Charlie was going insane. This was more intense and incredible than she had imagined. It was almost as if she was inside of Rebecca's body, as if the two were melding and merging into one entity. Charlie's hips rose to drive into Rebecca, and she bucked harder and harder, reaching to bring the two of them together into one. In an instant, Charlie's whole body thrust high up into Rebecca. Charlie’s body formed a rigid arch, balanced shoulders and heels. A deep, guttural cry broke from Charlie's lips. "Becca!"
Rebecca could only fall forward into Charlie as yet again she was overcome. She pushed down one last time as her hands grasped Charlie's shoulders and her teeth bit gently into her shoulder. She could not stop the tiny thrusts of her hips that happened automatically as Charlie pushed into her.
When they finally came down from the heights they had climbed to, Rebecca simply could not move. She listened with a great deal of satisfaction to the sound of Charlie's heart thundering in her chest.
Charlie cradled Rebecca in her arms, gently stroking her back and sides. As the smaller woman's breathing returned to normal, Charlie quietly pledged herself. "I am yours, Rebecca. Yours for the rest of my life. Whatever you want, whatever you need, I will do my best to provide. I love you, my dear heart, my love, my wife, my home."
"And I am yours, heart, body, and soul." A moment later when her muscles started working again, Rebecca moved to Charlie's side and stroked the still rippling muscles of her stomach. "Remind me to send Lizzie a thank you note."
"Ummmm. I will, love. Tomorrow. Sleep now, beloved."
"Oh yes, until late tomorrow morning if I have my way." She got as close to Charlie as she could. "Forever, my love. Forever," she whispered as she fell into a very happy slumber.
Charlie gathered her close and joined her in sleep.
--*--
Sunday, January 29, 1865
R
ebecca rolled over and curled into Charlie's body. She hummed, still delightfully sated from the previous evening. She smiled as her hand rubbed over Charlie's stomach and up her chest. "Good morning, my love."
Charlie literally purred before she found her voice. "Good morning, darling wife." She stretched like a big, happy cat.
"So, would we be horrible people if we did not attend services today?" She continued to run her hand over Charlie's warm skin.
"Probably. Likely Mrs. Williams would say things like ‘‘Oh, Lord, he has taken her away to have his evil Yankee way with her. Poor Rebecca. I always said she should stay away from that damned Yankee.’"
Rebecca burst out laughing so hard the bed actually shook. "Oh, if she only knew the truth, she would explode on the spot." Then she rolled over and covered Charlie's body with her own. "I am very fond of your evil Yankee ways."
Charlie stroked her hands down Rebecca’s bare back. "And I love your sultry Southern ways, my love." She raised her head and nipped at Rebecca’s shoulder.
"Hmmm," Rebecca's body was responding to Charlie in the most carnal of ways and she knew if she did not get up soon, they would indeed miss services. "All right, Charlie, I am going to be good and get up now."
Charlie drew in a deep breath and sighed. "Yes, I suppose. We should be good. We should be appropriate. We should take Em to church." As she spoke, she continued to stroke Rebecca’s back, and then reached farther down to cup her bottom in both hands and pulled her close.
"Oooo, bad, Charlie!" Rebecca giggled like a schoolgirl and got up from the bed. "Now be good, Charlie!"
"Oh, all right. I will be. Shortly." She captured Rebecca by the back of the head and pulled her down for a resounding kiss.
Rebecca let herself get lost in that wonderful kiss and was almost ready to get back into bed and say to the devil with the services, when her conscience got the better of her. "Oh, Charlie, please be good and get up. Please?"
An insistent tapping at the door, accompanied by an obvious effort to turn the latch, over which Charlie had looped the stop, interrupted their conversation. "Well, it seems that the outside world wants in, so I suppose we must rejoin civilization.
"Papa. Want in!"
"Yes, I suppose we must."
Rebecca tossed her sleeping gown and her robe on and went to the door, waiting with her hand on the knob until Charlie was properly presentable in full 'Papa' mode. When she opened the door, Em stood there, looking at her for a moment.
"Mowin' Mamma 'Becca." The child stretched her arms out for a hug, which Rebecca was more than happy to give her.
"Good morning, Miss Emily."
"Papa, pwease."
Rebecca pointed at Charlie who was now sitting on the bed putting on his slippers. "Your Papa is there."
Em smiled and ran into the room, straight to Charlie.
"Good morning, imp." He picked the child up and gave her a bear hug, a kiss and a tickle. "So what are you doing here in your nightgown? Have you gotten away from Tess again?"
The question was answered not by Em, but by Tess, who stopped in front of the door and placed her hands on her hips. "There you are, Miss Emily. Now come to Tess and let us get you dressed."
"Go on, little one. It is church day, and you must look your best. You know, when you look pretty and are a good girl, people think that Mama, Mamma Becca and I are being good parents to you."
"Yes, Papa." Little Emily was learning very quickly that when Papa and Mamma 'Becca told her something was to be done; it was best to be a good girl and do it. She slid off his lap and went to Tess. "Em sowy, Tess. Em be good."
With Tess off to tend to Emily’s morning toilet, Charlie and Rebecca turned to their own morning rituals. Somehow, they managed to get in one another’s way under the guise of ‘‘helping’ so they were both very late in getting down for breakfast. Elizabeth, Richard, Samantha, Jeremiah, and Em were waiting for them. "So," Elizabeth drawled, "did you sleep well?"
Rebecca blushed and said the first thing that came to mind. "Eventually."
The adults at the table burst into laughter, while Jeremiah tried to figure out what they were laughing about and joined in a moment later. He did not know why, but it was a grown-up thing to do, so he did.
--*--
R
ebecca and Charlie ate a hasty breakfast, and then joined the others for the short trip to church. They arrived just as Reverend Williams was preparing to enter and begin the service, so they hurriedly made their way to their pew and settled in.
The service went by in a haze for Charlie and Rebecca. They were too busy trying not to grin like idiots. Their restless desire to return home conveyed itself to Em, who spent most of the service trying to decipher the hymnbook, page by page.
As usual, when the Reverend was finished with the service, he moved to the door to greet each member of the congregation as they filed out. This day, he chose to escort his wife to the door with him, having Miss Simms take over the small organ to play the recessional.
Rebecca held Em close to her as she and Charlie made their way to the door. She watched with some amount of bemused satisfaction as Reverend Williams gave his wife a gentle nudge in the ribs to speak with Charlie.
"Good morning, General," she tried not to hiss.
"Good morning to you, Mrs. Williams. Is it not a lovely morning, dear lady?"
Rebecca had to bite her lip to keep from laughing as Charlie did everything he could to make the woman miserable.
"Yes, a beautiful morning. Spring will be here soon." Unspoken, Mrs. Williams obviously added
and you will be gone, at least for a while
.
"Yes, indeed. I am so looking forward to returning and making Redmond Stables a fine horse farm. General Grant does not believe the spring campaign will last very long, so I should be home before you even know I am gone."
Rebecca looked to the Reverend, who himself was hiding a grin behind his hand.
--*--
A
fter services, Sarah fixed a simple lunch which Rebecca, Charlie, and Em intended sharing with Constance. Elizabeth assured them that Constance was feeling well enough for visitors and would no doubt enjoy the company.
Charlie, knocked on the door softly, just in case the woman was resting, but pushed it open the moment she called for them to come in.
Em was being very good; she walked to her Momma's bed and waited. Charlie entered after Rebecca, who placed the tray on the table near the window.
"Congratulations, General. I understand from Dr. Walker the wedding was a complete success."
Charlie smiled. "I certainly thought it was a success, and I think Rebecca did. It remains to be seen how others feel about it. I understand Richard asked for Elizabeth’s hand, although in a rather…… untraditional way. So it remains to be seen what Elizabeth does about it."
"Mmm, it seems that love in the air. I am very happy for all of you." She looked down to her daughter. "Did you attend services today, Emily?"
"Yes, Mama. Why do we go church?"
"We go to church because we are good Christians and we want to hear the message of the Lord."
"Who is the Lord?"
Constance smiled and ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. "The Lord is our King and Savior, Emily."
Emily thought about that. She thought she knew what a King was, but Savior was a bit beyond her.
Charlie looked at Rebecca and Constance. "Our little one is growing like a weed –– and so is her vocabulary. I swear, I believe that in the last few weeks, she has used the word ‘‘why’ more than all of the words she has ever spoken before."
Constance gratefully took a cup of tea from Rebecca when it was offered. "General Redmond, I have a very serious request to make of you, sir."
"Whatever I can do, I will certainly try." He looked to Rebecca. "I think I speak for both of us in that."
"I wish to draft a formal document, giving you and Rebecca guardianship of Emily." She placed her hand on her very swollen midsection. "And this child, if it survives. I would also like for you to give them both your last name. Make them truly a part of your family."
Charlie looked helplessly at Rebecca. He had been hoping that, with Elizabeth’s and now Mrs. White’s help, Constance would survive her pregnancy.
"Unless, Sir, you would prefer not to." Constance had taken his silence as a possible refusal. "I am sure there is someplace that would shelter them. I have no living relatives and……"
Charlie panicked. "No, no. Not at all. We love Em, and would be honored to raise both her and her brother or sister as our own. Would we not, Rebecca?" He looked at her desperately. "It is just that I had hoped you would survive this confinement to stay with us and raise your children. You must know both you and your children are welcome here for as long as you wish. I think of you as part of my family already, so, please do not imagine you are imposing on us. Little Em is truly the daughter of my heart."
Constance reached out and took Charlie's hand. "Thank you. And know that I have come to terms with what will happen when this child arrives. I will rejoin my Henry, and I will leave two beautiful children for two parents who will love them as if they were their own. I am quite content to go to my Lord's side and reside in peace and grace, General."
Charlie bowed his head over Constance’s hand for a moment. When he looked up again, there was a look of gentle compassion on his face. "I will need to get some information about you and Emily so that I can have my attorney draw up the papers while Rebecca and I are in Washington."
"Anything you require, General. I will give you all the information I can. What I can not remember you will find recorded in the family Bible on the table." She gestured weakly to the book across the room.
"Perhaps I can start with the Bible and then ask you anything else I need to know, dear lady. You look tired."
"I am a bit little , Sir." She gave his hand as much of a squeeze as she could manage. "Thank you. Thank you for everything."
Charlie gathered the Bible and Em, while Rebecca helped the failing woman settle more comfortably. "Come along, imp. Tess is waiting with your blocks."
Constance watched Charlie go with her daughter, then she turned tired eyes on Rebecca. "That is a person with a truly good soul."
"I think so, too. You must know, Charlie loves Em as if she were his own. And he and I will raise her to be a good woman."
"I am sure of that Rebecca. I am very sure of that."
--*--
C
harlie walked into the back parlor later that afternoon, holding Constance’s Bible. "Rebecca, do you know what?"
Rebecca looked up from another nearly failed attempt at making something for the baby. "I know a great many things, General Redmond. What would you like to know?" she teased as he sat down next to her.
"Actually, I will wager you do not know this. We have a birthday coming up in this family."
Rebecca laughed and set the sewing aside. "You know, it does occur to me I do not know when your birthday is."
"My birthday? It is in September. The thirtieth. But I was referring to another birthday. Em will be two in a couple of weeks. By the way, when is yours?"
She chuckled as she sipped her tea. "I suppose if I do not tell you, I will not get any older and I will remain the young woman you married."
Charlie knelt beside her. "Rebecca, darling wife, you will always be the most beautiful woman I know, young, fresh, and at the peak of your womanhood. So age does not matter. Our love is what matters. Now, when is your birthday? You may as well tell me, as you know I will find out one way or another."
"All right, you demanding thing, you." She winked and took his hand. "My birthday is in April, the 22nd. So when is Em's birthday?"