Love Me Tender

Chapter 6

As the wagon headed for town, Emma shed unwanted tears. How could she live with an infant to care for? She had no money, no home, and no family, how was she to survive? First her parents had deserted her and forced her to marry the first man that came along. She never loved Caleb, he was thirty years her senior. He only saw her as a free white slave that would be his punching bag when he got angry. He got angry all the time and his temper would go off at the littlest thing.

The stew today set off the last time he beat her within an inch of her life. That time was the worst, he lost control. She was happy to be free of him, he would rape her and allow his friends rape her too. Caleb was definitely not the father of Carrie, his friend Jake was. She always was grateful to the fact that Carrie wasn't Caleb's. He didn't deserve to have a spawn of his own, she just hoped that he wouldn't find out. 

Not that it really mattered anyways because he was dead. Both of them were dead, Jake got shot when he was caught coming out of the bedroom of one of the mayor's wife's bedroom. He liked to get around and would take what he wanted when he wanted it. He was a very good looking man and thought he was God's gift to women. 

She knew that no one else knew what her past was, she was ashamed of it and wish it would be permanently removed from her mind. Carrie would never know who her father was and never would know who Caleb was. She wanted to shield her from that shady past. Thank goodness she is still a baby, because she won't remember a thing.

Emma looked at her beautiful baby and smiled" I at least have you, I won't let anyone hurt you ever. That is a promise, I will be above my parents who subjected me to cruelty to it's finest."

Carrie stirred from her slumber and puckered her bottom lip, she had tears well up in her eyes. She was hungry, Emma was breastfeeding her at one time. She hadn't breastfed her since a few days ago. She knew that she was starting to dry up, and didn't know if it would be enough. All she could do is try, she only had that if she had any left. She pulled her shawl around and unbuttoned her blouse, Carrie whimpered as she remembered. 

As Carrie latched on, she felt a sense of relief that she still had some milk for her baby. The joy of knowing she is at least providing a meal for her daughter was enough for the moment. She would have to figure out what to do next when she got to town. Maybe she could get a job as a seamstress, or a laundress. Maybe a ranch will hire her to cook for them, who knows but she needed to find shelter.

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Peter raced after the wagon that carried his future away, he never would have thought that he would have fell for Emma. She was always such a sweet girl even since the day she was born. Carrie reminded him of Emma at that age. Even though there is an age difference, he didn't care. 

The wagon came into his sight, he felt relief that he caught up to them. He galloped towards them, " Hank! Stop!"

Hank turned to see Peter, he pulled the reins back and came to a stop. Peter trotted up to te wagon, He stopped beside the wagon," I am so glad I caught up with ya'll."

Emma looked up into the most handsome face she ever saw, the one man who shined above any of them. But that was the last thing she needed right now, she needed to recover from all of the drama in her life. She needed to put her daughter and herself first, even if that was giving up a man. 

Peter climbed down off of his horse and stood at the back of the wagon. " Emma, Mother and father sent me to bring you back home."

Emma looked into his blue eyes and felt her heart flip in her chest," But Grace said that she would call the law if I came back."