Give My Love to Rose(1st in Outlaw Series)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"Did you see that, mama! I blasted a whole straight through that target! I can't believe I just did that! It must be because I'm using pa's rifle. I'll bet that's it."

Rose barely glanced at her son as she continued hanging clothes on the line. Her mood was dark today.

"You're damn near as good a shot as your pa was too," Jeremiah agreed proudly.

Rose didn't miss the happy smile that split Langley's face and she was quick to grab up one of Kaitlyn's skirts and hang it in front of her so that Jeremiah and Langley wouldn't see her pained expression.

As good a shot as his pa was. Not is because Marston was dead. Damn, but Rose missed that man! It had been months since he'd been taken away and yet Rose still couldn't seem to convince herself he was truly dead. She kept waiting for him to come riding over the hill and have them pick up where they'd left off.

And where was Duke? Surely he'd intended to join them in the Dakota's hadn't he? What was keeping him?

Rose took a deep breath to push down the pain she'd gotten so good at hiding and continued to hang up the laundry.

"Langley!" Kaitlyn called from the porch, her voice raised with annoyance.

"What?" Langley snapped. "Can't you see I'm busy here?"

Kaitlyn put her hands on her narrow hips. "You forgot to make your bed this morning. Do I look like your maid?"

"Do I look like your maid?" Langley imitated in a shrill voice which made Kaitlyn glare and Rose smile. Those two were always at each other's throats about something but they also always had each other's backs.

"Langley..." Kaitlyn warned.

Langley dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "What you look like is a nagging little girl who's interruptin' my shooting practice. Ain't that what she looks like to you, Uncle Jeremiah?"

Jeremiah scratched at his belly and shrugged. "Yeah, kind of."

Kaitlyn gasped and Rose knew it was time to step in. "Langley, you know you're supposed to make your bed every morning before you come out of your room. It's not your sister's responsibility."

Langley grumbled under his breath and Rose's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me, young man?"

He handed the rifle to Jeremiah and swallowed hard. "I said yes ma'am," he assured her before darting up to the porch. He stuck his tongue out at Kaitlyn as he passed her and in a moment so comically out of character for Kaitlyn, she mimicked his motion, and went in after him.

Rose sighed and went back to the clothes. She heard Jeremiah walk up behind her and after he simply stood there for several long moments, Rose stood straight, turned and looked at him. "What is it, Jeremiah?"

He rocked back on his heels and rubbed at his thin neck with his hand. "I guess I didn't handle that very good. I'm not very good with those kids. I'd say if Marston were here he'd have handled it a lot different."

Something inside Rose snapped. Words, thoughts and feelings that she'd been keeping bottled up all came bubbling out in a heated rush. "Yes, Jeremiah, he would have handled things a lot differently! For starters Langley would be doing his chores before target practice. He'd be learning his numbers and studying history instead of simply learning to cuss, shoot guns and taught how to tell the perfect lie. Kaitlyn would be doing more studying and playing and less working because Marston would ensure that he took on some of the load around here himself. Langley wouldn't be mouthing off and disrespecting me because Marston wouldn't have allowed it. There would be no fear when I laid my head down at night because I would feel safe with him beside me. I wouldn't be crying day and night when the smallest thing makes me think of him. And most importantly...." Rose's voice broke as tears streamed down her cheeks. "...he would have noticed that I'm not okay long before now and he would have taken me into his arms and promised me that he was going to make everything okay again."