“Do you miss the drunken adventures?”
“I miss hanging out with James but times have changed and those days are pretty much gone. Now I enjoy sitting in front of the fire with a good book and you curled up next to me knitting.”
“Well that’s surprising because I enjoy crawling into your bed…” Meeks kissed her drawing her breath away. “How can one man make me want to be so bad with just a kiss?”
“Because you know what comes after the kiss.”
“Oh, I do.”
“What are you doing this afternoon?”
“I have to bake pies for the supper tomorrow after church.” Meeks ran his hand along her leg as she smiled. “Can you bring up a basket of apples from the cellar?”
“I can. Do you want the red ones or the green ones?”
“The green ones are baking apples and the red ones are for eating.”
Meeks headed down to the cellar coming back up with a basket of green apples with two red apples sitting on top. He put them in the sink running water over them as he took out his knife and cut up an apple feeding it to her. They spent the afternoon baking pies and enjoying time alone. June was such a beautiful month with so many young animals and birds coming out to enjoy the weather. The gardens were in full growth and the general store next to the school had been completed and they had begun construction on a library and shops across the road. The Ranchers Association voted on adding a music room onto the school house with an apartment above it. They contracted with Mr. Winston to teach for the next two years.
The difference in the crossroads was so dramatic but she thought it was wonderful that they named it Crossroads. Because Meeks owned all the property east of the crossroads, he deeded part to the town but kept enough to have a buffer between their land and the town.
“Are you riding with us?”
“I want to but I’m not sure what I can do with the girls since there is no nanny to leave them with while we’re gone.”
“I think they should go with us. It will be a short easy ride and Jonathan said someone was meeting them just above the high pass. We haven’t been up that way in a long time.”
“Not since Matthew was little. He’s coming home for part of the summer but he didn’t tell me when.”
“I would imagine he’ll come out with Dominic next week.”
“Is Garnett coming with them?”
“I believe he is.”
“And no one thought to tell me?”
“Mirisa, as it is we have to steal any moments where we can get your attention. You don’t know how hard it is to allow the children to monopolize you when we always had your full attention. I think it is time to ship the children off to boarding school.”
Mirisa laughed and told him that she hoped he never married because she really didn’t want to share him with another woman.
James put down the basket and pulled her into his arms. “I miss your laugh and when you would put your hands on your hips and take a stand. I love how badly you cheated at cards and how much it turned me on when you would raise your gun. But I especially love when you stand under the moon and take off all of your clothes. I have no idea what you do out there but damn if I really care when it means your naked.”
“I shall love riding into the final sunset with you.”
James put the basket on the table and sorted the linen before putting everything into the linen cabinet. Mirisa broke out a bottle of wine and went out onto the porch. The ducks had been flying in all morning as they headed north. Matthew had taught the girls how to keep track of birds and waterfowl on the Chesapeake and they started tracking them in Colorado which had so many more ducks and geese then anywhere they had lived. Meeks would draw the ducks in their journals and every Saturday morning they would sit out on the rock and count them. They kept records of the nests and number of eggs. Cassie took at least one egg every season and put it in the hen house to hatch. She raised them, examined them and was surprised when she released them that they would return to their mothers.
James came out and took the bottle pulling Mirisa into his lap as he sat down. She put her head back against him and closed her eyes. “We have a lot of the Cinnamon Ducks this year.”
“We have had a lot of waterfowl this spring and I understand that the pheasants are plentiful though I find it hard to shoot something so pretty.” She took the bottle from him. “The girls have marked and counted the eggs this spring. I don’t know how they tell the ducklings apart but they seem to know all of them.”
“Garnett got married.” James took the bottle back from Mirisa as he waited for her to think about her feelings.
“I think that is wonderful…”
“Do you?”
“Of course. I hope only for the best for both of you but I am surprised for I thought you would marry first. Why am I always the last to know anything?” She looked up in his eyes. “I shall try to at least appear happy for him. It’s hard to let go of someone you love so much. Was he tired of waiting?”
James laughed and handed her the bottle. “He just decided that spending hours in saloons and with loose women had run its course.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Are you getting tired of your lifestyle?”
“Saloons are overrun by stupid hotheads that don’t deserve to be shot over cards and the women are so young that I wonder what this world has come to.”
“James Alcorn, you have been entertaining young women for as long as I can remember. In fact, all of you have had a preference for the younger women.”
“True but I like life the way it is right now.”
Mirisa sat up. “Are you seeing someone?”
“Only for my needs and if someone comes along I might settle down but right now life is good.”
“Do I know her?”
“Nosy little thing.”
“Well no one tells me anything anymore.”
James pulled his cigar out of his pocket and lit it. “The widow just below Dominic’s place.”
“Mrs. Timber? She’s a very wealthy widow you know?”
“Doesn’t matter because she’s good in bed.”
“Shame on you! Does she want to get married?”
“Nope. That’s the second best part of seeing her.”
“I think I have neglected all of you too long. When is the train arriving?”
Meeks stepped out onto the porch. “Is there ever a time that you two can be left alone?”
“I hope not otherwise I would begin to think I have gotten too old to appreciate beauty.”
“Anyone want to swim?”
Mirisa stood up and began unbuttoning her blouse and her skirt dropping them both on the porch as Meeks stripped down and picked her up. He climbed up on the rock as she protested that the water was too cold. Meeks smiled and kissed her before dropping her in the river. James dove off as Meeks followed. The water was so cold that it stole your breath as soon as you hit the water. Mirisa swam over and dunked Meeks when he surfaced. He snatched her behind the knees and when he rose out of the water he flipped her over.
“I think we need to leave the children with James and travel around the world making love in every country.”
“I don’t think James would talk to us if we were gone that long.” Mirisa hung around his neck. “James will you watch the children for a few years?”
“Not if you are going to have sex all over the world. I think I would much rather follow you around.”
Mirisa swam over to him and he pulled her in close as her hand slowly rubbed against him. She watched his eyes as they constricted. She whispered in his ear as he became extremely aroused. Mirisa bit his lower lip when Meeks reached down and helped her to climb up on the rock as James pulled himself up. They sat in the warm sun and enjoyed the quiet of the day. James finally put on his jeans and headed up to the porch as Meeks laid her back. James brought out towels and sat down to watch them.
Mirisa stayed ho
me with Sara and Cassie baking as everyone headed into town to meet the train. James sat on the back of the wagon and read the paper. Mirisa was pulling out the last pan of cinnamon rolls when the door opened. She turned to find her son standing in the door. There was so little difference between him and Dominic that it startled her. Dominic came in behind Matthew as Jonathan and Maggie came into the kitchen with a box of pastry. Mirisa wiped her hands and walked up as Matthew pulled her into his embrace with such strength. The tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at him.
James put his case down and put his ten dollars on the table because the biggest surprise hadn’t come in yet. Dominic threw a gold coin on the table as Meeks slid his down as he kissed her cheek. Matthew told her that she was shrinking which made everyone laugh. Mirisa turned as Garnett came through the door with Charisse.
“Charisse, no one told me you were coming for a visit.” Mirisa wrapped around her and stepped back. “Why didn’t you write to me? Oh this is going to be such a great summer. How long are you…” Mirisa stopped and turned to look at Garnett then back at Charisse.
“We wanted to surprise you.”
James watched as Mirisa’s chest moved in an effort to breath. She walked up to Garnett crying harder than before. Garnett held her as he talked to her quietly. No one had to hear what he said because when it came to Mirisa they all knew how he felt. Mirisa pushed back looking at him. “I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am.” She wrapped her arms around him again. “Where are you staying?”
“Charisse would like to stay at the lodge if you don’t mind.”
“We’ll put you in the back room. It’s the only room that was done with immense love.”
Dinner was served out on the porch. It felt so good to have everyone home and now Charisse would always be part of their life. Mirisa and Charisse took a bottle of wine and sat talking for hours. Meeks finally told her that he wanted her attention and took her hand as he headed up to bed.
The girls last day of classes came right before Jonathan and Maggie were leaving for the summer. Mirisa helped Cassie tie her bedroll as Sara packed the food they had made for the trip. She was in the kitchen when James came in and kissed her cheek before stepping over Ghost who was in the middle of the kitchen.
“Mirisa, are you ready to ride?”
“I am always ready to ride. I think when I grow up I shall be an explorer and spend my days riding and nights under the stars. How far are we riding?”
“I think a day’s ride but after Jonathan and Maggie head north, we are going to head west higher into the mountains for a few days.”
“Can’t we just stay up there all summer?”
“It would be nice.”
Dominic came in and threw his hat on the peg. “Damn it feels good to be out here again. Have I told you that I’m selling the hunting lodge?”
“No, why are you doing that?”
“Well it’s on the lowest corner of my property so it will easy to separate it from the rest of my land. I was offered an obscene amount for it and for the house and I really have little to do with the expeditions anymore.”
“You are selling the house?”
“I am. I don’t get out here enough to need a house and I can always just stay with James when I am here.”
James poured Dominic a cup of coffee as Meeks came downstairs and took a cup out of the sideboard. “Then you are going to stay in Washington?”
“For a while.”
Sara finished up the bundles of riding snacks putting them all on the bar. Dominic picked up one. “Well, at least it’s not green beans and peas.”
Matthew put his bedroll on the floor and walked over to the gun cabinet opening it. His holster was rolled up in the cabinet. He unrolled it and took out his gun looking at it. “I think I should have cleaned it yesterday.”
“Probably.”
Mirisa was the last one out the door with Cassie holding her hand. Sara pulled her horse up to the porch and tucked her tattered rabbit in the saddle bag with her food. Mirisa had spent hours remaking their bedrolls so that they were padded and warm. Mirisa stood on the top step and counted all of her children as Meeks walked out locking the door. “Trying to make sure you have everyone?”
“I am.” She walked down the steps and mounted her horse. Garnett had such a feeling of familiarity that it took him back. They turned toward the river and crossed over at the shallow stretch west of the lodge. The morning was chilled with a frost covering the pastures. They turned west and headed into the foothills at a slow gallop. Mirisa rode in the rear with James keeping the girls in the middle but Jonathan and Matthew took the lead with Meeks. The deer scattered as they approached then went back to feeding.
Maggie led her horse between her brothers as Meeks took the lead again. Dominic finally came up alongside of him until they got to the narrow path where they had to walk in single file until it broke out in a plateau that was covered with blue columbine.
Lizzie fell back next to Cassie nodding to her as they both broke away hitting their horses into a full gallop before James could yell at them. Their hair was flying with the wind as they maneuvered their horses past everyone catching up to Matthew then with precision turning out and stopping. Meeks finally pulled up and said it was a good a place to stop and rest the horses.
“Damn Cassie sometimes you just surprise the hell out of me.”
“Daddy, you can’t say those words.”
“I love you pumpkin.”
Cassie wrapped her arms around him and told him that Mr. Faulkner had been teaching them how to race around barrels and lasso calves. James looked at Mirisa questioningly.
“When they spend the weekends with the twins.”
“Well, you will have to show me how well you handle a rope.”
Everyone mounted and they headed due north heading down a rocky path into a lower valley before climbing again. The weather remained good for a ride and as the sun started to fall behind the tree line, they picked out a clearing next to the running stream. They built a large fire ring and started the fire. Matthew and Jonathan took Sara to the stream to fish. After dinner, they laid out their bed rolls and sat around the fire talking about Matthews first year at college.
The girls slept in as James started breakfast. The weather to the northeast was starting to cloud over but it was hard to tell if they would get rain. Jonathan and Matthew were up before sunrise and ran through the hills for an hour before returning with healthy appetites. They made it to the higher plateau overlooking the valley before the sun was overhead.
Maggie pulled up her horse when the men stepped out of the forest into the path. Matthew talked to them in Choctaw as Jonathan dismounted and greeted them. The girls were so mesmerized by these men who were so much like Jonathan. Mirisa told them to stay on their horses as she weaved through the horses until she was standing in front of Dog Moon. She bowed her head and addressed him with praises of his power and his bravery. Meeks listened and realized that the girls understood the language. Mirisa told him that she was placing her children in his hands and she was thankful that he found them fitting to be with his people.
“You have come a long way since you first stood in these hills and since you first turned to me. I have missed our talks among the buffalo as I have missed their roaming the land.”
“I understand the path of my sons and as their mother I am proud that they are strong warriors but it is my daughters that I hold close to my heart.”
“It is told that she is to walk in the path of her brother as she has since entering the world. As he shall always protect her in life, she will always stand by his side.”
Mirisa bowed her head and Jonathan knew inside she was grieving for she did not know how to let go of her children. Jonathan wrapped his arms around her and spoke to her briefly before he mounted his horse. Maggie wrapped her arms around Mirisa and thanked her before she turned to her father. Meeks looked into her face as though he was looking at himself. She had a classic
beauty with such a wonderful soft personality and both belied the strong determined young woman who was trying to emerge. Meeks took a small box out of his pocket opening it holding out a chain with a gold heart. He slipped it over Maggie’s neck as she touched it and touched his hand.
“Remember that every day is one to cherish and every lesson is one that is necessary. Have a good summer.”
“Thank you father. Thank you for loving my mother so much.” Maggie hugged everyone before she mounted her horse. They watched as they disappeared down the trail. Mirisa walked back and mounted her horse. They headed west and camped out for two days before heading back to the lodge.
Jonathan dismounted and greeted his family as Maggie dismounted but remained quiet. Several younger braves walked around her and her horse but she ignored them despite their obvious desire to rattle her. One of them reached out and lifted her hair as she turned and met his eyes. Dog Moon admonished them causing them to scatter in a flurry as his wife stepped out of the tent welcoming Jonathan home. She greeted Jonathan who introduced his sister. Maggie spoke to her in Choctaw which surprised her.
“Welcome to our home. My name is Yukpa.” She held open the tent flap and Maggie went in to find a very large room filled with piles of beautiful skins, pots and other decorations. Yukpa indicated that she should sit as she knelt down next to the fire. She poured a cup of something urging her to drink. Maggie was taking in her surroundings as she put the cup to her lips and tasted the sweet drink.
“Your brother has taught you our language but it is the Village that shall teach you our ways. If you find yourself questioning something, seek me out before you respond. The people know nothing of your ways or beliefs but they have great respect for Jonathan and he has earned their trust.” She put the pot back on the hot rocks and stood. Maggie thought she was older than her mother and was such a proper individual. She picked up a tan bundle and handed it to Maggie. “You may wear your own clothes but I think if you wish to learn our ways you might be more comfortable wearing these.”
The Visitor_The Final Ride 1875_1928 Page 20
