CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

While Lisa and I wait for John we decide to hop down from the cart and give the horses some carrots, "Hopefully that creek on the side of the road is not dry", I say to Lisa as Abby begins eating her apple, Lisa nods, "yes, Grandma informed me this morning, there is plenty of fresh water in it for the horses", she replies, focused on Chester with his carrot, "how far is it between again, did she say", I ask, stroking Abby's mane. Lisa looked up as if trying to remember something, "she said it was about halfway but closer to us ", she said after a thought, I nodded and waited for Abby to finish her carrot. After a few minutes we heard footsteps approaching from the job site, we walked a little to look down the driveway and found John walking up with a bag in hand, he hand changed into a less tattered blue tunic and of white trouser held by a belt, he looked simply dashing in anything he wore and I oogled at him for a moment, Lisa and I looked at each other and then back at John, she was thinking the same as me, he was quite fast it hasn't even been ten minutes. "You came back quick", I called, drinking him in as he walked suavely up to us with a happy smile on his face, "the boss let me go and I did not want to keep you ladies waiting", he replied, "we will take turns guiding the horses", Lisa says turning and heading back towards the cart, "I will go first, hop in the back", she finishes, hopping up into the front seat. John walks up to me and stops only inches away, he puts his bags down, "how are you today, beautiful Annah", he says affectionately, bringing his hand up to caress my cheek, my heart melts and I feel that familiar heat creep onto my face, "I am feeling well thank you", I reply, my mind becoming puddy, he smirks causing me to look at his beautiful lips, I want to feel them at the moment, I moistened my drying lips at the thought of kissing them again. My eyes found his again, they had a mixture of love and yearning in them with a hint of hesitance, he was feeling this unshakable need too. I decided temptation can wait and embraced him, wrapping my arms around him and pressing my face into his chest, inhaling his scent, calming myself instantly his arms move around me and he buries his face in my hair, I did not want to leave his embrace but the clearing of Lisa's throat brought us back to reality, "can we get going now, we have far to travel", she said, staring at us with a calm smile, her chin resting on her palms. John and I reluctantly released each other, "sorry Lisa", he uttered, his face beet red from his momentary loss of reality, he picked up his bag with one hand and grabbed my hand with the other and we walked over to the ever-patient Lisa and the cart. John helped me up on the cart before climbing on himself and we set off on our journey to Grandma's.

John and I sat facing each other for the first few minutes of the trip with John facing ahead at the back of the cart and me facing the road behind, just behind Lisa. John decided the distance was too far and crawled over to sit next to me, his actions mirrored my thoughts as he pulled me into his arms, and it made me feel so safe and warm like I belonged there, a calm smile found its way to my face as I snuggled in closer, my heart jumping around happily. I looked up at John, who was momentarily looking around at the scenery around us, his eyes finding mine a second later, we gazed at each other for a few wonderful moments before he gave me a soft peck on the forehead, making my smile widen at the contact, making his bigger and brighter. "I don't care what Father says, I am marrying this man one way or another", I thought to myself. "John may I speak with you on a matter", I ask softly, he hums and nods, still seeming entranced by me, "please tell your co-workers to keep us a secret", I say calmly, "my father heard you wanted to marry me and became quite mad", I continue, a little amused and blushing slightly, his eyes widened in shock and his cheeks began reddening, "I did not know it would spread that far, I am so sorry", he apologises earnestly, I throw him a soft smile, "it is okay, I understand", I reply, "I just want to give him time to accept you", I continue, looking down at my hands, feeling a tinge of guilt, John raised my face to meet his and he caresses it gently, "I understand, I know my status is quite low", he comforts, a hint of sadness crossing his face. We stared at one another for a moment before I reached my arm up and over his shoulder bringing him into a long comforting cuddle, "you could have been abandoned in the forest at birth and raised by ants and I would still accept your future marriage proposal", I reassure, moving my hands into his hair, I feel him physically relax from my touch and he hugs me tighter. "I think I see the stream", Lisa calls back to us, "prepare to stop", she warns, John releases one arm from around me and grips the side of the cart, his other arm holding me tighter as the cart begins pulling to a stop. Lisa and John are the first to touch ground before John turns and helps me down, the soft sound of the stream, running beside us. Lisa and I unhooked the horses from the cart and guided them to the water, they drank and played with the water happily while Lisa, John and I, had our sips of water from one of the canteens we brought.