Chapter 8
The next day.
This is too good not to share. My husbands are all convinced I am pregnant as of last night.
Why?
Because I hate the stinky fish they brought home. So, Dr Jimmy has been telling them all about pregnancy so they can be prepared for when the babies start coming.
Apparently sudden aversions to the pregnant woman’s favourite foods is common.
I mean, I do like cooked fish, but this was some stinky raw fish they were filleting. Guts everywhere.
It’s only been just over a week. But they were so sweet. I told them that probably wasn’t the case, but they told me they knew.
“Our daughters are in there,” They’d tell each other.
My least favourite part, I now have to have one of them with me all the time to carry things – such as the air-con. I would understand if I was pregnant but I’m not.
Instead I just have a giant or two under my feet.
But my favourite part was when Freddy and Lloyd told everyone about our trip to the neighboring town. They were disgusted at the racism. They had no clue it was so bad.
They especially hated the guy at the store. My other husbands wanted to go linch him. The only reason Freddy and Lloyd didn’t at the time is because I pleaded with them to ignore any jerks and they promised.
Promises are very important to them. Unlike most modern people, they always keep their word.
Then they started telling the others about the women in town. And there were dozens of stunningly beautiful women in for the special town celebration thing the town was hosting.
Including some beauty queens for some parade.
But my husbands left me completely shocked when they told their brothers and friends how I was the most beautiful woman there.
Didn’t they see the other women?
Or are they really that crazy?
Prehaps I should have them see an eye doctor?
“You didn’t have to tell us that,” Harry said confidently.
“She is a Goddess. No-one is more divine,” Hadley continued his brother’s speech as most of the brothers did.
I still aren’t as confident about my looks as they are but I am getting better.
I now realise that the people in my old town didn’t bully me because my looks, it was because I am strong. I have ambition and I’m not willing to settle like they are. I wanted more and I made it happen.
My old town is full of old fashioned people. But not in the same sense as the Woodford men.
No. The Woodford men are actually very modern despite their self-exile. Gentlemen willing to let a woman be what she wants.
Whereas my old town thought women should be in the kitchen making their husband dinner, not working. They should be married, birthing children. Barefoot and pregnant. They shouldn’t work, be outspoken and they sure as hell shouldn’t go against their father or husband’s wishes.
Don’t get me wrong, I want the family, children and a happy home. But I won’t bow and beg my husband for a weekly wage to do housework and buy groceries like I know most do.
Today it is the captain himself accompanying me to the diner and to do my other jobs.
“If you’re going to hang around you are both on chopping duties,” I tell Wayne and Gary who are stood around the kitchen watching me and Graham preparing the food for the day.
“I don’t know-” I cut Gary off shaking my head.
“Don’t you give me that garage.” He grins amused as I tell him off. “You know alright. You just know your brother is a pushover and will do all your work for you.”
It’s true. Many of times I see Graham working at the bar in the evening when he should be resting.
Normally either Jimmy or Jake – their best friends and I’m pretty sure, their boyfriends – would tell Gary off for not doing his job.
He is like a naughty school boy. Lord only knows how they thought making him sheriff was a good idea.
“Take this knife and chop the vegetables.” I pass him the knife. “You have to start working for your dinner,” I tell him. “Oh and stop letting him work in the bar while you skive off.”
He chuckles but then salutes, “Yes, ma’am.” And to my surprise he actually does it.
I don’t even have to tell Wayne, he is happy to help.
Graham smiles and gives me a side hug, thanking me. I love him. He is the perfect dad.
I know he’s in his fifties, but I really hope he gets a chance to have his own family. I love all the towns men. OId and young, they are all amazing and incredibly sweet.
Busy in the kitchen, we are all surprised when we hear the door bell ring a hour or so later.
Looking at the clock Graham’s brows furrow. It was still a little while before the lunch groups start arriving. They are never earlier. You can set your clock by them old men.
All pausing, we all exit the kitchen to find the young woman from yesterday looking for a house.
She is with with a man around her age – both in their early twenties.
“Oh hello,” I greet them and turn to Graham. “This is the woman I told you about.”
She smiles nervously and her husband stood smiling beside her.
“Hello, I’m Graham Jones, the mayor. How can I help you?”
Following him around the counter when I see two tiny little girls, no older than four.
“Hello. I’m Ryan King, this is my wife, Amy and our daughters, Lily and May.” I would guess high school sweet hearts.
Graham looks down with a huge smile and says happily, “Oh my, aren’t you adorable. You are both so tiny that I didn’t notice you before.”
Gary is beside his brother looking back with a smile and Wayne is watching from behind the counter curiously. I think it is his first time seeing children up close since he was one.
They look confused at seeing the two identical men and maybe a little scared. They were hugging their mother’s legs.
“We came to ask about housing. We heard there was some empty properties,” The man is trying to be so polite. But I could tell they are desperate.
“Yes. Why don’t we go to my office and we can have a chat,” Graham suggested and his brother whispered letting him know he’d go collect Jake.
Graham looked to me, “You’ll be alright, won’t you?”
I nod, “We’ll be fine.” All the food is done. We just need to plate it up.
I kneel down, “How old are you?”
“Lily is three, May has just turned four,” Their mother answers.
“Wow. You’re pretty grown up. Would you like to help me make some cookies?” The some little girls eyes light up.
They look up at their parents pleadingly. They are so adorable. They make me hope I am pregnant. “What do you say mommy and daddy? Can your little flowers bake cookies with me?”
Amy looks concerned, but Ryan nods his head and tells the girls to be good.
“Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of them.”
They leave a minute later. But not before their mother kisses and hugs them like she was leaving forever. An overprotective mother. But to be honest I would be the same leaving my children with strangers in an unfamilar place.
“This is my husband, Wayne,” I introduce him to the girls.
They look up at him wide eyed.
“Don’t be scared. He’s a teddy bear.”
**
It was unbelievable. One moment they were terrified and the next they were giggling and each sat on his back playing horsey.
He is going to be such a good dad.
We were just putting the cookies in the oven when the priest and his friends come in.
Plates already prepared, I take two while the little girls carry the third between them. Wayne follows to make sure they don’t drop it.
But I’m not worried. There’s plenty left if they do.
“What the…” The elderly gentlemen lit up seeing the tiny girls.
“These are my new friends. Their parents might be moving to town.” Wayne helps them hand the plate over and the men thank them.
When the rest of my husbands enter a little while later, Wayne was sat with a girl on each leg while Mike told them some biblical child-friendly story.
I’m not religious but the kids seem to love the story. I can see this being a regular thing if the children move here.
The elderly men must be bored alone, so I doubt they’ll mind too much.
“Sit down, my darlings, I’ll bring your food out and drinks.”
Unsurprisingly, the triplets come to help me. Apparently I can’t even hold plate now.
While in there I take the cookies out and pour the girls drinks.
I have offered them food but they want to wait and eat with their parents
They are such sweet children. I hope they stay.
“They are the daughters of the woman from yesterday,” I tell the triplets as we grab the plates.
The girls are so involved in the stories being told they don’t seem to notice the others.
Setting the plates down, my husbands all greeted me with a kiss.
It was then something caught my eye, two new strange cars. One parked while another just drove around.
In the parked car I could clearly see the black couple from yesterday. They were looking around, out of the window and speaking.
“Mike, would you be alright with the flowers for a few minutes?”
“Do not worry, we have this,” He assures me.
“Thanks. I won’t be long.”
The girls look from the priest for the first time and their eyes widen. I exited the cafe to Wayne explaining who the other men were. The girls didn’t seem as scared this time and seem to be coming out of their shells.
Not surprisingly, some of my husbands follow me. I look back as though to tell some of them to wait. Thankfully only three followed me. Ford, Lee and Angus.
Seeing me approach, the couple exit the car followed by a second man and three boys who all appear to be under eight.
“Hello. Are you here to speak about the empty properties?” I ask the couple politely.
“Hello ma’am. Yes, if it is possible.”
“The mayor is actually in a meeting at the moment. But if you don’t mind waiting I can inform him you are here.”
“Thank you, ma’am. That would be fantastic.” They are incredibly polite.
As I spoke the other car, this car had the woman who asked about the town helping people with fertility problems inside. She was with a gentle man I assume is her husband.
Looking to Lee, I didn’t have to say anything, he nods and smiles.
He kisses my forehead before heading to the town hall.
Turning but to the car I ask “Are any of you hungry? We have plenty of food inside.”
Today is going to be a busy day.
