Chapter 3
"Think I can be a writer someday?" Sally asked as James finished feeding and watering his horse, the two of them now back at the printshop.
"You mean for the paper? I see no reason why not." James chuckled, relieved the girl seemed to be less nervous now. Kneeling as he laid a hand on each of her shoulders "Are you sure you're alright with me? I can't promise you much aside from a home, food and clothes. You're brave but I know those men scared you. That's not how I believe girls... or women should be treated. My best friend Sarah, she can easily talk her way out of most anything and she's strong in more ways than one but it's still my job to make sure all females are treated fairly."
"But you have done nothing but show you care." Sally replied, her face brightening some as she spoke this.
"Well you'll have your choice of rooms upstairs." James stated as the two walked towards the back door, James wondering what they'd eat as usually he wouldn't bother with dinner after such a long trip.
As he opened the door James yawned, not noticing the aromas of food that came from the kitchen when a clatter startled him into focus.
"James..." Sarah whispered as she hurriedly picked up what thankful was only silverware.
"Sarah, What are you doing here?" he gasped in reply, confusion on his face as he gently wrapped an arm around Sally.
"I Came back early from my parents, thought I'd surprise you with dinner since you were coming home today, I knew you wouldn't feel like doing anything but who..." Sarah replied the confusion on her face evident as she glanced towards Sally.
Feeling as though he were in a corner James sighed "Sarah, this is Sally I... she was an orphan but... I guess she's ours now."
Looking to her husband Sarah shook her head "This is probably the craziest thing you've done but I'm glad, I can't wait to hear about... everything."
"Sally, this is Sarah, my wife." James replied, turning his attention back to the girl.
Supper was quiet, James and Sarah talking a little to Sally, both anxious to learn about this new member of their family but afterwards Sarah found herself learning things she knew she had to discuss with James.
"What were your parents like?" Sarah asked as she gently ran a brush over the girl's hair before she washed the soap out.
"They loved me. Papa had a small business... he wasn't rich but he gave me and mama all he had."
"That's good... anything else you'd like me to know?" Sarah replied, her emerald eyes full of sadness at all she'd already heard about her new daughter.
"I just... feel so helpless... I hurt so much from the bruises." she whispered in reply.
"Is that why you've been whimpering so much? The men give you them?" Sarah asked as she gently poured water over Sally's head.
"Yes."Sally replied, her voice barely heard as tears trickled from her own emerald eyes "Both of them." she added while gathering her auburn hair to ring the water out as she watched the doorway open.
"Sarah, I got what you asked for." James spoke up, holding up one of his older shirts.
"James!" Sarah gasped, her eyes blazing with irritation as she whipped her head around "I know I've said this a hundred times and normally I wouldn't care since we're married but will you knock when you open a door!?" she gasped.
"You're thinking about Henri, Sarah... You asked for one of my old shirts for Sally... actually it was... Ben's... when I went to work for him."
"You sure?" Sarah whispered knowing James still slept in it sometimes on summer nights.
"Of course." he replied, tossing it to her before heading back downstairs to finish getting the press ready for the next morning.
"I'm sorry about that." Sarah sighed as she turned back to Sally who now stood, shivering slightly with a towel wrapped around her "My husband still acts like a teenager sometimes."
"He's brave." Sally whispered as Sarah slipped the shirt over her head before wrapping the towel around her hair in attempt to wring more water out.
"You have no idea just how brave." Sarah whispered with a smile "I just can't believe he's held onto this shirt all those years." she added mostly to herself.
"Who's Ben and why is papa so emotional about him?" Sally questioned, her eyes full of curiosity over what she'd just seen between her new guardians "Were they related?"
Blinking back what little mist had formed in her own eyes, Sarah sighed "Depends on what you mean. Your father isn't a blood member of Ben's family but they're about as close as a father and son can get. Your father was an orphan from the time he was an infant until he was taken in by Ben and taught all he knows about running a newspaper."
"He sounds like a good man." Sally whispered.
"I would say so."
"Sally?" James whispered, his blue eyes already full of fatherly love as he laid his bible aside, now focused on Sally, the girl's cheeks pink with embarrassment as her hand froze, something small clutched in it just below her collarbone.
"Yes?" she squeaked, her eyes shifted downward as her hand slowly dropped to her lap "I promise I was listening."
"I can tell you were." James whispered as he gently laid a hand on top of Sally's, the other ever so slightly holding what was around Sally's neck on the edge of his index finger "I don't remember seeing this." he whispered, already positive he knew what it was.
"I usually tuck them under the collar of my dress to hide them, my parents' wedding rings."
"Important isn't it?" James replied, his eyes holding a glint of sadness at the thought of his own mother who he'd never known, her ring having been all he'd had of his parents, which oddly held more meaning to him now as Sarah still wore it everyday, a reminder to them both not only of their bizarre meeting but how much they both had changed since that day.
"Yes, I'm afraid someone will take away my only reminder of them."
"Sally, Sarah and I will have to tell you the story tomorrow but I understand exactly how you feel... I promise I'll do all I can to protect them." James whispered as he wrapped both arms around Sally's neck, liking the feeling of his new fatherly role "I'll be next door, sleep good because I'll need you up early to help me."
"Early to bed, early to rise?" Sally asked, remembering her father saying he'd read it in a book once.
"Exactly." James whispered as he walked across the room, closing the door, leaving a small crack before walking across the hall to his own room. Though once he saw Sarah he struggled not to laugh, seeing her slumped against her pillows, the fact obvious how tired she was. "Sarah?" James whispered as he gently reached down, brushing aside the hair that had fallen in her face.
"James? Was I asleep?" Sarah sighed with a yawn as her husband reached down, rubbing her neck.
"I'm not sure." James whispered as he gently cradled her head in one hand, rubbing her neck with the other "How was your visit with your parents? I know you're happy both of them are nearby... maybe soon I'll take your father up on his offer to go hunting with him... I don't see how it would but so fun but I want to spend more time with him,... discuss some things just us men, seems like an amazing man... with an amazing daughter."
"He is James and though I've always loved him, like you, I haven't gotten to really know him until after he came here from Ohio."
"Mentioning your father..." James sighed, emotions he'd hidden away now fresh once more "Did you see the wedding rings Sally had?"
Slowly nodding, Sarah sighed "Yes, and she was scared I'd take them... until I explained my locket to her... James, it means so many things now... obviously my father but possibly more so when you do leave even for a day to report on something I feel you're with me... but also Ben Franklin who honestly had to do quite a bit of convincing for mother to even let me go to Philadelphia but I wanted something more than England had to offer, I just didn't know what I wanted."
"We've had many crazy adventures." James agreed as he leaned down to kiss her lips but as he pulled away he was surprised by the seriousness of Sarah's expression.
"James,... I went to see my parents... I wanted to talk to mother about something... life changing... the reason I came home early was to surprise you with dinner but that's not all... I wanted to tell you over dinner but with your surprise I never got to... to tell you..."
"Sarah..." James whispered, his mind still working over everything he thought "are you telling me what I think you're telling me?"
"If you're thinking I'm pregnant then yes." she replied with a tired grin.
For a moment, James could only stare at her, his eyes wide before he wrapped his arms around her, his nose buried in her hair as he whispered "Sarah, I'm so happy but... I wished my parents could've seen us on our wedding day... now I wish that more than ever... so many things I would've liked to know... was it just me or did I have any older siblings... what would they have thought about the revolution... about us?"
Sarah sighed as she laid her hand on James's cheek "I know it isn't the same and I can't claim to know anything about the way you feel but when my father left for America, I remember so desperately wanting him with me to share my life... I don't want our children to feel that way... I'm happy I won't be alone when you do have to go away but..."
"Sarah..." James whispered, gently rubbing her arm "we'll figure it out as we go, I promise they'll have both of us." I need to write John Adams he thought to himself, knowing he'd had plenty of experience with being away from his family.
"I know James." Sarah whispered before she and James both became silent, both as excited as they were nervous.
"And what did John tell you?" Ben asked, truthfully never quite sure what his friend would say about anything.
Looking to Sarah a moment James smiled before looking back to Ben "Well, he said no matter what, as long as we have love for each other and our little one we're doing the most important thing but in his letter Mr. Adams also said he and his wife Abigail are coming to Philadelphia to meet with Washington he... thought I'd like to know as a reporter but said he thinks his wife would have better advice... Maybe for Sarah but I still want to know what he has to say, being away, not knowing what's happening, unable to personally ease your family's fears."
"I think John made the right decision to talk to you in person." Ben agreed with a smile "Hopefully I'll be able to walk by then."
"Who's John?" Sally questioned, now realizing she'd have to question a lot more things to keep up with what and who her parents knew.
"You not kept this child up to date?" Ben gasped, surprised by Sally's questions to which both James and Sarah blushed.
"We have but we haven't had time to update her on what happened during the war, she's still getting used having a new family."
At this, Ben only nodded understandingly as he now knew just how little time they'd had Sally, possibly five months "I was just surprised, James." he whispered as he gently took Sally's hands into his "John Adams is a friend of sorts of mine. We worked together to build this country while Washington fought for it. Now John and Washington are further discussing plans on how to eventually run this new country."
Sally only nodded, anxious to hear what else this man would tell her.
After putting Sally to bed James could only sigh as he sat on the side of his and Sarah's bed, hands over his eyes as he shook his head.
"James?" Sarah whispered as she reached out, gently laying her hand on his back, hearing his quiet sobbing "Is it Sally... Dr. Franklin?" she asked, the second one leaving her anxiously seeking what her husband's eyes would tell her despite the dim light that came through the window.
Turning to face Sarah, gently taking her hand into his, a welcome peace coming over him as he did so James hesitantly smiled "Neither, both of them are asleep, I guess I'm just emotional tonight, having told Ben Sally's tale... I guess I'm just scared... for all five of us. I'm glad Sally and Ben get along so well but I'm scared...how either of us will take it whenever... For me me it will be like loosing my father again though I was too young to know either of them, for Sally, I can't even imagine."
"James..." Sarah whispered, obviously ready to sleep herself "John and Abigail will be here in a couple weeks I'm sure John will have an answer for you, Abigail always had one for me. Sally will still have us and my parents, certainly isn't the same as Ben but... it's all we have to offer her... and Ben's not going anywhere soon, he's too determined to see this new country through until Washington... whatever they're still doing in congress."
A shaky grin coming over him, James nodded "You're right. It's just I never imagined I'd ever have feelings for someone like I do Ben. I've always wanted a family of my own and now I'm getting it... if not my birth father... I'm glad someone who means about the same will get to see our first."
"James, I pray Mr. Adams can help you,... I don't think either of us realized how hard this would be on you."
"How could we have known?" James admitted, his smile suddenly growing bigger as he laid on his stomach, one arm propping him up as his hand went to the little one he was so anxiously awaiting the arrival of.