Serendipity's Choice

- Chapter 18 -

As they enjoyed a satisfying meal of steak, boiled potatoes, and interesting conversation, Bertie asked Serri where she'd come across the dungarees she was wearing.

As Serri chewed a piece of steak and studied her pants, Bertie smiled and commented about getting a kick out of the skirt panel sewn on the front to make them look ladylike. She went on to say that those fancy britches were the first thing that caught her eye when she saw Serri on the deck earlier. Right then and there she decided that she'd like to meet that girl.

Serri laughed and proudly explained that she had designed and sewn them herself. She said she made them because she needed something practical to wear while riding her horse Percy. Bertie nodded her approval and they made a toast to the fancy riding britches.

Soon after, an exhausted Serri said her goodnights to Bertie and made her way down the stairs to check on Percy.

Percy was happy to see her, nodding his head in greeting as she approached his stall. She gave him a hug and fed him an apple she'd taken from a bowl in the dining room.

After saying good night to Percy, she made her way to her cabin. It was tiny but cozy. She pulled the covers back on her bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Early the next morning, Serri walked along the railing, taking in the views of the sunrise over the countryside. As she studied the landscape, she heard a voice behind her say, "A penny for your thoughts."

She turned and smiled at Bertie.

"I'm just trying to figure out what Percy and I should do next."

"Well, what are the options?"

"Good question," sighed Serri. "I do know I'd like to find a small, friendly town that's in need of a schoolteacher."

"Huh. I imagine you'll be tripping over those. Well, at least the ones needin' a schoolteacher. As for 'friendly', all bets are off."

Serri nodded her head as she stared out into the distance. Bertie was probably right, and it didn't give Serri any comfort. But instead of worrying about her future, she invited Bertie to accompany her to breakfast.

The day passed uneventfully as the sternwheeler slowly made its way north.

That evening, after dinner, Bertie became the center of attention at the poker table as people gathered around to watch her pile of winnings grow.

The game stretched on for hours, until finally the last round was upon them. Only two were left playing. They were Bertie and the tall, intimidating man she'd sent away from Serri's table the night before.

He had a bone to pick and desperately wanted to save face.

The tension grew as they each added money to the already large pot.

Soon, Bertie's opponent was all in. The silence was deafening, as the two combatants stared each other down. A bead of sweat slowly made its way down the desperate man's face.

"Call," said Bertie in a low, steady voice.

As she pushed her pile of coins into the center, people held their breath, waiting for her to show her cards.

As she laid down her cards, she held her adversary's eyes. The gasps that filled the room said it all. Four aces.

As he laid down his full house, he smiled at Bertie. He'd have looked like a good loser, if it weren't for the fact that his eyes were shooting daggers. A chill ran up Serri's spine.

As the crowd dispersed, Bertie scooped her earnings into a large leather pouch and announced she was buying a round for everyone. As cheers broke out and people started heading for the bar, Bertie gave a handful of coins to the bartender and made her way out of the room. Her plan was to throw off the sore loser and his thugs. She knew they were watching her every move.

Serri had to jump up and down to find Bertie over the crowd. Congratulations were in order. She spotted her just as she passed through the door that would lead down to steerage. As Serri pushed her way through the crowd, she noticed the sore loser and his entourage of thugs heading toward the same door. With a gasp of realization, Serri started moving faster.

Just as she ran through the doorway, Serri saw the angry men stomping down the nearby stairs. As the last man neared the top of the stairs, a foot came out of nowhere and tripped him. Falling forward, he put the domino effect to the test as he landed on the man ahead of him. Then Bertie appeared from the supply closet she'd been hiding in. She winked at Serri as she grabbed her arm and swung her around, facilitating a quick exit. The two women raced back through the door just as the last domino fell and the men lay piled in a snarling heap at the bottom of the stairs.

Serri wanted to laugh and panic at the same time. Those men had been hopping mad to start with, now they'd be downright furious.

"Bertie, we have to get you out of here."

"Just follow me. I've dealt with worse than those clowns," laughed Bertie.

Passing back through the crowd, Bertie led Serri into the kitchen. They made their way quickly to the back wall where Bertie opened the pantry door.

"They'll find you here in no time," lamented Serri.

"Come on," said Bertie impatiently, as she pulled Serri into the pantry and closed the door.

In the darkness, Serri could barely make out Bertie's hand running along the underside of one of the shelves. Her fingers stopped midway and pushed something. Suddenly the back wall, shelves and all, swung open to reveal a room. The two women darted inside, and Bertie pushed the wall back into place then locked them in with a deadbolt.

Bertie felt her way over to a table and lit a lamp sitting on top. The light revealed a charming little room, complete with table, chairs, and a bookshelf laden with books. Another shelf held dried biscuits, jerky and a tall pitcher. Along the back wall was a bunk bed with quilts and pillows. And, most amazing of all, an ornate screen hid a corner commode with a drainpipe leading out to the hull of the ship.

Serri looked around then stared at Bertie quizzically.

"The cook's a very old and dear friend of mine," answered Bertie. "The first time I had to escape an angry mob of sore losers, he was so upset, he had this built. I had to jump overboard that night. Nearly drowned trying to hold on to my winnings. It weren't pretty."

The two women made themselves at home. Bertie regaled Serri with stories that further proved her wit and wisdom. Serri began to relax as they chewed on jerky and enjoyed cups of rich, dark beer from the pitcher. She told Bertie about her failed marriage. Bertie sat up as Serri told of her escape to freedom and how Noah, then Brett, nearly derailed it. The two friends held hands across the table and concluded that better days were ahead.  Being too exhausted to stay awake, they retired to their respective quilts. Serri on the top bunk. Bertie on the lower.

Before the sun rose the next morning, Bertie woke Serri with a gentle nudge.

"I have to say my goodbyes now. The ship just docked in Hannibal. You better stay here another night. Those idiots should either be off the ship or calmed down by tomorrow."

With that, Bertie was gone. Serri didn't even hear the wall open or close, as Bertie quietly slipped out.

Soon after, Serri reluctantly climbed down from her bunk and stood rubbing her eyes. When her vision cleared, she was surprised to see fresh-made biscuits with jam and a pot of coffee on the table. The food shelf had been restocked as well. There was even fresh fruit. Serri sighed. She was going to miss Bertie.

She had no way of knowing how much.