Jessie's Ride

Chapter 3
The move

I spent the next few hours packing the kitchen and my stuff. Ben arrived late that night. Something was different about him. I could not put my finger on it but it was there. I really did not want him to change now. My life was throwing too many curve-balls lately as it is. I told him about the sale and the move. His reaction was a shrug and to start packing. This made me think something was defiantly wrong! I decided to let him be for now. I could find out what was wrong when we were settled in the new cabin.

The next morning Ben and I packed my mustang with all the rose could take. Ben chuckled when I told him why my car was called the black rose. I watched as Julie and Josie got ready to move back to the main house. Josie only looked back once. She looked sad. It hurt my heart but I kept that all inside. Was I wrong about all this? Did she love me? Was it just my friendship she did not want to loose? I let out a load sigh and tore my mind back to what I was doing. I think too much.

The truck came by for the last of our stuff. Ben and the driver made short work of the boxes as I walked through the cabin. I wanted to make sure nothing was left. The last thing we did was load Gypsy and Hero into the trailer for the ride over. Gypsy was fidgety. I knew how she felt but wouldn't show it. It was hard to leave this place. We might have only been there three weeks but it had been "Home" for us. To work so hard in fixing up a place then have to leave it just like that didn't sit well with me. Ben gave me my space for a bit then coughed. It was time to go.

Ben drove, I was not up to it just then. Strangely ever since I let him drive back to the main house that one time I felt safe letting him drive. Why my rebel side didn't object to giving up that bit of power I don't know. Too many Questions no answers.

It took about an hour to get to the new cabin. It was in OK shape on the outside but when I looked inside I sighed. It looked even worse than I expected. It was going to take a lot of work just to make it livable. Well that was what I was here for. I put all my troubles aside and picked up a broom and set to work. It took me three days to get the cabin in order, we ate cold meals during this time. Ben left me to do my work most of the time. I was too tired to think each night so that kept me sane. It was good to do, not think. I wanted to ask Ben what he was doing when he was away but at the same time did not want to open a can of worms till the work was done. So I waited and cleaned. Under the layer of dust and grime was some very nice stuff. The table and chairs were all hand made wood. Oak, redwood, pine and willow glowed after the grit and grime came off. I was amazed that grime was all on the surface. I found myself cleaning just to see what else I would find. The cabin was small but laid out well. I would say it was a real "Homey" place.

With a little over a month left in the summer I needed to make up my mind about some things. The first was Josie. That one still baffled me. Then there was Ben. Is what I am feeling for him real or not? What about this girlish side that I seem to have? I am a boy and a rebel right? Last was Gypsy what would happen to her if I went back? Did I want to go back? It all came down to two questions: 1, Who was I? 2, Who did I want to be? All else was setting.

The kitchen took me a long time to clean but I pushed till it shined. I got a real surprise when I found the stove was a wood burning type. I decided to ask the cook at the main house how to use it when I went there to get the weeks food the next day. I should have known since all the lights were oil lamps.

That night a horrible wind storm blew in rattling the trees all around the cabin. About 11 pm rain was poring down in sheets. I was sitting in the kitchen drinking some coco when I was startled by a terrible crash in the back of the cabin, it shook the whole cabin. I rushed to the bedrooms in time to see Ben come out of his looking towards mine. I moved to where he was standing and grabbed his arm. I was really scared to see what made that crash. He patted my hand and we moved to my door. Opening the door we were buffeted by strong winds and rain. I could only stare at what was left of the back wall. A hole the size of a mid-size car was where closet used to be. OK, what do I do now? Ben closed the door tight. He turned to me "we can't do anything till this storm blows over". For now all I could do is hope the storm blows it's self out without doing any more damage to the cabin.

Ben and I were too keyed up to sleep so we went to the kitchen for some coco and to talk about what to do when the storm is over.