Chapter Thirty-Three: Paramour

Saturday, August 13, 1910

Sarah and Emily loaded up the wagon and said their final goodbyes. They waited as long as they could to be sure and speak to as many parents as possible. She'd enjoyed speaking with Nancy's parents, they were greatly encouraged by their daughter's willingness to try new things and make friends. Only Mrs. Brewster and Alexis remained in the hall along with a few men brought in to do repairs at the camp. Mrs. Brewster felt sorry for Alexis, so she picked up a basketball and they began a game of "Horse."

As Emily and Sarah pulled away, a fancy car drove up in front of Beamer Hall. A driver opened the back door. An elegantly dressed woman stepped out of the car and walked into the hall.

Emily asked, "Alexis' mother?"

Sarah nodded.

A few seconds later, the woman and Alexis emerged from the hall. "And I led the prayer one night before bed and… Sarah!"

Alexis ran over and hugged Sarah. "Thank you for waiting."

Sarah smiled. "That's what friends do."

The woman smiled. "Tiffany Dumont, I'm Alexis' mother."

"I'm pleased to meet you ma'am."

"I wanted to meet you and express my appreciation for your friendship and guidance of my daughter."

"Alexis is a very sweet girl. She made plenty of friends this week."

"I wish to give you a token of my esteem."

Tiffany handed her an envelope.

Sarah opened it. The envelope was full of cash. Her eyes bulged.

"Um, Ms. Dumont, I appreciate that but I can't accept this."

Sarah gave her back the envelope.

"Oh nonsense, you did a marvelous job. I'd like to offer you a position as Alexis' new governess."

Sarah tilted her head. "Come again?."

"My dear, Sarah, you are the first domestic my Alexis has grown to love. It is obvious that you have some unique skills. You'll have a salary unequaled with any you might obtain from a farm. You'll live in one of the grandest estates in Glasgow."

Sarah looked to Alexis; her head was down, quite embarrassed by her mother.

Sarah got her attention and then she turned to Emily. "Can you and Alexis go play hopscotch?"

Emily got down from the wagon, stuck out her hand to Alexis and said, "Let's go play."

Alexis nervously smiled and they walked to the other side of the building.

Sarah started to say something but then realized the chauffer might hear her. She stepped down from the wagon and began walking. She motioned for Tiffany to join her.

They walked to the Wayside Chapel. Sarah pointed to the front row, she sat down.

Sarah roared, "How dare you? How dare you?"

Tiffany was confused.

Sarah attempted to regain her composure. "It is now readily apparent to me that Alexis' genuine sweetness is mostly a rebellion against the shallowness of her mother."

"I am offering you employment and this is how you speak to me?"

Sarah tried not to raise her voice, "You are attempting to assuage your guilt by buying a friend for your daughter!"

She put her hands over her face and growled, "Mrs. Dumont… wait… excuse me: even though you are an adult I will call you Tiffany because as far as I am concerned you have forfeited any claim of respect."

She gasped at Sarah's tone.

"Tiffany! For Alexis' birthday last May you paid $10 for parents to take their daughters to the party. You arranged for a newspaper reporter from Billings to come and take pictures so you could have your pretty visage splattered over the pages. Alexis did not know any of the girls' names because you do not let her out of the house. You have private tutors come in and train her to one day grow up to be a well spoken porcelain doll and someone's trophy wife. Am I right?"

"After that shocking display I would have you be no one's nanny!"

Sarah stomped the ground. "I've never wanted to be anyone's nanny, why can't you understand that?"

Tiffany did not know how to respond.

Sarah reached in her purse. "Madam, I can recommend a nanny. As a matter of fact, I have her picture right here."

She handed Tiffany an open compact. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and then turned away.

"Alexis doesn't need a nanny; she needs a mother. Your primary responsibility is this world is to the life that came from your womb. To shirk that sacred charge is an insult to God."

Tiffany kept her face turned away from Sarah. "No one has ever spoken to me like that."

"Then no one has truly loved you. When someone loves you, they are willing to hurt your feelings so that you might be a better person."

"You have no right…."

"I have an obligation as Alexis' friend to speak for her best interests which are not being served by hired hands."

"I wouldn't be a good mother."

"You've never tried."

Tiffany turned around to her. "How'd you know?"

"Just a guess."

Tiffany wiped a tear from her eye. "It's not easy."

"Nothing worth doing is easy."

Tiffany swallowed some tears. "This has been difficult for both of us. We've lived through numerous challenges."

"Do not get married a fourth time, Tiffany."

"You can't tell me what to do."

"Yes, I can tell you, the question is, will you listen?"

She did not know how to respond.

Sarah sat on the bench beside her. "Don't sleep with another man who just wants your money."

"Don't you care about my happiness?"

"No ma'am, I do not care about your happiness. What I care about is your daughter's well being. On more than one occasion, Alexis has awakened to find strange men in her house because mommy was sharing the sheets with a stranger."

Tiffany wiped away more tears. "I didn't think she'd mind if I had… company."

"My goodness! Listen to yourself. Do you know how diabolically stupid that sounds?"

She said nothing in reply.

"Is Alexis' father still in Billings?"

Tiffany nodded.

"And that's why you got a photographer from the Billings' newspaper?"

She mumbled, "He claimed I wasn't taking care of her."

"And you thought some staged pictures of Alexis with birthday cake and friends who didn't know her name would convince him otherwise?"

Tiffany shrugged. "I guess."

"Tiffany you're sick. You have a fatal condition of the spirit called pride. This will only eat away your soul. No man will make you feel better. Tell me, why didn't your last boyfriend marry you?"

Tiffany broke down, "He wouldn't leave his wife."

Sarah glared at her. "Good for him."

Tiffany spent a few moments in silence.

Sarah put a hand on her shoulder. "Last night, not far from here, in the creek, I baptized Alexis. I spent hours this week studying the Bible with that little girl. She has a broken spirit, but with prayer and time, you can help her heal. James 4:10 says, 'Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.'"

Sarah used a finger to gently tap Tiffany's chin upwards. The wind was blowing and sun beams poured through the forest illuminating a cross.

Tree limbs high above created dancing shadows on the ground in front of them. Leaves tumbled down. They both stared at the shadows.

Sarah whispered, "Tiffany, release that anger. Reach out for the New Life that God is promising you."

Tiffany shook her head. "I don't know how."

Sarah smiled. "Step one: Humble yourself. Stop paying someone to do your job. Start loving your daughter for who she is. Quit making men into idols, let God hold that position of esteem in your life. Let Him mold you as the Master Potter. Let Him shepherd you. He is your Heavenly Father! He is willing to love you, if you are willing to be loved."

Tiffany dabbed her eyes. "So, I can just go to church and make everything right?"

Sarah shook her head. "I didn't say that, however, finding the right church is a start. At a church you will find elders, men who will pray for you and expect nothing in return. You don't know how to be a mother? Fine. Pray and God will bring people into your life who will show you how to do it. I guarantee it.

If you pray and open the door, invite him in to your life and demonstrate your willingness to learn by being obedient to his will wonderful people will appear and amazing grace will be felt. It will be difficult, at first, but over time, you will get better with practice. You can start by showing respect to Alexis' father."

Tiffany shook her head. "He does not deserve my respect."

Sarah nodded. "Ok, in that case: You can start by showing respect to Alexis' father. God's greatest attribute is His willingness to show mercy, love and kindness to the vilest of sinners. If you're patient with Alexis and her father, God will bless you."

She shrugged. "Perhaps."

"What is your alternative plan? Will any of your current methods bring you happiness?"

She slowly shook her head. "No."

Tiffany wiped her tears. "Young lady, who taught you to be so bold?"

Sarah whispered, "My mother ma'am, my mother."

Tiffany smiled in reply.

Sarah stood up and offered Tiffany her hand. She took it and stood up.

"Come along, my friend Emily and I need to get back to Eagle Creek. Alexis will tell you more about God on the way home. She is a smart girl and she's willing to share the good news."

As they approached the car and the wagon, Alexis saw them and came running. Tiffany let go of Sarah's hand and ran towards her daughter. They hugged and laughed. They walked arm in arm back to the car. Alexis was so busy talking to her mother that she did not say good-bye to Sarah, and to Sarah, that was just fine.