she’l want to see April so
she can tel everyone else what she’s like. She does it
whenever anyone new comes into the family. Next thing I
know, I’l have to take everyone to a family get-together.”
“Wel , now that you mention it, Christmas is coming up.”
Tom walked over to Joel and handed him the pen. “That’s
right. April and Sep, you’l love Christmas at the Larson
household. Ma and Pa like to make it a special day.”
April glanced at Sep, and Joel couldn’t decide if April was
pleased or apprehensive about the idea of meeting the
Larson family. Given that it would be just April, Sep, and
Nora, he figured they might be overwhelmed with the size of
the Larson family. Six siblings who were married and had
children of their own to bring out to the house. It was going
to be a hectic day. But maybe that was good. He could run
off and hide for a while. With any luck, he’d find a hiding
place so good that April wouldn’t be able to find him and
drag him back to this prison.
“It’s your turn to sign,” Tom said, giving Joel a harder pat on
the back than necessary.
Trudging to the table, Joel scrawled his name and then
shoved the pen at Tom. “There. Your dirty work is done.”
Tom held the pen to April and said, “You’l have to forgive
Joel. He wakes up on the wrong side of the bed every day. I
assure you, the rest of us Larsons are much more amiable.”
Joel crossed his arms and watched in dread as April and
Sep signed the certificate. This was it. He was now a
husband whether he liked it or not. After Rick recorded the
marriage in his book, he wished them health and
happiness, adding a “Be patient. Joel wil come around,” to
April who didn’t look convinced.
Once Tom and Rick left, Nora woke up from her nap and
cried. If there was one saving grace in this whole travesty, it
was that Nora was a part of it. April seemed to be more
than happy for an excuse to run upstairs to get away from
him.
Figures. Not that Joel cared. Maybe now that he was
strapped to her for the rest of his life, she’d leave him
alone. Ignoring Sep, Joel decided he might as wel make
the best of it and looked for something else to fix around
the house.
Chapter Ten
April didn’t know if Joel would come downstairs to eat
supper or not, but she set out his plate and cup, just in
case. Sep had told her he was upstairs again and finding
more furniture to fix in her room. Most likely, he was hiding
from them and mourning the loss of his freedom as a
carefree bachelor.
She, on the other hand, didn’t know how to feel about the
whole thing. Granted, the situation wasn’t ideal. Having
Tom and Rick force the marriage while Sep stood there
with a gun was hardly a woman’s dream wedding. And if
she was Joel, she wouldn’t like the way the marriage came
about either. So she couldn’t blame him for being upset.
She didn’t relish the thought of living with someone who
resented her. She’d gone from one miserable marriage
right into another. But al of these thoughts conflicted with
the relief she experienced at knowing Sep no longer had to
fol ow Joel around with a gun if Joel so much as got near
the front or back door.
When it was time to eat, she went to the hal way and cal ed
for the men to come to the kitchen. From where Nora sat in
the highchair, she impatiently motioned to the food and
whimpered. “Patience, honey. It’s coming,” April said while
she set the large dishes in the center of the table.
Sep entered the kitchen and took his seat across from
April. “It looks good, sis,” he said, motioning to the boiled
potatoes, pemmican, and slices of bread.
“Do you think Joel’s coming?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Last time I saw him, he was standing in the
hal way and staring at the wal . Maybe he’s not right in the
head.”
“No, he’s fine in the head. I think he’s in shock.”
“Maybe.” He glanced at the hal way. “Do we start
she can tel everyone else what she’s like. She does it
whenever anyone new comes into the family. Next thing I
know, I’l have to take everyone to a family get-together.”
“Wel , now that you mention it, Christmas is coming up.”
Tom walked over to Joel and handed him the pen. “That’s
right. April and Sep, you’l love Christmas at the Larson
household. Ma and Pa like to make it a special day.”
April glanced at Sep, and Joel couldn’t decide if April was
pleased or apprehensive about the idea of meeting the
Larson family. Given that it would be just April, Sep, and
Nora, he figured they might be overwhelmed with the size of
the Larson family. Six siblings who were married and had
children of their own to bring out to the house. It was going
to be a hectic day. But maybe that was good. He could run
off and hide for a while. With any luck, he’d find a hiding
place so good that April wouldn’t be able to find him and
drag him back to this prison.
“It’s your turn to sign,” Tom said, giving Joel a harder pat on
the back than necessary.
Trudging to the table, Joel scrawled his name and then
shoved the pen at Tom. “There. Your dirty work is done.”
Tom held the pen to April and said, “You’l have to forgive
Joel. He wakes up on the wrong side of the bed every day. I
assure you, the rest of us Larsons are much more amiable.”
Joel crossed his arms and watched in dread as April and
Sep signed the certificate. This was it. He was now a
husband whether he liked it or not. After Rick recorded the
marriage in his book, he wished them health and
happiness, adding a “Be patient. Joel wil come around,” to
April who didn’t look convinced.
Once Tom and Rick left, Nora woke up from her nap and
cried. If there was one saving grace in this whole travesty, it
was that Nora was a part of it. April seemed to be more
than happy for an excuse to run upstairs to get away from
him.
Figures. Not that Joel cared. Maybe now that he was
strapped to her for the rest of his life, she’d leave him
alone. Ignoring Sep, Joel decided he might as wel make
the best of it and looked for something else to fix around
the house.
Chapter Ten
April didn’t know if Joel would come downstairs to eat
supper or not, but she set out his plate and cup, just in
case. Sep had told her he was upstairs again and finding
more furniture to fix in her room. Most likely, he was hiding
from them and mourning the loss of his freedom as a
carefree bachelor.
She, on the other hand, didn’t know how to feel about the
whole thing. Granted, the situation wasn’t ideal. Having
Tom and Rick force the marriage while Sep stood there
with a gun was hardly a woman’s dream wedding. And if
she was Joel, she wouldn’t like the way the marriage came
about either. So she couldn’t blame him for being upset.
She didn’t relish the thought of living with someone who
resented her. She’d gone from one miserable marriage
right into another. But al of these thoughts conflicted with
the relief she experienced at knowing Sep no longer had to
fol ow Joel around with a gun if Joel so much as got near
the front or back door.
When it was time to eat, she went to the hal way and cal ed
for the men to come to the kitchen. From where Nora sat in
the highchair, she impatiently motioned to the food and
whimpered. “Patience, honey. It’s coming,” April said while
she set the large dishes in the center of the table.
Sep entered the kitchen and took his seat across from
April. “It looks good, sis,” he said, motioning to the boiled
potatoes, pemmican, and slices of bread.
“Do you think Joel’s coming?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Last time I saw him, he was standing in the
hal way and staring at the wal . Maybe he’s not right in the
head.”
“No, he’s fine in the head. I think he’s in shock.”
“Maybe.” He glanced at the hal way. “Do we start
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