Chapter 13
1041 Words
Chapter 13
James woke up slowly. He could hear Donny laughing in his crib. Scarlet’s place next to him was still warm. He got out of bed and looked in on Donny.
He then went back to his and Scarlet’s room to look for her. He heard a noise from the bathroom and opened the door. Scarlet was vomiting.
“Scarlet,” he said, rushing over to her.
“I'm not feeling very well,” Scarlet said.
“How long has this been going on for?” he asked.
“A few days,” she said.
“You were feeling sick before you were shot?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Maybe you should rest,” he said. “I'll take care of Donny.”
“Alright,” she said. “Help me up?”
“Of course,” he said.
Taking her arm, he helped her up and into their room. She sat on the bed and looked up at him.
“Alright,” he said. “I'm going.”
James left the room and went downstairs. He looked around the living room. Everything was perfect.
“Mister James,” Merg said, coming into the room. “I have set everything up as you wanted.”
“Thank you, Merg,” he said.
“No need to thank me,” she said. “Just giving me and John the day off is enough.”
“You are both welcome,” he said. “Off you go now.”
Merg laughed before heading out the door.
He turned his attention to the tree. He had cut it down and decorated it himself. Scarlets' and Donnys' presents were under the tree.
James went to the stairs and called her to come down.
She came down the stairs a few minutes later with Donny. She was wearing a dark red dress. She smiled at him and he smiled back.
She saw the tree and gasped.
“What did you do?” she asked.
“I went and got the tree and decorated it,” he said. “I have presents for you and Donny.”
“It's beautiful,” she said.
Donny started fussing. James took him from her.
“How about we open some presents?” James asked.
Most of the presents for Scarlet were clothes while others were fabric that she had told him she wanted. After she had opened her presents, he handed her Donny to place in her lap.
She unwrapped Donnys presents and frowned when as looked at the clothes that James had gotten for Donny.
“Well?” James finally asked.
“The clothes are too small for Donny,” she said.
“I see,” he said. “And the clothes I had made for you?”
“Well,” she began.
James stood up and walked a few steps away from her.
“I should have know,” he said.
“James, wait,” she said as she stood. Holding Donny, she walked over to him.
He turned to her as he said, “You just turned down all my hard work.”
“I know,” she said. “I think it's time I gave you my present.”
“What is it?” he asked.
“I know the reason I have been sick the last couple of days,” she said.
“And that is?” he asked.
“I'm going to have another child,” she said.
“What?” he asked.
“I'm going to have a baby,” she said.
“When do you think the baby will be born?” he asked.
“Maybe July,” she said.
“Maybe we will have twins,” she said. “Would you like that?”
“I would,” he said. “But having one at a time is fine too.”
“I've been thinking about what Hope told us,” she said. “And I figured something out.”
“What did you figure out?” he asked.
“Faith had twins.”
“What? How do you figure that?”
“Faith told Hope to tell him she had a son. If Faith really did love Hunter, and I think she did, she would only want him to know about the one child.”
“Why would she keep another child a secret?”
“Maybe she didn't want him to worry about two children.”
“Why would she leave my brother for this creep?”
“I don't know, James. Maybe she was forced to?”
“Maybe.”
“I hope he comes to visit soon. I want him to meet Donny.”
“I want him to meet you and Donny. I know he will love you as much as I love you.” He put his arm around her waist. “Let's have breakfast. I gave Merg and John the day off. It's just the tree of us.”
“No, four. Don't forget about our little one.”
“I can't believe we are going to have a second child already.”
“I know. Who would have thought a year ago that we would now be married and have Donny?'
“I'm still amazed that this has happened. I love you, Scarlet.”
“I love you, James.”
“Come on, Scarlet. I'm hungry.”
Late that night, Beth turned to look at Smith who stood near the fireplace smoking a pipe. She sighed. It was time that they talked. They hadn't talked about it for years now and she felt like they had never really gotten over losing Sammy.
“Smith, it is time we talked,” she said.
“About what?” he asked without turning to face her.
“I think it is time Scarlet learns the truth,” she said.
“Who’s secret is it?” he asked.
“It is yours,” she said. “But just because we lost Sammy you blame me for everything your son does.”
“The only one who knows the truth about Sammy and James is Hunter,” he said. “And Hunter has kept that a secret for our sakes.”
“Scarlet has been a part of this family for a long time now,” she said. “And James and Bellie have know the truth for a while now.”
That got him to turn to look at her. He asked, “They know?”
“Yes,” she said. “James told me that he remembered what had happened. Bellie was sitting by me when he started talking.”
“He has known all these years?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “And he has never said a word about it since.”
He saw tears in her eyed. He sat the pipe down on the mantle and walked over to her. He pulled her up out of the chair and wrapped his arms around her.
“I'm sorry, Beth,” he said. “I never meant to hurt you. I love you.”
“I know,” she said, laying her head against his chest. “But every since we lost Sammy, you never seem to want to talk to me or be with me.”
He laid his face against her hair.
“It was my fault we lost him,” he said. “I couldn't bear for you to blame me.”
“I never blamed you,” she said. “I just wanted you to tell me that everything was going to be fine. I wanted us to have more children.”
“We should have talked after losing Sammy,” he said. He took a deep breath. “You are right. We do need to tell James the truth.”
“That's all I ask,” she said.
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