Nate Bjorn

Chapter 6

Nate was busy chopping wood in the tree row on his property. Three days had passed since he'd seen Zihana. He'd purposely stayed out of town. Nate had no desire to face Zihana again. Call him a coward, but he didn't want to answer any more questions and he didn't want to hurt Zihana again.

Nate cussed as his wandering mind caused him to hit the wood wrong with his ax. The ax rebounded off the wood and headed towards Nate's leg. Nate jumped back. He wasn't fast enough and the ax dealt a glancing blow to his right shin.

"Fuck!"

Nate set his ax down and looked at his leg. A 4-5 inch gash that was an inch wide stretched down the side his right leg. Blood was already starting to well up and trickle down his leg. Nate rolled his jeans up to his knee and pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket. Nate tied the handkerchief around his leg before he went back to his work.

Several hours later Nate was done chopping wood. He wiped seat from his forehead and limped up the dirt road to the house. As he came around the mulberry trees he came upon Zihana. Nate came to an abrupt stop.

"What are ye doing here?"

Zihana looked over at him guiltily and offered him the same bright smile that had stolen his heart the first time he met her. "I came to see you. You're a hard man to fine Nathaniel Bjorn."

Nate snorted as he limped past her. "I like it that way."

Zihana's sharp blue eyes looked at his leg. A frown marred her brow as she studied his leg. Her eyes studied him before she boldly took his arm and drew it about her shoulders as she wrapped her arm around his waist.

"What did you do this time?"

"I was cutting wood and me ax glanced off the wood and hit me in the leg."

Zihana shook her head and sighed. "Ye need to be more careful." They walked in silence for a few paces before Zihana spoke again. "We also need to talk."

Nate shook his head. "I have no words to say to ye."

"Ye owe me an explanation Nate! I loved ye and ye ran out on me."

Nate was quiet as Zihana helped him limp into his house. He didn't speak again till he was seated and his leg was propped up on a chair. "Do ye still love me?"

Zihana paused in her search of the cabinets for a bowl. She peered over her shoulder at Nate. "Aye and do ye still love me?"

Nate looked away from her steady gaze. He winced as pain shot through his leg. Zihana resumed her rummaging with a sigh. Nate looked back at her. "I have never stopped loving ye Zi."

Zihana paused in her searching. She stood still for many long moments before she spoke in a thick voice. "Where are your bowls?"

"Above the sink. There's a metal one and a ceramic one. Pick which one ye want to use."

Zihana pulled out the ceramic bowl and set it on the counter. She picked up the kettle and filled it with water before she set it on the stove. Her long slender fingers turned the gas stove on. Zihana moved gracefully around the kitchen gathering items that she needed to tend to Nate's leg.

"Do you have any bandages?"

Nate shook his head when she looked at him. "The bottom drawer in my dresser is full of old shirts that I use for rags."

Zihana headed towards the living room. Nate watched her go. "My room's the one on the right!" He hollered after her.

Zihana returned a few moments later with a several shirts that were old and faded. It didn't take much for Zihana to tear the shirts into strips. Once she had a dozen strips Zihana sat the strips on the table and fetched the bowl full of hot water. She took another trip to the cupboards to grab some cinnamon and honey.

"This is going to hurt."

Nate shrugged. "I'm used to it."

Zihana gave him a sympathetic smile before she began cleaning the blood off of Nate's leg. Nate gritted his teeth and remained still as Zihanna carefully cleaned and bandaged his leg. Nate let out a breath and barely suppressed a groan as Zihanna finished making the knot that would hold his bandages in place.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm alright," Nate said with a voice tight with pain. He pointed to the fridge. "Grab me some alcohol. That'll help numb the pain."

Zihana didn't seem too pleased with that. "There are herbs for pain you know."

Nate took the beer she handed him. "I know," he said as he pulled the tab and down half the beer. "But I don't have any of the herbs on hand."

Zihana shook her head as she began puttering around the kitchen cleaning up. "Fine, but know that I am not going to be taking care of a drunk tonight."

Nate raised his eyebrow at her. "Ye are staying the night?"

Zihana turned cocked her left hip and placed her hands on her hips. "I am not leaving you injured and alone. You need help getting to bed."

"Are ye going to bed with me?

Zihana shook her head as she went back to cleaning. "You have a spare bedroom. That is where I'll sleep." Zihana turned an appraising eye back to Nate. "Besides, that leg needs to be propped up and doesn't need to be jostled."

"Too bad," Nate sighed as he looked down into his empty beer can.

A soft giggle came from Zihana as she pulled another beer out of the fridge and plopped down in front of him. Nate shook his head as he opened his beer and took a few swallows. Of course she would giggle at him. Nate always seemed to make Zihana giggle. It was a sound he found pleasing.

Before his mind could continue along the same thought processes, Nate took another drink. He planned on drinking enough to dull the pain so that he could sleep. In the morning he would be sure to stock up on healing herbs. Tomorrow he would find out how Zihana found him and most importantly, why.