Chapter 35

With soft strokes Theresa brushed her long, blonde hair before the mirror of her dresser. As her eyes checked her image, she shifted in her seat uncomfortably as she noticed the sadness oozing from her every feature. The reason for her dark mood struck her painfully again, and she burst out crying for the umpteenth time today. The brush fell from her hand onto the floor as her head dropped heavily onto the wooden surface of the dresser.

Albert watched his wife curiously. Clad in his impeccable nightshirt, he walked closer to her, picked up the brush, and left it on the dresser again. His hand came to rest on his wife's shoulder, and he massaged it with his fingers. "Please, honey, don't cry."

Theresa lifted her puffy eyes to him. "How can I not? My sister's dying, Albert!"

"I know how you feel, but…"

"No, you don't!" Theresa contradicted his words, cutting him off. "Louise is more than a sister to me. I don't have a single recollection of my own mother, and Lou's been like a ma to me all these years. She's been so much more than a sister… my mother, my companion, my confidante, my best friend."

"I'm really sorry because I'm fond of her," Albert added. "I also lost my mother, honey, but that's life."

"It ain't fair!" Theresa bawled. "Now that she could be happy again… now that she and Kid are back together! Why is life so cruel? She's so young…she's the only family I have."

Albert caressed her shoulders softly. "I'm here, Theresa, and I'm your family too. You ain't alone, and one day we'll have beautiful children." The young woman nodded, and was completely thrown when Albert kissed her fully on the mouth. His lips parted, and his tongue asked for further access, which she instantly granted.

When Albert pulled away, Theresa let out a gasp. She was not used to this kind of spontaneous loving displays from her husband. Albert was very methodical in everything, even in the intimate part of their marriage. He liked his ways, and did not like to explore or try new things, and even for a simple kiss he also had his rules.

His passionate kiss was not the only surprise for Theresa today. Albert took her hand, and gently pulled her up to her feet. "Let's try starting our own family today," he said huskily as he steered her to the bed.

Despite everything, Theresa smiled. Albert turned around to her, and started undoing the tiny buttons on the front of her white nightgown. "What's happening to my husband tonight? Who's this bold gentleman I have before me?"

Albert pressed his lips against her neck, and nibbled the soft skin just below her right ear. "I just love you, baby," he muttered.

Theresa sighed in pleasure, but a slight hint of sadness also tinted her exhalation. Albert looked up, and noticing the question in his eyes, Theresa said, "I'm so sorry for Kid. I can hardly imagine what he's going through."

Albert snuck his hand under the delicate fabric of her nightgown, and softly caressed her skin through her camisole. "Theresa, they've been together for how long? Not even a couple of months. I'm sure he must be understandably sad, but your sister can't mean that much to him."

"How can you say that?" Theresa exclaimed, upset by what she was hearing, and she swatted his hand away. "My sister's been his wife for ten years... and even though they haven't been together for so long, they've been in love all this time."

"I don't doubt that, honey. But he's young. I wouldn't worry about him. He'll find another woman soon enough."

Theresa's face flushed, and her indignation soared as she heard her husband. "Stop talking about her as if she were already dead! Don't you have a heart, Albert Keller?"

"Oh come on, Theresa," Albert said tiredly as the young woman turned way from him, and got ready for bed. "You know I do love Louise like a sister. I didn't mean anything bad by that. I'm sorry."

Theresa was already in bed, and his words did not manage to soothe her. "Good night, Albert."

"Please, honey, how can you think I don't feel sorry about what's happening? You misunderstood me."

"Probably, but today's been a horrible day. I'm not in the mood for anything. All I can think is about my poor sister. Please just let me be."

Albert nodded, and kept watching his wife. Theresa pulled up the quilt, and even covered her head. Her trembling figure under the bed told the young man she was crying, but he did not move. Shaking his head, he cursed his clumsiness. He should control his tongue more or he could end up messing everything up.

This matter was making him too nervous. With Jeremiah it had been different because his father had done practically everything. He had planned the whole thing, and had even plunged the knife into the young man's body repeatedly. Now with Louise, Albert was too jittery because he was responsible of the whole plan, and was killing his sister-in-law little by little. The notion was more than his nerves and sanity could endure.

What he had told Theresa was true. He was very fond of Louise, and it did not make him proud to pull this stunt against her. Of course that cannot be prevented. Louise was just a minor casualty in this particular war of his and his father's. Everybody knew people had to die in wars because that was the way men and conflicts worked. Likewise, his also had casualties. Albert was sorry it had to be Louise, but right now there was no time for regrets. When everything was over, he would make it up to Theresa. He could already envision a beautiful future ahead of them. Theresa was going to have the nice life she deserved, and nothing else mattered.

A few days later

The curtains were drawn, leaving the room in semi-darkness. The door opened slowly, and Kid slowly craned his head inside. His sad eyes directed to the bed where Lou was sleeping. This morning she looked quite peaceful, which was an uncommon occurrence lately. Louise had not moved from bed in days, and had been tortured by terrible pains. The only thing that gave her some relief was the laudanum Dr. Hill had left them, but that meant she spent most of the day sleeping.

Trying to be as quiet as a church mouse, Kid walked into the room, and approached the bed. As he stood above Lou's lying figure, she suddenly opened her eyes. "Hey! You're awake!" he exclaimed with a smile, making a herculean effort to sound contented, when all he wanted was to throw his arms around her, and cry like a small child. "How are you feeling today, sweetheart?"

Louise stretched her lips in a bitter gesture. Her dejected eyes stared at Kid tiredly as she said in a weak voice, "I'd like to sit up. Can you help me?"

Without a word Kid gently eased her body up, placed the pillows behind her back, and let her rest on them. Lou shifted as she tried to adopt the least uncomfortable position. Kid kept studying her face, which in just a few days had thinned and lost its glow, looking sallow and sickly. Black rings under her eyes stood out against her pale countenance, and some strange blemishes had appeared on the area around her mouth. Then Kid noticed her face wince. "Lou?"

"My legs… feel crampy," she said in a very small voice.

"Let me help you with that," he promptly said. He pulled down the covers, and lifted the edge of her nightgown up to the level of her thighs. On the bedside table there was a bottle of the ointment he normally used. Kid poured a glob into his hands, and started rubbing Lou's legs up and down.

Lou looked at her husband in awe, moved by his devotion and obvious love. Kid never complained, and he seemed to endure the situation they were in much better than her. "I'm sorry I keep bothering you."

"Lou, you don't bother me," Kid said, lifting his eyes to her without stopping his massaging motions. "It's my job to look after you, and I'd do anything to make you feel better."

Lou closed her eyes while Kid kept rubbing her skin. His touch worked magic, and relieved the tension and craps in her legs. His hands were so soothing, and brought her so much sought-for peace in one moment. Lou pursed her lips wryly. When had things changed this much? The contact of his hands on her skin used to burn her with pure passion and lust, and these same rubbing motions would have driven her crazy by now. However, carnal desire was as far from her mind as possible; all she wanted from Kid was the relief he could offer her. How sad was that? And how long had she been bedridden? She could not remember; she had the impression it was just yesterday they had arrived in Seneca, but she also felt she had been confined in this bed for weeks, even months. Was this the life that Kid was left to? Condemned to care for a sick wife?

"Kid?" she called softly.

"Yes, honey?" he said as he wiped his hands on a towel after he finished rubbing her legs.

"Talk to me, please. This silence's killing me. Tell me about something… anything."

Kid kept quiet as he pulled down the edge of her nightgown, and covered her with the quilt again. Sitting on the bed, he reached out for her hand and caressed its palm with his thumb. "This morning I dropped by the stables," Kid started in a soft voice. "I thought I could go for a short ride before… before you woke up. When I was there, I decided to take Lightning because I realized she hadn't been exercised since the day we went riding together. Did you know I'd never ridden your horse before?" Lou shook her head sadly. "I always thought she was a bit like you, Lou… beautiful, strong, mysterious, amazing… she's a good animal, and today as I rode, I could tell she misses you."

Kid paused, and stole a glance at his wife. Her liquid eyes shone, and her forced smile silently begged him to continue. Kid cleared his throat, and as he spoke up again, his voice was hungry and quivering. "I… told her you'd soon get better, and then we'd all head home where she could enjoy the empty spaces, the freedom, the peacefulness, and you'd ride her every day the way we used to do in the old days. She seemed to like the sound of it… she even let out an approving neigh. She loves you, Lou… we all love you, and … and…"

Kid's coarse voice broke as immense pain and overwhelming emotion took over him, and his intentions to be strong for her crashed as the tears sprang to his eyes. Kid buried his head in her lap, and Lou softly caressed his hair as she heard him cry. A lone tear rolled down her cheek, which she wiped furiously as if she was swatting an unwanted fly away. "You're such a good man, Kid," she whispered, running her fingers through his sandy hair.

Kid gradually calmed down, and lifted his head. Wiping his tears with the back of his sleeve, he said, "I… I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry." He even tried to laugh, but all he managed was to give her a strange, bitter smile.

Lou gazed at him, fully aware that he was trying to be strong for her but she knew… she knew too well. After a few minutes, she suddenly said, "I was thinking about Cody."

"Cody?" Kid echoed, surprised. "What about him, honey?"

"You know, he would've won his stupid bet after all," she muttered. "We ain't gonna last longer than three months because… because I'm gonna die."

"Lou, please don't say that!"

"I'm going, Kid," she whispered, and despite the effort it took, she lifted her hand to caress his face. "I'm going, and this time it's forever, my love."

"No! You're gonna be fine… you're gonna get better."

"Kid, honey, you know the truth. Please let's not pretend around each other now… this is my end, and I need you to be as honest as always." Lou stopped, and noticed his eyes moist, and she could not choke her own tears anymore. She burst into sobs, and brought her hand to her face. "Oh God!" she wailed. "Oh Kid, I'm so sorry! All these years we wasted because of me and my pride! And now we're running out of time … and I need more time with you… with my husband."

"Please, Lou, calm down!" Kid tried to soothe his wife as he drew her into a hug.

"I don't want to leave you, Kid! I don't want to leave you! I know I deserve this punishment, but what about you? What about you?"

Kid did not know what to say, or how to comfort Lou. He simply kept quiet as his own tears flooded his eyes while Lou sobbed against his chest. This was not fair. They deserved a chance… just one chance. What curse had fallen upon them that kept pulling them apart? All the elements seemed to have aligned themselves against them, and this was just the last, most horrible attack. Lou deserved to live a long life so that he could show her what happiness meant for real. They had so many dreams and plans… and everything crumbled down now because the reason of his existence, the centre of his life was going away. Everything would be senseless without Lou. This should not be happening, and Kid still resisted believing that his light in his darkness was burning out. He wished there was something he could do to hold onto her and keep her by his side if it was possible, he would fight a dozen wars, endure pain, loneliness, humiliation… whatever it took it if that meant Lou could be saved. The sad reality was that nothing would make a difference. His eyes looked down at the woman in his arms… she looked so small, so weak, so different from the woman she was really like, and he cursed himself, he cursed life, and he cursed the very air he was breathing.