Chapter 4

Awake in the middle hours of the night, I got to pondering my relationship with the universe. My existence was a never ending trip through some of the worst of times that people had to endure. Each time the universe 'moved' me, I seemed to be hijacked into the body of someone who suffered a fatal injury and fate provided their body with some miraculous healing as I arrived.

The troubles I was inserted to handle seemed not to really repeat themselves as much as represent the worst that people can do to other people. ISIS must plague a lot of people for me to have dealt with them, or some version of them, so many times. The ghetto thugs harassing and about to rape and kill Teri were just a sideshow on my way to dealing with more middle east crazies, but saving her had to have a purpose, as did saving Jennifer, helping Tammy, taking care of the three orphans in Missouri, and looking after Cindi and Brenda.

All along the way, the universe provided people who needed me and gave me love, companionship, and advice. From Jim Bell to Roberta, I was always in touch with people looking out for me, and now I was almost to the ranch with four women who needed me to save them from a life of utter emptiness.

That's not to say I was ungrateful for all the wonderful things I did, places I went, and comforts I bought and used. I was and continue to be very grateful for the people, places, and things. There had to be a thread that tied it all together, but if there was, I couldn't find it, and if I kept at it would drive myself nuts trying to.

As I was sorting out the will of the universe, Ruth sighed in her sleep, reached out, touched me on the side, and settled down with her hand holding my arm. She clearly needed me the most of the four wives I'd accidentally acquired. She was also the most attached. Her neediness wasn't annoying at all. She was forthright in her desires and just as obvious in giving her body to me whenever it looked like I was interested.

Ruth automatically made me think of Beth Ann. They would have loved one another. Ruth was unselfish to the point that she never expected anything, and she was thrilled whenever she received the littlest kindness, gift, or attention. She was playful, but very reserved right up until she went a little wild. When she was feeling wild, she was all in and up for anything I suggested.

My experience with Beth Ann's bisexual side made me wonder if Ruth had any of the same unspoken interests. If so, I would have to bring it up. She would never think of suggesting something so out of the norm of her upbringing.

Mary and Marian flat out loved having sex with me. They were girlie, playful, but a little more expectant, which made it fun to make them suffer through the buildup before I brought them off. Martha was still falling in love with me. She thought she loved Caleb, but she very quickly accepted that he was a product of his environment and would act like his mentors acted. He would rule over her instead of allowing himself to share anything about their life together.

Martha wasn't nearly as interested in having a man's boot on her throat anymore. I only touched her when she asked for it, as a way of reinforcing her right to decide what and how to give herself to me. Marian wanted me to come to her, and Mary was happy any way we got together.

She just wanted it all.

This was my current reality, and it was dangerous.

The danger came from how pleasant it was, and how happy I could be here and now. But knowing the way the universe pushes me in and out of lives, assured me that this happiness was just as temporary as all the rest.

I really had to live in the moment, because it was all I had.

Sleep finally came, and I got the rest I very obviously needed. Sometime after I went to slept, Mary crawled on top of me and slept face down' using me as her mattress. It was a strange way to wake up, but she seemed to like it.

Having settled the shopping problem, I was now faced with how long it would take four women to decide what to wear, given a whole range of options. Ruth was the quickest. She picked out clothes for the next day, and when she got up and showered, she put them on. Marian was more like Ruth than Mary or Martha, who spent ever so long agonizing over this blouse or that skirt.

Eventually I took Ruth and Marian to the restaurant across the hotel parking lot and told the girls to meet us when they worked it out. It was a bit of tough love, and they hadn't ever had a wardrobe before, so I didn't get too worked up about it. They eventually decided on outfits and joined us at the pancake house for a good meal. We were free to head to the ranch as soon as I stopped and bought us some groceries and other essentials.

When we got close to Asheville, we spent a couple of hours buying up whatever anybody thought they'd like to eat, as well as all the things you need around the house. Between buying everything, toilet paper to bleach, we blew off almost three hours and had a blast doing it. The girls discovered how much fun it is to shop and decided that they couldn't care less what we were buying.

They just loved shopping.

Ruth was ever the tactician and making sure we included all essentials, as well as things that we might need to avoid emergency trips to Target, later. That all worked out just fine, and we had plenty of room in Noah's four year old Ford Expedition for everything.

The ranch was as beautiful as I remembered, and the landscape crews had kept everything presentable, while I tripped through other people's lives.

It was good to be home.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I knew it was true. I might be a lot of other people before I die forever, but no matter what, the ranch really was my home.

Once we got the groceries in and the clothes put away, the girls fanned out to explore the house. Ruth followed me to the master bedroom and peeked in the oversized closets I had built. She smiled when I said, "you girls take the big one. I can be fine with the smaller one."

Ruth gave me her version of the look and said, "Are there more bedrooms upstairs in this house?"

I cocked my head towards the stairs and said, "Four - right up that way. There are also two more down the hallway on this level."

She smiled, and I knew I was beaten. "Then let them put their clothes in the closets upstairs. We will all put our things in the upstairs bedrooms and let you have some space down here for yourself. That frees up the other rooms for your guests." She spoke quite firmly, and I liked her willingness to be the leader of my pack of wives.

"Noah, have you thought about how you want us to live here? The girls will do whatever you tell them, as far as where to sleep, keep their things, spend their time, and generally live."

She had a point, and I followed her up to see what the girls were doing. Mary was already in and out of the shower, changed into another set of new clothes, and enjoying touching things. Martha was still dressed as she had been, unpacking her bags on one of the queen beds, and seemed to be waiting to be told where to put things. Marian was wide eyed and taking everything in as she wandered from room to room.

I noticed she was drawn to the picture windows, watching the valley like it was a miracle of some kind. Coming from North Dakota, it probably was a miracle to her. I was glad that at least one of my brides appeared to have the same appreciation for the land that I felt.

Our first night at the ranch consisted of a quick meal in town, because I needed a few things we forgot – of course. Besides, I couldn't wait to get the Lexus out of the garage. I took the girls to Cracker Barrel, and they loved it. The gift shop had them oohing and ahhing for about an hour, and we all got something we liked. Back home, we enjoyed the moonlight from the porch.