Sold as a Mail Order Bride

Katrina Chapter 10

This morning I gingerly walk into the horse stable the scent of freshly baled hay, mucked stalls, and the oiled grooming polish that Alex brushed into all the foal coats hung heavy in the air. I feel relaxed and ready to learn how to be a rancher's wife. I hope I do not let him down or make a mess of things, or even worse embarrass myself in front of Alex. I have to admit I was afraid of coming here not knowing what I was going to walk into, but the fact that my new husband is ridiculously cute and seems to care for me has made this whole endeavor worth it.

Alex comes galloping in on his horse Hurricane and pulls to a stop in front of me with a huge grin on his face, baby girl, are you ready to go on your second ride? I smile up at him and say, yes, Daddy, I sure am. He slides off his horse and walks Hurricane over to the stable and ties him to the post. Alex then goes in and saddles Fancy and walks her out to me and tells me to put my right foot into the stirrup and when he lifts me he tells me to swing my left leg up and over and to grab the horn of the saddle.

Once I am up on my horse it is still a little frightening, but trying not to show it. Alex walks over to Hurricane and gets back into the saddle and walks Hurricane over to us and starts to guide me again on how to make her start to walk and how to eventually get her to trot. When I feel more secure than I did last time I nod at him that I am ready. Alex tells me we are going to do a perimeter check of the fences and make sure none of them are coming loose. 

As we ride, Alex tells me more about himself and vice versa, and we get to know each other better and better as each day passes. I love it when he smiles it makes him so much easier to open up to and learning from him. We come to a section of fence that looks loose and so we dismount and tie up the horses while Alex teaches me how to repair the fence and make it tight again. He tells me that I will not have to do this very often because usually, the hired ranch hands will take care of the fencing, but it is good for me to know what to do if I ever see the fence unsecured. 

Next, we go to the stable where the boarding horses are kept and he shows me how to muck out the stalls and so together we clean the horse stalls and then give them some hay. Alex does a quick check on each horse to make sure none is getting sick and each has plenty of food and water for the night. When he is satisfied with their status, we leave and head back to the house and he asks me to check the chicken coop for eggs and to bring them in if there are any. 

I feel myself getting tired and it is only noon, what the hell is wrong with me? I wondered. I start to get upset with myself and as I slowly collect the eggs and take them to the kitchen where I  can wash them and put them into the refrigerator, a single tear falls down my cheek. Maybe I am not cut out to be a rancher's wife no matter how much I like what he does to me. What if he thinks I am a waste of his time and that I will only be a burden to him and the ranch.

I run out of the house and down to the river behind our house and try to fight back the tears and the doubts. Alex has already told me he wants a real marriage with me and that I am his, so why do I doubt him and what he says? Maybe I just need to talk to my best friend and see what she has to say and maybe she will know what to say to me. I will ask Alex if it is okay to call long distances to talk with her.

Suddenly I felt that I was not alone and that Alex was right behind me. I tried to wipe away the tears and put on a small smile before I turned toward him. What is wrong Katrina, he asks when he sees my face. Nothing, I said, before lowering my face so that he can not see the distress in my eyes. Alex takes his finger and tilts my head up and says, I can see you are upset and if you do not tell me what is wrong right now I will paddle your ass until you do. Do you understand me?

I look up at him and tell him that I am upset that I am tired already and that he works all day before getting tired and I am nothing but a letdown for him. And that I can understand if he wants to trade me in for someone that knows more about ranches than I do.

Baby girl, I know you will get tired, f**k, baby, look at what we have been up to the last couple of days. Your body is not used to being as well used as it has been and will be. That will come in time and as far as trading you for someone else that is never going to happen. I care about you and I want only you, do you understand? You are mine and I am yours forever. Now, come here and let me hold you and show you how much you mean to me.

I walk over to Alex and let him place his arms around me and hold me while I try to get control of my feelings and also to digest what he is saying to me. I finally look up at him and ask, can I call long distance to talk with my friend in Russia? I miss her and want her to know that I am safe and sound? Alex smiles and tells me that it would be fine to call her anytime I want to. 

Alex leads me back to the house and tells me to go lay down and rest for a couple of hours before I start dinner. I walk to our room and lie down between riding the horse and fixing the fence and crying, I am out like a light before my head even hits the pillow. A few hours later when I wake up I feel better and so I go into the kitchen and get started on dinner when I see a note left by Alex telling me he is out in the field with the horses and not to forget to call my friend when I get a chance.

I put the stew in a crockpot and let the bread rise before  I put it in the oven. I clean as I go and see that I have time to call Karen and have a girl chat and catch up with what is happening with her.