*Author's Note*
Thank you for all the follows, favs, and reviews.
Mrs. Abel Freeland
Abel POV:
I pulled my wagon to a stop in front of Judge Wall's office, allowing Nancy, Jefferson, and Sarah Wolford to get out of it. I had to go to Judge Wall cause both Reverend Garrett and Judge Wagner refused to marry me and Nancy; said they didn't want to get in the middle of feuding families. God, I hope that Judge Wall marries us. I mean from what I learned in history class he married Johnse and Nancy (thank god Johnse settled down with Roseanna in this timeline cause I enjoy being with Nancy) so I don't see why he wouldn't marry us.
"Ready to be Mrs. Abel Freeland?" I asked Nancy, getting' down from the wagon and 'round it to meet her by the sidewalk of the judge's office.
"Ready as I could ever be." Nancy answered while flashing a sugary-sweet smile.
"Come on, let's get married." I told Nancy, gesturin' to the door with a tilt of my head, while Jefferson and Sarah just stood by waitin' on me and Nance.
Nancy didn't say a word, just nodded at me. I led her over to the door and opened it, letting her walk in before I followed her into Judge Wall's. The judge looked up from a paper he was reading only to ask me, "What brings ya'll here, Abel?", while Jefferson and Sarah walked thru the door.
"We need you to marry us." I told Judge Wall, whose brow went up into his hairline. "Me and Nancy." I clarified since the man was giving me an odd look.
"Have you gone plum ass crazy?" Judge Wall asked in a slight scoff while giving me an odd look.
"No, we want to get marry and nobody'll do it." I told him in a tone that was dead serious, proving that what I told him wasn't a joke.
His eyes darted between me and my fiancé for a minute or so before he asked me in a deep, but tight tone, "And why should marry ya? You're Devil Anse's in-law."
"Devil Anse is my sister's father-in-law, not mine. I don't need his permission to marry my woman, who I already live with."
"I don't like this, Abel. This-" Judge Wall began to lecture me only for me to cut him off with the plea of, "Please, Wall, do this for us. Ma and Nancy marring can help mend some bridges between the two families."
"Fine…I'll marry ya…" He relented with a heavy sigh before rising from his desk.
*A Few Moments Later…*
"With the power invested in me by West Virginia, I pronounce ya man and wife. You may kiss your bride." Judge Wall finished up the ceremony, officially deeming us married, before slamming his officiant book closed. As I kissed Nancy he went over to his desk while telling my brother-in-law, "Jefferson, come sign this thing."
"Let me sign." A drunk that was locked up in a cell in the back of the room whined as I ended my vow sealing kiss with Nancy.
"Ya sure ya want this sis?" Jefferson asked Nancy while taking the quill from Judge Wall after stopping at his desk.
"Yes." Nancy nodded her head, a sugary, but tight smile on her face. Reckon she's a bit aggravated that her brother wanted to confirm that she truly wanted to be my wife. Can't say that I blame him tho since our marriage was random and out of the blue.
"Do I needa sign too?" Sarah asked right as Jefferson finished scrawling his name on the marriage license.
"If you want, you can sign." Judge Wall told Sarah while taking the quill back from my brother-in-law.
"I'll sign." Sarah smiled, quickly going over to the desk. She took the quill from Wall and signed her name to the license. I'm glad that she wanted to be an official witness since she'll most likely end up being a permanent fixture in Jefferson's life. He was head over heels for the slender brunette.
I slung an arm over Nancy's shoulders and led her over to Judge Walla's desk in order to get our official marriage certificate. Judge Wall just shook his head and let out a disbelieving sigh. Handing me over the signed certificate, he flatly said. "Hey ya go. It's official, Abel."
"Thanks Wall." I nodded while taking the paper from him.
"I sure do hope ya know what you're doin'." The old judge sighed as I passed the certificate over to Nancy so that she could see it.
Shaw POV:
I decided not to go to work today, opting to stay home with Jessa instead. I sent Todd down to work the office in my place. I mean I tried to get back to work yesterday and failed miserably. Honestly, I won't be working again til Jessa's fully healed and has no chance of a setback. I just didn't want to be away from her in case she made a turn for the worse. It took me so long to get her that I wasn't going to leave her alone too long while she was in her sick bed. I needed her to know that I had her back; would be by her side no matter what.
It was mid-morning and I was at the kitchen table drinking some shine (to calm my nerves and help me numb everything I was feeling) whenever a knock sounded at the door. I didn't want to get up and answer the door, but I had to since Mary was busy with the kids and Granny Delize was checking up on Jessa.
I let out a small sigh before getting up from the table and making my way over to my front door. "What're you doin' here?" I asked Allie, who was standing on my front porch with her kid on her hip, after openin' my front door to her.
"I've come by to see Jessa." She told me in a slight huff. She looked me up and down, turning her nose at the shine bottle dangling in my hand.
"Yea…that ain't happenin'." I chuckled, blocking the doorway with my body so she couldn't be sneaky and slip inside.
"Granny Delize sent me away when Jessa had the miscarriage, but it's been a few days so I think I can see her now."
"Granny Delize was right to send you away." Allie didn't like that remark. Nope, she furrowed her brows at me. Before she said anything, I bluntly told her, "You still can't see her tho, she's weak and needs her rest."
"Bullshit, you're just trying to control her and hog her all to yourself." Allie snapped while adjusting her kid on her hip. Hell, with being so heavily pregnant she should make her son stand next to her. If you ask me, she spoils her kid way too much. Boy's gonna be 2 in August, he can stand. Hell, and she's got enough nerve to call me controlling.
Oh, I'm so tired of Allie judging me and trying to act like I'm not good enough for Jessa. Who does she think she is? She's just an ex-best friend that only befriended Jessa again when I was locked up on bullshit charges.
Shaking my head at Allie, I decided to let her have the blunt and unfiltered truth. "Bitch, I know you don't like me, but I'm turnin' you away for Jessa's own good. She's not out of the woods yet; if she catches a fever, she could run the risk of a blood infection and death. I'm not controlling my woman; I'm trying to keep her alive."
"You act like you're devoted to her health, but in reality, you're just a drunk isolating her from everybody." Good god, is this bitch deaf and dumb? I just told her what could happen if Jessa developed a fever, but she's still insisting that I don't care about her and just want to keep her locked away. That's not true tho. Allie got into my face and hissed, "I know what kind of man you are, Shaw. Remember, I was friends with Olga when she was here." Fuck, of course she just had to bring up Olga. God, that was a mistake I wish I never made. That clingy nutjob was hard to deal with.
Pointing towards her wagon that was parked in front of my house, I told the pushy blonde, "Go on home cause I ain't lettin' ya in to see Jessa."
"Shaw, who's at the door?" Granny Delize's old raspy voice echoed from behind me as she exited my bedroom after bringing Jessa some tea and checking up on her.
"Allie, you know Cap's wife, but I was just tellin' her to leave cause Jessa's still not healed up yet." I told Granny Delize right as I slammed the door shut on Allie's face. Bye bye, bitch. Bet she was shocked to get the door slammed in her in face, but whatever.
"Ah…yes, I had to send her 'way myself the other day." Granny Delize remarked, going over to the table as I peeked out my front window to make sure that Allie was leaving. "Well, the way you're so concerned 'bout Jessa's well bein' and condition's refreshin'. Not many men think like you." She told me while sitting down at the table.
Hearing my great-granny tell me that she approved of how protective, caring, and supportive I was to Jessa took me aback. I never thought that she'd view my ways as something refreshing, something that should be done since most men in the 1800s were hard and immune to women's issues. Granny Delize is a hard woman that is very anti-marriage so her approvin' of how I treated Jessa meant a lot to me. I'm glad that I have the old hag's approval considerin' she's got more money than God. Family rumor had it that she blackmailed her second man (who was from a wealthy family and wanted to get his feet into politics) into paying her off for her silence on their bastard child. Actually, she ended up having 7-kids with him so she must've gotten a pretty hefty payout.
I nodded before telling Granny Delize, "I'm gonna go see Jessa."
"I'm sure she'll like that. It'll brighten up her spirits." She assured me while taking a quick break before having to do some house chores. I must say that I'm glad Granny Delize is stayin' til Jessa's back on her feet, means I don't gotta cook and clean.
Quickly, I made my way into the kitchen and set my shine bottle on the table. Granny Delize patted me on the arm while tellin' me, "She's sittin' up and drinkin' tea, so that's a good sign she's healin' properly."
I just nodded before leaving the table and walking a few feet over to my bedroom. I opened my door and walked in with a soft smile on my face. "Hey, babe, how're feelin'?" I asked, shutting the door behind me.
"Tired and a little sad, but other than that I'm okay." Jessa told me between sipping on her tea as I went over to her bedside.
"Yea…" I sat on the edge of the bed. Pushing a stray piece of her dark hair behind her ear, I softly told her, "Well, accordin' to Granny Delize that's normal after a miscarriage."
Her nose wrinkled and wiggled as she sniffed, making her look like a rabbit. Placing her tea on the bedside table, she curtly asked me, "Isn't it a bit early to start drinkin', Shaw?"
Shit, she smells shine on my breath. Just what I don't need right now, Jessa cold shoulder me or over reacting about me having a drink this morning. I needed to shut down any doubts she has and quick. Grabbing Jessa's hand and gently runnin' my thumb over her knuckles, I assured her in the most convincing tone I could muster, "It's not what you think, Jessa. It's cold and it's just to add to my coffee for some extra warmth."
"Great, so you're drinking Irish coffee now." Jessa sarcastically scoffed while turning her head to the side and letting her indigo eyes fall onto a random spot on our quilt.
"Baby, don't be like that." I told her, placing my hand on her chin and turning her face to look at me. My honey eyes met her indigo ones as I defended myself with, "It's just a little shot in my coffee to cut the chill that's outside. Don't make it out to be something it ain't."
She backed up slightly, causing my hand to fall from underneath her chin, while sighing, "It better not be something, Shaw. I can't handle being with a heavy drinker. I did it once; I won't do it again."
"Jessa, honey, I'm not a drunk." I assured my woman since I really didn't consider myself to be a drunk. I didn't have a problem; I can put my bottle down anytime I want. "My step-dad was a mean drunk and I'd never let myself become like him." I reminded Jessa of something I told her a while back. She knew me; knew a small tid-bit of my backstory, so…
Giving me a dead serious look, Jessa told me, "You better not or else we'd have to split up."
"Babe, don't talk like that. We'll be fine." I pressed a kiss on her forehead. I grabbed her teacup and handed it over to her while saying, "Here, have some more of your tea."
Allie POV:
Me and Cap were at the main Hatfield house visiting our family since it was his day off. Cap was helping Devil Anse core and split some firewood while I was hanging the wash with Levicy. Both of us were nearing the end of our second trimester in our pregnancies and laundry was a pain for us, which is why we tended to visit each other on our retrospective laundry days since it was easier to do with help. Robert E. was lookin' after the children (which was his job whenever chores were being done so that the kids wouldn't get in the way).
Levicy had just hung up a dress and I'd just taken a shirt out the laundry basket whenever Uncle Wall rode up. What? He wasn't expected over today, something must be up since he was alone instead of having his common-law wife with him. Cap and Devil Anse noticed the judge too. Cap continued to chop wood, but Devil Anse stopped. My father-in-law waved at his brother while he hitched up his horse. "Wall, what brings ya by today?" Devil Anse asked while walking over to meet Uncle Wall.
Levicy didn't say anything to me, but she nudged me with her elbow and made a gesture towards the men that I took to silently mean 'pay close attention to what they say'. I just nodded my head in agreement. I was fine with eavesdropping on Judge Wall and Devil Anse.
Uncle Wall walked away from his hitched horse and meet up with Devil Anse within a stone throw of me and Levicy. He had a heavy look on his face as he announced, "I''ve come to say that I reluctantly married Abel and Nancy McCoy yesterday."
Devil Anse shook his head incredulously. "Abel? Our Abel? Oh god…"
"What, you married them?!" I asked in a loud pitched squeak, my hands shaking as I pinned up a shirt.
"You married Abel and Nancy, Harmon McCoy's daughter?" Levicy asked in disbelief. A bitter tint was in her syrupy voice and I knew that she was upset about what Wall did. Hell, we both were.
Uncle Wall defended his actions with a quick snap of, "It was reluctantly, I'll tell ya that."
"Cap!" Devil Anse called out to my husband, who was listening in while splitting wood nearby.
Pausing in his chore to look at his dad, Cap asked, "Yea, Pa?"
Pointing at my husband, Devil Anse ordered in a deep and agitated tone, "Saddle your horse and go fetch your goddamned dumb brother-in-law."
"Sure thing, Pa." Cap stuck his axe into the wood stump and went off to the barn.
"You shouldn't have married them, Wall. How could you do that? You know Nancy's evil." I angrily rambled to my uncle-in-law. I still couldn't believe what he did.
Wrapping her arm around me, Levicy rubbed my shoulder soothingly while telling me, "Calm down, Allie. Don't want to bring stress related harm to the baby."
"He thinks it'll bring peace to the families. He really seems to love the McCoy girl too." Uncle Wall revealed to everyone, taking us all aback.
God, no. No, no, no. How could he really be in love with her? It's Nancy McCoy, she's a hateful shrew not a nice girl.
"How can he be so goddamned dumb?" Devil Anse asked in a low scoff while giving me a dirty look.
Before I could defend my brother (I know he did something stupid, but he's still my brother) Cap trotted by on his horse. Levicy took a few steps, dragging me with her, and ordered Cap, "Don't let him bring his McCoy hussy with him!"
"I won't!" Cap assured his mouth in a loud shout.
"You drag him here if you have to, I have a few things to tell my brother!" I told my husband, wanting him to know that I needed to have some words with my brother for the stupid shit he pulled yesterday. I still can't believe he tied himself legally to Nancy. God, maybe I can convince him to get an annulment.
"I hear ya, darlin'!" Cap called to me before taking off down the road in a gallop.
Abel POV:
It was my day off and I was enjoying it by spendin' the morning in bed with my wife. Wow, I still can't believe that Nancy's my wife now. It happened so suddenly, that I'm still wrapping my head around it. As I looked at my black-eyed beauty of a wife, I knew that I made the right decision for myself. I loved her and had to do what was best for me. I couldn't think about my sister or her family when it came to my own small family. I met somebody and fell for them, not my fault that Nancy's a McCoy. Honestly, she's one of the nicer and saner ones out of her family. Hell, the more I hear 'bout her family (things I didn't learn in history class) the more I sympathize with her. I once sided with the Hatfields (mostly cause of how Sully made them out to be in history class), but after being around them for a few years I've come to realize that they're a cold and suspicious bunch. The McCoys might be overly religious, but at least they don't try to burn people alive in their homes. Mhm…
"What're ya thinkin' 'bout, Abel?" Nancy asked me, leaning on her elbow and giving me a curious look.
"Nothin' much." I answered, brushing her cheek with my hand. "It's just being married's not something I ever thought I'd want. Not with how fucked up in the head I got from being in the army, plus my dad and step-mom's strained marriage didn't paint a good picture of being married to me."
"I understand, Abel, but we're not your parents nor mine. Our marriage'll last; we'll do great things to help end the feud with it too."
"Yea…I know, sweetie." I semi-sighed as I gave her a half-hearted smile. Truth be told I was a bit afraid that my marriage would turn into something my dad and step-mom had or worse my sister would try to make me choose between her and my new wife. God, I hope Nancy's right and our marriage heals things between the Hatfields and the McCoy cause historically her marriage with Johnse did the complete opposite.
Suddenly, the loud sound of hooves echoed outside mixed with my brother-in-law yelling out the order of, "Abel, get your goddamned ass out here!"
"Shit, that's your brother-in-law outside yellin'." Nancy told me with her face askew.
"Hell, wonder what he wants." I sighed while getting out of bed. Nancy got out of bed too and followed me to the door. She was right by my side as I opened the door and stepped out onto my small porch. "What, Cap?"
"Abel, get your ass dressed." Cap ordered before quickly explaining the reason for his presence. "Pa wants me to bring ya over to the main house."
"Um, if you haven't noticed you're interrupting my honeymoon." I told him with signaling to my wife, who was next to be, with the slightest jerk of my head.
"I don't give a shit 'bout your honeymoon. Pa told me to bring ya to the main house and goddamnit that's what I'm gonna do." Cap coldly scoffed at me. His mismatched eyes landed on my wife and they quickly turned judgement as he bluntly told her, "And you, Miss McCoy, need to get inside and dress proper unless ya wanna be thought of as a whore."
My wife's cheeks went flush with offense. She narrowed her eyes at Cap and spat, "How dare you talk to me like that, ya one-eyed ape."
"Don't call my wife a whore." I defended Nancy, giving the one-eyed blonde a hard look. I didn't like him calling my wife something she wasn't.
"Well, she looks like one and we both know how ya like whores…" Cap trailed off in a low chuckle.
"Why, ya son of a bitch! Don't ya dare call me a whore, demon Hatfield!" Nancy screamed while lunging towards Cap. She would've jumped on him and clawed his eyes out if I didn't wrap my arms around her, stopping her.
"Nancy, sweetheart, calm down. You're not makin' a good impression on our in-law." I pleaded with my wife, hoping that she'd cool her temper cause the last thing I needed was her fighting with Cap.
"Don't you dare take his side over mine, Abel Freeland. We're man and wife now, remember that 'fore chosin' loyalties." Nancy spat at me before storming into the house.
Cutting a look at me that was colder than ice, Cap sneered, "Well, brother, seems like you married yourself a real shrew."
Giving Cap a look that could freeze over hell, I snapped, "Shut up."
"I'll just wait out here while ya dress. I don't want nowhere near your new bride."
I just flipped Cap the bird before going inside of my cabin to get dressed.
AN:
Hope you guys liked this chapter. Yep, it's official Abel and Nancy are married. Anyways, something dramatic happens in the next chapter.