Don’t go walking near the lilies.
Little Isabelle woke up yawning that morning as her mother entered the room.
“Good morning, deary,” Her mother Marybeth kissed her forehead.
“Hey mommy,” Isabelle rubbed her eyes as Marybeth picked her baby girl up and showed her with kisses.
“Come on let’s get you ready then have some breakfast,” Marybeth told her.
Her husband and son were out already that morning so it was just the two of them. After breakfast was finished, Marybeth took Isabelle out for some herbs. Marybeth was the medicine woman in town and was highly respected for it. Isabelle had always wanted to be like her mother and would be by her side watching her mother make medicine.
“This one?” Isabelle looked up at her.
“Yes, that’s good for wounds,” Marybeth told her. As they went through Isabelle lessons, Marybeth felt something that didn’t sit well with her.
“Let’s go back inside for some lunch okay?” Marybeth instructed Isabelle.
“Okay,” Isabelle took her mother’s hand as they walked back to the house.
As the two began to walk back inside, Marybeth saw Cullen and William ride up. Cullen helped his son off the wagon and went over to Marybeth and Isabelle.
“Good Afternoon ma’am,” Cullen greeted his wife.
“Good afternoon sir,” Marybeth chuckled as he gave her a kiss on the lips.
“Hey there Angel,” Cullen picked up his daughter.
“Hi daddy,” Isabelle smiled.
“Did you like going on the railroad with your father?” Marybeth asked William.
“Yes!” William informed her. Cullen worked for the railroad company and sometimes that caused him to be away from home. It could be a stressful job but it provided well for his family. His son William had wanted to go with him and Cullen kept his promise now that William was old enough.
As the family went into the house, Marybeth couldn’t help but feel like they were being watched from afar. As the day turned into evening, the family sat by the fireplace together. Marybeth was sewing up some clothes while Cullen read to the children.
“Papa are those real?” Isabelle asked.
“Could be. You never know,” He smiled at his little one then looked at the time.
“Alright, time for bed you two,” Cullen closed the book.
“Alright,” William said getting down from his father’s lap.
“Goodnight mama,” He went over to his mother.
“Goodnight,” Marybeth kissed her son on the forehead. Cullen got up still holding Isabelle in his arms.
“Goodnight,” Marybeth kissed her daughter as well as Cullen took the children back. Marybeth sat back down and her smile faded as they left. Looking outside deep into the woods near their home, Marybeth quickly closed the shutters and went to prepare for bed.
Cullen came in shortly afterwards seeing his beautiful wife brushed her hair. He walked over and held on to her.
“How’s Isabelle?” She asked as he kissed her neck.
“She’s doing well. She was really excited about the Fairies.”
“I bet she was,” Marybeth said as her husband started to unbutton the front of her nightgown
“I missed you,” He told her as he cuffed one of her breast in his hand.
“I missed you,” Marybeth kissed him. The two had only been separated for a few days but their passion was as if they had been apart for decades. After their lovemaking, Cullen leaned back in bed holding his wife in his arms. He drifted off to sleep and Marybeth looked over at him. She was always fascinated about when he slept. Slowly she shifted herself to get out of his tight grip without waking him. Sweat glisten over her beautiful brown skin as a result of their love making. Once she had been freed she attempted to leave.
“No,” she looked over to see Cullen wide awake.
“I said no,” Cullen got up to walk toward her. “I know where you going and the answer is no.”
“You can’t make me stay here…” Marybeth told him. Cullen remembered that look from the day he met her almost 10 years ago. Cullen had been riding on his horse taking a break from the Railroad when he saw her on the hill looking out.
“Marybeth…” Cullen spoke with her calmly. “You’re home now and you’re safe. Don’t’ do out there.”
“You wouldn’t understand,” Marybeth simply told him.
“Just come back to bed,” Cullen reached for her. Marybeth hesitated and went to him.
“Just get back in bed,” He escorted her.
“But it’s….” Marybeth tried to speak but Cullen kept insisting she stay put. If Cullen wasn’t careful, he could easily lose her forever. He loath when nights like this came because he had to be alert until dawn. Every time, they would come near and whisper to Marybeth to come back and join them. Marybeth would walk toward them until Cullen would stop her.
“Just go back to sleep,” Cullen coached her as he got dressed and grabbed his rifle.
“Cullen…you can’t…” Marybeth tried to warn him.
“I’m not leaving this room.” Cullen sat down in the chair watching his wife.
Marybeth stared at Cullen and then back at the now shut window. They were calling her but Cullen wouldn’t let her go back to them.
“They’re angry with you,” Marybeth told him. “They hate you. They say you keep me from them.”
“They can get over it,” Cullen told her. “Your family lives in this house, not out in those woods.”
Cullen remembered nights like these on the railroad when it was his time to stand guard during the night. Now he stood guard for his wife who was trying to go back to her “other family”.
“ Cullen?” Marybeth ask looking at him.
“They’re getting angrier, I should go…”
“No, you stay here. They can’t enter the house, that’s why they keep calling you to come out to them. Go to sleep.”
Marybeth yawned and did as she was told. Cullen looked at the shut window knowing they were on the other side glaring holes into him. He knew they wished they could tear him to shreds for keeping their sister away from them. Cullen sat up and positioned himself with the Candle burning. When morning came they would be gone again until the next night like this begging their sister to return to them.
