*Author's Note*

Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows.

Hope everyone likes this chapter. It's a filler and I'm a bit iffy about it, but whatever lol.

Thanksgiving, 1879

Novella POV:

It's been roughly a month since Rihanna was born and Tolbert's still not happy. Sure, he's accepted that he has a daughter, but he's still grumbly that he didn't get his Tol. He doesn't hold Rihanna much, only if I need him too. When our baby cries I'm always stuck endin' to her, even in the middle of the night. I never thought that my own husband would be offish to our child, but that's what was goin' on.

Today was in fact Thanksgivin' so we were in our wagon on our way to Ole Rand'l an' Aunt Sally's for the day. It wasn't a long ride, thank goodness.

Tolbert looked over 'tween me and the bundle in my arms 'fore lookin' back at the road and sayin', "Ma ought'a have a cradle set up in her an' poppy's room for the baby."

"Tolbert's it's been a month an' ya still won't call her by name. Her name's Rihanna not the baby." I sighed, lookin' at my husband with a sad look in my cornflower blue eyes.

Never takin' his stormy gaze off the road he gruffly snapped, "I know what her name is."

"Then use it." I advised him as I looked over my shoulder at the barren treeline we were ridin' by. All the leaves littered the forest floor, indicatin' that winter was only a few weeks off.

"Ya know when ya can resume yer wifely duties?"

"I'll ask your ma 'bout it, but I think 'nough time's passed. Why?"

"Cause I want a son." He answered, briefly lookin' at me with a look of determination painted on his ginger scruff covered face.

"Damnit, Tolbert, you really just said that? I just had a baby last month an' you're already itchin' to get 'nother child on me all cause you want a boy." I snapped at him incredulously, narrowin' my eyes at his hat covered head.

"Yea." Tolbert simply said as if the answer was a no brainer as he steadily held the reigns and drove our wagon.

"Maybe we should wait, try to space our babies out a bit." I suggested since I really didn't want to get pregnant again so soon. Don't get my wrong, I want a house full of chil'run like any sane woman does, but I don't wanna be gettin' pregnant 'fore my newborn even turns a year old.

Tolbert looked over at me with fiery coals as eyes instead of stormy blues as he declared in a seethin' snap, "I ain't spillin' outside ya. I'm gonna get my son."

"Of course, I just thought that it's be easier not to have two babies in diapers under two at the same time is all." Easier on me is what I meant. I'm the one that has to care and nuture the babies, not him. All he does his farm, make shine, and drink. Oh yea he also eats and wants his husband privileges every night too.

"My ma had six o'us back t'back, if she could handle it then ya can too. Hell, her an' poppy didn't space out chil'run til after he come home from war." Tolbert ranted and raved, his gruffly smooth voice risin' and rumblin' much like the sudden boom out of a thunder cloud.

Oh great, he wanted me to be like his mother. A good, obedient, meek, housewife that popped out babies all the time.

I just nodded my head at Tolbert, lettin' him know that I got where he was comin' from. I didn't feel like fightin' today, that's why I wasn't replyin' to him.

When we arrived to his folks' place we were greeted wit' warm welcomes. Since it was the first Thanksgivin' with a new McCoy addition the entire family was over at Ole Rand'l and Aunt Sally's. Everyone was eager to see the baby too. Seems that everyone except for my husband loved little Rihanna. As Tolbert surmised his mama had a set up in her bedroom for the baby to sleep in. Once everyone was done holdin' an' seein' her I put her to sleep in the cradle and went on to help Aunt Sally, Roseanna, Alifair, Nancy, Jefferson's Wolford girl, and to my shock Lissa prep an' cook the holiday meal.

After an hour or so I was able to get Aunt Sally alone, or at least sit close 'nough by her as we peeled potatoes so I could have a whispered conversation with her. A flustered look no doubt crossed my face as I asked her, "Aunt Sally, has 'nough time passed where I'm recovered 'nough to return to my wifely duties?"

Noddin' her head while never missin' a beat peelin' her potato she told me, "Month's 'nough time, but ya can get a child on ya right 'way with it bein' so soon after givin' birth."

"He'd like that. We talked, he really wants 'nother baby." I confessed as we peeled out potatoes.

"No, Tolbert just wants a boy." Aunt Sally gave me a knowin' look. With a slight shake of her head she sighed, "Like all men I s'pose."

Our whispered chat was broken whenever Lissa came over to me with a fake smile and said, "Since we're going to be sister-in-laws we should be on friendly terms."

I could tell by the wicked gleam in her narrowed beady eyes and the too forceful and painfully wide smile on her face that she didn't mean a word that she had said. Prolly just said it cause Jim put her up to it.

"Yes, reckon we should." I told her in a tone even faker then hers as my face beamed with a superficial smile. I noticed that Nancy turned slightly, her head goin' over her shoulder, and gave me an approvin' look. Oh, when the queen of fake sweetness gives her approval then that means I'd done somethin' right.

"You're so blessed to have a baby in your first year of marriage. Perhaps you'll be blessed to have another in your second year as well." Lissa told me 'tween fake smiles and an overly friendly pat on the hand. I didn't trust this two-faced bitch as far as I could toss her ass. Back whenever I lived with my Uncle Perry in town she never talked t'me, but now all of a sudden Lissa's talkin' with me and actin' like she's so thrilled I'm a mother. Hmm...

"Yes, God willin'." It might not be nice to say, but sweet baby Jesus I hope not. I don't wanna be knocked up every damn year. Sure, I enjoy doin' the trick with Tolbert, but I don't want a herd of chil'run by time I'm 20 either.

Sally was silently looking between us, a skeptical look in her eyes.

Before Lissa could say anythin' else to me little Rihanna started to cry. It was 'bout time for her feedin'. "I'd love to talk some more, but it's feedin' time." I slickly told the snobby town girl before quickly rising from my chair and darting into the room off of the kitchen to tend to my newborn.

Of course, after her feedin' Rihanna was wide awake an' didn't want to go back to sleep. I had no choice, but to bring her into the main room of the house. Sally didn't mind, even told me that since most of the preparing and cooking was nearly done I could just tend to the baby. As soon as I sat down in a sitting chair in the living room Uncle Perry and Ole Rand'l started to bicker with each other over who was going to hold little Rihanna.

"None of ya are holdin' her. Rihanna's my girl, I'll hold her." Tolbert spat, risin' from his chair and boundin' over to me. I was in total shock whenever Tolbert gently took little Rihanna from my arms.

"Tolbert you get to hold her anytime you want. Don't be selfish, let one of us hold her." Uncle Perry told my husband as he sat back down in his chair, gently rocking our daughter in his arms.

"I'm holdin' her cause ya an' poppy are fightin' ov'r her like a couple of school boys." Tolbert explained to his poppy and my uncle while all the other men in the house just silently watched on. With the no-nonsense and hard look Tolbert had on nobody wanted to push their luck and ask for a turn holdin' the baby. Reckon they figured seein' her when we first arrived was 'nough since my husband was playin' papa bear right now.

Ole Rand'l opened his arms wide and made wavin' motions wit' his hands while demandin', "Pass 'er ov'r, son. This gran'pappy wants t'see his gran'daughter."

Tolbert shook his head while watchin' the baby snuggled up 'gainst his chest in his arms. "She's sleepin', can't move her or she'll wake up."

I didn't have the heart to tell Tolbert to hand over Rihanna to either Uncle Perry or Ole Rand'l, not when my husband had taken our baby on his own without my urgin' to do so. "Oh, just let Tolbert be. He's a proud poppy, still in awe 'bout havin' a baby." I told the older men, a small smile on my face.

"Can I see the baby?" My brother pipped up from his spot on the floor where he was playin' a card game of Go Fish with Billy.

"Yea, if ya sit down on the sofa or chair so ya can hold her proper." Tolbert told my brother, earnin' him disgusted an' hateful glares from Ole Rand'l and Uncle Perry.

In a flash my brother abandoned his card game with Billy and took a seat on the sofa next to me. Tolbert got up and gently placed Rihanna into Moses' awaitin' arms while tellin' the boy, "Careful an' be sure t's'port her head."

Moses looked 'tween the baby in his arms and me before smilin' an' tellin' me, "She looks lot like you, sis."

"That she does." Tolbert nodded his head as he sat back in his chair. With a grin on his usually stern lined face he announced, "My girl does look like my wife."

Maybe that would be little Rihanna Elsbeth's savin' grace when it came to her poppy, bein' my doppelganger.

The Thanksgivin' meal looked delicious set out on the table. A turkey that Squirrel hunted was the centerpiece of the table while all the platters and bowls of side dishes framed it. A large gravy boat sat nestled 'tween the turkey and the large bowl of potatoes. As soon as we all took our seats, the baby was cradled in one of my arms since she was wide awake and made a fuss whenever I tried to set her down, Ole Rand'l clasped his hands an' bowed his head. Givin' us the signal that the blessin' over the meal was 'bout to take place. Quickly everyone else at the table bowed their heads and clasped their hands, expect for me I only bowed my head since I was tendin' to a baby.

"Dear God we thank ya t'day for this food we're bout t'eat an' for the blessin' of a new McCoy baby in the family. We ask ya God t'bless our family wit' more chil'run for Tolbert an' Novella. Also, God we ask for Jim an' Lissa t'have a good life t'gether once they wed. In the Lord's name we say amen."

"Amen." Everyone repeated, liftin' our heads up.

And faster then a snap of the fingers the food got passed 'round. Since I had the baby Tolbert was nice 'nough to make up my plate for me. As soon as everybody had a full plate and began to eat Jim opened up his mouth an' announced, "Me an' Lissa's decided we're gettin' married in June."

"A June weddin', how typ'cal for a townie gal." Tolbert spat as she scooped some gravy smothered mashed taters up with his spoon.

Great, my husband's tryin' to stir up the shit pot. Can't he just let things go good, have a nice day without gettin' nasty wit' people. Kin t'boot.

"Bet it'll be nice considerin' it'll be in the summer and all." Nancy crooned, an overly sickly-sweet smile on her face givin' 'way the fact that under her honied words she was bein' rude and sarcastic.

"Oh it will be. My daddy says that I can have anythin' I want for my big day." Lissa gushed out excitedly, missin' on the fact that Nancy could care less and wasn't bein' genuinely nice. It was a fake niceness that only people close to her could pick up on.

"I plan on gettin' 'notha baby on my wife soon, so we'll have t'see how far 'ong see if 'fore I commit t'showin' up in town at yer weddin'." Tolbert announced 'tween eatin' his holiday meal.

"Son, pregnant woman can 'a'tend weddin's." Ole Rand'l chuckled 'fore bringin' his red tin coffee cup to his lips. After takin' a long sip from his steamin' hot coffee, most likely spiked wit' some of Tolbert's 'shine, he told my husband, "Yer goin' t'Jim's since he went'a yers."

Tolbert nodded his head 'fore grabbin' his flask outta his shirt pocket. He popped the cork with him thumb while mutterin, "Fine, but I ain't giftin' nothin' expensive." He took a quick swig of his likker 'fore addin', "Gotta family t'care for."

Of course, Thanksgivin' in the McCoy house is awkward for 'nother year in a row. For the entire length of dinner Jim an' Tolbert were havin' a pissin' contest 'bout how important their lives were. Everyone just ate an' watched on in complete an' utter silence. Safe to say I was thankful once desert was over and it was time to go home.

Hopefully Christmas dinner in a few weeks' time goes better, but wit' this family only God knows.

AN:

Okay, so Tolbert kinda sorta warmed up to his daughter…He still wants that son tho…Yea, he's kinda bipolar or something huh…Anyways, I got another filler chapter, maybe two, before the 1880 Election Day where Johnse and Roseanna meet/take off together.