The Christmas Trip

What would he do? Aida wondered as she readied herself for bed. Her husband was angry but as much at himself as he was at her. She never knew how he would be after an argument. Sometimes contrite and gentle, he would sensuously seduce her and their lovemaking would be warm and soothing making them feel like each was part of the whole. Other times he was lustful and energetic using his talents to overwhelm her defenses until all she wanted was to have him as he took her with energetic lovemaking and she craved the physical release that he could give her. Then there were those black moods when he shut himself away from her and worked through his anger and regrets without including her in his self examination and hurting her as much as whatever had come between them.

Aida hoped so much for the lustful overpowering man and dressed provocatively hoping to incite that passion in him. She would settle willingly for the gentle sensuous love for that meant he was so remorseful he couldn’t take a chance on hurting her physically. What she feared was that dark Adam who pushed her away emotionally and let her lay quietly on her side of the bed until morning when exhausted and contrite after a fitful night, he would turn to her and reach for her with a look of helplessness that bespoke more than words how he feared losing her because of his behavior.

Downstairs Adam finished calculating the costs of contracts he needed to deliver. The weather was likely to be miserable, and he didn’t look forward at all to the trip that was coming. What he did not understand was how Aida has insisted she should come along. The trip would be hazardous as it was, and with worrying about her safety and well-being, Adam was sure the trip would take even more time. The very last thing he wanted to do was be stranded in Carson City for the Christmas holiday. He had missed so many of those with his family, and this one would be more special than most for it was his son’s first birthday as well.

Everything had been going so well, he should have known trouble was going to rear up. First his father announced that it was too late to mail those contracts to buyers in Carson, and someone would have to take them there. He knew immediately whom his father meant by that, and that upset him. Then Aida had stated that she wanted to go along to make some last minute purchases for Christmas. He and she had argued in front of Ben and Joyce that they had never done before, well at least that openly.

Of course, Ben and Joyce had sided with Aida saying how wonderful the scenery would be with that light coating of snow and how wonderful the shopping in Carson would be. They argued that as busy as the last year had been, Adam and Aida had rarely had time to themselves and seldom even had time for a dinner in town. Joyce had gushed about how romantic it would be, but she wasn’t fooling Adam at all. She wanted the house to herself so she and Ben could have some romantic time themselves while he was driving a carriage through ice and snow and who knows what else.

Then Adam had stormed out of the house to go do chores, but what he really wanted was time to himself away from the badgering. Once he had time to think about it, he decided it wouldn’t really be that bad to have his wife to himself for a short trip. The deliveries of the contracts and the bargaining to seal the deals would not take much time and they could shop and then have a hotel room all to themselves. Danny had recently been weaned and wouldn’t need to be with them. By the time he decided all that of course, he had worked himself into a real sweat and needed time in the washroom to clean up. As he walked into the great room, a single lamp was burning and the fire had been banked for the night. He needed to ready the contracts and information so they would be ready to go first thing in the morning.

When he finished, Adam decided that the only thing to do was to tell Aida that she would be going with him to Carson. Walking slowly up the stairs, Adam wondered which Aida he would find. Would she be the shy and quiet lover he had first known who had let him take the lead, touching her and kissing her until he couldn’t help himself as she wrapped her arms around his neck hanging on and trusting him implicitly. Or would she be cool and standoffish and make him regret marrying her until he thought about their life together and all the blessings she had brought to him as he found sleep elusive. They would make slow love in the light of dawn as he would pull her to him and beg her forgiveness, and then she would lean forward kissing him and telling him how much she loved him. Sometimes they would make love a second time arriving late to the breakfast table to knowing glances and Hop Sing’s complaints that the food was cold.

And sometimes it was like tonight. When Adam opened the door, Aida was sitting at her dressing table brushing out her hair. She had on her low cut gown that she only wore when she wanted him to love her robustly. She stood and he saw she had only tied the top ribbon. The gown gaped open. Aida looked at him with her lips slightly parted, and he walked to her crushing her to him and kissing her hard and deep. Then he picked her up and carried her to the bed. Setting her atop the covers, he opened the ribbon she had tied and looked at her body as he quickly unbuttoned his shirt and removed it. She watched every thing he did with lust in her eyes. He slipped off his boots and then his pants as quickly as he could. He settled onto the bed next to her and pulled her to him. The lovemaking was robust and energetic until he rolled to her side and pulled her to him for another deep kiss. There were no words as they fell asleep wrapped in each other’s embrace.

In the morning, Adam realized he had not told Aida that she could come on the trip with him. He gently awakened her with kisses. She looked up at him and smiled.

“Am I going with you to Carson?”

“Yes, you are. It’s just that this is such a difficult trip. I’m afraid something could happen to you.”

“Adam, I trust you. You know that. You will always do your best for me, and that’s all that matters. We never know what can happen in life, but I very much want to spend the next two days with you.”

The decision was made, and all that was left to do was pack. They wouldn’t need much for only two days travel. Then they went down to breakfast and to tell Ben and Joyce that they were going. Aida went to get Danny from his room and found he was already gone. Ben must have taken him downstairs. The two seemed to like the quiet time they had together in the mornings when Adam and Aida would find them in the chair in front of the fireplace.

Candles, a lantern, extra blankets, a tarp, lots of food, and even some firewood were packed in the back of the carriage and in the boot by Hop Sing. That he did not approve of Ben sending his eldest son on a trip at this time of year was all too clear. He wished Adam and Aida good weather and good luck on their short trip, and after a disdainful look at Ben, he walked back into the house.

Once again, Ben asked Adam if he had enough cash in his wallet, and were the contracts safely stored. Once again, he was reassured by Adam that all was well. Adam and Aida had come down to breakfast wondering what the reception would be. Both Ben and Joyce greeted them like there had been no major disagreement the night before. Aida looked at Adam and gave him one of her most smug looks. She had said that he yelled out loud enough the night before that anyone would know what they had been doing, and that she was sure Ben and Joyce would be well aware that they had made up.

Now in the carriage, Adam and Aida headed for Carson City and two days with just the two of them. They had not really had a chance to have an outing like this for a very long time where romance was the object. By the time they had arrived on the Ponderosa, Aida was well along in her pregnancy, and Adam had become a gentle lover. He had not been adventurous and energetic in their private time as he had when they had first been together. Both were looking forward to this trip despite the cold, but found there was one huge advantage. A large thick blanket covered the two of them from the waist to their feet.

As they traveled, they were able to snuggle under the blanket, and Adam promised her that the first thing they would do in Carson would be to spend some romantic time together. With what Adam had said to her, Aida found that the trip seemed to take forever this time. They had traveled this road many times but this time she couldn’t wait to get to Carson so the trip seemed so much longer.

Once Adam registered at the hotel in Carson, he told Aida that they ought to go up to their room to freshen up before heading out to run errands and shop. She smiled knowing he had something planned. Once in the room, he grabbed her and kissed her deeply. He stood holding her tightly to him as his tongue danced in her mouth. Then he pushed her back to the bed and laid down with her never releasing his grip on her. He reached up with one hand and unbuttoned the top two buttons of her dress. He kissed and caressed her as the two of them took a lot of time letting each other know how much they loved each other. Smiling at her as he kissed her when they finished, Adam asked if she would mind doing a little business and then shopping. He also said he thought they ought to find a fine restaurant and have a romantic dinner. They had fun for the rest of the day, talking and laughing as they ran errands, shopped, and then found a very nice restaurant where they got a private booth and tried some dishes that were new to them.

Once back in the room, they made slow sensuous love to each other and fell into a most restful sleep. The next morning, snow was falling. They packed everything up as quickly as they could, stopped in a couple of shops to pick up items they had thought about buying the day before, and then headed for home. Adam told her she had to behave herself because they needed to get home before too much snow had fallen. She asked what he would do if she was bad, and he said he would do whatever she wanted if she would just be good.

The snow started to get heavier and heavier as they traveled. Adam wished they had just stayed in Carson. However it wasn’t too bad until the wind picked up. He knew then that they would never make it back to the ranch until the storm had passed. Thinking about all the possibilities they had for shelter, he turned the carriage off the road at the crossroads and headed through a passage between two groves of trees. It was the line shack that was furthest from the ranch house and generally ramshackle, but it would be sufficient for a day or two or at least he hoped it would be sound enough. If not, they would have to create some kind of shelter there even if he had to rig a lean to. They couldn’t stay out in this weather very long without risking their lives.

Once Adam saw the cabin appear almost like magic before them, he was relieved. The cabin roof was still there, and the door and the windows appeared to be closed. One never knew what condition this little used line shack might be in during the winter. He helped Aida from the carriage and carried in all of the supplies Hop Sing had packed away for them. Aida quickly checked the chimney for its draft and then started a fire. Adam went outside to take the horses behind the shack where they could have some shelter. He was surprised to find some hay stacked there. Even though the mice had made inroads, there was plenty there yet for the horses. He would melt some snow for them later so they could drink.

Hurrying back inside, Adam thought that he would need a rope line to venture outside again so he grabbed an armload of firewood before going inside. Aida was cleaning up the mouse nests and cobwebs inside, and had some water already heating by the fireplace. There was a cold draft coming from the door which faced directly into the wind. Adam looked into the supplies in the trunk that was in every line cabin and found a canvas tarp which he used to cover the door and its leaks. It would have to be removed every time they wanted to go outside but for now it would keep the place warmer. They used the water to wet a rag and wipe the dust from the table, chairs, and the single cot in the cabin. They found a kettle, a pot, and a coffeepot. They had no coffee but they could drink hot water to help stay warm. The food supplies that Hop Sing had insisted on packing for them were truly appreciated.

“That cot looks rather small.”

Adam looked at her with a smug look like only he could do. “We’ll just have to spoon very tight so we both fit. We need to stay warm tonight, and body heat will be essential.”

Aida laughed as he wiggled his eyebrows in a parody of a lustful look. There was something she had wanted to talk with him about for quite a while, and there had never seemed to be a good time to do it. Locked away in the privacy of this cabin, it seemed a good time to bring it up.

“Adam, why me?”

“Well, you’re here because we’re married, and we can sleep in the same bed without anyone being concerned. I would think that was obvious.”

“No, I mean, why did you pick me. Of all the women you must have met, why did you pick me?”

Adam reached across the table and took her hands in his. “You were so open and trusting. I never have understood how you could trust me so implicitly right from the start, but you did. You listened, you talked, you laughed. You accepted me as I was. You have never asked me to change nor expected me to change. It was all I ever wanted from a woman. I think somehow, we were meant to be together. I don’t put much stock usually in fate, but how we met has tested my ideas about that. Now it’s your turn. Why did you trust me when we first met? I had little to fear from you, but you took a big risk coming with me.”

“I’m not sure I can explain it. There was something about you. Your eyes made you look so hurt and vulnerable, but your manner was so self assured and confident. You spoke so eloquently of justice, the west, and great literature. You didn’t look at all concerned that you were sitting with a woman well past the age when most women marry and that I wrote books for a living. You just said to me that there must be a fascinating story behind all of that. You were an amazing amalgam of all these traits that seemed sometimes incongruous. A bounty hunter who loved Shakespeare with those calluses on your hands and beautiful words just enchanted me.”

“That’s it? My lord, woman, you could have been badly hurt going with the wrong man.”

“No, you see, I never had. Many men tried, but you didn’t. You let me make my own decision. When I got off the train behind you with my valise, you turned and grinned at me like a naughty schoolboy. I was very scared actually until I saw that smile. Then you showed me to a nice hotel, and we continued our conversations and it was wonderful.”

“If I recall correctly, we did a helluva lot more than have conversations.”

“Yes, and you were so kind and gentle with me. I can never tell you enough how important that was to me especially after what happened in my past. Without knowing any of that, you were still so considerate of how I felt. Of course, I might have been a little worried if I knew then that you followed me to Abilene.”

“All out of love, sweetheart, it was all done for love. But now I think we need to melt some snow for the horses so I can give them both a good drink. It looks like we’re spending the night.”

The next morning, wrapped tightly in their blankets, Adam and Aida heard a hail from outside. It was Hoss of course and he was announcing his arrival and giving them time to get decent if they had to. Both were fully dressed though as a defense against the cold. Adam pulled the canvas tarp from the door, and stepped out to greet his brother.

“Kinda thought if you was on your way home, you wouldn’t have gotten much further than this. That storm kicked up real sudden like yesterday afternoon. Pa’s been worried sick as you can imagine, and there’s one lonely little boy a waiting on ya too.”

Squinting into the bright sunlight, Adam looked out over the snowdrifts. “Not so sure the carriage can make it through the snow. We’re quite a distance from the road here.”

“That’s no problem. Pa and Joyce are out on the road in the sleigh. I’ll just signal them to come this way.”

Hoss fired off three shots, and within about fifteen minutes, the sleigh arrived. Sitting on Joyce’s lap was Danny. As soon as he saw his parents, he spread his arms wide and called for them.

Adam reached up to take his son from Joyce and hugged him as Danny wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. Adam looked up at his father and Joyce then with a questioning look which Joyce answered.

“He missed the two of you so much. He hardly slept last night. We made a mistake yesterday and said you were coming home. So when you weren’t there by bedtime, he was in tears. When we wanted to leave this morning, he hollered and put up such a fuss, we didn’t want to saddle Hop Sing with him when Hop Sing has so much work to do today. So here you have him. A one year old toddler on a rescue mission.”

Aida had been rubbing Danny’s back and he leaned toward her until Adam handed him to his mother. Danny wrapped his arms around his mother and buried his face in her neck. A couple of tears slid down her face at his reaction to their return. Adam helped her up into the sleigh, and Joyce pulled a heavy quilt up to cover them as they snuggled in the back. Adam retrieved their valises and purchases and loaded all of it into the sleigh at Aida’s feet. Then he went into the cabin to douse the fire and straighten everything up as Hoss got the two carriage horses from behind the cabin. They would let the carriage stay here until the weather improved and some of the snow melted. Hoss rode out leading the two carriage horses as Adam climbed into the sleigh to sit with his wife and son. Soon they were headed home. They met Joe and a few others on the road. Ben told them they could go ahead and get a couple of trees for the whole family was accounted for.

The next day was Christmas Eve and the day was spent decorating and preparing for the big family celebration. Hop Sing had prepared many fine dishes and baked goods before departing for Virginia City and his family celebration there with cousins who had recently converted to Christianity and found the Christmas holiday a joyous occasion. Joyce and Aida loved it too because it meant that from now on, they had free rein in the kitchen on Sundays and every holiday. They had been working with Hop Sing in the preparation of meals but wanted to do some experimenting which Hop Sing would not allow. He wanted a recipe before cooking any dish. This way the ladies could try things out, and write down the recipes for the concoctions that their men found appealing. Christmas dinner though would be traditional, and Claire and Alice were in the kitchen helping as well.

Sitting on a chair, Claire closed her eyes and sighed. The others asked if she was feeling all right, and Claire responded that she hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. They asked if Josh had had trouble sleeping, and she said that wasn’t the boy who had pestered her. Her sly grin made them all laugh as she said Hoss had big appetites and wasn’t easily satisfied. Alice blushed a little at that, and she had to admit that she was weaning Mary Elizabeth, and Joe found the extra time he had with her at night very enjoyable. Joyce laughed and looking at Aida asked if the minister had let her sleep. That got the other ladies to ask what the heck she was talking about. Joyce said she and Ben heard Adam calling on the Almighty and thanking Him so often that they had privately started referring to him as the minister. Claire and Alice looked at them in surprise at that comment, but Aida just nodded for she knew better than to say anything about their life because of how much Adam valued his privacy. She would have to find a way to tell him about the minister thing though. He wouldn’t be happy.

As the ladies placed the hot dishes on the table and called the family to dinner, Adam was curious about the strange looks he was getting from Claire and Alice. He sat next to Aida for dinner and held Danny on his lap. He looked at Aida to see if she could offer him any insight but she mouthed later and turned to putting food on his plate and on a smaller plate for Danny. Ben asked who would like to say grace, and Claire said it would seem most appropriate if Adam did, and then all four ladies blushed. Adam and his brothers wondered at that comment, but Ben had a fairly good idea at that point. He suspected that Joyce had been sharing some tales with the daughters-in-law as they all worked in the kitchen. He was going to have to have a long talk with her about telling tales on Adam. Then he thought he would have to console her with some fine loving, and was so lost in his thoughts that Joyce had to remind him that Adam was about to say grace. Alice almost started laughing when Adam said they should thank the Almighty for their bounty. Adam started to get a sneaking suspicion then that the joke was on him. Hoss and Joe were anxious to talk to their wives and find out the whole story.

That night, Aida was in the uncomfortable position of having to explain to Adam what all the humor was about, and as expected, he wasn’t at all happy about it. She wasn’t sure if he would make love to her after she told him what had been said.

Aida need not have worried. Adam’s desire for her was strong regardless of circumstances. They made slow sensuous love but Adam was uncharacteristically quiet. Then she asked the question as to why he had been so quiet, but even as she asked it, she knew the answer. He didn’t want to be overheard. Hoss and Joe and their wives were staying overnight because of the holiday, and he thought his father and Joyce had already heard far too much. The next morning at breakfast, Hoss and Joe snickered when Adam and Aida came down the stairs. They asked Adam to say grace again, and when he gave thanks for all the gifts they had received, all the ladies said ‘Amen’ quite loudly. Soon all the adults were laughing. Adam leaned over and gave Aida a passionate kiss that silenced the snickering.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart!”