by Ali Spooner
Nat worked for several hours before taking a break. Gathering an armful of the smaller branches, Nat walked back to the cabin and placed them on the edge of the porch. Stepping inside she picked up the water bucket and dipper and went to the well to pump a bucket of fresh cold water. Taking a long drink, Nat sat for a moment on the steps to take in the beauty of the fading morning. Clouds were rolling in and Nat felt sure they would receive more snow tonight. Prompted by the ominous clouds, Nat returned to the woods and began carrying logs back to the cabin.
Two hours later Nat had carried a fairly large amount of wood to the cabin and she was busy splitting logs when Marissa arrived. Nat did not see her approach which allowed her to watch Nat for several minutes. Nat had removed her work shirt while she split the logs and Marissa watched the ripple of muscles on Nat’s back as she expertly chopped the wood into sections small enough to fit into the fireplace. She admired Nat’s handsome features for several minutes until Gyp walked around the edge of the cabin and saw Marissa. A short bark alerted Nat that she had company and she turned to find Marissa standing twenty feet away.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear you come up,” Nat said as she laid her axe down and reached for her work shirt.
“I can be quiet at times,” Marissa answered with a grin as she walked up to Nat holding a picnic basket.
“It’s good to see you again,” Nat said returning her smile.
“Why don’t you continue here and I will go in and get our meal set up and then come get you,” Marissa suggested.
‘You have a deal,” Nat said anxious to get some of the wood in today.
Marissa went into the cabin as Nat stacked a large pile of wood near the front door and then began stacking a pile of the logs at the south end of the cabin, away from the worst of the impending bad weather.
Marissa placed her basket on the table and began arranging a meal of fried chicken, biscuits and cheese. She found plates and cups in the pack Nat had set down near the kitchen so the table was set. She stepped out onto the porch and bent down to pick up the water bucket as Nat stepped onto the porch.
“I’ll get that,” Nat said as she reached for the bucket and for a second, their fingers touched on the handle. Nat felt a bolt of electricity surge through her body and from the startled look on Marissa’s face, Nat was sure she felt it also. Marissa turned and held the door open as Nat carried the bucket in and sat it down on the table.
Surveying the meal Marissa had laid out for them Nat said, “This looks fantastic.”
“Just some leftovers from today’s special, but I thought it would work,” Marissa said with a blush.
“I’ll take this kind of leftovers any day,” Nat said as she poured them both a mug of water.
Just as they were about to sit down to their meal, Nat heard hoof beats in the front yard and looked out to see a wagon from the general store bringing her supplies. Horrible timing she thought, but necessary supplies and she told Marissa, “Sit tight for a few minutes and I will be right back.”
Nat walked out to the yard to greet Jess who was making her delivery and said, “Let’s just set these on the porch and I will take them in later. The horse feed and hay you can put in the barn for me if you will,” she added.
“Not a problem,” Jess said as the young man picked up the first of the large feed sacks and carried it into the barn as Nat started unloading the boxes of household supplies.
Ten minutes later and Jess was headed back to town, leaving Nat and Marissa to finally sit down to the meal. “Oh wait, I forgot something,” Marissa said as she stood up and walked to the hearth to retrieve a jar of gravy that was being warmed by the fire.
“Now I know you are trying to spoil us,” Nat said as she picked up a biscuit and crumbled it up into Gyp’s bowl, added a few small chunks of cheese and then poured some of the rich brown gravy across the mixture before setting the bowl down in front of Gyp.
“You do love that dog, don’t you” Marissa stated.
“I guess you could say that,” Nat teased as she patted Gyp’s head. “Go ahead girl,” she said and Gyp dug into her meal.
Nat picked out a drumstick and took a bite out of it, moaning loudly at the succulent taste and then picked up a biscuit and broke it open and poured gravy across it. Marissa watched as Nat cut the biscuit with her fork and then slipped a chunk past her lips. “Okay that settles it,” Nat said, “I am sending you a bag of flour a week so you can make gravy,” she said bringing a huge smile to Marissa’s face.
“You know it is easier to cook for two so you are welcome anytime,” Marissa stated boldly.
“Careful or we will be at your door every day,” Nat teased.
“I wouldn’t mind that at all,” Marissa responded.
Several moments passed while the two women contemplated the last few statements and who would make the next move. Surprisingly Marissa was the next to speak.
“We could do some bartering here if you are interested,” she suggested.
“What did you have in mind,” Nat said slyly.
“Well for starters, you need help today putting in your supplies and setting up house and I could use more firewood than what I have managed to collect. I noticed you were very handy with your axe and I am pretty good in the kitchen,” she added. “So why don’t I help you tonight and you can cut me some firewood?”
“Hmmm that doesn’t sound like too bad of a deal, especially since you threw in this wonderful meal,” Nat said with a grin.
“I will even toss in use of my bath tub at any time,” Marissa added to sweeten the deal.
“Okay you got me with that one,” Nat admitted, “even if I do have to heat my own water she said with a chuckle.”
“No sense in two women struggling if they can work together to make life easier for themselves,” Marissa said.
“That’s very true and besides I smell much better after a nice hot soaking bath,” Nat said with a hearty laugh.
Having that issue settled both women seemed content with their agreement and finished their meal in relative silence. Nat finished her meal and headed out to the barn to harness Quincy while Marissa remained inside to start on the kitchen.
Nat led Quincy into the woods and used his strength to drag three large trees up to the cabin where she could chop them into lengths for splitting and minimize the amount of carrying she would have to do. As Nat began her rhythmic chopping Marissa hummed as she cleaned off the plates from their meal and began putting away the stores of supplies delivered that afternoon. Gyp trotted back and forth between the kitchen and the yard checking on each of the women from time to time.
Nat removed her shirt as she chopped and hung it on the porch railing once again exposing the strength of her upper torso to Marissa who would stop to watch her work for a few minutes as she walked out to carry in each box of supplies. She was amazed at how fluidly Nat’s body moved and watched as sweat began to soak through the undershirt and run down her arms. As Marissa sorted through the contents of the last box she allowed her mind to wander and wonder what it might feel like to be wrapped in those strong arms. Marissa had loved her husband deeply, but even he failed to make her feel the way she did when Nat smiled at her or the way her skin burned whenever they touched. Marissa tried at first to deny her attraction to Nat, but fate would have its way with them, that she was certain.
Marissa finished in the kitchen and moved to the small bedroom. She covered the feather mattress with the new linens Nat had purchased and then laid a fire in the small hearth, lighting it to add some warmth to the room. She placed a small oil lamp on the table next to the bed and sat the packs which held Nat’s personal belongings on the bed. Content with what she had accomplished, Marissa packed up her picnic basket and walked out onto the porch.
Sitting on the rail she watched Nat as she worked methodically. She was such a natural for outdoor work Marissa thought as she observed Nat. As hard as she tried she couldn’t see Nat happy working inside all day and yet it was hard to i
magine her happy spending months alone in the woods while she trapped. Marissa sighed, louder than she had intended and the sound caught Nat’s attention.
“I have your kitchen and bedroom prepared,” Marissa said proudly.
“Thank you,” Nat said. “Tomorrow I will go to your place and start on your firewood,” she promised.
“There’s no hurry,” Marissa said. “I have plenty to get me started she promised.”
“Understood, but a bargain is a bargain,” Nat said. “Besides, after all this wood cutting I will be in need of another bath she said as she wiped her brow.”
The sun was starting to fade so Nat stopped chopping and stacked the wood she had cut, while Marissa carried several pieces in to stoke the fires in the bedroom and the kitchen. When she returned, she told Nat that she would be home by midafternoon and would once again bring them home a light dinner. She also told Nat that she had left a plate of food in the kitchen for her if she were to get hungry later.
With a gentle hug of thanks from her new friend, Marissa walked the short distance to her home and spent the evening straightening up her cabin in expectation of Nat’s visit. As she lay in bed that evening, Marissa thought about how much they had in common. Both had suffered the loss of someone they loved and both were struggling to make their way in the world. Just as they had similarities they also had their differences. Nat was tall and well-built with a rugged handsomeness about her while Marissa was more petite and better suited for more delicate type work. A good compliment to each other she thought as she drifted off to sleep with thoughts of Nat’s arms wrapped around her ushering her into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, Nat sat down in one of the cane backed chairs and pulled her well-worn boots off. The physical exertion of the day felt good to her and she knew sleep would come easily tonight and she would be up ahead of the sun tomorrow to begin the routine all over again. Nat stood and took her boots with her into the bedroom, lit only by the small fire in the hearth. Using a piece of straw she lit the small oil lamp and sat it beside the bed once again as she unpacked her belongings and stored them safely away.
She noticed the bear pelt sitting on a chair and she decided then that she would wash it thoroughly to get the wild smell from it and then she would use it to warm her bed in the coming winter months. She made a mental note to pick up some fragrant soap on her next trip to town as she changed into a sleep shirt and slipped between the cool covers. Gyp jumped up on the bed and lay down near the foot of the bed and within minutes both weary travelers slept an exhausted sleep.
PART FOUR
The next morning Nat shared the remaining chicken with Gyp and then poured some of her honey over the remaining biscuits. Washing her meal down with cool water, Nat dressed and once again began chopping wood as the sun slowly rose.
As Marissa passed by on her way to work she could hear the rhythmic thuds made by each stroke of Nat’s axe. She smiled as she envisioned the taut muscles that were rippling underneath Nat’s shirt and Marissa quickened her pace eager for the work day to end.
Nat worked for several hours chopping wood and stacking it at the end of the cabin. By noon she had a sizeable pile and was satisfied that she would have enough for at least a couple of months. Axe in hand, Nat went to the barn and hooked up Quincy and they walked together to Marissa’s home.
Nat reviewed the pile of wood and noted that Marissa was severely short of the split solid wood that would burn for hours. Nat made a small pile next to Marissa’s door and then headed to the woods with Quincy.
She felled several large trees and after trimming the branches she cut the tree into sections small enough for Quincy to pull. Nat went to work on the sections, cutting the hardwood into sections short enough to split and was busily splitting the wood when Marissa came home.
“My, you have been busy,” Marissa said as she sat her basket on the porch and bent down to pet Gyp.
“Just getting started,” Nat said as she stopped swinging the axe and walked over to the porch and sat down. She picked up a file and began to sharpen the blade, careful to stroke the metal with even passes to bring it to a thin edge.
“Are you hungry?” Marissa asked.
“Not too bad and you,” Nat responded. “I’d like to finish up here first if you don’t mind,” Nat replied.
“I don’t mind at all,” Marissa said as she stood and started carrying the split wood over to the pile Nat had started and placed it on the stack. “You split and I will stack,” she said.
‘Fair enough,” Nat said as she resumed placing the large logs on a stump and splitting them into smaller chunks.
Two hours later the last of the split wood was chopped and stacked and Marissa had an ample supply for the first few months of winter. Marissa sat down on the porch, obviously winded from the physical labor. Nat sat beside her and offered her a cup of cool water pumped from the well. “Here this will help,” she said as she sat down next to Marissa.
“Thanks,” Marissa said taking the offering and savoring the cool water as she took it in to her body in small sips. “That is really hard work,” she commented as Nat watched her concerned that she may have become overheated.
“It’s just like anything else,” Nat replied, “takes some getting used to is all.”
“Now I understand how you can eat like a horse and yet still remain slim,” Marissa spoke softly.
Nat chuckled at Marissa’s comment. “Dad always said, Work like a horse, eat like a horse so I guess he was right.”
“Did he also mention anything about smelling like a horse?” Marissa said as she wiped the sweat from her brow.
“That just comes natural with hard work,” Nat said as she offered and hand to lift Marissa to her feet.
“If you want to get supper ready, I will take Quincy home and feed the animals,” Nat said.
“Don’t forget to pick up some clean clothes so you can have the bath I promised you,” Marissa reminded her.
“Oh I haven’t forgotten,” Nat returned with a smile and she left the porch heading for her home.
Marissa carried her basket into the cabin and sat the containers of food on the hearth to begin slowly warming them. She ran a length of chord across the back room where the bath tub was poised and placed a large sheet across it to allow Nat some privacy while she bathed. Marissa then carried several large buckets of water and dumped them into the tub and then began heating the water for bathing. A large container would be heating while they ate which when mixed with the water already in the tub should be enough to get Nat started on her bath while Marissa heated up another large container. Marissa placed a few dry logs in the fireplace to stoke up the embers, heating the water faster.
Nat fed all the animals and placed them in the barn for the evening. Snow had begun to tumble from the sky and she wanted her dear companions to be as protected from the elements as possible. Nat rumbled through an old pack that held soft, warm blankets and covered each of the animals with another layer of protection. Nat then went into her cabin and located a set of clean clothing, a towel and soap before heading back to Marissa’s.
Knocking on the door before she entered, Nat stood with hat in hand until Marissa opened the door. “That was quick,” Marissa stated as she guided Nat to the kitchen. Marissa handed Nat the bucket and she compliantly walked out to the pump to draw a fresh bucket of drinking water.
When she returned, Marissa had the food set out on the table and taking the bucket from her doled out cups of the chilly water for them. Marissa looked around the room and asked, “Where is Gyp?”
“She is waiting out on the porch,” Nat said. “She hasn’t been invited in yet,” Nat told her in a deadly serious tone.
“Have you lost your mind,” Marissa chided, “it is cold out there and you should know that Gyp is more than welcome in my home,” she prattled on. ”