The Way Back Home: A 1917 Fanfic

Chapter 39: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again

Amelia sat by Catherine's bedside, a bowl of soup in her hands as she took it away from the older woman after she was finished eating. The Blonde American girl had stayed at the Blakes' residence for the remainder of the evening after running on foot from the Schofields' house.

The sun began to set as the Blake matriarch proceeded to have another coughing fit, holding a cloth to her mouth. Amelia made sure the bin was nearby in case Catherine needed to vomit.

Although she hadn't known Mrs. Blake for that long an amount of time, it broke Amelia's heart to see her in such a weakened state. Catherine's heaving calmed into a regular rhythm of breathing as she drew the cloth away from her lips, looking at the bright scarlet red staining the aged rag.

"I'm so sorry, my dear. I...I thought I was getting better now that my sweet Joe had made it home in one piece. But, it seems fate has other plans for me." Catherine inhaled deeply as she threw the cloth into the bin, Amelia reaching out to hold her hand.

Joseph's mother laid back against her fluffed-up pillow, clad in a clean nightgown. Her son had helped her bathe while Amelia had made her light soup to calm her nauseous stomach thanks to Madeleine showing her how to cook some basic meals. The young woman wanted to pay her back for taking her in that stormy night she had twisted her ankle and allowing her to stay over. Amelia hadn't possessed much experience in caring for someone else who was in such a state of illness, but she kept a brave front for Catherine and Joseph, wanting to be there for them as they had been for her.

"Mrs. Blake...Catherine... how long have you known about your being sick like this?" Amelia asked, dabbing her forehead with another wet rag.

"For at least three months. I was afraid to get a proper diagnosis from the doctor. I...I didn't want to worry my boys while they were away. Now, I know it's not done much good for my Joseph... now that we've lost Tom." Catherine's sharp blue eyes shone with tears, reminding Amelia so much of both Blake brothers' eyes of ocean irises.

"Well... at least now we know and we can take care of you. Joe loves you so much and he does everything he can for you." Amelia smiled softly as she felt Catherine take her small hand, their fingers interlocking. "I haven't known many men who are devoted to their mothers like he is with you."

Catherine chuckled, her tears streaming down her face. A humorous smile came to her lips despite the damp sadness running along her wrinkled cheeks, still glowing with a regal aura that brought to Amelia's mind a noble-born lady of royalty. "When Joe was little, he used to stutter his words. Right when he started talking, we could barely understand a godforsaken thing he said. Not even the schoolteachers at his grammar school could help him. So I had him read poetry before bed aloud. Walt Whitman, Robert Burns, Edgar Allen Poe..."

"Dammit, Mum!" Joseph interrupted an annoyed tone coating his voice as he came into the room. "Why do you have to tell Amelia this? I stammered... some sort of verbal condition."

Catherine looked at her son as he sat on the other side of the bed opposite Amelia. "Whatever it was called, nobody could understand you, darling. But, eventually, his stutter went away...thanks to that poetry."

The older woman managed to laugh despite her starting to pant for breath as she looked at her son. Her lips turned down into a grimace of discomfort as Joe leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"Mum, we must let you rest now. Amelia needs to get home before it's dark. Will's gonna come to see us tomorrow with his sister to check on you too." Joe's voice softly soothed his mother as Amelia released her hand from Catherine's grip and slowly stood up from the matriarch's bedside.

"I'll clean up this food here, then I'll head back home." Amelia took the empty soup bowl in her hands. She could see Catherine's eyes begin to droop closed. "But, I'll be back tomorrow, I promise."