MORNING GLORY
by HBK © 2002
Another beautiful evening set in, and Lou wondered if the evenings in Rock Creek had always been beautiful, and perhaps she failed to notice their beauty before. She walked around town, stopping by to talk with some folks she had become friendly with ever since she left the saloon. Of course there were those who refused to have anything to do with her. She remembered how it used to make her sad, how it bothered her so much that it would make her cry. However, after Jimmy's countless reassurances that being disliked by some folks wasn't so bad, Lou felt better. Jimmy was right; one could not be accepted by everyone all the time. It even strengthened the bonds she shared with the riders as they shared the feeling of being outsiders at some point.
Lou was untying her horse from the post when arms wrapped around her waist. Surprised, she turned around to see Chris, Boggs's most loyal assistant. She pulled away from him, fighting the urge to slap his face. He had always been open about his liking for her and never failed to remind her in many despicable ways. The worst thing he had done so far was grope her every chance he got.
"What are you doing here?" she asked him angrily. She hated him so much that she couldn't even stand to look at him.
"Louise, my darling, what are you doing here this time of the night?" he asked her.
"Leave me alone," she said, walking away from him.
"Darling, what's the matter? Why are you angry?" he asked, fully convinced that the woman was in love with him. "Why do you keep playing this game? I'm getting tired of you playing hard-to-get. You know how lonely it felt since you've left?"
"I don't wanna know," she said, quickening her pace.
"Girl, I swear I've been faithful to you. All these prostitutes started flirting with me, trying to get me to sleep with them, but I couldn't do it. I had you in my mind."
Lou felt like throwing up. She remembered her conversation with Charlotte a while ago. Charlotte had told her once that if Chris wasn't so handsome, the working girls wouldn't let him get away with his unwanted advances.
"Louise, my darling, where are you going?"
"Leave me alone!" she yelled at him. For whatever reason, Chris did not frighten her. He kind of amused her. He was so eccentric that sometimes it was funny to watch and listen to him.
Under the moonlight, Chris stood tall, the handsome angles on his face accentuated by the different shades of shadows. His blue-green eyes were dark with lust. His full lips were pressed tightly together in frustration and anger. Pursued by many, he could never understand Lou's attitude toward him. From his experience, no woman could resist him, and Lou was no different. If she wouldn't be his tonight, she would be someday.
"Chris, my father might be looking for you. Why don't you leave and find him?" she suggested, hoping he'd follow her advice.
He continued to stare at her, admiring her beautiful face, those precious lips. "Louise, my darling, I don't care about your father. I only work for him so I can see you. If he weren't your father, I'd have killed him by now for all the pain he caused you."
Lou didn't question his sincerity. She knew that behind that mask of eccentricity, he was an honest man. "Go away."
"Louise, I haven't seen you for a while now. I've missed you so much, my darling," he said, pulling her into his arms.
Lou pushed him away. "You're crazy. You should get some serious help."
"What are you talking about, my lady?"
"First of all, I don't like you. I don't want you. I don't want anything to do with you. Get it through your head! There are other women out there for you, others who want you, who love you. I'm not the one for you. Please leave me alone."
Chris chuckled. "That's what I love about you. Your passion for arguing."
"You're sick," she said, turning her back toward him.
"Where are you going?"
"Home."
"You consider that Pony Express place your home?"
She turned around, facing him angrily. "Yes, it's my home. It's more than what I've received from living at the saloon."
"But home is where the heart is," he said hoarsely. "I have your heart. I am your home."
Lou laughed. He didn't smell drunk, but he sure was acting like it. "Chris, leave me alone. Please. I just wanna be alone."
"But I wanna be alone with you," he said as he cornered her in front of the dress shop that was now closed.
As his face came dangerously close to hers, her eyes widened in panic as she tried to slip her body away from him. He moved closer to her, his arms blocked any possible escape route she might try. He smiled at her and whispered, "Don't be scared."
"Chris, get away from me," she said in a low angry tone. She wanted to scream for help, but she didn't want to cause a scene. She was confident she could handle his advances. She was used to them, and this time was no different. He used to come to her bedroom in the past, and she had been successful at getting him to leave.
She anticipated his kiss that she knew was coming. She stood still as he leaned closer to her. She closed her eyes as she felt his arousal against her belly. As expected, he kissed her sensuously and excitedly as his hands roamed all over her body
I don't believe this, Kid thought as he watched from the entrance of the saloon. Jesse had not come home, and out of concern, he went to get the boy. One of the prostitutes told him that Jesse had left a few minutes ago. As he was about to leave, he was greeted by the sight of Lou with the tall man who looked to be one of Boggs's assistants.
He wanted to rescue her, but seeing how she seemed to enjoy the man's touch and kisses, he stayed where he was. Anger at her betrayal caused his blood to boil. Lou, whom he thought to be an angelic, innocent, sweet girl, was definitely no angel. She certainly was not innocent either!
I don't belive this, the same thought ran through his head. How could I have fallen for her acting, for her mask? She got me fooled. How could she do something like this?
He remembered Samantha's warnings and regretted not listening to Samantha. Of course, he thought. How could she be innocent after living all that time in the saloon? Hell, she and him probably know eachother a long time now. They've been carrying a secret relationship. Not only is she a liar, she's a hypocrite!
Unsure about the amount of time it would take for Lou and that man to satisfy eachother, Kid decided to leave. He turned away and rode quickly in anger and hurt. He loved her, and he knew he still did. The realization of her lies greatly pained him. From his rich experiences with women, he had never been hurt like this.
Lou waited for a few moments, allowing Chris to get comfortable. She removed her hand from his chest. When he least expected it, she bit his lips. As soon as he pulled away from her, tasting the blood in his lip, she slapped him as hard as she could.
"Louise, how could you do this again?" he asked her, remembering a similar incident in the past
"You never learn," she told him angrily, slapping him again. She walked away from him, wiping his taste from her mouth.
He ran after her, grabbed her arm, and lowered his face to kiss her. Again she slapped him. When he continued to pursue her, she finally had it. She poked his eyes in one precise movement of her fingers and gave him a vicious kick in the balls.
"I hope that will make you remember next time!" she yelled at him.
He remained down on the ground in such torment that tears were helplessly coming out of his eyes. Although he wanted to be angry with her, he found more to admire. He never met anyone that could slap, poke, and kick like her. She was truly something.
I just wanna take a hundred showers tonight! she thought, her mood rising to the peak of irritation. He's definitely psychotic. They should lock him up! She groaned in disgust as she remembered his hands and mouth all over her.
She was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't realize that she was being followed. A shot rang out and grazed smoothly against her skin. She immediately dismounted from Lightning and got down on the ground.
This is just great! Another loony for me to deal with tonight! She scanned the surroundings and saw the figure of a man with his gun pointed directly at her. Why doesn't he just shoot me so I can be over with this night! After getting harassed, almost shot dead, and now who knows what, I'm definitely ready to die.
"Get your hands up, and get up slowly! Now!" the man yelled.
Lou was a bit relieved that the man was not Chris. She did as she was told and rose to her feet with her hands up. She suddenly longed for a gun. She felt numb on her arm and looked to see the blood that soaked the sleeve of her blue dress. At least the bullet just brushed against my skin, she thought with relief.
"Walk over to me real slowly," the man ordered. "Now!"
He sure likes to end his statement with 'Now!' she thought. She was not frightened at all. These kinds of things did nothing to her. She felt hardened when it came to violence. Wish I can feel like this when it comes to love, she told herself, remembering her jealous nature.
A few minutes after riding away from the scene of betrayal, Kid heard a gunshot. He didn't want to turn back, but the thought of some helpless soul alone in the dark made him turn back. Forgetting his anger, he pushed Katy to run faster to the scene of violence.
The dim moonlight did not bother his search. Even in the darkness, his keen eyesight allowed him to recognize Lightning. Dread came over him as he imagined what could have happened to Lou. He was still mad at her, but his anger was now replaced by worry and concern.
Dismounting from him horse, he took cover behind a tree. The clouds covered the moon, which made it almost impossible to see anything. Lou, where are you? he wondered. He was desperate to call her name but realized the danger that it might cause.
He saw something move behind a tree a few feet from him. Sure enough, he saw two shadows, one a man, the other was a woman. The wind blew fiercely, evoking an eerie sound from the night creatures and causing the long strands of Lou's hair to blow freely.
Kid quickly spotted the hideout, and ran to face whatever waited there. There was no time to waste as he cocked his gun and aimed it straight to the man who held Lou hostage.
"Let her go!" he yelled.
"Put your gun down or the lady dies," the man answered his order.
"What exactly is your problem?" Kid asked the man who, even in the dark, looked disorderly and dirty.
"Listen, I have no intention on killing anyone," the man said. "I have no intention to let the girl go. Put your gun down! Now!"
"Kid, please leave," Lou told him worriedly. If she wasn't scared before, she was scared now, and the fear was coming mostly from the possibility of what could happen to Kid. "It's not worth it, Kid. I'm not worth it."
Her last statement hurt Kid. He was aware that she may be lying, yet he didn't want her to say something of that nature about herself. "Lou, are you hurt?"
"She will be if you don't give up your gun!" the man warned.
"Kid, don't do it. Just leave," Lou repeated. "Please."
Impatient and frustrated, the man pointed his gun against Lou's temple. "I ain't afraid of blowing her head. You shoot me, and I'll shoot her. Throw your gun over here now! I ain't got time!"
Realizing the helpless situation, Kid slowly threw his gun toward the man, hoping the man would remain true to his words.
"If you weren't so beautiful, I would have killed you," the madman whispered in her ear.
"I didn't know killers discriminate," she said in spite.
Ignoring her statement, the man continued, "Let's talk about this, cowboy. Why don't we make a trade?"
"What do you want?"
"Your horse for the woman."
Kid frowned. He wanted the man to make him take Lou's place. He was more than willing to give his life for Lou, but he never thought about trading his beloved horse.
"What do you say? I get your horse, and you get the woman."
Kid sighed. This was certainly the hardest decision he ever had to make. He was still angry with her, believing that she betrayed him, used him, lied to him. But he still loved her despite everything. "Take the horse."
"What?" Lou yelled at him. "Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind? Don't give him your horse! Don't do it, Kid. I ain't worth it."
You are, more than you'll ever know, he thought.
The man ignored Lou's protests and pointed the gun at Kid. "Bring your horse over here now! Try anything stupid and the girl dies!"
Kid slowly brought Katy to the madman. Teaspoon's right, Kid thought. Robbery's becoming too common in this part of town
With his gun still pointed at Kid and Lou, the man mounted on Katy. "Don't even think about following me!" the man said as he kicked the horse and rode in the night.
Kid watched helplessly as the madman rode his horse. The sight stabbed his heart, adding fuel to the enraged fire that already burned inside him. He cursed under his breath. First he had to get Lou safely home. Then he could take care of the business of getting his horse back.
"Kid, why did you do it? You shouldn't have done it! It aint' worth it. You should have let him kill me," she said. "It's all my fault." She dropped to her knees, sobbing softly.
Determined not to fall for her lies, Kid ignored her crying. "Go home, Lou."
"What about you?"
"I'm going after him!"
She rose to her feet. "Are you crazy? It's too dark, Kid. You can't track at night! It's too dangerous. I won't let you do that!"
He gave her an icy stare. "I said go home," he said in an angry tone.
She backed away from him with fear in her eyes. She thought that he would strike her. I deserve it anyway, she told herself.
Seeing the look of fear and pain in her eyes made him sorry. Despite what he deemed she had done to him, she continued to hold something in his heart.
"Kid, I know you're mad at me. You have every right to be. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. You shouldn't have ridden here. You should have let me die! Kid, I'll help you get your horse back. I promise, but I won't let you do it alone and not tonight."
He sighed, rationalizing her reasoning. "Fine."
She smiled, but her nervousness still remained. "Go take my horse, and go home."
He frowned, giving her an odd look. "What about you?'
"I'll walk."
"Walk? Are you crazy? After what happened, did you really think I'd let you walk alone?"
"Kid, please. I can walk alone. I've done it before."
Maybe she's going to meet that man in town and tell him about what happened. "Where are you heading?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Are you planning to tell anybody about this besides the boys and Rachel and Teaspoon?'
"You mean Charlotte? Of course I'll tell Charlotte about this unless you don't want me to."
"I don't care who you tell, but right now we're going home. Take the horse, and I'll walk."
Lou frowned, realizing how stubborn Kid could get. "No, I'll walk. You take the horse."
"It's your horse. You ride it."
"You traded your horse for me. I owe you my horse."
"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" he asked her.
"Why are you so stubborn?"
"Fine, we'll ride double," he concluded. He mounted on Lightning and didn't bother to help her mount on the horse. The dimness of the night made him oblivious to Lou's wounded arm.
Lou frowned, upset with Kid. He had always been kind to her and usually helped her mount and dismount. Her wounded arm didn't make it any easier. The weight of her dress added to the burden.
Why do I even expect him to be nice to me after what I did! She knew how much Kid loved his horse and understood his rage.
He didn't bother to see if she was comfortable or not. He gave the horse a kick and sent it running swiftly across the plains. She had no choice but to hold onto him tighter. Tears ran down her cheeks, caused by the sadness from the loss of friendship and romance that swept through her heart.
She gazed sadly with downcast eyes at the skies above. What a beautiful evening this could have been, she thought downheartedly. For some reason, she knew that Kid's anger ran deeper than the anger he would have felt if he lost his horse. She scrambled her mind, trying to come up with something she had done that would make him bitter toward her. My mere presence's usually enough to give anybody a bad mood, she thought, remembering her cruel father and Samantha's immediate dislike of her. Her wounded arm was beginning to ache and she wrapped her arms tighter around Kid's waist, holding on tighter to the sweet reality of the past few weeks that was now slowly slipping away.
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