Chapter 21
REGGIE
Jerking straight up, I look over at the blankets, glad to see that the covers next to me have been disturbed.
Dragging myself out from under the wagon, the smell of bacon frying seems to penetrate the air, and there, standing all put together, is Jess.
This morning, she has changed into a loose skirt and a thinner cream-colored shirt, with a plain gray apron over it.
Running a hand down my face, I head toward the woods to pee, then stop at the back of the wagon, where I see Jess has laid out fresh water and a small towel so I can wash off.
Cleaning up the best I can, I head toward the fire only to be greeted with a smile and a fresh cup of coffee.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Did you sleep well?”
“Too good, I think … I didn’t even know when you came to bed. I really need to be more alert than that.”
“You were worn out Reggie, and we didn’t have anything to worry about. We had a protector for most of the night.”
“Who?”
“Oh, I don’t know, an overly protective two-thousand-pound horse who thinks he is a puppy. I’d just laid down last night when I heard him coming toward the wagon.
I started to get up and take him back with the others, but my legs were killing me, and I thought, heck with it, he isn’t going anywhere.
And he sure didn’t. I’m only up this early myself because he was nibbling on the bottom of the bedroll where my toes were.
I wonder if something spooked him, or if he just thought he was too far away. ”
“Where was Coco?”
“She was grazing a few feet away as well when I got up. Bells was the only one still hooked to the picket line; these two just pull the stakes on their side out and do whatever they want.”
“Shit, I missed out on the highlight of my day.”
“What?”
“Rubbing your ass!”
She smacks me on the arm playfully while looking around to see if anyone heard me.
“Would you behave? I swear, I never know what is going to come out of that mouth of yours.”
Before I can tease her further, voices come our way, and I know the day must get started. The next few days seem to follow the same routine, but we are making good time as the weather has held except for a few small rainstorms that have helped keep some of the dust down.
On the sixth day, I am heading toward the back of the line only to have a heart attack when I don’t see Jessica sitting on Zeus.
Thinking she has fallen off, I ride Bells hard, only to pull her up short when I see Jess sitting on the back of the wagon Jacob is driving, swinging her legs back and forth while peeling potatoes, putting them in a pot.
Zeus and Coco follow along completely on their own as she gives them small pieces of carrots and other veggies she is mixing in a large bowl.
When she sees me, her face lights up with a big smile, and I ease Bells over toward the big horses.
“Jess, how did you get down? Damnit … you about gave me a heart attack when I noticed Zeus was suddenly missing a rider.”
“Oh, Zeus and I’ve got this. He walked right up to the back gate, and I slid off.”
“Are you planning on getting back on him?”
“Nope, we both need a break. So, I’m gonna take this time to get a start on some fresh bread, prepare this stew for supper, and then gather up the clothes that need washing when we stop for the evening.”
“You don’t even have a lead rope on those two.”
“Coco will stay with Zeus, and so far, he stays with me, so there’s no need. Unless something spooks him he isn’t going anywhere, and besides, I have this.”
Jess holds up a thin sliver of carrot, and Zeus quickly snatches it. Bells works her way over, only for Jessica to laugh.
“Come here, sweet girl, I have plenty. Are we still on schedule?”
Bells settles into an easy cantor as we walk beside the wagon, as Jacob and the others lead the oxen on at a steady pace.
“I think we may have gained a mile or two in the last few days, but I am sure something will slow us back down. Jacob mentioned one of the wheels on Colby’s wagon will need to be changed tonight, so it will be late before I can call it an evening.”
“I will get your things together and have some fresh water and clothes on the back gate for when you get done.”
“Jess, you don’t need to do that for me.”
“I don’t mind at all … after all, isn’t that what wives do for their husbands? I also washed the shirt you had on the first day. It should be dry now, so you can change shirts in the morning.”
Her words hit me hard, as yes, she is taking care of me like I’m her husband, and I find I like the idea more than I realized.
“Thank you, Jess. I feel like you are taking care of everyone and everything, and I’m just shouting orders.”
“Reggie, we are both doing our jobs, and in a few days, we will be doing something else.”
“Jess, I don’t know about you, but I am ready for a good bed and a nice hot bath.”
“I am trying not to think about it. The bedroll you got us is nice, but yes, there have been nights when I could feel the winter cold still deep in the ground seeping through the bottom mat. Nevertheless, I would have rather traveled this time of year than later. I think the heat would’ve made it worse for the animals and us. ”
“I agree, and I knew I needed to get out here early in the spring if I wanted to secure a place by winter. Grant says there is a cabin on the property, and I told him to hire a crew to upgrade and expand it. However, until I can see it myself, I’ll have to trust that Grant has at least made it livable for us.
I don’t mind staying with him and Lauren for a bit, but I will be ready to sleep under my own roof soon.
I have always liked my privacy, and that’s hard to do under someone else’s roof. ”
“Do they know about … me?”
“No, as I’d sent him the telegram just as we were leaving New Jersey. I’ll be lucky if he even gets it before we get there, as he seldom goes to town.”
“They have a town close by?”
“Actually, it’s only a few miles from their homestead.
There is a general store run by Old Man Harvey, and a seamstress who knows everyone and everything in town; her name is Beatrice.
There is also a small inn run by the Graham’s where the stagecoach stops twice a week.
Last year, when I was out here, the area had also opened a sawmill and was growing quite rapidly.
The silver mines are also pulling in workers and their families, as more people move into the area. ”
Jess has an odd look on her face, and I know she is trying to find her place in all this.
Her uncertainty bothers me more than I want to admit, as I realize I am going to have to stop playing husband and do the right thing, but I have several days yet to think about how to approach this.
Jess’ pointing brings me back to the present.
“I believe the landscape is changing daily. I’ve seen so many places I’d love to walk around and look at further. Some of these rocky canyons seem like they were placed by giant hands. It is a beautiful area, and so different from anything I have ever seen before.”
“Well hopefully, when things calm down we will be able to take some trips to explore the area a little more.”
Jess gives me a small smile before looking away.
“What?”
“Oh, it’s just that … you are making plans for us in the future, and I … I don’t always know how to interpret that.”
“I think we do well together, Jessica, and finding someone with whom you have a natural rhythm is rare to find. It doesn’t hurt that you are easy on the eyes, either. I mean, if you were ugly and couldn’t fix meatloaf, I’m not sure I could bear it.”
She throws a potato peel at me, laughing. “Your mother had her hands full with you, didn’t she?”
“Yes, but she absolutely adores me.”
Jessica rolls her eyes playfully at me, and something I have meant to ask her for days just comes out. “Hey, I was meaning to ask you earlier, but what did Tyberius give you the day we were leaving?”
“A bracelet that matches the ring you gave me. I put it up with the pearls that Victoria gave me that same day.”
I could smack myself when I see her face sadden, knowing it’s because she misses her new friend. I rack my brain for something to take her mind off it. “I will say, those two made loving another sure look easy.”
“They really were like two pieces of a puzzle perfectly locked together. No matter how hard I looked, I could not find the crack. But I always felt like there was just something odd about them that I was not seeing clearly, even though it was right in front of me.”
“Me too, it was like they were not really from here, and I don’t mean locally. I mean something else altogether. Tyberius would say the oddest things, and he really has an old-world way about him.”
Jessica stops peeling potatoes and crosses her legs, looking up at me, her long hair flowing lightly in the wind under the large straw hat that has become a permanent fixture for her on this trip.
The sun is shining behind her, and she looks like a dirty little angel sitting on a wooden throne, peering up at me.
“Tyberius’ eyes seemed old to me, and he held himself in a way that he never really made contact with others. Victoria appeared fragile, like a strong wind would scatter her into a million pieces, but I will be forever grateful for having them in my life, no matter how short it was.”
“You will see them again, Jess. As much as those two love to travel, it’s inevitable.
I’d better head back up. That wheel on Colby’s wagon is still not right, and I think we may have a bad axle, so we are keeping a watch on it before we get to the mountain range.
These last two days will be the hardest for all of us. How are our supplies doing?”
“We are fine this evening, but a few things are getting low, so tomorrow we might need to get a few rabbits, maybe a couple of pheasants, or a fat turkey for dinner.”
“I don’t recall seeing any turkeys in the area when I was here before, but I am sure we can find something to help make the meals stretch. You have done a wonderful job keeping all of us fed and, for the most part, clean.”
“I’ve only been able to do that because there are so few of us. I can’t imagine traveling like this all the way to California. The mountains here are huge, but they say most of them are small compared to those closer to the coast.”
“Yeah, this is not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. It’s been hard on the body, and every night I feel for the animals pulling these heavy loads.”
“What are you going to do with the wagons and oxen when we get to Mr. Hayes’ property?”
“I am hoping to hire someone to drive them back, but I will deal with that problem when we get there.”
We both turn when we hear a sharp whistle coming from the lead wagon. “I’d better go see what Deven is trying to tell me. I will see you this evening when we stop.”