Jodi's Journey (34 page)

Clem sighed. “Then don't scare me like that,
girl. I thought maybe the Devil himself was after you.”

Drying her eyes, she went to make coffee and
poured him a cup. He was ready for her and smiled. But his hand
went to hers as she started to move away. “You ain't foolin' me,
girl. I know you are upset about something. Have you grown up too
much to tell ol’ Clem your troubles?”

“Everything is fine, really. How you feeling
today?” she asked, noticing he was getting color back in his ruddy
cheeks again.

“If I could jest stand up and walk, I'd feel
like a new man. But I guess them days are over,” he admitted, still
smiling.

“You're still every bit the man you always
was,” she said, and meant it.

“I love you, Jodi, as though you were my own
daughter. I just wanted you to know that,” he said, choking up a
bit.

Unprepared for this admission, she blubbered,
“And I love you. You’ll be glad to know, I've really grown up since
I left. I've put the war behind me, Clem. I've accepted my
brother's death and my father's probable death. And Hunt…well, he's
so…wonderful to me. I've never been this happy.”

She began to cry again and Clem patted her
hand. “Hey now, don't take on so. I believe every word of it. It
shows in your face how happy you are. I'm glad I've lived to see
it.”

“I only wish I could get you outside so you
could see the place. I mean, the boys have done so much. It looks
like a new spread.”

“That's good. I've heard them working. 'Bout
time we had some hep around here, don't you think?” He laughed then
eyeballed her. “Now, tell me, what happened in town?”

“No…” She stopped, knowing she couldn't lie
to Clem. “You know this isn't Hunt's baby, don't you?”

“Yep, I knowed. But I’m right proud that Hunt
wants to claim it as his, and I won't be tellin' what I know
either, Jodi, so don't your fret none about that.”

“I know you wouldn't, Clem. Hershel must
never know this child is his,” she said with tears in her eyes.
“That's his due...he'll never know.”

“I'm glad you've come to that conclusion. I'm
also glad you aren't bitter about bein' in a way. I was worried
about that. Not that I didn't want to take care of it myself when
it first happened. But it'd be hard to explain to the law why I
blew his head off, you see.”

At first Jodi laughed, but she knew Clem
probably would have. Then Jodi hung her head. “I was bitter…at
first. I guess I might still be. But Hunt has made the
difference.”

“Then I'll be wantin' to thank him for that,
too.” Clem smiled and pushed her hair back from her eyes gently
with one hand. It took all his strength to do that. She so wished
she could make him more comfortable.

“But that ain't what had you crying today.
Because up till today you been as happy as a pea in a pod. Now tell
ol’ Clem what happened.”

“I ran into Hershel. He says he's coming
back,” she cried, unable to stop the trembling inside her.

“Not to worry, you and I can take care of him
if he tries it,” he declared.

Jodi eyed Clem. “Oh no, I don't want you
worrying over it. I'm sure Hunt will be back soon and he can take
care of Hershel.”

Clem rolled his eyes skyward. “Don't fret,
honey, I can still take care of you.”

“I know you can, but I don't want you getting
hurt too. I couldn't bear to lose you, Clem.” She hugged him to
her.

“Now, now, you’re getting yourself all worked
up over nothin'. That Hershel Walker is nothin' but a blow hard.
He's the real coward, Jodi. He ain't gonna be messin' with
you.”

Jodi kissed Clem on the forehead and tucked
his covers over him. “You don't need to worry about it, Clem.”

“I ain't worried a bit.” He announced loudly
so she heard him.

Jodi fed Clem and locked the door so that she
could take a nap. She was tired from the morning trip into town and
it was getting close to her time. She’d been home almost two months
and was getting so big and round she waddled when she walked. She
spent more time on the bed than on her feet. But she promised Hunt
she'd take care of herself.

Another day passed. Hunt was due back at any
time. Jodi took some quilt pieces over to a neighbor and was
visiting with her when a young Negro girl walked into the room.

The girl was so lovely; Jodi smiled as she
walked in.

“Oh Sarah, come here, girl. I want you to
meet one of the sweetest little ladies in the country. This is Jodi
P…I mean, this is Jodi Johnson. She lives over the hill a
ways.”

The girl was a little shy, but she smiled and
curtsied. “Mrs. Johnson.”

“Sarah is going to help the new
schoolteacher. She's a very bright young lady from up north. She's
been educated in one of those colleges,” Mrs. Hartman was said to
Jodi.

Jodi was already planning Sarah's wedding to
Willy. They would be perfect together and, somehow, she had to
arrange to introduce the two of them. She was playing this
magnificent romance in her mind when Mrs. Hartman jerked her back
to reality.

“Well now, Jodi, when is that baby due?”

“About three weeks, if I figured correctly.
I've got to visit Mrs. Collins and see if she'll be my midwife,”
Jodi explained as she eyed Sarah with a smile.

Sarah got up and touched her hand. “Well, if
you can't reach her in time, please call on me. I've had experience
in midwifery,” Sarah offered.

Jodi blushed. “You have? That's wonderful.
Would you mind helping me then?”

Sarah smiled and patted her hand gently. “I'd
be pleased to. You just let me know when you need me and I'll be
over.”

“Oh that's such a relief. Mrs. Collins lives
so far. I wasn't looking forward to asking her. It might take too
long for her to get to my place, and you're just over the hill.
It's very kind of you to offer, us just meeting.”

“Think nothing of it; I love to see babies
coming into the world,” Sarah said, her eyes twinkling as she
spoke.

“Then my trip here certainly hasn't been
wasted.” Jodi smiled, still holding firmly to the dream she just
had.

“I'm making a quilt for the baby, Jodi,” Mrs.
Hartman admitted, wanting to join in on the celebration.

“I so hoped you would, but I didn't want to
ask.” Jodi chuckled.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Hunt, Willy and Cole rode back that morning.
They had a thousand head of cattle with them and put them to
pasture before they came back to the house. The bunkhouse was
nearly done, but everyone had been camping out in the house. It was
cozier there and everyone would sit around and talk about their
lives, their hopes, and their dreams.

“Where's Jodi?” Hunt asked Clem as he came
inside.

“She's gone over to that Mrs. Hartman's
house, just over the north ridge. She should be back any time
now.”

Hunt's relief was immediate. “That's good.
Everything okay?”

Clem bit his lip. “Well, I guess I better
tell you, because like as not, Jodi won't.”

Hunt pulled a chair backwards and straddled
it so he could see Clem better. “Better tell me what?”

“Jodi went to town the other day to get some
supplies. When she come home she was crying. I knew something was
up 'cause she's been so happy since she's been back and with you.
So I ask her plain out. Said that Hershel fella threatened to come
back…”

Hunt's face was a thunder cloud. He couldn't
believe the little sniveling coward would dare to threaten Jodi
again, especially since she was due to have the baby any time. He
wanted to march into town and demand satisfaction, but he knew Jodi
wouldn't approve of him making a spectacle of himself. But this was
too much. He would not tolerate anyone hurting Jodi, even if it was
just in threats.

He looked down at Clem. “Thanks for telling
me.”

“You gonna take care of it, then?” Clem
asked.

“You bet I am. I won't have that little
snot-nosed, gun toting idiot scaring her witless. If I did what I
wanted to do, it would be over today. But knowing Jodi, she would
be mad. So I won't start anything. If he comes here, though, he's
in for a surprise.”

Clem smiled. “I thought so.”

“Thanks again,” Hunt said, and patted Clem on
the shoulder.

Hunt poured himself and Cole and Willy a cup
of coffee as the men came through. Sitting around the kitchen
table, he told them about Hershel—not all of it; he still wanted to
claim the baby as his—and even though he knew Clem knew better,
Clem didn't say a word otherwise.

“I can take him down, Hunt,” Cole said, his
lips thinning into one fine line.

“No, not yet. But if he comes here, then
we'll get him. You can't miss him; he dresses like the Durango Kid
or something. All in black and silver. He's got the biggest mouth
in Texas and he likes to beat up women.”

Cole took out his gun. “I'd like to get a
piece of him myself. If there is anything I can't tolerate it's a
man who picks on women.”

“You may get your chance, Cole,” Hunt
chuckled.

Willy sat listening. “I knew by looking at
Miss Jodi that she'd been through some things. A woman can't be
that strong without going through some. I should know; my wife was
the same. We'll all kill him, if he comes out here,” Willy stated
as if they had sealed some strange bargain.

Clem sighed with relief.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Jodi walked in the door and saw the men
sitting around the table. She was all smiles. Hunt grabbed her up
and kissed her warm and hard on the lips, reassuring himself she
was okay.

“Wow, maybe I should send you off more
often,” she giggled with delight.

“Have a good time at Mrs. Hartman's?” he
questioned, not letting her get too far away from him.

“As a matter of fact, I did. Everything is
going to be just fine.” She sighed. “And you three, did you get
some cattle, or what?”

“A thousand head,” Willy blurted.

“A thousand? Oh my goodness, I never thought
that many.” Jodi was so happy she was practically dancing around
them.

“Yeah, and a prize bull to boot,” Cole said,
adding some sugar to the pot.

≈≈≈

“It's more than we bargained for.” She
searched Hunt's face for some joke and found none. “I can't believe
it. Did you hear that, Clem?”

There was no answer. Jodi glanced over and
saw he wasn't moving or looking about. She went over to him.
Suddenly, she collapsed.

Clem's struggle to live, despite his constant
pain, was finally over. He died peacefully with a smile on his
face.

Jodi couldn't get over it. It was too soon.
Hunt reassured her that he had been happy when he went, that he was
content and knew she'd be taken care of. Jodi basked in that
knowledge, but even with the three men constantly around her, she
couldn't quite accept his death.

The next day, before the funeral, Hunt tried
to console her once more. “Honey, I know this hurts you. I feel
your pain. But think of it this way, Clem isn't hurting any more.
He's at peace now. He knew you were happy; he knew you'd be taken
care of; and he's gone to a better place.” Hunt held her close and
wiped her tears away as they laid Clem in the ground.

The birds were chirping and the sun was
shining. She looked up into the cloudless sky and understood.
Yes…he was gone to a better place.

God, please take care of him, she prayed
silently.

She nodded, the tears still in her eyes, and
smiled. “I know…it's just the missing I'm grieving for. He was like
a daddy to me, Hunt.”

“I know, darlin'. But you've got to
understand something. A man hurts on the inside, too, when he can't
get up and be a man. So let it go and realize that, for his sake,
it was a good thing. And me, Cole and Willy are going to help you
get over this.”

Cole and Willy nodded. They gathered around
her.

Willy came forward. “Yes, ma'am. And you got
to be thinkin' of that baby, too, Miss Jodi.”

Jodi smiled. “I forgot…oh…” She bent over in
pain as her water suddenly broke, and she reached for Hunt's hand.
Cole and Willy seemed to notice her distress and gathered
closer.

“I-I think it's my time,” she cried. “Get me
to my bed and go over to Mrs. Hartman's and fetch Sarah for me,”
she told Hunt.

Hunt looked at her seriously. “Who's
Sarah?”

“Trust me, Hunt. She's my midwife. I need
her!”

“I'll send Willy over,” he said, carrying her
to the bed. “Aren't you a little early?”

“I'm not sure, just hurry,” she said as pain
and panic overtook her. She grabbed Hunt's hand and wouldn’t let
go. “I hope there's nothing wrong…” She clutched his hand
tightly.

Willy and Cole had followed them in the room,
but Willy was scrambling around the room nervously.

Hunt's eyes were watering from the extreme
pain she was exerting on his hand. “Honey…you keep squeezing my
hand, we're both gonna need a doctor.”

Jodi looked at him strangely, then reached
for Willy's hand as he passed by the bed on the way out of the
room. Another pain gripped her and she squeezed for life on Willy's
hand.

“Uh…” Willy turned peaked and saw her face
contort with pain. “I'm sorry, Miss Jodi, but don't you want me to
go get Miss Sarah?”

Jodi released his hand. Willy glanced at Hunt
with a sigh of relief and dashed toward the door, calling over his
shoulder, “Good luck, Mr. Hunt.”

“What do you want me to do?” Cole asked.

Jodi looked up at the men. “Hold my hand,”
she demanded, her eyes bulging as another pain hit her.

Cole glanced at Hunt. “Do I have to?”

Hunt shook his head. “I guess this would be
my job, so…just go boil some water.”

“What for?” Cole looked incredulous

“I don't know, but I've always heard you have
to have boiling water. Don't ask me what it's for.” Hunt looked at
him, baffled.