Free Shattered Moments by Irina Shapiro Page B

much longer after Nat was born.  She took care of him while I took jobs cleaning and doing laundry, but that doesn’t pay much as compared to whoring, if you’ll pardon me saying so.  We never had enough to eat, and I couldn’t put anything by for the future.  Both Sam and Jonah always spoke of what kind people you are, so I thought that you might find it in your heart to help us.  I would be most grateful.”
    “Of course we will,” Mr. Mallory said, finally smiling.  “You will stay with us, and once Jonah is back, you two can work things out between yourselves.  I can’t speak for him, but I have no doubt that my son will do what’s right.” 
    Mrs. Mallory let out a pitiful squeak, but Diana just smiled at her.  “Mrs. Mallory, I didn’t come here to ensnare your son.  I understand how you feel, and I wouldn’t want my boy to marry beneath him either.  I just need a little help until I can get on my feet again.”
    “Of course, dear,” Mrs. Mallory said, focusing on practical matters.  “You and Nathaniel can share the girls’ room.  It’ll be crowded, but we’ll manage.  And how old is Nathaniel?” she asked carefully.
    “He’s nearly one and a half.  I know, he’s small for his age,” Diana said, giving them all a sad smile, “but things have been difficult for us both.  If you’ll excuse me for a moment…”  Diana disappeared through the door, going in search of the privy while Nat happily mu nched on his bread, his face tense with concentration as he tried to chew the crust.
    Everyone watched him, a palpable tension passing between Mr. and Mrs. Mallory as they exchanged looks of shock and disbelief. Finn just looked on until Mrs. Mallory physically turned him around and pushed him out the door.  “Get Sam.”

Chapter 13
     
    “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you,” Sam intoned as he leaned against the stile and gazed at the purpling sky, scattered with the first twinkling stars of the evening.  “Thank you Lord, for not making Nathaniel mine.” 
    Seeing Diana had been a shock, but seeing her son left him nearly mute.  The boy looked so much like him when he was a child that it unnerved him.  Thank God Sue hadn’t come with him.  He’d left his parents ’ house nearly half an hour ago, but couldn’t bring himself to go straight home.  He leaned against the stile and watched the sun slowly sink below the horizon, the puffy clouds that were white only a little while ago now tinged blood red as the sun finally disappeared, plunging the world into semi-darkness.  Another quarter of an hour and the tree line in the distance would become just a jagged black line against the darkening sky, and the moon would rise, bathing the meadow in a silvery glow that would light his way home. 
    Diana looked much the same at first glance, but on closer inspection , she had aged; fine lines appearing around her eyes and a deeper groove running from nose to chin around her supple mouth.  She’d suffered in the past year; he could see it in her eyes.  Why hadn’t she come sooner? Sam wondered.  Jonah would have seen right by her.  Of course, their parents would not have been very happy with his choice of wife, but in view of the child, there’s not much even they could say against the union.  Jonah, you dog! Sam chuckled.  Who would have thought?
    He turned as Abbie climbed onto the stile next to him and looked at the stars.  “I guess we were all wrong about Jonah.  He’s more like you than we thought,” she said, nudging Sam in the ribs with her elbow.  “At least you were always careful.”
    “It does seem out of character, but war does strange things to people.  Jonah has been away from home for years.  He’s lonely and battle sick.  He probably just needed some comfort , and Diana was there to provide it.  She’s beautiful and spirited with a quick wit and a sense of humor.  She would have made him feel at ease and happy.  I can’t blame him, can