Realistic or Modern wild fever. (rdr)

[gouache]

WILD FEVER. ​

 

[gouache]

PART ONE.
Navier
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“What are you looking for this time?” The barkeep asked while cleaning a glass with a rag. “Surprise me.” Mod sighed and set down a ten-cent coin onto the wooden bar. He could feel his muscles beginning to ache from the terribly drawn-out day. Time felt like it was moving especially slow today. “Alright..” The barkeep laughed softly to himself as if he was scheming something grand. Mod furrowed his brows together and rubbed his hand against his beard.

He turned around to rest his back and elbow against the bar, gazing around at the milieu of people leisurely speaking with each other. It was getting late into the night now. The air was chilly tonight, drifting into the bar as another person would open the door to the outside. He felt underdressed in his cream knit long-sleeved pullover, high-waisted light brown corduroy pants, beige cotton suspenders, and a wool olive green vest. “Here.” The barkeep nudged Mod’s elbow with his drink. Mod shifted his gaze to a whiskey glass in front of him. “Whiskey?” He asked, before lifting the glass to his lips to take a sip. “Straight bourbon.” The barkeep observed, watching intensely in anticipation as the broad man took a sip.

Immediately Mod could feel the sensation of the dry bourbon burning his throat like a forest fire. It tasted like pure kerosene. He managed to silently set the glass down onto the bar before he could drop it, covering his mouth with his hand to mask the sound of his coughing. “Thought you could hold your liquor big guy!” He laughed in a loud and boisterous manner. Mod rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger to regain what little consciousness he had left. It felt like the floor beneath him was spinning. “You son of a bitch..” He coughed, still feeling the intense burn in his throat.

“Don’t get mad at me! You said surprise me!” The barkeep blurted out in laughter. Mod sniffled and cleared his throat. It took him a minute to recover. “I said surprise me, not kill me..” He coughed and instinctively scratched at his beard. “You need to take a seat, old man?” The bartender teased. Mod groaned, resting both his elbows on the bar to hold his head. “Just give me a beer..” Mod grumbled. He gladly pulled out the bar stool for himself and took a seat. “No problem.” The barkeep smiled smugly at his request and went about his business per usual. He regretted coming into this specific saloon tonight.

Charlotte sat at a small table in the corner of the saloon quietly watching the other patrons. It had been about two weeks since she had arrived at the town in Colorado and the walls of her rented room were becoming increasingly claustrophobic. A more respectable woman wouldn’t even consider going to a saloon by herself so late at night, but Charlotte had long since stopped worrying about what was proper. Most already considered her odd for not being married at her age. If they were going to talk anyway, she wasn’t going to make herself miserable just to lessen gossip.

Despite being nearly thirty, Charlotte still attracted the attention of young men looking to change her marital status. One man in particular, Roy, had become insistent over the last few days and she groaned internally as she saw him moving through the crowd toward her table. Luckily, as she was looking for an escape route, she recognized Mod Naftali as he made his way to the bar. They weren’t close friends by any means but he was one of the few people she’d gotten to know over the past few weeks. He seemed to be interested in getting to know her despite being happily married, which made her like him even more. Just as long as he didn’t ask too many questions.

Quickly, she stood and began to weave through the maze of tables and people, her long skirts swishing. She made it over to Mod just in time to see him put down the whiskey glass and ask for a beer. She fought a grin as she pulled up the seat next to him. “Well, Mr. Naftali, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man turn down a glass of whiskey,” she said by way of greeting and sat down. Since he clearly didn’t want it, she reached over, picked up the glass and lifted it to examine the amber liquid in the light.

Lowering the glass again she took a sip. “Ah, bourbon,” she amended, making a bit of a face as the liquid burned down her throat. There was a time when she would have finished the glass in two swigs without batting an eye. Now that she was trying to live a more honest life, however, she’d worked to stop the unladylike habit. Still, bourbon was one of her favorites and it would be a shame to let it go to waste.

Taking another sip, she eyed Mod out of the corner of her eye. “You look like you’ve had a long day,” she observed and turned to look at him. Over Mod’s shoulder she could see Roy slinking away looking disappointed. Thank goodness, she thought to herself and then turned her attention back to Mod.

“That’s not bourbon..,” Mod hoarsely replied, already knowing right away who was speaking to him. “That’s gasoline.” He rubbed at his irritated eyes with his knuckle. The pollen from earlier coating his eyelids from helping his brother all day in the garden. It didn’t help that immediately after lending a hand to Leon did his youngest son “accidentally” throw sand in his face.

“I’m always having a long day, Miss Charlotte.” He sighed a mixture of contentment and relief. The barkeep, still smirking, set down his bottle of beer on the bar. Mod begrudgingly thanked him. ”Having three boys does that to you.” With that in mind, he took a long and drawn-out swig of his beer. On the thought of his kids, he was reminded of something he was meaning to ask Charlotte for a while now. He just couldn’t find the right time to mention it. Although he did blame some of that on how much he drank that night.

Mod turned his gaze to the young woman in front of him, but upon looking at her, he saw how she was looking past him. Mod immediately shot his head around in that direction. He squinted his eyes to get a good look at the people gathered around. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, just the regular hustle and bustle of the place. Before turning back around, he scanned the area a little harder this time. Still, he saw nothing odd. “You doing alright Miss Charlotte?” Mod asked with a concerned look on his face. He studied her face intensely in between taking a slow swig of his beer.

Charlotte laughed at Mod equating the bourbon to gasoline and shrugged. “As long as it works,” she teased, continuing to sip slowly at the drink. She wasn’t trying to get drunk tonight despite her joke. “I suppose you’re right,” she replied regarding his comment about his sons. “I’ve never had children of my own, but I know how young boys can be.” Her younger brother had been quite the handful before he was taken by scarlet fever, and there had only been one of him. She could only imagine what trouble three could get into.

When Mod turned to look at the crowd, Charlotte realized he must have noticed her glance to make sure Roy had been deterred. Mod had enough on his mind without needing to worry about her minor inconveniences so she waved the concern away with her hand. “I’m doing just fine, Mr. Naftali, but thank you for asking,” she said with a small smile. “And what about you? Is it really just the long day with three boys that’s got you so worn out?”

She didn’t know the details of what Mod did, but she knew he didn’t live in town. That meant most likely he lived on one of the nearby farms or ranches. From her years running her father's ranch, she knew how hard that kind of work was. It was very different from the work she’d taken up recently. Or had tried to take up. It had been more difficult than she had expected to find a job teaching. The first two towns she’d tried hadn’t worked out, and if she didn’t find something here soon she’d have to move on again.

“I tend to a farm, and some days are harder than others.” Mod cleared his throat, his mind beginning to wander to the ongoing thought he wanted to ask. He just didn’t really know how to phrase it without scaring her. “Kids make it harder but worth it in the end.” He said, taking another sip of his beer, before setting it down on the bar. “Speaking of kids..” Mod slowly began as he was still scrambling to find the correct words to go about saying this. “Have you ever taken care of young children before?” He questioned softly, not wanting to seem like he was interrogating her. Leon’s kids, his nieces, were a bit of a sensitive subject. He only decided on seeing if Charlotte would be interested in the job after plenty of thought and the go-ahead from his wife. Mod was sure if the young woman was aware of how intensely he was studying her actions and speech that she would be frightened- or at the least bothered by it.

“And how much patience do you have with them? They can get gross and rowdy.” Mod nervously bit the bottom of his lip. Shit, he thought, kicking himself for how that must’ve come off. He was being honest at least. Leon does have a baby and a toddler, and they indeed were gross and rowdy sometimes. Although they weren’t eye sores and were both very cute. As a father, he was aware he couldn't handle two crazy ugly kids. So he wasn’t going to start this off beating around the bush.

Charlotte was silent for a moment as she reflected on Mod's comment about children making things worth it. When she was younger, whether or not she wanted to have children wasn't even a question. She knew she wanted a family and children. However, those thoughts had been in the back of her mind for the last handful of years, and she wasn't quite as sure what she wanted now.

When he asked about looking after children, she put the drink down, rested her elbows on the bar, and laced her fingers together. "Well, I've had some experience managing a classroom," Charlotte said carefully. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. She'd spent just enough time in a classroom to get her teaching certificate and then left to start job hunting. She hadn't been in a classroom since. She'd had plenty of experience wrangling cows and calves. How different could children be? They were likely just as stubborn, but at least children weren't heavy enough to crush you.

"I'd like to think I'm patient, but I haven't really had to test that much with children," she told him honestly. With adults, she was guilty of losing her patience occasionally, but in most scenarios, it was because they ought to have known better in the first place. That wasn't always the case with children, so she imagined she'd have more leniency with them. "That said, I do believe that sometimes a firm hand is necessary for some situations," she added, thinking back again to the days on the ranch and working with the cows. Sometimes it was necessary to stand your ground.

She turned to look at Mod. "Why do you ask?" She'd told him once of her plans to become a teacher. Perhaps he was trying to hint that he thought she wasn't cut out for the job. Frankly, sometimes she was inclined to believe that herself.

“Well,” Mod cleared his throat and rubbed at his beard with his knuckles, “Maybe I mentioned my little brother before.” He said with some uncertainty, not exactly sure if he had at some point brought up Leon. “He’s anything but little..” Mod smiled softly with a small laugh. Although Leon was towering in height, Mod still looked at him as if he was just a tall child. He paused in thought for a moment, trying to find enough straightforward information about his brother. Leon was definitely a complicated case, to say the least, so he found it difficult wrangling up easily digestible words to describe him. He wanted to make this a simple job offer, and not some novella about the inside outs of the family.

“My brother, Leon, he’s got two kids.” Mod wearily began but fell silent once he realized he forgot the girls exact ages. The math was mixing up in his head, although he did recall Camille’s fourth birthday being recent. “His oldest just turned four, Camille.” The feral one, he thought with a smirk. “Camille’s funny and has a lot of energy, it takes a little patience to keep up with her..” Mod broke off what he was saying to pull back a little on the honesty. He didn’t want to scare Charlotte away already.

“And his littlest.. Is Maddy. She’s one year old, but don’t quote me on that.” His memory was indeed failing him. “She’s a sweet girl, real cute. Quiet too, a lot like her daddy.” For now, he wasn’t going to mention how attached she was to Leon. Maddy was well-behaved, but it depended entirely on if Leon was with her. She settles well with his wife, Lilah, after having known her since she was born. Still, she would get fussy if she didn’t see Leon nearby. “I’m not sure if you're still looking for a job..” Mod picked up his beer again to help settle down his anxiety on finally getting to the hard part- asking the question. He also wasn’t a fan of asking for help, even if it was for his brother who really needed it. His wife was the one who was spearheading Leon into seeking out a babysitter, and she wasn’t taking no for an answer. Leon hadn’t agreed or disagreed either, he just refused to be the one to say she was right.

“My wife and I are looking to get help for him because he could really use it. Even if he won’t admit it.” Mod took a small sip of his beer. He wondered if Charlotte caught onto the fact he never mentioned Leon’s wife. Maybe it was obvious she wasn’t around anymore, so he wouldn’t have to say it out loud. “I’m going to be honest, it will be hard work.” Mod clearly stated in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. He did not want Charlotte to walk into this blindsided and regret her decision. “He’s got that baby. I don’t know if you’ve ever cared for a baby before, but you have to change, feed, and pay more attention to them than a regular kid. It’s not easy, but it's honest work.”

Mod heavily sighed to catch his breath after all that effort he put out and took another sip of his beer. It gave him enough time to gather his thoughts again too. “But, we’d pay you generously, get you a warm place to stay and food to eat. Their daddy is a big guy too, so you don’t have to worry about protection. You’ll be safe there.” Safer than she’d be at his house. Leon had the ears of an owl, unlike himself and his wife who slept like rocks. So much so that they had even slept through a tornado once. “What do you think?” Mod asked nervously- finally reaching the golden question.

Charlotte listened with growing curiosity as Mod spoke of his brother Leon and the two children. At first, she wasn't sure what any of it had to do with her, but her interest only grew when he mentioned her unsuccessful job search. While it hadn't been the sort of work she'd had in mind, helping to look after two children on a farm could be even better than what she'd hoped for. Her main goal was to do her best to live a normal life. Living on the farm would accomplish that, and it would keep her out of town, which could prove beneficial.

A smile threatened the corner of her mouth as Mod described the girls. It sounded like the older one could be a handful, but what four-year-old wasn't? Charlotte knew she had put her mother through more than she deserved when Charlotte was younger. Perhaps she would get a taste of her own medicine if she accepted the job. Maddy sounded like a sweetheart and hopefully a little easier to handle than Camille, aside from needing more care.

Because Mod hadn't mentioned Leon's wife or, likely, former wife, she guessed that maybe it was a bit of a sore subject. Whether she had died or it was more complicated, Charlotte wasn't sure. But if Mod wasn't going to be forthcoming with the information, she felt it wasn't her place to ask, no matter how curious she might be. If she took the job, she would probably find out soon enough for herself.

"Hard work does not frighten me, Mr. Naftali," she told him and then finished off the last sip of bourbon. "I grew up on a ranch. It's certainly a different kind of work, but hard nonetheless." For a moment she absently spun the empty glass on the counter as she thought about her answer. The idea of being responsible for children in any capacity was a little intimidating. Yes, she had planned on becoming a teacher, but those children all went home at the end of the day. Still, she didn't like the idea of backing down from a challenge. She'd helped several of the ranch hand's wives with their young children, so she at least knew the basics of how to care for young children.

On top of that, there was the pay to consider. Since leaving the ranch eight years earlier, Charlotte hadn't made any honest money. Part of her goal in coming to Colorado was to start making an honest living, so why not start here? Suppose she hadn't become quite so paranoid about ensuring she always had enough money to get herself out of any situation. In that case, she might have insisted that a place to stay was payment enough. The compulsion to do what was best for herself, however, was still there, so she decided to accept whatever pay was offered.

Turning to look at Mod again, she said, "You propose a mighty tempting offer, and I'm inclined to take you up on it." She paused for a moment before adding, "It sounds like your brother isn't keen on having help from anyone with those girls. I understand how hard it can be to ask for help you don't want, but I also don't want to be somewhere I'm not welcome. I'm willing to give the job a try, but I won't stay somewhere I'm not wanted no matter how badly I'm needed." Perhaps it was a little blunt, but she thought it only fair to be honest with him. Life was too short to spend with people who didn't care whether you lived or died.

“You don’t have to worry about not feeling welcome there,” Mod said firmly with the utmost confidence knowing his little brother. “Leon’s got a way with taking in folks and caring for them. It’s why we got so many barn cats... And he names all of them too.” He couldn’t count on two hands how many stray cats he’d go about raising. “He’s even got a few baby kittens living under the porch he’s looking after right now.” Mod sighed at the thought. It was as if Leon had a cat magnet attached to him like they just sought him out specifically. They had too many barn cats, but at least a vermin infestation was never his concern.

“He’s a gentle guy. Big, but gentle.” Mod noticed he talked more about his children than Leon. He didn’t want his brother to feel like such an enigma to someone who wouldn’t know anything about him. So he decided it was best to open up about him, even if Leon was private about those sorts of things. “Smart as a whip too. He knows really anything on any kind of subject because he reads all the time.” Mod’s voice warmed with tenderness whenever he did speak of his brother and the grief that came with it. Leon wasn’t the same sense Ellie died, but Charlotte would not know of the fragile state he was in compared to who he was before the loss. It would just be meeting him for the first time, and Mod couldn’t help but find that odd. “I raised him after all! Got all his smarts from me.” He chuckled softly before taking one last long drink of his beer.

“Don’t worry about it. It’ll be fun, I can promise you that. Besides, it’ll be over my wife's dead body if you don’t feel at home.” That was one thing he knew for certain. Even if Lilah couldn’t speak much English, it was clear being near her that she would cater to every whim and need of their guests. Thankfully that reminded him of Lilah wanting him to ask her what food she likes. “Speaking of my wife. Is there something you like to eat? It can be anything.” He asked, putting together the list of things in his head he also needed to ask if she agreed to work for them. “What inn are you staying at? I don’t want you shelping over to the farm alone, so I can pick you up from there and take you over.”

Charlotte continued to smile as Mod shifted the focus of the conversation to his brother. It made her wish her own brother had lived long enough for Charlotte to talk so lovingly about the man he’d become. The bitterness of her brother’s early death never entirely went away. Leon sounded quite different from the men Charlotte was used to dealing with. They were rough and often ill-mannered. Most weren’t smart enough to know when to keep their mouths shut, much less talk about anything of interest to someone with some education. It would be a welcome change.

“Your brother sounds like a mighty fine man,” she observed. “And hearing that you raised him, I suppose I’m not surprised,” she added with a grin. The only thing that made her wary was the comment about Leon’s tendency to take people in. Charlotte wasn’t looking for anyone to take care of her. She kept this to herself, however, as she didn’t see it as a reason not to take the job. It was just something she’d have to make clear once she’d met the man herself.

Despite not wanting to be taken care of, the idea of being with other people was appealing. She was used to having traveling companions, but since coming to Colorado, she’d been traveling alone and was missing the company. “I look forward to meeting everyone. Your wife sounds lovely, and it will be nice to be around another woman for a change,” she admitted.

Charlotte paused at the question about the food she liked to eat. It had been a long time since anyone had bothered to ask, and she had to think for a moment. “Well, it’s not exactly a meal, but I’ve always loved cornbread. My mother taught me how to make it, but I’ve never been able to do it as well as she did. Really though, I don’t want to trouble anyone. I’ve been fending for myself since I was a teenager, and I can keep doing it.” At the very least, she’d want to help share the work, not just add work for others.
“I’m just next door,” she informed Mod when he asked about where she was staying. “I don’t have more than my horse can carry, but I’d appreciate a guide to make sure I end up at the right farm.” The sprawling land was still unfamiliar since she hadn’t had the time or the reasons to explore. She hoped to change that if she planned to stay on Mod’s farm for very long. It would give her an excuse to ride, and she’d better understand her surroundings.

 

[gouache]

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PART TWO.​

Navier ​

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“Leon!” Mod shouted from the front porch, “Come out here and help!” He huffed, setting two suitcases onto the damp hardwood floor. It had just rained earlier in the day, so everything was slippery. “Be careful where you step, Miss Charlotte!” Mod exclaimed, “It’s a little slippery on the steps.” He could hear footsteps inside the home from a distance—the warm light flickering against the glass window. The crickets and bullfrogs were especially loud tonight too. ​

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He hoped it wouldn’t rain tonight. It would make the journey to the city complex. Mod gazed around the porch to see a new set of plants and a bench in the making. “Good to see he was busy….” Mod thought. He hadn’t been around much lately and hoped Leon wasn’t just inside. The front door began to rattle around once he heard it unlock from the inside. “Sorry…” Leon nervously said as he pushed the door open. Mod could see Leon’s elbow pressed against the door to keep it from closing. He used his foot to open it wider to reveal Leon holding Maddy against his chest in his work clothes. ​

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“What’s she doing awake?” Mod asked. He had purposefully planned to come around here once it got dark, knowing his nieces would be asleep by then. “She’s not feeling good.” Leon sighed as he gestured for his older brother to come inside. “Poor baby…” Mod frowned, lugging both the suitcases into the doorway. “Miss Charlotte is getting her things, so find something to keep the door open,” Mod said, pausing to look at his baby niece tucked into her father’s shoulder, “Why is she not feeling good?” He asked, eyes filled with concern. ​

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“Her teeth are hurting her.” Leon squeezed past Mod to get ahold of one of the bricks on the porch to use as a door stopper. “She’s got a bit of a fever.” The father adjusted his youngest daughter in his arm to hold her tightly so he could bend over to pick the brick up and put it against the door to keep it open. “That’s pretty normal, right?” Mod questioned; he couldn’t exactly remember if his children experienced something similar when their teeth were growing in. “Yeah.” Leon responded before squinting into the night to see Mod’s horse and the wagon. In the darkness, he couldn’t make out where Charlotte was. ​

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“I’m not worried about it.” The father patted Maddy on the back once she began to fuss from all his moving. “Is there more luggage?” Leon asked, proactively taking a step down the porch steps. “I think she’s got the rest..” He muttered unsurely, watching his brother getting down from the porch, “Wait! Put shoes on!” Mod exclaimed from the door once he realized Leon had been barefoot. Leon ignored him and put his feet onto the cold, muddy grass. He attentively made his way forward, and from afar, he caught a glimpse of the woman’s shadow. “Do you need help?” Leon uttered, stepping to the wagon's side and reaching out his free hand into the night. ​

The morning before Mod came, Charlotte had spent the day buying new clothes, fabric, and anything else she might need in town before leaving for the farm. It would be nice to have a few more comforts now that she didn’t have to be able to fit all of her possessions on her horse. The shopping had drained most of her savings, but she knew she’d be able to start replenishing soon enough with the new job.

They’d tied her horse to the back of the wagon so Charlotte could ride with Mod to the farm, and she looked through the darkness with eagerness to see where she would be living for the foreseeable future. They pulled up in front of a house and began to unload. The recent rain made the night air crisp, and the smell of damp earth was all around. Even with the new purchases, Charlotte didn’t have that many suitcases. Mod had taken two, leaving just one and the small new trunk she’d purchased to hold her more valuable items. Hearing voices from the house, she found herself becoming a little nervous. Despite Mod’s assurances that she’d be welcomed, she couldn’t help feeling a little like she was intruding.

Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind, she grabbed the suitcase in one hand and looked at the trunk as she wondered how she might be able to take them both in one trip. She was trying unsuccessfully to pick up the trunk with one hand when a voice asking if she needed help made her jump a little. Turning, she half expected to see Mod even though the voice wasn’t familiar. Instead, she looked up to see a man who must be Leon holding out his hand to help. Though Mod had alluded that his brother was big, she hadn’t expected him to be quite so tall. Charlotte considered herself tall for a woman, but he still towered over her. He was backlit by the soft light from the house, so it was a little difficult for her to make out his face.

Next, her gaze drifted to the child nestled against his shoulder, who she guessed to be Maddy based on her age. She hesitated to burden Leon further with her things, but he had offered, and the remaining suitcase wasn’t all that heavy. “You must be Mr. Naftali,” she greeted him, frowning slightly as she realized how confusing it would be if she had to keep up with the formalities. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Charlotte. And is this Maddy?” she asked, smiling at the small blonde girl. Hopefully, the child was alright; Charlotte would have expected her to be in bed by now, and Leon didn’t seem like a negligent father. “If you’ve got a free hand, I’d appreciate it if you took this,” she added, lifting the suitcase, and handing it to him, still feeling a little guilty.

Now that both hands were free picking up the small trunk and carrying it toward the house was a simple task. The light from the windows bathed the porch and some of the surrounding grass in a half circle of warm light. It gave the house an inviting glow that made Charlotte hesitate for a fraction of a second. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d spent time in any place that felt like a home, much less a place that was someone’s home. Something about it felt wrong, like she didn’t belong there. Not because she wasn’t welcome, but because that kind of environment had become so foreign to her. Shaking off the feeling, she continued toward the house.

“Leon. Please just call me Leon,” He softly said and lifted the suitcase into his free hand. He couldn’t recall when his last name had referred to him, so it felt odd to hear. Leon couldn’t remember the last time he spoke to a new adult either. “Yes, Maddy,” Leon muttered, confused by what he had just said. “This is Maddy.” He sighed heavily at his unconfident tone; It felt unlike him. Leon was usually well-spoken and thought out, but he struggled with the slightest bit of interaction. Even looking directly at Charlotte to get a good look at her was difficult for him, so he kept his gaze straight ahead. His train of thought was interrupted by his daughter pulling at the back of his hair. Maddy, although sleepy, must’ve known he was uncomfortable, considering how intuitive she was to his emotions. Leon petted his daughter's back as he hobbled behind Charlotte inside his home. The cold, wet ground did not feel great on his feet. He wanted to get Maddy out of the cold too. ​

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Leon stood in place to hear the family dog, Jenny, barking loudly from a distance. She was followed by the sound of Mod’s older boys chattering and laughing. He wondered if Mod was aware they were both out late as he squinted into the darkness. Seconds later, their mother, Lilah, shouted at them in vague Hebrew. He couldn’t exactly understand what she was saying, but it stopped the boys from making more noise incidentally.​

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Leon felt a sudden pang of panic. He feared Jenny had found one of the kittens and was going at them. With the suitcase, he began to step toward the barking. “Leon!” Mod shouted from the doorway, “C’mon, Hurry!” His brows furrowed together in concern at his brother just wandering off in the middle of such an active moment. “What’s he doing..” Mod sighed to himself and gestured for his little brother to come back. “Great… He’s already acting crazy in front of the new person.” Mod thought in frustration. Leon slowly turned his troubled gaze away from the barn and back to his brother, waving him in. Leon needed significant strength to walk away from where he wanted to be. ​

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“The room you’ll be staying in is the first door on the right,” Mod warmly smiled; he also had to snap out of his concern for his brother to take care of the matter. “Go put your stuff down there so we can feed you.” The home was relatively wide, so it would be easy to find. Mod impatiently waited by the door for Leon to come in before shutting the door behind him. “You in their big man?” Mod rolled his eyes slightly and poked his brother on the forehead. “I think Jenny is barking at the cats.” Leon's voice shook by how uneasy he felt, turning away from what he feared was happening.​

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“Jenny doesn’t eat cats… now come on.” With the weary Leon finally inside, Mod locked the door behind him. “Help Miss Charlotte get settled.” Mod changed the subject to shift Leon’s train of thought and gently pushed him to where Charlotte was walking. From where he stood, Mod could see his baby niece poking her head out from Leon’s shoulder to stare at him. “Go to sleep, little lady.” Her uncle rubbed her white blonde hair, and in response, she hid behind her father again. Leon smiled tenderly at his daughter's sheepishness, knowing she didn’t want to miss the action, even if it meant fighting sleep. At least she wasn’t crying from her teeth hurting anymore.​

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Leon rubbed the dirt off his feet on the door mat before following Charlotte into the guest room. “Sorry if it’s a little cluttered.” He nervously said and set down the suitcase. He turned on one of the lamps to brighten the dark room, the warm light revealing the comfortable, snug room he had worked throughout the day to prepare. He carefully moved a few things around to avoid disturbing the desk sewing machine, so everything looked a bit out of place. “Put your clothes in here,” Leon carefully squeezed past Charlotte to open the mahogany wood closet door. “Or whatever you’d like, of course.” Leon back peddled, trying not to sound so demanding or like he was speaking to her like she was a child. ​

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“If you need more blankets or pillows, let me know.” He gestured to the twin-sized mattress full of colorful handmade quilts and pillows. “As for the bathroom..” Leon gradually recalled, “I’m going to use the girl's bathroom since it’s hectic there.” He pointed his arm toward his bedroom directly across the hall. “Please use the one in my bedroom.” Leon had turned his bathroom around to ensure it was clean enough for their guest. He hoped that wouldn’t make her uncomfortable going into his room, but his children’s bathroom was crazy with all their toiletries and items made specifically for small people’s use. Telling his oldest daughter, Camille, they would be sharing a bathroom from now on was the best part of her day. Maddy was staring intensely at the stranger in her home while all this talking had been going on. She was anxiously pulling at her father’s hair in a little fist. It was the first time she had seen a new person, so it shocked her. Her father also seemed so carefree by it, frightening her. Leon taking notice of this, kissed her face and placed his cheek against her head to comfort her. ​

Charlotte was a little relieved when Leon said she could just use his name. She made a note to have them just call her 'Charlotte' next time it came up. The inside of the house had a calming effect on her. It was warm and cozy and, in some ways, reminded her of her family's home back on the ranch. When Leon ran off without explanation, she looked around hesitantly, unsure where she should go. Thankfully Mod was there to help, and she nodded her thanks before moving in the direction he'd indicated. Charlotte thought she heard mention of cats and remembered what Mod had said about Having quite a few barn cats. It wasn't long before Leon joined her again after sorting out whatever had distracted him and led the way through the house.

When Leon turned the light on and she took in the room she was to stay in, Charlotte's eyes widened. It was far nicer than anywhere she'd called 'home' since leaving her father's ranch. Her gaze drifted around the room, taking in the light curtains around the window and the colorful quilts and pillows on the bed. "It's perfect," she murmured in response to his comment about being cluttered and continued to stare. She shifted her attention to the door Leon was opening and nodded to acknowledge his comment about where she could put her clothes.

Her gaze landed on the sewing machine, and she almost gasped out loud. Charlotte had barely dared to dream she would ever be able to use such a machine, much less ever own one herself. Of course, she didn't presume to consider this machine her own or even that she'd be able to use it. Still, she couldn't help taking a few steps closer to get a better look. It looked to be in good condition, but there was no sign of an in-progress project, so she guessed the machine had belonged to Leon's former wife.

Leon went on to describe the bathroom situation, so she tore her gaze from the sewing machine to focus on him again. Most would likely find it an odd arrangement, but Charlotte didn't mind. She nodded again and said, "thank you for all you've done to make me feel at home." She set the trunk she'd been holding on the foot of the bed before turning around. Mod had certainly been right about Leon's willingness to take people in. They would have been justified in having her commute from town or having her live with the other help required to run the farm. Having her own room in a house was more than she'd hoped for. Noticing the way Maddy was staring at her, Charlotte smiled and slowly approached. "Hello, Maddy," she said softly and gave her a wave with her fingers. "I'm Charlotte. Thank you for sharing your house with me. I hope we can become friends soon." She wasn't sure how much the 1-year-old would understand, but she hoped it would help Maddy start to become more comfortable with her.

Leon watched his daughter’s gaze shift around anxiously as Charlotte spoke to her. He could tell Maddy she wasn’t sure how to feel about it being so skittish. Leon tenderly brushed Maddy’s blonde hair behind her ear to get a clear look at her face. “What do you think about what Miss Charlotte said?” He asked with a warm smile on his face. He felt a deep relief seeing Maddy being at least willing to acknowledge Charlotte. For the past few days, he was worried Maddy wouldn’t react well to meeting another person for the first time. Although his youngest seemed shy, she wasn’t crying, so that had to be a good sign. “Can you be friends?” Leon knew Maddy wasn’t much talker and could only say a few words, but she was a good listener. As Leon expected, Maddy timidly buried herself into her father’s shoulder to hide her face away from the newcomer. She was this way with everyone in her family, but it didn’t mean she was adverse to them. “She’s shy,” Leon adjusted his daughter to hold her more comfortably since she was now pulling tightly on his hair, “But she will warm up to you when she’s not so tired.” ​

​

“Leon!” Mod interrupted from the kitchen, “Come here for a second!” He exclaimed, having just finished setting the warm plate of food onto the table for Charlotte and needing Leon to give him a hand. Mod wanted everything in place before they went off for the night. Leon politely excused himself from Charlotte to go and see what his older brother wanted. ​

​

“Come and get Miss Charlotte to eat, and let’s get going. I don’t want to be too late.” Mod ran a hand through his messy hair with a long look. “Try and put Maddy down for the night.” He wasn’t exactly sure how his niece felt, but she seemed tired enough to lie down. “Alright.” Leon sighed, knowing this would be a bit of a battle to get Maddy to sleep. “Miss Charlotte,” He turned back into the guest bedroom doorway. “Dinner is ready if you’d like,” Leon muttered as his mind went elsewhere. “It’s got cornbread too!” Mod called out with a grin. His wife made it, especially for her. Lilah hadn’t made it before, which was good for her first try. Leon left for the kitchen to grab one of the milk bottles he had prepared before Mod and Charlotte arrived. He quietly shuffled to his bedroom with Maddy, who began to fuss and cry when Leon shut the door behind them. ​

​

Once Leon and his niece were out of sight, Mod felt at ease enough to speak again. “Miss Charlotte, I wanted to let you know Leon and I will leave for the night. We will be back at the latest before sunrise.” Mod said as he started to make his way toward the back door porch. He poked his head out the door to whistle sharply for their dog, Jenny, to come to him. From afar, Mod could hear Jenny bark and the jingle of her collar’s bell. “Camille and Maddy sleep hard, so you don’t have to worry about them waking up.” Mod left the door slightly ajar for Jenny and looked back at Charlotte. “Jenny’s going to be with you tonight just in case you need anything.” It didn’t take long to feel her coarse fur rub against his hand and loud panting. ​

​

Jenny, their family's exceptionally large white Great Pyrenees farm dog, trotted right into the living room and straight to her bed near the fireplace. As if she had done this a million times, Jenny plopped onto her pillow with a groan. “She’s a lazy girl… but if you tell her to get Lilah, she’ll go if you need anything. Don’t be afraid to ask.” Mod assured before gesturing to the warm plate of grilled chicken, brown rice, and cornbread on the table. “Hopefully, you like chicken.” He assumed most people liked chicken, so he wasn’t too worried about it. ​

​

“Get some rest too. It’ll be a long day tomorrow with those girls.” Mod laughed softly. It would undoubtedly be eventful; he was sure of it. ​

Charlotte couldn’t help a smile at Maddy’s reaction when she spoke to her. She had expected as much and told Leon so when he’d explained about Maddy’s shyness. When Leon was called away by Mod, Charlotte sat on the bed for a moment. Running her fingers over the quilt, she admired how neat the seams were as questions ran through her mind. After Mod and Leon had welcomed her so graciously, however, she didn’t want to bombard them with nosy questions.

Soon enough, Leon returned to call her to dinner, and she made her way back to the kitchen. It was hard not to notice the shuffling steps Leon took as he carried his daughter to bed. Something clearly wasn’t quite right with the man. Charlotte had a few guesses, but she was determined to find out for sure someday. She kept her questions to herself for the moment and turned to Mod as he spoke.

Her eyebrows shot up when Mod said they were leaving and would be back no later than sunrise. In her experience, most farmers didn’t leave their farms unattended for very long and certainly not overnight. Before she could say anything, he whistled for Jenny and told her that Camille and Maddy should sleep through the night. “Well, I sure hope so,” she said before she could stop herself and a little more sharply than she meant. “I don’t think they’d take too kindly to a strange woman in their house when their father wasn’t around.”

The huge white dog then appeared and settled into her bed. Charlotte wouldn’t have been worried even without Jenny - she knew she could handle just about anything that anyone threw at her - but it would be nice not to be quite so alone in the house with the sleeping girls. “I’m sure we’ll be just fine until you and Leon come back,” she assured him. She hesitated for a moment before adding, “Might I enquire as to why you’ll be out so late?” Charlotte didn’t really expect him to tell her, but there was no harm in asking. She’d likely find out eventually if she stayed long enough.

"Oh.. you know, a little bit of this little bit of that.," Mod said nervously with a smile, "Don't worry 'bout it. We'll be right back." Mod gestured to the plate of food to swiftly change the subject. "Now go on and get eating so you can sleep! You're gonna need it." ​