Chapter 10

Caleb

It was dark when Caleb opened his eyes the next morning. After seeing his child in the pile of glass and then yelling at Mia, he was up half the night. Guilt ran through him again, knowing he shouldn't have spoken to her that way. Deep down, he knew it had been an accident and that she would never intentionally hurt the children. But seeing Hailey sitting in a pile of glass was just too much for him.

Caleb dressed in a button-down flannel shirt and jeans and put a log on the fire in the living room. Then, he walked out to the kitchen, lit the stove, fixed the coffeepot, and set it on the stove. For a moment, he had thought of making breakfast and surprising Mia, but his stomach was too tight to eat. Another wave of guilt threatened to crush him. Never before had he ever spoken to anyone that way, let alone his wife.

When the coffee was ready, he filled two cups and set them on the table. Then, he sat in the dark and sipped his coffee, waiting for Mia to wake. He had thought of going out to the barn and getting an early start on the day, but he just couldn't. Mending fences with Mia was more important.

But then he remembered Mia's reaction to him telling her that there were chickens out back if she wanted to cook one for dinner and her aversion to killing one. So, he quietly slipped on his boots and his coat and headed out to the henhouse. He found a plump chicken and took it to a stump where an ax set.

After he drained the blood, he brought it in and put it in the sink as a surprise for Mia. Then, he washed his hands, hung up his coat, and sat down to enjoy his coffee.

Even though he knew it wasn't true, he felt as if he was being unfaithful to Jessica. The whole time they had been married, he had been faithful to her and had never even thought of looking at another woman, let alone marrying a total stranger. Deep down in his heart, he still wanted to be faithful to Jessica. But just the thought of bringing another woman into his home—married or not—made him feel as if he were being unfaithful.

"Yah!" a woman's scream brought him from his reverie. "Oh! You scared me to death!"

"I'm so sorry," he said, warming his hands on his coffee mug. "I had no intention of scaring you."

"The road to hell is paved—"

"I know," he said, letting out a sigh. "Please, sit down. I'd like to talk." He motioned toward the coffee cup sitting at an empty place setting.

Mia sat down and added some sugar. Then, she stirred her coffee and waited.

Seeing her like that in the dark with her blonde hair down around her shoulders stirred emotions within him that he hadn't felt in a long time, sending another fresh wave of guilt through him. "I'm sorry that I spoke to you that way. I've never spoken to anyone like that before in my life."

"And I'm sorry, too. I couldn't sleep last night. Flashes of Hailey sitting in the glass…" Mia shook her head, unable to finish. "I promise that I'll never go into the root cellar again unless someone is there to watch the children for me."

Caleb shook his head. "No, if you don't mind, just tell me what you'd like in the morning and I'll get it for you before I leave, or when I get home." He reached over and squeezed her hand. "Please. It would make me feel better." Her warmth coursed through his body. When he pulled his hand away, he immediately felt her absence.

Mia nodded, her lips forming a straight line.

"I have to tell you something." He took a moment to collect his thoughts, and then continued. "I was upset not only because Hailey was in danger, but because of the whole… situation." Caleb let out a deep breath. "And that isn't your fault. I'm sorry if I took it out on you, and I promise to try to do better."

She nodded in understanding, reaching for his hand. "If you need to talk, I'm here."

This time, he didn't pull away. "Thank you."

Mia pulled back, and then wrapped her hands around her coffee cup. "So, are you making more rounds today?"

He shook his head. "No, I have to tend the farm." He sighed. "The cow needs milking, the cattle fed, and so on." He took another sip of his coffee, trying to concentrate on the chores ahead of him and not the perfect curve of her jaw in the early morning sunlight.

Mia smiled as she looked into her coffee cup. "Being the preacher, I'm surprised that you have a farm, too."

"Here in Whiskey River, everyone who wants to eat has a farm." He took another sip of his coffee. "As the town preacher, I don't make much. I make the majority of my money from selling cattle and horses. Then in the summer, I plant vegetables and we sell the excess that we don't need." He felt another twinge of guilt as he realized that he said—‘we' and not ‘I'.

Mia bit her lower lip. "Caleb, you're going to have to stop thinking of me as an outsider," she said as she placed her hand over his. "You can talk to me."

He pulled away, knowing that she meant that he could talk to her about Jessica, but he just wasn't ready. "I know. But you don't understand how hard this is for me." He didn't tell her that, in his mind, he was still married to Jessica.

Mia nodded. "I know. It's been hard for me, too. But if we start working together, we can accomplish more."

Caleb sighed. He could do that. Even if he couldn't think of Mia as his wife yet, he could think of working together with her. Somehow, it made it easier and took some of the pressure off. "Yes, you're right. I'd like that. I'll do my best to try."

Mia smiled, and then took another sip of her coffee. "Me, too." Her coffee was getting cold, so she got up to get the coffee pot. "Want more?"

He nodded, and she filled his cup for him and then hers. Then, she set the pot on the stove and turned toward the sink. "Eek!" Mia squealed, loud enough to wake the dead.

"Lands sake!" Caleb said, suppressing a smile. "Haven't you ever seen a dead chicken before?"

"Yes, of course I have!" she squealed. "But not without warning!"

Caleb laughed in spite of himself. "After the way you reacted yesterday when I mentioned the chickens, I thought you might have an aversion to killing one for dinner. So, I thought I'd surprise you."

Mia nodded, her eyes wide, never leaving the chicken. "And surprise me you did."

Caleb laughed again. "Sorry. Next time, I'll give you fair warning."

"Yes, that would be nice."

Caleb took another sip of his coffee. He had thought of going out to the barn but wasn't ready yet. "Come sit down and enjoy your coffee."

"I'm waiting for my heart to start beating again." She chuckled, holding her hand to her chest. Then, she sat back down and started to relax.

He laughed. "So, tell me. Do you have any other family?"

She shook her head. "No, both of my parents died of influenza a few years ago, so I moved to New York."

A crease formed between his eyes. "They didn't leave you anything?"

She shook her head. "No, the house and their assets had to be sold off to pay the bills. They had owned a logging business and owed a lot of creditors. I barely had enough left over to move to New York."

He nodded, realizing that her life hadn't been all peaches and cream, either. He couldn't imagine being a young girl and losing everything. "If you don't mind me asking, is that why you became a dancehall girl?"

"It paid the bills." Mia shrugged. "As a woman, our job choices are limited."

He bit his lower lip, understanding. "So, you're from Connecticut?"

Mia nodded, taking another sip of her coffee.

"I heard it's beautiful up there." He looked into her eyes, seeing her anew.

"Yes, it is. But the winters are cold and harsh, and there's not a lot of work up there." She shrugged. "I started taking in sewing before I left but didn't make enough to support myself." A smile spread across her lips as she looked away, enjoying a memory. "I met Ella when I moved to New York, and she helped me get the job at the Breckenridge Saloon where she worked, and we ended up sharing a tenement and splitting the bills. It helped a lot."

Caleb smiled. "So, you and Ella have been friends for a while?"

She nodded. "The best. I don't know what I'd ever do without her. After she left, I had a hard time making a go of it alone." Mia let out a deep breath. "If you don't mind, I'd like to visit her sometime and see how she's doing."

He nodded as a smile lit his lips. "Of course. Just let me know when you'd like to go, and I'll take care of the children."

She smiled her thanks. "Even though she never complained, I'm sure the pregnancy took its toll on her. Now, trying to recuperate while caring for newborn twins, I'm sure she could use the help." She shrugged. "I'll go over to visit her soon."

He smiled, feeling lighter than he had in a while. "She'd like that."

Mia bit her lower lip. "Maybe I can take her dinner."

"That would be very thoughtful."

Mia smiled as she poured herself more coffee and then refilled his, glad she and Caleb were getting along. "Would you like some pancakes?" She looked through the cabinets and took out a bowl.

A smile curled his lips. "Where did you learn to make pancakes?"

She shrugged as she started measuring out flour and poured it into the bowl without looking at him. "My mother taught me in Connecticut before she died."

Caleb finished his coffee and rose from the table. "Well, I'm going to get to work. Let me know when it's ready."

Mia smiled. "I will." Then, she turned her attention back to expertly throwing ingredients together.

Caleb slipped on his hat. "You know, you really are full of surprises."

She chuckled. "You have no idea."

He laughed, shaking his head.

"Wee!" Shane yelled as he ran into the room in his long underwear, skidding across the hardwood floor in his socks.

"What in the world?" Caleb asked, placing his hands on his hips. "You can't run around here in your underwear! There's a lady present!" He looked over at Mia and blushed.

"Come along, little man. Let's get you dressed." Mia chuckled as she took his hand and guided him into the bedroom.

Caleb shook his head, laughing. As he headed out to the barn, he laughed aloud at the memory of Mia screaming at the top of her lungs when she saw the dead chicken in the sink. His new wife really was full of surprises.