The farmstead looked just as William would have expected in late spring.  But there was no sign of either Edward or Keziah.  An unfamiliar pre-teen boy was working in the barn.  Did that mean the Blacks were no longer here, that they were no longer the property owners?  Where was Keziah?  Where was his wife?

Then the boy went running off to beyond an outbuilding, hollering [i]Missus Kutcher[/i]  William had teasingly called Keziah that name while they'd been in bed on their wedding night almost seven months earlier, as well as just prior to leaving and promising that he'd soon be home.

[color=tan]"William!"[/color]

William drew a deep breath of relief at the sight of Keziah and the sound of his name coming from her mouth.  They closed on one another, him limping and her ... [i]waddling?[/i]  The [i]evidence[/i] of William's earlier handy work only became more obvious as Keziah neared. She gave him a frown as she reached him, pointing out the obvious, [color=tan]"You're hurt." [/color]

"And you're [i]fat![/i]" he said, laughing as he took her into his arms.  "My [i]god[/i], Keziah.  We're ... we're gonna have a baby."

He had so much more to say to her, but he couldn't get the words out.  All he could do was clutch her to him.  After how long he again couldn't be certain, William caught sight of the slowly approaching boy.  He smiled, then waved the lad forward.  He looked to Keziah's belly again, smiling broadly before -- unsure whether it was proper -- he asked if he could touch her.  When the boy arrived, William took Rose Anne into his arms without hesitation, no longer fearful of holding the child who now seemed far less breakable.  He was surprised when the child that he hadn't seen in almost seven months smile wide, then laughed and reached out to grasp at his nose just as if no time had passed.

"She's so big," he said, before looking to Keziah's belly again.  "And so are you.  If my math is right..."

William was going to do the math, but honestly he didn't know whether he'd [i]knocked up[/i] the Widow Wilkinson the first time they'd made love or Missus Kutcher the second -- and last -- time he'd been with her.  So, one way or the other, Keziah still had several weeks before they had to look for a second Midwife ... or William should be rushing off to Lexington to find one now!

When they reached the more beaten down area between the home, barn, and outbuildings, William looked around and asked with just a touch of concern, "Where is Edward?  Where is your father?"

Keziah told him about her father's passing, and William took her into his arms again.  Edward's passing was a great loss for Keziah, of course, but he would be greatly missed by others, too, including William.  Edward had been the only male -- short of the Sergeant and the Colonel -- with whom William had made a connection in this century.  Six months with the Second Regiment had seen him buddy up to a few men, but none had become friends.  And now, with him labeled a traitor to the Rebel Cause, those Militiamen would just as soon hang him from his neck as sit down for a flagon of ale and war stories.