Free Dreamkeepers by Dorothy Garlock

She felt something twist in her body and bit down on her lower lip. She let go of the frisbee and a surprised Charlie sat down in the snow.
    Kelly got to her feet and brushed the snow from her jacket and jeans.
    “I didn’t mean to spoil your fun,” Jonathan said from behind her.
    “You didn’t.” The lie came easily to her lips. She headed toward the lodge. The light snow made walking easy, now; later it would be hard and crusty, then solid enough to walk on.
    Jonathan followed beside her. As they neared the lodge, he took hold of her arm and held tightly when she tried to shrug it off.
    “Let go of my arm,” she said tensely, glancing up at him.
    “No.” He held her gaze as firmly as her arm. “Behave yourself, Kelly. I won’t be snubbed by my wife in front of anyone. Do you understand?” He took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. “What we say and do is one thing in private and another in public.”
    Tormented, she tried without success to break free of his hold. “I have my pride, too,” she retorted. “I won’t play the loving wife!”
    “If you don’t, you’ll only make matters worse for yourself.”
    “Worse! How can matters be worse than they are?” she hissed.
    “Believe me, they could be much worse.”
    They had reached the door and Jonathan held it open for her. Needing a chance to pull herself back together after their verbal combat, she took an unusually long time pulling off her boots and leaving them on the mat. She allowed him to help her with her jacket, then went toward the swinging doors leading to the kitchen. Half of her wanted to watch his reaction to the lodge; the other half wanted him to think she didn’t care a fig.
    “There you are! I swear to goodness, I told Clyde we just might not see you all day. I know how it was when me and Clyde got together after we was apart.” Bonnie wiped her hands on her apron and held one of them out to Jonathan. “Now ain’t you a handsome feller? You rascal,” she said to Kelly. “You never told me nothin’ about a husband. If mine was as handsome as yours, I’d a been braggin’ all over the place.”
    Jonathan laughed. “Kelly didn’t think I’d be able to get away so soon, Bonnie. That’s why she didn’t tell you about me.”
    “I know she’s tickled you’re here now. Married folks was meant to be together. I ain’t for this woman libbers stuff. I want my man to lean on. Ain’t that right, Kelly?”
    Kelly found her voice. “Oh, yes. Jonathan’s a pillar of strength.”
    “Jonathan? Clyde said your name was Jack.” Bonnie looked up from her scant five feet to the man towering over her.
    “That’s right. My name’s Jack. Only Kelly calls me Jonathan and that’s only part of the time.” His brown eyes glinted into her stormy blue ones. The look passed over Bonnie, who was waddling back to the stove in her fur-lined moccasins.
    “I just fed Mike and sent him on his way.” Bonnie moved the big iron skillet onto the hot part of the range. “I swear if that kid’s legs ain’t holler. Ain’t one blessed thing wrong with his appetite. He ate three eggs, sausage, and hash browns, then topped it off with the last of the pie. What you gonna have, Jack?”
    “I’ll take the same, Bonnie, but make it two eggs.”
    “Over easy or wide awake?”
    “If wide awake means sunny side up, that’s how I’ll take them.”
    “Well, get on over here and get you some coffee. Get some for Kelly, too. She looks all tuckered out. Skinny as a rail, that girl. Now that you’re here, Jack, maybe we can fatten her up a little.” Bonnie dropped big pats of sausage into the hot skillet. “She’s worn herself out working around here. My land, you should’ve seen the mess this place was in. There wasn’t anything too heavy for her to lift, and nothing too hard for her to do. She just flew right in there and did it and wouldn’t wait one minute for the men. Mike takes things slow an’ easy. That boy don’t get in no hurry. He .