CHAPTER 14
Julie sat in the rocking chair as Candy was preparing a stew, giving her niece some of the diluted orange juice that Clancey and Benjamin had prepared for her. Once she was satisfied that she had taken in a fair amount she lifted Amie to her shoulder as she gently patted her back;
"Amie, you're such a good baby."
Biting at her bottom lip in indecision, Candy ventured;
"Julie, I know they aren't fussing, but do you think that maybe we should take her and Jacob upstairs and see if maybe Jemma needs to nurse them? I know they need the sleep but I'm sure that she and Aaron probably fell asleep as soon as we left the room."
Casting a speculative glance filled with amusement in her sister in law's direction as she shifted Amie after she heard the slight gurgling sound indicating she had burped, Julie shook her head;
"I wouldn't place a wager on that if I were you, Candy."
Placing her hands on her hips, Candy demanded in a puzzled tone;
"But they were exhausted, not to mention, just how can you be so sure?
Seeing that she was on the verge of sleep, Julie settled Amie in her bassinet as she placed the steaming kettle nearby before joining Candy at the kitchen counter as she began peeling potatoes:
"To be perfectly honest, I really can't be. However, considering the sounds that I heard coming from their bedroom when I went up to the nursery to get extra diapers and a blanket for Amie, I'd feel fairly safe in placing a wager that sleep was not what was occupying Jemma and Aaron's time right then."
Candy's eyes widened and her cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink as she admonished;
"JULIE BOLT! I can't believe that you just said that."
Before Julie could respond, Josh entered to plead;
"Ladies, would it be possible to get a good cup of coffee?"
Without a word, Julie placed the knife she was using on the counter with a thud to snatch a cup from the cupboard before pouring a cup to hand to her brother in law. She had thought that she was past her initial anger with Josh over what had taken place between him and Jemma, but remembering the discussion that she and Jemma had been engaged in before Amie fell ill, she found her frustration with his thoughtlessness renewed. Any doubts that Josh might have had to the contrary were soon eliminated by the glare he received from his sister in law as he ventured hesitantly;
"Thanks?"
Taking the cup, Julie wasn't surprised by the speed with which he hurried from the room, something that she soon realized didn't escape Candy's notice as she turned to find her giving her a look that was a combination of curiosity and concern. Given her knowledge of Candy's tenacity when it came to solving things that mystified her, Julie wasn't shocked as she demanded;
"Just what was that all about? I mean considering what's happened over the past couple of days, what could Josh have possibly done to get the cold shoulder that you just gave him?"
Julie found herself lifting her eyes to the ceiling as she sighed heavily before turning to resume her earlier task as she huffed in exasperation;
"Well, no one, especially Jemma, wanted you to know anything about it at the time because she didn't want anything to mar your and Jeremy's wedding day."
Her eyes widening in disbelief and worry, Candy demanded sharply;
"Just what was it that happened that had everyone concerned it would spoil our wedding day, Julie?"
Candy continued working on the evening meal as Julie detailed what had taken place between Jemma and Josh at her wedding reception. The sparks of Candy's anger were obvious as they ignited in the deep blue of her eyes, something even more evident as Jeremy entered the kitchen and stopped short when she turned to face him, the full force of her indignation evident as she seethed;
"Did you know about what took place between Joshua and your sister on our wedding day?"
Jeremy's eyes widened in shock at her directness, not to mention the realization that, although Josh was the one at fault, he might well be the one to catch the sharp side of his wife's tongue for it. Heaving a sigh of aggravation, Jeremy placed his hands on his hips before casting a chastising glance in his sister in law's direction;
"Thanks a lot, Julie."
Striking a defiant pose as she crossed her arms over her middle, Julie shook her head as she defended;
"She asked me a direct question, Jeremy and I was not going to lie to her. What Joshua said to Jemma at your reception was wrong and I'm not going to say otherwise, let alone try to protect him when he's in the wrong. "
Rolling his eyes in frustration as he shook his head, Jeremy turned to his wife to declare his position;
"First of all, I did not know what happened at our reception, at least not until earlier this morning while you two and Holly were upstairs helping with the kids. I haven't had time to talk to you about it yet, in case it's escaped your attention, Candy heart, I've been busy keeping an eye out for our nephew."
Closing the space between them, Jeremy placed his hand on her shoulder as he looked into her eyes, filled with suspicion and agitation with his own filled with sincerity;
"I will tell you what I told him; he needs to find a way to make what he said up to Pixie. I know that you and Julie love her, but this is really between Josh and Jemma, honey."
Shaking his head, Jeremy pointed out;
"As much as we'd love to, even Jason and I can't really interfere, it's up to the two of them to work this out."
Placing her hands on her hips in a stance of stubbornness, Candy faced her husband;
"But you four have always stuck together and followed Jason's lead; I mean there has to be something that he can do."
His jaw dropping slightly, Jeremy stared at her in disbelief;
"You've been Pixie's best friend, for how long now, and you SERIOUSLY think that ANYONE can make her do ANYTHING that she doesn't want to? Candy love, even Aaron knows when it's best to back off when she has her mind made up. I mean, look at the fact she and Aaron are even married, if that doesn't prove just how stubborn she is, nothing will."
Confusion lighting her features, Candy confessed;
"Jeremy, I don't understand. I mean, Jason can talk almost anybody into anything, and the four of you are very close, you can't tell me that Jason can't convince those two that they should put their differences aside."
Motioning towards the pot of coffee on the back of the stove, Jeremy suggested;
"How about a cup of coffee, hun?"
Once Candy had placed a cup of coffee, just the way he liked it, in her husband's hand, Jeremy tried to clarify the situation more clearly;
"Okay, first of all, you have to understand something."
Glancing towards Julie, he included;
"Both of you. Yes, the four of us are close, and Jason does have the gift of a silver tongue, but when you said that he could talk 'almost' anyone into anything, would you two like to guess who the exception to that rule might be?"
Chuckling as he took a sip of from his cup, Jeremy recalled;
"If anything, Pixie is the one who can talk Jason, and for that matter, Josh and I into almost anything. Like I said earlier, the fact that we're standing here in Aaron Stempel's house taking care of their kids should be proof of that."
Sighing as he shook his head, Jeremy continued;
"What's going on now, I can guarantee you that Josh wants to resolve it, I can see it in his face. But, Jemma is the holdout and until she makes her mind up that she's ready to do the same you are wasting your breath. I know my sister and, from what Josh admitted he said, I can guarantee you that what has her bothered so much is because Josh is the one person she NEVER thought would say anything even close to what he did, let alone the implication she felt the words had towards her children and husband."
Draining the contents of his cup, Jeremy ventured;
"I'm not any happier than anyone else about what Josh said to Pixie, but making him pay for it, your way, won't help anything either. Believe me, there's nothing that the two of you can think of that would even come close to just how much Jemma can punish him by giving him the cold shoulder, I promise you."
Before any argument could be offered Clancey hurried in the kitchen door followed closely by Lottie and Dr. Allyn Wright as Lottie blustered;
"I swear, I go away for a couple of days to help Allyn get some supplies and everything falls apart."
Glancing to the Bolts present, she offered as she breezed by them on a direct course for Amie's bassinet;
"I'll deal with all of you in a bit, first things first."
Although Lottie could see that the infant was on the verge of sleep, she lifted her from the bassinet to cuddle her in her arms as she placed her lips against the baby's forehead before nodding in satisfaction;
"Good, Grampy Clancey said that you were a very sick little girl, Grammy Lottie's happy to see that you're not feverish anymore."
Turning to Allyn, Lottie wasn't surprised to see that she already had her bag open and her stethoscope at the ready as she closed the distance between them before soothing;
"Hello, little angel, I heard that you've been under the weather; why don't I see how you're doing now?"
Rubbing the bell of the instrument against her hand to warm it so she wouldn't shock the child, Allyn lifted the hem of Amie's gown before placing it against her chest to listen for a few moments, her initial concern evident in her furrowed brow and the studious look in her eyes. Everyone present breathed a collective sigh as a smile lifted the corners of Allyn's mouth before she nodded as she removed the stethoscope from her ears;
"She has a little rattle but nothing, I'm sure, like it was when she was in crisis."
At that moment, Benjamin, Duncan, and Holly entered the kitchen and stopped short as Holly ventured;
"Well shoot, we was wondering when you was gonna get back here. Seems like all the troubles done over with, we just came in on the tail end of it ourselves earlier."
Noticing his presence, Lottie greeted eagerly;
"Benjamin! What a pleasant surprise to see you."
Bowing his head slightly, Benjamin offered;
"Miss Lottie."
Turning to offer the same courtesy to Allyn, he ventured;
"I'm afraid that I haven't had the pleasure, Miss, or is it Mrs.?"
Bracing herself for his reaction, Allyn corrected;
"Actually, it's Dr. Allyn Wright, sir."
Given her experience since having received her diploma from medical school, Allyn was fully prepared for the usual male response that occurred upon learning that she was a female member of a, mostly, male profession when she found herself shocked as Benjamin nodded as he offered her a smile full of sincerity as he ventured;
"I think it's high time that the medical profession opened its doors to the fairer sex. I know I'd prefer being tended to when I'm ill by a physician such as yourself, rather than a grizzled old bear of a doctor."
Patting her hand, he leaned in a bit closer, as if sharing a confidence, to offer;
"I'm willing to bet that you have a much more congenial bedside manner than what half of those old bears in your profession do."
Deciding that she liked Candy's grandfather immensely, Allyn directed the topic back to the more immediate business at hand;
"I was just checking Amie's lungs; there's a slight rattle but nothing like I would have expected from an infant with pneumonia."
Nodding his concurrence with her observation, Benjamin explained;
"That's the wonders of camphor, Dr. Wright."
Her eyes widening, Allyn demanded in shock;
"Camphor? You gave this child camphor?"
Shaking his head as he held his hands up in a surrendering gesture, Benjamin clarified;
"No, not gave it to her, we boiled pots of water and placed the camphor in it."
Her eyes widening in sudden understanding, Allyn stated in awe;
"You had her breathe in the vapors from the steam and it broke up the congestion and allowed her to cough up the infection, which helped break her fever."
Benjamin offered a slight nod of his head;
"Exactly! That's the same thing that I used to do for my son, David when he was little, and for Candy, Molly, and Christopher when they were little as well; it worked every time."
Her relief and frustration placing a conflicting mask on her features, Lottie demanded sharply;
"Clancey said that Jemma wore herself sick taking care of Amie?"
Placing her hands on her hips, Holly nodded;
"She sure did. Why it ain't no wonder though, all that heat, it was hotter than tarnation, probably hotter than the inside of an oven under that quilt."
Lifting his head, having been trying to keep his great-nephew occupied, Duncan offered his opinion;
"Aye, that she did, Aaron wore himself to exhaustion as well. But I have ta hand it to the man, he'd not give an inch until he knew that wee lassie that yer holdin there, Miss Lottie, was free of a fever. But Jemma, poor lass, between tryin to care for Amie, the heat she subjected herself to trying to break the wee one's fever and tryin to nurse two babies..."
Nodding her understanding, Allyn surmised;
"And I'm willing to bet she wouldn't let anyone help her, at least until Aaron and Jason came back from Tacoma. Not to mention, she probably didn't take in enough to keep her strength up, so she ended up collapsing."
Shaking her head, Julie corrected;
"Not exactly, Allyn. You see, you're right about most of it, but she didn't exactly 'collapse'. You see Josh and I had been trying to make certain that she took in fluids, as much as possible, and we made her eat what she could; but, unless it was to take care of Jacob, she wouldn't let us take turns with Amie. Josh even made her a pallet here in the kitchen, trying to compromise with her."
Sighing in frustration as she placed Amie back in her bassinet before taking Jacob from Duncan, Lottie grumbled;
"And we all know that the word 'compromise' isn't one that Jemma is familiar with when it comes to her children, and there's only one person who can do anything with her when she's THAT determined."
Offering a slight nod, Julie confirmed her theory;
"And you're right; she had taken to dozing in the rocking chair with Amie, between coughing fits, that was the closest that Josh and I could get her to agree to rest. When he and Jason returned from Tacoma, Aaron took the choice out of her hands, he just picked her up and put her on the pallet and took over taking care of Amie. As far as collapsing, she didn't exactly do that; when Amie's fever broke Aaron tried to wake Jemma so that she could nurse her, but she wouldn't wake up."
Waving her hand towards Clancey and Benjamin, Julie praised;
"Thank Heavens for Benjamin and Clancey. Once he realized that Jemma had heat exhaustion and remembered that Clancey had a shipment of oranges, Benjamin suggested we get some from the good captain and have Jemma and, even, Amie drink some orange juice to help replenish the fluids that she lost so she could recover quicker."
Impressed with what she had heard so far, Allyn placed her hand on the elder man's arm to venture;
"Mr. Pruitt, I'm very glad that you arrived and for your knowledge. I happen to be rather fond of these two little ones since they're the first set of twins that I delivered; not to mention their parents."
Glancing about, Allyn demanded;
"Speaking of which, I'm going to assume that Jemma and Aaron are upstairs resting."
Lifting her eyes towards the ceiling, Julie quipped;
"They're SUPPOSED to be resting."
Understanding Julie's subtle hint, Lottie giggled slightly as she handed Jacob back into Duncan's arms before waving her hands towards the door;
"Come on, Allyn, now that we know that Amie's going to be just fine, let's go see how her parents fared."
Following in Lottie's wake as she hurried up the staircase, Allyn grabbed her hand to venture;
"Lottie, are you certain that this is a good idea? I mean, they're probably sleeping, considering they spent the past couple of days wearing themselves out taking care of Amie, I'm sure they're exhausted, especially Jemma."
Shaking her head, Lottie offered;
"Allyn, did you hear what Benjamin and Julie said? You know how stubborn those two are, they'll sleep a couple of hours and get up and act as though what it took out of them physically was no big deal; however, they'll listen to you because you're a doctor. If you tell them they need to take it easy then they will."
Knowing that nothing would sway Lottie's determination, Allyn sighed in resignation;
"Alright, Lottie, I'll do my best but I can't force Jemma or Aaron to agree to let me examine them, or to listen to me."
Chuckling as she raised her fist and began rapidly knocking on the bedroom door, Lottie stated in definite certainty;
"Oh trust me, Allyn, they'll listen and they'll follow your advice. I can almost promise you that they'll force each other to do what you tell them, you won't have to even raise your voice."
The peace that Aaron felt holding his wife close to him as he slept was reflected in the slight, peaceful smile that he wore in his sleep. However, he soon found that smile turning to a frown as the sound of a repeated 'thud' rapped against the bedroom door, pulling him from slumber. Lifting his head slightly from the pillow to glare at the closed portal he glanced down in the hopes that the noise hadn't had the same effect on Jemma that it had on him, but he found his hopes for that outcome dashed as her lips curled in a frown before he heard a slight moan as she opened her eyes to ask sleepily;
"Am I dreaming or is someone knocking on our door?"
He knew that once she realized that she hadn't been imagining the sound in her dreams she would become concerned that there was a problem with one of their children. However, before Jemma's worry could surface past the sleepiness that still clouded her mind, Aaron noticed the knob turning and thinned his lips in a frustrated manner as he offered;
"Yes, sweetheart, you did, and considering they aren't waiting for us to extend an invitation to enter, I'm fairly certain that I know just who did the knocking."
Before Aaron could give voice to his theory, the door creaked open slightly as Lottie poked her head around the wooden panel to offer a bright smile as she observed brightly;
"Oh good, you're awake."
Shifting to a sitting position as he held the bed covers over his chest for modesty sake, Aaron grumbled;
"What choice did we have considering that you started pounding on our bedroom door."
Pushing the long fall of loose curls over her shoulder as she sat up, Jemma rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she demanded, concern making her voice sound harsh;
"What's the matter; are Amie and Jacob alright?"
Having followed Lottie into the room, Allyn raised her hands to stall the concern she saw so clearly written on Jemma's face;
"Calm down, I just examined Amie and, I promise, she is just fine and I even took a look at Jacob and he seems just fine and perfectly healthy. Grant, you Amie has just a tiny bit of a rattle in her chest, but nothing near what I was expecting considering what I was told of her condition twenty-four hours ago. I can assure you, aside from seeming tired and weak, your daughter is almost back to normal."
Placing her hand over her chest as she exhaled a sigh of relief, Jemma offered;
"Thank God."
Aaron took her hand in his as he reminded;
"You see, love? I told you that, once her fever broke, she would be just fine, she just needs some rest and she'll be back to normal in no time."
Lottie clasped her hands in delight as she ventured gleefully;
"I'm so glad that you're
in that frame of mind, Aaron, especially since Allyn is up here to look you two over and make sure that you'll be alright after what, we understand, you subjected yourselves to trying to break your daughter's fever."
Shaking his head as he jerked it in his wife's direction, Aaron declared;
"I think it would be a good idea for you to make sure that Jemma's alright, I know she had heat exhaustion but after a little more sleep I'll be just fine."
Snatching her hand out of her husband's grasp, Jemma crossed her arms over her middle in that, all too familiar, Bolt way that Aaron had come to recognize as a warning sign that she was going to dig her heels in and not budge. Any doubts that he had to just how stubborn she was about to prove herself to be were soon eliminated as she shook her head vehemently;
"NO! You seem to think that just because you're a man and bigger than I am that you're invulnerable to what, you think, would bring me to my knees."
Trying to douse the sparks of her irritation before they fully ignited into a flame of anger, Aaron tried to take her hand in his as he coaxed;
"But, Jemma darlin..."
Aaron found himself shrinking back somewhat as she turned the full force of her glare of agitation in his direction before admonishing;
"Don't 'Jemma darlin' me, Aaron Stemple. You want me to put your mind at rest and let Allyn examine me? Well, fine, I'll agree to that, but only if you agree to the same. You seem to think that you have the market cornered in this marriage when it comes to worrying about your other half. I don't suppose that it's ever occurred to you that I worry about you the same way that you worry about me; has it?"
He knew that, to anyone else, the tone of her voice sounded normal, but Aaron could hear the subtle strains of concern in her words; something that he knew would find him agreeing to her demand, even had she not offered a deceptively sweet smile as she leaned close to place a kiss on his cheek before bringing her lips close to his ear to remind him in a whisper;
"Besides, it's really not like you have much choice since you can't exactly get up out of the bed and leave the room, at least not unless you'd like to solve the mystery of what you wear, or rather what you DON'T wear when you sleep."
Clearing his throat to hide his embarrassment, Aaron suggested;
"On second thought, I think that it might not be such a bad idea, just to make sure that I'm not underestimating how much all that heat took out of me. Besides, if it will put Jemma's mind at ease then that alone makes it more than worth it."
Half an hour later and much to Aaron's relief, Allyn settled herself in the rocking chair to address the findings of her examinations;
"Alright, you first Jemma; first, Benjamin Pruitt was right, you did suffer from heat exhaustion but you're going to be just fine. You can certainly thank Benjamin and Clancey for the orange juice, which seems to have helped a great deal, but you're still tired. So, I want you to stay in bed, at least, until tomorrow; you should be good as new by then."
Seeing the unspoken concern in her eyes, Allyn nodded;
"I already know what you're about to say; yes, you can still nurse Amie and Jacob. And, until she is fully recovered, I think that giving her diluted orange juice, as long as it's fresh-squeezed, is a good idea. Given all of the heat that she was subjected to trying to break up the congestion and her fever she'll benefit from it, just like you will."
Noticing the look of satisfaction in Aaron's eyes, Allyn turned her attention in his direction as she found delight in offering her diagnosis with somewhat of a smirk of satisfaction;
"And as far as you're concerned, Mr. Stempel, you might be interested to know that, based on my findings, you were just short of heat exhaustion yourself. The only reason that Jemma's case was worse than yours is that, since she's nursing twins, her body was much more depleted. However, I'm prescribing the same treatment for you that I did for your wife; you are to stay in bed until tomorrow."
Letting her eyes slide in Jemma's direction, Allyn couldn't help but offer cheekily;
"And given your obvious affection for each other, I don't imagine that particular course of treatment will prove difficult or unpleasant for either one of you."
Placing her hands on her hips as the mask of motherly sternness that Jemma was all too familiar with slipped into place on her face, Lottie challenged;
"They'll stay in that bed if I have to tie them to it; BOTH of them."
Staring at the two women in disbelief, Jemma argued;
"But, Allyn, Lottie, I have two children who..."
Crossing her arms stubbornly across her middle, Allyn's voice had an air of admonishment as she finished the statement;
"Are being very well cared for and taken care of by, at least, half a dozen people who have absolutely no qualms about doing so just to get a chance to spoil those two little darlings of yours."
Casting a look that left no room for argument, Allyn advised;
"Jemma, you do realize that if you don't get some rest and push yourself more then what you've already done, you're running the serious risk of not being able to nurse your children anymore. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't believe that's what you really want, is it?"
Despite his own frustration with his wife's stubbornness, when she dropped her head in regret, the shame that she felt over her rashness evident as she muttered, her voice full of embarrassment and self-frustration;
"No, I don't want that to happen. I just wanted to make sure that Amie got well and I just want to make sure that she and Jacob are well cared for."
Deciding to save her any further self-reproach, Aaron placed his arm around her shoulders as he settled the matter;
"Sweetheart, you're just trying to be a good mother and there isn't anyone who can fault you for that, or for trying to make sure our children are taken care of."
Turning his attention to Lottie and Allyn he assured;
"We won't give you any argument, Allyn; you're right, we BOTH need some rest."
Glancing down at Jemma, the love he felt for her evident in his eyes, he offered softly;
"Besides, we're not much good to Amie or Jacob if we're not at our best, are we, love."
Satisfied, Lottie decided to set the expectations of what was to come;
"Now, I don't know why you didn't ask any of the girls to help you, Little Miss Jemma but, as of right now, I'm taking matters into my own hands. Now that Candy and Jeremy are back and Molly is no longer your houseguest, I'll be staying, at least for tonight. Candy and Julie are downstairs making a nice hearty stew for everyone for supper and I don't know how much you ate over the past couple of days, but you WILL eat, at least, a full bowl and NO ARGUMENTS. Once you're done and those two angels are settled I expect you two to rest; do I make myself clear?"
Unwilling to incur her wrath, Jemma and Aaron looked at each other wide-eyed before muttering sheepishly, in unison;
"Yes, ma'am."
Satisfied that she would have no arguments, Lottie nodded in satisfaction, certain that her dictate would be followed she advised her two charges;
"Good! Now, I expect the two of you to get some rest."
Pinning Aaron with her eyes, Lottie challenged;
"Actual rest, not the recreational kind either. I'm going to go see about something for the two of you to eat and by the time you're finished I'm sure the two little ones will be looking for their supper as well."
With that, Lottie turned on her heel to leave the room as Allyn hid an amused laugh behind her hand before venturing;
"And you two thought that I was the tough one."
Once Allyn had pulled the door closed behind her as she left the room and despite her husband's mask of aggravation, Jemma found herself fighting, and losing, the urge to giggle as she ventured;
"'Poor Lottie, if she only knew that she was too late in issuing THAT particular order."
Placing her hand on his chest she asked innocently;
"But is spending the rest of the day in bed with me really THAT much torture?"
Chuckling at her question, Aaron shook his head as he kissed her forehead;
"Yes and no; being near you is hardly torture, except when I know I can't follow my instincts when the opportunity presents itself, such as now."
Using her fingers to fluff at the edge of the bedclothes, Jemma led her eyes slide pointedly downwards as she suggested;
"Perhaps you should dress a bit, uh, 'more' appropriately given the full house we seem to have; maybe that will help you to better fight temptation, honey."
Deciding to heed her advice, Aaron threw the covers aside and hurriedly located a pair of sleep pants, something he'd never bothered with unless he was traveling on business, before donning them as he reclaimed his place in their bed. Although they were in their own home, Aaron noticed that he and Jemma both breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that he was back in bed before the door opened to admit Lottie carrying a tray, followed by Julie, almost as if they were afraid of being chastised for misbehaving. Making herself comfortable in the rocker, Lottie nodded in satisfaction as both ate the bowls of stew that she brought them eagerly, neither aware of just how truly hungry they were. Offering both a motherly smile, Lottie demanded;
"Given how fast you two got to the bottom of those bowls, I'm guessing that you might still be hungry."
Furrowing her brow in consideration, Lottie pondered;
"Just when was the last time that the two of you ate an ACTUAL meal?"
Glancing at each other, as if the thought was suddenly a new one, Aaron confessed;
"The breakfast you cooked the day Amie got sick, just before I left for Tacoma."
Nodding, Jemma admitted;
"I think that was the last real meal I had as well, although
Julie and Josh kept making me eat a little something here and there, but I don't really remember an actual meal other than that."
Shaking her head, Julie admonished;
"That's because you didn't, it was all Josh and I could do to get you to eat what little you did and if we didn't keep reminding you that you needed to eat something so you could nurse the babies and keep your strength up, I don't know if you would have eaten at all."
Seeing the silent look of reproach that she was receiving from her husband, Jemma found herself shocked, not by the fact that he said something, but by WHAT he said;
"Jemma Elysia, I should turn you over my knee."
Staring at him in disbelief, Jemma chastised;
"Correct me if I'm wrong, Aaron George, but did you, or did you not, just say that YOU did the EXACT same thing yourself? Well, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, you know?"
Shaking his head in frustration, Aaron chastised;
"Not in the case, love; I'm not nursing two babies, YOU are."
Taking their bowls, Lottie admonished;
"That will be enough of that you two. You should both be turned over someone's knee, but since we know that's not going to happen, I'm just going to have to make sure MYSELF that doesn't happen again; won't I?"
Cupping Jemma's chin in her hand, Lottie offered a motherly smile;
"Besides, I've invested almost twenty-one years in you, I have to make sure my efforts didn't go to waste you know."
Lifting one eyebrow in amusement at Aaron, she quipped;
"Given just how fond of you she is, not to mention those two little bundles downstairs, I guess that I'm gonna have to make sure you're taken care of as well, in spite of yourself."
Watching as she glided out the door in that way that only Lottie seemed to possess, Julie couldn't help but laugh as she nodded in satisfaction;
"I can't believe that there is someone, other than Jemma, that you don't try to argue with, big brother."
Glaring at his sister in irritation, Aaron quipped;
"Very funny, little sister."
Crossing her arms over her middle, Julie smirked in amused satisfaction as she let her eyes glide from her brother to her sister in law as she threatened;
"Be grateful, I could tell Lottie about all the rather 'strange' noises I heard coming from in here a while ago when you two were SUPPOSED to be resting."
Seeing his wife's blush of embarrassment, Aaron shrugged nonchalantly as he challenged;
"We were resting in a way that we thought we'd enjoy the most."
Jemma stared in disbelief, shocked by her husband's statement as she exclaimed;
"AARON!"
Offering her a look full of innocence, Aaron spread his hands wide in a placating gesture;
"What, sweetheart? Julie's a married woman and I'm quite certain that she's not unfamiliar with the sounds that can be heard in a married couple, especially a happily married couple's bedroom."
A knowing grin slowly lifting the corners of his mouth, Aaron ventured;
"Of course if you hear those same sounds coming from, oh say, a barn, like what I heard a few days ago when I happened to be passing by her and Jason's place, that might strike people as more than just a little strange."
Seeing his sister's blue eyes widen in shock as her face took on a crimson hue, Aaron laughed heartily as he suggested;
"You know it could just be possible that you and I might have been mistaken about what we heard; don't you think, Julie?"
Nodding eagerly, Julie hurried from the room, brushing past Lottie so quickly that she stared after her in puzzlement before demanding;
"What in the world's the matter with Julie? She acts like someone just lit a fire under her skirt."
Jemma couldn't help but giggle as Aaron's expression remained impassive as he shrugged;
"I'm not really sure, Lottie, we were just discussing hearing strange noises in some of the strangest places."
Rolling her eyes, as she set the tray on the bedside table, Lottie declared;
"I'm sure that there's more to it than that, Aaron, but since we have more immediate concerns,"
Handing Jemma her bowl, she ordered;
"I expect you to eat every bite of that, young lady."
Staring at the heaping bowl of stew in trepidation, Jemma began;
"But, Lottie, you know that I've never eaten this much..."
Lottie simply shook her head as she handed Aaron his bowl before turning to Jemma as she ordered;
"You will this time, young lady, you heard what Allyn said NOW EAT!"
Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Jemma's eyes widened as she hurriedly spooned a heaping helping of stew into her mouth as Lottie issued;
"I'll be back in a bit once you've finished to collect your dishes and to bring Amie and Jacob up for their supper."
Noticing the look of amusement that Aaron wore as Lottie left the room, Jemma threatened;
"Aaron, I swear, if you so much as grin you're going to find out just how cold this bed can get with another person in it."
His visage reflecting just how serious he took her statement, Aaron stammered;
"Jemma, darlin, I swear I wasn't going to say a word."
Nodding her head in satisfaction, Jemma issued;
"Just see to it that you don't."
Although she had still been somewhat hungry when she began on her second bowl, Jemma soon found herself turning to her husband in dismay;
"I know what she said, but I swear, I don't believe that I can eat another bite, but I also don't want another tongue lashing."
Taking matters in his hands, Aaron took her bowl before shoving his empty one in her hands as he offered;
"Here, she won't know the difference and she won't fuss as me if I don't finish everything."
The look in her eyes reflecting her skepticism, Aaron chuckled;
"Darlin, what's the worst that she can do to me; send me to bed without dessert? I'm already halfway there as it is."
Heaving a sigh of trepidation, Jemma ventured;
"If you're lucky, This IS Lottie we're talking about you know?
As if summoned, Lottie opened the door followed by Holly to greet eagerly;
"Here we are now you two, I'm sure that Mommy and Daddy are just as anxious to see you as you are to see them."
Holding her arms out eagerly as Aaron took the bowls and set them on the bedside table before following her lead, Jemma smiled brightly as Holly offered;
"I think she's been a might anxious to see her ma."
before placing Amie in her mother's arms. All thoughts of the trials, fear, and worry of the days prior were lost as Jemma smiled down at her daughter. Lottie couldn't help but marvel at just how much Jemma reminded her of her mother as she held her child in her arms. Placing Jacob in his father's arms, she was about to speak when Aaron, noticing just as Lottie did that his wife's sole focus was on their children, offered quietly;
"Lottie, why don't you and Holly go on. We can handle it from here, just give us a little while and then they should be settled."
Offering a silent nod as she gathered their dishes, Lottie motioned to Holly as they made their way to the door, turning to witness such a warm and loving family moment as Jemma and Aaron held their children close to them. Pulling the door closed behind them, Holly gave a slight shake of her head;
"Well, one thing fer sure. Can't nobody ever say that them two don't love them younguns."
A look of firm determination fixed on her features, Lottie challenged;
"And nobody better EVER say that at least not and let me hear it."
Once the door was closed, Jemma began nursing their daughter as she turned to Aaron;
"I'm glad that she's nursing so much better, she's almost back to normal, I'm guessing that if she weren't taking the orange juice she just might be there already."
Once she was certain that Amie's hunger was satisfied, she handed the infant to her father as she eagerly took Jacob;
"Hi there, little boy. I'm sorry Mommy's been neglecting you, I promise I'll make it up to you."
Aaron couldn't help the smile of contentment that lifted the corners of his mouth as he glanced down at his daughter as he encouraged;
"Come on, princess, we don't need your tummy acting up now that we have you on the road to mending."
Hearing the slight gurgle, he praised;
"That's Daddy's little girl."
Shifting her to cradle her in his arms, Aaron couldn't help but smile as she wrapped her small fist around his finger before offering him a lopsided grin as she held his finger tightly to wave her fist up and down in excitement. He couldn't help but chuckle;
"Mommy and Daddy definitely prefer seeing our baby girl like this as opposed to how you were such a short time ago."
Seeing the contented look her husband wore, Jemma couldn't help but feel a peaceful happiness in the presence of her husband and children; a feeling that increased as she contemplated just how blessed they were to be part of such a loving family. Everyone had readily jumped in, to volunteer, when they had learned of the crisis with Amie, even Josh, despite the tension between them. Aaron could sense the slight shift in her mood as she laid Jacob against her shoulder and began to gently pat his back; lifting an eyebrow in consideration, he ventured;
"I'm pretty sure I know WHAT you're thinking about doing, my question is WHEN are you thinking about doing it."
Shaking her head as she emitted a deep sigh, Jemma placed her hand on her husband's arm;
"My love, you know me too well; you know that, don't you?"
Before he could respond, Candy and Lottie entered as Lottie bestowed a motherly smile on her self-appointed charges;
"So did those two little angels have their supper?"
Holding her son cradled in her arms as she cuddled him closer, Jemma nodded;
"They certainly did, Amie's appetite is picking back up; thank goodness. And, considering the voracious appetite that he has Jacob definitely takes after his father in that regard, he certainly didn't get it from me."
Placing a gentle kiss on Jacob's forehead, Jemma laid him in Candy's arms;
"Mommy and Daddy love you, sweetie, you be a good boy for Aunt Candy and Grammy Lottie."
Leaning over to place a kiss on her daughter's head Jemma couldn't help but smile tenderly as her fingers gently brushed the wisps of hair that were already showing the promise of imitating Jemma's own curling and waving locks;
"And you, little miss, you keep getting better."
Holding her arms out expectantly as Aaron laid Amie in them, Lottie offered;
"Well, from what I understand she's already improved by leaps and bounds."
Straightening, she fixed Jemma and Aaron with a stern look as she issued;
"I meant what I said earlier, I expect you two to get some rest, ACTUAL rest, so that you're good as new by tomorrow and everything around here can get back to normal."
With that, she turned on her heel to leave, followed closely by Candy, once the door closed behind them Aaron sighed in relief as he placed his arm around Jemma to pull him close against his side;
"Now, back to our earlier conversation; when are you planning on talking to Josh?"
Sighing heavily as she curled herself closer to her husband's side;
"I think tomorrow should be soon enough; don't you?"
Nodding as he made himself more comfortable, Aaron couldn't help but chuckle as he observed;
"Do you want to hear something funny, sweetheart? I know that we've had some sleep but I swear I'm still tired."
Sighing contentedly as she hid a yawn behind her hand Jemma agreed;
"I know, me too."
Pulling her close, Aaron dropped a kiss on the top of her head, as he chuckled;
"Then I think we should both follow Lottie's advice and get some sleep, love; sweet dreams."
Stretching her arm across his chest, Jemma mumbled, already half asleep;
"You too, love."
Holly stood at the sink in Jemma's kitchen, washing the supper dishes from earlier while Candy and Lottie were settling Amie and Jacob for their bedtime, mulling over the evening's events in her mind. Jason had returned, but Lottie could see that he, as well as Julie still looked tired, although Allyn was certain that they had escaped the more serious side effects of the heat in their efforts to help Jemma and Aaron break Amie's fever. Exerting her authority and leaving no room for any argument, once the couple had finished with their meal as Julie began to gather the dishes, Lottie shook her head as she took the bowl from the girl's hands;
"Nope, you've done more than enough, young lady."
Seeing the look of puzzlement on Jason's features, Lottie waved her hand towards the door as she ordered;
"I want the two of you to go home and get some rest. I know that you two were there every step of the way helping Jemma and Aaron and, quite frankly, you two STILL look exhausted."
Seeing that, both, Jason and Julie were about to argue, Lottie decreed;
"Look, you two, Amie is well on her way to being on the mend, so the crisis is now over. Consider yourselves lucky that I don't make the two of you occupy the guest room upstairs so I can make certain that you're getting the rest you should; just like I'm doing with Aaron and Jemma, I'm willing to TRUST the two of you that you'll ACTUALLY rest."
Taking his wife's arm, Jason looked down to venture;
"Come along, darling, let's do as Lottie suggests. Considering that she and Allyn are back as well as Holly, Candy, Jeremy, and Uncle Duncan, I'm sure that the twins, Pixie, and Aaron are all in good hands. Let's enjoy a good night's sleep in our own bed tonight."
Pressing her cheek against Lottie's, Julie offered the woman a hug as Jason offered;
"If you need anything or..."
Waving her hand towards the door, Lottie huffed;
"There's not going to be anything that anyone will need, we have it all well in hand, Jason. Now, take your wife home and get some rest and don't you dare show up here until sometime tomorrow afternoon."
Turning on her heel to carry the dishes to the sink, Lottie glanced over her shoulder;
"Oh, and Jason, I meant what I said; REST."
Jason couldn't help but shake his head in amusement of the fact that Lottie was in her element as her maternal nature was allowed to run rampant in the current situation; Jemma had always been subjected to it, as had Jeremy, to a great degree, however, given that she was now playing mother hen to, not just the youngest Bolt siblings but to the Bolt spouses and Josh as well found the woman basking in her natural tendencies. An amused grin gracing his handsome features, Jason offered a wave of his hand in farewell;
"Just as you say, Lottie"
Once the door was closed, Jason turned to his wife as he placed his hands on her shoulders;
"You know, sweetheart, I believe that Lottie's right, a good night's sleep would do us a world of good. However, I think that there might be something else that would also do us a world of good as well."
Letting her fingers linger at the open collar of his shirt, Julie offered her husband a look of coyness before asking innocently;
"Really, darling, and just what might that be?"
Holding her chin between his thumb and forefinger, Jason lowered his head to claim her mouth in a kiss that communicated the love they shared between them as well as the thickening current of desire that was growing ever stronger. Raising his head, Jason placed a gentle kiss on her cheek as he offered, his rising desire making his deep voice even huskier;
"I think that given just how much we love each other and just how much we've missed each other, a little indulgence in some 'recreational relaxation' before we settle down to go to sleep tonight would do wonders for us both."
Although he noticed that Julie's smile turned impish, Jason found himself somewhat surprised as she placed her hands against his chest before taking a slight step backward to advise;
"I don't think that sounds like a bad idea, love, of course, there is one slight catch to that."
Jason's brow furrowed in puzzlement as she walked slowly off the porch before making her way to the gate that led to the path between the two houses. Pushing the wooden portal open, she offered her husband a mischievous smile as she tilted her head to the side;
"The catch, my love, is that you have to catch me if you want me."
With that she lifted the hem of her skirt and took off at a sprint down the path leaving Jason to stare after her, the look he wore reflecting his shock before it turned to amusement as he took off at a run to claim his prize. Holly had been busy washing the dishes when she happened to glance out the window in front of the sink and found herself shaking her head as she demanded;
"What in tarnation are those two doin?"
Turning from the cupboard where he had been putting away the dishes he had dried, Josh craned his neck to see what Holly was referring to when he caught sight of his older brother giving chase to his wife. Shaking his head, Josh offered in amusement;
"I think that they're just being newlyweds, Holly."
Huffing a bit, Holly grumbled;
"And here I thought them two were just plain tuckered out."
Josh couldn't help but offer a short laugh as he ventured;
"Oh don't worry, if they're not, they soon will be."
Given the tension of the past couple of days, since Amie had become so seriously ill, and then the tension he felt once Jeremy and Candy had learned of the incident at their wedding reception between him and Jemma, Josh found himself glad of the respite in Holly's company, especially since Lottie had volunteered him to dry the dishes while she and Candy tended to the babies. He had become so comfortable in Holly's company that he couldn't help but stare in shock when she suddenly demanded;
"So, just when you planning on havin a heart to heart with that sister of yours and get things set straight between the two of ya?"
Sighing in frustration, Josh frowned sharply;
"You two, Holly?"
Rinsing the last dish, Holly finished with the dishpans before turning to pin the middle Bolt brother with her eyes as she challenged;
"Well, I hardly think that's fair, Josh. I mean considering that I ain't even crawled on your case yet and here you are fussing to get me off it."
Remaining silent until he placed the last dish in the cupboard, Josh let his eyes slide in Holly's direction before shaking his head as he ventured, already knowing the answer;
"There's no getting around you; is there Holly?"
Shaking her head as she poured them both a cup of coffee from the last of what was left on the stove she motioned to the table;
"Have yerself a cup of coffee and let's have us a talk."
Once she had settled herself in a chair to face him across the table, Holly brought the cups to her lips before issuing;
"Alright, speak yer peace, Josh."
The wheels of his mind turning, Josh considered just what had prompted him to speak the words that he knew had wounded his sister so desperately. Although his words were halting at first, Josh found that they were coming more easily as he began pouring out what he had been keeping inside since the incident; even when he had tried to talk to Jason about what had taken place he couldn't find just the right words to help explain the turmoil that he had been dealing with for the past months. Finally, when he had everything out in the open, he couldn't help but feel as if a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders and heart as he reached across the table to place his hand over Holly's as he admitted;
"Holly, you must be some miracle worker, I tried talking to Jason about this and just couldn't find the words I needed. But, I sit down and start talking to you and everything seems so simple and so easy to fix, I don't know how you manage it."
Pulling her hand from under his, she patted his hand;
"Aw shoot, I didn't do nothin, Josh, cept listen to ya. I think ya just needed to hear it all out in the open so ya could make it make sense fer yerself, that's all."
Narrowing her eyes a bit she demanded;
"Now that it does make sense, just what you aim to do about it to set it all right again?"
Sliding the palms of his hands back and forth over each other, Josh sighed in resignation;
"I plan on talking to my sister and apologizing for being such an ass to her and for insulting her, husband, and her children."
Nodding as she picked up her cup to finish its contents, Holly issued;
"Sounds like a good plan to me, just see to it that ya do it or I'll kick your tail up to the top of that there mountain of yers and back down again."
Josh couldn't help but stare at her in shock, his eyes wide in disbelief that she would say such a thing. Then, when he thought about the fact that this was Holly Houston and NOTHING that she said at this point should be considered a surprise, his mouth began curling upward in an amused grin as he shook his head before lifting his cup to finish the contents;
"Yes, ma'am. I will.