“How is he?” Luke demanded as he stepped into the room. His words were directed at Janelle, although his intense gaze hadn’t left his son. He couldn’t miss Wisteria stiffening in reaction to the sound of his voice, although she didn’t turn, continuing to bathe their ailing son.
“Better,” Janelle answered from where she stood observing nearby. She walked to his side and explained soft and low for the brothers’ ears only. “I gave him some penicillin from my medicine stash. I didn’t tell Wisteria exactly what it was, you understand. Two doses a day for ten days should knock this infection out. I’m sure you can smell the peppermint infusion I have going.” He inhaled, felt the cooling vapor enter his nose, and nodded. “It’s already helping him breathe easier. I also made him a mild peppermint and thyme tea for his cough. Honey would be better, although at less than a year old, I worry about allergies.” She shook her head when Wisteria glanced over her shoulder at them. “The tepid bath is reducing his fever. He’s still a sick little boy, but he’s perked up quite a bit.”
Luke stepped further into the room, drawing the baby’s wide-eyed attention. He returned his stare as he walked to the end of the tub and squatted down, meeting his son for the first time.
“His name?” he asked, his low baritone edged with barely contained emotion.
“Micah,” Wisteria replied in a whisper.
“His full name.”
“Micah,” she paused, a hitch in her response. She cleared her throat before trying again. “Micah Lucas Skeens.”
His eyes shifted to his son’s mother. The rawness roiling inside him must have shone in his eyes because she recoiled slightly.
“That is the first thing we’ll need to address.”
“I—” she began, but he cut her off.
“Not now,” he said sharply, drawing Micah’s eyes. His lower lip quivered and melted Luke’s heart. He didn’t want his son’s first encounter with him to be forged in fear. “Tend to him. We’ll talk when he’s better.”
“Luke—”
“Don’t argue with me, Wisteria. I’m furious and barely have it contained.” He rose to his feet. “I need some air.” His eyes zoned in on her. “Don’t even think of going anywhere.”
She returned his stare silently, her unease crystal clear as she drew her lower lip between her teeth and worried it. The coldness of his tone and the bite of his words didn’t seem to surprise her, they were well-deserved, but he saw hurt flicker across her features all the same. In the end, she bowed her head and nodded in agreement. Satisfied for the moment, he cast one last look at his son before he strode from the room.
* * *
“Well,” Janelle drawled, breaking into the lingering silence after Luke stalked out. The only other sound was the cooing and babbling of the sweet child in the tub. “That could have gone worse.”
“Janelle,” Aaron warned.
“What? I was expecting Jackson brother pyrotechnics worthy of the Fourth of July. Getting only a sparkler, I see that as a good thing.”
Wisteria looked at the woman who knew as much about healing as any doctor she’d seen and frowned. Although helpful, she had a very odd turn and spoke unlike anyone she’d ever heard. She only understood half of what she was saying, but she couldn’t worry about that at the moment. She was too busy calming her racing heart after seeing Luke after almost two years and worrying about her sick baby.
“He’s terribly angry, isn’t he?” she asked of those who knew him better.
“What did you expect?” Heath replied. “If someone had taken Micah away from you at birth and hidden him all this time, how would you react?”
“Heath,” Janelle murmured.
“No. She needs to know how serious this is.”
“I do,” Wisteria insisted.
“I don’t think you do, or you wouldn’t have done it in the first place. Or lied to me in Manitou Springs when I asked point blank if your child was Luke’s.”
“You don’t understand.”
“No, I don’t. Although for your sake, I hope that eventually Luke does.” Heath then moved to leave, murmuring to Aaron, “I’ll go check on him.”
As he did, Janelle moved to the tub and bent down to touch Micah’s forehead with the back of her hand. “His fever is down, you can get him out if you’d like.”
Wagon wheels crunched on the gravel drive out front. “That’ll be Micah’s grandparents,” Aaron announced. “If he’s up to it, bring him down to meet them.”
Wisteria’s eyes flew to Janelle’s as Aaron also quit the room.
“I’m in big trouble, aren’t I? Heath hates me and I have a feeling his parents aren’t going to be my biggest supporters either.”
“I won’t lie, honey. This won’t be easy. Heath gave me a hard time at first when he thought I was after Aaron’s money. As the oldest brother, he’s very protective and can be a tough nut to crack. He came around soon enough and we get along really well now. Henry, their pa, is an easy touch with a sad story and a pretty smile. His mother is kind and good-natured, though I can’t say how she’ll react to her first and only grandchild withheld from her for a year.”
“Great,” she grumbled.
“Don’t worry too awful much. You’ve got an ace up your sleeve by being that cute little baby boy’s mama. That’s half the battle.”
“I hope so.”
“I know so. After almost three years, I’m a Jackson brother expert, so to speak. Jenny will be on your side too.”
“Too bad she isn’t here.”
“She will be. This family is close. When something’s up, it’s like they all have radar, or something.”
“Ray what?”
Janelle made a face. “Never mind.” She rushed across the room and snatched a fluffy towel off the shelf. “Let’s get this cutie pie out of the tub and all dry before he turns into a prune. Then we’ll introduce him to his grandparents. It will be fine, Wisteria. Trust me.”
“You’re sure? What about Luke? Is he the forgiving type?”
Freezing in the act of towel-drying Micah’s hair, Janelle’s eyes shifted to hers, filled with concern.
“I can’t answer that question, honey. I’ve never seen Luke with a woman other than…” Her voice trailed off as she bit her lip.
“Other than who? Frannie?”
“Who?” Janelle asked with a puzzled frown.
Wisteria’s brow furrowed deeply; was she joking? “I’m assuming her last name is Jackson by now.”
“Whose name? I have to admit I’m lost here, Wisteria.”
“Frannie Jackson, Luke’s wife.”
She choked. “His what? Oh, honey. Luke isn’t married. Is that what this is all about?”
“I don’t understand,” she muttered, sitting down hard on the edge of the tub. “I heard he was promised to her before I left.”
“You must have heard wrong. I’ve never heard of a Frannie. As for Luke, well, let’s say he hasn’t been one to settle on one gal for very long, let alone become engaged.”
She swayed a bit, which caused Janelle to swoop Micah up in her arms.
“If you feel faint, put your head between your knees.”
Wisteria nodded, bending forward, her arms wrapped around her waist. “Oh, Janelle. I think I’ve made a huge mistake. And I don’t know if Luke will ever be able to forgive me for it.”
Sitting next to her with Micah secured in one arm, Janelle patted her back reassuringly with the other. “Luke’s a good man, Wisteria. If a mistake’s been made, be honest with him about it. I’m sure he’ll understand and see your side of things eventually.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“He can’t hold this over your head forever.”
“You didn’t see the look in his eyes a minute ago. Forever might be exactly what I’m facing.”
* * *
Propped against the doorframe leading into the large front parlor, Luke watched as his mother kissed Micah’s head for the hundredth time since he’d come into her
arms. With her nose buried in his glossy brown hair, she inhaled deeply and sighed.
“He smells so good, Henry.”
“Give him to me, woman, before you suck up all his sweet baby smell.”
He would have laughed at his pa’s reaction to being a first-time grandfather, if his heart weren’t in such turmoil. His hands fisted as he quelled the urge to throttle Micah’s mother, he was that angry. That would have to wait, however. They had a few matters to get settled first.
“Wisteria, come with me.” Razor sharp, his voice cut through all conversation. She spun around, a look of dread crossing her face as she froze in place. “Now, please. Ma and Janelle will take care of the baby.”
“Micah.”
“What?”
“His name is Micah,” she snapped. “You haven’t even said it yet.”
He held up his hand with his thumb and forefinger a half inch apart. “I’m this close to losing my temper. Don’t push me.” He held her gaze for a moment to ensure she grasped the situation. “We’ll be on the porch. If Micah needs something, please come get us.” His eyes were locked on her as he addressed the room in general, then turned on his heel, expecting her to follow. The implication was clear that in his current mood there’d be hell to pay if she didn’t.
He was at the railing, staring at the mountains in the distance when he heard the screen door squeak open a few moments later. A wise decision on her part. Her heels clicked on the boards as she took a few steps outside. He didn’t turn when he spoke.
“We’ll marry as soon as I can arrange it.”
She made a sound, half between a gasp and a groan, but he continued on, wanting to make his point. “I’m not entirely sure what went on that day, except Frannie and her mother were suffering from a delusion that I quickly dispelled after I saw her ludicrous note, chocolate cake-covered as it was.” Turning fully, he leaned back against the railing with his arms crossed over his chest, one booted foot topping the other. Although his stance suggested nonchalance, tension tightened his body like a drawn bow. “Their timing was unfortunate, as was your fleeing from my home after you promised you’d wait there for me. If you’d have stayed for an explanation… We won’t get into all of that right now. Suffice it to say, I won’t be parted from my son and he needs his mother. So we’ll marry and make the best of the situation.”
Distinctly uncomfortable, her eyes skittered away as her hands twisted nervously in her skirt. “Is that really necessary?”
“It is, unless you plan to hand him over to my care.” Unflinching, he watched as her eyes flew wide with horror and her trembling hand covered her mouth as if she was going to be ill.
“No! Please, I’ll do whatever you say. Just don’t take Micah away from me.”
“You mean like you did to me?” He was being harsh, he realized that, although no more than she’d been by keeping the very existence of his own flesh and blood from him.
“I’m sorry, Luke.” Unshed tears gleamed bright in her eyes. “It appears what I heard that day and took for gospel was a horrendous misunderstanding. But, please,” she repeated. “I’m begging you. He’s all I have and he needs me. He’s not even a year old.”
His ma’s voice came suddenly through the screen. “Wisteria, Micah is getting fussy. I think he might be hungry.”
“Thank the good Lord,” she cried as she rushed toward the door. “He’s hardly eaten in two days.” She paused, turning back, her eyes barely meeting his. “I’m still nursing him, Luke.”
“Go take care of him. We’ll finish this later.”
The door squeaked as it opened and shut. He stood without moving for several moments.
“Son.” Luke’s tired eyes shifted to his mother who had come to stand by his side without his knowledge. “You’re not seriously considering taking that baby away from his mother, are you?”
“No, ma. I wouldn’t do that to him.” His hand came up and rubbed his weary eyes as he added, “Or to her. He’s staying, which means she is too, whether she likes it, or not.”
Chapter Ten
The next two days passed at a snail’s pace, so torturously slow it was as if she experienced every tedious swing of the pendulum in the antique clock in the main hall. It shouldn’t have been so, with plenty to occupy her. Micah was doing better, although not completely well. He still became feverish in the evenings, which Janelle said wasn’t unusual. It wasn’t nearly as high as it had been, but combined with a lingering stuffy nose and cough, sleep for him, and accordingly for his mama, was hard to come by. The constant flow of visitors into the house kept them both busy and Micah entertained; nevertheless, the ongoing tension between her and Luke made time pass at an interminable pace.
Though she saw him frequently, they didn’t have another opportunity to speak alone. Someone always seemed to be present. He’d drop in either when Aaron and Janelle were present, or after supper when Henry and Letty stopped in, which they had done every day. Letty often came each morning as well, to see how she could be of help. Wisteria was beginning to wonder if Luke arranged it that way, to avoid spending time alone with her. Of course, it could be a coincidence with so much traffic in the house, but she couldn’t be sure.
Heath brought Jenny for a visit the next day. It was nice to see a friendly face, not that the other Jacksons hadn’t been cordial to her, but Jenny seemed to be genuinely happy to see her. She’d hugged Wisteria close as if they were old, dear friends before taking a babbling, grinning Micah into her arms for a cuddle.
“He is precious, Wisteria,” she gushed as she bounced him on her hip. “And he looks exactly like Heath.”
Janelle, who was also present at the time, countered with a laugh. “Funny. I think he looks exactly like Aaron.”
“Personally,” Wisteria chimed in. “I think he’s the spitting image of his daddy.”
All three women grinned at their inanity, considering the brothers looked practically identical. Janelle’s hand came to her belly. “If I have a boy, how will we tell them apart?”
“Oh, Janelle,” Jenny breathed with wonder. “You too?”
“What do you mean ‘you, too’?” Her blue eyes widened at Jenny. “You’re expecting too?”
“Yes.” She beamed, clearly ecstatic.
“I haven’t told Aaron the news yet. Does Heath know?”
“I’ve told him of my suspicion. He’s thrilled, although I think his impending fatherhood is partly why he’s been so harsh with you, Wisteria. I’ve told him that’s no excuse and made no bones about how unhappy I am with him over that.”
“I don’t really blame him, Jenny. At least he’s honest in his defense of his brother.”
“Yes, he is that; still, he doesn’t have to do it so rudely.”
Not wanting to belabor the discord she brought to the family, she searched for a change in topic. As she eyed her two new friends, she smiled for the first time in days as she noticed they stood in a similar fashion, both resting their hands on their still flat bellies. “I don’t mean to scare you, but I feel it’s my duty to warn you both that Jackson babies grow big.”
They both paled.
“Best start letting out your dresses now. I showed at three months.”
“She’s not lying, Janelle. I saw her in May with a few months to go and she was huge already.” Jenny voiced her concern candidly, then seemed to realize how it sounded. “Oh, dear. I didn’t mean—That is to say, oh, dear, there isn’t a nice way to say it, but you looked like a tick about to pop.” She frowned, her less than articulate tongue not making things any better, glaring at Janelle who wasn’t helping by smothering a giggle. “Wisteria, I apologize, you were radiant,” her hands came out, making a wide circle in front of her belly, “but very, very round.”
“I was as big as a house, there’s no denying it. In all honesty, I was eight months along, not the six I implied, and believe it or not, I got much bigger. I thought I’d burst. He was a larger than average-sized baby. The delivery wasn’t easy.”
“What was that, Janelle?” Wisteria asked, completely confounded. She spoke as if in a foreign language sometimes.
“Nothing.”
Wisteria frowned. There she went again. Jenny seemed not to notice; instead she was studying her belly with a disconcerted frown.
“Don’t either of you worry. When Micah came I did fine and I’m slighter than either of you. You two both have inches on me, which means plenty more room to carry a big Jackson boy.”
“Which means plenty more grow room,” Jenny grimaced. “I’m with Janelle. Dear Lord. Why did we have to marry such big strapping men?”
“You know the answer to that, sister dear,” Janelle remarked, making a similar face.
“I have no idea what either of you are talking about, but I’m happy for you. Genuinely. A baby brings such joy into your life.”
The two sisters-in-law beamed at each other.
“Letty is going to freak out,” Janelle gushed happily. “To go from lamenting about going to her grave with no grandbabies one day, to being a grandmother three times over the next day.”
Jenny’s soft laughter rippled through the air. “Henry won’t be able to get her down from cloud nine for a month of Sundays.”
“Forget about me, who’ll get Henry down?” Letty asked from the door. “He’s been more anxious than me.” Clapping her hands happily, she gushed, “More babies! I am truly blessed.” Then she rushed into the room and pulled all three of them in for a big group hug.
* * *
It had been five days and the talk Luke had promised for ‘later’ hadn’t come. There had also been no further mention of marriage. She was beginning to wonder if perhaps he’d changed his mind. With Micah almost better, it was beginning to feel awkward staying on with Janelle and Aaron. They weren’t family yet, and at this rate might never be. She couldn’t stay on with them indefinitely. She had a family of her own and needed to go home to them. Slim and Virginia must be frantic. After the first night, she begged a favor of Aaron and sent him around with a brief note. It said little more than Micah was sick and under the care of a nurse and she’d send word soon.
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