saved him this time.
No way in hell he was going to be put in a position where he could be betrayed again. The kids were the only thing that kept him sane last time. They needed him. He couldn’t wallow in self pity; he’d had to care for his children. They didn’t know anything except Mama was gone. Ben understood now that his mother was dead, but Suzie didn’t. Her grandma was the only ‘mother’ she’d known and now Rosie would be her mother. But that was all she’d be. A mother for his children. Nothing more.
Suzie already seemed to like Rosie. She’d been ecstatic when she’d received Rosie’s gift of a new doll. Wouldn’t let it out of her sight. Insisted on taking it to bed with her.
And Ben. When he found out Rosie liked to read she’d become his best friend. Someone he could share his love of books with. His kids needed Rosie and all the beauty she brought with her. They needed her. He didn’t.
Even the men seemed to like Rosie. They’d never had anyone ask them what they wanted or liked to eat. They were lucky if Sarah put something on the table that was edible. Her lack of cooking skills were what made him hire the first of many women to help her take care of the house.
Rosie won over everyone just by being herself. Including him if he were to admit it. But he couldn’t be won over. She was nice and pretty and all the things a wife and mother should be, but he’d made a mistake once and damned if he’d do it again it over a pretty face and tempting flesh. And Lord, was she tempting.
Sarah left him for a traveling peddler who promised her the moon and all the stars. The fancy life of ease she’d always wanted. She’d been surprised when they married to discover she was expected to work. Apparently, she’d never done so before. Just how she got on he wasn’t sure but after their wedding night and discovering she wasn’t the virgin she professed to be, he had a clue. When Ben came along six weeks early, he’d had another. But none of it mattered to him at the time and only now made him wonder if he was right in thinking she was pregnant when they married. But Ben looked just like him. Right down to the dark hair and blue eyes.
*****
She read the letter again.
Tom Harris remarried. She’s rich. Deposited $5000 in bank. Come home, we can make a killing.
All my love,
Your brother.
Folding the letter carefully, she placed it back in the envelope. Things hadn’t worked out like she planned or like Frank promised. Five thousand would get her back to the life of ease, back to the life she wanted. Now she just had to figure out how to get it.
*****
Tom walked into the pen where the chickens were kept and headed for the coop, which was what he called the small shed inside the pen. Rosie followed him. He ignored the chickens and they flapped to get out of his way.
Once inside the chicken coop he walked behind the nest shelves. There were three shelves in the coop with four nests on each shelf. Not all of them were empty of hens. Those that were, he just plucked the egg from the nest and placed it in the basket he carried. For those that the hen was still there sitting on her egg, he tried first reaching under the sitting hen. If that didn’t work, he would push the hen out of the nest and grab the egg.
He held the basket out to her. She took it and went to the next nest. She gingerly reached under the hen and tried to grab the egg. The hen turned and pecked her hand.
“Ow. Why didn’t they do that to you?” she said, snatching her hand back and checking for blood.
“Because I’m quicker than you are. Don’t be slow and try to take it easy on the hen. They’ll peck you every time. Push the hen aside and take the egg. Try it again.”
This time she dove her hand under the backend of the chicken, grabbed the egg and
No way in hell he was going to be put in a position where he could be betrayed again. The kids were the only thing that kept him sane last time. They needed him. He couldn’t wallow in self pity; he’d had to care for his children. They didn’t know anything except Mama was gone. Ben understood now that his mother was dead, but Suzie didn’t. Her grandma was the only ‘mother’ she’d known and now Rosie would be her mother. But that was all she’d be. A mother for his children. Nothing more.
Suzie already seemed to like Rosie. She’d been ecstatic when she’d received Rosie’s gift of a new doll. Wouldn’t let it out of her sight. Insisted on taking it to bed with her.
And Ben. When he found out Rosie liked to read she’d become his best friend. Someone he could share his love of books with. His kids needed Rosie and all the beauty she brought with her. They needed her. He didn’t.
Even the men seemed to like Rosie. They’d never had anyone ask them what they wanted or liked to eat. They were lucky if Sarah put something on the table that was edible. Her lack of cooking skills were what made him hire the first of many women to help her take care of the house.
Rosie won over everyone just by being herself. Including him if he were to admit it. But he couldn’t be won over. She was nice and pretty and all the things a wife and mother should be, but he’d made a mistake once and damned if he’d do it again it over a pretty face and tempting flesh. And Lord, was she tempting.
Sarah left him for a traveling peddler who promised her the moon and all the stars. The fancy life of ease she’d always wanted. She’d been surprised when they married to discover she was expected to work. Apparently, she’d never done so before. Just how she got on he wasn’t sure but after their wedding night and discovering she wasn’t the virgin she professed to be, he had a clue. When Ben came along six weeks early, he’d had another. But none of it mattered to him at the time and only now made him wonder if he was right in thinking she was pregnant when they married. But Ben looked just like him. Right down to the dark hair and blue eyes.
*****
She read the letter again.
Tom Harris remarried. She’s rich. Deposited $5000 in bank. Come home, we can make a killing.
All my love,
Your brother.
Folding the letter carefully, she placed it back in the envelope. Things hadn’t worked out like she planned or like Frank promised. Five thousand would get her back to the life of ease, back to the life she wanted. Now she just had to figure out how to get it.
*****
Tom walked into the pen where the chickens were kept and headed for the coop, which was what he called the small shed inside the pen. Rosie followed him. He ignored the chickens and they flapped to get out of his way.
Once inside the chicken coop he walked behind the nest shelves. There were three shelves in the coop with four nests on each shelf. Not all of them were empty of hens. Those that were, he just plucked the egg from the nest and placed it in the basket he carried. For those that the hen was still there sitting on her egg, he tried first reaching under the sitting hen. If that didn’t work, he would push the hen out of the nest and grab the egg.
He held the basket out to her. She took it and went to the next nest. She gingerly reached under the hen and tried to grab the egg. The hen turned and pecked her hand.
“Ow. Why didn’t they do that to you?” she said, snatching her hand back and checking for blood.
“Because I’m quicker than you are. Don’t be slow and try to take it easy on the hen. They’ll peck you every time. Push the hen aside and take the egg. Try it again.”
This time she dove her hand under the backend of the chicken, grabbed the egg and
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