A difficult man
Chapter 8
Exhausted, Jane got up from the ground and went to sit on the porch, where a few hours earlier she was about to make her dream come true. She hadn't dreamed of it, she and Buck were about to kiss. So how could things have precipitated this way? It was true that she was the one who pushed him to go with that woman, in her heart she knew it was true that she could certainly offer him better care, she couldn't be selfish. But she thought that if Buck wanted to stay with her he would oppose it more forcefully. He had probably loved that woman for a long time and this love was stronger than what he perhaps felt for her.
While she was immersed in these thoughts and tears were streaming down her face, Lou came to see her and when she saw her in those conditions, worried she exclaimed: "What's happening Jane, where is Buck, is he okay?"
Jane winced when she heard Lou's words because she didn't even know she had arrived.
"Hi Lou, I didn't hear you coming. Yes, Buck is fine, but he's not here anymore, he's gone "
"How did he go away? What happened?"
"A certain Kathleen Devlin came to pick him up and took him to town with her, she will surely be able to treat him better than me"
"Kathleen? Oh no "
"Who is that woman, Lou, what does she mean to Buck?"
"It's a long story, Buck was in love with her but she broke his heart, she played with him to spite her father. I can't believe Buck left with her "
Jane explained to Lou how things had gone, omitting the part where she and Buck were about to kiss because she was ashamed and feeling stupid.
"You shouldn't have let him go Jane, she will make him suffer again. How are you? Your eyes are swollen "
"I'm fine, it's just a little melancholy"
"Don't pretend with me Jane, I know you're in love with him and I could have sworn that he too had feelings for you"
"It doesn't matter now, Lou. He will be fine and will recover soon. Maybe some day I'll go and see him ".
"I'm going to go now, I just want to see what that witch will tell me. Don't beat yourself down Jane, everything will be fine "
"Thanks Lou, but the important thing is that Buck has the best care"
Lou said goodbye and went to town. She met Kid who told her: "Lou, wait, where are you going so fast, I have to tell you something"
"Oh Kid, an absurd thing happened, Kathleen came back and took Buck to the hotel with her"
"What? Oh no. How is Jane?"
"You noticed it too, right? She is destroyed but she let him go because she is convinced that with Kathleen Buck she will be better. She doesn't know how wrong she is. I'm going to them to talk to Buck "
"Lou, please don't meddle like you usually do"
"I can't let that woman hurt Buck again, not after what he's been through lately"
Kid shook his head as Lou walked briskly to the hotel. She asked for Buck at the reception and they told her that she was in a room that communicated with that of Miss Devlin and that the latter had left said that they did not want to be disturbed.
Lou didn't give a damn about the man's words and went up despite the poor employee's protests.
She knocked on Buck's door but Kathleen came to open it: "I said we don't want to be disturbed ... Oh, Lou, nice to see you again after all this time"
"Kathleen where is Buck, I have to talk to him"
"He's resting now, please come back at another time"
"I told you I want to see it"
"And I told you he is resting. Are you going away alone or do I have to call someone to take you out? "
"Okay, but I'll be back soon"
Kathleen didn't answer and closed the door.
Lou stormed off and went to Rachel to discuss the latest events. Rachel was as shocked as she was.
Meanwhile Kathleen made sure Buck was still sleeping. She had gotten some sleeping pills and given it to him because she knew she would have unpleasant visitors and didn't want Buck's friends to upset her plans.
The following days, Lou, Rachel, Kid, Jimmy, who was still in town and wanted to stay until Buck recovered, to help Teaspoon, went to Buck but Kathleen's answer was always the same: she was resting.
Jane, after a few days and after talking to her friends, decided to go to Buck as she had promised him.
Like everyone else, she was greeted by Kathleen who prevented her from seeing him. She came back a few more times but was always told that Buck preferred to be alone.
Jane confronted her friends and they all agreed that Kathleen was planning something. They decided they would try to go again. If they couldn't see Buck, Teaspoon would intervene.
Buck, when he was alert and not on a sleeping pill, would ask Kathleen if anyone had come to see him and she would reply that it always happened when she was resting. But Kathleen realized that she couldn't go on like this and one day she allowed Rachel to enter.
"Hi Buck, nice to see you, how are you?"
"Hi Rachel, I'm fine, thanks. Kathleen told me that you have come to see me other times but I have slept a lot these days "
"We all came, even Jane, but we couldn't talk to you. Are you sure you're okay? "
"Yes, tomorrow the doctor will come and tell me how things are going"
"Look Buck, I have to talk to you about something"
Kathleen feared that Jane was the subject of the speech and "casually" burst into the room to bring some tea.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, would you like some tea?"
"No, thanks, Buck and I were discussing important things"
"Oh, if you want I'll go, sorry"
Rachel realized it would be rude to kick her out and reluctantly accepted the tea, begging her to stay.
"Well, after all, a cup of tea is never refused, thanks Kathleen."
Rachel was unable to talk to Buck about Jane because Kathleen stayed with them all the time in the room.
When Rachel was gone, Kathleen knew she had to rush things if she didn't want Jane to get in between her and Buck.
"You know Buck", she told him, "I missed you so much. You have no idea how many times I've regretted leaving you like that. I didn't think, I was afraid for my father and I sacrificed our love. When I learned that you lived here, I thought it was a sign of fate, that fate was giving us another chance. I know I made you suffer a lot, but I ask you to forgive me and if you still feel something for me, let's not throw away this second chance "
"Kathleen I don't think it is the case to bring up the past, what has been has been. I suffered a lot when you left and I believe that things should stay this way "
"Are you perhaps in love with another? Is there someone in your life?"
Buck didn't want to talk to Kathleen about his feelings, so he didn't answer. Kathleen had understood that there was something between him and Jane but she had also realized that probably they had not yet confessed what they were feeling and wanted to take advantage of it.
"Well, if there is no other, why not try? I really love you, you are special and I don't want to lose you now that I have found you "
She approached him and kissed him passionately. Buck was troubled by that kiss and his feelings for her came back to him. He was torn: on the one hand there was a woman who had loved a lot, who had made him suffer but now said she loved him; on the other was Jane, a breath of fresh air that had saved him physically and emotionally, but he didn't know if she really had feelings for him, after all she said she would drop by but never saw her again . Maybe he was wrong and she felt only friendship for him, or maybe not even that. He had deluded himself that he was the man she loved but maybe he wasn't.
A little later the doctor came and saw Buck and told him he was very well. He had to rest for at least a week and then he could consider himself cured and return to his normal life.
Buck was delighted. When Kathleen escorted Dr. Pearson outside she asked him: "Doctor, excuse the awkward question, but Buck and I have gotten very close, I dare to say we're a couple and I would like to know if, yes, well, since he can go back to his normal life. , he can also, here ... "
"Do you mean having sex miss?"
"Yes…" Kathleen replied feigning embarrassment.
"Well, technically yes, but it depends on his state of mind. The groin wound is completely healed "
"Thank you very much doctor. Se you soon"
"Goodbye miss, take care of him"
"Certainly doctor and thanks again"
Kathleen was delighted with the doctor's response. She decided to let a few days pass and then try to seduce Buck.
Meanwhile, Rachel, returned from visiting Buck, went to Lou where she also found Jane waiting for her.
"Well?" Asked the two women.
"There is something weird. She let me in but left me very little time alone with Buck. I was about to tell him about you, Jane, after telling him that we had all been to see him several times but we were always told he was resting, when Kathleen came in with the excuse of tea, interrupted us and never left us alone. Buck is fine, he seemed a bit sleepy but physically he is fine. Kathleen said the doctor would come by in the afternoon "
"I'm going to see Dr. Pearson tomorrow, sorry but I don't trust that woman. Nothing to laugh about on the sentimental front, if Buck wants to be with her it's his choice, but I want to know if he's really fine "
"She's going to hurt him again, I can feel it", Lou said.
The next day Jane went to Pearson's study.
"Good morning doctor, sorry if I allow myself, but I would like to hear from Buck. I haven't been able to see him since he left and I'm a bit worried "
"Good morning Jane. I went to him yesterday and he's fine. I found him a bit sleepy but Miss Devlin told me he sleeps a lot. In a week or so, he will be able to fully return to his life. He is now completely healed and this is thanks to her "
"Oh no, I only did my duty. Thanks again doctor. Good day".
Jane, despite suffering from Buck's distance and the situation, was happy that at least he was okay and that the nightmare for him was over.
She tried to come back to find him again, but the answer was always the same: she was remarrying. She began to believe it was he who didn't want to see her, but she couldn't explain why.
The next few days, Kid and Lou went to see him, but Kathleen was somehow always there, so they couldn't talk freely.
"This situation is very strange Kid", Lou exclaimed, "we can't talk to him alone. I would like to tell him how much Jane is suffering but with that harpy always between her feet ... "
"Lou, forget it, don't get involved in business that doesn't concern you, I've told you many times. You don't know how things really are between them, you would only risk creating misunderstandings "
"I know that Jane loves him, Kid, and that she entrusted him to Kathleen believing it was the right thing but apparently it isn't"
"And why? Just because he doesn't look for her? What do you know how he feels? Maybe he found that he still has feelings for Kathleen and is fine. After all the doctor said that next week he will be able to resume his life and that means Kathleen is looking after him well "
"It will be as you say, Kid, but I don't trust".
Kathleen, after learning from the doctor that Buck could also resume his sex life, was getting closer and closer to him and expressed her feelings on every occasion, kissing him passionately every time she had the opportunity. She wanted to seduce him as soon as possible.
One evening, she crouched next to him on the bed, began to kiss and caress him and gradually began to unbutton his shirt.
Buck was confused, he did not know what to do, he was undecided whether to trust her again or not and whether to forget forever about Jane who seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Kathleen grew bolder and bolder and Buck tried to stop her, not actually feeling ready for that step yet. For him it was the first time and he wanted it to be with the right person.
"Kathleen, I don't know if we should ..."
"Why not Buck, I love you and I know that deep down in your heart you still love me. I want you, I've always wanted you and now I don't want anything to come between us "and unbuttoned his pants.
Buck let himself be carried away by Kathleen's caresses and kisses and they ended up making love. Buck didn't feel as he had imagined, he kept getting a weird feeling, but he didn't want Kathleen to notice, so he tried not to think about it.
Kathleen, the following days, continued her work of seduction: she wanted to bring Buck to ask her to marry him, as soon as possible.
The week passed quickly and Buck slowly resumed being seen in the city, to the congratulations of all the townspeople, happy that his bad adventure was over.
He also resumed his work as a marshal for a few hours a day but continued to get help from Teaspoon.
As soon as Rachel and Lou learned that Buck was back at work, they told Jane and decided to go to the office to see him. Jane, however, did not feel like it, she wanted to wait a few more days so as not to make him feel persecuted.
Rachel and Lou understood her but they headed for the man shortly thereafter.
"Good morning Buck, how nice to see you back at work!" Lou exclaimed.
"Good morning girls, how are you?"
"We are fine honey and you? Are you fully recovered? "Rachel asked.
"Yes, I'm fine thanks. Little by little I take back my life "
"You have to thank Jane for that, you know that right?"
"I know" and his face darkened.
Rachel didn't give up: "You know, she came to the hotel too like us many times, but you were always resting and she couldn't see you. She was very sorry. She even thought you were avoiding her on purpose "
"Oh no, I didn't know she came so many times. Here… ", but he couldn't finish the sentence because Kathleen broke into the office and rushed to Buck's:" Good morning honey "and kissed him on the mouth," I came to invite you to lunch. Hello girls, will you keep us company? "
"No, thanks, we have some business to attend to. Maybe another time ", Lou replied.
"Sure, now that Buck and I are together we could meet for dinner sometime, what do you think?"
"Oh, yes. See you soon Buck. Good day, Kid", Rachel greeted.
The two women couldn't believe their ears: Buck had gotten himself stuck again. How were they going to tell Jane? They decided to wait to see how things would turn out before giving her such great pain.
Unfortunately, Jane had had to go urgently to Mrs Smith because of an embroidery she had to deliver a couple of days later but she realized that the fabric was torn. She arrived in town just as Kathleen and Buck were returning after lunch to the marshal's office and saw Kathleen kiss him before leaving. She felt like she was being punched straight in the stomach. She was about to change direction quickly so as not to be seen, but Buck noticed her out of the corner of his eye as she was leaving and felt the urge to run to her to talk to her.
"Hi Jane"
"Oh hi Buck. How are you?"
Buck embarrassed because he didn't know if she had seen him kiss Kathleen, he replied: "I'm fine, thanks, and you? We haven't seen each other for a long time "
"Yeah", she replied trying to hold back the tears and not get noticed by him.
"Rachel and Lou told me you came by many times to see how I was but I was always resting, I'm sorry"
"It doesn't matter Buck, I'm just glad you're okay. Excuse me now but I have to solve a problem with an embroidery and I'm late. We will see each other soon. Good day"
"Good day to you"
Buck hadn't dared tell her that she and Kathleen were together, he wanted to take some more time, but he thought he saw a great pain in Jane's eyes. Had she perhaps seen it and had it been upset? How did she really feel about him? And was he really sure that Kathleen was the right woman? He couldn't solve this dilemma.
Kathleen had seen the scene from afar and made up her mind. That evening, she went to Buck's house, they had dinner together, they made love and then she said to him: "Buck, do you love me?"
He didn't know what to answer but not wanting to hurt her he said: "Sure"
"So why don't we get married? We found each other again, my father is no longer a problem, we are well together, I don't see why not to celebrate our love with the sacred rite of marriage! What do you say? I know that it is not conventional for the woman to make the proposal, but you know that I have never loved conventions too much… ".
Buck was flabbergasted. He certainly did not expect a marriage proposal and above all not so soon. He didn't want to rush things, he wanted to clarify his heart first, but how could he say no now? He began to firmly believe that that was his destiny and then replied: "Oh well, you catch me off guard Kathleen, but ... yes, I would say there are no obstacles"
"Oh yeah", she yelled in delight.
"Tomorrow we will go to the jewelry store together and I'll buy you a ring"
"And tomorrow night we will organize a dinner for you with your family to announce. Ok? Don't say anything before tomorrow night "
"That is fine. Who did you think you were inviting? "
"Well, Teaspoon, Rachel, Jimmy, Lou and Kid obviously, they're your family aren't they?"
"What about Jane?"
"You told me she's just a friend, right? So we will be able to tell them later, maybe after giving the announcement to your family we will go to see her and tell her the good news. Tomorrow I will write to my father immediately, I want him to be present at the wedding "
"Do you think he will come and that he will not oppose?"
"No, a lot has changed, you will see that he will be happy"
"Well, then everything is decided".
"The date is missing. What do you say in two weeks? "
"So soon? We won't be able to organize a big ceremony in such a short time "
"Oh the time for pompous ceremonies is over, I just want to marry you, so an intimate ceremony with friends and family will also be fine"
"Ok"
Kathleen got dressed and Buck asked her why she wasn't staying for the night. She told him she had to think about the preparations and left.
Buck could not sleep and not out of emotion. He felt a strange sensation inside, as if he were slipping into a life not his own, but by now he had taken too many steps forward to go back. He just hoped that this time things were going well and that he could really be happy with that woman. He wasn't so sure but he tried not to listen to this voice in his heart.
.