Chapter 14
The Consequences of a Storm
I did another booboo. I usually keep notes on my wall about my stories, characters and what happens to them. Matt had given Ebb his name as being Nathan Burke yet, I screwed it up and had Ebb call him Noonan. So I'm just going to leave it at Noonan.
I apologize for my inconsistency, but when you're in a rush, you make mistakes. I'll try to be a little more careful. Also, because of fans needing a quick fix, this chapter is shorter then the others. But another will quickly follow, I promise. I had been away, that's why I did not submit a chapter for a bit. I apologize. Read and enjoy. I apologize for any and all mistakes.
KR
By mid-morning, Kitty was sitting on the floor playing with Naomi as Rachel slept.
Kitty held the rattle up allowing the child to just barely touch it and pulled it away from her grasp. Naomi giggled and gurgled at this action. Kitty leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, just as Nekuma came into the cabin with wood and kindling for fire. "Mama." She said and Kitty's eyes welled up with tears.
"I wish I was your Mama, sweetie." She said quietly as she gently caressed her smiling face. "I wish I was." Nekuma watched her as she continued to play with his little girl. He knew what she had said, he understood the word Mama, and he could hear the pain in Kitty's voice.
Kitty gently lifted Naomi into her arms and headed over to the bed, where she propped up the pillows on either side. She sat on the edge of the bed and unbuttoned her blouse to nurse the child. As she nursed the baby, she hummed a lullaby. Within a matter of minutes, Kitty had her lying on the bed between the pillows fast asleep. Kitty lovingly held her tiny hand within her own for a moment. Her heart was being ripped in two. She knew that Matt would find her and that Nekuma would leave with his children. Standing up, she angrily swiped at the tear that gently fell down her face. She was angry, angry that she had allowed herself to become so attached to these babies so quickly, angry that Nekuma had placed her in this situation. But mostly she was angry with Jude Bonner who had done horrible things to her, worst of all, giving her a bastard child that she thought no one could love, until she fell in love with the tiny being that had been growing inside of her. And than fate had stolen her only hope for healing from what that animal had done to her. Fate had reared its jealous head and taken the innocent child from her. Things were getting harder by the minute and all she wanted to do was scream at the top of her lungs and curse the world for its harshness. Nekuma had been quietly watching her from the fireplace but she did not see him. She couldn't look at him for fear that he would see her crying.
Ebb continued to peak the tiny hole in the shutter and watched as the woman interacted with the child then carried the child to the bed, with her back to him, he could not see what she was doing, but by the motions and the placement of the child he knew that she was nursing the baby. She had placed the sleeping child on the bed between the pillows then headed over to the stove to start cooking. He realized that his mouth was becoming dry, but not for the food that he began to smell as she started to cook, but for the pretty redhead. He had seen quite a few women in his life, many of them quite lovely. He had even heard about the redhead in Dodge, but he wondered if she could be as pretty as this redhead. She moved with grace, he noticed. She would definitely have to be a lady of well breeding, he thought to himself. Her kind was something that he had never had the opportunity to get acquainted with. That is, until now. He thought to himself as he smiled at the woman as she cooked for the man who knelt on the floor looking into the cradle. He gently reached into the cradle and Ebb watched as he pulled a small blanket up and caressed the belly of the child fast asleep. Looking back, he saw Twig was still peering around the corner of the house, watching to see if anyone came out. Nodding to Twig, he leaned down and both men took their boots off before setting foot on the porch.
Quietly they crept across the porch to the front door. Pulling their guns from their holsters, one was positioned on each side of the door. Ebb raised his hand to signal Twig, when he pointed to him, the burst through the door, firing one shot, hitting Nekuma in the arm. But not before he could pull his hunting knife out of its sheath. The knife found a home within Twig's chest. Kitty watched in horror as the man fell backward, his body landing on the porch. Angry that the last of his gang had been killed,
Ebb walked over to Nekuma and struck him hard on the head, knocking the big man unconscious. Kitty rushed over to Nekuma and knelt down. Looking at him, she saw the blood seeping from the wound on his head. Without waiting, she reached under her skirt to reveal a white petticoat, from which she ripped part of the trim. She then quickly folded it up and began to wipe at the blood on his head. Naomi began to wale and Ebb walked over to the small child lying on the bed. Looking down, then over at Kitty, he saw the terror in her eyes as he smiled evilly at her and pointed his gun at the child.
"No!" Kitty screamed as she stood up and rushed over to Naomi and pushed Ebb out of the way as she grabbed the crying child. "She's just a baby!" Kitty said as she held Naomi tightly against her breast, trying desperately to sooth the child. But her cadence of her own heartbeat gave away her fear to the child and she continued to cry.
"If you don't want me to kill that little animal, then I suggest that you get that little bastard under control. Or I'll be using it for target practice." He said as he went over to the door and pushed it closed. Kitty watched with tears running down both hers and Naomi's cheek. She was terrified for the babies. This man was a ruthless animal, and she didn't know if she would be able to save the babies, let alone her own life. Right now, all that mattered, was getting Naomi to quiet down. Sitting back down on the bed, she gently lay Naomi in her arms and began with a soothing lullaby. It was working as the child hiccupped one last cry and began to listen the soft voice that brought her a tender melody. She forced herself to relax and breathed deeply as she lifted her blouse slightly, trying to hide her body from the stranger, as she allowed Naomi to nurse, just a bit to get her back to sleep. When Naomi had finally fell asleep, she got up and headed over to the cradle behind her. She lay Naomi on the makeshift bed and took the pillows from the bed to keep her safe. As she looked down at the baby, she smiled slightly, she was afraid. This man didn't care who he killed, so it was obvious to Kitty that killing Naomi or even Kathleen, would be very easy for this pig. Whispering to herself, she promised Rachel that she would keep her daughters safe at all costs.
TBC