Scarlett Rose's Arc

Chapter 54 of 57

The twins had been home four days. Scarlett moved through the house on a rhythm of feedings, diapers, and half-sleep. Clayton did the barn before dawn and the barn after dark. They passed each other in the hall with a baby in each set of arms. He kissed her forehead every time. He had not kissed her mouth since the clinic. On the fifth morning she stood at the nursery door and watched him lay Skye in the crib. His shirt was the same one from yesterday. Hers was too. He did not look up when she came in. He was counting breaths, the way Dr. Wishborne showed them. "Clayton." "He's down." "I know. I need ten minutes with you. Just us." He looked at her then. His eyes were tired, but they held. "Tonight. After the eight o'clock feed." "Promise me." "I promise." She spent the afternoon planning ten minutes like a wedding. She called Rose and asked her to sit with the twins from eight-thirty to nine. Rose said yes before Scarlett finished the sentence. Scarlett bathed. She pulled the sunflower dress from the closet, the one she had not worn since the reception. It still fit across the chest. She left the boots off. She put the diamond earrings in and set the hat on the dresser. At eight-fifteen Rose came through the back door with a thermos and a book. She looked at Scarlett and her mouth softened. "Go," Rose said. "I've got them till nine." Scarlett found Clayton on the porch. He had washed up and put on the good shirt with the red yoke, the one she loved. His hat sat low. His boots were clean. He had planned too. He stood when he saw the dress. "You look like the fair." "I feel like a stranger." "Come here." She went. He put his hands on her waist, then her back, then her face. He kissed her mouth. She held onto his shirt because her knees were not steady. "I've missed you," she said. "In the same house." "I know. I've been counting the hours wrong. Doing chores instead of seeing you." "Ten minutes on the porch every night. After the eight o'clock feed. No phones. No barn." "Ten minutes." He nodded. "Starting now." They sat on the top step. He kept his hand on her knee through the sunflowers. She told him Skye had smiled that morning, a real one, not gas. He told her Duke had thrown a shoe and he'd fix it Sunday. Small things. Their things. At nine Rose tapped the window. Azure was fussing. Scarlett stood. Clayton caught her hand before she reached the door. "Tomorrow," he said. "Same step." "Same step." She went inside to her daughter. The distance was still there, but it had a bridge now, ten minutes wide, and both of them knew where it started.