“Tell me, Charles,” she whispered. “I’m right here with you. And I’m not going anywhere.”
“Rosie,” he began, “my late wife did everything she could to control me. If I did something that made her happy, she would allow me to have marital relations with her. If we fought, there would be no relations.”
Rosie watched him, her eyes warm and comforting.
“Every day was difficult. I loved her, but she killed that love rather quickly.” A pained chuckle escaped him. “When she passed from pneumonia, it was as though the air cleared for the first time in years. And I felt guilt for feeling that relief, Rosie.”
In the flickering light, Rosie’s hand reached out, finding his arm. He had to know he had her unwavering support. “Charles,” she said, “there’s no shame in feeling relief at her death. I felt relief when my mother died, not only because she’d been ill, but because it meant my sisters and I could leave there.”
Charles nodded.
“Your heart, it’s been through the wringer, but here you are—opening up to me,” Rosie continued. “That takes more courage than most men can muster. I’m here for you, Charles, to stand by your side and help you in any way I can.”
A mix of emotions swirled within him. The laughter that bubbled up now held a trace of genuine mirth, born from the absurdity of finding solace in the heart of a woman who was supposed to be nothing more than a means to an end.
––––––––
THEIR KISS WAS SLOWat first, but quickly became passionate. Clothes were shed, fluttering to the wooden floor of his bedroom. As they came together, the warmth of their bodies entwined, she understood the magic her sisters had talked about that happened with their husbands.
Afterward, as he held her, Charles whispered, “I love you so much, Rosie.”
Rosie lifted her head and looked into his face. “I love you, Charles. I don’t believe I could express how much.”
*****
THE FOLLOWING EVENINGat Izzy and Albert’s house, the air was thick with the scent of roasted meat and freshly baked bread. Laughter and conversation bubbled around them, but Charles found himself with his gaze anchored to Rosie. She was radiant, her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue that matched her name.
“Charles?” Albert nudged him gently. “You planning to join us here anytime soon, or is the view from whatever cloud you’re on too enchanting to leave?”
“Apologies, Albert,” Charles replied with a sheepish grin, tearing his eyes away from Rosie for a fleeting moment. “It seems I’ve discovered something worth getting lost in.”
“Ah, love,” Albert mused, clinking his glass lightly against Charles’s. “Makes even the most grounded of men float away.”
“Yes,” William chimed in from across the table, raising his own glass in salute. “To floating away.”
As the night unfolded, Charles savored each glance exchanged with Rosie, each subtle touch beneath the tablecloth, all the while marveling at how vastly his world had expanded since allowing his emotions to surface.
*****
LATER, AFTER THE LAUGHTERfrom the dinner table had dwindled into a contented murmur, Malcolm sat with his hands clasped, his gaze flitting across the faces of his daughters and their husbands.
“Girls,” he began, his voice catching slightly. “Carrie and I have been talking, and there’s something we need to share.”
Rosie felt a flutter in her chest. She exchanged a quick, searching glance with her sisters, Ana’s fiery curls bobbing as she leaned in, Izzy’s elegant poise unshaken but her eyes alight with curiosity.
“Carrie and I...” Malcolm continued. “We’ve grown quite fond of this place, of being here with you all. The thought of returning to Massachusetts without you is more than we can bear.” He paused, looking down at his weathered hands before meeting their eyes again. “Would you mind terribly...if we decided to settle here, close to our family?”
For a moment, the room was silent. Then, as if by some unspoken signal, the Winslow sisters turned to each other, their expressions a complex tapestry of joy, surprise, and an inkling of mischief that only siblings could share.
“Yes,” they answered in unison.
“Truly?” Malcolm’s eyes misted over.
“Of course, Father,” Rosie said, her voice warm with affection. “This town could use more good people like you and Carrie.”
“Besides,” Ana chimed in, her grin wide and impish, “Hope Springs has never seen a batch of cookies quite like Carrie’s. You’ll both fit right in.”
“And it will be good for Lillian to grow up with a grandfather close by. And the babies on their way,” Izzy added softly.
“Seems Hope Springs is quite the magnet,” Charles remarked. “Attracting all sorts of treasures.”
“Very true,” William agreed, his tone carrying the weight of his medical wisdom. “I’ve always said, ‘Family is the best medicine.’”
“Especially when it comes with Carrie’s cookies,” Albert said.
“Then it’s settled,” Malcolm said, his voice buoyant with relief and newfound purpose. “Hope Springs, prepare for two more eager hearts to call you home.”
