Come, Josephine

Chapter 55

1928
Josephine
    I was dozing in his warmth when he startled. He clung to me suddenly, and I felt his chest shudder.
"Nick?" I sat up and turned to see his face. He was pale and trembling, "Nick, talk to me. What's wrong?"
"Oh, God, I had this dream," his voice cracked, "I was covered in your blood again- oh, my God."
His hands shook as he cupped my cheeks. I saw the way he flexed his stiffened hand, the way he moved his thumb as if trying to loosen up the ruined muscles. It still pained him after all of the time that had passed.
His breathing was too quick, "Nick, I'm okay, you're okay, it was just a dream. Come on, deep breaths."
He shook his head, "it was so real."
"Mine feel real too," I admitted, "but they're not. It's just a memory- that's all."
He nodded silently. I lay back down, and watched the fall and rise of his chest become steadier, "I keep thinking that I'm going to lose you."
"Nothing's going to happen to me. Look, I'm fine- let's go outside for a bit. I'm sick of being cooped up."
"Are you sure you're well enough?"
"I'm absolutely fine- lying here isn't doing me any good."
He helped me out of bed slowly, my legs threatening to buckle. He helped me into his long overcoat, tucking the collar up around my face. It was a warm day outside, but truthfully, I was cold.
We went downstairs slowly and carefully. Once outside, we sat down beneath the kitchen window. The sun was warmest there, and I found myself unbuttoning the coat.
It was a gloriously sunny day. The whole world seemed to be awake, and a little way off, I could hear a horse and rider trotting towards us. To my excitement, it was Peter's head bobbing above the hedge line.
Nick and I stood to wave, and he came towards us. Grinning ear to ear, he dismounted hastily, "hey, I was just about to come over and check on my favourite runaway."
"Not funny," I laughed, "Nicholas, aren't you supposed to defend my honour?"
"Not if he's right," his smile was thin, as if trying to keep himself from saying something that he would regret. I tried to ignore it.
"I've been meaning to thank you," I said, "for everything. I would have thanked you sooner, but I wasn't able to."
"Honestly, I'm surprised you're not sicker," he frowned, "you've been lucky."
"She took a bad turn a couple of nights ago," Nick interjected, "she's lucky she didn't fit."
"But I was fine," I studied Nick's face. I couldn't read it, but he was acting strangely. His voice was terse, tense. Something was amiss.
"You're fine now, Josephine. Like Peter said, you were lucky."
"I was fine-"
"You weren't the one that watched over you all night, trying to save your life," he snapped, "you can't remember a damn thing."
I turned to him, "you don't get to talk to me that way."
"You need to listen to me: you're not well enough to be running about and acting like your fine. Josie, if you keep acting like you're invincible, you'll wind up dead."
"I'm not acting like I'm invincible-"
"Yes, you are."
My head spun, "look we're not having this conversation right now. Peter, I'll talk to you later, okay? I'm going inside."
I began walking inside, and I could hear Nick following. I ignored him; he had been acting childishly and did not deserve any more of my time. As I approached the kitchen, I could hear Jack and mamma inside.
"I told her about the baby," mamma said, "she wasn't impressed."
"Really?" Jack's voice was gentle, "oh, Rose, I'm sorry. Maybe we should have waited."
"Until after she dies? Jack, I'm already showing a little- and she's not showing any signs of dying any time soon. If I had waited, I could have had an infant in my arms while breaking the news to her."
"You're right," he chuckled, and I could almost picture him leaning closer to her.
"She said that I should have outgrown having children. That I was too old for this "nonsense.""
"Nonsense? What, like this?" I grimaced; they were most definitely kissing.
"I imagine so- I remember her refusing to let my father so much as take her arm."
He laughed, "that would have been you and Caledon."
"Don't- don't say his name. Besides, I would have pushed him out of the window on our wedding night."
"God, it seems so long ago, doesn't it? We were just kids."
"I wasn't much older that Josephine."
    "I know, but we were old enough to know what we wanted," I could hear the smiling in his voice.
   "So you're alright about her and the boy?"
   "Hey, I didn't say that. I'm still worried about-"
   "What? His intentions? Jack, you and I both know boys with bad intentions don't stay up through all hours of the night to take care of the girls they claim to love," she laughed, "you would have done the same."
   "I know, but I'm still her dad, right?"
   "And a good one."
   I frowned and went inside. Whatever was going on with Nick would blow over, probably.