Abigail, My Love
Chapter Fourteen
Ben stood in the door way gazing at the sight of Hoss leaning back in the chair next to the bed Abigail lay in with his eyes closed; sleep had finally overcome him. Maybe, just maybe, it was because the doctor had said he saw no reason for the young woman not to pull through.
Making his way over to the other side of the bed Ben sat down in the chair he'd been using when in the room. When Adam and Little Joe poked their heads in, Ben put his fingers to his lips. The two brothers walked quietly into the room and sat down; Hoss still woke up.
"Sorry," Adam apologized as his brother straightened up, "didn't mean to wake you." They hadn't either. It had been three days since Abigail had been shot during the attempted bank robbery, and Hoss had slept very little since then.
"Don't worry none," Hoss answered as he rested his hand upon Abigail's still arm, "I slept enough. Besides, I believe I said I'd tell you when I decided to marry her." He gave them a small smile.
"You don't have to," Little Joe thought Hoss still looked tired. "We can all leave, and you can get some more sleep." He didn't want to see Hoss wear himself down. He wasn't surprised though when his brother declined, none of them were.
"I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep anyway," Hoss replied as he leaned back and began retelling the memory he held close to his heart.
Hoss and Abigail walked hand in hand down the streets of Virginia City. Heads no longer turned and the whisperings had lowered themselves to a small murmur. The good folks of the city had been shocked by the revelation Ben Cartwright gave them, but admitted that Hoss and Abigail were doing nothing illegal or immoral, a bit odd maybe, but nothing that was wrong. The other people were the ones still talking, and Hoss and Abigail simply ignored them.
Hoss and Abigail stopped near an alley when they heard a small child crying. Abigail let go of Hoss' hand and ran into the alley, with Hoss following her. A young boy, large in stature sat on the ground with his knees bent and his arms encircling them. Abigail knelt in front of the lad and spoke gently, "What's wrong? Are you lost?" The boy shook his head, but didn't answer.
Abigail did not recognize the boy and, since Hoss just shrugged his shoulders when she looked up at him, she figured he didn't know it either.
"What's your name? How old are you?" She figured he could tell them that much. She was shocked and appalled at his answer, as was Hoss. Though, he, Hoss, knew how it was.
"Kids called me fat dummy." Came the reply between sobs.
"Look here," Abigail spoke firmly, but gently, as she lifted the boy's chin up, "you may be larger than the other boys and, maybe, in some areas you may not be as smart, but tell me something. If you go into a store, do you take what isn't yours?" She kept her eyes on the boy.
Shock appeared on the young boy's face and he sat straight up. "'Course not! That's wrong!" He'd never do such a thing.
Abigail smiled and asked, "What should you do if someone drops something on the ground?" She figured she knew what the child would say; she did.
"Why pick it up and give it to them." He was looking at her as if to say, "Are you serious? Do you not know the answers to these questions?" However, as she continued asking him one question after another Hoss' smile was getting wider and wider. Here was a woman after his own heart; no, here was a woman with his heart already in her hands. By the time she was finished the young boy had gotten the message.
Standing up he brushed himself off. The grin that was on his face was as wide as Hoss' as he wrapped his arms around Abigail and gave her a hug. "My real name is Scott Philips. Thanks." He then ran off towards the school no longer caring what the other children might say. He knew the important things already, and that was enough to chase his tears away.
When Abigail turned to look at Hoss, she didn't know what to think about the look on his face. "Did I do something wrong?" she couldn't see where she had, but why was he looking at her like that if she hadn't?
Seeing how they were still in the alley, Hoss took hold of her shoulders and pulled her to him. She didn't fight him as he began kissing her with all he was worth. When he pulled away he surprised her with his next words, though her heart skipped a beat, her face lit up and her eyes started sparkling when she heard him say, "Marry me, Abigail. Be my wife."
"Yes! Oh, yes, Hoss!" Abigail and Hoss kissed again, but quit when a couple of boys walked by and let out some whistles. They hurried out of the alley and down to the courthouse. After all, they'd need to start the necessary paperwork needed for them to marry.
Hoss opened his eyes as he quit speaking, "She's got to live. She just has to." He couldn't lose his wife; they'd only been married a few months. There were years ahead of them still. No one spoke a word as the wind blew through the slightly opened window. The breeze felt good and seemed to be doing its best to give some comfort and assurance to the troubled men inside.