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Before I could offer my condolences at her loss, Alice Bautista bustled out of the room with rushing skirts, closing the door behind her.
Alone now, I grimaced at the clothes on the bed. I had never been a dress sort of gal, and the idea of ankle length skirts was utterly repellant. Still, I couldn’t parade around in my scandalous future-wear to the townspeople of this time. Not if I didn’t want to run from pitchforks and fiery torches.
“When in Rome, I suppose,” I murmured, unbuttoning my khaki shirt.
Washed and dressed, I combed out and braided back my hair, deciding against properly pinning it up. I slowly forced my swollen foot back into my hiking boot and nearly collapsed from the sharp pain. Finished, I gazed at my unnerving reflection in the long oval mirror, unsure whether to laugh, cry or scream.
“Just temporary,” I reminded the old fashioned woman in the mirror. “And don’t forget to watch that futuristic tongue of yours.”
Bracing myself for nineteenth century life, I opened the bedroom door and stepped out into the narrow hallway.
“Okay, what now, Marty McFly?” I muttered under my breath.
The delicious scent of stewing chicken and baking bread wafted through the air, and my stomach eagerly responded with a rumbling growl. Alice said she would call me to dinner though, so I tamped down my vicious hunger and headed downstairs where I heard voices below.
Favoring my gimpy ankle, I entered into what was obviously the general store itself. It was straight out of some western movie with its casks and barrels and crates and bags of various dry goods.
A gangly teenage boy with ragged, ginger hair and round wire eyeglasses stood in front of the main counter, loading a woman’s handbasket with various items.
“See you next week, Miz Clark,” he said to her. “There’ll be a new shipment of yellow cloth by then. Ma’s picked out some real pretty patterns that you’re sure to like.”
“Thank you, Henry. Be sure to tell your ma hello for me.”
“Will do, ma’am,” he returned with a wave to her and the bouncing toddler in her wake.
After the customer left the store, the boy turned a wide grin to me. “Miss McEwan! I’ve been eager to meet you. Are you settling in all right?”
“Very nicely, thank you. And you are?”
“Apologies, I know we haven’t been formally introduced,” he said, extending a right hand. “Henry Bautista. Ma owns the store. Mike said that you’re here visiting from back east.”
“Very nice to meet you, Henry. Yes, I am. Uh, where is Mr. Bryant?”
“At the stable seeing about some horses for you both,” he said. “He says that you’re going up with him to the Indian village tomorrow. Very brave of you, if I do say so.”
“Why? Are the Snoqualmie people dangerous?”
He frowned. “Well now, I don’t think so. At least not according to Mike. Different folks have different stories about them. My friend Tyler Anders says all Indians will take your scalp if they get you alone for two minutes. His brother Emmett says they’ll even skin you alive and eat your liver if you cross them wrong.”
“Goodness. And who do you believe?” I asked, not impressed with his so-called wiser buddies.
The boy checked around, then leaned forward with lowered voice, saying, “Mike, mostly. He’s friends with the Indians, you see, and goes to the villages all the time. But it’s not a popular notion amongst most folks around here, so it’s best not to say so aloud.”
“Hmm. So how old are you, Henry?” I asked, changing the subject to a neutral subject.
“Fifteen, next month.”
“Very grown up,” I remarked. “Any future plans on the horizon?”
Henry beamed wide. “I plan to visit my Uncle Arthur in Seattle as soon as I raise the money. He works at the telegraph office there.”
“Impressive.”
“Indeed. I want him to teach me all there is to know about the telegraphing business when I get there. I’ll have to come back here to help ma run the store afterwards, of course, but I figure that someday our town might grow big enough to have a telegraph here. Then I’ll be ready it run it.”
I warmed at his enthusiastic plans for helping to modernize his rural town. My high school teacher’s heart always thrilled at the limitless dreams and aspirations of teenagers.
“I’m sure Seattle will be a great adventure for you,” I said after he shared more of his eager plans. “Make sure to take in all the sights once you’re there. They have wonderful architecture.”
