Love Me Tender

Chapter 13

It was a bright sunny morning, the fourth of July was here. Emma smiled to herself as she stared up at the ceiling in her cabin. She stretched her slowly waking body out, she grinned at the thought that she was going to her first dance. She looked over at the new dress hanging on the hook, it was a soft yellow dress. 

She tried to talk Rachel out of it when they were at the dress maker's shop the other day in town. She knew that it was for the dance, she was to wear a new blue lawn dress for the day. She needed to make sure that her picnic basket was full with plenty of food. She was joining in a tradition of having her basket auctioned off. 

It was one way the town raised enough money to help those in need, and the local school house. She would be eating with the highest bidder. She secretly hoped that it was Peter, even though she was being escorted to the dance by Nick. She was in love with Peter, and she wanted to be with him. But he needed to deal with whatever it was he was dealing with.

She couldn't fully trust the fact that he was completely over Mary. With matters of the heart, one couldn't tell if it was really over till it was usually to late. Mary was always coming out to visit with him, even Rachel was beginning to think that something was going on.

Rebecca was not to happy at the thought of her coming around again. Rachel told her it was because Mary was just after Peter's money. That Mary was nothing but a spoiled  brat and should go find her a husband somewhere else.

Enough of that thinking, it was time to get up and greet the day ahead. It was going to be a long one, and Carrie needed to wake up. Rebecca and James are going to watch her, they had insisted. Of course Emma tried to object , but they didn't want to hear anything about it.

Grace was having bouts of morning sickness due to being in the family way. So she wasn't attending any of the festivities. Rachel was so excited and couldn't wait for the picnic auction to begin. She knew that her husband was going to be the one to win her basket.

Of course Emma being Emma, she teased Rachel to no end that some strange man was going to win it instead. That sent Rebecca into a fit of tears of laughter, and Rachel would scowl saying" Emma, you better keep your lips sealed!"

Emma giggled to herself as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She grabbed her wrapper and held it tight around her body. She gracefully walked from her room to where Carrie slept in the other room. She walked in to find the baby already awake, Carrie upon seeing her mother standing in the doorway. She shrieked in joy and excitement, Emma walked over to her bed and picked her up. 

Carrie was such a joyful baby, thank goodness she wouldn't remember what Emma had endured for years. Emma didn't want her thoughts travelling down that road again. She was slowly forgetting those years, and she wanted to keep it that way.

She was feeling like she did when she was a child. She could feel the spunky kid awakening in herself, she had laid dormat for many years. It was time to wake up and come to life again, her mammy would be so proud.

After changing a very wet nappy, Mother and daughter made their way to the kitchen to eat some breakfast. As they sat and ate scrambled eggs with a slice of ham, and freshly baked bread. Rachel came knocking at the door," Emma, are you up yet?"

Emma licked her fingers," Yes come in, we just finished our breakfast."

Rachel stepped in the door, she liked the cozy feel of the old cabin. She smiled down at Carrie," Come dear let's clean your breakfast off of your beautiful dimples."

Carrie of course let out a gurgle of agreement, she didn't like to be dirty. Emma decided to take advantage and clean up their breakfast mess. When Rachel and Carrie came back into the room the place was back in order.

Rachel sat Carrie down on the woven rug," Well that was fast, I thought it was going to take longer than that to clean up that mess."

Emma laughed" I have become a pro at cleaning up messes, are you here to make sure that I wear my new dress that I really didn't need are you?"

Rachel laughed" You know that you have to wear it, is everything ready for the auction today?"

Emma giggled" I just wish that Grace was able to go, I think I spend more time with you than Grace."

Rachel pouted," So you don't like my company? Well I never would have thought you would turn on me that quick."

Emma grew serious, " No it's not that, I was just meaning it is funny that Grace and I don't hang out as much as we should. I seem to hang out with you more than Grace, I like hanging out with you. Well oh dear I have really put my foot in my mouth this time."

Emma  stared at the floor, Rachel started to chuckle," Oh dear Emma, I know what you mean by that. When you and Grace were little girls  you two were inseparable. Now it's just that she has her husband and son." 

Emma nodded" That is exactly what I meant, I didn't mean to hurt you with those statements."

Rachel laughed " you didn't even come close to hurting me, now let's change the subject. Where is the dress? I am going to fix you up so that if one of my brothers does not ask for your hand. I will be so mad and might shoot one of them in their legs."

Emma about fell over with laughter," You are so funny cause I wouldn't accept if they did, I just couldn't marry just any of them. Besides there might be a tall, dark, and handsome man in my future." 

Both women were giggling and talking away, Rebecca came up and knocked on the front door. Since they were giggling neither girl heard it. So she walked in and found Emma half dressed and a beautiful and well tended baby playing with toys on the rug. Carrie turned and looked up at Rebecca and beamed with pleasure.

Both girls turned to find a Rebecca in a fine day dress, they both oohed and awed. This day was going to be spectacular, Emma was so excited to be going to a celebration. She hadn't been to one in years, she was going to be so nervous. She didn't want to do anything that would bring shame to anyone. 

As she looked at the final result of Rachel's makeover, she was stunned at how beautiful she was. It was a totally different woman looking back at her. She grabbed her basket and followed Rachel to the waiting wagon. The cat whistles that she was receiving was making her blush. She noticed that Peter had a half smile on his face. 

She wanted him to have a full smile on his face when he looked at her. Not something that made her think he was picturing her without any clothes on. She blushed a deeper shade of red just thinking of that.This was going to be a very long day and she was going to burst into flames if this feeling would take over..

They were heading into town, they were going to be on time for the festivities to start. Emma couldn't help think of Peter in the most provocative ways. If she didn't get her train of thought under control she was going to get hurt in the long run.

Let the fun begin is all she could say, she just didn't want anyone fighting on her accoujnt. She just needed to find out if Peter actually cared for her in not so brotherly way. She couldn't take it if he didn't feel the same way about her . She didn't know what to think, she was in love with him. The question is does Peter love Mary still? Or could he love Emma?.