Baby

road. After stowing away Maggie and the wagon, they quietly returned to the cabin, tension now reining. Baby curled up on Wil’s bed by the fire, looking up at them alertly.
    “Someone better start doing some explaining,” demanded Wil, his voice incredulous. “And Baby, why were you going to let me die? I saw you heal the snake.” Auras returned; the pressure lessening.
    “Healing is an imperative. It is what Brothers and Sisters do. It is forbidden to create more Elders. I am forbidden to heal you.”
    “Who forbids it, Baby?”
    “The Womb, and the Elders.”
    “Where are the Elders, what the heck is a Womb and what are you exactly?”
    “I am proudly a minion of the Womb. The Elders expired eons ago, devastating punishment for defying the Womb. No longer does the Womb grant immortality. Sister and I are now the only Elders; an honor and a privilege, although, an error. You will soon join us. I am not unhappy about that. We will all be Elders together.”
    “Elders; what the heck does that even mean?” Wil slapped his leg in frustration. “Netty, are you an Elder like Baby says? Baby, where are you actually from?” The only answer they got was silence. Baby would not speak again.
    “I told you, Baby doesn’t speak much. Wil, I know you are scared and upset, but this can all work out.” Netty’s pleading voice made his heart weep for her. “No one needs to know. This will be easier for you because you know what to expect. It took two years before my tail grew out. And I am fine; apparently, better than fine.” She touched where her bites should have been.
    “I don’t want a tail, Netty . I don’t want this. ” Wil continued to rail, all thoughts of tenderness toward Netty, gone. “I don’t want this to be my life, don’t you understand?” Wil felt himself work up to a meltdown.
    “Wil, please let us try to deal with this. We cannot change what has happened.” Netty’s low, calm voice was like warm syrup on Wil’s frayed nerves. Slowly, he focused and calmed down. Standing to stretch, he paced the room, rubbing his palms together, relentlessly.
    “Alright, Netty … alright.” Wil sighed, sitting down. The cabin filled with silence, the only sound, the crackle of the fire. Flames cast shadows on their strained faces, each waiting for the other to banish the silence.
    “I love you, Wil.”
    He responded with unenthusiastic resignation. “I know you do Netty, I love you, too.”
    ###
    Netty made a decision, the solution abundantly clear. Kneeling in front of him, she grasped his hand in hers. She slowly placed it on her breast as she engaged his eyes with hers, emotion and passion filling the space between them. She languidly skimmed her full lips across his. Wil groaned and whispered her name.
    “Are you sure? It’s okay?”
    “I have never been more positive about anything, for such a long, long time.” Her face radiated her love and trust. “I was so afraid I would lose you if my secret were exposed. That is why I appeared to reject you. I felt ashamed. We can solve our other problems tomorrow. Tonight, I want us to be together,” Netty whispered, the uncorseted passion clear in her voice. “Trust me, it will make everything easier.” Wil swept her up in his arms, his lips seeking hers. Fire exploded between them, breathless groans filled the room. Rising, they broke apart to bashfully beam at one another. Hope back in her heart, quixotic as life itself, Netty led Wil to her bedroom. With a quick wave to Baby, she delightedly shut the door and opened her mind to the possibility of a brand new life.
    ###
    Wil and Netty woke very early the next morning. Netty stayed in bed while Wil rounded up Baby and went to turn out the Jerseys. They immediately returned to the bedroom where Netty waited. Wil jumped back into bed and together they watched Baby shuffle and bob over to the bed, clambering up to squeeze himself in between them. They burst out laughing, hugging Baby and smiling into each other’s eyes as they sparkled with life, the new easy intimacy of lovers a boon to their morning.
    Wil and Netty’s life settled back down to the hard work they espoused. With Netty’s new found confidence, she discovered new strength and tolerance toward her body. Wil gracefully accepted the inevitability of his changes with her guidance. Now, when their customers shopped at the vegetable stand, or accepted delivered produce, their new status tolled their love, loud as a church bell.