Poleaxed
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April 17, 1883
Kid Curry brought the heavily laden buckboard to a stop just outside the cabin. He set the brake and wrapped the reins around the handle. He sat for a moment, his fingers clasped together, his hands resting in his lap, and turned his head to the quiet woman, at least ten years his junior, sitting beside him.
"It ain't much, I'll admit," Kid said. "But there's a space for sitting and a space for cooking, and it's got two small bedrooms. It looks just like all the other cabins Mr. Detmiller rents out to his married hired hands."
Annie Wellington, or rather Annie Curry after she and Kid visited the Justice of the Peace that morning, gave the cabin a quick glance and a single nod of approval. She too, sat with her hands folded in her lap, but her fingers were far more clenched than Kid's.
"Annie, you don't got to worry. This marriage is just as much a matter of convenience for me as it is for you. When we go inside, you look at the two bedrooms and decide which one you want. I'll take the one's that left," he said, trying to ease her trepidation.
When she gave her head a second nod, Kid climbed off the wagon and walked around to help her down.
"We'll get these boxes inside and I'll go take care of the horses," he told her.
They put the boxes of food staples on the kitchen table, but left their meager personal boxes piled in the center of the room.
"I'll go take care of the horses. I'll put my things away after you... choose a room."
"Kid," she called to him as he started out the door. "I am grateful for what you're doing."
Kid smiled. "Like I said, it's convenient for the both of us."
While he was in the barn, Annie walked over to each of the two small bedrooms. Both were furnished with a three-quarter size bed, a dresser, and a nightstand. Only one had a lock on it's door and Annie chose that one for her own. She went back out to the sitting room and picked up her small bag and carried it to her room.
When Kid returned to the cabin, Annie was in her bedroom with the door shut. Kid picked up his saddle bags and tossed them on the bed of what was to be his room. Then he went to the kitchen and began putting away the food staples. Hearing the noise in the kitchen, Annie came out of her room and walked slowly into the kitchen area, still nervous and uncertain of just what would be expected of her. Kid gave her a friendly smile and nodded his head toward the boxes.
"I don't know if you have any preferences as to where things go, but I s'pect you can rearrange things as you want em."
"Any place is fine," she replied.
"When we get things put away, I'll make us a pot of coffee. I think there may be some things we need to talk about."
Annie chewed on her bottom lip and, without looking at him, nodded her head. She had figured there would be conditions; every man expected conditions. She took a deep breath and made herself help stow away the groceries.
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"Annie, I don't expect you to be my own private working girl. I ain't like the man who...mistreated so bad. I can go to town for them physical comforts. I want you to feel safe here," Kid said as he placed a cup of coffee on the table in front of her, then sat down across from her at the table.
Annie offered a nervous smile and did manage to glance up into his eyes once. "It's just...well, I owe you."
Kid uttered a soft chuckle. "You don't own me nothing. This arrangement protects you from that scumbag, and it gives me a place to live that ain't a bunkhouse full of scruffy cowboys. I'd say, we're both getting an advantage out of this arrangement."
"I ain't never come across a man who didn't expect...favors. I know what you've said, but it's gonna take me a while to determine the truth of those words."
Kid nodded. He knew from experience, most people did not mean the things they said, and those that did, eventually failed to keep their word.
"The other girls at the saloon, the ones that...know you, they tell me I should trust you. They say you're different."
Kid smiled. "Well you tell them I thank them for such high praise. Coming from them ladies, that means a lot to me."
Annie didn't know if he was teasing her or not. She had never been with Kid, as he felt she was too young, almost a child herself. Though she claimed to be twenty-one, Kid judged her to be no more than nineteen, and likely younger still. Him being twenty-eight, he felt like he'd be robbing the cradle and always declined her working-girl advances.
But Hiram Teller, a stout man in his fifties, had no such compunctions, and he paid for Annie's services at least three or four times a week. Afterwards, Annie always sported a new bruise or scratches, but so long as her injuries did not require the services of a doctor, the saloon owner looked the other way.
One night just a few weeks ago, Kid was in the saloon playing poker when there came a gut wrenching scream from one of the second story rooms. Annie, clad only in a towel that barely covered her, came running down the stairs with Teller in hot pursuit.
It had been Kid who intervened, quickly placing himself between Teller and the girl. Teller, holding the waist of his unbuttoned pants, and wielding a small derringer, fired a random shot that pierced the ceiling. Kid drew and shot the gun from Teller's hand, causing a deep graze in Teller's wrist.
"You walk outta here now, or you won't be walking at all," Kid told him. "You don't treat a woman like that."
"You're right, I don't. But that whore's no woman," Teller replied but turned and quickly made his way out of the saloon.
Kid immediately turned to Annie and quickly took off his coat and draped it over the front of her shoulders, thus enabling her to drop the towel down about her waist for modesty. Then the other girls helped her back up the stairs to dress.
An hour later Annie came down the stairs and spotted Kid sitting at a table with one of the other girls. She carried Kid's coat in her arms as she approached the table.
"Jenny, you mind if I have a talk with this man?" Annie asked.
Jenny patted Annie's arm as as she got up and left the table. Annie stood nervously
"Have a seat," Kid said and got up and moved a chair out for her.
Annie slid into the chair and handed Kid his coat. "Thank you for what you done," she said, her head bent forward so there was no chance of eye contact.
Kid reached across the table and cupped Annie's chin in his hand, then raised her head so he could look into her eyes. "A lady should always be treated as such," he told her.
"He... he's hard to please," she told him.
"Annie, does the saloon owner get a percentage of your earnings?"
She nodded quickly. "Twenty percent."
"Then he has an obligation to protect you ladies."
"He don't see it that way."
"Well, I can explain it to him. I'm pretty good at convincing people to mend their ways."
Annie couldn't help but smile and uttered a wispy chuckle. "No, that ain't necessary."
Kid dropped his hand and leaned back in his chair. "What do you charge by the hour?"
"Fifty cents," Annie replied, concluding that Kid wasn't any different than any other man.
Kid reached into his pocket and pulled out two dollars and placed it on the table in front of her. "Now, go pay the owner his twenty percent and go home for the rest of the night."
With that, Kid got up and walked out of the saloon.
Several days later Kid once again visited the saloon. He had no sooner stepped through the doors when Jenny grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.
"Kid, Teller came back two nights ago," she told him anxiously.
Kid looked around and saw that Annie was nowhere to be found.
"What happened? Where's Annie?"
"She's upstairs. Kid, he hurt her bad."
"Where's Teller?" Kid asked.
Jenny shook her head. "He's gone. The Sheriff took some men out to look for him."
"Annie willing to see me?"
"I think so. Kid, you gotta convince her to get outta here. Teller's gonna kill her one day."
"He won't. I'll see to that. Now, will you take me to Annie?"
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"Annie," Jenny said hesitantly as she both knocked and opened the door to Annie's room. "Jed's here. He want's to talk to you."
"I don't want him to see me like this," Annie said, her hand lightly brushing against the newly acquired black eye.
"He wants to help, Annie. Ain't many men willing to do that for the likes of us. I think you should talk to him."
Annie straightened herself up in the bed. She sat leaning back against the headboard, the torn and faded coverlet pulled up to her shoulders. "Will you stay with me?" she asked.
Jenny ducked her head out into the hallway where Kid stood, listening to their conversation. He nodded his head approvingly. Jenny smiled thankfully, then poked her head back into the room. "I'll stay, honey."
With that, Jenny opened the door wide and entered. Kid followed, his hat respectfully in his hands. When he saw the black and purple bruise encircling Annie's right eye, he hesitated, feeling an anger growing in him. He knew from experience that other, equally severe bruises were likely present elsewhere on her body. He tried to give her a comforting smile as he reached for a chair to place near the bed.
Jenny moved to the window, trying to remain unobtrusive.
Kid sat down and reached for Annie's hand. "I won't ask you how you're feeling. I know from experience what the answer is," he said. "I will ask you what you need, to get away from that man. I'd be willing to buy you a stage or train ticket."
Annie's eyes moved toward Jenny who nodded, encouraging Annie to accept the offer. But Annie somehow suddenly felt a sort of kinship toward Kid. She could see in his eyes that he was not a stranger to hardships.
"Jenny, would you go get us something to drink? Maybe tea for me. What would you like?" she asked.
"Nothing for me, thanks," Kid replied.
When Jenny left the room, Annie gently pulled her hand away from Kid's gently grasp and fiddled with the coverlet.
"Running won't solve nothing. There's a Hiram Teller in most every town."
"Maybe a different line of work? Maybe in a dress shop... Find yourself a good man, a kind man that's wants to take care of you."
Annie shook her head. "Look at me... Nobody's gonna hire me in a respectable place. "I've been used like this since I was seven years old... It's just how men are." Annie's whole being looked forlorn and wilted. "The other girls tell me you're the exception," she said, then slowly raised her eyes to look at him as she smiled sadly. "They say you respect women, that you know what love is all about."
"I do respect women," Kid replied, "But I learned a long time ago that love... Well love ain't nothing more than a soft breeze that brushes over a person, then vanishes as quick as it come... But Annie, that's me. Things could be different for you."
Annie's eyes said differently. "We're the same in that respect... And for me, running won't change that."
"Then let me change that," Kid said impulsively.
"How?"
…. Three weeks later, Kid and Annie were married by the Justice of the Peace.
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Their first night in the cabin, Kid went to bed before Annie, wanting to clearly establish that he expected no favors. He was also expected to be back to work on the ranch owned by Mr. Detmiller, and wanted a good night's sleep. He woke before sunup, made coffee and a quick breakfast, and was gone from the cabin before Annie was awake.
Annie woke a few hours later. As with every morning, she work with a nervous stomach and she reached for the tin of soda crackers she kept on the nightstand. The bicarbonate in the crackers usually helped to reduce the nausea, but some mornings, it was questionable whether she'd make it to the outhouse in time to relieve her stomach of it's contents.
These morning activities of Kid and Annie soon became a working routine for them and as the weeks passed, Annie came to feel comfortable with the life she and Kid were sharing. So comfortable that after two months as Mrs. Curry, Annie decided it was time to repay him.
That night, an hour after Kid had gone to bed, Annie tapped lightly on his door. When she got no response, Annie slowly opened the door and took a timid step inside. When she saw that Kid was still asleep, Annie approached the bed and gently lifted the sheet and slipped into the bed beside him. The jostling of the bed springs woke him.
Annie?"
"We've been married for over two months," she said softly. I think it's time to consummate it."
Kid smiled but remained hesitant. "You don't have to do this," he reassured her.
Annie didn't tell him that she very much felt that she did have to do this. Instead, she smiled and cozied up to him. "I know... I want to. I've come to realize the girls were right. You ain't like them others."
"Annie," he said, but she quickly quieted him.
"Shh," she said, placing her hand softly on his chest, then raising her head to kiss him.
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July 22, 1883
It was Heyes' wife Arleta who had sent him the telegram telling him to finish his business quickly and return home as Jed had been seriously injured after being thrown from a bucking horse. She had offered no other information, a fact Heyes interpreted as a bad omen and he hastily postponed the real estate transaction, the purchase of a saloon and casino in Tylerville to add to the three he already owned in various towns.
Heyes had quickly packed his satchel, sent a brief reply telegram to his wife informing her that his return was imminent and asking her to notify Annie that he was on his way, then boarded the first train for home, a two day trip at a minimum.
Arriving at home in the wee hours of the morning, Heyes was greeted at the train station by Arleta with a fresh horse, and packed saddlebags. He handed over his satchel and allotted her no more than ten minutes to update him before giving her a quick kiss and a hasty "I love you." Then he saddled up and raced the eighteen miles out of town to the ramshackle cabin Jed and Annie rented from Mr. Detmiller, the rancher that Jed worked for.
It was approaching ten in the morning when Heyes reached the cabin and tethered his horse to the post. Annie met him on the porch and quickly led him to the well, far enough away from the house not to be overheard.
"How is he?" Heyes asked urgently.
Annie's eyes were red from days of relentless tears and nights without sleep. Her chin quivered as she tried to suppress the tears long enough to tell Heyes what he wanted to know.
"Annie?" Heyes prodded.
"Doc says he's not gonna die," she told him.
"But?"
"He's poleaxed"
"You mean paralyzed? He can't move?"
Annie nodded. "Got no feeling from the waist down, Doc says."
"Permanent?"
"Doc don't know, yet. Said something about the swelling needing to go down before he can tell if it's permanent."
"Does Kid know that, about the swelling I mean?"
Annie shrugged. "He knows he can't move. He's so angry. I can't talk to him without him yelling at me, telling me to get out," she said and the tears flowed as sobs wracked her body. "That ain't the Jed I know."
Heyes wrapped her in his arms and stroked her long blonde hair. "When did this happen?"
"Almost a week ago," she replied and pushed away slightly as she tried to gain some emotional control. "He won't eat nothing, won't let me wash him, he turns away every time I come in the room. He... he don't know I sent word to you."
Heyes nodded, his mind racing. He knew Kid's anger would only intensify when he saw him, but Annie was past exhaustion, both physically and emotionally.
"Annie, is there a place you can rest, get some sleep?"
"There's a spare bedroom. It ain't furnished with much but I've moved back ...I moved in there," she said, giving Heyes an impression that separate bedrooms was something new. "He won't let me lay with him."
"When was the last time you ate anything, or had any decent sleep?"
Annie shook her head, her chin still quivering uncontrollably.
"You got food in the house? Something I can cook up for you before you go get some rest?" Eyes asked.
"I gathered eggs outta the coop this morning. They're in a basket on the counter."
"Alright. You come sit on the porch swing while I go fix you something to eat before you get some sleep. When you're up again, we'll go in and see the Kid together."
"I ain't changed the sheets yet this morning. I gotta change em every morning."
"You mean he's..."
Annie lowered her head and nodded.
"We'll take care of that when you wake up. Between the two of us, he's not in a position to argue. Now come on."
Heyes wrapped an arm about her waist and led her to the porch and into the swing. "I'll be back in a minute," he promised.
Ten minutes later he returned with a plate of scrambled eggs and two cups of coffee.
"Is he drinking?" Heyes asked as he sat down on the swing beside her.
"You mean alcohol? I don't buy him no alcohol." Annie asked with some surprise as she took a small bite of the eggs.
"No, I mean anything. Water? Milk? Anything?'
Annie sighed but nodded her head. "We ain't got a cow or even a goat. I leave a glass of water by the bed and I find it empty when I go in there the next time, but he won't drink it in front of me. He won't talk to me unless he's yelling at me. He don't even look at me. I don't know why he's so angry at me. I didn't do this to him."
"Ah, Annie. He's not angry at you. He's angry at that damn horse. He's angry at his boss, he's angry at the whole situation. But mostly, I suspect he's angry at himself. He feels like he's let you down."
"He ain't let me down. I promised for better or worse and so did he."
"I know that, and you know that, but he ain't ready to think about that yet."
Annie put her fork down on the plate. "I can't eat no more."
"You go in and sleep. When you wake up, we'll go face the music, together."
Annie smiled despite her exhaustion. "Thank you for coming, Heyes."
"Annie, I know how stubborn he is, how proud he is. I know how hard it was for you to get in touch with us. I'm the one that should be thanking you."
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While Annie slept, Heyes set to work cleaning the pan and dishes he had used. Then he walked out to the barn and tended to the two stalled horses and raked the stalls before climbing the loft to rake an area for sleeping. He found and oil lamp and an empty crate and carried them up to the loft to create a nightstand. Then he went back down to the lower level and set to work cleaning the rest of the barn. He returned to the house, where his horse was tethered outside, and led his sorrel to an empty stall, then fed and watered the horse before finally taking a walk into the wooded area behind the house in the hopes of finding and shooting something for their supper.
As he walked into the house, Annie was just coming out of the spare room. While not refreshed, she did look like she had been able to sleep. Heyes smiled and held up the two rabbits he had managed to shoot. He laid them on the counter next to the sink, then pumped some water to wash his hands.
"Well, I guess we go face the Curry wrath, then we'll fix us all a good supper," he said with a smile.
Annie nodded and walked toward the closed bedroom door where she paused and looked at Heyes, then took a deep breath and sighed heavily before knocking.
"Jed, you awake?" she asked as she timidly opened the door while Heyes stayed behind and waited for her signal.
Kid was lying on his back, his eyes open but staring at the ceiling and he offered no acknowledgment that she was there.
"I thought I'd get the sheets changed," she told him. "And there's somebody here to see you."
"You send em away. I ain't seeing nobody."
"Jed, he's come a long way."
Only Kid's eyes moved and an angry glare came to rest upon her. "You sent for him, didn't you? How could you," he said in a low guttural snarl.
Heyes heard Kid's reaction and knew Annie was likely in for an ugly rampage, so he knocked on the door frame and walked into the room with a smile on his face.
"Hey, Kid..."
"Go away," Kid growled and turned his head away.
The room had the pungent odor of urine, despite the window being open. Kid's face had smudge streaks on the cheeks, and a week's growth of a beard covered his jaw, upper lip, and cheeks. Patches of his hair lay flat against his head. Heyes put on his best poker face and tried hard to ignore the stale smell of the room.
"Ah, you know I can't do that. You know I won't do that. That tone might scare a lot of people, but it never has scared me. Now I understand we've got some work to do, and we're going to do it whether you like it or not."
"You're in my house, Heyes, and I'm telling you to get out!" Kid exclaimed.
"Annie, why don't you go warm up some water. I think my partner here smells a little rank," Heyes said and nodded to Annie to make an exit from the room, which she did rather quickly.
Heyes walked around the bed and sat down close to Kid's head where he thought the linen was likely still dry. Kid turned his head in the other direction. Heyes shook his head slightly, knowing if need be, he could be every bit as stubborn as his partner.
"Don't matter, Kid. Turning away ain't gonna make me disappear. You don't have to look at me. But you won't stop me from talking none. So the first thing to talk about is...ain't either one of you ever heard of using a milk bottle between the legs at night? Might keep the bed dry."
Refusing to show his embarrassment, Kid remained ardent in his quest to get Heyes out of the room."I told you to get out."
"I thought we already covered that. I ain't leaving," Heyes replied. "Now, ain't nobody told me how you got hurt."
Annie walked in with clean sheets and Kid just closed his eyes, having no where else to turn his head without being confronted.
"Annie, Kid don't seem to be in much of a mood for conversation, so perhaps you can tell me how he got hurt?"
Terrified of overstepping her boundary and risking another irate tirade from Kid, Annie looked at Jed nervously, but his eyes remained closed.
"He got throwed from a horse he was trying to break for Mr. Detmiller. Throwed him back first into the split rail fence. That's what I was told anyway."
"Who told you?" Heyes asked.
"A couple of the hands that brung him here."
"Was he conscious when he got here?"
Annie nodded. "He didn't hit his head or nothing."
"And the doctor came right away?"
Again Annie nodded. "He said Jed has to stay in bed and that I shouldn't move him any more that I hafta to keep... well, any more than I hafta."
"Kid, We're gonna roll you over to get the old sheet out and the new sheet under you," Heyes told him and got up off the bed. "Oh and Annie, remind me to explain the use of a milk bottle to you. It'll save on laundry," Heyes said as he worked. "Okay, Kid, I'm gonna pull you over towards me again."
"I got the use of my damn arms, Heyes!"
"Good, then help us by holding on to the bed frame."
Annie pulled the sheet loose from her side of the bed and offered the ends to Heyes. "Pull him over with this. It brings the legs over with him and helps to keep his back straight."
Heyes did as instructed and watched Annie place the clean sheet. "You been doing this all by yourself? That can't be easy."
Kid's face glowered as he grabbed hold of the bed frame, and Annie and Heyes finished changing one side of the bed. Then they rolled Kid to the other side to finish the job before easing Kid onto his back and covered him up to his shoulders.
"No nightshirt?" Heyes asked.
"He don't own one," Annie explained.
"Well, I think tomorrow I'll go into town and pick up a couple for you. Your wife might find that to be a pretty sight, but I don't especially."
"Heyes, if you ain't gonna leave my house when I ask you, the least you can do is be civil," Kid snapped.
"Alright, alright, no need to be proddy." Heyes said as he looked at Annie and winked. Annie gave him a brief and nervous smile in return.
"No need to be...The two of you have done what you came in here to do, now get out!"
"We'll go when we're done in here and not a minute sooner. You rant and rave all you want, Kid. It won't change the fact that you are in dire need of a bath," Heyes in a calm, but no nonsense voice. "Annie if you will go fetch an empty and clean milk bottle and a pan of hot water and a bar of soap, a couple of wash cloths and towels, I think we can get Kid feeling pretty comfortable," he told her, then turned his attention back to Kid. "When we're done, Annie and me are going to go make us all some supper."
It took her a couple of trips, but Annie returned with all the supplies Heyes had requested.
"Now Kid, one way or the other, you are getting a bath," Heyes said as he pulled the sheet and blanket down to Kid's waist. "So you can either help us, or you can make it harder on all three of us by not helping. Choice is yours," Heyes said as he lathered up a wet wash cloth and held it out to Kid.
Kid's scowl did not change as he stared at the wet cloth dripping on his chest. But he eventually snatched the cloth and began washing his face and ears, then moved down to his chest. When he had finished, Heyes handed him a plain wet cloth to rinse off with, followed by a towel.
"Annie, if you would get the lower half, I'll be back in just a minute, and then we'll get the back side," Heyes said and walked out of the room to give Kid a bit of privacy.
When Heyes returned he and Annie got Kid's backside cleaned.
"Now, you want your Henley, and maybe some long johns?"
Kid looked at Heyes rather timidly.
"Don't worry, the milk bottle will still work," Heyes assured him so Kid nodded timidly.
Annie got the clothing from a dresser drawer and together they got Kid dressed.
"Got any extra pillows?" Heyes asked. "I think if we get him propped up a bit he can do the honors himself," Heyes said, handing Kid the empty milk bottle. "Placement is everything, so get it right," Heyes cautioned him.
"Now why don't you stay sitting up while we get supper made and we'll all just eat in here tonight?"
Kid sighed heavily and closed his eyes, but Heyes noticed the scowl was far less intense.
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"When's the last time the doctor's been out here?" Heyes asked after the rabbits had been cleaned and skewered and were roasting on the pit in the fireplace.
"He had been coming out every day, but Mrs. Hollister's baby is due, so I suppose he's been busy over at their place."
"I fixed up a place for me in the barn. If you need me to help with him during the night, you just come get me."
Annie nodded. "I will."
"And tomorrow I am going into town to pick up a few things, supplies, a couple of night shirts, things like that."
"Jed don't want charity," Annie cautioned.
"You let me worry about that," Heyes replied. "It ain't charity, Annie. You and Jed would do the same for me,"
When supper was ready they carried three plates of roast rabbit and mashed potatoes into Kid's room. Kid was asleep but, because Annie had told him that Kid hadn't eaten in a week, Heyes had no compunctions about waking him.
Kid was quiet, but not sullen throughout the meal, but barely touched the food, preferring to simply move it about on his plate. Heyes noticed how little eye contact Kid was willing to make with either him or Annie. But the fact that he was not ordering Heyes out of the house was at least a small step in the right direction.
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Heyes didn't wait for breakfast the following morning, opting instead to head for town and, hopefully give Annie and Kid a chance to talk. He headed to the General store and purchased two night shirts for Kid and a large supply of caned foods, flour, sugar, salt, and other such items. He found a cot available in the store and bought that, thinking it might be more comfortable than the straw covered floor of the barn loft. He also bought two bottles of whiskey at the saloon and sent a telegram to Arleta explaining that he would be staying at least a week, but would keep her posted on any changes. He bought three big steaks at the butcher shop, knowing steak was Kid's favorite meal.
The last stop Heyes made was at the Doctor's office.
"Well you don't look sick and you don't look hurt, so what exactly is it I can do for you?" Dr. Bixler asked when Heyes walked into the office.
"I'm Hannibal Heyes, Jed Curry's cousin. I'm here because he was injured, and I figure you are my best source of information on the matter."
"Likely a pretty sound conclusion. Jed send you here?"
"No. He's... still pretty angry. Won't talk much. But I know from experience that he'll come around eventually. Annie tells me you don't know if this paralysis is a permanent thing?"
"No way to tell just yet, though the way he was injured doesn't always fare well for a person. Still, I've seen a few make as near to a full recovery as I'm ever apt to see. It's very long road to recovery, Mr. Heyes."
"Anything we can be doing to improve the odds?"
"It ain't a matter of odds. It's a matter of how severe the injury really is. A lower end vertebrae injury can heal in a matter of weeks or months, but if the spinal cord has been severed or close to being severed, or the vertebrae has been shattered, he ain't gonna walk again. And I got no way of telling which kind of injury it is until the internal swelling goes down and I can feel the bone alignment and start testing for reflexes and movement."
"What about...well, being a man..."
"Same thing Mr. Heyes. Won't know that till we know how extensive the injury is."
"And pain? I haven't seen her give him anything for pain."
"The nerves ain't working. Nerves are what tells the body it's hurting. No nerves working, no pain."
"How about getting him out of bed? Annie said you ordered bed rest, but I think that's adding to his irritability, and Annie won't be able to get him out of bed by herself."
"If the paralysis is permanent, I'll show you all how such things can be accomplished. I will tell you that turning him, one side to the other, then to the back, every chance you get will help keep him from getting any bedsores. But you have to keep his back straight, and support him with pillows. Make sure he eats a proper diet and lots of fluids."
"So how do we keep his leg muscles strong while he's like this?"
"I'll come by late this afternoon and I'll show you and Annie some things you can be doing. Mr. Heyes, don't go building up Jed and Annie's hopes, at least not until I know there may be something to hope for."
"What about Jed's medical expenses?"
"They're starting to pile up some. I ain't going to stop treating just cause he can't pay."
"Heyes nodded. "I'm going to be here for at least a week. I'll settle up with you on Jed's medical expenses before I leave. Thank you, doctor. You've been most helpful."
"I'll see you again this afternoon when I stop by."
Heyes drove the buckboard back out to Kid's cabin and Annie helped him unload the supplies.
"I got a cot for up in the loft."
"I do appreciate all you've done Heyes, but I didn't ask you to spend so much of your money. I don't think Jed would be happy if he knew you was doing that."
"No you didn't. So you have no reason to feel guilty, and you let me worry about Jed on that matter. Oh, Dr. Bixler said he'd be by late this afternoon. I like him. He doesn't try to make things look gloomy or rosy. Just explains where we are in the recovery."
"Where did he say we were on the recovery?"
Heyes frowned. "We're still in the wait and see stage, I'm afraid."
"Oh," Annie said sadly and carried one of the bags into the house.
Heyes carried the last bag of groceries into the house and set the sack on the kitchen table..
"If you put groceries away, I'll get this cot set up for in the loft. Does Kid need tending?"
Annie shook her head. "I was just in there. He's sleeping."
"How was he this morning with you?"
Annie shrugged. "He didn't yell at me or nothing. S'pose that's an improvement."
"Annie, before this happened, did Kid ever yell at you?"
She shook her head. "Never. He was always sweet and was always worrying about me."
"Annie, this adjustment is hard on you, it's hard on all of us, but it's hardest on Kid. Give him some time. He'll work through things. I've known Kid a long time. He always manages to work through things."
Annie nodded her head and reached into one of the bags to start putting groceries away. But she stopped and watched as Heyes picked up the cot and headed out the door. She sighed heavily and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. There were things he didn't know. Things neither he nor Kid knew. Things she wasn't ready to share.
Heyes returned from the barn a few minutes later. "You need any help?" he asked.
Annie shook her head. "No, I'm fine. It's easier if I do this since you don't know where everything belongs."
Heyes opened a bottle of whiskey and poured two glasses. "I'll go check on Kid."
He headed to the bedroom and found the door partially ajar. As he walked in, he saw the quick turn of Kid's head and knew his was awake.
"Doctor's gonna be by soon. You need anything cleaned or emptied or changed before he gets here?"
Kid slowly turned his head and gave a quick glance at his partner. Eyes extended his hand, offering Kid one of the glasses of whiskey, but Kid made no effort to take the offering. Instead, Kid sighed heavily and cast his eyes to the ceiling. Heyes shrugged and set Kid's glass on the dresser.
"How about a shave? I'll get you set up with a mirror and water, everything you need?"
Kid slowly reached up and felt the hair growth. "Maybe later," he replied softly.
Heyes picked up a chair and carried over to the bed and sat down."Kid, what has the doctor told you?"
"Nothing," Kid said quietly.
"You mean literally noting, or he don't have nothing definite to tell you yet?"
"He ain't told me nothing, Heyes. Him and Annie always go outta the room to talk."
"Don't you think it's about time that changed?"
"Look at me, Heyes. I can't stop either one of him."
"Have you asked him to tell you?"
Kid shook his head.
"Well maybe it's time, Kid."
Heyes picked up two spare pillows from a chair piled high with blankets, sheets, and pillows, and brought them over to the bed. "Here, sit up and I'll get these behind your back so you can see what's going on when the doctor gets here."
Heyes propped the pillows and then sat down on the bed. "I talked to the doctor this morning. He says its too early to tell what kind of recovery you're gonna make, but he ain't ruled out you're walking again."
Kid's eyes widened as he looked at Heyes.
"Does that come as news to you?" Heyes asked.
Kid nodded. "Annie never told me."
"Kid, you and Annie ain't been married more than what, three or four months now?"
"Four."
Heyes fell quiet, silently debating whether to follow the path this conversation was taking.
"Before this happened... Were you and Annie having...problems?"
Kid turned his face toward the wall. "I took vows when I married her, Heyes... I won't go back on em."
"She feel the same way?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Do you love her?"
Kid remained silent as the thought of Michelle took root in his mind.
Heyes sighed heavily. "You still won't open that door again, will you? I've got news for you, Kid. If love decides to find you, you won't be able to stop it. Now tell me, does Annie feel the same way about this marriage?"
Kid nodded slowly as he forced the thoughts of Michelle back into the recesses of his thinking.
"Why did the two of you get married? Was she...?"
"No," Kid said quickly. "And it ain't too likely she is now."
"Why did the two of you marry?"
"I offered to...as a favor to her."
"A favor? That's a mighty big favor."
"Look, Heyes... It was her only way out of a... a bad situation."
Another Knight in Shining Armor gesture?"
Before Kid could respond, there was a slight rap on the door and Annie poked her head into the room. "You two ready to see Doctor Bixler, cause he just rode up."
Heyes smiled "Yeah, we're ready."
Annie left to greet the doctor. "We'll talk about this again later, Kid."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Dr. Bixler performed all the usual examinations and reflex testing but as yet found no significant change or improvement. He put his tines and other equipment back in his medical bag and stood up.
He's still in what I like to call the..."
"Doc," Kid interrupted.
"Yes son?"
"I'm sure you don't mean to be doing it, but you seem to be forgetting that I'm your patient, so I'm the one you should be talking to," Kid said politely, but with serious conviction.
Dr. Bixler looked at Annie, but she lowered her eyes toward the floor and deferred to Kid.
"You're right Mr. Curry, I'm sorry. You're still in a recovery period and will be for another week, maybe two. During that time, as the internal swelling goes down, the...bones in the spine start moving back into proper alignment. That's when we'll know what the possibilities are."
"You mentioned some exercises this morning?" Heyes reminded him.
"Yes, of course. I'll show you all. Nothing too strenuous at first but do them three or four times a day for twenty or thirty minutes at a time. Are you eating Mr. Curry?"
"Some,"
"Not much," Annie replied.
"It's important that you eat well, drink well too."
Kid nodded.
"When can he start getting out of bed?"
"I see you've got him sitting up. Always be careful doing that and always provide good back support with the pillows. I'd say another week. Moving from the bed to a chair requires a lot of twisting of the back muscles, so I think waiting a while longer is important so as not to over strain muscles that are already severely strained."
The doctor picked up his medical bag and headed for the door where he stopped and turned back around toward Kid.
"Mr. Curry, has Frank Detmiller stopped by?"
Kid shook his head.
Heyes noticed that the doctor looked a bit concerned at Kid's response.
"I'll walk you out, Doctor," Heyes said and quickly followed the doctor out of the room before anyone had a chance to protest.
"This Detmiller, he's the one that owns the ranch where Kid got hurt?" Heyes asked as he and the doctor stood by the carriage
Dr. Bixler nodded. "And this cabin, too I'm afraid."
"Afraid? Are you saying a visit from this man might be more than just a social call?"
"Frank Detmiller is a wealthy man, and a very influential one as well. He does not spend his money loosely and is not known to extend charity."
"You saying he might evict them?"
"It would not be the first time he's evicted someone for missing even one month's rent."
"Where is this Detmiller's ranch?"
"Five miles down the road."
"Thank you. I'll go pay him a visit tomorrow."
That evening they ate steak and fried potatoes. Kid managed to eat better than half his meal which pleased Heyes. After getting Kid readied for bed, Heyes retreated to the loft and by the light of the oil lamp, he wrote Arleta a lengthy letter that began by describing Kid's condition and the hardships it had placed on both Kid and Annie, and ended with his asking her to come as he needed to go back to Tylerville to close the deal on the casino.
0-0-0-0-0-0
The next morning, Heyes helped with Kid's morning needs and breakfast, and even convinced Kid to shave. Then told them he would be gone most of the day. He walked out to the barn, saddled his sorrel, and headed for the Detmiller ranch.
"You Frank Detmiller?" Heyes asked the man standing on the edge of his porch.
"I am. And who might you be?"
Heyes climbed off his horse and approached the house but stopped at the front of the steps. "Hannibal Heyes, sir."
"The outlaw?"
"No sir. The former outlaw, and my friend Jed Curry works for you."
"Been meaning to stop by there. How is he doing?"
"Doc says he'll live. Don't know just what kind of shape he'll be in yet."
Detmiller nodded. "I hear he was pretty badly injured. I shot the damn horse. He came from a herd of wild stallions. Don't want no more of my hands getting hurt. Can't afford to lose them."
"Maybe could have just turned him loose, back to the wild herd."
"Don't need a lecture from you as to how to run my ranch. What did you come here for?" Detmiller asked, already not liking the man who came calling.
"I came to pay Jed's rent for say, six months while he heals up."
"Can't help you then."
"Why not?"
"I'm a business man, Mr. Heyes. I hire men to work here. Put them on my payroll. One of them men gets injured and can't do the job, I do the charitable thing and keep him on the payroll for two months. If they still ain't back, well then they don't work for me no more. It's fair."
"Depends on your definition, I suppose. So in two months, you're just gonna throw Jed and Annie out in the street?"
"When one of my hands signs a rental contract for one of my cabins, they know there's a two month grace period for a lay-off or injury."
"Fine, I'll pay for two months rent," Heyes said and pulled his wallet from his vest pocket. "How much?"
"Twenty dollars."
Heyes looked shocked. "You charge them half their earnings for those buildings that are little more than line shacks?"
"They have the option of the bunkhouse, for free."
"Heyes handed the man twenty dollars. "I'd like a receipt."
Detmiller nodded and went inside the house, returning a couple of minutes later with a hand written receipt which Heyes examined. "The date please," he said, handing the receipt back to Detmiller who did as asked and returned the receipt to Heyes.
Heyes next rode to town where he posted his letter to Arleta, then stopped for a beer at the saloon. Only then did Heyes realize the letter would not reach Arleta in time for her to arrive before he was to leave for Tylerville, so he headed to the telegraph office and sent her a telegram. Lastly he stopped at the General Store for a bag of peppermints for Kid.
Heyes then headed back to the cabin, but when he took his horse into the barn, he discovered one of Kid's horses was missing. Heyes put his sorrel in the stall and hurried into the house and went directly to Kid's room.
"Where's Annie?"
Kid woke up with a start. "What? What's the matter?" he asked urgently and, with some effort, propped himself up on his elbows.
"Annie and one of the horses is gone."
"Oh," Kid sighed and dropped back down on the bed. "She said she had an errand to run. What time is it?"
"Almost four. What errand?"
"I don't know, Heyes. An errand. She said she'd be back in time for supper."
"She just left you here, all alone?"
"I told her it was alright, Heyes. What's the problem?"
"I just... I just think someone should be watching your back, that's all."
Kid chuckled. "Heyes, the mattress is doing a fine job of watching my back."
Heyes forced a slight laugh."Kid, can I ask you something personal?"
"What?"
"Well, you said you and Annie got married to help her out of a situation..." Heyes began and sat down on the foot of the bed.
"And you want to know what that was?"
Heyes nodded.
Kid sighed. Annie... didn't come from a good home. Her Pa... Well let's just say her Pa found a way to make some money... renting her out. She ran off the first chance she got. She took a job as a saloon girl here. One of her... regular customers treated her real bad. I'd...helped her outta situations with him a couple of times. She needed to get herself free of him real quick."
"Oh, I see. And you came along and saved her from all that, in your usual noble manner."
Kid shrugged. "I weren't never one of her customers... You can see how young she looks... Anyway, the last couple of times, he'd hurt her. Me, and the other girls working there didn't want that to happen again. Her and me talked it over and, well this seems to be a good solution for her."
"And you?"
Kid shook his head. "I made it clear to her she wasn't under no obligation to... be anything more than a..."
"A roommate?"
"Yeah. So one Sunday in April we paid a visit to the Justice of the Peace and got hitched. I brung her here and things went as planned for a couple of months. I took this room and she took the other."
"And you've been taking care of her ever since?"
"She didn't have no money, Heyes, not a red cent. I couldn't afford to put her up somewhere. These cabins seemed like a good option."
"Did the two of you..."
"Not at first, then one night she came to my bed. I told her I didn't want her feeling obligated, but she said she weren't there outta obligation. We've been together a couple of times but...then she stopped coming, and I weren't about to force her. Anyway now its...Well we're back to sharing a cabin, but nothing else." Kid laughed sarcastically. "Course that don't matter no more, does it? I can't share nothing with her or any other woman."
"Kid, the day I arrived, she was very upset."
"About me?"
Heyes nodded. "About your... situation and how you are dealing with it?"
"She expect me to be happy, Heyes? Of course I'm upset and mad, and..."
Heyes instantly wanted to simmer the situation. "What I'm saying Kid, is that I think she honestly cares about you... and I think you honestly care about her. Maybe it's not love in the traditional sense, but the two of you do share some genuine compassion, empathy. That may be why you get so mad at her."
Kid grew reflective and when he spoke, his voice was almost inaudible. "It feels more like sympathy, Heyes, and I don't want nobody's sympathy."
"Maybe you and Annie should have the kind of talk we're having," Heyes suggested.
When Kid didn't respond, Heyes decided it was time to lighten the atmosphere."Well you know you won't be getting any sympathy from me. Just pushing and prodding from me. After all, ain't that what partners are for."
Kid couldn't help himself from laughing. "Yeah, that's what partners are for."
"And on that note, I think I should tell you, I'll be leaving on Saturday for a few days. I wrote Arleta and asked her to come and help Annie while I'm gone."
"Geese, Heyes. I understand Annie needs help, but does the whole damn family have to... get so well acquainted with me?"
"I'll tell her to be discrete," Heyes chided. "I've already got a cot in the barn. I thought maybe Arleta could stay here in the house rather than sleeping in the loft."
"Of course, Heyes. You could move the cot in here for Annie. She wouldn't mind. Then Arleta can have a room to herself."
"Maybe we'll let the ladies decide that one. You ready for a round of them exercises?"
"Well, I don't know that ready is the word, but I suppose they gotta be done."
"I bought you a bag of peppermints. If you work real hard at these exercises, I'll give them to you."
"You sound like you're training a dog, Heyes."
"I always have thought of you as a bit of a mutt."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"Nice ride?" Heyes asked when Annie returned to the cabin. He was in the kitchen making supper and did not bother looking up from his work.
"Uh-uh." Annie replied, then realized a more informative reply might quench Heyes' curiosity. "I wanted to see about a job I heard about."
"Don't you think you have a big of enough job right here?"
Annie sighed heavily. "We need the money, Heyes. There, you satisfied? Bills are already piling high."
Heyes paused, then put the knife he'd been using down on the counter and turned to Annie.
"I didn't... I'm sorry," he said.
Heyes walked over to the table and held his hand out. "Come here and sit down a minute, please."
They both sat down and Heyes looked directly into her eyes. "I know money is tight and I'm not telling you this for any gratitude. Kid and I have been partners for as long as we can remember. We always take care of each other. The cabin is paid up for two months. I'm taking care of the medical bills. I'll see that you and Kid have a monthly stipend for as long as you need it. When Kid is as well as he's going to get, I'll have a job for him. Don't overburden yourself, Annie. Kid needs you here with him for as long as you're willing to stay."
"What makes you think I ain't willing to stay?"
"I don't think that. But circumstances change as we both well know. People change. A lot of things can change."
"He told you about... our marriage?"
Heyes nodded. "But from what I've seen, even with all the bickering, I think the two of you really do care about the other."
Annie began to cry. "I don't know if I can do this. There's things...neither one of you know."
"I know you've had a hard life and right now it's not getting any easier. I know the same is true for Kid.. And I know neither one of you really wants to hurt the other."
Annie nodded and wiped the tears away with back of her hand.
"Annie, Kid's awake in there. Maybe you should go in. Maybe the two of you can have that long overdue talk."
Again Annie nodded, but was still hesitant. "What if he tells me he don't want me here no more?"
Heyes gave her a reassuring smile. "He won't tell you that. The two of you need each other right now. He knows that, and I think you do too. But both of you need to be honest with each other. If you don't think now is the time, that's fine. But the two of you do need to talk. Don't put it off for long."
"Might as well not put it off, I suppose," she said and headed toward Kid's bedroom.
"Annie, one other thing... Kid don't need to know about the money just yet. I'll be the one to tell him that."
She nodded, then disappeared down the short hall to Kid's room. Heyes smiled when he heard the bedroom door close.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Annie knocked lightly on the door, then pushed the door open enough to slip inside, but after shutting the door, she lingered there, uncertain what to say or do next.
"Something wrong?" Kid asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"I got something to talk to you about."
"Something is wrong. Did the doctor tell you something?"
"No," she assured him. "Nothing like that. This is about me and, and I don't want you thinking any less of me than you already do."
Kid felt a sharp pang of guilt at her words and realized how unfair he had been toward her. "Annie, come over here and sit down,' he said, motioning to the bed.
Annie did as he asked, but couldn't bring her eyes to meet his. He took her hands in his and held them gently.
"Annie, I'm sorry," he began. "I've treated you badly for something that, you're not to blame... You didn't cause this, and you stood by me when... it would have been easier to walk out... Maybe your lady friends are wrong. Maybe I ain't no different..." he said, staring at the delicate hands resting in his own.
When he finally raised his eyes, Annie was staring right into his own and he could see tear streaks down her cheeks. He reached out to wipe the tears away with his thumb. Annie reached up for his hand and clasped it tightly.
"You're wrong, Jed. You are different. It's me that... I ain't been honest with you."
"About what?"
"I'm gonna have a baby, Jed... and the baby ain't yours... I tried to trick you."
"That's why you came to my bed?"
Annie nodded and the tears again began to flow.
Kid took a deep breath, this time ignoring the tears. He wasn't angry, not with Annie anyway. Their marriage was one of convenience and this was just an example of that. But he was angry about her situation.
"Who? The man that beat you?"
Annie nodded and cast her eyes down, once again unable to look at him. Soon the tears became sobs and jolted Kid's thoughts back to the here and now. He looked at her and again tried to wipe the tears away.
"Annie, it's alright. It ain't the seed that's important, it's the nurturing. We'll raise ourselves a fine child. How far along are you?"
Annie raised her head. "I think a little over five months."
"You think? You ain't seen a doctor?"
Annie shook her head. "That's where I went today. I ain't seen him before that."
"Well, you're gonna keep seeing him...get the proper care. We want our child to be strong and healthy."
Annie pinched her lips together, then abruptly leaned in and hugged Kid about his shoulders. "I'll make you a good wife, Jed. I'll learn. I promise."
"Annie, does anybody else know about this?"
Annie shook her head. "I don't think so."
"Let's wait a little longer before we tell anyone... till I know if I'm ever gonna walk again."
Annie pulled back and nodded her understanding. "Whenever you want."
Kid smiled, then reached over to the wash basin beside his bed. He dipped a cloth in the water and handed it to Annie. "Here, wash your face before you go back out there. Otherwise Heyes will be thinking we've been fighting."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
On Friday Heyes took the wagon into town. As he walked up to the General Store, the telegraph delivery boy came running down the street, waving a telegram in his hand and shouting "Mr. Heyes! Mr. Heyes!"
Heyes stopped and when the boy caught up to him, Heyes handed him two bits for his trouble. Heyes then opened the brief telegram.
"When does the afternoon stage arrive?" Heyes asked the boy.
"Any time now mister. It was due ten minutes ago."
"Thank you," he said and headed for the Stage Office.
Arleta, a beautiful woman with a dark complexion and hair the color of Heyes' hair, stepped down off the stage and Heyes smiled at the sight of his wife. She was nearly as tall as he, slender build and dark coal black eyes. They embraced, kissed, and Heyes picked up her luggage.
"Ah, it's good to see you," he told her. "Come on, the wagon is down at the General Store.
"How's Jed?" she asked.
"Still can't move his legs, but his disposition is better than when I arrived.."
"What does the doctor say?"
"Not much yet. He's supposed to come by this afternoon."
"And Annie?"
Heyes gave his head a slight tilt. "She's a bit overwhelmed I think... It's... it's not a typical marriage, more for convenience than anything else, I think. But that's Kid, always willing to help out a woman in distress."
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Kid," Annie said quietly as she sat at the foot of the bed while Kid, propped up with pillows, washed up for the morning using the bowl of hot water she had placed on a chair within his reach.
"Something wrong?"
"Heyes' wife will be here soon, today or maybe tomorrow..."
"Yeah, to help you while Heyes is gone."
"I know..."
"Then what's the problem?"
"Would you mind... if I move the cot in here and slept in here at night?"
"Of course not, but...why would you want to do that?"
Annie shrugged. "I don't know her."
Kid smiled, thinking Annie was shy, not knowing she simply feared Arleta might discover their secret..
"Sure, Annie. She won't think nothing of it. We are married after all."
She couldn't bring herself to make eye contact with him. Instead she walked to the dresser and got him a clean night shirt.
When she turned around she saw him sitting with a perplexed look on his face, the washcloth still in his hand dripping water onto the sheet.
""What's the matter?"
"I... I thought I felt something."
"Like what?"
Kid shook his head. "Like... I don't know."
"In your legs?"
Kid nodded. "It's gone now, but..."
Annie smiled. "Maybe that's a sign that you are getting better," she said as she brought the night shirt to the bed and set it down near Kid.
Kid nodded, still confused as to just what it was he had felt, a sort of twinge or needle prick high up in his thigh.
Annie heard the wagon approaching and headed for the door. "I think Heyes is back. I'll go help him carry things in."
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Annie, come meet Arleta," Heyes called to her when she stepped out onto the porch.
Arleta climbed out of the wagon and wrapped Annie in a warm embrace.
"So lovely to meet you," Arleta told her. "I'm sure we're going to be wonderful friends."
Annie smiled nervously but nodded her head.
"You two go on in and get to know each other. I'll get the things unloaded," Heyes told them.
Annie made them some tea and the two women chatted while Heyes brought in the few packages.
"I'll go see if Kid's awake and ready for some company," Heyes told them.
0-0-0-0-0-0
"You awake?" Heyes asked, peeking his head through the open door.
Kid nodded. "Yeah, come on in," he told Heyes as he pulled himself up in the bed and Heyes quickly stuffed a couple of pillows behind Kid's back.
"Arleta's here. I'm sure she wants to see you."
"Sure, I want to see her too, Heyes, but..."
Heyes moved closer to the bed. "Yeah?"
"I think I felt something," Kid replied and rubbed the front of his right thigh.
"In your legs?" Heyes asked with some excitement.
Kid nodded. "When I was washing up. It felt... like some bee stings or something."
"Maybe the nerves are starting to heal," Heyes said with a smile.
"And something else Heyes... You think you could move that cot in here?"
"Annie say she wants that?"
Kid nodded. "I think it's mostly cause she don't know Arleta, but..."
"Sure. Can Arleta say hello first?"
Kid nodded and smiled.
Heyes headed back out to the front room and told Arleta that Kid was awake. "You two go on in. I'm gonna get the cot moved in there."
Kid looked up when Annie and Arleta walked into the room. He smiled and held his arms out to Arleta who sat down on the edge of the bed and gave him a warm embrace. Annie moved to stand at the foot of the bed.
"I was so sorry to hear about this, Jed. How are you feeling?"
"That's the problem, I ain't feeling, at least not my legs as yet."
"You look good otherwise. I don't think I've seen you since the wedding."
"I've meant to visit but, well you know how that goes."
"Kid, you want something to eat?" Annie asked, feeling a twinge of neglect.
"No, thanks," Kid replied.
Heyes came to the door dragging the cot. "Where do you want this?"
"Maybe over there by the window," Annie replied.
"I don't want to put you out of your room," Arleta told her.
Annie shook her off. "It'll be easier to keep an eye on Kid during the night.
0-0-0-0-0-0
After supper when Arleta was helping Annie with the dishes there was a knock on the door. Heyes answered the door and was greeted by Dr. Bixler.
"Sorry it's so late but it's been a busy day," Dr. Bixler explained.
"No, that's fine. Come on in. I know Jed's kind of eager to see you."
"Some improvement?" the doctor asked.
"I'll let him tell you what happened and you decide."
"Hello, Annie," the doctor said as he walked into the cabin.
"Oh, this is my wife, Arleta," Heyes explained. "She's going to be staying here for a few days while I'm out of town. Arleta, this is doctor Bixler."
"Pleased to meet you Ma'am."
Heyes then led the doctor into Kid's room where Kid told him about the sensation he had felt earlier.
"That sounds encouraging, son. Lets just get a full examination done and see what we find."
Near the end of the examination, Dr. Bixler raised the linens off Kid's feet and pulled a pencil from his pocket. He ran the flat end of the pencil the full length of Kid's foot from heel to toe and smiled when he saw the slight reflex jerk. He did the same to the other foot and saw the same reaction.
"Well the nerves do seem to be slowly mending. Mr. Heyes, you think we could get Jed sitting on the edge of the bed? I want you supporting his backside."
With Kid sitting far enough back on the bed that his legs dangled but didn't quite touch the floor, Dr. Bixler pulled his reflex hammer from his bag and tapped several places on Kid's knees, again seeing slight reflex reaction.
"Yes indeed, the nerves are beginning to heal."
"So what does that mean? Am I going to walk again?" Kid asked as Heyes and the doctor got him comfortably back into the bed.
"At this point, all I can say is that you might at least gain some movement in your legs. To what extent that will be, I just can't tell you at this point. Gotta be patient, son. I do think we can add some more exercises and when you get back Mr. Heyes, we may be able to start letting Jed be up in a chair some."
"Kid smiled broadly. "You don't be gone too long, Heyes."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Heyes left early the next morning and for the next four days, Arleta helped Annie with the household and barn chores and the care of Kid. During that time, it became obvious to Arleta that what Heyes had told her was true, that Kid's marriage was one of convenience for both he and Annie. But something else became quite obvious to her as well.
One evening when she and Annie were in the barn and the conversation could occur privately, Arleta decided to broach Annie with her concern.
"You're not in love him, are you?" Arleta asked.
"What?" Annie asked nervously.
Arleta ignored Annie's reaction. Forcing a confession to something they both knew to be true served no purpose.
"I know what I'm asking is very personal, and likely none of my business but, did the two of you marry for love, or was it a matter of convenience for you both?"
"I care about him, I really do."
"But that's not what I asked you."
Annie sighed. "We both needed a place to live. Detmiller only rents these cabins to his married hands. So we... We got married."
"Does he know about the baby?"
"What baby?" Annie asked defensively.
Arleta smiled. "You can hide it from Kid, likely even Heyes. You can't hide that fact from another woman. Now, does he know?"
Annie nodded her head. "I told him a few days ago."
"And the father?"
Annie chewed on her lip.
"Does Jed know that as well?"
Annie nodded. "Baby needs a father," she said quietly. "Kid's a good man. He ain't gonna walk out on me and a baby."
"But the father did?"
Annie shook her head. "He don't even know. He left town a few months ago and ain't been back since."
"Annie, if Jed doesn't walk again, having the burden of a child and an invalid husband that you don't love, well, you'll come to resent him, too, maybe both of them."
Annie dropped her head but didn't reply.
"You already do, don't you?"
"I don't know what I feel. This ain't the life I had planned," she aid quietly."
"I'm sure it's not. I'm sure it's not the life Jed had planned either... Is staying fair to either one of you?"
Annie started to look up but a flicker of orange outside caught her eye. "The cabin's on fire!" she exclaimed.
Both women raced out of the barn toward the house that was already engulfed in flames.
"Kid!" Annie screamed as she darted toward the front door.
Arleta grabbed Annie's arm but Annie jerked free and quickly gathered her skirts, then forged her way up the steps and through the burning front door.
"Annie! No!" Arleta shouted.
"Help! Help!" came a frantic voice from the rear of the house.
Arleta lifted her skirts and darted around the corner of the house toward the frantic pleas. There, lying face down on the ground was Kid, shards of broken glass scattered nearby. His right hand was bleeding from having smashed his fist through the window and pushing remaining pieces of glass away from the window frame. The hem of his night shirt was smoldering and Arleta quickly stamped her feet on the bits of cloth.
"How did you get out?' Arleta shouted..
"Annie had moved the cot over next to the window. I was able to pull myself up onto it and then pull myself out the window, then I dragged myself as far as I could. Where's Annie?" Kid demanded.
"She ran inside," she told him as she grabbed him under both arms and dragged him further from the house.
Using his arms, Kid twisted himself around and sat up facing the burning building. "Annie!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. Annie!"
Suddenly they heard the sound of the wooden beams moaning and cracking, followed by a loud snap as the roof collapsed into the house, sending huge flames high into the night air.
Arleta and Kid froze, both realizing there was nothing either could do and they watched in horror as the flames consumed the cabin.
Riders from nearby cabins as well as the Detmiller Ranch hands came galloping up the lane after seeing the flames, but quickly realized they could not salvage the cabin or it's contents.
Within two excruciating hours, the cabin was just a smoldering shell of a structure. Kid had been placed in the back of the buckboard and he and Arleta were being driven to town. Both were wrought with anguish, knowing that Annie's charred body was somewhere in the smoldering debris.
Once in town, Kid was carried into the doctor's office to have his hand treated. Arleta used this time to waken the telegrapher and send a telegram to Heyes.
Kid spent two days in the doctor's office during which time, the Sheriff and his men found Annie's body in what had been the hallway leading to the back bedroom. Her body had been transported to the mortician's place of business and Arleta had graciously taken care of funeral arrangements. When Heyes made a hasty return, he and Arleta also were able to find a small residence in town that they were able to rent, and Kid was moved into the rental house with them.
Heyes and Arleta attended the simple funeral and graveside service for Annie, but the doctor refused to allow or enable Kid to attend. This only caused Kid to withdraw more. He tolerated that which he could not control, such as the daily exercises, but interacted only when necessary and relied heavily on sleep to pass the time.
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The plan was a simple one, though completely out of Kid's control. He, Heyes, and Arleta would stay in the rental house until such time as Kid was physically able to make the eighteen mile move to the Heyes' homestead, where his physical therapy would continue until the doctor deemed he had reached his fullest potential. It took two months for the day of travel to arrive.
While Kid felt he had no control of the matter, he was grateful to be leaving, going to a place where he was not known, where intrusive, though well meaning people would not be stopping by, offering condolences in a poorly masked attempt to learn the details of his health, of the fire, of Annie's death. He still harbored great guilt, feeling he had failed Annie miserably, that his attempt to make her life better had somehow caused her death as well as the death of her unborn child.
Heyes had carefully prepared the buckboard bed, first with a thick layer of straw, then a down mattress for Kid to lie on. While as yet unable to stand on his own, with the help of two men, Kid was able to very slowly walk with a very pronounced shuffle, from the house to the buckboard. They lifted Kid into the back of the buckboard where he was able to pull and scoot himself back and onto the mattress.
Arleta covered Kid with two blankets, then climbed into the seat of the buckboard next to Heyes.
"You comfortable?" Heyes asked and Kid nodded.
Heyes gave the reins and shake and wagon lurched forward as they made their way home.
"Could we stop at the cemetery?" Kid asked.
Heyes gave Arleta a deciding glance and she gave him a nod.
"Of course we can."
When they reached the cemetery, Heyes backed the wagon up close to Annie's grave so Kid could pay his final respects. Heyes and Arleta sat quietly and Kid silently paid Annie his last respects.
"Heyes, can you come here a minute?" Kid asked.
Heyes climbed down off the wagon and walked to the side of the buckboard. Kid slowly slipped the simple, silver wedding ring off his finger. He moved it slowly about in his hand before offering it to Heyes. "Would you bury this with her?"
Heyes hesitated only a moment, then took the ring in his hand. He gave Arleta a quick glance, then walked over to the grave and, with his fingers, dug a whole near the headstone. He dropped the ring in gently, then covered the hole with dirt. Finally he stood and walked back to the wagon and stood beside Kid.
Kid continued to look at the grave for several moments. "We can go now," he said quietly.
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Kid's progress over the next several months improved remarkable, and by spring he was walking independently, and growing restless in the role of the invalid patient. Heyes gave Kid a job as a dealer in his saloon, a job that was not too strenuous, but provided Kid with some income. Heyes' refusal to take any money for all he and Arleta had done only further frustrated Kid, despite the fact he knew he would have said and done the same had the roles been reversed.
But Kid was determined to gain his independence. He practiced his fast draw often, not only to gain his self confidence, but to seek some solitude, away from the house, away from the town, away from any intrusion of this thoughts.
The past year had been wrought with misery, anger, and almost insurmountable challenge, and as Kid stood shooting tin cans off a rotting felled tree, every tragedy that had happened, every conversation spoken, every decision made over the past year ran like a ticker tape through his mind, over and over again.
"Kid, you gotta stop brooding over these things. What's done is done. You can't change any of it," Heyes said as the two men sat of the porch of the Heyes home, drinking whiskey, Kid nearly to the point of inebriation.
"Heyes, it's time for me to go. I appreciate all you and Arleta have done, I really do, but staying just keeps everything fresh in my mind. I gotta find a way to put this all behind me."
"My saloon in Cheyenne needs a manager. Why don't you go there, take that job..."
Kid shook his head. "I'm beholding to you, Heyes, but I ain't dependent on you, and I can't live in a city for long, you know that."
"You can't go back to being a ranch hand. The doctor said no more work that's hard on the back."
Kid nodded, but offered no alternatives. He grew quiet as the liquor brought vivid memories of the fire to mind. "I don't think I ever told you but... Annie was going to have a baby...We was going to raise that child together."
Heyes knew this from Arleta but let Kid's words go without a reply.
"Every time I think about how hard it was for us growing up, I realize there are those that had an even worse time. "Annie never knew love, not from her folks, not from anyone. Even that baby was forced on her and that piece of scum just...up and walked away. I'm not saying that was a bad thing, He ain't worth the ground she walked on."
"You know who that man was, don't you?"
Kid nodded and emptied his shot of whiskey. "After it happened, he skipped town. The Sheriff took a few men and went looking for him, but never found him."
"Is that what this is about? You going after him?"
Kid picked up the bottle of whiskey and filled his glass. "Who knows how many other Annies there are because of him."
Heyes was growing increasingly concerned. He knew Kid all to well, knew what was brewing and festering in his mind. "And you want to put an end to that? You want to kill him?"
Kid stared out into the woods at the end of the clearing. "I'm leaving at the end of the week."
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"You have to go with him," Arleta told Heyes when he explained what Kid was planning to do.
"There's no telling how long we'll be gone. You willing to look after the business?"
"You know I will. Just keep in touch, let me know where you both are from time to time.
Heyes nodded.
"Heyes... He won't go through with it, will he?"
Heyes sighed heavily. "I'll do everything I can to talk him out of it. Kid's not a killer. But he feels justified... When he's determined like that, well I just don't know if I'll be able to talk him out of it."
"Heyes, killing a man..."
"I know," Heyes replied before she could finish her sentence. "Kid and me are... Well life has hardened him, love has hardened him. He still listens to what I have to say, I mean there's a bond between us that, well it's tied pretty tight... I think I'll get through to him, just might take a little time."
"Maybe I should try. You know, a woman's perspective. If what you say is true, maybe I could help him understand what Annie would want of him.
"He's awful hard headed. I don't know if he'll even listen. But at this point, I'm willing to try anything."
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Kid sat on the front porch the next morning with a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. He wore his hat down low, protecting his bloodshot eyes from the glaring sun. He didn't bother looking up when the screen door creaked open.
"You mind some company?"
Kid pushed his hat back and sat up straight. "I thought you was Heyes," he said apologetically.
Arleta slipped into the chair beside Kid. "He left over an hour ago. Said he had some work to do. He tells me you're leaving the end of the week."
Kid sipped at his coffee. "Think it's time."
"Jed, I know you and I don't have the same relationship that you and Heyes share but, I might be able to offer you a little insight, from a woman's perspective."
Ever the gentleman where women were concerned, Kid did not discourage her, though he doubted she had anything new to tell him. His silence did not deter her.
"If I may, I'd like to tell you a story about your partner and me. When I met Heyes, we were both living in Cheyenne. I was divorced and had a young daughter, Alexandria who was seven. A few months after Heyes began courting me, my ex husband took Alexandria riding one afternoon. Her horse reared and threw her off and, her neck was broken. She died instantly. I blamed Mark, my ex husband. I hated him. I wanted to hurt him. He'd stolen my life... But as time went on, and with Heyes' love and understanding, I came to realize that it wasn't Mark I blamed. It wasn't Mark I wanted to see hurt... I blamed myself, for not protecting her, for letting her go that day to do something she truly loved, with someone she truly loved...for not saving her."
Kid sat very quietly in his chair, staring at his his coffee that was now growing cold. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't know."
"The point is, Jed, seeking revenge won't change what has happened. It won't appease the pain. It won't bring Annie back."
"But he's out there somewhere, maybe hurting other women."
"Perhaps... You said the law went after him."
"They ain't found him."
"That you know of. A lot of time has passed... Kid... Jed, would Annie want you to spend your life looking for him? As a woman, I honestly think she would want you to find your own happiness."
"So you're saying I should just forget about him? Let him going on hurting women and ruining people's lives?"
"No. I'm saying let the law take care of him. You said yourself the Sheriff went looking for him. If he is the kind of man you say he is, you're right, he won't stop. They'll find him eventually. Let the law deal with him."
"But... I promised Annie I would protect her. I... didn't keep my word. I wasn't there to protect her, to keep her from running into that fire."
"You didn't send her into that fire. That was her decision. I tried, and I couldn't stop her, either. Jed, there's not a person walking this earth that doesn't harbor some degree of guilt over something in their life. Find a way to accept that fact, and move on with your own life. Concentrate on taking care of Jed Curry. Give Jed the opportunity to fine love, to find find happiness."
Kid reached over and took Arleta's hand in his own. When he looked up at her, there were tears in his eyes.
"Heyes is a lucky man."
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On Friday morning, Kid packed his saddle bags and tossed them over a chair as he sat down for breakfast with Heyes and Arleta. Heyes looked at him with a bit of alarm and surprise. From what Arleta had told him, he thought Kid had resolved not to go after Teller.
"You're still leaving?" Heyes asked.
"Uh-uh."
"But I thought..."
"Well, I figure if I'm gonna start that new job on Monday, I'd better get to Cheyenne before that."
Heyes sigh of relief was very audible. "So, you're gonna manage my saloon?"
"For a while, Heyes, maybe few month. But just till I figure out exactly what it is I do want to do in life."
"Ah, Kid, you don't know how happy it makes me feel to hear you say that," Heyes replied.
"Well Heyes, " Kid said, looking directly across the table at Arleta. "The way I figure, you ain't the only one who deserves the golden ring in life. I think I'm gonna take a few snatches at it myself."
Arleta smiled as Kid shot her a wink, and a grin.
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Author's Note: A heartfelt thank you to Rachel C. and Rachel K. for their input, suggestions, and sometimes brutal honesty.