Polly

Chapter 3

Natalie

Several days passed and John was in and out of the house asking Polly to do this and take care of that. But, never did he mention anything about marriage.

Mary stopped over several times asking Polly to come look at her wedding dress and asking advice about who to invite and not to invite.

"What about Natalie?" Mary asked.

"What about her?" Polly asked. "Neither of us like her." She paused. "Didn't she flirt with Frank?"

Mary nodded. "I'll just scratch her off the list."

"I wish she'd flirt with, John..." Polly suddenly said and then covered her mouth cause she had not meant to say that out-loud.

Mary laughed. "That'd do us both a favor."

"I'd give me a reason not to wed," Polly remarked just as her mother once again came into the room with a what John wants announcement.

"John wants...."

They both looked at her mom and frowned.

"Food," mom supplied and then frowned when she saw the looks on the girls faces.

"He is to be your husband," she reminded Polly.

"When might that event be taking place, mother?" Polly asked in a fully irritated voice.

"He has informed us this coming year," she answered innocently. "Have the pair of you not talked about it?"

"Of course not," Polly informed her mother. "Otherwise, why would I have asked you when?"

Her mother frowned and walked away, supplying no additional information.

"That was a great help," Mary said after a few moments of silence.

"She always is lots of help," Polly agreed.

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"You know, John..." Joe was talking and Polly wasn't paying much attention because she was busy making hamburgers on the outdoor grill that John had been so helpful to assemble for her so she could cook for them.

"What do you think, Polly?"

Polly suddenly heard her name and looked up. "What?"

"Joe here," he pointed at the Indian, "says he will be more then happy to help you start your garden over in the old pasture field on the west bank near the old barn if you'd accept the help."

"What?" Polly asked as she scooped up a hamburger and dumped it onto a fresh sandwich bun she'd brought from home. She'd made them this morning so they were fresh and soft to the touch.

"I'll be in town for a few more weeks and John here," he pointed at John says you were planning to have a garden over in that area." He nodded. "That's a lot of work for a women to do all-by-herself," He pointed out.

John nodded in agreement.

"And John is so busy with the cornfield." He nodded again.

"Oh...." Polly stumbled. "Why would he wanna help me with a garden?" she asked herself.

"So," John chimed in, "Joe here is gonna spend the next few days helping you get started with that garden." He nodded at Joe and Joe nodded back in return. Both smiled at each other in a knowing way. This made Polly nervous. What was going on?

"Okay," Polly finally answered as she put the last hamburger on a bun and passed the lot of them to the table.

Everyone started eating. Polly decided to say nothing more. What good would it do anyway. John wasn't going to listen to her. John listened to no one.

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The next day arrived as they always do and right on schedule Joe showed up with a horse and buggy ready to take her to the farm to get started on the work.

"I thought I'd come get you," he informed her, "in case there were items you needed taken over to be planted that were not already there."

She gazed at him rather amazed. Took a deep breath and pointed.

"Those are the plants I'd planned to put there."

Joe climbed down from the wagon. He smiled at her and her mom when she walked out of the house then began to gather up the plants and load them onto the wagon.

"Did John tell you?" Polly asked, "That he's going to help me with the garden?"

"Oh..." her mom replied. "I had no idea."

After the last of the plants were loaded Joe climbed up onto the wagon and waited for Polly to board.

As they rode towards the farm Joe began to talk.

"So, have you ever been out further west?" he asked.

"No," Polly replied.

Just up ahead and to the right they saw a female walking along side the road.

As they grew nearer Polly realized it was Natalie.

Joe slowed down. "Do you need any help?" he called down.

Natalie stopped walking and smiled up at him like a hungry tiger.

"Are you offering?" she asked.

Joe looked at Polly. "That'd be up to, Polly," He answered.

"Where are you headed?" Polly asked. Fully hoping she was heading home and home for her was past John's. Maybe, she'd flirt with him," she asked herself.

"Home," Natalie answered.

Polly smiled back down at her. This was her chance to get away from the Indian and maybe get away from John too.

"Please do climb up," Polly assured her. "You can have my seat and I'll move to the back with my plants. She climbed over the seat before anyone could say anything.

Natalie climbed up and seated herself next to Joe.

"So what brings you to our little town?" she asked him in her most flirty voice.

Joe started the horses trotting. "I travel around," he replied. He didn't seem to be overly interested in her. His cheery personality seemed to fade the further they traveled.

"Where do you plan to plant the cucumbers," he leaned backwards to ask her.

"Have you been to the area?" Polly asked, before she answered.

"Many times," he replied. "John was thinking of putting more corn there but after we talked," he paused for a moment while he got the horses to pick-up speed, "about it he decided that it was best as a garden," he stopped talking and was cut short just before he started again by Natalie.

"Do you plan to attend the next dance in town?"

Polly waited to see what the Indian would say. Why she wanted to know was beyond her.

"I'm not sure," the Indian replied. "I might not be in town by that time."

They pulled up onto John's land and Joe pulled back on the reins to get the horses to slow down and then to stop.

Natalie got down from the wagon and waited a few moments.

John came from around the house to greet them.

Polly stepped back hoping that Natalie would flirt with him; however to her surprise...

"Well," she replied, "if you're still in town do please save this girl a dance." She smiled ever so brightly up at him and just gave John a nod of her head as she started to walk off the property towards town and her home...

Polly felt as if her heart might stop. She suddenly cared about with whom Joe spoke and danced with and why didn't Natalie flirt with John. He was the most wanted male in town. Everyone else wanted his attention...

Joe had just smiled in return and the smile didn't seem like it came straight from the heart.