Sam looked upon the work that was being done on the railroad; he took it upon himself to fill in for his father, while also watching over Jedidiah. "Alright men on the count of three, we'll release that lever. One...Two...Thr--," before he could finish the word, 'three.' There came a weak voice.
"Sam," Jedidiah called from the tent, while going into a coughing fit.
Running away from the work he was doing, he came into the tent ignoring the groans of annoyance from the others he was working with. Trying to catch his breath, "Yes, Pa?"
"How are the train tracks coming?" Jed said weakly.
It took a lot of strength from Sam not to throw a sarcastic remark at his father, and scold him for calling him when he was working. "It is coming along wonderfully, Pa."
"Good," the cowboy replied.
There was an awkward silence, "Do you need...anything?"
"Some water would be nice," Jed replied weakly.
Sam got Jed some water. Jed had become a little stronger so he could drink for him self.
"Thank you Sam. Now go on and get back to work," Jedidiah said.
As Sam walked back out of the tent, Octavius came in.
"How is he?" Octavius asked.
"Better. Keep an eye on him for me. I need to get back to work," Sam said
Walking in quietly, "Hello Jed," Octavius said sitting on a crate.
"Hey, Octtie," Jedidiah greeted smiling weakly. "Sam...Is working right, that boy could be working on one thing, then off to another!"
Chuckling, "From what I saw he was."
Looking out of a crack of the tent, "I wish I could be out there instead of here."
"Well first off you have to get well again," Octavius stated.
"I know but I wish he didn't have to go through that stress," Jedidiah said.
"Well right now not meaning to sound rude its better him right now instead of you," Octavius said.
Jed laughed weakly and soon went into a coughing fit. He sat up a little trying to stop. Octavius went by him and held him up.
"Come on Jed calm down. Calm down," Octavius coaxed.
After a few minutes Jed stopped. Octavius gave him some water.
"Are you okay?" Octavius asked.
"Yeah I think so," Jed replied.
Turning a little to Octavius, "Where is Octavia?"
"I believe she is still with the Empire," Octavius stated, "though she said she would come as soon as possible, why do you ask?"
Laying back down, "I was hoping she would maybe hang around Sam a little. There are a few his age here, and Octavia is surprisingly the only one his he gets along with."
"Are you thinking that Sam has a crush on my daughter?" Octavius asked.
"Yep. I think he does," Jed replied.
"You know I think Octavia has a crush on your son. I can tell," Octavius said.
"I think they would be a fine couple," Jedidiah said.
Sighing, "I don't know. I mean they are very different."
Looking at the general quizzically, "What do you mean by that?"
"Well first off there is a huge gap between the times they were born, and Octavia is used to Roman life not...Frontier life. Anyways, Sam is not the proper age for marriage."
"Marriage?!" Jedidiah exclaimed.
"Yes, marriage if my daughter was to get with your son, it would only be for marriage," Octavius stated.
"Sam is only sixteen! He ain't ready or old enough for that kind of thing," Jed sated going into another coughing fit.
Trying to help, as soon as it was over Octavius continued, "Well Octavia is fifteen. That to me is a good age, and anyways I could have married her off younger. I almost did when she thirteen."
"Octavius can't you bend the rules once and just let them go out for a few times?" Jed asked.
"I don't know," Octavius stated.
"Come on Octtie. Let them have fun before they get married. If that happens," Jed stated.
"Fine I'll try," Octavius said.
Jedidiah went to sleep while Octavius watched over him. What the two adults didn't know was Octavia was at the entrance of the tent and had heard all of this.
Octavia had been sitting; while they talked the poor girl began to feel a little light headed, 'Sam has a crush on me.' That was the statement that went through her mind over and over again. When she started to stand up, a hand grasped hers. There stood Sam, she wished it was someone else.
"Hello Octavia," Sam said helping her up. The Roman girl just looked at him, trying to think of something, anything, to say to him.
Giving a polite nod, "I...uh have to go do something...Somewhere else," she stated walking backward. Until she tripped over a log which was on the ground. "Ouch!"
Sam came running, "Are you alright, Octavia?!" He asked helping her into a sitting position.
"Y-yes," Octavia answered, "I'm just-."
"Maybe I should get Doctor Gregson!" Sam stammered, displaying nervousness.
"No, no, that is not needed truly," she said, while trying to avoid eye contact.
Sam noticed that Octavia tried to avoid eye contact.
"Octavia is there a reason you won't look at me?" Sam asked.
"No. No reason at all," Octavia said.
"Then look at me," Sam said.
Octavia looked into his deep blue eyes.
'Oh God. Now I'm lost in his eyes. They are so beautiful. No stop it!' Octavia thought to her self.
"Sam I have a confession to make," Octavia said.
