I Promise (Wattys 2016)

Dwight Schrute

The picture is supposed to show Bailey all grown up.

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Victoria hated herself at the moment. She was becoming increasingly tired and it was getting harder for her to do the farm work by herself. She had no idea what it was. She assumed it was fatigue since she had been doing all of James' work for over a year now. Bailey helped as much as he could, but it wasn't much. Victoria had finally collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Bailey had licked her awake. She knew that if she didn't get her act together, she could lose the farm.

"Bailey, we have to get a farm hand." She told him one morning. She hated the idea. A farm hand could try to take over her farm, he could kill Bailey, he could steal her money or crops. But it was the best idea she had at this point.

Victoria decided to to write an add for the paper. It would cost her, but she hoped it would work. Bailey laid on top of her feet, warming them while she wrote. He was a year old. Victoria was starting to think of making more money by breeding him and selling the puppies. She pushed the idea out of her mind at the moment. Victoria finished writing the add and read over the finished product.

Wanted: One farm hand to help Victoria Smith with her farm work. Interviews will be held on Thursday, October 20th, 1915 at ten O' clock in the morning.

Victoria nodded. She would take this into town later in the day. For now, she just wanted to read and relax. She went up to her reading room and curled up in James' chair. Although it was a little hard for her to believe, this was the first time she'd done it. She couldn't concentrate on her book. All she could think of was all the times she and James had curled up in his chair. She had read while James had just held her and whispered sweet nothings in her ear. Victoria smiled at the memories. She knew that one day he would come home and they would read in here again. She just had to wait and have faith.

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James was currently feeling very worried. Charlie still wasn't better. James had taken on his work so that he could rest and get well, but it didn't look like it was happening. James knew it was only a matter of time before the Germans figured this out and killed him. He was currently hauling guns to and fro. He had a feeling that this was just for their amusement. Adalric hadn't given him any news about Victoria's letter. All he had said was that he had sent it off. It could have gotten lost or gone to another Victoria Smith, for all he knew. Still, he had hope that she had received it. His picture of her was the only light his world of darkness.

"How many times are you going to look at that?" Jamie asked. They were working together for once.

"As many times as I'm able." James said.

"You're going to soil it." Jamie warned.

"It's survived this long. It can survive a little more." James said. "I just miss her so much."

"I honestly don't get how you're so attached to her. You haven't seen her in a year." Jamie said. "For all you know, she's dead or having an affair with someone else."

"Don't you dare say those things." James said. "I honestly don't understand how you're not upset about never seeing your wife."

"I don't know. I didn't really love her. I don't know why I got married in the first place." Jamie said.

James was silent. He didn't understand how Jamie couldn't miss his wife at all. It was odd to him. But, then again, he and Victoria had bonded very strongly. He missed Victoria so much at that moment that he just wanted to scream. He wanted his wife. He wanted to be home.

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It was the day of the interviews. Victoria was a bit frightened, since she didn't like meeting strangers. She hoped Bailey didn't leave her side during the interviews. She had the shotgun that James had taught her how to use a week before he had left under the kitchen table just in case. She was actually pretty good at firing it, in her opinion. She had never actually killed anything before, just knocked some cans off of the fence. Victoria went outside and was both surprised and relieved to see that there was only one person there. She invited him inside. Bailey stood up and growled. Victoria held him back by his collar.