Josiah arrived home the following evening, tired and confused. His thoughts had been on Anna Mae all day.
Last night, he’d waited for her to join him after putting the girls to bed, but that hadn’t happened. Now that he examined their actions and words from the previous evening, he realized in surprise that they’d both been on the defensive. And why was that? Action and reaction. Interesting. But even more troubling was the look of pure hurt that had entered her eyes when he’d told her the girls were hers.
He felt certain she loved the twins. She’d shown that in more ways than one, so what caused the sadness? Had Anna Mae realized the time-consuming job she’d taken on, and even though she loved the girls, regretted giving up her own life to join his?
He rubbed the back of his neck wearily. What caused women to twist up a man’s insides like this? Mary had done the same. It had gotten to where every time he left on sheriff business she’d become quiet and withdrawn. More and more she’d taken to spending time in the bedroom rather than in the sitting room with him. He’d thought maybe it was those woman emotions that took over after giving birth, but now Anna Mae acted the same way.
His communication skills hadn’t improved at all. Looking back only brought more confusion and sadness; a feeling of failure.
Instead of going straight to the barn and putting Roy away, Josiah decided to go to the house first. He needed to make sure that Anna Mae was doing all right.
He opened the door slowly and the warm scent of fried potatoes greeted him. The house was unusually quiet. Josiah walked to Anna Mae’s and the girls’ bedroom. Everything was in its place, but they were nowhere to be found. He hurried to the guest room, where the chickens clucked in low undertones. Again, the room was empty. His heart skipped a beat.
Had she left and taken his girls with her? Where had she gone? And why? He hurried back outside. If Anna Mae had really left, she’d have to have used the mule and wagon.
Roy snorted as Josiah passed by. Josiah’s boots squished in the mud and snow as he rushed to the barn. With more strength then he knew he possessed, he jerked the door open.
“Papa!” Rose hurried to him on her short little legs.
Seeing her twin sister and father, Ruby squealed and ran toward him, too.
Josiah’s heart leaped with gladness. The girls were safe. His gaze swept the barn and he found Anna Mae kneeling in front of a wooden structure of some type. She had a mouthful of nails and a hammer poised to do some damage.
Both girls grabbed him around the calves and hung on tightly. “Up!” they demanded.
He picked them both up and kissed their little cheeks. His gaze held Anna Mae’s as she spit the nails into her hand.
“I wasn’t expecting you back so early,” she said, once her mouth was empty.
Josiah carried the girls to her. “I’m not early.” His gaze moved to whatever it was she was trying so hard to make. “What is that supposed to be?”
“A bookshelf?” Anna Mae turned to look at the wood. With a heavy sigh she said, “Doesn’t look much like a bookshelf, does it?”
He didn’t want to hurt her feelings. “Well, I’m not a carpenter.”
Her delicate laughter took him by surprise. “No, but you are a really sweet man.” She looked up at him with joyful eyes. “Come on inside and we’ll get everyone fed.” She reached up and took Ruby from his arms.
He followed her from the barn. Roy snorted from the front porch. Josiah had completely forgotten about his dear friend.
“I was thinking, Josiah.” Anna Mae paused as she reached the front door.
This couldn’t be good for him. It seemed every time the woman said “I was thinking,” it meant work for him. He started to ask her what she’d been thinking about, dreading what she’d say, when she continued.
“Why don’t we put the chicken coop in the barn until spring. That way they would be warm, and all we’d have to do is set up a place for them to sleep.” She opened the door and set Ruby down. The little girl immediately started taking off her coat and boots.
Josiah did the same with Rose. “I need to put Roy away for the night. I’ll see if I can find space for the chickens.”
“The last stall on the right should work well,” Anna Mae suggested, as she helped Rose with her buttons.
He headed back to the horse, which nudged him with his nose as if to say “Forgot all about me, didn’t you?”
Josiah rubbed his nose. “I didn’t forget about you, ole man. It’s just now I have a wife and kids to think about, too.”
Roy bumped him in the shoulder. Josiah laughed, picked up his reins and led him toward the barn. As he entered the warm building, Josiah had to admit she might have a good idea about keeping the chickens there.
With Roy properly taken care of, he walked back to the stall Anna Mae had said would be good for the chickens. It needed a little repair. Several of the boards looked as if they were going to pop loose.
Josiah shook his head. He’d placed his horse and the mule in the better maintained stalls, thinking he had until spring to repair the rest that needed work. Josiah sighed. Women always wanted something done right away, and Anna Mae was no different.
He gave Roy a final pat on the nose and then headed back to the house. Anna Mae wanted bookshelves, the stall fixed and a nesting box for the chickens. Thankfully, he didn’t have anything pressing going on in town and could stay home tomorrow and work on the chores.
When he entered the house Anna Mae had already taken care of getting the girls to the table, and the food smelled wonderful. Rose and Ruby smiled, their freshly scrubbed faces shining. His girls had never looked happier.
“What took so long?” Anna Mae asked, as she set plates before them.
“I checked out the stall you mentioned.” He pulled his coat off, hung it on the rack beside the door, then stopped.
When had Anna Mae hung the rack? His gaze roved the house and he saw several other things she’d done to improve the function of his home. He’d been so busy working that he’d neglected noticing the small changes. She’d brought warmth to his home. Would his new wife soon expect him to make changes, too? Would she expect him to express his appreciation with love?
* * *
The next afternoon, Anna Mae hummed as she finished wiping down the counters, then hung the dishcloth on the drying rod. Josiah had been called away shortly after breakfast, so she’d found her yarn, and while she knitted two pot holders, the girls played with balls of bright colored yarn. Then she’d started dinner and fixed lunch all at the same time.
Now that the noon dishes were done, she thought about slipping out to the barn and working on the bookshelf while the girls napped. Anna Mae pulled on her gloves, cloak and finally her boots. She’d be out for only an hour and then she’d come back inside.
The sun shone brightly and felt warm on her cheeks. Anna Mae hurried to the barn and pulled the door open; the warm scent of hay and dust filling her lungs. She loved the barn and couldn’t wait for Josiah to get the nesting box built for the chickens.
Maybe she could help him do that. She was sick of cleaning up their mess, so something must be done. She walked to the stall and looked about.
From what she could see, all the stall needed was a few boards nailed back into place, and then she could bring the chickens out here and clean up the spare room. With that thought in mind, Anna Mae forgot all about making the bookshelf.
She grabbed the hammer and nails, then hung her cloak on a peg. It took her almost an hour to get the stall secure and in the shape that she thought it should be.
Her hands hurt from hammering and holding boards in place. She’d taken her gloves off and now regretted the action. Anna Mae looked at her swollen, throbbing thumb and sighed. She didn’t dare glance at her palms, where she felt confident the blisters were rising.
After spreading fresh hay and sprinkling a few kernels of corn into it, she pulled her cloak back on and headed inside to check on the girls. The wind had picked up and felt colder than when she’d gone out. She opened the door and listened. No sounds came from the bedroom where the twins slept. The chickens were clucking softly in their room.
Anna Mae checked on Rose and Ruby. They were still sleeping. She smiled. Maybe she could get the chickens out to the barn before they woke.
It was one thing to think she could get them out there. It was another to actually do it. Anna Mae gazed at the birds. How was she going to get them back inside the box she’d taken them out of?
She stared at them and they stared back. Anna Mae didn’t know how, but she could tell from their beady eyes that they knew she was up to something. The rooster raised his head, stretching his neck up toward the ceiling, and then strutted about as if daring her to try and catch him.
The hens looked more approachable. Anna Mae shut the bedroom door and then stepped into the pen she’d made. “You can do this, Anna Mae. They are just as afraid of you as you are of them.”
She chased the chickens at a walking pace. Just as she reach down to grab one it would dart away. Soon she found herself running about the room, the hens jumping to escape her. They squawked in alarm and feathers flew.
Anna Mae would get ahold of one and it would flap its wings and try to peck her. She’d squeal and let it go. She didn’t know how long she’d been trying to catch the hens or how many times she’d let them go when she heard the sound of laughter. She turned to find Josiah leaning against the door frame and laughing as if he couldn’t catch his breath. His reaction both annoyed and pleased her.
“How long have you been standing there?” she demanded, out of breath and tired from her day’s work.
He tried to compose his features, but failed miserably. “Long enough to see you are no chicken catcher.”
“Do you think you can do any better?” she asked, leaning against a wooden chest.
“I didn’t say that.” He continued to laugh. “You should see yourself.”
Anna Mae didn’t doubt that she was a sight. Her hair hung about her shoulders and feathers covered her arms. She was sure they were in her hair, as well. “If it’s all the same to you, I believe I’ll avoid a mirror for a while.”
He straightened. “What were you going to do once you caught one?”
“Put it in that box.” Anna Mae pointed to the crate Mrs. Linker had brought them in.
He opened his mouth as if to ask another question, but one of the twins interrupted him by yelling from the other room. “Up!”
Anna Mae left the pen and walked toward Josiah. “I’m going to go get the girls up from their nap. If you think you can catch the chickens, by all means do so.” She raised her chin and continued past him.
Once she was out the door, Anna Mae headed to the kitchen, where she quickly washed her hands, arms and face. The cool water both stung and felt good as she splashed it over her many scrapes and the broken blisters on her hands. All the while the girls continued to yell, “Up!”
“I’m coming,” she called back to them. Anna Mae hurried to the bedroom and found Rose and Ruby clutching the rails and looking unhappy.
When they saw her, their sweet faces broke into smiles. Anna Mae hurried to get them up, and by the time she had them out of the bed and into dry clothes Josiah stood in the doorway waiting for her.
“They are in the box. Now what?” he asked, his eyes still dancing with merriment.
“Now you can take them to the barn,” she answered, setting Rose down and watching as she ran to her papa.
He shook his head. “That stall needs to be repaired before we can put them inside.”
Anna Mae ran her fingers through her hair, removing feathers, careful to avoid using her aching thumb and sore palms. “I already fixed it.”
Disbelief filled his face. “You did?”
“Sure did.” She heard the pride in her voice, but couldn’t contain it. “I might not be able to catch chickens, but I can nail boards together.” She hoped him seeing that she could get some things done about the place would endear her to him. Maybe what Josiah was looking for in a woman was someone strong who could work alongside him. Maybe he’d see that as a reason to love her. Maybe.