Rud and the Damsel

Chapter 24 - The Doves

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Bessie explained that the first night Billy had stayed at her house, he was sitting in her bench back chair while Martha and Alice cleaned up after supper. When Alice came back into the room, she looked at Billy and said, "Where do I sit?" Billy slid to one side of his chair and said, "You can sit here." Alice had the answer she wanted, walked over, and sat down in the space Billy had made for her.

Bessie told them they looked like two doves sitting on a branch, hence the reason she called them her "doves." They sat and talked like they had known each other and had been best friends all their lives. As the night progressed, Billy fell asleep in the chair. Alice laid her head against Billy's chest, put her arms around his sides, exhaled deeply, and fell asleep too. Billy instinctively wrapped his arm around Alice.

Alice was sleeping more peacefully than Bessie had seen her sleep since coming to live with her. Bessie hated to do it but woke them both and told them to go to bed. Billy went into the room next to Alice's, lay down on the bed, pulled a blanket over himself, and closed his eyes. Alice followed Billy into the room and lay down on top of the blanket next to Billy. As Bessie went by, she saw Alice slide under the blanket and snuggle up next to Billy. Bessie went in and told Alice to get in her bed. Alice did reluctantly, and Bessie closed Billy's door.

The next morning Bessie noticed Billy's door was open, she looked in, and there was Billy with Alice curled up next to him. Bessie woke Alice and told her she should not be in Billy's room. As Alice got up, she kept asking why not? That it was not proper for a young girl to sleep in the same bed as a young boy was not a good reason as far as Alice was concerned, and she let it be known.

Billy stayed over the next night too. He was asleep in his bed alone when Bessie checked, and the following morning Alice was right there next to him. Bessie told them to get up, and they did as if nothing in the world was wrong. Despite having been told to stay out of Billy's room, the next time Billy stayed overnight, Bessie found Alice again curled up next to Billy.

Bessie wanted to know if Billy had asked Alice to come to his room, and Alice said he had not. Alice told Bessie that she liked sleeping next to Billy, and was going to continue sleeping next to him. Alice said she felt safe when she was with Billy and that he had promised her they would always be together. With a determined look on her face, Alice had told Bessie, "Where Billy goes, I go too!"

Bessie said before Billy, Alice did not sleep. She would lie down for a short while and then wake up, often very upset, and sometimes she would wake up screaming. Then Alice would walk around the house or sit on the porch most of the night.

Martha spoke stating that Alice had begun having trouble sleeping after their mother died. Alice and her mother were very close. Their father only made it worse as he ignored Alice until just before they ran away. Martha, having forgotten it wasn't just Bessie and Patience listening, looked uncomfortable with Rud there.

Rud, sensing Martha's discomfort said, "You protected your sister and showed great courage in coming here." Rud's comment seemed to put Martha at ease and she continued to explain. "Because of my father," Martha paused for a couple of seconds, "she could not sleep with me. I think she sensed something bad was going on, and that affected her as well." Martha was fighting her emotions as she spoke but, for now, seemed to be winning.

Bessie said she didn't like it. It wasn't right, but they were only twelve and thirteen years old, and it was just sleeping. Alice had promised to tell her if Billy ever touched her where he shouldn't. Martha asked Bessie if Alice had promised to tell if she touched Billy where she shouldn't, and even Bessie laughed.

Martha chuckled at her comment, and Rud felt the hurt and sadness inside Martha had been put back in its place. Her battle had been won for now. Of all the hardships Rud had faced, he thought Martha's had been much worse.

Both Martha and Bessie agreed sleeping next to Billy had helped Alice more than any medicine could as she generally slept through the night now whether Billy was there or not. Martha indicated Alice had stayed mostly to herself since their mother died. But since she met Billy, Alice had become much more outgoing and was certainly a much happier person.

Bessie said, "I may be a bad grandmother for letting her sleep in the same bed as Billy, but if that is what it takes for her to have a better life, then I am a bad grandmother."

Bessie patted Rud on the hand and said, "Leave them be. I can't keep them apart at night any more than you can keep Alice from following Billy out to the shed. Billy promised her they would be together, and she would move in with him here right now if I'd let her." Rud didn't say it, but he didn't have a problem with Alice sleeping in the same bed as Billy if Bessie didn't. He longed for the day Patience would be next to him every night.