Vow Unbroken by Caryl Mcadoo Page A

shrugged and sighed. “It can be done, but there’s not much room for error.”
    She bowed her head, then nodded. “Let’s get to it.”
    He waded to the middle of the rocks and studied the tree line. “Seems to me we need to line up on that pine.” He held his hand up and gestured a straight line toward a tall single pine that stood in front of a wall of hardwoods.
    She joined him and imagined the line. “Looks good to me.”
    He faced her. “Want me to drive both wagons?”
    Her first notion was to agree, but the stronger impression, the one born in the stubbornness of her heart, wouldn’t have it. From that first horrible year, she’d succeeded on her own,alone. She did not need this man or any other to do what she could handle.
    â€œNo. We’ll do this one as we did the last. You go first, and I’ll cross once you’re on the other side.”
    He waded back onto the bank, retrieved his boots, then headed for the wagon he’d been driving. She could tell that he didn’t like her answer. Why? Did he think he was invincible or something? If he could do it, so could she. Picking up her footwear, she glanced back at the creek, then to the broken-down wagon. Her confidence drained away. As she followed him to the wagons, a knot formed in her throat.
    Why did she always have to be so willful? She already regretted her headstrong proclamation. But she’d said it. And now she had no choice but to do it. And do it she would! If he could, then so could she. But then the possibility that even he wouldn’t make it swept over her. What could that mean but turning back? At least it wouldn’t be her fault.
    â€œLord, don’t let the load get wet.”
    Then again, Becky said the man could do anything. Sue wished she’d immediately agreed to let him drive both wagons. It would’ve been so easy then, but no. Who thought they were invincible? While she chided herself, without a word, he climbed aboard the first wagon, released the brake, and headed toward the entry point they’d decided on.
    He aligned the team exactly with the pine and then urged them forward. As though he’d been doing it every day of his life and twice on Sundays, Henry drove across the second and worse branch of White Oak Creek like it was a picnic. He stopped at the far ridge and jumped down hollering something.
    She couldn’t hear him, but her insides had settled a lot, having seen that it wasn’t as hard as it appeared after all. Herconfidence returned. If he was hollering to try to get her to let him drive the second wagon now, he might as well save his breath.
    â€œHang on, Becky. Here we go.”
    The front wheels cut into the water. He ran toward her, waving his arms. Why was he doing that? Levi joined him, waving his arms, too. What were they saying? She couldn’t stop now. She’d get stuck for sure. He should know that. She slapped the reins on the mules’ backs. Just as the load passed into the water, she finally heard what they were hollering.
    â€œWatch out for the snake.”
    â€œSnake? Where?”
    Henry pointed upstream.
    She looked, and her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. A huge water moccasin swam straight toward them. She’d never seen one so big before. “Oh, God, have mercy.” She kept the team moving. “Easy now. Good.” She clicked her tongue. “Get up, Dex. Good boy. Keep us moving.” She couldn’t stop, she couldn’t.
    Her mule must have spotted the reptile first. He whinnied and shied. Mabel followed his lead. Sue fought to keep them on the rocks and heading straight, but felt the wagon roll backward. The back wheel sunk into a hole, and the wagon tilted precariously and jerked to a stop, throwing Becky sideways. Sue screamed and grabbed her one-handed just as her daughter fell off the wagon.
    She went to her stomach on the bench and grabbed her little girl with both