Chapter 23
The room started to fill up again tonight. The food and liquor flowed freely, and once more, the girls were kept busy in the private rooms. Emma was smiling every time she stopped by with a refill for my coffee. By contrast, I was nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs!
I circulated throughout the house peering out windows, then walked the grounds. Gaby and Jaci would join me as they worked the room, keeping me company when I did my sentry turn at the table.
Gaby expertly rolled me a cigarette, lighting it tucking it between my lips just before she rejoined the crowd clogging the barroom. A figure stepped out of the crowd, and introduced himself as Carl Leeuwenhoek, owner of the Deadwood Mercantile, Hardware, and Mining Supply. Carl said, “I understand you are looking for a bathtub. As it happens I have six first quality, cast iron, claw foot bathtubs from the Crane Ordway Company of Chicago.“
I asked, “Six?”
Carl laughed, “One of Deadwood’s erstwhile millionaires decided he must have bathtubs in his new mansion. Then he decided that he must have more bathtubs than Carnegie or Stanford. So he ordered six bathtubs in Chicago and paid outrageous prices for them to be brought to Cheyenne by train and then here by wagon. In the middle of his wild spending spree, with mansion unbuilt, his claim played out. A drinking binge took the last of his money. At the end of it, he stood in the middle of Main Street and blew his brains out.”
I shrugged as Carl continued, “I have those six tubs cluttering my warehouse, with little prospect of selling any of them. I will be straightforward with you; even though the tubs are paid for, I expect to receive something, even if just for storage.”
I shook my head. That was the oddest ‘open’ for negotiations I had ever had. I finally said, “I’ll take all six, please. Deliver them here, and you’ll be paid one hundred dollars in gold coin.”
Carl quickly stuck out his hand, saying, “Deal. They’ll be delivered tomorrow.”
I nodded as we shook hands. Carl excused himself and returned to his table. I was back peering out the window, pondering the vagaries of lady luck. Looking around the room, I decided that it was even more crowded than the night before. It didn’t seem possible, but there it was. As my father used to say: ‘The joint was jumping!’
Movement outside caught my eye as four figures on the street came into view. I felt a vague disquiet. I don’t know if it was their demeanor, posture, appearance or what. Something about these four bothered me. A lot!
I was on my feet heading for the front door. My right hand was already under my coat drawing the Burgess shotgun out of its holster. Throwing the door open left-handed I was on the stoop with the shotgun. Reaching with my left hand I hinged the action into battery as I took the steps in one jump ratcheting the shotguns pistol grip. My eyes were this entire time locked on the four figures in the road just outside the iron fence.
While I was moving they were too. The one with the red kerchief held up the glass bottle filled with kerosene that he had been concealing at his side. His companion lit the cloth wick stuck in the bottle’s neck. Only my quick reaction coming outside made the difference. As the wick flared, red kerchief raised the bottle.
I yelled, “Hey!”
Startled he paused with the bottle chest high. I centered on his torso and fired. The bottle broke as the buckshot tore through it into his chest and stomach. As he fell the kerosene saturated his clothes and the lighted wick ignited them! In all likelihood he was dead before he burned.
Cycling the action I turned toward his companion who had lit the wick. He stood ‘flat footed’, startled at my sudden appearance, practically in their midst! I fired, hitting him high in the chest with buckshot -- a devastating shot at this range. He collapsed without a sound.
I was moving forward as I cycled the action. The last two decided to rabbit. They were already in motion, as I reached the open gate into the street. With the shotgun in my left hand, I jerked the bola ‘egg’ out with my right. I snapped it into a quick spin, throwing it at the runner on the right, the one wearing the checked shirt.
The bola opened wide with one of the weights catching him just outside and wrapping around his right ankle. The bola pivoted perfectly, with the other weights wrapping around his left leg. He wasn’t even aware of the snare until he pitched forward on his face, with his legs hopelessly tangled.
His fellow runner stopped at his falling. When he turned back to look at me, I shot. He went over backward, splashing in a muddy wheel rut, and didn’t even quiver when he fell.
The checked shirt of my bola-wrapped prey was muddy as he tried to push himself up. I kicked him in the side as I walked up. I shoved the shotgun muzzle against the back of his head, saying, “Don’t fucking move, cocksucker. Give me an excuse, and I blow your head apart.”
Checked shirt froze. I grabbed his gun out of its holster, shoving it in my belt. I said, “Put your hands behind your head.”
As he complied, I looked up to see Krista running toward us, closely followed by Gaby, Hannah, and Mei. I pulled his hands to the middle of his back as I tied his wrists together, using one of the leather tiedown straps from my holster. I took a moment to unwrap my bola, dropping it back in my pocket.
Grabbing his hair, I dragged him to a deep mud puddle. I pushed his face into the water until his ears submerged. He was thrashing around.
I jerked his head up, listening to him gasping as he tried to inhale. I loudly said, “Tell me where you came from, or I’ll fucking drown you in this muddy shitty water.”
I slammed his face down again. Pulling up on his hair. I asked again, “Ready to tell me? Do you want to drown? Your choice.”
Once more pushing his head down. This time I held it for a while. When he came up his mouth was coated with mud he’d swallowed trying to breathe. I didn’t even have to ask as he gasped in the midst of puking his guts out, “The Gold Strike. We planned this at the Gold Strike.”
I stood up. He was on his stomach. I kicked his ankle apart then stepping up slightly I kicked him in the balls with my pointy-toed boot. Had it been a football -- it would have traveled at least forty yards in the air with the contact I made. Checked shirt screamed as he writhed, rolling around in the mud.
Krista was standing silently. I quietly said, “K, need horse and lariat.”
Krista was moving instantly, yelling for help with the stable. I looked around, to find that I had company in the muddy street. Gaby, still dressed in her negligee, was standing barefoot in the mud, holding my Yellow Boy Winchester, watching my back. Hannah stood next to her, holding the Burgess shotgun from behind the bar. Mei was standing in the gate, with a Colt Twelve Gauge Coach shotgun, covering the crowd from the whorehouse.
Krista came running from the barn, leading her Duke and Dan’s Red. She tossed me the end of Duke’s lead. Krista shook out the lariat. I pointed. “Around his ankles, please.”
K had the loop tight around his ankles. He started whining, pleading, and asking what we were going to do. Krista was giving me the rope. Caitlin drove the buckboard out of the drive, stopping next to us. Caitlin handed K my skimmer. K placed it on my head with a kiss and a whispered ‘be careful’.
I stepped up on Duke, taking a dally around the saddle horn with the lariat. I still had my shotgun clutched in my right hand. I leaned over and spoke right into Duke’s ear. “Dukie, I feel a need for speed. Let’s rock.”
I tightened up like I was about to ride for that eight second horn, grabbed at the saddle horn and kicked him with as loud a yell as I could muster.
Duke exploded as if launched from a fucking catapult. When his hooves finally touched back down, we were far down the road, moving at an attacking gallop. Behind us our rope-towed captive was screaming when face up and sucking mud when face down. He was bouncing hard on the muddy ground when Duke swerved. We rounded the corner to Main Street with the ‘checked shirt’ in the air. I pulled his pistol out of my belt and fired in the air. Duke found another gear! He was throwing mud yards in all directions as he accelerated down the street. At the end of the saloons, I pulled up Duke into a skidding stop. We spun and headed back down the line again at speed. I was yelling and shooting, with our ‘passenger’ continuing his complaints. We made another spinning turn at that end and ran up the line again.
By now the crowds were gathering on the boardwalk in front of a considerable number of saloons. I dropped his now empty pistol in my coat pocket. I checked the entrance of the Gold Strike as we went by. Bat wing doors with a high arch! Perfect.
At the end we came back but slower. I doubt anybody noticed that when Duke went back past our attacker I shortened up.
At the entrance to the Gold Strike I stopped Duke, spun him and pointed him at the steps. I leaned forward, “Up the stairs and in the front door, Dukie. Be fucking careful. They don’t like us much.’
I bumped him with my heels as I leaned into his neck. He charged up the steps and unhesitatingly shouldered the bat wings open, stepping into the open space in front of the bar. I leaned back in the saddle; raising my shotgun, I fired into the backboard of the bar, shattering the mirror, and smashing a pyramid of bottles.
I cycled the shotgun, and pointed it down at a table by the door yelling, “Get this cocksucker the fuck off my rope. Move your ass.”
They had him free of the loop and rolled to the side. I stood up in the stirrups shouting:
“You are on notice. If anything BAD happens to Emma’s I’m coming back. This is not a safe place for any of you fuckers if ‘something’ happens. If a tornado strikes Emma’s I’m punishing everyone HERE. Like this…”
So saying I pointed my shotgun at the massive crystal chandelier in the center of the room. I fired into the core of it. It exploded, throwing bits of brass, crystal and glass shards in all directions. Men were cursing and women were screaming as they ducked for cover, throwing themselves under tables.
I backed Duke through the door. On the boardwalk he made a nimble turn facing the road and launched himself. We hit the ground collected, and I spun him back to the left, parallel to the Gold Strike. One round from my shotgun through the batwing doors the next blasted the window next to the doors.
We spun back, and started to trot for home. Krista, on Red was halfway down Main Street. She was standing in the stirrups, with one of her guns drawn. Caitlin had the buckboard at the corner. Hannah and Gaby were standing behind the seat, with their guns at ready. Mei Bao was sitting next to Caitlin, holding her sawed off twelve gauge.
I paused next to Krista, coiling the lariat. We cantered side by side to the corner where Caitlin waited. She spanked Francis with the lines, and he quickly trotted toward home, with K and I following.
The crowd in front of the whorehouse bounded the undertaker, with clots of onlookers watching him and an assistant collect the bodies. I slid off Duke next to him, as he was picking up our would-be arsonist fire bomber. The man in the red kerchief was charred to the waterline with a clear demarcation where the mud and water cooled the fire.
The undertaker smiled his pursed-lip little undertaker smile, as he said, “You’re good for business.”
He tipped his black top hat, climbing into his black wagon, to carry his cargo of bodies back to the casket shop.
Caitlin drove into the driveway, past Earl standing with a Winchester on his shoulder. A pair of kitchen girls ran out to collect Duke and Red, leading them back to the barn. I pointed at the rifle as I asked Earl, “Confused?”
Earl smirked as he spat toward the spot where the body of the man in the kerchief laid saying only, “Creek.”
I looked over into Krista’s confused look. I said, “Earl says he recognized the kerchief from the shootout at Old Woman Creek.”
He smiled as she nodded in understanding. I continued, “So now the attacks have two purposes. Revenge for the failed robbery in addition to closing a business rival. Earl, this is not the best place to be. You sure about this?”
Earl again spat in the general direction of the Gold Strike as he emphatically said, “Fuck’em”
Krista grinned as she tried to spit, saying, “Yeah, fuck’em.”
Emma came barreling out the front door, throwing herself into my arms. Her face was in my chest as she babbled incoherently, welcoming me home. I finally got her stopped, raising her face for a kiss. I said, “I have to clean up. I’ll be inside right after.”
I turned her gently facing the door, spanking her on the butt. She stopped at the door to give me a smoldering look over her shoulder. She giggled as she went back inside.
By this time, Caitlin was back to collect us, leading us to the back of the barn. We came around the corner to find Gaby, Mei and Hannah already out of their muddy clothes. They were standing in the grass, while Mei was rinsing the mud off them with the hammered copper basin and pitcher. Watching the water course down their naked bodies was stunning.
Caitlin had K and I out of our muddy clothes, stacking our weaponry in one of the cabinets next to the doorway. We joined the others on the soft grass. I was soaping Gaby and Hannah, while Mei and Krista soaped each other, then me. Caitlin joined us, naked. I pulled her into my arms, kissing her, while I made sure she was thoroughly soaped.
Mei began shuttling copper pitchers of warm water from the water tank, dumping them on us, rinsing off most of the soap. All this water gave me a sudden urge to pee. I told Krista who responded, telling me to go right there! With her holding my dick, plus the girls giggling and urging me, I pissed a strong stream, arcing far into the darkness.
By the time I was done, Mei was kneeling by my side. She looked up at me hotly, saying, “Next time don’t waste it like that.”
With that arousing thought echoing in my head, we walked together into the room with the big tank, stepping into the tank filed with hot water. We washed each other again. I enjoyed the feel of my soapy fingers in each of their manes, washing them until they were squeaky-clean!
It was my turn. I knelt in the water, surrounded, as they rubbed soap in my hair and on my body, scrubbing me with light caresses of their sudsy fingers. Someone was cleaning my cock and balls with thick lather, their two handed stroking making intense sensations on my sensitive nerve endings.
Gaby and Krista each fastened their lips on one of my nipples; as they began sucking, my cock jolted, spending into the air. When they straightened, I looked down to see Hannah’s cum streaked face smiling up at me. Krista and Gaby settled me between them as they finished rinsing me. We watched Mei clean Hannah’s face. She used her tongue to push cum into Hannah’s mouth, as she was sucking the cum into her own mouth and swallowing. They shared an arousing kiss as we completed our ablutions.
We left the tank as Caitlin wrapped each of us in a thick cotton towel. Collecting our weapons, we walked to the house, clad only in our towels. We assembled in the small downstairs parlor, dressing in clean clothes, or in Gaby’s case, another sheer negligee.
Refreshed, re-armed, and reloaded, we headed into the barroom. We entered to a loud round of applause and cheering. The heightened buzz as we entered seemed to be evidence that they were fully aware of what had happened on Main Street.
The first thing I noticed was the piano. I knew Emma had an upright piano in the corner of the barroom; this was the first time I saw it played. Two good looking women I had not seen before, dressed in matching blue and green frocks, were playing four handed and singing. From the rapt attention around them, it was clearly the ‘hits of the day’. I had the urge to ask them, if they knew “Pour Some Sugar On Me” but I stifled it! Even so the music was rollicking, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Mei, dressed in another arousing dark blue Cheongsam, gave me an openmouthed kiss as she resumed her post at the bar. I sat at my usual table, this time just tossing the Burgess shotgun and snake whip on top of it. K sat down beside me. The corner table meant both of us had only a wall behind us, as we looked over the crowd or outside.
The constant flow of traffic in and out kept the room full and the noise level clamorous. During a lull, K carefully lifted my skimmer off my head. She turned it over and over in her hands. I asked, “Its starting to grow on you, isn’t it love?”
She laughed, “The only thing ‘growing’ is an urge to take it outside, throw it up and see how many times I can hit it before it falls.”
We were both laughing at her disdain for my choice of headgear.
She looked at me, with her face growing serious, “When you rode in the Gold Strike and that shotgun went off…”
Suddenly her eyes were moist as she went on, “I thought my heart was broken. You rode back out and I was high as a kite. W, this Deadwood of ours is a fucking roller coaster.”
There wasn’t anything I could say in response. I sat quietly, with my hand covering hers on the table. Finally I asked, “Do you want to go back?”
She looked surprised. “You’d do that?”
I replied, “Never doubt it, love. You say the word and we go back to our life. I hope with the important difference that you and I are together. ”
Krista shook her head emphatically. “No, William, I’m not asking to go back. It’s just quite an adjustment to a life of sudden death and living in the center of a bull’s-eye. I can’t leave. God Damn. The fucking rush can be beyond any amount of coke and poppers.”
I nodded. “No shit. Who knew…?”
Now we both just sat in companionable silence as we watched the room and street. Finally, I said, “It’ll be different when we move into our cabin. We leave some of this behind. Dan, Jan, you and me -- so it’ll be a retreat.”
She smirked, looking into my eyes. “W my one true love you can be so oblivious at times. Has it dawned on you that Gaby and Hannah seem to shadow you? Do you wonder about such things?”
I was puzzled and said so. “Shadow me?”
She shook her head, laughing softly. “W, they have acute separation anxiety. You are THE authority figure for them right now. Their perception of safety is based in large part on your presence. Jesus, William, get with the program…”
Now K was in ‘lecture mode,’ ticking off points on her fingers. “…You risked your life to protect them. You exerted strong discipline on them. You demonstrated your superiority over other males. You again risk your life to save them from the floodwaters. You return and proceed to save the entire fucking house from fiery destruction, then provide another spectacular demonstration of your willingness to lay down your life for everyone here.”
She finally ran down. I was speechless with my mouth open. I shook my head, saying, “God Damn, K, I had no idea. I’m sorry. I never intended…”
K looked exasperated now. “W, shut up.”
I shut! K said, “Will you finally get it through your head, that THIS doesn’t bother me. I’m not jealous. I’m certainly not intimidated. I told you that we would experiment and enjoy back in the B&B. Now that I have experienced some of this life, I’m more convinced than ever. So WE, that is both of us, will continue to experience EVERYTHING!”
I nodded, as K continued, “Now, your ladies aren’t just ‘Damsels in Distress’ since you taught them to shoot. When they thought YOU were in peril Gaby, Hannah, and Mei immediately jumped to share it or even to shield you from it!”
I started to say something, but at her look, I quieted. Krista said, “So far the scorecard looks something like this…”
Again with the fingers as she enumerated. “Gaby and Jaci intend to ‘thank’ you for your heroics. If you survive…”
Her throaty laugh accompanied her comment as she went on, “Hannah and Beatrice also have the same intention. Having heard a bit about Preacher Daddy, their thanksgiving might be quite eventful for you as well. In the meantime, Mei Bao wants to show her gratitude for her rescue and not incidentally explore her subservient side with us, a couple who are truly strong dominants and her protectors. Not to mention that Jan and Dan still fully intend to welcome you into their marriage as a full partner in every possible meaning of the word.”
She paused, giggling, then proceeded. “After tonight, every women in this house without exception will happily lay down and spread at your glance, since you saved us all, W. That is no shit -- I feel EXACTLY that way myself.”
I again sat staring at her goggle eyed. She laughed with genuine amusement, saying, “Quit being so serious W. We know the difference between love and fucking. Luckily for you – I love fucking!”
Now we were both laughing. Jan and Dan joined us with K quickly filling them in on our discussion. Dan and Jan snickered at my ‘predicament.’ K and I then brought them up to speed on our most recent confrontation. They clued us about anything happening in our absence. We breathed a collective sigh of relief at our close call. They expressed their thanks for my vigilance and quick thinking. I said, “Coffee reflexes.’
They laughed as well. We fell to talking about defending Emma’s House, the girls and ourselves. Some laughter accompanied discussion of my bodyguard duties. Then Dan turned serious, asking, “How are we going to leave here all in a group to check the Cheyenne Crossing site, then spend the time there we need to be ready for winter?”
It was sobering reality check for us. I finally said, “We can’t all be gone from here. Dan’s the builder; he’s in charge of construction. He gets to pick out the site and decide what kind of cabin he can build. Dan also needs to tell us what we have to do to make his job easier. What do you think, Dan?”
Dan paused. “Don’t all start feeling guilty. I always intended that I was the one who was going to be building. I appreciate your confidence. I know you won’t second-guess me. I’ll build us the best cabin you’ve ever seen. I get something out of it besides a cool cabin and your thanks. I’m going to have my workshop and forge!”
The twinkle in his eyes faded just a bit as Dan continued, “I have a question. Earl, your stagecoach driver, wants to throw in with us. He has offered to help me with the building if he can stay with us. His help would include his money, labor, bringing his horse drawn dirt scraper, plows and other construction implements to our site, along with his teams and even hand tools. How do we all feel about his request to join us?”
We were surprised. I asked, “Did he say why?”
Dan nodded saying, “Yes. It’s pretty simple. He likes us. Respects William enormously. Knows we will be loyal. Too many acquaintances died broke and alone.”
Dan looked around. We were nodding; his reasoning made sense. Jan said, “If Earl is a part of our family, he’s a full partner.”
Krista nodded and said yes. Krista looked me in the eye as she said, “If Earl or anyone else lives with us we share everything! But that raises a very serious issue that is not related to fun!”
She looked around as she continued, “So far, Mei is the only ‘modern’ to want to live with us. How are you going to use our technology with Earl around?”
Dan nodded as he replied, “I’ve been talking to Earl…” He snickered. “To the extent Earl talks at all!”
A bit more serious, he continued, “Anyway Earl suspects ‘something’ about us is not quite ‘right.’ Instead of being upset, Earl wants to join us. He expressed assurances about his ability to ‘keep a secret’ and ‘not gossip.’”
He took a deep breath, making eye contact with each of us, “Unless somebody objects, I’m planning to unveil tech in front of Earl. When he asks, I’m going to tell him that ‘I’m an inventor who does not want to share my inventions for fear they’ll be used for warfare’.”
We were all nodding as we thought it over. Jan asked, “Will he buy it?”
Dan shrugged, “Probably not. I’m convinced that he won’t rat us out. Over time we can reveal more to him, as we’re all more comfortable. He’ll keep our secrets.”
I thought about Earl’s behavior as I commented, “Earl had my back during the stagecoach run. I owe him big time. I trust him!”
Krista, as always, had a common sense comment, “Given the times and his frame of reference, what could he say: ‘They have lights without kerosene?’ Likely outcome would be ridicule for him.”
We nodded in agreement. Earl would become part of our Deadwood family. With that settled, we were back to discussing the cabin, Miss Emma’s and our possible trips with our new ‘war wagon,’ all the while scanning the room for potential problems.
The crowd was boisterous and noisy, but mellow in spirit, as they were on drinking and whoring. Krista sat with me when Jan and Dan moved back to their table with Emma. Krista could tell I was on edge -- still quite wired from my last encounter.
As the daylight brightened outside, Emma began her quiet evictions, ending the party. The guests took it with good humor, leaving with jocular comments and much laughter. Easy work for the bouncers!
We pushed tables together, as Hannah and Beatrice served another family style breakfast for all of us at Miss Emma’s. Most of the whores didn’t bother dressing, slumping wearily into their chairs naked, drinking coffee or sipping a real drink from the bar. Without fail, each of these astonishingly beautiful working girls paused to kiss me before finding a seat. This up-all-night life in the frontier ‘fast lane’ was becoming addictive.
I was sitting at this extended breakfast table, surrounded by all this beauty as we ate another excellent repast, privy to conversation that was by turns titillating and uncomfortable as the ladies shared anecdotes about their customers’ foibles and failings.
Krista sat next to me after locking the door behind our last customer. Mei Bao joined us with a kiss for me, then, leaning across me, she kissed Krista deeply, while Krista played in the cleavage of her cheongsam. Krista stopped with a giggle, to regard me, then she raised my hand, carefully tucking it into Mei’s bodice. Krista then reached in to fondle Mei’s’ other breast.
These actions were visible to everyone at the breakfast table; they sparked a loud series of risqué comments and suggestions. Mei and Krista were both giggling as Mei sat down next to me. Mei lifted her skirt in a very ostentatious manner; then, taking my hand, she kissed my fingertips as she slowly and deliberately placed my hand high up under her skirt. The comments were now even more lewd, with the suggestions each more obscenely imaginative than the last. I was distracted, with my hand wrapped around her warm thigh just in contact with her naked cunt. When I attempted to remove my hand she squeezed her legs together as she grasped my wrist. I was ‘stuck’. It was not an unpleasant ‘jail’.
We resumed our meal, with the entire staff of Miss Emma’s present by then. As the meal was coming to an end Emma stood up tapping her wine glass. When she had our attention, she said, “We are here together this morning, safe again! Due to the fearless defense by our four guardian angels. My heartfelt gratitude is to William, who stopped an attack that most surely would have burned us out, with who knows how many of us perishing in the ensuing blaze.”
There was a loud ovation at these remarks, accompanied by offers of exotic rewards from grateful women up and down the table. They were quick to assure me that these were not permitted their customers -- only their hero could attain them!
I glanced at Krista, to see her amused expression at the myriad offers of imaginative, even perverse sexual favors. She giggled as she said, “Eat your breakfast, W. We must keep your strength up.”
The assembled ladies laughed, applauding her remark. Emma continued, “We will again be closed until nightfall. This was another record setting night for us. We have had a safe and prosperous interlude, by way of the arrival of our four brave knights.”
She was interrupted by noisy appreciation from the assembled lovelies, who were loudly seconding the ‘prosperous’ remark. Emma continued after they quieted, “This afternoon I will be accompanying my loves Jan and Dan to the quarter section near Cheyenne Crossing, where they will choose a cabin site. Rest well, all of you, knowing my love for you is without measure.”
With that, Emma walked to my chair; grasping my head in her two hands, she kissed me passionately, with her tongue deep in my mouth. She lifted her head, whispering, “Thank you, my hero -- there are no words big enough for me to thank you properly. You must let me demonstrate my thankfulness for your bravery and service.”
Following that arousing sentiment, Emma took Jan and Dan by the hand, leading them from the room. Tired ladies of the night began to leave the table. Each took a detour, pausing to thank me with kisses and promises before wending their way off to bed.
A petite blonde with waist length hair invited Earl to share her bed this morning. An offer quietly accepted. Her servant girl joined them, with the three of them leaving the barroom hand in hand in hand.
Krista and Mei studied me for a bit, then made eye contact, with Krista softly saying, “William, love. You look tired. I think sleep is indicated. Don’t you agree, Mei?”
Mei nodded as she quietly said, “I agree, W needs rest. Let’s put him to bed.”
Krista and Mei helped me to my feet. Krista then turned to Gaby, Jaci, Hannah, Beatrice and Caitlin, announcing my need for shuteye. These assembled ladies immediately agreed with Krista’s assessment as they each gently pressed their bodies to me, while kissing me good night. Jaci spread her legs to allow her to guide the palm of my hand to the juncture of her legs, while she kissed me goodnight.
Gaby and Krista helped me to my feet. Caitlin and Mei Bao picked up the shotgun and whip off the table, as they led the way to the private area.
We reached the stairs to our third floor room -- suddenly the strength left my legs. I was unable to lift my foot even one riser. My legs ceased to support my weight. I collapsed. Gabrielle and Krista held me, guiding me to a soft landing seated on the stairs. I had the ‘shakes’ as the night’s events caught up with me all at once!
Krista held me tight to her breast while Gaby gently stroked my back. Finally, I calmed down. I looked around at a staircase filled with lovely ladies sitting on the steps, with concerned looks on their faces. I kissed Krista gently as I softly said, “I’m OK, now love. I need a minute to think about all this.”
Krista and Gaby helped me up. Krista kissed me while Gaby dug out a cigar, lighting it for me, tucking it in my mouth after her own kiss.
I slowly walked out side into the misting rain. I sat on the top rail of the corral fence, next to the barn. I sat quietly thinking of nothing and everything. I looked up as movement caught my eye. A large calico colored cat stepped out of the open barn window and nimbly walked out along the top rail to join me.
The cat sat on the nearest wood fence post, regarding me calmly, its tail curled around its front paws. I looked down to say in a conversational tone, “Its raining, Ms. Cat.”
The cat ignored my remark and the inclement weather, to remain at my side up on that fence. Somehow, the calico’s presence calmed me. I reached over into its wet fur to scratch the cat’s ears. Despite the weather, the cat purred with satisfaction. Finally, with my cigar merely a dead stub, in my teeth I jumped down. The cat, completely soaked, was still sitting patiently on the post. I said, “I’m better, Ms. Cat. Thank you. Go get dried off.”
The cat stood up, sauntering back through the barn window. I shook my head as I slowly walked inside.
Continued in Chapter 24
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