The Silent Cowboy Chapter 1 Part 3

Then next day, Jacob slowly awoke to a changed household.  Elsie still laid in bed, weak and unmoving.  Rachel rocked the baby and Sarah was standing in front of the stove.  The hard chair in which he sat was where he had fallen asleep.  His sisters must have slept on the floor by the fire, he could not remember clearly the events of the night before.  Slowly, he rose and stepped outside to the outhouse then shaved.

The sisters glanced at each other without a word.  But the full conversation was there.  What was to be done?  Rachel inclined her head to the sweet little baby boy in her arms.  She would stay!  Nothing was going to pull her away from this tiny being.  Sarah quietly nodded, that was what was needed.

Slowly, Sarah, put together some sort of breakfast; onions and pork with some rationed rice.  What else was there?  Nothing.  The war had syphoned all the resources available from the country.  The three siblings sat at the table calmly, quietly.  They all looked at each other as they were accustomed.

Rachel, as the eldest, spoke up first.  “Jacob, we need to talk seriously.”  Jacob nodded, then looked down at the wooden tables surface.  “I’m going to stay here.”  She continued.  “Sarah is going home to Branson and the kids, they need her.  Now, you need to go to work.”

Jacob jerked to attention.  “Work!?  I can’t go to work!”

“Ok.”  Sarah replied.  “Then what are you going to do?”

“Ah…Ah…I’ll just…”

Rachel repeated, “You’ll go to work!”

Jacob looked at both his sisters.  They both nodded their heads yes.  Well…work then…

Rachel reached out and took his hand.  “Jacob listen, things are different now.  You have to go to work.  I’ll stay and take care of the baby and Elsie.  When Elsie is ready, she’ll take in laundry as before.  Life! We have to carry on.”  Jacob nodded in agreement.