The journey out to O�Connells Farm was a trip down memory lane for Rick. The road leading out into the country hadn�t changed since his departure all those years ago. Seated in the front of Jake�s car, Rick shut his eyes taking in the smells of the country; smells of fresh cut hay filled his nostrils, and he allowed himself to think of the past before the bad times. A smile formed on his lips as he recalled the many times he would pull pranks on his teachers in the small one roomed school house where he received his education. Life then had seemed so much easier, and at times he wished he didn�t have so much to worry about.
In the back of the car, Evelyn sat holding Heidi on her lap, marveling at the beauty of the land. It wasn�t too much different than being in England, though at this time of year the weather here seemed to be warmer. Next to where she was sitting with Heidi, Megan sat with her left hand in Alex�s. She was happy to be going back to Robert and Lucy�s and was anxious to see how their grandmother was doing. The decision to annul the marriage between she and Alex was the most difficult she had ever made, but Megan was strong, and she knew that in time the pain would lessen. She also knew that no other man would ever have her heart; only Alex knew all of her dreams and fears, and that was the way she like it.
The sun was just beginning to set when Jake pulled his car in front of the farmhouse. As everyone got out of the car the front door opened and Rick�s Sister and her daughter Katy walked out ready to greet them. Katy was the first one to arrive, and she instantly noticed Heidi as she stepped out of the car. �You like horses?�
Heidi turned around and smiled. �I have one of my own at my house,� she said, then laughed as the little girl grabbed her hand and started to pull her out past the house.
Mary-Elizabeth noticed her daughter being forceful, and called out for her to let Heidi go but by then both girls were having too much fun so she let it go, and walked over to her brother. After giving Rick a big hug and one to Alex and Megan, she let her brother introduce her to the tall woman with long flowing dark hair standing next to him. �I�m pleased to meet you,� she said giving her a hug. �Please come inside, dad was tending to mom.�
Rick noticed her look down and gently placed his finger against her chin lifting her head. �She�s not resting is she?� he asked. His mother had always been a pillar of strength, not one to let anything get her down.
�The Doctor wants her to rest but you know how she is.�
�Yeah I do. Should we get the girls?� he asked realizing they were now out of site.
�They will be fine,� Mary-Elizabeth answered.
~*~
At the barn, Katy was busy showing her cousin all the neat things there. �Come on up,� the little girl said as she stuck her head over the edge of the hay loft.
Not one for play which would get her dirty, Heidi stood where she was. �I better not,� she said.
�But there are kittens up here,� Katy wined. She smiled when her cousin started to climb the ladder then moved away. �See this is Thomasina.� Katy crawled over to the white cat and pet her. �Grandmamma says I can�t bring them inside but sometimes when they are busy I do anyways and no one knows, well Jacob does but he can�t talk,� she said as she handed her cousin a black kitten.
The little ball of black fluff nuzzled its head against Heidi�s neck making her laugh. �Oh he�s so sweet. Do you mind if I ask my daddy if I may have one?� she asked.
For a moment Katy was silent as she held her own ball of black fluff. �If you take very, very good care of her,� she finally said.
�Oh I will I promise.� She was about to say more when she heard her brother calling for them. �Quickly hide,� she said feeling a bit more mischievous than usual. The two girls took their fluffy charges, and carried them behind a stack of hay, ready to stay hidden.
Figuring that his sister and young cousin were in the barn, Alex entered hearing their giggles. �Heidi come on dinner is waiting and everyone is ready for us to come back,� he said as he started toward the ladder. He waited for a few moments then sighed. �If I have to come up there I�m not going to be nice about getting you back to the house,� Alex said giving her one more chance.
�Katherine Margaret Thomas you come down out of that hay loft this moment,� said Robert.
His deep booming voice moved Katy, and as well Heidi down the ladder faster than anything Alex could have tried. Once the girls were well ahead of them Robert chuckled. �Thats the way to get them going,� he said as he took a puff from his cigar.
Alex smiled at his grandfather. �Nothing ever works with Heidi, she is stubborn to a fault,� he admitted as they two of them made their way back toward the house.
�Little sisters tend to get their way,� Robert said as he reached out and patted Alex�s shoulder. Once inside the two of them sat down at the table and Robert said the prayer over the food then dinner began.
Most of the meal was eaten in silence and the only excitement was when Evelyn discovered Heidi had a little visitor whom she made her daughter take back to the barn. Once Heidi was gone Evie apologized. �Really I don�t know what has gotten into her,� she said, a bit embarrassed by her daughter�s actions.
The first one to respond was Robert himself. �No harm was done. I think Heidi has taken a shine to the kittens,� he said as he took a bite of mashed potatoes.
With her mouth still full of food, Katy tried to tell them that Heidi wanted to take one of the kittens home, but the food blocked her from speaking clearly.
�Katy we have guests speak after your food has been swallowed,� Mary-Elizabeth said as she spooned food into baby Jacobs mouth.
After she did as her mother instructed Katy began again. �Heidi wants a kitten,� she said looking across the table at her uncle.
Rick smiled at his niece. �Heidi has two cat�s at home. I don�t think they would be very happy if we brought home another one.�
Heidi over heard that last part, and instantly began to pout. She sat down at the table and over the coarse of the meal merely picked at her food.
Noticing that neither one of his granddaughter�s were eating much, Robert stood up from the table. �I think I may take a stroll outside, Katy why don�t you and Heidi come with me,� he said as he walked over to Heidi�s chair and pulled it back for her.
Heidi looked at her mum who nodded her head, then left with her grandfather and cousin still sulking over not getting one of the fluffy black kittens.
�Heidi reminds me of Mary-Elizabeth,� Lucy said once Robert and the girls were gone. �The moment your father or I would tell you no there would be pityful glances and sad sighs until we let you have what you wanted.�
Mary-Elizabeth blushed then stood up lifting her fussy son out of his highchair. Her plate was still mostly full, and it was rare that she ever finished her dinner with the family. As she wiped her baby�s chubby little hands and his face, Evelyn walked over to them.
�If you want I could sit with him,� she said.
�Are you sure? He needs to have a bath and be put to bed,� she said. When her sister-in-law offered to do that, Mary-Elizabeth placed her fussy son in her arms, then led the way to his room to get the things out Evelyn would need.
Alex and Megan were the next ones to leave the table, which left Rick alone with his mother, and left him a chance to try and talk her in to getting help until she was fully recovered from her heart problems. �You look tired,� Rick said as he watched her hand tremble while she ate the last of her food.
Lucy put her spoon down the looked over at her son. �I�m perfectly well,� she said as she lifted her tea cup into her trembling hands. When she couldn�t lift it very far off the table she put it back down, and shut her eyes.
�You don�t look well mom,� Rick said as he stood up and walked over to her seat. He knelt down then took her hands into his. �Why don�t you rest some? Evie and I can help out here, if dad is willing to let us, and when your better we will leave.�
�You know that it�s not in my nature to just sit around and let life pass me by, and yet I don�t have the energy to do much of anything. I�ve been strong for a long time Rick,� she said as she moved his hair out of his face.
�You still are strong, but you need to rest and let yourself heal,� he said doing his best not to cry. She looked pale and he was afraid for her. He finally had come to his senses, but was worried that perhaps it was too late.
�Help me up to my room,� Lucy finally said. She stood up without his help then let him take her arm, and guide her upstairs.
~*~
When Mary-Elizabeth arrived at the room both of her children shared, she heard a soft lullaby coming from within, but didn�t understand the words. She walked in with the bottle and was amazed to find that Jacob was fast on his way to sleep without it. Putting his bottle down on a dresser she walked over to the rocking chair and reached out gently stroking her hand through his blond curls. �He�s usually so fussy without his bottle,� she whispered as Evelyn stood up.
�Both of my children loved to hear a lullaby while going to sleep, I think it relaxes them and reassures them,� Evie said as she leaned over the ornate white crib placing her nephew on his side. Jacob didn�t utter a sound as his mom put a blanket over him.
�Thank you for putting him to bed,� Mary-Elizabeth said as they two of them walked out of his room. �I try to take care of both of my children so that my parents don�t have to, but it�s been so difficult lately.�
The two of them walked toward the stairs just as Rick and Lucy made their way up. At her daughter�s worried gaze Lucy reassured her. �I�m just going to have a lie down, not to worry,� she said as she and Rick made their way to her bedroom.
Downstairs in the family room Evelyn sat down with Mary-Elizabeth, and listened as the young woman spoke of her husband who was fighting in the war, one which she feared would take her son away from her. �It must be terrifying not knowing how he is doing from day to day,� Evelyn said, sympathising with her. �My father fought in the first World War and I remember so vividly how fearful my mother was of losing him.�
�I don�t know how I would survive if he died. I do well just to live day by day and go on about my life praying each night for his safe return.�
~*~
In one of the fields not far from the house, Alex walked with his wife holding her hand. They were still legally bound to one another, and he was dreading their return to England. �Megan maybe this annulment isn�t such a great idea. We can..�
Megan stopped their steady progression toward the woods and turned to face him. She reached up and pressed her finger to his lips. �Don�t. We aren�t ready for this Alex, and staying together because we are afraid isn�t a good reason to be married. Right now we both need to enjoy being young. A time will come when we will be ready for all the responsibilities which come with being married but right now at least for me, I need to be cared for, I need to finish my education,� she said.
Alex leaned his forehead against hers. �I�m afraid of losing you Megs,� he finally said.
Megan closed her eyes, but despite her efforts tears slipped down her cheeks. �You won�t lose me Alex. I love you, but right now I need time to find myself, to make sure that marriage and a family is truly what I want,� she said as they kissed. When the kissing turned more patient, Megan pulled away from him. �No Alex I cannot,� she said as she turned and ran back toward the house.
Alex sat down hard putting his hands over his face. He wanted to run away, to get away from the feelings rushing through is body. How could he survive without seeing her everyday, without holding her in his arms. Suddenly he felt very angry, and once he was on his feet he started to run, not caring where he was going, needing to just get away from it all.
~*~
Not far from the barn, Robert held the reins of a horse as gentle as a butterfly. Muffit was Katy�s horse, a four year old gelding, chestnut in color. On his back sat two happy girls both giggling as they walked toward the house.
�Make him run grandpapa,� Katy said as she held on to his thick brown mane.
Robert clicked at the horse then started to jog making both girls giggle as their horse started to trot. He let the horse trot up the drive then stopped running to catch his breath. That was when he saw Megan run toward the house looking rather upset. Hoping that someone inside would see to her, Robert turned Muffit around and started their trip back to the barn.
~*~
Much later Megan sat with Evelyn, calm, holding a cup of warm tea in her hands as she told her about Alex. �I�m not sure where he went,� she said as she looked over at Rick who was playing patty cake with his nephew.
Robert and Mary-Elizabeth were upstairs getting Heidi, and Katy ready for bed; both girls worn out from a long play outside.
�Why don�t you have a sit with your Aunt Evie, and I�ll go find your cousin,� Rick said as he walked over to the sofa and gave the happy baby to his wife. Once outside Rick decided his best coarse of action was to go to the barn and get a horse, and head toward town. He had a feeling Alex was well on his way there, ready to run from his problems again, and this time Rick was ready to stop him.
~*~
It was well after dark, and Alex didn�t know how far he was from town. His legs ached from running as well as his lungs, but he kept going. If he and Megan couldn�t be together then he didn�t want to be anywhere near her. As he ran toward town he tried to think of what he could do, where he would go, and decided Egypt was his best bet. That was when he became aware of hoof fall from behind. He stopped running and turned around finding his father right on his heels. �Don�t try to stop me,� he said as he fought for breath.
Quickly Rick dismounted from his horse, then pulled the reins over it�s head and began to jog with Alex. �What would I be stopping you from doing?� he asked.
Confused, and tired Alex stopped running, and plopped down on the ground. He took in several deep breaths then just sat wishing his dad would just disappear, wishing that he could just disappear.
For several long moments Rick watched him, then after tying the horse to a nearby fence post he sat down next to him. �Instead of running away why don�t you talk about how you are feeling,� he said.
Usually a statement like that would make Alex angry, but tonight he felt defeated and sad, more so than he ever had in his entire life. �Whats the point, words won�t change what will happen when I go back to London with you and mum. Megan thinks getting an annulment on our Marriage will be good for us, and I don�t know how to live without her,� he admitted as he starred blankly at the grass.
�Alex the two of you have your whole lives ahead of you, and it looks to me like she still loves you. Something like that doesn�t just go away you know. I don�t know if you remember or not, but I was away from your mum for two years. In that time you were born and I didn�t even know,� Rick said.
That got Alex�s attention and he looked over at his father. �Why were you gone?�
�The Legion thought I deserted them, and in part I did. All of my men were killed at Hamunaptra, and I was in love with your mum, and ready to marry her and spend my life with her. Once all that was over with, and we were returning to Cairo I thought all my problems were over. When we got back the Legion was waiting at our doorstep. I served two years with them avoiding getting hung for desertion, and they saw fit to tell your mother that I was dead. When I finally got back to England there she was with you.�
�Mum could have married again,� Alex said as he realized that.
�Yeah she could have, but she loved me so much she couldn�t, and I�m lucky, real lucky.�
Alex let all of that soak in, and heaved a sigh. �Do you think Grandfather would let me stay here with him for a while?� Alex asked. �I love you guys but I really love it here having a job and what not.�
�I think it might be better for you to come back home with us pal. The war is picking up and I know I�d feel better having you with us,� Rick said, not willing to leave his first born behind.
�I guess I sort of miss doing that. Will I still be able to see Megan, if that is, she is willing to see me?�
Rick stood up and dusted off his pants. �That one is up to her, and we need to talk about a few things. Lets head home before they send an army after us,� said Rick.
After untying the horse and getting on, Rick helped Alex get on behind him then the two of them headed home, both ready to spend time with the family.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hey gang there is still a few more chapters left to go, sorry for the delay, thanks for reading.
Shelby