Finding Home (6 page)

Nat reviewed the pile of wood and noted
that Marissa was severely short of the split solid wood that would
burn for hours. Nat made a small pile next to Marissa’s door and
then headed to the woods with Quincy.

She felled several large trees and
after trimming the branches she cut the tree into sections small
enough for Quincy to pull. Nat went to work on the sections,
cutting the hardwood into sections short enough to split and was
busily splitting the wood when Marissa came home.

“
My, you have been busy,”
Marissa said as she sat her basket on the porch and bent down to
pet Gyp.

“
Just getting started,” Nat
said as she stopped swinging the axe and walked over to the porch
and sat down. She picked up a file and began to sharpen the blade,
careful to stroke the metal with even passes to bring it to a thin
edge.

“
Are you hungry?” Marissa
asked.

“
Not too bad and you,” Nat
responded. “I’d like to finish up here first if you don’t mind,”
Nat replied.

“
I don’t mind at all,”
Marissa said as she stood and started carrying the split wood over
to the pile Nat had started and placed it on the stack. “You split
and I will stack,” she said.

‘
Fair enough,” Nat said as
she resumed placing the large logs on a stump and splitting them
into smaller chunks.

Two hours later the last of the split
wood was chopped and stacked and Marissa had an ample supply for
the first few months of winter. Marissa sat down on the porch,
obviously winded from the physical labor. Nat sat beside her and
offered her a cup of cool water pumped from the well. “Here this
will help,” she said as she sat down next to Marissa.

“
Thanks,” Marissa said
taking the offering and savoring the cool water as she took it in
to her body in small sips. “That is really hard work,” she
commented as Nat watched her concerned that she may have become
overheated.

“
It’s just like anything
else,” Nat replied, “takes some getting used to is all.”

“
Now I understand how you
can eat like a horse and yet still remain slim,” Marissa spoke
softly.

Nat chuckled at Marissa’s comment. “Dad
always said, Work like a horse, eat like a horse so I guess he was
right.”

“
Did he also mention
anything about smelling like a horse?” Marissa said as she wiped
the sweat from her brow.

“
That just comes natural
with hard work,” Nat said as she offered and hand to lift Marissa
to her feet.

“
If you want to get supper
ready, I will take Quincy home and feed the animals,” Nat
said.

“
Don’t forget to pick up
some clean clothes so you can have the bath I promised you,”
Marissa reminded her.

“
Oh I haven’t forgotten,”
Nat returned with a smile and she left the porch heading for her
home.

Marissa carried her basket into the
cabin and sat the containers of food on the hearth to begin slowly
warming them. She ran a length of chord across the back room where
the bath tub was poised and placed a large sheet across it to allow
Nat some privacy while she bathed. Marissa then carried several
large buckets of water and dumped them into the tub and then began
heating the water for bathing. A large container would be heating
while they ate which when mixed with the water already in the tub
should be enough to get Nat started on her bath while Marissa
heated up another large container. Marissa placed a few dry logs in
the fireplace to stoke up the embers, heating the water
faster.

Nat fed all the animals and placed them
in the barn for the evening. Snow had begun to tumble from the sky
and she wanted her dear companions to be as protected from the
elements as possible. Nat rumbled through an old pack that held
soft, warm blankets and covered each of the animals with another
layer of protection. Nat then went into her cabin and located a set
of clean clothing, a towel and soap before heading back to
Marissa’s.

Knocking on the door before she
entered, Nat stood with hat in hand until Marissa opened the door.
“That was quick,” Marissa stated as she guided Nat to the kitchen.
Marissa handed Nat the bucket and she compliantly walked out to the
pump to draw a fresh bucket of drinking water.

When she returned, Marissa had the food
set out on the table and taking the bucket from her doled out cups
of the chilly water for them. Marissa looked around the room and
asked, “Where is Gyp?”

“
She is waiting out on the
porch,” Nat said. “She hasn’t been invited in yet,” Nat told her in
a deadly serious tone.

“
Have you lost your mind,”
Marissa chided, “it is cold out there and you should know that Gyp
is more than welcome in my home,” she prattled on. ”

“
It’s not polite to assume
anything,” Nat said with a mischievous grin.

Marissa flung open the door and called
to Gyp who trotted politely into the cabin and came to rest in
front of the warm hearth. Marissa dipped out a large portion of pot
roast, vegetables and gravy for Gyp, breaking off chunks of corn
bread and mixing it in with the rest. She carried the full bowl
over to Gyp and sat it down in front of her and Gyp licked her hand
in warm appreciation for the meal.

Nat and Marissa finally sat down to
another hearty meal, sharing little conversation while they ate.
Nat ate until she was stuffed and then watched as Marissa ate more
than her usual small helping thinking she did work up an appetite
stacking the firewood.

“
Thanks for another great
meal,” Nat said as she sipped the cool water.

“
You are quite welcome,”
Marissa said as she stood to clear the table.

“
How are you set for meat?”
Nat asked.

“
Since my husband passed I
haven’t eaten that much meat and what I do I usually buy in town,”
Marissa said. “We have a great smokehouse, but I just don’t have
the skills to hunt or the knowledge of curing meats,” she
admitted.

“
Well it just so happens
that your new neighbor is an expert at both and if you will allow
her, she can teach you,” Nat said rather brazenly.

“
I just hope she has the
patience of Job,” Marissa fired back.

“
I think she can manage one
student,” Nat said as she smiled at Marissa.

“
I was hoping to do some
hunting tomorrow afternoon if you would care to join me,” Nat
suggested. “I have seen signs that there is a rather large buck in
the area that would put a large amount of meat in your smokehouse
for this winter,” she continued.

“
I do miss the taste of
venison,” Marissa admitted and she accepted Nat’s offer to join her
in the hunt.

“
The first vat of water
should be plenty hot enough to start your bath,” Marissa said. “Why
don’t you dump it into the tub and then get a fresh vat warming
over the fire while the hot mixes with the cool and I will clean up
from supper.”

Nat stood and followed Marissa’s
directions to the letter and then disappeared behind the makeshift
curtain, stripped off her clothes and lowered her body into the hot
water. Nat slipped completely under the water and emerged with her
black hair draped along her neckline and began bathing as she
listened to Marissa bustling in the kitchen.

“
Are you ready for some more
hot water?” she yelled from the kitchen.

“
Yes, please whenever you
get a chance,” Nat responded then once again ducked under the water
to rinse her hair.

Marissa went to the hearth to retrieve
the water and stepped quietly behind the bed sheet drape. Nat made
no effort to hide her nakedness and Marissa blushed profusely when
Nat caught her gaze as she looked down at her body. Marissa poured
the hot water slowly to mix with the warm water left in the tub and
asked, “Would you like me to wash your back?”

“
That would be lovely,” Nat
responded and handed Marissa a soaped cloth.

Marissa stroked the cloth across Nat’s
back in large circular motions and Nat felt herself relaxing fully
under Marissa’s caresses. Marissa finished her task and handed Nat
back the cloth.

“
You know there’s plenty of
room for one more in this tub,” Nat suggested with a hint of
challenge in her voice.

Marissa stopped dead in her tracks.
“Excuse me,” she said.

“
I said there is plenty of
room if you would care to join me,” Nat said a little louder to
tease Marissa.

“
A nice soak would feel
good,” Marissa said as she turned away from Nat. “Are you sure you
wouldn’t mind?” she asked.

“
Not at all” Nat replied
with a sultry smile.

Marissa stood with her back to Nat as
she began to unbutton her dress and then allowed it to fall from
her shoulders and down her body. Nat’s heart raced as the fabric
dropped and Marissa’s milky white skin and soft curves were
revealed. Nat could feel a stone choking off her voice as Marissa
pulled her blonde hair up into a knot and then turned and stepped
into the tub. Nat caught a glimpse of full breasts and the light
down that was nestled between Marissa’s thighs as she slowly sank
into the hot water.

Marissa eased her body into the water
and tried carefully not to crowd Nat’s much longer body. Nat
witnessed her distress on where to rest her feet and legs and
softly told Marissa, “You can rest your legs on mine.”

Marissa gingerly lowered her legs onto
Nat’s and then laid her head back against the tub. “This does feel
wonderful,” Marissa stated as she allowed the warm water to enclose
her body with its caress.

“
A welcomed reward after a
long day of hard work,” Nat replied as she watched Marissa’s body
relax. “I bet your feet ache something miserable after standing on
them all day,” Nat said as she tenderly placed Marissa’s right foot
between her large hands, massaging it gently. Nat’s strong thumbs
kneaded the sole of Marissa’s foot as she moaned softly and once
again closed her eyes.

Nat watched the pulse throb wildly in
Marissa’s neck as she slowly lowered her mouth to softly kiss the
tips of Marissa’s toes. Marissa gasped as she felt Nat’s warm mouth
on her foot and her eyes flew open. Nat watched as her eyes clouded
over with pleasure, each subsequent stroke of her tongue and lips
bringing undeniable desire to Marissa’s gently quivering body. “Are
you chilled?” Nat asked innocently.

“
Oh for God’s sake no,”
Marissa stammered as she looked deeply into Nat’s dark eyes. “Can
you not possibly know how you are affecting me?” she asked in a
whisper.

“
Tell me,” Nat instructed as
her lips encircled Marissa’s big toe.

“
Your touch makes my body
burn with desire,” she admitted. “A desire that is said to be
unnatural between two women and yet I find myself drowning in need
to be touched and caressed by you. You must think me crazy,”
Marissa stated with concern.

“
If it is madness then it is
one that we share together,” Nat said. “Since our eyes first
touched, I have wanted to take you in my arms and hold your body
close and I ache to feel the touch of you against my skin,” she
added.

Marissa stared in shock as Nat
described exactly how she felt, better than any words she could use
to describe her own feelings. Marissa once again shivered, this
time truly because the water was rapidly cooling. “We need to dry
off before we catch a chill,” she said as she stood and stepped
from the tub.

Nat stepped from the tub and was
wrapped in a thick, warm towel by Marissa who had dried and had a
towel tied around her body. She reached for an edge of the towel to
dry Nat’s hair and then combed the thick black hair away from her
face. She led Nat over to stand in front of the fire place to take
the chill from her body and felt a schoolgirl awkwardness threaten
to overcome her.

Nat reached down to take Marissa’s chin
in her fingertips, raising her eyes up to meet her own. The need in
her deep blue eyes urged Nat forward as she bent down to place her
lips against Marissa’s. Nat’s head spun with the excitement of her
first kiss and her mind began racing wildly as Marissa parted her
lips and encircled Nat’s tongue with her own.

Marissa’s moans vibrated deep into
Nat’s body causing her to shudder with spasms of need as her
inexperienced body shook with pleasure. The kiss lasted for what
seemed hours as the two women softly probed each other’s mouth
while their hands began to caress as they explored the other’s
body.