*Author's Note*
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July, 1881
Novella POV:
Summer was beatin' it's heat down relentlessly in the mountains. It felt like the hottest summer in all my years of livin' in the Tug River Valley. The heat didn't agree wit' me that much since I was heavily pregnant. My ankles swelled, I felt overheated an' sweaty most of the time, an' I felt more irritable. My daughter tho seemed to love the summer, she was always wantin' to play outside or run 'round with the dogs.
I knew the heat was goin' to be takin' a toll on me today since it was the 4th of July and I was going to be outside all day due to bein' at the festival. No breeze was in the air, just humidity. Like every festival, Tolbert was sellin' his shine wit' Pharmer's help. I noticed that Johnse's whiskey wagon was 'cross from my husband's and that he was workin' it wit' his little brother Robert E. Roseanna wasn't at the cart so I assumed she was with Johnse's sisters.
I was walkin' with Rihanna, holdin' her little hand as so she wouldn't wander off or get lost, towards the game booths whenever I spotted Cap talkin' an' sharin' a flask of whiskey wit' Skunk Hair. I quicked my steps, hopin' the one-eyed man didn't notice me. I didn't feel like bein' bothered with him today. The man was like a pest, a bit annoyin' an' always came 'round when not wanted. I could feel eyes borin' into my back, most likely Skunk Hair's since he didn't like me.
Thankfully I reached the game booths without bein' bothered. I decided to play the game where ya toss balls at bottles, trying to knock them down for a prize. A few minutes later and a pyramid of bottles down later I had won a small cloth-doll for my daughter. She clung to it, wide smile on her face, as we walked away from the game booth.
Not wantin' to pass by Skunk Hair and Cap 'gain I took a turn instead of goin' straight an' decided to go to where the craft booths were. Right as I reached the craft area I spotted Roseanna with a few of Johnse's sisters, they were lookin' at bows and ribbons bein' sold at one of the booths.
I knew if I was spotted talkin' to Roseanna by one of the McCoys I'd be yelled at, but I didn't care. It's been so long since I've talked to my dear friend and sister-in-law that I felt I needed to say hi. Lookin' both ways to see if I could spot any of my kin, I went out to Roseanna. "Hi. How're ya doin', Roseanna?" I asked with a genuine smile on my face.
Roseanna's eyes sparkled and a huge grin split her heart shaped face 'fore she replied, "I'm good, Novella." She looked at me belly while tellin' me, "My oh my you're gettin' big."
"Yea, baby's comin' sometime in October." I told her, wantin' her to know 'round the time her new niece or nephew, hopefully nephew, would be enterin' the world.
"That's not too far off. Baby'll be here 'fore you know it."
"I know. This pregnancy's been harsh wit' the harsh summer heat tho. Hopefully the last bit of it in the cool fall season won't be so bad."
"I pray you feel better and that everythin' wit' the pregnancy goes easy on ya."
"Thank you. So, how's everythin' with you and Johnse?" I asked, curious to see how that was goin' since I haven't been able to talk wit' her for a few months.
"We're good. His poppy still won't budge." I didn't think he would. The man seemed suborn an' set in his ways. Much like his second born son was. "Johnse says til he budges we'll just have t'be married in our hearts." Oh lordy, I didn't like where this was goin'. That sounded like a thick charmin' line to get up her skirts. Oh boy…
I let out a deep sigh 'fore softly warnin', "Be careful, Roseanna. This whole situation's a bit tense, don't cause for it to worsen."
"Novella, everythin's fine. He loves me an' one day it'll all work out. He promised so." Roseanna told me a bit too flippantly in her sweet bell-like voice.
I just smiled tightly and nodded. There was no reasonin' wit' her, her head was stuck so far up Johnse's ass that no warnin' I could give would help her right now. "I better let ya get back to browsin' the crafts wit' the girls. It was nice seein' ya."
"Nice seein' ya too, Novella." Roseanna told me 'fore I walked 'way from her.
I was comin' up on a booth that was sellin' wittled wodden toys whenever I hear a smoothly-deep voice thick as molases say from behind me, "She's a sweet girl. Roseanna."
I turned 'round to find myself lookin' at, or might I say up at, Ellison Hatfield. Damn where all of these Hatfields tall giants of people? Only one that wasn't tall was Cotton, who was standin' by his daddy. The white-blonde haired boy was of average height, but maybe he'd be taller if he didn't slump his shoulders. Ellison had a full facial beard that was copper and a head full of neatly cut copper locks. How's cotton get so light of hair was a mystery, perhaps the Mounts woman that birth him had fairer colorin'? Anyways why was the devil's brother even talkin' to me for?
"Yes, she is. Too bad your nephew's preyin' on that." I told the man a bit bluntly, hopin' he'd catch on to my dislike on the relationship.
"Johnse's still a kid at heart. All he wants t'do is play. I believe he truly loves her, in his own way that is." Ellison explained, a far off look in his eyes.
"Yea…" I trailed off 'fore askin' "Not to be rude, but why're ya talkin' to me bout this?"
"You're the only one from that girl's family to talk to her." Oh, so that's why he's talkin' to me. Out of a shit ton of people I refused to disown Roseanna. Aha, got it. Instead of just leavin' his answer at that he added, "I know you used to visit her regularly too, but stopped due to your condition an' your daughter's agin' up."
One of my thin auburn brows shot up as I asked, "How'd ya know that?"
"My nephew, the one that's too much like my brother, told me once when he picked up Cotton to go fishin'."
"Oh…"
"You've seemed to 've left an impression on Cap an' that's not easily done." I don't know how I impressed him. Hell, I think we mostly bicker an' banter. Nothin' special bout that. Eh, must be cause of who my cousin is. AS if he could read my mind the copper haired Hatfield blurted out, "Don't say it's cause you're Sawyer's cousin either cause it ain't due to that." I just nodded my head silently. I didn't know what to say, the conversation took an awkward direction in my opinion. Clearly up the heavy air the man lightly smiled and said, "I also thank you for what you did at election day last year for my son. It was very kind of ya."
"You're welcome." I replied with a small smile. "He didn't deserved bein' bullied. Not his fault he's like he is."
"You're a nice girl Miss Nova. Don't let nothin' change your character." Ellison told me 'fore turnin' to his son and sayin', "Say goodbye, Cotton. We gotta go buy that toy you'd been wantin'."
"Bye, Miss Nova." Cotton said with a shy smile, wavin' at me as he started to walk 'way with his daddy.
"Bye." I simply replied to their retreatin' forms 'fore takin' my daughter in the direction the food stalls were at.
I was sitting down at a table wit' Rihanna so that we could eat whenever Uncle Perry walked over. "I noticed you talking to Roseanna." He told me as he took a seat at the table next to me. "How is she?"
"She's good." I told my uncle with a tight smile. I really didn't want to talk about my sister-in-law with him.
"So all's well?" My uncle pried, givin' me a slightly tilted look.
"Yea."
"She's still blinded by Johnse Hatfield." Uncle Perry spat, his face turnin' up in disgust.
"She's still in love with him and wants to marry him, gonna keep livin' wit' him too, if that's what ya mean by blinded." I told my uncle as I watched my daughter grab a piece of food off our plate and plop it into her mouth.
Uncle Perry shook his head and sighed, "I don't know what she sees in that fool."
"He's her age, pretty, has golden hair and a silver tongue." I listed off in my flowin' voice, countin' on my fingers for dramatic flare.
Uncle Perry's face fell as his slick voice lowly sighed, "She broke Ole Rand'l's heart doin' what she did. I fear he'll never let her back into the family."
"Oh." I said before grabbin' one of the pickles off my plate and takin' a bite out of it.
"At least you married sensible."
"Uncle Perry, let's be honest here, Tolbert was the only man in 80 miles that asked for my hand." I told Uncle Perry, sheddin' light on the reason behind my relationship with my husband. I mean it was either Tolbert or bein' an old maid.
"Yes, but you were still smart to take his hand. You had a chance to spurn him, but you didn't." Uncle Perry pointed out in his slick tinted voice. "Only if Roseanna would see that Johnse Hatfield's not the man for her."
"Maybe you could talk to her, tell her how you feel." I suggested 'tween crunchin' on my pickle.
"There's no use talking to her. Besides, Novella, you know that Ole Rand'l disowned her. Having anything to do with Roseanna will only bring hell onto my ears and I don't want to listen to my cousin's whines and complaints." My uncle lengthily told me with dismay oozin' off his tongue.
"If that's your view on things then so be it." I didn't agree with my uncle or like his way of thinkin', but I wasn't gonna argue with him. He was a lawyer, I'd never win.
I was at one of the candy booths with Rihanna. I had her on my hip so that she could see all of the different flavored sugar-sticks in the jars. I was debatin' 'tween peppermint an' cherry to buy for Rihanna whenever I heard I deep rollin' voice come up from behind me tell the candy-man, "Whatever she's buyin' I'll pay for it."
"Ah, yes, of course young Hatfield." The salesman all but stuttered as he looked past me to the tall man behind me.
"Ya don't have to do that." I told Cap, lookin' up over my shoulder at him.
"I know, but I don't mind. Be nice to spend my money on somethin' other then ammo, whiskey, and whores once in a while." Cap told me like it was nothin'. "What're ya buyin' her?"
Pointing 'tween two candy-stick jars I said, "Was debatin' tween the peppermint or cherry."
Cap just nodded his head 'fore pointin' 'tween the jars an' tellin' the candy seller, "One of each."
The salesman just nodded, "4-cents."
As the man grabbed the candy from the jars Cap took a nickel fro his pocket and placed it on the counter. As he took the candy sticks from the man he said, "Keep the extra cent."
"Thank you, sir." The seller nodded before picking up the coin and placing it into his money box.
"Here ya go, Anna." Cap told Rihanna with a softness in his deep rollin' voice as he held the candy sticks out for her to take.
My daughter quickly snatched the candies with her tiny hand as an excited grin spread over her entire face.
"Rihanna, what do ya say?" I asked, givin' her one of those tilted motherly looks. She knew how to say thank you when prompted. I only ever prompted her tho, not Tolbert. He could care less if she said thank you or not.
"Thank ya." Rihanna said in her small sing-song type voice.
He grinned 'fore tellin' her in a vibrant deep wavin' tone, "You're very welcome, Miss Anna."
"Me Anna?" My daughter asked Cap as she pointed to herself.
"Yea, you sure are." Cap told her, which just caused her to nod her head 'fore stickin' a candy stick in her mouth. "She's a smart girl." He told me as I set her down on the ground to stand by my side.
"Yea, she is." I proudly smiled as I held onto my daughter's hand. "Thank you for your kindness. I don't mean to be rude, but I better take her over to my husband's cart."
"Mhm, reckon ya'll need that quality family time." Cap said, his deep rollin' voice full of sarcasm. "Take care of yourself and remember ya got that claim, money's yours anytime you're in need of it."
I just nodded my head and smiled tightly for walkin' off and leavin' Cap to stand by himself near the red striped canvas candy booth.
Bud and Pharmer were standing by the tap of the whiskey barrel, selling the likker for Tolbert, while my husband sat in his wagon with our daughter on his lap. I was also sittin' in the wagon. Dusk would be comin' soon 'long with the last rush of customers.
"Hatfield's been takin' all the buyers. Offerin' a lower price for his horse piss." Tolbert spat as he saw a man who used to buy from him walk over to Johnse with a large empty bottle that needed filled up.
"Oh…did ya sell anythin' tho?" I asked as I looked at the wagon 'cross from us. Johnse had quite a line. Roseanna was all smiles as she helped Johnse fill and hand out bottles while lil Robert E. was takin' the money from the buyers.
"Yea, but not as much as I'd like." Tolbert rumbled, his smooth voice vibratin' deep in his chest an' catchin' in the back of his throat.
"Mr. McClintock'll come back 'fore dusk t'get his bottle refilled. He's a loyal cust'mer." Pharmer told Tolbert in a reassurin' tone as he looked at the ginger from his spot mannin' the tap.
"Yea an' our cousins'll be buyin' yer shine too." Bud added, hopin' to make Tolbert feel better.
Tolbert narrowed his stormy eyes at his brothers before snappin' in his gruffly-smooth timbre, "I know that. Now just up the both of ya an' sell my likker." Bud and Pharmer just nodded their heads sheepishly and went back to quietly standin' by the large whiskey barrel, keepin' an eye out for buyers. "Hell, there's 'notha fool goin' ov'r t'buy Johnse's horse piss whiskey."
I cut my cornflower blues at my husband. "Tolbert, stop grumblin'. I don't want Rihanna pickin' up on your bad mood."
"Poppy, me Anna." Rihanna smiled at Tolbert. Oh great, she would say that. Thanks Cap, thanks a lot.
"Anna huh? It's Rihanna, sweetie, but reckon yer too yung t'say it an' just sayin' Anna instead." Oh, thank god Tolbert thinks she's just mispronouncin' her name. I don't know how I was gonna explain the Anna name if he didn't think that. "Yer a smart girl. Yep, just like yer mama."
"Oh, so you're admittin' that I'm smart?" I asked teasin'ly, a slightly smirk on my lips.
Tolbert nodded 'fore seriously tellin' me, "Yea, guess I am. Ya read all 'em books an' worked for Perry for a bit, gotta be smart."
Just as Pharmer had predicted Mr. McClintock arrived with his large empty bottle. As Pharmer was fillin' it up for him the he looked over at me and Tolbert. "How's the family doin', Tolbert?"
"Doin' good." Tolbert simply answered the man in his velvety-gruff timbre.
"Our baby's due come fall." I told Mr. McClintock with a smile.
The man just nodded his head 'fore remarkin', "Bet ya'll are wantin' a boy since ya'll already got a pretty lil girl."
"Yea, we're prayin' for a boy." Tolbert confirmed his want of a boy to his customer.
"Yer next baby'll be mighty han'some or pretty." Mr. McClintocked commented as he took a greenback out of his pocket, handin' it over to Bud. "Have a nice rest o'the day." He said as he took the likker bottle from Pharmer's outstretched arm.
"Ya too, Mr. McClintock." Tolbert told the man right 'fore he walked away from the whiskey wagon.
As if on cue our drunker then a skunk cousin Jefferson swayed over, with the help of his girl Sarah, clutchin' an empty bottle in his hands. Just like Bud said our kin needed booze too.
It was dark now and the fireworks would be startin' soon. I was sittin' in the wagon next to Tolbert, who had Rihanna on his lap. Since Rihanna was almost 2-years-old we decided that we'd stay for the fireworks show and let her see them. Rihanna was wide awake since she ate so much candy today.
"I'm glad this year's better then last." Tolbert told me, placin' a hand on my round belly, wit' a bitter-sweet smile on his face.
I knew that today was hard on him. Hell, it was hard on me too, but I just focused on my daughter and makin' sure that she had a nice time then on my own sad memories of last year. It'd been exactly a year tonight since we lost Bert. Clearly that fact's why Tolbert's been in a piss-poor mood today.
"Yea." I tightly replied 'fore tellin' him in a serious flowin' tone, "Tolbert, we shouldn't focus on what happened last year. It took a long time for us to move past it, I don't want us to back track and get sad 'gain." I placed a hand on his, that was on my belly, and smiled weakly while sayin', "Not when we're happy an' are havin' a baby in a few months."
Tolbert's jaw trembled as he quickly and defensively quipped in his velvety timbre, "I weren't bringin' it up. Just sayin' this year's better's all."
"Okay." No, he was bringin' it up, but I was heavily pregnant and didn't feel like debatin' or arguin' with my husband. If agreein' with him would give me peace tonight then so be it. A pissy an' moody Tolbert is never fun to deal with, I've learnt that in my near three years of marriage to him.
Suddenly a loud pop was heard followed by sparks of white and yellow burstin' in the sky. The fireworks have officially begun. Rihanna looked up in the sky with an awed look on her cute little face. Her joy at seein' the bright fiery lights in the sky put a huge smile on my Tolbert's usually slackened face. I was smilin' too, seein' Rihanna mesmerized by the poppin' an' burstin' colorful fireworks made me happy. This 4th of July was a nice one for my family an' watchin' fireworks together just made it all the better.
I just rested my head on my husband's shoulder while he pointed up into the sky, makin' a big deal outta the fireworks for our daughter. It took him a while, but for the most part he was a good poppy or at least he tried to be. Hopefully in a few months my family will be added to and I'll birth a healthy baby. I don't know how we'd be able to bounce back from 'nother tragedy involvin' one of our chil'ren. Aunt Sally's words always loomed in the back of my mind, but I was always quick to push them aside an' forget them for a bit. After what happened to Bert I had to believe I'd be able to give Tolbert his one want, his son Tol.
AN:
Next chapter will be a time jump to fall. Rihanna's birthday and the birth of the new baby will be in it. Will the baby be a boy or a girl? Sally said no boy McCoy but ya never know…