He sighed quietly as he felt a sadness touch her thoughts. “Well, thank you. Truly,” he said softly.
Mentioning her father to anyone felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable. It threatened to unleash a lot of sealed off memories. Nev took in a deep breath, refocused, and nodded at him. “Yeah, umm… no problem. You should keep the rest. You know, in case you get another headache. So, was that all the things you wanted to ask me?” she questioned.
Wyatt was staring at her. He had watched as hints of pain pushed to reveal themselves within her, and he saw her seal them off again. Maybe there would come a moment when she would let him see and understand more than that. It wasn’t now. “Yep. Well, all that and to thank you again. So, thank you,” he said, flashing her a smile. He popped a leaf into his mouth and placed the others carefully in his pack. The leaf had a sweet taste. He marveled as his headache began to ease almost instantly.
She returned his smile briefly and then gestured for them to get back underway.
Wyatt smiled and then joined her. Walking side by side, he nudged her playfully. “So, is me chasing after you going to be a regular occurrence?” he asked.
“Maybe. Only if you think I am worth catching,” Nev replied.
He wasn’t sure if she was coy, playful, or serious in her response. Either way, he was coming to the realization that the answer for him was the same. Yes… I am beginning to think you are, he pondered, smiling to himself.
Chapter 6
Nev had led them to a spot about a mile past the forest’s edge. “It will be nightfall soon. We can camp here,” she directed, gesturing towards space under a large fallen tree. It was perched at an angle against a small ridge. The rain had stopped, but the ground and air were encased in a cold, dampness. Nev gathered wood for a small fire, feeling anxious to be wrapped in its warmth. After several minutes of fighting with the moisture saturated branches, a spark ignited.
Wyatt had watched her closely. He wondered how many times she had forced flames from damp sticks and twigs. There was a great deal he was left to speculate on regarding the woman he now found himself traveling with. Wyatt suspected whatever inklings he had about her would pale in comparison to the truth, and the enigma was fascinating to him.
Feeling his eyes on her again, she shifted reflexively. She’d felt his studious gaze upon her several times during their short time together. The attention made Nev uncomfortable. Sitting across from him, she found she had nowhere to hide from his curiosity. So, she lowered her head and began poking the fire with a long stick. She was grateful for the additional distraction when Wyatt handed her a slice of cheese wrapped in cloth and another piece of bread.
Nev pulled a small pouch out from within her pack. She delicately removed a few dark purple berries and popped one in her mouth, savoring the sweet taste. Holding the bag of fruit out towards Wyatt, she offered, “Dewberries.”
“Are these another fix for some ailment?” he inquired, taking the pouch from Nev.
“Just hunger,” she replied, placing another berry in her mouth.
Wyatt smiled as he let the contents of the bag drop into his hand. “Fair enough,” he stated. “So, I am curious about something. The vine from earlier, the fire and berries… how do you know about things like that?”
Nev contemplated how to answer his seemingly simple question. The honest answer was more personal and complicated than she wanted to share at the moment… or ever. “I’ve just picked some things up over the years,” she replied, being purposefully vague. She dared to peek at him, curious to see if he would be satisfied with her answer. Nev was met with his inquisitive gaze. His hair had slowly dried, and soft curls were now evident. Losing herself in his amber stare for a moment, she became suddenly embarrassed when he smiled at her.
He sensed there was much more to the story than what her response implied. He also had the feeling that peppering her with any more questions would only make her unhappy, and he did not want to see her in such a state. “Fair enough,” he conceded. “I should probably let us both get some sleep. So, goodnight Nev. Sleep well.” Wyatt smiled warmly at her as her eyes met his once more before she laid down.
No one had wished her goodnight in a very long time. She’d forgotten how comforting those simple words could be. Maybe it will be good to travel with someone. For a bit, she thought. Her tired mind urged her to give in to sleep and leave contemplating “maybes” for another day. Closing her eyes tightly and curling up on her bedroll, she whispered, “Goodnight, Wyatt.”
Chapter 7
A few hours later, a nightmare stole Nev’s restful sleep and forced her awake. She sat up and rubbed her still closed eyes, hoping to wipe away the darkness that had disturbed her slumber. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her arm. She blinked her eyes open and saw Wyatt looking at her with concern.
“Nightmare… again?” Wyatt asked. His voice and expression were full of worry.
“It is… nothing. I’m sorry that I woke you,” Nev dismissed, pulling her arms close to her chest and away from his reassuring grasp.
“I don’t mind you waking me. But your nothing seems a whole lot like something,” he prodded gently.
“Maybe. It isn’t anything for you to worry about, though,” Nev stated, staring at the ground.
Wyatt sighed softly as he studied her. “Perhaps. But you have them a lot,
