Jenkins Trail Shelter Pt. 02

We ended up crying together, as we walked the trail.

A while later, she asked me, "Who picks you up, or do you have your car waiting someplace?"

"Yeah, remember that guy that makes your delicious meals?"

"How could I forget."

"He does."

"Oh, then I am going to get to meet him?"

"Thirty-one more days."

We seemed to be inseparable, whenever we had the shelter to ourselves, we would spend the night making love to each other. Nikki loved taking me deep, but I was careful not to make her as sore as that first night.

On the nights we shared the shelter with others, we would find a secluded spot off the trail the next day and make up for what we did not get the night before.

Everyone that met us, could see the love we had for each other.

A bit after three weeks of our shared hike together, she informed me that she was now over a week late. She insisted that she was never more than a day or two late, three at the most. We celebrated in the only way possible, with more cum deep inside her.

The time flew by, and soon we were just a day from Harpers Valley. By the end of the trip, we had spent every minute of the last thirty-nine days together. Telling each other every little aspect of each other's lives.

How I had started my own company and had designed my own house, big enough for a large family. She had said something about filling it up, and we had laughed.

I told her about Ben and his family, about him starting his business, and the success and failures he has had. I even told her about my ex-wife and the five years we spent together.

We mostly talked about my daughter, Britney. She was very excited to hear everything about her. She had never had any other siblings, and she was excited to meet her half-sister.

Nikki told me about her childhood. Hearing about her life, brought me both joy and sadness. How they had struggled to make ends meet and had always been short on money. How her mom had always worked hard all year long, just to be able to take the month-long trail hike every year.

Nikki told me how she had let a boy she had been dating for a month, take her virginity when she was nineteen. How she had found no enjoyment in it and had never pursued another relationship.

At the end of our trip, we knew everything there was to know about each other. There was one thing we never openly discussed—the possible relationship we shared. I don't think we ever will.

We made it to the motel I always have Ben pick me up at and we spent our first night in a bed together. Even took our first shower together.

Ben was surprised to find that I was now traveling with someone. He never said anything, but he had seen the picture of Lisa before. If he suspected anything, he has never shared it with me.

Ben dropped Nikki and me off at her car. She took me to her apartment where we spent the night together in a bed for the second time—her neighbor pounding on the wall, when she let out her orgasmic scream. She quit her job and packed some things of hers into her car and we went to Roan Mountain to pick up my car.

We will be hiring a moving company to move her stuff to Knoxville. When she pulled into our driveway, she was very impressed with the house and neighborhood. Taking her through the house, she told me that it felt just like she was home.

That weekend, we picked Britney up from the airport. It was her summer visit and would be with us for the next two weeks before she flew back to start school.

Britney was surprised when she met Nikki. We told her how we had met on the trail and had instantly fallen in love. How Nikki had fallen so deeply in love with me that she decided to hike with me for the rest of my trip, even having to quit her work to keep hiking with me. But Nikki just said that she was going to quit anyhow when she got back. She told us how they had given her a hard time about taking the four weeks off despite them owing her the time.

Britney was so happy that I had found someone, but was surprised at how young she was. The two girls had so much in common, they became fast friends. A few days later, Britney told me that she was glad I had brought Nikki home, and how happy she was that I had found someone that made me so happy.

The two girls seemed to spend all their time together, going shopping and to the movies. They even went to the zoo and then the aquarium down in Chattanooga a few days later. They even baked cakes and made cookies together.

I also heard that they visited all the parks in the area, Britney telling Nikki all about how I would take her on hikes through the parks. She even told Nikki how I had promised to take her on the A.T. when she was older. Britney was upset when she heard that Nikki's mother used to take her on the A.T. even when she was very small.

Just before Britney had to go back, we told her that Nikki was almost ten weeks pregnant. That next April, she would be getting a sibling. She started squealing and jumping up and down in joy.

"Really? Oh, I hope it's a girl! I always wanted a sister," she had said, hugging Nikki.

There were a lot of tears shed by the two girls, as we waited at the airport for Britney's flight back. Britney ran down the concourse yelling, "I love you guys."

When Thanksgiving came around, Britney was very disappointed when the ultrasound revealed that it was a boy. Nikki was overjoyed, secretly wishing for a boy. I was just happy he was healthy.

On the way home, Britney said the strangest thing.

"You know Nikki, I thought I would be more disappointed if we found out the baby was going to be a boy. But you know what I realized just now? I already have a sister." We both looked at each other.

"You do? Who?" Nikki asked.

"You, silly." She laughed. "You are just like a sister to me. You know, I love you so much. I am so happy dad brought you home to me."

I could see the tears in Nikki's eyes, "I love you, too, pumpkin, and I am glad your father found me, too. He treats me so good, just like the father I never had."

"Yeah, that's kind of sad, that you never had a dad. I even have two now, but I like my real dad best."

"Yep, he's a great guy. Every day I am thankful to have found him, too."

"Are you crying?"

"Just tears of joy, pumpkin."

I just held her hand tighter.

Britney was overjoyed to be back at Christmas. When we picked her up at the airport, she was so surprised at how big Nikki was now.

"You sure there is only one in there?"

"Yep, only one."

"How big does it get?"

"A lot bigger."

"Really? Does it hurt?

"Sometimes. Mostly my back. Dave helps me by rubbing my back."

"I'm never going to have a baby."

I heard Nikki whisper to her, "Oh, I think you will want one someday. When you get old like me, you will meet the man of your dreams, and all you will think about is having his baby."

"Eww." They giggled together.

Britney was so surprised when we pulled into the driveway and saw the house all lit up with decorations. Nikki and I had spent the last three weeks decorating it. Every day Nikki would bring home another decoration to put out.

We spent that night decorating the live tree we had bought the day before. Britney told Nikki all about the various ornaments that had special significance.

All the next day, we spent at the mall. Nikki needed to take a few breaks, but she recovered quickly and was ready for the next store. When we got home and wrapped up all the presents, Britney piled them all under the tree. There were so many presents, they did not all fit under the tree.

We were sitting down and eating cookies and milk and Britney said, "I think he is going to like my outfit I got him the best."

"I bet you are right. You do know that you have to open all of his presents for him, right?"

"I do?" she asked, shocked.

"Well yeah, how can he open them? Are you going to let them sit there 'til next year?"

"Nope." She had the biggest smile.

Nikki came out of the kitchen and sat down next to me.

"How are you feeling?"

"Just so tired. He is growing so fast now."

"Hey, pumpkin, can you get Nikki a cookie?" I asked Britney, knowing she had a special cookie for Nikki.

She ran out to the kitchen and brought back the gingerbread man that she had decorated earlier with me.

"I made this one for you."

"Thank you, pumpkin. I like how you decorated it."

"Do you recognize it?"

"Nope, oh wait, the beard, and the grey hair. Is this your dad?"

She broke out with a big smile, "Yep."

"Great job. It looks just like him."

Jacob was born a healthy normal child on April 1st at ten-thirty in the evening. Nikki had been in labor all day, but she said it was her favorite birthday ever.

Britney got to meet him a few weeks later, when she visited for Easter vacation.

"He is so small."

"He will get bigger."

"Can I feed him?"

"You can hold him while I feed him."

"Why can't I feed him?"

I laughed at their conversation. Good luck with that one I thought to myself.

"Oh, you be quiet over there. You see, Britney, he only likes to drink my milk."

"Oh." She sounded quite disappointed. "I can hold him, right?"

"Sure, pumpkin." Ten minutes later, Britney was holding Jacob carefully to Nikki's swollen breast.

"Make sure you hold him tight to my breast, with my nipple in his mouth."

"Like that?"

"That's it. He's drinking now."

She carefully held her brother still, until they switched breasts and then she repeated the process until he was full. "What are you doing now?"

"Well I have a bit more milk in here and I am pumping it out into a bottle."

"Will Jacob drink it later?"

"Probably not, he likes it best from me."

"Then who is going to drink it?"

"Oh, you never mind about that. Just rock him gently till he falls asleep."

When June finally came around again, Nikki had her baby pack all fixed up and ready for the trail. We waved goodbye to Ben and started our eight-week hike. We did not know if we would make it the full eight weeks, but we were going to try.

Nikki had bought some washable diapers and we were carrying extra water to clean them out. At every stream we came across, we thoroughly cleaned them, letting them dry overnight. She was still breastfeeding Jacob, so we did not have to worry about packing food for him.

When day seventeen came around, and we spotted the side trail to Jenkins Trail Shelter, she remarked, "Wow, this place has some memories." She grabbed my hand and seemed a bit eager to get to the shelter.

When we got to the edge of the clearing, she stopped in her tracks. "What is all this?"

She turned around and I was on my knee holding a ring. "Nikki, will you marry me?"

The shelter was all made up for the wedding. Ben had picked up Britney from the airport and he and his wife had formed a caravan with a bunch of our close friends and my employees. They all drove to a small hunting camp that I had rented out for the weekend. It was just a mile down the valley from the A.T. shelter.

They had all spent the night at the camp, and this morning they had used ATVs to get to the trail and then packed in all the decorations the rest of the way. They even brought food and drinks for the reception.

To say that Nikki was surprised was an understatement. She was not the only one surprised, either. In the middle of the ceremony, a young couple walked down the side trail and found us saying our 'I dos'. His girlfriend, like everyone else, had thought it was so romantic how we had met and had fallen in love on the trail.

Later that night after a few drinks, Ben pulled me aside and asked me if there was going to be a third baby born in April.

I just laughed and said, "There is a good possibility, already."

The next day, Britney put on her pack and joined Nikki, Jacob, and me as we headed out on the trail.