The Butchers Love

Chapter 48

William had good days and bad ones. On the good ones he would be able to go about his daily business. On the bad ones, he barely ate or even came out of our room. This was a bad one.

May 17th 1781
I was in the kitchen preparing some soup for William. He had gotten a cold from working the fields in the past few days. Currently, he was asleep on the sette. He'd been there for 2 days...

The sound of violent coughs started from the living room. I rushed inti the room to see him drenched in cold sweat. With a quick shake of my head I ran to him and helped him sit up as I did so "That's it Will, breathe" He looked up at me with pleading eyes for a moment.

"It hurts..." he whined and clutched onto his chest. "Make it stop...please make it stop..." William pleaded as a few tears left his eyes, slowly trickling down his cheeks.

"I know it does..." I mumbled and took a hold of his hand "but I cannot make it stop..."

He let out a small groan and closed his eyes for a moment "I want my mother, Mable..."

"I know you do, shh, I know..." I tried to act brave but my emotions got the better of me "You don't need to be afraid..."

William nodded slightly before falling back into the cushions on the sette "I'm not, I have you" he mumbled before looking at the ceiling "3 more months...then our child is here?"

"and you can hold them first, like I promised..." I smiled and ran my fingers through his sweat ridden hair.

He smiled for a moment before coughing once again "Do you think that when I die, I'll go to heaven?"

I swallowed the hard lump in my throat and nodded "Yes, your mother and sister will be there as well"

"When your time comes, will you be with me then?"

"It will be my first quest, to find the man I love so dearly" William took in a deep breath before clearing his throat and looking down at me "Anyway I've made some soup for you"

"What kind?"

"Chicken and carrot"

"I'll be there in a couple of minutes, I just need some rest"

"Don't move, I'll bring you a bowl" I smiled sweetly and kissed his cheek gently. With those words, I rushed into the kitchen and poured him some soup and took a few bread rolls off the table before making my way back to the living room. William was curled up in a ball facing the fire, watching the flames dance around "Will? Are you alright?"

He nodded slightly before coughing once again. I placed the bowl on the table and sat down, lifting his head onto my lap afterwards "Why haven't you left me? You could have a healthy husband, one who can take care of you and not the other way around"

"In our vows it said 'in Sickness and in health' I'm not going anywhere" I traced his hairline and smiled again "Honestly what am I going to do with you"

"slit my throat, that might help"

"Will, don't talk like that..."

"I'm sorry..." in response, I kissed his forehead before brushing his hair back with my fingers "I'm just in pain..."

"I couldn't begin to imagine how bad it is, but I'm thankful that you're still alive" I knew that he was in pain, I wanted to help in anyway I could "Anyway, John is bringing some of Borden's letters, he misses you by the sounds of it"

"I hope he's enjoying his rank, he always wanted to be the Colonel" William laughed quietly before wheezing slightly "Hey...I've thought of a name if we had a daughter..."