Westward Moon by Linda Bridey

cracking eggs into a pan.  “So you’ve been here sixteen years.  If you were around twenty-three then, that makes you—.  Ow!  Ow!”
    Jack backed away from the stove and faced Tessa who was winding her towel again.  His back hit the wall between the stove and sink and he was trapped.
    “Mama, I’m sorry, I was just kiddin’, put the towel down, I won’t say anything, I promise,” Jack said.  His words came out in a long stream as he sought to mollify her.  Tessa’s towel snaps hurt worse than a bee sting and Jack had no desire to feel any more of them.
    “Are you going to pursue that line of thinking?” she asked as she arched an eyebrow at him.
    “Nope.  No way.  On my honor, I won’t say anything more about it,” Jack said as he shook his head.
    Sparrow laughed at the sight of big, strong Jack’s fear of his mother. 
    “Yeah, you laugh, Sparrow, but you’ve never had her snap a towel at you.  It hurts like hell!” Jack said.
    Tessa chuckled and let him off the hook.  “Very well.  Finish cooking your eggs.”
    Cautiously Jack went back to the stove and did as she directed.  Sparrow watched him cook and smiled.  Everything to do with cooking was second nature to him and his purposeful movements were fun to watch.  Sparrow’s gaze settled on his hands and she longed to feel them caressing her again.
    She averted her eyes before anyone saw what she was feeling.  To distract herself she asked, “Jack, why did our tribe stay for the winter?”
    Jack sighed.  “The buffalo are getting scarce and when Black Fox sent scouts down south to try to find some herds, there weren’t many.  There are more up here right now, so he felt that it was better for the tribe to stay this winter.  Plus there are a lot of deer around this year so they can hunt them, too.  If they need to, they’ll buy some steer from us.  But I know Uncle Marcus will give them some of his steer.  He always does if need be.”
    “I see,” Sparrow said.  “What do you think they will say about my escape?”
    Jack gave her an encouraging smile as he put a plate of food in front of her.  “I think they’re gonna be happy that your safe and be glad to see you.  You know how fond they are of you.”
    Sparrow smiled.  “Yes.  I know.  I can’t wait to see them.”
    Jack filled another plate and sat down.  “Then let’s go to camp after we eat.”
    “Yes.  I would like that,” Sparrow said.  She laughed when she saw the heap of food on Jack’s plate. 
    “What?” he said around a mouthful of home fries.
    “For someone who didn’t want to cook you sure cooked a lot,” she teased him.
    He swallowed and said, “I can’t help myself.  I get in a kitchen and I just have to cook.”
    Tessa said, “Yes.  I know.  When you come around at mealtime, I just sit down and let you take over because you always do.”
    “Sorry, Mama,” Jack said.
    “Oh, I’m not complaining.  I don’t mind at all,” Tessa said.  “Well, if you are all right, I’m going to go finish that chapter I’ve been working on.”
    Tessa had published a book a few years earlier, which had met with great success.  She was now working on her second book.
    “Ok, Mama.  Good luck,” Jack said.
    “Thank you,” she said and left.
    Mike moved down to sit by Sparrow.  His leg was finally back to normal.  “She never did tell me what Uncle Seth wasn’t too old to do.”
    Jack chuckled.  “I have a hunch, but I’m not going to say.”
    Mike smiled and said, “Is it about sex?”
    Sparrow looked at him with wide eyes.
    Jack said, “That’s not appropriate to talk about in front of women, Mike.”
    “Why?” Mike said.  “Why is everyone so secretive about it?  I mean, it’s described in the Bible and everything.”
    “What?” Jack said with a confused look.
    “Yeah.  One guy was a couple hundred years old and his wife was ninety and they had a baby,” Mike said.  “I don’t know how that’s possible since