Christmas Past

This is just a short Christmas story in three parts.

As usual no copyright infringement is intended. Bill and his family are all the creations of Alan Ball, HBO and Charlaine Harris.

Some licence has been taken with the ages of Thomas and Sarah for the sake of the story and the character of Jerimiah Stackhouse.

Part 1

'Sookie has made her choice Jessica, and I want you to respect that. There'll be no hard feelings towards her please' he said. 'But Bill I don't understand if she loves you…' she questioned. 'Jessica please don't' Bill said with feeling. Jessica could see by the look on his face that he was trying so hard to be fair to Sookie. Yes, she had chosen not to be with either Bill or Eric but it hurt Bill and she knew it. In Jessica's young eyes Bill was the most caring, loving man she had ever met. She knew that when he said he only wanted Sookie to be happy, whether that meant with or without him, he really meant it and that was true love.

'I'm sorry Bill' she said hugging him. 'Of course I won't cause any scenes if I run into Sookie. Hell, she's practically the only Mom that I have ever had so I don't want to hurt her but….' Bill sighed. Jessica was shamefaced, she realised that she was only making it worse for him so she let it drop but privately, she wanted to slap Sookie for what she was doing to Bill. If I ever was so lucky to have someone love me as much as Bill, I would never let him go she, was thinking. At least Eric was suffering the same fate but she doubted whether Eric's love for Sookie was anywhere near that of Bill's.

'It's nearly dawn Bill aren't you going to ground?' she asked. 'I will soon, I just have some loose ends to tie up before I'm done. Good night Jess and thanks for your concern but please don't worry about me, I'm fine' he said as he kissed the top of her head. 'Night Bill, don't stay up too late or you'll get the bleeds'. He might be saying he's fine but she knew that he wasn't and hadn't been since Sookie had ended their relationship, disappeared then returned only to go to Eric. On top of all that she had made her decision not to be with anyone and Bill had accepted it, but Jessica just couldn't.

Bill sighed heavily as he sat in his office surrounded by the newly decorated walls with its elegant artwork and exotic décor. It was nearly Christmas again and another year would soon be over, not that it made any difference really to Bill but it did get him thinking as he looked around at what once had been his family dining room. He did something that he had promised himself he would never do again but perhaps it was because he had talked about Sookie with Jessica that made him feel so nostalgic for better times, he allowed himself to recount his very last human Christmas.

It was eighteen sixty five and the war was still going. He had not been home to see Caroline or the children since it had begun and he missed them so much. With the on set of the winter frosts, the war was an even more unendurable struggle of survival. Even the bayous and water holes were frozen over in that bitter December, just trying to find a piece of ground to sleep on was a hardship so that when the longer serving members of his regiment were offered furloughs, Bill's name came up immediately. The respect he had from fellow officers and the lower ranks was a testimony not only to his bravery in battle but to the man himself and he was so well liked by all that no one had any objections to Bill leaving for a few days respite.

The train that Bill and a few lucky others with leave passes had flagged down, pulled into the Munroe depot with out a fanfare. Gone were the days when the troop trains received rousing receptions from adoring believers, mostly now trains were met by grieving folks waiting for coffins to be unloaded or the ones that considered themselves lucky, were there to meet their wounded kin, these being soldiers considered too greatly damaged to be of any use what so ever to the army and if anything, they were just a burden, another mouth to feed with the all too dwindling food supplies.

Bill got out of the train and onto the platform. There was no one there to meet him of course, he was not expected as he had wanted it to be a surprise but that left him with the problem of travelling from there to home in Bon Temps. As luck would have it when he left the depot, after he had done a few errands and began walking his long way home, a wagon laden with meagre supplies drew to a halt just a few paces ahead of him and much to his delight he was greeted by of all people Jerimiah Stackhouse, his neighbour.

'Why Bill, is that you?' Jerimiah questioned. 'Well if you ain't a sight for sore eyes. It is so good to see some home folks still in uniform and in one piece.' Bill reached up and heartily shook his hand. 'Come on up here, I take it you are on leave and on your way home? Take the weight off your feet and jump in.' Bill was mightily relieved to see a familiar face and eternally grateful for the ride to Bon Temps. 'We heard about what happened to Tolliver, that wasn't right and someone will pay.' Jerimiah said sharply, looking at Bill for confirmation of the rumours that had spread throughout the small village, but Bill was keeping things close to his chest as you might say. Jerimiah respected that and let the subject drop.

'Do Caroline and the children know that you are coming?' he questioned 'She never said anything to me when I was over there the other day mending that fence near the lower pasture' he commented. 'I do as much as I can to help her out Bill, she is a fine woman, just one of the finest around here for many miles. She's doing wonderfully under the circumstances and Minas is such a big help to her. You know that she has offered to free him and some folks around here don't exactly agree with her but what I say is live and let live and I pretty much reckon that is yours and Caroline's feeling as well. One day this war is going to be over and it's going to be a brave new world and one for the better' Jerimiah said with feeling.

'I thank you for all that you are doing for me and mine. It is a relief to know that Caroline has someone near by to take care of her and I cannot tell you how much that eases me. You are right, one day this war is going to be over and just between you and me, the end isn't too far away. We don't have enough supplies, food is short and we don't have medicines. We are out numbered and we are fighting on empty bellies and some of the men are without shoes in the winter. There's snow in Virginia and men are dying like flies from the cold and the conditions. A whole generation will grow up without fathers, brothers, husbands or sweethearts and when it's all over, the glorious battles will be fought and won waving Old Glory while the ghosts of the youth march by silently cursing those telling the tales from the comfort of soft parlours. It's madness.' Bill proclaimed.

They drove on in silence for a short time then Jerimiah recounted all the local gossip to distract Bill from his dark thoughts. By the time they turned into the country lane that led to home for Bill, he was up to date with all the local news. As they drew level with the cemetery Bill was taken aback by the number of new graves and how much bigger the site had grown. He wasn't surprised by the number of new headstones but he was surprised that towns folk had the money to ship loved ones home and pay for the ornate markers as he knew that it was a costly affair and money was short with such high prices for food and provisions, but he could hardly begrudge anyone the last comfort of laying their precious relatives body to rest in their home soil.

'Thank you kindly Jerimiah, if you would pull over I will go the rest of the way on foot, it's not far and that way you can go straight on home. I can't thank you enough again for all your help. The Compton's are indebted to you, you are mighty fine neighbours and friends' Bill said in all sincerity as he got out and offered his hand again. 'Good luck Bill and don't you go worrying yourself about Caroline or the children, you know that I will always be around to take care of them when you go back to the front. By the way, you just send Thomas over when you are ready to leave and I will give you a ride back. I go into Munroe regular like, looking for supplies but it's getting harder, you boys are always beating me to it' he laughed before geeing up the horse and turning it into his drive.

It was not quite dusk as Bill walked up his drive and from a distance in the thin sunlight that was left, he stopped as he saw Caroline sitting on the porch with Thomas and little Sarah. 'Papa, Papa' Thomas whooped in delight, running as fast as his small legs could carry him straight into Bill's arms. Caroline, who had not been looking in the direction of the drive had looked up startled at Thomas's shouts and clutching her hand to her heart she had half stood, dropping the delicate piece of embroidering she had been working on. Little Sarah stood unsure of herself clinging to her mother's legs through her long crinoline before Caroline gently unprized her small hands and ran towards Bill, arms outstretched, her hair streaming behind her as it fell loose from it's normally secured knot at the nape of her neck.

Tears streamed down Caroline's face as Bill kissed them away, holding her tightly in his arms. It had been so long, it had been too long. Little Sarah was pulling at the hem of Caroline's dress and Thomas had his arms wrapt tightly around Bills leg before Bill broke his embrace with Caroline and picked up Sarah swinging her around to her delight saying 'My who is this fine young lady, for a minute I thought she was Sarah but she's just a little girl, so who is this beauty?' to which Sarah dissolved into a fit of giggles. 'Papa it's me, it's your Sarah' she lisped. 'No, it can't be, what have you done with my little girl?' she giggled again and carrying her in his arms flanked by Thomas and Caroline, they walked inside.

It was Christmas Eve and Bill had come home.

To be continued …..