The Farmer's New Wife

Chapter 5

The sun rose early on the farm, the first light of dawn spilling over the horizon and casting long shadows across the fields. John Miller had always been an early riser, finding solace in the quiet hours of the morning before the day's work began. But lately, those peaceful moments were tinged with a restlessness he couldn't quite shake.

He'd lie awake in the darkness, staring at the ceiling, his mind wandering through a landscape of memories he'd long tried to bury. Memories of his little Lorraine, her green eyes so full of life, and of her mother, who had passed too soon, leaving him to raise their daughter alone. The pain of those losses had never really left him; it had just settled into a dull ache that flared up in the quiet moments.

And now, there was Dot.

Dot, with her gentle way of moving through his house, her soft humming as she went about her chores, her growing belly that served as a constant reminder of the new life she carried. It was hard to ignore the way she had changed things. The house that had once been silent and still now held a new energy, one that John hadn't realized he'd been missing.

He found himself watching her more often than he liked to admit, noticing the little things she did—how she'd pause in the middle of a task to catch her breath, or the way she'd carefully arrange flowers in a vase, as if trying to bring a bit of beauty into a space that had known too much sorrow. John wasn't sure what to make of these feelings, the way his chest tightened whenever he saw her, or the way he couldn't quite bring himself to leave the house without checking on her first.

The days were long, filled with the endless tasks that came with running a farm, but it was the evenings he looked forward to most. He'd come in from the fields, the sun dipping low in the sky, and find Dot in the kitchen, a meal waiting on the table. They didn't talk much at first, the silence between them thick with unspoken words, but over time, the quiet had become something comfortable, almost companionable.

John couldn't deny that she had a way of making the house feel like a home again. He wasn't sure how it had happened—how they'd gone from being two strangers thrown together by circumstance to something more. But as the days turned into weeks, he began to realize that he looked forward to those small moments of connection, those fleeting touches, and shared glances that hinted at something deeper.

It had been a few weeks since John and Dot had settled into their new routine on the farm, but something felt different this morning. As they prepared to head into town for Dot's check-up, John noticed the way she seemed more withdrawn than usual. She moved through the house with an absentminded air, her hand frequently resting on her growing bump, gently caressing it as if to soothe the child within. John couldn't help but think it was just the pregnancy making her moody and uncomfortable, the summer heat weighing on her like it did on everyone else.

"Ready, darlin'?" John asked as he opened the truck door for her, his tone gentle. Dot nodded, but there was a distant look in her eyes that made him pause. She climbed into the truck, her movements slow and careful, and John couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more on her mind.

They drove in silence for a while, the only sound the rumble of the engine and the crunch of gravel beneath the tires. John glanced over at Dot from time to time, noticing the way she kept her gaze fixed on the road ahead, her hand never leaving her belly. He figured she was just tired, the weight of the baby and the strain of the heat getting to her. But as they got closer to town, the tension in the air seemed to thicken, and John knew something was off.

When they arrived at the doctor's office, a hush fell over the waiting area as they stepped inside. John moved to Dot's side, taking her small hand in his, their fingers interlocking as they walked to their seats. John noticed the curious glances from the other patients, the way conversations dropped to a murmur as they sat down. Dot's grip on his hand tightened slightly, her fingers trembling against his skin. John gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, offering silent support.