Chapter 10
GRANT
I must rein in my temper as I force myself not to slam the door behind me.
When Lauren flinched like I was going to hit her, my heart hit the floor and if I could have screamed down the heavens, I would’ve.
Oren is lucky he’s miles away, because I’m not sure I could stop myself from going after him if he were closer.
Blue flares his wings when I get too close, and I snarl out, “Supper bird … just keep it up!”
Walking out into the barn, Star snorts, stomping aggressively.
Taking a deep breath, I try to steady my thoughts and emotions.
If the animals can feel the rage inside of me, then Lauren can as well.
Grabbing the halter and saddle, I head toward Rebel.
He walks up calmly, like he’s been waiting for me all day.
Quickly, I get him saddled and without looking back, we ride off out through the field heading nowhere in particular.
I let Rebel have his head and simply quiet my mind as we make our way across the main fields into the forest area.
Rebel snorting snaps me back to where I am, only to find a hidden gem.
All this time, not a mile away from the cabin surrounded by giant oaks, is a raised flat about a half-acre across.
Taking the reins, I lead Rebel to the middle, turning him around slowly so that I can look at the entire area.
When I walked off that hill and saw that tiny cabin and barn that was already leaning sideways, Lauren’s words hit me hard. ‘Like you’ve done yourself since arriving here?’
That’s when I see it …. a home with a wrap-around porch, rockers sitting on it, a garden off the kitchen, and Lauren’s belly swollen with one of our youngsters.
The creek is close enough to dig a well, making it easy to get water to the house. The area has good drainage, so flooding is not a concern, and the surrounding trees make a nice windbreak. There is even enough room for a large barn if a few trees were knocked down toward the back.
Rebel stomping a hoof brings my thoughts back to the present, and I know what has to be done in order to bring this new vision to life.
I slowly lead Rebel around the flat before heading back to the cabin, the entire time wondering if I should discuss this with Lauren now or give her some time to adjust first.
Taking my time riding back, I look for anything that might be a problem in making this new life I want to build for us.
As I clear the wood line, I notice smoke from the chimney and the faint smell of rain in the air.
Urging Rebel home, I decide to keep my plans and ideas to myself for now.
Until I can get to town and send out a few letters, I need to concentrate on winning my new wife’s affections.
Wife … a title I never saw in my future, but now that I have her, Lauren has become a priority I didn’t know I needed.
I can still hear her laughter in my mind and smell her hair in my nose.
Making our way back to the barn, I unsaddle Rebel quickly and just as I start to rub him down, he pushes past me, heading out to the corral with Star.
Setting the brush down, I head to the back of the house and stop long enough to wash my hands and face, only to realize my hair and beard have gotten way out of hand.
I kick my boots off in the doorway and walk into a spotless living area.
The floor is newly swept with remnants of water still-drying and pooling in places.
Once flat, the rugs are now fluffed, showing she has recently shaken them out.
My bed is made and the counters look almost empty, without dirty dishes sitting everywhere, but no Lauren?
I stick my head through her bedroom door, finding the place as clean as the rest of the house. Walking through the cabin, I see her leaning against the front porch post, fanning her face.
“Ma’am, I seem to be lost. Or maybe I’ve stepped back in time, because when I left a little bit ago, this place didn’t look like this.”
“The wood sprites visited while you were gone. They wanted a sacrifice in order to put the place back to rights, but I told them you were too big to haul off and normally too growly.”
“You should have given them Blue.”
Her laughter echoes all around me, and I feel myself soaking up that sound. She is not the only one whose life has changed drastically in the last few days.
“Give me a moment to cool down and I’ll start supper. Would you like anything in particular?”
“Someone said the word bread earlier.”
“I can’t fix biscuits without baking soda or regular bread because the yeast has gone bad, but I can fix fritters or pone bread. We have an abundance of eggs that need to be used, so if you’re not opposed to breakfast for dinner, I can have all that whipped up quickly.”
“One thing you will learn Little Mouse, is that as long as it’s food, there’s no particular order for me. You cook it and I will eat it. Do we need some things from town?”
“We need baking powder and the lard bucket is almost empty.”
“We will head out in the morning after chores, then.”
Lauren walks past me, a small smile on her still bruised face.
Instead of going in and being in her way, I sit down on the steps, looking out at the area all around the cabin.
I wonder, what made Eliza and Toby pick this specific spot?
Did she feel the same way about this knoll as I did the flat I came upon today?
So many questions I wish I’d had a chance to ask.
“Grant, dinner will be ready shortly.”
My knees pop when I stand up and as I open the door, Lauren’s back is to me. She’s bent over the Dutch oven, the smell of bread permeating the air and I realize it’s the first time I’ve ever opened this door and it smelled and felt like home.
As I walk in, she motions for me to sit. “Grant, would you open that jar of jelly? I can’t seem to get the lid off.”
“Did the wood sprites leave this as well?”
“Yes, they hid it under the pile of dishes!”
I eat more than my share of the bread as the darkness of the evening settles fully around us.
Getting up, I help gather the dishes, earning another small smile in the process.
Because Lauren was heating water while we were eating, we finish them quickly, then sit down in front of the fire to relax for a moment before heading to bed.
“Thank you Little Mouse, for another fine meal. I can’t recall the last time I felt this full. At this rate, you will have to grease my hips to get me in the house.”
“Well, we might want to pick up even more lard at the store if that’s the case.”
It’s are times like this when I catch a glimpse of the girl she’s had to hide most of her life. “How are you feeling this evening?”
“Better … still sore, but I’m healing. Those creams you put on my ribs have worked miracles. Normally, I struggle with them for weeks.”
Looking away, I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting the anger that surges through my system when I realize the constant hell she faced on a daily basis.
“We’ll need to pick some more up at the apothecary tomorrow. I am going to meet with the bank while we’re in town to put your name on all my accounts in case you’re in town without me and need to purchase something or if something happens to me.”
“I … I would rather you handle the money, Grant.”
“Why? Wouldn’t you like to have some spending money of your own? Would you prefer a separate account in just your name?”
“NO, … not at all! I know my letters and numbers, but not strongly. I tend to get flustered making purchases and then trying to add everything up. Never having had spending money, I wouldn’t know what to do with it. The house and food have always been my main concern.”
“I saw you at the general store once. How did you purchase what you needed from there without cash?”
“The lumber mill provides credits that can be used at local stores. Oren would order what was needed if the credits were there and I just picked it up.”
“You mean you never looked around to see if you wanted something?”
“No … why wish for things that can never be?”
“My goodness Little Mouse, there have been so few luxuries in your life. Tomorrow, that’s about to change.”
Both of us hesitate heading to bed but finally, when I realize I’m falling asleep in this very uncomfortable chair, I get up. “In the morning after sunup, I’ll hook the wagon up. Don’t worry about breakfast, we’ll just eat at the inn. Good night.”
Walking to my makeshift bedroom I almost ask her to join me, but the last thing I want is for her to be uncomfortable. Instead, I watch as she banks the fire before heading to Eliza’s room. I wonder in my head, if that room and this house will always be Eliza’s.
I must have dozed off only to wake up chilled.
Doesn’t take me a second to grab my pillow and blanket off the bed as I stumble half asleep, into the bedroom.
Lauren is curled up so tightly that she’s just a small ball in the middle.
Spreading my larger blanket out over the rope bed, I lift the covers and slide in.
Gathering Lauren in my arms, her cold feet instantly make me hiss. The moment I touch her, she jerks.
“Grant, what’s wrong?”
“I’ve decided I no longer like sleeping in the cold or alone. Go back to sleep, morning will come quick enough.”
I can tell the moment she starts to warm up as her breathing steadies and her body uncoils, relaxing in my arms.
Breathing her natural scent in, I find myself content and for the first time in years, I am looking forward to the sunrise.”