Destined By Proxy

~12~ Time As A Family

Possible trigger warning, friends!

And a bonus because this book, after just a week, has already hit over 8,000 reads. I was so excited I told my husband, and he decided to read this book along with the rest of you 😬 sooo.....

Everyone needs to convince Mr. Lucy to make an account so he can vote 😉

Thanks for being so understanding when I sometimes skip out on housework to create crazy worlds, babe. I love you, and although I write about hunky characters, you're my main squeeze😘

Magnolia's POV

I'm stirring the stew when the door opens and Levi walks in, his eyes puffy and his cheeks wet with tears.

"You too? What's wrong?" Rachel asks as she gets over to Levi and grabs him by both shoulders.

"He used the blasted strap," Levi whispers in shame and embarrassment as his chin quivers slightly and he looks at me out of the corner of his eye.

Rachel clicks her tongue in disapproval as she pours him a cup of coffee.

"For what? He never uses that thing."

"Not doin' the cotton-pickin' cattle." He mumbles as he takes a long drink.

Rachel is silent as he drinks the coffee, and when it's gone she kisses him on the cheek. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine—I've gotta go do it now. Go slow on dinner, will ya? If it ain't done by the time ya finish with dinner then I git it again."

Rachel's face flashes horror and he rolls his eyes. "Yur almost done, ain't ya?"

"Yeah, Levi..We was about to call ya'll to come in."

Levi lets out a groan as he puts the cup on the table and walks out. "Looks like I git to skip dinner."

~*~

"Save a plate for him," Micah says once we finish the meal and start clearing the plates, with my husband not looking at me once during the entire meal.

"I'm sending Maggie home with the fixins to make fried chicken. We talked through how to do it today, and I think they need time together as a family," Rachel says as she dishes food out on a plate for Levi, and I see Eli's face flash horror.

Micah nods in agreement as he eats another cookie. "That's a good idea. What's WE havin' for supper, woman?"

"Fried chicken...."

Micah nods in approval again and looks at Eli. "You go on back with Miss Hatfield and the youngins, Eli. We'll see ya for milkin' cows tonight."

Eli starts to argue, but one look from Micah silences him and he simply stands.

"I'll help you clean the mess first," I say, but Rachel shakes her head.

"Nonsense. Ya haven't spent much time in yur new home gettin' it how ya like. You go on now, and enjoy yur day."

"Thank you," I say softly as I ignore how visibly angry my husband just got at the mention of it being my home.

~*~

We walk up the worn path and my legs are sore. I'm not used to walking up and down hills so much and my muscles are starting to really protest. Eli walks ahead of us and is in the home way before we are.

"I don't much like him, Maggie," Theo whispers as he puts Rosie on his back when he notices her starting to lag behind.

"I know. But he was set on marrying someone else. I think his heart is broken."