The Unbound Horizon

Evelyn: 1867

Things were different then they used to be, the war was over and Evelyn had her family back which she loved. She was lucky to have her father and both of her brothers survive the war, and she thanked God everyday for them. As she sat on a small stool milking the cows she let herself go into her own world and think about her life, her regrets, and how she wished she had made different decisions.

"Evelyn, you in here?" A high voice asked.

"I'm over here Emily," Evelyn replied. Emily was Benjamin's wife, and she and Evelyn had become fast friends after she had married her brother.

"What are you doin?" Emily asked, placing her pail under a cow next to Evelyn's and sitting on a small stool.

"I'm milking a cow?" Evelyn said.

"You know what I mean Evelyn, what's going on in your head, you've been quiet lately."

"Is it obvious?" Evelyn asked.

"Not really, just to me and Matthew" Emily said, "we are both concerned about you."

"I'm fine I promise, I'm just wondering what things would be like if I had chosen differently."

"Chosen what differently?" Emily asked.

"You know just things and opportunities in life."

"What things and opportunities?"

"I don't know Emily, I just wish something's could be different."

"You do know, Evelyn, you're just to scared to tell me, you can tell me you know." Emily said, but there was only silence from Evelyn. "Ok, we'll if you're not going to talk to me you should at least talk to Matthew he wants to know your alright, and you know he won't approach you about it." Emily said picking up her full pail of milk. "I'll see you later Evelyn, please talk to Matthew, ok?"

"Ok, I will, I promise. Thanks Emily." Evelyn said. Later that night Evelyn went out to look for Matthew she knew that he would probably be in the shed out behind the house, her dad and brothers had built it so Matthew could pursue work as a blacksmith. Once she walked in she saw Matthew with his apron on pounding away at an old horse shoe, but stopped when he saw her. He could tell by the look on he face that she needed to talk.

"Let's go for a walk." Matthew said as he out down his tools and took off his apron.

"Are you sure?" Evelyn asked, "if your too busy it can wait."

"I'm never too busy for you Evie." He said, and they both walked to the edge of the Ranch property and sat on the fence post looking out onto the sunset. They were both quiet for a long time. Matthew knew that if he just stayed quiet Evelyn's pride would pass and she'd start talking.

"Matt, do you ever feel like you missed an opportunity you should have taken?"

"Yes, I do, why?"

"Because I think I missed my chance."

"Your chance tondo what?" Matt asked.

"My chance to get married." Evelyn said quickly.

"What?" Matt asked surprised. "Your whole entire life you never had any want or desire to get married. You told me plenty of times that you would never conform to being a housewife that could only cook and clean and stay in the house, you always said you wanted more than that."

"I know, I know, but this is different. Matt I never told anyone this before, because there was no point, and I didn't have time to worry about and I chose not to worry about it but now, I've had time to think."

"What are you talking about."

"It all happened during the war." Evelyn said.

"What happened?" Matt asked, and Evelyn took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, ready herself to tell the secret she held for four years.

"Two years into the war Mason asked me to marry him." Evelyn said.

"What?!" Matt said shocked.

"Yeah, I was sixteen and he was twenty and he told me that he wanted to marry me."

"Well what did you say?"

"I told him no Matt. But I just had no idea he felt that way, he had always been my best friend, who always had my back and he helped me take care of the Ranch and mom and Rebecca and Joshua, and William and I did the same for him. I took care of his mom and dad take care of the farm after they had found out that Mark had died."

"Is that why we hardly ever see him anymore?" Matthew asked.

"I don't know. Anyway, he started acting weird, but he wanted me to randomly wear a dress or put my hair up, and he kept on trying to change me or my appearance, and I didn't know why. I know it's against society for a woman to wear pants and to have my hair down, and run a Ranch, but Matt it's what I love."

"I know it is. Ok so tell me why he was trying to change you?"

" we'll about a year went by and after a long hard day he just froze, and I asked him what was wrong and he told me, he told me that he loved me, and that he has loved me for longer than he could remember and now he was wanting to get married, and to get married to me, and that the reason he was trying to change me was because his parents wanting him to marry a woman, with womanly traits, and acted a way that women should in society, and then he asked me to marry him. I told him that i didn't know what to say, because i was in shock, and flattered, and offended. So I told him that I wouldn't change who I was, and that I had no idea that he felt that way about me. He told me that if I didn't marry him that we couldn't be friends because it would hurt him to much to be around me, but I didn't know how I felt about him, so I told him I couldn't marry him, and then he just walked away." Ellie explained looking down at her clasped hands.

"Wow," Matt said, "is there more?"

"Yes," Evelyn admitted, "there's more."

"What is it?" Matt asked.

"After a year I really started to regret telling him no, I missed him, and realized that I loved him too, and even though I never thought of getting married I realized that he would be the only one I could ever marry. So I went back to his house and told him how much I loved him and that I was willing to change, and wanted to marry him too, but."

"Elizabeth?" Matt asked

"Yes, Elizabeth. He told me that he was engaged, and that I was too late, and once again walked away from me." Evelyn said.