Saving Molly

by Lana Jane Caldwell

  She rode home, passing old Fort Davis , and read a few letters on the way. This guy had experience but required her to have a contract for him to sign, one that would pay him for at least a year’s service. The amount he requested was well above her means, even if harvest sales went well. Another was past fifty, too old. Two more which Molly dismissed as not suited to the cowhand job.

  Shaking her head, she just wasn’t quite sure if the whole idea with Joshua Adams would be a good choice. There was no doubt, 26 was not too old. She herself was 24 years old, a bit younger, but a man his age should be able to handle the work with ease. Again she just wasn’t sure about his lack of ranch experience. Would he be able to handle things for her.

  “I’ve got to get some rest." she said to herself, "Chores will need to be done early.” She decided, instead of making a quick decision, to sleep on it. There would be more replies to her add in the next couple of weeks, she hoped. After that she might be able to make a better decision. This would be the first and hopefully only time that she would need to make a major decision in her life.

  Sleep that night was tough for Molly. She had so many things running through her mind. Including nightmares of her father yelling at her for not having found a man already. “You need a man. A man who knows how to make the right choices. Damn it Molly, you’ve always been so incorrigible, your whole life.”

  It was true. When she was little, Molly was always in trouble for not following the rules the right way. She had even beaten up a boy in the third grade. He called her a name that she didn’t appreciate. Girls weren't supposed to do things like beat up tough boys. She didn’t care. The little bastard was mean and he deserved it. She gave him a bloody nose, got kicked out of school, and her parents made her apologize. Her mother had been proud of her, but her father had whipped her butt until it was raw.

  Waking in the morning, Molly felt as if she hadn’t slept at all. The animals would not wait. The sun was barely up in the sky. The morning was cold. It was getting closer to the winter months with short cold days. Molly enjoyed this time of the year. It allowed her to start a fire in the house. The fireplace would be blazing almost every night as the sun got further away.

  “Oh, if only.” She said aloud, wishing for so much more, but really shaking her head to wake up. Molly knew she didn’t have it bad at all, if she could only get a decent ranch hand to help her. Maybe could finally live her life the way she had dreamed of. In a way that made her happy.

  Going out to the barn, she fed the critters in the barn, the corral, milked the cows, picked the eggs from the coop, and cleaned up the stables. It was several hours before she was done with the work. She carried a jar of coffee, strong and black, sipping from it as she worked.

  After breakfast, Molly saddled Old Chub, a dun colored gelding. She liked Chub. He was big, tough but sort of friendly, in a horse kind of way. Reliable, sure footed, she could drop the reins and he would stand until she returned. Other horses might head for the barn at the first chance. Lots did. He would blend into the dry parts of the landscape, making her less visible from a distance. You just never knew, in this country, what might crawl out from behind the next rock. A woman had to be vigilant. With that thought, she stuffed her winchester into the scabbard and checked her saddle bag to make sure there was ammunition. She filled her poke with enough bread, hard tack, bacon and coffee to last a couple of days. Closing the door, she walked down the steps to Chub and stepped into the saddle. “C'mon old boy. Let's have an adventure.” she said to Chub. She rode past the corral, checking the trough and hay. Full, good for a couple days.

  Molly headed west from the ranch house, heading for Kings Hole. About 12 miles away, it was somewhere in that distant haze. Kings Hole was a spring fed water hole that she and Willy had dug a few years back. “Damned hard work.” she thought, remembering the two months that summer that they had camped beside the spring. The spring produced a small, steady trickle that had just meandered down the valley until it disappeared in the Texas heat. The hole, a couple acres in size, collected water for the cattle. The valley was home to the King family many years back so Willy named the spring, King's Hole. It stuck with everyone, including the locals. No one ever came here except when passing by.

  Kings Hole was in a small valley, grass for 200 to 300 head, depending on the summer rains. This year, the rains had come regularly . She expected to find the cattle in good condition.

  Chub carefully picked his way down the steep trail to the valley below. Molly could see the cattle scattered over the valley floor. A few here and a few there, with no more than maybe fifty or sixty head in a group. For the next few hours she sauntered along, casually riding past them, and taking a count of what she found. This Molly wrote in an old notebook, kept in her saddle bag. How many cows, calves and the number of dry cows.

  The cows were in good condition. Fat and healthy, they milked well and it showed. The calves were big, strong and showed funny curiosity at this stranger riding past. The older cows looked up and with a bored look, continued grazing. The sun was getting low in the western sky. “Better head for the cabin.” Molly said to herself.

  She arrived at the cabin, just at supper time. It had been built many years ago to house riders doing the same job she did today. The place looked exactly the same as when she left it a month earlier. She went inside and surveyed the interior. One room with a table and four chairs, a pot bellied stove and a bunk against the far wall. The only window held a view of the small corral behind. She started a fire in the stove and went outside. Chub was standing quietly at the hitching post. Molly took her saddle bag, bedroll and poke into the cabin then returned and led Chub to the corral. Removing the saddle and bridle, she rubbed the horse down with a handful of dried grass. “No need to hobble him out.” She thought. “The grass is taller inside the corral than outside.” Molly slid the three rails into place and headed for the well. She would need water to make herself some coffee.

  Supper was simple. Fried bacon and potatoes with a slice of her home made bread and a cup of coffee. She threw her bedroll on the bunk and change into her night dress. While she waited for sleep, Molly began think about her life, how terribly lonely she was. After a day at work, this is when loneliness crept in. At night, when you finally had the time to be lonely.

  She ran her hand over her breasts and down her stomach to her mound. Riding Chub all day had given her strange sensations that moved from between her legs up to her nipples. The thought of that feeling made her nipples hard. She pinched them both between her fingers and felt a rush of excitement flood her body. With one hand she rubbed her mound and the with the other, Molly squeezed her breasts and nipples. Faster, she made little circles on her hot spot and soon Molly felt a wave of pleasure. If only she had a man to love her.

  From the cabin Molly made her way to town. She rode directly to the post office. The post master gave her the bundle of mail and Molly headed directly back to the ranch.

  “I hope there is a good reply in that pile.” She said aloud as she was cleaning up the stalls. “I really need the help.” Molly was a hard worker, but it would be nice to also enjoy the slower things in life, swinging on the porch, sipping tea, making cookies, anything but always working.

  It seemed like forever before she was able to get into the house and take a look at how many replies she had from her ad. She did get there. After a quick wash up, she sat down at the table and began to open them up.

  “Holy crap, fifty replies.” Molly didn’t know if she had the will to go through that many replies and decide. In her mind, she could hear her father chiding her, “You always wanted to be different. Well, here’s your chance to show you are just as good as a man.”

  Quickly she looked through a few, clearing out several from men who were above the age of 40. That made her pile a bit thinner, knocking out half of the replies quickly. One of them had been from a guy who was 55. How he had even thought she would give him a chance.

  Another ten of the rep
lies she would discard because the men were simply asking for too much money.

  Joshua Adams was still at the top of her list, but there was one other person who had offered to work for her as well. The only thing about him was that he was right at 38, a bit older, and still no experience. Molly thought. “Of the two, Joshua was the younger man and would have an advantage in learning the ranch work.

  “Oh hell, what will it hurt to give him a try for 30 days.” At least that way I’ll have a man here, and anyone who appears on the property will think we're hooked up. It could protect her from the town folks looking for a wife for their sons or themselves.

  Dear Joshua:

  We were a bit hesitant on offering you this position, but have decided to give you a chance. We will agree with the thirty day trial that you offered and if your services are satisfactory, you will be hired .

  If you will please report at your convenience, to our ranch and start work, we would greatly appreciate it.

  The Cassidy Family

  In few weeks, she would have a worker, able help her with the ranch work. The only thing that she would have to deal with, is trying to convince Joshua that her husband was ill and stuck in the bedroom. As long as she could pull that off, he would have no clue that she was a widow.

  In this part of the country, it was accepted that a widowed woman was fair game for any man. Molly knew that she would say no, to any man who would ask her to marry. She had several offers since Will had died. “It was clear that they were more interested in getting their hands on my ranch, not my body.” Molly Chuckled. There had to be real love in her next man. Once she had a man on the ranch, she hoped, she could convince him to play along if her plan was discovered by anyone.

  Molly was going to have to make this place look a little different if she was going to try and pull off the husband sick ploy at first. She figured, she could try that for a bit, at least until she got a feel for Joshua Adams, and knew whether he might go along with the plan. She could only hope. In the back of her mind she could hear her father every now and then, “You're going to fail.” It only drove her to work harder and try to make a go of the ranch.

  3. Joshua

  Early in the morning, five weeks from when she had sent the reply to Joshua Adams, Molly woke up to a knocking on the door. Getting dressed quickly, she ran to the front door.

  “Hello.” She said as she opened the door. The words died quickly in her mouth when she looked up at Joshua Adams.

  “Oh no, I don’t know if this will work.” She shook her head, looking at the man standing in front of her. He was big, 6’ 2” tall, a lithe muscular body and cute. That wasn’t the problem, it was how he was dressed. Joshua Adams had a Sunday suit on. Why would he come to work at a ranch in that outfit?

  “Hello Mrs. Cassidy. I'm Joshua Adams. Sorry about the outfit. I would have come wearing work clothes, but I do have a change in the bag I brought. It’s just, I didn’t want to look all, well, low class while traveling.” He blurted out. His voice was deep, and the plea almost sounded funny coming from such a big man.

  Molly looked him over, “Well, I guess. Here, I’ll show you to your room, and you can change there.” She led him down the hall to his room. Opening the door for him, she turned and walked back down to the kitchen. "10 minutes to fresh coffee." Said Molly.

  “Excuse me Mrs. Cassidy, how does this look?” He asked from behind as he came into the kitchen.

  Molly was startled and jumped, not used to having anyone in the house with her. Turning, she saw he had changed into a work clothes. Denim jeans hugged his thick, strong legs, while the shirt he wore was white and tight, hugging his broad torso. This man was very well built. Molly felt something stir deep inside, a feeling she had never felt with William, or for that matter, any man. It was not something she was used to and she was not sure if she really enjoyed the feeling. “It’s fine.” She replied curtly.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.” Joshua’s deep voice was honest and sincere.

  “No it’s okay. I’m just not used to anyone in the house with me. Well not down here anyway.” Molly answered, trying to smooth her tone with Joshua. It wasn’t his fault that she had this reaction to him. “Do you like coffee?”

  “Yea sure.” He smiled. The smile was like tonic to Molly. His smile was hugely attractive. There it was again. That unfamiliar sensation.

  Shaking her head to clear those thoughts, “How do you like it?” She asked him.

  “Black please, don’t want to make it too girly.” He laughed.

  “Too girly?” Molly had never heard coffee referred to anything to do with the sexes.

  “Sorry it’s a joke we used to have back home. One of the guys there used to put cream and sugar in his coffee and one day someone asked him if he always drank his coffee girly. I just thought it was funny. Never heard it referred to anything but coffee, you know?” He explained.

  Molly chuckled, “I thought the same thing when you first said it to. I haven’t heard it referred to anything but coffee in my life either.”

  “Well you not very old so I wouldn’t doubt that, you couldn’t be more than 18 years old.” He came back with.

  Molly smiled then laughed. t was pleasant to have a man who actually would compliment a woman. William had never done that once in his life. “Thanks, I’m 24 though.” Her smile didn’t fade. Joshua admired the look. She looked even younger with that smile on her face.

  “So how long has your husband been out of commission?” Joshua asked her.

  “Oh, just a few weeks now.” Molly had to make it seem like very little time.

  “And you’ve been doing everything by yourself?” He looked at her quizzically.

  “Yes, been trying to. It’s been difficult. I was hoping to run the ranch myself until he got better, however, I don’t think that's going to happen.” She answered somewhat honestly.

  “Like I told you. I may not have experience, but you can tell, I’m no weakling either so I think this will be work that I’m well suited for. I’m more than willing to learn and well, we can work out any details later on, once you're ready. I hope to pick things up quickly, in a couple of days. That way you'll be able get back to the woman things.” Joshua explained.

  Molly’s face bunched up a bit, on the woman things comment, though, she had to admit. Those were the things she did miss. “Yeah I guess your right. If it takes you that little time to learn, I can get right back into the swing of things or close to normal.”

  Joshua grinned at her, “Good, I hope to make your life a whole lot easier to deal with.”

  4. Joshua's Story

  After they finished coffee, they headed out to start the chores. Molly not only explained but showed Joshua what needed to be done, and he was right. Joshua did pick it up very quickly. Not that any of the work was really hard to understand. They worked side by side as if they had been doing this together for years. The talk was free and pretty open in most cases. Joshua told her a bit about his past work and the trip to Fort Davis. His manner was pleasant and most of all, friendly.

  Molly listened to him tell his stories and she could hear the compassion in his voice. The fact that he had lost his job didn’t seem to hold nearly as much weight, as the fact that many of his friends who had kids to feed, lost their jobs as well. “If, I do a good job for you, some of the money I make, I’m going to send back to a few of my friends to help out.”

  She had to wipe the tears from her eyes when he said that. Looking at him, as big as he was, you would never have thought there was such an old softy inside. Many times as they worked, she took a moment to survey him. His muscles were rippling and so nice looking. A few times she had almost been caught starring when he turned around to ask a question or tell her something.

  The feelings she had as she watched him, were completely foreign to her. Molly had never wanted a man to touch her before. And the wetness, she hadn’t experienced that either, except once when she had been reading a book her fr
iend gave her. The couple were in love and the man had just taken his woman for the first time, making love to her with all his might and strength.

  The chores took half as long, since there was two of them working today, and when they were finished, they headed inside. “You can wash up out there.” Molly pointed to the porch.

  “I saw that. I’m going to clean up after that workout.” He smiled at Molly.

  “I’ll fix some lunch. Once your done, you can eat.” Molly said, trying to abide by the rules of men always come first.

  “No please, you wash up first. You have to feel as dirty as I do. I can wait a bit to eat. It’s really no big deal to me.” He stated.

  “Okay, if you say so.” Molly answered, shocked that Joshua had told her to wash up first and not make his meal. Maybe he wasn’t like all the guys she had ever met.

  She washed the dirt and sweat from her body, and thought of Joshua. “I wonder what he looks like naked?” She could picture those muscles, wanted to touch them, to see if they felt as hard as they looked. Her body reacted to the images in her mind, and soon she had the need to touch herself.