A Change of Plans

Chapter Nine

Anson was sitting with his back to her, leaning against his saddle next to the basket. And he was talking to the baby.

"I guess you're kind of cute." He said. "You look like your mama with those big blue eyes. And you can stop looking at me like that. I'm not picking you up. Yeah, your mama looks at me like that too and it doesn't work for her either. I don't like babies and I don't like women."

A tiny hand reached up out of the blankets. Olivia's lips parted and she sucked her breath in as she watched him slowly reach his hand over. The moment he did, her tiny hand clenched around his finger and he was trapped.

"What part of 'I don't like babies' do you not understand?" he asked her. "You're a baby, which means I don't like you."

A soft cooing sound reached Olivia's ears and she smiled.

"I guess you're not convinced," he murmured, rubbing her soft, tiny fingers with his thumb. "Just don't tell your mama, it wouldn't look good for me."

Olivia took a deep breath and retraced her steps back into the trees, before returning a moment later, making enough noise that he would hear her coming. She had no intention of ruining the moment by rubbing his nose in it.

"Let go!" he whispered, yanking his finger free.

"Oh, she's awake!" Olivia said, walking over. She dropped her bundle of dirty clothes on the grass and picked the baby up.

"She was being quiet then, because I didn't even notice her." He said.

She smiled. "Yes, she is awfully quiet most the time."

"I think the turkey's nearly done."

"It sure smells good."

He watched her move around the campsite, getting dishes for supper and he let out a sigh of relief. She didn't seem to have noticed anything.

But he noticed how pretty she looked with her hair down, even if it was wet. And her new dress. It brought out the color in her eyes. As if he needed any more distractions there.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm glad I went."

"Good."

"And she really didn't bother you?"

"No, she didn't bother me." He said with a shrug. "Like I said, I thought she was asleep, she was so quiet."

The baby began to fuss and Olivia excused herself to the wagon to nurse her. When she returned, Mr. Colter already had a plate of food ready for her.

"Thank you."She said, laying the happy, but very awake baby in the basket between them before taking the plate from his outstretched hand.

"You're welcome." He replied.

"I think I know what I want to name her." She said.

"Yeah, what did you decide on?"

"Annie."

"Annie Addison."He nodded. "It has a nice ring to it."

She smiled. "I thought so too."

"What about a middle name?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I've taken this long to choose her first name, I'm sure it won't matter if I take that long again to choose a middle name."

He chuckled.

"What's your middle name?"

"Mine?"