Chapter 23

"I'd be delighted, my lady" I responded and extended my arm to her. A bright smile flashed across her face as she took the proffered arm. Sam fell in behind as we made our way down the hall. Selina was the perfect little lady, commenting on how handsome we looked in our suits. We entered the main room and abruptly came to a stop. We weren't prepared for what we saw.

Somehow, the main room had been transformed. Flowers and all sorts of decorations lined the walls. There were some chairs set up in front a sort of raised dais. A grand piano was standing inconspicuously over in front of the window wall. A light snow was falling outside, with no sign of a wind.

I felt a little better when I saw Jeff and Dave in similar dress. Diana and some of Jeff's wives were there, all dressed in white gowns. Identical white gowns. When Diana saw us, she beckoned us to come forward. When we got close, I quietly spoke. I somehow felt I needed to do it quietly.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Why are we here and dressed up like this. It looks like a wedding. Who's getting married and why are we honored to participate?"

Diana explained "Jeff has developed a marriage/sealing ceremony for Alpha's and their wives. You know that once an Alpha takes a woman she is his for life. This ceremony binds that attachment and both husband and wife can feel the bond. Not only that, but the sister wives are also bonded together. This is how I or any of my sister wives know where Jeff is at all times when he's close. You men went to the shooting range before we left. I could feel Jeff there."

"Jeff has performed this ceremony for Dave, and the General and all the other Alphas. Since we may leave on the ship at any time, we decided to do the same for you and Sam. Or your wives expressed that wish when we were talking about it in the kitchen last night. So we paid a visit to our favorite seamstress Dana at her shop in Winter Park and managed to get dresses for the lot. Well, actually we stressed her a bit but we selected dresses off the rack, that were all the same and her crew did wonders with the alterations. I think you'll like it. Now relax. We'll do Sam first since there are only two and then we'll take care of you and your wonderful bunch. Relax and breathe!"

The chairs filled up with residents of the Retreat. Most were Jeff's wives, but General Wakefield and his wives had arrived along with Dave and Evie, Kim and Linda. Fred and his wives had just driven up from the farms below and took seats near the back. Art, Bobby, Sandra and Hope were seated near the front on the groom's side of the aisle. Across from them Matt, Courtney and Bridget took their seats. Bridget was wide eyed as Courtney told her they would go through this same ceremony soon. Just then the music began and we turned. Coming down the curved staircase was Conchita. She was lovely. When she reached the bottom she turned and watched as Marguerita descended. They joined hands and came forward.

I pushed Sam to the middle and noticed that Helen and Laura were standing over on the other side. When the two arrived at the front, each took one side of Sam. They handed their bouquets to Helen and Laura as Maids of Honor. The ceremony was simple but beautiful. They were sealed together forever. Diana handed Sam a small box. Inside were three identical rings. Sam placed a small ring on Conchita's ring finger and then repeated the action with Marguerita. The women placed the third ring on Sam. At the appropriate time, they kissed Sam one at a time, and then kissed each other. The ceremony was such that each was sealed to the other.

They walked back down the aisle the traditional wedding music from the piano. No sooner than Sam reached the back row, but the music changed to the Bridal March from Wagner's opera Lohengrin. One at a time down the stairs came Jackie, Tara, Michele, Susannah, Rebecca, Clementine, Belinda, Lana, Lora, and Becca. They all approached as one and half stood on my left and half stood on my right. Next to me was Jackie on my left and Mom on my right.

The ceremony lasted a bit longer this time. Especially when it came to the rings. Once it was sorted out, the sealing kisses also took a long time. I tried to keep each one short but some of them insisted. Who am I to argue? Oh they didn't waste time waiting for me. They sealed their vows with each other as well. When everyone was done, Diana, as clan Queen announced the party would commence in two minutes.

That was long enough for the younger Matthews wives Whitney, Nat and Nikki to take their positions behind the serving tables. Selina was stationed at the punch bowl, standing on a short stool so she could reach. My head was spinning. How in heavens name did they put all this together in such a short time? Diana noticed my look of confusion and came to my rescue.

"OK you're confused. You wonder how? We've done this quite a bit. And the money we spend gives us first priority for service. We tip well, too. So the catering was no problem. The dresses were easy. Getting the rings was a bit of a stretch but we did manage. Jeff had to call in Bill Madison to pick up the women in Frank Wainwright's helicopter for a quick trip to the jeweler in Denver. Your Waco wives were frightened about the ride, but they had watched it fly in to pick them up at the helipad at the hospital. Ever since the trouble at the hospital a few months back, our wife Caitlin has been hospital administrator and the family has blanket permission to use the pad when we're in Winter Park."

"Total time on the trip was two hours and it was the longest stretch of time. We made the trip while the dresses were being altered. Once we returned we did the final fitting and then hurried back here. I ordered the catering yesterday evening. I have their home number on speed dial" Diana paused to laugh.

They delivered while you were in the bachelor suite. I don't know if you noticed but you hadn't seen your pretty brood since breakfast. It's the best we could do on such short notice."

"I don't know what to say, other than thank you. So thank you."

Diana hugged me close. "You are an Alpha and a Prime, it was my pleasant duty to teach your wives and Clan Queen. While you will probably come up with your own ceremony, nevertheless the tradition will carry on."

Jeff stopped by to shake my hand and congratulate me. I thanked him too. He made sure to see Sam and his wives. Both diminutive women pulled the tall Prime down to kiss him, one on each cheek. I think I saw a bit of a blush cross over his face. They were very exuberant in their thanks. Jeff whispered something to Sam and the big man nodded. The next time I looked neither Sam nor his wives were to be found.

There was a small dance floor near the windows and I took Mom over for a dance. The light snow falling in the twilight was accented by the exterior spotlights. The lights inside the Resort had been dimmed for effect. As we swayed to the music, I felt a tap on the shoulder. Jeff was asking to cut in. As mom danced away, Jackie took her place. We continued until I was tapped again. This time Dave cut in and Tara took Jackie's place. This continued with the men cutting in and another wife taking her place until finally we came to Lora. We managed to dance a little, swaying back and forth to the music. When the music ended, Jackie approached and took my hand.

"It's time to go now." She informed me. She led me off the floor and headed towards the hallway that led to our suite. The rest of the wives fell in line and the whole lot of us went back to the suite. The official honeymoon had begun. We missed the official breakfast the next morning. Jackie told me about the tradition that went on the morning after, but I suggested we pass on that one for the sake of the Waco wives. Jackie thought about it and in the end agreed with me on that.

After brunch, we gathered once more in the living room. There was no sign of the event of the night before. We had changed back to our 1870's garb. It was time to head back and I felt I should make two trips. First I took those wives and babies that had been in the house home. I timed it so they were back the moment after they left. Then I came back to the Retreat and picked up the rest and transported everyone to the pit. Again I timed us to just after we'd left.

We climbed out of the pit and pretended to help an injured Sam to his house. Our story was the rod had passed through a bit of flesh in his side and that it would keep him down for a couple days. I'm sure the men were watching from the bunkhouse, but that was far enough away they really wouldn't be able to see well enough to be suspicious. By the end of the week, no more talk was heard about the accident. Sam rejoined the work the following week and soon it was something in the past. By the time Sam did come back, the floor was poured and the masons had laid the block to full height.

It was time for the steel beams that I had ordered to be delivered from Waco. Good thing was they arrived yesterday. It took all the men to get them in place, but we finally managed. Before long we had the seamless roof poured. At the end of the third week the final step was done. We filled in the hole and covered the roof with dirt and sod. We built it with an entrance just like Dorothy Gale had on Auntie Em's farm.

One of the benefits of the shelter was we now had quite a bit of extra underground storage. The area was much cooler than ground level which would help to preserve the food stored there. Over the next few months I resolved to stock it with essentials and then some. It would be a true emergency shelter in case of disaster.

Some months after completing the shelter, I was in the parlor reading the latest news from the Waco paper. There came an insistent knocking on the front door. Since I was closest, I went to see what was up. I opened the door and a redheaded blurr rushed in. It stopped in the middle of the room and spun around.

"Junior?" I asked. "You look ... different. What's the matter?"

"I'm not my grandmother." The girl/woman snapped. "I need to talk to your queen immediately. Oh and I'm Vee as in the number but spelled with Roman Numerals."

Rebecca had been in the kitchen and had come into the room in time to hear the byplay. She turned and hurried outside through the kitchen door.

"Idiots! That bitch needs to be fried." She was muttering.

I kept my peace. I could tell this was no time to interrupt things. Jackie came hurrying into the room just then. Vee had really worked herself up.

"Oh good, let's talk!" she was practically screaming. Jackie gently placed her arm around the distraught woman and guided her to the study and closed the door. Voices, well mainly Wendy V's voice could be heard through the closed door. It wasn't all that plain but it was loud. The discussion, if you could call it that went on for a loooonng time. As time passed, the volume decreased.

After an hour or so, Jackie opened the door and asked if Mom and Clementine could come in. She also asked if refreshments might be available. I immediately hopped to it to fill the requests. A fresh batch of buns were still in the warming compartment of the stove and there was a pitcher of fresh milk on the table. Becca was handy and she put together a couple of trays. She and Lizzy carried two trays to the study and knocked. They were admitted and they didn't come back out. Curiouser and Curiouser.

I started to get antsy at about the same time that Jackie came out. Gliding across the floor she grabbed on to me and gave me a smoldering kiss. It literally curled my toes.

"Don't you need to go see to the horses?" she said coyly. I guess she was going to use her feminine wiles to get me out of the house. My stubborn streak started to rise when she rubbed her body against me. My will broke and I agreed. A minute later she was quietly closing the front door as I strode across the yard towards the barn. I hadn't been in it more than a minute when Sam joined me.

"What the heck is going on?" he asked me. "One minute I'm enjoying the ministrations of my wives and the next I'm out in the barn ministering to the horses. One of your wives shows up at the door and I'm summarily dismissed and relegated to the horses."

"You got me on that one. Remember meeting that short, red-headed fireball, Wendy? She's got a watch, remember? Well it seems that another generation of Wendy's now got the watch and we've been the recipient of a "visit". This one is Wendy V and she goes by Vee. There was a burr under her saddle from the moment she arrived and my wives were summoned to council. I could hear shouting in the study, but I'm totally in the dark otherwise."

"Well I don't like it. It seems like there's trouble brewing and, and..."

"Easy there, Sam. I think maybe there's a logical explanation for the ruckus. Let's just wait. Give her a cooling down period. I'm sure Jackie or Michele will fill us in when things settle down. In the meantime, let's check over the harnesses and the tack. We were going to do that soon, why not now?"

Sam saw the wisdom in what I was saying and so we got to work. The large wagon harness needed work, as there were wear marks on the leather that begged repair before failure of the straps. That would create a dangerous situation should the give way while the team was at a full gallop. Sam was an excellent leatherworker and I watched with interest as he patched the lines. They would be as strong as new when he was done.

We were caught up in our work, so were both surprised when we heard the dinner triangle being sounded. We carefully put our work away and stopped at the outdoor sink to wash up. The gravity fed system worked well for any number of people at the same time. The cast iron pipe had small holes drilled at one inch intervals, providing a stream of water when the valve was opened. It was efficient and the men didn't mind using it. I know it pleased the women no end to keep hand washing out by the men outside the kitchen.

We joined the rest of the crew, the women and all at the dining porch tables. The women moved among the tables distributing the fare for the lot of us. Once the food was placed, I pronounced a blessing on the food and dinner commenced in earnest. Jackie and Mom seated themselves on either side of me. The beautiful red-head was next to Mom. We ate in silence for a bit.

"So, anything interesting to talk about" I tentatively asked to no one in particular.

"Now that you mention it, there is." Vee started up. Just as quickly, Mom gave her a nudge with her elbow. V's face whipped around and Mom did that thing she does, tilting her head slightly and raising her eyebrows. "Well, nothing special or urgent, really. Just some news I shared with your women. Girl talk really."

Vee was trying to pass it off as nothing. I could tell different, but held my peace. I'd find out in due time, when they deemed it necessary to tell me they would.

Later that night Jackie, Tara, Mom and I were lounging in the sitting area of our bedroom. Jackie came over to me and sat on my lap. "Let's get something straight between us..." she began.

I gave a little snicker at the innuendo, but let her continue. "no matter what happens, you are not to react to anything that Wendy tells you. Understand? We can always take a trip to find out for ourselves."

Mom took it up from there. "Vee is just a little upset. She's been venting with all her family's friends. Her family is forcing the Princessipality duties on her. She doesn't want them. Some of the things she has to do grates at her sense of fair play. So she traveled with the watch to knowing friends of her family, and finally got to us. Still upset, she let us have it. Unlike the rest of them, we took the time to listen. She calmed down. Vee is sleeping in the downstairs guest room. It will probably be the best rest she's gotten in weeks. We are going out of our way to assist her. Just play nice husband, you'll get your reward. In fact let's get started on that right now."

"Morning, lover" Tara said. She was the only one still in bed. She planted a searing kiss on me but then jumped out of bed, skipping naked out the door. I could smell the bacon cooking. I was more than ready by the time I had gotten dressed. It was an interesting scene in the kitchen. Vee was pitching in with the rest of the wives, preparing the morning sustenance. Laughter permeated the air as they worked. I was thinking that the Princess had worked out her frustration.

I had just finished breakfast when Jimmy, one of our young "apprentice" cowboys came running up to the house. His face was pale as a sheet, as we used to say about a hundred years from now.

"Come quick, sir. Sam needs you now!" he managed to get out between huge gulps of air. "Country Lass is in trouble and needs help!"

Country Lass was the finest Hereford/Longhorn cross on our range and she was pregnant. In fact if I'm not mistaken, she should be giving birth anytime now. If Sam was calling me, it was important. I downed the last of my bacon, took one last drink and headed for the far barn. As I exited the dining porch, I saw two horses at the hitching post.

"Sam thought it a good idea to bring you a ride." Jimmy shouted as he leapt into the saddle.

I couldn't agree more and got up on the roan gelding. We were off in a twinkling. That is to say we got out of Dodge in a hurry with Jimmy leading the way. I managed to pull alongside so I wouldn't get all the dust his horse was kicking up. In less than five minutes the far barn came into view. This was our auxiliary barn where the cowpokes handled the rest of the stock chores. This was where the pregnant cows were brought for calving.

Country Lass was certainly in distress. At this point, Sam had her down and was so intent that he didn't notice that I had arrived until Jimmy spoke up.

"I brought him, Mr. Sam. Just like you said." He exclaimed.

"Good boy, thanks." Sam replied. "Looks like we got trouble, boss. Lass is in labor and we got ourselves a double breech on this calf. I've heard about them, but never run across it before. Look there, we have three hooves. We have to decide which is which and get this calf a movin'. Jimmy you hold them chains ready, just in case.

I knew we might have to pull the calf and that the chains would be used to hold on to the calf's legs. We needed to be sure which legs we had though. Sam told me to roll up my shirtsleeve as I had the smaller arms. I wondered why as I did it and he explained what I had to do. He wanted me to reach in and push the extra leg back into the cow so the calf would come out easier. I cringed a bit at the thought but Sam's voice told me we needed to do it now.

I looked at the legs and noticed one a little different from the other two, so I chose it to follow up. I chose wisely as it was the only foreleg of the three. This meant that the calf would be born breach; that is butt first. Sam quickly attached the chains to the remaining two legs and we both watched the cow for a sign. It came a moment later and as her sides contracted we pulled.

All of a sudden we were falling backwards as the calf popped out and the strain on the chains released. Jimmy jumped in quickly and cleared the calf's nostrils and almost immediately it gave a sort of bleat. Momma just looked at him, yes he was a male, and flopped her head back on the straw. She was exhausted from the work and frankly, I didn't blame her. We let her rest for a bit while Jimmy wiped most of the gunk off. Country Lass took turns licking her new calf, getting that bonding time in, too.

In a short while, Lass was standing and nudging the calf, urging him to stand. It was quite comical to watch the little calf wobble unsteadily, searching for that teat which would provide the life giving nourishment. He was soon sucking away as his little fluff of a tail wagged back and forth.

"Well, she did it." Sam noted. "Not bad lookin' little guy either."

Sam's practiced eye told me the calf would not be made a steer, rather he would be kept as a breeding bull. We watched for a little while as the mother interacted with the baby. Outside I heard some of the wranglers riding in. They were driving some more cattle into the pens. There were quite a few pregnant cows and a surprising number of cow/calf combinations. Sam took note of that and promised to have the wranglers be a little more vigilant. Yes, the cows could give birth without man's help, but if there was trouble it meant a dead cow and a lost calf as well. It is just prudence to control as much of the process as possible.

Sam's management technique had made the ranch profitable so I was not going to argue with him. We continued to help around the barn until the sun was low in the western sky. The russet streaks edged with gold covered the sky. It was a real Bob Ross scene. In the far distance we could hear the clanging of the dinner bell. Wearily we mounted up and headed for home. We knew a good, robust meal awaited and I don't know about Sam but my mouth was watering at the thought. We had ridden into the home barn and just unsaddled our steeds when the last dinner bell rang. We gave our mounts a quick brush down, put hay in the crib and some grain in the feeder and went to wash up. The delicious smell of stew greeted us as we entered the house. We were ready!