Date Posted:15:20:56 11/18/02 Mon Author: CCCook Subject: Re: Never Look Back - Part IV In reply to:
CCCook
's message, "Re: Never Look Back - Part IV" on 13:12:15 11/18/02 Mon
From Wynne:
“No, I won’ shut up... a man’s gotta right to speak his mind...”
“Not when...!”
Pointing a somewhat commanding finger to silence the younger man, Jake finished his soapbox
rant,
“... an’ a right to have little harmless sport, once in a while!”
Loren chuckled, and with a twinkle in his eyes, he quipped a teasing comment into the brief, tense
silence,
“Sure ya ain’t talkin’ to yer wife instead’a Brian, here?” Snickers followed suit. And, by
the withering glare Jake bestowed upon Loren, the older man knew he'd hit the nail right on the
head. Apparently, this was an ongoing sore topic that the couple had had words with before.
“Shut up, old man.”
Loren’s shoulders shook with mirth, in reply.
“Oh, yeah, he’s talkin’ to me, alright,” Brian’s finger rose up, this time, to silence the elders; he
took no humor in this exchange. The grueling birthing was too fresh in his mind, “an’ now I’m
talkin’ to you, Jake... ya had no right to be makin’ thoughtless bets on the details an’ outcome of
my sister-in-law an’ her baby. No right, at all. Don’t ya ever get tired of bein’ such a....”
“Okay, that’s enough for me. Brian, I’m gonna go sit with my brothers. When yer finished
crowing here with the rest of the roosters, let me know.” Spat Amy, cheeks flushed with
exasperation. Softening a fraction, she lowered her voice so that only Brian could hear, “I agree
with ya, but yer handlin’ it the wrong way.” She then stepped away and headed towards Virgil
and Ty, seated in the middle of Grace’s Café.
Brian swallowed hard and nodded curtly in her direction. Splaying his hands in front of him, he
grit his teeth, closed his eyes tightly, and tried a different approach,
“Look, Jake, I shouldn’a told ya to shut up, but when I overheard you an’ the fella’s talkin’ about
the wager, I got riled. It wasn’t an easy time for Anne. We almost lost her an’ the baby.” Brian’s
voice drifted off and his bottom lip quivered from emotion and exhaustion... that night really took
its toll on the young man.
Rarely shown, though now in stark view, this was one moment where both Jake and Loren
displayed genuine concern. The Reverend shook his head and looked down at the ground, silently
saying a prayer of thanks for the safe well-being of Anne and baby.
“I’m sorry, Brian... I didn’ know... had no idea.”
“We’re all sorry, Brian. Awww, none of us meant any harm by it. We’re glad to hear that Anne
an’ her baby are fine. Matthew mus’ be relieved. What’s the baby’s name?” Soothed Loren.
“Emily. Emily Elizabeth.” Answered Brian with deep pride resounding in his voice.
Coming around the corner, ready to feed his belly with Grace’s delicious food, Horace caught
only the last part of the heavy conversation. Smiling widely, he expelled brightly,
“Anne had ‘er baby?! Well, I’ll be! When was she born?”
The question, though innocent from Horace, was guilt-laden with memories of the wager for the
rest of the men.... a rise of several voices attacked poor Horace,
