Finding Home (5 page)

Nat tied Hardy and her father’s horse
to a porch post and unloaded the packs from Quincy, carrying them
into the cabin before taking the animals into the barn. Nat
unsaddled them and let the two horses and the mule out into a small
pasture to allow them to graze on the remaining few patches of
grass. Nat searched the wood bin and found barely enough wood to
start a fire in the hearth. That would be her first task, to set in
as much firewood as she could before the weather turned miserable.
She could work on the inside of the cabin after the sun set and on
the dreary days ahead.

Nat took out her axe and walked into
the woods behind the cabin. She didn’t have to travel far before
she located several fallen trees that were large enough to provide
a good start to her stash. She took her coat off and began chopping
the trees into three foot sections, trimming the smaller branches
and tossing them in a separate pile.

Nat worked for several hours before
taking a break. Gathering an armful of the smaller branches, Nat
walked back to the cabin and placed them on the edge of the porch.
Stepping inside she picked up the water bucket and dipper and went
to the well to pump a bucket of fresh cold water. Taking a long
drink, Nat sat for a moment on the steps to take in the beauty of
the fading morning. Clouds were rolling in and Nat felt sure they
would receive more snow tonight. Prompted by the ominous clouds,
Nat returned to the woods and began carrying logs back to the
cabin.

Two hours later Nat had carried a
fairly large amount of wood to the cabin and she was busy splitting
logs when Marissa arrived. Nat did not see her approach which
allowed her to watch Nat for several minutes. Nat had removed her
work shirt while she split the logs and Marissa watched the ripple
of muscles on Nat’s back as she expertly chopped the wood into
sections small enough to fit into the fireplace. She admired Nat’s
handsome features for several minutes until Gyp walked around the
edge of the cabin and saw Marissa. A short bark alerted Nat that
she had company and she turned to find Marissa standing twenty feet
away.

“
Sorry, I didn’t hear you
come up,” Nat said as she laid her axe down and reached for her
work shirt.

“
I can be quiet at times,”
Marissa answered with a grin as she walked up to Nat holding a
picnic basket.

“
It’s good to see you
again,” Nat said returning her smile.

“
Why don’t you continue here
and I will go in and get our meal set up and then come get you,”
Marissa suggested.

‘
You have a deal,” Nat said
anxious to get some of the wood in today.

Marissa went into the cabin as Nat
stacked a large pile of wood near the front door and then began
stacking a pile of the logs at the south end of the cabin, away
from the worst of the impending bad weather.

Marissa placed her basket on the table
and began arranging a meal of fried chicken, biscuits and cheese.
She found plates and cups in the pack Nat had set down near the
kitchen so the table was set. She stepped out onto the porch and
bent down to pick up the water bucket as Nat stepped onto the
porch.

“
I’ll get that,” Nat said as
she reached for the bucket and for a second, their fingers touched
on the handle. Nat felt a bolt of electricity surge through her
body and from the startled look on Marissa’s face, Nat was sure she
felt it also. Marissa turned and held the door open as Nat carried
the bucket in and sat it down on the table.

Surveying the meal Marissa had laid out
for them Nat said, “This looks fantastic.”

“
Just some leftovers from
today’s special, but I thought it would work,” Marissa said with a
blush.

“
I’ll take this kind of
leftovers any day,” Nat said as she poured them both a mug of
water.

Just as they were about to sit down to
their meal, Nat heard hoof beats in the front yard and looked out
to see a wagon from the general store bringing her supplies.
Horrible timing she thought, but necessary supplies and she told
Marissa, “Sit tight for a few minutes and I will be right
back.”

Nat walked out to the yard to greet
Jess who was making her delivery and said, “Let’s just set these on
the porch and I will take them in later. The horse feed and hay you
can put in the barn for me if you will,” she added.

“
Not a problem,” Jess said
as the young man picked up the first of the large feed sacks and
carried it into the barn as Nat started unloading the boxes of
household supplies.

Ten minutes later and Jess was headed
back to town, leaving Nat and Marissa to finally sit down to the
meal. “Oh wait, I forgot something,” Marissa said as she stood up
and walked to the hearth to retrieve a jar of gravy that was being
warmed by the fire.

“
Now I know you are trying
to spoil us,” Nat said as she picked up a biscuit and crumbled it
up into Gyp’s bowl, added a few small chunks of cheese and then
poured some of the rich brown gravy across the mixture before
setting the bowl down in front of Gyp.

“
You do love that dog, don’t
you” Marissa stated.

“
I guess you could say
that,” Nat teased as she patted Gyp’s head. “Go ahead girl,” she
said and Gyp dug into her meal.

Nat picked out a drumstick and took a
bite out of it, moaning loudly at the succulent taste and then
picked up a biscuit and broke it open and poured gravy across it.
Marissa watched as Nat cut the biscuit with her fork and then
slipped a chunk past her lips. “Okay that settles it,” Nat said, “I
am sending you a bag of flour a week so you can make gravy,” she
said bringing a huge smile to Marissa’s face.

“
You know it is easier to
cook for two so you are welcome anytime,” Marissa stated
boldly.

“
Careful or we will be at
your door every day,” Nat teased.

“
I wouldn’t mind that at
all,” Marissa responded.

Several moments passed while the two
women contemplated the last few statements and who would make the
next move. Surprisingly Marissa was the next to speak.

“
We could do some bartering
here if you are interested,” she suggested.

“
What did you have in mind,”
Nat said slyly.

“
Well for starters, you need
help today putting in your supplies and setting up house and I
could use more firewood than what I have managed to collect. I
noticed you were very handy with your axe and I am pretty good in
the kitchen,” she added. “So why don’t I help you tonight and you
can cut me some firewood?”

“
Hmmm that doesn’t sound
like too bad of a deal, especially since you threw in this
wonderful meal,” Nat said with a grin.

“
I will even toss in use of
my bath tub at any time,” Marissa added to sweeten the
deal.

“
Okay you got me with that
one,” Nat admitted, “even if I do have to heat my own water she
said with a chuckle.”

“
No sense in two women
struggling if they can work together to make life easier for
themselves,” Marissa said.

“
That’s very true and
besides I smell much better after a nice hot soaking bath,” Nat
said with a hearty laugh.

Having that issue settled both women
seemed content with their agreement and finished their meal in
relative silence. Nat finished her meal and headed out to the barn
to harness Quincy while Marissa remained inside to start on the
kitchen.

Nat led Quincy into the woods and used
his strength to drag three large trees up to the cabin where she
could chop them into lengths for splitting and minimize the amount
of carrying she would have to do. As Nat began her rhythmic
chopping Marissa hummed as she cleaned off the plates from their
meal and began putting away the stores of supplies delivered that
afternoon. Gyp trotted back and forth between the kitchen and the
yard checking on each of the women from time to time.

Nat removed her shirt as she chopped
and hung it on the porch railing once again exposing the strength
of her upper torso to Marissa who would stop to watch her work for
a few minutes as she walked out to carry in each box of supplies.
She was amazed at how fluidly Nat’s body moved and watched as sweat
began to soak through the undershirt and run down her arms. As
Marissa sorted through the contents of the last box she allowed her
mind to wander and wonder what it might feel like to be wrapped in
those strong arms. Marissa had loved her husband deeply, but even
he failed to make her feel the way she did when Nat smiled at her
or the way her skin burned whenever they touched. Marissa tried at
first to deny her attraction to Nat, but fate would have its way
with them, that she was certain.

Marissa finished in the kitchen and
moved to the small bedroom. She covered the feather mattress with
the new linens Nat had purchased and then laid a fire in the small
hearth, lighting it to add some warmth to the room. She placed a
small oil lamp on the table next to the bed and sat the packs which
held Nat’s personal belongings on the bed. Content with what she
had accomplished, Marissa packed up her picnic basket and walked
out onto the porch.

Sitting on the rail she watched Nat as
she worked methodically. She was such a natural for outdoor work
Marissa thought as she observed Nat. As hard as she tried she
couldn’t see Nat happy working inside all day and yet it was hard
to imagine her happy spending months alone in the woods while she
trapped. Marissa sighed, louder than she had intended and the sound
caught Nat’s attention.

“
I have your kitchen and
bedroom prepared,” Marissa said proudly.

“
Thank you,” Nat said.
“Tomorrow I will go to your place and start on your firewood,” she
promised.

“
There’s no hurry,” Marissa
said. “I have plenty to get me started she promised.”

“
Understood, but a bargain
is a bargain,” Nat said. “Besides, after all this wood cutting I
will be in need of another bath she said as she wiped her
brow.”

The sun was starting to fade so Nat
stopped chopping and stacked the wood she had cut, while Marissa
carried several pieces in to stoke the fires in the bedroom and the
kitchen. When she returned, she told Nat that she would be home by
midafternoon and would once again bring them home a light dinner.
She also told Nat that she had left a plate of food in the kitchen
for her if she were to get hungry later.

With a gentle hug of thanks from her
new friend, Marissa walked the short distance to her home and spent
the evening straightening up her cabin in expectation of Nat’s
visit. As she lay in bed that evening, Marissa thought about how
much they had in common. Both had suffered the loss of someone they
loved and both were struggling to make their way in the world. Just
as they had similarities they also had their differences. Nat was
tall and well-built with a rugged handsomeness about her while
Marissa was more petite and better suited for more delicate type
work. A good compliment to each other she thought as she drifted
off to sleep with thoughts of Nat’s arms wrapped around her
ushering her into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Nat sat down in one of the
cane backed chairs and pulled her well-worn boots off. The physical
exertion of the day felt good to her and she knew sleep would come
easily tonight and she would be up ahead of the sun tomorrow to
begin the routine all over again. Nat stood and took her boots with
her into the bedroom, lit only by the small fire in the hearth.
Using a piece of straw she lit the small oil lamp and sat it beside
the bed once again as she unpacked her belongings and stored them
safely away.

She noticed the bear pelt sitting on a
chair and she decided then that she would wash it thoroughly to get
the wild smell from it and then she would use it to warm her bed in
the coming winter months. She made a mental note to pick up some
fragrant soap on her next trip to town as she changed into a sleep
shirt and slipped between the cool covers. Gyp jumped up on the bed
and lay down near the foot of the bed and within minutes both weary
travelers slept an exhausted sleep.

PART FOUR

The next morning Nat shared the
remaining chicken with Gyp and then poured some of her honey over
the remaining biscuits. Washing her meal down with cool water, Nat
dressed and once again began chopping wood as the sun slowly
rose.

As Marissa passed by on her way to work
she could hear the rhythmic thuds made by each stroke of Nat’s axe.
She smiled as she envisioned the taut muscles that were rippling
underneath Nat’s shirt and Marissa quickened her pace eager for the
work day to end.

Nat worked for several hours chopping
wood and stacking it at the end of the cabin. By noon she had a
sizeable pile and was satisfied that she would have enough for at
least a couple of months. Axe in hand, Nat went to the barn and
hooked up Quincy and they walked together to Marissa’s
home.