Four

Moving across the room to stand by the fire, Dave spoke in a soft reflective voice.  "You looked like Julie the way you were ducking and covering at the same time."  His shoulders drooped and he ran his hand across his face before he sat down in the chair closest to the flames.

Not knowing what to say,  I finished changing William's diaper and then picked him up.  I held the baby in my arms feeling a new anguish when I saw how dejected and alone his father looked.  Not knowing what else to do, I took William over and handed him to Dave before going to sit in the other chair next to the fire.

The shadows of the room wrapped me in solitude.  Only the fire spoke in the quietness.  It's soft hissing and crackling with the occasional loud pop broke the sad silence that shrouded the room.  Dave's deep breathing told me when he drifted off to sleep. Glancing over at him I saw Dave's strong callused hands holding William curled up on his chest, the babys arms around his neck.  To see them so, Father and son entwined in each others arms, made me acutely aware of my loneliness.  Closing my eyes to the tears that pooled in them, I drifted off to sleep.

Sometime in the wee hours of the morning the room cooled and I woke.  I added wood to the fire and covering my boys . . . how odd . . . they feel like mine already.  I started to smile, choked back a sob as I thought of my friend.  "I don't know if I can do this Julie.  I want to, but I don't know if I can."

I didn't realize I spoke aloud, but I must have.  Dave moved and I glanced over to discover him watching me with a look that contained both worry and curiosity.  The flame of the fire had nothing to do with the sudden sweltering heat rising in my body to radiate from my face.  Quickly looking away, I postponed the inevitable by going to check the coffee.

Hearing Dave stirring in the room behind me sent a apprehensive shiver down my spine, the thought of coffee completely slipping my mind.  Apprehensive and fearful of questions that I wasn't prepared to answer, the return trip to the room was slow and halting.  Reaching the doorway I watched as Dave settled the baby in his bed, covering him with a blanket before brushing Williams hair from his face, then he turned.  From across the room his eyes met mine.  When he started walking towards me, my dread turned into a cold sweat and I caught myself frantically twisting my hair.

***

Dave was halfway to me when something slammed into the back of my legs nearly knocking me down.  As I struggled to regain my footing Jason ran past me squealing in a high pitched happy voice.  Continuing to struggle to regain my balance I saw Mattie's big dog running helter pelter across the room with Jason in tow.  When the dog turned and headed back towards me I knew a moment of dread before he slammed into me again this time knocking me to my knees.  During the ensuing pandemonium, the near confession of the morning was forgotten as everyone attempted to contain the joyous bounds of the half grown pup and the ecstatically squealing child.

The uproar woke the baby who sat up and clammered to get out of the crib.  Mark came out of the bedroom took one look at the excited pup and smiled ear to ear, then he took off after his brother and the dog .  Mattie, never a morning person, groggily stumbled out of his room to see what all the noise was about, standing in the doorway with a befuddled look of amusement on his face.  It wasn't until the dog was caught that I looked up to see No'hta'wiy  watching the commotion with a knowing smile on his face.

***

The bedlam of the room receded into the background.  My body, warmed from the chase, cooled.  With an odd clarity that seemed to come from a long way off, I watched as the boys chased the big dog, happy for the first time since the funeral.  I looked around the room, my eyes came to rest on Dave as he watched the commotion.   As though feeling my eyes on him he turned to look my way and once again.  Time seemed to stand still when his eyes sought out mine, then the toll of long worried weeks and lack of sleep  kicked in.  The room wavered and everything went dark.




Ruth 2:10  Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

Author's Note

First write. Still brainstorming. Would like to know if the story so far has unity and clarity.
Thanks

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

The chapter was strong. Started fast and ended with a powerful ending leaving the reader with the desire to know more. I did like the last lines.
"Ruth 2:10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? "
I like the story a lot. A excellent chapter.
Coyote

[luciddreamer]

These writings are so rich in detail ...they are fantastic

[M Garcia]

I don't think you need all the separators. Its the same scene, it seems, continuing.