Alexandria gave an almost imperceptive shake of her head and dropped her gaze.
“Mama!” Lilly came running into the room; tears streamed down her face.
“I’m right here, baby,” Alexandria turned as Lilly flung herself into her arms. “Come on, let’s get you dressed,” Alexandria stood and moved from the room.
Jonathon shook his head and turned to his plate.
“She’s shutting us all out,” Shirley commented beside him.
“She’ll come around,” Jonathon tried to reassure her.
“I just don’t know how to help her,” Carolyn turned to him, her gaze troubled.
“Just be there for her, Mrs. Cannon, that’s all anyone can do.”
“You went through this rather recently yourself,” Carolyn spoke her thoughts aloud.
“Yes, Ma’am and it’s taken a while but I’m moving past the worst of it now. Just be there for her when she does reach out.”
“Thank you, Mr. Stewart,” Carolyn offered what she hoped was a grateful smile.
Chapter Six
“Mrs. Morris, I am so sorry for your loss,” Tristan Price extended his condolences. He was the ranch’s closest neighbor and a lifelong acquaintance of Alexandria and her family.
“Thank you, Mr. Price,” Alexandria returned.
“Please be careful, Mrs. Morris, I still can’t believe he was…I’m sorry, it’s just disturbing. You know you can call on me if you need me; right?” His hazel eyes were earnest as he studied her face.
“I appreciate your concern, Mr. Price; I’ll keep that in mind.”
Tristan moved on to be replaced by another neighbor. They had started arriving bearing dishes of food not long after breakfast and morning chore time. Alexandria, hoping her responses were appropriate, was running on autopilot. The night of lost sleep was starting to catch up with her. Lilly clung to her as she had all morning; Alexandria was left to shift her from arm to arm.
“Come on, Lilly, let Grandma take you?” Carolyn reached for the toddler.
“Nooo!” the child shrieked.
“Leave her, Mama; she’s fine,” Alexandria rubbed the child’s back in small circles.
“Why don’t you go and lay down with her, Alexandria; you look exhausted,” her mother fretted.
“Maybe I should,” Alexandria agreed. She moved to the stairs and was about to take the first step when her father ushered her in-laws into the house.
Janice rushed across the room and threw her arms around both Alexandria and Lilly. She was a statuesque woman, complimenting her husband’s burly size. Her brown and gray streaked hair perfectly offset her blue eyes. Nathaniel looked like an older version of Elijah with his blonde hair and blue eyes. It was easy to imagine that Elijah would have looked very much like his father had he reached that age.
“Oh, dear, I am so sorry,” Janice cried as she held them.
“How are you, Janice?” Alexandria addressed the woman she knew only from her wedding and through letters.
“I’ve been better,” the woman admitted as she righted herself and mopped her face with her handkerchief. Janice laid her hand on Lilly’s tear stained face; her own tears threatened again.
“How’s she doing?”
“She’s clingy at moment,” Alexandria admitted.
“That’s understandable,” Janice nodded. Nathaniel had caught up with his wife at this point and hugged Alexandria briefly before placing his hand on his wife’s shoulder.
“Are you ready to go into the parlor?” his own face showed evidence of recent tears.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Janice nodded.
Alexandria trailed them into the parlor and watched as they held each other and cried. What would it be like to have that with someone, she wondered?
“Can Aunt Anna hold you?” Anna approached Lilly with her hands out.
Lilly whimpered and pulled away.
“I know you must be getting tired,” Anna commented.
“It feels right holding her,” Alexandria countered; Anna offered her a small smile.
“Hello, Mr. Stewart,” Anna greeted him as he entered the room.
“Miss. Cannon,” he greeted in return before moving to a chair on the opposite end of the room.
Janice moved to Alexandria’s side and took a deep steadying breath. “You expect your kids to outlive you,” she told them. “Can Nana hold you dear?” she reached for her grandchild.
Once again Lilly turned away.
“I’m sorry, Janice, please don’t take it personal; she’s been like this all day.”
“No, no; I understand actually. If I was around her more it would help but no, I suspect that given all she’s lost in the past two years she wants to hold onto what she has left.”
“Janice, would you and Nathaniel like something to eat?” Carolyn approached them.
“I need to; I haven’t since…since I received word.”
“Let’s try,” Nathaniel suggested as he took his wife by the elbow. He knew he would be alright but Janice tended to become weak