A difficult man
Chapter 11
Buck headed to his office as happy as he had ever been in his life. He hoped Kathleen had done what he asked, but doubted she'd listened to him. She was probably plotting something to try and frame him again.
He decided to go first to the Reverend. When he entered the church, he confirmed that the woman had not yet said anything. Buck didn't want to put it off any longer.
He explained the situation to the reverend and he tried to console him but Buck confessed that he actually understood that the woman in his life was another and that it was better this way. The reverend asked him if he was talking about Jane and he nodded. The reverend patted him on the shoulder and said: "I know it's hard to digest even this affront, but Jane is the one"
"I know it, reverend, and luckily I have not lost her. We will see you again soon I think "
The reverend smiled complicit and greeted him.
Buck went back to the office where Kid asked him what had become of him.
"You haven't seen Kathleen I suppose", Buck asked.
"No, why, should we?" Asked Jimmy who was there with them.
"It doesn't matter", Buck said.
When he had done all the chores, he told his friends: "I know that you disagree with me and that you are very upset with my behavior lately, but I ask you one more thing: come and have dinner with me tomorrow night for please, with Rachel and Lou. I will not ask you anything else. I beg you"
"What are you still doing son?" Teaspoon asked worriedly.
"Trust Teaspoon".
The men looked at each other, sighed and nodded.
Buck left and went to the hotel to talk to Kathleen. At the reception he was told that she had packed her bags and left without explanation. Buck decided not to protect her anymore. He explained everything to the guy at the reception and then asked him for a favor. He quickly wrote a note and asked him to spread the communication to the list of people he was about to leave. The boy read the note and asked him: "Are you sure Buck?"
He nodded. She had sent a note sent in Kathleen's name in which she confessed that she had deceived Buck, that she was expecting a child not his own and that Buck had found out, thus canceling the wedding. He had given her the opportunity to leave as a lady, but despite appearances, Kathleen was not at all.
The only ones who did not receive the ticket were his friends and Teaspoon. They deserved to hear from him the next day. He arranged the day to send everyone out of town so that no one would tell them of the news. He then asked the Reverend for help in keeping Lou and Rachel busy for the same reason and he was happy to help.
After everything was sorted out, Buck went to his house to wash and get ready. He wanted to be flawless for Jane's dinner.
When he arrived, she greeted him with a passionate kiss and invited him to enter. Buck was amazed by the table prepared as for a special occasion, with candles that made everything more romantic.
Jane sat him down and began to bring dinner to the table. She served him as a prince. During dinner, Buck explained to Jane what he had done to cancel the wedding. Then, as he spoke, he saw that there were boxes in a corner.
Buck turned to look at her worriedly and said: "Jane, what are those boxes?"
"Oh, I haven't fixed them yet. I had already packed almost everything for my departure. Monday I was going to Sacramento never to come back. I couldn't stay "and she also told him about her malaise.
Buck stood up, approached her and hugged her with all his strength: "Oh my God, I was going to lose you forever"
"It's okay honey, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere but you" and she kissed him passionately.
They left everything as it was at the table and moved to "Buck's" room where they made love passionately.
Jane fell asleep in his arms. She woke up in the middle of the night and did not find him.
She worried, put on her robe and got out. She found the door ajar, looked out, and saw him leaning against the porch railing with his hands in his hair. He was crying.
Her heart squeezed. Only then did she realize how much pain he had felt over Kathleen's behavior. It is true that he loved her and that he was happy to start a life with her, she could see it in his eyes, but it was undeniable that he had received a severe blow that had once again destabilized him. Anyone would have been destroyed by such a discovery.
She went out onto the porch and approached him. She hugged him from behind making him jump because he was immersed in his pain and hadn't heard her.
He was shirtless, wearing only pants and barefoot. She made him feel all her warmth and love and said: "It will be okay, Buck, we will be happy and have the family we have always dreamed of if you want to. I know it was a big blow to you but I'm here. Let it out, cry, don't hold back the pain. You can count on me, don't be afraid to hurt me because you feel bad for what Kathleen did to you. It was horrible and you have every right to be devastated. I am here with you and for you ".
He stood with his back for a moment, then turned, hid his face on her chest and cried like a baby.
"Why people behave like this to me, it's not my fault that I'm half Kiowa, it's not my fault that the man raped my mother, I don't have to pay for him"
"I know, honey, I know, but people are cruel. From now on, however, we will face it together, do you believe me? Do you want to share your pain with me? "
Buck lifted his face, looked into her eyes and nodded. Then he kissed her almost violently, picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom.
They made love and he continued to cry while he did it, as if he needed to get rid of all the pain in his body. She accepted his pain and then took him into her arms where Buck fell asleep exhausted. Jane continued to stroke his head until she fell asleep too.
The next morning they woke up hugging each other.
"Good morning my angel", she said to greet him.
"Good morning", Buck replied and was silent.
"How are you this morning?"
Buck continued to remain silent, as if ashamed of his behavior the night before.
"Open up with me, Buck, what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry about last night"
"For what, for making love with me?"
"You know I don't mean that"
"Buck, you don't have to apologize to me, it's only natural that you had a moment of despair after what you've been through. You haven't had a moment of tranquility for months and as soon as you think you have reached it, something happens that destabilizes you again, but now it's over, we are together and this will be a constant, not a sporadic episode. You needed to let off steam and free yourself and I'm here for that too. I was happy to have helped you to vent your anger and your pain, I will always be there, in the good times and in the less beautiful ones "
"Thank you, after all the suffering I caused you, you are always there for me"
"And I'll always be there, never forget it, until you get tired of having me around"
"It will never happen" and he kissed her tenderly.
They made love again and then she said to him: "So, Mr. Cross, will we break the news to the others tonight?"
"Yes, I have organized everyone's day in such a way that no one has the opportunity to discover that the marriage with Kathleen has been blown, it will be a wonderful surprise"
"Yes and I can't wait"
"You will arrive a little after the others, so the surprise will be greater"
"But don't you want me to help you prepare dinner?"
"Tonight you will not have to worry about anything, you will be the queen of my house, as it will happen for the rest of my life"
Jane drew him to her and kissed him greedily.
"Now I have to go. Thanks Jane, I love you "
"I love you too Buck"
They went down to breakfast after getting dressed and then Buck greeted her by making an appointment for the evening. He had a surprise in mind for her too, not just for his family.
Jane spent the day unpacking the boxes she had prepared for departure and avoided going to town so as not to meet Lou and Rachel and betray herself. In the unlikely event that they came to her house, she would pretend not to be there.
Buck went to work and got help from the deputy who usually worked the night shift because, according to plan, he had sent everyone out of town with an excuse. When he had a moment of calm, he went out to prepare the surprise he had in mind for Jane.
When the work was finished, he went to his house, washed himself, prepared himself with the elegant suit for special occasions and prepared a dinner based on Kiowa dishes, after having elegantly set up the table in the living room. He wanted everything to be perfect.
At dinner time, his friends arrived.
Buck greeted them with great agitation but tried not to betray himself.
"So son, do you want to tell us the reason for this meeting? Do you still have any shocking surprises in store two days before the wedding? "Teaspoon said sarcastically.
"You'll know when we're all there", Buck replied.
"Oh yeah, the bride is missing…" Lou noted with a grimace, taking an elbow from Rachel.
After a few moments they heard a knock.
"Knock? Strange that she doesn't come in as mistress ",Lou commented again.
"Lou, that's enough", Kid scolded her and in response the woman snorted.
Buck went to the door and they all gasped when instead of Kathleen they saw Jane enter.
"Come, take a seat, everyone is there"
"But what the hell is going on here?" Jimmy asked.
"One moment and you will know", Buck replied.
He took Jane's bag, put it on the chest by the door, and then accompanied her among the others. Jane was very tense and very embarrassed.
"I asked you all to come here, because I have to give you some news: the marriage with Kathleen will no longer exist, you were right about her again, she is a horrible woman, but luckily I understood it in time. I was so stupid that I did not immediately understand that my future was not with her but with this wonderful woman who agreed to give me another chance. Jane and I are officially together "
"But the baby?" Rachel asked, but she was delighted with what she had just heard.
"The baby is not mine, I will explain everything to you calmly later. Now I have to say something and please don't interrupt me because it is very difficult for me. As I mentioned earlier, as soon as I discovered Kathleen's deception, I realized that the only thing I wanted was to try to regain Jane's trust. I ran to her hoping that she would give me a chance despite the pain I had caused her and which I was aware of, even if I tried not to think about it. When I realized that she loved me it was too late, things with Kathleen had already gone further and I thought I could not go back. I asked her for forgiveness and I begged her to forgive me. With her infinite good heart she decided to do it and accept my love and so here we are ".
After saying these words, he took Jane by the hand, looked into her eyes and said: "Jane, I don't know how I earned your forgiveness and love, but I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You have been my rock and my fortress for weeks and with you I realized that I can hope to finally have a happy life, despite the difficulties that will inevitably be due to my condition. I know it may sound reckless, but I have no doubt about it ".
Having said that, he knelt in front of her, took a velvet pouch from his pocket from which he took out a ring with a green stone that matched her eyes and asked her: "Do you want to be my wife Jane, do you want to spend the rest of your days with me and make me the luckiest man in the world? "
Everyone gasped, Rachel and Lou were moved, but no one was more surprised than Jane: tears rose to her eyes and she stood still for a moment to process Buck's words. The latter stood with bated breath waiting for her to signal and the fact that she did not speak worried him a lot.
When Jane had worked out what was happening, she dropped to her knees, hugged the man she loved more than her own life and yelled: "Yes Buck, oh yes, I want to be your wife, I want it with all my might" and she kissedhim passionately.
Rachel and Lou burst into tears and started applauding and Kid, Jimmy and Teaspoon also smiled lovingly.
The two new boyfriends stood up and Buck slipped the ring on Jane's finger, while Teaspoon said: "It was time, son, that you did something right after all the nonsense of recent times, congratulations" and patted him on the shoulder before hugging him.
Congratulations from everyone followed and Rachel said to Jane: "Have you seen, I told you, I'm always right."
Jane hugged her as hard as she could and then hugged Lou too.
Buck then invited everyone to sit at the table and when Jane offered to help him, he was adamant: she shouldn't have lifted a finger tonight.
As they dined, Buck had to tell what had happened with Kathleen and everyone was disgusted by her behavior.
"Thankfully she's out of your life now", Lou commented with relief.
Jane, at the end of the evening, wanted to say a few words to thank everyone.
"I wanted to thank all of you for the support you have given me in the last period. My dream has come true and I will soon marry this wonderful man. He is a difficult man, very difficult, reserved, cautious and often distrustful, although not without reason given his past, but if he opens his heart to you, he is able to show all the love that is inside him and all the qualities that he has and that he reserves only for the people he truly cares about and I am having the good fortune to appreciate and love them. If Buck opens his heart to you, you are the luckiest woman in the world because you know that nothing bad can ever happen to you, he will always be there to protect you and shower you with love. Thank you Buck for choosing me and letting me read into your wonderful soul "and she kissed him.
Rachel and Lou were moved by hearing these words.
"It's the most beautiful declaration of love I've ever heard, honey", Rachel told her.
Buck tears came to his eyes and after recovering, he replied: "I know I am a difficult man and that I have been awful to you, but I swear to you that from now on I will love and protect you and nothing can come between. our. I love you, my Jane, thank you for wanting to be my wife ".
A long and passionate kiss followed to everyone's applause.
Finally, peace, happiness and serenity reigned in that house.
When everyone was gone, Jane helped Buck set things up and then he took her to the bedroom. They made love tenderly and passionately and then he took her in his arms and asked her: "So, when do you want to marry me?"
"If it were also possible tomorrow, but I think we will have to wait at least a month to be able to prepare everything. Where will we live? Who will we invite? "
"You have carte blanche for the ceremony and also for the honeymoon. For the home, you choose. Mine is larger and I have two other rooms that could become children's bedrooms and there is plenty of space outside for them and a beautiful garden, but if you want to live in your home, that's fine for me. The important thing is to be together "
"Children? We are not married yet and are you already thinking about the children? "
"Oh yes, I want lots of them, beautiful young ladies who look like you and strong young men"
"Who will be as beautiful as their dad"
They smiled at this thought.
"Okay, in fact your house is bigger and outside we can set up a nice garden and nice games for the children. We could sell mine and use the money to do some work "
"As you like, honey. So it is decided, from Monday I will start work and on Sunday we will go to the Reverend to set the date, in exactly four weeks "
"I would also have an idea for the honeymoon ..."
"We feel"
"Why don't we spend a week or two in your brother's camp? You told me you haven't seen him for a long time and so I'll have the opportunity to get to know him and live according to your traditions for a while "
"Are you serious?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Well, it's weird as a honeymoon"
"Strange but romantic and ... cheap"
"If that's what you want, that's fine"
"Sold then!"
Jane kissed him softly and they ended up in each other's arms again.
The next day, Jane decided to write a letter to a friend of hers, she wanted the people closest to her in Italy to know that she was getting married. She would have used her false name and would have addressed the letter to her friend who was already married, so that her parents or those of other friends could not intercept her and reveal to her family where she was.
Unfortunately this was a fatal mistake ...