Marriage Of Growth

~21~ Looking Like A Muskrat

When we all sit down for supper, Junior bites his lip in agony when his bottom connects to the seat, and Theo hides a smirk as he bows his head for grace.

When Anthony passes me the mashed potatoes, I give him a tight smile and look away quickly. He glances at me from time to time throughout the meal, but his conversation is directed toward Matthew.

When supper is over and we are working on cleaning up, I look over at Remi and take a second glance. She's silently wiping the same dish over and over, subdued and almost fighting tears.

"What's the matter?" I ask her after she's dried it so much, she's liable to wear a hole in it soon.

She stares at me a moment too long, allowing me to see agony behind meadow-green eyes.

"Nothin'. Can I be excused and do chores in the barn?"

"Yes," I nod, getting a pit in my stomach that I can't describe—Like an unexplained need to shield her from something.

Ruthie and I look at one another, and after a few moments she gives me an easy smile. "If you want to go after her, I'll finish this up."

"I'll talk to her later this evening...Heaven forbid Anthony thinks we aren't meeting expectations."

My tone came out harsher than intended, and I see Ruthie stiffen. After a long stretch of silence, she takes my hand softly.

"Please watch yur tongue. He doesn't have much tolerance for yur sass."

"My sass?" I scoff, feeling anger pool into my belly like hot acid.

She rolls her eyes as she starts putting the dried dishes away.

"He's peeved that ya stepped in today. 'He ain't never had a woman contradict him, and he ain't plannin' on lettin' it continue'," she mocks in an 'Anthony' voice.

"Is that what he said?!?"

At her nod, I shake my head in anger. "How is wanting to discipline my own child being contradictory?"

"He believes that since he's the man of his home, you disrespected him by puttin' your two cents in......" she says quietly as she continues to straighten up the kitchen.

"I'm sorry that I don't fancy your husband, Ruthie."

She gives me a grin and chuckles. "I don't fancy him all the time neither. I just don't want him takin' you over his knee. That would be awful for ya."

"He wouldn't seriously......No way would Matthew allow that."

"I don't reckon Matthew would, but if he weren't here....Just mind yur tongue, my dear friend."

"Of all the fool notions," I mutter, trying to decide how I would handle it if he tried to discipline me....

Heavens I'm ready to go home!

~*~

When we're all in the Soddy for the night, I notice Remi being quiet as she sits on the bed she shares with her brother and works on some embroidery.

Once the babies are sleeping, I look at Matthew.

"Would you mind taking the boys out for a bit? Maybe let Jamie catch some crickets or something?"

"She in trouble?" He asks me quietly, eyeing his daughter suspiciously.

"No, she just seems sad. I wanted to talk to her about it privately."

He looks at her another moment before he kisses my head and nods. "Matthew, James, let's have Pickle run for a little bit before bed, so's he don't whine all night like he did yesterday."