by Danni Roan
The bookstore was only a tiny room full of handcrafted shelves stuffed with dark, heavily bound books. The air was dry and smelled of dust and a hint of vanilla. Lexi breathed deeply with satisfaction as she began to peruse each item.
Dora Ogden pulled gently on the arm of her companion, stopping Billy mid-sentence and in his tracks all at once, but instead of complaining, he grinned at her making his white beard waggle on his chin. Dora nearly smiled at the little man who was doing his best to impress her, but at that moment her attention was on her son, who she was studying through the dirty window of a small house.
Reg had his nose in a book studying its pages closely just as she had seen him do so many times before, but this time he was completely ignoring the pretty young woman across from him who was equally engrossed in her own text.
"This just won't do," the older woman stated absently, only to realize that she'd said it aloud. With a start, she turned to where Billy offered her a wide grin and a wink.
"Nope, it won't, will it," he said, “they’s just a little too distracted ‘bout what’s important, ain't they?"
For a long moment, Dora Ogden blinked at the wizened man at her side, then a slow smile spread across her face. "Then what should we do about it?" she asked simply.
"Well ya see," Billy began rubbing his whiskers with his free hand “I've had a fair share 'a helping younin's find their way, so maybe I have a few ideas. How about we head over to the restaurant yonder and discuss it over some coffee and pie? Pie makes ya think better, ya know."
Chapter 8
The small café was a simple one-room space with a kitchen at the back and a selection of tables and chairs positioned just far enough apart to allow for easy service and a bit of privacy as well.
Billy ushered Dora to a chair, seating her comfortably, then dodged around the table and wiggled into a chair himself before leaning his elbows on the table and looking at the woman with mischief in his eyes.
"Now the way I see it," Billy began, "is that them youngin's like each other a good bit, but don't seem to quiet understand what that means. You ask me, sometimes a person's brain goes and gits in the way of what's important."
Dora Ogden sat very stiff and straight in her ladder back chair and blinked at the man across from her. Judging strictly by looks, she would guess the man was nearly seventy, but he moved with the spring of a man much younger. She also noted that despite his appalling grammar and the regular use of the vernacular, he was mentally acute. His bright blue eyes twinkled not only with wit but also with a keen understanding of what made people tick.
"The question is, what do we do about it?" she asked, her smoky eyes steady on his.
A girl of no more than fifteen arrived then to take their order, putting their discussion on hold and allowing them to both study on the question a while. Billy ordered two slices of custard pie and coffee, then waited for Mrs. Ogden to order, chortling when she asked for the same.
"How long has it been like this?" Dora asked sipping her coffee and dabbing her lips with a napkin.
"Since the beginnin'," Billy replied. "Taylor and Issy they was different, why they was smitten almost right away. I seen it with my own eyes, but Lexi’s too busy figuring things out.”
Dora Ogden lifted a brow inquisitively, but didn’t say anything. She was sure she’d hear all about her younger son’s rush to marry once she arrived at the ranch he’d been sent to work on. Sometimes these things just happened.
“Reg and Lexi, well they's a different kettle of fish if you ask me. Lexi, she's all full of thoughts and books and big ideas; ever ‘thing’s about learning. If she thinks something's interestin' or that she can learn something new, she'll do just about anything to figure it out. As a tiny mite she was always pushin' in to see what we was doin'." He paused a moment as his pie arrived. "She's smart as a whip, but has to pick anything new apart an’ study it."
"Hm?" The woman across the table from him mused. "So if she thinks she's learning something new, she'll try it?"
"Yep, that pretty much sums it up."
"Reg is a thinker as well. He studies on things a while before making a decision. He has to weigh up the advantages, disadvantages and ramifications of everything before he jumps in." She smiled softly. "It took him forever to learn to swim, he wouldn't even get in the water until he'd studied on it a while."
Billy's scratchy cackle made her lift her brows again and look around, but no one seemed to be paying any attention to an elderly couple enjoying pie.
"The question now is, what do we do about it?"
Billy rubbed behind his ear thinking over the problem. "Well, when it was Katie and Will, we just kep' puttin' them together as much as we could. That worked out in the end but them two fought it a bit." Noticing his companion’s surprised look, Billy stopped rambling as his face grew red. "Well, um ya see..."
"I think I see perfectly," Dora replied, her look not at all tolerant. "You sir, are telling me that this is not the first time that a young man has come to the ranch you work on and married one of the cattleman's daughters."
"No, Ma'am," Billy stated boldly, "As a matter o' fact this ain't even the second or third."
The woman gasped and sat her fork down on the table as she stared at him. "What are you doing, running some sort of husband factory?" Her voice showed her shock.
"No, Ma'am," Billy said, sitting up straighter and placing his thumbs in his red suspenders. "You see, out here there's lots of fella's passin' through. Some's good and some's not, but most of 'em are movin' on. We been runnin' the Broken J for over twenty years and we all expect it to run for another two-hundred more or so. Josh has six daughters and findin' decent young fellas who want to stay on and work the range like us, well that's a tall order, so far away from ever'one else."
"So you're telling me that Mr. James has been having young men come to work for him not as hands, but as perspective husbands for his girls?" Her quiet voice was still terse and disapproving.
"That I am, Mrs. Ogden. Our Joshua James is a clever man who loves his girls. Dag-gum-it we all love them girls like they's our own and we wanted to see 'em married proper to good men what wants to make something of this land. That's why we all agreed on Josh sending letters to his brothers and askin' them to look for men who'd stay the course." By now, Billy's usually cheerful voice was downright belligerent.
A long silence stretched between the two oldest customers in the place as Dora Ogden absorbed what she had been told.
Slowly lifting her chin and pinning Billy with her eyes the woman asked one more question. "So Pastor Jed was in on the whole thing?"
"Yep," Billy snapped, crossing his arms over his chest in defiance.
Picking up her fork, Dora Ogden gazed at the man across the table from her. "I guess we have work to do then," she stated, picking up her fork and digging into the soft golden custard of her pie.
Chapter 9
"We could stay until the baby comes," Hank's deep voice rumbled across the room even at a whisper, causing the others from the Broken J to studiously ignore the heated conversation going on at the other end of the dining area.
"I am not staying in Casper to have this baby," Fiona's soft voice held a sharp edge. "This child will be born on the Broken J just like I was." The young, pregnant woman's curly hair fairly bristled on her head in agitation.
"But the doctor..." Hank tried again.
"The doctor said that I'm as healthy as an ox and should have less trouble delivering this baby." Fiona's eyes flashed as she glared up into the face of her very tall husband. "If you want to stay here with the doctor you go right ahead, I'm going home." She bit off the words and turning away, headed to their room; the bang of the door punctuated the end of the discussion.
For several long seconds Hank stood there looking after his usually sweet wife, then he slammed his hat onto his head and walked out the door.
Alexis, who had been studying her book with great intent by the fire, looked up as the door sna
pped shut to see Mrs. Ogden smiling openly at the not so private exchange.
"Men," the older woman stated, "they're as fussy as old hens when a woman is in the family way."
Slowly the group seated at the table resumed their own conversations, intent on letting the couple work out their own issues. Alexis knew her sister well enough to know that other than hog-tying her, Hank had no hope in persuading her to stay in Casper until the baby came.
"Aunt Lexi?" Eric's voice at her side pulled her out of her book once more.
"Yes, Eric," she said, waiting for the boy to share what was on his mind.
"Why are Ma and Pa fighting? Is Fiona sick? Will she die because of the baby like my mother did?"
A hush fell over the room as all eyes fixed on the boy with worry in his blue eyes. Alexis reached out an arm and wrapped it around her young nephew. She could not believe how the tiny tyke who had arrived with his father nearly three years ago had grown into this lad.
"Fiona is perfectly fine," Alexis began gently. "She's very strong and healthy, just like the doctor said. Your pa's just worried because of what happened before; he needs to see that Fiona isn't like your real ma."
Eric leaned his blonde head into Lexi's arm and gave her a squeeze. "OK," he said, his voice now confident. "I just hope Pa figures it out soon 'cause if Fiona says she's gonna do something, I don't think even Pa can stop her."
A soft chuckle ran through the room, as the others had to agree with the boy's assessment.
"I better go check on Pa, though," Eric said with new concern in his voice.
"How about I go with you?" Lexi offered in reply, rising and offering her hand to the boy.
"Sure."
"Perhaps Reg could escort you," Mrs. Ogden offered jumping into the conversation. "It is dark and a young lady shouldn't be out after dark unaccompanied."
A moment later, Eric, Lexi and Reg were all standing on the walk in front of the boarding house looking up and down the street for the conspicuously absent form of Hank Ballard.
"Where'd he go?" Eric asked, looking up at the two adults.
Reg looked to Lexi with the same questioning expression.
"Where does your pa like to go when he's upset?" Alexis asked practically.
"Hm," Eric scratched his chin and thought. "I bet he went to see Jack and Scott. He always feels better when he's with the horses."
"Well let’s head down to the livery and see if he's there," Lexi offered, reaching out her hand and setting off down the street into the darkening shadows.
Reg led the way along the boardwalk toward the large wooden structure where the horses were being kept while they were in Casper. As he stepped down into the street a strange voice caught his attention.
"Oh, what a handsome young man." A woman's voice lilted, causing Reg to turn and look back to where Lexi stood, still holding her nephews hand.
"And don't your ma and Pa make a lovely couple."
Reg blinked at the tall stocky black haired cowboy standing next to a team and wagon, watching, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips as his brown eyes twinkled.
"Oh, we're not a couple," Lexi finally recovered enough to speak, "this is my nephew and Mr. Ogden works for my father."
The older woman looked first at Reg then at Lexi. "Oh, I'm sorry for misunderstanding," she said sweetly. "It seems like a shame, though," she finished, then taking the dark cowboys arm, turned with a wave and climbed into the wagon.
"What was that all about?" Eric asked, rolling his eyes. "Sometimes I don't think I'll ever understand grown-ups," he added shaking his head and tugging Lexi across the street, making his young aunt chuckle.
Lexi looked over at her companion, wondering what the older woman had seen that made her assume that they were a couple. To her Eric didn't look a bit like either of them, nor did it seem likely that she, herself, appeared old enough to have a boy of seven. Shrugging her shoulders, she put the thoughts away and walked into the livery.
Immediately on entering the big barn, Eric released Lexi’s hand and dashed to where his father was vigorously grooming a large reddish-brown horse, grumbling while the team contentedly munched hay.
Lexi smiled as the boy darted under the arched neck of one of the draft horses, causing the animal to nicker and lower its head to the boy, who stroked the large horse’s shoulder.
“Hi, Pa,” Eric’s spoke, causing his father to turn around. “Scott looks real nice,” the boy indicated the horse his father had been brushing. “I think Jack might be jealous, though.” He smiled brightly as he waited on his father.
“What are you doing here, Eric?” the big man asked, catching sight of Lexi and Reg.
“Well,” Eric said, “I just thought us fellas should stick together like before in Chicago.”
Hank lifted a hand to where his sister-in-law stood. “You two can go,” he called, “I’ll bring him back when I come in.” He then bent down lifting Eric onto the broad back of the big horse’s burnished back.
“Ms. Lexi, are you ready to head back?”
"Yes, I think I am,” the young woman replied, taking his arm as they turned to leave the barn.
"It's a lovely night, isn't it?" Reg commented as they walked along the boardwalk a moment later, listening to the tunes of a tinny piano in the distance.
"Uh hm." Lexi, preoccupied by her own thoughts, did not look up at the night.
"Is something on your mind?" Reg felt his curiosity rising, and hoped that nothing was troubling his pretty friend.
"Yes, but I don't know what to do about it."
"Why don't you tell me, then we can both think about it and come up with a solution?"
Lexi stopped in the shadow of a roofed section of planking and studied the young man next to her. Perhaps of anyone he would understand. He had an open mind and understood the value of experiential study.
Reg waited patiently for Lexi to tell him what she was thinking, but as the minutes ticked by, he thought that perhaps she did not want to share after all. He had just made up his mind to move on toward the boarding house when the words she spoke hit him in the gut.
"Have you ever kissed a girl?"
"What!" His harsh whisper seemed to echo around them.
"Have you ever kissed a girl?"
"Miss Lexi, that is not the type of question a young lady should ask a man.”
“I know that, why do you think it took me so long to say anything? I’m only curious because of something your mother said.”
“My mother?” Another blow seemed to rock him.
“Yes, while you were out with Billy this afternoon checking on the supplies, she said something and it's been nagging at me all day."
"What could my mother have said that has you asking such things?"
Alexis James squirmed just a little. Over the years, her curiosity had gotten her into several scrapes and since then she had tried to use common sense to keep it from happening again, but sometimes you just had to know something. More often than not, it seemed that social morays and restrictions impeded learning and when something got into her head, she had to understand it.
"She was talking about your father and she mentioned that she wasn't sure of him at first, but that then he kissed her and she knew."
"Knew what?" Reg pondered the idea, rolling it over and over like a pebble in his mind.
"That's what I couldn't understand. I mean I know my sisters seem to enjoy kissing their husbands, but I just don't see what the fuss is about." Lexi could feel her cheeks heating as she discussed the topic, but she just had to know.
"Yes, I see what you mean,” Reg’s voice was quiet, contemplative.
“I thought that maybe if you’d ever kissed a girl, then you'd have some insights into what your mother was talking about."
Reg was quiet for a long time as he worried the idea, looking at it from a variety of angles.
"I'm afraid you're going to have to ask someone else about it," his whisper barely reached her ears.
Lexi
dropped her eyes. She knew if she asked anyone else, they would have a million questions and she was only looking for simple answers. She did not need her whole family thinking she was smitten or some such nonsense. The only eligible man she knew was Reg and he was just a friend.
They stood on the boardwalk silently, alone and yet together as they each considered the situation.
"You'll just have to kiss me, then." Lexi's statement had Reg looking both directions to make sure no one had overheard.
"Alexis James!" His shocked whisper was so close to her ear it ruffled the strand of hair that had escaped their coif.
"Oh, don't get stuffy on me Reg," she chided. "I just want to understand what it is a kiss does. There is nothing wrong with that, is there?"
Reg rubbed the back of his neck, trying to see his way around her logic. She was only asking in a scientific sort of way, even if it was improper for a young woman to ask a man to kiss her. They were simply two friends helping each other work out a problem.
"Reg, you and I are friends, aren't we?" Lexi asked.
"Yes."
"And we've had wonderful conversations about books, and articles and about how the world works, haven't we?"
"Yes, but..."
"That's why I asked you. We can figure out what your mother meant together, and frankly no one needs to know how we studied on it."
Reg was quiet for a long time again, but Lexi left him to think about the problem, giving him space.
"How would we go about it?" He finally asked.
"Well to start you'd have to kiss me," Lexi spoke practically, "and then we could discuss it and try to understand how two people touching lips together could make them know they were right for each other."
"So the scientific principle then? Our premise is that a kiss can tell two people if they're supposed to be together, therefore we need to make a study of it." Reg paced a few steps away from his companion, then returned, his mind working on the problem methodically.