Fort Laramie (11 page)

"Yes, caveman," she answered with a smile. "Yours. So don't mess with it."

They met up with Adrian and Julie at the steak house. Adrian looked smug and satisfied. Julie looked different, too. Her makeup was fine, as always, her hair was perfectly smooth, and even her outfit was wrinkle free and color coordinated. But something was different. Carrie guessed immediately that they'd had sex. Julie was much more open about it than Carrie. Carrie had only ever had sex with someone she had real feelings for - a total of three times. Well, actually six, if each of today's occurrences were counted separately. She blushed, remembering that she'd actually come a lot more than three times, but if she only counted Tom's, then they'd made love three times. Maybe she'd ask Julie what constituted making love. And then again, maybe she wouldn't. Since Julie had obviously had sex with Adrian, and she didn't even like him.

Or did she?

Julie was different towards him. Almost demure. Julie was never demure. Julie was confident, sometimes condescending. She was proud and regal. Yet tonight, she was like a blushing virgin. Carrie studied Adrian, seeing him in a whole new light. Instead of Tom's geeky sidekick, he was maybe just the man Julie needed.

Dinner was difficult, though, only because neither girl could get comfortable! Their dates were cads, extending their discomfort by intentionally taking their time to eat their steak. They talked a lot, they had a second round of beers. They ordered desserts. Finally, they asked for the bill, not because they were concerned for their girlfriends' comfort, but because it was time to pick up the other students.

Julie was luckier, in that she rode in Adrian's van and they went right back to the campground. Carrie got to sit up front still, her official position now as Tom's girlfriend, and not just because of her crutches, but it took a while to find all the students. Some were still inside the theater, and the movie didn't get out until half past. Carrie was exhausted and very uncomfortable by the time they returned, and then, Julie and Adrian were together in her tent. Tom was fine with bringing her inside his tent, but she was a little uncomfortable with it. It was so fast - so sudden. One moment, she didn't know how she felt about him, or he about her, and the next, she's suddenly his camp buddy and sleeping companion, and everybody knew it.

"Could we not make love again," she asked, as he tucked her inside his sleeping bag.

"Why, honey? Is everything all right?"

She nodded. "I'm just a little sore," she lied.

He got all concerned then, and kissed her bottom, although that wasn't where it hurt, really. Her heart hurt, and she didn't know why. Then he wrapped an arm around her and promptly went to sleep! While she tossed and turned half the night. Her bottom hurt, her foot hurt - she'd been on it too much today. Her heart hurt, her head ached from crying too much. And she really did want him to make love to her, after all. She reached for him and he was instantly awake, instantly ready to satisfy her needs. Then she was able to sleep. Maybe being his girlfriend wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

Monday was interminable, again. It was beginning to be a pattern, she mused. A week ago she'd had to work with a sore bottom, too! Her foot wasn't as painful, and she would get her stitches out later that afternoon, but she still had to use the crutches for another week. And she hadn't been able to get to the library yesterday, as she'd planned. She rubbed her sore, bruised bottom and feared how it was going to feel when Tom finally found out the truth. She should just tell him! Maybe he'd be proud of her for owning up to it, and he wouldn't punish her? Yeah, right. He would spank her because she had lied to him, and she couldn't blame him. In a way, she knew she deserved to be spanked, but she just hoped he didn't find out for a while. She was much too sore to be spanked again any time soon!

Late in the day a group of sweet old ladies came through the Burt home. Carrie welcomed them into the front parlor first, inviting them to sit. She offered them tea, as Elisabeth Burt would have done. These ladies readily accepted and were quite pleased with the cookies she served. Molasses cookies were much easier to make in the wood-heated stove than chocolate chip. Chocolate was too sensitive to changes in heat, and would have been too expensive for the army colonel's wife. The ladies chatted on; they had been to the fort before, and just liked coming back. Most of them were locals, and one lady even seemed to know more about Elisabeth Burt's life than Carrie did. At first she was flustered by it, but the lady was just so charming that Carrie relaxed.

"I used to do this, you know," the lady confessed.

"Do what? Make molasses cookies?"

"Well yes, and no - I mean, I used to act like Elisabeth Burt, and welcome people to the fort. I was a volunteer, you know, we didn't have anything as organized as what that cute young man has done here. What was his name?"

"Thomas," Carrie said.

"Yes, yes, of course. Tommy McKay. Isn't he just adorable! I love those big blue eyes," the lady gushed.

Carrie had never thought of him as adorable. He was eight years older than she was! But to these ladies who were seventy if they were a day, he was barely out of diapers. It was rather amusing.

"Elisabeth was quite a spinner, you know. I had to take classes, so I could demonstrate it to the children. It's the easiest - and the hardest - thing to do, or so they say. Anyone can learn to spin in less than an hour, but you can spend a lifetime learning to do it better."

"You know how to spin!" Carrie shouted, dropping the pretense of being a refined woman, an army colonel's wife. The old ladies didn't mind. They just laughed and chatted all the more.

"Of course, sweet child! I learned so I could show the children when they came through here. You should learn, too, don't you think?"

"Show me, please! Oh, I'd love to learn," Carrie confessed. "I tried to learn before, but I didn't have a spinning wheel, and I had nothing to practice on."

"Well, we'll fix that right now," the woman insisted. "Of course, you don't have to have a spinning wheel. They are a wonderful invention, but before the invention of the spinning wheel, and even after that, women used a drop spindle. Spinning wheels were expensive, and only the well-to-do could afford them. Or a woman might inherit one from a grandmother - they last forever, you know, if you take care of them," the woman babbled on. But while she talked, she worked. She settled her great weight on the tiny spinning stool, and positioned the wheel just right. She picked up the wad of sheep wool from the basket.

"This is wool that has been carded. It has a name, but I don't remember what it's called just off hand. I'll have to let you know when it comes to me. But you take the sheep wool and comb it with big combs which straightens the fibers, making them all line up. Then you take a small pinch of these fibers, and sort of feed them to the spinning wheel, slowly and evenly, while you keep the wheel spinning with your foot. The wheel twists the fibers into a fine, thin yarn. You can either knit with this yarn, or twist it again into a thicker yarn- depending on what you plan to use it for. We'll focus on a single twist for now. Okay?"

Carrie watched, fascinated by the woman. She would have loved to have watched her all day, but another group came through, and then another. She was constantly being interrupted, and had to give tours to other visitors. She tried to be patient with them, but found their endless questions annoying! She wanted to return to her spinning lesson before the old woman left!

"Honey," the woman said when she returned for the third time. "I can see how busy you are. This isn't the right time. But if you want to come to my house any evening at all, I'll be happy to teach you."

Carrie's heart sank. She had hoped she could keep this from Tom. But if she had to ask him for a ride, she'd have to tell him everything. "Thank you," she said politely. The woman wrote down her name, address and phone number and passed it to her.

"Your name is Elisabeth, too?" Carrie remarked.

"Sure it is," the woman said proudly. "I guess that's partly why I enjoyed being Elisabeth Burt. Of course, I never had a handsome young feller to be Mr. Burt! Oh my, but if he isn't an eyeful! Anyway, we'd best be on our way. Thank you, honey, for the tea and cookies. And good luck with your little school project here."

Tom came by a bit later, around four. He and she would have to take off to go to the clinic to have her stitches removed. He had reminded her of the time that morning, but when he came to get her, he didn't look a bit happy. Carrie fretted all the way in, wondering what he was mad about this time. Had he discovered her lie? She didn't think so. If he had, he would be spanking her already, or threatening to spank her. Instead, he was just irritated. Maybe it wasn't about her at all. She drew in a deep breath and let it out, gaining courage from the action.

"What is it, Tom?" she asked. "Why are you angry?"

"I've had some bad reports about one of the students," he said slowly.

"Oh." Maybe it wasn't her?

"Yep. We're in a service position. We should be kind and courteous. Yet several visitors told me that she was rude. I find that hard to believe, and I'm wondering how it happened."

Carrie stared at her hands, shifting uncomfortably on her seat. It had to be her. Julie was perfect, and Vicki was perfect. Only Carrie was the screw up. She had been so eager to learn how to spin, thinking she could keep her secret from Tom, and therefore avoid a spanking, and here she was, about to earn a spanking again anyway.

"I'm sorry, Tom," she said.

"So why? What's up?"

"Well, I am really hurting today," she snapped, scowling at him.

"That's no excuse for rudeness, Carrie, and you know it."

"Yes, Tom."

"So, spanking now, or after you see the doctor?"

"What! Neither! Tom, I'm all black and blue!"

"You should have thought of that before you were rude to the visitors, Carrie. The visitors are the most important aspect of our summer here! Many of them have come a long way to visit the fort. They come with their families, and it's up to us to make their visit memorable. That memory should be a happy one. Damn it, Carrie! If even one of them writes a letter of complaint, it could shut this whole program down!"

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I didn't mean it!"

"Then why did you do it!"

She gulped. This was it. This was the time to come clean. But he was already angry with her, and they'd only been officially dating for less than twenty-four hours! What if he was so mad that he just gave up? She couldn't let that happen! Not now. Not yet. And so she remained silent.

"So be it," he said. He pulled to the side of the road. He unsnapped her seatbelt and helped her climb over the center console. Sitting on the first bench seat, he tugged her over his lap and pulled down her shorts and underwear, as they had both changed out of their historic clothing before leaving the campground. Her bottom was a bit bruised in places, but it was no longer red. "Don't ever make me punish you for this again, Carrie, or I mean it. I will send you back home on the next airplane."

And then he spanked her. Hard. She was crying from the first smack, only because she knew she had disappointed him. She cried, but she didn't resist. She didn't struggle. She deserved it this time, and no matter how hard he spanked her, she deserved it even more because she hadn't told him the truth. She hated herself for maintaining the lie. And yet, she couldn't make herself confess. Not yet, anyway.

"I'm sorry, Tom! I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

He helped her up and held her, letting her cry on his shoulder. Her cries softened, but her need increased. They made love before they got on the road again, and almost missed the clinic entirely, as they closed at five.

"You know, sweetheart, that we really shouldn't make love every time I spank you," Tom said with mock sternness.

"Why is that?"

"Because a spanking is supposed to be a deterrent, to make you want to behave better. And somehow, making love is turning the punishment into a reward."

"Well, if it's all the same to you, Tom, I'd rather make love without the spanking part first."

"Then behave yourself!"

"I'll try."

"That's my good girl," he said. "That's all I ask."

It was uncomfortable having the stitches removed, but it didn't hurt too much. Nothing like a spanking hurt. And when it was over, Tom took her out for an ice cream before they returned to the fort. It was too late to stop and change back into their historic costumes, as the fort would be closing soon, so they just waited until the flag was down and folded, and the students piled into the van.

Supper was strained that night. Julie and Adrian must have had a fight, because neither was speaking to the other. And when Carrie was ready for bed, Julie wanted her to sleep with her instead of Tom. Carrie was unsure - she'd only gone into Tom's tent the night before because she didn't have any other place to go. Adrian and Julie had taken over her tent. She was a little annoyed about that, anyway. But Tom didn't ask her to join him again. He didn't even act like he wanted her there, either. He was trying to soothe things over with Adrian, and break up a fight between Jimmy and Doug, and find out who was supposed to be on dish detail, that when she said she was just going to sleep with Julie that night, he had looked relieved.