Texas Rose

by Jolene Faye

  ~*~ ~*~

  "Mama, cows. Moooo," the soft frail voice tickled against her chest as Sybil lay beside the fevered child fighting sleep as the sun shone brightly through the cabin windows. Laughing softly as she pressed her lips against the heat of the child's forehead, Sybil whispered, "Yes Rose. Cows go Mooo." She was thankful her daughter had been awake more than Cole had, but the heart wrenching sounds of the child's sickness through the past two nights had been more than Sybil could take. As she stretched and sat up slowly, for a brief moment she wondered where he was. He hadn't been back since her friends had brought Rose home. Still confused and hurt by the words he'd used after the heated passion of their kiss, Sybil sighed softly realizing she still missed him. "Are you hungry," she yawned before pressing another soft kiss against her daughter's forehead. As the little girl shivered and pulled the quilt tighter around her, the dark circles under her usually bright eyes pulled at Sybil's heart. "Me eat Mama," Rose nodded and forced a smile as Sybil stepped into the kitchen. Reaching for the milk jar, Sybil sighed heavily. She hadn't been out to tend to the animals in two days. The heifers were probably swollen with milk and she had none for Rose's breakfast. Sybil uncovered the small pot of chicken broth and stoked the fire in the stove. Turning her tired swollen eyes back toward her daughter, Sybil smiled watching the little angel play with one of her dolls. "How about some chicken broth Rose," she asked hoping the child's stomach would agree not wanting to hear the wrenching sounds of her child getting sick again. As she stirred the broth, Sybil worried over her sick child and Cole's absence until the soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Shuffling her feet toward the door, Sybil stopped and tucked the covers in around her daughter before crossing to the front of the cabin. Opening the door slowly, she narrowed her eyes against the brightness of the sun and focused on the blurred shadow. "I thought you'd be out of milk by now," the deepness of his voice rumbled in her ears. Sudden flashes of anger then worry followed by relief flooded her as she fell against his chest and cried. Wrapping his arms around her slowly, he inhaled the warm lavender scent of her hair and sighed. After the way he'd acted in the barn a few days ago, he didn't know what her reaction would be but he knew the child was sick and that regardless he had to talk to Sybil.

  After she'd introduced him to her Rose as "Mama's friend Cole" Sybil sat back in the rocking chair and watched through heavy eyes as Cole carefully fed the broth to her sick child. The way he looked at Rose, the softness of his voice and the attention he paid to the weary ramblings of the small child made Sybil smile. As the exhaustion of the past couple days set heavy over her, Sybil's mind turned over dreamy images of her, Cole and Rose walking hand in hand. Stretching her arms over her head, Sybil yawned watching the heavy lids of her daughter's eyes drift closed. Cole moved like a dream in her eyes as he carried the empty bowl into the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee and returned, standing beside the rocking chair. "Come on Mama," he teased in a low soft voice, "you need some fresh air, sunshine and coffee." Slipping her fingers into his extended hand, Sybil stood slowly. Watching him tuck the blankets around her daughter, Sybil smiled and stepped under the arch of his arm as he guided her out the front door. "It's warm out and the fresh air will do her good," he assured as he pulled the door partly closed behind them and motioned Sybil toward the bench near the end of the porch. "Cole," she started as she blew slowly over her cup of coffee waiting for him to sit, "Rose isn't my child." Exhaling deeply against the sleepiness skewing her thoughts, she shook her head softly and turned to Cole as he draped his arm over her shoulders. "I mean, she is but I adopted Rose. It's a long story, but I don't know what you meant about her father. I don't know who her parents are. I don'-" her voice trailed as he raised his hand and pressed his finger softly against her lips. "What I said was rude and wrong Sybil. As much as I wanted to kiss you, I shouldn't have done it that way. When I saw," he paused for a long moment and swallowed hard, running his fingers through his hair before regaining his thoughts. "I saw the lawyer in town. From his stare toward me and then from the blush on your cheeks when he left here, I just assumed he was your child's father." Cole's head lowered as she traced her eyes over his face. "You saw Robert here," she questioned as the confusion and weariness wrinkled her brow. Nodding slowly, Cole raised his gaze back to hers and licked his lips, "Who is he Sybil?"

  As she finished explaining her history with Robert, including how they'd met through Jed and who Jed was to her, Sybil watched a sort of relief pull the tensed muscles of Cole's face letting his expression soften. "Whatever blush you thought you saw came from clearing the stall for your horse," she laughed lightly as his fingers brushed her hair over her shoulder. "At one time, I wanted nothing more than to marry Robert Wilks and raise Rose as our daughter, but now," she stopped mid-sentence and looked deep into the green sparkles of his eyes. "Cole," she questioned softly watching the moisture build in his eyes as tears threatened to spill from the deep green pools. Cole sat quietly fighting back emotions as his arm dropped from her shoulder and he tangled his fingers into hers resting their joined hands in her lap. Clearing his throat he turned the sadness of his eyes back to Sybil and started softly, "I had a daughter once Sybil." The ragged edge of his breathing as he spoke and the way he said it tore at Sybil's heart. Squeezing his hand, she sighed softly trying to keep the tears from taking over her own eyes. As the chirp of the crickets and the sweet songs of the birds filled the long silence between them, Cole draped his arm again over her shoulders and pulled her close as she leaned in laying her head against his shoulder. The slow steady rhythm of his breathing with the exhaustion she'd been fighting for two days lulled Sybil to sleep. Feeling his arm slip under her, she laid her head on his shoulder as he carried her inside, lowered her into her own bed and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

  "Shh, Mama's sleepin," the softness of her daughter's voice whispered amongst the restful dreams. Sybil smiled and opened her eyes slowly against the glow of the morning's light spilling into her small room. Deep soft laughter echoed before she recognized his voice, "Yes Rose, Mama's sleeping, but we don't want her breakfast to get cold do we?" Clinching her fingers around the top of the quilt, Sybil quickly pulled it up over her remembering she'd changed into her thin nightgown. Turning from the warmth of the sunlight caressing over her face, Sybil rolled on her back and faced the door. Shaking her head slowly, Sybil tried clearing her mind of the dream seeing Cole standing in her doorway holding Rose on his hip. As he walked slowly across the room and sat on the edge of the bed, Sybil smiled feeling the pressure of Rose crawling over her. "Good morning Mama," he whispered softly returning the smile as Rose echoed him. "Mornin Mama," the sweetness of her voice brought tears to Sybil's eyes as she pulled her daughter close and kissed her forehead. Sitting up quickly, wrapping her arms around the little girl, Sybil kissed her forehead again before the excitement in her voice almost screamed, "her fever is gone!" Cole chuckled as he brushed the long blonde locks over Sybil's shoulder and tickled the little girl's side, "Yes and she woke up hungry." Hugging her daughter and rocking her slowly, Sybil gazed at the softness of his smile.

  "Thank you," she half whispered as she raised her hand and ran her fingers softly over his as it lay on the table. His eyes caressing over her without the longing and sorrow that had always been present deep inside those green pools, Cole cleared his throat and savored the warmth of her touch. "For breakfast and for taking care of Rose last night and this morning," she finished as she slowly chewed the last bit of eggs. A soft smile creased the corners of his lips as he looked back and forth between the little girl and Sybil. "She was hungry and you were so tired. What I've put you through-," Cole lowered his eyes and the smile faded into a twist of sorrow. "Sybil," he started again as his fingers slipped from under hers and held her hand tight, "I was hoping maybe I could stay in that old room out there and stick around. Maybe help you with Rose until she's feeling better and help around the farm." Feeling the soft caress of his fingers over hers and the tight h
eated tingle deep inside of her, Sybil shifted in her chair and stared into the softness of his beautiful green eyes. Swallowing softly as she scolded the tingle growing inside of her, Sybil exhaled slowly. "You can't stay in that old room," she started quietly, watching the gleam in his eyes fade as he lowered his head. "But I'd love for you to stay around. To help with the farm I mean," she finished with a soft smile as she squeezed against his hand. A new look of hope and happiness played on his face as she explained the old room was Jed's and offered to let him stay in the spare bed he'd been using until spring when he could add a room to the barn.