Page 13 of Wagon Train Dreams
“Another mile, and there’s a nice pond where we can camp.” Joe’s announcement brought a cheer.
Petey reached for Joe. Before he took the baby, Joe sent Hazel a questioning look. She nodded. He was more than welcome to take his fussy son.
He settled Petey in front of him. “Let’s move.”
Her limbs still ached, and her mouth still longed for a drink of cool water, but her feet moved with less protest than they had for the past hour.
Dark green ahead suggested trees. And surely, that meant water. Yes, she made out dots of blue at the foot of the trees. And then they were in the grove, the temperature noticeably cooler. And water nearby. The wagons were abandoned as the travelers hurried to get a drink. The men ducked their heads under the water.
Joe dismounted and took Petey for a drink, splashing water over the baby’s hot cheeks.
Hazel might have stayed, enjoying the cool refreshment, enjoying the way Joe played with Petey, but they had to set up camp. Joe handed the baby to her and joined the other men as they parked the wagons in a triangle and led the oxen to the pond. As soon as they were satisfied, the animals were set loose to graze on the nearby grass.
“It’s too hot for a fire,” Hazel murmured to Louise as they brought out cooking utensils.
But already Ma arranged wood for one.
A gunshot shattered the peace, jerking Hazel upright. Alarm burned through her veins.
Another shot rang out.
She checked for the men. They were all present and accounted for except Joe. Her mouth grew drier than it had been an hour ago.
Where was he? Had the shots been directed at him? They’d encountered men with evil hearts before. Men who shot first and didn’t bother to ask questions later.
Pain shafted through her insides, nailing her to the ground unable to move. Joe. Joe. She needed to find him. Make sure he was—What? Dead or alive?
Her legs melted, and she crumpled to the ground.
Questions rose and fell around her. Where did the shots come from? Who fired them? At what?
But only one thought filled her mind.
What if Joe?—
She swallowed a lump the size of a man’s fist. She should have tried harder to be friends with him. Why hadn’t she?
Because he didn’t fit the picture of what she needed and wanted in the future. A man who would provide her with the permanency she desired.
Why did that matter when life was so short and fragile?
Why not enjoy the things right in front of her? Even if they were fleeting and temporary? She should have been more persistent in trying to establish friendship. She should have been honest about her feelings toward him.
If she got another chance?—
Horse hooves thudded toward them.
Joe held out two geese and called, “Meat for the meal.”
Strength returned to her legs, and she pushed to her feet.
Reason returned to her head. Why had she panicked? Why had she allowed such foolishness into her thoughts? Of course, she wasn’t about to forget every plan, every goal, every promise she’d made to herself.
But regret was a difficult thing to live with. Was she ready to take that journey in order to be safe? Or was she willing to take a chance? One that promised something more than safety. Shouldn’t she explore the idea?
She shook her head. Her plans for the future must include the stability she sought. Not just for herself. Petey needed it, too.
Chapter Four
