Jessie (8 page)

“Jessie,” Seth said, calming some but not about to agree with her. “You don't even believe in heaven. Where is it you think your father is sitting and being disappointed in you? You have a flesh-and-blood husband in front of you, but you care more about your dead father!”

Jessie's hand came to her mouth in horror. It was true. Her father was gone, but she was more worried about his feelings than Seth's.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered. “I didn't mean it that way.”

Seth looked at her face and saw that he had her attention on this matter for the first time. He didn't want to fight with his wife. He loved her and loved the life they had started together. Moving slowly, even giving her time to pull away, Seth walked toward her. He put his arms around her and was surprised when she clung to him. Seth held back no more. He crushed her in his arms and hushed her when she continued to apologize.

“We'll work this out,” he said quietly, fully believing they would do just that. What he hadn't planned on was Jessie getting pregnant that spring, and that driving the workings of the store completely from his mind.

August 1874

“None of my clothes fit,” Jessie said in late summer. It was Sunday, and she was sitting on the side of their bed in her shift.

Seth lay against the pillows watching her and trying not to smile. He was delighted about this baby. Jessie was losing her waist, but it was not unattractive. Indeed she was growing fuller all over, and Seth was not put off in the least.

“Are you smiling about this?” Jessie turned to see his face.

“No,” he lied shamelessly. “It's very serious.”

Jessie rolled her eyes at him, giving Seth permission to chuckle.

“Why is this funny?”

“I don't know, but it is. You're only four months along, which makes me wonder how it's going to be in a few more months.”

“I'll be even more tired and grumpy.”

Seth didn't laugh then. She was very irritable at times, and that was not his idea of a good time.

“Well,” he said before his silence got him into trouble, “Patience is feeding us when they get home from church, and that's always nice.”

“Oh, that's right. How much time do we have?”

“More than an hour.”

Jessie looked as though she wanted to lie down again. They had slept late, but Seth thought it might be good for her to sleep a little longer. He also knew, however, that she would want the time to get ready. He offered to heat water for her bath, and her pleasure over the offer was good for his heart.

“How are you, dear?” Patience asked after the women had hugged.

“I feel fat and clumsy.”

“You don't look the least fat,” Patience argued with her. “Does Seth say you're fat?”

“No, but he thinks my not fitting into my clothing is funny.”

“You never know what's going to amuse a man. Oh, that bread smells done. Check that, will you, Jessie?”

While the women put the meal together, the men talked in the living room.

“How is she feeling?” Jeb asked Seth, having experienced a cross Jessie more than once in the past few months.

“Most days, fine. Some days she's not so easy.”

“How are you holding up?”

“My favorite time of year is the fall, but this year I could skip right to Christmas and New Year's.”

“When is Jessie due?”

“The doctor thinks the sixth of January.”

“Maybe the baby will come early.”

“A Christmas baby would be fun.”

The temptation for Jeb to mention a certain baby at Christmas was very strong, but Seth was like Jessie, showing no interest in anything spiritual.

“Well, Seth,” Jeb said kindly, still praying for the younger man, “if it's like most things in life, the time will fly by and that baby will be here before you know it.”

Seth had to agree. He had been stranded in Token Creek 14 months ago and had been married for 12 of those. In hindsight it seemed like yesterday. In all honesty, he couldn't say where the time had gone.

Chapter Four

January 1875

“W
HAT ARE YOU DOING?”
Seth asked, coming in to find Jessie with a feather duster in her hand.

“Just a little cleaning.”

“You cleaned yesterday and again all morning. You were going to take it easy this afternoon.”

“But I feel good.”

Seth leaned on the counter and watched her. The baby was two days late, and Jessie looked as though she'd never had more energy. Seth didn't think her middle could expand any further. And Jeb had been right, overall the time had flown by, but since the due date, time had seemed to crawl.

“Oh,” Jessie said, bending a little as though in discomfort.

“What's the matter?”

“Nothing. I just thought I felt a little something.”

Seth came toward her and took the duster.

“Be done,” he said firmly.

“But I'm almost finished,” she argued.

“It will wait,” he said.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Go upstairs and lie down. Read a book or take a nap.”

“I'm not tired.”

Seth looked at the frown she was giving him and decided it was no use. He handed the duster back to her, got the broom, and went out front to sweep. Jessie watched him, knowing what he was thinking without his having to say the words. Seth had told her many months ago that she argued with everything he said, and she'd argued even about that. For the first time, she saw that it was true and was again reminded how much she was like her father. Her mother used to accuse him of the same thing.

Jessie did finish the dusting, but she also went upstairs as Seth suggested. She wasn't at all tired and had no desire to read. She made a very nice meal for the two of them.

The conversation from downstairs did not come up again, and that was fine with Seth. He would rather they didn't fight as often as they did. He would take peace wherever he could get it. He was weary of the conflicts and his wife's moods since becoming pregnant and just wanted the baby to come.

It took another three days, but he got his wish. Mrs. Seth Redding presented her husband with a small baby girl. They named her Hannah.

September 1875

“What are you doing awake?” Seth asked the baby in the crib. Hannah, now eight months old, smiled up at him in delight. Seth lifted her into his arms and held her close, his heart burgeoning with emotion. Jessie was still asleep in the other bedroom, so he walked with Hannah to the living room and got comfortable on the sofa. He didn't have all morning—the store needed to be opened in about an hour—but for right now he just wanted this time with his daughter.

“Did you sleep well?” he whispered to her, smiling when she grinned at him in delight. “I can see that you did. You're such a good girl to sleep all night.”

Having said this Seth realized it might not be true. Jessie could have been up while he slept through it. However, more smiles and some laughter told Seth he'd said the right thing, and this was the way Jessie found them.

“Good morning,” Jessie said from the doorway, her voice still holding that early morning rumble.

“Good morning,” Seth replied, smiling at her disheveled hair and sleepy eyes. “Look who's here, Hannah. Mama's awake.”

Jessie snuggled closed to Seth's side, and he leaned to kiss her.

“Has she been awake long?”

“I found her awake when I got up.”

“When was that?”

Seth looked at the clock on the wall and realized 30 minutes had passed. He had to get shaved and dressed for work.

“Do you have time to make me some eggs?” he asked as he handed off the baby.

“Sure,” Jessie agreed, and with her normal, quiet efficiency she cooked Seth's breakfast, holding Hannah on her hip through most of the process.

Seth was downstairs on time, greeting the first customer just moments after he opened the door. Jessie and Hannah eventually joined him, but only for about an hour. Hannah was crawling, so Jessie ended up in the storeroom working at the table over the account books. Seth had barricaded a corner that Hannah could call her own, and that little girl was content to play as long as she could see her mother.

“What's this?” Jessie asked Seth some time later. He had come to the storeroom looking for a larger sack of brown sugar.

“Let's see.”

Seth bent over the book and looked where Jessie pointed.

“That's the order from the Brown Company.”

“It doesn't go there.”

Seth had a customer, or he would have argued with her. He was certain he was keeping the books the way she liked, and now she was complaining. He turned from the table, found the sugar, and left.

Jessie assumed that his silence meant he agreed with her and started back to work, but that lasted only until Hannah made a noise. Jessie looked at her, realizing that Seth hadn't so much as glanced at their daughter. That was not normal. She was ready to search him out and confront him, but Jeb had stepped in the door and called her name.

“Back here,” Jessie called right back. “What's up?” she asked when her cousin came into view.

“Patience wants to see this baby,” Jeb said, going to the play area and leaning down to talk to the child.

“Come evening we're pretty weary, Jeb.”

“Come for supper,” Jeb invited. “We'll feed you, and you can put your feet up.”

Jessie heard the entreaty in his voice and gave in.

“I've got a pot of stew on, but we'll come as soon as we're done.”

Jeb had Hannah in his arms now, holding her close and kissing her. He didn't answer, but she could see in his eyes that he was pleased.

“I should have sent a warning with Jeb,” Jessie said when the three Reddings visited at the Dorns' that evening. “She cries a lot in the evening.”

“She does?” Patience asked, bouncing and walking Hannah to no avail. “I wonder what that could be.”

“We wonder too,” Seth said dryly, but if the truth be told, it made the evenings very long.