I Will Wait for You

“Good afternoon Mrs. Davis!” Albert greeted politely as Elizabeth’s mother smiled at him.

“Hello Albert.” She greeted.

“I’m sorry to disturb but is Elizabeth home?” Albert asked as his blue eyes glanced inside the house momentarily.

“She’s out in the backyard with her book.” Her mother informed.

“May I join her?” Albert asked politely as the woman chuckled and nodded her head.

Albert thanked her and proceeded to go through the garden’s gates. He smiled widely as he passed through the gates and spotted his childhood friend sitting on the grass with her eyes glued to her book. Elizabeth didn’t have many studies but her grandfather taught her how to write and read and she kept cultivating both of these activities after he passed when she was 13 years old.

“Ellie!” Albert called excitedly as Elizabeth looked up.

“Albie!” She greeted happily as they smiled at each other.

Andrew, Elizabeth’s older brother, was the oldest of them all and Albert started by being his friend but once he met Elizabeth, even though they were from opposite genders, they immediately got along because Elizabeth didn’t have many females to socialize with and she was surrounded by boys. Actually in their town, most of the girls moved away with their husbands or were either preparing to get married or already carrying a child, so Elizabeth was an exception. She lived about 20 minutes away, by foot, from the center of the town and until this day, she hadn’t received any proposal or met any special young man which worried her parents but not her. She honestly did not care, which drove her mother insane sometimes.

“How are you?” Albert asked as he sat beside her while she closed her book.

“Well. I had time to read today.” She said as she pointed towards the book and Albert smiled.

“You’re almost finished with it… again.” He remarked both of them laughing.

“It’s my favorite book, after all.” She smiled softly “How are your parents?”

“Oh the same, trying not fall apart because of our landlord.” Albert sighed. “The crops aren’t coming up as profitable as we hoped so my father went to the fair today to see if there was something worth investing our money in.”

Elizabeth stared in apprehension at him, both their families were considered poor but Albert’s passed through more difficulties. The Davis’s landlord was the same as Narracott’s but luckily, Elizabeth’s family was able to profit enough to pay the high rent and still have food for themselves, sometimes they ever shared with the Narracott’s and that was why both families were so bonded.

“I’m sorry to hear that Albie.” She said resting her hand on his shoulder as he smiled weakly at her “I hope that he has luck at the fair.”

Suddenly she hears loud talking and laughter. She glances at Albert as they both immediately recognize the voices of their fathers, followed by a constant rambling voice and laughter that belongs to Samuel.

“My father went with yours?” Elizabeth asked as she furrowed her eyebrows while Albert stood up and pulling her to her feet.

“Apparently.”

Elizabeth’s father and Albert’s father walked ahead talking and laughing while Samuel hold his father’s hand and walked beside him participating in the conversation. Behind them was Andrew, in his silent mood while carrying at his side two horses.

Elizabeth and Albert’s jaws dropped as they ran out of the garden, startling Elizabeth’s mother, who came to the door with wide eyes. As Elizabeth and Albert reached the horses they were both astonished as Andrew smiled proudly at them.

“This is yours, Albert.” He motioned for the dark brown horse “And this is mine.” He said as Elizabeth glanced at the light brown horse with dazzling blue eyes and gasped slightly.

“Anthony Davis, what in the world is this?!” Elizabeth heard her mother yell as the woman stormed towards her husband to demand for answers while he immediately raised his hands up in defense, knowing that he had a lot of explaining to do.

“We better be off son.” Mr. Narracott said towards Albert.

Albert nodded, said his goodbye and let his horse away along his father.



That evening, the environment inside the Davis’s household was tense. Mrs. Davis wasn’t happy at all with her husband’s purchase but somehow the man was completely convinced that it’d be a good way to reward their older son for the help he gives every day. Somehow Mr. Davis thought that giving Andrew a horse was a way for him to a mature and an economical sacrifice that the family had to endure.

“But this is not fair Anthony.” Mrs. Davis’s insisted as she crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly
“What about Elizabeth’s marriage dowry?”

“Elizabeth shows no interest in marrying, Marianne.” Mr. Davis replied seriously “Giving Andrew a horse is a better bet.”

“How can you say that Anthony?” The proud mother said slightly scandalized at her husband, knowing that he always over-looked Elizabeth because she didn’t do everything he wanted her to do.
“Elizabeth isn’t a bad person or a bad young woman. She has her own ideas and a special temper that collides with your, nothing more. She just needs to find the right man.”

“If such a man exists... Marianne, I’m sick of bringing lads here so that she can scare them off.” Mr. Davis sighed heavily and his wife knew that he was exaggerating but it was a father’s concern and nothing could be done to diminish it. He loved his daughter, she was his little girl but he had a really hard time understanding and dealing with her.

“Let her find a lad on her own then.” Mrs. Davis said patiently as her husband looked up at her and sighed.

“I just worry…” He drifted as he pulled his wife into his lap and she stroked his cheek.

“I know love, I know.” She said as he looked up and snuggled closer to her. He loved his daughter and he knew that Andrew would eventually marry while Samuel was still too small to worry much about so all the father’s worries fell upon Elizabeth and her future.

While the parents discussed, Elizabeth sat beside Samuel inside their barn watching Andrew trying to interact with his horse for the first time but for some reason they weren’t connecting and things weren’t going well at all. The horse, that appeared calm when brought home, seemed to want to run away from Andrew while he tried to calm the animal down.

“Bloody beast!” Andrew yelled angrily as the horse released a high pitched whinny.

“Stop it Andrew! You’re scaring him!” Elizabeth yelled as she ran to Andrew and pushed him away as the horse became too frightened and moved violently, threatening to start kicking.

“You’ve been with him for 5 minutes and you’re already driving him mad. Can’t you see that he’s scared to be alone here? Father said that he probably had a mother but now he’s alone and he doesn’t know us, you twat!” Elizabeth said with reprimand as she smacked her older brother’s head, making him whine and growl against her.

“Fine, if you’re so smart YOU calm him down!” He yelled as he kicked a bucket and left the barn.
Elizabeth sighed but didn’t stop him as Samuel stared at his older siblings a bit scared. Elizabeth turned to Samuel and patted his head lovingly.

“Don’t worry Sam, Andrew will be alright.” She reassured “He’s just frustrated because he thought that he’d be easy.” She explained motioning for the horse that low rumbled at her voice and she glanced at the animal, seeing that he had clearly calmed down.

“Shouldn’t we name him?” Samuel said softly as he approached the wooden bars.

“We should.” Elizabeth said as she took a carrot in her hand and stepped inside closer to the horse.

“Ellie!” Samuel called obviously scared that the horse would hurt his sister.

“Calm down Sam.” Elizabeth soothed him, speaking softly “If we remain calm, so does he. He's scared so we need to make him feel safe.” She said trying to transmit confidence, even though she had no bloody idea of what she was doing.

She approached the horse carefully and extended her hand. The horse stood still and she could hear his deep breathing.

“I’m not going to hurt you boy.” She whispered as Samuel observed his sister in astonishment, she was the bravest woman he knew. “I’m sure you’re hungry.” She said taking another step as the horse stepped back and she stopped immediately.

“Come on…” Elizabeth said focusing her eyes on the horse’s, waiting as her heart pounded in her chest while her breathing got slower.

Several minutes passed by until the horse, slowly approached her and took the carrot in his mouth. While he ate, with his head down to the level of her face, she hesitated but pressed her hand softly to his forehead. He didn’t move away as she petted him with a smile.

“UAU ELLIE!” Samuel cheered as the horse quickly moved away and Samuel covered his mouth “Sorry…”

“It’s alright sweetie.” Elizabeth said as she went back and closed the door that kept the horse inside a controlled space “He’s still scared of big sounds but I’m sure that Andrew will make him feel comfortable.”

“Andrew? But the horse seems to like you.” Samuel pouted as he and Elizabeth took the lamp and sat at the entrance of the barn, facing the road that connected their house to the town and to other houses very far away.

“Well, this is our secret alright?” Elizabeth said as Samuel nodded his head and they did the pinky promise “If Andrew has problems with the horse, I’ll help. I promise.”

“We should name him.” Samuel said as Elizabeth gave him a thoughtful look.

“Well he has blue eyes.” She stated as Samuel quickly turned to her.

“Percy Blue!” He shouted excitedly as Elizabeth chuckled.

“First and last name, I like it. Can we call him Blue only between us?” She asked.

“Yes, of course Ellie!” Samuel replied excitedly about having given a name to their horse.

Suddenly they heard noise of galloping horses and Elizabeth immediately stood up and pushed Samuel behind her when 10 horses began to approach and she noticed that the men mounting them were wearing dark green uniforms: military. Suddenly one of them, the one in the front, stopped a few feet away from her as the other stopped right behind him.

“Good evening madam.” He greeted politely as she bowed her head.

“Good evening.” She replied not sure of his rank as their eyes locked and she felt her heart skip a beat, the man in front of her was dazzling.

“I need to go to the center of the town. Is this the right way?” He asked as Elizabeth nodded her head.

“Yes, just about 5 more minutes and you’ll be in the center.” She replied, knowing that by horse the distance was very short.

“Thank you.” He replied their eyes lingering a bit more as he took in her lovely appearance and then saw the child behind her and he smiled warmly. “Have a goodnight madam.” He said, raising his cap politely as he glanced at her one more time before galloping away.