Chapter 29: Awakenings
"Sleep my little baby-oh
Sleep until you waken
When you wake you'll see the world
If I'm not mistaken...
Kiss a lover
Dance a measure,
Find your name
And buried treasure...
Face your life
Its pain
Its pleasure,
Leave no path untaken."
-Neil Gaiman
"The village whore…huh?" Martin questioned with a chuckle.
"Well…there are worse things to be," Nathaniel said with a smirk and shrug of his shoulders.
The sweltering summer sun had finally released its daunting grip on the day allowing for nighttime's shadowy coolness to soothe their sunburnt skin. Tonight there would be no bonfire. No blazing heat. Only darkness as they relaxed under the stars.
Nathaniel nestled his back further into the grass, letting the long soft blades engulf him like a cool water soaked rag. Nearly a week had passed since they arrived back home on the farm and in that time Nathaniel had come to many different conclusions. The first being that he had finally won over little Elijah. The crying, pooping, peeing and stumbling toddler had relented his grumpy mood towards him and Nathaniel often found himself with the once little terror sitting peacefully in his lap. The second, that he would use himself as a human shield between Uncas and any of their father's well intentioned yet utterly misguided plans that he might have for his little brother. And thirdly, that same brother that he has sworn to protect will indeed suffer at his own hands for telling Pru and Martin that he was the "village whore".
"How many?" Martin pestered, his voice a little too happy for Nathaniel's liking.
"Several," Nathaniel casually answered, leaning back into the grass on his elbows.
"Several…huh. I'm not surprised," Martin said with a smirk before he continued. "You seem exactly like the sort of man that would sow his wild oats…if you will!
"That's a stupid saying and that's not what I'm doing," Nathaniel grumpily answered as he dipped his head back to look at the stars.
"Oh yeah? Then what is it that you are doing?"
Nathaniel sighed. Martin was his best friend. His oldest friend and as such the two did not need to dance around the true matter at hand. The one Martin was so annoyingly trying to get him to verbalize. "Has anyone told you how annoying you are?"
Martin smiled innocently and said, "I'm quite certain I have no idea of what you are referring to. Your sister never tells me anything like that…in fact she tells me…,"
"Nope! Not interested. I have no desire to know what she tells or how, or where, or any of it!"
Martin burst out laughing. The idea that he would divulge even the tiniest detail of his and Pru's intimate life had him nearly rolling in the grass with humor. Aside from Pru being their sister, their private moments were theirs and theirs alone. Their words and actions were meant only for the other person. To say them to anyone else would be to demean their meaning because all of it was said or done in love. Martin sighed and quickly pulled himself together. "Brother…I have no interest in hearing the sordid details of your meanderings," he paused and kicked at Nathaniel's foot, waiting until Nathaniel's eyes met his and continued with, "Are you happy? Does it make you happy?" Martin narrowed his eyes and added, "And not just in the moment."
Nathaniel was not quick enough to stop the semi hysterical chuckle that slipped from his lips at Martin's question. Happy? What was happy? He was happy to be home on the farm, to have his family all around him. Happy to have a belly full of Sampson's delicious food. Happy to hear his sister's wicked tongue poke fun at him. Happy to work alongside his best friend again. And happy to be in the company of not one but two small nephews. Happy? Slowly his laugh faded and dissolved into the air around him. Was he happy whoring around the village, sharing something as special as that with anyone and everyone? Nathaniel's face turned serious. "No. I am not happy."
Martin solemnly nodded his head and said, "I thought not. Then why…"
"We finally got Elijah to sleep!" Pru quietly declared as she and Uncas made their way off the porch steps, a plate of pie wobbling atop both of her palms as she crossed the glade towards them. Uncas right on her heels.
Martin's head swiveled between Pru and Nathaniel. While every moment that Pru was around him brought him immeasurable joy, he knew with her presence that their conversation was over. At least for the time being. He sighed and dipped his head backwards as Pru nudged his shoulder with her knee. "Thank you darlin," he said with a smile as he reached out and took the plate of pie she was offering him.
"I've got one for you as well," she said, spinning on her heel.
"For me?" Nathaniel said in mock shock as he placed his right palm atop his chest.
Pru rolled her eyes at him. "Of course I do. Despite how annoying I find you…I do secretly adore you," she said with a wink. Nathaniel chuckled and took the plate from her hands. "What was that with Anna at the market today? I caught only a few words that passed between Sampson and father earlier," she questioned as she sashayed back towards Martin, dropping down between his legs and nuzzling her back against his chest.
Martin and Nathaniel quickly sought out each other's eyes. Their quiet stare lingering for two seconds too long, leaving Uncas to believe that something had indeed happened at the market today, and not just to him.
Martin and Nathaniel weaved casually through the heavily crowded street. The weather was relatively pleasant at the early hour they had arrived at town. There was an abundance of sunshine and the temperature was not yet overly hot. The mild morning brought out many townsfolk and Indians alike to sell or trade their goods atop the dozens of makeshift stands that lined the dusty streets. Sampson had suggested the trip after commenting that this year's harvest had been particularly good and after deciding that they may need at least one more person to help yield it. They had all gone, both little boys included. Chingachgook being the only one to stay behind.
Nearly the moment they arrived, they split up strolling off in different directions. Pru and Uncas had wandered off with Ash strapped across her chest. Sampson had gone hunting for another laborer. While Martin, Nathaniel and little Elijah, who was clawing at his uncle's chest, had wandered away in search of something rather specific.
"What do you think of this?" Martin asked, toying with a small sliver ring. "The sapphire is the exact same color of Pru's eyes."
Nathaniel leaned forward, shifting Elijah onto his hip while peeling his loose hair from the toddler's grasp so he might see better. "It's nice."
"That's it? It's nice," Martin rolled his eyes and examined the silver further. He had come to town with one objective in mind. To find a wedding ring for Pru. Even though they had started a family together and acted as husband and wife, in the eyes of God and everyone else they very much were not. Pro could be deemed any number of awful things and their children viewed as bastards. And should anything ever happen to him or Sampson, Pru and their sons would be destitute. At least as far as the farm is considered. It would be taken from them and sold off. He knew her father and brothers would care for them but the farm was their home, everyone's home and he would not see it lost because he and Pru were not formally wed.
Nathaniel shrugged, "Why don't you just give her your mother's ring?"
"I suppose I wanted her to have something of her own. Just between us. Besides, I'd hate for my father to have to part with it," he said, toying with the ring between his fingers. Nathaniel was the only person he had told about his decision to formally ask Pru to marry him in the hopes of keeping it a surprise for her. As much as he would have liked to have told Uncas, he worried that his little brother's excitement might have spoiled the surprise and so had decided to leave Nathaniel as his only confidant.
"Well? Are you going to buy it?" Nathaniel asked, bumping his shoulder against Martin's to knock him from the daze he was currently trapped in.
"You think she'll like it?" Martin questioned as his slid his thumb across the sparkling blue sapphire.
"Who will like what?"
Martin and Nathaniel both turned their heads towards the voice. Anna and her cousin Martha had snuck up on them and were now standing ridiculously close to Martin. Nathaniel snickered to himself at Anna's attempt to be as close to Martin as possible and without so much as a curt nod, turned his attention back to the jewelry displayed before them. Martin, however, not wanting to appear rude grinned cordially back at her and said, "Anna, Martha, how good to see you both. How is your family?"
"Martin…," both girls hummed together, while completely ignoring Nathaniel's presence.
"You as well Martin. Your father is actually speaking with my mother right now to secure my brother's help with your harvest. I believe they will strike a fair deal for his labor," Anna cheerfully said, the most demure smile she could muster plastered along her face.
"That's good news. We will need extra help this year. Where did you say my father is?"
"I didn't, but he's just around the corner by the apothecary's shop," she sweetly replied, eyeing the ring in Martin's fingers.
"Who is that?" Martha asked, pointing at Elijah. "Is that your son?" She questioned as she stared into Nathaniel's bright blue eyes.
"Ha! Not my son miss," he laughed and handed Elijah over to Martin. "His."
Anna gasped loudly in horror. "You…you have a son? With whom? You aren't even married," she stammered out in shock.
Martin's face lit up and he swiveled on his heels a bit, "With her," he proudly declared. Then as if hearing him clearly through the bustle of the crowd, Pru raised her head up and turned in his direction. Their eyes met immediately and Pru's hand shot up in the air waving. Martin smiled widely and winked back at her just before Pru's attention was diverted back to Uncas and the girl he was speaking with. "Prudence Blackwood is my wife and has been for some years now. That little bundle wrapped around her chest is Ash and this handsome man is Elijah. Our two sons," he said with pride.
Nathaniel chuckled to himself at Anna's stunned reaction. He had never liked her. Always found her snobby and rude. That combined with the way she always drooled over Martin made him really savor this moment. He leaned forward and whispered into Martha's ear, "You might want to help your cousin pick her jaw up off the ground. It's rather unflattering." He leaned back, giving both girls an exaggerated wink and turned to Martin, "Let's go now. We can come back for this if you like." He gestured towards the ring.
"Probably right brother." Martin placed the ring back on the table, dipped his head to Anna and Martha, quickly said his goodbyes and was off, a mere step behind Nathaniel.
Anna watched in disgust as Martin walked further and further away from her and Martha. "This is atrocious. That he would choose a vagabond like her and her savage family over a well bred respectable woman like myself…well it's absolutely atrocious! And they are most definitely not married. That makes her a whore and both of those children are bastards. The law will never recognize them as Blackwoods. NEVER!"
"ANNA!"
Anna quickly spun in her heels to see her mother and Sampson Blackwood standing just behind her and Martha. And by her mother's harsh tone, they had both overheard her nasty commentary. "Oooh Mr. Blackwood, Mama…I am …"
While Sampson's face remained impassive his insides were ablaze with disgust. "Anna…," he curtly said, cutting her off. "It is a pleasure to see you again and a true comfort to see that you are in good health and remain exactly as I remember you. Completely unchanged these past few years." Anna's cheeks flushed a bright crimson at his off handed slap against her character. A reaction that could not help but bring a slight smile to his face. Having this level of insult smeared upon his daughter and grandchildren left him feeling ill and so he turned back towards Anna's mother and politely said, "My apologies Jane, but I will no longer be needing Henry's services. My offer is rescinded. I have no doubt that my family can handle the workload themselves. And I imagine that Pru, my daughter, will help as well. As she so rarely sits inactive at our home. Such a good girl I have. Thank you anyway. Good day ladies." He bowed his head and calmly walked away. The pleasant sound of Jane's angry voice ringing in his ears.
Martin pursed his lips. After they arrived home, his father had taken him outside and explained what had happened. None of it surprised Martin in the slightest. Anna's words only served to confirm his fears. Sampson then continued with the importance of him and Pru legally marrying. Martin had stayed quiet throughout the entire conversation and when his father was finished revealed that he had gone specifically to town to pick a wedding ring for Pru, in the hopes that they could be legally wed soon. His father nearly keeled over with joy, laughing and squeezing Martin tightly against his chest. He asked to see the ring, and Martin explained that it was that moment that Anna appeared and that he was not able to get back there to purchase it. Sampson had cupped his cheek and said, "That was your mother's way of intervening. Clearly she wants Pru to wear her own ring." And that was the end of that. His mother's ring had now been in the pocket of his trousers for more than four hours while he waited patiently for that one right moment, whenever that may be. Though he explicitly trusted that the universe would guide him to that moment.
"It was nothing really. You know Anna has always fancied me. It was just her being her," he casually answered.
"And what of the help Sampson was trying to acquire?"
"I told father that we can handle it. Not to spend the extra money if it isn't necessary."
"Mmmhmm…that's not all and you know it. But I'll let you keep your secret…for tonight." And she nuzzled herself deeper into his chest.
"And what happened to you at the market today? You scurried off somewhere with someone." Nathaniel said, shifting his arms behind his head and looking over at Uncas.
Uncas pursed his lips and immediately directed his attention to Ash, who laid peacefully in his lap.
"Well?" Nathaniel pushed.
Uncas sighed and closed his eyes. His face suddenly felt the warmth of the afternoon sun beat down upon him. His nostrils suddenly filled with the kicked up dust that drifted up from the streets. And his heart suddenly fluttered as visions of long, silky, raven colored hair cascaded across his skin.
Uncas and Pru had taken Ash and at Nathaniel's urging, wandered off on their own. They strode through the crowded streets arm in arm as they perused stand after stand. People were everywhere and Uncas laughed, watching as Pru soaked up the different fashions and accompanying faces. It was almost two years since the last time she had been anywhere other than the farm and it was clear that much had changed in her absence. Though something that had not changed were the disapproving looks of the townsfolk as they passed them by, arm in arm. While their unique family was accepted at the Delaware camp, it was clearly still frowned upon in town.
"Never mind them brother," Pru said with a wide smile and a few vigorous taps to his bare arm. "They have no sense of family."
"I don't like the way they look at you when I'm the only one with you," his deep voice laced with quiet concern.
"Nonsense! The women are jealous because they are not on your arm and the men are jealous because you are so beautiful that your mere presence draws all their ladies' attention away from them and onto you!"
Uncas felt his face flush. This was not the first time someone in the family had commented on his appearance. His hair had grown thicker and longer, well past his shoulders down to nearly the middle of his back. Pru had taken to rubbing his silky strands through her fingers, then sighing with great exaggeration and promptly complaining of how her hair was thick with knots and not nearly as soft. Nathaniel constantly joked of his incoming manhood by calling him pretty in as many versions as he could think of between the two languages he knew. Martin the same, teased him of his height and build. Everyday since they returned he had passed him an ax and whispered in his ear how it would help keep his body beautiful and his mind clear. Uncas would always roll his eyes and after a moment of reflection, grab the ax as he thought of all those times he watched Martin chop wood. Times that were most likely fueled by thoughts of his sister. That same sister meant well today with her compliments. Though he knew perfectly well that the people were staring because of his familiarity with Pru. A beautiful white woman with her arm linked around his own.
Pru seemed to sense Uncas's concern and decided to stop in front of a table lined with an assortment of fox furs and hides for purchase. She cradled Ash with her left hand and uncurled her right from around Uncas and began skimming her fingers over top several different pieces. "These furs are beautiful. It is very nice work," Pru said as she lifted her eyes to the young Indian woman behind the display. She had a familiarity that took her a moment to place. "Aegel?"
"Yes. Hello Pru," Aegel sweetly said. Pru was not an easy face to forget with her stunning blue eyes and accompanying dark wavy hair. Especially since she, along with Nathaniel, were the first and only white people she knew as a child. Which meant that the attractive young man beside her must be Uncas. She gulped as she quietly ran her eyes along his features.
"Aegel?" Uncas stammered out, instantly halting her eyes' exploration of him. He blinked rapidly for a moment as he took in the new appearance of the once young girl he used to play with in mud puddles. Her long raven hair was thicker and silkier than he had ever seen it before. Her face thinned with maturity, much like his own, lips fuller and high cheekbones that set her face apart from any other he had ever seen. She was beautiful.
Aegel blushed under Uncas's keen gaze. The red in her cheeks was so bright it peaked through her dark complexion. "Uncas," she softly replied, her gaze ardent in its pursuit of his own.
"My how you've grown! The last time I saw you you were still a wee little girl and here you stand before me a woman. Are you here alone?" Pru questioned, swiveling her head left from right in search of Aegel's family.
"My mother will be back at any moment. She only just stepped away for a moment," she said as a wide smile crept across her face. "It's good to see you Pru and you as well Uncas." Aegel stared back into Uncas's dark brown eyes and wanted nothing more than to touch him. A small harmless touch. Then before she let good sense of propriety stop her, reached out and grasped Uncas's hand, bringing down atop the fur and began gently gliding it back and forth. "Uncas…would you like to feel them? I'm not sure there is anything softer on this earth."
Uncas swallowed hard. It was not the first time Aegel had touched him. They had pawed at each other hundreds of times over the years as children. Though usually mud, sticks or some other type of forest debris was involved. Nothing like this. And at no time did he ever feel anything like what he was feeling right now with her hand atop his own. While beneath his palm was the softest fur he had ever felt, above it his skin was tingling with electricity. His breath had hitched from the initial contact and he could feel a thousand tiny bumps pop up along his arm. A physical reaction that he was certain Aegel had not missed. Especially since when he finally raised his eyes away from the furs she was staring directly at him, a hint of something unknown twinkling inside them. What was this that was happening, he thought.
"Uncas?"
"Huh?" Uncas said, swiveling his head to the side to look at Pru, who he momentarily forgot was even standing there.
"I'm going to step over there for a moment," she said, pointing in the direction that Martin and Nathaniel had begun to wander towards. "Are you coming or…," she leaned in towards him and whispered in his ear. "…do you need a few moments?"
Uncas's eyes went wide as he realized Aegel was still holding tightly to his hand. "Uhhh…,"
Pru lightly squeezed his shoulder and said, "Come meet us whenever you are ready." And after saying a quick goodbye to Aegel and a hello to her mother, who had just joined them, wandered off into the crowd.
"Uncas! So good to see you!" Kasa, Aegel's mother, exclaimed.
"Ahh, thank you. Good to see you too," Uncas replied as he gently pulled his hand out from Aegel's grasp. An act that did not go unnoticed by Kasa.
"Please, don't let my presence stop you two from doing whatever it is you were doing. In fact, Uncas…Aegel has been kept behind this stand since the sun rose. Perhaps you could take her for a short walk so she might stretch her legs a bit?" Kasa more told than asked as she swatted both of them off and away from the stand. Thoughts of grandeur swimming in her eyes. Rumors had begun to spread like wildfire throughout the Delaware people that Uncas would soon be taking a wife. And while she knew many mother's were eagerly awaiting his return to the camp, she could not believe her good fortune that her daughter would have gotten the first and hopefully the last snap at him. "Go…go!" She said, shooing them away with both hands. "Go and enjoy some of the day!"
Uncas smiled and politely stretched out his arm. Walk a bit with Aegel at her mother's urging after his insides melted at her touch? Sure, he thought. "A stroll?" He casually questioned, so as not to give away that he had in the moments he saw her again been completely swept away by her beauty.
"I would like that," Aegel said and hooked her arm in his. "Where should we walk?"
"Wherever you like."
Aegel's soft smile grew playfully wide. "I have an idea," she said, gripping his left hand and tugging him forward until they were running side by side towards the forest. Just as they had done thousands of times before.
Several long minutes passed with the sun beating down on their skin as they ran deeper and deeper into the lushness of the forest. While it had started out with Uncas being led forward, once Mother Nature caressed his skin and loose flowing hair with her summery breeze, he inadvertently took over and gripped tighter to Aegel's hand as he tugged her along behind him. There was a sense of calm and freedom sprinting through the forest with a beautiful girl beside him. And if only for a moment, he chose reveal in it.
"Please…Uncas! This is far enough!" Aegel half hollered half coughed out as she gripped onto Uncas's forearm to stay him. "The further we go the longer it will take us to get back and my mother and your family will worry," she said as she keeled over, placing her palms on her knees desperately trying to catch her breath.
Uncas skidded to a halt in front of her and threw his head back towards the sun. He felt glorious right then. His body and soul are charged with the energy that only physical exertion can give you. He sucked in a deep breath letting the warmth of the day fill his lungs, though his good mood quickly faltered when he heard Aegel coughing roughly behind him and promptly spun on his heels to look at her. His eyebrows once raised in excitement fell into a furrowed V when he took in the sight of her. He doubled over and began gently rubbing her back. "I'm so sorry, Aegel. I didn't mean to yank you along like that. Are you alright?" He stammered out in a rush.
"Yes. I'm…fine," she finished between coughs as she lowered herself down to the ground. Uncas quickly following suit. "You always were faster than me, even when my legs were longer," she finished with a wide smile.
At least your sense of humor remains intact," he said, mimicking her smile.
Aegel giggled despite her cough and turned her head up to him. Her eyes once more rolling all along every feature of his face. Vanished was the little boy she used to chase through the forest poking at his bottom with a stick and in his place a man had grown. A beautiful man. And before she realized what she was doing, Aegel reached up and caressed his sweaty cheek. "You are much changed since the last time I saw you, Uncas."
Uncas held his breath as each touch brought back more and more to their shared childhood memories. He had been eleven summers when her family left the Delaware camp to stay with relatives in another village. And she had done this exact gesture when they said their final farewell. Though before they parted, and while her tiny palm rested against his cheek, Aegel had pushed herself up on her tiptoes and placed the tiniest, gentlest kiss upon his lips. Then spun on her heels and ran away, hiding behind her mother. To this day Uncas remembered that kiss. His one and only. As if reading his thoughts, he suddenly felt the warm, moist sensation of Aegel's lips pressed lightly against his own.
Uncas's eyes went wide, then slowly, lazily fell shut. When he first saw her at the market today something spurred inside him. A small fire ignited deeper when she delicately touched his hand. The comfort and familiarity that went along with it, pushing his feet into motion as they ran hand in hand through the forest. And while years had passed since they last saw one another, he had never forgotten her. Her giggle, the smell of her hair, how even as a child his insides melted when she was near him. And right now, with her lips caressing his own, he was melting all over again for her.
Uncas's hands found their way to her cheeks. Her soft warm cheeks swallowed almost entirely by his large calloused palms. He dragged his thumbs across her smooth skin as he gently pulled her closer towards him. He wanted more. Needed more. Uncas pressed himself flush against her body, smiling a bit to himself when he felt a shudder rush through her at their closeness. The sweet vibration and accompanying whimper only encouraged him further. He felt bold, daring in this moment, unlike he ever had before. Another moan escaped her lips and Uncas could hold back no longer. He traced his tongue along lower lips, taking his time to savor her salty taste before delicately slipping it into her mouth. Aegel purred. The delicious sound zinging through his entire body and settling deep in his core. Uncas made no attempt to fight the moan that spilled from his lips as their tongues danced wildly together. Whatever this was, whatever was happening, his body would not be stopped.
Until he heard the soft snap of a tree branch in the distance and quickly broke away from her. His body suddenly poised as he shifted his position to better see their surroundings. All the while lightly moving Aegel behind him just in case there was cause for concern. He stayed motionless for a few moments as he gauged the forest. His sharp eyes analyzed every swaying leaf and fallen branch until finally he saw a doe casually trotting by as though she had not just interrupted the most profound moment of his life so far.
Uncas shook his head and sighed. "It's only a doe," he said, swiveling back around to face her and smiling instantly as he took in her cheeks flushed from excitement and her lips swollen from kissing. "You're beautiful."
"Uncas…," Aegel whispered, averting her eyes sheepishly from his. "…what are we doing here? We haven't seen each other since we were children and now, not minutes later, we are wrapped in each other's arms kissing as if we have long been lovers."
Uncas reached out and gently gripped her chin, tilting her head upward so she could face him. Nothing like this had ever happened to him. No one had ever caused him to stir in this way. From the moment he realized it was Aegel, he felt his body alive with electricity and it fascinated him. Years spent apart living separate lives until he found himself face to face with her again. The rush he received gazing into her dark eyes again had nearly left him speechless. And he felt somehow that as they stared into each other's eyes, the knot time that separated them seemed too unravel. Almost as if all of the displaced time was their souls searching out for the other. It all felt so right. The perfection of it made him sigh and gently he rested his forehead against her own. "Maybe that's it."
"What's it?"
Uncas merely smiled and stared into his old friend's eyes as he thought to himself…maybe she was it.
"Uncas!" Pru exclaimed, nudging at his thigh with her foot. "Where are you?"
"Right here," he casually replied.
"Like hell you are! You have sweat dripping off your face! Are you hot or something?" Nathaniel questioned mischievously.
Uncas took a deep breath, rolled his eyes and waited for Pru to tell them who they had run into today. But as the seconds passed, she remained blissfully silent. His eyes found their way to hers and the moment they met she gave him the tiniest eye wink.
"I'm still waiting…," Nathaniel cooed.
"And you will be for a very long time," Uncas said as he passed Ash into Pru's arms and adjusted himself deeper into the cool grass. He rested his arms behind his head and let his eyelids flutter shut. In quiet protest against his brother's relentless teasing and silently he asked The Great Spirit to bless him with sweet dreams. Sweet dreams of Aegel.
Author's Note: I had a very difficult time with Uncas's storyline. Much more difficult than Nathaniel and Pru/Martin/Chingachgook. But...I had a bit of an epiphany and now everything about him makes sense! Hence the introduction of Aegel. I am actually really excited about this so I truly hope you all enjoy the ride with me! As you can see they went from zero to sixty in the span of half an hour! Maybe it was the familiarity. Maybe it was attraction to their newly matured bodies...or maybe it was something else entirely? Either way, they are both feeling it and IT is strong! I'd say more but I think it's worth the wait :)
I threw in a little bit about Martin and Pru and some of the major issues that they might face as an unwed couple. And Martin's resolve to make it so she and their sons are as protected as he can possibly make them. Also, I expected nothing less of Sampson when he overheard the horrible Anna dropping the hammer on Pru. She is just has much his as she is everyone else's and of course all those boys would work from sun up to sun down if it meant keeping Anna and her family far away from the farm!
I will warn you that things are about to get a wee bit sticky for our family...
Thank you to everyone who viewed/reviewed BlueSaffire, ELY72, Hazel222, BrynnaRaven, MohawkWoman, AsterLaurel, your support is endless...thank you!
Thanks for reading :)
