CHAPTER 38 – Baths
Esme was holding Six's hand, taking him to the little pond a couple yards away from the house. There was a tall, bent oak tree shading half of it, the other half sparkling in the sunshine. The pond was only about three feet deep and the water was nice and clean so it made a perfect bathing place.
Six was in desperate need of a good bath and Esme was hoping she could get him to take one.
After the episode with Elizabeth in the kitchen, it took Esme a little while to calm the child down. She told him five stories and sang a couple more times to him…that settled him down enough for him to go with her to see the pond.
"Isn't this lovely ?", Esme stopped a few feet away from the pond edge. There were some big rocks around one side…and a few little round lily pads floating on the surface, some daisies growing on the left edge.
Six had been very quiet since Elizabeth had come into the kitchen, looking for him. Maybe he was afraid she would find him. Esme wanted to tell him that she would protect him…but how could she tell such a young little boy all that ? She was thinking of how to let him know this.
Six shrugged, looking away from the pond.
"Oooh, boyo…", Esme pointed to the lily pads, "You see those green things, there ?"
"Yea.", he answered flatly.
"Those are lily pads.", she informed, "And frogs love to hide under them."
Six didn't look very interested in that. Esme was confused. All boys loved frogs. Even she did, as a girl.
"Have you ever caught a frog before, Six ?", she asked, trying to reach him again.
"No.", he sighed.
"Well, it's a load of fun.", Esme revealed, "And I'll bet if we got in the pond, we could catch one. And he could be YOUR frog. You could even name him yourself."
Six peeked up at Esme. This peaked his interest.
"But you have to get into the pond…to catch one.", she said, waiting for him to take the bait.
She had mentioned a bath to him earlier. He wanted no part of that. Esme was even willing to boil water and add cool water to it in the small metal tub in the barn but Six ran away from her when she suggested that.
Going for a swim in the pond was what she was trying to get him to do with her now…but he was smart. He didn't seem crazy about that idea, either.
"Very well.", Esme shrugged, "I'm going for a swim. You can stay out here and watch me."
She had thought ahead and had on her bathing gown already. These weren't like the bathing suits of today. Back then, it was a long dress made of light wool, even with little weights in the bottom of the dress so it would not float up and bubble. It did not show any skin at all, except for feet.
Esme took her shoes off and handed them to Six.
"You will take care of my shoes, won't you, love ?", she asked, "Thank you so much !"
It was a warm Spring day today…that worked in her favor. Slowly, she walked away from Six and towards the pond…dipping her toe in.
"Oh, that's nice and warm.", she said to Six, who was still standing there, looking at her sadly.
In seconds, she was in the pond, up to her waist. This was as deep as the water was…so she sat down in the pond so the water was up to her neck.
"Ahhh….", she looked up at the tree, "So heavenly."
Six kept looking, as if he were thinking it over.
"I sure wish I wasn't in here alone.", Esme said solemnly to Six.
"You can go in there…with your clothes on ?", he dared to ask.
"Sure.", she lifted her shoulders, then lowered them, "Nothing is happening to ME, I have clothes on. Do you WANT to leave your clothes on ?"
Six nodded, his eyes looking up at her as if he were afraid she would get angry with him.
"Come on in…", Esme grinned, waving her arm, "Keep your clothes on. Just take off your shoes."
This made Six smile and he was prying his shoes off…then he rushed over to the pond edge.
Esme met him there and took his hands as he stepped into the water.
"Aww…thank you for joining me, my wee angel.", she held his hands until he was in up to his chest, his shirt wet and sticking to him.
"This is fun.", Six giggled, splashing Esme right in the face.
"OOH !", she squealed out and Six belly laughed…so did she.
An hour later, he was still splashing her.
"Alright, that's enough splashing now.", Esme chuckled, not wanting to raise her voice.
She had managed to get his hair wet in the water, when she splashed him back. He really loved that. Esme wished she could have gotten some soap into his hair but that would have to wait until another time. Baby steps. This was a good first step, having him enjoy the pond.
"Where's the froggies?", he asked, lifting up one of the lily pads, peeking under.
"All that splashing probably scared them off.", Esme tilted her head at him, "Let's go to the other side of the pond and we'll find some."
She brought a little pail along and she gave it to him.
"Now.", Esme instructed, "You will see some frogs along the edge of the pond. All you have to do is pick them up, CAREFULLY, and put them in the pail. They can't hurt you."
"Easy !", Six sounded very excited now as they got closer.
"Yes !", she agreed, "So easy ! Go take a gander."
"I SEE ONE !", he hollered as Esme watched a couple feet away, "A big one !"
"Good, pick him up and put him in your pail.", she reminded.
Carefully, he bent down and his little white hand slowly moved down…
"Hurry, boyo, he'll jump and try to get away !", she encouraged.
The little dark green frog DID try to jump and escape but Six pounced.
"I GOT HIM !", his shrill voice squeaked as Esme clapped for him.
"He's all sticky !", he stared at the little black buggy eyes of the frog who just fit in the palm of his hand.
"Good form, Six !", she congratulated him, "Isn't he cute ?"
"Yea.", Six moved his finger over the back of the frog, "He's soft on this side."
"Alright, put him in the pail and go find another one !", she chuckled.
"Okay.", Six agreed, now completely on the hunt.
He found more, a whole flock of frogs on the shallow edge…
"OOH !", he squealed, "He's HUGE !"
He tried to grab it but it hopped away.
"I almost got him !", Six exclaimed, "I – OH – I MISSED !"
"Dang it !", his annoyed little voice sounded as he kept trying.
"Don't worry.", he said to the frog as he was about to try to grab him again, "You'll feel better…come with me."
Esme just laughed, watching him play.
"GOT HIM !", Six screamed, putting him carefully into his pail, "Two frogs ! I'm SO happy !"
Esme was on top of the world at that moment.
Next, he tried to grab a smaller frog. It was on the rocks below him…then it jumped to a spot on the pond, going through his open feet. He put his head down and under his own legs, trying to capture it.
"Come BACK here, YOU !", he called to it, "STOP jumping !"
Esme giggled, hoping he could get it. He did.
"Don't try to get away.", he said to the frog's eyes as he gently placed him in the pail with the others.
"You're getting very violent.", Esme joked, laughing.
Next, he found a very tiny one.
"Oooh !", he bent down, "Hello baby. Don't be scared. We're going to help you…get home."
That was a lot nicer than his previous catch, he was trying to put the frog at ease. She liked that.
"A big one and a baby one !", he said next, showing me that he caught two at once !
"Wow, very good!", Esme praised, "You're getting great at this !"
The ones he had caught were trying to leap out of the deep bucket but they weren't succeeding. But they were all hopping like crazy.
Six looked down in there at them and observed, "They're full of BOUNCE !"
It was marvelous walking back home with Six, looking so proud of himself, holding his pail and looking down at his collection of frogs.
"It's okay, everyone, we're going home now.", he told them affectionately.
Esme felt her heart squeeze at his kindness, his innocence. He called our place HOME. It was worth having to clean him up again after the frog hunt was over just to hear that.
Esme would let him keep the frogs in a little tub of water in the barn…and in a couple days they would return the frogs back to the pond. That was the plan.
Old Edward was there in the barn when we arrived and Six just LOVED showing all his frogs to him. Each one was taken out and Six had a story to tell about every one of them. Edward was very kind and listened intently, holding each and making comments himself.
"This is a big one.", Edward said, "You caught this one by yourself ?"
"Uh huh !", Six looked so happy with himself.
When handing Edward the tiniest one, he said, "Now be very careful, this is a baby one."
Six placed the frog into Edward's hand as if it were a priceless treasure.
"Alright, Mr. Six.", Esme finally cut in, "Put your new friends in the tub and let's go get dinner started."
She was way behind in doing her chores and meal preparation, and they always ate dinner early together before the men started coming to the house and saloon.
Six didn't seem to want to leave them yet.
"Leave the boy with me,", Edward replied, "I'll watch over him."
"Yea ?", she was surprised but glad, "Is that alright with YOU, Mr. Six ?"
"Yea, I LIKE Mr. Edward !", Six said a little loudly, placing one of his frogs into the tub of water.
Edward smiled at her and looked like he just won a million dollars. It warmed Esme's heart to see him that happy.
"Alright, boys, behave yourselves.", she left them to go in and change out of this bathing gown.
When she was back in her day clothes and in the kitchen again, she saw Molly in the hallway.
"Hey, Molly,", Esme called to her, getting things ready to start making a chocolate cake.
"Hello, Esme !", she came in and started to help a little, getting the flour.
"Thanks for takin' over while I went frog hunting.", she smiled.
"Aww, you did ?", Molly's pretty face grinned, "Did Six like it ?"
"Oh, he LOVED it !", Esme recalled his little muddy face, "He's the sweetest little thing. I haven't had that much fun in a LONG time."
"Aww.", Molly smiled more, imagining it, "I can't wait to have my day with him. I hope he likes me."
"Oh, he'll love you.", Esme was sure of that as she cracked a couple of eggs into a white bowl, "He's such a darling, I can't imagine him not liking any of us. He's so hungry for attention and when you give him a compliment, he BLUSHES. That little thief already has MY heart."
A moment later, Esme had to ask about HER, Elizabeth.
"Where is she now ?", Esme asked Molly.
"Helping with the laundry.", Molly informed, dusting the big rectangular pan with flour, "I figured that was an easy task, since she's not feeling well."
"Okay, that's fine.", Esme gave a little nod, "Has her disposition improved ?"
"Eh.", Molly shrugged, "She's a bit better. She talked a little and she stopped looking for the boy. I have a feeling she didn't WANT to do chores, though, like she thinks she's too good for that."
Esme huffed.
"She'd better get past that.", Esme hoped aloud, "We all have to pull our weight around here. I just hope it doesn't take her too long to adjust to us."
Molly agreed then went to go freshen up the parlor and the bedrooms. Everything here was always to look perfect and elegant, pristine. No dust on the dressers or tables, no cobwebs in the corners…that's the way Edward wanted it always. The girls did too.
Already Esme was going over things to do now that Six was here.
First, he would need some more clothes. One shirt and one pair of pants would not do. He needed things to play in that could easily be washed, and night clothes. Last night he was wearing no shirt and only his skivvies. That was fine for Spring and Summer but in the winter, he'd freeze.
Also, Esme was thinking over the idea of taking him to school next year.
There was a little schoolhouse in town, and there he could make friends at least. She would go there first, alone, without Six, to see if there would be a problem with that. She sensed there would be.
The child lived in a brothel and was the son of a lady of the evening. Everyone in this town would know that and they might deny Six entrance into their school.
But if that happens, we will just simply teach him here then. The five of us are no doubt better than one teacher. But it still made her feel sad inside for Six. She wanted him to have everything he could. Friends, an education, a future, maybe even college someday. He deserves that.
The thought of other children hurting his feelings and calling him bastard or his mother a whore made Esme ache inside, just imagining it. She would go there and tan the hides of any little slug who would dare it.
The more she thought of school, though, the more she looked around the kitchen and saw Six there, at the table, having his lessons. Here no one would be cruel to him, or call him names. He would learn without being looked down on or left out. Even the teacher might take a ruler to his bottom if he went there. She would destroy her if that ever happened.
The next morning, at dawn, Esme got the fright of her life when, as she was feeding the chickens, screams started to come out of the house ! Not Six's…but the girls !
Edward came running in with his rifle and Esme was close behind him.
When they got to Amy's bedroom, she was standing on her bed, her red hair all tangled over her eyes.
"UKKK !", she screamed, pointing to the foot of her bed, trying to climb the wall.
"What the feck are you goin' on about ?!", Edward asked, seeing no man in bed with her.
"THERE !", she pointed, "It's THERE !"
Edward stepped closer and looked on the bed. A big brown frog was sitting there, croaking, his black eyes shiny and bugged out, looking around, unaffected.
Hannah came running into the hallway next, with a frog in her own hand too.
She handed the frog to Esme and griped, "Frogs in our beds. I told you it was FUN having little boys around !"
Esme tried to hide her smile from the other girls as they also had a problem with a frog being in bed with them.
"Six, love.", Esme called him. She made her tone gentle, not loud.
He was hiding behind the tall fern in the hallway, looking very scared.
"Come here.", she put her hands on her hips, waiting, putting a stern face on.
It took a couple tries to coax him but eventually he did come to Esme.
"Why did you put those frogs in the ladies' beds ?", she asked him, getting down at eye level with him.
"I just wanted to give them a present.", he explained sadly, little tears in his eyes, "I kept the little baby for myself and wanted to give the ladies something nice."
No one could be mad at him after that. He thought he was placing a treasure in each girl's bed as they slept, trusting them to love his precious frogs as much as he did.
Edward laughed and said, "I'll teach you, lad, about ladies and presents."
Even Hannah apologized to him for losing her temper a bit. After that, she went out of her way to be sweet to Six. And she always drew him a frog and left it on his bed. By summer, he had fifty pieces of paper with frogs drawn on them. And he kept them all in his special box under his bed.
The frogs were all taken back to the pond and put back with their families, and Six agreed with that. Esme made him see that if someone took him away from them now, they would all be sad. That's all it took to convince him.
Six felt good about giving the frogs back…and the baby one, he kissed that one and placed him down with the bigger frogs.
"I love you, Baby.", he said to the frog, then to the others, "Take good care of him."
Oh, he still went frog hunting a lot…he loved it. But afterwards, he would put the frogs back into the pond and say goodbye.
As it turned out, the school was NOT in favor of Six attending class there. Esme nearly slapped the old bitch who taught school there.
She laughed in Esme's face and said, "That boy can't be HERE, with OUR children."
Like he had some infectious disease.
"Why not ?", I dared to ask, wanting to hear her say it, "He's not fucking anyone, WE DO !"
Then I was asked to leave the schoolhouse. It was after school so no children were there. If Esme wasn't a lady, she'd have LOVED to punch that wench in the nose !
One thing was certain : Esme would personally entertain the old bitch's husband for FREE from now on. He was a regular customer anyway.
Six would never hear about any of this. But the other girls were more than happy to take their turn being a teacher to Six for a couple hours each day.
And this idea worked very well. Six learned so much from each of them. And he was a great little student. He seemed very happy doing his lessons and homework, he loved stories and loved art. He was very good at it, too. He could read all by himself by the time he was six years old and he loved to read his books to anyone who would listen. And he would read to Esme every night in his bed before she put him to sleep for the night. And, of course, there was always a song she would sing to him.
He could also count to twenty, write his name, write all the letters…he was like a sponge that soaked up everything they taught him. He wanted to show them that he was smart, he wanted to prove himself to them and show everyone that he was worth something. Even though he didn't need to, they already knew that.
His mother, Elizabeth, was not one of the regular teachers. She didn't seem interested in that. And she didn't seem very interested in Six, either, until she was upset about something or drunk. But with the other ladies around, and Edward, she seemed to be playing her role as good mother pretty well. She didn't hit or scold Six in front of anyone, and the girls made sure to always have one of them around him so it wouldn't happen.
But, sadly…in the real world you cannot be there all the time and stop a person who is intent on doing evil things. Once in awhile, Elizabeth would take Six to town, or for a walk, or some other errand. They couldn't do much to stop her from that…but then Six would return with some new welt on his back or bruise on his behind. He never talked to anyone about it, but Esme was the only one allowed to bathe Six…he trusted no one else to do that. And she would find the occasional evidence of his mother's temper.
They all had their moments with Elizabeth, telling her to keep her hands off Six or else. Hannah even belted the woman in the mouth one Thursday ! She would always cry and apologize, hugging Six, telling Esme and Edward that it would never happen again. But it always did.
Six was being particularly rebellious with his mother one morning, when she insisted on taking care of him instead of Esme.
It used to be that Six was too afraid to even talk back to Elizabeth, but since then he had enjoyed the love of five other women and a large father figure, and maybe something in him felt safe to voice his displeasure at her now.
No child is perfect every day, not even Six. Today he was being difficult.
"I don't want YOU, I want ESME !", five year old Six whined as she tried to get him dressed.
"I'M your mother, not HER !", she barked back, her dark brown hair hanging loose around her shoulders, her mouth frowning at her son.
"ESME !", Six called to her, hoping she would come as his mother jerked his arm roughly, stuffing it into the sleeve.
"Stop it !", she grabbed his shoulders and shook him a couple of times, "You have to take a bath !"
"NO !", Six shouted, "I don't WANT a bath ! I'm CLEAN ! ESSSSMMMEEEEE !"
Elizabeth stopped struggling with the child and slapped his face, sending him to the floor.
Six was crying loud now…and footsteps were quickly approaching his room.
"If you get us thrown out of here, I'll kill you.", she growled over the bawling little voice.
Six was holding his cheek, tears coming out of his eyes, his face red as he yelled.
"What for the love of God is going on in here ?", Esme shouted, plowing through the door.
"ESME !", Six cried as Esme went to him and picked him up into her arms…he clung to her, arms and legs, gasping, "Mama hit me !"
Esme turned to Elizabeth and scowled at her.
"I'll take care of him.", Esme shot daggers at her with her blue eyes.
"He's MY son !", Elizabeth shouted and grabbed little Six out of Esme's arms…"If he needs to be disciplined, I'll do it and you may mind your own business !"
"AAAAAAAA !", Six screamed as his mother tossed him over her shoulder and rushed out of the room, taking him outside to the pond to give him his bath. It was August so it would be warm enough.
All the other girls were waking up now, hearing the screaming…and they glared at the sight of Elizabeth dragging her son outside as he cried.
Esme followed them all the way to the back door, but then waited as she got the boy outside. She watched them from the doorway, hardly able to breathe as the helpless cries of the baby tortured her ears.
Elizabeth threw the boy down near the edge of the pond and started to yank the shirt off her son as he struggled against this and cried even more loudly.
"Take off your clothes, you have to wash now you stupid little FUCK !", she groaned at him, then started to unbutton his pants.
"NO ! No !", he looked terrified for his mother to remove his pants…and Esme watched this, pacing…looking at the table where a plate and a fork and knife were sitting.
"ESME !", the little voice shrilly called as she clenched her fists…trying to keep herself from going out there.
Esme looked out there again and now the baby was naked, the pants had been torn off him by his animal of a mother…and she grabbed him by the hair and yanked him over to the water. Putting her hands over her mouth, she watched…shaking her head…looking at the fork and knife on the table…then back to the pond.
Esme had just gotten that child to take a bath for her, after weeks of earning his trust, and now it would all be undone by this one assault. Elizabeth was on her knees, her skirts getting wet in the pond as she forced the boy to sit in the water.
Esme was no idiot, either…she knew why the boy didn't want to be naked and take a bath…she couldn't even IMAGINE it…what his mother must have done to him when they were alone, bathing. She knew that men could be evil in the bedroom…and she also knew that women could be just as demented.
Six couldn't even make words now, he just sobbed…as she roughly moved a bar of white soap over his chest.
"I hate you !", Six had managed to wail and then Elizabeth snapped. An even MORE demented look came into her face as she dug her claws into Six's face…and shoved his head under the water.
Esme turned to look as the splash sound happened…and she could only see Elizabeth, kneeling in the water, both hands underneath…holding something down that was kicking, splashing…
She did not hear Six crying anymore. Before she knew she was doing it, she picked the knife up from the table, leaving the plate and fork behind. And she came running up behind Elizabeth.
The closer she got, the more she could see now…that bitch WAS holding the boy underwater ! His feet were kicking, making the shallow water spray about him….
"Fucking BITCH, burn in HELL !", Esme heard herself growl as she grabbed Elizabeth by her hair and shoving HER face into the shallow pond, her hand flew…stabbing…stabbing…stabbing…stabbing…making her light blush pink blouse redden with liquid…Elizabeth screamed but no one would hear her…Esme shoved her face into the water, deeper…and stabbed…stabbed again…and again.
Esme could not stop…she wanted her to die, she wanted her to never again be able to touch Six. She wanted to be Six's mother…she wanted to never hear Six scream like that again.
Six ! It was the one thing that would stop her hand from striking again.
Looking around, she just saw him in the very shallow water…not moving. Her bloody hands forgot about Elizabeth and yanked Six's little body from the water.
"Six !", Esme looked at his dormant little face and she tapped his cheek, "Six…wake up, baby !"
Flipping the boy over, she smacked her hand a few times on his back, hoping the water would come up and out of his body.
For a couple of moments, he did not move…his little eyelashes wet…Esme did not and WOULD not give up…and she kept slapping his back, and a miracle happened.
He was coughing…choking up water and his little eyes clenched then opened, looking very afraid.
Esme let out a ragged breath of relief as the little cry started to erupt from the boy's open mouth.
"Shhh….", Esme held the boy, lifting his naked body up into her apron, holding it around him, making sure he could not see the body of his mother behind her.
"It's alright now.", Esme shivered as she started to rush the boy back to the house, his crying face tucked into her chest, "It's alright. You don't have to take a bath, love. No bath. Esme's got you, don't cry."
Once Six was calmed down and eating his breakfast with Amy, Esme and the other girls went out to the pond and took care of the body. They left Edward out of this, mostly to protect him, but also, as much as they loved him he was still a man. And none of them completely trusted any man. What if he really liked Elizabeth ? What if he turned them in to the sherriff ? What if he asked Esme to leave ?
There were too many what ifs to take that chance. So the women handled it themselves and buried her out in the fields where the soil was soft.
END OF CHAPTER 38