The Family Origin

Chapter Thirty-Eight: MAISIE POV

Miles never told me if Joseph talked to him about the murders, but his attitude took a sudden shift. His paranoia seemed to dissolve, and he was no longer lingering by the windows or doors. When he spoke to me at night, it was no longer an obsessed focus about keeping our family safe. Instead, he talked about the future, especially about having more children. He loved having a daughter but was also excited about having a son one day.

Our family was transitioning back to the family I had always dreamed about having, but there were two problems. The first issue was that Joseph had not quit drinking because I was still finding empty bottles in his bedroom. He must have cut down on his whiskey because he was no longer stumbling around the house and slurring his words. The second problem was that we were running out of food, mostly meat. Joseph kept telling me to cook smaller and smaller portions because that was all we could afford.

Miles spent many evenings sitting by a fire outside before coming into the home to settle for bed. The smell of smoke always clung to his clothes and hair. I once asked if Briar and I could join him, but he told me he did not want to take the risk. That was my only glimpse into his remaining paranoia. He was still worried about outsiders.

One night, the sun was setting, and Miles was still outside. I had just changed Briar's diaper and had her lie on her back on our bed. Over the past few months, I loved watching her grow. She was always smiling and such a curious baby. Even as she lay on her back, she loved inspecting her hands. This became our nightly routine while Miles was outside, and that was how I noticed the change in Briar.

Her chest was rising and falling with faster and shallower breaths than I was used to seeing. Her nostrils flared like it was harder for her to get the air into her body. I felt the colour drain from my face as I watched my daughter. Clara never talked about what to do when a baby's breathing changed. Was this a type of illness? Was I doing something to cause this change? I lifted her off the bed, but her breathing remained rapid and shallow. My heart pounded as I was overcome with feeling helpless.

I rushed over to the window, hoping I could see Miles. If he saw me waving my arms, he would know I needed help and would have rushed inside. All I could see was a line of smoking coming from behind the barn. I chewed on my lip as I looked down at Briar. Her nostrils were still flaring.

Only one other person was in the home, so I moved without thinking. I walked down the hallway until I was outside Joseph's bedroom. No noise came from the other side, so I was unsure if he had already fallen asleep. I knocked on his door, and my movements were more frantic than I intended. The floor creaked as Joseph walked toward the door.

Luckily, he had not yet fallen asleep because he was fully clothed. He raised a brow when he saw us standing in the hallway. We had not spoken alone since the night we sat together on the porch.

"Something is wrong with Briar," I said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Her breathing has changed."

Joseph pushed his bedroom door open wider, motioning for me to come in. He pointed at a wooden chair in the corner of the room. I followed his silent command and sat in the chair. He ran his hand along the stubble that had grown along his jaw. I noticed his bottle of whiskey on the nightstand was mostly full. Hopefully, he was not too drunk tonight. I needed his mind to be clear enough to help us.

"What is different about her breathing?" he asked.

"It's different," I said. "It's a lot faster and not as deep. Her nose is also bigger, like she is struggling to breathe."

Joseph lowered himself onto one knee in front of us. He placed the back of his fingers against Briar's cheeks and forehead as he pursed his lips. He lifted her hands and inspected her fingernails.