Lorraine had learned by now how to say "I love you" in Cantonese. When Bill Shao stepped out of his train car, she said it, and saw his ordinary face turn dashingly handsome under the influence of delight.
This being a day trip, the Taiwanese emigrant was carrying no luggage, unless one counted a backpack he wore; thus, there was nothing to slow him down from reaching to embrace the captivating widow he still could hardly believe he had won for himself. They did not kiss, though; like many persons of Chinese background, Bill was highly inhibited about being seen kissing someone. Indeed, so far since becoming engaged they had only ever kissed six times even in private, and that was including two one-way kisses from Lorraine to Bill. But this was not a matter of indifference on Bill's part. He found other ways to express his devotion to his betrothed, not least of which was letting her talk as much and as candidly as she wanted when they were together, on any subject.
For such freedom of meaningful talk had also been one of the best features of Lorraine's restored relationship with Wilson Kramer. In their original marriage, Lorraine had made up a pretended grievance over her husband supposedly neglecting her in favor of his career--when in fact he had been with her as much as his Navy SEAL duties had permitted, ignoring the Navy's own social events if they didn't suit his wife, and it had been Lorraine who shortchanged Wilson on attention when he was home. Her outright adultery and eventual desertion had merely been the logical extension of the narcissism in her heart. But when a chastened and converted Lorraine had later made a prodigal's return, the timing had been perfect: being then retired from the War on Terror, Wilson had been so much more available that they both gained the maximum benefit from being together again.
Bill did not have a career which would take him to any far-off lands (as if ANY Enclave exile had such a career!); so he would have good availability to Lorraine from the start of their marriage. And he gave every sign of intending to cultivate a healthy all-around closeness between them.
While Bill and Lorraine were trading endearments, the son of Alipang Havens who bore the first name of the honored Lieutenant Kramer was making himself useful. Horses not being allowed onto the train platform (though Sussex was more indulgent with horses than the larger town of Casper), Wilson Havens was minding Sammy and Lacey. This included letting them have a drink at the watering trough the station kept for the benefit of all neighborhood horses. Presently, the happy couple came over to join him. Bill clapped the boy on the shoulder and said, "I understand I'm about to learn to drive these grass-fuelled cars."
"That's right, Uncle Bill," Wilson replied, which was a pleasing surprise to the Taiwanese. This was the first time any of Alipang and Kim's children had addressed him this way, extending to him the honorary adoption long enjoyed by Aunt Lorraine. "And with these vehicles, you can even have a co-pilot walking on the ground beside you. Here, come on and say hello to Lacey."
While his adopted aunt took charge of the Palomino stallion, Wilson laid his hands on the mare's cheeks, talking to her affectionately. "What a good girl you are, Lacey. We want you to be extra nice for Uncle Bill now. He's going to start by showing you he's good company too, aren't you, Uncle Bill?"
Bill had talked to both Havens horses before this, had patted their necks and foreheads. Now he stepped in, imitating Wilson's manner with the mare, and seeming to do it well enough; Lacey showed no sign of displeasure at his attentions. After some explanation of basics, Wilson guided Bill through the procedure of setting his left foot in the near-side stirrup and climbing into the saddle. Then he showed Bill how to hold the reins, though the boy himself would be initially leading Lacey with a hand on her bridle. "Has she carried beginners before?" Bill asked--to which Wilson smilingly replied, "Yes, my own brother and sister." Lorraine, who of course was wearing pants, had already hoisted herself onto Sammy's back unassisted.
They set out at a leisurely walk. While physically keeping the mare on course, Wilson henceforth left it to Aunt Lorraine to keep up a stream of informative speech about the equestrian art. In between spells of instruction, Bill was allowed in turn to talk about events at his workplace. He did not for now say anything about Odette Galloway; he would wait until he and Lorraine were alone to relate how puffed-up that young woman had become over the prospect of being selected as an Energy Ombudsman.
Crossing the vaguely-defined city limits, the two horses and three humans headed into some vacant grassy land, a sort of buffer between Sussex and the nearest farms. One outlying structure, a deserted former gas station, added a bit of artistic contrast to the scene.
Wilson was deliberately stomping his feet on the overgrown turf as they went. When Bill asked him why he was doing this, the boy explained, "It's to make sure that any rattlers nearby feel our vibrations, know we're coming, and have plenty of time to get out of our way."
Bill had researched the state of Wyoming a bit before he ever accepted his Enclave assignment. "I understand that the prairie rattlesnake is the only venomous reptile indigenous to Wyoming, and that they're not very aggressive."
"Correct on both points," Lorraine assured him. "But even a mild-mannered viper is not likely to take kindly to being startled. What's more: the same tree-huggers in the Forestry Service who caused bears, wolves, cougars, bobcats, lynx, coyotes, foxes and weasels to be dumped upon us in generous numbers, also transplanted additional poisonous snakes into the Enclave--at least two new species of rattlesnakes, plus copperheads."
Wilson lightly tapped knuckles on Bill's knee. "Did Aunt Lorraine ever tell you that my Papa used to eat snakes in the Philippines?"
"She did, one time when I'd been talking about what a variety of things Chinese people will eat."
"Well, Papa catches and eats rattlers here, too. Mom and Essie won't touch snake meat, but Ransom, Brendan and I love it, and Aunt Lorraine's okay with it. Usually we have it in a stew."
"Does it actually taste like chicken?"
"Yes, in fact, it does. When we have chicken for supper at our house, Mom always makes a game of checking that Papa isn't slipping any snake meat onto the platter."
By the time Wilson turned Lacey loose and headed off in a different direction to set his rabbit snares, Bill was adequately comfortable with his cooperative steed, reinforced in his confidence of being accepted by the whole Havens-Kramer household--and ready for serious talk with his beautiful fiancee.
