Holonovel, Chapter 4 (Part 1)

Posted on Fri Jul 12, 2019 @ 8:34am by Commander Caleb Ryan & Civilian Opal Oliver (Deceased) Dr

1,347 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Holodeck 3
Timeline: MD07 2000

Neither one had spoken of the shared kiss over the next two weeks as Shane recovered from the beating. As soon as he was well enough, he moved back out to his place in the barn. He pushed himself hard in the farm work, having plenty to do elsewhere whenever Carrie emerged from the house for her chores. He ate his meals in silence, not looking at her.

So it was a bit surprising when one Sunday after church, instead of turning the wagon into the yard Shane guided the horses out to the back fields. Shane’s church clothes weren’t too different from his normal attire, just a nicer shirt and a string tie, though Carrie’s Sunday best was much nicer, of course. The sun was high and the air warm, the smell of the newly shorn grass Shane had cut this week strong in the air.

Carrie noticed the change of routine instantly, but she approved of the horses getting more room and some freedom to roam around in the back field, which was what she was now guessing Shane was doing, so she didn't comment. She expected to be set down before he unbridled the horses, but he didn't stop to let her off. That was odd.

Carrie was unable to resist watching Shane's strong back as his muscles rippled under his shirt. There were visible bruises and healing cuts everywhere, and she could see more than enough of the damage he had taken even when he denied any problem or pain. Carrie ached for him to let her tend them, but he wasn't even looking at her any more, and he wasn't speaking either, so she didn't feel she could press for an opportunity to do that yet. Well, not until now. Today was Sunday, and Sundays were the only flexible day of the week. Flexible in that the chores sequence was different and less demanding than other weekdays. Carrie felt she should go and change her Sunday best and put on something more practical before starting on her chores, partly, if not mostly, because if Shane was this angry with her, then it would seem like dressing prettily or chatting and joking were things of the past now.

She deeply regretted that, but she felt that it was he who had shut down and she had to respect that -- for a while anyway.

Shane caught the small river that formed the border of Carrie’s land from that of Jarred and caused so much friction between them. It sparkled brilliantly in the sunshine, and occasionally a trout would leap and splash back into the water. Shane turned the wagon to follow the river until they came to a grove of trees where he pulled up.

“There’s a picnic basket under the seat,” Shane told her. “Bought it at the church auction today. Figured we could have a picnic.” Shane jumped down and wrapped the reins around a tree branch. “There’s a clearing just inside the trees, a nice grassy place by the river.”

Carrie's eyes widened, then she jumped down as well. She was surprised, but pleasantly so, and wasn't going to look this gift horse in the mouth by commenting on what she had previously thought.

"What a lovely idea, Shane," she said as he unloaded the basket. "I didn't see you get this. You're very thoughtful." She avoided saying that she had thought he was too angry with her to do something like this because it seemed that maybe he was over that now, if he actually ever had been mad. Perhaps she just embarrassed him when she was tending his wounds. She hadn't meant to, but she owed him the medical care at the very least and, well, she'd behaved impeccably, even though it had been torture touching his skin, bandaging his wounds, feeling pain for his bruises, desiring his very attractive body and the curve of his chin, the blue of his eyes. The very thought made her blush as she was thinking about it.

She picked up her Sunday skirt at the knees by clasping a small amount of cloth in her hands, causing the hem to lift below that, but not more than just above the tops of her shoes, far enough to keep the hem out of the dirt, but not so far as to become revealing. She picked her way over to the grass that Shane had described, and when he set the basket down she shook out and deposited the blanket she had pulled out from under the seat cushion in the front of the wagon, originally intended for keeping warm if the weather was a bit chilly when out riding around.

Shane cobbled the horses and joined her a few minutes later when she was settled on the blanket. “Ah figured ya could do with not cookin’ for the day,” he said, removing his hat and placing it in the grass beside the blanket. He settled down beside her and stared out at the river. He was tense, uncertain. “And Ah owed ya for playin’ nursemaid.”

"Playing? I was serious, I'll have you know!" She laughed, hoping to lighten the atmosphere. “And as it was my fault you were hurt in the first place, it was the very least I could do to try to help you recover," she added in a slightly more serious tone.

She began to open the picnic basket and marvelled at the feast inside. There were plain and fruit scones, two of each. A little pot with a cloth lid tied to it with a small string which, when removed, revealed butter inside. There was another like it which was larger and contained jam and another smaller one with pickle in. There were several napkins wrapped around in little bundles tied with ribbon which contained a fresh baked loaf of bread and a larger round one with a cake inside. Two little bottles appeared to contain milk and cream and were stopped with corks to keep them intact, and there was a little tin with tea leaves inside it and a small pot to brew it in. The person who had put this together had even thought to put in a couple of mugs, two plates, two knives, and two spoons. There were two more napkin packages, one of which contained thickly sliced ham and the other some very tasty cheese. All of this was decorated at the very top with two apples and, to the side, two bottles of beer which stood the full height of the basket.

Carrie ooh'd and aah'd each item as she excitedly unpacked each and spread them all onto the picnic mat. At the very bottom she found two plates and a bottle of water to drink if you didn't want the beer. She laughed at the little pot and joked about Shane having to start a bush fire and then put out the nearby trees in an attempt to boil the water, but of course she did really understand that the spirit of the picnic had all been put together in the best of faith and that someone as practical and adept as Shane would have no trouble building a tiny fire with a stone or two to stand the pot on until the water boiled. She just felt the need to keep the lightness going and to make this lovely gesture as happy and appreciated as it was felt to be.

"I think your challenge is boiling the tea up and mine is cutting the bread with these tiny knives," she laughed, holding up the lovely crusty bloomer and poking it with the butter spreading knife in fun, making a pantomime of the simple task.

“Then I guess I had better be gathering some wood,” Shane said, getting up. “Be back shortly.” He went into the trees that surrounded their little glade by the river.

TBC

Commander Caleb Ryan/Shane Black
Executive Officer/Ranch hand

Dr Opal Oliver/Carrie White
Civilian Doctor/Ranch owner

 

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