1803 by Dakota Love Preview and Sample Chapter

1803

Chapter One

   Alexandra Smith pushed the book cart down the long corridor. The afternoon sun, harsh in the autumn sky, beat down, making sharp shadows in the hall. Alexandra kept pushing the cart, holding one arm up to block the sun from her eyes.

   “Want me to help you with that, honey?” Charlotte Smith asked, putting her hand on the cart handle beside Alexandra’s.

   “Thanks, Mama,” Alexandra replied. “That sun is sure bright!”

   “Mmm-hmm,” Charlotte said, deftly steering the cart through the doorway. “It’ll be dark, soon. It’s almost time to go home.”

   “Time really flew by today, didn’t it, Mama?” Alexandra asked.

   Charlotte laughed. “It sure did, sweetheart,” she replied, hugging her daughter. “And that’s sayin’ something at a VA hospital!”

   Alexandra saw the door to the library up ahead. The book cart’s front wheel kept up a steady reekyreekyreeky sound as it went down the hall. Alexandra was glad to be a volunteer at the Department of Veteran’s Affairs – also known as the VA hospital, or, more often, simply the “VA”.

   Alexandra was used to volunteering with her mom and dad at the VA. They had done a lot of work at the veteran’s hospital near their old hometown in Virginia. Now, they lived in Tennessee, but the VA complex was laid out in much the same way. The library was still comfortable housed in Building Twelve.

   Charlotte opened the door for Alexandra, and the two of them guided the book cart into the little library.

   “Allow me to assist you, my friends,” a friendly voice said.

   “Mr. LaFay!” Alexandra exclaimed. “Thanks. This cart gets awfully heavy towards the end of the day.”

   Mr. LaFay gallantly bowed, his willowy frame making him look like a prince from a far-off land. The crescent-moon brooch he always wore sparkled in the sunlight filtering through the small window. Of course, Alexandra knew his secret. He was really the Marquis de Lafayette, who had been thrown forward in time due to an evil sorceress – and the magical moon-shaped brooch, a gift from Marie Antoinette herself.

   “You are most welcome, Miss Alexandra,” he replied. “Thank you for taking the books around today. I was very busy with all my work around the hospital. However, the library has never been more perfect. Our newest volunteer has done a magnificent job.”

   Alexandra looked around the packed room. There were normally boxes of books stashed everywhere, and the books had a bad habit of falling over on the shelves. But today, the library was indeed spotless.

   Charlotte ran her hand across several books. “He did do a great job,” she said appreciatively. “These are organized perfectly. The veterans will have no trouble finding the books they need. But then, we knew he’d do a good job, didn’t we?”

   Alexandra nodded sagely. “Is he still here?” she asked.

   “Yes?” a muffled voice came from the back shelf. A shock of reddish-brown hair was barely visible.

   “Are you stuck?” Alexandra asked, concerned. “That happened to Daddy once, when he was trying to get all the sci-fi on the shelves.”

   The tall man stood, and straightened his back. “I am quite alright, Miss Alexandra,” he replied. He smiled. “I thank you kindly for your concern. Everything has been sorted and shelved; at least until the next donations come in.”

   “And in record time, too,” a deeper voice said as the door to the outside opened. “Great job, Jeff.”

    “Daddy!” Alexandra shouted, hugging the ebony-toned veteran.

   “Greetings, Armistead,” Mr. LaFay said, smiling.

   “You, too, Joseph,” Armistead replied. “Hey, Alexandra. How you doin’, baby girl?”

   “I’m great,” Alexandra said. “We got to all the rooms just in time. It’s almost time to close the library for the day.”

   “It sure is,” Armistead said. “Good job, baby.” He looked around the library. “Hey, this really does look great!” he said. “Everything’s arranged by subject, huh, Jeff?”

   “Yes,” the tall, red-headed man said. “It is not quite the same as the public libraries. But everything is ordered by subject, relevance, and popularity. Everything should be easy to locate, now.”

   “And good for us volunteers, too,” Alexandra said. “This is wonderful, Mr. Jeff!”

   Jeff smiled again. “I’m glad I could help,” he said. “I like to help. And I do love books.”

   “We know you do!” Alexandra giggled. “You had the biggest library ever! And you’re super-smart!”

   “And a dear, dear friend,” Mr. LaFay said warmly.

   “So are you,” Jeff said. “All of you are good friends. All of you…”

   Jeff trailed off, and looked out the window at the harsh light of sunset. An eternity could have passed, and he would have stayed still, lost in his own deep thoughts.

   Alexandra slipped her small hand in his. “Are you okay, Mr. Jeff?” she asked gently.

   Jeff shook his head. “I apologize,” he said. “I was thinking. I will be alright. But now, I think I need to head home. Can you all close up here?”

   “Of course, mon ami,” Mr. LaFay said. “I wish you the best. Please, come again soon to join us here. We all enjoy your company.”

   “I will,” Jeff agreed.

   “I’ll walk you out,” Armistead offered. He and Jeff exited the building, and walked off into the vast parking lot.

   Alexandra walked up to Mr. LaFay. “Is Mr. Jeff really okay?” she asked. “He was looking off in the distance for a long time. That’s what veterans do when they’re remembering something that bothers them. I see it all the time.”

   Mr. LaFay put his arm protectively around the little girl. “He is troubled in spirit,” he replied. “He, too, is a veteran in his way. He has seen so many battles, though he is not a soldier. And the past…sometimes, it can haunt us. I know this all too well.”

   “I wanna help him,” Alexandra said.

   “If anyone can, it is you, Miss Alexandra,” Mr. LaFay said, smiling. “You have helped us all so much more than you know. You helped me.”

   Alexandra hugged Mr. LaFay. “I’m glad I could,” she said. “You’re my best friend in the whole wide world.”

   “And you are my special friend, as well,” Mr. LaFay said. “Oh, yes! I remember, I found another book for you.”

   Mr. LaFay rummaged behind the desk for a moment, and returned with a floppy volume about the size of a phone book.

   “What is it?” Alexandra asked, intrigued.

   “This, this is the most beautiful of all,” Mr. LaFay replied. “This is both a book and art. It is called a graphic novel. I know you will love this one.”

   “Wow…” Alexandra said, flipping through the book. “It’s all about the War for Independence, but a comicbook! General Washington looks great! They didn’t get your hair color quite right, but it’s still awesome! What battle is this?”

   “This,” Mr. LaFay replied, “was less of a battle, and more a withdrawal. This is the Battle of Barren Hill.”

   “I don’t know that one,” Alexandra said.

   “It is lesser-known amongst the battles,” Mr. LaFay explained. “It was just after our terrible winter at Valley Forge. We all wanted to do something for the cause of Liberty. General Washington sent me and the men to reconnoiter the area. However, things soon went terribly wrong.”

   Alexandra’s eyes got big as she flipped the page. “But – that’s the British Army right there!” she exclaimed.

   Mr. LaFay nodded. “The British Army had decided to explore the same area as us, and at the same time! We were all nearly captured.”

   “What did you do?” Alexandra asked.

   “We swiftly withdrew, and retreated to safety,” Mr. LaFay replied. “Thanks to God’s grace, none of us were harmed. We all escaped to fight another day.”

   “That’s really good,” Alexandra said, closing the book. “I can’t wait to read more about it. But, why did you retreat instead of fighting?”

   Mr. LaFay smiled. “Sometimes, it is not the day to fight,” he replied. “We were outnumbered badly, unprepared for a fight, and not in a good position in the terrain. Had we fought, it would have been costly. In war, and in life, one must know when to withdraw and regroup, so that you can fight again, once you are ready.”

   “Huh,” Alexandra said thoughtfully. “That’s a good lesson.” She moved to put the book on the shelf.

   “Ah, we have two of these,” Mr. LaFay said. “So this volume is yours. Thank you for your time here today.”

   “You mean it?” Alexandra said, hugging the floppy volume to herself. “Thank you, Mr. LaFay!”

   Mr. LaFay bowed again. “It is the least we can do for one who gives so much to help the veterans here. Now, I must help get the library closed.”

   “Already got it,” Charlotte said, smiling kindly at Alexandra and Mr. LaFay. “You two needed to talk. Let’s get out of here.” She handed Alexandra her backpack.

   “Yeah, I see Miss Betty’s car outside,” Alexandra said, taking the heavy bag. She quickly slipped her new treasure inside and zipped it up.

   The three friends left the building. Mr. LaFay locked up, and then joined Charlotte and Alexandra.

    “Hey, y’all,” Armistead said. He stood next to a classic Eldorado, its red paint practically glowing in the last embers of the sunset. “Miss Betty and Ms. Adrienne are here to pick you up, Joseph.”

   “My Adrienne! How I have missed you!” Mr. LaFay said, opening the car door.

   “And I, you, my love,” Adrienne said in a beautiful French accent. The two shared a kiss. “How were things today?”

   “Wonderful,” Mr. LaFay replied. “How was your day shopping with Miss Betty?”

   “We had a blast!” Betty replied from the driver’s seat. “It’s good to see all of you guys. Hey, Alexandra!”

   “Hi, Miss Betty!” Alexandra replied.

   “I’d love to stay and talk more, but Martha’s got dinner on the table, and George doesn’t know I’m driving his car,” Betty said. She handed Armistead a heavy paper bag. “Here. Martha made dinner for you three, too. We picked it up when we dropped off our other things at the farm.”

   “That was mighty nice of her,” Armistead said. “Please tell her we said thank you.”

   “I will,” Betty said, smiling.

   “Bon soir, Miss Alexandra,” Mr. LaFay said. “I hope to see you soon.”

   Betty drove the car out of the parking lot at lightning speed. Alexandra waved as the car left her view.

   “Bye, Lafayette,” she said quietly.

   Armistead handed the bag to Charlotte, and picked Alexandra up. “Hey now,” he said, “it’s alright. He ain’t gonna disappear back to the 1800s on us. He’s a part of our story, now.”

   Alexandra held her father tightly. “I know,” she said. “But I get worried sometimes.”

   “You’re a veteran’s daughter,” Armistead said as they walked towards their parked car. “That means you’re a veteran, too. So’s your Mama. And so is everyone who’s part of a veteran’s family. It’s just as hard on you as it is on us in the combat zone.”

   “Really?” Alexandra said.

   “Yep,” Armistead replied. “And we’re all a team. You fight a big battle here every day we volunteer.”

   Armistead placed Alexandra in the car, and handed her the backpack. “It’s all gonna be okay, sweetheart,” he said. “Now, let’s get home and eat Ms. Martha’s amazing home cookin’!”

   Armistead closed the car door, and started the vehicle. Charlotte got in, and they headed out of the parking lot.

   God, Alexandra prayed, I’m glad I have so many amazing friends. Please help them be okay.

   And as the little girl prayed, the first stars came out and twinkled above the velvet mountains of Tennessee. As Alexandra drifted off to sleep, she could never have dreamed just how much all her friends would need her in the days to come.

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All material copyright 2021 Dakota Love