Better Together

Chapter 1

In the Beginning

There are firsts in every part of life. The numerous milestone occasions that new parents gush over their babies are probably the most significant firsts, but other events in life are also worth remembering. First day of school, first kiss, first love and other like entries were often jotted down in memory books. For Jess Harper, his list of firsts would look somewhat different. First horse, first gun, first gunfight, first bullet wound, and in addition of several similar items that made the list quite lengthy, now another first was about to be added. This was his first night at Slim Sherman's ranch.

When Jess had first stepped foot on Sherman property earlier in the day, he never intended on making it more than just a short stop in his never ending journey. When he found the house and Andy immediately took him for a perfect friend, he still wasn't planning on staying. Even during his hasty run to Baxter Ridge to lend a hand in putting an end to the group of outlaws that had tried to take over, Jess still was aiming on lighting out. But somehow, by the time Slim had caught up with him on the trail and asked him to stay, something had changed enough inside that when Slim's friendly invite crept from the head to the heart, Jess shifted his horse into the position to follow Slim back to the ranch house and when he saw Andy bounding out of the house, more excited than a normal kid at Christmas, the desire to stay, or at least try, was firmly set in place.

"You'll wanna bunk with us," Andy practically drug Jess by the hand into the bedroom, mere moments after being welcomed into the house. "There are only three beds in here now, but there's room for one more."

"I can always find a place out in the barn," Jess motioned with his hand towards the door after a quick observation of the room. "I don't wanna be any trouble."

"Oh no," Andy smiled while he shook his head, "that's not a problem at all. I want you to make yourself at home right here. In fact, you can have my bed," he held up his hand as Jess started to protest, "no, I insist. I'll bed down over there by Jonesy. This is going to be great!"

Andy carried his excitement throughout the evening meal, gushing over everything Jess would say as both Jess and Slim explained in detail how Bud Carlin and his men had met their matches out at Baxter Ridge. It was a fight that not only made an impression on Andy, but as Slim and Jess continued to discuss it, they began to realize how much it had meant to both of them that they had fought together to win.

After the dishes were washed and the house swept clean from the day's foot traffic, Slim took his seat out on the porch to find his favorite peaceful moments of the night as the darkening sky set in. Andy came out to be by his side while Jess leaned against the railing, looking up at the brightest star above them. The star reminded him of a small chapter of his life, one that was simple and safe to tell to young ears without any rough and bloody details that other sections of his ongoing saga would have told.

"One time, Andy, I was out on the prairie, sick and alone, with only my horse by my side," Jess started to speak, his voice in an instant storytelling mode that immediately gripped the attention of the young boy and secretly the big boy that sat close by as well. "It was nightfall with no moon to be seen and the stars were so bright and looked so close I almost felt like I could touch them. I was feeling mighty sick, hadn't eaten anything for days and I had a headache that felt like I'd been kicked by both a mule and a horse at the same time. I looked all around at those stars, wondering if I was gonna die under their canopy when suddenly a single star started getting brighter and brighter. I latched my eyes on that thing and nudged my horse towards it, but how could I get any closer to it? It was a star, right? It wasn't coming at me, but it sure looked like it was and I wanted to go to it. I felt like I was about to fall right off my horse when that star did the craziest thing and started swaying back and forth. Now, my fever felt hotter than the July sun so I reckoned it was messing with my already weak senses, after all, I reasoned with myself, stars ain't supposed to move. Then I did what I'd been trying not to do and fell plumb off my horse. That star really started dancing around then. I figured my brain must have been spinning like a tornado and as I put my hands to my head to try to still the whirling, the star stood still over my head. Then another sound came with it that made me nearly jump out of my skin. You know what it was?"

"What was it?" Andy asked, his eyes wide in anticipation.

"It was a man. Wouldn't you know the star turned out to be a lantern and the noise belonged to a crusty old codger by the name of Zeke Malloy? He had a sod house not far from where I fell and he took me to his place to tend to my fever. He was in his eighties but was as sound as you and I. I was back on my feet in no time. I learned a little of my meanness from him, I reckon. He sure was an ornery cuss. I liked him though and will never forget how he took care of me when I was laid up."

"Wow, Jess, you sure have the adventures to tell," Andy tried to hide the yawn that was threatening to take over his face.

"Get ready for bed, Andy," Slim said then nudged Andy's arm to make sure he was going to obey.

"Aw, Slim," Andy made his voice sound the disappointment he felt. "I wanna hear more about Jess' stories."

"There'll be other times for telling and listening," Slim touched Andy's arm again then pointed to the house. "Bed, get going."

"All right," Andy dropped his shoulders as he walked to the front door. "You'll be coming soon, too, right Jess?"

"Sure, Andy," Jess nodded.

"Great!" Andy gave a little whoop then ran into the house and into the bedroom.

"You sure got a lively little brother," Jess found his smile growing. "I can't quite explain it, but, he makes me feel, I don't know, important."

"He certainly has taken a shine to you. He's a good kid, but he keeps my hands full at times," Slim turned to look at Jess. "What about you? Do you have family?"

"I, uh," Jess dropped his head, his mood noticeably changed from the smile just moments before. Now it looked like a dark cloud had suddenly settled over his face. "I don't really have any more family."

"I'm sorry," Slim said quickly. "What happened?"

"I don't wanna talk about that right now," Jess turned his head away from Slim, making Slim wonder what type of pain he was trying to hide.

"I understand," Slim said quickly. They hardly knew one another, so it wasn't surprising that Jess didn't want to share something so personal and painful. Just looking at the man was clear indication that he had grief buried deep inside, most likely the kind one shared with a close friend, and not a just recently acquired acquaintance.

Jess turned his head back towards Slim and watched him think. He could see on Slim's features that he wasn't bothered by his refusal to discuss his family. He'd seen the gravestones as he'd rode in that bore the names of Matthew and Mary Sherman, so he knew Slim had experienced grief of his own, but Jess wasn't the type of man to show his heart to anyone so soon after the first meeting and he respected Slim immediately for not pressing him further. But other than that hidden piece of his soul, there were things Slim should know about and as the frown deepened on Jess' face, he realized it bothered him to think that Slim might not be so welcoming if he only knew some of the details of his past.

"Andy says you've been just about everywhere," Slim spoke softly, uncertain if he should be taking the conversation in this direction, "does that include doing just about everything too?"

"I've traveled along a lot of different roads," Jess said thoughtfully, moving his foot back and forth in front of him in a nervous gesture Slim would soon learn was a repeated action. This discussion was to be expected, but he wished it could have been avoided, at least prolonged to another time. The truth wasn't very pretty and Jess didn't want to show Slim too much of what the detailed picture of his life would show. "I guess you could say I've done something different on each one I've traveled on."

"Have you ever been…" Slim didn't want to ask it, but for Andy's sake, he had to know, "wanted?"

The pause from Jess was long, but he did eventually speak his reply, "will it change anything if I say yes?"

Slim's pause was an equal length, making Jess shift positions twice, "depends."

"On what?"

Slim stood, a smile spreading across his face as he put his hand on Jess' shoulder. "You don't have to tell me anything about your past if you don't want to. Ma always told me it was never polite to pry. Anyway, Andy's probably still up waiting for us to come to bed. You ready to go?"

"Yeah, I reckon so, and Slim?" Jess stood next to Slim, his hand on Slim's arm to stop him from taking a step into the house. He hadn't planned to divulge these words to his new boss, or friend, or whatever title he would give him, at least not yet, not until he had a chance to know if this was the place he really wanted to put down roots. But the words were on his tongue, and he had to speak them. "I have been a wanted man. I'm not proud of it. I left that life behind me a long time ago. I just wanted you to know, in case, well, it does change things."

"It won't," Slim said with honesty, but his commonsense mind began to nudge him as he added, "only if you're telling the truth."

Jess slightly nodded, then they both went inside where Andy, as Slim had predicted, was still wide awake waiting for them to come in. Exhaustion caught up with the boy quickly however, after Slim blew the last lamp out as he was the first to fall asleep.

Sometime deep into the night, Slim turned over in bed, stretched his legs out and yawned. He'd wakened with the sense that something wasn't right, but quickly dismissed his thoughts to the memories of facing Bud Carlin and his men the day before. When his eyes fluttered open, however, and landed on an empty bunk beside him, his mind wasn't focused on Bud Carlin anymore. Jess Harper was gone.

Sitting up, Slim let his eyes absorb the scene with disgust. There was nothing left on the bed, no blanket, no pillow, nothing. He couldn't have even stayed one night, Slim fumed silently to himself, and what will Andy think come morning? I'll have to try to come up with something to tell him. But what?

Knowing he'd not be able to sleep another wink, Slim put his feet onto the floor to see if Jonesy had left any coffee in the pot. He stood and began to walk to the bedroom door when his foot bumped into something firm on the floor. Stopping himself from stumbling, Slim looked down into a startled face. "What are you doing on the floor?" Slim whispered his puzzled question.

"Dang bunk's too soft," Jess rolled over and tucked his blanket tighter to his side. "I sure hope you don't always get up this early."

"I don't," Slim stepped over Jess and walked into the kitchen, a wide smile on his face. He felt strangely glad that he'd been sorely mistaken.

Jess was up with the sun along with Jonesy and Andy. After breakfast was eaten while Slim prepared for the morning stage, Jess stood outside, an odd feeling in his chest as he really didn't know what to do. The urge was great to just go saddle his mount and be on his way to another unknown location, not because he was already wanting to quit ranch work before he even started, but because riding day after day had been part of his life so long, the itch to go was chafing hard.

Andy suddenly walked up beside him and pointed up the hill, "stage is coming. Wanna help me get the horses?"

"Sure will, Andy," Jess agreed and then walked with the boy to where Jonesy was waiting with the new team.

When the stage came to a stop, only one passenger stepped out. Jess turned from his position and recognized the man at once. He held a reputation, just the same as his, and when the other eyes found him and registered their recognition, Jess released the horses from his hand and moved closer to the unwelcome guest.

Slim felt the tension in the air before his eyes even found the reason for the sudden change in the atmosphere. He saw Jess standing rigid with his hand hovering too close to his gun for comfort. There was another man, dressed entirely in black that had just stepped off of the stage and eyed Jess with scrutiny. Gunfighter and gunfighter sized each other up and Slim was certain hands would soon flash their guns, but both men stood still. Slim took a deep breath and started to walk. As he was the only man moving, for the stage driver had even turned motionless while Jonesy held Andy farther back beside the corral, his movements were easily picked up by Jess and the other man. Jess glanced first at Slim as he stepped in between both men and it was that act that broke the fiery spell. The other man promptly returned to his seat in the stage, and Jess resumed his work exchanging horses.

"What was that all about?" Slim couldn't stop the firmness in his voice as his hands worked methodically beside Jess.

"Nothing, Slim," Jess brushed the incident off way too easily but when he saw how stern Slim's face had become, he found an explanation. "It was just two gunfighters that crossed paths is all. Happens all the time. It doesn't mean anything unless one or the other makes a big deal out of it."

"That's a fine thing to know," Slim said sharply. "Any time you could have a shoot out right in front of Andy."

"I know better than that," Jess patted the final horse on the neck after it had been secured to the coach then started towards the house. "I could use another cup of coffee before the day gets any older."

Slim stood with his hands on his hips watching Jess retreat inside of the house. The stage rolled away taking the unnamed gunfighter with it and Slim hoped to never see him return. But there could be more, or rather, there would be more, and it wasn't making Slim feel very comfortable. He called to Jonesy to get his horse saddled and with a quick word to Andy, Slim was on his way to Laramie. He felt troubled and needed advice, the type that Jonesy just couldn't provide. The ride to town soothed his irritation and by the time he reached the Sheriff's office in Laramie, he almost turned right around to go home.

"Hi Slim," Sheriff Mort Cory barely looked up at Slim as he sifted through the mound of paperwork on his desk as Slim entered his office. "Don't mind the mess, but after everything that went on around here because of Bud Carlin, I'm having a heck of a time putting my jail back together."

"It was rather chaotic," Slim sat down in a chair and watched Mort work.

"The Territorial Marshal had his deputies here, two different sheriffs and their deputies as well, and I missed the whole event by getting back late after visiting my Pa. He's improving by the way, just a touch of gout this time." Mort talked while he worked, every word accompanied by an action of rearranging items that had been displaced. "I was certainly glad to see the marshal and his men take Bud Carlin off to someone else's jail this morning. You can bet I was surprised to hear all that went on out at your place when I heard the details. Is that why you're here? Did you want to talk about it?"

"I guess, in a way," Slim shrugged his shoulders. "It sort of has something to do with Bud Carlin."

"You shouldn't have tried to take them on by yourself," Mort stopped his work and looked at Slim's face, the marks of a fist fight still evident. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," Slim shook his head as he rubbed the bruise on his cheek, which hadn't come from the outlaw at all, but from Jess' hand. "Actually, I didn't apprehend Bud Carlin and his men alone. Someone else helped me."

"Who was that?" Mort asked.

"Jess Harper." Slim watched Mort's eyebrows rise as the name registered in his mind. He let out a gentle sigh and continued. "I asked him to stay on," Slim rubbed his hand through his sandy hair. "I'm second guessing myself now. Do you think I did the right thing?"

"I've never been introduced to the young man," Mort eyed Slim carefully as he spoke, "but I certainly have heard plenty about his reputation."

"That reputation is what concerns me," Slim looked down at his feet. "What was I thinking?"

"From all that I've ever read about him, albeit a little sketchy in places, he's in the clear," Mort pointed out.

"But isn't he still the same man, inside and out?"

"You know something, Slim," Mort leaned forward to close the gap between himself and Slim to look him better in the eye. "I've always thought you were the type of man to help those in need of a second chance actually find their way. You have a special softness in your heart that reaches out to men like Jess Harper, and that's not something you need to beat yourself up about."

"I know, Mort," Slim nodded, knowing Mort's words were true. He'd often be the one lending a hand to the poor and needy, even when no one else would. His Ma had been like that, and it was that tenderness that had been captured so well in Andy's heart in how he was always looking to save the lost, man and animal alike. Slim's manhood didn't always show this trait as clearly as Andy could, but he knew he really wasn't too far from the same giving nature as his brother. "But," Slim began again, knowing all too well there were plenty of 'buts' in life, "what if he can't be trusted?"

"Everyone has to start somewhere, Slim," Mort said. "There's a beginning for us all. Maybe, this will be the beginning for Jess Harper."

"And if it's not?"

"There's no set rule that someone's start and finish can't come quickly one after another. I'm sure you'd know how to send the man packing if he causes problems."

"I know," Slim stood to leave, "I just hope there isn't a reason to make that ending come anytime soon."