her jaw, he told her “I’ll always need you, Rosie. You can’t get rid of me that fast. And I said pack for the two of us. Remember?”
“Then why town?”
“You need a break. You’re working yourself to death and I’ve been letting you. Well, I’m not going to let you anymore.”
Rosie eyed him suspiciously. “What’s gotten into you? First you rub cream all over my body, which I loved by the way. Then you brush and braid my hair and you brought in Agatha and took me on a picnic, now this. Why are you being nice to me?”
Her words cut him like a knife. Had he really been that bad? He’d basically ignored her, except when she was sleeping. Then he allowed himself to touch her arm and run his fingers through the long end of her braid to the softest hair he’d ever felt
“I always should have been nice to you. You’re not like Sarah, never have been, never will be. I’m sorry treated you that way.”
She stood leaning against the counter. “What are you saying? Exactly? I don’t want to get it wrong. Are we going to have a real marriage? One where we actually talk to each other and get to know each other? Don’t say yes and get my hopes up if you don’t mean it.”
Tears filled her eyes. He got up, went to her and took her in his arms. “I don’t blame you for not believing me. I want a real marriage too. I won’t rush you. There are still many things you don’t know about me and I about you. We should really get acquainted, don’t you think?”
“I think I’m going to cry.”
“Oh Rosie,” he chuckled. “This was supposed to make you happy.”
“I am happy, you big lout,” She buried her face in his shirt covered chest and balled. Then she gave him little baby kisses all over his face while she cried some more.
Tom let her cry, knowing it was a step in the right direction. She had to get it out before she could move forward. He wasn’t sure what changed for him. Her inate kindness, her determination, the love she gave to everyone including him, changed him. He couldn’t remain the harsh ass he’d been. She made him want to be good to her. To treat her like she treated them all.
He’d always liked Rosie, especially liked looking at her. Seeing her with the children, teaching them, not just how to read and write and cipher but how to be good people. Even Suzie was learning to behave like a little lady, wasn’t throwing her tantrums nearly as often and never in front of Rosie because they didn’t work. Rosie ignored her. In the beginning that just made Suzie madder, but now, she was realizing she usually got her way if she asked nicely. And if it was something Rosie couldn’t let her do, she always sat Suzie down and explained it to her.
It was the way the men looked at her. With admiration. She treated everyone of them like family. She started baking special cakes and making their favorite meals on their birthdays. These were men who never celebrated anything much less their birthdays and here was Rosie giving them each something special to look forward to.
It was everything about her. It was just Rosie. She didn’t pretend she was something she wasn’t. With Rosie what you saw is what you got. She admitted when she didn’t know something and was eager to learn. And Tom had discovered he was eager to teach her.
Tonight they’d have their wedding night. He’d ask Mary for a cold supper in their room. Mary usually had the bridal suite available and he’d get it. The cost didn’t matter. It was the only room with a bathroom and the tub was big enough for two! He knew it because he’d helped get it there. They’d had to take off the outside wall and lift it with pulleys to get it in and then rebuild the wall afterwards.
He intended on taking advantage of that tub to get Rosie all warm and pliable. Relaxed
“Then why town?”
“You need a break. You’re working yourself to death and I’ve been letting you. Well, I’m not going to let you anymore.”
Rosie eyed him suspiciously. “What’s gotten into you? First you rub cream all over my body, which I loved by the way. Then you brush and braid my hair and you brought in Agatha and took me on a picnic, now this. Why are you being nice to me?”
Her words cut him like a knife. Had he really been that bad? He’d basically ignored her, except when she was sleeping. Then he allowed himself to touch her arm and run his fingers through the long end of her braid to the softest hair he’d ever felt
“I always should have been nice to you. You’re not like Sarah, never have been, never will be. I’m sorry treated you that way.”
She stood leaning against the counter. “What are you saying? Exactly? I don’t want to get it wrong. Are we going to have a real marriage? One where we actually talk to each other and get to know each other? Don’t say yes and get my hopes up if you don’t mean it.”
Tears filled her eyes. He got up, went to her and took her in his arms. “I don’t blame you for not believing me. I want a real marriage too. I won’t rush you. There are still many things you don’t know about me and I about you. We should really get acquainted, don’t you think?”
“I think I’m going to cry.”
“Oh Rosie,” he chuckled. “This was supposed to make you happy.”
“I am happy, you big lout,” She buried her face in his shirt covered chest and balled. Then she gave him little baby kisses all over his face while she cried some more.
Tom let her cry, knowing it was a step in the right direction. She had to get it out before she could move forward. He wasn’t sure what changed for him. Her inate kindness, her determination, the love she gave to everyone including him, changed him. He couldn’t remain the harsh ass he’d been. She made him want to be good to her. To treat her like she treated them all.
He’d always liked Rosie, especially liked looking at her. Seeing her with the children, teaching them, not just how to read and write and cipher but how to be good people. Even Suzie was learning to behave like a little lady, wasn’t throwing her tantrums nearly as often and never in front of Rosie because they didn’t work. Rosie ignored her. In the beginning that just made Suzie madder, but now, she was realizing she usually got her way if she asked nicely. And if it was something Rosie couldn’t let her do, she always sat Suzie down and explained it to her.
It was the way the men looked at her. With admiration. She treated everyone of them like family. She started baking special cakes and making their favorite meals on their birthdays. These were men who never celebrated anything much less their birthdays and here was Rosie giving them each something special to look forward to.
It was everything about her. It was just Rosie. She didn’t pretend she was something she wasn’t. With Rosie what you saw is what you got. She admitted when she didn’t know something and was eager to learn. And Tom had discovered he was eager to teach her.
Tonight they’d have their wedding night. He’d ask Mary for a cold supper in their room. Mary usually had the bridal suite available and he’d get it. The cost didn’t matter. It was the only room with a bathroom and the tub was big enough for two! He knew it because he’d helped get it there. They’d had to take off the outside wall and lift it with pulleys to get it in and then rebuild the wall afterwards.
He intended on taking advantage of that tub to get Rosie all warm and pliable. Relaxed
Similar Books
