 
Mattie should have been shocked at the rudeness of the question and the young man realized his mistake. He looked apologetic at her but all Mattie did was pat him on the arm.  “You’ll do quite nicely in this army, I think!” Mattie chuckled. “And you’re quite right.  But as you will no doubt discover, Mr. Pullin, that a man is quite different in disposition when it is his wife instead of a corporal.”
 
Indeed, Mattie was right.  Pullin knocked on the door to Colonel Jordan’s office and was greeted by a gruff order.  He opened the door and walked Mattie in.
 
“That will be all, Corporal.” He barked.
 
“Thank you, Mr. Pullin,” Mattie smiled at the unfortunate young man.
 
“Sir, Ma’am” he said saluting them as he left.  Gard faintly saluted back and then came around in front of his desk to be closer to Mattie.  She looked up at him quietly expectant.
 
“What does thee wish to speak to me about?” she asked falling into her old Quaker habit that she reserved only for him.  He liked hearing it since it was an reminder of their childhood, their home.
 
“Mattie….” He said, his voice far different from the one that had shouted at the Corporal. “Are you feeling all right?”
 
“As much as can be expected, considering the circumstances, Gard” she said becoming concerned.  Gard was not a man at loss for words.
 
She sat cautiously in the small wooden chair in front of the desk.  Gard seemed to be pacing and almost unaware of her company.  When he turned to look at her she felt the pangs of love she still had when their eyes met. He stepped closer and knelt on one knee in front of her and took her hands in his. Mattie suddenly became worried that something awful had again taken place but what could it be? 
 
“Gard, please… thee are troubling me greatly.” She said.
 
“I’m sorry Mattie.  I received a letter from your mother this morning about your father.” He said and then stood up to retrieve the letter.
 
Mattie’s eyes widened in concern. Her father was getting on in years and though he was rugged and tough from decades of hard work he was also worn and tired from it. “I…I don’t…. I,” Mattie fumbled for words.
 
Gard held the letter and sat slightly on the desk and then handed the letter to Mattie who took it gingerly from him. Her hands trembled slightly as she held up to read. Gard sat and waited for her to read it.
 
“Dear Gard,” It began. “It saddens me to send word to thee of this nature.  I know thy position in the Army leaves thee little opportunity for travel but I’m hoping God will grant me this prayer.  Mattie’s father is not well and it seems that his life is soon coming to an end.  I hope thee may bring thy family back to Indiana for Jess to see all his living grandchildren.”
 
Mattie winced at the sentence which did not go unnoticed. She continued on. “We’ve never seen the boys and there is no better time to have the family all together with Josh getting married shortly as well. Please, send my love to Mattie and all the children.  I hope to hear from thee soon, Gardiner Jordan.”
 
Mattie handed the letter back to Gard who placed it on his desk. He then looked at the floor not wanting to meet her gaze now. “Living Grandchildren… If only she knew what that really meant.” He muttered.
 
Mattie herself couldn’t bring herself to say anything.  The pain of having lost the youngest, Nathan, was still very raw as it only been three weeks.  She doubted her mother’s pain would ever ebb or Gard’s paternal one. He was a very good man, husband and father and very loving.  He was also a very tough man who’d lived through the entire Civil War and many frontier battles but losing your baby son to something unpreventable and indefensible left her soldier husband feeling helpless for the first time in his life. She felt like something horrible was ripped from her and the hollow feeling was complicated further by her being pregnant yet again.
 
Mattie reached over and took his hand in hers.  Their eyes met and they smiled weakly at each other. “Well,” he said. “I think we’re heading home.”
 
“What?” Mattie exclaimed.
 
“My sweet Mattie, it is not inconceivable that I can travel home after being away for 5 years. We are not prisoners of the U.S. Army!” he said smirking at her trying to break the heavy mood.
 
“Gard! What about the Cavalry? Who will take command of it?  The Major can’t thee has told me numerous times.” She said.
 
“The major won’t be left in charge, Thank God. I shudder to think what that man would do if left in charge of the cavalry,” he said lighting a cigar. “No, there’s something far better: Another colonel.”
 
“Another?  Gard, thee are not making any sense” she said standing to look at him crossing her arms in consternation.
 
“I know, sweetheart. I was surprised by it myself.  The General received word yesterday about a recently made Colonel, Andrews, from Ohio. I guess the General doesn’t think he’s ready for his own command. I suppose on that premise alone I should stay but Andrews will be showing up with a Sergeant I served with and I respect.  Once he has arrived and I can talk to him, I think I can feel confident in traveling home.”
 
“My condition…” she said.
 
“I’m beginning to think you have an aversion to seeing your family. Your brother is finally marrying as well!” he said chuckling.
 
“Its not that I don’t want to see my family but things are different now; I have a family of my own.” She said.  “And this is not the best time for traveling.”
 
“It never is, Mattie. It’s the Frontier.  We all risk our lives out here.” He said. “I’ll contact my Commanding Officer about leaving the fort to Andrews.  It will be the test he needs. In the meantime, you and all the ladies should prepare.”
 
“Prepare? Whatever for?” she said as Gard stood closely in front of her.
 
“When the Colonel arrives, we have to welcome him right?  Don’t the ladies like to throw balls or what not? The General ordered that we throw one in honor of Colonel Andrews”
 
“Yes, we do but it is really necessary?” she asked.
 
Gard grunted in response and then looked back to his wife and smiled. “No, it never is.  Balls in an Army fort: what a waste of… It doesn’t matter what I think.  The General said to have one so we will and since he is a Cavalry Colonel you’ll have your place as a hostess.”
 
“Gard, I know how thee talk like thee hates balls but if I remember correctly, thee coaxed me to dance once,” she smiled.
 
“You still remember that, hm?” he laughed. “Dark moment in my life, really.”
 
“Oh, Gardiner!” she admonished him and then hugged him. “I do hope things work.  I do want to see my family again.  It would do wonders to get out of this wasteland and see great green things again.”
 
Mattie rested her head on his chest and Gard, who never resisted this show of affection, touched his cheek to her hair and closed his eyes. “It’ll be nice to be down by the stream again with the swing.” He whispered.
 
“Yes,” she whispered, her eyes closed.  Gard did not interrupt her and let her stay this way for a moment and soon she raised her head. “I think we need that again.”
 
The two held a silent moment as they kissed then they stood, looking at each other. “Yes, Mattie. We do.”