The Tree Keeper's Promise Part 1

The Tree Keeper's Promise.

Tamara Pa.s.sey.

For Steve.

Prologue.

Hans and Adeline Shafer, Sutton Ma.s.sachusetts, 1881.

The Planting.

Taking her hand, he guided her to the edge of the land he'd cleared. The air around them stirred. The spring morning sun warmed their cheeks. He stopped at the newly-turned earth and gestured over it.

"See, your trees will grow. Our trees. And here is the soil from home." He held up the leather pouch. "I brought it for you to mix with this ground and these seeds."

"What good will it do?" she asked, pulling her hand away, grasping instead at her long braid. "The dirt here, the trees here. No one in this land wants the trees. They belong in Germany, meant to live and grow there. Like us. What can any of us do here?" She faced the horizon without showing any emotion, though one tear escaped her eye. Her hand rested on her growing belly.

"Adel, you know what these trees are. You know what they can do," he said, reaching for both of her hands, pleading for her blessing.

"You mean you planted the seeds of love?" she asked with wide eyes.

"That I did."

She took the pouch and gave it one shake over the upturned row by her feet.

"Hans, can they work here?" she asked, handing the pouch back to him.

"We shall see."

Chapter 1.

They say no two trees are exactly alike. Growing them may be a science, but choosing the right one to decorate for Christmas-well, that's an art. And it was the only thing Angela's daughter wanted for her ninth birthday-to go to Mark Shafer's farm and find the perfect tree for Christmas. And why wouldn't she? As Mark's grandfather Papa Shafer had told them last year, they were miracle trees. It made no difference to her that it was only September. They could tie a ribbon around her choice and come back for it in December.

"Thank you," Angela whispered to Mark as they arrived at the section of trees designated for the upcoming season. "This will be her favorite birthday."

"I'm glad you asked," Mark said. "There was a time after you met my grandpa last year when I didn't think you'd ever want to come back," he said with a teasing grin.

Angela couldn't live down how annoyed she'd been about Papa's talk of miracle trees that first night. But he'd been right. And so much had changed since then, namely her heart.

"What can I say?" she said. "Papa won me over."

Well, Mark had won her over with his genuine eyes, his kind ways-and maybe his broad shoulders.

They walked down the path as it glowed in the afternoon sunlight. The crisp fall air surrounded them. This was much better than corralling a party of fourth-grade girls at the mall.

"Can this be the one for the farmhouse?" Caroline asked.

"We're here to pick out a tree for our house," Angela replied.

Papa chuckled. "That's fine with me. Seems like she's got an eye for this," he said as he walked closer to the tree she chose.

"You know, Mom, if you and Mark had made up your minds and gotten married, we wouldn't need to choose two trees."

"Caroline!" Angela's jaw dropped at her daughter's words. Though she knew Caroline didn't mean to embarra.s.s her, there were lines better left uncrossed.

"Marriage isn't something to rush into," she said under her breath as she briefly met Mark's eyes.

A spark of humor crossed his face.

"The child's got a point," Papa said. "You two could make it official and call one place home."

"Not you too." Mark folded his arms over his chest.

As they continued their walk in the autumn sun, Mark reached for Angela's hand, something she hadn't grown tired of in the eight months they'd been dating.

Caroline ran ahead until she reached a certain tree. "Look at this one," Caroline said. "Lovely branches and such a presence."

Angela checked to see if Mark was also startled by the comment.

"What do you mean?" Angela asked as she watched Papa move to Caroline's side.

"Can't you see it? It's like this tree is determined to be noticed. Like you know Marie who does ballet? She looks official standing in the lunch line. How do you not notice her? Can't you tell there's something special about this one?"

Angela noticed the amused look on Mark's face and the serious one on Papa's. Her eyes narrowed on Caroline. Was she imitating what she'd heard Mark and Papa talk about, or was she actually seeing these traits, thinking this way about the trees?

"Special, is it? Do you want this one for your house?" Papa asked, moving close to the tree.

"Not now. Another year of growth, maybe two, and it will be just right," she said confidently as she moved on down the row.

At that, Mark reached up and scratched the back of his head. "I've never seen anything quite like it," he muttered.

Angela asked, "Like what? This tree?"

"No, Caroline," Mark said.

Angela watched her daughter move along and touch the branches with her fingertips, Papa following close behind.

"Do you think she's making this up, maybe to impress Papa-or you?" Angela asked Mark.

He shook his head. "As strange as it sounds, I think she actually understands them."

"That's not so strange," Papa said, clearly having overheard Angela and Mark's conversation. "Some children are naturals. They're still full of light. No doubts."

Angela nodded. That certainly described her daughter.

"If you choose the right tree, Caroline, we could have a wedding around here. I'd say before Christmas," Papa said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Angela asked with a little too much worry in her voice.

"It means Papa is losing patience with me," Mark answered.

"I'm not the one you need to worry about," Papa said and winked at Angela. "And it's more than that. Caroline, these trees here can make a love match. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's a sweet kind of love."

"They can do what?" Mark asked, not hiding his surprise.

Papa answered quickly, "You heard me. A love match."

"Were you planning on telling me about this?" Mark asked, though Papa wasn't paying him much attention.

Angela could feel the heat burning in her cheeks, much the same way she did last year when she heard Papa say the trees could cause miracles. Though she didn't have trouble believing in miracles now, this was different. Wasn't it? She avoided eye contact with Mark, not sure she could trust even her eyebrows to behave.

A love match?

"I don't think the trees can have anything to do with wedding plans," Angela said casually but carefully.

"Maybe you're on to something," Mark said, stepping up to Papa and putting his arm around him. "Caroline, find a romantic looking tree for the farmhouse, could you? I bet Papa and Mrs. Shaw will be married in no time."

"That's a great idea." She laughed and ran even farther ahead.

"Nonsense," Papa said. "She isn't looking for a husband."

"How do you know?" Angela chimed in on the teasing, thankful Mark had s.h.i.+fted Papa's-and Caroline's-attention.

"She arrives at the farm early and leaves late. She's the independent kind. Never asks for help or company." Papa paused. "And she wears a lot of those cardigans."

"What do cardigans have to do with anything?" Mark asked.

Angela waited. Knowing Papa, he'd have a reason.

"Dark ones. Black, navy, gray."

"You think she's still in mourning?" Angela asked, incredulous. "Papa, her husband pa.s.sed away over ten years ago."

"No, she doesn't wear them for grief. Those were her husband's favorite colors," Papa answered with a tone of defeat.

Angela stopped walking. Mark did too. Papa continued ahead of them.

"How does he know that?" Angela asked.

"How does Papa know anything? He just seems to know. It's a skill of his I've been trying to learn ever since I took owners.h.i.+p of the farm last year."

"Maybe he asked her," Angela said. Sure, her neighbor Mrs. Shaw had stepped in to run the craft barn after their family friend Donna had pa.s.sed away. But Papa focused on weather patterns and planting strategies. Had he even noticed Mrs. Shaw?

"Do you think he's interested in her?"

Mark didn't answer. He reached for Angela's hand again as they walked to catch up with Papa and Caroline.

"And what does he mean love match?" Angela asked. "Is he serious?"

"I've never known Papa to joke about the trees. If I've learned anything this year, it's that he takes them very seriously."

"Has he said anything like that before?"

A moment or two pa.s.sed as Mark thought about it.

"Not directly, no. But he has mentioned love here and there."

Angela waited. "Go on."

"Oh, you know, he says 'The trees are all about love.'"

"But anything about love matches or couples? Weddings?"

Caroline interrupted. "Papa, Mom-look over here." She stood in front of a healthy Scotch pine as a breeze swirled around her hair and the branches bobbed in the current. She gazed up at the top.

"I found it! This one is for our house." Caroline put her hands on her hips. "Can I have that ribbon now?"

Angela handed it to her and watched as she skillfully maneuvered through the branches to the trunk. The ribbon wasn't quite long enough to fit around it and form a knot, so she used the base of a branch jutting out from the trunk and tied a double-knotted bow with the red-and-white polka-dot ribbon.

"There. Nice and tight," she said. "Now the tree for the farmhouse. Look over here."

Angela followed her while Mark and Papa stood talking, maybe about Caroline's choice of tree.

"What do you think of this one? It will be perfect in the front room of Mark's house. Too bad we couldn't put it up today so you and Mark could have a wedding soon."

Angela clenched her jaw.

"Do you think it can count if we just tag it?" Caroline asked.

"Listen, Papa is having a little fun with you today. I'm not so sure trees can make love matches."

"Sure they can. These are Shafer trees, remember? They cause miracles," Caroline said. "Remember how after we put up our tree last year, we paid the rent and you got a new job? And then we found the treasure on the farm with Mark?"

"Yes, but-"

"That's what I mean. So you've heard of the miracle of love, right?" Caroline continued.