Authors: Rachelle J. Christensen

The Soldier's Bride (32 page)

BOOK: The Soldier's Bride

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As she rocked, she hummed the tune from her soldier’s music box and thought about the blessings of life. The wind gusted across the porch, caught up a few dead leaves from the corner by the house, and spun them across the smooth planks of wood. It pushed the empty rocker beside Evelyn so that it creaked back and forth. And the wind sang with her as she remembered. It whispered to her, saying things like it always had,
Don’t die with me. Forgive yourself—allow God to forgive. Live to dance again. Listen close enough and you can change the world. To every thing there is a season.

Her story was one of love, of heartache, heartbreak, and difficult choices that led to more love and renewal. Memories evoked joy, peace, and happiness now. She had given Sterling the thirty years he had asked for and then a few more. Their life had been wonderful together as they celebrated the births of eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren and grew old together in Aspen Falls.

Sterling had clung to life tenaciously, not willing to give up a moment with his true love, but just after his ninetieth birthday he succumbed to the weariness that had been haunting him.

“I promised I wouldn’t die on you,” he had whispered.

“It’s okay. We’ve led a good life and had a grand love. Rest now,” Evelyn said.

And he did. Evelyn missed him as she had missed Jim but couldn’t begrudge the amazing gifts their love had brought to her life. The miracle of the music box purchased by a humble soldier had changed her life and many others. On days like this one, she still hummed the tune or sang a few of the words she had written so long ago, and the wind accompanied her.

The rocking chair creaked as the wind helped push her frail body back and forth. Evelyn knew that pieces of her story would go quietly with her and miracles might be forgotten, but the legacy of love she had built through sacrifice and second chances would last forever. That’s how her story would end—with gratitude for the magical journey of love her heart had taken on the song of the wind.

Evelyn smiled and rocked, and when the wind played with the silver strands of her hair, she didn’t tuck them back into place.

BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS FOR
THE SOLDIER’S BRIDE

How do you think war widows were able to cope with the deaths of their young husbands during World War II? Do you think it made the grieving process more or less difficult if there were children involved?
Evelyn was able to live with her parents and gain from their support and love. How might her life have been different if she had been alone?
What significance did the music box and its song play in your own understanding of this story?
If you were Evelyn, who would you have chosen? Why?
Leland was able to turn his life around, but he still suffered from the consequences of various actions. Look at pivotal moments and discuss how each event changed his life.
Many young children were affected by polio during this time period but now the disease has been all but eradicated from first world countries. Do you know anyone who suffered from polio? Does Emika’s experience give you a look into the awareness children have about the world around them?
Henry and Mallory are patterned after Rachelle Christensen’s own parents and their struggles as small farmers in the deserts of Idaho. How do our life experiences shape how we view the world?
Do you like it when stories come full circle? Why or why not?
Discuss something you learned about the historical backdrop of World War II.

Acknowledgements

I am so grateful for the opportunity to share this story with readers everywhere. Thank you for choosing to read my book.

The Soldier’s Bride
has been a work of my heart, years in the making. What began as one line whispered to my exhausted brain in the newborn haze after my third child was born turned into a story that demanded to be written. I’m so happy that someone believed in me and my writing, and gave this book a chance.

Thank you to all of the amazing support from fans during my Kindle Scout campaign. Thank you to the Kindle Press Editorial team, especially Megan for her guidance through the program and Ruth for her exceptional editing skills.

Thank you to the talented Christina Dymock for the beautiful cover.

I owe many thanks to the various readers and editors who helped in every stage of this book: Patrick and Necia Jolley, the Novel Thoughts critique group of Cindy Beck, Nichole Giles, and Connie Hall, Heather Justesen, Christina Dymock, Connie Sokol, Heidi Brockbank and Sabine Berlin from Eschler Editing, Rachel Ann Nunes, Karrie Glazner, Sariah Wilson, Elana Johnson, Cathy Jeppsen, and Tim Jolley.

The timespan and setting of this book required a lot of interesting research. I appreciated interviewing Leo and Barbara Robbins and Gus Bryngelson—they helped me get my WWII facts straight.

As I write this note, my husband is helping the kids clean up the kitchen—no, he’s not fictional. Thank you Steve, for being my soldier in this war of writing. My five beautiful children inspire me, challenge me, and make me a better person. I love my family so much and I’m incredibly grateful to my parents, Tim and Andrea Jolley. They helped during so many different stages of this book.

I’m thankful to my Father in Heaven who has blessed me with talents, opportunities, and challenges so that I may grow and learn on this earthly journey.

In this book, I quoted scripture from the Bible in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, specifically verse 1. I’m grateful that after much patience and waiting, it is the right season for this story to be shared.

About the Author

Photo by Erin Summerill

Rachelle is a mother of five who writes mystery/suspense, nonfiction, and women’s fiction. She solves the case of the missing shoe on a daily basis. She enjoys raising chickens and laughing with her husband. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology and a minor in music.

Rachelle is the award-winning author of ten books, including
Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things (The Wedding Planner Mystery Series), Wrong Number,
and
Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology.
Her novella, “Silver Cascade Secrets,” was included in the Rone Award–winning
Timeless Romance Anthology, Fall Collection
.

Join Rachelle’s VIP mailing list to learn more about upcoming books & get your free book here
www.rachellechristensen.com

Also by
Rachelle J. Christensen

Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things (Wedding Planner

Mysteries #1)
http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Deadly-Wedding-Planner-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B011LW1QW6