A Weldon Family Christmas: A Southern Steam Novella (Weldon Brothers) (4 page)

Throwing everything to the wind Emma ran after him.  She caught up to him under the canopy of a food market.  “John!”  He spun around, and she nearly ran into him before coming to a stop.  “Can I write to you?”

He brushed a lock of hair back from her face.  “Yeah, Em.  I’d like that.”  He rattled off how to contact him, started to turn away, then swung back and pulled her into his arms.  This time his kiss wasn’t a simple meeting of their lips. This time his tongue sought hers in a seductive fiery dance that swept her away.  Hard passion pulled her into a new world of want and need.  It was more than just a kiss.  It was a desperate searching of a soul in need of connecting, and her entire being responded to his cry.

This time he ended the kiss.  They were both shaking and shaken.  “Em, I…I’m not sorry I did that.”  Then he turned and walked away.  Or rather marched away as if he had to force himself by strict action to accomplish what had to be done.

Emma pressed her fingers to her mouth, wanting to forever seal in her mind the touch of him, the feel of him, the taste of him.

Her heart squeezed painfully tight in her chest.  It was ridiculous.  It was insane.  He was a stranger whom she didn’t even know really, but in less than a day’s time, he’d become important in a way she couldn’t explain.  Take care, John.  Please, take care.

Present Day

P
erhaps it was Providence
, but there were very few people in the ER waiting room.  Usually December in the South was the height of the flu season.  Her sons managed to fill all of the empty space though.  Jesse took almost three seats with his sprawl and Jared and James paced opposite one another but in perfect sync, as they always had whenever they were upset or angry.  It served to either calm them down or rile them up.  She used to tell John the boys were “getting their testosterone on” when they started pacing as they plotted how to get back at Jesse and Jackson for some perceived slight.

They were all on edge, waiting for Jackson to come out and tell them about John.

“If you two don’t sit down a minute, I’m going to bean you both,” Jesse muttered.

“Don’t tell us what to do,” James said frowning at Jesse.

Jared swung around.  “Really?  Dad’s in there and all you can think about is what James and I are doing?”

“Now boys,” Emma said, sensing an explosion.  Old habits died hard.

Jesse laughed.  “Someone has to kill the tension building.  At least you both stopped wearing your shoes out for a moment.  I’ve been Googling V-fib and thinking about Dad.  Any of you noticed him having any health issues lately?  Mom already said he got flying stars at his last check up in October.”

“No,” Jared said.  “I haven’t, but then I haven’t been around a lot.”

James’s gaze held anger as he glared at Jared.  “Dad’s stopped by the construction office about once a week for the past few months.   He’s been fine as far as I could tell.”

Emma raised her brows at that.  John hadn’t told her he’d been checking up on James.  The little devil.  She clasped the dishcloth tighter.  “This morning he was slow leaving the house to check on the cows in the pasture.  I thought it was just the cold, but maybe it wasn’t.  He was late getting back, too.  And I was so wrapped up in what I was doing that I didn’t even go check on him.  Dear Lord, what if this had happened down in the pasture when he’d been all alone?  He would have died.”

“It didn’t happen then,” Jesse said firmly.  “So don’t go beating yourself up over what ifs.  We have got too many more important things to talk about.  I’ve long been worried about how much work he insists on doing at the farm.  He’s needed help for a long time.  When he recovers from this, there is no way in hell he’s going back to the way things were.”

“I’ve been fussing at him for years about hiring someone full time to help.”  Guilt dug at her.  “I should have insisted.  I more than anyone know how doggedly stubborn your father can be.” 

James shuddered.  “I had this conversation with my friend, Ben Harding, just a few months ago.  Sorry to say this, Mom, but Ben’s grandfather was just like Dad when it came to the family farm.  He died this past summer from a heart attack.”

Emma gasped.  “I remember.”  Her voice shook.

“Good going, bozo,” Jared muttered.  “Dad’s going to pull through this, Mom.”

James glared at Jared again.  “He is going to be all right.  I already told mom that.  I was only reaffirming both Mom and Jesse’s point.  Dad can’t go back to doing what he’s been doing.  Also, Sam Harding was twenty years older than Dad.  Do you think Dad could have been having problems and not tell you about it, Mom?”

Emma frowned.  She would have automatically said no, but John had had an inkling about his royal heritage and hadn’t told her.  “I don’t know,” she muttered.  “Why?”

“Ben recently discovered in some papers that his grandfather had had heart problems for years and had kept it hidden from everyone.”

Everyone sat quiet for a minute, absorbing the implications of that.  Emma thought really hard and finally had to be honest with herself and her sons.  “I know your father would go to great lengths to protect those he loves, even to the point of sacrificing himself.  As to whether he is hiding health information from us, it would all depend on what he’s imagined we needed protecting from.”

Jackson entered the waiting room, and Emma’s breath caught with fear.  She hadn’t seen her son looking so haunted or pale since his first wife died in a car accident.

“He’s stable at the moment.  The cardiologist is admitting him to the Coronary Intensive Care Unit, and he’s going to have to have a lot of tests done.  We won’t know much of anything until we get the results.”  Jackson raked his hand through his hair, just like John always did.  Except Jackson’s hand was shaking, and he seemed to grow paler by the second.

“Jackson, sit down,” Emma ordered.

“I’m fine, Ma,” Jackson said, even as he wavered on his feet.

“Jesse, plant your brother’s butt in a chair.  James, get him some coffee.  Jared, see if you can find a sweet roll or candy bar.”  She moved over to where Jesse was pushing Jackson into a seat.

“How many more times did you have to defibrillate him?”  Emma’s tone left no doubt that Jackson had better tell her the truth. 

Jackson sighed and let his head fall back against the seat.  He shut his eyes, but she saw the brimming tears.  “Three, but he’s stable now.  They have him sedated and hooked up to everything possible to keep him going until they can find out what’s wrong.  How did I not know my own father was sick?  I’m a doctor for God’s sake.”

“Nobody knew,” Jesse said.  “I’ve been reading online that sometimes there isn’t any way possible to know.  What we have to focus on is from this point forward.  So if you take another dive into the dark abyss of guilt I will take you back to that creek I tried to drown you in no matter what the temperature is outside.”

“And I’ll let him,” Emma added.

“Ma!”  Jackson snapped his eyes open, shocked.

James and Jared walked up bearing gifts of coffee and a candy bar.  “Did you hear that, Jared?  After thirty some years Ma just gave her blessing on creek dunking.”

Emma shook her head.  “I swear, talking to you boys is like talking to your father.  He could twist things around to his way faster than the devil can tempt a sinner.”

All four boys laughed.

“You married him anyway,” James said softly.

Emma smiled.  “Yes I did.  There was one thing he did better than anything anybody ever thought of doing.  He could kiss the ever loving daylights out of me.”

“Ma!”

All four boys winced as if they didn’t want to think about their parents having sex.

“Don’t ‘Ma’, me.  Bet you boys haven’t fallen far from the oak tree.  Should I ask around?”   Wincing turned to shock, and Emma swore every one of them blushed.  Hmmph.  She could teach Jesse a thing or two about easing the tension amid her rug rats, even Jackson’s color had returned to normal.

Things were okay for the moment.  John was where he could be helped.  Her boys were together and helping.  And all of them were in God’s hands, including her heart.

Present Day

“J
ohn, I love you,”
Emma whispered to her husband as she slid her hand over his. He didn’t respond to her touch because they had him sedated.  And his skin was almost frighteningly cool, making her want to cry out with the need to warm him.  Both the sedation and keeping his body temperature low for the first twenty-four hours were to minimize any possible organ or tissue damage as his body recovered.

Machines beeped, IV’s dripped, and her heart beat in double-time at seeing him brought so low.  He had always been so strong, such a pillar of strength throughout their life together that seeing him helpless didn’t seem real.  Both the wonder and the trouble with him was that he’d always had more brave brawn than sense.  He thought himself practically invincible against any foe and usually proved that to be true.  Not this time though.

 “When I get you back home, you and me are going to have a come to Jesus meeting about the farm, John Weldon.  I want you around for a good time longer, and I’m not losing you to some cows and beans.”  She was only allowed to visit for a short time every hour, and her time was almost up.  Jesse, Jackson, and Jared had been into see him before they left, heading back to the farm where Alexi, Nan, her grandsons and Rocky waited.

“Don’t tell me, you’re going to start an ‘Eat Mor Chikin’ campaign,” James said as he entered the room.

“If it will get your father to take it easy, I just might,” Emma said.

James winced.  “Well, I’m afraid to say that I bought you a hamburger at the snack bar.”

“I guess I can delay my protest a day or two.”

James joined her, setting his hand on her shoulder.  He’d gone to the snack bar to bring them back food, though she didn’t think she could eat a bite.  He was staying with her until Jared returned later.  The boys had set up an around the clock schedule to be at the hospital with she and John.  She’d already declared she wasn’t going anywhere until John opened his crystal blue eyes, and she knew he was out of the danger zone.

 “You okay?” James asked.

“There have been better days,” she said, forcing a smile.  “But being able to finally see him helps.”

“Yeah, it does some.”  James adjusted the cooling blanket they had covering John much the way John used to cover the boys up every night at bedtime by tugging the bottom of the blanket down first then tucking the top under the neck.

Her heart swelled and squeezed with pain at the same time.  “I don’t think I’ve ever told you, but out of all four of you boys, you’re the one who is most like your father when he was younger.”

James arched his brows in surprise.   “I thought that would be Jesse, since they both joined the Marines.”

The nurse cracked open the door.  “I’m sorry Mrs. Weldon, but you both will have to step out until the next visitation time.  They’ve a few more test the techs will be coming to do otherwise I’d bend the rules a bit.”

“I understand.  You’ll let me know if there is any change in his condition?”

“Yes, ma’am, I promise.”

Drawing a deep breath to force a calmness she didn’t feel, Emma leaned down and kissed her husband’s cool cheek.  At his bedside, her world at least felt as if it were on somewhat steady ground.  The waiting room was nothing but quicksand.  James led her out of the room and sat her down at the table where he’d placed their food.

“I have to give you fair warning.  I’m to report to Jackson on how much you eat.  He said to tell you that if you don’t eat, he’ll personally kidnap you from the hospital until you do.  Jesse said to ditto that for him.”   

 Emma frowned.  “Just what is this world coming to?  You’re actually not only cooperating with your older brothers’ demands but you’re aiding and abetting their cause?”

James shrugged.  “There’s a first time for everything, I guess.  We’re all four in agreement.  You can’t help Dad if you get sick yourself, which means you’ll eat.  And more than just a bite or two, okay?”

“We’ll see.”

James lit into his food, and she started messing around with hers. 

“So what makes me more like dad?” he asked after a few minutes.

“Your expressions.  The way you do things.  And sometimes the look in your eyes.  You are so like he was when I first met him.  Tell me something, did you and Jared have a falling out?  There’s a strain between you that’s never been before.”

James shrugged, ate a few of his fries then sighed.  “I think he’s moving too fast.  He only knew Rocky a week before he pretty much decided she was the one and refused to listen to a word anyone said about slowing down.”

“Is there something about Rocky that worries you?”

“No.  From what I’ve seen, she’s, competent, giving, and beautiful.  It’s just that I
know
Jared, and it’s completely out of character for him to make a snap decision about a lifetime commitment.  And he’s always at least considered my advice about something instead of telling me to butt out.  How can you take one look at a person and instantly fall in love?”

Emma hesitated a moment, unsure she was ready to open this door.  “I did,” she confessed.  “Though I didn’t know it until later.”

James’ brows shot up.  “But I thought you knew Dad longer before you fell in love.  He rescued you and then you two got together after you both returned home?”

“Yes, but there’s a little more to the story than that.  You see, my parents met and married within just a few months, and it was a horrible disaster.  So, I never really shared the timeline of when I met your father and fell in love with him.”

Frowning, James leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, looking like John when demanding an explanation.  “You’ve never said much about your parents.  I just know that they died before we were born.”

“I don’t say much because it isn’t a pretty story.  My Dad went to jail for domestic abuse, and my uncle killed him when Dad came back to kill my mom.  Mom then drank herself into a grave ten years later.”

James sat forward fast and caught her hand.  “Shi-um, damn, Mom.  I’m sorry.  I don’t know what to say.”

“There isn’t anything to say.  Other than to ask you to let me tell your brothers about it when I see the time is right.  The point in telling you now was to explain why I left out a few details about your father and me.  Meeting someone and marrying before you can really say that you know them doesn’t always work out well.  But then sometimes it does.”

“So you’re telling me that you fell in love with Dad in just one look?”

Emma smiled.  “At first I thought it was just because he got under my skin, but in reality he’d slid right into my heart.”

“How long did it take you to realize how you felt?  How did you know he was the right man after living through what happened between your mother and father?”

“I met your father in Saigon at a Christmas party.  We spoke for a few minutes.  I didn’t see him again until the next day.  Within thirty minutes he managed to get me fired from job, kiss me as if the world was about to end, and then walked away back to his post.  A few days later, I realized he’d taken my heart with him.”

“You saw him again then?”

Emma smiled as the memories rushed back as if it had been days rather than decades.

Vietnam
December 1971

“E
mma!  There’s a man
downstairs, asking for you.  He’s dreamy, too.”  Ginny Carlton, their ballerina Donut Dolly, twirled across the floor.

Emma had just sat down to write a third letter to John Weldon.  It had been three days since he’d kissed her and left.  She frowned even as her heart thumped with excitement.  She only knew one dreamy man.  John must have come back to Saigon.  Rushing to her room, she brushed on some lipstick, patted her hair and hurried downstairs.

Her gaze darted from one person to the next who sat in the cheery reception room.  The holiday time had the room crowded.  Still, she didn’t see John.

“Emma Rollins.  It is you!  I can’t believe it.  I thought I saw you at the hospital today, but it wasn’t until one of the nurses spoke of you that I realized I was right.”

Blinking with surprise, Emma swung around to find Craig Mason.  The high school football quarterback who’d taken her to the Homecoming Dance her senior year then made the mistake of inviting her to Sunday dinner with his family.  Whoever decreed that the sins of a father would be visited upon a man’s children, had to have grown up in a small town.  Her father’s drunken rages and her uncle killing him was infamous in the little town where they lived.  The Masons with their old money, ancestral home, and prestige did not mingle with the riff-raff of the town or their offspring.  The meal had been a strained affair, and Craig never called her again.

Emma felt like cringing.  She wanted to leave her past behind her, but people and emotions kept showing up whether she was ready to face them or not.  Craig had grown more handsome over the years.  Broad shouldered, tall, and trim, with soft brown hair and green eyes, he carried himself with confidence that had easily won him the class presidency every year.  “Craig!  What are you doing here?”

“I work for Senator Brand.  President Nixon sent us here for an important meeting on the situation with the Paris Peace Talks.”

“I hear those did not go well.”

“It was expected.”

“How so?”

Craig shook his head.  “Some things I can’t talk about.  But in general, peace requires reason in order to make it work, and I haven’t met a reasonable communist yet.”  He chuckled at his joke.  “Any way, I’m only here tonight.  We fly to Paris tomorrow.”

“Sounds exciting.”

“Never a dull moment.  Listen, I’m sorry I never called you back in high school.  I—”

“You don’t have to explain or apologize,” Emma told him.

He smiled.  “I do, because I want you to have dinner with me tonight.  We can catch up. and you can tell me how things are back home.”

Emma shook her head.  “I’m sorry.  We’re not allowed to go out alone with-”

“Ah.  By all means, bring a chaperone.  Surely, that is permitted?”

“Yes, but—”

“Then I’ll have a car pick up you and a guest in one hour.  Dress up.  The Senator is dining at the same restaurant tonight.  He’s grooming me for a top position.  I think it’s a position on his future presidential campaign, if you can believe it.  Every impression counts when the world is looking.”  He brushed his finger down her cheek and she pulled back in surprise and irritation.  He acted as if she’d given him the right to touch her.  “You’re more beautiful than ever.  You should be in Washington helping with the morale there by attending officer events.  Not out here in this foreign sty.  You should come to Paris with me and the Senator.”

“I don’t think you understand.  I have a job and a mission here.  You act as if I’m on a vacation.”

Craig shook his head.  “Knowing you, you’re here trying to save the un-savable.  I’ll see you in an hour.”  He swung around and swaggered out the door.

Emma was speechless.  While she’d found John Weldon’s demand for her to go home for her safety irritating, it wasn’t as offensive as Craig Mason’s dismissal and belittling of the men in Nam or her commitment to them.  She marched up stairs, wavering between refusing to dine with the man and planning exactly how to give him a piece of her mind.

“Who put a bee in your bonnet?” Maggie asked the moment Emma walked into the room.

Emma explained and Maggie shook her head.  “It’s how the world goes around, Em.  First off, most men don’t think women have real jobs.    The man is a product of his environment.  The boys in Washington make the decision to go to war.  Do you think they can do that if they considered every soldier to be of utmost importance?  There’s a hierarchy of worth, grunts are more expendable than officers.  Your guy thought he was paying you a compliment.”

“It’s wrong.  Every man is important.  And he’s not my guy.  I shudder at the memory that he ever kissed me.  It wasn’t much of a kiss, not compared to J—”  Emma snapped her mouth shut, but it was too late.

Maggie’s eyes grew to saucers.  “I knew it,” she whispered.  Rushing to the door, Maggie peered into the hallway then shut the door.  She came back with a determined glare, but still whispering.  “Spill the beans, right now.  When did this wondrous moment occur?”