Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen: One Big Happy Family

Tennessee

April 1887

Charlotte tossed the final sack of supplies into the back of the cart that she and Silas had been loading up that morning. Since deciding yesterday that they had to move on they had both been working extra hard to insure everything would be packed up and loaded just a couple hours after dawn and as Charlotte glanced up at the sky, she realized they had succeeded.

She blew out a long breath and laid her hand over her stomach which was once again flat beneath her dress. At least near starvation was good for one thing... losing the baby weight. Not that she had gained much weight in the first place. Jackson would have beaten her soundly for getting too fat and there hadn't been enough food around here in the last year or two to get fat on.

Charlotte heard Grace let out a squeal from the front of the cart and she smiled and walked around. She picked up the happy infant and held her close to her chest, breathing in her sweet scent. This world had gone to hell but Charlotte had managed to bring a tiny piece of heaven into it and she loved this precious baby. Grace had not been made in love but she was going to be raised with it, Charlotte was going to make sure of that. She would not let these flesh eating monsters nor the human monsters of this world destroy her baby.

"That's just about the prettiest sight I've ever seen in the sunrise, Miss Charlotte, ma'am." Charlotte smiled when she heard Silas coming up behind her and she turned to see his handsome face which was smiling right back at her.

And he was handsome. He was strong too. And kind. Sweet. Caring. He was so much different from everything Charlotte had ever had before and he was all she wanted in the whole world. She wanted a life with him and with Grace. She loved him.

"You don't have to call me ma'am, Silas." She assured him and his big, dark hand reached out caressing her cheek, his touch as light as a feather as his brown eyes looked into hers.

"It's just the way I was raised, Miss Charlotte." He replied honestly, his thumb stroking her jaw. Then with a long sigh he pulled his hand away and took a step back, his eyes going to the loaded cart.

"Are we ready?" he asked. Charlotte nodded.

"I believe we are. I only wish I had something to help me carry Grace....." Her voice trailed off when she remembered the papooses that the servants had worn when they'd had small babies. "Silas, can you hold Grace for a moment?" she asked as she placed the baby in his arms.

"Sure that ain't no trouble but where are you going?"

"I just remembered something." Charlotte replied and she dashed away toward the barn. Jackson had been a pack rat of sorts and Charlotte knew that he had kept many of the servant's old things in the back stall of the barn, just in case the need for them ever rose again. That particular habit had always driven Charlotte crazy but right now she was grateful for it.

Charlotte made her way to the back stall and sighed before diving into the pile of things her dead husband had insisted on keeping. It was junk mostly and before long sweat was trickling down her back and chest as she dug through it all. She crouched down and sank back on her heels, blowing out a breath to move a few strands of hair that had fallen out of her bonnet.

Defeat filled her as she realized that the papoose she was hoping to find probably wasn't here any longer. She supposed they may be able to find one in the first town they came to. Charlotte was about to push herself to her feet when she heard the footsteps behind her.