Hi again! Read on and enjoy.
Lady Ravanna- Thanks so much for your comments! =]
Guest- Why, thank you! I'm glad you still like it.
000000000000
"I'm sorry," Eabha muttered after a while. "Your blouse—"
"Oh, pay it no mind."
The poor girl wiped at her dampened cheeks, taking a moment to steady herself. Then, she stared at Ruth in utter relief.
"I…I can't believe you're here. I thought I'd never…"
"Neither did I," the older woman replied, resting a hand upon Eabha's arm. "But even under such circumstances, I'm glad to see you."
It was quiet for another minute or so. Eventually, Eabha sat up and rested beside the suitcase again. Now that Ruth's presence was sinking in, the numbing grief made its way back into her. She hadn't noticed the lack of light in the room until now. However, it was as if the churchwoman could sense her feelings.
"Here, come sit on the bed. I'll help you up."
"No, I don't want Branna to see."
Ruth glanced over at the noiseless crib.
"She's grown beautifully," she said. "You've done a fine job with her."
Eabha couldn't keep from shaking her head.
"I let that brute hold her."
Ruth could only gaze at the feeble woman for a little bit. However, she eventually spoke up with slight hesitance.
"Mr. Bohannon didn't tell me much, but…if you wanted to talk about what happened…"
"No," the girl muttered. "I don't even want to think of it. But it won't go away."
A few moments of silence passed before she kept going.
"Everything was all right, and then…and I did nothing."
Upon hearing this, Ruth shook her head.
"This wasn't your fault."
"But there must've been something I did wrong. I had Papa's gun, and I dropped it! I didn't—"
"No, Eabha," said the older woman as she took her friend's shoulders. "There's nothing you could have done for them."
The girl couldn't seem to fend off her guilt, so Ruth continued.
"Are you alive?"
"Yes, but—"
"And what of the baby? Did you keep her from being harmed?"
"Yes," Eabha replied after several seconds.
"Then you did all you could. The two of you are safe, and that's all that matters."
No matter how vigilantly she searched her mind, there was no way to rebuke this. She knew her friend was right. But the tears still hadn't stopped. After a few moments, Ruth carefully wiped beneath the younger woman's eyes with her thumbs.
"Your mother and father loved you. They'd be glad of your wellbeing." The churchwoman smiled as comfortingly as she was able. "And I know they're watching over you with God."
Eabha stared at the wall as her parents entered her mind.
"I'd be with them now, wherever they are. But Branna…she's what's stopping me."
OOOOOOOOOOOO
It was deeply soothing to be reunited with Ruth, but Eabha still couldn't go outside, only watching over the baby as the hours passed. However, she eventually opened her trunk and made herself unpack some of her things. Catrina's needles came out first, along with the unfinished scarf and the yarn spool, but the girl felt dead upon seeing them. Still, she set them in the tiny spot between the crib and the wall. There wasn't a place or a current need for the kitchen utensils, so they were moved to the bottom of the suitcase. All that remained was her intimates, a couple of blankets, her mother's apron and sleeveless chemise, some knee stockings, her cape, and the mourning dress.
But something else suddenly caught her eye. After moving some things aside, Eabha dug up Brendan's pale blue shirt. It was one of the items he'd gotten in Omaha. The girl had seen him wearing it for the first several weeks of their journey until he'd changed to the other one. She pulled the garment close, and to her surprise, it still smelled a bit like her father. Part of her was tempted to cry, but for the sake of her daughter, she held it back. Instead, she stepped towards the crib and moved the folded shirt beneath Branna's tiny pillow.
She won't remember her grandfather, but maybe this'll help her know what a good man he was.
Though it took some time, Eabha ultimately decided to sleep on the cot that night. It wasn't as soft as the mattress at Fort Smith, but she preferred this bed nonetheless. She fell asleep almost immediately after stripping down to her undergarments and sliding under the covers. Unfortunately, this respite was all too brief.
The scarred young woman was shakily woken hours into the night due to horrid dreams. She only remembered scattered fragments of it, but the cold bodies and the sickening endearments would surely never be purged from her memory. The Swede's words rang through her ears every time she tried to go back to sleep. He'd slaughter Catrina and Brendan all over again, put those foul hands on Eabha, and declare his everlasting love for her. It reached the point where she didn't bother to shut her eyes anymore.
After wiping the sweat from her forehead, she threw back the covers and sat up, resting her face in her hands. There weren't any lights shining outside, but the girl's eyes were adjusted enough to see around the room. This proved to be helpful when she heard Branna fussing a few moments later.
"Easy," Eabha whispered as she lifted her daughter into her arms and sat upon the bed. "Mama's got you, it's all right."
She rested her face against the child's shoulder while rubbing up and down her back. Even with how tired she was, the thought of going back to sleep was far from appealing.
What's to be done about this…?
Just then, something happened that made her feel more awake than ever.
"Mama."
Eabha carefully lifted her head and looked at Branna. Despite how dark it was, she could see those little eyes staring right back into hers. The woman couldn't hold back a smile when the baby reached out to touch her face. It was a faint pat, but it was as if those tiny fingertips were pouring life back into her.
"Yes, sweetheart. Mama's here."
She could only gaze at her sleeping miracle for the remainder of the night.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Though she felt pretty tired when the sun came up, Eabha was ultimately able to rest for a good hour or two. And after what Branna had said, she felt like she could take over the world. Much to her surprise, she found the strength to put on her dress and cape, along with her shoes. If the child were doing this well indoors, she'd likely excel outside.
Just as they finished breakfast, the sound of a distant bell vibrated through the walls. It reminded her of a church or a cathedral.
It's Sunday…of course!
The thought of seeing Ruth again was appealing, along with getting her daughter outside. It didn't take long for her to make her decision, so once she'd wrapped Branna in Brendan's shirt, Eabha scooped her up and left the little room.
She didn't remember the sun feeling so nice as she approached her friend's church. Many other people seemed to be headed in that direction as well, as if the bell was calling to them. After all, it was an enchanting sound.
"Excuse me?"
She looked next to her, taken aback. But it was just another woman.
The one who left with Mr. Bohannon. Naomi…
Naomi looked to be around her age, maybe a bit older. However, she was similar in that she also had a baby in her arms. The child was much younger than Branna, but he seemed healthy.
"Oh, I…hello," Eabha got out.
"I meant to introduce myself earlier, but…" This woman was almost as nervous as she was. "It's hard getting used to this place."
"Yes, it is."
Eabha didn't want to insult the fort, since Naomi was part of that community. She simply trailed off as the entrance to the church got closer. An unfamiliar young boy was ringing the bell on the deck. She didn't concentrate on him for long as she stepped inside and found an empty space on one of the benches. Naomi still seemed jumpy, but ultimately sat down next to her.
Once the bell stopped and the boy moved to the front row, Ruth stepped up to her podium. She looked at everyone, smiling when she saw Eabha among the other people.
"Thank you for helping me consecrate this fine house of worship."
The younger woman found it difficult to focus on Ruth's sermon, since her faith was still irrevocably shaken. All she could do was stare at the churchwoman and soak in the feeling of being surrounded by people. Unlike at Fort Smith, she wasn't in danger here. If something were putting her or her child in jeopardy, she could tell anyone, and they would likely help her. Mr. Bohannon, Ruth, any good man or woman who'd take time out of their Sundays to attend such gatherings…
After a minute or so, the girl felt Naomi get up from beside her and abruptly leave the church. She stared after her, wondering if she was all right.
Should I go check on her, or…?
Eabha reluctantly looked back towards Ruth, who seemed troubled at Naomi's departure. Nevertheless, the pastor proceeded with what she was saying.
"Only the blessed mercy of Jesus Christ can save us."
Once the sermon reached the point where everyone took out a bible, the young woman had no choice but to tune out. She couldn't read the words, so there wasn't sense in trying. Instead, she pulled Branna close and took it all in. With every second, it got easier to believe she was actually liberated from her torment. But at the same time, it seemed so foreign. She was only just getting used to feeling happy again, after all.
000000000000
Let me know what you think.
