As Time Goes By (The Californians 2)

by Lori Wick

  Jake's look was understanding as he asked Jeff to build the fire. Thinking he had put a strain on the evening, Jeff was grateful for something to do.

  Bobbie and Marcail were as ladylike as always, and supper was a mixture of delicious food and laughter. They used the provisions from home for that meal, but Troy and Jake set out snares for the meals the following day. Bobbie planned to be up early to do some fishing. Jeff told himself he would join her, but she and Troy left camp so quietly that Jeff and Marcail slept through it.

  Brother and sister sat side-by-side on the creek bank and talked in low tones.

  "I thought Carla was going to come this weekend," Bobbie commented just as she felt a tug on her line. Troy didn't answer for a minute because his mind was still working on the fact that Bobbie hadn't lost her touch. She was one of the best anglers he knew.

  "It's her dad's birthday and they're having a special dinner tonight."

  "Why didn't you stay?"

  Troy chuckled softly. "I love Carla, but I'd much rather go camping than attend a birthday party."

  Tears flooded Bobbie's eyes when her brother confided that he loved his girlfriend. She turned her face quickly

  back to the water, but Troy noticed. "What's the matter?" "Nothing."

  "You like Carla, don't you?"

  "Oh Troy, she's wonderful! Please don't mind me." They were quiet for a moment. Two more fish were snagged, one for each of them, and then Troy spoke quietly.

  "I liked Cleve."

  "I like him too, Troy, but like isn't enough to build a marriage on."

  "No, I guess it isn't."

  'Are you and Carla going to be married?"

  "Yes."

  "What are you waiting for?"

  "I want to put a little money away."

  "How does Carla feel about that?"

  "She wants to be married right away. She says she can go to work if we need the money, but I don't want my wife working."

  "Oh, I can see why you must feel that way. Your own mother has worked out of the house for years, and you can see how miserable she and Dad are." Bobbie's voice was sarcastic in the extreme, and Troy just stared at her.

  'nd of course," she went on relentlessly, "it's much easier to say goodbye to your future wife on her parents' front porch than in the privacy of your own home where you can hold her all you want."

  "Well, I guess you told me," Troy muttered good-naturedly, but Bobbie could see her words had affected

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  him. They were quiet again while Bobbie brought in three more fish in quick succession.

  "How do you do that?" Troy asked in some exaspera tion, but she only laughed. They talked on in close companionship for another few minutes before they were joined by Jeff.

  He was unshaven and a little fuzzy around the edges.

  Bobbie didn't think she had ever seen him look so cute. "Good morning," Troy greeted him.

  "Hi." His voice was gravelly from lack of use. Bobbie smiled. "How did you sleep?"

  "It took me awhile to fall asleep, but once I went out, it was for the night." Jeff rubbed his back and Bobbie asked what was wrong.

  ''I think I missed one of the rocks under my bedroll, and it left a permanent dent in my back."

  Troy and Bobbie laughed without compassion. They laughed again a few minutes later when Jeff looked in the creel and told Troy he was impressed with his fishing ability.

  "What did I say?" he asked after the laughter died down.

  "Tell him, Bobbie," Troy prompted her.

  Strangely enough, Bobbie was a little embarrassed. When she didn't say anything, Jeff sat down beside her and took the pole from her hands.

  "You really should have brought Gil along. He's the best fisherman in the family. But then I'm not sure he could compete with you, Bobbie, since I'm sure you must be the one who caught most of those fish."

  Thinking that Jeff never took long to catch on, Bobbie didn't look at him. She was still angry with herself for the way her face heated up, and knowing that he was

  staring at her profile just caused her face to flush all over again.

  "I'll take these back," Troy said after a moment. "When you catch more you can string them." Bobbie and Jeff were silent as they listened to the sound of Troy's foot steps. Bobbie glanced over at Jeff to find him still staring at her. She returned the look and wondered what he was thinking. She didn't wait long to find out.

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  thirty-five

  "You were embarrassed in front of me just now. I want to know why." Jeff's voice was undemanding, but Bobbie knew he would sit right where he was until he had an answer.

  "Come on, Bobbie," he coaxed after a moment. "There isn't anything you can't tell me."

  "It's just my pride, Jeff," she admitted quietly.

  "I don't understand."

  Bobbie ran a self-conscious hand through her hair, wishing she had taken a comb to it. "It doesn't matter that our friendship isn't a romantic one, Jeff; no girl likes to be caught with her hair uncombed, wearing denim pants, and catching fish so well that she's mistaken for a man." Bobbie shrugged apologetically. "Like I said, Jeff, it's just my pride."

  Jeff stared at her incredulously. Was she serious? It took him a moment to see that she was. ''I don't think there's anything you could do, Bobbie," Jeff replied softly, "that would cause you to be mistaken for a man."

  It was Bobbie's turn to stare. Jeff returned her scrutiny,

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  their eyes meeting with questions and a hesitancy that had never been present in their relationship before.

  Bobble watched as Jeff's eyes dropped to her mouth, and her throat went dry. With his free hand he reached out to touch the corner of her mouth with a single finger, just brushing it with a single caress. He shook his head slowly as he spoke in a whisper.

  "Maybe the most adorable thing in Santa Rosa, but definitely not a man."

  Bobbie didn't know what to say. She turned her head back to the water and Jeff did the same.

  "I don't seem to be doing very well with this pole. Maybe I'd better give it back to you."

  Bobbie took the offer for what it was, a chance to return the conversation to comfortable ground. They fished for another 20 minutes and then headed back to camp for breakfast with three more fish.

  Once again Jeff believed the rest of the weekend would be awkward, but all was fine. The day passed in friend ship and laughter and both Jeff and Bobbie were relieved that the uncomfortable moment on the creek bank had passed without harm.

  As the sun sank lower in the afternoon sky, Bobbie told Marcail to gather her things for their Saturday night bath. Jake accompanied the girls and sat well out of sight with his gun, but close enough to assist if they should call.

  He had brought his Bible along, but the laughter and splashes he heard made him put his head back against the rock where he had sat down, and smile. Bobbie was always so much fun, he mused. Marcail must have thought so too, since her laughter seemed to be nonstop.

  Not until this weekend did Jake notice the way Bobbie and Jeff treated each other. Maryanne had mentioned

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  her observations to him, but he thought little of it. Jake had the distinct impression that something wasn't quite right when they returned from fishing, but the rest of the day went on in such a normal fashion that Jake doubted his own thoughts.

  In fact, he put the whole thing out of his mind until he came back with the girls. He had never given any thought to it before, but a woman with wet hair needed to have privacy. At least Jake began to think so as he noticed Jeff watching Bobbie attentively.

  Since Bobbie's hair was short and curly she didn't do much to it until it was dry, and then all she did was fluff the waves up to make them a little fuller. With her hair in close damp curls all around her head, she looked like she had just come from her bath, which she had, and that seemed very personal to Jake.

  He w
atched his daughter and Jeff closely for a time, but there was nothing intimate about their actions. They shared light banter and their legs were nearly touching as Marcail sat in Jeff's lap so Bobbie could brush her hair.

  Jake could make no sense of it. He and Maryanne hadn't acted that way until after they were married. Jake entertained thoughts of speaking to Jeff, but prayed instead. The Lord gave him an unexpected peace and he let the matter drop in his mind.

  Bobbie prayed for just such a peace several hours later. Supper was over and it was quite dark. Everyone was in his bedroll. Marcail was sound asleep beside her, but slumber simply would not come for Bobbie. Replaying the scene from the creek again and again in her mind, the words of a friend from church spoken weeks before haunted her.

  "Bobbie, if you're not going to marry Jeffrey Taylor, let him go so one of us can."

  Bobbie had laughed and made some remark that made the whole group of gifts roar, but Bobbie didn't feel like laughing now. Earlier in the afternoon Bobbie and Jeff had talked about his date with Sylvia.

  "We had fun," Jeff had told her. "Sylvia has changed lately, and we talked about things we've never discussed before. We have another date Monday night."

  Bobbie had been glad for him. She knew from Jeff's own admission how badly he felt about not seeing her, but they both had known it was for the best. The only person who hadn't known was Sylvia. Jeff and Bobbie had both prayed she would come to a peace about that. Now it seemed Sylvia had.

  It also seemed that Jeff and Sylvia were going to be seeing each other again, and in Bobbie's mind that could only mean matrimony. But if that were the case, then why had Jeff talked to her and touched her as though she were someone special? Not just special, but special?

  This and many other questions kept Bobbie awake far into the night. The next morning she was so sleepy that she figured it must have been the wee morning hours before sleep finally claimed her.

  She was by nature a morning person, but today all she did for the first half-hour was sit and stare into her coffee cup. She heard the teasing remarks from her family and Jeff, but all she could do was smile.

  '.re you all right?" The question came from her father

  after Troy and Jeff went to the creek to clean up. "Just tired."

  "I heard you tossing in the wagon for quite awhile." "I hope I didn't keep you awake." "No. You want to talk?"

  Bobbie's voice dropped as she answered. "Not when we might be interrupted, but thanks."

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  Jake followed his daughter's gaze and they both watched Marcail approach. She was having the time of her young life.

  "Do we really have to go back today, Bobbie?" were the first words from her mouth.

  "I'm afraid so, Marcail." Jake answered for Bobbie, who was still pretty fuzzy around the edges.

  "I take it you've had fun," Bobbie finally said. Marcail didn't answer, but smiled at Bobbie and Jake with the shy smile which came over her face when she was at a loss for words.

  Troy and Jeff made a tremendous amount of noise coming back into camp. Troy's hair was completely wet and both men were laughing. When Troy stopped chuckling he explained that Jeff had bumped him as he knelt on the bank, and he had gone face-first into the water. His hands had stopped the rest of his body from going in, but the whole incident had been such a surprise that he had been sure he was about to drown.

  Jeff apologized twice during a breakfast of pancakes, but he was laughing too hard to be taken seriously. After the dishes were done the campers sat on the logs while Jake read from the Scriptures.

  "This is James, chapter one, verses two through six. "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.'"

  They had a time of prayer after the Bible was closed, with Jake opening and Troy closing. Jeff now understood what Bobbie meant when she said they had their own service when they slept too late at home, and why she said she always enjoyed it.

  With plans to be back home for lunch, they began to break camp a short time later. Jeff, Bobbie, and Marcail were once again in the back, and Bobbie asked the younst

  camper how she enjoyed the weekend.

  "When can we come again?"

  Jeff laughed. "I guess that answers your question." "Did you have fun, Jeff?" Marcail wanted to know. "Oh yes," Jeff said with conviction. "Everything was great. It was also enlightening, and that was something I hadn't planned on."

  Jeff said these last words as if he were alone, and even though neither Bobbie nor Marcail questioned him, Bobie thought about it all the way home.

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  Bobbie was getting ready to go to lunch on Monday

  when Carla Johnson walked into the shipping office. "Hi, Carla."

  "Hi, Bobbie, are you by any chance free for lunch?"

  "I was just getting ready to leave. Let me check with Bill to see if he's ready to let me go."

  Carla waited while Bobbie knocked on Bill's door and was given permission to leave.

  "Where shall we go?" Bobbie wanted to know. "To the hotel."

  "The hotel? What's the occasion?"

  Carla waited until they were a few steps up the street. "The occasion is that Troy came over last night and told me he wants to be married right away. When I asked how come the change of heart, he said it was because of something you said."

  Bobbie stopped in her tracks and stared at Carla. The next instant they were hugging and Bobbie was fighting tears. Once at the hotel Carla found them a table and they talked nonstop for the next hour.

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  "Can you please tell me what you said to Troy this weekend?"

  Bobbie shrugged. "It wasn't much. I asked him if you two were going to be married and when he said yes, I asked what he was waiting for. To put it simply, I crit icized him for his reasons. I could see it made him think."

  Carla sighed. "Thanks, Bobbie. I've wanted to bring up the subject of my working for a long time, but I felt that might be pushing him. Until last night, I wasn't really sure he wanted to marry me because he always used that reason. I just never thought it had any valid ity."

  "So what are your plans now?"

  "First of all, your parents are coming to supper tomor row night, and the six of us--that includes my folks-- are going to talk. Will you feel bad, Bobbie, because you're not there?"

  "Just awful," Bobbie said with a smile. "I'll pout all evening. Now tell me more!"

  "We'd like to be married right away, say in a month, with just a quiet ceremony. Then, after we've been away for a few days on a honeymoon trip, we'd like to come home, get settled in our house, and have a reception with the church family."

  "I think that sounds wonderful! Where will you live?" "That's one of the items we need to discuss with our folks. With Troy working on this side of town, it would be nice to find a place close by."

  Lunch had been served to the ladies, but they had barely taken notice. Bobbie commented that she better eat or she would go back to work hungry. Carla contin ued to tell her future sister-in-law of her plans, and long

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  before they were done Bobbie had to go back the shipping office, wishing as she did that she had time to find Troy and hug him.

  Bobbie was almost as dreamy as Carla had been at lunch when she went back to work. But preoccupied as she was, she did not fail to notice how distracted Jeff seemed. He was polite, but it was clear that something weighed on his mind.

  Bobbie was not given an opportunity to question him, but when Sylvia came in at closing time Jeff instantly perked up. Bobbie was relieved to witness such a scene, sin
ce it gave her peace of mind over his odd behavior. Jeff excused himself for a moment to finish some business.

  "Hello, Bobbie," Sylvia greeted her quietly from where she waited by the door. Bobbie finally recalled Jeff saying he had a date with Sylvia.

  "Hi, Sylvia. Come over, sit down."

  Sylvia took one of the chairs by the desk, and even though Bobbie had things to do, she set her pencil aside and smiled at the stunning blonde.

  "How was your weekend?" Sylvia wanted to know. "It was great. The weather was perfect and I know that Marcail had the time of her life. How were things here in town?"

  "Pretty quiet, I think, although church was full." Sylvia hesitated a moment and then rushed on. "Bobbie, there's something I need to say to you."

  Bobbie smiled expectantly and waited.

  "I've never apologized to you for the way I acted at the lagoon, but I'm sorry. I'm also sorry that it's taken me this long to tell you." Sylvia's face was flushed and Bobie realized how difficult it must have been for Sylvia to hold that in all these years.

  "Thank you, Sylvia," Bobble said simply and gave Sylvia a smile of such serenity that her fears of rejection drained away in an instant.

  The women tailed until Jeff returned. Sylvia told Bobie about Pastor's sermon and Bobble shared with Sylvia about her niece and nephew. Their chatter was random, and how they chose those subjects was not clear. What was clear was there was no more constraint between them. They laughed and tailed in a normal way, with none'of the awkwardness that had been the hallmark of their previous conversations.

  When Jeff finally came from the office to claim Sylvia, Bobbie bid her goodbye, feeling like she had a new friend. On the other hand, her old friend Jeff was still perplexed about something. She had seen it in his face when he had said goodbye to her. Bobbie began praying as soon as she went back to her work that God would open a door for them to tail.

  Bobbie would have been surprised to know that Sylvia was praying for that very thing as she sat with Jeff in the hotel. Jeff was absorbed in some private distraction, and Sylvia, although not angry, was quite determined to find

  out if she was the cause. "How was work?" "Fine." Jeff told her. "And your weekend?"