Aunt Mary left the hotel the next morning after her niece’s wedding. She was rested and at peace in her heart. Woodrow Rice was a good man. Her niece could not have done better if she had tried. Shadow had been a perfect gentleman in the hotel, but she knew he had to be uncomfortable. So, Aunt Mary set out to take care of the dog's problem first, before anything else, including her breakfast.
It wasn’t that hard to find a place to take him for a walk. Aunt Mary only had to wander down a narrow side street between the hotel and the noisy café where she had eaten supper the night before. At the end of the street, she found herself facing the sun-warmed prairie; heard it whispering to her and the dog.
Shadow paused to test the air, then with a playful woof, he set off eagerly, pulling Aunt Mary along behind him. It was a beautiful morning for a walk. Aunt Mary felt lighthearted for the first time in a long while, as she let herself be tugged along into that grassy field. Aunt Mary laughed out loud for the sheer pleasure of it.
The constant sighing of the wind through the grasses was a soft sound, like the whispering of tiny things; and endless. Aunt Mary had been out walking Shadow for nearly an hour. The wind had never ceased in all that time. As she and the dog walked along, to the quiet peace of the prairie’s song, she found the time to think about her own self and the possibilities in front of her.
Shadow let his leash go slack, as he stopped for a instant to sniff the air. He lifted his black nose to the cloudless sky. Aunt Mary found herself doing the same. She inhaled a thousand strange scents. They all combined into one unique scent of growing things, sunlight, and fresh air.
She turned in a slow circle to take in the panoramic view; sensing a new kinship with this endless meadow that dipped and rolled across the land like a green sea of grass. She never dreamed she would end up in a place so wide open to the heavens. She liked it here. She just needed to find a niche; one independent of her newly-married niece.
Aunt Mary, giving into an impulse, took off her bonnet and sat down in the long grass. Her skirts billowed up around her like a pink-sprigged flower, and she felt young again. This is a place for futures, she thought, as she lay back in the grass, her hands tucked under the back of her head to keep the worst of the grass out of her hair. She gazed up at the sky. As blue as a robin’s egg, she thought, sighing contentedly. Shadow came over and licked her on her face, then lay down beside her, his chin on her stomach.
“Now that’s some cheek you rascal,” she said aloud to the dog. The sound of her voice was swallowed up in the soughing of the grasses all around her. “Do you like it here, then, Shadow?” She asked the dog. Absently, she reached down and patted his head before tucking her hand back under her head. She smiled when she heard his happy sigh. “Aye. I know how you feel. I like it here, too.”
Aunt Mary paid no attention to the passing of time until she felt, more than heard, Shadow’s soft growl against her stomach. Too late to move, a long shadow fell across her and the dog, shattering the peace. Shadow jumped up, but instead of growling, he began wagging his tail. Aunt Mary opened her eyes and looked up into the twinkling blue eyes of Ike Jorgenson. She was totally mortified, and for a moment, too embarrassed to move.
“Do you often go wandering off into strange meadows, Mrs. McGregor?” Ike grinned down at her, his blond hair glinting in the bright sunlight like some ancient Norse god come to life.
“Oh my goodness, no. Of course I don’t,” stammered Aunt Mary, struggling to sit up, only to cringe when she realized several inches of her feet and legs were plainly displayed for Ike’s view—which he shamelessly took full advantage of.
“Allow me,” offered Ike, holding out his hand towards a totally flustered Aunt Mary. “Though, by rights, I should refuse to do anything to cover up the trimmest pair of ankles I have seen in a very long time.”
“Oh. Oh, y-you!” huffed Aunt Mary, taking Ike’s hand. It would just be too awkward to try to rise with him watching, otherwise. As if she weighed no more than a feather, Ike lifted Aunt Mary up onto her feet, in one deft motion. Their eyes met for one breathless moment. Then they recollected themselves.
“Of all the impudence, Mr. Jorgenson!” Aunt Mary set in to scold Ike to cover her flustered reaction to his nearness. Hastily she pulled on her bonnet.
“Don’t be mad, Mrs. McGregor,” Ike cajoled, grinning his ‘Big Ike’ grin as he reached over and plucked a long grass stem sticking out from under her bonnet. “You’re a beautiful woman in a town where that is a rare sight. Men will look. I admit to being the foremost of them. May I offer you my arm for the walk back?” Ike could put on the charm when he wanted to. And, he wanted to now. He had big plans for Mary McGregor.
“I went to the hotel to offer to escort you to breakfast. When Mr. Ronackec told me you had taken your dog for a walk, I figured you had headed out here. I would still be pleased to escort you to breakfast, Ma’am.”
Aunt Mary sniffed, but found herself slipping her hand into the crook of his arm.
“I would be much obliged, Mr. Jorgenson. Come, Shadow,” she said, picking up Shadow’s leash from the grass. “It’s time to go back to town.”
They walked peacefully for a few minutes, both content to walk noiselessly side by side. To Aunt Mary, it was a strange sensation, to be walking arm in arm with Ike Jorgenson. It was the first time she had been escorted anywhere since Riley's tragic death. She found Ike Jorgenson’s company not at all unpleasant.
“Are you planning to move out to Woody’s homestead?”
“Only as a last resort.”
“Why?”
“Would you want to move in with a pair of newly-weds, Mr. Jorgenson?”
“Only as a last resort,” answered Ike with a straight face, looking out over the prairie to keep from looking at Aunt Mary. After a silent minute went by, he finally glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and caught her looking up at him. They both burst out laughing at the same time.
“Do you have any idea how you’re going to take care of yourself if you stay here in Yankton?”
“I’ll look for work, of course.”
Aunt Mary had been thinking seriously about her immediate future while she was walking out there on the prairie. She had several talents she could put to good use finding a job here in Yankton. It was a rough town, to be sure, she thought to herself. The scarcity of women surprised her, but would make her job hunting actually easier. Men seldom had time or inclination to launder their clothes. She was an experienced Laundress. They were always hungry, too. What would they give for a good, home-made meal? She was not ashamed of her cooking. It was said back in Piney Creek that her rolls were the lightest in three counties.
“What kind of work are you looking for?”
So, she shared her thoughts with him, and her reasoning on the subject. That took them back into town by way of the narrow street that he called an alley. They stopped in front of The Yankton Hotel, where she was staying. Not a very imaginative name, Aunt Mary thought, while she stood there waiting to see if Ike Jorgenson was serious about taking her to breakfast. He was.
“Why don’t I wait out here while you take the dog up to your room, then we can go to breakfast?”
Aunt Mary stifled a little sigh of relief. Breakfast would be one less meal she would have to pay for from her dwindling store of cash.
“I will only be a minute. It is so gracious of you to wait for me.” Without further ado, she and the dog vanished through the hotel doorway.
***
“You want me to what?” Aunt Mary stared incredulously at the big Swede sitting across the table from her. “I’m not sure I can do that. I’ve never managed anything before in my life.”
“You have to admit,” Ike leaned over the table, bringing his nose entirely too close to hers. He put his hand up to shield his words from listening ears, and whispered: “This town definitely could use a better eating establishment.” His blue eyes sparkled like sunlight on water as he watched a range of emotions flicker across her features.
“True,” she agreed, leaning back in her seat to get away from Ike’s nearness. “But….”
“No buts,” Ike grinned, leaning back himself. Ike considered himself a shrewd businessman, so he recognized the signs that Mary McGregor had not dared admit to feeling yet. She wanted this. She wanted it bad. Wisely, Ike took a last drink of his coffee and left his offer hanging between them as he set his cup down in his empty plate and signaled for the bill.
Aunt Mary flinched when they came out of the café onto the sunny boardwalk. She couldn’t believe how much time had passed while they sat leisurely eating breakfast. It must be close to noon, she thought, as they started walking slowly back to the hotel, where Ike paused.
“You have been the most enjoyable company I have had in many a day, Mrs. McGregor. I hope you have a pleasant day.” He waited for her to drop her hand from his arm, then tipping his hat, he began walking on down the boardwalk. He walked slowly, however, hoping the seed he had planted had taken root. It had.
“Wait, Mr. Jorgenson,” Aunt Mary called out. He turned around as if surprised, trying to smother a grin. She lifted her arm to wave to him, causing her reticule to wobble crazily. He stood where he stopped, waiting for her to catch up to him. He admired the gentle sway of her skirts as she walked towards him. Jumping Jehoshaphat, he whistled too softly for her to hear. What a woman! Then she stopped in front of him, and he looked down at her. She greener eyes even, than her niece, Rose, though they were a different shade of green entirely from her niece’s. How many different shades of green were there, he wondered.
“Where would you think about setting up a restaurant, Mr. Jorgenson?”
“Come,” Ike grinned, once more holding out his arm for her. “Let me show you.”
The two of them set off down the boardwalk towards the other end of main street.