by S. C. Wilson
Edith ran her finger lightly over the infants’ cheeks. “Aw. You two make beautiful babies.”
Abby saw no signs of Edith’s baby. She hoped nothing had gone wrong. “Where’s your little one?”
“Oh, I put Burton down for a nap. He’ll be raisin’ Cain soon. He can be quite a handful.” As Edith spoke, Abby noticed the dark blotches beneath her eyes. The woman’s face told the truth. Abby wondered if similar things were in store for her. Only time would tell.
“Edith,” Jesse said, “this is my brother, Toby. And his wife, Aponi.”
“I remember you,” Edith said, looking at him. “I didn’t know you and Jesse were brothers.”
“Yes, ma’am. Good t-t-to see you again.”
Edith couldn’t help but notice the drastic change in Toby. Although she had only met him once, briefly, he wasn’t as simple as she remembered. He seemed to carry himself with more confidence now. She turned to face Aponi. “Well, you’re lovely as a sunset,” she said with a warm smile. “Please come in the kitchen and let’s get caught up.”
Rooted in place, Jesse asked, “Can I ask you for a favor?”
“Sure. What do ya need?”
“We’re going to stay at the hotel, but I don’t feel comfortable keeping all of our things there. Can we keep our stuff in your barn for a couple days?”
“You go right ahead. There’s plenty of room for your horses, too.”
“Thank you. Why don’t you girls go on and Toby and I will be back shortly,” Jesse said.
“Come on.” Edith led Abby and Aponi by the arm. “Can’t wait to hear everything about everything.”
Jesse and Toby unloaded supplies and got the horses settled in stalls. Saddlebag draped over her shoulder, they headed for the hotel.
It appeared to be the finest building in town. The Ely Grand Hotel stood three stories high, with flag banners draped from each multi-level balcony. Jesse took hold of the iron handle and pulled open the heavy walnut door. A strong scent of fresh paint greeted them as soon as they stepped inside. Both of them craned their necks to stare at the ceiling high above, crowned by ornate molding. The walls had intricate molding as well, framing a floor so polished Jesse’s own reflection stared back at her. In the center of the room hung a crystal chandelier. The facets of its many pieces cast blades of light across the room at all angles, slicing it into a million magnificent pieces. Off to one side of the lobby led a stairway, reptilian in the way it curled up the wall.
Jesse was a bit overwhelmed but swallowed her nerves as they approached the desk. She cleared her throat. “I need two rooms.”
“How many nights?” the desk clerk asked.
“Two.”
“That’ll be eight dollars.”
Her brow furrowed. “Eight dollars?”
“Yessir. Two dollars a room per night for two nights. That adds up to eight dollars.”
Although surprised by the high price, she reached into her pocket and handed over the money.
“Rooms sixteen and seventeen.” The clerk placed two keys on the counter and pointed toward the staircase. “They’re on the second floor. And it’s hotel policy, if you leave for any reason, you must bring me back the key.”
She agreed, thanked him, and snatched the keys from the counter. As she and Toby climbed the stairs, she felt insecure. Would she really be able to fit into this life—the life Abby knew firsthand—the life she knew nothing about? She saw the same questions playing across Toby’s face as she unlocked room sixteen. She turned the knob and they stepped inside.
“Well, there’s nothing grand about this place at all,” she said.
The room was small. A tall, narrow window at the foot of the bed allowed light into the room. The bed, much too big for the area, took up most of the space. Off to the side stood a three-drawer dresser. On top sat a porcelain basin and pitcher with a mirror hanging above it. A plain wooden chair had been pushed tightly into one corner, and a chamber pot stuck out from underneath the bed.
They found room seventeen identical. “It’ll do,” she said. “C’mon. Let’s go see about getting tickets.”
Downstairs, she set the keys on the counter. “What times does the stage run?”
The man behind the desk picked up the keys. “Depends on where you want to go and when.” He turned and placed the keys on the allotted hooks on the wall behind him.
“The one that runs to San Francisco.”
He turned back toward the counter. “Comes in at noon through the week. There isn’t one on the weekends.”
“I need to book two seats,” she said. “Two days from now.”
The clerk pulled a heavy book out from beneath the desk and tossed it down in front of him. He thumbed through the pages until he came to the one he was searching for. “Names?” he asked as he dotted his pen in the inkwell.
“Abigail and Aponi McGinnis. How long does it take to get down there?”
“That depends on the traveler. You can ride straight through and be there in a day and a half. Or, you can get off and stay at one of the stops along the way.” He closed the book. “But if you decide to get off and stay, there is no guarantee that you’ll get a seat on the next one going out. And that’ll be twenty dollars.”
Again, Jesse was stunned by the high cost. “For each ticket?” she asked.
“No, sir,” he said. “That’s for both.”
Jesse paid for the tickets and she and Toby headed toward the trading post. She kept a tight grip on the saddlebag over her shoulder. It held all of Frieda’s gold and she certainly wasn’t going to let it out of her sight.
The bell above the door jingled, pulling Felix’s attention away from the customer he was helping. He waved and then hurried to finish the transaction. While they waited, Jesse and Toby examined a steamer trunk.
A couple minutes later, Felix approached. “Well, how the hell are you?”
“We’re good. Felix, this is my brother, Toby.”
Felix offered his hand to him. “How long you boys staying in town? Is Abby with you?”
“She and the babies are with Edith.”
His head jerked. “Babies?”
“Abby had twins—”
Felix ran his palm over his slicked back hair as he processed the news. “Well, I’ll be!” One baby was exhausting enough. He had been totally unprepared and had no idea how fussy babies could be until Burton came along. He wasn’t sure if he should congratulate Jesse or offer pity.
Jesse said, “We’re leaving with the stagecoach on Thursday and heading down to San Francisco.”
“Well, how about tomorrow evening you come to the house and have supper with Edith and me before you go?”
“We’d love to. Hey, you know those panniers I bought down in Big Oak?”
Felix nodded.
“Well, I don’t need them anymore. Can I trade them in on that?” Jesse asked, pointing to a trunk.
“I think we could work something out.” He twisted the ends of his curled mustache as he thought over a fair deal. “Tell you what. You give me the panniers and five dollars and I’ll make the trade.”
“Great. I’ll unload ‘em and get ‘em to you tomorrow. If that’s all right with you.”
“That’ll be fine. And go on and take the trunk now if you want.”
Jesse and Toby each grabbed an end and carried it back to the Nicholas’ barn. When they went in the house, they found the women at the kitchen table chatting away, each balancing an infant on their lap.
Jesse knelt on one knee beside Edith and took hold of the baby’s tiny hand. “This must be Burton. That’s a strong grip you’ve got there,” she said when he latched onto her finger.
“Where did you two run off to?” Abby asked.
“Went to the hotel. Got our rooms and the tickets. And I swung by to see Felix.” She let go of Burton’s hand and stood. “We should get going.”
“You don’t have to head out already, do ya?” Edith asked.
Jesse said, “It’s bee
n a long trip and we need to put them down for a nap. I could use one myself. Felix invited us for supper tomorrow evening so we can catch up.”
“Oh, that’ll be wonderful. I’m already looking forward to it.”
Jesse smiled at her. “Me too.”
Jesse pulled out two of the dresser drawers and placed them on the floor beside the bed.
“What are you doing?” Abby asked, Gwen at her breast.
“Making a place for them to sleep.” Jesse put a blanket in the bottom of each drawer.
After Abby finished nursing the twins, Jesse got them settled in their makeshift cribs. When she lay down next to Abby, sleep found all four of them quickly.
A few hours later, Jesse woke alone in the bed. She sat up and stretched. The twins, sleeping soundly, brought a smile to her lips before the yawn had fully escaped. The creak of the doorknob pulled her attention from the sleeping infants.
“Oh, good. You’re up,” Abby said, easing the door closed behind her.
“Why? What do you need?”
Abby sat beside her on the bed. “You, Jesse McGinnis. I need you. Now get dressed. We’re going out.”
“But they’re still asleep.”
“Aponi is coming to watch them as soon as they get back. They were hungry, so I went with them to the Tin Plate. I thought maybe you and I could have a nice night out. Just the two of us.”
When Aponi arrived, Jesse draped her saddlebag over her shoulder. She escorted Abby down the hall. “I won’t miss listening to that every night,” Jesse said, laughing as they passed her brother’s room. The door seemed to vibrate with his snoring, amplifying the noise.
“Something tells me you probably will,” Abby said. “You’re too sentimental not to.”
After sharing a wonderful supper, an evening spent reminiscing about their first time at the Tin Plate and marveling over how much their lives had changed since, Jesse stood and retrieved her hat from the chair pushed in beside her.
“Would you mind if we swung by The Foxtail?” Abby asked as Jesse scooted out the chair for her. “I want to see if Mabel’s there.”
“All right.” Jesse offered an elbow.
As they approached the saloon, noise spilled out into the street. Jesse felt uncomfortable already. Even Abby, once such a vital part of life at The Foxtail, found herself missing the serenity of their covered porch back at the cabin. How quickly she had changed. Abby had been unaware of the shift until Jesse pushed open the door to a packed saloon. Still, she was excited to see Mabel.
“C’mon, over here.” Abby pulled Jesse toward the bar.
“Well, I’ll be. If it ain’t Miss Abby,” said the man behind the counter.
Abby flashed him the smile of an old friend. “Hi Luke. How are you?”
“Good. Good. And you?”
“I couldn’t be better. Luke, this is my husband, Jesse.”
Jesse reached across the bar and shook his hand.
“Is Mab—”
Someone grabbed Abby from behind. She somehow knew it was Mabel before she even turned.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Abby said, pulling Mabel into an embrace. The two women held onto each other, their friendship having diminished none by their time apart.
“It’s so good to see you,” Mabel said, finally breaking from the embrace to step back and get a better look at her. “I heard you came to town last year and got married. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.”
“C’mon already.” A man tugged on Mabel’s arm, whiskey on his hot breath. “I’m not payin’ ya to chit chat.”
Mabel scowled. “Damn. Keep your shirt on. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Abby continued. “I wish you could’ve been—”
A familiar face, one Abby thought she would never see again, came into view and stole the words from her mouth.
“Abigail Flanagan. It’s good to see you,” said a man with a husky voice.
Abby swallowed hard, felt the blood drain from her face. “S-Sam…Hi.”
He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “How have you been?”
“I’m good. Great actually.” She put her hand on Jesse’s arm. “Sam, this is my husband, Jesse McGinnis.”
He extended his hand. “Sam Bowman. It’s nice to meet you. Abby told me all about you. It’s good to put a face to the name.”
Jesse kept her grip firm as she shook his hand. “She told me all about you as well.”
The Sam Bowman Jesse met wasn’t the one she had conjured up in her mind. He was much more handsome, taller, and more distinguished than she had imagined. With soft hands and manicured nails, she could tell the man had never seen a hard day’s labor in his life. Clean-shaven except for a fine-line mustache, and dressed in a tailor-made suit of the finest material, he was an imposing figure.
She groaned inwardly and wondered again how she had been fortunate enough to win Abby’s heart.
Sam released her hand and reached for the elbow of the beautiful blonde woman on his right. “This is my wife, Helga,” he said with a smile.
Standing a good three inches taller than him—long, curvaceous, blonde, and busty—no one could mistake the woman for an average housewife. She was gorgeous.
“Hej,” Helga said in a thick Swedish accent.
Sam signaled for Luke to bring a round of shots. “These are on me,” he said.
Luke placed four shot glasses side by side, poured whiskey into all four with one swipe of the bottle, and slid the glasses across the bar. Sam handed one to Abby.
“Uh…no thank you.”
“Don’t like our whiskey anymore?” Sam asked, teasing.
“It’s not that. It’s…well, I’m a mother now. I have to be up early and—”
“Abs, you had a baby?” Mabel said, interrupting her, excitement in her voice.
Abby held up two fingers. “Twins.”
When Mabel and Abby hugged, Jesse glanced at Sam. He was looking quizzically at Abby.
Sam asked, “How old are they?”
Jesse spoke up. She and Abby had prepared for this moment, the words cocked and loaded days ago. “They were born April 15th.”
He silently mouthed off the months of the year, counting off the time since he and Abby had been together. The fact the twins were premature only aided the deception, their small size easy proof they could be four months old instead of six.
“Ut of all der dayssen.” Helga shook her head in disbelief. “Datten’s a dayyen ve’ll nevfar forgit.”
Neither Abby nor Jesse had any idea what she was saying and stared at her wordlessly. Before Abby could ask, Mabel chimed in.
“I still can’t believe it. It shows you what a mad world we live in. If the President can be shot and killed, then how can any of us really be safe?”
Abby looked to Jesse. Both of them were shocked, but knew better than to ask about it. It wouldn’t seem likely they’d both missed the news of Lincoln’s assassination.
“C’mon, or forget it,” the paying man said to Mabel. He tugged on her arm more forcefully than before.
Mabel allowed herself to be pulled away. “Abs, I’ll meet you at the hotel in the morning. We have a lot of catching up to do,” she said over her shoulder as she followed her customer toward the stairs.
Sam finished running his calculations. He picked up two of the shot glasses and handed them to Jesse and Helga. The remaining two he took for himself. After tapping his glasses to theirs, he tossed back both shots and slammed them back on the bar.
The piano began to play as Abby’s replacement took the stage. Sam leaned in close to Abby. “She’s not nearly as good as you. Can I have a word with you, in private?”
Abby looked at Jesse. She didn’t feel she needed permission, but she wanted to make sure Jesse felt comfortable with it.
Jesse nodded.
“We’ll be right back,” Sam said.
He led her to the office he shared with Boone, where he took a seat in the leather chair behind the desk. Abby took one of the
chairs in front of the desk.
“I just wanted to make sure you’re all right. I know some women have to pretend when they’re around their husbands. Are you happy? Does he treat you well?” Sam leaned back in his chair.
“I am happy and truly blessed to have such a caring husband.” Abby knew she had probably hurt Sam when she broke off their relationship. She didn’t want to add salt to any open wounds, so she reverted the question back to him. “Are you happy?”
“Yes. The first time I saw Helga, I knew she was the one for me,” he said, leaning his elbows on the desk. “As a matter of fact, we’re leaving first thing in the morning on our honeymoon. She wants to go to Paris. I just had to drop off some paperwork for Boone before I leave.”
“Oh, that sounds like a lovely trip. How long will you be gone?”
“Three months,” he said. He stood up, walked to the front of his desk and took a seat on the edge closer to her. “You know you’ll always be special to me.” A faraway look came to his eyes as he spoke. “As a matter of fact, there was a time I thought we would be the ones getting married.”
“I did, too.”
Sam shook his head, clearing the thoughts, bringing clarity to his eyes once again. “So, what are your plans? You raising your family in Ely?”
“No. We’re going down to San Francisco.”
“Well, it’s a small world. I just bought some property down there a few weeks ago. Helga is having it renovated as we speak. She likes things kind of fancy, if you know what I mean.”
Abby smiled. “I’m sure she just wants to make a nice home for you.”
“The money she has me spending on it…” He paused and scratched the back of his neck. “Well, it’s downright foolish. Hey, maybe we’ll be neighbors.”
“I doubt we can afford your neighborhood. We haven’t found a place yet. We’re going to look as soon as we get there.”
Sam stood and went back behind the desk. He pulled a piece of paper from a drawer and jotted down an address. He handed it to her. “I’d offer you the main house but it’s going to be a mess inside while they’re doing the work. But you’re more than welcome to the house next door until you find a place of your own. I’ll send a wire in the morning before we leave and let Andrew know you’re coming.”