Chapter 4

Zebadiah rushed to the gate, dropping his bag on the way and thrashing the ground with his cane to speed him forward. He was angry at himself for his injuries slowing him down but elated as he fell into Mary’s arms.

“You made it! You made it! I knew you would. Come, come inside my darling, I’ve missed you so much.” Mary cried as she pulled him into the house fearful of letting him go.

Zebadiah followed her through the front door and into the kitchen where he could smell the sweet aroma of fresh baked corn bread and the warm scent of the pot of bubbling beans. His stomach did somersaults as the smells invaded his nose. He settled himself on one of the chairs at the kitchen table and dropped his cane to the floor. Taking her hands from his shoulders Mary moved to the wood stove. She plated up a large portion of beans from the pot and set it down before him with three large biscuits.

“Before you dive into that, I have someone who has been very excited to meet you. I told him you would be here today.” Mary said as she disappeared from the room.

She returned in a few moments cooing and hushing the baby in her arms. Joshua gurgled with glee as he looked up at his father for the first time. His eyes wide, he opened his mouth and said “Momma.”

“Nooo, that’s not Momma. Say Papa.” Mary giggled.

Zebadiah reached cautiously for his son and cradled him gently in his arms.

“Joshua? I have a son called Joshua? I don’t believe it! He is wonderful Mary. Yes Joshua you are absolutely wonderful!” Zebadiah said. “And Mother? Is she in the back room?”

Mary lowered herself into one of the chairs at the table.

“Momma Rasnake isn’t with us Zeb. I’m afraid she passed away while you were in the hospital. I think the shock of hearing about your condition caused her a heart attack. I’m so sorry my love. I thought someone would have told you. I’m sorry I had to break it to you.” Mary said.

Zebadiah passed Joshua back to Mary. “Dead? My mother has died? Nobody told me anything honey.” He lowered his head into his hands and quietly began to sob. Mary came around behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

“Be strong now Zebadiah. You will need to be strong for me and Joshua here. That’s what your mother would expect.” Mary said.

“Yes. Yes of course. Where is she buried Mary?” Zebadiah asked.

“They took her off to the hospital at first, then buried her at the town cemetery. I was in the hospital too then having Joshua so we were kept pretty much out of things. I’m so sorry my love. Eat, Zebadiah. Then I will help you upstairs where you can rest. I know you will be needing a lot of rest now to get you healthy again. Please eat something darling. Everything is going to be alright. We three are together at last. Forever.” Mary replied.

Zebadiah spooned the warm beans into his mouth as he took it all in. He had looked forward to some real home cooking for longer than he could remember, yet though he was savoring every mouthful, the shock of his mother’s death was biting deep and he could feel his body starting to ache. He lowered the spoon and slowly stood up.

“Yes Mary, perhaps I’d better lie down for a while. I don’t feel too good. It has been a long trip.” Zebadiah said.

Zebadiah made his way to the stairs with Mary right behind him. A nervous look on her face as she helped him climb the stairs as if she thought he might flee at any minute. Zebadiah didn’t flee. Fleeing was the last thing on his mind. As he ascended the stairs to the bedroom he could feel his body slowly collapsing from the exhaustion of all that had happened and the news he had just heard. A new son, all happy and gurgling and a dead mother, buried somewhere he knew not. His head was spinning from it all as he reached the bed and lay down. He closed his eyes and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

The smell and sound of sizzling bacon awoke Zebadiah early the next morning. Downstairs he could hear Mary talking to baby Joshua as she busied around the kitchen. The gentle aroma of freshly brewing coffee finished the job of bringing Zebadiah to his senses. He immediately reached in his jacket pocket that was hanging neatly on a chair by the bed to retrieve his pain pills. As he reached over he noticed he barely winced. Perhaps he would leave the pills until after breakfast he pondered. Just use them when the pain really kicked in. He swung his legs out of the bed and slowly eased himself into a standing position. His leg too was keeping its pain hidden at a low ebb this morning he noted. Perhaps the sleep and the home cooked food the evening before was what he really needed after all rather than pills and doctors. The smile that was forming on his face dropped as he recalled the news of his mother’s death. That was something that neither home cooked food nor pills was going to repair he thought to himself. That was a pain he would have to bear himself for the rest of his life. He knew the grief would ease slowly as it had done with his father, but for now, it was raw and it bit deep in his chest. He made his way down the stairs to the kitchen where Mary was already filling a plate with bacon and eggs. He sat down smiling and happy at how Mary had taken to the house and how confident she was in the kitchen. He’s been expecting his mother’s cooking. He knew his mother was a wonderful cook and had been looking forward to it. To see Mary equal to the task made him smile.

“Did you sleep well my love?” Mary asked as she poured him a mug of hot, steaming coffee.

“I can’t remember the last time I slept so well Mary. I guess I needed it, right?” Zebadiah replied. He reached over to Joshua sat in a high chair and stroked his cheek. “I’m so damn proud of you little fella. You want some of Daddy’s toast?” He chuckled.

“He’s a long way from chomping on a slice of toast just yet Zebadiah Rasnake. Let me worry about feeding young Joshua and you tuck into those eggs and bacon. I’ve been waiting to have my man back in my arms. Now eat up and let’s get your strength built up fella.” Mary chortled.

Mary say down opposite Zebadiah at the kitchen table and nibbled on a slice of toast.

“Is that all you’re having Mary? You can’t do a full day looking after me and the baby on just a slice of toast honey.” Zebadiah said.

“I ate earlier dear when I was dressing Joshua this morning. Eat and enjoy. Then I’m going to give you a bath just as soon as Joshua takes his nap.” Mary replied.

“A bath eh? Think I need one do you?” Zebadiah smirked.

“I want to examine that beautiful body of yours darling. I’ve missed it for so long.” Mary replied smiling sweetly.

As Zebadiah settled at the kitchen table and enjoyed a cigarette with his fresh mug of coffee, Mary cleaned up the dishes and took Joshua out to his own room. As they were gone, Zebadiah gazed around the old kitchen. Everything was as it was and Mary hadn’t changed how his mother used to have it. No need to really Zebadiah thought. Mother had this kitchen down to a fine art. Knew where everything was and had all she needed to hand.

He gazed out of the window and looked out to the creek below. It wasn’t far from the house at all and a large pool had formed that they had all used for swimming and fishing. Even in summer, the water would be ice cold and fresh. He smiled as he thought back over the years to all the times of swimming in that cold water. He shivered and laughed to himself just as he felt a hand caressing his shoulder. He turned to find Mary standing behind him. She was naked. She placed a finger to his lips and taking his hand, led him into the back room where the large bath tub was filled with hot soapy water.

Zebadiah undressed, pausing to look back at Mary with the removal of each article he wore. He knew his body was scarred and he didn’t want to disgust her. He’d looked back to see the clear look of love and adoration in her eyes, never shifting to disgust, and before long he stood naked before her. She smiled and took him into her arms, pulling him close.

“I love you Zebadiah Rasnake, all of you, scarred, torn, shot, or broken. You’re mine and I love you however you are, my darling.” She pulled away after kissing him once more, and gestured to the bathtub. “Let me wash away all of those bad memories.”

He let her help him into the tub and he sank down in the water gratefully with a deep sigh. The heat of the water she’s spent so long preparing bucket by bucket soaked in through his skin, down into his bones and did more to ease his ache than anything else had. There was something comforting about being surrounded with hot water.

Zebadiah relaxed and sank back as Mary began scrubbing up his hair, gently rubbing over the scarred area she found. He heard her gasp, then tut, as she felt the scar. But her touch was awakening memories, and his body. She was gentle as she rinsed his hair but as her fingers moved lower, down his neck and to his chest, Zebadiah felt a new need, a need to make love to his beautiful wife.

Her hands smoothed down his chest, and below his belly button, into the now soapy water. She was using a cloth to scrub at his skin and the soapy material was soon much further down, grasping at his hardening flesh, massaging him as he came to life.

“I’ve missed you, Zeb.” She whispered to him, and his head turned to look into her eyes. He found his need mirrored there, her passion as evident as his own.

“I’ve waited so long for this moment, dreamed about it Mary. Memories of our time together got me through that war, through the time in the hospital. But now I’m home and I’m never leaving you or little Joshua again.”

The baby was asleep after his breakfast, busy growing and not caring what his parents were doing.

Mary’s hand tightened on him, and he gasped, his eyes going to the place where her hand held him, stroking him gently. His head fall back against the porcelain tub and he let her have her way. She stroked him until he was gasping and his hips thrust into her fist fiercely.

“Mary.” He gasped her name, wanting release but needing more.

She pulled her thin cotton dress over her head and smiled down at him. She was the same beautiful wife, though her body bore a few signs of the pregnancy. He saw them as her own battle scars and adored her for them. Her breasts were still high and firm on her chest, and that light triangle of hair.

He reached for her, needing the comfort only she could offer, and groaned in gratitude when she sank to her knees, guiding him into her slick folds. His body shuddered as he felt her enveloping his cock, the silken walls within her grasping at him, sucking him in deeper.

“Let me do the work, baby. You just sit back and enjoy the ride.” She grinned down at him, her own body beginning to flush as the blood pounded in her veins. She rode him softly, gently, until she’d found her rhythm, her own pleasure, and her own gasps started to come.

His Mary, his wife, gave him all he needed and he pulled her down, taking her mouth as she took his body. His hands found her nipples, kneaded at her breasts until he felt her clenching around his rigid cock, and he knew she was as close as he was. He wished he had another hand in that moment but Mary volunteered and he gasped once more as she leaned back far enough to find the center of her pleasure.

Her fingers found the small button he knew would give her the most pleasure and he gave a long moan of delight as he watched her. Mary’s gasps turned to her own moans and he felt her pulsing around him, her orgasm approaching to both their delights. Zebadiah watched as her cheeks flushed, the red stain travelling down her chest, and she inhaled deeply then stopped breathing.

He gritted his teeth against his own release, wanting to follow her when she went over the edge.

With a long shout of joy Mary fell and Zebadiah felt his own release begin as the hot, wet muscles of her body began to contract around him. He wanted to close his eyes and savor the moment but he wanted to watch his wife’s sweet face more. The way her mouth fell open as she gasped, the expression on her face of great pleasure, and there, the way her eyes blazed open as she hit the peak of her pleasure, that moment that was like no other.

Zebadiah felt the pleasure in kind but watched her, far more fascinated with Mary than his own pleasure. That’s what had gotten him through, that’s what would get him through, his Mary and filling her world with pleasure.