Back on the Sherman Relay Station, life was rolling along as usual…or was it? Slim had to wonder. It was one of the few times that Jess had been gone for a real amount of time since he had agreed to stay on. Slim tried to remember what life was like just a short time ago before he had ever heard of Jess Harper, and found that it was a difficult feat to accomplish. Andy seemed more settled than before, Jonesy seemed a little less grouchy (if possible), and Slim himself, well, he felt as though a void had been filled he hadn't known existed. Jess was his friend. It was Slim and Jess, Jess and Slim, and it seemed as though that was the way it would always be.
The situation with Malinda nearly ended their days as bachelor buddies, but it seemed as though the threat passed without any real damage. No, Jess wouldn't be getting married any time soon, not after that whole fiasco.
"Slim," his little brother called.
"Over here, Andy," Slim answered from the corral fence he was repairing.
"You think Jess'll be gettin' home soon?"
"I hope so. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
The boy swung on the gate with a melancholy air. "Seems like forever!"
"Don't worry," Slim comforted while ruffling Andy's hair. "He'll be back any time and then things'll get back to normal."
Slim woke from a dead sleep in the middle of the night. He yawned and rolled over, wondering why he had come awake. It was still pitch black outside, not even close to dawn. However, his eyes snapped open when he heard what had initially stirred him in the first place. There was rustling coming from the kitchen.
Was it just Jonesy just up to get a touch of liniment? Or Andy to get a drink? He'd better check to be sure. Reaching under his bunk, his fingers found the cool metal of his revolver. Pulling it out of its holster, he carefully placed his bare feet on the floor. He peeped through his door, his eyes well-adjusted to the darkness. There was definitely someone out there, as he could see a shadow moving in front of the moonlight through the kitchen window.
Slim paused, his heart in this throat. He could hear Jonesy's soft snores, and the silhouette was too tall to be Andy's young form. He gathered his courage and crept across the large area that made up the living room and dining room. His pulse hammered in his ears, but he could make out a low whisper coming from the shadow.
"We have what we need. Let's go."
Slim decided enough was enough. "Hold it," he stated in a firm voice, cocking his pistol to back his words.
A sharp, high-pitched cry pierced the heavy and quiet atmosphere, and the second shadow dropped to the floor. Then, to Slim's shock, he heard an answering cry — or really more a wail. Was that a…baby?
"Dadgum it, Slim!"
At this point, Jonesy stumbled out of his room, candle in hand. Slim's mouth fell open at the vision the light revealed. Jess was standing in the kitchen, covered in dust and grime. He was looming protectively over a puddle of cloth on the floor, from which came the noises of a sobbing baby.
"You weren't s'posed to see us," Jess was complaining.
Slim carefully disengaged his pistol. "Say what now?"
"I was just gonna come in here and get some milk for the baby, and somethin' for Lucy to eat. We haven't eaten since noon."
"Lucy? Who's Lucy?"
"That'd be me," came a woman's voice. From the dusty floor rose a woman, wrapped in blankets, revealing the crying baby as well. "My name's Lucy Turner — I mean, Lucy Har—"
"We're sure sorry to wake you folks up," Jess cut in. "I was just gonna sneak in for somethin' to eat, but then Lucy didn't like stayin' out in the dark all alone, so she had to come too…"
Finally Jonesy cut in. "Jess, just stop your yammering. Nobody is understanding a word you're saying anyhow. Let's get that poor child something to eat."
Clothes were quickly yanked on, the fire stoked, and a lamp lit. Slim was shocked to take in his pard and the lady's appearances. Their clothes were muddy and it looked as though they been out in the rain storm that had passed through that morning. "Erm…," Slim tried to say something, but didn't know where to start. Andy stumbled out at this point, his hair standing in all directions. His eyes were as big as saucers, but he said nothing.
Jonesy set out a midnight snack, complete with reheated mulligan from supper and warmed milk for the younger members of the group. Jess chowed down on Jonesy's cooking, though whether it was because he missed it or it was just to keep his mouth full to keep from answering questions, Slim didn't know. He looked across at the young lady, who was eating at a more polite pace, but she also remained silent. When the child finished his milk, he began squirming in her arms, making it difficult for her to eat. Jess wordlessly took the babe onto his own lap as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
Silence was the theme of the room, it appeared. Andy was sitting with his hand wrapped around a mug of the warm milk, his eyes fixed on Jess. Jonesy stood in the doorway of the kitchen, his ever-present derby (Slim sometimes wondered if the man slept in the tattered old thing) tipped forward as he rubbed the back of his head in his usual expression of confusion. The baby was gumming at a biscuit happily, ignoring everyone. Slim realized with a start how homey Jess looked with a babe on his knee, especially since the baby in question had some features not unlike Jess' own. Curly black fuzz covered the baby's head, and clear blue eyes lit up in wonder as they took in the world around him.
"So, uh…," Slim finally said, "What took you so long to get back, pard?"
Jess swallowed hard and shot a look toward the young lady. She blushed and gave him a helpless glance back.
"What is going on?" Slim demanded.
"Now hold on, Slim," Jonesy's calm drawl floated over to the table. "Just hang on one second. You haven't even introduced us to your friends, Jess."
Jess took a deep breath. "Well, this is Lucy and Jeremy," as though that explained everything.
"Nice you meet you," Slim greeted, with probably not the most polite tone.
"Have some manners, Slim," Jess growled.
Jeremy squirmed at Jess' unpleasant tenor, and Lucy took the child from Jess. Her own face looked somewhere between a pale white and shade of green. "I think I'd like to clean up a little and lay Jeremy down. We're exhausted."
All the men stood as she rose from her chair. "Through that door, miss," Jonesy kindly pointed.
"I can show ya!" Andy said. He was clearly moonstruck by the young lady. They went off together into Jonesy and Andy's room.
Slim waited until the door was closed before he pounced. Jess defensively backed up toward the fireplace, his face bordering on the guarded expression he used to wear perpetually – before he began to trust Slim. Slim recognized the signs and knew that he must tread carefully or risk getting struck by the rattlesnake that was his best friend.
"Now, Jess, we've got a right to be curious."
Jess rolled his eyes in response, which nearly made Slim want to reach out and strangle the man.
"She's just a friend," Jess attempted to say with honesty.
Slim saw right through the façade. "And Jonesy's my rich old uncle."
"Leave me outta this," Jonesy said from the side as he cleared the table.
"Come on, Jess, after all we've been through?" Slim pleaded.
Jess stared at the floor, a muscle in his cheek quivering. "Alright, alright. She's my, my…" his last words were lost in a mumble.
"What did you say?"
The old fire lit in Jess' eyes as he flung his head back. "She's my wife."
A plate shattered in the kitchen.
Thanks for reading this far! I'll leave you with this mini drama cliffy. Those are the best! ;) I'll try to update more tomorrow.