Glimmers of Change (60 page)

“Most of them. June and my boy are on the plantation today, but I think everyone else is getting ready for the party this afternoon.”

Moses scowled. He didn’t want to overreact, but he also wanted to be careful. He knew it was impossible for the men to work the fields and also watch over their homesteads, but he couldn’t ignore the feeling that trouble was coming. Lives were more important than tobacco worms and profits. He listened to the cheerful calls of the men as they worked. He felt a deep responsibility to do all he could to keep everyone safe. Most of the men working the fields had also served with him during the war. When his eyes fell on the children intently plucking tobacco worms from the plants, he made his decision.

“Tell the men we are taking the rest of the day off,” he announced.

Simon stared at him. “They have only been working for an hour,” he protested.

“The tobacco plants aren’t going anywhere,” Moses responded evenly. “Today is a special day. Let’s go ahead and make it one.”

Simon continued to look at him. “You’re that worried?”

Moses met his eyes. “I felt this same feeling in Memphis. There are a lot of dead people that would still be alive if someone had been willing to step up as a leader and take action to protect them. No one did.” He took a deep breath, thinking about Felicia’s parents. If they had taken heed of the warnings and come to Fort Pickering for refuge, they would still be alive. He doubted anyone had told them how dangerous things were. “I don’t know if anything is going to happen today, but I couldn’t live with myself if it did and I had done nothing to take care of everyone.”

Simon looked out over the fields for a long moment. “I’ll tell everyone we’re starting the party early. They should go home, get their wives and kids, and come back to my place.”

Moses managed a brief smile. “Tell the men to be on the lookout, but I don’t want the wives and children to be worried.”

Simon snorted. “You know Rose and June are going to see right through this, don’t you?”

Moses’s lips twitched. “Probably
all
the women will see right through it, but they will also let us think we are the big, strong protectors. I mostly just don’t want the children to be scared.”

Simon hesitated. “You really think something is going to happen?”

Moses shrugged. “If it does, we’ll be ready. Make sure all the men bring their pistols and rifles. We don’t have to be afraid. We just need to be prepared.”

Carrie pushed the errant tendrils of hair away from her face impatiently, determined to do more studying before the festivities began for the day. The cacophony of traffic noise flowing in the window, combined with the stifling heat, was making it difficult to concentrate. She glanced at the clock in her room, relieved to see there was still an hour before Matthew was due to arrive. Suddenly the door to her room slammed open. All four of her housemates poured into her room, dressed vibrantly in red, white, and blue.

“You are not going to study anymore today,” Florence announced as she walked over and pulled Carrie’s book from her hands.

“That’s right,” Alice said firmly, as she removed Carrie’s writing pad from her desk and held it aloft over her head. “You’re done.”

Carrie laughed, but she tried to reach for her book. “I just need to—”

“You just need to
what
?” Elizabeth demanded. “Prove you can be better than number one in the entire school in your studies. I hate to be the one to have to tell you this, but it’s not possible to be better than number one.”

Carrie flushed. “I’m not…”

Janie swooped in and placed a glass of cold lemonade in front of her. “Relax. We know you’re not trying to make us look as bad as you do — it just happens naturally,” she said playfully, her eyes dancing with fun. “But you’re done for today, Carrie. It’s the Fourth of July! Philadelphia is about to host the largest parade in the history of this nation.”

“I know,” Carrie agreed, “but it’s not starting for a couple more hours, and Matthew won’t be here until noon. I still have time to get some work done.”

The amusement died from Janie’s eyes as she stamped her foot. “
When
did you get like this?” she demanded.

Carrie gaped at her, searching for words, but she couldn’t come up with any.

“Even during the war you found ways to have fun,” Janie scolded.

“Really?” Florence muttered, her voice making it clear she didn’t believe her.

“Suddenly,” Janie continued, “you seem to have forgotten the word ‘fun’ even exists. All you do is study and go to school.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Alice protested. “She eats sometimes, and she even sleeps a little.”

“And then she goes back to studying,” Janie insisted.

“That’s true,” Elizabeth agreed.

“It stops today,” Janie announced. “I know you want to be the best doctor on the planet, and I understand you feel a responsibility to be a leader for all women, but you also have to live your life.”

Carrie stared at her, wondering if what she was saying was true. Had she really changed so much?

Alice settled down on the bench beside her and wrapped her arm around her. “We all admire your dedication, Carrie,” she said gently, “but we’re also worried about you.”

“Worried about me?”

“Yes. When you first got here you used to laugh and talk with us. Now all you do is come in from school and retreat to your room to study. The few minutes you’re not studying you only want to talk about medicine or women’s rights. Obviously we agree with you on all those things, but there is more to life than that. Right now there are thousands of veterans beginning to line up for a parade. Our city is swarming with people eager to celebrate the rebuilding of a reunified country. They want to laugh and celebrate.” Alice took a deep breath. “
We
want to laugh and celebrate. And we want you to do it with us.”

“But only if you want to,” Elizabeth added, ignoring Janie’s snort. “We know it has to be your choice.”

Carrie closed her eyes, suddenly realizing they were all speaking the truth. After fighting for years to come to medical school, she had been eager to ignore anything that kept her from her studies. But she knew it was more than that. The belief held by male doctors in the city that she was incapable of being a doctor had fueled a determination to prove them wrong. The battle to make her feel less than equal had ignited a fire that threatened to consume her.

Janie read the look on her face. She nudged Alice aside, sat down next to her, and took one of her hands. “Carrie, there is nothing wrong with single-minded determination, but I’ve watched the joy disappear from your eyes in the last month. We really
are
worried about you.”

Carrie opened her eyes and gazed into Janie’s face. “You’re right,” she admitted slowly. Just saying the words made her feel better. She knew she would never lose her unwavering commitment to medicine and equal rights, but she had indeed lost the balance that gave her joy in living.

“It’s just one day,” Janie said quietly.

Carrie grinned and jumped up from the bench. “Then I suggest we get on with it!” She turned to her closet and pulled out a bright red dress lined with white piping. Abby had mailed it to her a few weeks earlier. “I wasn’t sure I would ever find an occasion to wear this, but today seems to be perfect.”

“I have a hat for you!” Florence announced, pulling a straw hat from behind her back that was festooned with red, white, and blue streamers.

Carrie laughed and placed it in a cocky position on her head. Suddenly she felt lighter than she had in weeks. Her expression sobered as she gazed around at her housemates. “Thank you.”

Janie grinned and slipped her arm through Carrie’s. “We have a little while before Matthew arrives. Let’s go see what is happening in our city!”

Minutes later the five women were threading their way through the hordes of people lining Arch Street in preparation for the parade. In spite of the intense heat, everyone was in a marvelous mood. Laughter and conversation, peppered with the giggles of playing children, rose up like a cloud around them.

A sudden boom startled Carrie. “What was that?”

Janie looked at her. “That can’t seriously be the first one you have heard today. They have been firing gun salutes from Penn Square all morning.”

Carrie looked at her blankly. “I guess I was a little absorbed,” she admitted. “No more,” she said firmly. “Tell me what is going on.”

“Did you even know when I came in this morning to raise your window higher?” Florence asked.

Carrie shrugged. “I saw you do it. I figured you were just letting more air in because it is so hot.” She had been absorbed in reading the latest information on the cholera outbreak in Europe that was taking so many lives.

“That would have been reason enough,” Florence agreed, “but the real reason is because we were told to raise every window in the house at least a foot so that the explosions from the cannons wouldn’t break the glass.”

“They have prepared the largest parade America has ever seen,” Elizabeth said enthusiastically. “Last year the nation was still in mourning over President Lincoln. They have promised this year’s celebration is going to be a climactic celebration of the ending of the war. They put out the call for everyone to decorate their homes and businesses.”

Carrie grinned as she looked around. “I’d say everyone responded,” she laughed. “I’ve never seen so much red, white, and blue in my life.”

Flags hung from every pole. Streamers floated in the breeze from every balcony. The front of every business was festooned with red, white, and blue buntings. It didn’t stop there. Every person on the street, children included, wore a hat proudly proclaiming the national colors, and every carriage was decorated to the hilt.

“I’m surprised they haven’t painted the bricks on the road,” Carrie joked. How many veterans will be here?”

“They are projecting at least ten thousand,” Alice said proudly. “General Hancock is going to lead the parade, and then General Meade is going to present the Pennsylvania colors to Governor Curtin to officially signify the ending of the war.”

Carrie felt a surge of energy as the laughter and confidence swirled around her. “This is wonderful!” she cried.

Janie nodded but took hold of her arm. “We have to get back to the house. Matthew should be here any minute. He came in on the train last night, but had meetings this morning. I don’t want the house to be empty when he arrives.”

“One very eligible man and five women,” Alice said teasingly. “I don’t like the odds of my competition.”

“
Four
women,” Carrie corrected with a laugh. “This one is very happily married. But if one of you gets Matthew, you’ll be very lucky indeed.” She wondered at the flash she saw in Janie’s eyes but decided she would ask her later.

A round of booms from the cannon stationed in the Fairmount Park fortifications on a nearby hill made her forget about it entirely.

Moses exchanged a long look with Simon when he rode into the clearing beside his house, relaxing a little when Simon shook his head to indicate he had seen no evidence of trouble. Rose had not pressed him for information when he went into the kitchen to tell everyone they were starting the party early, but he had known by the look in her eyes that she knew he was hiding something.