Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine (47 page)

“
You don
’
t have to tell me, Johnny,
”
she said.
“
I shouldn
’
t have asked ya.
It
’
s in the past
.
I understand that.
”

He shook his head and simply said,
“
I was in so much pain…both body and mind.
I
’
d been wounded so many times before…didn
’
t think I could stand such a wound as that saber left on me.
I was driftin
’
in and out of wakefulness…kept thinkin
’
I saw Death comin
’
for me.
I
’
ve never known despair the likes I knew at that time.
Even in
Andersonville
.
”
He looked to her and forced a smile.
Shrugging broad shoulders
,
he said,
“
Then Justin…well, Justin…he…he
,
uh…
”

“
There you are!
”
Willy exclaimed.

Vivianna startled—glanced ahead up the path to see Willy running toward them.

“
Where have you two been?
”
he asked.
“
We
’
ve been waitin
’
forever!
That boy
’
s been beside himself with askin
’
when you
’
d be home, Johnny.
”

“
What?
”
Johnny asked.

Willy shook his head with exasperation.
“
That boy!
That
Lowell
boy.
He turned up on the front porch a couple of hours ago.
Mama
’
s fed him about everything she can…and I swear, he talks more
’
n any girl I ever know
’
d.
”

“
Lowell
?
”
Johnny breathed.
“
A little feller?
’
Bout so high?
”
he asked, holding a hand out at his waist.

Willy nodded.
“
That
’
s him.
I swear he looked just like he was wearin
’
a pumpkin on his head when he arrived.
Mama
’
s already trimmed him up, poor feller.
”
Willy frowned and added,
“
Still, I think he
’
s a liar.
He said he was soldierin
’
with you and Justin before y
’
all were captured by the Rebs.
Yep…he
’
s a liar.
”

But Johnny shook his head and said,
“
No
,
he ain
’
t a liar, Will.
He was found wanderin
’
in the woods…and we didn
’
t have nobody to give him to
. S
o we kept him in camp with us.
I can
’
t believe he found his way here!
”

Willy shrugged.
“
He said some feller rode him over in the back of a wagon.
He said the feller dropped him off at Rogersville
,
and he
’
s been walkin
’
the rest of the way
. S
aid he
’
s been walkin
’
for a few days.
”

Johnny chuckled—laughed with disbelief and amusement.
“
Why
,
that little badger.
I can
’
t believe it!
”

Vivianna smiled.
She remembered Lowell
,
the boy Justin had found in the woods in
Georgia
.
Justin had written to her that he
’
d given
Lowell
instructions to find the Turner family.
It seems the boy had taken Justin
’
s instructions to heart.

“
Come on, Vivi,
”
Johnny said, taking her hand.
“
Nothin
’
can cheer a body up quicker than Lowell Wheeler.
”

As Johnny began to lead her more quickly down the path, Willy looked up at her, frowning.

“
You all right, Viv?
”
he asked.
“
You look like ya been cryin
’
.
”

“
I
’
m fine, Willy,
”
Vivianna explained.
“
I
’
ve just been to my old house…just missin
’
my family, that
’
s all.
”

Willy simultaneously smiled and frowned.
He took her free hand, squeezing it with affection as they walked.
“
Don
’
t worry, Viv.
You got me and Nate…and Caleb and Justin.
We
’
ll take good care of ya.
”

“
I know you will,
”
Vivianna said, smiling at him.
“
You always have.
”



Vivianna Bartholomew had never seen the likes of little Lowell Wheeler.
Pumpkin-haired and sapphire-eyed,
Lowell
looked like just a bundle of mischief waiting to burst into pure naughtiness.
He sat on a chair at the table, enjoying a piece of
Savannah
’
s cherry pie.

“
Mr.
Johnny!
”
Lowell
hollered as Willy, Johnny
,
and Vivianna stepped into the kitchen.
“
Oh,
Mr.
Johnny!
”
Leaping from the chair he
’
d been sitting on,
Lowell
ran headlong to Johnny.
Vivianna smiled as Johnny dropped to his knees and caught the boy in a tight embrace.

“
Lowell
!
”
Johnny chuckled.
“
Boy, how did you find us?
”

“
I knew just where to look,
”
Lowell
answered.
“
It took me a time to get here,
Mr.
Johnny,
”
the boy said, still hugging Johnny.
“
They put me in an orphanage after the war…and I had to escape.
It weren
’
t easy, but I done it!
Then I had to catch me a ride here and there
.
I couldn
’
t walk all the way.
”

Lowell
loosened his tight hug on Johnny
’
s neck
,
leaned back
,
and sighed.
“
I was worried y
’
all were dead.
We heard they took y
’
all to
Andersonville
.
Everybody said nobody could live through
Andersonville
.
All the other kids at the orphanage…they said you and Justin were dead
,
rottin
’
in the
Georgia
ground over at
Andersonville
.
But I know ya too well
.
I know y
’
all couldn
’
t be licked
,
even by such a place.
So I up and run off from the orphanage a few weeks back…and made my way here.
”

Johnny shook his head with utter disbelief.
“
But…but, Lowell, who cared for ya?
What did ya find to eat?
”
he asked.

Lowell
shrugged.
“
Oh, berries and such,
”
he answered.
“
Whenever I
’
d hit a town or a farm, I
’
d just make myself a pair of puppy
-
dog eyes and beg for food and whatever else I needed.
”

“
Puppy
-
dog eyes?
”
Nate grumbled.

“
Yeah,
”
Lowell
said, releasing Johnny and looking to Nate.
“
You probably do your eyes that way when you want somethin
’
from your mama.
Like this…
”

Vivianna giggled as she watched
Lowell
’
s eyes widen—watched his young eyebrows rise in a manner of pleading.
Savannah
laughed as Willy and Nate looked on in bewilderment.

“
Then ya add a sorry little voice,
”
Lowell
explained.
“
Maybe say something like,
‘
If only I had me a little hunk a cheese.
Oh, I ain
’
t had cheese since the war begun.
’
Then ya shake your head pitiful like.
”
Lowell
shook his head as if despairing.
“
It helps if ya add in a cough or two and tear your eyes right up.
”
Lowell
put a trembling fist to his mouth and coughed weakly.
Vivianna
’
s mouth dropped open in astonishment as his puppy
-
dog eyes then misted with excess moisture.
“
Oh, if only I could taste cheese…just one more time before I head to the arms of the Lord.
”

Johnny chuckled
and
shook his head with something akin to admiration.
“
You see what I mean?
”
he asked Vivianna.

Suddenly, Nate smiled—Willy too.

“
That
’
s real good,
Lowell
,
”
Nate said.
“
Did ya get plenty of cheese that way?
”

Lowell
nodded.
“
Cheese, bread…even got me a half a cake once doin
’
it.
”
Lowell
’
s smile faded
,
his freckled face taking on a rather instructional expression.
“
Of course, I only done it in real times of need.
I wouldn
’
t want to use my puppy
-
dog eyes just
’
cause I can, you understand.
”

“
Of course not,
”
Nate agreed.
“
It wouldn
’
t be right.
”

Lowell
nodded
and
then looked back to Johnny.
He smiled yet seemed suddenly worried.
“
Is it all right that I come,
Mr.
Johnny?
”
the boy asked.
“
You said I could…you and
Mr.
Justin both.
”
Lowell
glanced back to
Savannah
.
“
Miss Savannah says I can stay as long as I need to.
”
He lowered his voice to a whisper and said,
“
Do ya think she means it?
’
Cause I can sure move on to
Texas
with you if she don
’
t.
”