Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
ASH
With the final touches on the haunted house finally complete, I head back to the farm, Rebel by my side. Since I’m sure Marnie is with Holly, we head to their house only to find out Esther is watching the baby while Holly and Marnie nap.
“She’s over at our house, she needs more rest than what she’s getting, Ash,” Esther finally says, her voice stern while she fills us in on where everyone is right now.
“She’s not better yet and she’s trying to hide it, but just watch her and you’ll see.
She winces when she thinks nobody’s paying attention.
Don’t forget that she expended a lot of energy after that accident, then saved my girl and her boy. ”
“I haven’t forgotten, Esther,” I reply. “But she’s hard to pin down, you know? Plus, it’s hard for her to get comfortable because of how they had to open her up to save her. She’s not a back sleeper, so she spends most of the night tossing and turning.”
“What about one of those body pillow things?” Esther asks.
At my questioning look she says, “They’re longer than a normal pillow, but body pillows or even a pregnancy pillow, can be formed around her to take some of the pressure off her body.
Regardless, I’m going to see if I can get my friend, Gertrude, to come and visit to help all of us out.
Plus, I don’t think she’s taking her pain meds like she should be because she wants to be alert in case Holly needs her.
” She then glares at Rebel and states, “And as for you, it hasn’t been all that long since you were coming back from the brink of death.
I get that you’re the club president and carry around all of those responsibilities, but you’ve got a wife and children now, you need to delegate.
Ask for help, you know your club brothers are happy to step up.
In fact, I think you should take the rest of this week off.
You’ve got good people who work for y’all, let them earn that money.
You could’ve lost your wife and son, Rebel.
Money can always be made but these memories you’re missing right now?
They won’t be repeated. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. ”
“Yes, ma’am,” we say in unison. I mean, what else can we say? She isn’t wrong and I’ve known Marnie was pushing herself too hard. But every time I said something, she would tell me she was fine.
Esther points her finger at me and says, “Ash, go on and get some rest. You’re going to be busy since I’m going to insist that Rebel exercise his rights as the president and take some time to spend bonding with his son.”
“Sounds like a good idea. Rebel, I’ll send out a mass text later and let the brothers know to run shit through me first. If it’s anything important, you’re right next door, so to speak,” I reply.
He smirks at me and flips me the bird behind Esther’s back.
If he wasn’t my president, I’d smack him, but Esther’s right.
We technically have three walking wounded and while it’ll be difficult to handle all of it again, I want my president and brother to have that time with his little boy and his wife.
Shaking my head, I walk out the side door and head over to Esther’s to snuggle up with my ol’ lady.
Before I slip in behind her, I look up the pillows that Esther mentioned and order two of them so that Marnie can be fully surrounded.
I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure she gets the rest she desperately needs so she can fully heal and take back her life and live the way she’s used to doing.
Swapping out my jeans for a pair of sweats, I slide into bed and carefully position myself so I can pull her into my arms before I use the rest of the pillows as a barrier to try and cushion her as best as possible.
“Ash?” she mumbles, her voice drowsy.
“Shh, go back to sleep. Esther ordered me to come and take a nap,” I whisper.
She giggles then grabs my hand and laces our fingers together. “Okay. I sleep better with you here anyhow.”
“Good to know, sweetheart.”
It doesn’t take long for her breathing to even out again while I’m mentally writing my to-do list concerning the businesses, the brothers, and Marnie.
If I have to come home every day and lie down with her for a couple of hours so she sleeps peacefully, that’s what I’m going to do.
I nearly lost my whole world not that long ago, and I need to make sure she’s okay.
I should’ve known she’d try and push through how she’s been feeling; it’s what she does at work as well.
With my lists made, at least in my head, I find myself joining my woman in her slumber, knowing that tomorrow’s going to be the first day of a hectic few weeks until Rebel’s back in action.
Neither Marnie nor I woke up until the next morning, and it was almost a race to see who would get to the bathroom first. “I can’t believe nobody woke us up!” she exclaims as she comes back into the bedroom.
“We both needed the rest,” I reply as I head into the bathroom.
Once I’m done and have washed my hands and face, then brushed my teeth, I join her to see she’s straightening up the bed.
“I’d be willing to bet that Esther checked in on us, saw we were both in a sound sleep and decided that we needed the rest more than we needed to eat.
And that’s another thing we need to talk about, Marnie. ”
She looks at me, then asks, “What do we need to discuss?”
Looking her in the eye so she sees how unhappy I am, I state, “The fact that you’re hardly using your pain meds.”
“I don’t want to become dependent on them, Ash,” she admits.
“Baby, didn’t you hear the doctor when he said that what he gave you wasn’t a prescription that usually caused a person to become addicted?
You need to take them so your body can properly heal.
Oh, and Esther gave me a suggestion that’ll hopefully help you get comfortable so you’re not tossing and turning all night long. ”
“I’m sorry if I’m keeping you awake,” she says.
“No, that’s not what I said, baby. I only know you do this because you break away from me and I have to find you again.”
“It’s hard because both sides hurt,” she replies.
“Well, these pillows are made to help people who have pain issues,” I tell her. “Now, I need about a gallon of coffee, and you need to work on the pigskin that Prophet dropped off.”
She looks excited as she grabs her sketchpad and pencils. “I have an idea for a tattoo that I want to sketch first,” she says as we head toward the kitchen.
“Marnie! We’re helping Grammy make French toast,” Mina exclaims as we make our way into the bright, sunshine-filled room.
“That sounds delicious,” Marnie replies.
“Mina, can you get Marnie one of her drinks out of the refrigerator?” Esther asks.
“Yes, Grammy. Guess what, Marnie? The baby burped really loud last night,” Mina states, cupping her hands over her mouth while giggling. “It was really funny, and Papa told him that he had an impressive burp for a baby!”
Oh, she’s going to run Rebel off his legs when she’s old enough to date, that’s for damn sure.
I set my coffee cup on the table where a plate of steaming French toast, as well as sausage links is waiting for me.
Sitting down, I hand Marnie two of her pain pills.
At her questioning look, I say, “Take them. No arguing.”
I see Esther’s grin out of the corner of my eye and shake my head.
She’s a generous and loving woman, but I suspect she was a drill sergeant in her former life.
Because she damn sure got my attention last night with a few well-chosen words.
As my ol’ lady, Marnie’s my responsibility and if she’s not taking care of herself, it’s up to me to make sure she does.
“Fine,” Marnie grumbles. “Not sure how I’m supposed to practice if I’m taking these things every eight hours or so. They knock me out.”
“Just means your body needs it,” I retort cutting up my toast before I pour some syrup on my plate.
“Whatever.”
“Marnie, I’ll be sitting on the back porch. You can always sit in the swing so if you get drowsy, you can nap out there,” Esther says as she and Mina join us at the table.
“I hate feeling like I’m a burden,” Marnie whispers, tears pooling in her eyes.
“Okay, young lady, gonna give you some hard truths,” Esther says once she’s fixed Mina’s plate.
I have no clue where Ruby currently is, but she’s probably with Paul or even helping Rebel with the baby.
“First of all, family is never a burden and you’re family, plain and simple.
Secondly, as hard as you work, there’s no way you don’t deserve some downtime every once in a while, especially given the circumstances.
And last but not least, you’ve been extremely helpful since you got here.
There’s no way I would’ve been able to get everything canned that I did if you hadn’t been here to help me.
So what if you can’t bustle around like you do when you’re waitressing?
Your contributions have been just as valuable as everyone else’s. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
I see a small smile cross Marnie’s face as she nods.
Then, before Esther can say anything else, Marnie states, “I think I’ve been so used to doing everything on my own and always going ninety to nothing that I feel lazy.
Which is stupid when I think about it because life should be more than just existing.
I’ve learned about chickens, canning, and even how to take care of the basics when it comes to babies.
Not only that, but I’ve been able to draw to my heart’s content and I’m learning how to tattoo. ”
“That’s much better,” Esther praises. “Our value and worth aren’t defined by what we do. It’s defined by who we are and how we are toward others. If you could never work another day in your life, you’d still be valuable to all of us, Marnie.”
“I’m beginning to understand that fact,” Marnie replies. “I’ll do better.”
Playfully scolding, Esther tells her, “You better or I’ll have you cleaning out the chicken coops once you’re able to move around better.”
Mina claps her hands and says, “I’ll help you, Marnie!”
As we all laugh at the precocious little girl, the back door slams open and Ruby comes running in, yelling, “Grammy! Guess what?”
“What, pumpkin?” Esther asks.
“Pappy and I got some guinea hens!” Ruby says. “They’re like those birds in the movie we like, Mina.”
“Which movie?” Mina questions.
“The one with the dinosaurs!”
Marnie looks at me and mouths, ‘Jurassic Park?’ and since I have no clue, I shrug.
“Oh, Ice Age. Yes, those birds were silly,” Mina replies, nodding her head.
“Paul, you didn’t,” Esther states.
“Now, Lovey, we were loading up the truck and Bill O’Connor pulled up and said he was just gonna let ‘em go free if I couldn’t take them. Figured we have the room, so why not.”
“He was going to just toss them out?” Esther asks. “When they’ve no doubt been hand-raised, I bet.”
Paul nods and says, “Yep. He said Helen decided she didn’t want them after all.”
“She always was a wishy-washy sort,” Esther scoffs.
It’s not long before breakfast is done, and I watch in amusement as Mina and Ruby ‘help’ Esther clean the kitchen.
I assist Marnie out to the porch since her meds are kicking in and get her settled on the porch swing.
Grabbing the light blanket that’s on the back, I cover her and give her a kiss.
“Not sure when I’ll be back today, but I want you to rest, sweetheart, okay?
” I’ve already brought her water tumbler, sketchpad and pencils, as well as the pigskin, ink, and tattoo gun out on the porch so it’s accessible for her when she rouses, and the drugs have worn off.
“Okay. Thank you, Ash. I’m sure Esther will have me napping after lunch like an old biddy,” she teases.
“Prettiest old biddy I’ve ever seen,” I reply, kissing her again. I like the fact that she’ll be outside getting some fresh air. While the nights are getting cooler, it’s still rather pleasant during the day.
She giggles while rolling her eyes at me as I head down the stairs. Before I start the day, I’ll go talk to Rebel and let him know of my plans.