Handling Susannah by Amelia Smarts

Author:Amelia Smarts [Smarts, Amelia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-03-29T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Even though he was not the kind of man she originally wanted, Susannah loved Adam more and more as the days passed. He was firm and disciplined, a good leader, and so many of her worries melted away after he’d come into her life. Knowing he was managing the business affairs in such a way that their little family would be safe and well cared for gave her relief.

But, as was wont to happen more often than she liked, her temper and impulsiveness had made an ugly appearance. In her anger, she had said the very words she suspected would hurt her husband, and she had been right. Instead of feeling victorious, she’d felt instantly regretful.

Things were not the same in the days that followed. Adam was distant. He carried on with the habits of each day, but he no longer was warm toward her—only polite. He still kissed her hello and goodbye, but those gestures seemed more out of obligation than any meaningful sentiment. He didn’t make love to her, and she missed that. She wanted him to go back to handling her in the strong, tender way he had in the beginning, before she’d challenged his leadership by insulting him. She hoped every day that he would forgive her, but she couldn’t see any softening in his interactions with her.

Though deeply saddened that she had damaged their relationship, she was grateful to notice that her words didn’t seem to have any negative repercussions when it came to Adam’s relationship with Caleb. From day one, Adam and her son had gotten along, and they only continued to bond. Caleb followed Adam around often, asking questions about whatever he was doing. Adam answered him patiently, taking the time to explain. Whenever he would ask the boy to do something, Caleb was quick to obey. The boy reserved his rebellion for when Adam was at the range, and Susannah wondered if he would ever act up in front of his new pa. She also wondered how Adam would react if he did.

One evening the three of them were relaxing near the dim light of the lamp. Susannah rocked back and forth in her chair, which Adam had recently fixed, humming to herself and mending the curtains. Adam sat on a stool nearer to the light, while Caleb sat on the floor next to him and watched him whittle away at some wood.

“What’s that, Pa?”

Susannah smiled to herself over Caleb calling him Pa. Even if Adam never warmed to her again, she would be grateful that he was in their lives due to his kindness toward her son.

Adam stopped whittling and held up his project so that the boy could see it. About halfway done, the sculpture was shaped into a horse’s head with a long flowing mane.

“Oh! It’s a horse,” Caleb exclaimed, clapping his hands together and grinning.

“Almost,” Adam said with a smile, and resumed his task of whittling the horse’s withers.

“Can I try? I want to know how to make horses out of wood.

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