Chapter 18
1404 Words
“Damn Jon you are a cold bastard,” Jaime said as he rode along side him on the way to the ranch.
“Yeah, yeah that’s what James told me,” Jonathan said ignoring his brother. Jon tried pretending the words didn’t bother him, but deep down they did.
“Enough about me, tell me what the last several years of your life have been like.” Jonathan was very conscious of the woman sitting next to him in the buckboard. It felt wrong having anyone sit there but Abby. However, he couldn’t tell her to sit in the back with her son. Well maybe, he thought when he felt her brush up against him. Jonathan moved away from her when his brother started talking.
“Not much to tell. Moved around quite a bit, seen most of the United States. I stayed in Virginia for quite a while.”
“A girl have anything to do with that?” He asked and Jaime looked away,
“Maybe, it didn’t work out, so I left traveled awhile. I was in Kansas City when I got James’ letter.”Jaime quickly summed up the last several years. Jaime was like himself, quite and to the point. It got the job done, that’s all that mattered in his book.
“Yeah. I’m definitely glad you are here.” Jonathan commented.
“You want to tell me what’s going on?” Jaime asked giving a sideways glance at the women and child next to him.
“Things haven’t progressed much since the letter James sent.” Jonathan didn’t want to say too much in front of a stranger.
“Well that can be good or bad,” Jaime commented unhelpfully. Jonathan scoffed,
“I’m pretty sure it’s the calm before the storm.” Jonathan didn’t say anything else, just urged the horses faster. He was ready to be home. Jon didn’t like being away while Abby was so late in her pregnancy. Anything could happen.
Abby stayed in bed the whole day staring at her feet. She knew the swelling was bad but she didn’t think it was bad enough to put her on bed rest! Abby was hoping the swelling would go down, but it wasn’t. Abby wasn’t keeping tract of time so it could have only been an hour since she’s been eyeing her feet. This is ridiculous!
Abby gave up, snd decided to try and nap. She was able to successfully doze off.
Abby woke up to sounds of people shuffling around downstairs. That was a lot of people, everyone must be downstairs. Then she heard Jonathan climb the steps, and he slowly peeked his head in.
“Hey.” Jonathan came and sat on the edge of the bed. Abby gave him a small smile,
“How was the trip to town?” She asked.
“It was good, I found the widow and managed to convince her to come.” Abby felt very relieved to hear that.
“Good that eases my mind a lot.”
“She also asked to bring her son along, to which I agreed.“ Abby nodded.
“Do you want to meet her?” Jonathan asked, and Abby shook her head,
“Not tonight, I just need to rest. James can show her around the kitchen so you can eat tonight and tomorrow morning. Then hopefully tomorrow I’ll be up for a run down of what to do.”
“Okay that sounds fine. Also some news, my brother came for a visit.”
“James?” Abby asked confused,
“No Jaime.” Abby was really tired, she just wanted some food and to sleep,
“Okay, I’m sure I’ll meet him tomorrow.”
“You don’t want to meet him tonight?” Jon asked looking crestfallen.
“Well it’s not that, I’m sure you guys have a lot to catch up on.” Abby said and Jonathan seemed to absorb that.
“Okay, that’s fine, I’ll have James bring up some food for you.” Abby smiled,
“Thank you.” Jonathan left, and Abby went back to reading her book. It was a few hours later when James came up with dinner.
“Hey Abby, would you like to eat some dinner?” He asked. James had started spending time with Abby in the kitchen the past week to help out. So his cooking skills have improved, but Abby could tell he didn’t make this dinner. The steak and potatoes looked divine,
“The widow already being put to work?” She asked. James laughed as he sat down and put a hand to her belly.
“I did help, I’ll have you know.” Abby laughed at that,
“Now that I find hard to believe.” James handed her the plate and Abby started to cut into the steak,
“So I hear your brother showed up?” James laughed,
“Yeah it’s great to have my brothers together again,” James smiled but you could see a sadness there.
“There are still some missing though right?” Abby asked not remembering all the siblings
“Yeah Jimmy, I wrote to him but I don’t think he will come.”
“Why not?”
“Well he lost his twin in battle, he was never the same. I mean the war changed all of us, but they were very close.”
“Were they those twins that finished each other’s sentences?” Abby asked and James laughed,
“Yeah they did everything together.”
“It was like they shared one mind.” Jonathan said as he entered the room, with another man. It was easy to tell that it was Jaime.
“I know you said you wanted to wait until tomorrow to meet him. When we started hearing your laughter up here some one got to impatient.”Jonathan said pointing to Jaime.
“Nice to meet you ma’am.” Jaime came over and shook her hand. Jaime had more of a southern accent than the other brothers, so Abby assumed he must of stayed in the southern states after the war.
“It’s nice to meet you as well Jaime, please call me Abby.”
“Sure thing Abby, sorry for interrupting Abby, but I haven’t heard my brother laugh in so long, so I had to meet the person responsible.” Abby looked to James in surprise, all he seemed to do since he came here was laugh and joke. James didn’t do so just with her, but with the boys as well as the ranch hands.
“Well I don’t think it’s me per say, I think it’s the ranch. It’s just this place has a calming affect on people.”
“I don’t know about that ma’am.” Jaime said giving her an odd look.
The group talked and chatted for awhile until they saw Abby was literally falling asleep sitting up.
The men had left the room after laying Abby in bed and taking her plate. They had walked outside to smoke some cigars that Jaime had brought.
“Jonathan, I know you are the eldest, but let me give you some advice. You better wake up and treat that woman like she deserves or she will leave you. Trust me I know.” Jaime told him. Jonathan didn’t shrug him off or tell him to mind his own business, he listened.
“Find out from personal experience?” Jon asked his brother. Jaime didn’t reply, just looked off into the falling sun. His face set into a grimace, Jonathan didn’t say any more, not wanting to poke the bear.
Jonathan was ninety nine percent sure that he loved his wife at this point, but he was too afraid to tell her. While he loved Abby, he knew that he could never be the husband she needed or deserved. Today was a perfect example, he had no idea the chores she did every day were too much work for her to do in her pregnant state. His brothers knew, but Jonathan, the man with two children had no idea.
Jon worried about her, but she never complained. However, Jonathan should have known she wouldn’t, she isn’t that type of a woman. God his head is a mess!
“You’re right Jaime, but I honestly don’t know where to go from here.”
- Writer
