His to Protect

His to Protect >Chapter 20

His to Protect 

Chapter 20 

When they finally made it home that afternoon, everyone was busy moving around outside getting things ready for the wedding that was taking place the following day. Lori couldn't believe her eyes what the men had been doing. Some of the men were still working on building long tables placing them under the shade trees. While others were, sawing large logs making them look like chairs so everyone would have a chair to set on. 

As Lori looked around, she didn't see Diane or Henry among them. She turns her head slightly when she spoke to Mark. "I wonder where Diane and Henry are. You would think Diane would want to her two cents in about her wedding plans." 

Mark glances around before saying to his wife, "I bet your mom and Cassandra wouldn't let them do anything, so they are probably doing their own thing and letting them do what they want to do." 

"That could be," Lori said as they rode toward the back of the cabin moving among the trees, where they could skin and dress the meat. 

Once they had skinned the bear, Mark looking around the area wondering where they were going place the hide, so that the animals in the area would not be destroying the hide. He looked up into a tree, then looking back down where the skin was. He scratches his chin and shaking his head. Then he went looking for a piece of rope, he rolled the skin in a tight ball before wrapping the rope around it tightly. Then he started climbing up with the bearskin on his back. He took his time climbing before he thought he was high enough that the animals couldn't mess with it. Then he began climbing down trying not to slip on the way down. He wonders why he even climbed this high up in the first place, knowing he hates climbing trees even as a kid. 

Lori watches as Mark as he climbs up the tree with the bearskin on his back, watches as he takes it off his back and hung it from on a branch. Then he began climbing back down, when he was half way down she calls out for him to hear her. "Why in the world would you climb that high up, when all you needed to do was throw it up on one the lower branches and be done with it." 

Mark looks down to where she was standing before taking a deep breath trying to calm his stomach from looking down. However, that did not help. He closes his eyes for a second, before opening them again. 

She yells out again, "Well are you climbing down or are you planning on staying up there tonight?" She couldn't help but laugh as he was hugging the tree as if it was a lifeline. 

Finally, he began moving and when he got close to the ground where she was standing he jumps down. He bends over taking in a couple deep breaths because the way was feeling he could kiss the ground he was standing on, he was so happy to be back on the ground.  

He looked up to where he had climbed, and thought with a smile on his face, there is no way in hell I am going back up that damn tree for love or money. If anyone wants that bearskin, then he or she sure can climb up that damn tree themselves. 

"Are you all right Mark?" Lori asks. "Because just a few second ago you were three shades of green, now you have that smile on your face." 

"Yea I am fine now that I am back on the ground." Mark turns around facing her, but still looking a little green. 

"Oh while you were up there in that tree Mark, did you happen to see where Henry and Diane might be? I am getting a little worried about them. I sure hope they are okay." Lori reply. 

"Oh honey stop, worrying about them. You know Henry can take care of himself and her too. They are probably down by the river talking about their future and just beginning together. They will be back when they are ready. Come on honey let go and see what else needs to be done." Mark reply while he wraps his arm around her shoulders and began walking back to the cabin.