A Reason to Stay

Chapter Eight

Joshua went to town one week and took Payton to see Malissa and her new baby. The baby was a month old but Malissa was still not getting out. Once Joshua dropped her off he stopped by Patrick and Doris' house in to town. Tommy had rode with him. Doris served them fresh fig cookies and warm milk. “How's things going over on the Owens' farm?” she asked them.

Tommy, who was starting to put sentences together answered. “New hog! Hannah bite me! Mama spank her.”

Doris hid her smile behind her hand, “So, Hannah's putting those new teeth to use, I see.”

Joshua nodded on a mouthful of cookie and a smiled. When he had swallowed he said, “She's been the bitenest little critter I even seen. She bit me and her ma but Little Tommy here gets the brunt of it.”

Doris listened to them as Tommy would say a few words and Joshua would interpurt. Finally she said, “It seems like you and Tommy have learned one another's language. How about Hannah, is she talking yet? She'll be a year old in a few months.”

“Oh, she babbles but no one knows what shes trying to say. We can guess but it don't make much sense.”

“How is Payton doing?” the question was soft and Joshua guessed by the cautious way she asked she had guessed something wasn't going so well.

“I guess she's okay.” he said shrugging the question off.

Doris put a hand on his shoulder, Patrick sat across from him and drank coffee quietly watching him over the mug. “Son,” she said, “We know something is going on. Are you two having problems? Is she not feeling well? Are you worried about when the baby comes? It might help if you talk about it.”

Joshua cast a glance at Tommy who was watching the adults as if he were taking it all in.

Doris followed his eyes, “Tommy?” she asked in an animated voice, “How would you like it if Grandma Doris got out some things for you to play with?” Tommy shook his head vigeriously and hoped down from the table to play with the home made toys Doris brought into the room.

She took her seat at the table and made a motion for him to go ahead and confide in them.

Joshua knew they would never spread gossip or want to know just to be nosy. “I don't know what's wrong. We don't talk enough for me to know.”

Doris nodded, “Your both just so busy you don't have time to talk it all over.”

“No.” he told them firmly, “That's the problem we barely even speak to each other. The first week things were okay, you know how it is we were kind of skirting around each other; but we were talking. I don't even remember what happened really. We just don't speak. I wasn't even this lonely when Eliza died.” he told them.

Doris patted his arm, “I'm guessing she feels the same way. She's not only dealing with a new home and the death of her husband. She has a new husband she barely knows and is about to have a baby.” Doris took on a stern voice, “I'll wager she thinks she about to have a baby alone, Joshua. The woman has no friends, no family. She only has you.”

Joshua hadn't though of it like that at all and said so.

“Well,” Doris said, “She's got a lot on her plate too, son.”

Patrick made a clicking sound with his tongue, “I asked you two if you were ready.. You both assured me you were. I think it's time the two of you get on your knees and talk to the man who brought you together.”

Joshua agreed, “It's been a long time since I've really talked to God, Sir. I'm ashamed of myself but I'm afraid to bring it up to her.”

“Well,” Patrick said, the way a father would repremand his son, “She's the weaker vessel son and you're going to have to step up and be the head of the house. God made man over woman for a reason. You need be the one to make the start.”