With a jolt, Leah realized she was imagining Caroline and skinny, angular Abe in bed together. She really hoped Caroline didn’t get on top. Leah straightened herself. “I haven’t seen him since we arrived.”
“I just saw him,” Wes said as he was looking over the leather harness. “He was going into that white house at the end of town.”
“That’s where Lincoln Stark is living!” Caroline said angrily, stamping her surprisingly small foot. “Abe is gambling again. He promised he wouldn’t. Oh Ma!”
Before Wilma could say a word of caution, Caroline was hurrying down the street toward the white house.
Obviously Wilma was embarrassed. “Abe really did promise,” she said meekly. “And C
aroline does have a mind of her own, and I think she really does love Abe and—.”
She stopped because the loud slamming of a door was like a shot fired, and seconds later came the muffled sounds of shouts from the little house. The five of them were silent as they heard what sounded like furniture being tossed about, and then a stool came flying through the window.
“I guess I’d better go see what’s happening,” Wesley said, looking at Wilma, who was beginning to look frightened.
“I hope Caroline isn’t hurt,” Wilma whispered, and all of them began to follow Wesley as he advanced on the house.
Just as they reached it the door flew open and a deck of cards came flying out, catching the wind and fluttering like big snowflakes.
“Ain’t no woman gonna tell me—,” came Abe’s voice. “Here! You watch out! Don’t you hurt Lincoln again! Caroline, I’m warnin’ you!”
Wesley tore up the two porch steps to the open door, looked inside for a moment, his mouth open in astonishment, then began backing down as his face split into a grin.
“She all right?” Wilma asked.
With the beginnings of some deeply felt laughs, Wesley just nodded toward the door.
Within seconds, Caroline Tucker emerged with Abe’s thin body slung across her left shoulder.
“Put me down, you goddamn, overgrown horse!” Abe bellowed into her back.
“Hush up, Abe, my ma’s lookin’.”
Immediately Abe quieted, and as Caroline walked down the stairs she paused before her mother. “He’ll never gamble again, Ma,” she said solemnly.
“That’s true, Miz Tucker,” Abe said. “Caroline done showed me the light. Leah! That you just standin’ there?” he hissed from his upside-down position. “You fergit I’m your brother? You oughta help me.”
Leah was trying very hard not to laugh. “Hello, Abe. Fine day, isn’t it?”
After giving his sister a dirty look, he began caressing Caroline’s backside. “Caroline, honey,” he said sweetly, “you oughta have more respect for me than this.”
“I think I’ll take Abe home now, Ma,” Caroline said. “And I’m going to have a word with Doll Stark about that boy of his leading my man into sin.”
“Me?” came a voice from behind them. Standing on the porch leaning heavily against the rail, was a pleasant-looking young man—or had been. Now one eye was about to turn black, and blood was pouring from his nose. Holding an already soaked handkerchief to his nose, he glared at Caroline. “That precious Abe of yours started this game. It weren’t my fault.”
“Hah!” Caroline snorted, her nose in the air as she walked away regally, bearing Abe across her shoulder.
Abe’s words floated to them on the wind. “You sure were pretty in there, Caroline. I sure liked the way you punched Lincoln all them times. You sure we gotta wait for the weddin’ ’fore we—?”
“Hush, Abe,” Caroline commanded. “Don’t talk dirty.”
“Yes, sweetheart,” Abe said, his hands moving up and down the backside of her.
Wesley was the first to erupt as he removed his hat, slapped it across his knee, and broke down with laughter.
Leah wanted to stop him for fear of offending Wilma, but Wilma put her arms out and fell against Wesley, the two of them barely able to stand for laughing so hard.
“They been like that ever since they met,” Wilma said between gasps. “Abe seems thrilled she wants him.”