New to the Family

The Future

 I clung to Jared's arm as he opened the back door. He had taken me up to Jenny's room to see her lifeless body. I had to sit alone in the dining room as Jared and Gabe carried her body, which was rolled up in a sheet, out the door. Lindsay was locked in her bedroom. I could hear her crying and banging on the door. I cringed when I thought of what her punishment may be.

Jared was taking me out of the house to see Jenny's grave. He must have more trust in me now. The autumn air was cold, and Jared made me wear one of his sweaters over my clothes. He gave me my old pair of running shoes back. They were the ones that I was wearing the night Gabe found me.

"This is where we bury everyone," Jared said. "Dad and I already dug the grave."

I stayed quiet as we walked to the edge of the field behind the barn. There was a thin dirt path that lead into the thick array of trees. I kept my eyes on the ground as Jared pulled me along to make sure that I did not trip on any branches or roots.

He brought me to a clearing. The grass was wet with morning dew and was brushing up against my shins. Gabe was standing in the middle next to a pile of dirt. He had a shovel in his hands and another one was lying in the grass. There were little piles of rocks spread out across the clearing. It took me a second to realize that they were graves. Gabe smiled as we approached.

"Leah, sit on the ground," Gabe told me.

I nodded my head and let go of Jared's arm. The grass soaked through my jeans as I sat down. I could see Jenny's wrapped up body was already dumped in the grave. Jared picked up the other shovel.

"Do you remember your Grandfather, Jared?" Gabe asked.

"Bits and pieces," Jared said.

"He was a good man," Gabe said. "Your Grandmother will be so happy to be with him again."

I twirled the long grass around my finger and pulled it out of the ground. I averted my eyes from looking at Jenny's body. Jared dug his shovel into the pile of dirt and dropped a bit into the grave.

"How are you feeling, Leah?" Gabe asked. "I hope you did not catch whatever Theo and Jenny had."

"I feel fine." I kept my eyes on the grass. "I haven't been coughing or anything like that."

"That's good," he said. "You'll be carrying a child soon, so we don't need you getting sick."

I sucked in a deep breath. I looked up to see Gabe's back was to me. Jared was smirking as he dropped another shovelful of dirt into the grave. Jared has not mentioned it since I first came here. I must have known that it would be on their mind.

"I'm sure that it will be any day now," Jared said.

My hand went over my stomach. It could have already happened. Jared and I were being intimate together. I could be carrying the next member of the Wilcox family inside me right now.

My mind was concentrated on the thought of a baby as Jared and Gabe finished burying Jenny's body. When he finished, Jared wiped his hands on his jeans before extending a hand down toward me. I grabbed it and let him pull me up onto my feet. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close to his body.

"You kids better head inside," Gabe said.

"Is it alright if we spend some time in the barn?" Jared asked.

Gabe let out a deep breath and raked his fingers through his hair before nodding his head.

"Alright," he said. "It's probably for the best. I have to deal with your mother."