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Eddie
“Uncle Eddie!” Julia calls out to me as I leave the barn, both of my hands are weighed down with the fresh milk I managed to get from those damn cows. I swear those beasts have it in for everyone except Elsbeth.
Julia’s standing in the doorway to her mom’s cabin, so I instinctively know that it involves a translation need that involves Shelby’s pregnancy.
“I’ll take those,” she says when I’m closer. “Aiden is worried about Mom, and I agree, she’s been struggling lately. I just don’t want to screw up and tell Trisha the wrong thing.”
“No worries,” I tell her, putting the pails down and cracking my knuckles before knocking on the door.
I relax as soon as I see the sheet covering Shel’s who-ha. I couldn’t face either her or Aiden for a week, the one time I entered their cabin to help Trisha ask questions during a check-up, and Shelby’s lady bits weren’t properly covered.
Aiden gives me a nod, but I can tell from the look on Trisha’s face that she is all business, so I sit where I can face her—allowing her to easily glance up and see my hands.
During the exam, it comes to light that Shelby’s been experiencing spotting from time to time and overly swollen legs. At one point, Trisha leans backward in her seat and I can tell from the look on her face that she needs a moment to think.
Obviously, solutions are limited right now, so I turn to Aiden to ask him if I can take the next patrol around Elsbeth’s property; making up a reason why I’d want to do it. By the time we finished talking, Trisha stands up and orders the only thing she really can: bedrest.
Leaving them in their cabin, Trisha and I remain silent on the quick walk back to the house; at least until she makes eye contact with Elsbeth. Tugging me by my arm, she motions to the older woman and the three of us sit at the dinner table, discussing nutrition, rest, and eventually, how to rearrange the chore schedule to focus on Shelby and her needs.
The one thing I am certain of is that Rachel’s time of having a relatively passive role here, is at an end. From the time I arrived, her primary duty became helping me care for my daughter, but with Shelby on the bench, so to speak, Rachel will now have to rotate into everything from animal care to guard duty.
There aren’t words to express how bad I am feeling for Aiden. Not only will his concern for Shelby and their child be off the charts, but as Rachel’s uncle he is going to have to guide her when she doesn’t want to do something.
Considering the number of times Rachel has tracked myself or Elsbeth down to change a particularly foul diaper, I can’t imagine her taking to mucking out the barn or dealing with the outhouses. Any humor I find in those images quickly turn to worry when I wonder how she’ll do on guard duty.
The ladies continue talking while I become lost in thought, but once Elsbeth taps my hand I snap back to their conversation.
“Shelby will need to be kept occupied,” Elsbeth explains, keeping her face angled toward Trisha. “I will make up a list of things that we need handled that she can do from the couch, including supervising Sara’s naps and feeding. She’s not exactly the most patient person so a variety of tasks will be best. For instance, Julia mentioned needing more arrows. Once she and Mike have gathered the material for the shafts, she can assemble them. I’m sure Mike will have other projects, and when needed, we’ll just make stuff up.”
“I don’t suppose she sews or knits, does she?” I ask, signing along with my words. Words that elicit a snort from Elsbeth.
“Oh, ask her that. I dare you,” she responds, the sparkle in her eye telling me what Shelby would more than likely do with a knitting needle if I asked her.
“I can help, if you need some sewing done,” Rachel offers as she crosses the room with Sara. “I was going to ask about getting more thread for some of my things anyway.”
“Rachel, I’ve shown you where the sewing supplies and the pile of items that need mending are…” Elsbeth starts and we all turn when the back door opens, Aiden enters along with a gust of wind.
“Well, I don’t want to doeveryone’ssewing,” she responds, giving us her patented eye roll.
“There are going to be some changes to the schedule going forward, kiddo,” Aiden tells his niece. “We’ll talk about it later, but I imaging you’ll be rotating through all the chores going forward.”
“No! Taking care of Sara and doing dishes is plenty of work, thank you very much.” The silent rage that rolls through the room at Rachel’s reply is so palpable that I’m sure Lee can feel it a couple of miles away.
“It is not up for discussion,” Aiden snaps at her, then exhales, swiping his hand through his hair. “Shelby’s doing too much work and we’re not going to risk herlifebecause you don’t like doing something. We all have to do things we don’t enjoy, it’s the price of everything we have here.”
“It’s not like I want to be here, but I wasn’t given a choice, now was I?” she yells, startling a screech out of my daughter, as Sara is thrust into my arms.
I almost call out a warning that she’ll need a coat as I watch her stomp to the front door, but right this second, I think that a little bit of frostbite would do her well. Rachel slams the door behind her with every bit of teenage angst that she can muster, but I’m more focused on getting my baby calmed down to care.
Christ, what am I going to be in for with this one when she’s that age? I wonder, looking down at Sara’s pinched up features as she cries. A sudden hiccup distracts my daughter and I lightly bop her on the nose, the little grin that she beams up at me tells me she’s forgotten her momentary upset.
“Hell,” Aiden sighs. “I didn’t exactly handle that right, now did I?”
“It’s probably not the right time to mention this, but Rachel was upset she didn’t get to go to town with Dylan and Jace,” Elsbeth tells us, and I sign this to Trisha who lets out a loud snort.
“What? Does she think the mall is open down there?” Trisha replies. “I’m happy to talk to her, if Julia will help me.”
Elsbeth nods her head. “Maybe you two will get further with her than I did. Trust me, I tried to explain that we’ll be lucky if they come home unscathed. I’m afraid we’ve gone too easy on her; at first because of her trauma, then because it was easier than dealing with her explosions.”
