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"You were pregnant before?" Beth asked.
"Yes, it died in childbirth…"
"I'm sorry…Was it John's?"
Martina looked out across the meadow, the blue bonnets were blooming again and they made a huge garden.
"I don't know…" she said reflectively.
Beth hung her head.
"So he gave you the divorce?"
"Yes, as soon as I got word he would, I tended to that. I done him wrong, Beth. I know that, and I'm sorry for it now."
"At least you realize it now, that's important."
"Abner has a way about him, that makes me happy."
"I'm glad. He seems like a nice man."
"He is, we go to church now here with Ma and Pa and Abner helps Pa a lot. Course the boys are all older now so they are a big help too. Things are better, Pa's crops are better and everyone is happy."
"It's strange how we can have a war like that and come out of it better than we went in."
Martina nodded. "When Abner went to war, I came home, I was so afraid I'd never see him again. But now, I'm pregnant and all is well again. Look out there, Beth, it's beautiful isn't it. I never noticed that much when I was a kid. It's beautiful here."
"It is." Beth agreed.
Martina nodded. "I'm so glad I’m pregnant this time. When I left John I was pregnant and scared and I didn't eat right. But those days are over, best left behind. And it couldn't be more perfect since Abner is back from the war. They let him come home early because he'd lost his leg and was about to lose his arm too. He came home in January. They thought gangrene had set in, but it was just infected badly from the filth he had to live in."
"I'm glad for you, Martina. You don't know how I worried about you."
"When Abner went to war, I was so afraid he would be killed and I'd never see him again. I guess that is real love, when you fear for them all the time."
Beth nodded. "Sounds like it to me."
"Was having Little Jake hard?" She asked.
"A little, but I had a doctor, so no real problems." She smiled in reflection.
"He's a doll. I'm proud for Jacob too. He seems more mature now. More like a man, than a boy."
"He is; he's really grown up."
Beth sighed, "It's so good to be home again."
"Will you stay?"
"For a while, but when Wade gets another boat we'll be off again, I'm sure."
Martina got up and hugged her then, "I'm so glad you are here now. I hope you can stay long enough for the baby to be born…"
"I'd like that too!" Beth laughed and they went inside.
Beth glanced outside as Wade came to stand just behind her, and pulled her into his arms. "Glad to be home again?"
"Oh yes," But she turned around to face him. "But anywhere you are, is home. I go where ever my heart roams, you know!" She smiled and kissed his chin.
