“Are we far Jessie,” Lori asked.
“No, come on. We will be at home, I mean at the cabin, in a few minutes.” He climbed into the saddle as he spoke and reached his hand down for Lori pulling her up in front of him.
As they rode quickly, he tried to protect Lori from the wind and snow as best he could. He had been right. His cabin came into sight after about ten minutes and Jessie smiled. It was just as he left it. He tied the horse outside and opened the door.
“Here we are,” he said holding the door open for Lori. “It’s cold but I will build a fire. Here, put this around you,” he pulled a spread off the bed and put it around her. Finding a coat, he pulled it on before going out into the snow for some firewood.
In about ten minutes they had a fire warm enough to take off the coat and cover. Lori looked around the small cabin. It was only one room but big enough. The walls were as she remembered them to be when she was a little girl. Only now the cabin had furniture in it. Besides the stove, there was an eating table and a few more tables for cooking and two wooden chairs at the table on the other side of the room. She smiled a little. It must have been Missy who had blocked it off for a bedroom. Aloud she said,
“When I was a little girl, I used to play house here and I always wondered how it looked with furniture in it. It’s nice. I like it. Now, how did we get here Jessie? I remember riding and you pulling me off my horse. That’s it.”
Jessie put another log in the stove and closed the door quickly. He dusted his hands on his pants and found the coffee pot and fixed some coffee, putting it on the stove. Lori had never seen a coffee pot like this one except in movies. Jessie then sat down in the other chair and said,
“Yes, we were riding. I was trying to catch you. Then the storm came with lightning and thunder. Lightning hit the tree you were about to ride under so I pulled you off your horse and the tree fell on the horse. It would have fallen on you had I not have gotten you out of the way. I don’t remember anything about my watch. I was too wrapped up in getting you to a safe place. When I fell, I was knocked out and when I came to myself, we were here.”
“I passed out too. I guess we learned nothing this time. At least we came back to 1888. We did, didn’t we,” Lori asked.
“It seems so but I’m not sure,” Jessie stood up. “I need to check the barn. If the horses and cows are okay then it’s only been a few days since I’ve been gone.”
“I’m coming too,” Lori said standing.
“Here, put this on,” Jessie threw her a coat and pulled his own coat on. “Good thing you put britches on this morning.”
Lori looked down at her jeans and tennis shoes. “Good thing,” she said smiling.
They walked together outside into the snow. The sky had cleared and the sun was trying to shine through the clouds. Jessie led the way into the barn. The animals were all okay. Lori watched as Jessie fed the animals. She looked at the two milk cows.
“Where is your milk pail? I will milk these two cows.”
Jessie looked surprised. “You can hand milk a cow?”
“Of course I can, I was raised on this ranch remember?” She took the pail and cleaning supplies Jessie handed her and after washing the first cow she began to milk her. Jessie watched a little, then began to get water for the animals. By the time Jessie had fed, watered, and cleaned the barn, Lori was finished milking both cows. She now had two full pails of milk.
“Now,” Jessie said. “We need to gather the eggs from the chickens.”
“I can do that Jessie, if you need to do something else,” Lori said.
“Thank you Lori. I need to get water and firewood in for tonight. I’ll also check the cellar for something to cook for supper.” Jessie was smiling. He knew this woman was Lori but somehow he felt it was Missy come back to him.
“Alright, I’ll show you I can cook too,” Lori smiled back at him. He seemed so calm now. He was back home. She wondered about Bo. He would miss her but maybe he would know where she was.
A few hours later, they had a hot supper with fresh milk and butter which Jessie had churned while Lori had cooked. The two of them cleaned up their dishes and Jessie lit the lamps hanging on the wall as darkness set in. Both he and Lori sat at the table and he stoked the fire adding a piece of firewood.
“Okay Jessie, let’s go over again what we remember before we ended up here. We need to figure it out so we can go back, or at least I do.”
“I know you do but I need to speak to Missy’s family about the baby she had before we met. I don’t understand why she didn’t tell me.”
“Could be she thought it didn’t matter because it happened before you met. I promise I will help you find out what we can but you do realize I have to find a way to get back home.”
“Yes, okay, we were riding across the field when the storm came up,” Jessie said.
“Right. When you came to my time, wasn’t there a storm?”
“Yeah, so the storm has something to do with it, but we can’t make it storm.”
“No,” Lori was deep in thought. “The lightning. You thought it hit your watch didn’t you?”
Jessie nodded. “This time it hit the tree.”
Lori shook her head. “I’m lost and tired. How are we sleeping, Jessie?”
“You sleep on the bed. I will get my roll from the barn and bed down here on the floor.”
“Are you sure,” Lori asked him.
“Yes,” Jessie told her. He stood up and went over to the chest at the foot of the bed. Inside were some of Missy’s things that he couldn’t bring himself to get rid of. He handed Lori a night gown and a dress for the next day.
“I will go get my bed roll while you change into the gown.” Jessie told Lori.
In a few minutes both Lori and Jessie were ready for bed. Lying on the feather tick, she felt as if she were on a huge soft pillow. She called good night to Jessie suddenly realizing how tired she was. Maybe she would wake up and all this would have been a dream.
* * * * * * * *
Back at the house, Bo rode over the ranch in the truck. He went back over the last events in his mind. Trace coming to the ranch claiming to be Lori’s brother, Lori pregnant and a descendent of Jessie’s dead wife Missy, and Jessie’s watch having Texas Motor Speedway on it. It was all too much for him to take in. Riding back toward the ranch house, beside the creek he saw another dead cow. When he stopped to investigate, he could see it was one of their best steers.
Taking his phone from his side, he called Animal Control, telling the lady on the other end what he had found. She in turn said she would send the team back to the ranch. Bo then called Adam to come pick up the dead animal. Upon talking to Adam, he discovered Trace was back from town and was starting a poker game in the dining room at the main house.
“Adam, find Lori and see if she can put a stop to it before I get there,” Bo told him.
“I don’t know where Lori is Bo. I haven’t’ seen her and one of the hands saw her go off on a horse earlier. Have you not seen her?”
“I have ridden over this whole ranch Adam and Miss Lori isn’t here.”
“I’ll check again around the house. Be there in a few Bo.”
“Alright. I’ll stay here.” Bo hung up the phone and walked around the truck and then back to the dead animal. Where could Lori be? If she had been out here, he would have seen her? In about thirty minutes, Adam was there to pick up the dead animal and with him were the seven people from the Animal Control again. Each of them did their job as Adam and Bo stood by and watched.
“Did you find Lori,” Bo asked.
“Nope, she’s nowhere to be found Bo and I spoke to Trace about playing poker in the house. He laughed and told me it was part his house and he would play if the fellows wanted to.”
“If we can’t find Lori, you better go Bo. He had quite a few fellows already coming to play when I left. You know what happens when they all get together playing poker,” Adam said.
“Yeah,” Bo answered. “Ev
eryone ends up drunk and they lose all their money. Then we can’t get any work out of them for a week. I’m on my way back to the ranch house to put a stop to this now.”
“I’ll stay here and work with Animal Control,” Adam told him.
Bo climbed into the truck and drove quickly back to the ranch house. He rushed into the house and to the dining room. The cooks were angry because they couldn’t fix lunch.
“I’ll take care of it,” Bo told them. He then walked into the dining room. The men were loud and Trace was passing around a bottle and several other bottles were lying empty on the floor, which meant the men were already drunk.
“Okay Trace, this game is over. Everybody go back to their rooms, now.”
Trace stood up. “Where is my sister? Why has she sent you?”
“I don’t know where Miss Lori is at this very minute but it doesn’t even matter. You know I have as much say over this ranch as Miss Lori and now I’m using it.” He waved his hand at the men.
“Go out of the house and to your rooms until you sober up. Is that clear?”
The men nodded as they turned and left the room. Trace came around to face Bo.
“Now, why did you do that? These men have no fun. I’m trying to see they do.”
After dinner every evening, they are on their own time and can do whatever and go wherever they choose. If you hadn’t noticed, it’s almost lunch time and the cooks couldn’t start lunch for the men. If you stay here at the ranch, you will also go by ranch rules, is that understood,” Bo told him.
Trace smiled a little. “Yes sir, I understand.” He turned and walked from the room but Bo had a feeling Trace was planning something big or at least something not good.
Bo walked outside to see Adam and the animal control team bringing in the dead steer. He watched as the group put the dead animal into the truck they had brought and left the ranch.
“Any sign of Lori yet,” Adam asked.
“No, maybe she’s resting in her room,” Bo told him. “Seen Jessie?”
“Nope. He went off riding this morning. I ain’t seen him since,” Adam said.
“Okay,” Bo said. He walked away wondering about Jessie. He found himself at the barn. It was then he noticed two of the horses were gone. Jessie’s and the one Lori rode most of the time.
He saddled a horse himself and rode off not knowing where he was going until he realized he was at the spot where the little cabin used to be. He looked down at the ground and saw hoof prints of both Lori and Jessie’s horses and from the looks of them the horses had just begun to run. Were they running away from something or someone? He slid from his horse and walked all around but could see no other tracks. They were just running their horses, racing maybe. Bo knew Lori loved to race someone on a horse. Back on his horse, he followed the tracks and realized they had after all been racing each other.
He smiled. They had probably been happy. He continued following the tracks when suddenly they were gone. The ground was wet from a hard rain. Even though it hadn’t rained back at the ranch at all. Slowly he rode on. Then he saw the tree. He could tell lightning had struck the tree. He got down for a closer look. For sure, lightning had struck the tree. He was about to get back on his horse when he saw something dark under the fallen tree. Bending to get a closer look, he raised a piece on the tree and discovered hair. Picking up a piece in his hand, he realized it was horse hair.
He stood up. Jessie and Lori racing across the ranch, a sudden rain- no, a thunderstorm. Then he knew somehow Jessie and Lori had gone through the portal and into another time. He knew he couldn’t tell anyone about this. He would tell the ranch hands something to explain Lori and Jessie’s absence on the ranch. He also hoped for Jessie’s sake he had gotten back to his own time, back home.
* * * * * * * *
Lori woke up cold. She pulled the covers up around her face and wondered why it was cold in the house. The housekeeper always made sure the house was warm. Lately they hadn’t needed any heat. This wasn’t her room or her house. Then suddenly she remembered she and Jesse had somehow come back here to 1888 yesterday. She raised her head to see Jessie come through the door of the cabin with fire wood, the top piece covered in snow.
“You’re awake. Sorry about the cold. I didn’t wake up but if you give me a minute, I’ll have us a good warm fire,” he told her as he added wood to the fire. In only a few minutes, the fire was hot and the cabin was warm and cozy.
Lori and Jessie had breakfast and took care of the animals. It was nearly ten thirty when they finished.
“I need to go see Missy’s family. I can take the train but it will take maybe a month both ways.”
“That would take two months total. I can’t wait that long Jessie. I have to take care of my ranch too.”
Jessie nodded. He opened his mouth to speak as a knock came to the door. Lori jumped. Jessie looked surprised but he opened the door to Missy’s father.
“Jessie, I haven’t seen or heard from you in so long,” Missy’s father said as he held out his hand to the younger man. “Not since Missy died,” he continued.
“I have been busy sir. This is my cousin Lori.” Jessie pointed to Lori as she came forward to shake the older man’s hand.
“Good to meet you sir. Jessie has told me so much about your family and now to finally get to talk to you is wonderful.”
“I’m sorry I can’t say the same. By the way, my name is Frank. I wasn’t aware Jessie had such a beautiful cousin. You look a little like my Missy, around the eyes.”
Lori blushed. Missy’s father sat down at the table and Lori poured him a cup of coffee as well as one for herself and Jessie.
“I was talking about coming to see you,” Jessie said. “There is something I need to ask you about.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“When Missy was sixteen she had a daughter named Mary, I think. This was before I met Missy, but what I don’t understand was why she didn’t tell me about the baby. Do you know,” Jessie asked.
“Yes I know. Missy fell for a boy who turned out to be a bank robber and just before she discovered she was with child, he was killed by the sheriff. Missy didn’t know how to care for a baby. My brother had just gotten married, so they took her in. I’m sorry to say both my brother and his wife were killed by Indians last year. So now she lives with Tess and me. She is a beautiful little girl.”
“Does she know her real mother and father are dead?”
“No, not yet but when she is old enough, she will be told. As for Missy not telling you, she didn’t want to cause any problems between the two of you, since it happened before you even met. She loved you so much Jessie.” Frank took a sip of his coffee.
“I wish she had told me, but I believe she did the right thing taking her to your brother and you taking her in afterwards.”
“We love her and she is getting everything she needs.”
Jessie nodded. “I see,” he was quiet, his mind on Missy.
Lori, seeing the sad look on his face, reached under the table and placed her hand over his and watched as a smile came across his face when he curled his fingers around hers.
“Missy thought you would be upset and mad because she had a child out of wedlock,” the older man said.
“They were going to marry, weren’t they,” Jessie asked.
“Yes, they were, but he was killed before it could happen. All this would also cause people to look down their noses at Missy, so we told them she was married when she became with child.”
“I would not have been mad. I loved Missy and this child was a part of her. I still miss her every day.”
“I know son, so do I.”
The two men sat talking outside and Lori fixed a huge meal for them finding plenty of food to cook. It was all so different: carrying the water, keeping the fire hot enough to cook the food, and baking the bread. This long dress kept getting in her way and she almost tripped on it a few times. When she called the two men to eat, they had been drinking from a bo
ttle of whiskey Missy’s father had brought with him. Therefore all through the meal, the two men were loud and finally Lori could stand it no longer. She found her jeans and one of Jessie’s long sleeved shirts and changed clothes in the outhouse shivering as she did so.
This was April and here it was still so cold and snowing. She felt tears come to her eyes and she longed to go home, but she had no idea exactly how they had gotten here.
The two men were at the table, drunk on the whiskey now, as Lori walked back into the cabin.
“Jessie, I’m going for a ride. Be back later.”
Jessie nodded. Lori knew if he wasn’t drunk, he would never allow her to go riding without him but right now she had to get away from him. She made her way to the barn and saddled a horse. The sun was shining now even though it was chilly. She found a coat of Jessie’s and put it on. It smelled but it was warm. Once upon the horse, she looked around not knowing which way to ride. “Town should be this way,” she thought and headed in that direction.
She had ridden for some time when she heard something behind her. She stopped the horse, suddenly remembering what Jessie had told her about Indian’s. Fear spread through her body and she began to tremble as she walked the horse quickly behind a large clump of bushes. She slid from the horse and crouched beside it holding the reins in her hand. The noise became louder and all at once, there they were, the Indians and Lori’s heart was beating so loud in her chest she could swear the Indian’s could hear it too. They were talking in a language she could not understand. She was careful not to make any noise to draw attention to herself. There was no way for her to know what they were saying. From the way they were acting, they were arguing. At least it seemed as if they were. Two braves were in each other’s face and Lori was sure they were going to fight until an older Indian came between them.
Then they sat on the ground and passed some kind of food around. Each one taking a bite of it. This seemed to calm the two younger men and after a minute they were all laughing again.
Then almost as quickly as the Indians came, they had ridden away and Lori could do nothing. She sat on the cold ground and cried. Why had she gone riding? She could have stayed in the barn or better yet, sent the two men out to the barn. She cried because she was relieved the Indians hadn’t found her, because she was scared, because she was in a world she knew nothing about, because she was mad at herself and at Jessie, because she was having a baby, and because she was feeling sorry for herself.
Portals of Time Page 11
