Ch 2
They packed up the camp and head on to the station yard. Cody rode in glowing like a ray of sunshine. Teaspoon and Rachel watched as Cody led the wagons in the yard.
"Well Cody, who do we have here?" Teaspoonsaid as he helped the older couple down from their buckboard.
"They don't speak English, Teaspoon. They are the parents of Jasmine and Desiree. That's Pap and Gigi. They have come all the way to Sweetwater from the Middle East." Cody announcedto everyone on Rachel's front porch.
"It's a pleasure." Teaspoon says shaking their hands.
Cody was so busy talking to Teaspoon and Rachel that he did not notice Jimmy sliding in to make the lady's acquaintance.
"Hey, I'm Jimmy." He says as his long dark hair blows in the breeze.
"I'm Desiree. It's nice to meet you." She says feeling lost in this westernerys brown eyes.
Jimmy smiled and helped her onto the front porch. Buck sees the opportune moment to offer his hand in assisting Jasmine up the to the top step.
Cody turns his focus to the porch to realize the boys were in the midst of making their move.Hehad to quickly intervene.
"Ladies, would y'all like to see the horse stalls?" He says before he could think. Damnit, he says to himself. That did not come out right.
"Now Cody, I'm sure everyone would like to rest for a bit." Rachel says pushing the guests in the door.
"Cody, why don't you get them unpacked? Ike can help you. He is in the bunkhouse." Teaspoon says.
Cody downs his head as Rachel usher's the guests through the doorway.
"Well I'll be damned." He says kicking at the dirt.
Teaspoongoes around the table introducing everyone to their guests.
"That's everyone except for Lou. She will be back in the morning. She is on a run with the mail."
"So tell us what brings y'all to Sweetwater?" Kid asked smiling from ear to ear.
"We are dressmakers. We made beautiful dresses in our homeland. We want to open a shop in town."
"What part of the middle East are y'all from?" Jimmy asked looking into Desiree's eyes like a love sick puppy.
"I was born in Palestine." She says in her thick adorable accent.
Jasmine informs Jimmy that she was born in Baghdad two years later.
Rachel brought the food to the table and made their plates.
Pap got up and wanted to sit by Teaspoon. Buck slid down to make room for him. He pointed at Teaspoon and spoke in his language. Everyone looked to the girls.
"What language is that?" Teaspoon asked.
"It's Arabic." Desiree informed him.
"He wants to know if Rachel is your concubine."
Teaspoon looks flustered in the face.
"Please excuse my ignorance, but I'm not familiar with the terminology of y'all's language. What is a concubine?" He asked Jasmine.
"Isshe your sex slave?"
The boy's mouths dropped open. Teaspoon was red in the face by now. Rachel put her hand on the old man's shoulder.
"Tell him that in the west, a woman does not belong to anyone but herself. If she chooses to pair up with a man, he would be of her choosing."
Jasmine translates to her father. He speaks to Rachel and looks her up and down smiling.
"He says many things are different in the West, but the man you choose will be a King indeed."
Rachel smiles and sits down at the other end of the table.
Cody boastfully asks both young women to join him for a picnic by the pond. Pap looks to Jasmine to translate. He stands up and shakes his hand at Cody, going on for a moment. Cody, not knowing what to do, smiles at the man which doesn't seem to help matters.
The man walked over to Jimmy. He places his hands on his shoulders still talking. He jerked Jimmy once then slapped his chest but not too hard. Both the girls smiled at Jimmy. He returned back to his seat slapping Teaspoon on the arm like he had just done something good. Teaspoon looks down at Jimmy who was certainly confused and a little embarrassed.
"What did he say?" Teaspoon inquired.
Jasmine started by apologizing to Cody.
"My father said he did not want his girls going to eat by the water with a yellow haired man. He said they should be making close for strong handsome young men like Mr. Jimmy. He said he sees a courageous man behind Jimmy's eyes."
Cody's mouth dropped open.
Jimmy looked down trying to hide his smile smile from everyone .
Cody was blown away. Ike, Buck and Kid did not hide their faces. They all laughed at Cody who had his bottom lip poking out a bit. Dinner was soon done. Rachel started cleaning up the table but Jasmine and Desiree insisted they help her. Cody and the others left as Teaspoon showed the older couple to the spare room in Rachel's house.