Rescued (Flowers of the Bayou) (22 page)

It was like a hammer had hit him head-on but it was also a relief. It did however leave him with some questions. Why had she been ignoring him and why she was never here at work?

Choosing to ignore the flood of mixed feelings, Jordan opted to use his usual defense. Which was to act as if he didn’t care. Turning before stepping completely out of the large room he faced his friend once more. “Are you coming? If I’m going to go I’m going now so I can get back all the sooner.”

Jasper let a sly grin come across his face. “I highly doubt you’ll want to. Not with Amelia there.”

Jordan cast his piercing purple and blue eyes skyward. “I knew she would be there as soon as your started your long-winded tale.”

The deep chuckling coming from Jasper roared on for countless moments thereafter. He couldn’t put his fingers on just what made this whole situation so richly hilarious. All the same it was, Jordan was falling, and he was falling hard.

Still it was apparent he had no intention of going down without a fight. Draining the dark content of brandy from his glass, Jasper trailed behind Jordan hearing him grumble the whole time. This was going to be a good fight, and if he was a betting man he’d lay his funds down on Amelia. “She is pretty in an odd way.”

Odd, there was nothing odd or strange or wrong about Amelia. Jordan couldn’t understand the stupidity running amuck when it came to that woman. She was nowhere near odd.

“Now I didn’t say she was odd in a bad way, I meant exotic.” Jasper corrected seeing the disgruntled look on Jordan’s face. “I have to admit she sometimes tugs at my own heart strings. A few days ago I actually saw her— caught glimpse of her—at the bend where the colored district houses line across the hills near the river.”

“You know how those houses sit right there on the roadside and are high enough just to sit below the hills and have the sunlight shining upon them all day. That day, the sun was at its brightest and in its light your sweet Amelia was especially enticing. She had come out from the yard and what a sight she was to see—sun lighting up all that dark hair like a halo, illuminating every single soft feature.”

“I tell you Jordan, you should have seen her clothed in nothing more than a pair of thigh-high trousers, and the shirt she dawned was, well thin to say the least and clung to every shapely curve she had to offer.”

Jordan thought and knew that if he could have shot him and disposed of Jasper’s body without being caught he would have.

He would have given a year of his life to have been in Jasper’s place and seen her that morning.

“I tell you, that woman has a way about her. I suppose I’ve always known and just ignored it but that day there was no denying it. She was simply breathtaking.” Jasper stopped to smile, he had laid it on a little thick but if he had elaborated at all it was just a little for she was as he said, breathtaking. “She has a brilliant smile, and the prettiest eyes, kind eyes, hell she had me grinning all the way home. If I didn’t love Margaret so you’d have a competition on your hands.”

“Shut the hell up Jasper.” Jordan snapped. Hating to know anyone had glimpsed what was his. His? Now where did that notion come from?

Jasper didn’t take heed to Jordan’s warning however. “She’s a beautiful woman Jordan.  I know you say you don’t have any feelings for her and if you could have your way you’d rebuff it until the day you die.” Jasper chose his next words carefully so not to have them misunderstood. “When you finally come to your senses, and when some friends become enemies, I just want you to know I’ll be right there fighting by your side.”

His words hit their mark, though Jordan did not see the need for them. He did not love Amelia or any other woman. So he could only answer. “You’re an idiot Jasper.”

*

Sometimes a body just had to wonder what they had done to deserve such rotten luck. Amelia had rotten luck. God almighty she had some rotten, rotten luck. Four weeks to the night. Nine weeks and eight days to be exact and God was punishing her since the third week she was sure. Such a harsh punishment she didn’t understand, but the lord works in mysterious ways.

Amelia was about to ask him why he’d chosen to punish her in such a way when the smell of frying bacon and hotcakes filtered into her room and her stomach lurched in protest. Jessie was at her side in a moment’s notice shaking her head and holding her friends hair back as she emptied out her stomach’s contents once more into a bucket.

“That critter sho’ won’t let you keep nothin’ down.”

Critter, was that what it was, a critter? She had rotten luck indeed. She wasn’t having a baby in the coming months but a critter. The thought was disheartening but before she could dwell on it another bout of morning sickness had hit her.

“Heaven knows if you don’t stop hacking so much you’re gonna spill the poor thing out into that bucket too.” Lenora allowed.

God was that possible? No of course not, but then again, it was her they were dealing with she just as well might vomit her baby out into that damned bucket. Her baby—it still didn’t seem real. How could she be having a baby? How was it that it happened so soon, so quick? Furthermore how was it that she was having a baby from one night’s indiscretion? It was all too much to swallow. She had tried to deny it after all it was only ten weeks and eight days to the night. Two months, one week and two days. Could one really know for sure after one month, one week and two days?

She knew the answer to that already. She had tried to blame it on nerves, and then she had gone over in her head the days in the months at least one hundred times. Making sure she had them correct. She would have kept on blaming it on miscalculations if not for the constant morning sickness, along with Nina’s knowing stares.

Her hands came up to her belly and she let her fingers clasp together over it. It was truly amazing when one thought on it. That she had a little life growing within her. Amelia let a sly smile creep across her facade.

“You can’t keep this baby.” Lenora said killing the sparkle in Amelia’s eyes.

“It…it just wouldn’t be wise doll baby.” Nina said throwing darts at Lena. “How will you take care of it? You have a hard enough time taking care of yourself now.”

Amelia turned sad eyes toward her friends. They spoke the truth but how could she give up her baby, her little critter. That’s right, critter or no critter, it was hers. How could they ask her, rather tell her she couldn’t keep her baby?

That was her choice to make and she had already made it. How could you give up something that you already loved so much? “We’ll do just fine on our own.” Even as she spoke the words she knew they were not true. They wouldn’t do just fine. Still they’d have each other and her baby would have her love.

“Amelia be reasonable!” Jessie interjected. “It’d be foolish, and selfish.”

Amelia turned angry eyes on her friend. “It’s foolish and selfish for you to ask me to give my baby up!” she hurled back. “We’ll be just fine.”

“How? You barely get along yourself now.”

“I have a roof over my head and food on my table.”

“Barely” Nina grumbled beneath her breath

Amelia heard her nonetheless and sought the opportunity to defend herself. “I’m tired of everyone trying to tell me how to live my life. I won’t have it anymore. I said I won’t do and I won’t!  I don’t feel like explaining myself but my new job at the flower shop pays my rent on the room the Willkie’s rent me just fine.” Rising from her crouched position Amelia softened her tone. “I know you all have my best interest in mind, you always have, but you’re wrong to ask me to give up what I love most in this world.” Turning to Nina she cupped her face in her hands. “Imagine if you were asked to give up your baby.”

Nina’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest at the thought. Never was all she could think. She’d never give up her baby. She had been cruel to suggest Amelia to do so to her own child. With an apologetic smile upon her lips she placed a kiss on to Amelia ’s forehead. Nina held her tight to her. “Your right doll baby, it was a damned fool thing for us to say. You and that baby gonna do just fine and we’re all gonna see that ya do.”

Jessie nodded knowing that there was no changing of minds going on today or any other day for that matter. Looking to her sister she saw that she had already been won over. “Do you want a girl or a boy?”

A smile spread across Amelia’s face. “Oh it doesn’t matter to me at all.” Turning to Nina, Amelia placed her hand on her still flat abdomen. “We already know Nina’s set her mind on having a boy, and when Nina sets her mind on something, you know it’s going to be. So I was thinking maybe a girl, but a boy…a boy would be just as wonderful.” Amelia let her eyes stray across each woman in the room. All wearing smiles as bright as the sun. Everything was going to be just fine. Maybe she didn’t have such rotten luck after all.

“Come on now let’s stop all dis grinning and change our linens.” Jessie said laughing at her own little rhyme. “It a long way to the Jackson’s by foot and you know how I hate ta’ walk.”

“You hate to do anything,” Nina said laughingly. “Besides it aint like we going to some big occasion it just a luncheon or breakfast or get together or whatever ya want to call it.” She rambled.

“I’m going as I am.” Amelia interjected heading toward the door.

“Fine we’ll all go looking a damn mess den.” Jessie whined, all along running to catch up with the trio ahead of her already skipping out the door and down the road.

Amelia couldn’t keep her mind off anything other than the life growing inside her. What were the chances, they’d only been together once. Heck she hadn’t even seen Jordan since the morning he took her to swim. What would she say if she had anyway?

She could hear Jessie whimpering about her feet behind her and slowed a little allowing her to catch up. The day was pretty and the sun above was bright and hot causing little beads of sweat to pool at her brow. She looked to give her friend an apologetic nod. She could hear Nina humming ahead and joined in.

They hadn’t been walking long before they heard the tell–tale clattering of horses’ hooves behind them. Each side-stepped off the road to let whoever was behind them pass.

Amelia would have gone right along humming her ditty if not for the skipping of her heartbeat. She need not look behind her either to know just who was approaching. With a determination she willed her heart to quit its pounding and her nerves to stop jumping along with her pulse to stop racing. She wasn’t succeeding well at all with the last two.

Jasper clasped his hands together in silent prayer for the lord delivering him such bounty as soon as he caught sight of the foursome trotting down the side the dirt road.

Clicking the reins he spurred his horse on at a faster pace. Arriving at the side of Amelia he tipped the hat he was wearing to shield the sun and gave her a magnificent smile. “I didn’t think that it was possible for you to get any fairer than you already were Ms. Marriott. I guess the world is full of surprises.” Then he turned to the other three. “There should be law against such beauties roaming the streets for the pure cause of making men go stark mad over them.”

Jessie simply rolled her eyes, Lenora laughed outright, Nina smothered a sarcastic remark in her throat, and Amelia blushed a vivid red.

The man really was pushing it. It sometimes boggled his mind how Jasper could be so damn meddlesome. He was just like a female, going around trying to make things out of nothing and so on and so forth. He had thought it out of the ordinary taking the old road, which would lose them at least fifteen minutes in time. Now came the answer as to why Jasper had chosen the route.

“Jordan, have you ever seen a prettier sight?” Jasper questioned inclining his head toward the four.

“Never.” Jordan said wide grin on his face, eyes ravishing every inch of Amelia’s form. The act didn’t seem to make her all too happy he noted. In her quaint smile lay a hint of exasperation. That only made his smile broaden all the more as he took in the sight of her.

A crisp white dress accompanied by a pale yellow belt seemed the perfect complement to her features that afternoon and he was more than appreciative of the way the fitted dress clung to her chest, waist and hips. “Ms. Marriott you’re downright...” He started.

“Mr. Bradford.” She cut him off before he could finish his statement. She wasn’t going to allow him to start that with so many around. “Mr. McMahon. It’s so nice to see you both, but we must be getting along now or we’ll be late.”

Jordan gave her a wicked wink. “I do understand but I was wondering if I could perhaps have a word with you. You left my employ so abruptly I was hoping to woo you back, and I believe I’d be correct in the assumption that we are headed in the same direction.” With a smile he pressed on. “Of course I wouldn’t dream of holding up the rest of you. I could carry you there on Colossus after we discuss the subject at hand.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, but Mr. Bradford if were all heading in the same direction you could just as soon talk to her while we are all on our way.” Jessie uttered not trusting the situation. Amelia had been left alone once with the man already and look at what had happened.

“I’m headed to the Jackson’s Amelia, Jasper had informed me you would be in attendance as well. I have no problem seeing you there. After we discuss business that is.” Jordan started, he wouldn’t let such an ample opportunity be ruined. “Once at the Jackson’s I don’t wish to steal her away from the celebration.”

“I didn’t think it would be that grand of a party.” Amelia mumbled under her breath.

“Neither did I.” Nina seconded.

Now he wasn’t above acting falsely pathetic if he had to. “I beg of you just a moment. Georgia is in dire straits without you.”

“Oh God.” Jasper groaned from atop of his horse. “Ladies it was a pleasure.” And with that he set his horse to trotting ahead of the group leaving Jordan behind.

Amelia looked to the women for another excuse but they seemed to have none. Or they did but they were rude ones. “Go on then, I’ll meet you all up at the house.”

“Alright honey.”