Rebuilding
Word of the fire spread quickly and within two days friends, neighbors and others that didn’t even have a connection to the family from many Parishes turned out to help them rebuild, all carrying with them necessities for the family and children along with a bounty of foodstuffs for everyone.
“God’s arms protected us from harm yesterday and now look at all of this!” John said as people and provisions just kept coming.
“Praise the Lord!” Patricia exclaimed at the sight. “John, how will we ever be able to return this much generosity? God is truly smiling on us today!”
A large piece of canvas was staked in the yard so the women could have shade while they prepared food for everyone and there were so many children!
Day after day they came cheerfully to help out, each day renewing the foodstuffs. Children’s laughter was heard in the yard again.
“Lord, we are humbled to our core by Your graciousness. We are so thankful Father.”
Groups of the men cut down trees while others rolled them a safe distance away to shape them into the size and number needed to rebuild. The new home was completed a week after the work began. It stood not far from the original one, within sight of the old fireplace. The new home was much bigger than the first. John and Patricia would finally be able to have a room all to themselves.
Thursday evening, after bedding the children, they sat close and spoke quietly and intimately. Even with all of the friends and neighbors also putting in hard labor and long hours, they too were both physically and mentally exhausted from their own hard work on the house raising.
Friday morning, Klaus watched his daughter as she bent over to pick up rocks to help complete the new rock fireplace. He couldn’t believe the love that he witnessed between John and Patricia and the love and caring they both showed for their children. Witnessing John and Patricia together made him wish that he could feel and do for Margaret as John did for Patricia, but it was not in him to do so. He carried that ache was constantly in his heart.
John ran to Patricia’s aid when she lifted a rock that was too heavy and strained her back. Klaus stopped before he reached her because he knew it wasn’t his place anymore; it was John’s.
John picked her up, brought her over to a tree and set her down to care for her. Johnny ran over to them, crying because his mommy was hurt. After comforting him, Patricia let Klaus and Margaret interest him in something else.
Soon, the painstaking work of completing the fireplace was finished, completed exactly the way Patricia wanted it, with the hearth extended outward an extra foot. She was positive that a spark from the old fireplace caused the blaze. She insisted that the new fireplace be made bigger.
There had also been a crew working on temporary furniture for the home. When the work was finished, late afternoon of the day Trish hurt her back, John took her into their new home and put her down on their new bed. He brought the twins in to lie near her. Johnny sat down on the bed and watched attentively as Daddy attended to Mommy.
As suppertime drew near, John finished making Trish comfortable and began to get supper for the family. Slowly, gingerly Trish fed the girls, one at a time. Johnny was a big help keeping them busy for Mommy.
With supper over, John began bedding down the children for the night. As he tucked his son snugly into his bed and kissed him goodnight, he became aware that something was troubling the small child. There was a look of concern on his tiny face that outnumbered his years. Looking up with tear-filled eyes said, “Is Mommy okay?”
“Yes. Mommy will be fine. We just have to take extra-special good care of her for a while. Will you help me do that?”
“Yes, Daddy! I’ll help! Can we pick some flowers for Mommy?”
“I think she would really like some flowers from her big boy! We’ll do that.”
“Night, Daddy.”
“Good night, son.”
John returned to check on Trish. The girls had finished suckling and all three were fast asleep. They all looked so contented, so happy! Taking each of the girls and bedding them down, he came back to his wife.
Smiling, he gently brushed her hair out of her face. She woke at his touch and reached up for him motioning him to sit down beside her; she grimaced in pain. Rising immediately, he tried to ease her discomfort. Again, he tried to sit beside her and rose in response to her pain.
“I’ll sit down on the floor next to you.” Holding hands, they remained together for a long while.
As early evening turned to night, he helped Trish dress for bed, and the couple retired. Try as they might to lie together, they could not.
“No, I’ll bed down here tonight.” They fell asleep, side by side, Trish on the bed, John on the floor right below her, holding hands. John rested uncomfortably, but no matter. He kept hold of Trish’s hand throughout the night, fearing that if he let go, she might awaken and feel the pain.
After four days and nights like this, Trish couldn’t stand it any longer. “John, I hate sleeping without you here. Being hurt doesn’t change how much I want to be with you either. I love you, and I want you with me here, in our bed. Yes, I hurt, but I still want you with me.”
John smiled in response to his wife’s demand that he bed with her. Reluctantly yet eagerly, he conceded to her demand. John was proud of Trish’s strength and courage. He had never known another like her.
Gingerly he lay down by her, being sure to keep to his side of the bed so he would not hurt her. All the while, she held her breath as he got into bed. It had been four days since they lie together. She managed the physical pain of him getting into bed with some trouble, but she wasn’t about to let him know that. As he settled in, she looked over at him across the sea between them.
“John,” she whispered softly, “Come here.” He moved cautiously toward his wife and engulfed her in his big protective arms. His embrace comforted Trish. It felt like home. They never slept apart again from that day forward.
Right after the fire, Klaus and Margaret discussed buying new furniture for John and Patricia. Costs were high, and making solid oak furniture again seemed out of the question due to the time it would take, but Patricia deserved the best. They invited the family over to the mansion for a meal. After dinner, Klaus told them he intended to buy all new furniture for the new home.
John became uncharacteristically angry and exploded. “No! Absolutely not! Are you implying I cannot provide for Patricia and the children? Well, I certainly can, and I don’t need charity!” His every hair bristled.
“May I have a moment with my husband, please?” As her parents withdrew from the library, Trish began. “Why are you showing such disrespect to my parents; jumping down Father’s throat when all he’s ever done was to back you up? He has always stood with you, not against you, John.”
As Trish spoke, John’s anger melted away like snow on a warm day. “You are acting as if he is an enemy. All they want to do is help. Would you at least consider the offer?”
“I’m sorry, Trish. I feel very small right now. What I said was foolish; of course I will consider it.”
John opened the library doors and invited his in-laws to come in. As they seated themselves, he began, “Sir, ma’am, I would like to apologize for my reprehensible behavior. There is no excuse.” he said as he joined Trish on the couch, his eyes looking at the floor.
“Mother, Father, John is a wonderful provider for our family. I stand with my husband on this. He has provided well for me for many years, even prior to our marriage. We have spoken about your kind offer and wish to accept it if you still choose to offer your assistance. We would put only one condition on the acceptance, however. We are different people than you. I don’t mean to imply that in a bad way; please let me explain. We do not require the same elegance in furniture as you have; we only need furniture of the same quality that we lost in the fire. Is that acceptable to you?”
“It will be done as you wish, John, Patricia.”
“Thank you.”