Brenda sat on the porch swing, her sisters around her. The wooden boards creaked softly under their collective weight, the rhythm a soothing backdrop to their conversation.
“Remember, Brenda,” said Hannah, her voice gentle, “you’re worth more than you think. Don’t let him forget that.”
“Speak your heart to Seth.” Cassandra leaned forward, urging her sister to do what she thought was best.
“I guess I will,” Brenda said. “Just need to find the right words.”
“Keep it simple,” Hannah suggested.
When Brenda went to bed that night, she was still trying to find the right words to talk to Seth. She lay awake long after they’d made love, and he was snoring beside her, trying to figure out just what to do to make their marriage work.
A loud rapping on the door startled her, but she jumped out of bed and pulled a dress over her head, not bothering to button the back. She’d take care of that later.
She knew it was probably just one of the ranch hands with an emergency for Seth, but he wasn’t awake, and she was. Therefore, she would go to the door.
Tim Stockwell, his hat clutched in one hand, stood in the doorway. His face was drawn, eyes reflecting worry that cut straight to Brenda’s core.
“It’s Amy,” he said, the tremble in his voice betraying his stoic appearance. “She’s got a terrible fever.”
“I’m coming,” Brenda said, hurrying back into the house.
Dressed in practical attire, Brenda grabbed her medicinal bag— a collection of remedies and tonics she’d learned to trust. She glanced back at Tim, their faces illuminated by concern and lamplight.
Brenda stepped out into the night, following Tim who hadn’t bothered to hitch up the wagon when he found his wife so ill.
For two weeks, Brenda remained at Amy’s side, nursing her through fevers and coughing fits. She became a fixture in the dimly lit room, where whispers of recovery slowly began to mingle with the lingering traces of illness.
When all of the sisters came to help, Brenda easily put them to work. They all had unique skills, and Amy was the oldest among them...the one who had done the most for them.
*****
SETH STOOD IN THE MIDDLEof the kitchen, a pan in one hand and an egg hovering precariously over it. Seth sighed, reluctantly acknowledging that Brenda’s absence was more than just an inconvenience.
“Doggonit,” he muttered under his breath, reaching for a cloth to wipe up the mess. Each day without her seemed longer than the last.
For two weeks, Seth’s routine went back to what it was before Brenda had come into his life. The bed remained unmade, the sheets tangled from his restless sleep. He wasn’t sure which he missed more: Brenda’s cooking or her company.
She had taken care of him in a way he hadn’t realized he’d needed. It was nice not to eat with the other men and have a pretty woman to look at. The house was getting dirty again.
It was strange how quiet the house felt. He’d sit on the porch after sundown, staring out at the expanse of his land, feeling an emptiness . Her laughter, her sharp-witted remarks, even her sass – he yearned for all of it.
“Never thought I’d miss someone talking back to me,” he confessed to the silent stars.
When Brenda finally returned, dusty from the trail, her hair tousled from the wind, Seth’s heart skipped a beat. She looked weary but strong, her green eyes reflecting a depth he’d previously overlooked.
“Welcome home, Brenda,” he said, voice gentle as he took her bag.
“Thanks, Seth. Amy’s better now,” she replied, her voice hoarse from exhaustion.
“Let’s sit down,” he suggested, leading her to the sofa. Brenda sank into the cushions, watching him with a mixture of curiosity and fatigue.
“I’ve missed you,” Seth started, fumbling for words that didn’t come naturally. “Not just for the cooking and the cleaning. I missed you, Brenda. Just you.”
She raised an eyebrow, taken aback by his admission. “Really?”
“Really,” he said, taking her hands in his. “I’ve been a fool. You’re more than I ever expected, and I promise things will be better. I’ll listen more, be there for you, not just when we...well, you know.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Brenda’s lips. “And Sundays off?”
“Every single one,” he vowed, a hopeful glint in his eye.
“All right then,” Brenda said, allowing herself to lean into his embrace. His admission of missing her had been unexpected, but welcome. It was good that he realized she was there...finally.
When he kissed her, she responded to him eagerly. The one thing she loved more than anything about being married to Seth was their time in bed together. And she’d missed him.
