Chapter Fourteen
"Honey, we need to start preparin' your daddies body for the funeral." She said softly. I nodded, and walked towards Aunt Lavicy.
"Cap - " I broke off and looked at my husband. He looked back at me quizzically. "I love you."
"I love ya too, darlin'." He said in his accent. I smiled sadly, before following my aunt. We prepared the body and by dawn, I was exhausted. Cap, Johnse, Uncle Anse, and Uncle Jim all carried him to the coffin where he set him gently. Then we all got ready for the funeral. I wore a dark navy dress. We all met back at the farm where we all somberly made our way down to the cemetery plot, where we quietly buried Daddy.
Later that afternoon, the whole Hatfield clan left with the McCoy boys. I knew what was coming, but I also knew that Randall McCoy would seek justice for his sons' murder, even though it would be justified.
"Cap?" I whispered that night as we laid in bed, trying to sleep. Cap rolled over and looked at me, with his head propped up on his hand.
"What?" He asked curiously. I rolled over to face him.
"Why did my Daddy have to die?" I asked him, that question burning my soul. "Daddy was always the one who never wanted no harm to come to either families. And they killed him, like he was somethin' to be slaughtered, like an animal. Worse'n a animal I spect."
"Darlin', I dunno why they did it. I just know that they got what was owed them." Cap said, pulling me closer. I laid my head on his chest, as he rolled back over on his back. "They reaped what they sowed."
"Cap?"
"Hmm?" He hummed, his chest vibrating with everything he said. I put my hand on his chest and just listened to his heartbeat.
"What do ya reckon's gonna happen next?" I asked. He tensed for a heartbeat, before he relaxed again.
"I don't right know." He said.
"I reckon, Ole Ranall McCoy ain't gonna be happy." Cap hummed in agreement.
"I can't imagine he will be. Prolly sees it as some kind of revenge against his family." Cap agreed. "Get some sleep."
"Ok," I hummed, and stayed where I was. I finally got to sleep once the sky started to lighten. Cap gently disentangled himself from me, and left to go to the lumber yard. When I awoke and made my way to Aunt Lavicy's she informed me that Cap had told her not to disturb me, that I hadn't slept very well last night. I guess Cap hadn't either, or else he wouldn't have known.
"Here, take these to the yard." Aunt Lavicy gave me a bundle of lunches. She pushed a smaller bundle into my arms. "Eat that, while you're there. And I put in a lunch for Cotton. The poor boy is visiting your daddy's grave. He ain't come back yet."
For the next two months, things were much the same. Cotton went out to sit near Daddy's grave first thing in the morning and didn't come back until it was dark out. I expressed my concern to Cap one night, and he said he would speak with his father.
I guess they did, for the next day, once the men were done at the lumber yard, they brought Cotton home with them. He told Aunt Lavicy and I how sorry he was and that he was gonna start doing his chores again. I shared a smile with Cap, who was giving me an indescribable look.