by Howe, Cheryl
He swiveled in the direction of the noise, adjusted his weight to his knees, and reached for his guns.
A child’s scream melted into a peal of laughter.
Braddock barely had time to reholster his pistols before a dripping, naked child ran full speed around the comer.
“I’m gonna get you, Rachel. Ma’s going to whip your behind.”
The taunt that followed her kept the little girl running past the haggard strangers in her front yard. The boy chasing her, however, stopped in his tracks. His eyes rounded into blue saucers.
“Rachel, get over here,” he commanded with real concern in his voice.
His sister continued to giggle while she careened around Archie, then Corey. Her pursuer’s sudden desperation seemed to make the game that much more fun. The two men held their hands up in the air and jumped to avoid the child the way they might have if a sea of rattlers were winding through their path.
The naked little girl bounded straight for Lorelei, wrapped her fists in her skirt, and hid behind her.
Beth waddled around the comer. “Did you catch her, Chris?” she called. The white apron she wore over her blouse and skirt was soaked up the front, and she was even more pregnant than the last time Braddock had seen her.
She stopped, apparently not recognizing him, and wiped her wet hands on her drenched apron. “Hello. I didn’t know we had visitors.”
Archie stepped forward. “You’re with child. How wonderful. Eight months, looks to be. You’ll be having the baby a little earlier, from the way you’re carrying.”
Her smile seemed strained until she spotted Lorelei standing behind Archie. Lorelei had coaxed the little girl in front of her and wrapped her skirt around the child.
“You must have a lot of children. Is this your wife?”
She sidestepped Archie to check on her daughter. “Rachel Hartman, get your fanny over here. You’re getting that nice lady all wet. I’m so sorry.”
Lorelei smiled. “She’s fine.”
The girl burrowed more deeply into Lorelei’s skirts. “I’m hiding, Mommy.”
“Lori May is his wife,” said Archie, pointing to Braddock.
Braddock stepped forward, hoping to cut the bartender off. “I’m sorry to drop in like this, Beth.”
She turned to him for the first time. “Christopher Braddock, I didn’t even recognize you in all the excitement. Is this your wife?”
Braddock forced himself not to cringe. Nor did he have the courage to deny it.
“We’re not married,” Lorelei spoke up. She kept her gaze on the little girl. “She’s so cute. How old?”
“Three.” Beth shot Braddock a curious glance. She wanted an explanation, and if he didn’t hurry she was going to concoct one of her own.
“These are…” He stopped, not knowing what to politely call the ragtag assortment. “These are some people who need help. I was hoping as a favor to me you could put them up for a while. They can help around the farm, of course.”
Beth Hartman pulled her gaze away to examine the others. Her face showed she didn’t believe him completely, but she respected him too much to say so. “You know Jay would do anything you asked. He’ll be thrilled you finally asked.” She appeared to suspend her silent investigation and smiled warmly. “Are you all hungry?”
“Starved,” Corey spoke up.
“Let’s get you all something to eat, then.”
Beth’s son, who’d been sticking to his mother’s side, finally moved toward them. “I’ll show you where you can put your horses. Is that an Indian pony?” he asked Corey.
“Hope not. I caught him wild and don’t want to get scalped for doing it.”
“We have wild horses on our land, but my ma won’t let me get near them.”
Corey winked. “She’s a smart woman. Better listen to her. This one about kicked my teeth in before we became friends.”
“Can I be his friend?” asked the boy.
“I don’t know.” Corey rubbed his chin. “Sugarfoot’s pretty selective. Why don’t you come over here and let her give you a sniff?”
The boy turned to Beth with pleading blue eyes.
“As long as you don’t touch her without permission. But first I want you meet your namesake.” She touched the boy’s shoulder and angled him in Braddock’s direction. “Christopher Braddock Hartman, meet Christopher Braddock.” Braddock stared at the child. He should have known Jay would follow through with his threat to name his unborn child after him. His only hope had been that the child Beth had carried would have been a girl. Poor kid.
“Both names, huh?” was all he could think to say. The kid looked too old to change his name now.
The boy returned Braddock’s stare with none of the eagerness he’d shown toward Corey. Beth urged her son forward with a gentle shove.
“Do you think Jay could be persuaded to do any less? I guess you’re just lucky he didn’t name him Captain Christopher Braddock Hartman.”
“I’m not a captain anymore,” said Braddock, not because it needed to be said, but because he was at a loss. Something was expected of him but he didn’t know what.
The child inched toward him reluctantly.
Braddock could feel Lorelei’s gaze on him. She would see just how truly incompetent he was with anyone who wasn’t a criminal or an enemy, and she’d be glad to be rid of him. Still, he didn’t want to scar the child for life. He already had his plate full, with the cross of a name he’d been given.
Braddock hunched down, trying to bring himself to the boy’s level, and reached out.
The boy placed his small hand in Braddock’s. “Nice to meet you. My dad says you’re a hero.”
Braddock shook with a gentle grip, but he couldn’t find the smile he wanted to give. “No, your dad’s the hero.” Christopher Braddock Hartman grinned from ear to ear. “Really? What’d he do?”
Braddock rested one knee on the ground. “He had you. And your brother and sisters. That’s pretty brave, if you ask me.”
Braddock hadn’t said it as a joke but the child laughed anyway. “That’s what my ma says when we try to teach her to ride. She says having so many kids is all the excitement she can stand.”
“It is. I don’t need to go racing around on the backs of those big animals when I have plenty to do with chasing after you and your sister.”
Christopher Braddock Hartman looked to the sky while a silly, upside-down grin tugged at his mouth. Braddock recognized the gesture as his father’s. He hadn’t seen Jay make that face since before his injury, and he wondered if it had been passed down like his blond hair and blue eyes. Braddock got a funny feeling in his chest. To his horror he felt like he was going to cry. He hadn’t cried since the first year of the war. But the emotion, being as overwhelming as it was, he recognized instantly.
“My mama’s afraid of horses,” little Christopher whispered loudly.
Braddock swallowed hard and forcibly got himself under control.
“I’m not!” yelled the boy’s sister. She escaped from Lorelei and ran in their direction. She stopped in front of Braddock and stuck her fingers in her belly button. “I’m not afraid of horses,” she said as she swayed from side to side.
Braddock stood mute, totally unsure of the proper etiquette with naked female children. He glanced at Beth, who seemed amused over his discomfort. A glance to Lorelei garnered the same response.
“She can’t ride yet. She’s too little,” said Chris. “Is that your horse?”
Braddock’s gaze strayed to where Chris pointed, knowing Lucky was the horse in question. Now that the little girl was taking inventory of her body parts, Braddock needed something to do with his eyes.
“Yep. That’s Lucky.”
“Can I ride him?”
“Christopher,” reprimanded Beth. “How many times have I told you not to ask people if you can ride their horses? Now, go take your sister around back and finish her bath so I can get our guests something to eat.”
“I want to h
elp with the horses,” the boy pleaded.
“I’ll be glad to finish her bath.” Lorelei extended her hand to Beth. “Lorelei Sullivan.” The two women shook hands. “And this is my brother, Corey.”
Corey whipped off his hat and bowed.
“Sorry, I guess I should have…” Braddock didn’t finish his sentence. His lack of social graces spoke for itself. He hadn’t used to be so inept, he reminded his hurt pride.
“And this is Archie.” Lorelei gestured with a twist of her wrist. “But we just met and I didn’t catch his last name.” Archie followed Corey’s lead and bowed gallantly. “Dr. Archibald Banks the Fourth, of the Virginia Bankses.”
Lorelei’s gaze widened, unsure as Braddock was as to the validity of his statement. Doctor of what was something they all probably didn't want to know.
“Yes, and you know…” Lorelei hesitated. “Christopher.”
The way she said his name, as if she never really knew him, unreasonably irritated Braddock. He finally found his voice. “Is Jay around?”
“He’ll be along shortly. Come on inside so I can fix you all something to eat. Rachel, would you like Miss Lorelei to finish your bath?”
Little Rachel finally pulled her curious and penetrating gaze away from Braddock, who sighed with relief. He’d rather be watched by an Apache scout.
The little girl’s stare targeted Lorelei. “You have pretty hair.”
Lorelei squatted. “Thank you, Rachel. If you let me give you a bath, I’ll let you return the favor. I bet I need a bath more than you.”
Rachel grasped Lorelei’s hand. She led her across the yard without a word to anyone, Braddock and everyone else forgotten.
“Corey, can you bring my bag? I think I’m going to need a change of clothes,” Lorelei called over her shoulder.
Beth, the only one brave enough to tangle with her naked daughter, put her palm on Rachel’s forehead, halting the girl’s abduction of Lorelei. “Hold on there, little miss. You mind Miss Lorelei. And if you don’t keep yourself in the tub this time, I’ll swat your bare behind.”
“But she wants a bath.” The little girl tilted her head almost off her neck to look up at her mother.
“Maybe she does, but you’re still going to mind her. You understand?”
Rachel held on to Lorelei’s hand as she would a favorite blanket. “Yes, ma’am.”
Beth’s gaze rose to Lorelei. “Thank you. I can’t keep up with her anymore.” She rubbed her swollen belly. “You’re already a blessing. I didn’t know how I was going to make it until the baby was born.”
Lorelei smiled, but it came out lopsided. “Wait until you hear our story. You might not want to keep us around.”
“I’ll want to.”
Little Christopher turned to Corey. “Let’s take the horses to the barn. We have lots of oats. Your horse will like that.” He swaggered toward the structure, not waiting to see if Corey followed.
Braddock watched with a painful swelling in his throat. The little boy had an exaggerated adult gait. He was big for his age, already a little husky, but long limbed. He walked like his father had. Braddock swallowed hard, hoping that if he had to cry he would be able to do it in private. His stomach started to burn in his effort to hold back the emotion.
“He’s Jay’s son, isn’t he?”
Braddock’s gaze was drawn to Beth’s. Shameless tears pooled in her eyes. Braddock set his jaw, ruthlessly grinding his teeth. He blinked, and was grateful his eyes were as dry as dirt. He looked away from Beth before that could change. He almost said, Jay’s a lucky man, but stopped himself. Jay’s luck was rotten. He just said, “Yep,” instead.
The sound of a horse galloping in their direction drew everyone’s attention. Braddock had to blink to make sure it was Jay who sat atop the big draft horse. He’d never expected to see his friend riding again. Jay slowed the horse when he reached the clearing and trotted right up to Braddock. He sat back, his hands resting on the saddle horn. “Thought I’d been out in the sun too long, but it is you.”
Braddock looked up at his friend’s face and shielded his eyes with the flat of his hand, half to block the sun and half to hide his expression. He purposely avoided looking at the empty stirrups. “It’s me. I’ve come to ask for a favor.”
Jay grinned. “It’s about time.”
“Pappy!” squealed Rachel as she broke from Lorelei and ran toward her father. She stopped in front of him and lifted her hands. “I want a ride.”
He didn’t pause at her state of undress. “You bet, sunshine.” He reached down, scooped up his daughter, and set her in front of him.
“Hey, Pa, my friend Corey’s got an Indian horse,” said Chris as he appeared and ran to his father’s side.
A shrill whistle, followed by the thud of more galloping hooves, caught their attention a second time. Two mules stirred the settling dust all over again. Both riders dismounted before the young mules stopped moving. A girl, Alice—the oldest, if Braddock remembered correctly—smiled at her younger brother, Jason. “Beat you.”
The boy glared at his sister. “You cheated. I didn’t know we were racing until you took off after Pa. That doesn’t count, does it, Pa?”
Jay rolled his eyes and flashed his crooked, upside down grin at Braddock. “It’s worse than the war.” He turned back to his brood. “Would you all start acting like you’ve seen company before? They’re going to think we’re a bunch of wild savages." He set his naked daughter on the ground. “Beth, you need to keep clothes on this child.”
Braddock balled his hands in fists to keep from pressing them over his heart. Jay was back to his old self, almost. He finally had the courage to glance past Jay’s thighs, and he could see where his pants fell over the wooden prostheses—that’s what they called them at the hospital they’d finally gotten Jay to. Braddock swallowed and looked away. Jay might have finally accepted the inevitable, but Braddock had spent big hunks of time forgetting. He wasn’t ready for any of this. It was a mistake to come here.
“I was going to give her a bath.” Lorelei walked from the corner of the house. As she spoke, her gaze wasn’t on Jay. It was on Braddock. He feared she could see his weakness. See him crumbling around himself.
Beth swept her hand at his ragtag group. “These are Christopher’s friends. They need a place to stay.”
“Well, they’re welcome here,” Jay said, as if there were no question about it.
“Before you make up your mind, we need to talk.” Braddock leaned forward. “In private.”
“If you want, Chris, but my mind’s made up. Beth, why don’t you take our guests inside and get them something to eat?”
His wife put her hands on her hips. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do.”
Jay made the face again. Luckily he didn’t recognize Braddock’s discomfort and laughed at his wife’s aggravation. “I’ve learned not to argue with a pregnant woman.”
“I would hope you’ve learned something, as many times as you’ve had to deal with one.” Beth turned and marched toward the house. Archie rushed to her side to help her up the steps.
“I’m going to help Corey with the horses,” said little Chris.
“I’ll help him,” said Alice.
Little Chris’s face fell, and Braddock figured the boy was usually showed up by his older siblings. He unwrapped Lucky’s reins from the house’s railing. “I think you’d better handle Lucky, Chris. I bet he’d take to you, since we have the same name.”
The little boy swelled a couple of extra inches as he swaggered over with his father’s old walk to take Lucky’s reins. Braddock felt he had finally done something right.
The child smiled at Braddock, then at Lucky. “Don’t worry, Lucky. It’s just me, Chris,” he said as he led the giant horse away.
“Alice, you can take Malicah.” Jay shifted in his saddle.
The moment Braddock had been dreading was finally at hand. He moved forward swiftly, but not fast enough. Jay had already swung one thigh over
the saddle horn. He lowered himself to the ground by gripping the saddle. His horse must have been well trained, because he didn’t even budge while Jay hung on to him for balance.
Braddock stopped, not knowing what to do. No one else moved to Jay’s aid. His daughter absently held his horse’s reins, unconcerned with her father’s struggle. Jay’s older son and wife had already disappeared with Archie, and little Chris seemed more concerned with Lucky than anything else in the world.
Braddock’s gaze strayed to Lorelei. Her brow furrowed, but her concern was directed at Braddock, not Jay. She must see his panic, the sweat beading above his lip.
Jay regained his balance, then lurched toward the house without so much as the use of a cane. Braddock could do little more than watch him in fascinated horror. Half of him was thrilled to see Jay on his feet; the other half howled for the loss of the man’s healthy swagger.
Jay’s oldest daughter led their draft horse to the barn without giving her father a second look. They all must be used to his painfully jerky stride. Every move Jay made twisted a rusted length of barbed wire running the length of Braddock’s body—a length of barbed wire laid the day Braddock led his friend into a field full of buried shells. A length of barbed wire that festered every time he thought of Jay and the accident.
Lorelei finally let Rachel pull her around the house for what was probably to be the drenching of her life.
Only Braddock stayed planted where he was, more unsure than he’d ever been in his life.
Jay stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “You want to talk on the porch?”
Braddock took a deep breath, then dragged himself after his friend. As Jay maneuvered the steps by clutching the rail, Braddock took his time wiping his boots on the dirt. Jay finally settled into a rocking chair at the end of the porch.
Braddock took the swing beside him. He sat forward, his forearms on his knees. Gazing into Jay’s clear blue eyes, he remembered all the times he had confided in him.
His friend appeared strong and healthy, as he had when he was first assigned to Braddock’s unit. Braddock hung his head, unable to look at him. This wasn’t the same man who had been assigned to his unit.