Eddie’s Prize

by Maddy Barone

  For the men Lisa chose thick, soft cotton flannel. For her sister-and mother-in-law she picked out lightweight brushed wool as soft as the flannel. Strangely, the cotton cost more than the wool because the wool was produced and woven right in the area, but the cotton had to come from a thousand miles away.

  The men’s shirts were plain, button up styles, and Lisa wasn’t sure she’d ever done anything as hard as cut out the fabric and sew the pieces together. Except the buttonholes, which had been a nightmare to sew and cut by hand. When the shirts were done, Lisa cringed at all the mistakes, but Hannah assured her they were fine. Ray’s shirt was chocolate brown cotton with a cowboy-style yoke in darker brown corduroy, and Eddie’s was blue with a cream-colored yoke. Lisa wished she could have found fabric in turquoise to match his eyes, but the fabric was thick and soft.

  The dresses followed the button-up cowboy shirt design, but the skirt of Bree’s dark green dress was gathered at the waist and flared out into a bell at the mid-calf hem. Darlene’s dress was straw-gold with tucks over the bust that widened into broad panels. Lisa thought it would work during the pregnancy, and afterward a belt could cinch in the waist.

  “They are all beautiful,” Hannah declared as she folded them carefully into boxes.

  “I hope they fit okay.” Lisa hadn’t gotten exact measurements, but Hannah had them on file since she’d made clothes for the Madisons in the past.

  “They’ll fit just fine,” Hannah said. “They turned out very well. Do you want to wrap them here?”

  The gift wrap the Martins sold was nothing like the shiny paper Lisa was used to. The wrap was thin, brown paper stamped with white snowflakes or green wreaths or red gingerbread men. Lisa chose some paper and ribbon, but there was no tape, so Hannah had to show her how to fold the paper so the ends could be tucked inside and the ribbon tied in such a way the wrapping wouldn’t come loose.

  Lisa said, “Hannah, I can’t thank you enough for all your help. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

  “Oh, pshaw,” said Hannah with an exaggerated drawl. “What are friends for?”

  Friends. Lisa liked that word. She’d had too few true friends in her life. She gave Hannah a hug to convey her gratitude and affection. She carried the stack of wrapped boxes all the way home, refusing Chas’ offer to carry them. At her small house, she slid them under the bed to hide until Christmas.

  This Christmas was unlike any Christmas Lisa had ever experienced. The Christmases during her Minnesota childhood had been a riotous mix of sledding, skating, and watching her mom drink herself into oblivion. Christmas in Los Angeles had been a round of glittering parties held in expensively decorated houses where each party attendee had dressed to outdo the others, and gifts tended toward the elaborate and meaningless.

  Eddie was playfully secretive about his activities in the days before Christmas. Lisa resolutely refused to pry, just as he had asked only the most basic questions about why she’d spent so much time with Hannah. They would spend Christmas Day with his family, but Christmas Eve was going to be their private time.

  It was almost supper time when Eddie came in after making his rounds of his patients. He shook the snow off his hair and coat in the mud room and joined Lisa in the kitchen. She shuddered at the cold touch of his lips against her temple.

  “Brr, Eddie! It must be cold out there.”

  “It’s getting cold,” he agreed, leaning over to sniff the pot of chili she stirred. “You’re using some of the dried chilies we traded for last summer?”

  “Yes. The cornbread is almost done. Go wash up.”

  They ate in companionable silence. As always, Eddie concentrated on his food. She wondered if there had ever been such a poor harvest he’d had to go hungry. That would explain his devotion to eating. The Madisons were well off, but if the rest of the town was hungry, Ray would probably share everything he had, even if his own son went to bed without supper. Ray wasn’t as much of a greedy brute as she’d thought when she’d first met him.

  Eddie washed dishes as she tidied up the kitchen. Through the kitchen window Lisa could see snow falling through the dark night. It was a scene out of an old-fashioned Christmas card.

  “It’s pretty,” she said. At Eddie’s raised brow, she elaborated. “The snow. We didn’t get snow in California. It makes it seem a little more like Christmas.”

  He hung up the dish towel to dry. “It’s Christmas Eve. Our first Christmas together.” His kiss was gentle. “I know you were a little disappointed to not be able to go see your friend, but I wanted you to myself this time.”

  Lisa’s hands framed his face. “Carla is a good friend, but Christmas is for families. You’re my family.”

  “Come to bed,” he breathed.

  She giggled when he swept her up and carried her to their bed. “I should brush my teeth before bed,” she mock protested.

  “Tomorrow.” He peeled her clothes off her with careful haste.

  She kicked her feet to rid her legs of the jeans still clinging. “I should wash my face,” she teased.

  He made short work of his own clothing. “Tomorrow,” he repeated.

  They’d been together not quite two months, but Eddie knew how to arouse her. The distant light from the kitchen lamp sputtered and died. The dark made his erotic touches all the more exciting. His hands parting her legs for his slow, sweet glide into her made her breath catch in surrender.

  “Eddie,” she moaned as he filled her. “I love what you do to me.”

  He seated himself fully inside her. “I love you.” Even in the dark, his hands found her face to hold her still for his kiss. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  “It’s dark, silly.”

  “In the light or in the dark, I see you, Lisa-love. Always.”

  All other words fled from Lisa’s mind, swept away by the simple force of his voice. Her fingers trembled when she raised a hand to brush over his arm, following the bulge of his biceps to his shoulder, his throat, his lips. In the past she’d imagined herself in love. All her life she had fallen in and out of love too easily. She had wondered for two months whether she loved Eddie or just cared for him. Now she knew. Even with his stupid jealousy, her feelings were deeper than anything she’d felt for any other man.

  “I love you, Eddie.”

  He stilled in mid-thrust. “You love me? You love me! I’ve waited for those words, Lisa.”

  “I didn’t want to say them until I knew they were true.”

  “I love you.” He kissed her. His thrusts picked up, even stronger than before, as if he were expressing joy through his body. Lisa lost herself in the physical act of love, still a little surprised she had actually said the words. But they were true. If Eddie would lose his jealousy altogether, their marriage would be perfect.

  * * * *

  Christmas morning, she and Eddie slept late before gathering their gifts and carrying them across the snowy yard to the big house. Bree and Darlene had a large brunch spread out buffet style. Lisa and Eddie added their gifts to the rustically decorated Christmas tree in the living room. Lisa stood back for a minute to admire the picture the pine tree made, decorated with strings of popcorn, small glass balls, woven wheat stars, and painted wooden ornaments. In past years she had attended holiday parties whose decorations had tried to achieve this primitive look, but none of them had gotten it quite right.

  After brunch, the entire Madison family walked together to the homes of each of Ray’s employees who lived inside the mayor’s compound to hand out plates of the cookies Darlene, Bree, and Lisa had baked. Eddie pulled a little sled with the cookies stacked on it with one hand and held Lisa’s hand with the other. It was a bright day, with the sky brightly blue above and the snow packing the ground glittery white below. Her boots crunched through the snow as she walked beside Eddie behind the other three.

  Lisa had had no idea how many men worked for Ray. Faron Paulson was the sheriff, and Steve Herrick was the works director, in c
harge of maintaining the roads and building in town. Each of them had a dozen men who reported to them. Ray personally handed over the plates of cookies for them to pass out in turn to the men under them who did not live in the compound.

  There was also Cory Haas, who ran the weekly newspaper, and Charles Driscoll, who ran the bank, and his son Chas, who handled Ray’s accounts. Lisa cut a dubious glance at Ray when she learned that. Should Ray be in control of the media and the money? It smacked of Big Brother to her. She hadn’t really thought of how Kearney was governed. Was this a dictatorship or a democracy? Or something else? Lisa squeezed Eddie’s gloved hand and decided to ask him about it later.

  Terry Packard was in charge of Ray’s horses and wagons. Lisa was careful to smile only the slightest bit when he answered the door with one of his sons behind him. She wanted to avoid being rude, while not rousing Eddie’s stupid jealousy. It must have been the right amount of friendliness. Eddie didn’t as much as growl. In fact, he seemed to exude good cheer. Lisa’s confusion dissipated when Eddie waved his hand at the stable door to their right.

  The other of the Packard boys came out leading Alexander the colt with a large red bow around his neck. Lisa blinked.

  Eddie slung an arm around her shoulders. “Merry Christmas, Lisa-love.”

  Lisa blinked again, confused when the boy held out the lead to her. “What?” she said.

  “Alexander is my Christmas present to you,” Eddie told her. “I didn’t think I could fit him under the tree.”

  “But,” said Lisa, gripping the rope lead. “I…”

  Bree laughed when Alexander nosed Lisa’s gloved hand. Lisa couldn’t keep her smile back when she hesitantly reached to scratch the colt’s nose.

  “He’ll have to stay here with the Packards for a while longer,” Eddie explained. “He needs to grow and be trained before you can ride him, but he’s yours. You can come and visit him whenever you want.” He stepped close to whisper, “I’ve made the arrangements with Terry. Don’t worry about me being jealous. I apologized, and we’ve worked it out.”

  Lisa buried her face in the colt’s shaggy mane. He stepped restlessly as she hugged him, but didn’t try to pull away. She wiped her eyes with her mitten and sniffed. She put her arms around her husband and squeezed.

  “Thank you, Eddie. He’s the best present ever!”

  Eddie kissed her. His lips were cold, but her heart was warmed by his gift. She gave the lead back to the Packard boy and promised to visit again after the holidays.

  There were others who worked for the mayor and lived in his compound, so it took three hours to hand out all the goodies. With the bright blue of the sky clouding over and the wind picking up, Lisa was frozen nearly stiff by the time they all got back to the big house. She peeled off her snow-caked boots and left them in the mudroom to thaw while she stood close to the stove in the kitchen. Her husband’s arms wrapped her in warmth.

  “I’m glad you liked my gift.”

  “The horse is wonderful, Eddie. Even better is the fact you’ve made up with Mr. Packard.”

  Eddie stilled. “I know I’m unreasonable at times.” His tone struck Lisa as a careful balance of honesty and evasion. “I’m trying to control it.”

  “That’s all anyone can ask.” She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Let’s get some of the hot cider I smell.”

  “Okay. Mom has it in the living room. It’s time to open gifts.”

  Lisa nodded and followed him into the living room, where the gifts awaited them under the tree. Nerves bit at her stomach. Her gift of a plain shirt seemed insignificant compared to a horse. In the past, the only gifts she chose herself were the ones she gave to whichever man she was living with and the ones she sent to her little brother, Derek. The others had been chosen by her personal shopper. The only gifts she received that meant anything to her were the ones Derek sent her. Even the ones her boyfriends gave her were just expensive baubles. She appreciated the value of diamonds, but Derek’s gifts were unique things he made himself, like hand-blown glass bowls and vases.

  God, she missed Derek. What had happened to him fifty years ago? It hurt to think he was probably dead now. Christmas was about family. As much as she loved her in-laws, she missed her own family. Well, not all of them. Really, it was only Derek she missed.

  Some of her ache was soothed by the genuine delight on the faces of her in-laws when they opened the gifts she’d made for them.

  Bree glowed when she held her dress up against herself. “Lisa, it’s the prettiest dress I’ve ever had. Thank you!”

  Those simple words were conventional courtesy, but Lisa felt the sincerity all the way down to her toes. “You’re welcome.”

  Eddie kissed her, his new shirt between them. “I’m touched you went to the trouble to learn to sew just to make me a present. Thank you.”

  “It’s not much compared to a horse,” she fretted.

  He leaned very close to whisper, “I had the rest of my present last night.”

  Lisa’s cheeks brightly flushed. She knew he wasn’t talking about sex, but her declaration of love. She smiled, and instead of her old, flirtatious smile, it was almost shy.

  Ray gave her a full length coat lined in fur, and Darlene gave her boots that looked warm if not elegant. Lisa was extraordinarily pleased. She really needed a warm coat and boots for her walks to Hannah’s and to the Plane Women’s House and the den. Bree had knitted her two pairs of warm wool socks, a jaunty blue, cloche-style hat, and a matching scarf. Lisa was overwhelmed.

  “Where on earth did you find time to make these?”

  Bree giggled. For once the sound didn’t grate. “Well, it was tricky. I had to put the scarf and the hat away when you came over, but you watched me working on the socks lots of times.”

  For the delicious traditional Christmas goose dinner, all the Madisons put on the shirts and dresses Lisa had made for them. She spent dinner looking around the table at them with pride.

  It was the best Christmas Lisa ever had.

  Chapter 19

  Once the hustle and bustle of baking and sewing for Christmas and New Year’s was over, Lisa set herself to designing the perfect dress for the mayor’s Gala, held on the last Sunday in January. Since coming to this new world, her life had been nothing but work. It was often satisfying work, and she took pride in her growing domestic skills, but she was ready for a party.

  When Hannah saw the sketches for the dress, her eyes rounded. “Are you sure you want it that tight?” she asked.

  “It won’t be tight if we cut it on the bias. Then it will drape nicely. And it’s only close-fitting to the top of my hips. After that it flares out, see?”

  Hannah looked a little dubious, but went through her fabric bolts. “Here’s some lightweight wool that might work.”

  Lisa fingered the silvery blue fabric. “It’s very soft.” If she could have chosen any fabric, it would have been heavy silk satin, but silk was unavailable here. The wool was the right weight to drape well. She could imagine it falling in folds from her hips. As she had predicted months ago to Carla, her hips and thighs had gained some extra padding. Eddie was as pleased as if she were a prize calf he was fattening for slaughter. In bed he loved to stroke his clever hands down her sides, following the slightly more generous curve of her hips. Of course, by Kearney’s standards she was still too thin, but she had put on weight in spite of the physically demanding chores and vigorous walks to the Plane Women’s House and the den.

  “I think it will be beautiful,” Lisa decided. “You have a wonderful sense of color, Hannah.”

  Hannah blushed. “But it’s your talent for dress designing that gets people’s attention. We’ve sold nearly all of the things we made before Christmas, so you have a nice amount in your account. Let’s get started on your party dress right away so we can put it in the window as an advertisement. Everybody dresses up for the dancing at the party, but no one wears anything this fancy. We can start a new fashion.”

  Lisa shook h
er head. “No, I want to surprise Eddie.”

  Hannah’s face fell. “Can you design something else I can display? I think after people see your dress and some other party dresses at the Gala, everyone will want to wear something that elegant next year.”

  “Sure.”

  Lisa stayed so late at Hannah’s Eddie came looking for her. When Nate Martin called up the stairs to the women that Eddie was there, Lisa dropped the pencil she was drawing with.

  “Oh, no! Look at the time! I suppose Cory got tired of waiting and went to get Eddie.”

  Lisa hurried down the stairs to the store. Eddie was leaning on the counter, chatting with Nate about how many animals were needed to feed the party goers at the Gala. Lisa went to him with a contrite smile.

  “Eddie, I’m sorry. We were busy working, and I lost track of time.”

  He scooped an arm around her waist to give her a squeeze. “That’s all right. I was coming this way when I saw Cory and Dean were still here. I sent them home so I could escort my wife home myself.”

  It was definitely colder now, and Lisa was glad to have the new knee-length coat he held for her. She pulled the cute hat Bree had knitted over her ears. They said good-bye to the Martins and headed down the icy street. Lisa held her husband’s arm for balance. If either of them slipped, the other was likely to go down too, but as far as she could tell, Eddie never slipped.

  They hadn’t gone far when they heard the sound of sleigh runners slicing over the icy road. Lisa peeked over her shoulder and saw a sleigh pulled by two horses pull up to the store. Two men jumped down, one going to the horses’ heads and the other coming toward them. Dane Overdahl waved an arm and called Eddie’s name. The arm beneath her fingers tightened until the muscle felt like iron.

  “Eddie! Wait, I have news you’ll want to hear.”