*Author's Note*
Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows.
This chapter takes place between the months of November, December, and January. Tolbert, bless his heart, is a jerk in this. Yup…
3 Months Of Tol
Novella POV:
For nearly 2-weeks I was as frail and week as a newborn colt. I could barely move an' was on the verge of bein' anemic. Tolbert had to care for the chil'ren durin' this time. He also had to do the cookin', which meant eatin' a lotta stew. His shine makin' was on a hiatus since he was so concerned wit' makin' sure I got plenty of rest in order to heal an' strengthen an' bore the weight of tendin' to a house an' chil'ren. Alifair and Aunt Sally would come over a couple of days to try an' help out, but Tolbert always sent them into the bedroom to check on me an' take care of me.
I was so happy when I felt strong 'nough to get outta bed an' start carin' for my chil'ren 'gain when Tol was 'bout 3-weeks old. Tolbert was hestitent at first 'bout goin' back to shinin' an' lettin' me resume wit' my household duties, but wit' Aunt Sally an' Doc's help I was able to convince my husband that I was recovered 'nough to get back to my routine. It was safe to say that he was more then happy to go back to runnin' his still.
I was so overjoyed when I was able to nurse my son. I felt like a failure as a mother when my husband had to feed our son wit' a bottle cause I was too weak. I finally felt like a good mama to Tol whenever I was able to feed him an' care for him properly. I also felt joy an' relief at bein' able to spend time wit' my daughter 'gain too. When I was weak an' restin' Tolbert didn't let her 'round me too much for fear she'd hurt me. Rihanna was happier then pigs in shit whenever I was wit' her all the time 'gain.
IT's been 6-weeks since I've given birth to my breeched son an' Thanksgivin' was tomorrow. I was home 'lone bakin' to brin' to my in-laws tomorrow while Tolbert was off makin' deliveries. Rihanna was sittin' at the table watchin' me roll out pie dough while Tol slept soundly in his crib in my bedroom. While I was hummin' a tune, which my daughter was parrotin', a knock sounded at my door. "Stay put, don't move an inch." I told Rihanna, pointin' at her an' givin' her stern look, fore droppin' the rollin' pin onto the table an' dustin' my hands off on my apron.
"Okay, mama." Rihanna nodded as I walked 'way from the table an' towards the door.
Another knock sounded out 'fore I reached the door. Whenever I opened it I was met wit' the sight of my cousin, Sawyer, standin' on my front porch. I just looked at him questionin'ly, rasin' a brow. Takin' off his black top hat he told me, "Heard tell that ya almost died, had a breeched boy."
"Yea, that was like 6-weeks 'go." I told as I eyed him a bit warily as I folded my arms over my chest.
"That McCoy husband o'yours 'round?" MY cousin asked, movin' his head 'round as he tried to look 'round me an' into my house.
"No, he's out sellin' his shine." I shook my head, a few coppery tangles fallin' loose from the simple black ribbon holdin' halfy of my hair back an' 'way from my face.
"Then why're are ya not invitin' me in?" Sawyer asked, his upbeat voice soundin' a bit slighted.
Sheesh, he was a business man and was married to Essie Hatfield, Judge Wall's youngest daughter, so he couldn't be that stupid. He had've known my reasonin'. Eh, lookin' at him right now I was startin' to think that maybe he was a bit dumb.
I tilted my head 'fore snappin' out the flat explanation of, "Cause my daughter's up an' I don't need her tellin' my husband I had a strange man in the house."
"Oh." He nodded 'fore pullin' a folded up crocheted blanket from his jacket. Handin' me the soft yellow blanket made of yarn he told me, "Roseanna asked me t'give that to you when me an' Essie were over for dinner the other night."
Oh, dear sweet Roseanna would make somethin' for my newborn baby. I took it from my cousin's outstretched hand while tellin' him, "Next time ya see her tell her I said thanks."
"I'll be seein' her 'morra so I'll pass it 'long, but I reckon you'll be seein' her sooner then ya think."
"Why? She's been wit' Johnse for a year now, I doubt she's leavin' him."
Sawyer looked at me with slightly raised brows 'fore lengithly explainin', "Cap an' Jim Vance are schemin' on a way t'get her out. Levicy wants her out too, but gets lassoed into lettin' her stay cause of Johnse's mama's boy charm an' whines. If Cap an' Jim can convince Levicy that Roseanna's gotta go an' give her 'nough ammo she's outta the house, Johnse's whinny protests or not." Oh, of course those two where gonna be whisperin' shit into Mama Hatfield's ear to get Roseanna tossed out. Wouldn't expect anythin' less from those two.
'Fore I could stop myself I blurted out, "Cap hates her, don't he?"
"No, he doesn't trust her. Neither does Jim Vance. Jim thinks she's a spy while Cap thinks she's a wanton twit that's gonna get his brother hurt or killed." Sawyer explained, his voice soundin' to light and causal for my likin. It was as if he was tellin' a classroom that the sky was blue, grass was green, and 2+2=4, instead of revealin' to me that Cap an' Jim Vance had very low opinions of my favorite siser-in-law.
"Well, ain't they nice…" I trailed off, sarcasm drippin' off my tongue.
Sawyer ran his thumbs along the brim of his hat while tellin' me, "I know it's not my place to say, but Cap thinks highly of ya. Considers ya a friend."
"Bet he does." I scoffed, rollin' my cornflower blues. I don't consider him a friend. An occasional pain in my ass is more like it.
"Cap's Anse's right hand, his lieutenant, so bein' on his good side's needed for you an' your chil'ren's safety if this feud gets any tenser."
"Why? What's goin' on?"
"Right now, mostly heated saloon brawls an' spats 'bout Roseanna an' Johnse bein' shameful, but wit' how irrational an' hot-tempered McCoys can be I fear some kinda violence's gonna break out." I just nodded my head, takin' in his words. He placed his hat on top of his head while tellin' me, "I'm gonna head out, but I wish you and yours well."
"Thank you, Sawyer. Have a safe trip back to Boone." I told him with a small smile before shuttin' my door on him.
Dear lord, wasn't expectin' to hear all that when I answered my door. Reckon I better stick this baby blanket into my hope chest, so Tolbert don't see it an' wanna fight 'bout it, an' get back to work makin' pies. As I walked 'cross the room an' past the kitchen to get to my bedroom I noticed that Rihanna was sittin' at the table stuffin' berries in her mouth. Her hands an' face were covered in reddish sticky juice. Oh, my little Rihanna was somehin' else.
"I'll be right back t'clean ya up." I told my daughter, earnin' me a smile an' a nod, 'fore walkin' into my room an' depositin' the blanket into the chest settled at the bottom of the bed.
The chest now had three things in it. The old tin type of my parents an' me when I was 5-years old, the loggin' business claim papers which I kept hidden 'tween the frame an' picture of my late parents, and the yellow yarn-knitted blanket. I only hope that I don't have to hide anymore things in this chest. It was once a hope chest, but now it was more of Pandora's box.
Everyone was gathered 'round the tables at the McCoy house for the Thanksgiving meal. All of the delicious food was set out. It looked mouth waterin'. This year Rihanna was at the chil'ren's table wit' her younger aunts and uncles. She was actually sittin' next to Moses, who I knew would help her out. Tol was buddle up and bein' held by Tolbert as we sat at the table. Our son was fussy, more so then Rihanna had been. Doc said it was a result of the breech birth, that Tol would be colic an' have problems sleepin' for long periods of time. I didn't mind his fussiness an' neither did Tolbert. We were just happy to have our son.
"Dear lord, we thank ya for the meal we're 'bout to eat and for the health of both Novella an' Tol. Amen." Ole Rand'l prayed as everyone held hands 'round the tables.
"Amen." Everyone, myself included, echoed at the end of the prayer.
"How's my gran'son doin'?" Ole Rand'l asked as he picked up the platter of sliced turkey, takin' a few pieces from it.
"Colic an' fussy, but good." Tolbert answered before I could as he rubbed our son's back, keepin' him calm as he slept 'gainst his chest.
"He'll grow out of the colic by time he's 8 or 9 months, maybe sooner." Aunt Sally said while we all watched Jim pass the turkey platter over to Bud.
"Aunt Sally, I don't think they're worried bout that. They're just thankful they got the baby." Uncle Perry piped up from his seat at the end of the table next to my husband. My uncle would never admit it, but the news of Tol bein' breech rattled him. I knew it did since Moses comin' breech is what done in my mama, sent her t'forever sing with the angels over the river Jordan.
"Uncle Perry's right, we don't mind that he's colicky." I told my mother-in-law as I took Tol from Tolbert so that my husband could take the platter from Pharmer, who was next to me, and make our plates. "We just soothe him til he stops cryin'." I added while my husband tossed some meat on our plates 'fore passin' the meat platter to my uncle.
Sally just nodded, smilin' tightly, as she watched Calvin pass the platter over to Alifair. Awkward silence was takin' over as we passed bowls and platters 'round. Suddenly a loud wailin' cry broke the silence, emergin' from my son's strong set of lungs. "I'll go tend t'him." I told everyone gathered 'round the table 'fore gettin' up and goin' to the bedroom.
Havin' a colic baby was hard. Everythin' I did revolved 'round him an' his cries. While everyone else was enjoyin' their holiday meal I was in my in-laws' bedroom tryin' to calm down my son. He wasn't hungry, I knew that since he pushed 'way from me when I tried to nurse him. When Tol was hungry he'd latch on and feed, but when he wasn't he'd push 'way an' just cry. I changed his nappie, but he still cried. I just paced back an' forth, rockin' him in my arms 'til he calmed down.
It's been a few weeks since Thanksgiving, my son was a little over 2 months old, and Christmas was right 'round the corner. When I say right 'round the corner I mean less then a week 'way. Today was actually a nice day. It was cold out, but not bone chillin' an' it wasn't snowin'. I had Tol slung on my hip as I decorated my family's Christmas tree with with Rihanna. Tolbert has stuck the tree in the corner earlier this morning, after chopping it down, 'fore goin' off to do deliveries and to pick up some things from town.
"Mama, look it." Rihanna proudly said, pointin' to the burgundy bow that she'd just put on a low lyin' tree branch.
"Oh, ain't that pretty." I said with a wide smile as I hung up a gold ornament higer up on the tree. "You're doin' such a good job, sweetie." I praised Rihanna, causin' her to smile and take off to the large box to grab another bow.
"Tol help too?" My daughter asked as she dove head first into the decoration box filled with various bows, bead strings, and ornaments in different shades of red, gold, and burgundy.
"Yes, Rihanna, you're brother's helpin' too." Actually, he was just slung on my hip, but in a sense, he was a part of the tree decoratin'.
Too bad Tolbert wasn't here to be a part of this. I think that he could've held off on the delieveries an' goin' to the store til tomorrow in order to help decorate the tree today. I also think that needin' to ride all over the county was an excuse to get outta the house an' 'way from a baby that's cries were never endin'. Seems that the more time goes by the more aggravated Tolbert gets by Tol's erratic cries an' wails caused by his colic nature.
Mhm, I reckon I was stuck nuturin' a baby up on my own once 'gain.
Tolbert POV:
I was stickin' the packages of presents I picked up a few minutes ago 'long with some other supplies in the back of my wagon whenever Johnse Hatfield and my sister pulled up 'sides me. I decided to ignore them an' just keep on wit' my task.
"Tolbert, how's Novella an' the baby doin'?" Johnse asked as he got down from his wagon, holdin' his hand out to help my sister. "Well I hope." The jackass added as the sound of Roseanna's feet hittin' the ground echoed out in the air.
"They're fine. What's it to ya, filthy Hatfield?" I asked while pickin' up the large bag of Gold Medal flour settin' on the ground an' tossin' it into my wagon.
"Tolbert, we were just wonderin'. We heard she had a bad delivery in October an' nobody's really seen her 'round." Roseanna told me in her sweet-honied wisp of a voice as she stood at the side of that Hatfield demon she had'a gall to take as her intended.
"She's tendin' t'two chil'ren, one that's colicky, so she ain't gonna be runnin' all ov'r the countryside like ya be doin'. Ella's got r'spons'bilities." I told my sister, my nostril's flarin' an' my temper risin' quickly.
A lost an' blank look came over Johnse as he told me in his upbeat tone, "Tolbert, why're you gettin' all hot for? We're just tryin' to be friendly an' kin-like."
"Ya ain't no friend nor kin o'mine." I spat in disgust at Johnse, who was standin' next to me wit' his arm slung ov'r my sister's back wearin' a dumb look on his stupid face. "An' ya shamin' our family wit' yer lil stunt. Til ya come t'yer senses ya ain't my sister." I harshly told Roseanna, makin' her gasp, as I walked over to the front of my wagon and climbed into it. "There's a general store ov'r in West Virginia, learn how t'use it." I advised 'fore grabbin' the reigns an' pullin' 'way from the front of Adam's.
Novella POV:
Our first Christmas together with two chil'ren, a toddler an' a baby, was really good. The gift exchangin' was a bit chaotic since Rihanna wanted to tear everythin' open an' Tol was a baby that needed his opened for him, but everythin' worked out. Tolbert took it on himself to do presents wit' Tol, his namesake, while I helped Rihanna wit' hers.
The big family dinner at the McCoys was good. My uncle seemed happier then he's been in a while, or at least he wasn't wearin' that thinly lined frown he's been sportin' since Roseanna took up wit' Johnse. Moses was happy to play wit' Rihanna, but that put a bit of a wedge in his friendship wit' Billy McCoy since the boy didn't want to be bothered wit' his lil niece. My cousins were friendly with me an' my husband, offerin' us smiles an' kind words bout our newly grown family. Jim and his wife even announced the news that they were expectin' an' were a lil 'round 2-months 'long.
Roughly a week had gone by and it was now New Year's Eve. I was home 'lone wit' the chil'ren while Tolbert was in Pikeville drinkin' an' havin' a good time wit' his brothers, 'cept for Jim, and our cousins. I wasn't too happy per say that he left me home 'lone wit' the youn'ins to go drink. I hated it when he drank cause it altered him too much, made his nasty temper come out. He always got brazen when he drank, would start runnin' off his mouth an' got all tough. I was always afraid he'd get into a scuffle since he was so hot-headed and, for a lack of a better word, hateful.
Goddamnit was my husband a hateful man. Tolbert loved me, but that didn't temper his cruel an' irate ways. I was only able to bring out a more tender side, caring side, to him once and a while. Even I couldn't change his nature, no amount of love could do that.
I was currently pacin' back an' forth, bouncin' Tol up and down on my hip in an attempt to sooth his colic cries, while Rihanna was curled up on the sofa watchin' me wit' big curious cornflower blue eyes. "Why he no stop?" She asked me, referin' to her brothers excessive wailin'.
"He's a colicky baby. He cries more then most babies cause he had a bad birth." I explained as I continued to bounce my son up and now.
"Tol cries all time." Rihanna complained in her small sugary voice.
"All babies do. You cried when you were a baby too." I told my little girl as I walked right by the couch as my boy's cries began to ease up just a bit.
"No." She shook her head at me from her spot on the sofa, a shy smile on her face.
"Yea." I said in a high tone, a motherly smile on my face. "Just a part of growin' up."
Tolbert POV:
Ella was at home wit' the chil'ren while I was at the saloon/whore house in Pikeville drinkin' an' celebratin' New Year's Eve wit' Pharmer, Bud, Calvin, Jefferson, Squirrel, and Parris. We were sittin' at a large round table near the large sprawlin' stairwell, not far from the bar.
"Hey, how much I gotta pay t'keep ya to myself t'nite?" Parris asked his girl, Jenny Lou, as he pulled her into his lap as she came up to his side after havin' just talked t'her boss.
"New Year's Eve's a nickel night price promotion. He says if ya pay me couple dollars I can spend the entire night wit'cha." The whore said, runnin' a hand down Parris' chest, as she sat on his lap.
"Hell…" Parris sighed, his tone leavin' off that he didn't really wanna fork out that much money. Turnin' his head to look at the man behind the bar my cousin took his wallet outta his jacket. Pullin' out the 2-bucks he waved it in the air an' barked, "I'm payin' yer ridicouls price for the nite wit' my girl. Damn crook."
"Brother, don't be sore 'bout the money. If ya didn't pay she'd be stuck workin'." Squirell said 'tween drinkin' his shot of the high-end whiskey we bought for the nite.
"Yea, what'd ya think's gonna happen when ya court a whore." I scoffed, rollin' my eyes at Parris, for knockin' back my own glass of amber likker.
The whore gave me a diry look 'fore snappin', "Don't make fun of me. If it weren't for me whorin' my siblin's be starvin'. Don't got no folks t'care for us."
Pharmer poured himself a shot while sayin', "Tolbert, try an' be nice. Not ev'body can get a sweetheart like you did."
"Least ya'll got a girl." Jefferson slurred out, his tone sad, as he grabbed the bottle from my brother's chubby hand and took a large slug of it.
"Ain't ya seein' Sarah Wolford?" Bud asked our cousin 'fore grabbin' his glass off the table an' drinkin' from it.
"We got into a fight when I was drunk. She told me t'get an' not t'come back." Jefferson revealed, his voice slurred an' tinted wit' sadness.
"Maybe you'd feel better if ya get yerself a whore." I shrugged, a teasin' grin on my face, as I watched my cousin drink himself into a stupor.
"Don't want no whore. Just wanna drink, get drunk, an' think up a way t'get my Sarah back." Jefferson whined as he guzzled down more whiskey straight outta the bottle.
'Fore any of us could say nothin' loud boisterous chucklin' laughter sounded out as Cap Hatfield an' some of his friends walked into the saloon. I didn't recognize the young men meanin' they must've been lesser kin, not important ones, to the Hatfields. I did recognize Skunk Hair, could spot him mile 'way wit' the funny streak o'white in his dark hair. Of course, those demon bastards had'a cross the Tug an' come to this saloon t'cel'brate this New Year's Eve. Couldn't stay ov'r in Mate Creek, use that dingy tavern an' washed-up whores.
"The girls'll be drawin' straws t'see who's stuck servicin' one-eyeball t'nite." Jenny told us, her voice low an' whisper-hushed.
"What? Ya'll actually do that?" Squirrel asked, a look of disbelief on his dark bearded face.
"Yer picky for whores." I pointed out while wrenchin' free the bottle of Old Crowe from Jefferson's clutched grip.
"That eye's creepy. It's white, blankly stares at ya an' moves 'round too." The whore told us as she lightly cringed.
"Ya don't service him, do ya?" Parris asked wit' a stern look on his face.
"No." Jenny Loue shook her head, her inky curls tumblin' 'round her bare shoulders.
Hell, even if she did she wouldn't be tellin' Parris. Girl's a whore, but not stupid. She knows he'd kill the cliental an' get her fired. Mhm, I think she's been wit' the fog-eyed bastard, but not my place to tell my cousin that. My wife ain't consortin' wit' Hatfields so I don't give a shit what his whore does. Not like anythin's gonna come outta heir courtin', she's just a whore. After while he's gonna get tired of spendin' all his money on her t'ensure she don't fuck anybody, but him.
"Good, I'd have t'kill him if ya did." Parris lowly seethed in his drawlin' tone as he looked at the whore that was sittin' on his lap. Yep, I knew he'd wanna kill 'im.
"Looks like Pearle's stuck with one-eyeball t'nite." Jenny Lou sighed as she nudged her head in the direction of thin blonde bustin' outta a too small corset that was goin' up to the fog-eyed Hatfield bastard.
"Lucky her." Calvin sarcastically blanched, a snort gettin' caught in his throat, 'fore takin' a drink of his whiskey.
"She won't look him in the eye, makes him take her from behind anytime she's stuck wit' him." Jenny told us in a quiet whisper-like tone. Careful not to let anyone nearby hear the gossip she was gracin' us wit'.
"Can't say I blame her. She might be a whore, but guess even ya whore's got stan'ards." I chuckled 'fore knockin' back my glass of whiskey.
Everyone broke out into smirks, smiles, an' small boughs of laughter at my remark.
"Tolbert, shouldn't ya be at home wit' your wife an' babies instead of gettin' shit faced in a whore house?" I heard Cap Hatfield's deep wavin' tone mockin'ly ask me from behind.
Everyone bit their lips an' looked at the tall, scrawny, one-eyed gorilla like he had a death wish. Wait, maybe he did by insultin' me. Not too smart in doin' that. I turned 'round in my seat t'look at the piece of shit Hatfield. "My wife knows I like t'drink wit' my kin. Least I gotta wife an' yun'ins at home." Pointin' to the blonde right next t'him I told him, "Yer the one payin' t'fuck a whore from behind."
Cap's jaw twitched angrily, his goatee movin' gainst his chin, as his eyes narrowed t'slits an' bore holes into me. "I pay a whore cause I ain't a marryin' kinda man, but you are an' yet you're here surrounded by pricey whiskey an' women." His scrunched his nose up at me 'fore sayin', "Goddamn, I hope ya ain't blowin' the family's money tonight. Poor Nova, Anna, and Tol, it's Tol ain't it?, are gonna freeze an' starve t'death while ya drink an' fuck 'round in town minutes 'way from her uncle's house."
How dare he say that shit t'my face. My nostrils falred as I growled out threatenin'ly, "Ya say 'nother sland'rous thing an' I'll shoot'cha."
"Ya pull on me an' hand t'Christ Tolbert I'll pull first an' put a bullet 'tween the eyes. I don't wanna make Nova a widow tonight, but I'll do it if ya test me." Cap told me wit' a stone-cold look on his face an' a deeply flat rumble to his timbre.
"Tolbert, leave him 'lone. Ya don't wanna be messin' wit' him." Pharmer told me with a worried look on his chubby face.
"Yea, just let him go upstairs with his whore." Bud added in, his voice a bit shaken up, as he looked 'tween me an' the glass he held in his hand.
I just let out a frus'rated sigh 'fore wavin' that demon Hatfield bastard off wit' the flick o'my wrist. "I ain't dealin' wit' ya t'nite. I'll just kill ya 'notha day."
"You won't kill me, but reckon I'll kill ya tho." Cap snickered, his deep tone full of confidence, 'fore he stormed off upstairs, draggin' his scantily clad blonde whore wit' him.
Bastard ain't killin' me. Crazy Hatfield, entire lot o'them ain't right in the head. I just shook my head an' poured myself 'nother glass of whiskey. "Let's not let that scum ruin our nite o'fun." I told my brothers an' cousins for knockin' back my glass.
It was New Year's Eve an' I was gonna enjoy myself 'way from the endless cries an' wails of a colicky baby. I love my son, but not his screamin'. Let Ella deal wit' it, her job as a mama anyhow. I'm the man of the house an' I can get drunk an' celebrate the New Year wit' my kin if I want.
AN:
So, Roseanna's on the verge of being thrown out of the Hatfield house. Tolbert hates Johnse and has basically disowned Roseanna unless she ends things with her man. Ooo that little verbal fight between Tolbert and Cap on New Year's Eve was a nice filler huh.
Next chapter will be a small time jump into spring. Spring's going to be full of a lot of sad and heavy shit, so sorry in advance bout that.