*Author's Note*
Thank you for all the follows, faves, and reviews.
She's Really Home
Bad Frank POV:
Holy hell, this bitch's crazy. She's takin' off in a run instead of handin' me the baby. A baby she renamed too. Shit, she even got a new man playin' family wit' her too. Hope he don't got no kids, she might take 'em an' move on to a new state to start fresh since I outted her as a titched kindappin' housekeeper.
I went to go after Olga, but was stopped by her well-dressed man when he placed his hands on my shoulders. "I'm sure there's been a mistake. I know Olga's got a history with-" The man began, only to be cut off by my fist collidin' into his jaw. Hell, I ain't got time for his shit today. I gotta go get that baby so I can get my hundred bucks I'm owed upon completion of this trackin' job.
The man's hands slid off my shoulder. Rubbin' his jaw wit' one, he protested, "You can't take her baby from her. She's had a hard time before moving here; that baby's all she has to bring her joy."
"She has you, don't she?" I asked in a scoffin' chuckle. Pullin' my gun out and cockin' it at the man, I told him, "Now, ass wipe, move 'side and let me do my job or I'll but a bullet in your brain." His eyes were the size of saucers as he nodded and got out of my way with jittery movements. "I see you're more of an office man, Mister." I chuckled, mockin' the man's lack of grit, 'fore runnin' off in the direction that Olga went.
After a minute or so of runnin' down streets and askin' folks if they've seen a woman runnin' with a baby, I caught up t'Olga. She was standin' in a dead-end alley, lookin' ov'r her shoulders like a lost deer. Quickly, I rushed over to her knowin' that I had her pinned an' she'd have to give up the baby now.
"Get 'way from me!" Olga screamed, shufflin' backwards towards an' hittin' her back 'gainst the brick buildin' at the end of the alley.
"Don't move, Miss." I ordered, takin' large tentative steps towards the crazy brunette. "Just hand me over the baby an' nobody gets hurts."
She just nodded her head, shufflin' over to me. Thank god, I can take this baby and go. Right as we met, I went to take the baby from her. She made like she was gonna hand me the baby, but really, she was usin' her free hand to sneak a small dagger from her boot. 'Fore I knew what hit me she stabbed me in the arm while screamin', "Ya ain't gettin' my baby!"
"Ya really are a crazy bitch, ain't ya?" I asked in a rhetorical scoff while forcefully takin' the baby from her.
"No! No! No! Give 'er back!" She screamed, clawin' at my face like a wild animal.
"Ussually I'm not so ruthless wit' women, but my client told me to act savage if need me." I told Olga while backhandin' her an' shovin' her 'way from me, causin' her back to collide wit' the wall of the dead-end.
"Please, don't take 'er. Don't take my Imogene!" The overly thin brunette begged as she lunged for the baby, I was tightly holdin' 'gainst my chest with my left arm.
I ain't got time for this, I gotta train back east to catch soon. I shoved the mad woman 'way from me with a hard force, sendin' her slammin' into the wall and slidin' to the ground. She moaned in pain as I walked over to her. "Sorry, Ma'am, but this is only business. Job's got a high price attached to it." I told her 'fore kickin' her a few times to sure she wasn't goin' to get up to follow or attack me.
I walked off, leaving the woman in a crumpled pile on the ground. Hmm, reckon I oughtta go back to the park to grab the baby buggy 'fore I go to the train station. It'll be useful in trasportin' Lydia.
Olga POV:
I don't know how long I was layin' on the ground holdin' my side for whenever I heard footsteps boundin' loudly 'gainst the pavement. "Olga, are you hurt?" I heard Asa asked me in a worried tone as he crouched down next t'me, helpin' me sit up.
"My side hurts." I told him 'fore lookin' in his eyes an' cryin', "That tracker took Imogene."
"I know and I'm sorry." He sighed, placin' my head on his shoulder an' pettin' my hair soothin'ly. "I tried to stop him, but he pulled a pistol out on me."
"He's a ruthless man, most likely the reason that blackheart I ran 'way from hired 'im." I told Asa as sobs wracked ov'r my body. "That blackheart had Imogene took from me cause he has t'be in control."
"Let's get you back to Gold River; tell the Vallons what happened." Asa suggested, helpin' me t'my feet.
"Okay." I listlessly nodded, lettin' 'im guide me out o'the dead-end alley I was foolish 'nough t'get pinned in.
Quietly, he wrapped an arm ov'r my shoulder an' walked me t'Amsterdam an' Jenny's place. After a few minutes, we entered Gold River. Amsterdam was at the bar cleanin' glasses, but he wouldn't look me in the eye. That's when I knew that he sold me out t'the tracker. The guilt was written all on his battle worn face. Stoppin' in my tracks, I looked up at Asa an' told 'im, "My own can't help me, they did this t'me."
His eyes went wide as realization hit him. "Come, let's geet your things and get to the boarding house I'm in. I'm sure that Mrs. Fitz'll rent you a room." Asa told me, his voice soft, but supportive, as he led me ov'r t'where the staircase was. "With your background as a mid-wife I'm sure you can get on in the maternity ward at the hospital as a nurse or a doctor's assistant." He assured me as we went upstairs.
I pray he's right, that he can help me rebuild my life cause right now I got nothin' no mores.
Allie POV:
I was setting supper on the table whenever Cap came home, looking like he had a rough day. "How was work?" I asked, making my way to grab the pot of freshly brewed coffee from the stove, as Cap hung up his hat and coat.
"Fine til Uncle Jim started up 'bout how I need to be nicer t'Shaw." Cap scoffed, making his way into the main room where our son was sitting on a blanket, playing with some toys.
"What? He told you to be nice to that prick? Jim, our crochety mean uncle?" I asked, placing the coffee pot along with a pair mugs on the table while Cap picked our son up from the floor.
"Yea." Cap nodded, coming into the kitchen with Captain W. on his hip. "Apparently, his favoritism for that prick has him blinded to his real ways."
"His favoritism, but I thought that you were Jim's favorite nephew?" I asked Cap, as he placed our son into his highchair before taking his seat at the head of the table, while I went to grab a glass of milk for our toddler.
"I'm one of his favorite nephews. Seems like Shaw's the other." My husband told me as I took a glass out of the cabinet, filling it up with some milk from the pitcher I took from the counter.
"But why? He's so cold and manipulative." I asked, going over to the highchair and placing the glass down on its tray.
"That's why. Jim seems to like Shaw's heartlessness." Cap told me, making up his plate as I cut up some food into small bite-sized pieces for Captain W.
Shaking my head, I slightly scoffed, "He would, the cankerous old goat.", while quickly making up my plate after placing Captain W's on his highchair tray.
"We should be kosher to Shaw for the family's sake, but that's all." Cap told me around a mouthful of food.
"Okay, but after threatening me I don't want him anywhere near our house." I told Cap, watching Captain W grabbing a bite-sized piece of food from his plate out of the corner of my eye as I cut up some meat on my plate.
"Don't worry, darlin', that bastard ain't welcome to set foot in our house." Cap told me, causing me to nod my head in relief.
Jessa POV:
I was in the kitchen finishing up dinner whenever a knock sounded at the door. Todd and Mary were in the living room with Silas, trying to teach him to walk. Looking over my shoulder, I asked my brother-in-law, "Todd, can you get the door?"
"Yea, I'll get it." Todd told me before standing up, leaving Mary sitting on the floor with Silas who was just standing and balancing on his feet, and quickly going over to the door.
I continued to finish dinner, placing the food into platters, whenever Todd answered the door. I didn't pay too much attention to who was there since I was too busy setting the table with food. As I placed the bread tray onto the table, I heard Todd's boots echoing against the hardwood floor as he made his way into the kitchen. Looking at the brunette boy, who was holding a piece of paper in his hand, I asked, "Who was at the door?"
"Fred Wolford." Tood simply answer. Handing me over the paper, he explained, "He dropped off this Western Union for Shaw."
I nodded, taking the offered paper from him. As he walked away, going back into the living room, I looked at the Western Union. When I saw it was from Frank (well Bad Frank) Phillips my heart started to beat out of my chest. Quickly I looked over the Western Union, which read:
Mr. Eldridge, I found your daughter. Just boarded the train with her; should be in Mate Creek sometime next week.
Pinkerton Frank Phillips
"Get washed up and you can have dinner. I need to go see Shaw for a minute." I told Todd and Mary, clutching the paper tightly in my hand, before rushing out the back door.
Quickly, I made my way to the work shed that Shaw was at. For most of the day he was sawing and sanding wood in order to make some toy chests. His carpentry along with his willingness to make things for our kids warmed my heart. Shaw, despite his rough edges, was a devoted and thoughtful parent.
"Dinner ready, babe?" Shaw asked, lifting his head up to look at me as soon as I pushed the door to the shed open and walked in.
"Yea, but I came out here to give you this." I told him, handing him over the Western Union.
Silently, with an arched brow, Shaw took the Western Union from my hand. As his eyes scanned over the paper, he let out a large sigh of relief. Tears of joy brimmed his honey eyes as he looked up from the paper in his hand, giving me a soft smile. "She's comin' home. Our baby's really comin' home." Shaw whispered into my hair as he pulled me into a close-fitting hug.
"We'll be together for Christmas." I assured Shaw, gently rubbing circles into his back as his silent and grateful tears dripped onto my neck and shoulder.
Shaw POV:
It's been about a week since I got Bad Frank's Western Union so Lydia should be home any day now. The days seemed to go by agonizingly slow as I awaited the safe return of my baby girl. I just went about my daily routine as I waited for the day to come that Bad Frank arrived at my doorstep with my daughter, safe and sound. My siblings seemed happy about Lydia's impending return, so was Jessa. Oh, Jessa was very supportive of me getting Lydia back and was just as excited as I was at the prospect of being reunited with the girl. She was a great fiancé; I couldn't ask for a better or more loving woman.
Currently, it was after midnight and I was sleeping in bed with Jessa in my arms with her head tucked under my chin. Honestly, before Jessa I hated cuddling and sleeping with women in my arms. I always pulled the good ole hug and roll to get them off of me or just left and went home if I wasn't in my own bed. God, it used to drive me nuts how Olga always tried to hold me or touch me when we were in bed even after I told her not to touch me or forcefully shoved her away or rolled her off of me. I can only handle cuddling Jessa. I don't mind sleeping with her in my arms, in fact since I'm so much in love with her I can't sleep unless she's safe in my arms.
Hell, Jessa's the only woman I've ever had real feelings for. I crave her by my side, she's my personal drug of choice. Damn, if she just stirs or moves in bed, I feel it. I'm attached to her in such a way that it doesn't feel humanly possible or natural. I'm sure if I didn't have her in my bed, I'd be drinking myself blackout drunk every night to get some sleep instead of sating myself with a fill of her and drifting off with the smell of her rosewater scented hair by my nostrils.
The sound of a loud knock at the door woke me up. Gently, so I wouldn't stir Jessa awake, I pulled myself out from under her and sat up. My feet had just touched the hardwood floor and I just bent down to pick up my long-john pants off the floor whenever I felt the bed slightly dip behind me. "Somebody's at the door." Jessa's sleep laden voice sounded out from behind me.
"I know, baby." I nodded, pulling on my long-john pants. "It's prolly Bad Frank with Lydia, just go back to sleep."
"I can't go back to sleep." She told me, scooting to the edge of the bed and grabbing her shift as I went over to the door.
"Okay, just cover up with a robe cause nobody, but me, gets to see you like this." I told her, as she quickly pulled on her shift, before quickly leaving our room.
Knocks continued to sound out into the air as I quickly crossed the kitchen into the living room. As I went over to the front door, I heard quick steps smacking on the floor behind me. Looking over my shoulder I saw that Jessa had her blue robe on, tied up tight, as she quickly followed me to the door. I just smiled at her before turning back to the door and answering it. "Mr. Phillips." I greeted Bad Frank as he stood in front of me with a baby buggy next to him.
"Oh my god, she's home." I heard Jessa let out in a relieved whisper as she came to a stop at my side.
"I had to hire a cab t'drive me here from Charleston since I had the baby with me. I need an extra $10, if ya don't mind." Bad Frank told me as I picked my daughter up out of the baby buggy, she was sleeping in.
"Not at all. Come in and I'll get'cha paid." I told the Pinkerton, stepping aside and pulling Jessa with me so that he could enter our house. "Take her for me, honey." I instructed Jessa, placing Lydia into her arms before shutting the door. "Mr. Phillips, if you'd follow me into the kitchen." I told Bad Frank, walking right by him and into the kitchen to grab the money jar that I kept in the cabinet next to my booze.
"Grand farmhouse ya have here." Frank half-whistled as he took in my house, followin' me into the kitchen.
"I built it myself after my mom died." I proudly told Bad Frank, stopping at the cabinet that held the money jar. While opening the cabinet and taking the money out, made the honest remark of, "I Wanted to give my siblings and my children a fine house to grow up in; something far from the shitholes I was raised in."
"I respect that." The Pinkerton nodded, watching me open the jar and grab his cash.
"Here's your money, Mr. Phillips." I told him, handing over $110 to him.
"Was that Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey in your cabinet?" The Pinkerton asked, tilting his head suggestively towards the cabinet.
"Yea. Why, you want that too?" I asked even tho I knew he did.
"It'd help keep me warm on my ride back to Louisville, Kentucky." Bad Frank answered, casing me to quickly grab the mostly full bottle of bourbon from the shelf it was on in my cabinet.
"Here, take the whiskey." I told Bad Frank, handing the bottle to him. As he took it from me, I shrugged, "Hell, I'm more of a shine man anyways."
"Thank you." Bad Frank nodded before going on to say, "I'll be on my way then.", and making his way out of the kitchen. He came to a stop next to Jessa (who was sitting on the sofa with Lydia sound asleep in her arms) and tipped his hat at her. "Ma'am, take good care of that baby."
"I will." Jessa softly smiled, causing Bad Frank to continue his walk to the front door.
Right as the man exited our house, I took a seat next to Jessa on the sofa. "She's really home." I smiled, a soft awe tinting my timbre.
"Yea." Jessa nodded. "Here, you should have some time with her." She told me, gently passing me over Lydia so that she wouldn't wake up.
Silently, she rubbed my shoulder soothingly as I held my daughter with unshed tears of joy brimming my honey eyes.
AN:
I know, poor Olga. This is a H&M story so tragedy's bound to happen. This was a hard decision to make (writing Olga losing Imogene), but Bad Frank is good at what he does… At least Olga has Asa. For the time being Olga and Asa won't be featured again, but they will arise when the feud hits national news.
Who thinks Shaw needs to take his dad's time traveling ring, go to Chicago Med, and get evaluated by Dr. Charles? (Yep, I watch Chicago Med.) Shaw's got a lot of issues, that's for sure. Do you guys think that Jessa's going to discover Shaw's issues/his darker side or not (cause he hides it so well)?
Cap and Allie decided to be nice to Shaw for the family's sake, but they won't actually be friendly with him.
Anyways, next chapter will be Christmas stuff. Oh boy, Jessa's gonna see Tolbert at the Christmas Eve church service. How do ya'll think that's gonna go?