Page 49 of Wagon Train Dreams
He rested his forehead against hers. If he could, he would promise she’d never be alone. But life made that impossible.
“I found the three of them in front of the barn. Ma had her arms around Bertie, guiding him to the house. Pa noticed me. Guess he could tell how afraid I was. He sat on the ground and scooped me onto his knees. ‘Hazel, my sweet daughter, you’re safe. You’ll always be safe, even when your mother and I aren’t nearby.’ I shook my head. I couldn’t imagine feeling safe without them.”
She turned to look toward the water.
“Pa pulled me to my feet and pointed at the moon on the water of the trough.” Her voice slowed and deepened. “‘Howlong,’ he asked, ‘do you think the moon will stay in the sky? And the sun and stars?’ I said forever. He said there was something that would last longer than that. God’s love and care. And, he said, it was there even when the sun wasn’t shining and clouds covered the sky.”
Stars shone in her eyes now as she gazed at Joe. “That is something we need to remember. You and I can face a future together because God is with us.”
He crushed her to his chest. “Your father was a very wise man.” What would he have said to someone like Joe courting his daughter?
But he wasn’t going to let possible problems rob him of his present joy.
They held each other as the air cooled and dampness rose from the water.
“It’s time for you to go to bed.” He helped her rise and led her to her wagon, waited until she slipped inside before he spread his bedroll, hidden in the trees, but where he saw her wagon…all of the wagons, of course. After all, he hadn’t forgotten he was the scout.
With that reminder in place, he rose before dawn the next day and led Boots away from camp to swing into the saddle. By the time the flare of pink and orange and purple in the sky had given way to the sun, Joe had a good-sized young buck across the back of the horse and made his way back to camp. And Hazel.
He saw her before she saw him. She bent over Petey, wiping his face and laughing at something Little Warrior said.
“Whoa,” Joe said to Boots and sat motionless, drinking in the sight of her. Her hair shone in the sunshine.
Her pa’s words came to him. God’s love was more eternal than the sun in the sky.
Was it enough to carry them through the challenges ahead? His smile deepened. He could face the unkind—and worse—treatment others would hand him.
She thought herself brave enough to endure it, but could he, by his association with her, invite it?
The Georges seemed to think it possible. Ignore the bullies. Accept that others didn’t share their opinion.
Hazel’s head came up, and their gazes connected. A smile to rival the sun brightened her face.
Yes, today, he believed he could enjoy sharing his life with her.
Joe returned. He’d only been gone a few hours, but it had seemed longer. But those hungry moments slipped away at his welcome smile. Last night, he’d hinted he was willing to accept her into his life, but his smile said more. It promised a future together.
She took a step, eager to close the distance between them, to feel him in her arms and in her heart. But he nodded, his smile lingering as he rode to the nearest wagon, swung down, and lifted a carcass from the back of his horse.
Of course, he’d brought in meat just as he planned. A man who always did what he promised. She hugged the truth to herself. As she watched his progress, her gaze brushed by Ma’s and then returned. Ma’s smile was knowing. And encouraging. Or at least Hazel believed so. Ma might have noticed that, as soon as breakfast ended, Hazel had slipped away to her wagon and packed a picnic. She hoped she and Joe would get a chance to enjoy it. Ma might have known what Hazel planned. After all,she understood how much Hazel liked picnics and how she’d prepared several for Peter. It appeared that Ma approved.
Hazel sucked in a happy breath as she joined the other women at the wagon. They had jars ready to preserve the meat. Gratitude for the bounty intermingled in Hazel’s thoughts with regrets for the work that would keep her from her afternoon plans. She edged closer to Joe. “That didn’t take long,” she murmured, her words hidden behind the conversations of the others.
“Really? It seemed like a long time to me.”
“Me too.” Their gazes said so much more than their words, and she turned away before she forgot herself in front of the others.
“As soon as this is taken care of,” she whispered, “I have a surprise.”
“Can’t wait.” He led his horse to the water while Hazel joined the others in preparing the meat.
Working quickly, an efficient team, they packed the jars and immersed them in boiling water.
Ma wiped her hands on a wet cloth. “Now we wait for this to process. There’s no need for us all to stand around watching it. You girls go do something useful. Or playful. Whatever you want.” She gave an all-inclusive wave to them.
Hazel needed no further encouragement. Seeing Joe by the water, maybe cleaning something, she hurried to him. “I planned a picnic for us.”
If she feared he might think the idea foolish, the way his face lit up chased away such thoughts.
