Choices In Time

by Jeanette © 2001

Chapter VI

"Okay children, settle down." announced Rachel with a rap on her desk. There stood the properly dressed school marm writing the morning's lesson on the board as the school children, ranging various ages from five to sixteen took their assigned seats.

She turned around from the blackboard facing the room of smiling youngsters ready for another day of instruction.

"Good morning children." came the bright greeting.

"Good morning Ms. Dunne." they answered in unison.

Rachel took the long pointer stick that rested against the wall next to the blackboard and pointed to the words she'd written. "Who can read this for me?" she asked.

A throng of hands quickly rose in the air. "Johnny." she called.

The slim lad stood from his seat and read...

"October 12, 1492."

She thanked him. "October 12, 1492." she repeated.

"That's just a date Ms. Dunne." remarked one of the other boys.

"You're right Stephen, it is a date but a very important date in history. Even more so in our nation's history. Who can tell me why?"

She waited for a volunteer. Charlie Simmons raised his hand proudly. He was the only one. Charlie looked around the room at his classmates seeing he alone knew the answer. He always knew the answer! A murmur went forth as the others anticipated another one of Charlie Simmons' long winded explanations which they took as his way of showing off what a braniac he was.

"Charlie, do you know the answer?" asked Rachel knowing he did.

Charlie rose from his seat, standing tall, his chin pointed forward, his glasses resting properly on the bridge of his nose, his hands folded authoritatively in front.

"October 12, 1492. That is the date history marks as the day that one Cristoforo Columbus discoverd the Americas as he sailed from Spain on three ships. The Nina, which was the smallest of the fleet, The Pinta and The Santa Maria which was the largest. He landed on the shores of a new, undiscovered land. He returned to Spain with much wealth, mainly gold and precious jewels taken from the native Indians and thus opened up this spacious land to be at once inhabited by many Europeans trying to find a better way of life."

As he finished, Charlie retained his seat, placed his hands on his desk, folded them once again and waited for the teacher to resume the lesson. Rachel stood there in awe. There wasn't any subject that Charlie didn't seem to have some sort of knowledge on. At times he made her feel like she should be the student but she had to come to appreciate that although Charlie was a very intelligent, intellectual boy, he was still that...a boy with much to learn.

"That's correct Charlie." she commended and turned back to the board where she hooked a map of the world.

"Christopher Columbus, as we've come to know him, sailed all the way from here...Spain," she noted with the pointer, "through a vast ocean all the way to what we call the Americas. It was a very long perilous journey because people at that time weren't used to sailing the seas for such long distances. It took Colombus and his crew two long months to make that trip. When they arrived on the eastern coast, they soon met with friendly Indians which they traded with and as Charlie mentioned, returned to Spain with many beautiful and special gifts. As word of this new world began to spread, it brought many settlers abroad to find a place to call their own."

"Why would they come here? You said the trip was long and dangerous." noted Quinn.

"That's a good question Quinn. Well, many settlers wanted freedom of religion, others wanted to get away from bad rulers or kings they felt were abusing the people, others heard about the vast amount of wealth and land that could be found here. So to those people it was worth the risk, leaving their land to live in another." Rachel instructed.

"My Pa says it ain't right what people's done to the Indians. How whites come here and just took over their land and all." commented Amanda, one of the girls.

"What are you talking about Amanda?" retorted Joshua, the eldest boy in the class. "My Pa says this land don't belong to the Indians. It's opened to anybody."

"If that were true then why is there so much Indian trouble?" she asked, sticking her tongue out at Joshua.

" 'Cause the whites pillage and the whites kill and they take without asking." added Charlie not bothering to turn his head to answer.

"Oh what do you know about the real world Charlie?" Joshua scolded. "Take your head outta them books of yours maybe you'd know what was going on 'round you."

"Actually my ability to read things other than ten-cent novels gives me all the insight I need to speak." he threw back.

"Why you little..." Joshua started as he rose from his seat to be scolded back into it by the teacher.

"We will not turn this discussion into an ugly debate." she said putting a halt on the disturbance. Then looking at each of her children she softly began, "Yes, it is true that there is growing tension between the Indians and some settlers."

Joshua rose defiantly. His voice was draped with disdain and hatred. "That ain't the half Ms. Dunne. You've heard the tales. How them Indians raid innocent farmers and take white women as their slaves; make them breeders too. They are what they are...savages!" he emphasized, thumping his fist on his desk.

"Joshua Lynstrom, I will not have that kind of talk in my classroom!"

"Are you sayin' I ain't right? I know I am. I know Mr. Tompkins wife was one of them."

"Enough!" she reprimanded. There were certain things that even school children had no business knowing and for the sake of the younger ones in their midsts, Rachel couldn't let this get out of control.

"How can you say such things Joshua when their way of life is threatened, their sacred grounds looted and invaded?" asked Amanda, the thirteen year old girl.

"Can you really expect to reason with a savage?" he replied with a wry snicker.

"You're scared." came the notation from Charlie who still sat as he'd been, not flinching in the least to make eye contact with the boisterous Joshua Lynstrom.

"What did you say?" he asked, his eyes dark as he was being called out by the wimp of the class.

"I said you're scared. Just like the rest of them."

Joshua laughed out loud. "I ain't scared of no Indian and I ain't afraid to shoot me one or two either." he mocked, squinting one eye as he pretended to hold a rifle in his hands. "Poof! Poof!"

"Hmph...Like I said, you're scared." Charlie said with finality.

"Oh yeah?"

"People are scared of what they don't know, what they don't understand. You don't understand the Indians, that's why you hate them." added Charlie.

"You don't know nothing." Joshua said, leaning back in his seat. Charlie's comments though hit home. The little wimp was right.

"That's exactly what the problem is not just here in our town but in towns all over this land. Charlie is right. Ignorance is the biggest disease that plagues the human race." stated Rachel. "Not opening our minds to new ideas, new thought patterns makes us the smallest beings on this earth. But, when there are men among us like Christopher Columbus who are not afraid to reach out, to explore the unknown, to learn what has not been learned; that's what makes us grow, makes us better people, better friends, better neighbors." she ended softly.

"I know all of you have heard different things about the Indians, most of it bad but is that enough? Can we take others words for it?" she asked.

"Are you saying our parents are wrong?" asked Amanda.

Rachel walked to the middle of her classroom. Young faces eagerly waiting on her response. "No. I'm not saying that at all. All I'm saying is that you can't judge something you have no knowledge of. Each one of you is an individual with an independent mind. You have to put it to use. Others shouldn't always dictate to you how you should feel or think about certain matters. You have to investigate it for yourselves. Explore it. Get to know it." she told them.

"Are you insinuating that we should have some rapor with our Indian neighbors?" inquired Charlie, glasses tilted down.

"That's crazy!" cried Joshua.

"Why is it crazy?" she asked.

"Because...they're...because they're savages that's why!" he retorted.

"Oh ye with such a small mind." uttered Amanda, sending the class into an uproar of laughter.

"Okay children, mind your manners." Soon the laughter subsided.

Rachel stood there looking at these little ones. It was her job to teach them and that is exactly what she was going to do. She smiled at the bunch.

"I say we need to be educated boys and girls. And it has to start right here with us."

"Well here we are." Jimmy said as he halted the buckboard in front of Nathan's and Celinda's house.

Victoria was more nervous now. Meeting his family for the first time was making the butterflies in her stomach flutter uncontrollably. These were the people that had raised him, nurtured him, loved him. The thoughts scared her more. She grabbed hold of his gloved hand in her icy one and said, "I'm so scared."

He just smiled at her trying to reassure her once again that there was no need to be scared. Celinda would love her. He was sure of it. He kissed her forehead and soon they had made their way over to Kid and Lou as they tied their horses to the hitching post.

"Here we are in Kansas again." quipped Kid with a smile.

"Again." smiled Jimmy in return.

Just then the front door of the house swung open and a woman's voice was heard as she stood at the entrance, a little child in her arms.

"James!" she greeted joyously.

"Celinda." his joy apparent at the sight of his elder sister, running up the few steps unto the porch and engaged her in a warm brotherly embrace.

"You look good." she noticed right away as they parted. His usual troubled countenance was lacking, replaced instead by a lighter, more content one and she knew it had to be one thing for sure.

Jimmy's eyes were full of pride as he beheld his growing nephew. "Look how big he is!" he exclaimed. The eight month old though grabbed unto his mother's neck tightly, shying away from the unfamiliar face.

Celinda coerced the baby from his hiding spot. "Say hello to your uncle Jimmy." Little Nathan took one look at Jimmy and hid his face again in the crook of his mother's neck.

Jimmy couldn't help but smile. "Celinda, he looks just like you."

"I know." she laughed. "Nathan says that all the time."

Kid and Lou proceeded up the stairs and also imparted greetings and hugs on Celinda and the baby. Victoria stood where she had been, frozen. Standing here now was much too much. What if Celinda took one look at her and didn't like her? What if she'd already resolved not to like her? What if...What if...? A thousand 'What if's' stormed her mind.

Celinda noticed Victoria in the near distance. She smiled at her brother. "Didn't you bring someone special for me to meet?" she asked, glancing over Jimmy's shoulder.

"Yes, I did." he replied, his eyes showing utter pride in the prize he'd brought along. He walked down the steps, extending his hand to Victoria who in her nervousness hesitated to take it. He called her name and she responded. He knew she was petrified at meeting his family, especially his sister.

Victoria gripped his strong hand firmly as they walked back up the steps and then stood face to face with his beloved sister.

"Celinda, I want you to meet Victoria Sutton...Victoria, my sister Celinda." he introduced.

Victoria gave Celinda a nervous smile. 'Compose yourself!' she reminded herself for she knew the importance of first impressions. You either sank or swam and she wanted to make the best impression. This was one of the most important people in his life! She wanted them to like her. Victoria extended a hand to Celinda who smiled widely and hugged her with her free arm.

"Oh Victoria, you don't know how happy I am to finally meet you."

Victoria stood there in shock. She didn't know what to say. She was speechless. The last thing she expected was such an intimate greeting.

"Welcome to the family."

'Welcome to the family?' she repeated in her head. She was confused at that moment and felt like a fool when the words she'd practiced, rehearsed over and over again for days were now lost. She was tongue tied. Not the way she had invisioned this meeting to go. She wanted to just die but found it deep within herself to find what few words she could utter.

"I am honored to finally meet you Celinda." she said. Celinda's eyes were warm and caring making her feel at ease. With such an endearing welcome how could she go wrong?

Celinda could tell she was nervous and did her best to ease her with a warm smile. She invited her guests indoor as they filled the house with more than a baby's cry or laugh. It felt good to have the boys and Lou here and now Victoria was sure she could find a place here also.

They all sat down at the dinner table for coffee and took in the wonderful smell of Celinda's cooking. It gave them time to talk and catch up on things as they waited for supper to be done.

"So Victoria, James tells me you're from Philadelphia." noted Celinda.

"Yes, that's correct."

"And your family? Are they still there?"

"I only have an uncle and aunt and a cousin in San Francisco. They're the only family I've got left."

"Victoria's lost both of her parents and her brother." added Jimmy taking hold of her hand.

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you. I have to say that Jimmy and everyone else has made the transition a lot more bearable. But I do miss them so."

There was an uncomfortable silence that followed soon to be interrupted by Lou.

"So where is Nathan anyway?"

"Oh, he won't be back until tomorrow. He's on urgent business." she informed.

"With the vigilance committee no doubt." asserted Kid.

Celinda shifted in her seat, growing uncomfortable especially when matter of Nathan's commitments with the vigilance committee were discussed with the Kid. Kid didn't need to say much. The look in his eyes told the story and the slight frown that appeared was enough.

"Yes. Nathan is very much involved now. He believes in the Cause. Ever since Isaiah's death he has been determined to carry out Isaiah's wishes." she defended.

"Wait a minute." interrupted Victoria. "Are you speaking of Isaiah Burke?" the emphasis put on his name.

Celinda nodded. "Before his death Isaiah was head of the vigilance committee here."

Victoria's face brightened. "I've heard of him. His cause for freedom are well known in the North. My father admired him greatly...Jimmy, you never told me you knew him."

"Very briefly."

"His wife Rosemary was with us up until a week ago. She left for St. Louis to meet with other committee members there." Celinda informed.

"I would've loved to have met her. She must be a very strong woman to carry on after the murder of her husband." uttered Victoria.

Jimmy and Lou could see the anger flaring in Kid's forehead. His dislike for Rosemary was tremendous. The woman was devious, caniving. He recalled how she'd almost carved a wedge so deep between him and his best friend because she deemed him untrustworthy knowing he was a Southerner. How she almost caused Noah his life. How she'd just come into their lives and wreaked havoc. It took them all a good while to heal from the devastating effects of her presence. Jimmy's involvement with her didn't make it any easier on Kid who could've killed his best friend for not seeing that she'd been the cause of so much turmoil in their lives.

He was happy to see her go. He shed no tears. Rosemary had told Jimmy that she had too much of Isaiah in her to stay in Rock Creek. She had an obligation to finish what Isaiah had begun. Kid remembered thinking 'Good riddance.' Though Jimmy's heart was shattered it was for the best. Rosemary Burke had been the evil, the poison in the apple disguised to bring them to ruin. But she couldn't fool Kid. Even as her husband lived Kid knew that Rosemary had eyes for Jimmy. He saw Jimmy's attraction, though he had never confirmed it out loud. All doubts were instantly shoved aside for when the opportunity finally presented itself, and that marital bond broken, she didn't hesitate to grab it. Jimmy at the time was vulnerable. He needed someone to love, to love him in return. He was easy prey for her. Rosemary knew, that thing they call women's intuition told her, Jimmy had stronger feelings for her than he'd let on. His willingness to rescue her, to always aid her, were indication enough that he wanted them to be more than just friends. He wanted her as his own and she knew it.

"Well forgive me if I don't share your enthusiasm about the Burke's." Kid voiced. "People have them figured out as heroes and they're not."

"Do we have to talk about this now?" interjected Lou uneasily, trying to avert another Victoria/Kid battle of words and rights and wrongs.

"They are heroes to many people Kid. They give slaves back their freedom. I guess if the shoe were on the other foot you'd feel different." Victoria slashed back.

"Killing is killing no matter how you try to dress it up." he shot back at her. The tension between the two opinionated friends was building yet again. Jimmy sought to put a stop to it before it got out of hand and he glanced at Lou who could only shrug, not knowing how to intercede without making matters worst. Celinda sat quietly already having been down this road with Kid. Fortunately, they were spared the agony when little Nathan's crying was heard from the next room, waking from his nap.

Jimmy took the window of opportunity as Celinda rushed to see her child, to scold both his best friend and well intentioned girlfriend to cease their bickering. It wasn't fair to Celinda whose husband put his life in danger to free others and more stress she didn't need. He demanded that their time here be pleasant and peaceful for everyone's sake. Kid and Victoria looked at each other, ashamed that they'd allowed their personal opinions to interfere with what should rightly be the enjoyment of friends and family. They agreed to let things take a well deserved rest. Another place, another time would allow for further debate; until then, the parties withdrew the lines of battle.

Rachel walked up the stairs to her small house after another long day of teaching. She did enjoy her new career but it was at the same time exhausting in itself. Opening the door she was greeted by a cloud of smoke.

She entered the smoky room, coughing as the smoke seeped into her nostrils and mouth. "Teaspoon?!" she called.

"Over here Rachel." called Cody, the smoke in the air thinning just enough for her to see the Marshal and Pony Express rider, fanning the smoke away from the opened oven with some towels.

"Lord! What happened in here?! she asked through a series of coughs. "Are you trying to burn my house down?!"

"Well Teaspoon here thought it'd be nice if we helped you fix dinner tonight."

"You call this help?!" she questioned with another light cough at the smell of burnt biscuits.

"Rachel, with all due respect I must in my defense say I was only thinking of yer best interests." Teaspoon remarked as she gazed at him, his face and hair dusted with the white powder.

"Teaspoon figured that since Victoria ain't here to help ya, we should take turns with the cooking." grinned Cody at her as he wiped his doughy hands on her brand new apron.

"Cody! That's my brand new apron!"

"Uhh--Sorry Rachel...it's the only one I could find."

Rachel closed her eyes, gathering her already frazzled nerves. "You know...I thank you both for your concern." She turned William around, untying the apron, "But if y'all want to help, stick to peeling potatoes and stay out of my kitchen."

"But..." the Marshal began to protest.

"OUT, OUT, OUT!" she shouted.

The two do-gooders headed towards the door, downhearted. Rachel seeing the disgruntled looks on their faces was moved to say, "Thank you for trying. I appreciate it. I do."

"Does that mean that we can help fix breakfast instead of dinner?" Cody asked.

Rachel thrust her hands on her hips. "OUT!!"

The two men left her presence hurriedly avoiding more of her heated outburst.

Rachel looked around at the mess they'd left behind and could only smile. Their intentions were honorable but alas, cooking was not their forte. She picked up the baking sheet with the burnt-beyond-recognition biscuits and headed outside to the pig pen and discarded them in the pig trough.

As she turned towards the house she saw Buck putting one of the horses into the corral. She smiled, walking over to the Kiowa rider intent on getting his help on her new found project. She stood just outside the corral and waited for him there. Once Buck had secured the horse safely inside, he turned and greeted her with a smile as he noticed the burnt pan in her hand.

"I see Teaspoon's been cooking again?" he laughed.

"Is that what they call it?" she returned the jest. After a good laugh, she sighed. She looked up to Buck. "Buck, I need to ask you a favor."

"AH...I'm not a very good cook either Rachel. Ike always said my oatmeal was worst than Jimmy's" he teased, making her giggle.

"It's not about cooking Buck." she paused. "I have a new project I'm starting with the children at school and I need your help."

"My help?" he asked curiously. She nodded.

"What kind of help you need?"

"Well I thought it would be very nice if the children got to meet with you and you could share some Kiowa traditions and maybe history of your people with them."

Buck was shocked. It took him a second to gather himself to respond and his response came forth with stern sarcasm. He snickered in disbelief that she'd ask something of this magnitude of him. He stood uneasily before her trying to gather his thoughts so as not to fly-off the handle, so to speak.

"What's wrong?" she inquired with a furrowed brow.

"I don't mean to be disrespectful Rachel, but, are you out of your mind?"

"Why would I be?"

"Rachel look around you. Tensions are high between the whites and the Indian tribes in this territory and you want me to go into a schoolroom filled with white children and teach them my Kiowa heritage?!"

Rachel was puzzled. "Why wouldn't you want to? I mean it's an opportunity for these children to..."

"To get to see a real Indian up close?" he accused, cutting her off.

"No! That is not what I meant." she responded defensively. "Buck, these children are being taught things about the Indians that are not true. They're being made to fear something they have no knowledge of."

Buck was getting angrier. "And who's fault is that? Certainly not my people's but the lies that white men spread to destroy what they don't know." Although he was half-white Buck's Indian blood ran strong through his veins. He cherished his Kiowa heritage and it was something to be prized. It was required of him. After undergoing the Indian ritual, the visions of his brotherhood were made clear to him. He would uphold their honor as well as his own.

"That's the point Buck. Ammends must begin someplace, with someone."

Buck frowned. "Tell me please, what do you think is going to happen when the parents of these children find out an Indian has been teaching their own children about Indian customs and traditions?" Rachel had no response. As a matter of fact, she'd never considered the notion.

"That's what I thought." he said.

"But Buck..."

He interrupted her. "I WILL NOT dishonor my heritage, my people by sharing parts of us you could possibly never understand. If you're looking to change things Rachel, ask somebody else; you came to the wrong person." With those telling words Buck left Rachel standing there dumbfounded.

His harsh response was the unlikeliest she would've expected from the usual kind, reserved soul of Buck Cross. The thought that all the tension, distrust, felt among the whites and Indians could affect Buck to such a degree...but why wouldn't it? Why should she be so surprised. Buck had witnessed many injusticies, too many, aimed at his people, at the Indian nation. He usually remained quiet about it but no doubt it ate at his inner core. She reckoned he found solace in the moments he'd take to inquire of his gods and the visions in his head. How could she possibly understand the turmoil within him? He lived with whites. His Express family was all but white yet his blood ran Kiowa red and his Indian heritage he would not deny any longer.

"Oh Buck." Is all she could muster in a whisper. The neverending circle of hate she thought, could it had claimed her young rider? She hoped not. The loss would indeed be great for all. She was no miracle worker but somehow things had to change! She leaned against the corral fence, looking at the sky painted in light oranges and yellows. How could she bring the two parties together for they each needed the other.

"Rachel Dunne, you've got your work cut out for you indeed."

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