Finding Nelly Read online

  The newspaper was neatly folded, making Nelly think that it’d just been left on the seat by a previous passenger. Since Nelly wasn’t big on reading newspapers because of all the junk they peddled, reviews included, her first reaction was to ignore it. But something kept on pushing her towards picking it up, so she left her chair to see what it was really about.

  Since Nelly didn’t feel she had a lot of time to waste, she began thumbing her way through the paper as quickly as she could. Something quickly caught her eye, making her pause for a moment.

  The first thing she saw was just how many fine gentlemen were putting up advertisements. Most of them were looking for women whom, quite surprisingly, seemed to match her description. It was then that Nelly began wondering if God was trying to show her the solution to her woes. For the longest time, Nelly wanted to belong and feel genuine love. Was this it? Could it really be a thing? The fact that she even considered gave her pause as she reflected on her own unhappiness. But the thought of being a mail-order bride didn’t really tickle her fancy. Yet she couldn’t stop perusing the ads. And the more Nelly went through the pages, the more intrigued she was about trying it out and responding to a few. Just to see.

  Of course, she’d heard an earful about the Matrimonial Times, but the thought of doing it had never crossed her mind. And yet… She licked her thumb and opened another page. And that’s when she saw the advertisement that struck her the most.

  The men on this page looked genuine, educated, and very intentional with their advertisement. It was then that Nelly looked for a pen and began circling them. At first, she couldn’t believe what she was doing. But the more she read the adverts, the surer Nelly felt that she was doing the right thing.

  The timing had just never been right, before.

  She wasn’t afraid of change; her choices and upbringing were a testament to that. This might just be what I need. What I need in my life.

  Nelly studied the paper, looking out the window, lost in thought, before returning to the paper over and over. She spent her entire trip thumbing through it. It was more fun than spending hours looking at a script. Although I need to do that too. The good thing was that she still had time between the arrival and the opening night. Nelly figured she would use that time to pen a response to all five she’d settled on and cross her fingers. If one of them applied, then she would take a break from theatre and try her hand at being a housewife. A dramatic shift, but she needed a change for her own health. If no one replied, well, at least she tried. What if they all replied? Nelly asked herself. Well, I shall cross that bridge once I get to it.

  The actors were given two hours to freshen up before assembling in the theatre and starting rehearsal for the last performance of the old script. As usual, they did their best and everything looked polished and ready to go, satisfying the cast manager. So, they went to a restaurant that was hosting them and were treated to dinner, then makeup immediately after.

  Nelly had already mastered the hassles of being an actress on demand, and she did everything that was required of her without thinking. She’d learned the ropes on the job. After brushing through the performance and getting a standing ovation, Nelly was more than ready to get back to her small but dignified hotel room and write responses to the five adverts that caught her attention on the train. She’d performed on automatic that night, her mind on other matters. It did seem as though the Matrimonial Times could be the answer to her problems. Nelly didn’t know how she knew at that moment, but her gut told her that she was going to be just fine. After interacting with fans, Nelly excused herself from her colleagues and headed upstairs.

  Once she got back into her room, Nelly made sure she’d gone through the five applications before sitting at a corner and penning the replies. Even though Nelly wasn’t much of a writer, the many years she spent obsessed with scripts written by great scriptwriters had turned her into a decent one at least. The responses took about an hour altogether, and she was satisfied with her work. Nervous, but relieved as well. This was doing something

  Afterwards, Nelly stood up from her desk and stared down at her handiwork. She didn’t have time to purchase any envelopes, but she figured she’d do that the following morning. One step at a time. Nelly was tired. So instead of yanking the new script from her suitcase, she figured it was best for her to rest, then wake up early the following morning and try to grasp as much as she could. Thankfully, she’d done that so many times she was already used to it. Business as usual.

  For a little longer.

  Chapter Five

  “Are you sure you don’t want to join us for dinner? A nice sit-down meal for once?”

  “Maybe some other time, Luther. I have a lot of things I still have to go over before I can afford myself such a luxury.”

  “Having dinner is not a luxury, but a necessity, my good friend,” Luther laughed.

  “Trust me, having dinner with you guys is a luxury, one I’d like to enjoy to the fullest.”

  “Ok, then. You win. But, if you ever change your mind, our offer still stands.”

  “Thanks, Luther,” said Simon with a tip of his hat.

  It’d been another long day, and they both needed rest. Luther had already married Mildred, the two hitting it off immediately months ago, and only growing deeper in love with each passing day. That only motivated Simon to look for a woman to call his own. Unfortunately, he was working long hours and by the time he was done, he was already tired and ready to retire to bed. Then he’d wake up the following day and repeat the same cycle. He didn’t mind the work, he had a desire to be productive. He didn’t want to be dependent on anyone.

  For the time being, Simon didn’t see the need to look for a wife because he had Luther to keep him company, especially after the long days of working in the orchard when they’d act like kids again, hiding and surprising the other, the pranks growing larger and larger until Mildred put a stop to it when Luther came home with mud all over after Simon dropped on him as he walked beneath Simon hiding in a tree. The mess, and the bruise on his face was enough for her, although Luther just laughed and warned him to watch his back the next day.

  But when Luther married and moved in the cottage at the furthest end of the orchard with her, that’s when the loneliness began creeping in as his friend spent more and more time with her, as he should. At first, Simon thought he was going to beat it. But it wasn’t long before he realized he was just lying to himself and he wanted companionship.

  Time to give it a go. Why not? Simon had always been a good writer, thanks to the private classes his rich parents enrolled him in. So, after taking a moment to think on the qualities he wanted in a woman, Simon whipped out a piece of paper and began writing. He bowed his head over as he wrote for a good ten minutes in front of the fire, cozying up to the idea, and his possible future.

  After Simon finished, he took a moment and skimmed through his ad and smiled with approval. Since it was already late, Simon planned to send one of the errand boys to town the next day to put the ad in the paper.

  Two weeks later, Simon walked back towards his house wondering what would become of it and when he’d know. How many good, quality women had seen his ad? And even if they did, how many of them were going to be interested in replying? Simon tortured himself with everything that could go wrong, his thoughts an enemy to his hope. Had he made a mistake? But in the end, he chose to brush his thoughts aside and focus on the good that it could bring.

  So far Simon hadn’t received any responses. But then again, it took a while for the post office to distribute the letters. Simon determined to be patient and instead focus on the tasks at hand. The orchard needed his full attention, especially in the early months.

  After a short walk, Simon got to his porch and noticed a neat bundle carefully placed by his door. He immediately recognized it as a package from the post office. Excited, Simon grabbed it and carried it inside. He could feel his heart beating in his chest.

  As soon as he lit the candle an
d got a fire going in the fireplace, Simon sunk into his favorite chair and began going through the letters. The fact that there were so many women replying to his ad raised his spirits, and his confidence. How on earth would people be so eager to start romantic relationships with someone they hadn’t even met? Simon thought as he opened one letter and began skimming through it immediately. Still, he felt excited at his prospects.

  The first letter was from a lady who’d just turned twenty and was in need of a man. She didn’t quite go into details about why she needed a man saying that she chose to keep things a bit short. It felt a little fishy. Simon raised his eyebrows before casting the letter aside. At that moment, he wasn’t sure of what he was looking for, but as his late mother always told him, you’ll always know when the right one comes. And that’s exactly what Simon was looking for – the letter that felt right on first instinct.

  Minutes went by, and still he looked. While he hadn’t met any of these women, he did feel as though he related to their struggle. Most of them seemed like decent people looking for a real human connection. And for the very first time, Simon understood why the women would be more than willing to take a risk than to stay in the same place.

  Finally, he stood up, having narrowed it down. He was surprised at the number of responses. People were looking for love or escape. Or both. He managed to select four that looked most promising. Simon then planned to write back to the four women and see if one of them could be the best match for him.

  Simon always had a quill, an inkwell, and several pieces of paper neatly arranged on a desk on the furthest side of his living room. So as soon as he was done going through the applications, Simon rose to gather his thoughts. He poured himself a drink, enjoying himself. This was so different for him. It was surprising how exciting it was, he had to admit.

  For the longest time, Simon wasn’t sure his ad in the paper was going to bear any fruit, so he hadn’t told Luther about it. Now he had, and he could respond and see where it went.

  Simon tried his best to reply to each letter differently, hoping to capture the attention of the women who took the time to write him back. Finally, he finished, and Simon was pleased with his handiwork. He felt confident that something good was going to come out of this. Time would tell, but for now, he went to bed exhausted as usual, but with a smile on his face, and hope in his heart.

  He woke up the next day ready to mail off his responses. Simon called one of his young workers to the porch and gave him the letters with clear instructions. After giving him some money, the boy got on horseback and rode off as quickly as he could. Simon stood by the porch, watching. Here goes nothing, he thought.

  “What’s the hurry, old friend?”

  “You startled me, Luther!” he eyed his friend warily, waiting for the revenge he still hadn’t taken.

  “Apologies. We missed you in the orchard, so I came over just to see if you were alright.”

  “I’m alright, thank you.” He eyed his friend carefully. “Are you hiding something in your hands?”

  Luther just laughed. “Trust me, you won’t see it coming. I would never be obvious. Now, you gonna tell me what’s with the vacant look and big smile?”

  “I did it,” he answered.

  Luther frowned for a moment, then his eyes lit up. “No way! Did you? Way to go! Wait,” he said, frowning again, “what did you do?”

  Simon clapped his friend on the shoulder, then told him all about it as they walked into the fields together.

  Chapter Six

  After sending her letters, Nelly pushed the idea to the back of her mind and focused on her job. She had to remember that if the mail order thing wasn’t going to be in her cards, then she would do her level best to make the most of her acting career, and that would be that. Even though it didn’t fulfil her as much as she thought it would, Nelly decided it was enough for her. What other choice did she have? What other talent?

  Nelly wasn’t the only one from her cast to have responded to the adverts in the Matrimonial Times as she came to realize later. But, just like her, the other women had decided to keep their personal business to themselves. So, Nelly chose not to bother them with uncomfortable questions about how their own seeking went.

  In the beginning, Nelly couldn’t wait to receive her letter from one of her potential husbands. She kept on asking the theatre manager if he had a letter for her. The answer, unfortunately, remained to be the same – no. But Nelly didn’t want to give up hope. So she continued waiting, hoping, and asking.

  But after not getting a letter for almost a month, Nelly figured that maybe lady luck wasn’t on her side. Am I that bad? She was clearly disappointed, but she chose not to tell anyone about it. Whenever a colleague noticed how crestfallen Nelly was, she would come up with an excuse just so they could leave her alone. It hit her hard, even if she hid the truth from herself. More rejection. And this time they didn’t even know her first!

  Several weeks passed, and owing to her extremely busy schedule, Nelly forgot all about her letters, having put it out of her mind. The acting life wasn’t getting any easier, but Nelly wasn’t going to take anything sitting down. She pushed for greatness, letting her entire life up until that point serve as inspiration to work harder. The more Nelly worked, the more it showed, and the more popular she became. Thankfully, she wasn’t focusing on the fame that came with her budding career, as that only reminded her how hollow it was. Instead, Nelly gave her acting career her all because that was the only thing she had. She was determined to do her best, back to being devoted to her work.

  Then one day after practice she saw the theatre agent walking towards her, waving a number of envelopes in his hands. “Well, you’ve been bugging me about letters, and I was almost sad that I couldn’t bring you good news. But today, today I bring you your letters. You have not one, not two, but five letters.”

  Nelly’s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to say something, but no words came out as she stared. Thankfully, he understood that Nelly was excited, and just smiled as he handed them over. Nelly didn’t have the patience to finish her lunch as she quickly retreated to her space and sat down, immediately pushing her plate to the side and fumbling through her mail.

  Nelly couldn’t remember the last time she received mail that wasn’t work-related. In fact, Nelly had never received mail from a friend or loved one before. Now she was getting letters from a potential husband. It was crazy to think about. Oh, how the world works, she thought.

  Her hands trembled as she opened them one at a time, all five men showing interest in her and wanting to know more about her. She felt free to write her true feelings and wants. At first she was hesitant, but then she realized now was her chance to let someone see everything about her, warts and all. She wasn’t foolish enough to make herself look undesirable, but she knew she could reveal more to these strangers than she could to many of her so-called friends.

  Nelly could be her self.

  Lunch break came to an end without Nelly finishing her food, and back to the stage with apologies for being late. They didn’t care outwardly, but she knew half of them would talk behind her back. Because, like me, they’re fake. It was just the nature of the business. She loved her work, but the people in and out of the industry that consisted of her audience were all too predictable. Predictable wasn’t bad, but she wanted a different kind of predictable. A different kind of life.

  That evening, Nelly chose to go back to her hotel room and read through the letters again. This time around, she made sure she went slowly, reading them word for word. By the time she was done, her heart was hopeful. It almost felt foreign to her, to believe something good could happen to her, but she liked it.

  Scared of wasting that excitement, Nelly decided to reply to the letters, one after the other. She tried her best to answer all of the questions that the men asked with all the truthfulness she could muster. Nelly didn’t learn much from her mother, but she was grateful that her mother warned her about being a liar. For as lo
ng as Nelly could remember, Catherine Bower never had the stomach for liars. Actors lied for a living, but many made it their personal identity, as well.

  Nelly figured it best for her future husband to take her for who she was. Once she was done with her replies, Nelly read through each of the five letters and tucked them in the envelopes she’d bought, then as an afterthought, sprayed them with her favorite perfume. It was happening. It was no longer a question of if, but when, and the thought of such a change excited and thrilled her so much, she had trouble sleeping that night. All she thought about was the possibility of one of those fine men marrying her. How was married life? Am I woman enough to make a good wife? Nelly was worried sick. The fact that she’d never been in a serious relationship because of her fear of abandonment gave her great pause, but there was a first for everything. Why not love in a marriage of convenience for two people willing to try?

  The alternative was living life like her mother. God bless her wonderful mother, but she already knew she possessed the same weakness, the same danger of mental illness and unrest. She had to be realistic with the disease that stole her from her mother so young so many times.

  Nelly wasn’t sure when or how sleep took her, but all she remembered was waking up in the morning no different, the butterflies still present as she glanced over at the letters. It would be a busy workday, so Nelly figured it was best to send out the replies as quickly as she could before joining the rest of her team.

  Eventually the butterflies were replaced with hope and sentiments of promising new life, and new romance, as many months of writing back and forth ensued with her potential husbands. The more they wrote to her, the more Nelly opened up to them. As expected, Nelly began losing interest in some of them and was glad that three of them matched with women other than herself, neither party holding blame over the other. The relationships, just in writing, grew apart as interests aligned elsewhere, and they mutually let things go.