Page 46 of Homestead

It’s fine. I’ve never once expected him to love me or for us to have a normal intimate relationship. What we have began as and still is transactional. A practical arrangement. It’s worked well so far and hopefully still will as long as I don’t try to force it into something it’s not.

Jimmy is a good man who works hard at whatever job is set before him. One of his jobs now is to take care of me—make sure I’m safe and provided for and content. He does that job well, and I appreciate it. I appreciatehim.

I want to do my job well too.

I lucked out with Jimmy. Big time. Finding a man like him is a dream come true in a world like this one. So I’m not going to take it for granted or waste time wishing for even more.

He doesn’t seem to mind my giggling tonight, and he keeps his arm around my waist for most of the walk. Nothing dampens my mood until, on the dark ascent of the hill before we enter the woods, we encounter two guys walking toward us.

They look dangerous. Questionable. Unkempt and carrying multiple weapons.

I move even closer to Jimmy. I didn’t bring my pistol with me since I wasn’t going to be alone, but it feels like I could use it right now.

Jimmy draws and aims his weapon as the men get closer.

They look at us but don’t make any threatening moves.

When they’ve passed and are out of sight, I whisper, “Are those the same guys we saw walking through here a few months ago?”

“Yeah.” Jimmy sounds sober. Worried. “Don’t much like that they’re still lurking around.”

“What can we do?”

“I don’t know. I’ll ask around to see if anyone else has seen them.” He glances down at me. “Don’t wander around on your own.”

“I never do. I never go anywhere if you’re not with me.”

“Good.”

“Maybe they’re not as bad as they look. They’ve never done anything questionable.”

“I know. But still… don’t feel right.”

“Yeah. I agree.” I shake off the worry and take Jimmy’s arm, staying close as we enter the woods and complete the walk back home.

* * *

The next morning, Jimmy decides to go hunting, so I’m left alone.

It’s supposed to be a rest day, but Jimmy says he feels like doing something and he’ll be back before lunch. He enjoys hunting, so it’s more recreation than work for him.

There’s no reason he shouldn’t go, so I don’t resent his going.

I putter around the house for a few hours, straightening things up and doing some mending, and then I go lie in the sun to relax since it’s an unusually warm morning for March.

When I hear motion in the woods, I assume it’s Jimmy returning. I’m pleased that he wasn’t gone for very long and sit up to greet him.

But it’s not Jimmy who steps out of the woods.

It’s a stranger. A man. Big and rough-looking. Intimidating. I can’t tell for sure since I didn’t look very closely last night, but I think it’s one of those guys we encountered on the walk back home in the dark.

I freeze, sitting halfway up on the blanket I spread out on the deck. I’m wearing my long brown skirt and a loose white top. I don’t have my pistol or any sort of weapon close by. Or anywhere in reach.

The man grins when he sees me.

“There you are,” he drawls. As if we know each other. “Wondered where such a hot little number been hidin’.”

I gulp. My stomach churns. I try to make my brain work since I’ve got to react to obvious danger, but it’s a blank, emptied out from fear and shock.

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