Chapter 2

And the lonesome sound
Of the outward bound
Made me a slave to

my wandering ways...

I grabbed a big sponge off the shelf in the tack room when I come back, and then walked over to Red. I still wasn’t sure just how he was going to take this, since he was really excited. I rubbed his nose, patted his neck, then rubbed down his side, as I made my way back to his left flank. His cock was already extended about six inches when I patted his belly. He stepped wide, with his hind legs apart when I touched his sheath.

I was just about through cleaning him when Darla stooped over my shoulder, watching me rinse him off. I never said a word, since she’d acted offended before, when I was trying my best not to offend her.

Ma and my teacher were the only women I’d ever been around. I knew about animals mating and I knew people had to mate too, in order to make babies. I sure wish Darla would step away from me. She really bothers the heck out of me, being stooped over my shoulder close to me like she is.

“Joss, when you’re ready, let’s turn them into the corral together. They’ll know what to do and we can go eat supper. You can come back out after supper and check on them,” Mrs. McIntyre told me.

“Yes Ma’am.”

As soon as we closed the corral gate, Red mounted the young sorrel mare. She was horsing strong and backed right up to take him.

I turned toward the house and both Mrs. McIntyre and Darla were standing by the corral watching them mate. They walked away when I did, but they stopped three times to look back at the horses. They even walked backwards a few steps, and I looked back to see Red sticking that young mare a second time. He made her squall that time and both women looked at me with their faces as red as that mare’s back.

I couldn’t figure the mother or the daughter out. I mean, both of them wanting to watch two horses mate. Then, when I thought I was showing a little courtesy toward Darla, she got all puffed up about it. I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to say or do the right thing around a young woman, if they’re all as touchy her.

“Mrs. McIntyre, that was about as good a meal as I’ve ever eaten.”

“Darla cooked most of it, Joss. She’s learning all she can about cooking and housekeeping. She’s about to marry our neighbor’s boy in a few weeks.”

“Darla, you sure can cook. I’ll vouch for that with my belly full. That young man is getting a prize, is all I can say about it.”

“Thank you Joss ... I want to apologize for being fussy with you out there earlier. Mother told me that you were a young gentleman and that you meant well when you asked if I needed to go to the house.”

“No need in apologizing to me. I’ve never been around girls your age. With the only women I was ever around, being my Ma and my teacher. Ma taught me to respect my teacher, all womenfolk and my elders. You and your mother are the only women I’ve even talked to, other than my teacher and Ma. I reckon I got a lot to learn before I become a man.”

Mrs. McIntyre told me, “Joss, you’re a man already. You just don’t have the age and experience to go with it. The older you get, the more you’ll learn about girls and women. You’ll turn out to be a good one too, if you follow your ma’s teachings.”

That made me feel good about myself, her telling me that. Here I am, just shy of fourteen years old.

After supper, I walked out behind the barn to check on Red and his first love. I thought about that and wondered how it felt to mate. I had to wonder if I’d ever find a girl who’d love me and want to marry. I sure do have a lot more learning and a lot of growing up to do.

I was so lost in my thoughts about my life and where it was going, I didn’t hear Darla until she spoke.

“Joss, Mother was right about you. You’re already a young man. William, the boy I’m about to marry, is nowhere near the gentleman you are and he’s twenty-one. Mother tells me that I’ll have to really work with him, to teach him to love me gentle, since he was raised by his Pa and his older brothers. He’s rough and rowdy and he likes to make me blush by saying things about what we’ll do together once we’re married...

“Joss, if you’ve never been around girls, I don’t suppose you’ve ever kissed a girl, you being just thirteen ... Have you?”

“No. But I did see a boy and girl kiss in the horse stable a few times one night.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. I didn’t mean to see them, but they came in the stable when I was cleaning out the stalls. He led her into the stall next to the one I was in and before I even knew what they were about to do, he pulled her to him and they kissed.”

“Did they just kiss that one time?”

“Oh no. They kissed many times and then she pulled him down onto some fresh straw that I’d just put on the floor.”

“JOSS, what did they do then?”

“They were pulling at each others clothes like crazy, when a man hollered her name, from back in the stable somewhere. She jumped up and brushed her dress off, then ran from the stall. It was her daddy, she told the boy.”

“You didn’t get to see them do anything else?”

“No and I was scared to death the whole time, just seeing what I did. Afraid they’d see me peeping at them.”

“Do you remember how they kissed? I need to know. I’ve never kissed before.”

“I remember alright, but I’m not sure I could explain it to you.”

“Joss, could you please show me? I really do need to know. I’ve never even kissed William, and I want to kiss him so bad when he holds me and tells me he loves me.”

“Darla, you’re sixteen and I’m just shy of fourteen. I’ve never been kissed either. Are you sure you want to kiss me?”

“Joss, please don’t tell me no. I really need you to show me how, so I’ll know how to kiss William. Mother has already explained to me about a man and woman being together in bed and what to expect on our wedding night. I just want to learn to kiss. Will you at least show me what you remember about it?”

“Darla, you’re the only girl I’ve ever talked to, other than the girls at school. They were all, way younger than me. You’re already a handsome young woman who’s about to be married in a few days. I’m just not sure...”

“Please, Joss?”

“If you promise me that’s all we’ll do, I’ll try my best to show you what I remember seeing them do. I don’t know anything about all that other stuff your mother explained to you ... About a man being with a woman in bed on their wedding night, that is. I’d just as soon we didn’t get that worked up ... I mean like that boy and girl did in the horse stall that night.”

“We won’t do any of that other stuff, Joss, I promise. Please take my hand like you said the boy did with that girl. Run into the barn holding my hand, then kiss me. Kiss me lots of times, just like it was them kissing, instead of us. Will you show me all you saw? Please?”

“Darla, I’m still not sure about us doing this. But if you’re bound and determined this is what you want, I’ll do exactly what the boy did with that girl. Right up to where she pulled him down into the straw. That’s as far as they went, and a whole lot further than we’ll go. I’m scared as hell just doing this much and I don’t know anything about a girl’s body anyway. Do you agree with me about all that?”

“I agree, Joss. Just kiss me as many times as that boy kissed his girl. Make out like it was happening to them all over again. I can picture them in my mind and I can feel what she was feeling as he led her into that stall.”

“Darla, you’re getting way too worked up already! Now you just settle down some, if we’re going to do this. We’re not lovers and I don’t know a damn thing about loving on a girl’s body anyway.”

“I was sort of excited - there for a minute. Just take my hand and show me what you saw. I’ll let you be the man and I’ll just be a dumb old girl who doesn’t know shit about love, or kissing. I am that way without trying, Joss. So I won’t be pretending.”

I wasn’t sure about me doing this, but she kept begging me. I never could tell Ma no, when she asked me to do something for her, no matter what. With Ma, it was different though. She was my Ma, and she wasn’t begging me to kiss her. Ma never even hugged me that I remember, much less kissed me.

Darla was still looking at me with her eyes pleading. I knew the time had come for me to have a go at it. I’d let myself get talked into this, I may as well make the most of it. I grabbed Darla’s right hand and nearly yanked her off her feet when I ran through the doorway of the barn, pulling her behind me.

I remembered the boy doing it like this. Then I stopped so fast, Darla ran into me. When she did, I pulled her body around to me with both my arms. I planted my lips on hers so hard, she was gasping for air. I never let up though and we found a way to make our mouths fit together. Darla’s body was stiff and hard to hold at first. Then, I pulled back and looked at her face like the boy did with his girl. I pulled her close for more kisses, because I was sorta beginning to like it too by now.

Darla’s body wasn’t stiff anymore. She was just like the girl had been. She was all over me. Kissing me and sucking my lips. She was kissing my mouth and face all over.

Then she stuck her tongue into my mouth! I thought I was going to gag when she did that the first time. I just knew she did it by accident and didn’t plan to. When she did it again, she meant to do it ... then, it wasn’t so bad and we sort of played tongues together through four more long kisses. I think I learned more about kissing, than I taught her. Hell, as scared as I was, I was even beginning to get as worked up as she was. I got scared sure enough though, when she took my right hand pulled it toward her bosom.

“Darla!” I snatched my hand back and looked at her. “We talked about that and you promised me we wouldn’t do that any of that other stuff!”

“Joss, I’m sorry. You made me feel so good all over, the way you kissed me. I lost all reason and control of myself when you held me and kissed me like that. I’ll never forget how you made me feel tonight. Thank you, Joss Wayward. You’re a real man. If you were a little older, I’d tell William that I’ve found another.”

“Darla McIntyre, now you stop that sort of talk right this minute. I’m thirteen years old and you’re a sixteen year old young woman who’s about to be married.”

“Joss, no matter what you say to me, you’ll never change the way I feel right now. You made a woman of me out here in our barn tonight. We didn’t mate, but you made me want to mate you. You’re a man, Joss Wayward. I’ll always remember you forever, as being such a gentleman, such a gentle soul and such a good kisser. I promise that I’m alright now, Joss. I just had to let you know how I feel inside.”

“Thank you, Darla. I appreciate those things you said about me. I’ll always remember you as the girl who taught me about kissing — when all the time, it was me trying to teach you. I wish you and William good luck. You do as your mother told you and help him learn to love you like a gentle man.”

“Joss, will you do me just one more favor before you leave tomorrow?”

“Darla, we’ve done all we’re going to do out here in the barn. Now, I told you that on the front end.”

“Joss, what I wanted, was you to break my mare to ride. I know when you do, she’ll be the gentlest horse I’ll ever own. When she throws her colt, I’ll name it Reddy, be it boy or girl.

“Well, I reckon I could have a go at her. If she can be ridden, I’ll ride her before breakfast in the morning. By the time I saddle up Red and ride out of here tomorrow, she’ll be begging you to come out to the barn and ride her.”

I was making up most of what I told her. I was just glad Darla didn’t ask me to kiss her again. Though I didn’t know the first thing about mating a woman, I knew I’d never stop at kissing if she started in with that other stuff again.

At daybreak the next morning, I was leading the McIntyre’s young mare out of the corral.

Red sort of looked at me like I was crazy. Then, when I threw his saddle on that filly, he snorted and moved away from the gate. I led her into a smaller corral next to the one Red was in and closed the gate. I wasn’t about to get on her out in the open, then have to chase her half the day if she bucked me off.

I was hoping that after all the mating Red had put her through since late yesterday, she’d have a more settled, grownup mind about being ridden the first time. I looked around to see if Mrs. McIntyre or Darla either one was outside watching me. I didn’t want them to see me get bucked off on my butt, this being just the second time I’ve had a go on an un-broke horse.

When I didn’t see them, I swung to the saddle without even using a stirrup. I had just got my butt on the saddle seat good, and one foot in the stirrup when she started bucking.

She didn’t buck near as hard and fast as Red did when I rode him the first time. But I thought she’d never settle down and just run around inside the corral. She was bucking around the circle inside the corral for about the fifth or sixth time, when I looked up to see Mrs. McIntyre and Darla standing by the corral gate in their house robes.

“Open the gate! We’re coming through!” I yelled at them.

They were both laughing and clapping their hands when I poked that girl with my shoe heels. She bolted through the gate in a run, then headed down the wagon road as fast as she could go. I poked her with my heels every time she started to slow down. I know I must have ridden her four miles or more before I pulled her around and headed back with her. By the time we made it back, I had already stopped her twice to get off and walk around her. Then I’d get back on her again and make her run some more. She was gentling down really good by then. All she needs now is to be ridden every day for a while.

We come loping back into the barnyard and I pulled back on the reins. She slid to a stop right in front of Darla and I hopped off with the reins in my hands.

“Ride her, Darla. She’s your horse now and she needs to be ridden every day for a while and taught to mind you.”

“How will I ever teach her to mind me?”

“Just gentle the hell out of her and she’ll learn to do what you want her to do ... That’s what I was told when I decided to have a go on Red the first time. When you show her how you want anything done, make her do it over and over. She’ll learn quick enough. Now get on this horse and show her you know how to ride.”

“Joss, all I have on is my nightgown and robe!”

“Hand your robe to your mother and hike that gown tail up to sit astraddling that saddle. You’re the boss-girl of this horse, now. Show her you are, while she’s ready to ride.”

Darla flung her robe at her mother and I held her horse while she got settled in the saddle with her bare feet in the stirrups. When I looked up at her, the sunlight was behind her and I could see her body through that thin nightgown like she was sitting there naked.

Damn, did I ever hate to look the other way!

“Take her down the road a ways and bring her back. We’ll eat breakfast, then I’ll saddle up Red and we’ll both ride a while before I head out.”

Darla showed her spunk, slapping her mare on her rump and riding right down that dusty road like she and her horse owned it in a partnership.

“Lordy, Lordy, Joss. That girl has sat on this corral fence and pined for the longest, about riding her horse since that young mare come four years old. Would you just look at her? Her gown has slid down off her arms, gathered up around her waist and she’s still riding her mare like she’s riding in a Wild West Show at the fairgrounds arena!”

“I’m gonna go over here and get some feed for Red. When she gets back and covers herself up, I’ll be in for breakfast.”

“Joss, listen to me, Son. There’ll come a day when you’ll remember seeing Darla riding her sorrel mare for the first time with her nightgown falling down past her breasts. You’ll even smile at yourself in remembrance of the day you broke her mare and gave Darla the confidence to ride nearly naked ... With her just a grinning like she owned the world in spite of her naked bosom bouncing.”

“I suppose I will, one day ... But for now, I need to go feed Red so he and I can leave soon after breakfast.”

“Joss, I wish there was a way I could make you want to stay with us. You’re a such special young man at almost fourteen. Even at my age, I’d love to have you around ... If you know what I mean?”

“I think I know what you mean. Both of you have tempted me something terrible. But right now, I feel the need to ride on. You’re the special person here, Mrs. McIntyre. You have a special daughter too. I just hope that William feller, knows what a treasure he’s getting when he marries into your family.”

“Joss Wayward! You’re going to keep on and we’ll hogtie you in the barn to keep you with us! That was the most beautiful compliment anyone could’ve ever paid Darla and me. If I was even close to your age, you’d never get away from me.”

“Now there you go, talking like that again. I’m just thirteen years old, I keep telling you. I need to get breakfast and get gone from here before you have me talked into believing all that stuff.”

When I came out of the barn, Darla was back and she had her house robe on. I was glad too, even though her mother was holding her daughter’s nightgown in her hands. Both of these women bother me with their bold talk, and their total disregard for modesty in my presence. I really believe they do some of that just to make me look away with a red face now and then.