Jeb put the wagon in the barn and carried the flour into the hacienda. Eva met him at the door,<br/><br/>"Your dinner is on the table, " she said, "I cooked some chicken and dumplings plus some of those new peas." She kissed his cheek and followed him into the kitchen. "How was town? Is there any news?"<br/><br/>Eva stirred up the fire and put the coffee on to boil. She had anticipated his arrival so it was ready to make fresh. Jeb sat down, smiling at her as she bustled around. He admired her slim but shapely form bending over the oven door to stoke that fire. She stoked more than one fire, he thought. When she turned around, he gave her one of those smiles that she had fallen in love with when she was just a young girl.<br/><br/>"I also made you a dried apple pie. We haven't had one in a while."<br/><br/>"What's the occasion?" he asked.<br/><br/>Eva put the food in front of him and pulled the one good china cup from the pantry. She just gave him a shy smile while waiting for the coffee to make. Finally she poured the cup and brought it to him. She sat down next to him,watching him take a cautious sip.<br/><br/>"I think Maddie is going to be a big sister."<br/><br/>Jeb spewed coffee across the table. Eva looked crestfallen.<br/>"I thought you would be happy. I know you have wanted a son."<br/><br/>"No, no, I'm happy, just as happy as a speckled pup." he lied.<br/><br/>"What's wrong?" she asked, jumping up to get the pie to cover up the anxiety she felt.<br/><br/>"Nothing, pumpkin, nothing at all," he lied again, his eyes clouding with worry at the shit storm that was brewing in Bethlehem Falls.