*Author's Note*
Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows.
Novella's half-cousin Sawyer Amstead and his fiancé Essie are featured in this. Their face claims are Chris Pratt & Nina Dobrev.
4th Of July, 1879
Novella POV:
The summer heat felt unbearable and my condition only made it feel worse. It was the 4th of July today and everyone from both sides of the Tug were gathered at one of the spots used for festivals to celebrate the day. Tolbert was sellin' his corn likker, tryin' to make us some money. Pharmer and Bud were helping him, as always. Calvin was hangin' 'round wit' Jefferson, Parris and Squirrel. Jim was 'round somewhere with Lissa. Alifiar was with her younger siblin's while Nancy an' Roseanna were walkin' 'round the festival, lookin' for potential beaus. Ole Rand'l and Aunt Sally were talkin' and spendin' time with Uncle Perry while Billy and Moses were off playin' games.
Since the heat was botherin' me, alon' with my back hurtin' a bit, I was sittin' down takin' a breather wit' a glass of sweet lemon-tea. Pregnancy was tirin' on my body, but I only had a few more months til it was over and I had a baby in my arms. As I sat at the table I scanned my surroundin's, takin' everythin' in. Sadly, I noticed that more people were linin' up at Johnse Hatfield's whiskey cart then Tolbert's, but Tolbert still looked to have customers. My husband's customers were few and 'tween when comin' 'round. I also noticed that Cap and Robert E., the brother that looked to be the same age as mine, were sittin' on barrels at Johnse's cart, helpin' him like Pharmer and Bud helped my husband.
Seein' people with their small chil'ren made my heart swell. Soon that'd be me and I couldn't wait. Impendin' motherhood was excitin' and as each day went by I found my longin' to be a mama get deeper an' deeper, but perhaps that's cause I knew I'd have a baby in the fall.
Whenever my eyes trailed over to the whiskey carts parallel to each other I noticed that a man, tall with short dark hair, who I'd never seen before was at the Hatfield likker cart. He had a pretty brunette with him and the Hatfields seemed friendly with her, him too. I noticed that Cap pointed towards my direction, causin' the man to nod his head 'fore grabbin' his lady and walkin' off from the cart.
My husband and his brothers were fillin' up a bottle for an older man. That's good, means he made a dollar off that. Shakin' my head I looked elsewhere. I placed my attention on the area the games were at, watchin' my brother and brother-in-law get swindled out of their money doin' a ring toss tryin' to win some prize.
I wasn't payin' attention to my surroundin's so I was startled a bit whenever the man and woman I saw minutes ago at Johnse's cart came right up to my table and sat down. "My oh my, Novella, you sure did grow into a beauty." The man told me, causing me to give him a strange look. "Guess I should introduce myself." He chuckled before stickin' his hand out across the table an' sayin', "Sawyer Amstead, your cousin from Boone."
I smiled and shook his hand. "Oh, so you're Sawyer? Hi."
After endin' our handshake he hitched his thumb at the brunette by his side and said, "This here's my fiancé, Essie Hatfield."
My eyes widened, feelin' like they would pop out of my head. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. In disbelief I let out the whispered question of, "Hatfield?" My eyes darted between the two of 'em, lookin' for one of them to answer my question.
"Yes, my daddy's Judge Wall Hatfield." Essie, who seemed to be a few years older than me, confirmed while noddin' her head. With a smile she added, "Seems to be that soon we'll be kin."
I just smiled weakly, keepin' my mouth shut since I didn't really know what to say. I was still shocked and processin' everythin' to tell the truth. Oh lordy, my dead daddy's nephew would be marryin' a Hatfield… And I'm married to a McCoy, cousin kin with them too.
"Don't go tellin' that to your drunken buffon of a husband or snake-skinned lawyer uncle. Wouldn't bode too well for any of us." My half-cousin warned lowly, his head slightly twitchin' in the direction my husband's whiskey cart was at.
"I won't tell." I quickly promised with a small smile and nod of my head.
"Good." Sawyer nodded, a grin appearin' on his face. "Well, reckon we're gonna go. Just wanted to say hello since I happened to be here." He told me as he got up from the table, bringin' Essie up with him.
"Oh, okay, well nice meetin' ya'll." I told them as a way of goodbye.
Pointin' to my belly he said, "Congrats on the baby, by the way."
"Thank you." I smiled, feelin' that his words were genuine. I might've jut met the man, but he seemed nice.
Sawyer nodded at me before usherin' his soon-to-be wife away from my table. My head was spinnin' 'round an' 'round, I just couldn't believe what'd just happened. My half-cousin wasn't just partners with the Hatfields, he was marryin' into them too. And not just any line, Judge Wall's part of the family tree. Oh, dear lord, talk bout complicated family matters. Years ago, I thought the only kin I had was my uncle aside from my step-pa and brother, but now I find out I've got more kin on my pa's side that I never knew 'bout. Kin tied to the Hatfields while I'm tied to the McCoys.
I was walkin' 'round after buyin' a pickle to eat whenever Cap appeared by my side, eatin' a bag of rock candy. As always he was wearin' his signature black Stetson, his shaggy blonde hair stickin' every which way outta it. Lookin' at him pointedly I took a bite of my pickle 'fore askin', "What're you doin' walkin' with me, Cap?"
Between eatin' his candy Cap told me, "Came to ask if you met Sawyer and Essie yet. They wanted to meet ya, least that's what he said when I talked to 'em."
"Yes, I met them." I told him as we walked by a vendor that was sellin' sugar an' cinnamon coated popcorn. "Was shocked to learn that Essie's pa's Judge Wall Hatfield."
"Yes, he's her pa." Cap nodded. He dipped his head close to me ear before scandalously whisperin', "Her mama's his lover, but reckon they're considered common law by now."
My eyes went wide as Cap put some distance between us. He just looked at me, guagin' me reaction, while I remarked out of shock, "The judge ain't married?"
Cap nodded 'fore goin' on to explain in his deep rollin' voice, "My uncle's been married twice, reckon he figured common law's good 'nough 'stead of tyin' the knot a third time an' riskin' becomin' a widower 'gain."
"Oh…" I crunched on my pickle, not really knowin' what to say or think bout what I just heard. Why'd he even told me was a mystery, oh wait he prolly told me cause my cousin's marryin' his cousin.
"So your hankerin' for pickles have anythin' to do with expectin'?" Cap asked, pointin' to the dill pickle I was nibblin' on, as we continued to aimlessly walk 'round. I just looked at him with an arched brow, findin' his question odd. "When my ma's expectin' she gets all kinds o'weird cravin's and pickles be one of 'em." He explained, popping more candy into his mouth.
I nodded my head, my lips turnin' up into a thin smile, as I simply said, "Reckon that's the reason I'm eatin' it then."
"I'm gonna go find one of my brothers. Have a nice day, Nova." Cap told me before walkin' off, leavin' me alone once more.
Armed with my third pickle of the day I trudged over to my husband's whiskey cart, where he along with my brother-in-laws and my male cousins were at. "How's business been?" I asked Tolbert, comin' up to his side, while crunchin' on my snack.
Tolbert leaned against the wooden rail of the cart while crossin' his arms and shruggin', "Not bad, made few greenbacks."
"That's good." I said before crunchin' on my pickle, makin' Bud cringe since he hated them with a passion.
"Gettin' big, Cuz." Jefferson told me, pointin' his near empty flash at me after takin' a large swig from it.
Parris shook his head before smackin' Jefferson and tellin' him, "Course she's gettin' big, ya fool. She's havin' a McCoy baby."
Squirrel took a large gulp from his likker bottle before backin' his brother up with, "Yea, Jefferson, she's gonna be makin' Tolbert a poppy 'fore long."
"Baby's not due til fall, boys." I reminded everyone, hopin' to calm down the quarrel that was buildin' up 'tween the men that've been drink too much all day.
"Yer still namin' it Tol, ain't ya?" Pharmer asked, lookin' 'tween me and Tolbert, from his spot near the crate of bottles at the back of the wagon.
Tolbert's chest puffed up an' expanded with pride as he remarked in his velvety gruff timbre, "Yea, but Tol's his nickname. Christian name'll be Tolbert Junior." My husband eyed my swellin' belly while statin', "My firstborn son's gonna carry on my exact name."
"Ya don't have to name a firstborn Junior tho. Bud's named after poppy and he's the fifth outta us." Calvin pointed out, causin' Pharmer and Bud to nod their heads in agreement as they filled up bottles and jars for Tolbert to sell quickly when need be and since it was gettin' later more people would want corn likker quick.
"I know that, but I want mine t'have my name." Tolbert said, his velvety timbre vibrating sharply throughout the air. "Ya'll just wait an' see when ya have yer own babies." He told them in a know-it-all way. Tolbert pointed his finger at his brothers while orderin, "Ya'll watch the cart, I'm gonna spend some time wit' my wife."
Without waitin' for a reply Tolbert grabbed my hand and led us away from the whiskey cart. We walked in silence for a few moments before he gruffly asked, "Why was that fog-eyed Hatfield talkin' an' walkin' wit'cha for?"
"No reason other then he wanted t'wish us well on our baby. He didn't mean no harm, was just lookin' for his lil brother an' ran into me instead."
"Hmm…well, I don't like ya talkin' wit' Hatfields. 'Specially Cap, he's dang'rous."
Cap Hatfield didn't seem dangerous to me. Rough 'round the edges yes, dangerous no. Plus our cousins were engaged, doubt he poses a threat to me, but I couldn't tell that to Tolbert. Instead told him in a sweet tone, "Okay, Tolbert. It won't happen 'gain if I can help it."
"Good." Tolbert nodded with a placated look on his face. "Now let's go see what there's t'do 'round here other then eat pickles."
"Don't tease me 'bout my pickles. It's an expectin' cravin'." I told Tolbert, who just shook his head a me while holdin' back a laugh.
Hand in hand we walked 'round the festival for the rest of the day. Spendin' a nice day together, makin' happy summer holiday memories as husband and wife.
Night had fallen and everyone was seated 'round either at tables, on the ground, or in their wagons, in anticipation for the fireworks show. Every 4th of July the local officials from both sides of the tug buy an' set off fireworks, which are sent in by a large tore in Louie-ville. I always enjoyed the show ever since I was little.
Tonight, I was sittin' with Tolbert in his whiskey cart. His arm was 'round me, holdin' me tight to his side. I had my head restin' on his shoulder as our eyes were glued to the sky, waitin' for the show of explosive colorful firecrackers to light up the sky. "Memba growin' up as kids we always huddled t'getha t'watch the fireworks." Tolbert reminisced, his velvety gruff voice a tone softer than usual.
"I remember." I simply let out, noddin' my head. "We used t'sit in the back of your parents' wagon 'til we got older. Once ya started as a shiner we took t'sittin' in your whiskey cart."
Tolbert nodded before softly sayin' in a gruffly smooth tone, "Seems we were always meant t'be t'getha."
Tolbert's sweetness touched my heart, reminded me why I loved him and why I married him, Despite his temper he had the ability to be a good, carin' man.
Our moment was short-lived cause out of nowhere my brother Moses climbed up on the cart while blurtin' out, "Billy took off to talk wit' some Mariah girl and Uncle Perry's sittin' with Roseanna. I don't wanna be 'lone, so here I am."
Uncle Perry's watchin' fireworks with Roseanna? Oh, wow, so maybe he's gatherin' up some courage to ask for a courtship. It's no secret to me that my uncle has a likein' for my sister-in-law. With him bein' so much older then her I reckon he's takin' it slow as to not scare her off. Uncle Perry better begin his pursuit of Roseanna 'fore it's too late and somebody else snatches her up. She's young and pretty, in the blink of an eye a man'll come along that she likes and she'll accept him, even get Ole Rand'l to approve of her marryin'.
"Don't touch nothin' an' ya can sit on the barrel." Tolbert gruffly ordered my brother, who had beaten my husband to the punch and had already perched himself on the large barrel behind our seat.
"Ain't gonna touch nothin', Tolbert. I ain't a baby ya know, I can sit an' not get into trouble." My brother, who was 9, told my husband with a smartass tone to his boyish voice.
"Billy would be runnin' after some girl. Boy's only 10, got plenty o'time t'spend chasin' girls, but he wants t'run off t'night. 'Bandon his bestfriend." Tolbert mumbled to me under his velvety rough breath, speakin' low so only I could here.
"Tolbert…" I warned thru my teeth, lookin' up at him wit' a cautionary smile.
"Ya know back in Asheville this guy that was in the war had a brother that lived on the other side o' the mountain an' he had his hand clean blown off in the war. Think a blowed up hand could happen mishandlin' firework?" My brother rambled, soundin' faster than a steam engine, as he idly kicked the heels of his feet 'gainst the 50-gallon whiskey barrel he was sittin' on.
Tolbert craned his neck 'round to look at my brother 'fore snappin', "Reckon so, Moses. Now just shut up an' wath the sky."
"Ain't nothin' happenin' yet." Moses huffed, most likely crossin' his arms over his chest too.
"It'll start soon." I assured my brother, lookin' back at him with a warm smile.
No sooner then I turned my sight back to the dark night sky did the firework show begin. Blastin' bursts of colorful fire-light filled up the sky. One after another the firecrackers went off til they were all gone, providin' a grand end to a warm 4th of July.
AN:
So, Novella's cousin Sawyer's engaged to a Hatfield. Wall's daughter too, ain't that great? LOL. Yep I know added in a Hatfield OC, but oh well. Tolbert really wants a Tolbert Junior, but will he get one?