Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

Chapter 142

Charles had arrived at Sheppard's Rise late that morning after receiving a telegram from Amelia. When he walked into the little house, he saw Erika on the couch as she was being comforted by Amelia. She, too, was crying. She stood when Charles walked inside, walking over to hug him. 

He rubbed her back softly. "Where is he?" He questioned. 

"In the bedroom," she replied, "we couldn't move him." 

"I understand." He hugged her tighter. Charles was always better at handling these kinds of losses.

"Where's Arthur?" 

"He's in our room." Amelia pulled away. "He hasn't said a word." She wiped her tears. "Nick is sobbing in the kitchen, Erika hasn't stopped crying." She shook her head. "I don't know what to do, Charles." 

"It'll be okay. The Marston's are on their way over, too. Jack sent a letter to Sadie and Mary-Beth as well, I'm sure they're coming as well." 

She nodded and looked towards the kitchen. "Can you go and comfort Nick? Arthur hasn't been much help with the kids, and I understand why. I have to stay with Erika, or she'll try and go back into Hosea's room." 

Charles nodded. "Yeah, I can do that." 

"Thank you." She reached up and hugged him again. 

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"Arthur?" Amelia walked into a small room at the church. She was wearing a black blouse and jeans with heeled boots. Her platinum, almost grey looking hair was pulled back into a half ponytail, her curls cascading down her back. She wore no makeup. 

"The service is about to start." She walked over to him. "Is your speech ready?" 

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah," he patted his breast pocket. His greying hair was slicked back and neat. He wore a black suit with a black tie. He looked down at her. "But I don't know if I can do this." 

Amelia sighed and walked over to him. She rubbed his arm slowly. "I know." She began. "But we have to. For Hosea." 

He nodded again. He took in a deep breath and wiped his eyes. "Okay," he began, "I'm ready." 

Amelia smiled softly and reached up to kiss him. He kissed her back softly and followed her out of the small room. They had traveled three days by train to the town where Bessie was buried. They knew he'd want to be buried next to his wife. Sadie had offered to stay back and watch the ranch, but everyone insisted that she came along. The Morgan's closed the ranch for the week that they would be here. 

Amelia sat down in the second row next to Nick, and he wiped his eyes. She took his hand and rubbed it softly. Arthur sat on the other side next to Erika. She leaned her head on her father's shoulder, and he moved his arm so it could wrap around hers. Nick wore a suit similar to Arthur's, while Erika wore a long black dress. 

Everyone in the old gang attended Hosea's funeral. Even Susan Grimshaw and Simon Pearson had come along. The train they took had one passenger car full of the old members of the gang. Irina and Richard came along too, as did Rose, Luke, and their mothers. Richard and Irina had comforted Amelia most of the time before they left and on the way. John and Abigail had been comforting Erika and Nick since their mother was an absolute wreck. Arthur had been quiet the whole train ride to the small town where Bessie was buried. Abigail had tried talking to him, but he kept shutting her out. She was at her wits ends with him.

As the service began to start, two familiar faces had come and sat in the back row. Erika had heard the doors open and turned her head around. In the back row, she saw her blood grandparents take a seat and caught her eyes. She jabbed her father in the side with her elbow, and he turned his head to where she was looking. He noticed his mother and father-in-law and scowled slightly before reaching across his son and daughter to tap Amelia on her knee. She looked over at him.

"Your parents are here." He nodded his head to the back row of the church.

Amelia was confused as she looked back. There, she saw her parents staring at the small family in the second row. She growled and began to stand up, but John pulled down on her arm from where he was sitting next to her. He had heard the entire conversation.

"Sit back down." He said sharply. "I know you have a thing with your parents, but we are at Hosea's funeral. You can hold your tongue until the end, I am not going to deal with a scene being made here."

Arthur raised his eyebrow at his brother and looked away. He was honestly proud of him for telling his wife off like that. Amelia sat back down with a huff. She wasn't happy one bit that her parents showed up. She wasn't even sure why they were here. But she couldn't do anything about it until after the funeral.

Amelia shook her head as she looked at John. "They shouldn't be here -"

"They're paying their respects. Give them credit for that. Nobody said you had to interact with them."

"They're gonna try and interact with me."

"And that's when you just walk away. We are at Hosea's funeral, so be smart and respectful to him, Amelia."

"Fine."

"Just keep your mouth shut until the end. After the burial, if you want to have at them, go for it. I won't care. But for the time being, until that coffin is six feet under, you can keep your cool. I ain't in the mood for shit today." 

"You say that like I am." 

"Clearly you are if you want to go off on your parents while Hosea is laying right up there in that coffin." 

"Oh, fuck you, Marston." 

"Amelia!" Arthur scolded. "Enough." 

Amelia scowled at her husband. She slumped back in her seat, annoyed at everyone and everything. Nick grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. He leaned over. 

"Uncle John is right. We need to be respectful to Grandpa. He wouldn't want you starting something at a time like this. And you know that." 

The Pastor walked up to the stage and cleared his throat. 

"Just keep quiet until Grandpa is buried." Nick said his final thing before he pulled away. He looked over at Erika and offered out his other hand. She took it and leaned on her brother seeing as her father had already removed his arm and instead, had it draped over the pew behind his daughter and son. 

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After the coffin was buried and Amelia's tears had tried, she approached her parents with Nick next to her. He didn't want to let her approach them alone just in case Amelia took a swing, or Aryanna did. Amelia cleared her throat when she reached them. 

"Thanks for showing up." She said nonchalantly. 

"We're sorry about what happened. We read about it in the newspaper." Sebastian replied. 

"You guys take the train here?" 

"Stage." 

Amelia nodded and looked down at the ground before looking back up. "Why are you guys here?" 

Sebastian looked down at Aryanna before taking Amelia's arm and leading her away from Nick and his wife. "Let's take a walk." 

"Just us?" Amelia raised her eyebrow at her father. 

"Just us." 

Amelia nodded. "Alright."