WATER RIGHTS, CHAPTER 12, PLANS AHEAD

 

          At bedtime that same day, Hannah once again read gramps’ letter. She skipped over the paragraph about Luke and their potential future because it hurt so much. Then, she folded it up and put it away in her keepsake box. She held out the list of projects gramps had included. I can always go back and read the letter again if I need to, but I think I’m okay now, she told herself. I’ve this list and money to get some of it done. And, she said aloud as she stroked her tummy, “Gramps didn’t know about you my little Mite, but getting ready for your arrival is at the top of the list.”

          The next day once her chores were done, Hannah called the financial advisor, Suzy Hempleman. She wondered what a financial advisor with a name like Suzy looked like, but it didn’t matter. They talked for over an hour and Hannah learned about how the account worked. She could spend as much or all of the earnings it acquired each month, but Suzy recommended she not touch the capital. It would continue earning if she didn’t pull funds from it. But, if she had a huge project, she could do one of two things. First, she could borrow money against the capital, and that would be best as long as the interest rates stayed low. Or, secondly, she could just pull the funds and not touch the earnings until they’d replaced what she’d pulled out.

          Once she’d crossed that off her list, she went online and read as many articles about pregnancy and what to expect as she could handle. Hannah guessed she’d best make an appointment with her doctor and get that out of the way. By her count, she had to be almost through her third month. And, she thought she’d just go ahead and reach out to Celia and try to become a friend when she saw Celia’s father again.

          Hannah also ordered some maternity jeans online and hoped they’d fit on arrival. It was always a pain to order stuff, have it come and find it was too big or too little. Once she had her appointment list made, she used her cell phone to set up a date and times to see everyone on the list. She’d added Miz. Lionel because she wanted her to know about the baby. As the current head of what passed for society, Miz. Lionel would help her navigate the reactions of the town folk once they all learned Hannah was pregnant. At least Hannah hoped she would.

          The list Hannah eventually completed covered several pages in her little notebook. She’d always been a list maker, but now that she had definite projects and a limited amount of time, she felt better having the list and knowing she could cross off items as she got them done. The first item on the list was to tell Dave and Joe she was pregnant and what she was planning. Hannah resolved to do that at Sunday dinner.

          Dinner was special that Sunday, with a roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn-on-the-cob from her own garden and brownies for dessert. When the men came in and sat down, Joe said, “It sure was hot today, but look at all this. And, look at you, you’re a bit red-faced and sweaty. Something easy and cold would have been fine, but this looks delicious.”

          “Well, you know the old saying that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I want your stomach and your heart happy for a little discussion I’m planning to have with you over dessert. And, no, it’s nothing bad or sad, but it’s important to me and to the ranch.”

          While they all chowed down, Dave and Joe reported on what had been accomplished that day. It wasn’t much because gramps had always believed his hands should have at least part of a day to do whatever they’d like whether it was to recover from a night on the town, go to church, or just lay about. Dinner finished Hannah served the brownies with vanilla ice cream. She, herself, couldn’t believe the amount of food she’d begun eating. And, okay, she was eating for two as they said, but she was going to be fat as a pig if she didn’t slow down. Still, that brownie and ice cream slid down just fine and she still felt hungry.

          “Okay, guys, I’ve kept you in suspense long enough. First, let me say how pleased I am at the work you’ve taken on since gramps passed. You have no idea how that has eased my mind. I really don’t know how to tell you this besides just say it. I’m pregnant.” Hannah sat back and waited for their responses.

          It was Joe, the older hand, who spoke up first. “That goddamned Luke. If he was here, I’d beat the shit out of him. To take advantage of you, a young innocent girl, well, if your gramps were alive, there’d be a rifle in that asshole’s back.”

          “No, no, no. Don’t blame it all on Luke. I was an eager and willing participant. I thought, and from a letter gramps left me, I think he also thought that Luke and I would get married and raise a family here. I’m just glad gramps didn’t live to see what a snake Luke really was. Anyway, I’m happy about this baby. I want it. I’ll have it and be damned the gossips who have to go around and talk about how I’ve tarnished the Wakefield name.”

          “When’s the baby due?” Asked Dave.

          “I won’t know for sure until I see the doctor tomorrow, but I think it will be sometime in February. And, I’ve got a lot of projects I want to accomplish before that happens. I’m going to be counting on the two of you to help me as much as you can, that is if you’re willing?”

          Joe and Dave agreed they were and the three of them talked about the coming week. Hannah then told them that there were more funds available for projects than she’d first thought and reviewed the first five tasks on her list.

“Now, if the two of you could go into town this week, or even with me tomorrow, and hire however many hands you think we’ll need to round up all the cattle the following week, I’d appreciate that. Besides providing payment for their work, it will include space in the bunkhouse and three squares a day.”

“Wow, that seems like a lot of work for you to be doing in your condition,” Joe responded.

“Well, when I go into town, I plan to find someone who can come stay here and cook for everyone. I’m sure Miz. Lionel will be able to point me toward a few folks who could do this.”

The three of them talked a while longer about logistics and plans before the men left. Hannah cleaned up and then went to her gramps room. She opened drawers and the closet and the odor she’d always associate with her gramps filled the room as well as her eyes with tears. She laid down on the bed, and talked to gramps as if he were right there with her.

“Sometime this week, gramps, I’m going to come in here with boxes and pack up all your clothes and belongings. I’ll take them into town and donate them to the thrift store. You have some good, well-made stuff that men down on their luck would appreciate. Of course, some of the items in here will go into separate boxes and join all the other ones in the attic. Someday, this little Mite in my belly might want to look at your rewards and keepsakes. Maybe we can even do it together and I can tell the Mite stories about his great grandpa. I’d really like that.

“Then, I’m going to freshen up this room because it’s going to become mine. I’ll keep the furniture because it’s beautiful as well as old, but I am buying a new mattress. Heaven knows the last time a new one was brought in here. I’m going to paint, hang new curtains, get an area rug for the floor and make space for a small crib. My little Mite will stay in here with me for a time, but I’m planning to move your office into that far corner. Your old office will become Mite’s room until he gets big enough to move upstairs.

“And gramps, thank you so much for the letter and the funds that will help me change things. Besides the project list you made, I’ve added to it and will see just how much I can accomplish before little Mite arrives. I’m hoping Mr. Travers and Miz. Lionel will help me with some of my plans, because I’m going to definitely need help.”

Again, Hannah felt overwhelmed by what the future held in store. She’d just have to buck up and be strong and getter done, as gramps used to say. She hugged his pillow and let herself have a good cry that stopped when she fell sound asleep.

It was very dark when Hannah woke. Fortunately, she knew the house so well she didn’t have to turn on any lights in order to go to the bathroom and head upstairs to her own bed. Tomorrow was going to be a very long day with lots to accomplish so she hoped she’d be able to quickly fall back to sleep.

Nightie on, under the sheet, Hannah’s mind turned to Luke and now much she’d enjoyed making love with him. She couldn’t believe she was aroused by those thoughts, but she was. She let herself go, enjoyed the memories of sex and orgasms and kisses and strokes. She kicked off the sheet, pulled her panties off and spread her legs. Her hand went down to cup her sex which she found hot and wet. Without thinking, she touched herself, enjoyed the slippery feel of her own body, gently rubbed herself, then inserted first one and then two fingers into her vagina. That left her thumb to manipulate the pulsating little bud, and before she knew it, she came and came and came.

Sated and breathless, Hannah hoped she hadn’t harmed the little Mite. She’d have to ask the doctor about babies and orgasms. She hadn’t pleased herself since her first time with Luke because she hadn’t needed to. It was good to know she could still make herself happy.

Hannah turned onto her side and hugged her pillow. Her body felt very tired and very relaxed thanks to her orgasm. She reached down, touched herself again for that last little tremor, and fell asleep with her hand not quite between her legs, but against the base of her tummy as if to reassure the little Mite that what they’d just experienced was perfectly normal, or at least she thought it was.