Changing Kitty

Chapter 20

“Kitty, don’t think like that,” Annie said sadly.

“Yes, you needn’t worry, you’ll be fine,” Little J chimed in.

“But if something did happen,” Kitty pressed. “You would both take care of him, wouldn’t you?”

They both nodded sincerely. “What are sisters for?” Little J kissed Kitty’s forehead.

“He’s a handsome boy,” Annie commented.

“He is,” Kitty agreed.     

“William would be very proud of you, Kitty,” said her father at the door of her bedchamber. Kitty looked up to see him smiling at her proudly. He came into the room followed by her mother, James and the rest of her family. They all gathered around the bed to get a good look at the newest member of the Alcott family.

“Oh,” Catherine gushed. “I am a great – grandmamma!”

“Congratulations, Kitty,” Sabine said sincerely.

“Yes, many congratulations, Kitty, you will make a wonderful mother,” her Uncle Daniel agreed. Jane just looked like she was about to cry.

Kitty returned her attention back to her newborn son. He was so perfect and pink. She really did think that William would be proud of her. She would be everything her own mother was to him. She wouldn’t let him know if she was her hurting.

She would be perfect for him.

A month passed quickly. Kitty had spent every waking minute with baby Will. Even when he was sleeping she just liked watching him. He was her entire world. As the rain cleared and March turned into April. As her twenty – second birthday passed Kitty decided it was finally time to go and see John and Kathleen Aubrey.

She let it go and she let it go but enough was enough. They were both grieving. Now that Will was born it was definitely time for her to visit them.

She refused to have her new baby dressed in black even though she was. Dressing him in a white cotton suit and a woollen coat knitted for him but Catherine she was ready to travel.

Her family weren’t pleased that she was travelling so soon after giving birth but she had it do it. She had regained her strength and she was up and about.

“Can’t it wait until Will is a little older, Kitty?” her mother sighed as Kitty fastened the buckles on her trunk. Emilia rocked Will in her arms like she did most days. “The Aubrey’s aren’t expecting you and none of us want to miss too much of Will’s infancy.”

“He will still be an infant when we return, mama,” Kitty said, smiling at her mother. “I won’t be gone longer than three weeks. If my relationship with Kathleen has deteriorated I might be back sooner than that.”

“I feel as though everyone is leaving me,” Emilia pouted.

Many people had vacated Ethridge in the past two weeks. Catherine had left for York three days ago and the Winchester clan had gone the day after. Annie and Joseph were back at their house beside the church, James was back to attending Oxford and Little J was back to her usual disappearing routine. It was basically just Kitty, her papa and her mama in the house.

“Mama,” Kitty rolled her eyes. “When was the last time you and papa were alone in the house?” she asked raising her eyebrows. “Probably before James and I were born, correct?”

“I suppose so,” Emilia sighed. “But I like having you all around. I didn’t have this when I was growing up. I didn’t have people around me all the time, people that I cared about. I wanted the opposite for you five.”