Chapter 19 #2
Jacob helps me clean the dishes while Reggie and the men check on the oxen and horses as night falls.
I’ve got the last plate in my hand, washing it off when I look up at the sunset.
The colors mixing across the clouds are so beautiful that I almost wish I were a painter so I could capture them forever.
As I climb into the back of the wagon, I stifle a groan because my legs are aching and each step is proving to be a struggle.
Moving the crates around, I find several other pots and extra cleaning supplies, including a washboard and a small tub.
Sorting the boxes, I make a mental note of what needs to be done for the next meal as I start gathering what I’ll need in the morning.
Jacob did a great job organizing most of it, so I have a minute to myself.
Sitting back, I rub my butt cheeks and the side of my legs, only for my hand to land on the trinket box that Victoria gave me.
Pulling it out of my pocket, I open the lid carefully so that nothing falls out before gathering the string of pearls.
Holding them out in front of me, I marvel at how the clasp is barely noticeable on the fragile string holding them all together.
I slip the bracelet onto my wrist, instantly overwhelmed by the love and dedication it took to make each of these pieces, and how they gave them to me without a second thought.
Laying the pearls over my leg, I pick up the small pieces of paper inside the bottom, smiling at Victoria’s beautiful penmanship, only to find another note slightly stuck and tucked under the bottom.
Tugging on it gently, the entire velvet bottom lifts with it, and I press my hand against my mouth in shock when I see what is hiding beneath.
Folded neatly are two gold certificates and several gold and silver coins.
Completely overwhelmed, I just sit there stunned for a minute, and then I remember the note that was on top.
Dearest Jessica,
These gold certificates never expire, nor do the coins.
In today’s market, these are worth a little over seven hundred dollars and over time, they will be worth more.
This is the insurance policy I told you about before you left the train.
This money will give you options you didn’t have before.
I pray you never need it, and that it is used at some point to better your bright future.
This was the only way I knew you would have the means to come to me if you ever needed to.
You will always have a place in my heart, my sweet girl.
Love, Victoria
Sitting in a daze, I had no idea I’ve been carrying that kind of wealth in my side pocket all day.
The jewels alone are worth a small fortune, as are the custom-made dresses she gave me, but this …
how do you ever thank someone for something like this?
For a second, I start to yell for Reggie, but something at the last moment tells me to keep this to myself.
This money gives me choices I would never have had before, and Victoria knew that.
She made sure before I left that train that I could take care of myself, and that security is going to take a minute to sink in.
Noise under the wagon has me tucking the note and the bottom of the box in place before I slip off the bracelet and gather up the pearls, placing them all back in the box before securing it.
I look around for some place to hide the box, but at the last minute, I decide to just slip it back in my pocket for tonight.
But tomorrow I need to make something a little more secure that I can tie around my waist under my skirts.
“Jess, you almost done in there?”
“I’m just getting familiar with all the supplies and where they’re at, so that I am not chasing things down in the morning.”
Stepping out of the back of the wagon, I take a minute to tie the flap back shut so nothing can get in, then head toward where I heard Reggie, only to see him sitting on the ground in front of the wagon, looking out over the valley in front of us. He pats the ground next to him.
“Sit with me for a minute before we turn in.”
I gather up my skirts, happy that I am once again wearing pants underneath, before sitting down next to him, the crickets and whippoorwills the only sounds besides an occasional snort or whinny from the horses.
“Quite the culture shock, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“The quiet.”
“Oh yeah, I swear even the sunsets look different. I don’t know what I was expecting, but my head can’t seem to turn quickly enough as we travel, to take in all the new sights around us.”
“Jess, I was that way when I traveled out for the first time. I can’t tell you how many times I got off the trail and almost got lost because something caught my eye.
One day, there were huge valleys and the next, I was climbing majestic mountains, looking out over hundreds of miles.
But the closer we get to Grant’s, well, God got really creative with the rock formations.
I don’t know what it is, but my soul was at rest out here.
It’s the only place I felt held the things I’ve been trying to find all my life. ”
This entire time, I’ve been watching him, and I do believe it’s the first time I have seen him genuinely relax.
He always held himself in a certain way while on the train, even more so considering who we were around.
There were times when I could tell his smiles were forced, as he had seldom laughed before, something he has done quite a bit today. I lean back, looking up at the stars.
“I think I am still trying to switch gears. My life has been one change after another, and it seems that just as soon as I have a plan or get comfortable, the rug is swept out from under me again, and I need to start all over. Last week I was trying to figure out how I was going to survive now that I had lost my job. This week, I lived a life only told in fairy tales, and today, I’ve experienced a whole other reality.
At this point, I’m just along for the ride.
Interested in what’s next instead of dreading it. ”
Reggie doesn’t say anything, just sits there, and I can tell he is deep in thought. When my yawns start, and I feel the exhaustion of the day set in, I look back, and I can tell he has spread out the bedrolls, but they look awfully close to one another.
“I’ve given this day all I’ve got, so I’m gonna turn in. Was Zeus alright when you checked on him?”
“He was, but I can’t help but laugh every time he stomps toward Colby. He really does not like that man and I think it’s made us kindred spirits.”
“I’ve known Colby since we were kids in school, not that either of us was able to go for long, but he was always nice to me.
It just seemed that as we got older, we kept crossing paths.
There are times he bosses me around, taking that casual acquaintance a little too far, but if not for him, I would not be here right now.
Ever since I started with Mr. Hayes, he has taken it upon himself to look after me. ”
“I think it was slightly more than that Jess, and you either didn’t encourage him to act on it any further or are simply too innocent to notice how smitten the boy is with you.”
“Colby was like that with all the girls, so I never took his attention personally. I was focused on my own career and future; having a man was not part of that. It’s too easy for them to walk away when they are needed most, and my heart would never recover if I allowed myself to care for another and he left me. ”
“Not all men leave Jess.”
I don’t say anything, no need to argue about something we will never agree on. Instead, I turn toward the bedrolls.
“We ought to turn in for the night.”
I crawl under the wagon, finding it a little closer to the ground than I thought it would be, only to find that instead of two separate beds, he has made one large one.
“Reggie?”
“You will sleep with me, Jess. If you are next to me, I know you’re safe. You are just the right size to be a nice snack for a mountain lion or a bear. If you are two feet away, I’ll only keep reaching for you all night, so humor me.”
Slipping my boots off, I almost keep my main dress on but decide I don’t want the clean blankets to be covered on the inside with more dirt.
So, I wrangle out of it, only to shiver when the cool air blows through the shift I have on.
At the last minute, I decide to leave my pants on so I will still be decent if I need to get up through the night, and then I wiggle my way under the thick wool blankets.
Settling in place, I am shocked at how soft the ground is under me, only to realize there is some sort of pad under the blankets.
I watch Reggie pull his boots off, laying them next to the bed before placing his hat on top of them.
He unbuckles his pants, and I turn on my side when I realize he is going to take them off as well, only to glance back and see that he has long johns underneath.
Before I can say a word about how inappropriate this is, he is sliding his large arms under me, pulling me closer as he curls up behind me.
“Damn Jess, your skin is like ice. You should have told me you were cold.”
I snuggle closer, soaking up his heat and putting my cold feet on his legs.
“Heavens, woman, it’s not even winter and you’re half frozen.”
“And you are sooo warm … I am going to push away the fact that we should not be lying together like this and simply enjoy it.”
“You are exactly where you’re supposed to be. How are those butt cheeks feeling?”
“Even though you should never ask a woman anything that inappropriate, I know they’re there if you must to have an answer.”
Before I can say another word, Reggie has maneuvered me to where I am lying on my belly, and I find his large hand covering my backside.
“Reggie, what in the world are you doing?”
“Well, first off, we need to get these pants off you. There is no reason for you to have ten layers on while trying to sleep. I thought we bought you some thick flannel gowns with the stockings in Chicago?”
“I didn’t feel like digging through the crates trying to find the luggage, and I don’t want to ruin any of my new things while traveling.”
“Jessica, I bought them because we were traveling, that was the point. Now get out of these pants so I can help work out some of this tenderness, or the next couple of days will be miserable for you. Tomorrow, I expect you to dig out the things you are going to need to make you more comfortable, with no more excuses about saving anything.”
I know I should be arguing, maybe even pick up the top blanket and head to one of the wagons to sleep, but I have zero willpower when it comes to Reggie.
Reaching down, I unbutton the few clasps holding these pants on and shimmy out of them while trying to hold my gown down.
Before I can fold them up, Reggie pulls them out from under the blankets and lays them over his boots, and I suddenly feel very undressed.
When his large hand lands on my sore butt cheek and he starts kneading it deeply, the moan that leaves my lips is humiliating, and the fact that Reggie laughs makes it even worse.
“I take it that feels good?”
“In a good and bad way. I should have gotten off and walked some today, but I didn’t realize how bad I was hurting until it was too late. Ugghhh, I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. Ow ow oww… I think you’re enjoying torturing me.”
“Yup, sign me up to be your ass rubber anytime.”
I should not laugh, but it bursts out of me, and I cover my mouth to keep everyone from hearing me.
At some point, I must have pushed myself up on my elbows, because Reggie’s large hand lands in the middle of my back, forcing me down so that I’m lying flat on my stomach again.
My entire body feels like there are ants under my skin as I’m tingling all over as he massages not only my butt cheeks but my lower back and the top of my thighs.
I must have fallen asleep, because him maneuvering me back against his large, warm frame has me jerking awake.
“You’re alright, go back to sleep.”
The next thing I know, I’ve slept the night away.
The only thing waking me is the need to pee.
Opening my eyes, I find myself tucked against Reggie’s side, with him still snoring lightly.
Slowly, I untangle myself and slide out of the blankets.
The cold ground instantly makes me shiver as I walk barefoot a few feet into the woods.
Making sure no one is around, I hurry up and do my business, only to realize the sun is coming up, and it’s time to get this day started.
Crawling back under the wagon, but on Reggie’s side, I grab my pants only to reach across him to get my discarded dress when I suddenly feel a set of eyes on me.
“Good morning,” I whisper as I peer down at the bright blue eyes looking up at me.
“Come back to bed for just five more minutes.”
“I have hungry mouths to feed. Go ahead and sleep a little longer; it will take me half an hour or so to get the biscuits done.”
“The bed is cold without you.”
Without thinking about it, I kiss the tip of his nose and pull the covers up over his shoulders. Before crawling out, I slide on my pants first, then lace my shoes before sliding the same dirty dress over my head, sighing when I see the dust flying off it.
Forty minutes later, the biscuits are ready, as is the bacon and the eggs.
The men must have smelled the coffee because I don’t even have to yell as I see bodies headed my way.
I am just fixing a cup for Reggie when he walks around the wagon, his face newly washed, and he has a clean shirt on.
I frown when I look down, as I am not only covered in yesterday’s dirt but now flour as well.
Holding the cup out for him, I fix one for myself, setting it on a log to cool.
I’ve just turned to get the plates when I find him standing right up against me. He leans down so only I can hear him.
“How are you feeling this morning?”
“Like a new woman, thank you for … you know.” My cheeks flush just thinking about his large hands on my bottom.
He lifts his eyebrows up and down with an impish smirk. “Just call me old magic hands from now on.”
I close my eyes, shaking my head because I’m biting my lip to keep from laughing out loud. “I am going to call you something, and it may not be as favorable. Now, grab a plate so I can get this all served up.”