MORNING GLORY

Chapter 13

It was late in the afternoon when the exhausted riders finally spotted the robber who appeared to be taking longer breaks than necessary.

"Should we charge him?" Samantha asked.

"Are you crazy?" Jimmy said. "Who said we? Buck, Kid, and I are going, and you and Lou are staying here."

"Why can't we go?"

"Samantha, we can't worry about you two while we take care of him. It could be real dangerous," Jimmy explained. He definitely got his hands full with both women although Samantha was giving him a harder time.

They observed the man from the top of the rolling hills to make sure that he was alone. The robber suffered from an arm injury along the way, a great advantage to the riders.

"I can't believe how easy this is gonna be," Jimmy said excitedly as they prepared to catch him. "You think this is some kind of trap?"

"I doubt it," Buck said. "I see no other tracks around here."

"All right, ladies, stay here while we get our man. And please try not to kill eachother," Jimmy added.

Samantha ran to Kid, putting her arms around his neck before burying her face against his chest. "Take care. You'll come back, won't you?"

Jimmy and Buck exchanged glances. "There goes drama queen," Jimmy whispered. "This may take a while."

They watched as the two exchanged passionate kisses. Buck rolled his eyes. "You'd think Kid is off to war or something like she'll never see him again. For heaven's sake, we outnumber that madman, and he's injured! One man can even handle him."

Lou studied the tips of her shoes as they waited for Kid and Samantha to finish their kisses. She was thankful when the impatient Jimmy finally spoke out, "Kid, is this gonna take longer? Maybe Buck and I should just go while you two get acquainted."

Kid pulled away from Samantha with an apologetic look on his handsome face. "All right, let's go." He turned to Lou and said firmly, "I don't want any trouble while we're gone. No fighting, no nothing. I mean it."

Lou nodded her promise. Although she had told herself a thousand times not to feel uneasy under his gaze, she still failed as self-consciousness overwhelmed her again.

Once the men left to accomplish the easy task of getting the robber, Lou leaned against the tree, contemplating the near future. She already decided to go back to the saloon, to face whatever hell her father had prepared for her this time around. Her thoughts were interrupted by Samantha's rude remark, "You are so weird! You just sit there while they risk their lives to get Katy. This thing is all your fault! If something bad happens to them, it's your fault!"

Lou ignored her. She certainly would not want Samantha to be the teacher of her children. Children! How could she even think of kids? First of all, she did not even have a boyfriend! And why did she imagine her children to have blue eyes? You're such a dreamer, she told herself. Dream on, for it will never happen.

"He's so awesome," Samantha said under her breath, and Lou needed no clue to guess who she was referring to. "You're lucky they got Katy. If they didn't, it would be your fault!"

Lou glared at Samantha. She could be really annoying. After a few minutes, there was no more commotion that could be heard below the rolling hills of the summer day. Silence remained shattered by the approaching horses.

This is the beginning of the end, Lou thought as she watched the riders. Once again, she felt as if she was standing outside the sphere of the world, looking in without the sensations and emotions of those who could feel.

Jimmy wore a wide grin on his handsome face. "Buck is turning him over to the sheriff in town while we ride back to Rock Creek."

"We're leaving him?" Samantha asked.

"He'll catch up," Jimmy said needlessly.

"Is Katy okay?" Lou inquired.

Kid nodded cheerfully. "If something happened to Katy, I would have buried that man alive."

"Maybe we should have accompanied Buck," Samantha suggested.

"It's unnecessary," Kid told her. "If we move now, we'll be back home tomorrow morning. If we wait, we'll spend another day riding."

"I don't mind as long as I'm with you."

Shut up, Lou wanted to say but decided to hold her tongue. She's such an idiot! Kid's not even paying attention to her, and she just keeps blabbing. Although going back to Rock Creek was something she was not really looking forward to, the plan was beginning to appeal to her. She was not sure how much more of Samantha she could take. If Lou had known what a great annoyance Samantha could be, she would have volunteered to take the robber to town. To add salt to the wound, her jealousy did not make things any easier. Nonetheless, as jealousy and irritation scorched internally, she followed the riders absentmindedly, pretending to be whole when in reality, she was so broken and incomplete beyond any hope of repair.

The weak glow from the dying campfire made the task of redressing her gunshot wound more difficult than necessary. Jimmy, after much sleeplessness from the previous night, lie deep in his slumber. Buck, who caught up with them only a few hours ago, slept soundlessly as Lou struggled to wrap the bandage tightly around the lean muscles of her arm. She was so frustrated that she was on the verge of tears. After several attempts, she threw the bandage by the foot of her sleeping bag and sighed deeply.

Fighting another sleepless night, Kid turned to face her. He saw the frustration in her face and the exhaustion in her eyes. "Lou, you okay?"

She looked at him. Under the soft glow of the fire, he looked something out of her fantasy. "I'm fine," she said, irritated.

He rose and walked over to her. The wrinkled bandage by the foot of her sleeping bag told the story. "Need help? Why didn't you tell me?"

'Cause you've been too busy helping Samantha! her mind cried. "I'm fine."

"Come here," he said gently in his most soothing voice. "Let me do it for you."

Like a fool, she obeyed. There was something in those beautiful blue eyes that made her weak.

"Looks good to me," Kid said, his eyes on her wound.

Her heart pounded excitedly as she began to berate herself. He's talking about the wound, not you, you fool! Just because he's touching you doesn't mean he likes you.

"Relax," he told her. "Don't be so tense. I promise it won't hurt." As he wrapped the bandage around her arm, her heart rejoiced at the brief moments that his skin brushed hers. "There, it's all done."

She smiled. "Thanks," was all she could say. She was a bit upset that the task did not take longer than she wanted it to. She watched him for a moment as he retired to his sleeping bag. There was a sense of loss that overwhelmed her spirit, casting another shade of despair in her heart as she realized that it was probably the last intimate moment she would share with him, for when tomorrow came, and she knew it would come soon enough, all the tenderness and concern that she thought she saw in his eyes would be gone and replaced with the cold accusations that had created the immense breach that mercilessly divided them.

Jimmy woke up with another backache from sleeping on the hard ground. Of all places, they camped in the most barren, rocky spot. He found Buck sharpening the blade that he carried with him. "Where's Kid?"

Buck turned his gaze to the right where Kid merrily talked to his horse as he gave it a hearty rub. Buck shook his head. "He's been at it for half an hour."

Jimmy frowned. He loved horses, but something about Kid's affection for his struck him odd. "You think it's okay to be that attached to an animal?"

Buck chuckled. "If it's okay for Cody to be that attached to himself, I assume it's okay for Kid."

"Buck, I'm serious. You think it's healthy? Maybe it means something. Maybe it's a cry for help or some psycoholic problem?"

"You mean psychological problem?" Buck corrected.

"Same difference," Jimmy replied. "The point of the matter is there might be something wrong with him mentally."

"I'm pretty sure it's healthy. We all love horses, but we have different ways of showing our affection. It just happens that Kid's way of showing his affection is a little bit unusual and different from ours."

Jimmy breathed a little easier as he continued to watch Kid's morning chat with Katy. "Did he ever tell you where he got that name Katy?"

Buck shrugged. "Probably after some girl."

Kid walked over to them with another grin on his face. "Can't wait to get outta here, and finally have some of Rachel's cooking."

"I couldn't agree more," Buck said as he gave the blade a final stroke.

After dropping off Samantha, the four riders headed to the station, where Cody's loud mouth greeted their ears. From his angry fusses, Cody was obviously upset with one of the riders.

"What did we miss?" Jimmy asked as he dismounted from his golden palomino. He helped Lou descend from her horse much to Kid's dislike.

They walked in, surprised by the mess created by Cody's temper tantrum. Kid tried to avoid stepping on any objects that lay scattered on the floor as he made his way to his bunk. "What's going on here?"

"Noah's little trick!" Cody yelled. "By the way, nice to have you guys back. Katy okay?"

"Yeah," Jimmy answered. "We got the robber and turned him over to the sheriff."

"That's great," Noah said, glad to have some normal conversation at the moment.

"Back to me," Cody said. "As I was saying, Noah pulled a little trick last night. He told me there was a town social last night. Being the outgoing person that I am, I got dressed and ready to go. When I got there, I saw nothing but old couples. I kept telling myself that it wasn't really my idea of a town social. I waited and waited forever, but noone was showing up. The youngest person there was probably fifty-five! Fifty-five! Can you believe it? Noah tricked me into going to a senior dance!"

Out of respect, none of them laughed although laughter thundered internally. "That's sad, Cody," Lou finally spoke up. "I'm sorry."

The fool probably deserves it, Jimmy thought as he weighed Cody's endless pranks. It's nice to finally have someone give him a taste of his own medicine.

Knowing well how long the whole problem would be settled, Lou excused herself to find Rachel and let her know about the plan she had contemplated while away. She made up her mind and accepted that this brief taste of heaven would not last forever, and tonight she would return to hell.

"Lou, are you sure about this?" Rachel asked the young woman who confessed her desire to leave and return to the saloon. "Did something happen here that I know nothing about?"

Lou smiled sadly. "Rachel, all of you have been very kind to me, more than those I've known for years. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me, but I don't think this is the right place for me. I belong to the saloon."

Rachel shook her head. "Louise, you don't belong there."

"I don't belong anywhere, Rachel! I want to stay here, but I can't." Tears were falling freely from her eyes as she lowered her face.

"Does your decision have anything to do with Kid?" Rachel asked, hoping to get some answers. She had noticed the cold treatment that Kid had given Lou the day before they left to search for Katy. "If he did something to you, I'll make sure he regrets it!"

"Rachel, he didn't do anything to me." She wanted to lie, to tell Rachel that everything was fine, that nothing had changed, but she knew nothing was fine, things had changed. "He's been very kind to me."

"Lou, don't give me that. Something's happened between you two. I know it."

Lou looked at Rachel in a new light, seeing her as a mother figure more than anything else. "I guess I just fell too hard too fast for him. As you can see, he's with Samantha, and since Katy was missing, things between us have changed."

"So you're leaving because of him?"

Lou nodded, tears overflowing her eyes and heart. "I don't think I can take seeing him without hurting myself more."

"Are you sure you'll be better off at the saloon?" Rachel dreaded Lou's decision, but she knew that Lou was set on leaving.

"I don't know," she said honestly. She didn't know what to expect from her father, how to escape his wrath, what to say when she returned. "I'll be fine. I've lived with him all my life. I'm getting used to him."

Rachel pulled her into a tight hug as she began to weep silently. After living with Lou for even a short period of time, she had grown to love her like she was her own daughter. There was some innocence, some light, some strength that she wanted to preserve in the young woman. She feared that these special elements in her that remained despite the cruel experiences she went through would be trampled on and disappear once she returned to the saloon. "Be careful. I'm always here, remember that."

Lou nodded as she pulled away. "Thanks, Rachel. Will you tell the boys for me? I don't think I'll be able to. Stop crying, Rachel. This is not really goodbye. I'm just going to the saloon. We'll still see eachother."

Rachel smiled at her positive attitude. "Don't be shy to stop by. You're welcome here." She left her quietly so she could finish packing.

Lou shoved the final piece of clothing article in the luggage. She stared at the happy scene outside from her bedroom window, feeling low that she could not join her friends' laughter. Kid was sitting on the porch step, talking to Cody, the unfortunate victim of the afternoon's jokes, who wore a scowl on his face. Like always, it seemed as if happiness was untouchable, and once again, she felt hung in a bad place. She took one last long look at the handsome rider who wore his blue overcoat. It was probably one of the last times that she would ever get a good look at him.

Slowly and reluctantly, she pulled the curtains shut and examined the room that had been her own for the past few weeks. She bid a final farewell to Rachel and departed as quickly as she arrived.

Lou rode in town, ignoring the dirty looks some women were giving her. Just like with everything else that she should be used to, these looks still bothered her quite a bit. She was happy to see Jesse in front of the saloon, a friendly face in another faceless crowd.

"What brought you here, Lou?" he asked innocently as he loaded the buckboard with chairs.

"Is the saloon closing?" Lou asked as she dismounted from her horse.

"No. Boggs is just replacing the chairs with new ones." Jesse finally saw the luggage that she carried. "Lou, don't tell me you're coming back."

She nodded solemnly, feeling sad all over again. "I guess I am."

"Lou, are you nuts?" Jesse nearly dropped the heavy chair. "Go back to Rachel's house. Please, do it."

"Jesse, I'm coming back here," she said a bit defensively. "I'm not going anywhere. Where's my father?"

"He's at the back," Jesse said before quickly adding, "He's with his fiancée."

"Fiancée? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Lou, he's engaged."

"Engaged?" she asked quizzically. "What?"

"Since you left, he's been seeing this woman. He thinks he loves her, told me so himself. They're currently living together."

Lou frowned, feeling more out of place than ever. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. Just go back to Rachel's place. It's the best thing you can do right now. I don't think your father's gonna be too thrilled to see you back."

"He's never thrilled to see me," she concluded. "I'll be in my room."

Once she passed the main entrance, she was more than aware of the hungry eyes that followed her. Every now and then, she heard whistles as she passed by. The prostitutes gave her a funny look while some welcomed her back. Guess nothing's changed, she thought glumly. She reached her room and was surprised to see it untouched. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Boggs probably knew that she would be back, and he had no choice but to take her back with unwelcoming arms.

A second after she dropped the luggage on the floor, a cheerful Charlotte walked in and gave her a hug. "Louise, I'm so glad you're home. I've been waiting for you."

"Nice to see you again."

"What made you go back?"

"Long story."

"I have time to listen." Charlotte took a seat in front of the mirror and began fixing her hair.

"Basically, it comes down to my stupidity."

"Louise, don't be so hard on yourself."

"I'm serious. I was on my way home to the station when this madman shot me. I don't know what he was gonna do to me, but Kid came riding by. He traded his horse, Katy, for me. Then things just got sour. We went to get the horse back. We just got back this afternoon."

"You got the horse back, right?"

"Yeah, and after that I left."

"I don't get it. The horse was robbed and recovered, and you left. Did I miss something here?"

"Samantha was with us. She and Kid seem to be pretty close throughout the whole time. Kid just ignored me most of the time. He couldn't even look at me. I don't think he'll ever forgive me for his temporary loss."

"So this is about Kid. What did I tell you about men? I told you they're no good, but you didn't listen to me. Look what happens."

"Charlotte, it's not like Kid's no good. He is good, probably too good. He's very kind and everything that I want in a man. The problem is he's angry with me, and I don't think I can live there and stand seeing him spend time with Samantha."

"Louise, you're a beautiful woman. You'll find someone."

"Sometimes I ain't so sure. If I did, he won't be as good as him."

"What you need is time to heal. That's all. After a week of work, you'll be so over him, you won't even remember you ever met him," Charlotte assured her.

NEXT

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