by Lydia Rose
“Bill seems to be doing okay,” Hank said. “Good night you two.”
“Good night, Hank.” Alison and Annabelle replied.
Once Hank closed his bedroom door, Alison asked. “A young lady?”
“You know he’s talking about a man,” Annabelle said with a frown. “I hope he doesn’t get caught.” Her head shook back and forth in worry.
“It’s been a long time for him, Belle. How would you like to go for years without making love?”
Annabelle’s frown didn’t change, but she nodded in agreement. “I want him to come home and not go to jail.”
One of the babies cried and Alison walked toward the stairs. “Come to bed, Belle.” Alison winked. “I’ll make you forget about Bill for a little while.”
Annabelle smiled and blew out the lantern.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Three Years Later
Annabelle and Alison were sitting on the front porch with the children when they noticed someone walking down the driveway. Alison stood up and shaded her eyes. She screamed and ran toward the figure.
“Bill, Bill, you’re home,” Alison screamed as she ran.
Bill dropped his duffle bag and held out his arms. “I’m home, Al. I’m home,” he said lifting Alison into the air.
They walked back to the house arm and arm. Annabelle stepped off the porch. “It’s good to have you home again, Bill.” She smiled as she held out her arms.
“I missed you, Belle. I missed all of you.” He turned and looked toward the porch. His eyes filled with tears as he looked at the twins.
“Let me reintroduce you to your niece and nephew,” Alison said taking Bill’s arm. “William and Annabelle, this is your Uncle Bill.” Annabelle hid behind her mother’s dress. William walked toward Bill without fear.
Bill picked him up and twirled him around. “I missed you so much, buddy.” He brought him back down and kissed his cheek. “My beautiful baby boy.”
Annabelle now wanted in on all the excitement and walked toward Bill and William.
“Hi, little girl,” Bill put William down and held out his arms to Annabelle. She went to his arms and he twirled her around like he had done to William. Annabelle was giggling. “I missed you too, honey. So much,” Bill said kissing her cheek. “My sweet baby girl.” Bill looked at the children’s parents. “She looks just like you, Al and William looks like you, Belle.” He wiped his eyes. “I couldn’t be more proud.”
Hank came out of the barn and saw Bill. He couldn’t run, but he got to the porch quickly. “Bill, it’s so good to have you home,” Hank said hugging him close. “We’ve missed you old boy.”
“Old boy? I think you’re the old boy, old man.” Bill smiled. “I missed you, Hank.”
“Didn’t the kids get big?” Hank asked pointing to the twins who were now hanging onto Bill’s pants.
He looked down at them with pride. “They certainly did.” He picked up one child in each arm.
“Let’s get you something to eat, Bill.” Alison offered.
“Have you got any pie in that kitchen of yours?” Bill asked.
“Apple pie,” She said smiling as she took Annabelle out of his arms.
Bill carried William into the house where Belle switched on the lights.
“You finally got electricity,” Bill said to Hank.
“We needed it with the kids and all.” Hank answered.
Bill walked past a radio. “I suppose the kids need that too?” He asked laughing.
“No, Grandpa needed that. I had to keep up on the war and all. Had to know when my son was going to be home. Welcome home, son.”
Bill put his arm around Hank. “I’m speechless, Hank.”
“And for you that’s saying something,” Annabelle said with a chuckle.
“I really missed your sarcasm, Belle.” Bill moaned.
“I bet you did. No one to pick on you.”
“Just captains, lieutenants, corporals, generals.” He shook his head. “No I had no one to pick on me,” Bill said with a roll of his eyes.
Once the kids were in bed and Hank went off to his bedroom, the three friends went back out to the porch.
“It’s really good to have you back, Bill.” Annabelle said. “We want you to have the bedroom next to ours.”
Bill looked at the two of them. “And listen to you two go at it. I think the shed sounds better,” he said with a laugh, but got serious. “Thank you. I’d like that.”
“Besides, Alison has learned to stop screaming. You know with the kids and all,” Annabelle said as Alison’s hand slapped her arm.
“Maybe you don’t make me scream anymore,” Alison said sticking out her tongue.
“Well, I’ll have to do a better job in the future,” Annabelle said with a wink.
Alison felt her heart pinch. She was amazed after all these years, one word from Annabelle could arouse her.
“I see nothing has changed since I left. You two are still goofy in love.”
Annabelle took Alison’s hand. “I am and I always will be.” She kissed Alison’s mouth. “What about the young lady you met?” Annabelle asked putting young lady in quotes.
“You both know that was code?” Bill asked.
They both nodded and grinned.
“His name is Stan. He went home to his family in Texas a year ago.” Bill looked off across the yard lost in thought.
“Do you plan on seeing him again?”
“He’s married and has a son,” Bill said softly. “It’s not like I could have had him dress like a woman and marry him.” He looked at the two women and tapped Annabelle’s shoulder. “You make a passable man if you don’t look to close. Stan, could never have pull it off.”
“But if you went somewhere that no one knew you. Pretend to be brothers or something,” Alison said feeling her heart break for Bill.
“You trying to get rid of me already?” Bill asked with a grin.
“Never, Bill. We just want you to be happy.” Alison touched his arm.
“I am happy.” Bill insisted, but he knew he would always miss Stan.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Life returned to the farm as it had before Bill left for the war. He missed the planting of the corn, but he was there to help with the planting of the soybeans. Bill wore a smile all day as he worked in the fields. He was back where he belonged with his loving family.
Chet and Maggie were invited to Sunday dinner to welcome Bill back home. As they walked toward the front door, Bill could see how his friends had aged in the last three years.
Maggie took Bill’s hand. “It’s good to have you back home again. Your family missed you,” she said taking his arm.
Chet shook Bill’s hand and patted him on the back. “Hank missed you a lot, Bill. He’d tell me about your letters and even though he knew you were safe, he worried.
“The kids got big, didn’t they?” Maggie asked.
Bill shook his head overwhelmed by everyone’s kindness. “They’re both beautiful, Maggie.”
They all sat at the dining room table enjoying the meal and conversation hoping there would be many more in the years to come.
Little Annabelle no longer was shy around Bill. You could find her sitting on Bill’s lap whenever he was in the room. It was as if Annabelle felt the connection the two had. Little Billy ran around playing with his toys and not as anxious to sit in anyone’s lap.
The next day the skies opened. It rained for two days and despite the weather, work still went on. By the end of the week, Belle was coughing.
“Honey, you should get some rest,” Alison said. “You sound awful.”
“It’s just a cold, Al. I’ll be fine.” Annabelle found herself coughing so much during the night, she would get out of bed and go downstairs. She didn’t want to wake up Alison or the kids.
Alison opened her eyes in the morning to find Annabelle still asleep. Her face was flushed and clammy. Alison’s hand went to Annabelle’s head. She was burning up. Alison shook Annabelle
. “Belle, wake up.”
Annabelle barely opened her eyes. “What?” She asked.
“You’re very hot, Belle.”
“I’m cold, Alison.”
Alison put the blankets back over her and went downstairs. She grabbed an aspirin and water and went back upstairs. “Take these,” Alison said lifting Annabelle’s head off the pillow.
“I need to get up, Alison.” Annabelle tried to get out of bed.
“You’re not going anywhere.” Alison pushed her back on the bed.
Bill was walking past the room when he saw the two women. “Is everything okay?”
“Belle’s got a high fever,” Alison said looking at Bill.
Bill walked over and felt Annabelle’s head. “Go get some cool water. I’ll take care of the kids.”
Alison went downstairs and collected the water and washcloths.
“What’s going on, Alison?” Hank asked when he walked into the kitchen.
“Belle is sick.”
“I’ll take care of breakfast. You go tend to your husband,” Hank said patting his daughter’s hand. “What about the kids?”
“Bill said he would take care of them.” Alison went back upstairs and met the kids on the stairs. “Hi, babies. Your daddy isn’t feeling well today. Please mind your Grandpa and Uncle Bill. Okay?” Alison asked cupping each of their chins.
“Okay, Mommy,” Annabelle said smiling.
Alison went back into the room and pulled off Annabelle’s wet night shirt. She used cooling water on her face and chest. Alison watched as Annabelle shivered and her breathing was heavy. She put on a clean nightshirt and went back downstairs. “Helen, get me the docs office,” Alison said into the phone. “This is Alison Adams. Belle has a high fever and her breathing is bad. What should I do?”
The doc instructed. “Keep Belle warm and put hot compresses on his chest to relieve the inflammation. If he’s not better in a few days, come see me.”
“Thank you doctor.” Alison hung up the phone and went into the kitchen.
“What did the doctor say?” Hank asked.
“Bed rest and hot compresses.” Alison answered heating up the water for compresses. She began to strip a sheet.
“Alison, why don’t you get dressed and I’ll take care of this.” Bill offered.
Alison looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“Belle will be fine. Go get washed up,” Bill pointed down the hallway.
Alison went into the bathroom where she began to cry. “Please don’t take her away from me. I need her. Our children need her. Please God.” Alison finished washing and went back upstairs. She walked over to the bed and felt Annabelle. “You’re going to be fine, Belle.” Alison kissed her forehead. “I won’t let anything happen to you, honey.”
Bill walked in the room with the hot compresses.
Alison opened Annabelle’s shirt and laid the compresses across her chest. “Thank you, Bill.” Alison looked at him as a tear fell onto her cheek.
Bill wrapped his arm around Alison. “It’s going to be okay, Al.”
“I can’t lose her, Bill. I just can’t.”
“You won’t, honey. We won’t let that happen.” Bill squeezed her to his body. “I’ve seen this before. In a few days, Belle will be better. I’ll go heat up some more compresses.”
Alison sat in a chair next to Annabelle and held her hand. She wiped her forehead and piled the blankets on her body. Every time Annabelle coughed, Alison’s heart was breaking. She stayed at her side all day and only went downstairs to use the bathroom. The kids had no idea what was going on and they played with Uncle Bill and Grandpa all day.
“I made some soup, Alison.” Bill handed her a tray. “There’s also tea with honey. Get Belle to eat something.”
“I will. Thank you.” Alison carried the tray to the room and propped Annabelle higher on the pillow. Her eyes peaked open. “You have to eat something, Belle.” Alison put the spoon to her lips. “Please, Belle.”
Annabelle opened her mouth and took in the liquid. She ate most of the soup, but the coughing continued.
Alison put a cloth to Annabelle’s mouth. “Spit it up, Belle. Get it out of your lungs.” Now she tried the tea. “Drink this, honey.”
Annabelle opened her eyes and saw the sad look on her wife’s face. Her hand automatically came up and cupped Alison’s face. “I’m not going anywhere, Al.” She whispered.
“You better not,” Alison said trying to smile.
The next morning, Bill walked into the room. “How’s Belle?”
“She’s still hot, but not as much.”
“You have got to come downstairs and eat something. Your children don’t understand what’s going on, but they can see the fear on your face. They keep asking about both of you.”
Alison wiped Annabelle’s brow.
“Your dad offered to sit with Belle while you ate something and reassure your children.” Bill lifted her off the chair.
They walked into the hallway and met Hank. “Thank you, daddy.”
Hank nodded and looked at his daughter’s face. Her eyes were lifeless and dark circle under her eyes from the lack of sleep. “I’ll take care of Belle. You eat something, please.” Hank went into the room and sat in the chair that Alison had vacated. He wiped her brow with the cool water and held a cloth when Belle would cough. He whispered to Belle. “You get better, Belle. I don’t think Alison would make it if something happened to you. She needs you, Belle. Do you hear me?”
Hank wasn’t sure if Annabelle could hear him and he sat there watching the sick woman in the bed. He stared at her face and noticed for the first time how vulnerable she looked. The face he wiped was soft and feminine despite working in the fields every day and he wondered why he never saw it before. Belle looked more like a woman than a man. It couldn’t be, he thought.
Annabelle moved about the bed restless and mumbling. She called for Alison in her feverish state.
Hank put his hand on her head and body to calm her. “Calm down, Belle.”
Annabelle’s eyes opened seeing him sitting at her side. “Hank?” She asked.
“I’m here, Belle. You’re going to be fine.”
“Where’s Alison?” She asked.
“We made her go downstairs to have something to eat and see the kids.”
“That’s good.”
Hank wiped her brow again. “Sleep, Belle.” He sat back down trying to let the thoughts in his head fade.
Alison returned to the room. “Thanks, dad. How’s Belle doing?”
“He’s been coughing less and no longer thrashing about the bed.” Hank put his arm around her. “Belle will get better. Don’t you worry too much, honey?”
Alison looked into father’s eyes. “I couldn’t live if something happened to Belle, dad.”
Hank watched as Alison went over to Annabelle and kissed her forehead. He watched as she gently stroked Annabelle’s face and whispered in her ear. No matter what Hank was thinking, he knew his daughter loved Annabelle more than she loved life.
Each day, Annabelle improved. She was now sitting up talking with the visitors that came into the room. “I miss the kids, Al. Can you let them come in for a few minutes? Annabelle begged.
Hank brought the kids in and they walked quietly over to the bed.
Annabelle reached out and smothered each of their faces with kisses. Alison and Hank stood back arm and arm watching her interact with her children.
“Can I get on the bed, daddy?” Annabelle asked.
“Sure, honey.” Annabelle helped her onto the bed. Billy didn’t wait for an invitation and climbed up too. The two kids laid against her and closed their eyes. They had missed her and they fell asleep almost immediately.
“You get some sleep too, Belle,” Alison said smiling. “I’ll come check on you three in a while.”
Hank and Alison went back downstairs.
“Those kids missed Belle. They knew something was going on, but wasn’t sure what.”
“Belle missed them too.”
By the weekend, Belle was out of bed, but confined to the house. Hank and Bill wouldn’t allow her to work in the fields or do anything strenuous.
“How am I going to build my strength up if I can’t do anything?” Annabelle asked.
“Go pick weeds in the garden and pick vegetables,” Bill said. “Save your wife the work of doing that.” Bill and Hank walked toward the fields.
While Hank and Bill took a break from weeding the soybeans, Hank asked. “Have you ever noticed how feminine Belle’s face is?”
Bill froze. “What do you mean?” He asked.
“There’s no hair and Belle’s features are very soft.”
“I saw plenty of men in the army that didn’t have hair on their face.” Bill tried to deflect Hank’s questions.
“I guess, but I sat looking at his face while he was sick.” He scratched his beard as he thought. “I don’t know Bill. There’s something screwy there.”
“Hank, don’t let your imagination get away with you. Have you forgotten you have two beautiful grandchildren?” Bill asked.
Hank’s hand went to his face again and he looked at Bill. “You’re right. How could they have had children if?” Hank didn’t finish his thoughts.
Bill let out a deep breath hoping he squashed Hank’s fears.
That evening after Hank went to bed, Bill took them outside for a talk.
“I had an interesting conversation with Hank today,” Bill said looking at them.
“Oh yeah? Annabelle asked.
“He started asking questions about you, Belle.”
“What kind of questions?” She asked.
