Destined By Proxy

~37~ Many Hands Make Light Work

Rachel's POV

"This ain't the funnest job," Rosie sighs as she sits out on the porch with Maggie and me as we shuck corn on the cob.

Maggie smiles down at her as she nods. "I know, but we all have to do our fair share of the work. You like eating corn, don't you?"

She nods sadly as she pulls a husk away, and lets out a shriek. "Ew!!!!! There's a worm in this one," she all but cries as she drops the corn down and moves away from it.

Micah hears her as he comes over to the well for a drink, and grins. "You ain't partial to shuckin' corn, huh Rosie?"

"It's icky. My piggies don't got no worms on them!"

"I reckon they don't," he chuckles as he comes over to her and tweaks her gently on the nose. "Wanna come with me? I gotta go boss some of the ranchers around."

"You gonna git yur cranky voice?"

"I have a cranky voice?" He asks in fake surprise.

"Ya sure do, Uncle Micah...And it ain't nice a'tall!"

I grin at the small accent she's startin' to pick up, and the twinkle in his eye says Micah heard the same thing.

"Well, I don't remember ever usin' a cranky voice with you, have I?"

"No, because I'm always the goodest!"

Micah snorts as he nods. "I might have a little cranky in my voice, but it won't be at you. Wanna come and see a few baby cows that was just born?"

"WHY DIDN'T YA SAY SO?!? I LOVE BABIES!!!!"

"Well come on," Micah laughs as he holds out his hand for her.

She jumps from the porch and skips lightly as she takes his hand, and my heart almost breaks as I watch them.

He wanted to be a Pa so badly, and I couldn't make him one. My body has failed me, and in return I have failed the one who would move heaven and earth for me

It's quiet as we go back to our shuckin', and finally Maggie clears her throat. "You okay?"

A tear slips down without my permission and I can't hide it from her. She watches me carefully as I sniff, and pick off a worm of my own from the corn in my hand.

"He woulda made such a good Pa..."

She nods in understandin' as we work in silence for another long moment. Finally she clears her throat.

"If this is insensitive, please tell me and I'll never speak of it again....But....Back home the orphanages were always filled with lovely children."

I nod, and she says nothin' else.....Truth is, I've thought about it many times...But I don't know if I could love a child that isn't from my own flesh and bones.....

You love Rosie as if she were your own, a small voice says loudly in my mind, and I clear my throat.

"Maybe one day it's a conversation Micah and me need to have...But not right now," I finally say, and when she only nods, I'm relieved.

There ain't no greater hurt than a woman who wants kids more'n anythin' and can't have 'em.....Besides losin' a child, I can think of no greater pain....And unless ya go through it, ya don't git it....And I appreciate her not pretendin' like she does.

~*~

We bring all of the corn inside once it's shucked and start the long process of cuttin' the kernels from the cobs. I've gotta admit, havin' Maggie here has been so wonderful for my soul. The work goes by so much faster, both from the extra set of hands, and the conversations we share. It's been a mite lonely bein' the only woman in a sea of menfolk, and havin' her for a sister is somethin' I didn't know I needed.