“That’s terrible. I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
I coughed, uncomfortable, and tried to think of a way to change the subject.
“Would you like a tour of the garden?” I asked, trying to sound upbeat.
She gave me a long, sideways glance, as if to say that she wasn’t falling for it. But then she seemed to reconsider.
“Sure.”
I walked her up and down the rows of plants, showing her everything. Many of my vegetables came back every year, seeded by the previous year’s growth. I’d expanded over time, and now had tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, beets, radishes, carrots, peas, beans and more.
There were a variety of herbs, as well. I used them to season my food and to make medicines. Cilantro, mint, basil, parsley, mustard, and dill – all grew abundantly. When the sun was hot in the summer, I air-dried plants so that I’d have enough to last in the winter months.
As we walked around, I grabbed a basket. I’d woven them out of thin pieces of birch bark. At my direction, she helped pick vegetables for our morning meal.
It was a refreshing change, having company while I worked in the garden. I’d gotten used to the peace and quiet of being here by myself, but there was something pleasant about being able to share a conversation with someone. We joked and laughed, and told each other little stories, and it felt like it made the time pass so much faster.
Before I knew it, we’d accomplished everything that I had intended. But I didn’t want to go back into the hut just yet. I was having too much fun.
“Would you like to go pick berries in the woods?” I asked. “Fruit with breakfast is always a nice treat.”
She agreed readily. I took the basket from her. I fetched us both new baskets, knowing that we’d need them. Then I kneeled so that she could climb on my back
She looked wary at first, but I promised her that it was fine. She slid one leg across me, sitting firmly, and we headed for the trees.
We trotted through the forest. I was aware of her legs squeezing me, trying to keep her balance as I dodged rocks and branches. There was no chance I would let her fall, but I didn’t hesitate to add a few bumps. I loved the sensation of her legs wrapped around me.
The only thing that would’ve made it better was if she wasn’t wearing clothes. I would’ve preferred the feel of her skin rather than just fabric. I’d gotten a good look at her body earlier, but I had yet to touch it.
The memory reminded me of how cautious she’d started off, not wanting me to see her naked, and how quickly she’d gotten over that.
“You know, there’s no one around here to see you except me. You could always lose the clothes if you’d be more comfortable. My people never wear clothes, and it’s always worked for us.”
Laughter burst from her, jolting her forward. “No thanks,” she forced out as she tried to calm herself. “I’m good.”
We reached our first stop. Wild grapes grew along the bank of the river. I spotted a cluster of them, winding their way up the trees. I pointed them out to her, moving closer so that we could fill our baskets. She remained on my back to reach the high ones. Then I helped her slide down so that she could reach the lower ones as well, while I finished gathering the ones over her head. We took more than we needed, but I knew that they would last for a while and could be saved for other meals.
When we were done, I kneeled so that she could resume her position as rider. We continued to walk through the forest. At this point, I was just exploring leisurely, using the berry hunt as an excuse. I didn’t want to go back to the hut yet. I enjoyed the feel of her body close to mine, and her companionship.
Wandering aimlessly, I took a meandering route, maximizing our time together. Claire didn’t notice the difference and didn’t question why we didn’t seem to be going anywhere. She saw a big bush of wild blackberries. Her eagle eye zeroed in on them, and she pointed gleefully. I’d led her here entirely by accident, but I gave no indication of my surprise.
We stopped to strip the bush clean, picking all the juicy, plump berries. We snacked as we worked, and that ended up being our breakfast. Or the breakfast before breakfast.
When we finished, we resumed our stroll. At this point, I was sure even she knew that I was wandering, but she never objected. It was a pleasant day, not too hot or cold, with a gentle breeze and plenty of sunshine.
As we walked, we found plenty to look at. Big yellow blanket flowers, and purplish-blue larkspur were out in full force. Beebalm was busily attended by the namesake insect, which buzzed from flower to flower collecting pollen in the open glade. Under the trees, the scented carpet of thick, fragrant pine needles tickled our noses.
Birds called from every direction. Jays and magpies danced along the trees, and a mountain bluebird made Claire gasp with delight. Snowshoe hares bounced along, moving so fast that they were gone almost as soon as we noticed them. We even saw a deer watching us from across an open field, staring curiously at us with big, black eyes.
Even though I walked this land all the time, it felt as though I was seeing it through brand new eyes today. It might have been the little noises she made, exclaiming every time she saw something that excited her. Maybe I was just paying more attention to my surroundings, finally having someone to share them with.
In any case, we continued much further than I had originally planned to go. Eventually, I got a bit carried away, and we found ourselves on a steep, rocky outcropping.
It was an area that I typically steered clear of. The terrain was difficult, and only more challenging with her on top of me. Ruefully, I realized that it served as a reminder that I shouldn’t have played around. I hadn’t been watching where I was going, and this was the price I had to pay.
We made our way across the jagged rocks. I moved as slowly and carefully as I could, but the intense slope of the hillside made it hard to keep my footing. The momentum often forced me ahead quicker than I intended. Once, I felt her nearly about to pitch headlong over my shoulder, and I had to twist around to hold her in place.
After that, she wrapped her arms around my chest, holding tightly as if I was her anchor. I had no complaints. I was more than happy with the unexpected reward. Even when we got onto more stable ground, she lessened her grip, but never let go.