Chapter Text
Willow Spring, Arizona
1890.
Nina ran through the house trying to grab her father an extra pair of socks.
“Nina, come on. Your daddy gotta go. Mr. Williams is getting antsy to leave him.” Nina‘s mother called from the front door.
“Cora, don’t speak to her so harshly,” her father whispered.
“Oh, Virgil, you’re too soft when it comes to her.
Nina rummaged through the basket of clothes she had taken down from the clothesline earlier that day.
“ Nina, today please,” her mother called out again.
“I’m coming!” Nina grabbed the first pair of socks she could find. She quickly ran to her parents. Her mother and father stood in the doorway, waiting for her. “Here, Daddy.” Nina handed him the socks. “Keep your feet covered. I gotta fix those shoes when you come back,”. Nina hugged her father.
“When your father comes back, we'll start talking about you getting wed.”. Her mother reminded her of a conversation she’s been avoiding since she turned 18. Her Mother didn’t nag as much back then was only because it wasn’t important, but now Nina was 25.
They lived on the farm away from most people in a bubble of their own happiness. Nina’s father taught her how to defend herself, how to shoot a rifle, horseback riding, and the art of negotiating. Her mother taught her everything from mathematics, literature and even foreign languages. Skills they learned from their former owners, an Irishman and his russian wife, something their peers look down on them for.
On the land they lived on, mesquite beans grew. So her father would sell them to the closest town, and they lived comfortably on that income. But the past harvest was slim pickings, so her father is going to Phoenix to visit an old friend to see if they can help us out.
“If my friend could help us, then you won’t have to worry about that.” Nina’s father tapped her nose.
“Virgil, you spoil that girl worse than rotten teeth.”. Virgil laughed at his wife's complaints as he held on to his daughter. “If I don’t, who will?”
“Maybe a husband?”
“And who could we trust to take our star and never dim her light?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe that James boy. He’s training to be a doctor, you know? He’s interested in our Nina.”. Nina rolled her eyes.
James is a distant neighbor who was a few years older than her. His parents died when he was a teenager, and he was left in that house alone. He wasn’t a peculiar man, quite the opposite, very friendly, charismatic, and, according to the people of Willow Spring, attractive. The moment she turned 18, he’s been trying to marry Nina and fill that empty house with her and plenty of children.
Nina wasn’t interested in that life, at least not with James. She didn’t have many options, especially for a female child of two former slaves. Still, Nina knew for a fact that she didn’t want her only achievements in this life to be mother and wife.
“I don’t know if I trust that boy,” Virgil commented.
“Oh, he’s a sweetheart,” Cora combated.
“OK. OK, enough talk about this. Daddy has somewhere to be.” Nina nudged her father toward the carriage waiting for him.
“OK, I’m going.” He turned around and gave Nina one more hug and a kiss on her forehead. I’ll be back in two weeks. Don’t forget to practice your rifle”.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be shooting bullseyes by the time you get back.”
Nina waved goodbye as the carriage carrying her father became smaller in the distance.
Two Months Later
“Nina!” Cora called from the porch. While Nina was behind the house. “Come in, time for supper!”
Nina would have responded, but her attention was on the cans 20 feet away from her. She focused her sights with the butt of the rifle steady on her shoulder. She let out of breath she was holding and squeezed the trigger. Lying down all six cans, she smiled proudly at herself.
“Girl, get your behind in here. I won’t tell you again.”
“I’m coming!” Nina packed up the rifle and bullets before walking towards the house.
“Grab the mail before you come in,” Nina headed to the front of the house to the mailbox.
Wasn’t much in there, just a letter from Nina‘s aunt on her mother's side and a cherry wood box with a tag addressed to her. Nina found it weird because it was rare to find cherrywood on this side of the country, but also, she knew this box. She doesn’t remember where, but she knows down to her toes she's seen this box before.
“Ma!” Nina hurried into the house. If she had seen it before, then her mother definitely had seen it before.
When she reached the kitchen, she was out of breath.
“Good grief, girl, why are you running in the house?”. Nina placed the box on the table and sat down.
“Um, Nina, where did you get that?” Her mother looked spooked.
“You’ve seen this before, right?”
“Yes, it was your grandmothers, your father’s mother. She died while he was away at war, and wanted us to have. It was a gift from your grandfather made from the branch of a cherry tree they married under. The handle of the broom they jumped from it too.” Cora moved closer, picking up the box. “You were six when we left Baltimore. I thought I packed it, but when we got settled, I couldn’t find it anywhere. Ya Daddy said I must’ve left it somewhere.”.
Nina watched her mother relive those moments as she opened the box and pulled a letter from it.
It didn’t take long for Cora to finish the letter before she let out an annoyed sigh. “His letters are getting shorter.” She said as she threw it down and went back to setting the table.
Nina grabbed the letter off the table to read.
Dear Cora and Nina.
I miss you two much.
I hate to be riding this, but I’m afraid I have to stay a little longer.
Sell the watch for money, all my love.
Virgil Hayes.
It was weird. Nina looked at the letter longer. She loved all the letters from her father.
This one was different; it seems disconnected. Her father is loving and always expresses it. This letter feels like it's from the man whose family is an afterthought for him. This one is different. She grabbed the earlier letters, just to compare.
In the two months he was gone, he sent four letters. The first three start with:
To my love and shining star,
This latest one:
To Cora and Nina,
Nina didn’t want to jump to conclusions. He could’ve been in a rush, maybe didn’t have enough time. Maybe he just wanted to let them know he was OK. But Nina had a feeling in her stomach that told her something was wrong.
“Nina put them letters away and come eat,” Cora called for her again. Nina sat down the letters, but not before looking at them one last time.
As she headed to the table, there was a knock on the door. Nina opened the door, and once she realized it was James, she rolled her eyes.
He didn’t say anything, just held up bread and a bouquet with a smile. Nina was confused as to why he was there; however, when she turned around, she found her mother standing behind her with an even brighter smile. “Nina, are you gonna let Mr.James in?”.
Irritation, annoyance were just society-acceptable words she could use to describe what she was feeling. She opened the door to let James in.
“Good Evening, Miss Nina. Mrs. Hayes. These are for you, Miss Nina.” James held out a bouquet of wild flowers. Nina just stared at the gift. Not because she didn’t like it, the flowers were beautiful. She just doesn't like things to be doesn’t be sprung upon her. This dinner was obviously planned behind her back. Now she can’t think of an excuse to leave.
“Nina?” Her mother’s voice broke her out of her trance.
“Huh?” She looked to her mother. ”Do you wanna take Mr. James’s bouquet?”.
“Oh, yeah,” she grabbed the flowers from him. “Thank you, James. They’re very nice,” Nina went to place them in a vase.
“Mr. James. Would you like to join us for dinner?” Cora extended pleasantries.
“If you don’t mind, I don't want to impose.”
“You’re always welcome, Mr.James.”
Nina grabbed an extra bowl and spoon, “Let's not pretend you two didn’t plan this.”.
“Nina! Don’t be rude to our guest.” Cora scolded her daughter. Nina huffed as she took her place at the table.
“Oh, it's alright, Mrs. Hayes. Can’t get much past Nina, right?” he sat down next to her. It takes everything in her not to move to the other side of the table.
“So, Mr.James, how is working with Dr. Brown? Is he a good teacher?”.
“The best. I’m hoping he’ll start giving my own patients.”.
Nina ignores the surface-level conversation between her mother and James. Her thoughts were back on her father. Something is wrong, and he could be in trouble. Someone forged a letter, so no one will be looking for him.
In that very moment, she decided that she was going to Phoenix to find her father.
“So what do you think?” Cora had a strained smile on her face.
“About What?” Nina realized she had missed something.
“Going for a ride… tomorrow… with me?”, James answered.
“Oh.. um…. I can’t.”
“Why?” her mother questioned.
“I’m going to Phoenix tomorrow to visit Daddy. It's been two months, and I miss him.”.
“Nina, your father is working; he wouldn’t have time to watch you”.
“I know, but I’m 25. I’ll be settling down soon. So I thought seeing maybe a few sights before that happens,” Nina tries to squeeze out a believable story for her mother.
“Nina. I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Her mother eyed her suspiciously.
“I think it’s a grand idea,” James added. “A young lady should get a bit of life under her belt before marrying.” James laid his hand on Nina’s shoulder.
“You don’t have to worry. I’ll be safe.” Nina roughly removed James’s hand. “I’ll find a boarding house to stay in. It’ll only be for a few weeks”.
Cora knew her daughter, and she knew she wasn’t going to give up on this idea. “Fine, but you won’t be staying with strangers. I have a friend who lives in Phoenix, Rebecca. She lives above her store. Don’t have much of a family, just a son. Opens her home to pretty much anybody. I’ll send her a letter tomorrow, and you can go the day after.
“A son?” James asked.
“Can’t remember his name, but he lives with his father on the reservation, so he probably won’t be there.”.
Nina was fine with the arrangement as long as no one tried to stop her.
“If you’re not leaving tomorrow, do you still wanna go for that ride?” The man beside her smiled with hope.
“Only if you’re not there,” she mumbled under her breath.
“Pardon?” Nina didn’t realize she spoke her thoughts out loud, so she gave the table a bright smile,” Unfortunately, I can’t. Not when I have much to do and prep for a long ride. Don’t want to overwork Finn.”
“Finn?”
“My horse”.
“Oh”
She stood up to collect the dishes. “Mother, dinner was delicious. Mr. James, lovely to see you again, but I have a busy day tomorrow. I would like to retire to my room.”. She didn’t wait for a response. She grabbed the wooden box and went to her room.
Nina didn’t know where she was going to start. How was she going to find a black man in Phoenix? With no clue who this friend was, he was visiting. She grabbed the cherrywood box because she realized she had never looked in the box, just at the letter. There lay the watch that was mentioned in the letter. It was sterling silver, top of the line. Nothing her family could ever afford. Nina opened the watch, and inside was engraved the words:
To my brother Virgil.
Thank you for saving my life time after time.
-Ezra Saxton
Who is Ezra Saxton?