Ok here is chapter 3. I really have no idea where this story is going and I don't know if I will keep trying to name the chapters but for now that is easier because this story does not have a title yet. Again thank you thank you for the reviews and any and all ideas are always welcome.
Chapter 3
As always I don't own these characters that damn Dick Wolf does.
Olivia rose early the next morning and was disturbed that she had spent the night dreaming of a man that she had only just briefly met. She also dreamed about that little boy. He had looked so eager for female attention yeasterday when he had been in the store. She also found herslf wondering when she would see the pair again. She put her long skirts on and buttoned up her shoes then went down the stairs to fix her grandfather breakfast. At twenty-five she would have expected that she would be married, fixing breakfast for her husband and children not her elderly grandfather.
Elliot hadn't slept well at all the night before, he had kept thinking of the girl in the general store from the day before. Olivia, he liked the way her name sounded to his ear. He sat on the bed and pulled on his boots and pulled the straps of his suspenders up over his shoulders once he stood. He looked out the window and the sun was just rising over the hills. He would go milk the cow and then come in and fix breakfast for himself and Ethan. He knew that he should be making Ethan get up and milk the cow but the boy had worked hard yeasterday so he would let him have the luxary of sleeping in a little later this morning.
Elliot was in the barn stripping the last of the milk from the cows udder when Ethan and their dog Rusty came into the barn. Of course Ethan was barefoot as it was summer and Elliot saw no reason for the boy to wear shoes. "Mornin Pa." he greeted.
"Mornin son." Elliot said, standing with the full milk pail and hanging the milk stool over the fence. "I'm going to go strain the milk will you turn the cow loose for me and gather a few eggs."
"Yes Pa." Ethan said obediently. He went about the chores his father had assigned them. Elliot took the full milk pail and headed to the house. Once there he strained the milk and covered it with a clean cloth. Then he began to fry the salt pork and waited for the eggs that Ethan would hopefully find. Elliot hated to cook but it was a necessary evil. He had thought four years ago that his life was perfect. He had been 22 years old and had a son, wife and another child on the way. He never would have imagined that he would cooking his own meals and raising his son alone. Yeasterday he had had the first awareness of a woman in four years. Not that the ladies in town hadn't tried to get his attention but he had just ignored them until yeasterday.
Lost in his thoughts Elliot was not paying attention and grabed he frying pan down to close to the stove, burning his fingers. "Ouch." he said as the hot skillet touched his work roughened skin.
"Pa, are you ok?" Ethan asked coming through the door his shirt full of eggs that he had gathered from their few chickens.
"Fine son."
"Pa."
"What Ethan?"
"I think we need a ma around here."
"Since when?" Elliot asked. That was all he needed was Ethan getting the idea that Elliot needed to get married.
"Yeasterday, I heard Ms. Casey talking about how it was about time you stopped livin by yourself and found a new wife. She said that I needed a mother."
Elliot looked at his son, his hair needed a cutting and the patches that Mrs. Johnson from down the creek had put on his pants needed patches. His shirt also had a tear in it. Elliot looked down at his own clothing and found it in need of repair as well. He looked around their house and discovered that things had not changed in the four years that they had been there alone. "So, did Ms. Casey have a solution to our problem?" Elliot asked trying to concel a grin.
"Nope, but I have a suggestion Pa." Ethan said.
"What would that be?"
"Why don't you court Ms. Benson, she seemed awful nice."
"Ethan..." Elliot said, his tone sounded warning. "You don't court someone a day after you meet them. I knew your mother my whole life and I still had to court her for two years before we married."
"Well, Pa, you know Emily told me yeasterday their doing that picnic box auction at church again comin' up here soon, and then whoever buys the box get to eat lunch with that gal. You could buy Ms. Benson's box and kind of use that to ease into the courtin'." Ethan said, a smile on his young face.
"Ethan, answer this question, why was Emily telling you about this?" Elliot asked. Was an 8 year old already trying out her feminine wiles on his son?
"Cause, she told me that her Ma said that she could make a box to take since some of the other girls were doing the same thing and she wants me to bid on it so I can get what she makes."
"Oh really. Don't you think your a little young for something like that?" Elliot asked.
"Oh, no sir. I've been savin' to buy her box."
"Really."
"Yes sir. I have that money that granddad and grandmother sent from Boston for my birthday."
"Hmm. I thought you were going to use that for something else, like the saddle you've been wanting." Elliot said.
"Naw, I can always save up more money, I think I best buy Emily's box at the social."
"Alright. When is this social? Maybe we won't be able to go. We have crops to put in and livestock to tend you know." Elliot said.
"Next, Sunday Pa. Right after church."
"I suppose we can try to go then. It is a sin to work on the Lord's day." Elliot said.
At breakfast that morning, Percy said to Olivia. "So what do you plan to make for the lunch box social after church next Sunday my dear?"
"I hadn't planned on making anything granddad. Why?"
"Well how else are you supposed to meet the fine young men of Rock Springs if you dont't attend the church lunch box social?" Percy asked his granddaughter. Then he laughed, a deep hearty sound to Olivia's ears.
"At the store granddad. Besides who said that I wanted to meet the fine young men of Rock Springs?" Olivia responded.
"Well my dear, I guess I took for granted that my only grandchild would want to get married and give me some more grandchildren to prattle on my knee in my old age." Percy said, looking over the tops of his half spectacles at Olivia.
"Oh, granddad, I guess I can make something for the church social. What would be appropriate?" Olivia asked.
"Fried chicken, biscuits, a jar of lemonade." Percy said. He planned to buy the widow Hansen's lunch box as he did every year. He hoped that one of the nice, respectable young men in the area would buy Olivia's box and he certinely hoped that the Boyd brothers stayed home that day. They always seemed to show up and cause trouble for everyone.
"That sounds fine to me. When is this again?"
"Next Sunday so you have a whole week to come up with ideas on what to prepare. Maybe the young man who buys your box will be a fitting suitor." Percy said.
"Granddad." Olivia said. "I don't want to see any match making for me on your part do you understand?"
"Yes dear." Percy said. He understood perfectly well but it didn't mean that he would take heed to his granddaughters words. He would do as he wanted and planned to do a little matchmaking between her and one Elliot Stabler.
Ok so what do you think. Please press the little button now and leave your comments as long as their nice or helpful. Like I've said before my ego can't take rude comments. Again thanks for all the sweet reviews, they've all made me smile and thanks for the title suggestions, I appreciate the help! Thanks!