Chapter 2

Kathleen had gotten up at the break of dawn like she had every morning. She walked downstairs out of the tiny bedroom to the corner kitchen to start their usual breakfast of eggs and toast. Kathleen was feeling nice this morning so she decided to go out and pick some fresh berries for her sisters. Taking her grandmothers shawl she grabbed the basket and went out into the crisp forest morning.

"What a lovely day it is going to be today", she said out loud. "Now if only I could get my stubborn sisters up before noon. Well Isabelle isn't that bad but Lila. That'll be the day." She laughed to herself thinking of Lila waking up before noon. That was a girl who would sleep all day if allowed. She was so stubborn and defiant. Kathleen couldn't remember when she started to rebel but it had been not long after their parents had died. Kathleen shivered thinking about the accident that had killed her parents. Or should she even call it an accident. As far as she believed they had been murdered. But the sheriff couldn't prove that the robber had shot her parents so he was set free. Kathleen noticed she had stopped walking and was now gripping the basket so tight it was starting to cut into her skin. She quickly let go of the basket and let it fall. Kathleen took in 3 deep breaths to calm herself down. Her parent's death was just one of those subjects you just don't mention around her unless you wanted a fight. Kathleen was the perfect lady at all times unless you pissed her off, and it took quite a lot to piss her off, but when you did you better watch out. As she bent back down to pick up the basket and continue on her way to the berry bush she thought that her sister should be getting up by now, or at least Isabelle should.

Back at the house Isabelle rolled over in bed and fell out. "OW!" She yelled as she hit the floor.

"Oops looks like I must have got up on the wrong side this morning." She let out a giggle and got up and dusted off her night gown. She looked over at her little sister Lila sprawled out across their queen sized bed that all 3 girls shared. Lila lay their snoring with one foot hung off the bed. Isabelle giggled again as she shoved Lila back into the middle of the bed so she would not face the same wake up as she had this morning. Isabelle walked over to the dresser and took out her worn blue dress. She put it on and walked over to the water basin and washed her faced and took out her favorite brush and started brushing her hair. Isabelle's hair wasn't as long as Kathleen's. Isabelle's hair fell a few inches below her shoulder blades. Isabelle couldn't wait for her hair to grow out as long as Kathleen's which fell to her lower back.

After brushing out her hair Isabelle started down stairs. Upon seeing no one downstairs, Isabelle was curious. "Kathleen?" She called out. "Where could she be? Hmm she must have gone out, oh well." She giggled again and stepped outside. Isabelle loved where they lived. It was so peaceful. Their tiny home was nestled deep in the woods amongst all the trees with a creek running right by the house. Lila loved to fish here. Isabelle walked over to the creek bank and stepped into the cool creek water. Just then she heard someone call her name.

"Isabelle!" She turned around to see who it was and saw her sister walking up. "Good morning Izzy, it's nice to see that someone is finally up before noon." Kathleen flashed one of her beautiful smiles.

"Well it would do no good to stay in bed all day, silly, besides someone has to feed Daisy." Both girls walked back inside. Kathleen went to the kitchen and started on breakfast.

"Hey Isabelle would you go wake up Lila, she can't sleep all day, and besides she has to run to town for me today."

"Sure thing." Isabelle started upstairs and began plotting how to wake up Lila. See waking up Lila was about as hard as gaining our freedom from Great Britain. Isabelle crept into the room.

There lay Lila upside down on the bed. Isabelle walked over and started shaking Lila violently. "LILA IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!" Nothing, not even a flinch. "This is going to be harder than I thought. Maybe I should try dragging her out of bed" Isabelle grabbed her by the foot and started pulling. Now for Lila to be so little she wasn't light. Lila was all muscle and not easy to move. Isabelle jerked and pushed and tried everything to move her. Lila let out a grunt and kicked Isabelle in the mouth.

"OW! Lila you kicked me! Oh God I'm bleeding. I'M BLEEDING! Oh no my pretty face. I'm never going to find a husband now. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT LILA!"

"NNNOGGHHH" "Thanks for the concern Lila. Well fine you want to play dirty than fine I'll play dirty." Isabelle looked around the room and found Lila's week old glass of milk and got a devious grin on her face.

"Aha we'll see how much you like this little sister." Tip toeing quietly over to the desk Isabelle picked up the glass of "milk".

"Oh god this is putrid sis." Isabelle tipped over the glass over Lila's face and plop and it landed in a green-blue chunky splat.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Lila screamed at the top of her lungs. "DAMN YOU ISABELLE I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Lila wiped her face and lunged out of bed at Isabelle. Isabelle ducked and ran downstairs for her life. Lila followed after, swearing at the top of her lungs. Kathleen having been listening from downstairs saw the two sisters dart across the room.

Isabelle hid behind Kathleen begging her to save her from her sister's fury, while Lila reached around trying to grab Isabelle. "ENOUGH!" yelled Kathleen. Pointing to Lila," YOU GO OUTSIDE AND WASH UP AND YOU GO UPSTAIRS AND STRIP THE BED AND WASH IT! I've had just about enough of both of you. Ya'll aren't children anymore and it's about damn time you both start acting like adults." With a sullen look on her face Isabelle quietly replied," Yes", and walked outside.

Lila wasn't so nice. "Give it a rest Kathleen, just because you're the oldest doesn't give you the right to tell us what to do."
"Yes it does Lila. I'm the adult here and I am LEGALLY your guardian."

"So I just want a free life I`m sick of being told what to do all the time"

"Well obviously you aren't responsible enough to live a free life. You're just a bratty kid, so until you can prove to me that you aren't you will listen to me, because I AM your boss."

"Oh just Shut up I'm leaving."

"You come back here. Lila Rae, get in here."

"Leave me alone!"

"KATHLEEN, LILA! Someone's here."

"AWE HELL WHAT IS IT NOW!" Kathleen and Lila walk out to see a young man stride up on his horse. He's bleeding profusely and upon seeing the 3 girls standing outside he weakly says," Help", before falling off his horse.

"Oh my God," Kathleen runs over to the man and checks him out before yelling at her sisters to get help.

"Isabelle, go inside and put on some water and find me something to use as bandages. Lila ride into town and get the doctor QUICKLY he doesn't have much time." Both girls dash quickly into their tasks. Kathleen looks down at the unconscious man." Just hang on ok, I promise you'll be ok."

Later that night the doctor walks down the stairs to the worried girls. "He has lost a lot of blood from that bullet wound, but he will make a full recovery. He just needs a lot of rest."

With that news relief washed over each of them and Lila and Isabelle hugged and Kathleen sent up a silent prayer of thanks. "Oh thank goodness. Thank you Doctor," replied Kathleen. "He is asleep for now but you may go up and see your husband."

Lila chuckled loudly and Isabelle gasped as Kathleen turned a bright shade of red as she nervously said," Oh no doctor he isn't my husband."

The doctor let out a small chuckle as he walked toward the door," Very well then I'll be back in a couple of days to see how he is doing, until then goodnight ladies."

"Well, well does big sister have a boyfriend we don't know about huh?" Kathleen gave Lila an evil glare. Lila started to laugh, "So I guess me and Isabelle have a brother in law now huh?" Isabelle gave a slight quiet chuckle.

"You two just shut up and go finish your chores, the chickens won't feed themselves." replied Kathleen.

With a sly grin Lila said, "OH fine, don't go taking advantage of the poor boy while we are out, I don't want to be an aunt yet." Kathleen swung at Lila, but Lila dodged and sprinted out the door laughing all the way. Isabelle ran out after Lila giggling like a hyena.

Kathleen started grumbling all the way up the stairs under her breath," Ugh, what am I going to do with them two. Now we have an injured stranger in OUR house that I have to care for, and try to keep them two from killing one another and destroying the house."
Kathleen stood in front of the door to the bedroom nervously. She hadn't been this close to a guy in years; well never that she could think of. She only had sisters so she had never been around a brother or cousin, and her father didn't count. Now there was a naked man in her bed. Wait was he naked? Oh God what if he's naked. Kathleen sank down against the door which opened. She fell down quite loudly and the man stirred.

"I know you're out there, so don't try to hide just come on in."
Kathleen froze. He heard me, she thought to herself. She stood up quickly and dusted off her dress and walked over to him. There before her laid a young man no older than 24. He had dark brown curly hair which was falling in his face, and the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. He wasn't wearing a shirt so his chest was showing which was well built. The bandages were wrapped around his left side where he had his right hand resting. He was looking at her with curiosity; not at all like she expected. When she didn't reply he spoke up again," Thank You for helping me miss. I would have been a goner for sure if you hadn't of been so nice." He smiled one of those half smiles that would melt the heart of any girl. Upon realizing that I was staring I quickly said, "Well I should start by saying welcome to our home. It's not big but it works okay for us, I'm Kathleen what's your name?"

"I'm Cartwright, Joe Cartwright."

Please review and I hope you are enjoying the story so far.