Saving Grace

Chapter 31

Joe rapped on the cabin door before he pushed it open. "I brought you those apples. There's more than I thought there'd be." As his eyes adjusted, he saw Grace fumble with the curtain. "If we had a basket or something, we could probably get more than twice this many." He held out Levi's bucket and his jacket. He'd tied the sleeves so that they made a makeshift pack.

Sarah's eyes widened as her face split into a grin.

"They're not real sweet, but they're good."

She bit into the wrinkly skin and shuddered. "They're cold."

"They're frozen," Joe chuckled.

"They're delicious."

Levi glanced up from his plate. "Dinner's ready."

Joe gathered his bedding and his plate and headed for the door. "I'll eat outside. Thanks."

"Joe, where are you going?"

"I'll sleep in the barn."

"Joe, you'll freeze out there," Levi protested.

"If I pen the animals in there, it'll be warm enough." He shot Levi a smile. "I'll be okay."

He left his empty plate by the door and headed back to the barn to settle into the manger. "Jesus slept in a manger, I guess I can too."

He snuggled into the hay, pulling the blanket and hide over himself. He pushed the horse's muzzle away as it snorted on his neck. You're definitely not the one I'd prefer to have breathing on me. Joe shook his head. You can't think like that. She wants nothing to do with you.

He tossed and turned all night. Every time he closed his eyes, he'd remember what it was like to have her snuggled up against him. He remembered her soft breaths against his arm or neck. Her soft whimpers as she shifted in her sleep. He groaned. "This is ridiculous."

Joe breathed a sigh of relief as the thin tendrils of dawn spread across the sky. He folded his bedding and forked more hay into the manger. "Sorry I covered your dinner, guys. Eat up."

He grabbed the ax and trudged to the creek to break the ice then walked the trap-line to see if they'd caught any rabbits. Three hung from his shoulder as he returned to the clearing.

"Why did I even get out of bed if you're gonna do all the work?" Levi teased.

Joe chuckled. "Yeah. That's a problem. Wanna get started on that smokehouse today?"

"Breakfast is ready. We'll make plans after we eat."

"I'll just eat out here."

Levi pushed him into the house. "No. You're coming inside to at least get warm by the fire."

Joe stomped his boots in the doorway. "Really. I can just eat outside."

Grace pointed at the hearth. "If you're gonna work with the family, you're gonna eat with the family. Take off your hat. Levi, say the prayer so we can get on with it."

"Yes, ma'am," Levi nodded as he took his coat off and hung it by the door.

Joe stammered, "I'd rather not."

"Mr. Chapman, in polite society, it's considered rude to not remove your hat in a building."

He raised his eyebrows at her use of his name. "We're far from polite society, ma'am."

"If you're going to eat what I cook, you'll remove that hat."

Joe's jaw worked for several moments as he glared at her. He finally closed his eyes and swept the hat from his head. He flinched at her audible gasp. Sighing, he opened his eyes and sat by the hearth.

A steaming plate of pancakes made its way into his hands. His mouth watered.

"Honey, Mr. Joe?"

He smiled. "I'd love some. Thank you."

He drizzled honey over the stack and sank his fork into them. He savored each bite as it almost melted in his mouth.

"Levi, I'd like a table and chairs. We may be in the wilderness, but we're not barbarians."

Joe bit back a chuckle.

"As for you, Mr. Chapman. You'll need a haircut. That mess needs a trim at the very least."

He looked up, his eyes wide with shock. "What?"

"A haircut. Surely you've heard of them."

"I, uh..." He stammered. "No one cuts my hair."

"Are you like Sampson?"

"Who?"

"Grace, that's enough," Levi warned.

"Sampson, from the bible," Grace said, as she ignored Levi's warning.

"I, uh, don't believe in that much."

She clucked her tongue. "Pity. Why don't you allow anyone to cut your hair?"

"It's not that I don't allow it. It's more like no one wants to be near my scars."

"They can't be that bad."

Joe grimaced. "They go the length of me. Stem to stern."

She blanched. "They couldn't possibly."

"Top to bottom, ma'am." He placed his plate on the hearth and rose. "Thanks for breakfast. I'll pass on the haircut. But I will get started on that table you want." He nodded at them before turning to grab his hat and coat. He escaped into the cold before anyone could protest.

A muffled conversation made it through the door as he donned his coat.

"Grace, you shouldn't be so mean. He's done so much for us," Sarah said.

She snorted. "He's disgraceful."

"Without him, we'd still be up on the mountain. You'd be dead and Sarah probably would be too. We'd never have gotten the wagons down. Then the indians, wolves, your injuries, Sarah's illness. He built this cabin by himself for you and Sarah. Not for him. Nothing he has done in the past month has been for him."

Joe started as a plate crashed against stone. He stepped away and was halfway to the barn before the door crashed open and Levi appeared. He heard the crunching of the snow as the boy caught up to him.

"I'm sorry. She's apparently lost her manners with that wound."

Joe laughed. "That's a woman for you. Always right. Won't listen to reason." He took a deep breath. "Let's visit the wagon pile and see what we can come up with for a table."

"Don't be mad at her, Joe."

Joe glanced at the boy's pleading face. "I'm not mad. I'm used to it." He heaved a broken board off the pile. "It's been like this almost my whole life."