Page 35 of Mail Order Marvelous
“Do you think that will be possible?”he asked.
“I really don’t know.I’m hoping there will be more friends here by then, and one will be willing to work with me.I just don’t know if anyone else is coming.”
He chuckled.“I have a feeling there will be many more coming.I think we’re all glad that Everett formed a relationship with Mrs.Elizabeth Tandy.We’ve all benefited.Even the men who haven’t married yet.”
She nodded.“That’s true.”She looked around.“I need to stop for a minute.”
He looked at her with concern.“Are you sick?Is it the baby?”
“The baby and I are fine.I’d like to sit down for a minute or two is all.”
“I brought a blanket,” he said, opening his pack.He spread the blanket on the ground beside the trail, and they both sat down on it.
“I tire more easily.I hope you don’t mind that I felt the need to stop.”
“Not at all.I don’t want you to hurt yourself or the baby.”He reached out and took her hand.“I’m very excited to become a father.”
She grinned.“I hadn’t noticed.”She struggled with her inner demons for a moment before saying, “My stepfather was very excited the first time my mother became pregnant with one of his children.He treated her like she was made of glass.But when she had a girl and not the boy he wanted, he became violent.Are you certain you’ll be happy even if the baby’s a girl?”
“Of course I will!”Jack wished there was a way he could convince her.They’d been married for almost nine months, and she still worried he’d suddenly turn violent.He understood it was her past and not him, but he still had trouble dealing with her worries.He wanted her to trust him completely, but that still hadn’t happened.
Josie was up early the following morning, building a fire to make the fish for the social supper.Jack joined her after a few minutes, yawning.“You should have picked something you could get up later to make.”
Josie laughed.“I don’t mind early mornings.Go back to bed if you’re still tired.”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his cheek atop her head.“How can I sleep without you in the bed next to me?”
She laughed, turning in his arms.“The same way you slept before we met?”
“I could never go back to being the man I was after living with you.”He shook his head.“I love you, Josie.With everything inside me.”
She stared at him for a moment with wide eyes.“You do?Really?”
He chuckled.“Of course I do.You’ve made my life infinitely better in so many ways.”
“I love you too,” she whispered.
“You love me?Does that mean you trust me?”
“Of course, I trust you.I sleep in a bed with you every night, and I couldn’t do that if I didn’t trust you.”
“Then you trust I’ll never deliberately hurt you?”
She bit her lip and finally nodded.“I do.”
“You don’t seem certain.”
“I’m certain,” she said.And suddenly she realized she was.He had only ever treated her with kindness and caring.How could she be worried he would hurt her?
He leaned down and kissed her softly.“I didn’t think you’d ever be able to trust me.”He wanted to shout and do a dance.Everything he’d wanted and needed stood in the circle of his arms.
