by Rita Hestand
Cora blushed but didn't continue in that conversation."
After a short silence, Cora asked. "Willa didn't know her father well?"
"No, he was a travelin' man and he left them at the reservation, so they wouldn't be alone so much. But Willa says her mother told her all about him. And it was another reason I wanted her to stay with us. It's hard to put someone in the ground you love and walk off and never see the grave again. She had nowhere to go… And her mother wasn't buried, so there's nothing to visit there."
"It was kind of you to hire her like you did, Charlie." Cora glanced at Charlie with a slight smile.
"I wasn't trying to be kind; it was my stomach I was worried about. I know Clay didn't like my cooking, but he didn't know that I didn't like it either." Charlie chuckled. "Now, tell me, how come you never came over before Willa got here?" Charlie asked her.
"Well, to tell the truth, you two were usually working, and that house wasn't made for a lot of visitors."
Charlie stopped the buggy for a moment.
"What are we stoppin' for, Charlie?" Cora asked as he stared out at the horizon.
"Look at that sunset!" he told her, as he put his arm around her. "Beautiful isn't it?"
"Why," she glanced at his arm and smiled. "Y-yes, it is."
They sat there for a few minutes then went on down the road. "At our age, we need to stop and smell the roses, when we get the chance." He smiled.
Cora got very quiet.
"You think we should rebuild?" Charlie asked her.
"I think with them getting married you should, yes. They'll more than likely start having babies and you'll need more room. You got a nice property Charlie, but you and Clay honestly live like bachelors all the time. You don't think much about a nice place to live."
"I guess that's true. We've neglected the house, just us two there. Maybe we will fix it up now." Charlie beamed.
"But I been thinking. Maybe all of you should come visit me every other week. We could have a big dinner and enjoy the visit too."
"Now that sounds like a good idea Cora." He looked off and then turned to her to stare at her for a moment. "You know I was always jealous of Sam."
Cora turned her head at him and looked him in the eye. "Land sakes, why?"
"He had a nice big house, and a great wife." Charlie told her.
"Beth was a good wife to you, too."
"Oh sure, she was. She was a great cook, and she could cut a rug too. But after she died, I was awful lonely. I tried not to let it show because of Clay, as I know he was feeling so down too. After she died, we became sort of hermits. We let things go around the house, as there was nothing to encourage it. I honestly didn't believe Clay would ever marry though. He never spoke of women; he always went to town and took care of what ailed him. But I could tell there were times he was as lonely as I."
"Yes, I know the feeling Charlie. But I didn't know how to get you out of that, so I stayed away and let you be."
"Well, I wish you hadn't. I'm not like Clay in that regard. I liked marriage and not havin' a wife was hard for me."
"It's always hard when you lose someone Charlie, especially someone you love."
"I guess you know that better than most." Charlie looked at her. "But in your senior years, you seem to want to have someone by your side, to share things with. You get too old to do some things, and yet your mind isn't old."
They stared at each other a long moment.
"You're quite a lady Cora. Thanks for what you did for Willa today. I've never seen her so happy."
"They deserve to be happy Charlie, they'll have enough problems along the way, but as much love as I see in their eyes, I think they'll be fine."
"I think you are right. You know for a while; I didn't think Clay would ever get married. I was at the point of nagging him about it when Willa showed up. He just didn't show any interest. But when Willa arrived with her father, I saw a spark in his eyes that I'd never seen before. At first, he tried to hide his feelings, so did she, but you can only hide so long."
Cora put her hand on top of Charlie's, and he stopped the buggy.
"They'll need a powerful love to withstand the hate and the worry they are gonna go through. People haven't forgotten the old days. Hatin' Indians got to be a habit with a lot of folks." Cora told him.
She hadn't moved her hand and Charlie smiled as he glanced down at them.
"I know. But with the right person you can do a lot."
"I believe that too Charlie, and they are both good people."
After a moment of silence, he looked at Cora, "It' none of my business but I've been wondering something about you for some time."
"What's that?" Cora chuckled.
"Why didn't you ever have children Cora?"
Her face mirrored a pain she hadn't talked about with anyone. She shrugged; a strange look came in her eyes. "We tried, just never happened. After a while we both settled out and realized that we were fine without them. When you don’t have children, you sure have to learn how to get along with each other as that's all you have."
"I worry about you out here alone." Charlie told her. "No kids to see to you."
"Nothing to worry about, I get by." Cora said her voice going a bit husky. "I got a nice home, and I'm familiar with it too. I work every day."
"I know, I worry about that too. If you was to fall off a ladder, or someone come upon you out there, no tellin' what kind of fix you'd be in. Why don't you let me help you off an on, when you got something heavy to do?"
Cora looked at him strangely, "Why Charlie, that's awful nice of you to offer. Alright, next time I got something I need doing I'll holler."
They were silent a moment, then she looked at him, "You know as newlyweds, they are gonna need some time alone. And I do have a project I can't handle. I been meanin' to do something about it for a while, but I just couldn't get inspired. And I'll admit I'm scared of ladders too."
"Name it?" Charlie chuckled.
"I need to paint the place."
"Say, I'm a good painter. Alright, name the time, and I'll come over to help."
"Well, say after they marry, you and the baby come over and I'll watch Elan and you can paint some for me every day for a while. You won't have to rush to get it done or anything. They need that time Charlie. That way they can have some privacy and I can get this old house painted."
"I think that's a crackerjack idea."
"Good, then I'll buy some paint."
He turned her chin around, saw the tear in her eye and kissed her solidly on the lips.
"Why Charlie," she murmured as he pulled away.
"Been wantin' to do that for a long time, Cora. Guess I'm as slow as Clay about some things." He smiled and got out of the buggy and went to put it up for her, then got on his horse. "You didn't object, so I reckon there'll be more of them surprises."
"No, Charlie, I didn't object at all. After the weddin' then?"
He chuckled, "After the wedding."
They stared at each other for a moment.
She shook her head, smiled and stared after him a long while as he rode home, kicking up the dust as he went.
Chapter Sixteen
A couple of days later, Cora came over early.
"Well, to what do I owe this pleasure," Charlie asked as he helped her out of the buggy, he'd heard her arrive and came out to greet her.
"I thought we could go get some paint and whatever else your gonna need to do the job." Cora told him as he invited her inside for some coffee.
"Sounds like a good idea." He smiled and poured them both a cup of coffee. "I need to pick up a few things too."
"Good, I didn't want to take up the entire day, that's why I came so early."
"Where's Willa?"
"She takes a bath in the creek with Elan early mornings."
"And Clay?"
"He's about. I think he's checking the fences."
"Well then, you want a leave a message for them telling them where you are?" Sh
e asked as she sipped the coffee."
"Guess I should, they'd worry." Charlie chuckled.
He went to get a piece of paper and a pencil and scribbled down that he was going into town with Cora for some paint. He left it on the table for them to find.
They finished their coffee and took off down the road in her wagon.
"Everything alright here," Cora asked him.
"Yeah, except those two are sure anxious to marry. Never seen Clay like this, but I'm happy."
Cora chuckled, "Won't be long now."
"Well, it's a good thing, they have been doin' a lot of sparkin' let me tell you."
"It's natural, they are in love." Cora told him.
"Yeah, I know." Charlie winked at her.
They talked all the way into town, since it was early, they didn't see many people about. A few people waved at them as they stopped in front of the General Store.
Going inside the owner, Jeff Weeks greeted them with surprise. "Well, well, Charlie, Cora, nice to see you two. What brings you in this early?"
Cora chuckled, "Jess, Charlie's going to paint my place for me. So, we'll be needing some paint and brushes and stuff."
"I see, that's quite a project Charlie, are you up to it?"
"I don't aim to do it too fast, but I'm up to it and more." Charlie assured him.
Jeff chuckled, he was a tall thin man just over forty and didn't have a string of hair on his head. He'd been friends with them both for a lot of years but seeing them together seemed to surprise him a bit.
"Well let's see you're gonna need a lot of paint for that house, Cora. So, I'll fix you up with what I think you might need and if you need anything else, one of you can run into town and get it. I guess you'll want white."
"Yes, but I got some shudders they'd look nice with black or green paint."
"Ain't got no green, but I do have black." He told her.
"Sounds good." Cora nodded.
Charlie milled about picking up a few things that Willa said she needed.
"Hadn't seen either one of you in a spell, anything going on out there?"
"Not much, but this will keep me from having to work at the ranch." Charlie told him.
"Well, not so sure it's easier work especially when you got a get on a ladder. Do you have a good ladder Cora?"
"Not really, maybe we ought to get a better one while we are here."
"Whatever you think, Sugar." Charlie let that slip.
Jeff raised a brow, then smiled.
When Cora went off to look at some material, Jeff leaned over the counter and asked, "So that's what you been up to, you old rascal."
"'Bout time I remarried; don’t you think?"
Jeff laughed then whispered, "It's that serious is it?"
"Yeah, but I ain't ask her yet, so don't say nothing."
Jeff winked, "Not a word. I'm happy for you Charlie."
***
Clay knew Willa and Elan had gone to the creek so after he checked the fence line, he headed that way. He felt protective of her these days. She had become important to him and he needed to know her, and Elan were alright. At least he told himself that. But the pleasure he felt in watching her there, had nothing to do with protection. It had to do with wanting her, and the need to be with her grew each day. He always knew when he found the right woman, he wouldn't hesitate to take her and make her his.
She was bathing Elan when a man came up to her and grabbed her, making her almost drop Elan. She made a slight scream as he tried to take the baby from her arms.
"What do you want?" she screamed.
"Well now, I shore didn't expect to find something like you down here. You're right pretty for a squaw."
Clay ran toward them and shoved a gun in the man's ribs. "Let her go!"
"Say, what the hell!" the man hollered and let Willa and Elan go.
"Touch her again and I'll kill you? Hurt that baby and I'll kill you dead mister. Now do we understand each other?" Clay shouted.
Willa grabbed the blanket she laid Elan on and wrapped it around herself and the baby protectively. Elan clung to her but didn't cry.
"She's just a squaw, what do you care?"
"I care, I ought to kill you, now get out of here and don't let me catch you on this property again." He told him.
"So that's how it is, is it. A squaw man?"
"That's right, a squaw man." Clay's eyes narrowed on the man, and he protected Willa now as she stood right in front of her.
She held on to his back.
But as the man started moving away, he suddenly turned and shot at Clay. Clay shot back and the man fell to the ground dead.
Willa gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry. This means trouble, Clay."
"Don't worry sweetheart, I'm going to bury him where no one will find him."
"Do you know him?" She asked.
"No, probably someone's hired hand around here. But he was half done burying the man when another showed up. Clay saw him before he saw what Clay was doing and he moved his horse in front of the grave and stood in front of his horse.
"Hank, you around here." The man called. Then he saw Clay.
Clay turned to see the man wielding a gun. Clay got his rifle off his horse and fired close to his feet. "You better get out of here mister, before I blow your head off."
"Don't mean no harm, just lookin' for my friend."
"This is my property, what would your friend be doing on it?"
"Well, we was huntin', that's all."
"You had to have crossed fences to get here, didn't that clue you in on the fact that it belonged to someone?"
"Yes sir, it did. I'm sorry. You ain't seen my friend?" The man asked.
"No, and I better not, now get!" Clay told him.
"I'm going. Sorry." The man apologized. The man threw his hands up and started running off.
Clay watched him until he disappeared.
Then he finished burying the dead man and turned to Willa. Willa was pale and shaking. She still had the blanket wrapped around her and held Elan tight.
He came up to her and hugged her to him.
"Don't worry, he didn't see the grave." He told her.
"But he may wonder and come back."
"I buried him in those trees so it would be hard to spot the grave. I don't think he'll be back. We better get out of here now." He told her.
She set Elan on her hip, and he put her on the horse and got on behind her, wrapping his arms around them both. She leaned back against him, finding security in his arms, she sought his comfort. "I was so afraid when I saw him pull the gun. I am glad you were there."
"It's over, don't worry about it." He whispered, pulling her solidly against him. She leaned into him now, absorbing his strength. Her eyes closed and her mind wandering. Her lips grazed his neck and he kissed the top of her head. "If he'd have touched either of you, I'd have killed him anyway."
"I know," she whispered, grazing his chin with her lips once more. They were practically making love on the horse, he reasoned, but he needed to know she was alright. She needed his support and he was going to be there for her and Elan always.
They rode for a bit then she looked up at him, "I must feed Elan. Can we stop."
"Yeah, I know a place we can go."
He rode a different direction and then stopped after a bit. She looked around seeing nothing about the place that was special, but he opened a small cave moving the dead shrubs around it. "Come on." He told her.
She followed him as he took Elan from her.
She went inside. "What is this place?" She asked.
"It's where I used to come when I got mad at dad. It's kind of like my secret place," he smiled.
"I can't imagine you getting that mad at your father." She smiled warmly at him.
The look he gave her took her all in.
She was still wrapped in the blanket and Elan was crying for his breakfast. She sat down and leaned against the wall of the cave. She opened the blanket enough to allow Elan to find his dinn
er.
Clay stared at them now. "You don't have to hide from me sweetheart, I want to watch, I've never seen anything more beautiful than when you feed Elan."
Her eyes warmed on him; her mouth curved into a shy but sexy smile. She gathered Elan close. "I do not mind you looking upon me. Actually, I like it."
Clay came to sit beside her drawing her into his arms and she nursed him as Clay bent his head to watch and hold her close.
She looked up at him and the look in her eyes smoldered. "I'm sorry we had to stop, but my breasts grew heavy and I knew he was hungry."
"Don't apologize sweetheart, I'm enjoying it."
She kissed his chest, "You enjoy looking at me?" she asked shyly. "And I enjoy being in your arms."
"You're beautiful sweetheart, and I'm sorry but I can't take my eyes from you and Elan."
"I like you looking at me, and at my son." She blushed as she glanced at him. "It warms me that it pleases you. It is something no man has ever found pleasure in."
"You don't know how much; I enjoy looking at you." he said hoarsely. "I come every morning you bathe to watch you. It's probably wrong of me, but for some reason I want to share it with you. It is such a precious moment between you and Elan, and your expression is so beautiful. I wish I could paint the picture you make."
"My expression is love for my child," she glanced down at Elan who was smacking now. "And for the man who watches over us always."
"God?" he questioned.
"No… you!" she smiled; her look devoured him.
The blanket fell against her ribs now and Clay was mesmerized by the sight of her. Elan hungrily sucked upon one breast, but the other was there for Clay to see. She boldly let him gaze upon her and his expression made her proud. "I am glad I please you."
His gaze moved from her beautiful pouting breasts to her flat stomach and hinted at what lay beyond.
"You look at me, and I am not ashamed." She whispered. "I should be, but I am not. I cannot hide what I feel when you look at me. It pleases me so."
"There are many senses, and when a man and woman are in love, they use them all."
"What do you mean?" she asked staring up at him once more.
"There is the sense of sight, to look at you like this, and the pleasure it gives me, the sense of sound, like when you bathe and splash in the water, the sense of touch, when you touch your child, the sense of taste, as I watch you I can almost taste the sweetness of you."
