Joe straightened up and pulled Roxy to his side, laying his arm protectively around her shoulders. Rambo, sensing the change in Joe, came to stand in front of Joe facing the four intruders.
"Was anyone hurt?" Joe asked, his voice indifferent.
"No," Roxy answered for them, showing her confusion at their shocked expressions. "Do you know them?" she asked Joe, tilting her head and looking up into her husband's face.
"These are the Hardys," replied Joe truthfully. His wife knew everything about Joe's past, including what had happened to him in prison. They had agreed no secrets and after three and a half years of marriage, both were still true to that vow.
"Oh," she said, her face hardening as she looked at the Hardys.
"You can stay until the roads are clear," Joe told them. "But after that, I want you to leave and never come back."
"Joe..." Laura started, her voice begging but Joe turned to Roxy.
"They can use the rooms your family use when they visit," he told her. "If you want to show them the way, I'll start putting the groceries away."
"Okay," she agreed, reaching up and kissing his cheek. She paused, looking at him curiously as the unusual quietness registered. "Why don't I hear crying?" she asked.
"Oatmeal baths and children's Tylenol," Joe replied, his eyes once again twinkling.
Roxy nodded, kissed him once more, then pulled off her coat and handed it to Joe. "This way," she told the Hardys as Joe hung her coat on the back of a chair and busied himself emptying one of the bags.
Frank wanted to stay and talk to Joe but logic told him now was not the time. They would be trapped for a few days and he would get a chance to talk to him without his wife around. He was certain Roxy was as protective of Joe as he, himself, had been....still was, if only Joe would give him the chance.
Roxy led them through the spacious living room and past a staircase. They hadn't gone far when the sound of a baby crying came from upstairs. Before Roxy could push her way through, Joe was racing through the living room and up the steps. Her heart full of love for her husband, Roxy continued her task.
"The room on the right is the largest," she said, coming to a stop in the middle of the hall. "You will have to share a bathroom," she added, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. "Dinner is usually at six, but for obvious reasons, it will be later tonight. If you get hungry, feel free to raid the kitchen." She paused for a breath before continuing. "There are some spare clothing in the closets. They might be a little big for you guys, but you're welcome to use what you need," she finished.
She started to leave but Laura grabbed her arm, her eyes pleading with the young woman. "Roxy?" Laura asked tentatively, remembering the name Joe had called her.
"Don't touch me," Roxy hissed, causing Laura to release her and step back in fright. "Joe said you can stay so you may. But if I had known who you were I would have left you to freeze."
"Easy," Callie said, stepping forward. "You're more antagonistic than Joe."
"That's because he doesn't hate you. He doesn't care enough about you to hate you," Roxy snarled. "I, on the other hand, despise you. So stay away from him. If you hurt him again I will personally kick you out and it's ten miles to our nearest neighbor and a good twenty to the next town!"
"Was anyone hurt?" Joe asked, his voice indifferent.
"No," Roxy answered for them, showing her confusion at their shocked expressions. "Do you know them?" she asked Joe, tilting her head and looking up into her husband's face.
"These are the Hardys," replied Joe truthfully. His wife knew everything about Joe's past, including what had happened to him in prison. They had agreed no secrets and after three and a half years of marriage, both were still true to that vow.
"Oh," she said, her face hardening as she looked at the Hardys.
"You can stay until the roads are clear," Joe told them. "But after that, I want you to leave and never come back."
"Joe..." Laura started, her voice begging but Joe turned to Roxy.
"They can use the rooms your family use when they visit," he told her. "If you want to show them the way, I'll start putting the groceries away."
"Okay," she agreed, reaching up and kissing his cheek. She paused, looking at him curiously as the unusual quietness registered. "Why don't I hear crying?" she asked.
"Oatmeal baths and children's Tylenol," Joe replied, his eyes once again twinkling.
Roxy nodded, kissed him once more, then pulled off her coat and handed it to Joe. "This way," she told the Hardys as Joe hung her coat on the back of a chair and busied himself emptying one of the bags.
Frank wanted to stay and talk to Joe but logic told him now was not the time. They would be trapped for a few days and he would get a chance to talk to him without his wife around. He was certain Roxy was as protective of Joe as he, himself, had been....still was, if only Joe would give him the chance.
Roxy led them through the spacious living room and past a staircase. They hadn't gone far when the sound of a baby crying came from upstairs. Before Roxy could push her way through, Joe was racing through the living room and up the steps. Her heart full of love for her husband, Roxy continued her task.
"The room on the right is the largest," she said, coming to a stop in the middle of the hall. "You will have to share a bathroom," she added, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. "Dinner is usually at six, but for obvious reasons, it will be later tonight. If you get hungry, feel free to raid the kitchen." She paused for a breath before continuing. "There are some spare clothing in the closets. They might be a little big for you guys, but you're welcome to use what you need," she finished.
She started to leave but Laura grabbed her arm, her eyes pleading with the young woman. "Roxy?" Laura asked tentatively, remembering the name Joe had called her.
"Don't touch me," Roxy hissed, causing Laura to release her and step back in fright. "Joe said you can stay so you may. But if I had known who you were I would have left you to freeze."
"Easy," Callie said, stepping forward. "You're more antagonistic than Joe."
"That's because he doesn't hate you. He doesn't care enough about you to hate you," Roxy snarled. "I, on the other hand, despise you. So stay away from him. If you hurt him again I will personally kick you out and it's ten miles to our nearest neighbor and a good twenty to the next town!"