Returning Home

Caleb remembered very well what they had been doing, and did several times that night. A wicked grin spread over his lips as he shrugged, but he stopped short of a reply when the door to the carriage opened, flooding the carriage with noise from the corridor as the conductor leaned in.

"We'll be arriving in about ten minutes, gentlemen." He tipped his smart blue hat at Martha. "And lady." She beamed back at him, folding her hands demurely in her lap, just as Sarah had shown her. Martha was as smitten with her aunt now as she had been at Sarah's first visit, and their letters to each other continued to be positively encyclopedic in length. Caleb's relationship with Martha certainly wasn’t as rocky as it had been after the night of the fire when they lost the cabin, but still, he felt a pang of jealousy that Martha seemed to forget he existed whenever his sister was mentioned. Still, he couldn't begrudge the female attention Martha clearly delighted in.

Jacob smiled up at the conductor. "Thank you, James."

"You're very welcome, sir. I'll make sure a porter meets you directly at the baggage car to help with the luggage."

Caleb nodded at him, adjusting Thaddeus who was starting to stir—rubbing his chubby fist against his eyes. "We appreciate it."

The man nodded one last time, tipped his hat, and slid the door closed.

Jacob started buttoning his vest and reached for his jacket. "This is it then." He seemed suddenly anxious and it set Caleb's nerves on edge at once.

The change in mood must have shown in his body somehow, as Thaddeus abruptly pushed himself up from Caleb's chest, looking blearily at his surroundings with his big blue eyes for a moment before his creased, red face screwed up and his chest began to hitch.

Caleb sat up, jostling the grizzling boy into an upright position, but didn't get the chance to try to sooth him as Martha sprang forward, grabbing Thaddeus's hands and pulling him forward to stand on the seat. "Tad! Thank goodness you're awake. We've arrived! Come look out the window with me and see if we can spot the station before Ephraim."

"I don't know. I'm pretty good at spotting stations." Ephraim smiled over at Thaddeus. Immediately, Thaddeus's face changed from sorrow to determination. To say that the little Alpha was fiercely competitive with his older brother was somewhat of an understatement. Clambering quickly to the window, Thaddeus settled himself against Martha's side and reached out to Ephraim, wordlessly entreating him to stand at the window with them, so they could point at shining church spires, chimneys billowing smoke, and people going about their daily work, together.

The sight made Caleb's heart swell, and Jacob's too, judging by the smile that spread over his face and the way he reached out to hold Caleb's hand for a moment. Thaddeus had come along just as the older children were finally settling into life at the homestead, so Caleb and Jacob had both worried about the effect it might have on them. But brother and sister had welcomed the baby with unbridled enthusiasm. There were issues and jealousy from time to time, but that merely reassured the Alphas that the children thought of themselves as true siblings.

Jacob smirked at Caleb, making him frown as he pulled his jacket on over his massive shoulders, the train jarring and making the carriage, and everyone in it, jolt. "What's so funny?"

Jacob shrugged. "Nothing. You look… fine. Apart from the drool on your shirt."

Caleb looked down at the wet mark on his chest and sighed. "You're right. Maybe we should go home so I can change."

Jacob slapped Caleb's knee as he stood, reaching up to pull an old carpetbag down from the storage rack. "Just button your jacket, you old fool. I think you'll be forgiven a little spit-up being that your family hasn't seen you in twelve years."

Caleb grunted, not wanting to speak and give away how his stomach had started turning cartwheels at the thought. He stood and started to gather Thaddeus's blanket and toys when he felt Jacob's gentle hand on his arm and turned. There wasn't much space for the two large men so they ended up face to face, almost touching.

Jacob scratched his fingers over the short, dark beard Caleb had been cultivating. It was fast becoming one of Jacob's most favorite signs of affection, and one Caleb was most happy to receive. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Caleb smiled. Cupping his mate's face, he kissed him softly and nodded. "Yes. And no. I'm terrified. But then you're here. And the children. I'm sure between the five of us we'll work it out if everything goes horribly wrong."

Jacob grinned and opened his mouth to reply but he was interrupted by Martha's loud, "Papa, Tad needs to pee. And no, he can't hold it."