Chapter 10
Authors note*
SORRY HAD TO CHANGE IT JUST A LITTLE BIT.
Thank you guys and gals for being so patient with me and this story! i promise i wont leave it unfinished. i wouldn't do that to you wonderful people. ENJOY!
BETAS Nakoosay and Saddle Tramp
Mort finished telling me what happened, and I refocused my gaze from Mort to Jess. He was still unconscious, and I wasn't really surprised. Jess never was one to pass on sleep. Smiling I turned back to Mort and thought about what he had said. After he saw Jess shot, bloody, and lying helpless on the ground he sent someone to go get the Doc.
Mort had remembered that he had seen the Doc by the town stables earlier. Looking back at Jess, Mort had been horrified to see how much blood was staining the wooden floor. Mort scooped Jess up in his arms, genuinely surprised at how heavy he was, and carried him to the Doc's office. The Doc came around a few minutes later and soon after Mort left to get me.
"Wasn't your fault Mort."
I knew that Mort was probably blaming himself and beating himself up.
"I was the reason he was in that bank, Slim. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me for it."
I peered at Mort shocked that he would even think that I could ever hate him.
"Thought you knew me better than that Mort."
"I do, Slim. I've known you since you were knee-high to a grasshopper, and I know what you went through when your Pa died. It was rough on you, then your Ma died and all of a sudden you were left to raise Andy all by yourself. You've lost a lot Slim, and you almost lost Jess. Because of me you almost lost your closest friend. I know you Slim and I know you're probably pretty sore about Jess getting hurt. I'm awfully sorry Slim. I am."
Mort looked at me and amazement flooded his face as I smiled.
"Sorry Mort. You got everything right except for the last part. I wouldn't blame you for any of this if my life depended on it. My best friend wasn't lost and I'm not going to lose my other closest friend to senseless and misplaced guilt."
"You young fool." Mort stated, chuckling and shaking his head.
"What did I do?" I asked innocently.
"You showed an old man that he still has a lot to learn about you, Slim Sherman."
My smile slipped a little as Mort called me Slim. There it was again, Slim. My name but was it really my name? I was starting to get sick and tired of all the senseless thoughts and doubts bouncing like jumping beans around in my head
"You okay there Slim?"
Mort's worried eyes were upon me again.
"Huh? Oh, Mort yeah, I'm just thinking."
I scrubbed my face tiredly and glanced at Jess's sleeping face, chuckling when I spotted the drool sliding down his face and onto the pillow. Mort followed my gaze and also chuckled quietly when he saw the drool.
"Jess never could keep his mouth shut." I said fondly as I continued to gaze at my friend
Mort finished chuckling and sighing with relief said, "I'm glad he's going to be okay Slim."
"Yeah me-too Mort" I said my emotions dragging me back down.
"Now Slim, I know you're grown up and if you don't want to go talk 'bout what's eating at you, then okay. But you can always come to me with anything son, anything at all"
Mort's voice was softer than his usual slightly gruff voice and when he said son, my heart wanted nothing more than to tell him of all of my troubles and let him help me. I always felt like that whenever Mort would me call son. I'm sure Jess felt the same way when mort calls him son too. The man was a father to both of us and we both were very lucky to have him. I locked my eyes with Mort's and taking a deep breath began to tell the man I considered a father what was ailing me so.