*****
Poppy trailed her fingers along the worn wooden fence that enclosed the dairy cows. She stepped closer to Jacob, who was preoccupied with a stubborn calf that refused to nurse, so he was having to bottle-feed it.
“Jacob,” she began hesitantly. “I’ve been thinking about what you shared…and I want you to know you’re not alone in carrying burdens.”
He paused, the calf momentarily forgotten, his dark eyes flicking toward her. The muscles in his jaw tightened, suggesting he was bracing for words he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear.
“During our time on the trail,” Poppy continued, “I lost my ma to fever. I was just a girl. My pa…he was never the same. It was like watching him fade away, day by day.” Her gaze dropped, focusing on her hands that fidgeted with the hem of her apron. “Sometimes it feels like I failed them both—like I’m still failing. I think Pa was kept alive for as long as he was by the sheer force of Sarah’s will. When he died…I think we all wanted to die with him.”
The confession hung in the air, heavy and raw. For a moment, Jacob’s features softened, and it seemed as if he might reach out. But instead, he turned back to the calf.
“Loss is a part of life, Poppy,” Jacob said, his voice terse as he forced the rubber nipple into the calf’s mouth. “We all have our crosses to bear.”
“Of course,” she replied. “But don’t you see? Sharing them—it can make the burden lighter.”
He shook his head, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. “Or it can double the weight. Some things are better left buried.”
“Even if it means burying a part of yourself?” Poppy pressed. She couldn’t accept that as her answer. She needed him to understand she wanted to share his burdens.
“Especially then.”
Poppy recoiled slightly, feeling the sting of rejection. She had hoped for a connection, but he was resistant.
“Jacob,” she tried again, her words faltering as frustration creased her brow. “I just—”
“Poppy,” he interrupted, setting the now-empty bottle aside and facing her. His eyes held a storm within their depths. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but this isn’t a burden I can share with you.”
“But you can talk to me about what’s happened, and I can understand you better. I know I always feel better when I’ve shared a problem with someone,” she suggested, reaching out a hand, but he moved away from her.
“Poppy…” Jacob’s voice trailed off, the struggle evident in his furrowed brow. “Please, just leave it be.”
She withdrew her hand, folding her arms across her chest in an unconscious defense. The air grew thick with unspoken words.
“All right, Jacob,” Poppy conceded softly, turning away to hide the glimmer of tears that threatened to spill over. “I’ll leave it be.”
*****
“Sarah,” Poppy’s voice was barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of her troubled thoughts.
Sarah looked up, her keen eyes quick to notice the shadow that had settled over her sister. “What is it, Poppy?” she asked, setting her sewing aside. Sarah always gave Poppy and her troubles her full attention, which made Poppy feel important. It was something that had helped her through the sadness after the death of their parents.
“It’s Jacob,” Poppy began. “I fear I’ve reached the end of what I can do. He’s built walls so high around him. I don’t know what to do anymore.”
“Jacob has been through unimaginable pain,” Sarah reminded her gently. “The loss of his brother, the war…those are not easy things to bear, let alone share.”
“I know, I do,” Poppy said, sinking into a chair opposite Sarah. “But how do I reach him? How do I show him he’s not alone, that the burden he carries doesn’t have to be his alone to bear?”
Sarah considered her sister, her gaze softening. “Love is a powerful thing, Poppy,” she murmured. “But sometimes, love means giving someone the space to heal on their own terms. Just be there for him.”
“Do you think he’ll ever be happy?” Poppy’s hands twisted in her lap. “Or am I just fooling myself, believing that I could be the one to help him find peace?”
“Only Jacob can answer that,” Sarah said. “And perhaps, in trying to help him, you’ll grow closer. But you may end up pushing him away.”
Poppy’s eyes filled with unshed tears as the truth of Sarah’s words sank in.
*****
The morning sun had scarcely crested the horizon when Poppy found Jacob in the barn. His back was to her, muscles tense as he wrestled with the stubborn lid of a milk churn.
