"So, when you gave me the hambone and bucket of water, I took it. If you had laid a hand or a whip on me, though, I wouldn't have. Then, you loaded the wagons so I didn’t have to. I didn't know what to think about that. Well, really, I do know. Since I wasn't doing the work, had both food and water, and was sitting on the ground while a white man did the work, I, I thought that I had died.” Jane snorted in recall, “Although I did think that heaven would have more to eat than a hambone and a bucket of murky water."
Jane looked back at Benji and grinned, stroking his forehead affectionately. "Then you left and came back. I saw you put the paper in your bag there."
"My sporran," Benji said.
"Sporran, and then you came over to me. I knew you had bought me. But, I didn't know what to expect. I guess I still hoped I was dead and wouldn't have to put up with starving, the mean people, and no one to love or care for."
Benji grinned back at her, "Ye'll always have me. But, yer right: life isna right if ye canna love someone. Even a dog would be good company." Benji realized his gaffe and sputtered, "But, yer much better. I mean, I dinna want ye to think that ye were as good as a dog; yer much better, by far."
Jane put her hand back on his forehead and continued the stroking. "I 'ken' what you mean. I used to have a pet squirrel. My old master had seen me feeding him little bits of my meal. He said he must be giving me too much food if I was giving it away, so he cut what I got in half. Then one day, when he knew I was looking, he put some food down for my pet. Poor little Brownie didn't know better. He was tame. Master let him get close and take a piece of the fancy sweet bread he had put down for him. Then he stomped his head in, crushed him to the ground with his boot, and, and…" Janie made the motion with her hand of squishing and rubbing. She sniffed in recall. "And, then he said there was still a bit of the sweet bread there, that I could have it, and that he'd even let me keep the squirrel to eat.”
Jane lifted her head and looked off in the distance. "This might sound horrible to you, but I did eat the bread and the squirrel. I cooked his little body over the small fire they allowed us to have. I ate every bit of him: his brains, liver, heart: everything. I made him a part of me at the same time that I made sure his poor little body wouldn't rot and that that evil master couldn't ever touch him again.
Jane started giggling.
"What?" Benji asked, surprised at her sudden change in demeanor.
"Well, not ever touch him again. The next morning, I, um, you know," she grunted and he understood. "Well, I did it on a big leaf, and then took it over to his private privy behind the big house. I made sure no one was around, then sneaked in and rubbed it all over the seat. I stayed in the bushes and watched him stumble over to it to do his business. He had the morning headache again—I knew he would. He always had one because he drank so much whisky. His eyes were almost closed. He wasn’t looking or paying attention... Well, at least I'm sure he wasn’t looking for, you know..."
"Shit! He sat in yer shit?" Benji asked.
Jane was still giggling. "Yes. The squirrel and I both got back at him. He didn’t say anything at first because I don’t think he knew right away. He came out of there sniffing the air, turning around, looking at the bottom of his shoe to see if he had stepped in, you know…”
“Shit,” Benji said laughing heartily. He covered his chuckle, suddenly remembering that they needed to keep a low profile.
“I don't know if he ever figured it out, but it doesn't make a difference. The next week he traded me for a workhorse, one he said he knew would respond to the whip. I never saw him or my mother again.”
Benji sat up and held Jane close to him. "I'll promise ye one thing Janie, if, when, we have children, I'll not let anyone take them away, ever, okay"
Jane nodded in response to his graciousness and compassion, then realized what he had said. "We can do that?" she asked.
"Aye, as soon as we're marrit, but not before. Now, if yer feelin' better..."
“Wait,” she said with her left hand up. “We can do that?”
“We’ll find a way, that is, if ye want me… Me bein’ a giant and havin’ red hair and all.”
“And you’d want me… Me bein’ a giant and havin’ black skin and all?” she asked incredulously, mimicking his voice.
“Weel, it would be a might easier if yer skin was lighter since we’re here, and there are some mighty unfair laws on the books now, but I’d want ye if ye had purple skin and were a wee, bitty thing. It’s the person inside of that body who I care fer so deeply.” Benji chuckled and looked into her eyes, getting as close to her face as he could without going cross-eyed. “Now I ken what all that talk about findin’ a soul mate is all about.”
Jane nodded and grinned. She’d never heard the words soul and mate together, but they did describe how she felt about him. He was her other half that she never knew she was missing until he found her. And, he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Benji leaned in a bit further and gave her a gentle kiss. Jane tried to kiss him more passionately, but he pulled back and shook his head, letting her know with a look that she needed to rest and heal.
“It doesn’t hurt now,” she said coyly, although it did, but not too much. His soft kiss was nice, but now she wanted more: lots more of those delicious kisses that made her tingle all over. “I’m feeling much better,” she added, “and it’s almost night time.”
Benji looked at the sun, low in the sky—it was maybe four o’clock—and then back at her. She knew what time it was. “Ach, I dinna want to chance harmin’ ye more. I think I’ll jest go to sleep early. We can do some more kissin’ tomorrow night. That is, unless ye want to kiss me durin’ the daytime? I mean, ye’ll probably feel better still after a good night’s sleep tonight.”
“Well, it hurts only a little bit. Didn’t you say that whisky would take away some of the pain?” Benji nodded. “And didn’t you want to drink a bit of it tonight? You said you wanted to celebrate?”
“Aye, that does sound like a good idea. It’s too early yet fer sleep, and there isna much fer dinner. Aye, I’ll sample the brew. I’ll see if it’s any good. I mean, I’d hate fer ye not to like the taste of whisky because of what he had, I mean...” Benji quit talking, embarrassed about calling up the source of their alcohol—dead man’s drink: ugh!
He quickly reached into the rucksack and brought out the flask, pulled out the stopper, and sniffed. “Weel, it dinna burn off my eyebrows with the first whiff, so it canna be too bad.” He tipped his head back and took a short nip. “Nae too bad at all,” he said, then drank some more.
He looked over at his naked girlfriend. Yes, he thought of her as his girlfriend, his fiancée, and not as a woman whom he had ownership papers for. Owning another person was just too much for him to fathom.
“Would ye like some?” he asked, and held up the silver-trimmed flask.
Jane nodded. If she took a little, he’d probably drink more. She’d take just a little sip, or pretend to. If he drank a lot, then he’d probably start to feel silly like she had. Maybe then, she could get him to start kissing on her. Or maybe touch her. Jane sipped a small amount and handed the container back to him. “It’s good,” she squeaked. The fire in her throat didn’t hurt, but warmed and tickled in a good way.
“Aye, slante’,” he toasted, and took a long draught.
She looked so fine, lying there on top of the clothes he had sewn for her. She didn’t want to wear the sarong yet; she said it was too hot.
Jane slowly wiped her left hand across her upper lip, then moved her finger down her neck, and in between her breasts. She was wiping the sweat away, sort of, but really trying to draw his attention to her body. She knew he wanted her; she could see the evidence. He didn’t have on a shirt, but still had on his pants, even though she knew he was hot. She lifted her head to let him know she’d take a bit more of the whisky.
“Here, I dinna want to be takin’ all of it,” he said. “Share and share alike: that’s how we should be, aye?” he as
ked as he handed it to her.
This time, Jane didn’t drink, but only wet her upper lip. She put down the flask and ran her tongue over the liquid that was cool to her lips, but warmed the inside of her throat and belly. She could see Benji shift as he watched her tongue move around her mouth. She did it again, this time causing him to inhale sharply. “Here,” she said, and handed it back to him. “Share and share alike, aye?”
He took it, brought it to his mouth, and tilted his head back, drinking more than he should he realized too late. “Aye,” he said, and put the stopper back in the bottle. “I think I’d best leave this be, or I willna be able to keep my hands off of ye.”
“Are you going to sleep in those pants?” she asked, as she looked down at the bulge in the front of them. “They don’t look like they’re very comfortable.”
“Aye, but I have a better chance of stayin’ off of ye if I have them on.”
“Will you kiss me?” She could tell the whisky was making her bold, but she didn’t care. That must be another part of the drink: she didn’t care if what she was doing or saying was right or wrong.
“Aye, I’ll kiss ye, but I’ll keep my pants on tonight,” Benji said, then reached over to kiss her on the lips.
Jane leaned back while he was kissing her, forcing him to lie back with her. The kissing continued, softly at first, and then more insistent. She reached down to touch him through his pants, and he pulled back suddenly. “Ye canna do it; it’ll hurt ye.”
“Kissing doesn’t hurt,” she said, then saw the look of admonishment in his eyes. “Okay, I won’t touch you, but will you touch me? I mean, kiss me more…here,” she said, as she ran her finger from her bottom lip down her chin to her neck, turning her head to expose more area for his attentions.
Benji answered her with unhurried, tender kisses, starting just under her chin, then going lower, slowly descending until he was kissing her across her collarbones. “Lower,” she said.
Benji pulled away entirely and stared at her with the question of ‘are ye sure?’ on his face, but the word, “No,” on his lips.
“Please,” she asked, then gently put her left hand up as if to guide him to where she wanted him.
Benji took her hand, kissed it, and then let it go. It floated in the air, finally guiding him to her left breast. He had seen them during the day. They were different now. It was still hot, but the nipples were firm and erect from excitement. He couldn’t help himself; they were just too perfect, calling to him, wanting his kisses... and she wanted him there.
Jane let out a low moan and he pulled back. “Don’t stop,” she pled, and put her hand on the back of his head. His tongue rolled around the nipple, causing it to rise even further. Even if he had been cold sober, he couldn’t have resisted the sucking. It felt like this was where his mouth belonged, his warm, moist lips wrapped around her firm yet pliable nipple. There was no milk coming from her breast, but he was beginning to feel like he was going to make cream in his pants.
“Oh, oh, oh,” she moaned in pleasure. This feeling was even better than the kissing and grabbing the night before. Was this what it was like for him?
Benji stopped the suction and pulled his mouth from her breast, afraid that she was groaning in pain. Janie couldn’t manage to utter even one word to tell him to continue, but did clasp her hand on the back of his head, urging—no, insisting—that he continue. His tongue went under her nipple and areola, letting them form to the roof of his mouth, swallowing gently to give her the suckling pressure that made her moan in pleasure.
“Uh, don’t, stop, oh, please…don’t stop,” Jane said, then arched her back. “Oh, oh, oh!” she squealed, then held her breath for what seemed like forever. When she finally started breathing again, she grinned and said, “I think I just got wet and sticky.”
Benji chuckled. “Me, too,” he said, “me verra much, too.” He smiled lovingly at her, then changed tones. “Now, I want ye to do me a favor. Do ye think ye can do as I ask?” Benji looked at her sternly, like a father telling a child that she had to wear a helmet when she rode her bicycle—it wasn’t much fun, but was for her own good.
Jane bit her lip and answered sheepishly, “Yes, sir.”
“Not like that!” Benji winced then shook his head. He didn’t know if she was teasing him about being submissive or really was feeling like a slave. He’d believe it was the former. “I jest want ye to go to sleep. The both of us need rest. No more kissin’ or grabbin’ or…” Benji looked over and saw Jane purse her lips and suck; she knew what he was going to say next. “Or that either,” he added and rolled his eyes. “But, I’ll hold ye. Do ye think ye can stand to sleep with me with jest the cuddlin’? No kissin’ or, or…?”
“Aye, but, jest fer tonight,” she said in her Benji accent. “Aye?”
“Aye,” Benji agreed. He rolled over on his back and laid out his left arm for her to snuggle into. His soul mate.
Ж
Jane was still asleep when Benji awoke at dawn. He shuffled down to the creek and did a hasty personal clean up, then looked back to the site. They’d have to forgo a hot breakfast. “And, I’m sure not gonna eat raw fish,” he said under his breath at the sight of a trout, leaping out of the water to catch a flying insect. “Or bugs,” he added with a shudder.
He bounded up the bluff and inspected his miniscule legacy. There wasn’t anything he could prepare without a fire, and he wasn’t going to build one, even a small one. The smoke would be as good as a signal flare to mark their position. He pulled the lid off of the Dutch oven and pulled away a piece of the dried out, overcooked cornbread, and popped it in his mouth. He heard Jane move, and looked toward her.
“This would be mighty fine breakfast fare if we had a pitcher of milk to pour over it. I think it will pass for grits if we use a bit of creek water, though. At least, we have a bowl to put it in. Do ye feel well enough to eat?”
Jane nodded her head and started to get up. “No, wait,” he said, “I’ll take care of breakfast today. If yer feelin’ better tonight, I’ll let ye take care of supper.” He pulled a bowl and spoon out of the sack and grabbed the canteen. He broke off a chunk of the dried cornbread; crumbled it into pieces, then poured the water over it, mashing the concoction with the back of his spoon to make a mush.
“Here, open wide,” he teased, as he put a spoonful of corn mush in front of her face. She opened her mouth and accepted the first spoon-feeding she could remember.
The peaceful meal continued wordlessly, Benji feeding her a bite, then taking one himself, until the bowl was empty. “Why didn’t you eat when you bought me?” Jane asked after she finished the last bite. “I heard you bargain or trade for all you could eat and drink after the wagons were loaded.”
“I looked at the bill of sale,” Benji said with a shrug of his shoulder. “It dinna say anythin’ about the food or drink that was promised me. I was pretty sure that if I even took a sip of ale, he’d charge me dearly for it. I had a couple of his dollars, and I ken he wanted them back. I wasna gonna give him that opportunity. Besides, that place gave me the creepy crawlies. I wanted to get, to get us, out of there as soon as possible. Creek water and wild berries sounded like better fare than anythin’ that came out of that place.” Benji shuddered as he remembered the incident, then looked at his reward: Jane.
Ж
“Is it okay to kiss in the daylight? I mean, no one can see us if we’re hidden behind the cloth, right?” Jane was definitely feeling better today, and she liked being able to speak her mind, too.
“Are ye gonna wear that sarong I made ye?” Benji asked another question rather than answer hers. When he had first showed it to her, she hadn’t wanted to wear it. She was afraid she’d bleed on it. Her wound had scabbed over well, and the dressing around her ribs was still clean. All she was wearing was the bandage and her little leather apron...
Jane fingered the sarong then brought the edge of it up to her lips sensuously, briefly touching her lower face, then bringing it down her
neck and between her breasts, letting it sit on her lap in invitation. She didn’t want to cover up.
“Yer doin’ that on purpose,” Benji growled in frustration, “I ken ye are. Ye ken I want ye, and that when ye dinna wear clothes, yer naked body gets me excited…” Benji looked down and nodded to his pants, his cock straining at the zipper. “See what ye did?”
“No, not really, but I’d like to,” she said softly as she looked at the bulge and licked her lips.
“Yer drivin’ me crazy, woman,” Benji hissed, remembering almost too late that he still had to be quiet.
He took a break from their conversation and stood up to scan up and down the creek. They were still very much alone. Jane slowly rose and leaned close to him, her bare breast touching him near his elbow. He had left his shirt off, and now he wished, sort of, that he had it back on.
“You told me that we could kiss all day long. I mean, from here we can see for miles, and I can’t see anyone. Since we have to wait here and be quiet for another day or two, can’t we keep kissing?”
“I, I dinna think I can keep my hands off of ye,” Benji whispered in exasperation.
“Your hands can be all over me. Your vow only pertains to that,” she said as she nodded and looked down, “right?” Benji nodded in agreement. “And, you let me touch it the night before and it was okay with your vow, right?” Benji nodded again, then kissed her on the forehead.
The Great Big Fairy Page 20