Chapter 14

We got all the new stuff distributed on Homer and Jethro, then took off out of town. "Where's our next stop?" Cassie asked.

"Probably Hartford, Connecticut," I said. "We're not going to push it, so it'll probably take us a week to get there."

"That's okay," Sam said.

I could tell that Hawk was feeling his oats this morning. He'd had a good rest and now he wanted to run. I waited until we were out of town the asked, "Mandy, would it be okay if we let Hawk run for a while?"

She nodded against my back, so I said, "Sam, Mandy and I are going to let Hawk run for a few minutes. We'll be right back."

I could hear Sam, Cassie and Mindy laughing as I touched my heel to Hawk. He took off like his tail was on fire. Mandy giggled and tightened her grip on me. I only let him run for a couple of minutes, but when I slowed him to a stop, Mandy said, "That was fun, papa."

I reached around behind me and lifted her up, turned around, and sat her on my lap. I looked her in the eyes and asked, "So, you've decided to talk, have you?"

Mandy nodded.

"You know you're safe now, don't you, Mandy?"

"Yes, papa."

"Do you think you're going to like living with us?"

"Yes, papa. Are you married to Sam or to Cassie?"

"I'm married to both of them, honey."

"Oh... Does that mean I have two mamas?"

"Yes. Doesn't that sound better than having one?"

"Yes. I know you aren't my real papa and I know they aren't my real mamas, but I wish you were. I love you."

My heart was as big as Texas when I said, "We love you too, Mandy. I promise you we'll never leave you alone again."

Mandy hugged me and I hugged her back. I turned Hawk and we slowly rode back to join the others. When we got to them, Mandy said, "That was fun, Mindy."

Mindy giggled and said, "It's good to hear your voice again, Mandy, even if it does sound like mine."

"Oh, you two might be twins, but you are very different," I said. "I could tell you apart any time."

Mandy had a gleam in her eye when she smiled at me. I knew they were going to try to prove me wrong.

We only traveled around ten miles that day. We camped shortly after noon in a nice secluded campsite near a beautiful stream. We all worked together to set up the two tents and to make lunch. We put one of the sleeping pads under two of the sleeping bags in the girls' tent and the other two pads under one of the sleeping bags in our tent. We figured we'd all use blankets as covers.

The girls pitched in and helped Sam and Cassie make lunch while I hobbled the horses and mules. I'll swear Hawk thinks he's a puppy and should be allowed to stay in camp with us.

We laid around for a while after we ate, then Sam said it was time for a bath for all of us. I've learned not to argue with her, so I just started getting ready.

M & M didn't hesitate to strip in front of us, so we didn't either. We all had a very good time, splashing each other and in the case of Sam and Cassie, exchanging a lot of caresses and touches.

M & M didn't put up an argument when we said it was time for bed that night. They did come around and kiss each of us before going off to their bed. Sam, Cassie and I slipped into our tent as well, then got undressed. Cassie and I made gentle love as Sam caressed both of us.

Day 60 thru 63 - Friday, July 2, 1847

I awoke, snuggled between Sam and Cassie, as usual. Mandy was lying on top of me again. She had even managed to get under the blanket that was covering us. I put my arms around her and just held her for a while.

Cassie stirred beside me, and then she snuggled closer and whispered, "I think you have a new admirer."

"Yeah, at least this one's young enough that I don't have to worry about her attacking me."

Cassie giggled and I felt Mandy start to wake up. I kissed her on the shoulder and said, "Good morning, Mandy."

"Good morning, papa. Good morning, mama Cassie."

Cassie told her good morning. "Mama Cassie, you sure are noisy when you do the sex thing," Mandy said with a grin.

Cassie gasped then asked, "Did we bother you, Mandy?"

"No, it was kind of fun listening to you moan and all. Mama used to do that when her and papa did the sex thing."

"Next time we'll stuff a sock in her mouth," Sam giggled.

Mandy and Cassie started giggling too. I just laid there, surrounded by giggling females.

We managed to get a fairly early start and we made about twenty miles that day and for the next two as well. The day after that, we stopped after about fifteen miles because I figured we'd be in Hartford the next day.

By now, Sam and I had been on the road for over two months. In some ways it seemed like we'd been traveling forever. In others it felt like we had just gotten started.

M & M were fitting in nicely. Sam was a little inhibited the next time we made love, but even so, we heard M & M giggling afterwards, so Sam said the hell with it and decided she was just going to be herself.

Mandy would be in bed with us almost every morning when we awoke, and on a couple of occasions, Mindy would be with us as well. We didn't mind as we figured they just needed the reassurance of being with someone who cared about them.

Day 64 - Saturday, July 3, 1847

We got an early start and were in Hartford long before lunch. I was surprised that with tomorrow being Independence Day, we managed to get a room, especially one with two beds in it.

We had a delicious lunch in the common room of the tavern and then went out to explore the city of Hartford. It was quite a contrast from what it had looked like the last time I'd been here, in 2004.

We did enjoy exploring and the people seemed friendlier than the people in Boston. One man we had stopped to ask directions from told us about the huge fireworks display they were going to have tomorrow night. I could see Mandy's eyes light up as he told us, so I decided we'd hit the road again Monday morning and give the girls a chance to see the show.

We went ahead and replenished our food supplies that day so we could get an early start on Monday. While we were in the store, I got M & M a pound of stick candy and told them to make it last. Of course it was gone before the fireworks the next day. I didn't mind though as they were painfully skinny and could use a little fattening up.

Mostly we just walked around and enjoyed the town and the people. One man had set up a fire in a metal cart and was roasting meat and onions and tomatoes and pieces of potato on sticks over the fire. M & M had never seen anything like it, so I bought a stick for each of us. It was as good as anything I had ever eaten, no matter what century.

Later, we had another nice meal in the tavern. We even had apple pie for dessert and their coffee was as good as any I've ever drunk. M & M wanted coffee too, but I made them stick with milk. Mandy did steal a sip of mine, then made a horrible face and went back to her milk.

We talked for a while with the serving girl as we ate. She said the festivities were going to be taking place in an area that was soon going to be a park. She told us that we could find good things to eat at the celebration, but that they were always a little expensive.

Mandy, Cassie and I decided we were going to go back to the stable after dinner and pack the things we had bought. We gave the horses a good rubdown while we were there and I quartered an apple and fed it to Hawk. He was appreciative and nuzzled all three of us.

As I said, the room had two beds, but it would have only needed one. Sam, Cassie, and I were a little inhibited about making love with the two girls in the room with us, so we just laid and cuddled. After a while, when they realized nothing was going to happen, Mandy came over and climbed in on top of me. It couldn't have been a minute later when Mindy slid in beside Sam and cuddled up to her. It's a good thing we were all tired, or I would have never fallen asleep with five people crammed into a bed meant for two.

Day 65 - Sunday, July 4, 1847

Even the tavern people were ready to party. The landlord told me they were going to shut down the dining room until time for supper and then they were only going to be open for two hours so everyone could go and watch the fireworks.

The serving girl was practically bubbling. She brought our food and set it down with a big smile, then she leaned over and kissed Mindy and Mandy on the forehead before she took off.

We went out shortly after breakfast and after wandering around, we started following the throng that was making its way to the celebration. The field it was set up in was relatively crowded, even at this early hour.

There were all kinds of booths set up selling any kind of food imaginable. Some of it would have been right at home in the 21st Century. I could remember buying kabobs and elephant ears all my life.

There was also different kinds of entertainment to be enjoyed. There was a strong man contest and horse pulling contests. Later there was going to be a pie eating contest. Someone mentioned a three legged race and a couple of other people were talking about the bare knuckles prize fight that was going to take place that evening.

Kids, M & M's age and younger were running all over the place, generally making a nuisance of themselves. They were having fun and so were the adults. M & M didn't know what an elephant ear was, so I bought one for each of us. They were nearly the same as I remembered, but the cinnamon and sugar on the thin pastry seemed a little more flavorful for some reason.

We saw the man we had gotten the kabobs from yesterday and I decided that's what I wanted for lunch when the time came. One man was walking around juggling three knives that looked sharp enough to shave with. Another was doing some feats of tumbling that would have been amazing even in the twenty-first century.

M & M both had their eyes wide open. I don't think they missed a thing of what was happening around us. Even Sam and Cassie and I were impressed by all that was going on. We stopped for a while and watched a shooting match. There were six men firing Kentucky Rifles at what looked to be fifty yards.

I hadn't taken more than one shot to put down a deer yet, so I considered myself a fairly good shot. These guys made me look like a rank amateur. You could have covered every shot they made with a quarter the first time they fired. On the second round, one man had one shot that although it still touched his others, it was far enough out that he didn't have a perfect group. He was out of the contest.

I could see this could take a long time, so we went on to where three men were throwing knives at a target. I never was a knife thrower, so I was duly impressed with their skill.