Nodog seemed to be of the same temperament as he stayed behind the wagon too.
***
The next day though Dorothy took sick and they halted the wagons to see to her. She had a fever and later the same day broke into a rash. Riley became concerned and wouldn’t leave her side.
Sam looked at Riley. “This ain’t good. She’s got a real unhealthy looking pallor, her eyes…their listless. She’s sick. She’s really sick. We best stay where we are ‘til we see what this is about.”
“Shore was sudden, wasn’t it?” Riley remarked as she watched Mavis towel the little girl down.
“Could be one of those kid things, or could be serious. I just don’t like the way her eyes look, so unfocussed. It’s a bad fever.”
“You go on and drive the wagon, I’ll tend her,” Riley offered Mavis a break in taking care of the little girl.
“You don’t mind?” Mavis asked, perplexed.
“Nope, I shore don’t.”
All evening Riley tended the kid while Mavis made supper and then she spelled her once more.
Mavis was worried, she trembled as she changed the rag on her head, Riley noticed and for a while Riley felt sorry for her.
“She’ll be alright,” Riley encouraged her.
“She’s my baby girl…” Mavis glanced at Riley then Sam. “I cain’t lose no more youngun’s. I just can’t.”
After the second day with fever, Sam made a decision. “We got to take her to the river. To get the fever down.”
“The river? What river?” Mavis asked.
“Trinity is the closest I reckon. We got to get that fever down, as fast as we can,” Sam insisted.
“Okay, let’s pack up then.” Mavis started moving everything inside the wagon and instructing the others.
It was at least five miles to the river and Riley washed Dorothy down all the way. The rash spread, and Sam was worried they might have some epidemic on their hands. Even if it was just measles it could be bad.
As they came alongside the Trinity, Sam dismounted and went to scoop the child up in his arms.
Mavis and Riley followed closely behind him. “What are you gonna do?” Riley asked.
“Cool water will bring the fever down, gotta put her on the banks of the river and keep pouring the cool water over her. Once the fever is broke we can see how she is. You undress her down to her drawers and sponge her off.”
Mavis looked nervous. “You know what you’re doin?”
“I’ve tended some with fever before,” Sam said.
Riley looked at Mavis and extended a hand. “Sam’s been brought up by the Indians, he knows lots of tricks. It’s best to trust him.”
Mavis stared down at Riley’s hand. “Dorothy’s my baby…I can’t lose her. You understand?”
Riley nodded, her heart going out to Mavis and the others as they looked so forlorn. “I know, but Sam can help her. I’m sure of it.”
“You gotta lot of trust in him, don’t you?” Mavis eyed her.
Riley moved away. “I guess so.”
“You known him long?” Mavis asked.
“Long enough, I guess,” Riley answered.
Sam glanced up and smiled at Riley. “Riley, bring a blanket from the wagon, will ya.”
Riley ran to the wagon. She thought about what Mavis said and realized she was right. She did trust Sam, a lot.
“How long you think we gotta wait…” Mavis asked later that same day as Riley tended Dorothy so Sam could have a break.
“A day or so more. We don’t want to head into any territory that might contaminate.”
“That’s a long time, Sam,” Mavis insisted.
“Yeah, but it’s better than exposing others, creating an epidemic. Even if it’s just measles it can spread and we gotta take care of her.”
“Is it true, you been raised by the Indians?” Mavis asked as she watched Sam sponge the young girl off.
“To some degree, yes. I was half grown when we moved to the Shawnee village,” Sam explained.
“We?”
“My sister Hattie and her husband and kids.”
“Where’s your sister now?” Mavis asked.
“With the Shawnee village. She’s happy there,” Sam explained.
“Wouldn’t she be happier with her own kind?” Mavis asked, lifting a brow and eyeing Sam.
“No, she wouldn’t. You see, she married a white man. The Indian village was the only place they could live together in peace.”
“A white man?” Mavis stood up and eyed him sharply. “Lord…she must be crazy.”
“Maybe with any other person, but not with Lee. Lee Nelson was one hellova good man.” Sam nodded with a sure smile.
“Why on earth would she tie up with a white man, though?” Mavis snarled. “Was she ugly or somethin’?”
“Naw, she wasn’t ugly. In fact, she was beautiful. A lot of men eyed her. Black and white. But she only had eyes for Lee. It was bound to happen.”
“You wouldn’t want a white woman, would you?” Mavis asked innocently.
“Probably not…I’m no fool, but, they were in love, Mavis, it just happened. Sometimes nature plays a funny trick… Besides, like you said Mavis, our kind is few and far between in some places.” Sam smiled then glanced at Riley.
“Only white trash takes up with black people,” Mavis spat. “Ain’t even right you taking up with that white boy there. Why, they could hang you, if they were of a mind.”
Sam scoffed. “That’s a boy, not a woman, Mavis.”
“Well…I guess, but it still ain’t right. He ain’t your kind.”
“He’s a kid; Riley is a good kid, Mavis. The best. I’d trust him with my life, I would,” Sam insisted.
“You’re a fool, then,” Mavis spat. “He’s just usin’ you ‘cause he’s scared to be a man…that’s all. Let the kid grow up. You gotta take what you can in life.” Mavis firmed her lips into a frown.
Sam laughed. “Ain’t no fool over there takin’ care of your kid right now. Is it? Take a good look. Look at the tears in that boy’s eyes. Riley cares, just one of those kind of people. He don’t have to do what he’s been doin’. He wants to. That’s the difference. He’s got a lot of character. You can’t ignore that, Mavis.”
Mavis scoffed and walked off.
Sam watched Riley; he saw the play of emotions cross Riley’s face as she talked to the other kids, how patient she was to answer all their questions. He was right about Riley. And that’s what made the feelings he had for Riley grow, even as he stood there watching her. She had character as Lee had often called it.
Two days later, the rash began to fade. “What do you reckon it was?” Mavis asked in wonder.
“Measles most likely. Most kids get them sooner or later. Best when they are little than bigger. The others might come down with it if they ain’t had it before. It’s harder on grown folks than kids.”
“You know a lot about sickness…Sam?” Mavis asked softly as she handed him some breakfast.
“Just what I learned at the Indian Village. You see until the white man came the Indians didn’t get sick much. And when they did, they knew what to eat and take for it. But the white man brought diseases over here and killed a lot of the Indians off. We had a healer there, her name was Katherine and she could take care of just about anything. The Shaman said she had magic.”
“I’m sure glad you were here.” Mavis smiled at him. “But I don’t believe in magic, Sam.”
“Better thank Riley, he’s the one that sat with your Dorothy most nights.”
Mavis glanced at Riley. “I guess I was wrong about Riley. He was a big help. But I’m not wrong about the fact that he’ll bring you nothing but trouble.”
“Maybe…” Sam stared at Riley who looked tired herself. “But I promised.”
“Well, we can get moving again. Riley, you better ride in the wagon and get some rest,” Sam insisted.
Riley nodded, not objecting. She made a pallet with a blanket beside Dorothy and
lay down; she was asleep in no time, but her hand was on Dorothy all the way.
***
That evening Mavis sat on the wagon seat just before sundown. “It’s a pretty sunset, Sam,” Mavis said, her arm looped in his.
“Yeah, I reckon it is.” Sam checked the beautiful play of colors in the heavens and sighed. He wondered if Riley was watching. Why he cared he wasn’t sure, but Riley drifted into his head at unexpected moments. Maybe this was exactly why he needed to get shed of her. And then he wondered if he really wanted to. He already knew that Riley was a good woman. He knew she could kiss better than anyone he’d ever had. But he also knew the trouble she’d bring if he even thought about taking her as his own. That thought sobered him. He remembered vividly all the problems that had come up between Lee and Hattie as they tried to live peacefully in the Indian camp. White fur traders had come to their camp many times. Even once one of them tried to steal Hattie away with them. But Lee rescued her. Still, he couldn’t help but remember how deeply in love Lee and Hattie were too, and that stirred something in Sam he didn’t want to acknowledge. Already he had some kind of feelings for Riley. He just hadn’t named them yet. And if he could help it, he wouldn’t, until she was long gone. If he had to hurt, she wouldn’t see it. But somehow he knew that losin’ Riley would hurt, for a long time.
Maybe Mavis was just the ticket he needed to put Riley at a distance, and he wanted her at a distance, he kept telling himself.
When it grew cooler, Sam slowed the wagon. “We best rest now, and head out before dawn,” Sam explained.
“I hope that sleepin’ under the wagon isn’t too hard on you, Sam.” Mavis smiled.
“It’s fine, Mavis.” He smiled at her.
“Good, I’ll start some supper now,” Mavis declared and called her children about to help her.
When Sam helped her down, she paused to look at him. “I wouldn’t mind so much if you wanted to kiss me every now and then,” she whispered. “In fact, I’d kind of like it. I like bein’ touched too.”
But Sam didn’t want to jump from one to the other so quickly. “It’s a little soon, but I’ll keep it in mind that you aren’t opposed to kissin’ or touchin’.” He smiled.
“Oh sure…later…anytime.” She swept herself against him, and sighed heavily when their eyes met. “My husband used to run his hand up my skirt when we were drivin’ the wagon. He said it was kinda sexy, playin’ when he was supposed to be drivin’ the wagon. He had his hands on me all the time. He loved my body. He liked my breasts a lot.”
Sam smiled. “I can sure understand why…yes sir, I surely can.”
Sam groaned inside. Why was he fighting what this lady offered so boldly? It made no sense, he was actually pretty hungry for a woman, and she could satisfy that need without too much entanglement. Still, he tempered the temptation she offered. After all, there were three kids in the wagon and he didn’t need any witnesses. Then there was Riley to contend with too.
Riley dismounted, and hobbled the horse near the wagon. She spit while the other kids watched her and laughed, and then she joined Sam. She heard the kids talking about her. Tate even imitated her, and the others laughed. Sam smiled to himself. Riley was a good person; that much he knew.
But when Mavis brought the blankets to Sam, her hands lingered on top of his for a moment, long enough for Riley to notice. Sam thought he saw her cheeks grow pink, but he couldn’t be sure in the firelight.
Mavis cooked up a fine meal for travelin’ and even Riley seemed to enjoy it as she sopped the bread in the gravy to clean the plate.
“My, you two were hungry. Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it so much.” She glanced at Riley again.
“You’re a good cook,” Riley offered.
“Comes natural.”
Sam smiled.
After the dishes were done, Sam whipped out a harmonica and played a lively tune on it, and then tapping it, he looked at Mavis. “Well, reckon we should try to get a good night’s sleep.”
“Night, Sam,” Mavis called as she strolled away, her hips swaying suggestively. Sam shook his head, she was a temptation.
“Night,” Sam called, watching the sway of her hips and ignoring the urges within him.
Riley stared at him as she turned around and shook her head.
“What a pushover you are,” she barked as she took one of the blankets.
“What do you mean?” Sam protested.
“You know what I mean, Sam. Don’t play dumb. She’s after you, and you know it,” Riley accused as she made her pallet under the wagon, remembering to keep her voice down so the others wouldn’t hear. Nodog again chose Riley to sleep next to and Sam noted the traitor with a frown.
“She’s a remarkable woman.” Sam cleared his throat. “I like Mavis…a lot.”
“Oh really, how so?” Riley snapped.
“She knows how to act like a woman for one thing.” Sam smiled at Riley and made his pallet away from her. “And you were right, she’s a dandy cook.”
“Ain’t hard to twist your hips, Sam,” Riley barked. “But she sure can cook, that’s no lie.”
“Haven’t seen you do it…” Sam chuckled softly.
“Do what?” Riley barked, trying to find a comfortable spot.
“Swing your hips.”
“I am not on a man hunt. Besides, I’m a boy, remember? Oh…go to sleep,” Riley fussed as she climbed onto her pallet and covered up.
Again, Sam chuckled.
All they heard were the crickets and grasshoppers buzzing about the night, lulling them into sleep.
***
The next morning they woke to Mavis’ cooking and she made sure Sam had extra helpings of bacon and eggs. Sam sipped his coffee while Riley went off to the creek, obviously disgusted with Mavis’ attempts at flirting.
“You’re a fine cook, Mavis,” Sam offered as he handed her the plate. Their hands grazed each other and Mavis looked up at Sam with a tempting smile. “I’m good at a lot of things, Sam.”
Mavis scraped the leftovers into a heap on the ground, and then sent Tate to the creek to fetch some water.
She watched the kids go off and when satisfied they were out of earshot she turned a big smile on Sam. “I’ve a family to cook for. Have to be.” She chuckled. “But I’m glad you enjoyed it. A woman likes to be appreciated, Sam. In every way. Any time you feel like kissin’ me or feelin’ me up a little, you go right ahead; kids won’t mind.”
“How do you know?” Sam asked.
Mavis flashed her eyes at him and smiled. “I asked them.”
Sam nodded. “Thanks for the open invitation. I’m sure you’ve had your hands full with all the kids and a husband.”
“My husband didn’t appreciate me very much. Not enough for havin’ all the kids we did. He just wanted kids to help him with the chores about the place. Seems like I couldn’t have them fast enough for him. I was pregnant every winter. I was good at havin’ kids too. One doctor told me I was built for it. But we lost three of them to consumption.”
“I’m sorry for that, Mavis. I guess you’ve seen sorrows. Well, we better get on our way as soon as we can.”
Alone with Mavis, he watched her carefully out the corner of his eye. She walked up to him and pursed her lips. “I been alone for a while now, Sam. That’s probably why I’m so bold soundin’ to you. I miss my husband’s touch, his kisses, the way we made love. A woman gets used to those things real quick. We spent a lot of time makin’ love. He wanted me in his bed all the time, and I shore didn’t mind. Lord, that man could love me. I was used to it, everyday like. He was a man that kept me happy, and I shore didn’t mind. No siree, I didn’t mind at all. A woman needs those things too, Sam. Especially once they are used to it. I’m very used to kissin’ and lovin’, Sam. Kiss me so I know you mean it when you smile like that at me. I can tell you’re attracted to me. You shore don’t hide it,” she whispered as her arms went around his neck. Her soft pillowing breasts mashed hard up against him, her hips joining his,
unashamed of her mating.
“Mavis, we hardly know each other,” Sam tried to protest.
“Don’t matter, we need each other. You’re a black man, don’t you want me, even a little? I seen you lookin’ at me, I know you like what you see. You knows you can have it too, ‘cause I done told you so,” she whispered, pushing herself against him and waiting ‘til his arms came around her. “Findin’ a black man in these parts is hard. Most are either too old or too young. I gotta take my chances where I find them. I’m not too proud, I need a man. I got youngin’s to raise. And I dang sure ain’t through with making love. It’s been too long as it is.”
Not wanting to insult her, he obliged her, putting his lips to hers, feeling the impact of her breasts imprinting his chest as he pulled her close. Unlike Riley, Mavis wasn’t bashful about kissing. And she had a very womanly shape about her that Riley lacked. Just the feel of her soft body made him respond. Her hands seemed to roam all over him not shy, and it did stir him, but her kisses were sloppy and wet and there was no feeling to go with the fire she stirred.
That was the problem with the kiss, he thought as he obliged. They were merely putting their lips together, not because of feelings, but more as an experiment to see if they might fit together. But for some reason he was sorely disappointed that there was no fire in her kiss. Her lips slipped recklessly over his, but there was no fire in the way she kissed. In fact, she acted as though it were something she had to do, not wanted to do. Her lips barely moved beneath his and she stirred nothing inside him. Oh he reacted, but not for long, for he knew she wasn’t consumed with fire for him, she just wanted a replacement for her dead husband.
Sam pondered that point for a long moment as he let his lips slide over her wide full mouth. His hands went around her, but she was much bigger than Riley and his hands wouldn’t fit around her breast and hold all of her. He hated her slobberin’ all over him, but he was too much the gentleman to say so. He felt her body heating to his, but there was nothing about her that interested him and he wondered at that. Had Riley spoiled him against black women? He tried harder to get a response, but there simply was no fire. He kissed her thoroughly wanting to prove that Riley’s kisses hadn’t spoiled it for him.
Ask No Tomorrows Page 9
