Roommates

by Valerie Reyes

  Chapter 3

  A few weeks later the letter arrived at its destination. Katherine held it to her bosom. Her heart was beating fast. Her every nerve seemed to be charged with electricity as she smiled to herself. After more than a year of exchanging letters, he had proposed to her. She looked down at the letter and read it one more time, just to make sure it was real.

  Once she was satisfied that she wasn’t dreaming, she left her room in search of her father. He was in the sitting room smoking one of his cigars as he read the newspaper. She walked up to him now with a beaming smile.

  “Father, I have good news to share with you.” Her father looked up, his newspaper still in his hands and his cigar still on his lips. He could see the excited look on his daughter’s face. He wondered what was going on.

  He took a moment to fold up his newspaper before placing it on a nearby table. He then snuffed his cigar. With these tasks accomplished, he gave his daughter his full attention.

  “Yes, my dear?” His voice was calm as he folded his hands over his right knee, looking at her over the brim of his reading glasses.

  “Do you remember Mr. Richards? The man I told you about?” Her father nodded his head. The smile on Katherine’s face deepened. She handed her father the letter and waited for him to read it.

  “Mr. Richards wants to marry you, eh?” he asked, putting down the letter. There was a dissatisfied look on his face as he stood up. He looked at his daughter before picking up the newspaper. “Have you read the news lately?” Katherine shook her head. She didn’t like reading the news.

  “Well, if you had, you would have seen this…” His voice trailed off as he looked through the newspaper. Katherine watched him, wondering what he was talking about. Finally he stopped fumbling with the pages and handed her the newspaper. She looked at it curiously before reading the headline: 88 Americans and 178 Redskins Dead in Santa Fe. Katherine’s eyes grew large as she read the story.

  “The New Frontier is not kind to Native Americans.” Her father said in warning. Katherine thought about this for a moment.

  “I think I am willing to take my chances.” Her father nodded, a small grin on his face. His daughter was just as courageous and adventurous as her mother.

  “If that is your decision, then I will support you.” Katherine hugged her father in gratitude.

  Soon enough, he was waving at his daughter as the train rolled away, making its way to Texas. Katherine felt the train gaining speed. She was on her way to a new life.

  Chapter 4

  Katherine’s train arrived early at its destination. She stepped off the platform and looked around. The train station was empty. It was still early.

  Katherine spotted a nearby bench and sat down. As she did, she looked around, noticing the Christmas decorations pinned around the station. There were wreaths on most of the posts and a giant Christmas tree in the center of the platform. The hot Texas sun shone against the ornaments, making them sparkle like tiny suns. Katherine noticed this and smiled.

  She had left Pennsylvania with snow but now in Texas she barely needed a coat. She liked this new warmth. So she leaned back and allowed her dark hair to soak up the sun’s rays. Her hair shone like silk as the sun danced upon its luxurious strands. Most women hid their hair in bonnets, but Katherine had never owned a bonnet. Her mother had taught her to be proud of her Native American hair, to show it off to the world.

  Katherine closed her eyes now, as thoughts of her mother flooded into her mind. Growing up, her mother had been her best friend. They used to play games together, cook together; essentially they did everything together. When Katherine was thirteen her mother had died of the flu. Katherine missed her mother every day, but she knew that somewhere her mother was proud of her and the woman she had become.

  While Katherine was preoccupied with thoughts of her mother, she did not notice her new husband climbing the platform steps. He looked around and spotted a woman sitting on a bench. He couldn’t see her face but when he saw her long black hair shining in the midday sun, he knew it was her. He suddenly felt nervous.

  Adam froze in place. Charger, the wild bronco, that he had yet to tame, seemed easier to approach at this point. It felt like his feet were glued to the platform. He gulped as he tried to urge his body to move. It refused to listen to him.

  As he stood there, Katherine looked up and saw him. A smile spread across her face as she saw her husband for the first time. He was even more handsome in person, with his rugged face and beautiful blue eyes. She quickly walked up to him with an aura of confidence wrapped around her.

  He looked at her and this confidence seemed to transfer over to him. He felt calmer as she approached him. “Mr. Richards?” she asked with a sweet voice. Adam could feel his heart pound in his chest at the sound of her melodic voice. He smiled and nodded.

  “Mrs. Richards?” he asked with a playful tone. She giggled, her cheeks coloring a bit. She looked at him with bright eyes and nodded.

  “That would be me,” she said.

  “Shall we make it official then?” Adam’s voice was filled with excitement as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a ring. It sparkled in the sunlight as he placed it on her finger. She smiled, looking at it.

  “I’m glad it fits,” he said. It looked perfect. He prayed she would never take it off.

  “I am too. Thank you.” Katherine answered, politely. The two of them smiled at each other for a moment. Adam then took his wife’s hand and led her down the platform steps.

  “If you are to be my wife, then I think you should meet all of my children.” Katherine’s eyes grew in surprise. This man had children?

  Chapter 5

  Soon they were riding into the fields together. Katherine had never ridden a horse before. She felt a rush of freedom surge through her body as the wind whipped against her face. She wrapped her arms around Adam, feeling safe. Instantly, she fell in love with the horses.

  “Close your eyes,” Adam said, looking back at his wife. She nodded, a giggle erupting from her lips as she closed her eyes obediently. Once he was sure her eyes were closed he urged his horse into a trot. Katherine could feel her hair extend behind her, flying freely. She pressed herself closer to her husband, tightening her arms around him. Adam smiled.

  They rode a little further before stopping. They were in front of the horse pens now. “Okay, open your eyes.” Katherine did so eagerly. She gasped suddenly when she saw about thirty horses trotting around in a huge enclosure. There were many different kinds of horses, white, black, brown, and gray. Katherine stared at them, fascinated. Suddenly, her eye caught sight of a brown and white horse all by itself in a separate pen.

  “Why is that horse all by itself?” She asked. Adam smiled a bit.

  “That’s Charger. He is a wild bronco that I am trying to tame, but he is giving me a hard time.” Katherine looked at the beautiful horse. She wanted to get a better look.

  “Can we get closer?” Adam nodded, urging his horse to Charger’s pen. When they were close enough he got off and helped his wife dismount. Holding hands, they approached the fence.

  “Be careful… he’s called Charger for a reason.” Katherine moved with a cautious foot. The horse looked at her curiously.

  “He’s beautiful,” she said. Adam nodded.

  “He is, but what good is he if no one can ride him?” Katherine frowned at his question.

  “Do you think he is untamable?” she asked, looking at the beast again. The horse snorted at her before walking away, losing interest.

  “I wouldn’t say that, but it will take a lot of hard work on my part. I won’t give up on him.” Katherine smiled at her husband. She could tell he was an honest, hard-working man and she liked that about him. As she looked at him, she could see the compassion in his eyes. These animals were not just his livelihood. They were, in fact, his children. She squeezed his hand, trying to get his attention.

  He looked down at her with a smile. In that moment, he was struck by her beauty
. Her darker skin gave her an exotic look and her hair framed her face, giving her an innocent but sophisticated demeanor. He looked at her lips, pink and supple. He wondered what they would feel like pressed against his.

  As Adam tried to suppress these thoughts, the same thoughts ran through Katherine’s mind. She wanted to kiss him. They were husband and wife now, why shouldn’t they kiss? With this thought in mind, Katherine moved onto her tip toes, bringing their faces closer together. Their eyes locked. Adam felt himself getting closer and closer to her lips.

  Before he knew what was going on his hands were on her cheeks, gently guiding her face closer to his. He finally closed the gap between them before kissing her lips for the first time. Sparks seemed to fly between their virgins lips and they both smiled as they pulled away. Katherine’s face glowed as she squeezed her husband’s hand.

  “I think I will like my new life…here… with you.” Katherine admitted as she blushed lightly.

  Adam smiled at his wife as she said these words. He was glad she seemed happy, but she had yet to see the town. Filip’s words of warning ran through Adam’s mind. He hoped the townsfolk would accept her.

  “I’m happy to hear that. Shall I show you the town then?” he asked. She nodded, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She was eager to see her new home. Adam smiled at her before helping her onto his horse. As she sat on the beast she couldn’t help looking at Charger. He looked so alone in his separate pen. She hoped that Adam would tame him soon and that he would be able to join the other horses.

  Chapter 6

  The couple rode into town on Adam’s horse. It was a pleasant ride. Katherine had wrapped her arms around her husband, making their bodies touch. This had made Adam blush, but he liked the feeling of her slender figure pressed against his back. Katherine enjoyed the feeling of his warmth against her cheek as she laid her head on his back.

  Finally, however, they had to dismount and separate from their embrace. Adam helped Katherine off the horse and smiled at her.

  “Soon enough I will teach you how to ride a horse by yourself.” Katherine looked up at him questioningly. She didn’t know if he was being serious.

  “Do you mean that?” she asked. He grinned and nodded.

  “If you ask me, the wife of a cowboy should know how to ride.” Katherine giggled and nodded.

  “I am willing to learn if you are willing to teach,” she said with a smile on her face. Adam could feel himself falling deeper in love with her as he looked down at her beautiful face.

  “I’m glad.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. She blushed a little, becoming shy. He chuckled, seeing her reaction. “Come, let me give you a tour of the town.” Katherine nodded. They started to walk through the town hand in hand, passing all the little shops and homes. As they did, Adam explained each major building as best he could.

  Katherine was enjoying herself. She was taking in all the sights and sounds of her new home. It was a quaint little town and she liked it. It felt like home.

  However, as they got deeper into the town, they started to hear whispers. As the townsfolk saw Katherine they started to comment on her looks. Some of the women were skeptical of her long black hair. Others questioned the color of her skin. There was suspicion in the air. They wondered who the girl was and why she was with the horse tamer.

  Katherine could hear snippets of these whispered conversations. She knew they were talking about her. She frowned a bit, moving her head so Adam wouldn’t notice. But he could hear the whispers, too. He was disappointed in his town. He couldn’t believe that they would be so prejudiced against someone during the Christmas season. Adam squeezed Katherine’s hand as they walked past harsh eyes.

  “C’mon, let me show you something,” he said. Katherine nodded, trying to ignore a few women commenting about her hair. Their whispers were loud and cruel. Katherine wished she could just disregard them. She wondered if these people would always treat her like this.

  Adam, hearing these whispers, pulled his wife away. He was upset that the town was already criticizing her, but he hoped that in time they would come to accept her. With this thought in mind, he led his wife to the town parish.

  Together, they walked into the church. They walked down the aisle together, holding hands, until they approached the altar. In the back right corner was a small Christmas tree and underneath this tree was a beautiful nativity. This nativity was very elaborate with many figurines and decorations. There was a traditional manger with Mary, Joseph, and the lambs, but there was also the entire city of Nazareth. There must have been over 300 figurines.

  Katherine was amazed as she looked at the nativity. She had never seen one so ornate before. As she looked at it, her eyes fell on the Three Wise Men, the biggest figurines. They sparkled in the light, making their gold color seem even brighter and more luxurious. They looked freshly polished.

  “Are these figurines made of gold, or are they just painted?” Katherine asked, eyeing the little houses and animals scattered throughout the nativity.

  “All the figurines are gold plated and Jesus, who will make his appearance on Christmas Day, is made of solid gold. Everyone contributed a few years back to pay for this,” Adam explained as he wrapped an arm around his wife.

  Nearby, a pious woman sat in a pew, silently praying the rosary. Her eyes settled on the couple standing before the altar, admiring the nativity. She noticed Katherine’s hair and guessed at her heritage. The woman wondered what a Native American woman was doing in their town. She also wondered why she was looking at the nativity so intensely. She suspected that there was something malicious in Katherine’s eyes.

  As Katherine and Adam left the church, the woman followed them with her gaze. Katherine noticed the harsh stare and tried to look away, but as they made their way home she couldn’t get the woman’s dull blue eyes out of her head. It seemed to her that everyone in the town disliked her. Katherine sighed.

  “Hey…what’s wrong?” Adam asked, looking down at his wife with a concerned look. They had finally reached their new home. He opened up the door as he waited for her to respond. They walked inside, but still she stayed quiet. Adam frowned, thinking she was upset.

  Nonetheless, he gave her a tour around her new home, showing her all the rooms. Finally, they stopped at their bedroom where he sat her down on the bed. She looked around the bedroom and smiled. It was sparsely furnished, yet it had a homey feel to it. Eventually she looked up at her husband, who was frowning down at her.

  Adam noticed that there was a sad look in her eyes. She was upset and he wanted to know why. “Katherine, please tell me what is bothering you.” Katherine sighed.

  “I don’t want to be a pessimist, but I don’t think the townsfolk like me very much.” Adam’s frown deepened as he heard his wife’s words. Katherine continued when Adam said nothing in response. “As we were walking through the town, I heard people whispering about me. They don’t like that I am Native American. Then when we were at the church a woman stared at me as if I was guilty of something.” Katherine frowned and looked away.

  Adam sat down by her side and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head and held her for a moment. Eventually, he placed her head on his chest and gently caressed her hair. Katherine could feel herself relax in his loving embrace.

  “I noticed it too. But it is almost Christmas, maybe they will come around and see what a lovely woman you are.” Katherine blushed slightly at his words. She smiled up at him before gently kissing his lips.

  “If nothing else… you’ll always have me.”

  Chapter 7

  The next morning, the town was abuzz. Newspapers were circulating around the town like wildfire. Adam and Katherine woke up after a night of blissful sleep together to encounter all this excitement.

  Adam saw everyone moving around quickly, whispering in hushed voices. He wondered what was going on. As he looked around he saw Filip walking down the street.

  “Filip!” His friend looked
up and smiled. He crossed the street and joined the couple. “What’s going on?” Adam asked once his friend was close enough.

  “Haven’t you heard?” Adam shook his head. Filip reached inside of his coat and pulled out a folded newspaper. He handed it to his friend. Adam grabbed and unfolded it. Katherine peered over his shoulder and read the front page headline: Wise Men Stolen Last Night! Adam’s eyes grew in surprise.

  “Do we know who stole them?” Filip shook his head at Katherine’s question. She looked around and saw countless people looking at her, suspicion in their eyes. To them, she was already guilty.

  “No. The sheriff is on the case, but he doesn’t know who’s to blame yet. He has some suspects, however.” As Filip said this the sheriff walked up to them. The sheriff was a large, well-built man who towered over both Adam and Filip. He had a mean-looking face and harsh, beady eyes. He stared at Katherine.

  “Mrs. Richards?” He asked in a gruff voice. Katherine nodded as Adam wrapped an arm around her protectively. “Can you come with me?” He held out his hand, but Adam shook his head.

  “What is the meaning of this? She has never left my side since arriving in town, how could she be the culprit?” Adam defended his wife, looking at the sheriff with serious eyes. The sheriff looked at Adam and then at Katherine. He sighed and pulled out a small notebook.

  “You swear to this testament?” the sheriff asked. Adam nodded confidently. Adam knew his wife was innocent.

  “Well then, have a nice day.” The sheriff left, but he still seemed suspicious of Katherine. She watched him leave, shuddering. She wondered why everyone seemed to distrust her. What had she done to deserve such treatment?

  Once the sheriff left, Adam kissed the top of Katherine’s head. Filip looked at them before looking away.