Kid Curry comes home to a surprise. This is a short story, written for a challenge and originally published elsewhere. It's a glimpse of how things might have played out after the amnesty.
I hope I will not make too many enemies because of it; I know it does not reflect the usual view. But I believe it can be deducted from what is shown in the series. Maybe I can spark some thoughts or even debates? Anyway, I would be delighted about comments.
Disclaimer: I don't own the series or the boys, I only play with them occasionally. My only gain is fun and experience (and hopefully comments).
True Blue
Heyes pointed silently to the letter sitting in the middle of the kitchen table, propped up by the candleholder. Warm, chocolate eyes sympathized with the weary traveler just returned to a silent home.
Blue eyes blinked, trying to make sense of it all, not yet ready to acknowledge the evidence. The fastest hand in the West crawled towards the cream-colored envelope bearing his name.
He fell down heavily onto his favorite chair, dust and thirst forgotten, and after searching for encouragement in the dark eyes to his right, 'always there, on my right, when I need him, always having my back' he opened the envelope and unfolded the letter within. Written in a hand he knew all too well.
April, 21st 1896
Dear Jedidiah –
When you read this letter, I will be gone and I will not be coming back. I love you but I cannot continue to live with you. It just hurts too much. You are the love of my life, but time has shown me that it is not the same for you. My heart is not big enough to share you with others, trying to do so is breaking it. I have tried to be strong for a long time.
You have tried to stay true, I know, but I have come to realize that you cannot change who you are. There will always be another woman you just will have to help and there may have been others I do not even want to think about. I thought our love and our children would be enough to make you mine forever. It was not to be. There is nothing else I can do. I have stood by your side for as long as I could. My family had warned me to marry you, but I was too much in love with you to listen. And I was happy with you. For those first years I will always be grateful. They were the happiest time of my life and I thank you for it.
If only it could have lasted. If I stay, I will turn bitter and I might start to hate you, and I do not want this to happen. Not just for myself, but for the sake of our children.
I am taking the children with me. At least in them I will have something of you, the best of you, that will be mine forever. I did not want to take them away from you, but children need their mother and I need them. I have nobody else and I know you have at least one other and you are so close to your dear nephews and nieces, almost as if they were your own. Your cousin and Louise will look after you, you will not be alone.
Please, I beg you, do not come after us. You could probably track us down, it is what you do after all, but if you ever loved me and still feel some affection for me, you will stay away. I do not think I would be strong enough to deny you to your face. But it would not last. You know it as well as I do, if you are honest with yourself. You cannot help your nature any more than I can help mine.
Do you really want to see our children growing up with parents who resent each other, who fight with each other, who hate each other?
I have not decided yet what to tell them, I pray we can find a way so they can see you again. They are yours as well as mine and I know your devotion to them. You are a wonderful father and I want them to grow up proud to be your children.
It grieves me to leave you all behind, not just you, but Louise and Heyes and their children as well. They have become family to me too and I wanted our children to grow up to be as close as you and your cousin. Please let us find a way for them; a way which does not destroy us.
Once I have found a place, I will let my dear friend Louise know how to contact me. I ask you again, please, do not come after us.
Goodbye Jed, please forgive me, as I am trying to forgive you.
Take care and stay safe,
Amelia
Empty blue eyes looked up when a glass of whiskey clonked down on the table. Mechanically his hand lifted it to his lips and then the strong liquor burned down his tight throat. A comforting hand squeezed his shoulder and once more amber solace sloshed into the glass.