Chloe Grace Moretz as Zelda Jones
Dalton's Pov
I was out hunting for some rabbit on this nice spring morning. We should be in Jefferson by tonight. I'm going to go right to Dylan's place drop her off and leave. It's been a livin hell with Zelda and her son Cain. Don't get me wrong I would lay with her, but her son is right there with her at all times. If I don't get a with a woman in a few more days I'm going to blow up. I've never went this long without havin sex with someone whore or someone's wife. By the time I left this morning at 5, Zelda and Cain was sound asleep. As much I like to hunt, I would rather be in bed still sleeping. But we ran out of food yesterday and I need to feed them one more time before I can leave them. Just thinking about me sittin in a saloon with a young woman on my lap. 2 or 3 bottles of whiskey on my table. The best life.
I walked over to the creek so I could get a drink of water when I saw a big rabbit drinking from the creek not even 20 feet away from me. I grabbed my pistol and I pointed my gun to the rabbit. One shot and the rabbit was gone. I walked over to my prize and looked at her. She will do good for Zelda, Cain and myself. I walked back too the camp ground. Wish I could think of a way too see mama before I leave again. She ain't getting any younger. And I would like too see her one more time just in case something might ever happen too me or her. I dropped the dead rabbit on the ground so I can start cutting the rabbit. As I was cuttin the rabbit up I saw Cain looking at me. I gave him a small smile.
"Bunny." Cain said too me. I smiled at him.
"Yep." I said too him. I was wrapping the meat up for all of us. Cain just looking and watching me. I saw in the Zelda waking up. Her long brown and blonde hair was all over her face. I looked back down at the rabbit.
"Morning Cain." Zelda said too her son. You can see her little belly is starting too stick out just a little bit.
"Morning mama. Look at the bunny." Cain said to his mama.
""I see hon. Dalton you need me too do that for you." Zelda asked me. I looked at her.
"No I got it. We will be going through Jefferson and I'm going too drop y'all off." I told them. Zelda looked at me.
"Where are you going?" Zelda asked me. I looked at her.
"I don't know yet." I told her. I went back to cutting the rabbit up. I'm still not sure what I should do when I get too Jefferson. I need too find Zelda a husband so I can get out of here.
After we got done eating we loaded up the camp so we can get out of here. We should be in Jefferson by night fall. I took another look around before we all loaded up on Jasper. We was riding for 30 minutes when Cain fell asleep leaning on me. I smiled down at the kid.
"When we get too Jefferson don't talk too any one." I told Zelda. She just looked down at the ground.
"It's not that you can't talk too anyone, it's just I need too find you a husband before I leave. I'm not staying there. I don't have no reason to stay there." I said too Zelda.
"I get it. And I'm sorry you have too do this." Zelda said to me. I didn't say nothing else. It's not her. Believe me it's not. It's the whole family thing. I don't want too see them and I don't want no one too see me in town. The sooner I can drop her and her kid off in town the sooner I can leave again and no one will have too know.
For the next 3 hours I could hear Zelda humming and Cain was snorin and still leaning on me as he was sleeping. I looked over and saw the sign. 3 more miles then we will be in Jefferson.
"We are almost there." I said too Zelda. She looked at me and gave me a sad smile. I hate that I'm doing this, but it's for the best. I don't want her or her son nor this baby she is caring.
As we was riding back into town a lot of old memories went playing through my head. I could see all of us riding into town on Sunday morning for church. Or riding with pa or Mr. Ludwig to town to get something for the ranch or the timber. I looked over at the church. Haven't forgot that place. I rode us over to the store. Cain was just waking up.
"This is it. Welcome too Jefferson." I said too Zelda and Cain.
"It's a beautiful small town. Thank you for bring us here." Zelda said too me. I was about to say something when Cain started too talk.
"Ma I need to pee." Cain said too Zelda. Zelda looked at me.
"The school outhouse is right over there." I said too her.
"Okay. We will be right back." Zelda said to me. They walked over to the outhouse. I looked at the store. The store used to be ran by Maw and Percy, but they sold out too Mr. Bray. I walked in the store and looked around. I don't want any one too see me here. I walked over to the board too see if any men took out a note too find a wife. And no one has done that yet. Growing up there would be 10 to 15 notes on this board about men wanting a wife. I was looking around when I heard a voice behind me.
"After noon Gilbert." I stopped right then and there.
"Morning Mr. Bray. How are you?" I turned my head a little bit and saw my twin brother. I put my head down so no one could see my face.
"I'm good. Hows Etta?" Mr. Bray asked my twin. Guess he did marry that Ludwig gal after all.
"She's good. Do you have the dishes set yet?" Dylan asked.
"Just got here today." I heard Mr. Bray say.
"Good. Etta will be so happy to get these. Almost 10 years of marriage and this is the only she asked me too get for her." Dylan said. 10 years. Lucky bastard. I walked over to the other side of the store so I could walk out without no one seeing me. As I walked outside I saw Zelda and Cain walking back too the horse.
"Come on we need too be going?" I said too them.
"Okay. Come on Cain." Zelda said too her son.
"I'll be seeing you soon. Thanks Mr. Bray." I heard Dylan say. He walked over to his wagon.
"Look how big them horses are mama." I heard Cain tell his mama. I saw Dylan looking over at us.
"They are Shires horse son. Names Dylan Gilbert." He said too us. I looked at him. The first time I'm seeing my twin brother.
"Dalton." Dylan said too me.
"How are you doing little brother?" I asked him.
"I'm good. What are you doing here? Is this your family?" Dylan asked me. I looked over at Zelda and Cain. New plan.
"Yes they are. My wife Zelda and our little boy Cain. As you could see wife is havin baby 2 soon." I said too him. This just might work after all.
"I'm so glad too see you. I was just telling Etta the other day how much I missed my twin brother. And here you are. Wait till ma and pa see you. Ma---" I cut Dylan off.
"No." I said too him. I picked up Cain and sat him on the horse.
"Why not Dalton? It's been 10 years. You have missed so much---" I cut him off.
"And they kicked me out. Remember that? They hated me" I said too him.
"Where are you goin now?" Dylan asked me.
"Leaving. I knew this wasn't a good idea." I said too him.
"Wait. Please. Come stay with me for a day or so then if you want too leave you can. But look at your son and wife. They look like shit." Dylan said too me. Of course they look like shit. They went through hell before I got too them.
"Fine. But no ma and pa." I said too him.
"If that means I can visit with you then fine. I won't tell ma and pa." Dylan said too me.
"Okay. Just for a day or so then we are out." I said too him. Dylan smiled at me.
"Okay. Pretty wife brother." Dylan said too me. I looked at him.
"Yeah, how's Etta?" I asked him. Thats the fastest way to get my twin all mad.
"She's good. I bet she will be happy too see you brother. Plus you got some kiddo's too meet." Dylan said too me. I looked over at him.
"How many kids y'all have?" I asked him.
"4. Trying for baby number 5 now." My brother told me. I looked at him.
"Why have that many kids?" I asked him.
"We love having a big family. Come on. Etta will be getting pissed if I don't make it home soon." Dylan told me. I got on my horse then helped Zelda up.
"What are we doing?" She asked me.
"Just follow my lead. Your going too be my wife in front of them and when we can we will leave." I told her.
"Okay. Cain won't be getting hurt will he?" Zelda asked me.
"No." I said too her. He might but I don't care. The sooner I can drop Zelda and my Cain off at my brothers the better.
I was following next too my brothers wagon. I don't remember this way too his homestead all them years back. After 10 minutes of riding we saw a cabin. I looked over at my brother.
"Why are we at the Ludwig homestead?" I asked my little brother.
"This is ours now. 10 years back Otto passed on and after Etta and I got married we just stayed here. Alifair and Cora Lynn was still young and---" I cut Dylan off.
"How did he pass on?" I asked my twin.
"He was on the roof and feel off. He's buried next too Aunt Sally and baby Otto." Dylan told me. I looked over at him.
"I'm sorry." I said too him. Dylan smiled at me.
"Thanks. Come on I want too see my family." Dylan said too us riding down the hill too his family. I looked back at Zelda who was looking around smiling. They do have a nice place here.
"Pa! Pa! Pa!" I looked and saw 3 kids calling for Dylan.
"Calm down y'all. How's your day?" Dylan asked them.
"Good. Jr. ate a bug." A little girl said too my brother.
"Yeah Sissy gave me a penny if I could do it." The boy said.
"And did you?" Dylan asked him. The boy showed him a new penny.
"Good for you son. Uncle JJ used too eat them too. Come here boy." The little boy ran into his arms.
"Dalton, Zelda these are my kids. Dylan Jr., Charlotte but we call her 'Sissy', this little man is Franklin, but we call him Frankie and baby Ruth is where kids." He asked his kids.
"Inside with mama. She's making dinner. I better help her. Bye papa!" Sissy said to her pa running to the cabin.
"Pa can he play with us." The older boy asked.
"If he wants too he can." Cain smiled at the other kids.
"Come on. We can play." The boys took off running. I was about too say something when I saw Etta walking over too us with a small child in her arms.
"As I live and breathe. Dalton Keith Gilbert. Come here. I've missed you so much." Etta said to me giving me a hug.
"Thanks. Etta this is Zelda. My wife." I said too her.
"Your wife. My prays have been answered Zelda welcome to the family. And you are with child." Etta said too Zelda and myself.
"Yes I am. Nice too meet you Etta. You have a beautiful home and a beautiful family." Zelda said too my sister in law.
"Well thank you. Please come on in. I bet you are tired. I got deer meat, taters and peas cooing on the stove. Please come." Etta said too Zelda. Etta was holding her youngest daughter Ruth in one hand and holding Zelda's hand with her other. I watched as they walked back inside the cabin. I smiled at my brother and then the next thing I knew the son of a bitch was sucker punch me in my cheek.
"What the hell man!" I yelled at him.
"Married. Bull shit. What did you do get her knocked up not once but twice. What in the fuck--" I cut him off.
"They aren't my kids. And yes we aren't married." I said too him.
"What happened too you man?" Dylan asked me, walking away from me. I don't know myself anymore. I walked over to the porch and sat down on the steps. I was looking at the boys playing ball. I smiled at them. I don't know why I'm dealing with all of this. The second I can get some money I'm out of here. With out Zelda and her kids.
"Come with me." I looked up and saw Dylan walking over to the barn. I got up and followed him.
"What are we doing here Dylan?" I asked him.
"Well Dalton since you will be staying here for a few days you will be working. Get this barn clean before you can eat." Dylan said too me. I looked at him.
"And the last time I checked I was older then you." I said too my baby brother.
"Yes you might be a few minutes older, but I'm the one with the brains. Now let's get too work. Etta has dinner almost done and as much as I love seeing you I would rather be with Etta and my children then cleaning this old barn out." Dylan said too me.
"Okay." I said too him. After a good 45 minutes the barn floor was all clean. I looked over at my brother who was watching his boys and Cain play.
"I am sorry." I said too him.
"Sorry for what? Leaving the way you did? Or what you are doing too that young lady and her children." Dylan asked me.
"Sorry for what I did." I said too him.
"If pa can quit drinking you can too. Let me help you." Dylan said too me. I looked at him.
"And I don't want too stop. Listen I need too use the outhouse." I said too my brother walking away. I walked over to the outhouse and lit up a smoke. I don't know how much longer I can do this. Might try to slip out tonight when everyone is sleeping. After 4 or 5 big hits I heard someone knocking on the door,
"Dalton, dinner is done." I heard Cain tell me.
"Fuck. Okay." I said too him.
"I'll let mama know what you said." Cain said too me.
I butt my smoke walked out of the outhouse. I saw Zelda standing there.
"What?" I asked her. She just put her head down.
"Nothing." She said too me.
"Good. Come on." I said too her.
We walked back in the cabin and saw everyone at the table waiting on us. I looked at Etta.
"Smells really good Etta. I knew you could always cook." I told her.
"Thanks Dalton. Hope you like it. Please sit down. Zelda sit." Etta said to us. Zelda and I sat down next to each other.
"Bow your heads. Dear Lord I want too thank you for the harvest you let us have? Thank you for this food we are about too enjoy. Lord take care of our family and friends. And Lord thank you for bring my big brother home to all of us. You know we have been praying for this moment for years. All this and more we thank you heavenly father. Amen." Dylan said.
"Amen" Zelda and Etta and the kids all said. I just looked at my brother. Like he means all of that.
"Zelda don't be sacred. Help yourself." Etta said too her. I looked and saw her making Cain's plate. Etta was making all of her kids plate.
"Tomorrow are we going too work with grandpa and uncle's pa?" Dylan Jr asked his father.
"If you want too. Or you can help me at the ranch." Dylan said too his son.
"With you pa." Jr. said too his pa. Dylan had a big smile on his face.
"After dinner pa can you play the fiddle." Sissy asked her pa.
"Maybe but you two have too help ma with the dishes." Dylan said too his children.
"I'll do them." I looked and saw Zelda talking.
"No you---" Zelda cut Etta off.
"Please. You are willing too feed me and my son. Let me clean up for you all. Please Etta." Zelda asked my sister in law.
"Okay. We will do them together." Etta said too Zelda. They smiled at each other. I just kept on eatin. After dinner was done I got up and walked outside too sit down and look at the stars. Being on my own for so long I'm used too looking at the stars before bed.
"I still have the small cabin that I was building for Etta and I." Looked up and saw Dylan standing behind me. He had his fiddle with him.
"So?" I said too him.
"Well you aren't going too be moving with Zelda when she has her baby are you?" Dylan asked me.
"I don't know Dylan. This is all new too me. I'm not sure what I am doing or not doing?" I told him. He is the only one I could always talk too. The door opened up and here comes all the kids, with Etta and Zelda right behind them
"Well, just think on it." He told me.
"Play something pa?" Frankie asked his papa.
"Okay this is for the love of my life." Dylan said too Etta looking right at her.
As Dylan was playing his fiddle maybe I can try too be around my family a little bit longer. As long as pa don't know I'm here I'm good. Maybe I'll take Dylan up on his offer.
A/N
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