by Cyndi Raye
“Worry gets you nowhere, so you best do your chores and carry on. He is counting on you.” Where did that come from? She wasn’t good at taking over, ordering others around. Or, was she? Actually, Naomi had no clue what she was capable of, she was never given the chance.
Except for now. Right now, right here, this moment. Her job was to keep things running smoothly, to reassure everyone her husband was going to survive his fall and come out of this fighting. There was no other way to think or feel.
Russell Young! You get up and show the world you are still alive and well, right this minute!
Chapter 9
Russell stirred. He felt a warm hand in his but wasn’t able to open his eyes, although he tried. “Naomi?” Was she here? He wanted to see her but his lids were so heavy. Darkness surrounded him. If only he was able to see her.
“It’s Ma.” He heard the tears in her voice. His Ma was here. Good. She was always here for him. For Wesley, too. The three were always here for each other, the bond was so strong.
“I can’t open my eyes.” It was hard to speak, his words came out raspy, hurting his throat.
“Don’t try. Go to sleep. You need to rest. The doc said you will wake up slowly. Sleep now, son. It’s alright.”
He knew she was right. His Ma never lied to him. Where was Naomi? Shouldn’t she be here, too, wherever here was. He wasn’t sure if he was in his own bed or at Ma’s house. It didn’t matter, he was so tired, his body drained of all strength, his emotions, they were jumbled up in his head.
A soft hand took his free one. “Naomi,” he whispered and smiled. It was her. He knew it without seeing her.
“I’m here. Hush, your Ma is right. Sleep now.”
“Kiss me first.”
“Russell, I, you should sleep.”
“I can’t,” he mumbled. “Not until you kiss me.”
<><>
She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek but he turned his head and their lips met. Naomi closed her eyes, grateful he was starting to come out of his stupor. It was a sign that all was well in the world. God was answering prayers.
Finally.
Not that she wasn’t grateful or demanding God to hurry, but it had been a few awfully long, heart wrenching days.
Relief washed over her like water that fell from the waterfall near Wichita Falls.
His breathing became steady as his chest moved up and down, the cords at his neck relaxing. He still held her hand as if letting go was the last thing he wanted to do. The kiss seemed to settle him down. Naomi looked at his Ma and shrugged.
“I need to get supper started,” Naomi told her.
“I’ll stay with him. It’s fine. Go.”
“Thank you, Widow Young.”
“Please, call me Catherine.”
Naomi was honored to be allowed to call his mother by her first name. She kept a smile on her face while cooking a supper of chicken pieces and broth, along with some rice and a few vegetables. Catherine may have been out of commission due to her sprained ankle but she had instructed Naomi well on several dishes.
Naomi felt comfortable cooking now. She wasn’t all thumbs when it came to measuring everything. Yesterday, she had spent time labeling the flour, sugar and salt so there would be no more mistakes.
She stood back while the kettle boiled. Her bread was in the oven browning, her lemonade sitting in the pitcher on the table and the chicken soup was almost done. If only Russell was awake enough to really enjoy her first successful meal. Even so, he needed to eat, so she’d have to spoon feed him.
Catherine was walking with a cane, although it was slow progress. She did well on her own, so there was no use trying to tell her to stay put. As Naomi finished supper, his mother kept her company, telling stories of the two brothers when they were younger.
“I had to constantly fetch them from the barn to come in for supper. They’d play soldier and cowboys and Indians, jumping from the loft area.”
Naomi laughed. “Sounds like they were active children. I watched kids playing on swings and slides in the park but had to sneak in after dark in order to play. Usually, it was by myself, unless there were other orphans nearby.”
Catherine looked concerned. “You’ve had quite a rough life, haven’t you?”
Naomi nodded. “I have but I’m not going to let that control my world any longer. I love this place. When Russell is back to normal, I’m going to spill the beans. Tell him the whole truth and let him decide if I am worthy to be his wife.”
“Oh, honey, you are worthy. If you care for my son, and I have two good eyes that can clearly see you do then there is no need to worry. You don’t have to be in a hurry to tell him, you know.”
“Yes. I do. In another week our thirty days are up. I have to be honest with him now. I won’t stay if he doesn’t want me to.”
“That’s noble and all but are you sure it’s the right thing to do? I know he won’t care. Russell is a man of integrity. He will honor the marriage and I do believe he cares for you so very much. I can see it in the way he looks at you.”
Naomi gave her a heartfelt smile. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “Keeping this secret will bother me forever. All my life I’ve had to hide in places, steal food if I couldn’t find a place to eat and my belly grumbled so badly. Hating and crying out to God for the fact I had to live that way. Feeling unwanted and unloved made me do what I did, pretending to be someone I wasn’t. It’s time it ends, even if I wind up losing everything.”
Catherine hobbled to the stove, taking Naomi in her arms. “You won’t lose everything. I admire your spirit and wanting to be honest and my son will, too. Do what’s right in your heart.”
“Thank you for understanding.” Naomi was scared. She didn’t want Catherine to know. What if Russell rejected her? It would be so easy to continue her lie, pretend she was from a wealthy family and try to make the best of things. Except her life had never been easy. So why start now?
“I’m going to sit and rest for awhile on the porch,” Catherine told her. “Take a bowl of soup to Russell. I’m sure if you spoon feed him some nutrition he will awaken much faster.”
“I’ve already done so.” Naomi had ladled out a bowl to cool off some time ago. As Catherine made her way to the porch, Naomi gathered the bowl of soup, along with a spoon and glass of water.
She set everything on the table beside the bed, placing herself on the edge of the mattress to feed him easily. Taking his shoulder, she shook it gently as she didn’t want to scare him. He began to stir. “Russell, it’s Naomi. I brought you something to eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You have to eat something.”
“I’m hungry for another kiss.”
She smiled. “If I give you a kiss will you take a spoonful of the soup?”
“Who made it?” She almost laughed out loud at his question. She didn’t want to lie to him any more but if she told him it was from her, he’d probably refuse. Especially after the meals she had been making. “Who do you think?”
“Hmm, my Ma?”
“Here, take a spoonful.” She tried to avoid answering him. He wasn’t deterred.
“Kiss first.”
This time Naomi did laugh out loud. She leaned over and gave him a kiss on his lips thinking to brush them lightly and he’d be satisfied. Instead, he picked up an arm and threw it over her shoulder, pulling her closer. Deepening the kiss, she was sure her soup would be cold by the time he finished.
She sat back and stared at him, his eyes wide open now. A smile crept on his face. Her heart elated seeing him so awake. “That was quite the kiss.”
“Now I’m ready for the soup,” he told her, still grinning like a man who had the world handed to him. “Unless you want to give me another kiss. Or, a kiss for each spoonful I eat. How about it?”
Naomi giggled. “Nonsense, sir. I doubt I can withstand so many kisses.”
She took a spoonful and shoved it in his mouth before he said
another word. His brow went up. “This is so good. I’m so hungry.”
“Then eat, Russell. Kisses won’t fill your belly and make you stronger.”
He grinned at her words as she continued to feed him until Catherine hobbled in. “I thought I heard voices. How are you feeling, son?”
“I’m better. This soup is delicious, Ma.”
Catherine sat on the chair she had placed beside the bed. “You can thank Naomi. She made the soup.”
Another brow went up. “Impressive!”
Naomi blushed. It was the first compliment she had ever received. Her face heated up. “Oh! I forgot about the bread. I’ll be right back.”
She placed the soup bowl on the table and ran into the kitchen area. Catherine had already taken the bread from the heat to Naomi’s delight. She sliced a nice chunk and slathered whipped butter on top. Turning to go back in the bedroom, she stopped dead in the doorway when she saw Russell sitting up chatting away while eating from his bowl of soup.
She placed her hands on her hips. “Russell Young! You tricked me into thinking you needed help eating. Look at you, feeding yourself!”
He grinned. “I kind of liked you feeding me,” he told her. Naomi looked at Catherine’s reaction.
His mother rolled her eyes and stood up, leaning heavily on the cane. “It’s time I got back to my own house. Goodnight, dear.” She gave Russell a kiss on his forehead.
“I’ll walk you back, Catherine. It seems Russell is fine to eat his food by himself.”
“Thank you, dear. That will be nice.”
The two enjoyed a long stroll across the yard. By the time they got to Catherine’s house, she was leaning heavily on Naomi’s arm. It had been a lot for her to be on her feet so much. “I hope you go inside and try to rest. I promise I’ll be over first thing in the morning to help with breakfast. Now that Russell is awake, he’ll be up and about in no time.”
“With your tender care, I have no doubt. Just don’t baby him too much. You see what he is capable of.”
Coming back across the yard, Naomi had to smile at what Catherine said. Russell was being tricky, pretending he wasn’t able to eat. She had to keep her eyes and ears open when it came to him. Oh, she dreaded the talk they needed to have soon. Mentally, she had prepared herself for it but tonight, she just wanted a night of bliss.
Tomorrow.
She’d talk to him then.
Naomi almost stumbled on the first step when she reached the porch. “Careful, there.”
Naomi screamed bloody murder and froze.
“It’s me, Russell.”
Her hand clutched at her throat. “Oh, my lands, Russell. You are supposed to be in bed.”
“I’m fine. I’ve been in bed for too long. Look, my head is all healed.” He went to stand up but wobbled to one side.
“My foot it is! Russell Young, take my arm and get back to bed immediately!”
He took her arm but stood there, refusing to move. “Only if you are there with me.”
A flush began up one side of her face to the other. “Russell!”
“I insist. I won’t be able to sleep without you there to keep me safe.”
“That’s ludicrous. I’ve slept fine on the settee.” Even though it gave her tremendous back ache some nights.
“You are my wife, I could insist.”
She tapped her foot. “Are you saying you would force me to lie with you.”
He nodded. “Yes.” Then he threw back his head and laughed. Then he yowled when she poked him in the ribs. “Ow, that hurts.”
“Oh, Russell. Let’s get you inside.”
She took a step forward. He simply refused to move until she agreed.
After some time, Naomi did. “On one condition.”
“What?”
“You allow me to take a buggy to Wichita Falls soon. The gown I wore coming here I want to sell and buy some material to learn to sew. The gown is way too fancy for a farmer’s wife.”
Russell tilted his head to one side. “I’ll take you myself in a few days when the doc clears me. How does that sound?”
“Deal.”
“One more condition,” he told her.
Oh, boy, had she created a monster? “What?”
“We seal it with a kiss.”
“If that is what it will take for me to get my way, then it’s a deal.”
He whipped his arm around her, pulling her close and placing a heart-stopping kiss that’d keep her up all night. Long after they had gone to bed, she was staring at the dark sky through the window in the bedroom, wondering what it would be like to truly become his wife in all ways.
If only she didn’t have to tell him about her past.
Her heart was torn but she knew the right thing to do.
Tomorrow. She’d tell him tomorrow.
<><>
Two days went by and they never had a chance to talk. Russell was up and about all day waiting for the doctor to show up. Doc gave him a clean slate, but made Russell promise not to do a whole lot of physical work for another week. Doc James cleared him for travel so she was excited they would be allowed to go to Wichita Falls soon.
He went to visit Dolly the minute the doc left. Naomi tip-toed outside to the barn, listening by the door, peeking in now and again to make sure he was not getting overwhelmed or overworking himself.
She didn’t have to worry. That cow stood there and let him milk away, her tail missing his face as if she knew it was him. Naomi had witnessed the tail slapping Wesley in the face several times. A giggle erupted from her. Before she had a chance to slap a hand over her mouth Russell turned and smiled.
“Want to learn how to milk a cow?”
She made her way inside. “Sure.”
Russell stood and offered her the bucket to sit on. She had to hike up her skirts, her knees apart, pushing all the material in between. As he instructed, she pulled on the teat, except the cow was being stubborn.
“Are you the only one she allows to milk her?”
“Do this,” he insisted, placing an arm around her, leaning close and placing a hand over hers on the cows teat. He showed her how to move her hand, over and over until she finally got it to work.
Naomi shouted out. “It’s so easy!”
Russell kissed her on the ear. “Go on, milk away.”
They spent the remainder of the hour in the barn until Dolly got tired of them and began to get restless.
“Go on, Dolly. Get out of here!” Russell whistled to her.
Naomi laughed when she listened, heading out of the barn in easy strides. “This was fun. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you came out to spy on me.”
Naomi blushed. She hadn’t wanted him to know how worried she was that he’d have a relapse. They were alone in the barn. Now was a good time to tell him about her past.
“I think we need to talk.”
“Russell! Naomi!”
Wesley’s voice carried in to the barn, meaning he was almost there.
“We’ll talk later. Or do you want me to get rid of Wesley?”
“No, we can talk after supper.”
He gave her a kiss on the forehead. She liked the attentive way he paid attention to her.
Dear God, please let him understand. I don’t want to give this up. I don’t want to give him up.
Wesley wanted Russell to go along to the White Ranch to look at a couple of new horses one of their half-brothers bought. “Adam got some fine horses at auction. He said to come on up and take a look.”
Russell looked interested and waved to her as Wesley drove the buggy across their land towards the neighbors. The fence that had separated the two properties was still there except for a large area that had been cut out and a gate installed. Here of late the gate was left wide open for easy access back and forth. Maybe the kept it open because of all the things that kept happening.
Naomi waved to Catherine who was sitting on the front porch. “I’ll be over in fifteen minutes,” she shouted o
ut.
Catherine waved. “No hurry, take your time.”
Naomi hurried home to gather the fancy dress she wore the first day she had arrived. She had washed it and now hurried across the yard to use Catherine’s ironing press to get all the wrinkles out.
“I have it heating on the stove, dear.”
“Do you think I’ll get enough for this to get enough material?”
“Yes, some ladies in town will kill for a dress of that nature. You’d be surprised what people buy. Have you and Russell talked about things yet?”
Naomi shook her head, concentrating on the material. “I’m afraid not. We haven’t had a chance. I told him tonight after supper we need to talk.”
“It’s for the best, especially if you insist on doing so.”
“I do. I want a clean slate no matter what the consequences.” Although, she hoped somewhere deep down in her heart he’d understand and not send her away.
Naomi got a lesson in ironing while Catherine showed her how to carefully iron all the material to take the wrinkles out. They spent most of the morning at the table working away.
Naomi was trying so hard to be gentle and work the material like Catherine showed her she never heard Russell and Wesley enter the room until she felt his warm breath at her ear.
She jumped.
The iron almost dropped from her hand.
“Russell, you frightened me!”
“I’m sorry. Let me give you a kiss.”
She leaned back and whispered. “Not in the presence of your Ma and brother.”
He backed off, grinning.
Why was he being such a naughty devil? He’d come up behind her and try to steal kisses all the time. Was that how couples behaved? If so, she wanted him to keep doing this, except she didn’t want to get her hopes up. She had to speak with him tonight, after supper. Nothing was going to stop her this time.
They ate supper at Catherine’s house and stayed later than they had planned listening to Wesley’s stories of how he had to take care of the farm while Russell lazed away in bed. Some of his facial expressions had everyone laughing. By the time they left, Naomi was yawning.
