Gray Skies

Chapter Twenty-One: Memories and Cravings

Chapter Twenty-One:  Memories and Cravings

                “Where is my father buried?” Matthew questioned at the table as he, Fred and Jessica ate breakfast. Three days had passed since Fred had told him about the death of his father and Jessica had helped him write the letter for Deniah.

                The letter was still sitting in an envelope on the counter waiting to be taken into town. Fred simply hadn’t had time to make the trip with all the planting he’d been doing in the fields. Matthew hated that he was unable to do anything to either help speed up the planting or take his letter himself. Thanks to his broken leg he spent all his time either sitting in this tiny wheelchair or laying in the bed. He still had another three weeks at least, according to Fred, before his leg would be healed enough to lose the splint.

                “At the cemetery in town.” Fred replied with a grunt as he shoved his final bite of eggs into his mouth and tipped his head as a sign for Jessica to refill his plate.

                Matthew watched her push herself from her chair and breeze across the cramped kitchen. She grabbed her cast iron skillet off the counter and spooned another heaping helping of eggs onto her father’s plate. Fred dug into them quickly. If there was one thing about that man it was that he could flat out put food away.

                Jessica tipped the pan in Matthew’s direction but he shook his head and patted his full stomach, “No thank you, Miss Bailey. I reckon I’m stuffed.”

                Jessica smiled and Matthew felt that familiar raise in his pulse. Damn but she was beautiful! More than that though she was everything a woman should be; kind, caring, soft, gentle, witty and patient.  She was all a man could ask for in a wife.

                Shit, where had that thought come from?

                Fred cleared his throat and Jessica’s blue eyes widened before she turned quickly and went about setting her skillet back on the counter. Matthew looked at the other man, waiting for him to speak. He knew that Fred didn’t want him falling for Jessica and didn’t want Jessica falling for him. Matthew was trying hard to respect that since Fred had saved his life and was giving him a place to stay.

                “Matthew, I could take you into town today. We could get your letter mailed out and you could pay your respects to your father’s grave.”

                Matthew grunted. He was more inclined to piss on his father’s grave than respect it but he didn’t feel the need to tell Fred and Jessica that. “Thank you, sir.” Matthew tipped his head. He might not care one bit about his father but a trip to town still sounded nice. He was tired of having four walls around him. “I’d appreciate a trip to town.”

                Fred nodded and took a sip of his steaming coffee which Jessica had just refilled. “Alright then. Let’s finish up our breakfast here and then I’ll get the wagon ready. I’ve got a few things I need to pick up from the mercantile anyway.”