Having gotten very little sleep that night, Alex arose early that morning and left the house before his wife was even awake. He felt betrayed, because it seemed that she didn�t trust him enough to take care of both of them. As he made his way to the ardware store he realized that she was only afraid, and hurt, and if the truth were known he was feeling a little afraid himself. He knew that he loved Megan, and knew that would never change, but he was beginning to wonder if love was enough to make their very young marriage work.
When he arrived at the hardware store he found Mr. Hampton�s red Ford truck parked in back, and was glad his boss was an early riser. It was not Alex�s day to work, but he needed to be away from home and Megan. When he walked into Mr. Hampton�s office, his employer looked up, obviously surprised to see him.
�Do you work today?� he asked moving some papers out of the way to look at a calendar he kept on his desk.
�No sir, I just needed to do some thinking,� he said as he sat down on the tan leather couch on the right side of the door.
Mr. Hampton offered him a smile. �Well since your here, I have a delivery I need to make up at O�Connells place. Do you know how to handle a truck?� he asked as he reached behind him, and pulled his keys out of his jacket pocket.
Alex knew how to drive a car in London, but had not yet had the opportunity to drive one in the United States, and said as much.
�It�s not too hard, just remember to stay on the right side of the roadway. Mr. O�Connells farm is about ten miles out of town.� Mr. Hampton wrote down the directions, ones Alex figured would be fairly simple to follow, and once he was ready, the two of them walked outside to the truck.
�I�m going to be here for most of the day, so don�t worry about getting in a hurry and if your wife calls I will tell her you are running an errand, might even send Mrs. Hampton over her way,� he said as Alex got into the drivers seat. He watched as the young boy started the truck, and watched as he slowly pulled it onto the empty street. Once the truck was out of sight he went inside the store to call his wife.
~*~
After another few days of trying to get passage out of England, Rick finally found a way. On a rainy Sunday morning after a hardy breakfast, Jonathan drove Rick, and the girls to the docks, which were still under heavy repair. He helped Rick unload the two steam trunks and four suitcases of cloths. Then he walked over to where Evelyn and Heidi were standing and knelt down. His little niece had on a rain bonnet; a bonnet made out of plastic that she wore over her head, as well as a bright pink rain jacket. �Be a good girl,� he said as he reached out and pulled her into his arms to hug her. Usually he would be going with them, but with the war raging on, he had agreed to stay at the house and keep things in running order.
�I will. Let China sleep with you because she will be quite sad while I am away,� she said as she kissed her uncle�s left cheek.
Jonathan stood up then, and gave his little sister a hug while Rick picked Heidi up, holding her close to him beneath the umbrella as the rain began to fall harder. �You will do okay old mum, and as much as Alex thinks he is old enough to handle things on his own, I�m sure when you get there he will see otherwise.�
The two siblings hugged and kissed, then Jonathan watched as the family boarded the ship, and for the first time in what seemed like years he said a prayer for them, wishing them a safe trip, praying that all of them would return home.
~*~
Despite Mr. Hampton�s directions, Alex still managed to get lost, but finally found the red posts that marked the entrance to his grandfather�s property. As Alex pulled into the long driveway he began to wonder if making this delivery was such a great idea. He knew he didn�t have to tell them who he was, and could just go on his way, but something in his heart urged him to let them know that he was their grandson.
After driving almost another mile, Alex pulled up in front of a two story white farm house and saw on the porch a young woman maybe in her early to late twenties sitting on a swing, holding a baby in her arms. He stopped the truck, and as he got out a sheep dog ran to him wagging it�s tail.
Always one to love animals Alex knelt down and pet the dog then looked up as the man from the store approached him. This time he was smoking a pipe and was wearing a worn pair of jeans, and an old shirt.
�Derk, get away from that young man,� he scolded as Alex stood up.
�I�m sorry I�m so late, I was rather lost,� Alex said, noticing that the man before him looked like an older version of his father.
�If you don�t know the way it does get a little tricky. My name is Robert,� he said as he held out his hand.
Alex gulped then took his hand and shook it, grasping it the way his father had taught him.
Robert looked at the boy who stood in front of him feeling as though he should know his face.
�I�m Alex,� he finally said.
�Well Alex, if you help me unload this lumber I�ll invite you inside for breakfast,� Robert said as he took his pipe, and put it back in his mouth.
Alex took almost all of the wood and followed his grandfather past the house, and down the road to a red barn. Inside the barn he put the lumber down in a pile then returned to the truck and got the rest of it, not noticing that Robert was watching him like a hawk.
The two men got the supplies from the truck unloaded in ten minutes time, then went inside the house. Without being asked Alex removed his shoes, as did his grandfather.
�Lucy, we have a guest for breakfast,� Robert called out as he left Alex standing alone in the living room.
The young woman who had been sitting on the porch walked out of the kitchen and stood very still for a long moment.
�Is everything all right?� Alex asked.
Mary-Elizabeth blinked her eyes for a moment. �Oh yes. I�m sorry It�s just you look like someone I used to know. My name is Mary-Elizabeth.� she said.
Again Alex introduced himself, and as he finished a little girl walked in the door holding a jar. She had long blond hair braided down her back, and was wearing overalls and a long shirt. She also looked like her mother.
�Katy, you know your grandmother doesn�t like you to bring your critters in the house. Put them outside before she comes after you with a switch,� the young woman said.
The little girl obeyed, and Alex smiled, wondering what Heidi would think about a little girl who like bugs. While they waited for breakfast to be served Alex sat quietly on the couch trying to think of the best way to tell these people who he was.
Then they were called in to have breakfast, and the woman who he guessed was his grandmother walked out of the kitchen and promptly dropped the plate of pancakes she was holding in her hands.
Quickly Robert ran to her side. �Lucy?� he asked as he took her hands in his.
�He looks like Rick,� she said before she could even think.
Robert looked at the boy and his brow furrowed. She was right, the young man did resemble their son. �What�s your full name?� he suddenly asked.
�Alexander Jonathan O�Connell. I�m your grandson,� he said.
This time his grandmother fainted, and Alex watched as his grandfather cradled her in his arms and left the room.
�You need to go,� Mary-Elizabeth said as she tugged at his arm. Alex let her pull him to the door where he got his shoes, and once he was outside and before he could say a word the door was shut in his face.
~*~
Mrs. Hampton arrived at the small house with a home-cooked meal. When the door opened she found that the young woman had been crying, and was glad she had come to visit. �I�m Lillian Hampton. Your husband works for my husband,� she offered.
Megan felt her cheeks redden, embarrased that this woman was seeing her at her worst, but let her in and led her to the kitchen. �I�m sorry, there isn�t much, we are doing all we can to keep a roof over our head,� Megan said as she took the plate from Lillian�s hands, and set it on the table.
�Don�t be sorry, we all have to start someplace.� Once both of them were seated Lilly told her what it was like for she and her husband starting out. �Benjamin asked me to marry him when I was fourteen. He was sixteen at the time, and we had our difficult times, but I wouldn�t trade a minute of any of it. We have lived here all of our lives. Where is your family?� she asked.
�My father is likely in Paris doing business, and my mum died giving birth to me. Alex�s parent�s are like my own, and the two of us have been friends since we were babies. They live in London,� she said as she began to feel better.
Lilly took a sip of warm tea. �London? That�s a far way to travel,� she said.
�We didn�t exactly have their permission to get married,� Megan said, needing to confess to someone about what they had done. Once she started she couldn�t stop and didn�t notice when Lilly walked to her side and hugged her.
�He�ll be furious with me for even calling them, but I feel so alone here,� she managed as Lilly offered her a white lace kerchief. She dabbed her eyes with it and then gave it back. �I�m sorry. We�ve just met and I�m sure you must think I�m mad,� Megan offered.
�No, not at all. I think what you did was right for both of you. The most difficult part about being a parent is to know when to let go. Our son Thomas enlisted with the Army, despite our objections, and is still over there someplace fighting the war,� Lilly said as she sat down in her seat
~*~
The dream was another bad one. Heidi saw her brother tied up in a chair and saw a big man in a black uniform with a stick raised, then before she saw anything else she came awake. Miah�s older brother Philip had filled their heads with all sorts of stories of what the baddies did when the caught a goodie, and she kept dreaming about it. Too upset to go back to sleep, and too afraid to leave her bed she called out for her daddy. She waited for a few minutes then called to him again as she started to cry. �Daddy I need you I need you,� she called out as she held Isabelle, her baby closer. �Daaadyy,� she called louder, then her door opened and Rick walked in.
He and Evelyn had been rather occupied and it had taken him a little bit to calm down. Now he felt guilty as he realized how upset his little girl was. �Okay I�m here now,� he said as he sat down on her bed and gathered her into his arms, holding her against his chest as he stood up. �Did you have a bad dream?� he asked as he began to slow dance with her.
�The baddies have Alex,� came her tearful reply, as she rested her cheek against his bare shoulder.
All Rick had on was a long pair of pajama bottoms, and on a warm night at sea it felt good. �Alex is safe in America, where we will be tomorrow,� Rick reassured her as he continued to dance with her.
�I need mummy to rock me and sing me my lullaby,� Heidi said sleepily as she sucked on her thumb.
As if by magic, Evelyn walked into the room wearing a long silk gown. She walked to her husband and daughter and gently took Heidi into her own arms. Then walked over to the rocking chair and sat down. She held Heidi on her lap so that her back was pressed against her chest and smiled when Rick brought Isabella. Once he had given both of them a kiss, and was gone Evie shut her tired eyes and began to rock her daughter and sing her a lullaby, one she sang to her in Egyptian.
It wasn�t long before she felt the steady breathing of her daughter, and very carefully Evelyn stood up bringing her left arm under Heidi�s legs, and turning her so that she was cradled in her arms. A short distance away from the rocking chair, Evelyn put her daughter back in bed and pulled the down filled blanket over her, making sure Isabella was in reach, then went on her way back to the man she loved.
~*~
When Megan had informed Alex that she had spoken with his parents she had expected him to hit the roof, but he only nodded his head. Since that Sunday a week and two days ago, he had seemed withdrawn, and she for one was worried about him. She knew he had gone out to see his grandparents and had a feeling his melancholy had alot to do with that.
Since that time she had been seeing alot of both Ruthie and Lilly and was feeling more at home living in Montana. Alex had been working from early in the morning till late at night, and they were beginning to build a nice little nest egg, but not seeing him, and not talking with him was taking it�s toll on the young red headed woman.
This morning she was the first one up, and as she was making breakfast she didn�t notice Alex walk in, not until she felt herself pulled against his strong chest.
�I�m sorry for being such a jerk,� he offered as he gently moved her red hair away from her cheek and kissed her.
Megan turned around and faced her husband. �I�m sorry I called your parents and I�m sorry I didn�t believe in us,� she said.
He moved past her and turned the oven off, then pulled her into the den to the small couch and sat down pulling her to sit beside her. �I think letting them know where we are was a good idea, and truthfully I miss all of them, even dad, who I know is going to skin me alive when he gets here,� Alex said.
�What happened with your grandparents?� Megan asked. Since that day she had been eager to know, but hadn�t asked him because she didn�t want to cause him any more pain than he was already feeling.
�Everything was fine until they found out who I was, then I think she was my Aunt, but she told me to go and shut the door in my face. I think it�s safe to say that we won�t be seeing them at our house, or us at their house for a while,� he offered as he turned her head toward him and kissed her lips.
~*~
Later that day while he was putting away new hammers in the back of the store, he was interrupted by Mary-Elizabeth calling his name. When he turned around he found her with her daughter. �Hello,� he said, not sure what to say.
�You are my brother�s son aren�t you?� she asked without an expression on her face.
�Yes,� came his sullen reply. When he watched tears start to fall down her cheeks he took her up front and was glad Mr. Hampton let him use his office. Inside he found a truck he had been building and gave it to Katy then offered his Aunt a chair.
�My father doesn�t know I�m here. Katy has a doctor�s appointment later on, but I just had to see you. My mother and I thought all these years that Rick was killed in the Legion. We even had a memorial for him, and my father even cried. Now he is ranting on about him not contacting us,� she said as she wiped her face with her handkerchief.
Alex felt bad for causing them pain. �I�m sorry, I should have left things the way they were. My dad never told any of us, well maybe my mum, but he never talked about things until I did some dumb things. He told me about the fight he had with his father, and little else,� Alex said.
�I�m glad you came Alex. Does your father live here?� she asked as Katy pulled at her skirt. While he answered her, Mary-Elizabeth lifted her four year old daughter onto her lap.
�No, in London, but he�s on his way. My wife and I eloped in Scotland then decided to move here. I found your letters that he never read in an old crate and I had to find you,� he said.
They talked for a few minutes more then she left, taking with her his address for furture visits. The rest of the day Alex had a difficult time keeping his mind on his job, wondering what can of worms he had opened up.
~*~
At the O�Connell farm, Robert was up in the hayloft in the barn, digging through old crates he stored there. He finally found what he was looking for and pried the lid off with his bare callused hands. Inside the box he found an old catchers mitt and a baseball. He held both of those in his hands then set them aside and after a bit of digging he pulled out an old black and white photo of Rick. Rick was no older than Alex, and Robert tried to come to terms with his feelings that he had carried for so long. It wasn�t Alex�s fault that Rick had never written them, and for Lucy�s sake and perhaps for his own, Robert made a decision.
After putting Rick�s things back in the crate, Robert walked back to the house finding Lucy sitting on the porch holding Jacob, their nine month old grandson. He sat down beside her on the porch swing and took hold of Jacob�s small hand. �I think tomorrow I�ll run into town and invite Alex here for dinner,� he said.
Lucy hugged the baby a little tighter. �Thank you Robert,� she said as she leaned her head against his shoulder. They sat together watching the sun set, both ready for a new day, both ready to try and make amends with the young boy, and maybe someday with his father.