Accepting His Love

Accepting His Love: Chapter Three

Arkansas City, Kansas

September 12, 1893

Abigail slept fitfully the previous night. Under the cover of her wagon, nightmares haunted her mind. They were nightmares of Susahnna's death. Flashes of that horrific morning had continued to flood her unconscious state and twice during the night, she'd awakened in cold sweat.

Now, as she rolled her bedroll back up and secured it in her wagon, she readied herself to face the land run registration office. Tying back the mass of tightly coiled curls on top of her head with a ribbon, she put back on her blouse and stepped out into the sunlight.

The sun beat down relentlessly as she re-hitched the horses back to her wagon and dust and sand filled the air. It wasn't too hard to navigate through the swarming crowd in town, and soon enough, she took her place in the long queue of horses and wagons to wait for her chance to register in the land run.

When it was finally her turn, after waiting for close to five hours, she'd had to deal with the sneers that came from the white man registering the names. The bastard at the desk had even tried to convince her that black women could not participate, but after showing him the correct documents and assuring him that she was indeed an American citizen, he'd reluctantly taken her fourteen dollars and she'd signed her name on the registration certificate.

It was official. On September 16th, four days from now, Abigail would start the beginning of a new life for herself.

The thought made her feel giddy with excitement as she made her way back to the outskirts of the still multiplying group of 'Boomers'. She couldn't wait for September 16th to finally arrive.

*****

Later that night, the stars twinkled over him in the dark sky as Derek stared into the orange flames of the fire he had made. A pot of coffee heated on the fire and the aroma filled the space he was in.

Derek couldn't get her face out of his mind. Her sparkling brown eyes had engrained its place in his head and he couldn't shake how beautiful that woman had been. She had had an exotic type of beauty and such a strong and free spirit that he felt himself wanting to see how she was doing. He seemed to be drawn to her, but to his confusion, he couldn't figure out why. He'd only met her once.

He looked across the expanse of land and his eyes were instantly riveted to the covered wagon with the butterscotch and brown mares. He didn't see her by the wagon, so he assumed that she was currently inside of it. It was pretty late so he figured she was either getting ready to sleep or she was asleep already. Either way, he decided that he was going to check on her. Not that she needed checking up on really, but just to say hello and probably get a hold of her name.

With his mind set, he got up and walked to his own wagon. He retrieved two tin cups and poured some coffee into each, careful to make sure not too many coffee dregs poured out. He'd bring the coffee as a peace offering so that she'd have to talk to him. Then, he hitched his horse back to his wagon and made his way over to the spirited young African woman.

Stopping his wagon next to hers, he grabbed the two still steaming cups of coffee and walked to the back of her wagon. Peeking into the wagon, his breath stopped short at the sight before him and he almost dropped the cups of coffee.

She lay on a bedroll in the wagon, but she had apparently kicked off whatever cover she'd had on prior. Now, creamy smooth skin was exposed as she only had on a thin chemise. His eyes went over her sweetly slumbering features, down to the smooth milk chocolate column of her neck, swept down to her collar bone and across to the smooth curves of her shoulders. Then his gaze dipped lower and he grimaced. Her chemise was so thread bare that anybody passing by would have no difficulty seeing what didn't need to be seen.