JUNE 26, 1861

In the living room, Jacy and Jimmy were discussing the new church and the next service tomorrow when Jewel slipped out of the house. She left by the back door. Going to the barn and saddling a horse, she went to meet Cody at the river. She was amazed that she remembered the way since she had only been there once, but she had taken notice of the trail on her way back home last night. Chalking it up to a good memory, she laughed as her horse trotted along, a good memory indeed. She couldn't even remember who she really was.

As she arrived at the river, Cody was already fishing. He had his line in the water, and was waiting on Jewel. He had borrowed Ike's fishing pole for the occasion. He watched as Jewel got off her horse and walked over to him. She was just like Jacy. It was hard to think of her as another person. But he would have to try. "Good evening, I was beginning to think that you weren't going to show up."

"I had to wait for the right time." Jewel grabbed her skirt and held it while she sat down. "I fell like . . . like Melissa." Seeing Cody's puzzled look, she continued, "I feel as young as Melissa, a school girl. Sneaking out of the house and always having to have Jacy's permission to do something. I'll be glad when I get my memory back." Turning to look at Cody's line in the river, she asked, "So have you caught anything?"

"No, actually I was a little late, too. I also thought that I might have missed ya, so I've just tossed my line in. Here you can have this one, and I'll use the other one." Cody handed Jewel his fishing pole, then he baited the other pole and threw it into the water.

They sat in silence for a half an hour. Cody wasn't sure what to say to Jewel. He didn't want to ask her any questions for fear that she wouldn't know the answers, and that it would make her feel uncomfortable and would remind her of her amnesia. Jewel couldn't think of any questions to ask Cody. She feared that she might say something that would make him think of Jacy, and then he would get mad, so she sat trying to appreciate the silence, save for the birds and other animals that chattered about every now and then.

Jewel felt a tug on her line, and Cody noticed it. "You've got a bite. Now reel it in slowly." When she didn't follow his instructions, Cody moved over and gently put his hands over hers. He helped Jewel slowly reel the fish in, but as soon as the fish came out of the water towards them Jewel moved away and let Cody finish reeling it in. Smiling Cody said, "Part of fishing is reeling the fish in and taking it off the line." Jewel looked at the fish and then shook her head. She didn't think fishing was for her, and she'd be totally surprised if she got her memory back and realized that she liked fishing.

The rest of the evening was the same. Whenever Jewel caught a fish, Cody had to reel it in and take it off the hook. He even had to bait the line for her. She reminded him so much of Jacy that he was beginning to like her more and more.

“It’s getting late. I should head back to the ranch.” Jewel said after five fish had been added to Cody’s bucket.

"Um . . . um . . . would you like to go to the Fourth of July celebration with me? Well actually it's going to be on the seventh because of the storm a couple of days ago washed out the path that they had to take to get here. Men are busy removing the rocks and boulders from the pathway now. Teaspoon just told us today about the delay of the celebration." Cody just prattled on and on about the blocked pathway until Jewel finally interrupted him and told him that she would go with him.

Jewel mounted her horse and said, "I'll meet you here around eight. Is that ok?" She knew that there might be a big argument with her sister if she found out that she was going to the celebration because for some reason Jacy never wanted her to go anywhere. Their own brother hadn't even been able to talk Jacy into letting her attend church with Jedidiah and Melissa. So Jewel figured it was best if she just sneaked away again and met Cody here.

"That's fine." Cody answered and then watched as Jewel rode off.