Portals of Time

by Vicky McCracken

  Missy and Jessie looked at each other and smiled. “It wasn’t romantic or anything.”

  Missy said, “Jessie had come off a long cattle drive and happened to stop by my father’s saloon for a drink and something to eat. He really impressed me when we were going upstairs so I could show him to his room,” Missy looked at her husband smiling.

  “I didn’t know that,” Jessie said.

  “What happened,” asked Justin.

  “We were going up the stairs when this drunk cowpoke tried to grab at me and Jessie decked him without even thinking,” Missy told them.

  “You never told me that,” Jessie said to his wife.

  Missy leaned over and kissed Jessie’s cheek. “I don’t tell you everything dear.”

  Justin and Helen looked at each other. Justin could see Jessie smiling. “I fell in love with her at once,” he said.

  “It took a while longer for me but once I realized I was in love with him, I was head over heels as you would say,” Missy said.

  “Have you always lived here in Texas,” Helen asked.

  “No, I was born and raised in Tennessee,” said Missy.

  “So was I,” Justin returned.

  “Jessie was born in Tennessee too I think,” Missy continued. “Once we were married, we moved here because he had heard land was cheaper here. Once we saw this land, we knew it was our home. We named it The Lazy Cross because one day Jessie found a broken branding iron, which had been a cross at one time. It was broken and leaned to one side. Jessie took it to the blacksmith in town. He couldn’t straighten it. When Jessie brought it back, I said it looked like a lazy cross and that’s how we got the name for the ranch.” Missy was laughing.

  Jessie was laughing also. “The first time she darned my socks, she had both socks sewn together and they were way too small. The toe was where the middle should have been.”

  All four of them laughed. Justin was watching Jessie and Missy and could see how much they loved each other. It reminded him of his Grandma and Grandpa when he was a small boy before Grandma died. He didn’t remember ever seeing a love like this with his mother and father. He hoped one day he could find someone he would love as much. He looked over at Helen and she was smiling.

  Justin’s mind then went to the land. He couldn’t ever have dreamed of Texas looking this way. The air was clear and clean. The trees and the land looked so young and fresh. It was beautiful in a rustic kind of way. There were a few hills where now it was mostly flat. He figured water and elements of time had made it look different. Of course the homes and buildings didn’t help either.

  He must have dozed off for when he opened his eyes, Aunt Helen was also asleep. He had no way of knowing how far they had come when Jessie pulled the wagon into a small clearing where there were already several wagons parked. There were make shift tables covered with faded cloths already loaded with food. Some of the women were starting a fire some feet away from the tables. Everyone waved and smiled as Jessie pulled the wagon into the group. One man and woman came toward them.

  “Good morning to you,” one man said as he came up to the wagon.

  “Good morning,” Jessie answered. “Our good friend, Mr. Brown, told us about your barn raising and we remembered how everyone came out to help us when we first moved here. My name is Jessie James McCoy and this,” he placed his arm around Missy’s shoulders, “is my wife Missy.” Then he pointed to Justin and Helen. “These are our friends from the rich side but they are willing to help. We will have to explain to them what to do.” Jessie jumped down from the wagon and came round to help Missy. Before doing so, he shook the hand of the man who had come out to meet them.

  “I’m Charlie Post and this is my wife Jenny. We are glad to have you,” he and Jessie helped Justin and Helen down from the back of the wagon.

  “I’m Justin and this is Helen,” Justin said as he shook hands with the man who had helped him off the wagon. “Here to help you any way we can.’

  “Good to meet you friend,” Charlie said as he waved his hand. “Jenny will take you ladies to the women folks and you two can come with me,” he said pointing at Jessie and Justin.

  Justin followed Jessie and soon with the help of some other men, Justin had nailed boards together to make one side of the barn they were building. By lunch time, they had all four sides up on the barn. Justin stood looking up at the work they had done. A few more boards and a roof and then the doors. He was proud of the work he himself had finished.

  After mashing his fingers a few times with the hammer, one of the men told Justin to carry the logs. He teamed up with a young man named Lee and together they carried the large logs. Then before he realized it, someone was yelling, “Dinner. Come get it.”

  He followed the rest of the men to a small pan of water which was already dirty by the time it was Justin’s turn to wash his hands. He washed them any way and dried them on a large dirty cloth which lay beside the pan on the table. Then he made his way over to the rows of tables where there was more food than he had ever seen in one place.

  “Dive in,” Jessie told him. “We still have till dark to work. You’re goin’ to need your strength.”

  Justin was hungry and he filled up his plate. The food was plain and unseasoned. Of everything he tried, the cakes and pies were the best. He managed to get Aunt Helen alone for a minute before they went back to work.

  “How are you doing,” he asked.

  “I’m okay,” she smiled. “People sure worked hard and they thought it was the simple life. Nothing is simple about it.”

  “I know. Did you like the food?”

  “It’s okay. I don’t know what kind of meat all this is though.”

  “I think it’s wild meat. You know, like rabbit, bear, deer, and I don’t know what else.” Justin said.

  “You’re probably right,” Helen told him.

  The rest of the day went by as fast as the morning and it was close to dark when finally they were finished. The men were all patting each other on the back. “Good work,” they were saying.

  The one thing Justin liked about this time period was that, to these people, everyone was an equal. No one was left out and all were friends. They told Justin and Helen how nice it was to meet them and hoped to see them again.

  Everyone who helped left with something: a chicken, a pig, a cow, fresh baked bread, pies, or cakes. Missy and Jessie left with a cow and a pig because Justin and Helen had helped. Missy also had a loaf of bread and a pie.

  None of these people seemed to worry about money. Everyone was happy with what they had. Justin and Helen climbed into the back of the wagon with the homemade crate holding the small pig and Jessie tied the cow to the back.

  It grew dark before they arrived back at the cabin and Missy held up a lantern so Jessie could see a little. Justin wondered how he could see at all but soon realized the horses pretty much knew their way home and Missy was watching for large rocks or holes in the road.

  Once back at the cabin, Justin helped Jessie with the team and said good night and headed back to the barn. He was so tired he had almost fallen asleep on the way back and Helen had fallen asleep. Missy had gotten her awake enough to walk into the cabin and lay down on the bed.

  Justin was cold and crawled under the heavy covers. He never knew what time Jessie joined him but the next time he awoke was to the sound of the cows mooing as Jessie milked them. Missy was feeding the other animals and smiled as he got up.

  Justin rubbed his eyes as he slid into the old shoes. “Is Helen up,” he asked her.

  “I left her in the house by the stove drinking a cup of coffee,” Missy returned.

  “I’ll go see how she is this morning,” Justin said as he started out of the barn.

  He found Helen at the table sipping a cup of coffee. As he entered the room, she smiled. “I’m so ready to go back home, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. After we eat, I’ll have Jessie take us back or tell us how to get there.”

  Justin poured himsel
f a cup of coffee which he thought was very strong. Before he could finish his coffee, Missy and Jessie came in from the barn.

  “I’ll have some breakfast in a jiffy,” Missy said as she bustled around the room and true to her word, there was fresh hen eggs, fresh bread, cured ham, and homemade jelly. It was a good meal. Justin wondered if he was getting used to the food or he was more hungry than usual.

  Jessie agreed to ride out with them to where he found them. Justin told him they could find their way home from there. Soon they had saddled up horses and were riding toward the spot where Jessie had first found them. They all shook hands.

  “It was nice to meet you Jessie,” Justin said.

  “Same here. Come back anytime.”

  Justin and Helen assured him they would and waved as they watched him ride away leading the extra horse with him.

  “Alright, let’s see if we can get back home. How does that sound?”

  “Wonderful,” replied Aunt Helen.

  CHAPTER 4

  Justin took the watch from his pocket and as soon as Jessie rode off he asked, “Where were we standing Aunt Helen?”

  Helen looked around for a minute with a strange look on her face. She studied every part of the spot where they were. At last she smiled. “There. That was where we were standing when we arrived,” she was pointing to a place about fifty yards away from where she now stood.

  “Okay.” Justin had known Aunt Helen would find the spot because she was a details person all the time but even more so when she was in a strange place.

  They walked together to the spot and Justin moved the little car forward. The wind began to blow followed by a loud clap of thunder and a streak of lightning. Then they were caught up in a whirlwind. Justin was getting dizzy and closed his eyes. As quickly as it started, it all seemed to stop. Justin waited a minute before he opened his eyes. When he did, he realized he and Aunt Helen were back in Grandpa’s basement.

  “Oh thank goodness, we’re home. I’m so glad,” Helen said before Justin could say anything.

  “I’m glad to be back too,”

  Together they made their way upstairs.

  “I’m going to make us some good food,” Helen said heading toward the kitchen. In only a minute she called, “Justin, come here.”

  Justin rushed to the kitchen. “What is it Aunt Helen?”

  “Look at this Justin,” she was pointing to the open refrigerator door.

  Justin looked inside. Everything was spoiled. “We have been gone for a good long time,” he said, “in this time anyway,” as he finished speaking his phone rang and he jumped.

  Helen laughed. “Better answer it.”

  Looking to see who it was he smiled. “It’s mom.”

  “Justin, where have you been? I have been trying to call you and Helen for the last three weeks.”

  “We’ve been out of town mom, but we’re back now. When are you and dad coming back?”

  “That’s what I called to tell you, Justin. We’ll be coming back by the end of the week.”

  “Good. I can’t wait to see you.”

  “You aren’t leaving again, are you?”

  “No mom, we will be here. In fact, we were getting ready to go get some food. I can’t wait to see you both.”

  “Me either, Justin. I love you son.”

  “I love you too, mom. I’ll see you at the end of the week.”

  He pushed the end button on the phone. “With mom and dad coming back at the end of the week, I need to read some more of Grandpa’s journals and you need to go shopping.”

  “Yes, okay, I’m going to town. I’ll be back and fix us something to eat. I can’t believe we were gone so long.”

  “Mom said she had been trying to call for three weeks.”

  “We’ve been gone for three weeks in this time but it was only two days in the other time.”

  “It has to do with the movement of the cars. I’ve got to read some more. Aunt Helen, mom and dad can’t find out about this. They aren’t as opened minded as you are.”

  “Bev would think both of us were crazy or something,” Helen laughed.

  “Don’t I know it. Please be careful Aunt Helen. I’ll see you when you return,” he kissed her cheek lightly.

  Justin made his way back toward the basement excited now to read more about his grandpa’s adventures. Once he was in the basement, he began to look through the journals when one caught his eye and he sat down to read:

  I got back today from only a few weeks back. It was a delightful trip. I’m sure Justin, if you are reading this, you must have already met Jessie and maybe Missy in the past. I traveled just past Houston to a ranch called The Lazy Cross. It is a beautiful place and Jessie and Lori are wonderful people. I told them about you Justin. I’d love for you to visit them. Not with the watch, just go. It isn’t far at all. A nice little drive really. They would love to meet you. You will learn from them the story that leads us up to now, with the travel thing. Their child is now five and she is beautiful.

  Justin stopped reading. Now he was interested in what happened to Missy and the child she was carrying. They were both such nice people that Justin couldn’t help but like them. “Had Jessie left Missy and his child behind in the western world to be with a woman named Lori in this one? He hadn’t seemed like someone who would do something like that. Besides, he and Missy had seemed to be so much in love.”

  He knew he would go to see them. Of course the little girl would be seven by now because the date on the journal was a little over a year ago. He leaned back in the chair with all this going through his head. He picked up the journal again hoping for some more information. Once more he began to read. The date was a few days past the last entry:

  I went back to the past yesterday and discovered what happened. I was so surprised. I’m not going to tell you, Justin. I want you to make these trips also but I can let you know how to set the watch to go forward and backward to find out what you need to know. I think first, though, you should visit Jessie and Lori on their ranch. They will greet you with open arms.

  Justin came to the end of the entry. He looked through the rest of the journal. Of course Grandpa wouldn’t put how to set the watch to travel to a time where he could find it. He would have to go see Jessie and Lori. He took out his phone and called directory assistance and asked for a Jessie or Lori McCoy at a ranch called The Lazy Cross. He wrote down the number, even though he was connected. The phone rang twice and then he heard a child’s voice on the other end.

  “Hello,” the girl’s voice said.

  “Hello,” Justin returned. “Is your mom or dad home?”

  “Yes,”

  “Could I speak to one of them please.”

  “Yes,” the girl repeated.

  In only a few seconds, a man’s voice came on the line.

  “Hello, may I help you?”

  Justin explained who he was and Jessie laughed.

  “Yes, I remember your grandfather well. He told us you would be calling or coming by. I take it he has passed away.”

  “Yes. I would like to come by and talk to you. Did Grandpa tell you he was keeping journals?”

  “He mentioned something about writing things down. I guess he must have because you know about us, or at least me anyway.”

  “That’s just it Jessie. He hasn’t told me anything. He said I needed to come see you and Lori and you would fill me in.”

  Jessie laughed again. “Sounds a lot like Mason. He was a wonderful man and very smart. He reminded me of my father-in- law in a way. I mean, my first wife’s father. Anyway, yes, come on out. We are having a cookout this evening with lots of food for everyone. Please feel free to bring someone with you if you want. Do you want directions or the address?”

  “Address, I have G.P.S. on my phone.”

  Jessie gave him the address and he wrote it down. Soon after they hung up. Justin promised he would come out for the cookout.

  After hanging up the phone, he sat and thought. Jessie soun
ded like any other man from this time. He thought about how he had been in the 1800’s. All this was so strange he could hardly wait to hear Jessie and Lori’s story. He had no idea how long he sat there deep in thought until he heard Helen enter the house. He went upstairs to help her with the groceries she had bought.

  As they put the things away, he told her what he had read and about talking to Jessie.

  “All this sounds like dad, Justin. I would love to come with you. I want to know what happened too.”

  “Okay. By the time we get there, it should be close to time for the cookout and I want to talk some first,” Justin told her.

  “Hey, I’m ready,” Helen said smiling.

  “Alright, let’s go,” Justin said as he walked toward the car with Helen close beside him. Once inside the car, he set his G.P.S. to the address Jessie had given him. It was a great ride. Justin had never been this far from his grandpa’s house before. Not in this direction anyway. The land was flat and Justin could see for miles.

  “It’s beautiful here, isn’t it?” Helen asked.

  “Yes it is. It sure is different than in Tennessee where there are so many hills. You don’t know what’s around the next curve or over the next hill if you’ve never been there.”

  Helen laughed. “I always wondered why your mother and father wanted to move so far away from home.”

  “Dad’s job took him there and they liked it after living there for a little while. I like it there also. I guess because its home,” Justin said as he turned onto a road. “Well, here we are Aunt Helen at The Lazy Cross Ranch.”

  He then turned into the drive with the sign hanging from the black rod above the huge gate. The sign was also in black stating to everyone who came by that this was The Lazy Cross Ranch. The large gate was open and as Justin drove through, he could see men working in the fields and some in a distance on horseback. Soon they came to what looked like an old hotel. It was a long building with rows of doors and Justin assumed it was a bunkhouse now. A few hundred feet up from the bunkhouse sat a beautiful large white house. It was one of the biggest houses Justin had ever seen. He could see a man out in the huge yard working in a flower bed. Another man was working in the yard and in the back but Justin couldn’t tell what they were doing.