Chapter 8
Kassandra sat slumped in the armchair in her room as her father railed;
"Do you have ANY idea just exactly what you've done, Kassa. There is NO WAY in this world, now, that Jemma would let you get closer to her, let alone close enough to try and convince her to let me buy into their business."
Stopping in front of her, his hands on his hips, Carlin bent to shove his face close to his daughter's;
"All of our work, all of our planning, and for what? NOTHING! That's what it's been for, NOTHING! Not to mention, have you thought of just WHAT will become of you if Joshua decides to back out of his proposal?"
Rising to his full height, Carlin crossed his arms over his chest as he shook his head;
"Your offers of marriage won't be coming in forever, Kassa dear, especially as you grow older. I mean, technically, considering that you're twenty-four now, the term 'old maid' could most assuredly apply."
Defiant, Kassandra retorted;
"That's only two years older than Jemma Stempel."
Amused Carlin laughed;
"True, however, she HAS a husband and children, does she not? And from what I understand, her husband proposed when she was eighteen, so she had her future secured."
Lifting her eyes, Kassandra glared at her father;
"As I recall, Father dear, I also had a proposal at eighteen, one which you refused to let me accept."
Scowling at the reminder, Carlin turned away as he decreed;
"That wasn't a proposal, Kassa, it was a joke. Warden was hardly suitable husband material for you, my dear."
Shaking her head slowly, sending her ebony ringlets swishing about, Kassandra clarified;
"No, Father, he wasn't suitable husband material for YOU. There was nothing to be gained by you, except for the fact that I would have been marrying a man that I loved very much and would have been happy."
Glaring at her over his shoulder, Carlin reminded;
"Kassa dear, you seem to forget, that your 'great love' was a pauper, he could hardly have provided the lifestyle that you were raised to appreciate."
Emitting a humorless laugh, Kassandra prodded;
"Strange, Father, but as I understand it, especially now, Grandfather and Mother made provision for that, didn't they? Of course, I don't imagine that they considered that what they left for MY future and security would have to stretch to include ensuring yours as well."
His chest heaving with anger, Carlin swung around to face his daughter;
"This is NOT a conversation that I will be having with you, Kassandra Eve."
Covering the distance between where he stood and the doorway in long, quick strides, Carlin reached for the knob and stopped just before taking it in his hand, as if the thought suddenly struck him, to challenge his daughter;
"I strongly suggest, my petulant and spoiled child, that you try to think of a way to, at least, hold Joshua Bolt to his proposal. Because believe me, Kassa, opportunities such as the one you were given with that man are not going to be very forthcoming, and I don't imagine working as a barmaid to support yourself would be to your liking. Let me assure you that if I have to take matters into my hands to ensure that, at least, I'm assured a place in their business interests with Mr. Thorndyke, you, my dearest daughter, will need to make your own way in this world."
Kassandra watched, the fear and shock of her father's words evident in the look she wore, as her father snatched the door open before pulling it shut behind him as he left her room, slamming the door soundly, leaving her to wonder what options she had at her disposal.
Considering what had taken place, Peggy had brooked no argument from Jemma, or any other member of the Bolt-Stempel family when she volunteered to oversee the cleanup from the picnic, something that met with everyone's gratitude, especially Jason's. He knew his sister well enough to know just what was going to happen once the anger she felt over what had taken place with her child cooled, especially when the realization of just how tragic the event could have been begun sinking in, something that he knew would shake her to her core. Any concerns that he might have had that he was overreacting to the situation were soon put to rest when Lottie sought him out, as well as Josh and Jeremy. Pulling them to the side, and in her usual way, Lottie came straight to the point;
"Jason, I think you need to talk to Aaron and have him hurry up and get Jemma home. You three know just what's going to happen when that temper of hers calms down and it hits her what COULD have happened. The last thing that she needs is for anyone else to be a witness to that."
The look on his face reflecting his concern for his sister, Jeremy ventured;
"Maybe me and Candy, since we have Benjamin, Molly, and Christopher to help, should take Amie and Jacob home with us so she can get some rest. I mean, that way, she'll only have to worry about Alex for tonight."
Glancing over her shoulder to where Jemma was tending to her children, Lottie heaved a loud side;
"You can offer, Jeremy, but considering what almost happened, I'm not too sure that you're going to be able to convince her to let her children, especially Jacob, out of her sight."
Seeing the merit of Jeremy's offer, Jason began walking towards the subject of their conversation after placing his hand on Jeremy's shoulder to advise;
"Let me talk to her first, Jeremy."
Loading the buggy Aaron kept glancing at his wife as she was trying her best to settle their children. Alex thankfully was sleeping sounding in his basket. Amie, however, was another matter, especially knowing that something was so obviously off with her parents. Jemma had Jacob dried and changed into dry clothes in no time at all, but it was obvious that she was highly agitated, something that her children were keenly aware of, although neither understood why. Aaron knew that she was doing her best not to allow her anger to affect how she treated their children, however, he could tell that she was losing the battle when Amie became fussy and anxious in her attempt to hug her mother, thinking it would help ease her mother's mood. Noticing from the corner of her eye, as she sat Jacob on his feet, that Amie had her arms outstretched and was about to lose her balance and fall from the seat of the buggy, Jemma raised her voice in panic;
"AMIE! SIT DOWN THIS MINUTE BEFORE YOU FALL AND GET HURT!"
Jemma's hands flew to her mouth in regret when she saw her daughter's bottom lip trembling as the child's eyes widened with a combination of fear and pain at the sting of her mother's sharp words. Jemma quickly reached out to take her daughter in her arms as she cuddled the child close to her;
"Oh, Baby Girl, Mommy is so sorry! I didn't mean to be so mean to you, I was just afraid you would get hurt, baby. Mommy would die if anything happened to you or your brothers, I was just afraid that you would get hurt, angel."
Seeing the fierceness with which she was hugging their daughter and the confusion clouding Amie's eyes, Aaron closed the distance that separated him from his wife and daughter to place his hand on Amie's arm as he coaxed gently;
"Mommy's just had a very rough day, why don't you come to Daddy, Princess."
Taking their daughter in his arms, Aaron wasn't surprised when she wrapped her small arms around his neck tightly before laying her head on his shoulder. Seeing the devastation in her eyes from how she had spoken to their daughter, Aaron placed his hand against her cheek as he tried to console her;
"Jemma sweetheart, I promise you that it really is going to be alright. Amie knows you love her and she loves you, she's not going to remember that you raised your voice to her, let alone hold it against you. You weren't trying to be mean to her, you were just worried she would get hurt."
Swallowing hard, she lamented;
"But Aaron, she was just trying to reach out and offer me comfort because she could tell I was upset. She just wanted her mommy to know how much she loves her and what did I do? I yelled at our sweet baby girl when she was just trying to offer me comfort."
Before either could say anything more, Aaron found himself infinitely relieved to hear his eldest brother in law's booming voice;
"Aaron, Pixie, could I have a few words with you?'
Grateful for the intervention, Aaron nodded;
"Certainly, Jason."
Noticing how his niece was clinging to her father, her eyes on the verge of tears, and the gleam of misery in his sister's eyes, Jason knew just how imperative it was for him to be able to convince Aaron of how important it was that he accept Jeremy's offer. Recognizing the signs of what he knew was coming with his sister, Jason, noticing Alex beginning to fuss, suggested;
"Pixie, I think someone wants your attention. I'll just have a quick word with your husband, alright, baby sister?"
Jemma nodded silently as she moved towards her youngest child to take him in her arms while Jason took the opportunity to lead Aaron just out of his sister's hearing before ordering in a hushed tone;
"Aaron, I'm asking you to trust, not just me, but Lottie too. Let Jeremy and Candy keep Jacob and Amie for tonight, they have Benjamin, Molly, and Christopher to help keep them occupied. And, for heaven's sake, get Pixie home and get her home quickly."
Aaron's brow furrowed as his eyes narrowed before demanding;
"Jason, just what are you..."
Glancing over his shoulder to make certain that his sister was still occupied, Jason growled his warning;
"Look, Aaron, I'm telling you from experience, when her temper calms down, I mean completely calms down, especially when it hits her just EXACTLY what could have happened today if she hadn't of looked up just when she did, you're going to see a side to your wife that you've never seen before."
Glaring at his brother in law, Aaron seethed;
"I'm well aware of just how upset my wife is, Jason. You seem to forget, that was MY son that went off that pier today too, and I've seen Jemma's temper before."
Noticing Amie's agitation, Aaron shifted her slightly as he patted her back gently, trying to calm her;
"It's alright, Princess. Uncle Jason's just being foolish, that's all."
Silently, Jason counted to five before speaking frankly;
"Aaron, I know that you and Pixie are very close, even for a married couple. But tell me this: have you ever seen Jemma as mad as you did today?"
Jason knew that, by the look in his eyes, Aaron was searching his memory and he knew that he had made his point when his brother in law grudgingly admitted;
"No, I've seen her furious, mad enough to spit nails, but I've never seen her temper the way that I did today."
Nodding, Jason explained;
"I have, Aaron, so has Lottie, Josh, and Jeremy, and I'm telling you that it's like climbing a mountain; the higher you climb, the harder the landing if you fall. And Aaron, there's no way not to fall off this particular mountain. Let the twins go with Jeremy and Candy and you take Pixie home, she'll be able to take care of Alex, with your help, but I'm telling you, get her home before she falls."
Aaron felt shame for allowing his arrogance and jealousy over the idea of someone, even his brother in law, trying to tell him anything about his wife. The look on his face reflecting his concern, especially considering that he wasn't certain what to expect, or more precisely the best way to help his wife, Aaron begged;
"Jason, what do I do to help her?"
Jason motioned for Jeremy and Benjamin before turning to Aaron;
"Just what I've suggested, let the twins stay with Jeremy and Candy and hurry up and get her home."
Noticing that his daughter had finally fallen asleep, Aaron placed a kiss on her forehead as she turned her head to bury her face against the side of his neck as her small arms tightened around his neck. Turning to Jason, he asked;
"Jason?"
Having already guessed his question, Jason shook his head;
"Aaron, I don't really know what to tell you to expect. The last time she lost her temper like this I don't know what it was over. THIS time, it was a matter of life and death and it was over your child, I have no idea just how that's going to affect her. All I know is how she reacted last time and that was bad enough."
Glancing over his shoulder to where she was settling their youngest child in his basket, Aaron's chest rose and fell heavily as he reminded;
"You realize that we still have to convince her to let Jacob and Amie out of her sight, and THAT is not going to be too easy considering what happened today."
Turning to Jeremy, Jason ventured;
"Well, as long as you back us and are willing to put your foot down if necessary, I think that, between the three of us, we'll be able to convince her."
His mouth set in a firm line, Aaron huffed as he swore;
"Alright dammit, let's get this over with."
Shocked by his brother in law's outburst, Jeremy responded in irritation;
"I realize it's an imposition, Aaron, but I thought that you wouldn't mind making time for it. Especially since it involves your children and my sister."
Narrowing his eyes, Aaron glared as his deep voice took on a warning tone;
"Jeremy, I don't find ANY of this an imposition, what I find it is detestable. Today began as a celebration of all of our children's christenings, as well as Jacob and Amie's birthday. However, rather than spending our evening thinking about how we can't believe just how much the twins have grown and how blessed we are to have our children, we'll be spending it thanking God that we were just in time to prevent our son from drowning, thanks to some careless...woman's negligence. And on top of that, from what Jason tells me, my wife may be headed for some sort of a breakdown, AND I'm going to have to, more than likely, be heavy-handed with her, something I HATE doing, for her and our eldest children's sake. Now, does that satisfy the sense of righteous indignation that you have where my motives are concerned regarding your sister, MY WIFE?"
Lowering his head, his eyes reflecting the embarrassing shame he felt for jumping to such a conclusion, Jeremy stammered a bit;
"I, I'm s-sorry, Aaron. I should have known better. I know that what's best for Pixie and the kids are always what's most important to you."
Aaron frowned slightly before sighing in regret as he placed his hand on his youngest brother in law's shoulder;
"It's just as much my fault, Jeremy. I know how what I said sounded, and I'm sorry about that."
Shaking his head, Aaron met Jeremy's look of concern with his own look of sincere honesty as he declared;
"I can promise you, the word 'imposition' has no place in my vocabulary when it comes to anything to do with your sister or our children. Now, let's get this over with so I can get her home."
None present were shocked when Jemma adamantly refused to allow Jacob and Amie to accompany Jeremy and Candy home. The moment Jason had mentioned it and he saw the stubborn glint in her eyes, Aaron knew that his wife was going to dig her heels in, especially when she glared at her brother in disbelief;
"Jason, have you lost your mind?! After what almost happened today, and you want me to let my babies out of my sight?"
Aaron was about to intercede when, much to everyone's surprise, Benjamin stepped forward to place his arm about Jemma's shoulders in a fatherly manner as he motioned towards where Jacob sat in the grass, fascinated by the growth of flowers surrounding him;
"Jemma, I know that you're worried. I remember something similar with Candy when she was a bit older than your little boy and girl. She disappeared at a church social, turns out she got sleepy and crawled under one of the tables. But, I remember her mother and father were so worried and frightened that they wouldn't let her out of their sight for quite some time."
Her green eyes reflecting the conflicting emotions that she was suffering, Jemma begged quietly;
"Then you understand. Candy simply fell asleep and was safe, Jacob..."
Before she could finish, Benjamin nodded;
"Yes, I understand dear. But, I don't think that you want this event to be something to marks that little boy of yours for the rest of his life, how you act is going to determine if this scars him. Now, the decision is certainly yours and Aaron's to make, and I understand how hard this is on you, but I would let your little ones think they're having an adventure with their Aunt Candy, Uncle Jeremy, their cousins, and the rest of us. This is more upsetting to you than what it is to those little ones right now."
Shaking his head, he speculated;
"I don't think that you want to take what you're feeling and what you're going to feel out on your babies, now do you."
Seeing that what the elder said was having an impact on her, Aaron placed Amie in Benjamin's arms before placing his hands on his wife's shoulders;
"Sweetheart, don't you think that it would be a good idea to let them go have some fun and let us calm down about all of this? Alex is too little to be affected by this, not to mention needing to stay close to you, but Jacob and Amie are different, you know they know when we're upset. Besides, Holly and Duncan mentioned before they left before all the excitement that they'd be back this evening and they'll be over at Jeremy and Candy's, you know how much the kids love those two characters. We know they'll be well looked after and well cared for."
Biting at her lip in trepidation, he couldn't help but notice the sadness as she begged;
"But we can get them back tomorrow, can't we?"
Wrapping his arms about her, he pulled her close in a fierce embrace as he promised;
"Yes, love, I promise, they'll be home tomorrow."
Feeling her slight struggle to push away, Aaron slackened his hold, already knowing her motivation. Approaching her son, she lifted him in her arms and was rewarded by a smack of his lips against her cheek as he grinned at her lopsidedly before babbling;
"Wuv mama."
Holding him tightly, Jemma fought back tears of joy and love that were also mixed with horror at the idea of what might have happened earlier. Easing her grip on her child, she pulled back a bit to lean her forehead against his as she sadly smiled;
"And Mommy loves you, my big boy."
Turning to Benjamin, she held her son out to him;
"Now, you go with Grandpa Benjamin so you and your sister can have fun with your cousins."
Stepping up to her eldest brother's side to study her daughter's face, she noticed that the child was sound asleep. Placing a kiss on her cheek as Jason stooped a bit to give her better access, she whispered;
"You behave, baby girl, and Mommy and Daddy will see you tomorrow."
Facing his sister, Jason ordered quietly;
"I want you to go home, get your baby settled and then I want you to get YOU settled. Alright, Jemma Elysia?"
Taking her silent nod as her agreement, Jason turned to Jeremy and Benjamin;
"Let's go make sure that Candy and Julie are ready."
Glancing over his shoulder towards his sister and brother in law, Jason decreed;
"You two get some rest and we'll bring these two back sometime tomorrow afternoon."
Taking her hand to pull her towards him, Aaron tried to comfort her;
"Darlin, I know you don't like this, neither do I. But, I do think that this is the best thing for them under the circumstances."
Noticing how downcast she seemed, Aaron led her to the buggy to lift her up into the seat as he pointed out;
"I think that it's time we get you and Alex home. I know that I'd like to relax a little after today, so while you're settling Alex, I'll fix you a nice hot bath and while you're relaxing in the tub, I'll relax with a drink, alright, love?"
Remaining silent, Jemma gave a slight nod in agreement with his suggestion. Aaron had seen a number of his wife's moods; from furious to elated and everything in between. But what he was seeing now worried him greatly, even more than what he had seen from her when she was expecting the twins and dealing with Helen Dalton's hatred towards her. It just seemed as if she was retreating further and further inside of herself, determined to let as little, if anything, show of what she was experiencing. He soon realized that Jason's comparison of what she would experience to that of falling off a mountain was proving more accurate than he liked. However, he was just as stubborn and just as determined that, if she was going to fall, it wasn't going to be alone and he could, at least, cushion as much of the fall as possible. Set in his course of action, Aaron set the horse in motion as he steered it in the direction of their home.
Josh worked steadily as he helped clear up the tables and debris from the picnic. He had wanted to talk to his sister, to apologize for the part that he had played in what had taken place with Jacob, but he could tell by his sister's behavior, not to mention the fact she was allowing her children to stay with Jeremy and Candy, that it would be best to heed Jason's advice. He could still hear his older brother's words echoing in his ears when he had suggested going to talk to Jemma;
"Joshua, do you happen to remember the last time Pixie's temper got as hot as what it did today?"
Remembering the occasion to which Jason was referring, Josh nodded;
"Yeah, although we still don't know just why she was so mad."
Jason crossed his arms over his chest as he bobbed his head;
"EXACTLY! We had and still have no idea as to what lit the fuse on that temper of hers, but we know the reason this time. We also know just what happens when she starts calming down. You need to give her a day or two, Josh, because talking to her right now would be useless and would, more than likely, just upset her worse, and knowing how kindly Aaron would take to that do you really want to risk that?"
His mind flashing to the look on his brother in law's face when he had discovered what Josh had said to Jemma at Jeremy and Candy's wedding, Josh quickly shook his head;
"No, I think letting her calm down would be a good idea. But, Jason, I know they're close but did you happen to tell Aaron what to expect, as she calms down I mean?"
His chest rising and falling heavily, Jason admitted;
"I told him SOME of what to expect, at least what I knew to tell him to expect. We know that, as much as he loves her, if anyone can help her it'll be Aaron."
Hearing the last of Jason's statement as he joined his brothers, Jeremy chimed in;
"If she'll let him help her, you mean."
Josh, knowing a bit more of their sister's marriage thanks to Jemma's confidences, shook his head as he stated confidently;
"She won't have a choice, Jeremy. Haven't you come to realize yet that, whether she likes it or not, Aaron's going to do whatever is best for Pixie, even if it means riling that temper of hers. If Aaron feels like it's for her own good he's going to put his foot down and when that stubborn nature of his kicks in he can be just as formidable as our baby sister can, even more so."
Glancing between his elder and younger brother, Josh lamented softly;
"Jason, Jeremy, I swear I didn't mean for any of this to happen. If I had any idea..."
Placing his hand on his shoulder, Jason locked eyes with his younger brother;
Josh, we know that! And, more importantly, Pixie does too, but she was scared to death today about what could have happened to her son. Add to that, and I'm sorry to say it this way, she saw for herself that Kassandra wasn't paying the attention to Jacob that she should have been. When you combine the fear she felt with the anger she felt over the negligence..."
Josh realizing the reason that Jason left the remainder of his statement unspoken, hung his head as he muttered;
"I know, Jason, and I don't hold it against Pixie for what she said. To be honest, I'm surprised that she didn't toss Kassandra into the water. I think the only thing that stopped her was the fact she was holding Jacob."
Heaving a heavy sigh of resignation, Josh confided;
"Look, if you two don't mind and you're sure you don't need a hand with Jacob and Amie, I'll stay here and help clean up. Since Holly and Uncle Duncan are going to be at your place, Jeremy, I'll be home in a bit, Jason."
Maintaining a, somewhat, somber look, Jason gave a quick nod of his head;
"That's fine, Josh. I think that will give you a little time with your thoughts without anyone influencing you either. I'll leave the back door unlocked, just don't let that damn cat in when you come in."
Motioning for Jeremy to follow, Jeremy leaned in before demanding in a whisper;
"Jason, you realize that he's been talking to Peggy Thornly, don't you?"
Jason turned his head slightly, not wanting to disturb Amie as she slept, before letting his eyes slide in his brother's direction;
"Yes, Jeremy, I'm well aware that Peggy is here cleaning up. I'm also aware that she and Joshua have had a conversation or two since his arrival. However, I think that, since Peggy isn't trying to cause any problems between Josh and Kassandra, if she offers him a friendly ear and he accepts it then that's between the two of them."
Shifting his niece slightly in his arms, Jason gave a slight shake of his head;
"I know Josh has had some issues when it comes to women, Jeremy, but I also know that he has also always done what was right in the end, and that's what I'm hoping and praying will be the case this time as well. Now, Brother, I suggest that we do what we can for this situation; we hope and pray, we let Josh work this out for himself, and we take very good care of our niece and nephew, just as we promised Pixie we would."
Approaching the wagon, Jason waited until Benjamin was settled in his seat before, gently, placing Amie in his arms. Waiting until he was certain that she wouldn't wake, he breathed a sigh of relief as she shifted slightly before settling back to sleep. Feeling his brother's hand on his shoulder, he leaned against the back wagon wheel as Jacob reached out from where he sat securely between Molly and Christopher to grab his uncle's fingers before grinning lopsidedly at his uncle as he bounced on his bottom and waved his and Jason's hand up and down. Jason chuckled as he smiled at his oldest nephew and praised;
"You're well on your way to having a grip just like your father's, young man. I certainly feel sorry for anyone you punch if you get into a fistfight when you get older, especially if your punch is anything like your daddy's."
Ruffling the boy's hair, he gave his small hand a fond squeeze before facing Jeremy to wait for the question that he already knew would be coming. Sure enough, Jeremy pinned him with his intense blue eyes;
"Jason, what about Pixie? What do we do about her?"
Inhaling sharply, Jason placed his arm around Jeremy's shoulders;
"Just what we're doing, Jeremy; we make certain that her babies are taken care of and we let Aaron do what he has proven he does best where our sister is concerned."
Puzzled, Jeremy demanded;
"And what's that?"
Giving his brother a slight push towards the driver's seat of the wagon, Jason replied;
"We let him take care of her, and we don't interfere unless our help is asked for. But given what we've seen since those two have been married, I don't anticipate that happening. Now, take your family home, and it's up to you to keep Holly and Uncle Duncan under control when they find out what happened after they left."
Climbing up into the wagon, Jeremy turned as he took the reins in hand to cast a look of wry frustration at his brother;
"Thanks a lot!"
Jason shrugged;
"Fair is fair! I've had my turn at keeping that loose cannon calm, Josh, Pixie, and even Aaron have all dealt with our uncle. Just think of it as a right of passage."
Although he knew they didn't realize it, Josh had heard more than a lion's share of his brothers' conversation. He soon found his attention brought back to the moment as he noticed Peggy struggling with a large table cloth. Hurrying towards her, he grabbed the ends of the cloth that had slipped from her grasp to bring them together as he motioned towards the cloth;
"Don't worry, I'll help you with it."
Josh waited in anticipation as they finished folding the cloth, and even into folding the next cloth, but when Peggy remained silent, Josh found himself demanding as he handed her the cloth;
"Alright, go ahead and say it."
Glancing over her shoulder as she was bent packing the cloths into the large basket on the ground, Peggy's blue eyes reflected her perplexity as she asked;
"Say what, Joshua?"
Crossing his arms over his chest, Josh huffed;
"How stupid I was to leave Jacob under Kassandra's watch when I had no idea whether or not she was capable of being responsible for a child, especially one as young as Jacob."
Finished with packing the cloths away, Peggy straightened before placing her hands on her hips to admonish;
"Joshua Bolt! Why in the world would I say such a thing? You had no idea that would happen and you need to stop beating yourself up over it and just thank God that Jemma and Aaron's little boy is safe and sound instead of feeling sorry for yourself for making a decision that you had no way of knowing would result in what happened."
Josh started to speak and had even opened his mouth to do so when he realized just how right she was and that he had no justification in arguing her point. Slowly, he closed his mouth before giving a slight nod;
"You're right! I'm standing here feeling sorry for myself because I made a mistake in judgment instead of being grateful that Pixie was able to get to her son in time."
Shaking his head, Josh asked in self-frustration;
"Peggy, how did you keep from calling me a fool just then?"
Bending to lift the basket, something that found Josh rushing to do it for her, Peggy shrugged as she straightened;
"Why should I do that? I mean, you did such a wonderful job of concluding that for yourself that you certainly didn't need my help."
Walking about to do an inspection of the area as men from the logging camp and the mill were loading up the sawhorses and boards that had been used as makeshift tables, Josh asked somewhat hesitantly;
"Peggy, could I ask you something?"
Her eyes never halting from their close inspection to ensure that the area was left just as it had been found, Peggy nodded;
"I don't see why not, go ahead."
Placing his hand on her arm, Josh pulled her to a stop before turning to face her as he searched her deep blue eyes;
"Peggy, I want your honest opinion, what do you think of Kassandra?"
Pulling her arm from his grasp, Peggy crossed her arms over her chest as she shook her head stubbornly;
"Oh no you don't, Joshua Bolt! You're the one who needs to decide what YOU think of Kassandra. Besides, I don't know her well enough to have formed an opinion about her, not to mention, I'm also not the one who has to live with her. YOU ARE! So you need to ask yourself THAT question."
Resuming her trek and inspection of the area, Josh huffed in frustration before shaking his head as he lowered it. Finding humor at her stubbornness, Josh chuckled softly before hurrying to catch up with her as he apologized;
"Peggy, I'm sorry. I never should have asked you that, it's just that, well, when I asked Kassandra to marry me, I thought I knew EXACTLY what I wanted. But, since we've been here..."
Tilting her head to the side, Peggy ventured;
"Things have become confusing?"
At his nod, Peggy's eyes reflected the sympathy that she felt for his situation, especially as he tried to explain his feelings;
"Yes, at least that's how it feels. Peggy..."
Holding her hand up, Peggy suggested;
"Josh, I don't mind lending you my ear, but if I can suggest something, why don't you give yourself some time to calm down after everything that happened this afternoon before you make any rash decisions. I mean, between the tension of the situation, and what happened with Jacob, and,"
Pinning Josh with her eyes, Peggy stated knowingly;
"And I know that everyone, including me, is worried about Jemma. So I think that, until things are back to normal that it would be a good idea if you took that time to give this all some very careful thought."
Josh's eyes widened in shock as he demanded;
"How did you know we were worried about Pixie?"
Peggy sent the ringlets pulled together at the nape of her neck dangling back and forth as she shook her head before issuing a short laugh;
"Well, first of all, Jemma is my friend and I've seen your sister's temper before, but never like what I saw it today. Even when she was so mad at you last year for what you said, it still didn't compare to what I saw today."
Josh crossed his arms as he tilted his head to the side for a moment to study the young woman in front of him before freeing his curiosity as he asked;
"Peggy, why would Jemma's temper worry you?"
Motioning to where the men had strung up some blankets to make a private area for Jemma, Julie, and Candy to tend to their babies, Peggy pointed out;
"We almost forgot to take care of that."
Walking to the far side of the improvised structure to begin deconstructing the blanket walls, Peggy responded to Josh's question;
"As far as why does Jemma's temper worry me; Jemma is one of the sweetest, warmest, loving, and kindest people that I've ever known. Think about it, do you know anyone else who could have brought just how good of a man Aaron Stempel is out into the open the way your sister did?"
When Josh gave a silent shake of his head for his answer, Peggy gave a brief nod before sighing as she pointed out;
"But, there's a downside to that wonderful nature. When someone as sweet and loving as Jemma lets their temper explode the way hers did today, once they calm down, they also have a bad fall because they feel guilty, embarrassed, confused, hurt, and even angry at themselves for allowing their anger to overrun them, THAT'S why I'm worried about her. Mark my words, I hate to say it but, Jemma will end up having some sort of a breakdown because she'll be so angry with herself. I just hope that Aaron will be patient with her and help her through it."
Peggy was relieved as Josh defended his brother in law;
"Oh, believe me, he will. There's one thing that I can say without a doubt; Aaron Stempel loves my sister more than anything else in this world, the only thing that Aaron loves as much as he loves Pixie is their kids. Even if she tries to refuse to let him help her, he won't back down, not if he thinks it's for her own good."
Peggy found herself distracted from the subject at hand as her foot slipped from the knot on the tree that she was using to stand on to loosen the rope from the tree. Losing her balance she was about to fall sideways to the ground when Josh's reflexes kicked in and he reached out to grab her, wrapping his arms about her as he stopped her fall by pulling her close against his chest. Each lost their self in the other's gaze for what seemed like an eternity before Peggy swallowed the nervous lump lodged in her throat;
"I guess I slipped."
Noticing the heavy rise and fall of Josh's chest Peggy had an idea what was about to happen, something that worried her since she wasn't sure whether or not she was frightened or excited by the prospect. Her confusion deepened as the arm across her back seemed to become, both, gentle and as strong as steel at the same time as he pulled her closer to declare softly;
"I'm glad you did."
Although she had felt it was going to happen, she still felt surprised as he lowered his head and placed his lips against hers to claim her mouth in a long deep kiss. Peggy's mind reeled with the pleasure she felt, especially given the warmth she felt in the center of her being that seemed to be spreading, throughout her body, reminding her of being covered with a warm quilt. However, in the back of her mind, she heard a tiny voice screaming at her that, no matter how much she might feel otherwise, what was taking place between her and Josh wasn't right, not with Kassandra Everston lurking in the background. Finding every bit of resolve that she possessed, Peggy placed her hands against Josh's chest and pushed with all her might, breaking the kiss. Realizing what had just taken place, Josh's eyes widened as he began stammering;
"Peggy, I, I'm sorry. I..."
Leaning against the tree trunk, Peggy brought her hand to her chest as she fought to catch her breath, not to mention gather her bearings. Raising one hand to stall him, Peggy interrupted;
"I know, Josh, I know. 'You didn't mean to do that.' Right?"
Trying to sort out his own thoughts and feelings, Josh stepped a bit closer to her before placing his hand against her cheek as he shook his head;
"That's the thing, Peggy, I'm not sure that I didn't mean to do that. To be honest with you, I've wanted to do that for quite some time."
Without a word, Peggy reached past him to finish snatching the blankets from their makeshift moorings on the ropes and began folding them. It took Josh a moment before he moved to help her as he offered;
"Here, let me..."
Whirling on him in frustration, Peggy shook her head vehemently;
"I can do this myself, thank you very much."
Seeing the frustration in her eyes, Josh began softly;
"Peggy, I swear, I'm not trying to play games with your feelings, I promise. I really did want to kiss you, I can't explain, but, well, let's just say that I didn't do it for sport. I wish that I could explain how..."
Taking a deep breath to steady her own beating heart, Peggy placed her hand over Josh's lips;
"JOSH DON'T!"
Peggy's tone softened;
"Look, I think that there are some things that you REALLY need to think about. Before you can explain how you feel to me, you need to know what it is you're feeling. Do like I said; take the next day or two while things settle to do some thinking, REAL thinking about what's going on and just what it is you want."
Josh's brow furrowed as his eyes narrowed somewhat;
"And what if what I decide isn't what everyone is expecting?"
Peggy shrugged as she gave a slight shake of her head;
"Then that's your decision. But there's something that I think you need to understand, Josh, whatever you decide, if the idea of 'games' where I'm concerned is one of those thoughts occupying your mind, I strongly suggest that you think again. I refuse to accept anything less than someone who's serious about me, so keep that in mind when making your decision."
With that she spun on her heel and hurried from the cover of the trees to pack the blankets in the wagon, leaving Josh to ponder her statement as his mind returned to the subject of his sister as he wondered how she was doing at the moment.
Despite the relatively short distance, Aaron could tell that Jemma was eager for the journey to be over with. Any doubts he might have had were quickly put to rest when he tried to calm her;
"We're almost home, love."
He had seen the rough side of his wife's temper before, but what he saw now held no comparison as she jerked her head to stare at him in aggravation before seething between clenched teeth;
"I can see that, thank you. I can assure you that I've not forgotten where we live."
The words had no sooner left her mouth then she realized what she had said and how she had said it, something that found her eyes widening in regret and sorrow as she clasped both hands over her mouth before turning, to place both of her hands on her husband's arm before begging;
"Oh, Aaron, honey, I'm sorry! I swear I didn't mean to say that, you must think I'm turning into some horrible shrew."
Bringing the buggy to a halt at the back door, Aaron jumped down and hurried to place his hands around Jemma's waist as he lifted her from the buggy to set her on her feet. He wasn't shocked when her arms seemed to automatically go around him as she laid her head against his chest before pleading softly;
"Please say that you forgive me. I can't stand the idea of you being mad at me."
Wrapping his arms about her to hold her closer, Aaron kissed the top of her head before laying his cheek against it;
"Sweetheart, I swear that I'm not mad at you, but I am concerned."
Pushing her away from him slightly, Aaron placed his finger under her chin to tilt her face so that he could look into her eyes as he suggested;
"I know that this has been a trying day, and I know that you must be tired. I want you to do me a favor, I want you to take Alex inside and get him settled."
Motioning towards the buggy, he explained;
"I'll take care of all of this. When I'm done, I'm going to come upstairs, wash off, and change out of these wet clothes. And then, I'm going to fix you a nice, warm bath, I figure by the time you have Alex settled I'll have your bath ready, and you can relax and after you're done we'll have a quiet evening, alright, darlin?"
At her silent nod, Aaron turned and took their youngest child in his arms, just as he was waking up. Despite the gravity of the situation at hand, Aaron couldn't help but smile as he observed;
"I think someone knew we were talking about him, Mommy."
Laying their son in his wife's arms, Aaron stepped up onto the porch to open the door for her. Once she was inside he pulled the door to and hurried to put the buggy away in the barn before seeing to the horse for the evening. Once inside he hurried up the stairs and heard the soft sound of his wife's voice from the nursery as she sang their child a lullaby. Lighting the stove in the washroom, Aaron raised the window and made quick work of his own bath and changing into dry clothes while heating the water for Jemma's bath. Just as he had hoped, Jemma entered their bedroom just as he finished pouring the last kettle of water into the tub. Turning to find her standing in the doorway, he held his hand out to her;
"The water's just the way you like it, darlin. Come on and I'll help you with your dress."
Presenting her back to him, Jemma informed him in a quiet voice;
"Alex is asleep. He's such a good baby, we're very blessed by our children, aren't we?"
Aaron nodded as his fingers made quick work of the small hooks on the back of her dress;
"Yes, love, we are very blessed."
Once the last fastener was freed, Aaron was about to push the sleeve of her dress from her shoulder when she spun on him to plead;
"Aaron, love, I appreciate that you want to help me and it was very sweet of you to fix my bath for me, but, please, PLEASE, just let me do this myself. I'm fine, really, I just want to soak in the tub for a bit, alright?"
Unable to miss the look of slight panic in her eyes, despite the smile she wore, Aaron tried to keep his worry from showing as he recalled what Jason had shared with him earlier. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Aaron placed his hand against her cheek as he reminded her;
"Alright, sweetheart. If you need me just yell, otherwise I'll leave you be."
He was about to turn and leave when she took hold of his hand;
"Thank you."
Giving her slight fingers an affectionate squeeze, Aaron gave a slight nod of his head as he left the room, pulling the door closed behind him. Deciding to give her a bit of privacy, Aaron headed downstairs where he fixed himself a stiff drink and decided to catch up on a bit of reading as he picked up a paper and began scanning the articles. Taking a sip from his glass, he couldn't help but wonder if, perhaps, Jason might have exaggerated what to expect where Jemma was concerned.
Upstairs, Jemma sat in the tub, soaking, trying to bring her raging emotions under control. She kept pushing several thoughts to the back of her mind, knowing just what would happen if she allowed herself to dwell too long on those thoughts. Having already washed her hair and bathed, Jemma decided she was tired of soaking and stood to wrap a large towel around herself before stepping from the tub. Taking another towel she began bristling the cloth over the strands of her hair to soak up as much dampness as possible. Glancing at the mirror over the washbasin, Jemma carefully searched her reflection for any signs that might give her husband any clue as to what her true emotional state was. She hated worrying Aaron, especially when she knew that she just had to give herself a bit of time to get past what she felt and she would be back to normal.
Although her thoughts were whirling through her mind in a tornado-like swirl, Jemma was able to grasp at the thought, much like a straw, that she needed to appear as normal as possible. Holding that thought in mind, she quickly finished towel drying her hair to run a comb through the locks before fastening a clasp at the nape of her neck to hold the strands together to fall down her back. Satisfied with her efforts she slipped on a cool dress before hurrying downstairs, stopping at the bottom of the stairs to quickly pinch her cheeks in the hopes of alleviating her pale appearance and placing, what she hoped, was a convincing smile on her face before rounding the corner to enter the living room as she faced her husband in a cheerful voice;
"I don't know about you, my love, but I'm feeling a bit hungry. Why don't I fix us a nice cold supper with some of that leftover roast beef and some cheese? I think I might even have some of those strawberry turnovers left if you'd like."
Aaron lowered his paper and stared at his wife in amazement; the difference between what he had seen for himself earlier, what Jason had told him he might expect, and what he was now seeing was as different as night and day. Folding his paper and tossing it on the table next to his chair, Aaron rose from his chair to close the distance between him and Jemma. Hooking his finger under her chin he tilted her head to lift her eyes to meet his as he searched them before demanding;
"Jemma love, are you sure that you feel up to it? I mean, we did have a rather 'eventful' day, to say the least."
Taking his hand in hers, Jemma maintained, what she hoped was, a warm smile as she lowered her eyes slightly in the hopes that she could avoid her husband's dark, probing gaze. She knew that the only chance she had of convincing Aaron that she was fine was if she could keep him, somewhat, at bay; close enough not to arouse his suspicions but far enough away to keep him from being able to study her too closely. Raising on tiptoe she gave him a quick kiss before patting his hand;
"I feel just fine, love. Just give me a few minutes and I'll have it ready."
Hurrying to the kitchen before he could question, or study, her any more closely then what he already had, Jemma breathed a sigh of relief as she leaned her back against the door frame as the door closed. Glad that, so far, her plan seemed to be working, Jemma glanced about the kitchen and began the task she had set for herself. Quickly, she gathered the dishes she would need before fetching the leftover roast beef and cheese from the cooler in the cellar. She was busy slicing the beef when her eyes fell on the basket that Aaron had sat nearby that held their wet things from earlier. She didn't realize that she had been staring as intently at Jacob's, still, wet shirt, which was laying at the top of the pile, as she was, at least not until she felt the painful slice of the knife against the soft flesh of her hand.
Jemma knew that she was losing her ability to maintain the control that she was holding over her emotions as her eyes kept darting from the bloodied cut on her hand to her son's shirt as the realization of just how differently the day could have ended fully hit home. The thought kept running through her mind that, had she not just so happened to look up when she did, she and Aaron would have been mourning the loss of their son rather than being thankful for and celebrating his birth. The anger that she had felt earlier was nowhere near as severe as the anger she felt with herself, something that found her striking out to sweep the dishes from the countertop with a cry of anguish as she sank to her knees in tears before backing against the cabinet to hug her knees against her chest as she lowered her head, weeping. Dimly, she knew that she had failed in her efforts to keep from worrying her husband as she heard the sound of his heavy, hurried footsteps.
Although Aaron's gut feeling told him that she wasn't being exactly 'forthcoming' with him, he also knew how the idea of worrying him, especially after everything that had happened that day, would plague her mind. Given how she had been affected by everything that had happened he was more than willing to allow the issue to drop to prevent her from feeling any worse then what she already did. However, Aaron soon came to regret his decision of not trying to break through to her earlier when he heard dishes crashing to the floor in the kitchen. Aaron was out of his chair like a shot and half-way to the kitchen door when he heard the sound of his wife's cry, something that found him, virtually, flying through the kitchen door, already panicked by what he had heard, Aaron's eyes quickly searched the room. He was about to call out in fear when he heard a slight whimpering sound, hurrying around the kitchen counter Aaron stopped short as his eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of his wife, hugging her knees to her chest as tightly as she could with her head bowed, as if she were trying to curl herself into a tight ball as she sobbed. Sweeping the shards of broken pottery and glass aside with his foot before lowering himself to sit on his heels to face her, Aaron tried to take hold of her hands, something that found her whimpering louder as she jerked them from his grasp before thrashing her head from side to side as she begged;
"Aaron, please, PLEASE, I'm begging you, if you love me leave me alone right now. I don't want you to see me like this."
Finding himself stunned into momentary silence, having never seen this side of his wife before, Aaron found himself at a loss. However, that loss soon proved a short-lived one as Aaron glanced down at his hands in an attempt to try and fathom a solution as to what to do. His eyes widened in fright at the sight of the blood staining his hands, even more so when he noticed the blood staining the skirt of Jemma's dress where her hand rested on her upraised knee. His fear overriding all else, Aaron took her hand in a gentle, yet firm, grip, his voice full of worry as he demanded;
"OH MY GOD! SWEETHEART, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
Glancing around, hoping for a clue, Aaron's eyes fell on the large carving knife and, noticing the blood staining the blade, Aaron's heart sank at the thought that ran through his mind. Firm in his resolve, Aaron gripped her upper arms and pulled her to stand as he rose, seeing that she was about to protest, he cut off any argument that she might have tried as he stated firmly;
"No, Jemma Elysia, I am not going to leave you alone. Look at your hand, darlin."
Aaron knew that his words were getting through to her as she slowly looked down at her hand before meeting the look of intense worry in his eyes with one of frightened confusion in her own before shaking her head as she stammered between her broken sobs;
"I, I, didn't mean to. It...was...an...accident."
Despite her present condition, Aaron breathed a sigh of relief to learn that she didn't inflict an intentional injury on herself. Pulling her closer to the sink, Aaron quickly worked the handle on the pump before holding Jemma's hand under the gush of water to rinse the blood away. Once he was satisfied that her wound was clean, he took a clean dish towel and wrapped around her hand to help stop the flow of blood. Seeing that she still wasn't calming down, he wasn't surprised when she tried once more;
"Pl, please, honey, please. Ju, just leave me alone, I, I'll be fine in a wh, while."
Cupping her face in his hands, Aaron shook his head;
"Jemma love, I am not going to leave you alone. But you're right in the fact that you'll be fine because I'm going to be here with you to help make sure you are."
He knew that her stubborn nature was stronger than what she was dealing with at the moment, proof of which became evident when she tried to argue;
"B, but, I don't w, want you s, seeing me..."
Placing his fingers against her lips, Aaron shook his head as he left her no further room for argument;
"Listen to me, sweetheart, we said 'for better or for worse' and that means just that. I happen to love you very much, my little love and when you hurt, I hurt, and I'm not going to leave you to deal with this on our own."
Mentally, Aaron kicked himself for even giving a moment's consideration to the idea that Jason might have exaggerated what to expect where Jemma was concerned, if anything, given what he was now seeing, his brother in law had understated just how bad things might really get. Despite his inexperience in this situation, Aaron was bound and determined that he was going to see Jemma through what she was dealing with. As worried as he was by the fact that her hysteria wasn't calming, his concern became even greater as her knees began to buckle. Aaron's reflexes kicked in and his arms automatically wrapped around her waist as she sagged weakly against him. Pulling her close, Aaron held her against his chest and, despite the seriousness of the situation, found himself grateful to feel her arms wrap about his neck as she buried her face against his neck. Holding her securely in his arms, Aaron turned his head slightly as he whispered near her ear;
"I've got you, darlin."
Tightening his hold on her even more, Aaron kissed her cheek;
"I've always got you, my little love."
As his eyes surveyed the mess of broken dishes scattered about, Aaron, knowing that the last thing she needed was to be reminded of what had happened, made his decision. Loosening his hold a slight bit, Aaron kept one arm around her waist as he turned her slightly in his embrace to slide his other arm behind her legs to swing her up into his arms as he patted her back;
"It's going to be alright, sweetheart, I promise."
Hurrying upstairs and, after a glance into the nursery to make certain that Alex was still sleeping, into their bedroom, Aaron decided to address the situation as logically as possible. Deciding that making her as comfortable as possible was of the utmost importance, Aaron sat her on the side of the bed before explaining;
"Love, we need to tend to your hand, I'm going to get some bandages and your nightgown, there's blood all over your dress."
Seeing the panic in her eyes at the mention of him leaving her alone, Aaron cupped her face in his hands as he vowed;
"Sweetheart, I PROMISE, I'm just going into the washroom to get some bandages for your hand and one of your gowns from the dresser. I SWEAR, I'm not going to leave you, darlin, I'll only be a few feet away, alright?"
He noticed as she gave him a slight nod how she was trying desperately hard to bring her weeping under control. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he praised;
"That's my girl!"
Aaron hurried into the washroom to get a proper bandage before opening a dresser drawer and snatching one of her gowns as he hurried back to their bed. Sitting next to her on the bed, Aaron took her hand in his and carefully unwound the dishcloth from around her hand, thankful that the bleeding had stopped, before bandaging the cut securely. Once he was satisfied that her hand was taken care of, Aaron rose to pull her up to stand in front of him;
"Let's make you more comfortable, love."
Helping her out of her dress, Aaron slipped her gown over her head, noticing the look of shame in her eyes as her tears continued flowing. Taking her hand, he led her to the rocking chair and sat down before pulling her onto his lap. Releasing the clasp that was holding her hair back, Aaron used his fingers to comb out the length before nodding;
"There, that's better."
Not even bothering to wipe the tears from her eyes, Jemma lowered her head as she muttered in a voice that was full of shame between tears;
"I'm so sorry, darling. I never wanted you to see me like this."
Cupping her chin in his hand, Aaron lifted her face to search her eyes, something that found his heart aching for what he saw there; traces of fear, anger, sadness, and self-loathing. Wrapping his arms around her, Aaron pulled her close, letting her head rest against his chest as he began stroking her hair;
"You, my darling little wife, are THE most stubborn woman. Jemma, my little love, it might surprise you to know that, while I thought and still think that you're the most beautiful woman in the world, at least to me. When I made up my mind that I wanted you for my wife, I was aware of the fact that you're human and that means there are going to be times, such as now, when you won't be at your best."
Dropping a kiss on the top of her head, he continued;
"But that doesn't mean that I want, love, or need you any less for the fact. What it does mean is that I'm going to do everything within my power to see to it you have what you need to help you. Even at the risk of riling that temper of yours, I don't care if you're at your best or not, I'm not going anywhere. If you need to cry then so be it, but it's going to be on my shoulder while I hold you and not into a towel by yourself, darlin."
Jemma, her tears seeming to have been exhausted, tilted her head to study her husband's face as he looked down into hers. Lifting her hand from where it rested on his chest, Jemma placed it against his cheek in a loving caress as she asked softly;
"Do you have any idea as to how much I love you, or as to how blessed I am to be your wife?"
Relieved to see that her tears had stopped, Aaron gave a slight chuckle as he captured her hand to bring it to his lips as he placed a kiss on her palm;
"As far as having an idea about how much you love me? Yes, my sweet little Jemma, I do, and I'm very thankful for that. As to how blessed you are?"
Shrugging his broad shoulders a bit, Aaron shook his head as he stated ruefully;
"Sweetheart, I'm not too sure about how much of a blessing it is to you, being my wife, but, I do know how blessed I am having you as my wife."
Brushing the last trace of the tears that she had shed from her cheeks, Aaron could see that she was regaining her emotional composure as he gazed into her eyes. Although he could still see a glimpse of the sadness and self-frustration in the deep green of her eyes, he could also see the love and gratitude that she felt for him glowing in their emerald depths. Despite the tears that she had shed earlier and what they had cost her, seeing the picture that she made, held in his arms as she was with her face upturned looking into his eyes and reflecting the love, trust, and adoration that she felt for him, Aaron found desire accompanying the thoughts of love that he had for his wife. Jemma could feel the rough rise and fall of her husband's chest beneath her hand and cheek as Aaron let a shuddering sigh escape as his breathing quickened. Understanding what had prompted her husband's motivation, Jemma ventured softly;
"It's alright, Aaron love, I promise."
Giving a quick shake of his head Aaron met her look of understanding with his own look of trepidation;
"Jemma darlin, you have to understand something..."
Jemma lowered her eyes as the thought suddenly occurred to her;
"I know, I must look horrible."
Sighing sadly, she shook her head;
"I'm sorry that I let you see me like that."
Aaron's eyes widened in concern, especially as he considered how fragile she might feel in her ability to temp him at the moment. Placing his hand on her cheek, Aaron brought her eyes up to meet his as he met her hesitant gaze with a reassuring one of his own;
"Oh, Jemma! Sweetheart, when you look like that and say things like that, like you doubt how much I love you, and how much I need you, not to mention just how much I want and desire you, it breaks my heart."
Aaron shook his head ruefully;
"Love, you have no idea just how much I want you right now. But, I know that you've been through a lot today, which by the way we still need to talk about, and I don't want to take advantage of how vulnerable you are right now. Believe me, you have no idea just how hard I'm fighting the temptation you present, especially considering the way you look with your hair all loose and in your gown, looking at me with those beautiful emerald eyes of yours so full of love and trust."
Their eyes never left each other's as Jemma's hand slid tantalizingly upwards over the fabric of his shirt to stop just below his collar before her fingers made quick work of flicking the buttons holding the garment closed free, exposing more and more of his chest to her touch. Swiping her tongue over her lips to wet them, Jemma challenged huskily;
"Then why waste the effort, or energy, doing so? Besides,"
Aaron sucked in a deep breath as the small fingers of her one hand delicately grazed across the skin of his chest, while the fingers of her other hand began caressing the nape of his neck. Leaning his head back, Aaron closed his eyes as he savored the feel of her touch against his skin as she finished her statement;
"I can think of so many more enjoyable pursuits for you to spend your energy on."
Giving his chivalrous side one last opportunity, Aaron lifted his head to lock gazes with his wife, his deep voice filled with desire as growled warningly;
"Jemma, my love, you have no idea of the fire that you're playing with right now."
Seeing the desire smoldering in his dark eyes, Jemma swallowed her nervousness as she placed her hands against his bare chest before sliding gracefully from his lap to stand in front of him. Without a word, Jemma brought her hands up to the ribbon that held the bodice of her gown together to take the end of the ribbons between the thumb and forefinger of each hand before pulling them in opposite directions, opening the neckline of her gown wider. Although her cheeks took on a delicate blush at her wanton behavior, she couldn't deny the pleasure it gave her to realize the ability that she seemed to possess when it came to tempting and arousing her husband's desires, something he left no doubts about given the flames of desire she saw smoldering in his dark eyes.
At first, as she rose from his lap, Aaron wondered if she might be upset at the thought that he might be rejecting her. He soon realized just how foolish that thought was as she faced him, their gazes remaining locked, to part the neckline of her gown before pushing, first, one sleeve down her arm to bare her shoulder, and then the other. Aaron inhaled sharply as the gown slid smoothly down her body, something that found him absently comparing what he was seeing to the unveiling of a work of art as the garment formed a silken puddle at her feet. Any self-restraint that he might have had left quickly evaporated as she stood before him, an impish smile pulling at the corners of her mouth as she challenged seductively;
"Considering how chilly it seems to have suddenly become, I'd love to welcome the heat from that particular fire, my darling husband."
Needing no further encouragement, Aaron stood abruptly to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her close against his chest before lifting her against him as he demanded;
"Sweetheart, are you sure, I mean REALLY sure? I don't want to take..."
With one arm wrapped around his neck as he held her, dangling, above the floor, Jemma brought her fingers to place them against his lips as she gave a slight shake of her head;
"Honey, Alex is over seven, almost eight weeks old now, so that eliminates that argument. And, as far as being vulnerable, I freely admit to being vulnerable, my love."
Using the tip of her finger she began tracing the outline of his mouth before continuing;
"But then again, I've always been vulnerable, as you well know, where you're concerned.
And, judging by your reaction, I'd like to flatter myself that I spark more than just a flicker of desire in you."
Staring at her in disbelief, Aaron couldn't help the slight laugh that escaped his lips against her fingers as he held her more tightly and placed a kiss against her palm before stating in amusement;
"A 'flicker' of desire? Darlin, that's rich! In case it's escaped your attention you ignite more than just a flicker of desire in me. Just the sight of you, my sweet little temptress, is more than enough to light a fire of desire in me that could easily consume all of the Washington territory, if not the entire Western half of this country."
Wrapping her arms around his neck, Jemma brought her lips against his in a kiss filled with the love, passion, and desire that filled her heart for her husband. Pulling back a bit, she slowly opened her eyes to look into his as she lightly ran her fingers through his hair before tilting her head to the side;
"Well, considering that you have that same effect on me, my darling husband, I think that should eliminate any concerns that you might have as to whether or not you might be taking advantage of me, my love."
Aaron was gratified when she leaned her head back and laughed, the sound reminding him of something magically musical before she cupped his face in her hands;
"Besides, Aaron love, if what you do to me is what you consider 'taking advantage', then I willingly surrender and give you full permission to do so."
Letting her body slide down the length of his until she was back on her feet, Aaron leaned his forehead against hers as he agreed;
"On one condition, sweetheart, that you take 'full and free advantage' of me as well."
Gliding her hands across the width of his chest, Jemma spread her fingers under the shoulders of his shirt to push it from his body and let it float to the floor before teasing;
"Would you consider this 'taking advantage', darling?"
Glancing down pointedly, Aaron encouraged;
"Oh, I'd definitely say that you're getting warm, darlin."
Shuddering at the feel of her small, cool hands against his skin as they glided downwards to release his belt buckle, Aaron gasped;
"You're most definitely on fire, you little vixen."
What little reserve Aaron had left disappeared as he felt the soft skin of her hands sliding over his hips as she pushed the waist of his trousers to fall to the floor. Although she had an idea of what to expect by the heavy rise and fall of his chest, Jemma found herself issuing a slight squeal of surprise as her husband moved swiftly to sweep her up into his arms before crossing the room to place her in the center of their bed. Leaning over her, Aaron pushed her hair away from her face before blazing a trail of kisses over her brow, eyes, and cheeks before stopping just above her mouth;
"I think it's time we did something about this fire burning between us, don't you, my darling little minx?"
Wrapping her arms around her husband, Jemma spread her hands across his back to pull him closer to her as she brought her mouth closer to his;
"More than time, my darling heart."
Jemma closed her eyes in elation as she savored the sensations that Aaron was invoking in her. The sensations that his mouth alone could wreak on her body, whether it was his lips against hers or her skin, alone were enough to find her more than pliant to her husband's desires. However, there was no denying that the touch of his hands on her body and the feel of his skin against hers as they made love could easily find her melting in her husband's arms.
It wasn't long before the only thing that either Jemma or Aaron could think of was the ecstasy that each found in the other's arms, both determined for the other to receive as much pleasure as they took. Finding themselves intoxicated with each other as they rode the waves of enraptured delight, Aaron and Jemma soon reached the crest of those waves, something that found them, both, crying out in delight. With her head lying on his chest in the euphoric aftermath of their lovemaking, Jemma sighed contentedly before turning her head to study her husband's face as he leaned back against the pillows with his eyes closed, relaxing. Smiling contentedly, Jemma lightly drew the tip of her finger across his chest as she asked coyly;
"Do you think that we've managed to put out that 'fire' of yours that I was playing with earlier, darling?"
Her question taking him off guard, something that found him slowly opening his eyes to smile lazily as the hand at her waist began gliding up and down the length of her back caressingly. Aaron brought his free hand up to push the long fall of her curls and waves over her shoulder as he chuckled in amusement;
"I've got news for you, my sweet, little darling wife, THAT particular fire will NEVER be extinguished where you're concerned, the best I MIGHT be able to do in that area would be a low to medium contained flame. And, mind you, that's only when you're not near me, or I'm distracted."
Curiosity lighting her eyes, Jemma probed;
"And when I'm close to you or you're thinking about me?"
His chest rising and falling sharply, Aaron brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek before confessing;
"THAT flame, sweetheart, is the one that you just experienced, so you tell me."
Inhaling sharply, Jemma exclaimed;
"I'm amazed that we're not a pile of ash right now."
Laughing, Aaron hugged her closer to him as he placed a kiss on her forehead before turning serious;
"Jemma love, despite how very much we enjoyed ourselves earlier, and believe me, sweetheart, I did very much enjoy myself, there's something that we need to discuss."
Aaron noticed how her eyes clouded over and she turned her head away from him as she ventured;
"You want to talk about what happened earlier, don't you?"
Grasping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, Aaron turned her to face him as he nodded;
"Yes, sweetheart, I do."
Giving a slight shake of his head, he admitted;
"Jemma Elysia, I've known you most of your life and, admittedly, didn't really start noticing you until you were sixteen. But, darlin, I thought that I had seen that temper of yours fired to all sorts of varying degrees, until today. Believe me, I understand the anger you felt, I felt it too, but, what happened earlier,"
Shaking his head, he continued;
"Jemma love, I know you might not understand it all yourself, but can you try and explain it to me?"
Jemma took a minute to search for the right words before taking a deep breath;
"When I began calming down, I started feeling mad at myself for what happened. I mean, if I hadn't of let Molly and Christopher take Jacob off to play then Josh wouldn't have taken him and he wouldn't have been on the pier with HER."
Giving a slight shake of her head, she admitted;
"But I also knew that was being silly because the bottom line was SHE shouldn't have left him, unsupervised, on that pier. I tried to push everything to the back of my mind, but then I noticed his little shirt on top of the pile of all our clothes in the kitchen, still soaking wet, and it hit me what almost happened."
Finding it difficult to speak past the lump of emotion that had risen in her throat, Jemma's eyes began watering as she lamented;
"Aaron, honey, today could have ended on a very different note. If I hadn't of just happened to look up we might have been mourning the loss of our son, instead of being grateful for his birth. And it would have all been because of HER and her carelessness."
Noticing the slight shake of her shoulders as her tears began flowing, Aaron shifted to a sitting position before pulling her across his lap to wrap his arms around her as she laid her head against his chest. Seeing that she was trying to fight letting her tears fall, Aaron gently chastised;
"No, Jemma love, don't try and fight it, just let it out. We had a very close call today with our son and you have every right to feel the way you do."
Resting his cheek against the top of her head, he waited until she had quieted before holding her away from him slightly to ask;
"Do you feel a little better now, darlin?"
At her slight nod, he brushed the tears from her cheeks before stating;
"Good! But there's something I want you to realize, sweetheart; I know from Jason that what happened earlier happened one time before, and I understand that you felt like you had to deal with this by yourself, but you don't have to deal with ANYTHING by yourself anymore. Jemma love, I want you to promise me that if you ever feel what you felt today again, no matter what, you'll come to me and let me help you. I don't care if you just need a good cry, you come to me, alright?"
Once he was certain they had the matter settled, his curiosity got the better of him pushing him to ask;
"By the way, there's something I have to know, just when was the other time your temper was like it was today?"
Jemma blushed in slight embarrassment as she explained;
"The day you and I had our 'discussion' about why I couldn't accept your marriage proposal. You know, the day that you and Jason made that bet?"
Shifting her so that he could lay down, Aaron settled her against his side before pulling her closer as he quipped ruefully;
"I should have guessed."
Making certain that she was settled comfortably, Aaron closed his eyes to find his own rest once he was certain that she was well on her way to finding hers. Holding onto the thought of just how blessed and lucky they were in their love for each other and their children.