Chapter 17
Leanne could hear Jerry talking to Walt in the other room as she prepared breakfast. Soon, both men were sitting at the table sipping coffee.
“Sweetheart, is there anything you need from town? Walt’s going in and get stocked up. Looks like a big snow is heading our way.”
“I think we have everything we need, unless you want something special for Thanksgiving tomorrow?”
Walt looked at her and then to Jerry. “There’s no need for you to fix a bunch of food for just the two of you. The cook at the bunkhouse was planning on sending plenty over here.”
“Thank you, Walt.” Leanne walked over and set two plates in front of them. “Walt, I need to say something. I want you to forgive me for how I’ve treated you lately. I’m so sorry, and I mean it.”
“Aww, shucks, Leanne. There’s nothing to forgive. Don’t worry yourself about it.”
“Sweetheart.” Jerry caught her hand. “I’m sending a note to the doctor and asking him to send you something or come out to see you, if the weather holds. I told him you’re not sleeping or eating.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary now, Jerry. We have things settled between us. I’m sure that’s what was wrong.”
“Hmm, well then, where’s your breakfast?”
She looked sheepish. “It may take a few days to recover, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
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It was nearly dark when Walt returned, and the snow had been coming down for hours. Leanne couldn’t believe it was already covering the bottom step of the porch. Jerry laughed and explained this was nothing compared to what it would be.
Walt stomped the snow off his boots as best he could before entering, covered in snow, looking like a live snowman. Jerry motioned him toward the fireplace as Leanne hurried for some coffee.
“The doc sent this for her.” He pulled two bottles from his pocket. “Instructions are on the back.
“I have the rope tied from the house to the barn so I can find my way in, so just don’t fret about anything. I’ll be by to check on you every day. I hope the boys stacked enough wood for you.”
Jerry laughed. “Yeah, I would say so. The front windows on the porch are completely blocked, they stacked it so high. And the back porch is full for the kitchen stove.”
“Got the runners on the buggy and the buckboard in case we need to go to town.” Walt took the cup of coffee from Leanne as she walked back in the room.
She looked at Jerry with a sparkle in her eyes. “Do you think we could go for a ride after it stops snowing? The world looks so clean and peaceful covered in snow.”
He winked at her. “Maybe, but that may be spring. Between snow coming down and the wind causing drifts, it isn’t very pleasant out there most of the winter.
“Here, the doctor sent these for you. I want you to get started on them, okay?”
She took them begrudgingly. “Okay, but…”
“No buts. You need to be strong so you don’t get sick during the winter.”
“Okay, I promise.”
She turned to Walt and invited him to stay for supper, but he declined. “I need to get on back with the boys and make sure everyone is ready for this.”
“My! You two make it sound like a big deal.”
“It is,” Jerry assured. “It can be deadly if you’re caught out in it. That’s why we’re going to stay in, nice and warm.”
“What about the girls? Is someone warning them and looking after them?”
Walt gulped his coffee. “I checked on them while I was in town and warned them. The woman at the boarding house said she would look after them.
“But that Catherine,” he chuckled and shook his head. “She’s set on finding out everything for herself. But I assure you, by tomorrow morning, she won’t get any farther than the front door.”
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Leanne busied herself cleaning the kitchen after supper, while Jerry was busy making sure the house stayed warm. She scraped the plates and took all the scraps to the scrap bucket and dumped them in. Something caught her eye and she gingerly dug through the scraps to see what it was.
She gasped when she saw it was Jerry’s box of medals, buried under debris. He was throwing them away for her sake. He didn’t want them to live with a reminder of being on opposing sides, that came close to costing them their marriage.
Wiping the debris from the box, she took it to the sink and cleaned it up, then hid it in the pantry. Jerry had courageously earned every one of those medals and deserved to hang onto them proudly.
She smiled, thinking of how much the man was willing to do for her. She had never felt so loved.
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Jerry was full of surprises. As the days turned to weeks, he would dig and find more things to keep them occupied. He had found board games, cards, and even some of his childhood toys like jacks. He also had an extensive collection of books that had belonged to his parents.
Leanne admired him more with each passing day. He was witty, intelligent, patient, and so easy to love.
She loved to banter with him. Every time he would ask if she had taken her medicine, she asked if he had done his exercises. She was feeling better and stronger, and he was able to walk halfway across the room now.
A few days before Christmas, Walt brought a Christmas tree in for them, and went up in the attic to get the few decorations they had.
“I put some extra pine and holly and stuff out on the back porch in case you wanted it. I remember how Jerry’s mother used to be about Christmas.”
“Thank you, Walt. That was very thoughtful.
“Could you help me with something in the pantry, please?”
“Sure.” He followed her into the kitchen, leaving Jerry fussing with the tree.
“Did you get it done?” she whispered.
“Yep. It’s covered by those sprigs of pine on the porch.”
She hugged his neck quickly. “Thank you, so much. I hope he likes it.”
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Jerry and Leanne were in a festive mood as they decorated the tree and sung Christmas Carols together. Memories flooded back to Jerry of past Christmas’ as he unpacked the decorations. He shared stories of his childhood celebrations in this house.
“I remember the house being filled with smells of evergreen and pine, mixed with delicious aromas from the kitchen.”
Leanne’s smile faded a bit.
“Is something wrong?”
She forced a smile and gently shook her head. “Not really. I just get sad when I think back the way it used to be, so I try not to dwell on it. The house I grew up in isn’t even standing anymore.
“But,” she changed her attitude quickly and jumped up. “There are new memories to make, and I can’t wait to get started. Perhaps I should start by baking a few goodies. I could give some to Walt to share with the men, if that’s okay with you.”
“That would be great, and I know the men would appreciate it. Would you mind if I help? I’m the world’s best at bowl licking.”
She laughed at him and grabbed his hand, tugging at him to join her in the kitchen. “I hope I can remember some recipes. Otherwise, the men will wish I hadn’t sent anything.”
Jerry went to the high boy pie safe in the corner of the room and stood to reach the top shelf. Retrieving a thick book and a wooden box, he smiled broadly and set them on the table.
“That’s my mother’s recipes, if you care to use them.”
Leanne squealed with delight. “That’s wonderful. You go through them and pick out some of your favorites while I get everything started.”
“You mean, I get to pick what’s in the bowl I have to lick?”
She gave him a playful shove, and he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap.
“I like this making memories idea.” He kissed her passionately for long moments, never wanting this moment to end.
She pulled away, breathless and cleared her throat. “We aren’t getting anything done, sir. I will have to ask you restrain yourself and stick with the task at hand.”
“Is that what you really want?” he teased, pulling her into another kiss.
After several minutes, they got busy with planning and baking.
Stopping for a quick lunch, Jerry noticed Leanne wasn’t eating much again. “You still feeling sick?”
She shrugged. “No, not really. Most of the time I feel fine. I just don’t have much of an appetite. But the medicine did help.”
“What do you mean did? You’re not taking it?”
“I take it when I need it because I don’t have much left. I try not to eat so much at one time, in hopes of not getting sick.”
“I’ll have Walt get you some more next time he goes to town.”
The kitchen was beginning to smell like cinnamon and cloves, which added to their festive mood. Leanne led the conversation in that direction, and Jerry noticed but didn’t say anything. Now, he was worried about what she was keeping from him.
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Christmas Eve, the house still smelled of the delicious goodies that lined the table, the pie safe, and even the dining room table.
“Looks like we over did it a bit.” Jerry chuckled as he stole a cookie before breakfast.
“We need to decide what’s going to the men and get it ready for Walt,” Leanne instructed. “We still need to put the pine sprigs throughout the house with the bows I made, and I need to start preparing tomorrow’s dinner.”
“Give me the decorating duties.”
She eyed him warily. “Really? You think you can do it and actually make it look right?”
“Watch me.”
She wrapped her heavy shawl around herself and stepped out on the porch, only taking a few moments to gather an armful of evergreens. Piling them on Jerry’s lap, she went out again, bringing in more.
“That’s plenty to get you started.” She bent and kissed his forehead. “That should keep you busy for a while.”
When he left the room, she opened the door again and slipped Jerry’s present inside. She had already made a place to hide it until she could wrap it and put it under the tree.
By lunchtime, Jerry had most of the parlor decorated and brought some pine to the kitchen to decorate it too. Leanne had tonight’s special supper underway, with a nice venison roast in the oven, and a pot of collard greens on the stove.
“When do you want your present?” Jerry raised his eyebrows and grinned. “Tonight, during our special supper, or in the morning?”
Her eyes lit up. “You got me something?”
“Of course, I did, silly girl. I can’t wait to see if you like it.”
“Now you have me excited. I want to say tonight, because I’m that much like a child, I suppose, but whenever you say is fine.”
“When I was a child,” he mused, my parents let me open one thing on Christmas Eve, then there was my sock and a couple of things that appeared overnight by magic, the next morning. But since I only have one thing for you to open, I’m not sure what to do. I also have something you can’t open.”
Seeing the anticipation on her face, he rubbed his chin and teased. “Maybe I’ll wait until tomorrow night.”
“You wouldn’t!”
He shrugged. “Depends on how good you are.”
She teased back, “Okay then, you get yours when I get mine.”
His eyes went wide as his teasing grin turned into a loving smile. “You have something for me? How did you manage that?”
“I have my ways,” she chirped. “But, I actually have two things for you.”
“Ahh, trying to show me up, huh?” He reached and tickled her as he pulled her close.
“Go on back to your decorating. I have things to do.”
He was one happy man as he made his way back to the parlor, whistling.
Leanne had been tamping down bouts of nausea for the last few minutes. All the different smells in the house were about to overwhelm her. She rushed to the back door and took a deep breath of the frigid air. That helped for a few minutes. She didn’t want to worry Jerry and knew he would be beside himself knowing how bad she really felt.
Suddenly, she was hit by a wave that she couldn’t fight. Running toward the door but not making it, she reached the scrap bucket and tried to be quiet as she emptied her stomach.
Jerry was in the dining room decorating when he heard her. Moving as quickly as possible to her side, he held her hair and rubbed her back.
“I’ve got to get the doctor out here.” Panic lined his voice though he was trying to appear calm.
After a moment, she looked at him and shook her head. “No, I feel much better now. I just tasted too many goodies today.”
“Leanne, be honest with me. Have you ever felt like this before? Has a doctor ever told you something was wrong? You refused to let the doc in town examine you or ask questions. Is there a reason for that?”
She stood and went to the sink. “Jerry, I’m fine. I promise to see the doctor right after Christmas if that’s what you want.”
After giving her time to compose herself, he pulled her on his lap. “Darling, I love you too much to let you be sick. If I can do something, or even if the doctor can do something, that’s what’s going to be done. I plan on having you here by my side for the rest of my life.”
She nuzzled against his chest, feeling weak and spent. “Just keep your arms around me for now.”
“And always,” he whispered as he kissed her hair.