Take Me Home, Country Roads

Early the next morning, I loaded up the wagon with Roseanna, Nancy and Robert E with picnic foods, Ellison's guitar, and fishing poles, heading off the lake, as Cap and Johnse rode alongside us. Lavicy had suggested it would be more seemly if the two middle children joined us, and after my discussion with Cap the evening before I felt she might be right. Everyone already knew Roseanna and Johnse were together (though it was never explicitly acknowledged – Anse in particular seemed to think if he ignored her long enough she would just go away), but the last thing I wanted or needed was more gossip about me.

I was looking forward to a day away from chores, and Roseanna had said the lake was beautiful, but I wasn't really looking forward to getting riding lessons. The only time I had been on the back of a horse had been that ride to the house my very first day in 1882 – I was pretty sure my ass would never recover. I was walking funny for a week afterward. Not to mention, as I sat looking at the horses with renewed interest (or apprehension)...those things were massive. With my luck, I'd fall off and break my neck.

It was a good hour to the lake, though we were moving fairly slowly. By the time we got there, the sun was high in the sky and the air was warm, so warm that the blue lake looked dangerously inviting. I knew that by the end of the day, someone was going to be splashing around in there – most likely me.

We tied the horses up and set ourselves up on the wooden dock, unpacking our food and enjoying each others company. After lunch, Cap went off back to the wagons, while Robert E and Nancy headed off down the banks of the river to explore. Johnse leaned back on his hands, his long legs stretched out before him and a piece of straw held loosely between his teeth.

"You ready, Ems?" he asked with a million watt grin, nodding over my shoulder to where Cap was now untying the two horses.

"Um…yeah, about that…" I shot a pleading look at Roseanna, who just smiled and shook her head.

"You're in the country now, Miss Yankee. You gots to learn to ride like a real country girl. How else you and Cap gonna ride off into the sunset?"

"Oh, hush," Roseanna chided, hitting him lightly on the shoulder. He caught her hand and kissed it lightly. I blinked.

"I'm sorry…am I missing something?"

"Don't pretend like your heart don't go all a' flutter for my little brother. See, you're blushing now!"

"No I ain't! I'm not. No, I'm not blushing." Johnse let out a sharp, loud laugh. I could feel the heat rise in my face and looked away. "Shut up, Johnse."

"Don't tease her," Roseanna said, though she too was smiling. "It ain't kind."

No, it wasn't kind. It was insane – there was no reason for them to think that I was at all attracted to Cap…because I had done my utmost to keep that part hidden. Besides, there wasn't any reason for my to be attracted to him. He wasn't conventionally attractive like Johnse – he had a ghost eye, for God's sake! And he barely spoke to me! Or to anyone for that matter. No, Cap was a listener, while I was a talker. But that was me, I guess, always falling for the slightly mysterious types.

"Do I really need to learn? Now?" I asked, really wanting to get out of it.

"Well, don't sound too excited about it," Johnse replied with mock hurt. "It's all Cap's talked about since yesterday. Couldn't get him to shut up about you."

I looked over at Johnse, noting his wide grin. "What are you getting at, Johnse?" I asked with suspicion.

"My brother's got a thing for Yankee women, seems," he said nonchalantly. "Be mighty disappointed if he thought you didn't return the feeling."

My mouth opened a few times, but no coherent words came out. Really? Me and Cap? Could that be a thing? Did I want it to be a thing? I was planning on getting back to my own century anyway I could…so why did I suddenly feel like this was the greatest thing I'd ever heard?

"I think you've been drinking too much moonshine," I muttered, but stood anyway. I turned and forced my heavy legs to take me back to Cap. Behind me, Johnse let out a hoot.

"Have fun, Miss Yankee!"

When I got over to him, Cap was adjusting the saddle on one of the horses. If what Johnse was saying was true – and I found myself sincerely hoping it was – Cap had feelings for me. The idea that I had feelings back was possible…okay it was true…but we hadn't known each other long. It was only the end of June, I'd been here less than two months. I couldn't have feelings for someone in that short of time. It was crazy. But so was the fact that I two months ago I had been sitting by the pool in 2014. Nothing should seem crazy to me anymore.

"Hey Cap," I said, trying to keep my voice light and unwavering. "Johnse said you were going to teach me how to ride?"

"If you're up for it," he replied, not turning to look at me right away. He fixed the saddle and looked at the stirrups. "Should be good, I'd reckon."

"As long as you go easy on me," I said, gulping down my nerves and offering a smile as he finally fixed his gaze on me.

"Can't promise that."

I couldn't tell by his voice if he was teasing or not, so with a deep breath I stepped toward the horse.

"I really don't see why I need to learn this," I said, anxiously. "Can't I just ride in the wagon like the rest of the women-folk?" The feminist in me was kicking myself, but I seriously did not want to die falling off the back of a horse.

"You will," Cap replied. "Most times. But, it's always good to learn. You want to impress your city friends when you go back, don't you?"

"We don't know if I'm going back," I said, my stomach dropping. Cap turned to look at me and I felt my throat tighten as I fought back the tears. I was doing my best to live amongst them, but I couldn't help but wonder when this adventure was going to end. Or if it was going to end.

"Sure you will, Emma. I expect you to show me your city sometime." Cap looked at me with that deep gaze of his – it didn't matter that his one eye was milky white and sightless. He still seemed to pierce me with one look.

I swallowed hard and looked away. I was a terrible liar, so I cleared my throat and plucked up my courage. "So…what's its name?"

"Name?" Cap asked.

"Yeah," I replied, hesitantly reaching up to pet the horse. "It has to have a name."

A twinge of a smile played at Cap's lips and I felt myself relax a bit. "Pa calls her Red."

"Red?" I asked incredulously. "That's no fun. She needs a majestic name, like Misty or Pegasus or…Seabiscuit."

"When I was a boy, I used to call her Star," he said coming up beside me, putting his hand on the white patch on her forehead. "On account of this."

For a brief moment, he looked like the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders. I knew enough of history to know that the Hatfields and the McCoys were infamous, that the members of those families had themselves tied up in a feud famous into my time. And I had seen enough in the past week to know that Cap was as caught up in it as any of them. It scared me to think that it might kill him and that despite my knowledge of so many things, I didn't know his fate. And it was clear it worried him as well.

Cap looked at me and I smiled at him. "Star's a good name." The horse whinnied and flicked her ears. "And it looks like she likes it, too."

"Looks like she's takin' a fancy to you, too, Miss Emma," he smiled genuinely, and without a word grabbed me around the waist hoisted me up onto the horse, as if I weighed less than bag of flour. "Not that I can blame her."

Another skipped heartbeat. Cap handed me the reigns and then mounted Johnse's horse, a lighter colored mare with black mane and tail.

"Alright, now give 'er a bit of kick with your heels, a little harder, there ya go. Hold the reigns tight in your grip now," he said as we walked along a wooded path away from the lake. "But keep'em loose on her neck, you don't wanna be pullin' her head back too much."

"Right. Tight, but loose," I repeated, trying to not look like an idiot. Luckily for me, it seemed Star was smarter than I was, and walked along on her own with Cap's horse.

"Once you get good, you can use your legs more to steer, ride with one hand on the reigns. Right now, you just use your heels to tell her how fast to go."

"Well, she doesn't need to go any faster," I replied, though I felt a bit like a child as he lead use through woods. I swayed back and forth uncomfortably, trying to find the correct rhythm. I tried to casually glance at Cap and mimic his motions, his posture. But he had been riding since he learned to walk, most comfortable in a saddle than anywhere else. I doubted I would ever get to the point, but I appreciated him trying to teach me.

We walked on for a while, Cap giving me some instructions, which I tried and usually failed to follow. Eventually we fell into an easy silence – one that I just had to break, never able to keep my mouth shut.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, Cap. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. You were just watching out for me and…I appreciate it." He didn't look at me right away. "And I'm sorry if what I did at the dance caused any problems." That caught his attention.

"You didn't cause no problems, Emma, that I promise you. This bad blood begun long before you arrived. Don't worry about it."

"What happened, exactly? If you don't mind telling me…"

"No, you should know. You're apart of the family now, it's only right you know why." We exited the woods where the trail ended, opening up onto a meadow that extended for hundreds of yards. Everywhere I looked I saw bright green grass and yellow flowers. It amazed me how untouched this nature was, how beautiful. Cap continued. "Pa and ol' Ran'll McCoy fought in the War together. Same regiment and such. Saved each other's lives a few times, so I hear tell. But somethin' happened between them – my Pa won't say what – ruined the friendship. When they came home, they didn't talk none. This was when I was just a baby."

"It's been going on that long?" I asked in disbelief. Cap had known nothing but family rivalry his whole life, and yet didn't ever know the whole truth. But, I wasn't going to tell him what I knew from Aunt Flo – it wasn't my place.

"Then there was this stupid thing with a pig. McCoy thought my Uncle Floyd stole one of his razorbacks, took him to court, but one of his own kin, Selkirk, went against him. McCoy thought that all the Hatfields were against him. Then there was the whole thing with Roseanna…"

"I heard about that. Roseanna told me." Cap finally looked back at me.

"Well, McCoy forbid their union, kicked the girl out. And Pa didn't want to defy McCoy, or any man over his daughter, you know? So he said them two couldn't be married, but McCoy don't care, still hates my Pa. And his crazy sons – you met some of them – shot Johnse over the whole thing. Not that I blame them entirely, Johnse can be a right fool sometimes."

It was the longest I had heard him speak, and despite the unfortunate subject, I didn't want him to stop. That southern drawl was just too adorable. But stop he did, as we came to the center of the meadow. The grass was so tall it tickled my ankles, and the breeze rustled my hair. It was like a scene out of a country song or Legends of the Fall. And my very own Brad Pitt was currently peering out from under his hat at the horizon.

I found myself staring at him – his strong jaw, his piercing blue eye, his blonde hair and facial hair that was a shade darker. I held back a giggle; I'd never been into mustaches and soul patches, which was really the only way I could describe what was growing on Cap's face…but somehow he pulled it off. Though I might encourage him just to grow out a healthy length of stubble to even things up a bit. Overall, though, he was devilishly handsome.

"Think you want to try trottin'?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I don't know…I was just getting the hang of this standing around and walking slowly."

He smirked and I felt a weird sense of pride well up in me.

"You always talk like that?" he asked, not unkindly.

I shrugged. Sarcasm was usually my go-to tone. "Sorry, I…I forget I'm supposed to be meek and pliable like Roseanna. I know I can be a bit…"

"Loud?" he offered. "Talkative? Brash? Northern?" I would have been offended if he hadn't been smiling. God, I loved his smile.

"Well, don't hold back," I laughed, only slightly embarrassed.

"You know I'm only teasin'," he said, waiting for me to meet his gaze. "And I'm glad you ain't like Roseanna. I think you're pretty amazin' just how you are."

"You're sweet," I replied, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. I cleared my throat. "Maybe we should head back, make sure Johnse isn't giving your brother a mud bath."

We kicked off back to the trail, and I was fully aware of Cap glancing over at me – and it wasn't because he wanted to check on my form. We rode along for a bit in silence, and for once, I wasn't the one to break it.

"Tell me about your parents, Ems."

I looked at him, slightly surprised, but his smile gave off genuine interest. It was weird…I had never really had to describe my parents. Of course I had given a eulogy, but everyone there already met my parents. No one who didn't know them had ever asked what they were like, save a date or two. But even then, it wasn't like they couldn't experience Mom and Dad for themselves. For the first time, I had someone in my life who would never meet my parents…and I didn't want to sell them short.

"They were amazing," I gushed, an uncontrolled smile crossing my face. I had thought it would be hard, but once I started, all I could think about all the amazing things about them.

I told him all about them – what they looked like, what they liked and disliked, how my dad and I had a secret handshake and that my mom once brought home three stray kittens to live with us even though my dad was allergic, and how they both loved the sunset and would go up to the roof of our building every night with a glass of wine to watch it together.

When I finally stopped we were back at the lake, and Cap was looking at me with an amused smile.

"They sound real great, Ems," he said as he dismounted, coming over to me and raising his arms. I slid out of the saddle, letting myself fall into him. "I wish I could have met them."

"Me to," I replied, looking up at him, my hands lingering on his chest. Cap reached up and brushed some hair behind me ear.

"Hey Emma Yankee! Get your fanny over here and sing us a song!" Johnse yelled at us from the dock, and I rolled my eyes.

"We should probably get over there," I said, stepping away reluctantly. "Don't want them thinking we're spending too much time alone together, you know?"

"Might give'em the wrong impression," Cap agreed, still watching me closely. Biting my lip, I forced myself to walk away.

"How'd the ride go?" Roseanna asked as we got back to the group.

"She's a natural," Cap grinned, sitting down next to me. I noticed with pleasure that he sat close enough that when he crossed his legs, his knee rested against mine. "We'll have her ridin' like a country girl in no time."

"Watch out, Johns!" Robert E came running out of the woods, launching himself over his brother and into the water, splashing all of us.

"Why, you little…!" Johnse stripped his shirt off, kicked off his boots and dove in after Robert E.

For the next twenty minutes, Roseanna, Cap and I watched as Robert E, Johnse and eventually Nancy splashed around in the water, like children. It was refreshing. For a minute or two, I was able to forget that I was in the wrong century. For a minute or two, we were just a bunch of friends hanging out by the lake, and the boy I liked was sitting near me, hand brushing mine.

"I still want that song, Emma," Johnse demanded, once he had finally stopped acting like a ten year old. He was stretched out on the dock, head resting on Roseanna's lack, soaking in the late afternoon sun.

I rolled my eyes as Nancy handed me the guitar. "You're so demanding, Johnse. But, because I am a good friend and sucker for an attentive audience, I'll give you a few."

I had been planning in my head, and practicing for the little kids, ever since Ellison had given me the guitar. It took a bit to remember songs without helpful Youtube videos or even just the actual song on my iPod, but once I let myself get a bit creative (and reminded myself that they wouldn't know any of the songs anyway), I was able to find a few that were appropriate.

As in the entire Beatles catalogue.

I played 'I've Just Seen A Face', 'Here Comes The Sun' and 'Blackbird', happy that I could contribute in some way to this little group, despite being the outsider. Eventually, though, Nancy got bored and dragged Roseanna down to the beach to look for stones to skip, and Johnse and Robert E started a bit of fishing. I strummed a few random tunes, trying to ignore the fact that Cap and I were alone again. I wasn't nervous around guys…not usually…but I found myself trying to balance the 19th century expectations with my 21st century personality.

I stopped playing. Cap liked the fact that I wasn't the typical southern belle, that I wasn't a Roseanna. He like the fact that I did things my own way, that I didn't really care what other people thought.

"You alright, Ems?"

I looked over at him, feeling nervous but bold at the same time. "Yeah, I'm fine." I stood, setting the guitar down and talking back off the dock, in the opposite direction down the bank that the girls had gone.

"Where you goin'?" Cap asked, watching me from his seat.

"This Yankee girl needs a walk," I replied over my shoulder, giving him what I hoped was a flirtatious look. "You coming?"

For a moment, I thought maybe he was put off by it, that he wasn't completely cool or comfortable with a girl like me. But then he smiled and jumped to his feet, catching up to me quickly with his long strides.

We walked along quietly around the lake, always in sight of the others, though it was clear they were too busy to bother paying much attention to us. Cap's hands were in his pockets, eliminating my plan to casually take one in mine, so I had to rethink my approach. Gathering my courage for this had taken a bit, and I didn't want to blow it.

"So," I said after a long moment. "Nice lake."

Smooth, Emma. So smooth.

"You ain't really interested in that Calvin McCoy, do you? I mean, like, romantically?"

I blinked. The Boy's direct.

"No, Cap. I'm not." We stopped walking, and Cap turned to face me straight on. I looked up at him, suddenly loving his discolored eyes that much more.

He looked relieved, causing me to smile. He didn't want me liking anyone, not just Calvin McCoy.

"Hey, Emma," he said, suddenly nervous, kicking the ground slightly. "I know I ain't…I know I ain't real fancy like them New York fellas and I know I ain't a real smooth talker like Johnse but- "

"That's okay," I blurted, blushing immediately. "I mean, Johnse's nice but…a bit goofy. I…I don't like guys like Johnse."

Cap smiled, relaxing slightly. "I guess…I guess I was just wonderin' if you…if you might let me…kiss you? And I understand completely if you don't - "

"Oh, just stop talking," I interrupted, standing up on my toes and pressing my lips to his. Cap froze momentarily, but soon let his hands come to my waist, kissing me back slowly, tenderly.

I wanted more, desperately. My dry spell was embarrassingly long and Cap was incredibly hot, but he pulled away after far too short a time. Damn him and his gentlemanly ways.

"Wow," he breathed, his mouth quirked into a half smile. "I knew I liked you, Yankee."

I let out a relieved breath, blushing. Cap reached up and brushed some hair out my face, his fingers lingering on my cheek. I suddenly realized why I found myself so attracted, so connected to him. He wasn't like the frat brothers or the varsity athletes I had dated in the past. He was old-school (literally), traditional (utterly), and completely sincere about everything. He wasn't like Johnse, who while I believed loved Roseanna, could see a pretty girl, form a crush and call it love. This wasn't a fling for Cap…this was real.

The thought that Cap might love me, or might be on his way to loving me, suddenly sent me crashing back to earth. I don't know what thought scared me more: that someone from the distant past that I had just met through some unbelievable time travel adventure might be in love with me…or the fact that that first fact didn't scare me all that much.

I was speechless – quite literally – for a moment, only brought of my reverie when Cap kissed me again. It was enough to make me promise myself to only worry about it when my hand was forced. His lips were too distracting to think any other way.

"Cap! Emma! We best get goin' home!"

Cap pulled away and looked over his shoulder across the lake, where Johnse was waving at us. The sun was starting to set, and we knew Lavicy would be worried if we got back too after dark.

I bit my lip and looked up at Cap. "So…what do we do now?"

"I think we head home."

"Right, but I mean…I mean about this," I motioned between us as we started walking back.

"To be honest, Ems, I think it might be best if we just keep this between us for the moment." I was surprised by this, but also surprised by how okay with it I was. It would give me some time to figure out just what the hell I was doing.

"I don't mean that I don't want people to know that we're…well, that I'm courtin' you it's just that with everything goin' on with Johnse and Roseanna, and the fact that Pa's having some trouble at the timber yard with some fella's who claim they own the land and - "

"No, Cap, that's fine," I said quickly and sincerely. "Really, I think it's better if we keep this quiet. Maybe until I've settled in a bit more and your dad doesn't look at me like some annoying Yankee squatter."

He smiled slightly, his hand finding mine and holding my fingers lightly as we walked back towards the dock. He pulled away once we got close, but not before looking down at my hand, thumb sliding lightly over my ring.

"What's this?" he asked with interest, peering at the silver band closely. It was the one thing from the future that I had managed to keep without anyone taking much notice.

"It's a Claddagh ring," I said, twisting it off of my finger and handing it to him. "It's Irish. My mom got it for me. When the heart is facing out it means that it is free, but when it's facing inward, it means that your heart is taken by someone."

Cap smiled and slid the ring back on my finger. "It's beautiful."

Back at the house, we ate dinner like nothing was different, and I started to read Moby Dick to the kids after everyone was done eating. By the time I ascended the stairs for bed, I was exhausted, both mentally and physically. But, a light touch on my hand in the dark of the corridor made me smile, and sent a jolt of adrenaline through me.

Cap stood at my back, so close I could feel his breath on my neck.

"Good night, Emma," he said, leaning over and pressing a kiss to my cheek.

As I laid down in bed, my face smiling so much that it hurt. I knew, somewhere in the back of my mind, that I should be worried. I knew that this couldn't last, the most obvious reason being that I was determined that I would get back to my own life, sooner rather than later. But, I decided there was no reason that I couldn't enjoy myself.

I just couldn't let myself get too attached.