There and Back Again S31

"Look here! We've got a letter!" Jed almost ran into the living room.

"Oh, read it quick!" Agnes lay gasping on the couch fanning herself while Nissa sat playing on the floor.

Jed's hand shook slightly as he carefully opened the envelope and began to read:

"Dear Aunt and Uncle, and baby Nissa, We arrived in England fine..." he continued. "The letters of introduction that Sir Hughes sent with us worked wonders. With the folks Alistair knew and Sir Hughes' letters we have been in some really posh homes. Aunt you would love the food and...in a few weeks we will be leaving for France and the continent. We are looking forward to a visit with Mr. Bouchette, and perhaps Lord Hughes is in Paris also..."

"What a nice letter, so glad...everyone sounds fine. In a few weeks they will be turning toward home," Agnes said with a sigh.

Jed watched her pale drawn face out of the corner of his eye. He sighed, it broke his heart to see Agnes feeling poorly, and this ghastly summer heat had intensified her sickness. He bent and clapped his hands at baby Nissa. She laughed and cooed at him then crawled over and stood up holding on to his worn and faded overall pant leg.

"That's it come to daddy, sweetie. Well, now aren't you the cat's meow! Look at that, Agnes! Ain't she just sumpthin!" he lifted the smiling, drooling baby on to his lap dabbing at her chin with his handkerchief. "Two more teeth, and she's almost walking already! Sure a smart little tyke too..."

Agnes' face lit with a smile. "You two sure make a pair!" she laughed out loud and sat up gingerly.

"Now don't get up...you just stay still. You need some water...something to drink?" Jed offered anxiously.

"I'm alright. I just need to change positions. Gene's letter was a breath of fresh air, and the world looks better when I can sit up. I'm so tired of feeling puny! This hot air is so stifling!"

Jed ruminated on an idea as he dandled Nissa on his knee and waggled his fingers at her. She laughed and tried to catch them.

"There's some cold chicken in the box, why don't I just fix up a picnic basket, and we'll take it down to the creek for supper. It'll get you out of the house...if there's any breeze we should be able to find it down there. What do you think?"

"It sounds like...but I don't think I can carry Nissa all the way down there, Jed," the hopeful look died out of her face.

"Didn't mean for you to carry nothing, Peaches," he smiled at her. "I'll hitch up old Sally, and we'll drive down in the wagon. "You go on over to your Ma, Punkin--" he said standing Nissa on the rough, tickley carpet. She laughed and bent to pat the flower pattern under her little pink fat baby feet.

"Come to Mother," Agnes smiled and waved her hands at the baby. "Come on, dolly," she encouraged with a semblance of her old vigor.

"It sure is hot!" Agnes watched the waves of heat rise off the brown pasture grass as the wagon groaned and rolled slowly toward the creek.

"Whoa there, Sal, old girl! He pulled back on the lines, and wrapped them around the brake--from habit--not of necessity. He jumped down from the wagon seat, and laid out the old quilt and some pillows under the gnarled old elm tree. Last of all he brought the hamper of food and placed it carefully on the quilt.

"No, I've never seen worse. This heat's just baking everything, just like we are in an oven. " He said as he walked back to the wagon. "Here," he took the baby then held out an arm to help Agnes down from the wagon seat. "Everything's ready," he steadied her steps to the spot under the elm tree where he had spread the old quilt.

Agnes leaned against his tall lean figure. Odd, she thought how the heat baked the smells of the world around her. She could smell the sweat that ran down his body, the parchedness of the earth around her, the salty horsey smell from old Sally. She could even smell the heat.

There was not an ounce of anything but muscle on Jed's wiry frame. That was a family trait, Agnes guessed. Most all the Wade men she knew were the same. Tall and large boned frame-wise, with muscle like iron. They did not look like much for their size, but...

"It hasn't been too much?" Jed arranged the quilt, helped her sit down. He came back with the last old pillow from the wagon. "Here now, this ought ta help you get comfortable..."

She leaned wearily against the solid elm tree and closed her eyes. A smile lit her face when she opened her eyes and looked into his worried face.

"No, Jed...it hasn't been too much," she lifted her hand to caress his smooth cheek. "Jedidiah Wade--have I ever told you just how dear you are to me? I remember that first time...that ball game. You were so tall, so good looking...I almost couldn't hit the ball...but I was determined..."

"A scrawny kid in pigtails and freckles,"

"You weren't supposed to remember the freckles," she teased and ran her fingertip lightly around his ear. The effort became too much, and her hand dropped to the quilt.

He squeezed her hand lightly, "Here, I have some fruit juice...I put it down in the well so it's cool. It'll be good for you...Nissa!"

Jed and Agnes laughed, as baby Nissa sat beside the picnic basket and opened the one side of it. Up, down, up, down went the lid. Next she began to pull the napkins out that covered the top of the plates.

"Hand them here, lambie--" Jed encouraged gently.

Nissa turned and smiled at him, handing the napkin over, then she pulled out the next one...and so forth.

After their cold lunch, Agnes lay back, her head resting on the old pillow. She watched Jed and Nissa playing in the pitiful excuse of a creek. Some years it sang with life, but today there was just a trickle of water. It looks just like I feel, she thought, not even enough water for a mosquito. The cold fried chicken, dried apple pie, and pickled green bean salad had been just right, and the cool fruit juice hit the spot. She fell asleep listening to Jed's voice singing, 'Bye a baby buntin' to the baby.

Much later, Agnes woke slowly to the soft breathing of Jed and Nissa sleeping soundly beside her, the glimmer of the first evening star shimmered in the hot evening sky. She did not want to move, did not want to break the spell that hung around the trio. Everything was so peaceful and perfect in the early evening shadows...even old Sally tethered on the sapling next to them slumbered, her old gray head drooping heavily.

Jed turned over, his eyes opened slowly. "Did you have a good sleep?" He smiled, reached over the baby and caressed the loose hair out of Agnes' face. "How long has it been?"

"How long has what been?" she asked, her face clouded.

"We have been so busy the last...oh, I'd say million years...we haven't had time for many days like this. Days to just spend...like this."

"Well, I'd say it has been...oh--about a million years at least."

"That's what I thought--" they both laughed.

"I wish I may, I wish I might..." she began.

"Just what do you wish?"

"Hmm, well, I don't know. I'd like to feel better...I'd like the hot weather to...to be cooler, you know. If you could make a wish, what would you wish for?"

"Peaches, if you felt better...I would have everything I could ever want. The Bible tells us to be content with our food and raiment. We have food and clothes. We have Nissa here, and God willing, Gene will be coming home to us...probably before his next letter arrives in the mail. What more could any thinking man ask for?"

"A lot of men ask for a lot more than that, but I feel like the richest woman alive. I've never been more content. Just look at that sky..."

They watched in contented silence as more stars joined the first one.

"It's time to be heading back to the stable, Mabel," Jed sat up and rubbed a hand across his face and ran his fingers through his hair. His dark brown hair stood on end.

"Oh, how I love thee, let me count the ways," she recited, laughed, and twirled her fingers through his hair. "I don't know when the last time was when I felt better!"

"Then we'll have to do this every day...until you feel completely well," Jed carried the basket back to the wagon as Agnes picked up the baby...and the pillow...

Jed woke early the next morning putting his hand out he touched an empty bed. He lay quietly, wondering where Agnes was. He heard some pans rattle down stairs in the kitchen. His feet hit the floor, and he grabbed his shirt and overalls that hung on pegs behind the bedroom door.

Agnes turned and smiled as he entered the kitchen still hitching his last overall strap on the button, "Good morning, you lazy man!" she chided and handed him a cup of coffee.

"You had me scared for a time there, woman. Here let me help with that..." he set his coffee down, and took the bucket out to the hand pump and brought in the morning's water.

"Don't you be gettin' too rambunctious now. You take it easy. Just 'cause you feel better this morning..."

"After breakfast, I'm going to sit on the porch with my sewing," she began to dish up the oatmeal while the bacon drained. "You could get Nissa. I hear her waking up..."

Agnes heard his work boots thump on the stair steps and Nissa clapping her hands and squealing in delight. How comforting a good man like Jed was she thought with a long sigh. Some men were like the rolling tide, here today and gone tomorrow, but Jedidiah was someone you could depend on through and through.

Jed dried and put the last plate back in its place in the cupboard. "Are you sure you want to sit outside?" he fretted.

"I am kind of tired of a sudden. It's nap time for baby...maybe I'll just rest for a short while...before I sit out side."

"There!, That's what I was concerned about!" he frowned. "But you just lay down for awhile. There isn't anything you need to do right now any way..."

"There's always plenty to do..."

"Course there is, but nothing you need to do right now. Thought I'd drive into town after bit and pick up the mail, and stop and get the paper too. You and baby can ride along. I'll carry Nissa up to her crib. Come on, little one!" he scooped up the baby and held Agnes' elbow and helped her to the stair door. "Go on upstairs, lay down and rest..."

Agnes slept fitfully, dreaming of storm clouds, rain, and sand. Sand flying in her face, sticking to her arms...ugh!she rolled over and groaned. This heat is so oppressive! She wiped the sweat from her face and lay still.

What a blessing, baby was such a happy child--Agnes sat up as quiet noises came from Nissa's room. Thump, thump, thump...she heard Jed's boots on the steps. She mopped at the sweat on her face and in a careful fashion eased over to her dressing table. With a small soft brush she pulled the hair back from her face and secured it in a roll on the back of her head.

"Ready to go?" Jed stood behind her.

"Just about. Don't think I'll change clothes. This isn't my best dress, but it should be good enough to sit in the automobile for a ride?" she said smoothing the collar and twirking the sleeves of her light cotton dress into place.

"Peaches, I don't know that I've ever seen such a pretty dress. You are absolutely gorgeous in it," he smiled and winked. "All you need is your hat and we'll be ready to go!"

"Oh, go on with you!" she pretended annoyance, but Jed could tell she was pleased as she picked up her hat from the dressing table and began pinning it in place.

"I'll just get the baby. What clothes do you want me to put on her?" his voice was muffled as it came from the baby's nursery. A little room that had been a large closet just off their room, transformed with a little paper and paint.

"Just a little shift should be enough...too hot to put on more..." Agnes walked to the door. "I'll check the diaper...then we'll be off."

The breeze from the open window was hot, but at least it was a breeze. Agnes leaned her head back and held Nissa securely on her as they bumped along the gravel road into town. Jed parked on the square in the shade of a large maple tree.

"Won't be long," he said as he slammed his door shut and hurried off.

Agnes opened her eyes and watched as the few people out and about walked along the sidewalks. They wandered into the dry goods store, or one of the grocery stores, or joined the group of men seated in front of the feed store along the north side street. The activity down the street caught her eye as several taxis pulled up at the Littleton Hotel, and began unloading luggage from the rail station.

She looked back at the group of men in front of the feed store and saw Jed coming out of the store walking toward where they were parked. How had they gotten past thirty and not been aware of it? Jed was still a handsome man, but where had the years gone between their first meeting...and their life now? How had he become--dare she even think it? --Middle-aged?

He still walked with a spring in his step, that same purposeful gait that he had always had. Was it just a tad slower? She leaned her head back again as Nissa played in the seat.

He opened the door and slid in. Putting the Oldsmobile into gear he drove slowly around the square and parked again...in front of Greene's Ice Cream Shoppe.

He hopped out, shut his door, and before Agnes had time to protest, he opened her door, "A treat for my girls," he said and helped her into the cool parlor.

"We'll take two dishes of cream please," he told the waiter then carried them over to where his girls waited perched on a wire sweet heart chair.

"Now, now," Agnes cautioned as Nissa's pink little mouth puckered up greedily for more. "I don't think Nissa should have too much..." she frowned and continued to give little bites to the greedy baby.

"Probably not, but a little shouldn't hurt, I'd say..."

Agnes noticed some of the passengers from the hotel walking in the door. "Oh, Jed, I shouldn't have come in..."

"What's the matter?" he was dabbing at Nissa's sticky little face with a napkin.

Agnes ducked her head in embarrassment, "I should have at least changed my dress. If I'd known we were getting out," she said thinking about the stylish clothes of the new customers.

Jed looked up from Nissa, to Agnes, then his mouth dropped open for a second.

Agnes just caught her dish in time as he scrambled up like he'd dropped a hot coal in his pocket.

"What a sight for sore eyes!"

Agnes mouth dropped open--for just a second before she remembered her manners.

"Oh! Oh!" and she pushed away from the stylish little table before Nissa did damage to the remains of their dishes.

The air was full of the excited babble of voices each one trying to make them self heard and understood.

"Alright, now," Alistair held up his hands for quiet, and finally quiet reined. "So many questions...let's answer one by one now. First off, we just arrived. Second off, yes, we had a tolerable good time. Third off, now I don't know if that's quite right good grammar...."

"Alright, alright," he held up his hands again. "I see you aren't intrested in grammar right now. "Well, it's like this. We were supposed to be back in two weeks, as ya'll know. A few weeks ago we got this," he said as he pulled a telegram out of his suit coat pocket, "because a' this," and he lightly flopped down a copy of the day's paper. The headline blared: "ALPH THOMPSON TRIAL STARTS MONDAY!"

Jed and Agnes stared at the paper like it was the devil himself, then they stared at each other, and finally they stared at their friends. Someone took the baby from Agnes, and gentle hands helped Agnes and Jed to their chairs.

"We didn't know," Jed spoke the first logical thing in his mind. "We hadn't heard."

"No, of course not," Alistair comforted. "Course you wouldn't...couldn't know."

From somewhere a 'tonic' was handed to the astounded pair. They sipped carefully at the cold concoctions.

"This is pretty good. What is it?" Jed spoke for the both of them.

"Trade secret," David grinned at them. "I used to work at a soda fountain back home."

"Soon's we get through here we'll head out for home. We can give you the details then...Oh, one detail we'd like to add," Alistair took Margaret's gloved hand. "I'd like to introduce you to Mrs. Alistair Brockle," he smiled.

Margaret turned rosy pink, but she smiled back at him. "Alistar!" she exclaimed.

"Well, now, ya'll didn't want these folks to think bad thoughts here, now did ya?" he patted her hand.

"Well, I never!" she rolled her big brown eyes at him.