Ben And Meg In The Wild West
Chapter 1
The thick gray smoke was rising over the treetops, when the express train traveled trough the last part of woods before Springfield. The first town for mils and miles. The little city was blooming, mostly because of the railroad. But also because of the bank, the telegraph, the barbershop and Springfield’s pride and beauty The Sunset Hotel & Bar.
Ben Evans, the owner of the hotel, was standing on the train platform. He was expecting a shipment of old Scottish malt whiskey with the morning train. He picket up his pocket watch and studied it. It was on time! He smiled; maybe this would be a great day after all. Two young women walkt past him on the platform, they smiled and giggled. Ben accorded them a smile, then turned his eyes back on the, for now empty railroad. The two women whispered and walkt slowly away with their eyes glued on his gorgeous back and tush. He could feel there looks, but they did´t mean anything to him.
A very beautiful young woman was sitting on the train in a privet coupé. She maybe smiled but her crystal blue eyes said different. She was dressed in a white china silk dress with small purple flowers on and her hair was arranged in a modern hairdressing with a pearl comb in the neck. Her hands were covered with gloves of lace. Between her breast was a camé broach. She closed her book that she had been reading, when the conductor yelled: Springfield next!!
Bette Deschanel, wife to A.J Deschanel and the towns gossip lady, made her way to the station. She was in a hurry. Only five days ago, there had been a letter delivered, from her dear fried Joanna Cummings, Joan to her friends, in Boston. Apparently there was problem between her husband, Hank and one of there daughters. And Joan askt her old friend to take her for a couple of weeks, until the situation was less delicate. The country air would be so good for a little girl. Bette was pretty pleased with the arrangement, how wonderful to have a little girl in the house again. Bette could se here in front of her self: a pretty little girl, in a beautiful dress and her hair in small ponytails. Yes, that would be perfect! A.J could spoil her with candy and other sweets and she could buy her a nice doll or two! Bette had turned one of their bedrooms into a nursery; there was also a small room for the nanny. Because Bette assumed, naturally, that a nanny was traveling with the girl. When Bette reached the platform, she say Ben Evans, the object of her gossip most of the times, standing and looking for the train. He was almost like a member of the family. He was doing business with A.J and he was a good friend to her. His name circled often with the town rumors, but that was all it was- rumors. Never under the five years that he had lived in Springfield had she seen him with one of the town girls. She was determent to change that one-day.
" Well hello, POD! What brings you out so early in this fine morning, except for staring on an empty railroad?" she said smiled and padded his cheek affectionate.
Ben laught and kissed her cheek. " I have a shipment coming"
"Oh my, could there bee something nice from London maybe? "
Ben smiled " Yes, am expecting old Scottish malt Whiskey"
Bette did a helpless gesture with her hands and then she placed them on her hips. "Hello! I was hopping for something in a dress!"
" Well, if the conductor isn’t in a dress, then I’m afraid that you’ll have to wait" he smiled down to her. It was a privet joke between them. He continued.
" And you, if I’m not mistaken, usually by this time you are still in bed and demanding breakfast?"
" Yes, you are so right. Our maid is usually running her legs of by time, but not today. We are expecting a guest" She flipped up her umbrella.
" A guest? Someone I know?" He asked, but silently he answered " A very nice girl from Colorado that I think that you will like". He smiled at his own thought.
" Aha! I know what you think, big guy! But you are not taking a moon walk with this beauty"
Ben laught " Who is she then?"
Bette rumbled in her purse and picket up a black and white photo of a baby.
" She is about five or six now. Doesn’t she look pretty?"
Ben studied the photo " Yes, her parents are going to have problems with such a beautiful daughter." He returned the picture.
" A.J is so trilled. It´s going to be so nice to hear little feet again in the house. It will be good for A.J. He misses Cole."
" Yes, I heard. So Cole joined General Custards army?"
Bette nodded with agreement. " And with Caitlin and Trey visiting Olivia in Washington, and Emely at Stanford. Let’s just say that the house is empty. There is just A.J and Moi !"
Ben tried to hide a grin. That was exactly what A.J had said the other night.
" Oh, why don´t you Ben come over for dinner tonight? I’m sure that my sweetpie could use som company. He is surely going to be doing horseback riding and doll playing all day." Bette said, when the train rolled into the station.
" I’ll be delighted, Bette. Tell him I’m bringing a bottle"
Bette laught " THAT he will be delighted for! I will tell Mary to cook something very nice!"
Ben walkt up to the part of the train where they kept the cargo. He spoke with the person i charge and signed the delivery list. " I will send someone to pick it up" he said and turned around. He kept reading the copy of the list when he made his way off the platform.
The young women steeped off the train. A warm breeze got her to close her eyes and feel it touching her smooth skin. She was happy to be away from Boston. Away from all the noise, all the people but most of all: away from Tim.
She turned around and was abot to get her luggage, when she smash right into a man with a gray suite. Her purse split upend and her every personal thing found it´s way down to the ground. She bent down to get her things.
" I’m so sorry, miss! I did not look" he bent down to help her.
" No harm done. I was not looking either, sir!" she said. They got all her things together, without one look on each other. He could feel her eau de cologne: a heavenly sweet sent of wild roses. She had removed her gloves and the sun kissed her cream colored skin. Just like the hands of an angel, he thought. They both got up quickly and their eyes meet. Ben was looking into the bluest eyes he had ever seen. Meg was almost hypnotist by his look. He was so beautiful, and his eyes where so kind. Ben tore his gaze from her and gave her the pocket mirror back that he had in his hand. She reached for it and there hands touched. It was like the world around them stopped existing and time stood still….