Something Borrowed

Chapter 37

***Hello! I know I have been a complete ghost on here, lately, aside from posting new chapters. I get the little notifications on my phone throughout the day and I grin all happy and it gets me through real-life drudgery, and then when I sit down to actually respond to comments I get overwhelmed because I'm so badly behind from my many weeks of drowning in work-I-actually-get-paid-for. I'm like "I need to respond to the old ones first!" but that's too much so I just don't respond to any. So I've decided I'm just gonna respond to the comments as they come, and when I have a spare minute to go back in time and answer old ones, I'll do that!!! 

In the meantime, I'm sorry for SPAMMING you with chapters!!! Those of you who were there for Melody of Silence: Live know that when I get towards the end of a story the writing bug gets me and I diarrhea out boatloads of questionable quality material in my mad dash to get to the finish line. 

So anyway, here's another chapter, with yet another likely to follow shortly. I am very bad at keeping to Wattpad's recommended "routine, spaced-out updates" formula. Ah well...***

Amelia

"I'm looking forward to this even less than usual," she grumbled, accepting the hand Josh offered her as she lifted her skirts and clambered down out of the wagon. Rebecca was already hooked in his other arm, wearing her Sunday best: a little gray dress with a matching, lace-trimmed bonnet that she had managed to dislodge somewhere between the house and the wagon. Her patent-leather shoes had somehow lost their shine simply by the act of being on her feet. By the end of the day, the dress would be too small. Keeping this child in suitable clothing was a job unto itself.

"Me too, sweetheart," Josh sighed, winding his arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Here, take Reb so I can take care of the horse."

Usually, Amelia would go into the church and visit with Katherine and Melissa while Josh saw to the wagon. Today, she stood by, waiting. She had told him about Brent's visit, of course, and they had decided it would be best not to give him opportunity to catch her alone. At least not until they had impressed upon him the importance of keeping Rebecca's paternity to himself.

"I trust you to tell him where to shove his charm," he had said that night as they lay together between the sheets. "I just don't trust him to keep his trap shut around Reb."

So, the next day, Josh had paid his brother a stern visit and Rebecca hadn't received any unwanted visitors since. Today was the first time she'd be seeing Brent since he'd shown up uninvited on her doorstep. The Tucker's wagon was already there, and she knew he'd be waiting inside with his family. She didn't want to see him without Josh by her side, ready to bury his fist in the man's nose if he dared refer to himself as anything other than Rebecca's uncle.

With the wagon tended to, Josh took Rebecca back and offered Amelia his arm, and they walked together into the church. As expected, his family was already there. Amelia eyed the empty space left in the pew and realized there was only room for one person. Her mouth went dry. So this is how it's going to be. Games.

It chilled her to the bone, because if she knew anything about Brent it was that he excelled at games.

She and Josh stood in awkward indecision in the back of the church, staring at the empty space in the wooden pew. Then Melissa turned around and caught sight of them. Her face split into a smile and she pushed to her feet, hurrying to the back of the church.

"You're late!" she scolded, giving Josh and Amelia both a peck on the cheek and tickling her niece. "They're in top form this morning," she nodded back toward Brent and the elder Tucker, who had twisted to see where Melissa had gone. "Hatched a grand plan to separate you during the service so Brent could have his moment. Left here early to find a good pew and everything." She rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, I just remembered I promised to sit with Mrs. Gladwell today! Guess there'll be room for both of you after all."