A/N:Things are about to get really busy around here. Packing with two little ones underfoot is a major challenge, but I wanted to post this next chapter before things got too crazy! I'll be back after the move. Hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think!
Chapter 11:
The supper conversation was uncomfortable, but at least Simon was behaving, currently cuddled in her wrap around her.
Christy cleared her throat, "Adelaide, I wanted to talk to you about Ruby Mae"
"Ruby Mae?" Adelaide looked at her sister, in surprise. "What about her?"
"She and Will approached David today" Christy said, her face flushed, "They want to marry"
"Marry?" Adelaide gasped, "Now?"
"In a month's time" David said.
"It's no secret they have been sweet on each other for a long time, lass" Neil said, in response to Adelaide's shocked expression.
"But she's so young" Julia commented, not trying to hide her shock either, "Is that typical?"
"In the Cove, yes, it is normal for children to marry young" Alice said.
Adelaide could feel the weight of her mother's disapproval at that revelation, but Christy's next statement distracted her.
"Adelaide, will you talk to her?" Christy said, her face hopeful. "I know you could convince her to wait. She cares about your opinion...all the girls do"
Neil frowned, "I'm not sure that is a good idea"
Adelaide turned to him in surprise. He had spoken for her before she could even answer her sister. She frowned, but before she could say anything, Christy responded.
"Do you think it is a good idea for them to marry, Neil?" Christy asked, crossing her arms, "they are practically babies"
"I know, Christy" Neil's voice was calm, "but it's better they marry now than be forced to marry later because a babe is on its way" he said.
"Then talk to her about that" Christy said, "they'll have so little, surely..."
"A lot of Cove couples start out with less" Neil said, frankly, "Will has a cabin, which is a lot more than others have"
"A cabin?" Christy shook her head, "It's more like a shack"
"Christy" David tried to intervene, "Maybe this is a conversation for later. I'm sure your mother would rather talk about something else"
"Don't stop it on my account" Julia said, "I'm aware of the challenges these people face. Isn't that why the mission is here?"
"Thee is right" Alice said, "but while we are all used to the debate between Mrs. Grantland and Doctor MacNeill, thee is not" she said with a small smile. "I think Reverend Grantland was trying to intervene before things got too heated"
Adelaide patted Simon, absently. She wasn't sure how to diffuse this situation and she was uncomfortably aware of how this conversation was reflecting poorly on her mother's opinion of the Cove. She was thankful for David and Miss Alice.
"Adelaide" Christy said, reaching over to grip her arm, "What do you think?"
She glanced at Neil and then her mother, then David, before finally turning to Christy, "They have shelter- that's important"
"But Will has no way of sustaining a family" Christy said, "Is that what you want for poor Ruby Mae? She has such a lively spirit. It will break her down"
She thought about her words, "She is so young. I wasn't ready for marriage at her age"
Neil let out his breath, "you can't project your experience onto Ruby Mae. It's completely different"
"But..." She continued to pat Simon, pausing to gather her thoughts, "marriage has its ups and downs and I can't imagine the stress their situation would put on them. Surely, it would be better to wait until they were a bit more stable. And at sixteen, do you even know who you wanted to spend the rest of your life with?"
"They believe they do" Neil said, evenly, "and many a Cove marriage has worked when married that young"
"And then you have the O'Teales and Bird's Eye Taylor" Christy retorted.
"True, Christy, but Will is not Bird's Eye Taylor" Neil argued.
"Still" Adelaide swallowed, "Maybe I can just talk to her and make sure she is really ready for this"
"Adelaide, she practically worships the ground you walk on" Neil said, "You have an influence there...and even more so since you have become my wife"
"They do love Mrs. Doc" Christy said, brightly, "and you could really make a difference in her life"
"It's not your place" Neil said, firmly, "It's the way around here and you can't change it. You'll be stirring up a whole pot of trouble by sticking your nose where it doesn't belong"
"Neil" Adelaide responded, her eyes locking with his, "I'm just going to talk to her. What's the harm in that?"
He frowned, "Let's discuss this later"
She looked at him quizzically, but he shot her a pointed look. He didn't want to debate this with her in front of everyone. Or maybe it was that he was going to insist she not and didn't want to appear heavy handed with her. Regardless, Adelaide saw that he wasn't going to budge and didn't want to make a scene in front of her mother.
"Very well" she sighed, acquiescing without further argument.
Julia frowned, taking it all in as Miss Alice expertly navigated the conversation in a less controversial direction.
Adelaide could feel Julia watching her and Neil intently all night. It was becoming uncomfortable. She shifted the baby who Julia handed back to her when he began to fuss.
Neil was deep in conversation with Alice and David. They were talking in low tones, but she could tell from his demeanor that the Ruby Mae subject was being revisited in what she could only presume was an attempt for him to convince David to encourage Christy to stay out of it. Meanwhile, Christy and Adelaide were trying to talk to Julia.
"Have you talked to Daddy?" Christy asked.
"Yes, he can't wait to come home tomorrow" Julia said, "he does hate to travel for business these days"
"I can't say I blame him"
"Neither can I" Julia glanced at Adelaide trying to soothe the baby. "Is he always this fussy?"
"It's past his bedtime" she said, trying not to take her mother's comment personally, but she couldn't help think that she was criticizing her because he wasn't soothing.
"Did you just feed him?" Julia asked, frowning, "maybe he is still hungry"
"Probably not" Adelaide laid the baby on her lap and tried to hold the pacifier in his mouth, but he became more disgruntled.
"He seems hungry to me" she responded. "There are fine baby bottles these days, Adelaide. You don't have to be so tied to him. Wouldn't it nice to have freedom for the baby?"
"Honestly, he is just tired" Adelaide said. "And I don't want freedom from Simon. I'm his mother, I want to be able to provide this for him"
"If you can"
"I can, mother" Adelaide retorted, adamantly, then decided to try to change the subject, "About Daddy...when we will get to see him next?"
"Perhaps you and Doctor MacNeill can visit over the summer?" Julia suggested, still watching her try to soothe Simon which added a whole other level of pressure.
"Perhaps" She caught Neil's eye and gave him a desperate look.
He hopped up. "Let me have the babe, Adelaide. I'll walk him outside for a bit so you can finish your visit"
"Mother thinks he is still hungry" Adelaide told him.
"I doubt that" Neil took Simon and put him on his shoulder. He looked at Julia, "The lad just likes to give Addie a hard time now and then. He is overly tired. I'll try to get him to sleep"
She handed Neil the blanket. "Thank you, Neil"
"You're welcome, lass" He took the babe and the door clicked shut. David and Alice moved into the kitchen, still deeply engrossed in their conversation.
Julia continued sipping her tea, "Doctor MacNeill seems to have taken his parenting role quite seriously"
"He goes above and beyond what I expected" Adelaide commented, accepting the tea Christy handed her.
"Especially since he is not truly his father"
Christy sat next to Adelaide and looped her arm through hers, "Don't let Neil hear you say that, Mother. I think he sees Simon as his own. Adelaide is fortunate"
"Hum" Julia turned towards Adelaide, "Does Adelaide agree?"
Adelaide took sip of tea, "Of course. Neil is a wonderful husband and father"
"You relationship with Doctor MacNeill- you all were always close, but it seems different than right after the baby was born" she commented.
"We may have been pushed to marry, but we do care for each other"
"Not just because Neil lets you have your way?" Julia asked, casually.
"Really?" Adelaide's mouth dropped. "Have you met my husband, mother?"
Christy giggled, "I doubt Adelaide ever gets her way. That man is as stubborn as they come"
"Christy" Julia admonished, "Don't speak so about your brother in law"
"Oh, he is mother" Adelaide said with a nod. "Trust me"
"Adelaide" Julia turned to her, "Don't speak so about your husband"
Adelaide rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.
"Adelaide" Julia tsked.
"Oh, good Lord" Adelaide placed her tea cup down. She forced a smile, "Neil would agree with that statement, too"
"Still" Julia said, softly, "It's not proper"
"Yes, mother" Adelaide conceded with a weary glance at her sister. "Why would you think he lets me get my way?"
"With wanting to continue to be a nurse" Julia clarified.
"Oh" Adelaide responded, "That is important to me, mother, but no, it's more than that"
Julia studied her carefully, "how much more, Adelaide?"
Adelaide didn't want to be too forthright about her relationship with Neil. "I'm happy with him"
She frowned, "I know that you two seem to have a lot in common with medicine, but Adelaide, are you really happy living out here? At least the mission house is more civilized, but I have seen the cabins...and" she took a breath, "it's so different than what you are used to. This is the rest of your life"
"I know, mother, but..."
"Are you sure you can handle work out here?"
She was taken aback, "but mother, you never once asked Christy that..."
"Christy has help at the mission" Julia said, quietly, "for household chores"
Adelaide's face flushed at her mother's pointed implication and her stare at her hands. She put down her tea and tucked them in her lap.
"I'm not afraid of work" she bit her lip, "Why did you say anything before I married Neil if you had concerns?"
"I like Doctor MacNeill" Julia sighed, "and your father was firm that we were not to interfere, but you have always been so impulsive"
It stung, "Mother, I have never been impulsive" her eyes widened, "I'm the opposite of impulsive"
"Going into nursing...deciding to stay out here...marrying Doctor MacNeill" Julia pointed out, "you jump into things feet first and then..."
"Is that really how you feel?" Adelaide asked, "this decision to marry Neil was not something I made out of impulse"
"Going out in that snowstorm"
"Mother" Christy tried to intercede, but Adelaide held up her hand.
"Okay, that was impulsive, but mother, I don't take marriage lightly and certainly not my marriage to Neil"
"Did you think about the practical implications?" Julia asked, her eyes on her, "Such as raising your children in this kind of environment? What kind of opportunities will Simon have out here?"
"Opportunities to be raised by a man who loves him, who wants to nurture him into the man that he can be" Adelaide said, "He is invested in Simon. He loves him and he will be so good for him"
"All that is well and good, but that is not the way this world works. And Doctor MacNeill doesn't share your faith, your values"
She swallowed hard, because part of what her mother said made sense, "Simon will have opportunities, Mother. He can barely hold his head up now. Let's revisit this when he is older"
"But you have already attached yourself.." Julia said, "this is not the life I wanted for you...to be destitute"
"Oh mother" Adelaide sighed, "I have more money that you"
"Yes, and will your husband accept your money if need be?" Julia asked. "And what about Ruby Mae? Will Simon just be like her and marry at sixteen?"
"Of course not!"
"But if that is how he is raised that behavior is acceptable...your husband didn't seem to object to children marrying"
"Of course he objects to it" Adelaide said, "he just knows the way out here and there are battles to be fought and battles to be left alone. Believe me, he knows"
"And what if she has a child? What then? Would the child starve?" Julia pressed,
"There is the mission..." Adelaide said, quietly.
"And what about Simon?"
"What about Simon?" Adelaide asked.
"Will he have enough to eat?"
"Of course!" Adelaide exclaimed, indignant.
"Your husband doesn't have a steady income"
"Mother..." Christy said, quietly, "Please, let's change the subject. I should never have brought Ruby Mae's situation up at supper"
"Christy, I'm not concerned about Ruby Mae now. I'm concerned about Adelaide" Julia said.
"We are fine" Adelaide responded, emphatically.
"Financially?"
"That is not any of your concern" Adelaide said.
"Do you even know?" Julia pressed, "Did you even ask?"
"I did ask...I mean...I do ask...sometimes" Adelaide mumbled, "We haven't been married that long"
"You didn't discuss the situation you would be attaching yourself to before you married?"
"Mother" Adelaide snapped, "Neil is the best..."
"Physician you know" Julia finished for her, "Yes, I know, but he isn't off at some big hospital. He chose to live here where people can't afford to pay him"
"I know, but..." Adelaide was at a loss. Truth was, she wasn't sure how Neil made things work and they had plenty of staples at the moment, but she didn't know how financially he did it all. And maybe she should ask, but she never wanted to make him feel bad. He told her they would work it out, but he never gave her specifics. A seed of doubt was planted. What if they couldn't make it? She knew Neil wouldn't accept her money.
"It's so depressing here..."
"Neil was raised here and he is fine"
"He left"
"Yes, but..." Adelaide bit her lip, glancing towards the door, hoping Neil wasn't close by.
"Mother" Christy said, softly, "Let's change the subject. David and Miss Alice are just in the other room and while Neil is not on the porch, I don't know how far away he is"
"You are right" Julia demurred, "It is not my business to pry. It is only done out of a place of love, Adelaide, I hope you know that"
She wiped at her eyes, feeling attacked. Clearly her mother thought she made an impulsive, poor decision when she chose to marry Neil and that hurt-not only for her, but for Neil, who didn't deserve such negativity from her mother. "I know mother"
"If you ever need anything" Julia said, quietly, "Your father and I will help"
"I'm sure that won't be necessary" Adelaide retorted, her pride up now. And in that moment, she understood the reluctance of the people to accept the mission's help.
"It's why I came- to check on you" Julia added. "I wanted to make sure you were okay"
"I'm very well, thank you" she said quietly as the door opened and Neil came in with the baby, followed by a teenage boy that Adelaide had never seen.
"Adelaide" Neil's voice was grave as he gestured to her. "We have a situation"
Adelaide wearily hung her coat up at the hook by the door and unwrapped Simon, laying him down in the cradle. He turned on his side and fell back asleep.
Neil was gone. She walked over the few steps to the table and picked up the small slip of paper he left.
Emergency in low Gap. NM
She slid into the chair and lowered her head onto her crossed arms. She was so weary- physically, emotionally...how could she comprehend what happened today? And what if her mother was right about it all?
"Adelaide?" Neil put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.
She sat up, startled, "What time is it?"
"It's about eleven" Neil said, "Woman, it's freezing in here. Did you let the fire go out?"
She jolted up, "Simon!" she couldn't hide her panic, "Oh no! Is he too cold?" She leapt up.
"Adelaide, stop" Neil grabbed her arm, "You are making a racket that will surely wake the babe. I'll check on him for you. Sit back down. You look shattered"
Neil walked over to the cradle, "He's still sleeping" he sat on the couch and drew the cradle over to him. He carefully undid the blankets to feel under his shirt. "He feels a little cold, but he'll be fine. There are plenty of blankets"
"Should we take his temperature?" Adelaide walked over to him, shaking.
"He's fine, lassie" Neil wrapped the baby carefully back up . "I'll take him upstairs and start the fire back in our bedroom" He looked towards the stove, "Stove is out too. Did you make supper?"
She shook her head.
"When did you get home?" he asked.
"About noon"
"And what have you done all day?" Neil asked, turning to her.
"Sat here. Fed Simon" she looked at him, blankly, "I don't quite remember"
He leaned over to stroke her cheek, "I met up with Alice on the way home. I'm sorry you saw what you saw today"
"I'm a big girl, Neil" Adelaide said, "I won't fall to pieces"
"Is that why you kept everything running smoothly while I was gone?" he asked, hopping up.
"That's unfair"
"And it's unfair for you not to admit that you are upset and allow me to work through this with you"
Her lip quivered, "I'm having a conversation with Ruby Mae, Neil. And you can't stop me"
He sighed, heavily, "Before we start arguing, let's get the lad in bed and the fire started. See if you can scrounge up anything for supper"
"I'm not hungry"
"But I am, Adelaide" he retorted, "And we will both eat"
"Very well"
He came down a few minutes later, changed and then left again to carry Simon to up to their bedroom. He came back down and sat at the table.
Adelaide turned around from where she was scrambling eggs and heating up the toast. "Are you quite sure Simon is warm enough?"
"Aye" Neil nodded, "Don't fret"
"I can't help but fret about him, Neil" Adelaide said, swallowing hard, "When will it end?"
"What?"
"All this death" She slammed down the spatula, it clattering against the pan, "Pointless, senseless, preventable death"
"Granny sent for you...that was a big step for her, Adelaide. She trusts you- even more so than Alice"
"I don't care about that!" Adelaide whipped around, "Her care killed that child and the baby..."
"Adelaide" Neil hissed at her, "Watch yourself"
"You know it's true"
"It's a weighty accusation, lass. You don't know"
"I do know!" Adelaide's voice raised, "We have to teach them better"
"I'm doing the best I can"
"Well, Doctor MacNeill, it's simply not good enough" Adelaide slammed his plate in front of him, "Not by far"
"Adelaide"
She stilled, meeting his eyes. His hurt was undeniable. And she couldn't blame him one bit. She was out of line. She quickly looked away, ashamed by her careless words. Neil gave so much of his heart to these people.
She swallowed hard, "Neil, I..."
"Is that really how you see things?" he asked.
"Of course not" She shook her head, swiftly, "I'm angry and frustrated and for a moment, I took it out on you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to accuse you" Her lip quivered, "You know how highly I think of you as a physician..." she paused, "and as a man. Forgive me?"
He nodded, his acceptance immediate. "I understand how it is to lose a patient...and for it to be preventable. It can make you feel so angry...and I'm the nearest target at the moment. I dare say you have been that person for me from time to time in the past year...and bore it like a champ"
"I couldn't exactly take it out on Granny" Adelaide said, softly, "I had to hold it all inside and it's just...hard to bear on my own right now"
"I understand" he said, "but you aren't on your own. I'm here"
"Why couldn't you come?" she swallowed again.
"Granny still won't allow me. Some people circumvent her in emergencies with child-bearing, but the old way still has a hold especially with those who don't know better, Addie"
"Since when has anybody stopped you, Neil?"
"I can't force people to accept my help" he sighed, "as much as I would love to, lass. I was worried about you when you said you wanted to stay here. I told you how it would be. I don't want your sweet spirit to be broken by this place"
"My sweet spirit?" She snorted through her tears, "I'm sure you are thinking of someone else besides me"
"Nah" he pulled her down and then pushed the table back to sit her on his lap.
"You need to eat before the eggs get cold"
"Shh" he said, his hand on her back, "Have you cried?"
"That's a little personal" Adelaide retorted.
"And I'm your husband. Can't get more personal than that" he told her, matter of factually. "Have you allowed yourself to cry yet?"
"No"
"Let it go then" he advised, his hand firm against her back, holding her to him.
"I can't" the color drained from her face. "I have to be strong"
"Not with me"
"Especially with you"
"Why would you say something like that?" he asked, surprised.
"Because you'll think it was a mistake to marry me"
"No. I know if you need to be strong, you will be. And I know you have been incredibly strong these past few hours. You should have heard the way both Alice and Granny talked about you."
"That's undeserved"
"It's incredibly well deserved" he told her, frankly, "And you and I...we are a team, Adelaide and a good one. But we aren't doctoring right now and there is no one here except us and the babe upstairs. You saw death today. Death of two ones that were far too young. Of course that has affected you. Let it out"
She bit her lip, the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Come on, now, it's no use trying to hold it in. I know you are upset and angry. Let me comfort you, lass"
He was being so lovely to her again and she felt completely safe with him. With his permission, she buried her head into him and sobbed against him. "There we go, get it out, lassie. Doctor's orders" he patted her back.
"Symptoms were missed and Granny's treatment for the symptoms she caught were ill-advised" she sobbed.
"I know"
"I want to dislike her so badly, Neil" Adelaide groaned, "I really, really want to"
"But you don't"
"No" Adelaide slumped against him in defeat, "I saw the grief in her eyes too. How do we fight the ignorance?"
"When Granny dies, another Granny will start practicing. She is going to chose someone to train"
"Will it ever end?" she asked, in despair.
"It has been this way for generations"
"So we just give up?"
"No, we continue to educate and build trust"
"But they trust Granny too...and they'll trust this new Granny, whoever that might be" she stopped for a moment, thinking.
She lifted her head up, "What if she trains me?"
He searched her, "I don't follow"
"She has allowed Alice to midwife. What if I ask her to share with me what she knows? Train me in her ways. I'm your wife, it seems natural."
"Regardless if you are my wife or not, you are an outsider and besides all that, some of that training is sacred, Adelaide" Neil said, quietly, "Mixed in with things you might not want to become a part of- things that would be objectionable to your faith"
Her mind began to race and Neil could tell she was trying to work out a way around that.
"I won't have you compromise your beliefs for the good of the Cove" he added.
She looked at him, surprised, "Even if you think those beliefs are foolhardy?"
He patted her hip, "I don't agree with your belief, but I know it is important to you. I don't want you to be less than who you are for the greater good. I won't have you lose yourself out here. I promised you and myself that I would never allow that to happen"
She nodded, "Then what if I midwife as well as Alice? With the two of us, Granny can retire from the birthings"
"You hate midwifing"
"Neil" she put a hand on his arm. Swallowing hard, she responded, "I hate seeing a teenage girl die more due to fear and superstition"
"I know, lass"
"I have to talk to Ruby Mae" Adelaide rubbed his arm, "I have to, please"
"You can't"
"But I have to"
"She trusts you, Adelaide" he told her, his eyes weary, "you can't interfere with something you can't be sure is the right thing at all"
"But I know that it is wrong for them to marry"
"Do you now?" he said, softly, "What if there was a baby coming?"
"Is there?" she asked, her jaw dropping, slightly.
"Not that I know of" Neil said, tapping her chin back up, "but if they wait long enough, I can almost guarantee there will be. Let them start their marriage off on their own terms because they want to marry not because they have to"
"But we married because we had to"
"No" Neil looked her in the eyes, "I married you because I love you. I felt no moral obligation to do so"
She returned his gaze for a moment, before looking away, past him. "How come you are so forthcoming with your feelings and I am not? Isn't that odd?"
"For a mountain man?" Neil asked, amused.
"No, for just a man in general" Addie retorted.
He laughed, "Let's just say I've grown a lot in the past few years. You married a much different man than Margaret did"
"You have evolved then"
"Aye"
"You are also not seventeen years old"
"No, lass, I'm not"
"And if you were?"
He sighed, "I'm not arguing with you that they are too young. I'm simply telling you that it isn't your place to try to convince them not to"
"Why is that not my place?" she asked, "I know Ruby Mae well"
"Aye" he traced her cheek, "People don't take too kindly to inference, lass. It would cause problems and I guarantee the outcome would still remain the same"
"What if I tell you that I really feel" she paused and met his eyes again, "in my heart that I need to talk to her?"
He studied her, carefully. "I would remind you that I know these people better than you"
"She was her age" Adelaide's eyes welled with tears. "The conditions they lived in...they were far too young to marry. I don't want Ruby Mae to be the next causality of this life"
"Many marry too young. Jeb and Fairlight...Opal and Tom...look at how strong their marriages are. You need to leave this be, sweetheart" his voice grew firm, signaling to her that he was done arguing with her.
"Neil..." her voice grew hoarse. "Are you forbidding me?"
His eyes never left hers, but he reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers. He remained silent for a few minutes and Adelaide wondered what he was thinking. Finally, he spoke,
"You mustn't interfere, lass" he said, quietly, "I need you to trust me"
Her face grew pained, "Is there anything I can do?"
"Ruby Mae will need your friendship, lass...as equals. You are newly married, she will be too. Reach out to her. It's the best thing you can do"
"Mother asked if they would starve"
Neil shook his head, "The Becks would help their own. And if not, the mission has practically adopted Ruby Mae...and I'm sure between you and Christy, you would figure out how to help them without them knowing it was help"
"That's true" Adelaide bit her lip.
"What is it?"
"Oh nothing" Adelaide slid off his lap, "Eat your eggs"
"They are cold"
"I told you they would be" she retorted, reaching for them, "I can warm them again. I don't know how that will taste, but we can try"
He nodded as she moved towards the stove.
She heated them up again in silence, aware of Neil's intense gaze watching her every move. She steeped tea for herself and when they were both situated at the table, Neil starting to eat and Adelaide's hands gripping her tea cup, he said,
"When you are upset or contemplative, you bite your lip"
"I don't do that" Adelaide protested.
"Every time" Neil told her, frankly. "You have had a lot happen in the past day. You aren't leaving anything else out, are you?" He took another bite, "Why aren't you eating?"
She shrugged, "I'm drinking tea"
"Did you make enough for you?"
"You were the one who said we are both eating" Adelaide told him, tossing her head, "I assume I can still decide whether or not I'm hungry...or have I lost that right as well as the right to talk to people I choose?"
He frowned, "I knew that was too easy, lass"
"Do you think so?" she asked, taking a sip of tea.
"Entirely too easy" Neil mumbled, "Am I going to hear about this for weeks to come?"
"Perhaps" she raised an eyebrow, "I'll submit to your judgment, Neil, but I don't have to like it and I don't have to hide those feelings"
"I suppose that's fair" he told her, "as long as you don't sulk too much"
"This is not sulking" Adelaide's eyes sparked, "I'm an adult who can happen to make decisions on my own...both you and mother...you both treat me like I'm a little child incapable of making sound choices. And I'm not. If I want to talk to Ruby Mae, I can. If I want to marry you and live out here, I can too."
Neil's eyebrows rose as she continued,
"And that doesn't make me unreasonable or irrational or any sort of..."
"Whoa" Neil held us his hand, "I opened a can of worms, didn't I?"
Adelaide stood and gripped her tea cup, "Of course not, why would you say that?" she asked, the color rising to her cheeks. She didn't exactly mean to blurt out those things about her mother.
Neil gestured to her, "Sit back down"
"I want more tea...or is that unacceptable?"
"You want an escape hoping the time it takes for you to steep more tea, I'll forget what you just said about your mother."
"Of course that is not true"
"Of course, it is entirely true" he told her, pointing again to the bench, "Sit back down, wife"
"Neil"
"Adelaide"
"Fine" she grunted.
"When is the last time you ate?"
"What?"
"When is the last time you ate?" he repeated.
"I had a snack when I came home"
"At noon?" Neil looked at her, incredulously. He handed her his piece of toast. "Eat this at least"
"You are so bossy"
"Aye, but you knew that when you married me"
"Isn't that the truth?" she took a bite of his toast.
"Good lass" Neil nodded, "Now talk"
"Must I?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"There is nothing to talk about..."
"It's too late for denial. You blurted out quite a bit there...what happened between you and your mother that I missed?"
"Would you like the polite version or the blunt one?"
He winced, "Was it that bad?"
She looked up at him, "I think so"
"Well, now, you really have to tell me about it"
"But...it isn't anything I can't handle"
"My point is that you don't have to" Neil told her, "Fess up, lass"
"Very well" she swallowed hard, "Mother has some concerns"
"Go on"
"She asked if we, specifically Simon, would go hungry"
Neil grunted, put down his fork and pushed aside his plate, "What did you tell her?"
"That I have more money than her and Father and not to worry" she put the toast back on his plate.
"Hum" he frowned, "and her response?"
"That you wouldn't take my money"
He sighed, "I would have rather you told her that you trusted me to provide for our family"
"And I do..." Adelaide paused, meeting his eyes, "She implied I married you on a whim"
He raised an eyebrow and waited for her to continue.
Adelaide drummed her hands against the table. "That I have always been impulsive"
He handed her back the toast, "Finish this. Ye are still nursing the wee one. It's not healthy for either of you to go that long without eating"
She sighed and took another bite, "Do you think that is true?"
He shook his head from side to side, "On some things, yes. On other things, you agonize over decisions..and you are only impulsive when you feel overwhelmed with your feelings and don't know how to process them"
"That's insightful"
He shrugged, "I told you I would get to know you, Adelaide"
"I didn't realize you knew me so well"
"I'm learning" he looked at her closely, "What is it?"
"Was I impulsive to marry you?"
"I sure hope not" Neil declared and Adelaide looked at him in shock until he winked at her, impishly.
"I'm being serious" she told him, titling her head.
He chuckled, "Alright, lass. Why are you worried about what your mother said?"
"I didn't ask you about things" she said, quietly, "important things"
"Such as...?"
"Particulars about our financial situation" she murmured.
"She did get to you, didn't she?" Neil shook his head, wearily, "I wouldn't have married you if I couldn't support you and Simon"
"I know that" Adelaide said, quietly, "and whether or not you have loads of money wasn't important to me, truly...and it's not still...only" she shifted, uncomfortable, "Mother implied I wasn't being realistic about Simon being raised in the Cove...that it was enough that you would be a good father...that he needs wider opportunities and I should have thought of that"
"Why didn't you think of that?"
She looked up from where she was staring at her hands, "I've always just seen you...not where you come from or where you live or the size of your cabin. And that's enough for me"
His look turned tender, "Simon will get opportunities, I promise, lass. We'll make sure"
"Promise me something though" she pushed herself up and went back to sit next to him.
"What's that?" he asked, reaching out to lightly brush his fingers against her cheek.
"That Simon won't be bound to this culture of marrying young...that we will teach him...and our children better"
He looked at her, "That might include being forthcoming about the birds and the bees as your sister likes to call it"
"I trust you to take the lead in that" she said.
"Do you trust me that we won't starve?"
"Of course" Adelaide nodded, "but all the same, would you mind telling me more about how you make everything work financially?"
"It's not a secret, lass" Neil said, "And I'm not embarrassed by it nor should you be"
"I'm not" she tried to reassure him.
"Stop tiptoeing around my pride" he told her, his voice becoming firm.
"I wasn't..." she began but he inclined his head,
"That's exactly what you were doing by not bringing it up in the first place"
"I was being sensitive to your feelings..."
"You were worried I would become offended"
She sighed, "A little"
"I want openness in our marriage, wife. That means you talk to me and I talk to you even about things we might hurt each other's feelings"
"That's hard"
"Yes, but we'll be better for it. Margaret and I swept too much under the rug. I want different with you"
"Okay" she nodded.
"And we don't have to justify our financial situation or the way we live to your mother"
"I know that"
"We have to build your confidence again, Adelaide" Neil told her, honestly, "Something shatters it when you are around your mother. You are a grown girl now. You need to respect and love your mother but also stand up for yourself in a respectful, mature way"
"You think I'm immature?"
"A little" he said, quietly. "better though"
"I think you are hot-headed" she blurted out, hurt.
"See what I mean?" Neil fought a smile at her reaction.
She sighed dramatically, "Unfortunately"
"I am hotheaded and I'm trying to work on that as well"
She rested her head on his shoulder, "I really still want to talk to Ruby Mae. How mad would you be if I did it anyway?"
"Pretty damn mad, Adelaide" he told her, patting her back once.
"Hum" she murmured, "How big of a fight would it be?"
He pushed her shoulder back so she could see his expression. "This doesn't work that way"
"I hate that you want me to submit to you" she muttered, "Why can't you submit to me?"
"Doesn't work that way either" he told her, tipping her chin up, "I'm not going to be heavy handed with you, lass, but if you can't respect my judgment, this marriage won't work"
She looked at him, silent for a few moments, before saying, "Okay, Doctor MacNeill"
He nodded, "Good" He patted her arms, "Now, tell me about why you are taking what you mother said to heart"
"It's just..." Adelaide bit her lip again and Neil smiled, tracing her lips with his thumb,
"See what I mean?"
She let go of her lip, "I have to work on being less transparent"
"No, we can't have that, remember?" he told her, "go on"
"She just planted enough doubt to make me think that I did jump into our marriage"
"Back up for a minute" he told her, "did you think through us marrying?"
"Over and over again" she said, quietly, "It practically consumed me"
"And we thought through it together, remember?"
She nodded and Neil continued,
"Do you really think that you were impulsive?"
She thought for a few moments, "No"
"And do you want more than what we have now? Be honest with me"
"Besides indoor plumbing?" she asked, with a wry smile.
He poked at her, "Now, you be serious"
She looked at him, "No, Neil. It may not be like my friends have or what I was raised with, but I'm content with you. I'm willing to do the hard work, to have less, because of you..the way our relationship is...it's what I need. You are what I need"
"Why is that?"
"I feel like I'm growing up with you out here. You are pushing me to be different...better than I was"
He nodded, "I feel the same way"
"I just wish everyone could see it" Adelaide murmured, "I shouldn't have to defend our marriage"
"No, but you should have expected some of that, Mrs. MacNeill. Impulsive...not usually, naïve on the other hand..."
"Okay, we are done talking about my faults" Adelaide interrupted. "We've revealed quite a few tonight"
"Not truly" He smiled, "Let's get you in bed"
She looked startled for a moment at the shift in conversation, so he clarified,
"For sleep, lass. It's late and we are both far too weary for other things"
"I never thought you were too weary for those things"
He chuckled, "Not usually, but tonight, I just want to hold you...especially after your day"
"I'd love that" Adelaide said. All the sudden, the emotional strain of the day and the physical exhaustion of her lack of sleep last night took its toll. Her eyes got droopy. Realizing that, he helped her up off the bench.
"Can I sleep downstairs in my clothes?" she asked, "Our room is so far away"
"You just crashed, didn't you?" he asked as he scooped her up.
"You don't have to carry me" she protested.
"Hush" Neil shushed her, "I'll help you change as well"
She leaned her head against his shoulder.
"You really are tired if you aren't arguing" he murmured, but then he realized she had fallen asleep as he was carrying her up the stairs. He chuckled before gently changing her and tucking her into bed, grateful for this woman he called his wife.