by Rita Hestand
"I am sure; you may come out. I will not look."
She came to the embankment and grabbed her towel.
"How is it you are out this early in the morning in the woods?"
"I sleep out here, and walk to town every morning."
"You sleep out here?" She came around to look at his face as she fastened the towel at her breasts. "Why?"
His eyes opened and he nearly gasp, she was so beautiful. "I like looking at the stars at night, and smelling the fresh air." He explained, but his eyes went to the towel and the rest of her.
"You better get dressed." He said, his voice raspy.
She nodded and went to the bushes to dress.
She saw the look of desire in his eyes flash, then was gone. But she'd seen it. Somehow that pleased her.
"So you can sleep in the woods at night and enjoy nature, but I'm not allowed to bath in it?" She asked through the bushes.
He turned the other way but he was smiling, and she caught a glimpse of that smile. Dear God he was sexy!
When she came out, she was buttoning her dress up when his eyes dropped to the opening, and he stared.
"It's just not safe." His eyes went from her breasts to her lips.
"Dakota," She came closer, "No one has threatened me, nor given any reason for me to be afraid. I don't need a body-guard all the time. I'm human, I want to enjoy my life. This is one of my pleasures. I love sunrise and sunsets. I love being out here as you say in the fresh air, watching nature at this time of day."
His eyes met hers now. "I can see that…"
When he stared too long she tried to smile under his scrutiny, "We should get back to town now."
"Yes, we should!" His smile raked her.
But mid-way back she stopped and studied him a moment, "I want to thank you."
He peered at her beneath those long sexy lashes of his.
"You do your job well. I feel completely safe around you. And I know you are sincerely earnest when you warn me of such things. But I've been on my own a long time. I've never been a center of attraction."
"I'm sorry I disturbed you." He murmured. "I realize you were telling the truth about being out in nature and enjoying it so. Sometimes the Indian in me does not realize that white people also want to enjoy nature."
"Are you really sorry you disturbed me?" She asked softly.
He grinned now, as though he finally relaxed, "It was a pleasurable mistake. You see—I'm human too."
And he started walking ahead of her.
She smiled and followed him. God, she liked him
When they reached town, he saw her to the boarding house and left. She watched him walk away, as a smile played at her mouth. He had a sexy way of walking. Everything about him turned her into an inferno.
Just the lite bantering between them this morning, lifted her spirits.
The hustle and bustle of the day now kept her busy until the late afternoon, but she knew deep down that this morning, meeting with Dakota had given her the energy she needed to go on.
Everyone was going to be at the theater tonight, all the girls, Ma, everyone she cared about.
Certain she had everything under control, she dressed for her performance in a lovely white gown, with light blue butterflies embroidered on it. Again, Sarah had made the dress for her. She realized that she wanted Sarah to make all her gowns for her. She put so much into them. She wore a flowered bandana on her head. She wore her hair down for a change flowing over her shoulders in curls. She stared in the mirror at herself, but the bandana reminded her of Dakota. It was like some sort of sign.
She took it off and nearly threw it across the room.
But later, before the performance, she put it back on. It somehow became her.
She went out and onto the stage, the room was crowded it had been a sellout, nearly everyone from town was here to hear her sing.
She peeked out of the curtains to see Dakota seating Nadine and Gabe in the front row, she smiled to herself. Good. He personally saw to it that her friends had the best seats. She loved him for it.
When the lights went dim and a spotlight brought her front and center, all her doubts and fears vanished. A smile serenely lit her face and as the music began she opened her mouth and like a songbird she sang her heart out. Her voice was clear, hitting every note as intended. A perfect performance.
The crowd was ecstatic. Cheers and whistles and clapping went on for some time. She bowed and it got quiet again. Her next song was just as good and just as well received. She had become a singing sensation in the town of Veda. She had three standing ovations that night.
Later, backstage, Richard was there to shower her with flowers and presents. Everyone congratulated her on her performance and she literally glowed.
Satisfied, she went back to her room and changed clothes, she was to meet Richard for a late meal he had purposely arranged with the local café.
He wined and dined her and finally took her home.
"I can't get over, what a voice you have."
"Thank you." She smiled.
"You know I’m falling in love with you don't you?" He said as he drove up to her house in the buggy.
"Richard, please don't rush me like this. I've just had my first performance and I need time to enjoy my own success. Can you understand that? It's like winning an election. You need to take the time to embrace it."
"Of course I can, darling. And I won't bring it up again for a while. But at least you know how I feel." He smiled.
"Thank you. On a night like this, you just can't celebrate too many things at once. And I want to take things slowly. We haven't known each other that long, or that well yet. I need time to get to know the real you. The man behind the politics. So to speak."
"You are absolutely right. I agree." He beamed, then leaned to kiss her. "You're such a sensible woman and I like that about you."
But the kiss didn't ring any bells. She had little or no reaction to his goodnight kiss and it startled her.
"Goodnight and thank you for dinner."
"Goodnight my love." He smiled brightly.
She watched him drive off in his fancy buggy and into the darkness and her smile faded.
"You did sing well tonight," Dakota stood in the shadows looking at her.
"Dakota?" She grabbed her chest.
"I didn't mean to frighten you. Just wanted to tell you how good you were. And see that you arrived home safely."
"Thank you."
"You didn't tell him you loved him did you?" Dakota asked as though he had every right.
"No."
"Good" He said faintly, then looked her in the eye. "Goodnight," He turned to go, but she heard him murmur, "My love."
He looked over his shoulder and saw her staring after him. And then he grinned and walked away.
Was he just repeating what Richard had said, or did he mean it? She wished she knew.
His grin was infectious. His whole face lit when he grinned at her and it sent a flush now over her body.
Part of her wanted to explore all those feelings between them. Part of her feared what she might do if she exposed those dreams to the reality. But tonight was her night and she was going to forget about her fears and relish the fact that she had been a singing sensation and Dakota had come to tell her. Deep down, his showing up meant more to her than all the flowers and presents Richard had given her, and she wasn't sure why. She didn't know the man. Or did she? She hugged her body as though someone had touched her.
Chapter Five
Now she was a weekly sensation and everyone in town was talking about Maggie.
At first it was wonderful how people made over her, but after a while it got old and she didn't want so much attention. Some people in town began to resent her for all the attention she was getting. Women were a little more uppity with her. She didn't understand it. But she was letting the Mayor court her too and that had some bearing on it. She'd never dealt with jealousy as her working partners, Jo Ella, Nadine, Sa
rah, and Trish were equal in every way and never acted like rivals.
She hadn't fully realized just how much was involved in becoming a sensational singer. She loved to sing. She didn't want to stop, but it had an effect on her life too. Could she live with that? She wanted to have friends but the ladies in town all acted as though she were either too far above them to associate with or too low one.
One morning as she was hanging out her sheets from her bed on the clothesline, she heard the mockingbird. She stopped and looked up in the trees, trying to spot him.
"Little fella, you sing your little heart out, and no one notices. But I do. You have such perfect tune and pitch. May I compliment you on it. Should I bring you some flowers…?" She giggled.
"Not many appreciate the mockingbird, like you do." Dakota smiled at her as he stood in the distance watching her.
"Oh," she blushed seeing him there. "Well, you don't see people clapping and giving him flowers do you?" she chuckled.
"No, I suppose not," He grinned. "But it's enough that you appreciate him. I'll bet he's out here every morning, singing to you."
She grinned, "I hope so. I love to listen."
"You are very attuned to nature, aren't you?" He came closer.
"I sometimes wonder if the birds are the reason humans learned to sing." She laughed.
"Good point."
"What are you doing out so early in the morning?" She raked his body with her glance.
"Enjoying nature, like you." He smiled. "See you later."
She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air, and let her heart settle down once more.
All her friends were finding someone special in their lives, they had lives of their own and she was left with only one person to confide in, Ma.
Richard kept taking her to parties, and the boredom never stopped. She truly wished she could enjoy it. She was miserable with him. She tried to reason things in her head that sacrifices had to be made for success. But was it worth it? Was this the kind of life she really wanted. Attending stuffy parties for stuffy people?
"You don't seriously think he's going to marry you, do you?" One of the ladies at the party asked her one evening.
"I hope not, we're already enjoying each other too much," She gushed and moved along. She'd gotten a retort out, but she didn't feel any better for saying it. She wasn't in love with Richard.
"Did you see that dress she's wearing…" One lady huffed.
"Adorable isn't it?" Richard piped from behind them.
But even his support of her made her nervous. The were a couple according to everyone in town, but little did they know.
One evening he told her exactly what to wear to go to a party and she approached him with frustration.
"Richard," She turned in the buggy to scold him. "I like you, but I’m afraid I've given you the wrong impression. I'm not in love with you. I want you to understand that." She told him one night. "I'm a very independent woman, and I know instinctively what to wear. But I'm not a showpiece, Richard. I'm not a political pawn. I won't play up to people for you. I'm honest and direct, and I won't seduce your voters. I go out with you, attend parties with you, because I liked you."
His face seemed to fall "Have I done something wrong?"
"No, not at all. But, I'm not cut out for all these parties we attend. They are all political, and boring and I really don't enjoy them much. I don't want to win friends over for you, or even be in the political side of your life. You are a man to me, not a mayor, a man. Can you understand that? The conversations at these parties are so droll. Always the same. And somewhat phony. Do you know who your real friends are? The one that vote for you? The people that care what you think."
"Well, I'd like to think so. These are the people that financially support me. Where would I be without them? But a Mayor doesn't party with is voters, but backers, my dear. Most women would love to be included in parties like this. These are some of the richest people in Texas." He told her. "I thought since you are a singer you would love the chance to further your own career as well. You've met many influential people."
"I know. But I'm not most women. I'm not the perfect hostess, or the lady of the year. I'm a singer. That's all. And they either come to my shows or they don't."
"But you can learn social graces, Maggie. I can further your career as easily as you can help influence mine."
"That's just it Richard. And therein lies the problem. As that is more important to you, than me. You want to mold me into something I'm not. Something I don't want to be. A social butterfly. That's not me. I've gone to too so many social events, I've neglected my friends. Jo Ella, Sarah, Nadine. Trish. I miss them."
"Nadine's a black woman." Richard blurted. "They don't run in the same social circles."
Maggie's anger festered and she faced Richard with a growing frown. "Nadine is a lovely woman, and she's my friend…"
"You realize she created quite a scandal in this town when she had an affair with a white man. I can't have that kind of scandal surrounding my political career. Sometimes we have to sacrifice if we want to succeed."
"That was her business, not mine. Nor yours. She's my friend. No matter what she does, where she goes, who she sees, she's still my friend. And always will be. And you won't change that. I can't believe this. You are so judgmental. So prejudice."
"Honestly darling, most of the wives of these people adore you." He insisted. "You can make new friends. There is a time to move on with your life, Maggie. Sometimes it behooves you to move on in life. To spread your wings, to learn more, be more."
"Don't change the subject, you were talking about Nadine."
"She doesn't fit into garden clubs and prominent women of the city. She is black. She won't be included in our social circles. You must know that." He insisted. "She won't fit in with your new life, Maggie. Sometimes we have to sacrifice to succeed. And I've sensed all along that you want to succeed."
"I'm not going to argue with you about this Richard, but I think we should call the courting off for a while…"
"You can't mean that. Do you realize what you might be throwing away?" He asked. "For a black woman's friendship."
That rang in her head. How could he be so callus? So thoughtless. So heartless. She relaxed in the buggy now, "Yes, my friends. For your information, that black woman saved my life once. I'll never forget something like that. I love her, and I won't give her up for a bunch of snotty, uppity women. If this is how you truly feel, you need to find another party friend."
"They are that important to you?"
"They are… My God, Richard, Jo Ella is married to the town Sheriff. Sarah is married to the Reverend. Nadine has been a force in her own community. They are all great women and if you don't see it, I'm afraid I've misjudged you. I'd been told you were a snob, and I'm sorry I didn't see that sooner."
"Alright, Maggie. If you should change your mind, you know where to find me." He told her. He didn't kiss her goodbye and she was glad.
Maggie stormed into the kitchen of the boarding house and Ma Jones was sitting there reading a recipe. "You're home early."
Maggie smiled, although she wasn't feeling that smile. "Yes, I am."
"Want to talk about it?" Ma asked. "I'll fix us some peach cobbler and coffee."
"Sounds wonderful. You have the nicest way of being a real friend." She smiled and began to relax. "You are absolutely the best cook in the world."
Ma didn't say anything until she poured them both some coffee. "I can tell you got your feathers in an uproar, what went wrong?"
"Ma, when you took all of us girls in, you didn't separate Nadine from the rest of us, even though she was black. You showed no prejudice. I loved that about you. You mothered us all. It's wonderful. Even after we told you where we came from, you showed no disrespect. I love you for that. I embrace you for that."
Ma stirred milk into her coffee and looked up at her, "Richard is showing his colors I see."
"Yes," Maggie took her glove off a
nd laid it by her cup of coffee. "He's been slowly turning his nose up about the girls and I don't like it. He's taking me to parties all the time and I don't like his friends. It's not common knowledge to all in this town that we were once saloon girls. But I see now, that Richard would never be able to handle the scandal. I ask him not to call upon me anymore."
Ma nodded. "I was afraid that might happen. He's been uppity since he took the Mayor's job. Thinking himself better. It's a flaw in some that can be hard to deal with. Does he know you worked in a saloon?"
"No, I never told him. I just never got close enough to feel comfortable telling him. I'm not in love with him. But I am mad at him. After tonight, I realized why I haven't been comfortable enough with him to tell him. And that's another reason I knew this courtship wouldn't last. That and other things." Maggie sighed and sipped her coffee and when Ma brought over the cobbler and she smiled.
"That looks so divine. That can cure any mad, Ma!"
Ma smiled. "Maggie, you are right. You'd lose all your friends if you continued to be with him. Even though his ambition is admirable. The snotty nose isn't. You're too down to earth for him. I knew it all along, but you seemed to set your cap for him so I didn't say anything. To be a real success sometimes you have to change, to mold yourself to something that you aren't. It makes you miserable in the end. I'm glad you've seen this, for what it is."
"He's a lousy kisser. He doesn't stir anything in me. There is no real passion in the man, and I'm a girl who needs passion."
"Does someone else?" Ma asked her brow going up.
"Yes." Maggie couldn't quite face her now.
"You want to tell me who, or do I have to sit here half the night guessing."
"Dakota!" She blurted.
"Lord a mercy girl." Ma covered her mouth and almost laughed. "The Indian? You sure do take on the hard ones. But you have a good eye, he's a looker alright. And a gentleman. I've known him for some time. There's not a woman in this town that hasn't looked at him. But few would admit it aloud."
"I know. But he stirs me. He can look at me and melt me with that one look. But it's not just that. He's real Ma. He's so honest, and down to earth. He loves nature. He lifts me up, gives me confidence."