BECCA Season of Willows (15 page)

Preacher Paul grinned at Still River and winked.
“Still River is a man we all know and respect. He has never caused any trouble and is a credit to our community. So I’d better not here any lip from any of yah!
River and Becca have showed me what they want and they will get their wish.

So first I will say that River will now be known legally as Still River McGann. Harrison’s children down right demanded it. The papers have been legally drawn up and witnessed and so from this day forward we will address River as Still River McGann.”
There were a few hushed whispers through the sanctuary and the preacher frowned.

Next is that the papers have been drawn up and witnessed to have Mackenzie and Mazie McGann adopted by Still River McGann to be their father and guardian until their majority. Becca, Mac and Mazie all agree whole-heartedly to this as requested in the will of Harrison McGann. So from this day forward Still River McGann is the legal guardian along with his wife Becca to Mackenzie and Mazie McGann.”

Aunt Ada in the back isle started clapping and before you knew it the entire congregation was joining in the joy of the moment. The preacher smiled pleased at the response.
“Now the last wish of Harrison McGann was that his blood brother and best friend Still River McGann marry Becca, if he should pass away.
He wanted insure that his children and his widow would be protected and happy with someone he trusted. So I have agreed to marry them for I know for a fact they love each other and want to be happily married.”
The preacher was about to start the ceremony when Sam Jones yelled.
“That just ain’t right! It’s against the law for her to marry an Injun! Them damn Sioux have killed a lot of white people and it ain’t right he gets to marry her. It’s just sinful! She’ll be no better than a low down…”

There was a lot of grumbling in the congregation. The preacher interrupted him quick!
“SAM JONES? SHUT YOUR MOUTH RIGHT NOW!”

Sam was so surprised he did shut up. The preacher looked at all of them.

“These two people come before God to marry. Who are we to tell them they can’t? Remember, he who is without sin, cast the first stone? I’m ashamed of yah!”

The preacher stared at his flock.

“Sam Jones? Are you without sin?”
Sam Hunkered down in the pew.
“No preacher!”

The preacher turned his eye on Marie Ettles.
“Marie Ettles? When your barn burned down, who helped you round up your horses and helped you build a new barn. He even put in your fencing?
Marie Ettles stood.
“It was Still River wad done it! And I told Becca she ought to get him quick before she had a bunch of no-goods showin’ up at her door!”
Mary chuckled and sat down. The Preacher then turned his eye on another.

“Eunice MacIntosh? when your Elsbeth was burning up with fever and your carriage broke a wheel on the way to the Doc. Who stopped and brought you and your daughter to the Doc and then went back and fixed your wheel and brought your carriage to yah?”
Eunice looked at River and smiled.
“It was Still River. He bundled up my Elsbeth and me and carried us to the Doc on his paint.

We would have died in that cold if he hadn’t come along.”

The preacher turned to Mrs. Grimes who was as old as God.

“Mrs. Grimes? Who is the man that always climbs that huge Sycamore tree of yours to save your cat for the one hundredth time?”
Mrs. Grimes chuckled.

“Still River McGann, that’s who! And he don’t bitch about it none either.”
There was more laughter and snickering as the pastor looked around.

“I could stand here all day and ask each of you about things this man has done for you and asked for nothing in return, even YOU Sam Jones!

Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but this here is Colorado Territory! Not Washington D.C.! So we do what we want out here. And I say these two people should marry and that’s what I’m gonna do. Not by the laws of man but by the laws of GOD!”

Marie Ettles slammed the tip of her cane on the ground.

“You tell ‘em preacher! I’ll say an AMEN to that!”

There were signs of agreement among the flock.

The preacher adjusted his coat and looked at River smiling.
“Okay let’s get you two married.”

Preacher Paul looked out to the flock again and saw Mac coming down the aisle. In his hands was a blanket.
River stared at the blanket and tears formed in his eyes. Becca turned and she saw what Mac had and started crying. Mac stood and turned to the congregation.
“This blanket was made by my Ahte’s Ina or in English My father, Still River’s Mama, she made the blanket before she was killed by the government troops.
Sioux use blankets instead of wedding rings to show they were married. This was the blanket his Mama made for River was to use. During the tornado this blanket was lost. But he never looked for it. He was too busy helping us and getting’ back the ranch in order.

I found it in the Henderson’s wheat field and washed it in the big stream by our house. It’s now ready for my Ina or my Mama to claim her husband.
Becca had been crying and wiped her eyes. She took the blanket and kissed Mac’s cheek.
“You rascal you!”
She took the blanket and laid it over her shoulders feeling the warmth of the blanket. Becca stepped forward and threw the blanket around River and they stood together. So Becca and Still River McGann stood before the preacher wrapped in his Mother’s wedding blanket and were married.

The words were said and River’s voice boomed across the sanctuary with his “I do” just at the right time as was Becca’s soft but sure “I do”.
In the end the preacher said with a big smile on his face.
“Now what God has joined together let NO MAN put asunder! I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Still River McGann.
River? You may now kiss your bride.”
River smiled and nodded to the preacher. River turned to his wife Becca wrapped in his wedding blanket and she kissed him deeply. They smiled at each other as Marie Ettles stood and started to clap. Soon others were clapping and the good wishes were being shouted.

The couple and their children left the church with good wishes all around them.
The ride home was silent but pleasant. River sat next to his wife as the children chattered and squealed. As they pulled into the yard to get to the porch the cowboys walked out and were whooping and shouting their congratulations.

They all entered the house and Mr. and Mrs. Henderson and Seth were there to congratulate them. There was a chocolate cake. Hot coffee and a lot of goodwill.
The party got lively as Tuck pulled out his harmonica giving his rendition of
Turkey and the Straw
. Seth finally spilled the beans as he pulled River into the corner of the kitchen.
“River? I took your suggestion. I mailed an advertisement for a bride. I hope I am lucky enough to find a girl as sweet as my Nola who will marry me.”
River gave Seth a shoulder hug and nodded.
“I will ask the Great Spirit to lead her to you as he did my Becca. But Seth? You must be wiser than me, I was too dull to see her.”
Seth chuckled but his eyes were still full of pain. River hoped that Seth’s new bride would help erase that pain.

River took off his coat showing off his broad shoulders and tapered waist. The fancy vest looked great on him and as he turned to talk with Mr. Henderson.
Becca admired him as her eyes raked over his shoulders, broad muscled back and his long muscled legs. His hair braided with red cloth added a festive look down his back like a beacon to his view his rounded behind. Becca bit her lip anticipating her second wedding night. Mrs. Henderson giggled at Becca and she blushed. Becca was led into her kitchen.

“Don’t you be embarrassed at all, Becca McGann. The good Lord knew you were good to Harrison and he tried his best to be good to you. You have nothing be ashamed of.
And that man in there, he is a fine man. And damn if he ain’t the best lookin’ son of a bitch around. Ya’ll will make some handsome babies.” Becca giggled.

“River said he wanted… ‘many children’.”

Mrs. Henderson laughed at Becca’s impression of River’s voice.

They both squeaked when they heard a grunt from the kitchen doorway seeing River standing there. Becca laughed.
“That is what you said didn’t you?”
River grunted again.
“Other things too.” Mrs. Henderson smiled.
“You two are gonna have a wonderful marriage as long as you keep a light heart and remember that you two are together because you love each other.”

Becca looked at River with such love he felt the warmth all the way to his soul. River nodded at Becca making that special hand sign that said ‘it is done’.

Becca nodded to him and their locking eyes expressed what their hearts vowed.
“I will never forget and I will never leave you.”
Becca knew she had made the right decision and somehow she felt Harrison and Nola were agreeing with her.
 

CHAPTER NINETEEN
After all the folks had left for the bunkhouse or home. Becca made a quick meal of pancakes and bacon for dinner and soon the children were asleep in the living room. They were worn out with all the excitement today.
River picked up Mac and Becca carried Mazie into their rooms and stripped them for bed. River left Mac’s underwear on and tucked him in. Blowing out the lantern he kissed Mac’s forehead. He turned and at the door he heard Mac whisper.
“Good night Ahte…”

River smiled and turned his smile to Mac.
“Good night, my son.”
 

River met Becca at the hallway and they walked together to the living room. “I will bank the fire and lock doors. You ready for bed if you wish.” Becca nodded.

Taking care of the fires, River locked the doors feeling the excitement a man has for his woman.
His erection was already quite hard and he was ready to show Becca this night the fire that she had started from the first time he saw her so many months ago. He was now her man, her husband and they would love together tonight.
 

River stepped into the bedroom and saw her brushing her long wheat colored hair. It was a scene he would never forget. The highlights of gold shining through the lantern light were beautiful. River wanted to sigh in wonder seeing through her thin sleeveless nightgown her rounded breasts, full and her nipples hard. He wanted badly to taste them. He felt his arousal as he started unbuttoning his shirt. Becca turned and gasped at the beautiful sight of him undressing. He came to sit on the bed and take off his boots and socks.
Standing he removed the beaded belt he wore and unbuttoned the pants. He let them drop to the floor and Becca gawked at him. Somehow she knew he didn’t have underwear and never had.

She stared at his beautiful behind and thought he was the most handsome man in the world.
Aunt Marcie certainly would approve.
He sat on the turned-down sheets and began to undo his hair braid. Becca crawled over and began to help get his hair unbraided. Once his hair was undone she took her hairbrush and brushed his hair out till it was shining like polished Onyx. She ran her hands through the black silk and kissed his neck. River was thrilled with her care and attention.
He turned and she saw his hard, large arousal and began to dream of this wedding night. She looked deep with in the depths of his blue eyes and pulled up her nightgown tossing it on the floor.
River thought he had felt desire before but never like this. This beauty was his Becca, his woman, his beloved wife. This was a treasure he felt he would never have. Then his brother gave him a beautiful gift. He gave his wife to his brother to love and protect along with his children.
River pulled Becca to him and they fell into each other’s arms. She was so perfect and her eyes held love there. Something he never expected. His lips met hers and the fire within them blazed.
Their kisses were hot sparks, and the fire she first started consumed them both. Every stroke and touch, every kiss, every moan was a single moment in time they would never forget.
At last River entered her and Becca wrapped her legs around him. River nuzzled and nipped at her neck, her breast and suckled her nipples like a babe. He found her nub slick with her juices and he rubbed bringing her to the moment of the thunder storm.

River smiled at her abandon and started pushing his length into her again. Becca moaned and opened her legs further to accommodate to his size. River filled her completely and she was in wonder how she could feel so full and yet want more of him. She wanted him all of him, even his scent to sink into her skin. River started to move inside her and she felt the size of him stroking her slick tunnel making her want to fly with him. 
 

Becca climaxed and her sheath tightened on him. River cried out as her walls gripped him and he felt his balls tightened as well. Becca gasped and raked her nails across his back as River exploded inside her.

The moment had come to give his life to her. His shouted his release and she gave a cry herself as he pounded into her feeling the hot life giving liquid flow in to her ready womb. Finally his chest heaving for breath, he fell into her and pulled up on his elbows.
They were both grinning like jackasses and giggled together as their calming hearts took over. River rolled over to her side and Becca crawled onto him and he groaned and chuckled feeling himself begin to harden again. Becca kissed his neck and trailed kisses down to his dark nipple. She sucked, nipped and licked his nipple till he was very hard and standing proud in her hand. He pulled her on top of his hips and she heard his deep voice in her ear,
“Ride me Becca. Ride your man like the wind.”