Chap. 4


"What am I supposed to do, Brady?"

"You can start by going down to the general store and getting some things that we will need. Tell them to put it on the sheriff's account."

Mimi left the office in a huff. There he was telling her what to do again. Always he was doing this. Mimi hated being dependent on him. She went to the store and bought soap, towels, a lantern cause their's was broke, matches, some dried food and she picked out some clothes she thought would fit him, and then she saw something else she knew he would like.


When she got back to the jail Brady was gone so she sat in his chair and thought about how they were going to get home. 'It had to of been that book. It must of been a time spell or something. Maybe someone out here knows something about it.' Mimi got excited thinking she had found a way to help them and couldn't wait to talk to Brady. Mimi saw him walk into a saloon, so she followed him. She wasn't prepared for what she saw next.


Brady was walking up the back stairs holding some soiled dove's hand. Tears filled her eyes and she almost ran out of the bar. Why am I feeling like this? I must like Brady. By God she was going to fight for her man too. He was hers, dammit. Mimi ran up the steps and yelled his name. Brady turned around with a look of surprise on his face. The painted lady looked Mimi up and down, "Go find yourself another man. This here one's mine."


Mimi did the only thing she could think of. She got right in the girl's face and yelled, "Get your nasty hands off my husband!"

Brady's eyes widened. The girl looked like she might fight for him, but then she dropped his hand and went back downstairs.

Mimi could tell that Brady was really, really mad. He grabbed her roughly, and escorted her back to their room. He was silent the whole way. He opened the door and pushed her inside.


"What were you doing, Mimi? Are you out of your mind?"

"Are you kidding me? If you want to play 'doctor' with that bimbo, then by all means don't let little ole me stop you."

Brady started laughing. "Stop it Brady. Don't laugh at me! Please."

Brady finally got his laughter under control, "You thought I was going up there with her for a little fun? She was going to tell me about the McClaren gang. There are more of them and she was going to tell me where the hide out is." Brady eyed her, "Were you jealous, Meems."


Mimi snorted, "Of course not." Brady just smiled.

"So why did you come looking for me anyway?"

"Well I was thinking about how we got here and I think it was that book. If we could find something for someone who knows about it, maybe it could yet us back home." Brady agreed with her, "I'll ask around and see what I can find. Well I gotta go back to work."

"Brady wait!" Brady turned around and Mimi dug something out from under the bed. She smiled shyly at him, "This is for you."

"For me? You bought me a present, Meems." Mimi nodded and bit her lip while he opened it. She hoped he liked it.

Brady unwrapped the gift and pulled out a black cowboy hat. He grinned, "You know, I've always wanted one of these."

"So you like it?" Brady walked over to her and pulled her into a hug, "I love it."

He sat it on his head and walked out the door.


After a while of sitting around she got bored. She looked at the bathtub longingly. 'I wish it had spouts. I've never missed spouts so much in my life.' Mimi went next door to the hotel and filled up buckets of water to be heated. After they were hot she brought them to the room. She did this until the tub was full enough.

Mimi sank into the water with a sigh. The task of getting the water wore her completely out. She had two extra buckets of water to rinse off with too.


Mimi lost all track of time and before she knew it Brady was walking into the room while she was still in the tub. "Meems, I-" Brady stopped mid-sentence and stared at her. Neither of them moved for what seemed like ages. He leaned against the door frame and grinned, "Well, well. Miriam Lockhart." Mimi scowled at him, why did he always make her feel like that? "Turn around Brady! Please."

Brady did as he was told, "I'm sorry Meems. I didn't realize you'd be waiting for me naked."

Mimi laughed sharply, "Sorry to disappoint, but I simply lost track of time."


Brady sat down on the bed with his back to her and tried to concentrate on anything other than the thought of Mimi in the tub. He cleared his throat, "I hired a deputy today."

"Really? Who is it?"

"A kid named Tom Magrath. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders. He'll make a good sheriff when we leave. Oh, we got the rest of the McClaren gang today. The tip from that girl paid off."

"That's great." Mimi stood up to rinse herself off.


Brady could hear the sounds of water splashing and willed himself not to turn around. Finally he couldn't take it anymore, and he sneaked a peek. Immediately he wished he hadn't. Now the site of Mimi's naked body was burned into his brain.

Mimi saw him look at her a secretly smiled to herself.

It was torture for Brady to have sleep next to her every night and not be able to touch her, especially when she pressed up against him for warmth in the night.