The next day, Vin and Anabelle rode into town early, right after sunrise.
Aside from Chris and Josiah, no one was to be seen.
"You go put Ace away and go into your room. I'll tell Chris what we're going to do. You'll be able t'meet JD, Josiah, and Nathan later," Vin said quietly. "Good luck," he said, tipping his hat as he rode over to Chris and Josiah. Anabelle watched him go, almost afraid to see him leave. Today was the big day....if she messed up, then everything would be ruined.
Anabelle breathed deep and dismounted Ace, leading him into the stable. As she put him in his stall, she heard rustling behind her. She quickly reached for her derringer.
"Who's there?" Anabelle asked, spinning around. The boy behind her jumped up from where he was sitting in the hay. He had fairly long black hair, dark eyes, and a bowler hat on.
"Whoa, no need to get flighty there Miss, I don't mean any harm to you," he said. To his surprise, the girl smiled deeply and put the small gun back in her boot.
"You must be JD!" she exclaimed. He gave her a puzzled look.
"How did you know?" he asked, tensing up a bit.
"Your hat. Vin was talking about it before," Anabelle said.
"Vin? Oh, then you must be Leslie," JD said, relaxing. Anabelle tensed up herself slightly, before realizing that if he thought she was Leslie, then no one could know what she had revealed to Vin. Anabelle nodded to JD.
"That would be me. If I may ask, why were you in the hay?" Anabelle asked curiously. JD smiled sheepishly.
"I...I like to sit there when it's quiet and think, or read or write something. I was writing a poem for a friend," he admitted. "Would it be okay if you didn't tell the others?" he asked, and Anabelle laughed.
"It's safe with me...as long as you let me join you one day. I've been looking for a nice place to write," she laughed, and JD smiled.
"You know, dressed like that you look like a younger version of Casey," he said, and Anabelle laughed again.
"That's just what Vin said before! I have no idea who this Casey is," Anabelle confessed.
"I'll have to introduce you sometime. I think you two will get along great. In fact--" Jd started, but was cut off short by a gasp from Anabelle.
"Is there a back door to this building? I forgot, I have to be somewhere," Anabelle said frantically, starting to run to the back of the stable.
"Uh...yea, right over there," JD answered. "It was pleasant meeting you," JD said, bewildered and slightly hurt that she was running out like that. Anabelle saw him and stopped.
"It was nice meeting you too. I'm sorry to run out on you like this....it's not your fault, it's mine. I'll see you later?" she asked, hoping he would understand before Vin entered the barn. She could see Ezra's red jacket farther behind him. JD nodded, and Anabelle smiled before running out of the door.
*******
Anabelle sat up in her room, having bathed and changed into her favorite light green dress. Everyone said she looked like her mother in it. Anabelle just hoped that she didn't resemble her father that much in it; she didn't need one of the other men becoming suspicious.
Anabelle sat, breathing shakily. She picked up the deck of cards, going over the plan in her mind. So far Vin had done his part....now she needed to do her part. Absent-mindedly she did a few tricks with the cards and looked out of the window. A little ways down the street she saw what seemed like a church. Vin had told her about it and Josiah. Being a Catholic, Anabelle felt like if she ever needed to pray it was now. She pulled on a pair of white gloves and tucked the cards in a small compartment in her dress. Once she headed out into town, there would be no turning back, no running away. Anabelle took one last glance out of the window, and she sighed as she left the room.
*******
"Dear God, please help me through this difficult task. I know I haven't done much to deserve your love, but if I ever needed it, it is now," Anabelle started. She had said those words quietly, and she said a few more silently before she realized someone standing beside her. She looked up quickly and jumped.
"I didn't mean to interrupt your talk with God ma'am," the tall man said, stepping back.
"That's okay, I was almost done anyway," she said. She whispered a few more words, then made the sign of the cross and stood up. "Are you Josiah?" she asked.
"Yes, that would be me. You wouldn't be Leslie by any chance, would you?" he asked, and Anabelle nodded. "I saw you riding into town with Vin this morning. You were up kind of early for a young lady, weren't you?" Josiah asked, but with an unaccusing air.
"I couldn't sleep," Anabelle answered lamely. Josiah scratched his chin but it wasn't like him to be suspicious of a lady like Anabelle.
"I didn't mean to be eavesdropping, but you seem like you need some assistance. This is the best place to come for it," Josiah said, gesturing to the church. Anabelle smiled and nodded.
"I know. I just hope that I'm on the Lord's good side," she said.
"Miss, I can't imagine your being on his bad side," Josiah said, smiling politely. Anabelle smiled back.
"You can call me Leslie, Mr. Sanchez, Anabelle said.
"Only if you call me Josiah," he said, grinning. Anabelle smiled.
"Tell me Josiah....do you consider yourself a good card player?" Anabelle ventured, feeling the deck in her pocket.
"I know a little bit, why?" he asked. Anabelle grinned. This would be easy.
"I know it doesn't seem like I could play, but would care to escort me to the saloon for a game?" Anabelle asked. Josiah raised his eyebrows but nodded. Putting out his arm, he smiled a bit.
"I would be delighted," he said as Anabelle took his arm, and they walked out of the door together. After a few steps, Nathan joined them.
"Hey Josiah. Who's the beautiful young lady?" he said, smiling at Anabelle.
"This is Leslie. Leslie, this is Nathan Jackson, our local doctor," Josiah introduced the two. Anabelle smiled and nodded at Nathan.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jackson. You know, you would like my friend Jeremy. He can always use some medical tips...he helps us out back home. In return, he can give you some horse tips if you would like. This boy knows everything imaginable about horses!" Anabelle said, chuckling. "Next time he's around here, I'll tell him to drop by."
"I'd love to meet him," Nathan said. "Oh, and you can call me Nathan, Leslie," he said. She nodded.
"Would you care to join Josiah and me for a game of poker, Nathan?" Anabelle asked.
"I would be delighted, and I'm sure the others would love to too. It's too bad Ezra's not here...that would be an interesting game," Nathan said, smiling at Josiah. As they continued walking, Anabelle turned to Nathan.
"Tell me, who is this Ezra? Is he a good gambler?" Anabelle asked, opting to play stupid.
"Ezra, well, I don't think there's any other thing to call him except a con artist," Nathan said, and Josiah nodded in agreement.
"He must be good at heart, or else the Lord wouldn't give him so much help, but Ezra doesn't always seem as kind as he probably is," Josiah explained. Anabelle nodded, wondering how much her father had changed since she'd last seen him. She didn't want to ask about that though; anyway, they were at the bar. Nathan and Josiah escorted her in and over to where Chris, Buck, and JD were sitting.
"Hey Leslie, what are you doing in here? This isn't exactly a place for a nice young lady like yourself," JD pointed out, but Anabelle just laughed.
"I'm well aware of that; however, I sometimes I tend to stray from the 'nice young lady' part. I've come to ask you boys to entertain me with a game of poker," Anabelle said, taking out the deck of cards. Buck smiled.
"I would hate to turn a lady down," he said, moving his drink to the side. "I must warn you though, Ezra's taught us how to play quite well. We'll go easy on you though," he said, and Anabelle almost snorted.
"There's no need for that, Buck," she said. Before anyone could offer to deal, she did so herself. As she passed out the cards, she turned to the others. "Okay, boys, prepare to lose," she said. When the smiled and chuckled, Anabelle grinned evilly. "Boys, the game is Black Maria, Chicago style. Spade boat, but it's only alive when it's under. First red two showing gets an automatic card, one-eyed jacks wild. Suicide king cancels the hand, Annie's progressive straights can take a walk around the corner. Four flush beats a pair, and high card only wins with the dealer. Any question?" she asked, and looked up from dealing the cards to see five dumbfounded faces looking at her.
"I fold," JD said, and started to get up. Buck laughed and pulled him back down.
"JD, if you could play Ezra, you can play Leslie here. Now sit down and play," Buck said, and JD sighed, watching Anabelle dealing the cards like a pro.
"Famous last words, Buck. Famous last words."
*******
Barely even an hour later, Anabelle sat laughing at the table. A pile of stuff was on it, almost none of it belonging to her. Buck looked slightly embarrassed, and JD was giving him an I told you so look.
"I warned you," Anabelle said. Having easily beat them, they were quickly refusing to play her again. JD looked at the table, where most of the stuff had been his. Anabelle laughed again. "Don't worry, like I said before, I only play to keep entertained," Anabelle said, collecting the few things that were hers on the table. "You can take all of your stuff back," she said, winking at JD. He smiled gratefully at her.
"I can't wait until Ezra comes back, he's gonna want to challenge you. In fact, he should be back soon," JD said. Anabelle looked outside and saw the sun beginning to set....that would mean that Vin would be bringing Ezra back soon. Anabelle still had no idea how Vin managed to get her father to leave town so easily, but she was grateful for it.
"I would be delighted to challenge him. However, I must be getting to my room for a bit; I have some things to take care. If he returns soon, you can send Ezra up to my room; I'd be happy to play another poker game," Anabelle stated, standing up. "It was a pleasure beating you all," she said, chuckling. "Maybe later you'll be ready for a rematch?" she said, but instantly five heads shook and Anabelle heard five voices saying no thanks. "In that case then, maybe I'll just come down to talk later. Good evening, gentlemen," Anabelle said, turning to leave. As the five men all said evening and tipped their hats, Anabelle felt her heart beginning to race. So far everyone at Four Corners had been so welcoming; would her father respond the same way?
*******
Anabelle worked the veil so that it didn't tickle her nose so much. Vin had just came up and warned her that Ezra was in the bar. The other men had easily convinced him to pay a visit to Anabelle, and he was coming up later. Anabelle had hurried to find her veil, which had been part of the plan. Until the end of the game, Anabelle couldn't lift the veil or speak. That had been her idea, but now she was regretting it a little bit. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
As Anabelle walked over to the door, her heart leapt up to her throat. She began to panic, and had to breathe deep to keep from passing out. Finally getting up the courage to open the door, she swung it open and faced Vin and her father.
Anabelle quickly looked down as Vin and Ezra greeted her. Ezra asked her a few questions, but Vin answered for her. Ezra seemed a little puzzled, but happy that he would be playing a game of poker. He sat down and pulled out a pack of cards. Anabelle was familiar with them, and knew that they were used to cheat. Thankfully, she was prepared for this, and would be able to catch him.
Ezra and Vin discussed the game and a few other things as Anabelle sat down. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at her father. He still looked as he used to, but something in him had died. Pain swelled up inside Anabelle as she realized she may not be able to bring that thing back. Right now she just wanted to reach out and hug her father, or go back and play make believe with him. Thoughts whirled through her mind, and Anabelle's vision swirled behind the veil. She grabbed the table to keep from falling over.
"Are you okay?" he said. Anabelle shook her head slightly, not letting her father see. "Ezra, I'll be right back. Don't move...try out some card tricks or something," he said, taking Anabelle by the arm and leading her over into the bathroom. Shutting and locking the door, Vin turned to Anabelle. "What's wrong?" he asked, putting his arm around her shoulders to her support her wavering frame. She had lifted up her veil and was very pale.
"Vin, I can't do this. It's too hard," Anabelle said, trying not to cry. Vin shook her shoulders to get her attention.
"Anabelle, listen to me. I know how hard this is for you, but if you don't do it now you may never be able to," Vin said. "When I lost my mom, I wished that I would have another chance t'see her again. You're getting that second chance that almost no one ever gets. Take advantage of it. If you don't, one day you'll realize how much you miss them," Vin said. For a first time in a while, the strong trackers voice choked up and got wavery.
"Vin...."Anabelle said, her already torn heart reaching out for him.
"We can't keep Ezra waiting forever. Listen......I reckon that you have a heart and soul of steel. You can do this," Vin said, recovering from his previous saddness. Anabelle nodded, feeling confidence in herself. She had believed and trusted Vin; why shouldn't she now? She had to do this.
Anabelle got up and covered her face with the veil again. "Let's go," she said, holding out her hand to help Vin up. When Anabelle sat back down in her chair, Ezra looked at her quizzically.
"Are you all right Miss?" he asked, concerned. Anabelle nodded, but didn't say anything. Ezra nodded and started dealing. Anabelle barely heard what he was saying. She wondered how she was going to survive the game.
*******
A little while later, Anabelle sighed and sat back in her chair. Ezra smiled and laughed.
"You played a very good game young lady. The boys weren't lying," Ezra said, picking his objects out of the pile. "They also said that you let them keep their belongings. That was very generous of you. In respect for that, I'll let you keep your belongings....although there aren't many," Ezra said, scanning the pile. Although he had won, there seemed to be more of his belongings on the table then Anabelle's. Anabelle nodded, picking up her belongings. "Now may I ask, whom do I owe the pleasure of this challenging game too?" Ezra asked, trying to peer through the veil. Anabelle saw Vin nod then move towards the door. Heart pounding, Anabelle reached for her veil and lifted it. Ezra's eyes opened wide and he shot out of his chair. He stood so fast that he toppled over backwards, knocking the chair over. He stood up again and stared, tears in his eyes.
"Oh my dear sweet merciful Lord," he whispered, his hand flying up to his mouth.
"Anabelle."
*******
"Anabelle," Ezra repeated. Anabelle nodded, standing up. Ezra's knees buckled, and Vin grabbed him to keep him from falling. Once Ezra steadied himself, he once again looked at Anabelle. A tear fell down his face, and Anabelle snapped.
"Father!" she cried, running to him. Sobbing, she hugged him. Vin quietly slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Ezra hugged his daughter tight, so glad to have her in his arms again.
"My dear Anabelle. You've grown so much," he said, holding her at arms length. His voice sounded both happy and incredibly sad at the same time. "What are you doing here?"
"I came looking for you, father. I'd been searching for you since the day I left. It took me a while to ever find you," Anabelle said, smiling through her tears. "Still, here I am," she said. Ezra smiled, then hugged her again. She could feel his tears falling on her hair. "Oh father, don't cry. We're together now....it's all right," she said, although she was crying herself.
"I'm so sorry I didn't come to find you myself. I guess Vin told you why I'm here.....my life got so wrapped up....and every time I thought about looking for you, I never could. I always wimped out. It just seemed so hard," Ezra said. Running his hands through his chestnut hair, he brought Anabelle over to a couch. "Anabelle, how did you get here? Aren't you staying in Wisconsin?" he asked.
"Father, my Great Aunt died five years ago," Anabelle said gently. Ezra sucked in a long and slow breath.
"Then who have you been living with, my dear?" he asked, turning to her. Anabelle sighed and seemed to get smaller before his eyes.
"I've been staying with grandmother Maude, father," she said quietly. Ezra's eyes opened wide and jumped to his feet.
"Mother! How could you survive her? What has she done to you?" Ezra asked fiercely, holding Anabelle's shoulders. Anabelle put her hands on his strong arms.
"Calm down father. I'm okay, she didn't do anything to me. I know how you feel about her, but you don't have to worry. She was kind to me, and whenever she had to go somewhere, she left me with the Karlens," Anabelle said. Ezra raised an eyebrow.
"The Karlens? Who are they?" he asked warily.
"They're some of my best friends. Don't worry," Anabelle said, smiling slightly. "There's a lot you have to learn about me," Anabelle said.
"I wish I could've learned them sooner," Ezra said sadly. "Annabelle, I am truly sorry for not coming back for you," Ezra apologized once again. Anabelle shook her head.
"Don't worry about it, it's ok," she answered. "Listen, why don't we get out of here? We can head down to the bar or somewhere....I can beat you in a poker game," Anabelle said, smiling slyly. Ezra laughed and helped Anabelle up.
"I would gladly accept your offer to another game; however, I am almost unbeatable, as you previously found out," Ezra smiled back at her. Anabelle laughed at him.
"Dear father, I was being easy on you. I wanted you to win!" she exclaimed. Ezra laughed along with her as they walked out of the door.
"Was that part of your plan?" he asked, and Anabelle looked at him innocently.
"What plan?" she asked, and Ezra gave her a look.
"Don't play dumb with me, Anna," he said, giving her a smart smile. "You and Vin had this all planned out, I'm sure."
"Perhaps we had discussed it previously...." Anabelle said, smiling. Ezra just laughed.
"I figured that. It would be just like you," Ezra said as they walked outside into the sunshine. Anabelle smiled.
"Some things never change. I still always like to plan ahead," Anabelle said. "Planning and plotting is fun for me. You should see some of the stuff I write," Anabelle said laughing. Ezra smiled and tilted his head.
"Still writing, huh? You're taking after your old man now," he said quietly. Anabelle slowed down a bit.
"Father, do you still write?" she asked. Ezra slowed down to walk beside her as they headed for the saloon. He sighed and glanced at her.
"Not really. I have a few things, this and that...." his voice trailed off when he saw the look in his daughters eyes.
"You can't stop writing! You've always been the best at writing," Anabelle pleaded.
"It's hard for me to write, Anna. I can try again, but it's not the same," Ezra said as they entered the saloon. Anabelle started to answer, but was cut short by Buck.
"Hey Ezra! I see you've been acquainted with Leslie," he said, waltzing over. Ezra looked confused and Anabelle burst out laughing.
"Vin!" she exclaimed. "You didn't tell them?" she asked. Vin blushed slightly.
"I thought you would enjoy telling them more then I would," he said, glancing at the other five. Ezra glanced at Anabelle.
"Are you trying to tell me that they don't know?" he asked.
"Know what? Buck said, looking intently at Anabelle and Ezra. Anabelle elbowed her father and he cleared his throat.
"Boys, I would like you to meet Anabelle. She's my daughter."
*******
"What?!" Buck exclaimed, dropping his glass of whisky. Anabelle stepped a little bit closer to her father, slightly frightened by the reactions of the five men. The only one who seemed calm was Josiah. At first Anabelle thought Vin had told him, but then she realized that not much could surprise him.
"It's a rather long tale, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra said. Chris leaned forward.
"If you don't mind, Ezra, we'd like to hear it now," Chris said in a firm voice. There wasn't much that was kept from the seven, and this was a major secret. Ezra squirmed a little.
"Well...." he started, looking at Anabelle. JD stood up.
"Hey Ezra, why don't I take Anabelle over to the barn. I'm sure she would like to see her horse," JD offered. "I can find out what happened later." Ezra smiled gratefully at the boy.
"I'd appreciate that," Anabelle said, patting her fathers arm. "Anyway, my father needs to spent some...um...quality time with his friends," Anabelle said, smiling. Ezra laughed quietly.
"Thanks Anna," he said under his breath. Anabelle smiled before turning to leave with JD. As she walked out of the door, she turned to see her father cautiously sitting down under the eyes of four men.
"Thanks JD. I think it's easier for him to tell his story without me there," Anabelle said, running her hands through her hair. JD smiled sympathetically at her.
"No problem. Are you really his daughter?" JD asked quietly as they entered the barn. Anabelle nodded.
"Yup. It's a long story," Anabelle said, walking over the hay bale. She sat down hard in it and hay flew up around her. JD laughed at her foolish expression. Anabelle laughed too. "I'm sorry, I'm just so tempted to jump in the hay. It's so much fun," Anabelle explained. JD sat down next to her.
"Ah, don't worry Miss. I did that all the time at home. If I did it here, Buck would be after me," JD said, and Anabelle smiled.
"Call me Anabelle," she said, and JD nodded. "You and Buck are pretty close, aren't you?" she asked, and JD shrugged.
"I guess so. He looks after me pretty good. Of course, I don't really need to be looked after," JD said, putting on an important air. Anabelle laughed at JD and threw hay at him. JD laughed and threw some back at her. Jumping up, Anabelle ran behind pile of hay. JD chased after her and found a clump of hay flying at his face. He ducked and launched a counter attack. Anabelle grabbed him and pushed him into a hay pile. He pulled her down with him, and they both fell laughing into the hay. JD started tickling Anabelle, and she giggled, trying to pull away.
"I give up! I give up!" Anabelle said, holding up her hands. Laughing, JD stopped tickling her. Anabelle lay down in the hay, trying to catch her breath. "You're insane," she said, and JD went to tip his hat at her. Finding it wasn't there, he sat up quickly.
"Where's my hat?" he asked, and Anabelle shrugged. JD got up to look for his hat, leaving Anabelle in the hay. As he turned the corner, Anabelle smiled and picked his hat out of the hay underneath her. It was slightly squashed but otherwise okay. She placed it on her head and sat waiting for JD to return. "Anabelle, I can't find it. Are you sure you didn't see it?" JD asked, walking back around the hay pile. Anabelle shook her head. JD nodded and started to turn away, then quickly turned back. "Hey..." he said, and Anabelle started laughing. JD jumped at her, and she squealed. Laughing, she put her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. JD stopped and laughed. "Did you just squeal?" he asked.
"No," Anabelle lied. JD raised his eyebrow, then ran at her again. Anabelle laughed and jumped into the hay. JD jumped in after her, grabbing his hat away. The two laughed as some hay fell on top of them. Smiling, Anabelle sighed and relaxed. "I haven't had that much fun in a while," she said.
"I'm glad to have shown you a good time," JD answered. They lay there for a minute or so, just looking at each other. Then JD blushed and stood up. "I'm sorry," he said, brushing hay off of himself. Anabelle stood up also, confused.
"Sorry for what?" she asked, and JD blushed again.
"I'm just not sure it's very gentlemanly of me to be fooling around like this," he said shyly.
"JD, I couldn't care less. I had fun, and like I said, I'm not always high and proper. I enjoy a good time also," Anabelle said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you'd better go see the guys. After all, we did come here to see ace, not to be turkey's in the straw," Anabelle said, laughing. JD smiled, the tension broke.
"Okay. I'll see you later?" he asked, and Anabelle nodded. As he walked away, Anabelle sighed. Maybe it was because he was one of the only guys here age in this town, but for some reason JD did something to her. He made her palm sweat and her heart beat faster.
"He's one of my father's friends. I can't feel like this," Anabelle said to herself. Deep down inside herself though, she knew that these feeling were too strong to hide.
*******
"You go put Ace away and go into your room. I'll tell Chris what we're going to do. You'll be able t'meet JD, Josiah, and Nathan later," Vin said quietly. "Good luck," he said, tipping his hat as he rode over to Chris and Josiah. Anabelle watched him go, almost afraid to see him leave. Today was the big day....if she messed up, then everything would be ruined.
Anabelle breathed deep and dismounted Ace, leading him into the stable. As she put him in his stall, she heard rustling behind her. She quickly reached for her derringer.
"Who's there?" Anabelle asked, spinning around. The boy behind her jumped up from where he was sitting in the hay. He had fairly long black hair, dark eyes, and a bowler hat on.
"Whoa, no need to get flighty there Miss, I don't mean any harm to you," he said. To his surprise, the girl smiled deeply and put the small gun back in her boot.
"You must be JD!" she exclaimed. He gave her a puzzled look.
"How did you know?" he asked, tensing up a bit.
"Your hat. Vin was talking about it before," Anabelle said.
"Vin? Oh, then you must be Leslie," JD said, relaxing. Anabelle tensed up herself slightly, before realizing that if he thought she was Leslie, then no one could know what she had revealed to Vin. Anabelle nodded to JD.
"That would be me. If I may ask, why were you in the hay?" Anabelle asked curiously. JD smiled sheepishly.
"I...I like to sit there when it's quiet and think, or read or write something. I was writing a poem for a friend," he admitted. "Would it be okay if you didn't tell the others?" he asked, and Anabelle laughed.
"It's safe with me...as long as you let me join you one day. I've been looking for a nice place to write," she laughed, and JD smiled.
"You know, dressed like that you look like a younger version of Casey," he said, and Anabelle laughed again.
"That's just what Vin said before! I have no idea who this Casey is," Anabelle confessed.
"I'll have to introduce you sometime. I think you two will get along great. In fact--" Jd started, but was cut off short by a gasp from Anabelle.
"Is there a back door to this building? I forgot, I have to be somewhere," Anabelle said frantically, starting to run to the back of the stable.
"Uh...yea, right over there," JD answered. "It was pleasant meeting you," JD said, bewildered and slightly hurt that she was running out like that. Anabelle saw him and stopped.
"It was nice meeting you too. I'm sorry to run out on you like this....it's not your fault, it's mine. I'll see you later?" she asked, hoping he would understand before Vin entered the barn. She could see Ezra's red jacket farther behind him. JD nodded, and Anabelle smiled before running out of the door.
*******
Anabelle sat up in her room, having bathed and changed into her favorite light green dress. Everyone said she looked like her mother in it. Anabelle just hoped that she didn't resemble her father that much in it; she didn't need one of the other men becoming suspicious.
Anabelle sat, breathing shakily. She picked up the deck of cards, going over the plan in her mind. So far Vin had done his part....now she needed to do her part. Absent-mindedly she did a few tricks with the cards and looked out of the window. A little ways down the street she saw what seemed like a church. Vin had told her about it and Josiah. Being a Catholic, Anabelle felt like if she ever needed to pray it was now. She pulled on a pair of white gloves and tucked the cards in a small compartment in her dress. Once she headed out into town, there would be no turning back, no running away. Anabelle took one last glance out of the window, and she sighed as she left the room.
*******
"Dear God, please help me through this difficult task. I know I haven't done much to deserve your love, but if I ever needed it, it is now," Anabelle started. She had said those words quietly, and she said a few more silently before she realized someone standing beside her. She looked up quickly and jumped.
"I didn't mean to interrupt your talk with God ma'am," the tall man said, stepping back.
"That's okay, I was almost done anyway," she said. She whispered a few more words, then made the sign of the cross and stood up. "Are you Josiah?" she asked.
"Yes, that would be me. You wouldn't be Leslie by any chance, would you?" he asked, and Anabelle nodded. "I saw you riding into town with Vin this morning. You were up kind of early for a young lady, weren't you?" Josiah asked, but with an unaccusing air.
"I couldn't sleep," Anabelle answered lamely. Josiah scratched his chin but it wasn't like him to be suspicious of a lady like Anabelle.
"I didn't mean to be eavesdropping, but you seem like you need some assistance. This is the best place to come for it," Josiah said, gesturing to the church. Anabelle smiled and nodded.
"I know. I just hope that I'm on the Lord's good side," she said.
"Miss, I can't imagine your being on his bad side," Josiah said, smiling politely. Anabelle smiled back.
"You can call me Leslie, Mr. Sanchez, Anabelle said.
"Only if you call me Josiah," he said, grinning. Anabelle smiled.
"Tell me Josiah....do you consider yourself a good card player?" Anabelle ventured, feeling the deck in her pocket.
"I know a little bit, why?" he asked. Anabelle grinned. This would be easy.
"I know it doesn't seem like I could play, but would care to escort me to the saloon for a game?" Anabelle asked. Josiah raised his eyebrows but nodded. Putting out his arm, he smiled a bit.
"I would be delighted," he said as Anabelle took his arm, and they walked out of the door together. After a few steps, Nathan joined them.
"Hey Josiah. Who's the beautiful young lady?" he said, smiling at Anabelle.
"This is Leslie. Leslie, this is Nathan Jackson, our local doctor," Josiah introduced the two. Anabelle smiled and nodded at Nathan.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jackson. You know, you would like my friend Jeremy. He can always use some medical tips...he helps us out back home. In return, he can give you some horse tips if you would like. This boy knows everything imaginable about horses!" Anabelle said, chuckling. "Next time he's around here, I'll tell him to drop by."
"I'd love to meet him," Nathan said. "Oh, and you can call me Nathan, Leslie," he said. She nodded.
"Would you care to join Josiah and me for a game of poker, Nathan?" Anabelle asked.
"I would be delighted, and I'm sure the others would love to too. It's too bad Ezra's not here...that would be an interesting game," Nathan said, smiling at Josiah. As they continued walking, Anabelle turned to Nathan.
"Tell me, who is this Ezra? Is he a good gambler?" Anabelle asked, opting to play stupid.
"Ezra, well, I don't think there's any other thing to call him except a con artist," Nathan said, and Josiah nodded in agreement.
"He must be good at heart, or else the Lord wouldn't give him so much help, but Ezra doesn't always seem as kind as he probably is," Josiah explained. Anabelle nodded, wondering how much her father had changed since she'd last seen him. She didn't want to ask about that though; anyway, they were at the bar. Nathan and Josiah escorted her in and over to where Chris, Buck, and JD were sitting.
"Hey Leslie, what are you doing in here? This isn't exactly a place for a nice young lady like yourself," JD pointed out, but Anabelle just laughed.
"I'm well aware of that; however, I sometimes I tend to stray from the 'nice young lady' part. I've come to ask you boys to entertain me with a game of poker," Anabelle said, taking out the deck of cards. Buck smiled.
"I would hate to turn a lady down," he said, moving his drink to the side. "I must warn you though, Ezra's taught us how to play quite well. We'll go easy on you though," he said, and Anabelle almost snorted.
"There's no need for that, Buck," she said. Before anyone could offer to deal, she did so herself. As she passed out the cards, she turned to the others. "Okay, boys, prepare to lose," she said. When the smiled and chuckled, Anabelle grinned evilly. "Boys, the game is Black Maria, Chicago style. Spade boat, but it's only alive when it's under. First red two showing gets an automatic card, one-eyed jacks wild. Suicide king cancels the hand, Annie's progressive straights can take a walk around the corner. Four flush beats a pair, and high card only wins with the dealer. Any question?" she asked, and looked up from dealing the cards to see five dumbfounded faces looking at her.
"I fold," JD said, and started to get up. Buck laughed and pulled him back down.
"JD, if you could play Ezra, you can play Leslie here. Now sit down and play," Buck said, and JD sighed, watching Anabelle dealing the cards like a pro.
"Famous last words, Buck. Famous last words."
*******
Barely even an hour later, Anabelle sat laughing at the table. A pile of stuff was on it, almost none of it belonging to her. Buck looked slightly embarrassed, and JD was giving him an I told you so look.
"I warned you," Anabelle said. Having easily beat them, they were quickly refusing to play her again. JD looked at the table, where most of the stuff had been his. Anabelle laughed again. "Don't worry, like I said before, I only play to keep entertained," Anabelle said, collecting the few things that were hers on the table. "You can take all of your stuff back," she said, winking at JD. He smiled gratefully at her.
"I can't wait until Ezra comes back, he's gonna want to challenge you. In fact, he should be back soon," JD said. Anabelle looked outside and saw the sun beginning to set....that would mean that Vin would be bringing Ezra back soon. Anabelle still had no idea how Vin managed to get her father to leave town so easily, but she was grateful for it.
"I would be delighted to challenge him. However, I must be getting to my room for a bit; I have some things to take care. If he returns soon, you can send Ezra up to my room; I'd be happy to play another poker game," Anabelle stated, standing up. "It was a pleasure beating you all," she said, chuckling. "Maybe later you'll be ready for a rematch?" she said, but instantly five heads shook and Anabelle heard five voices saying no thanks. "In that case then, maybe I'll just come down to talk later. Good evening, gentlemen," Anabelle said, turning to leave. As the five men all said evening and tipped their hats, Anabelle felt her heart beginning to race. So far everyone at Four Corners had been so welcoming; would her father respond the same way?
*******
Anabelle worked the veil so that it didn't tickle her nose so much. Vin had just came up and warned her that Ezra was in the bar. The other men had easily convinced him to pay a visit to Anabelle, and he was coming up later. Anabelle had hurried to find her veil, which had been part of the plan. Until the end of the game, Anabelle couldn't lift the veil or speak. That had been her idea, but now she was regretting it a little bit. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
As Anabelle walked over to the door, her heart leapt up to her throat. She began to panic, and had to breathe deep to keep from passing out. Finally getting up the courage to open the door, she swung it open and faced Vin and her father.
Anabelle quickly looked down as Vin and Ezra greeted her. Ezra asked her a few questions, but Vin answered for her. Ezra seemed a little puzzled, but happy that he would be playing a game of poker. He sat down and pulled out a pack of cards. Anabelle was familiar with them, and knew that they were used to cheat. Thankfully, she was prepared for this, and would be able to catch him.
Ezra and Vin discussed the game and a few other things as Anabelle sat down. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at her father. He still looked as he used to, but something in him had died. Pain swelled up inside Anabelle as she realized she may not be able to bring that thing back. Right now she just wanted to reach out and hug her father, or go back and play make believe with him. Thoughts whirled through her mind, and Anabelle's vision swirled behind the veil. She grabbed the table to keep from falling over.
"Are you okay?" he said. Anabelle shook her head slightly, not letting her father see. "Ezra, I'll be right back. Don't move...try out some card tricks or something," he said, taking Anabelle by the arm and leading her over into the bathroom. Shutting and locking the door, Vin turned to Anabelle. "What's wrong?" he asked, putting his arm around her shoulders to her support her wavering frame. She had lifted up her veil and was very pale.
"Vin, I can't do this. It's too hard," Anabelle said, trying not to cry. Vin shook her shoulders to get her attention.
"Anabelle, listen to me. I know how hard this is for you, but if you don't do it now you may never be able to," Vin said. "When I lost my mom, I wished that I would have another chance t'see her again. You're getting that second chance that almost no one ever gets. Take advantage of it. If you don't, one day you'll realize how much you miss them," Vin said. For a first time in a while, the strong trackers voice choked up and got wavery.
"Vin...."Anabelle said, her already torn heart reaching out for him.
"We can't keep Ezra waiting forever. Listen......I reckon that you have a heart and soul of steel. You can do this," Vin said, recovering from his previous saddness. Anabelle nodded, feeling confidence in herself. She had believed and trusted Vin; why shouldn't she now? She had to do this.
Anabelle got up and covered her face with the veil again. "Let's go," she said, holding out her hand to help Vin up. When Anabelle sat back down in her chair, Ezra looked at her quizzically.
"Are you all right Miss?" he asked, concerned. Anabelle nodded, but didn't say anything. Ezra nodded and started dealing. Anabelle barely heard what he was saying. She wondered how she was going to survive the game.
*******
A little while later, Anabelle sighed and sat back in her chair. Ezra smiled and laughed.
"You played a very good game young lady. The boys weren't lying," Ezra said, picking his objects out of the pile. "They also said that you let them keep their belongings. That was very generous of you. In respect for that, I'll let you keep your belongings....although there aren't many," Ezra said, scanning the pile. Although he had won, there seemed to be more of his belongings on the table then Anabelle's. Anabelle nodded, picking up her belongings. "Now may I ask, whom do I owe the pleasure of this challenging game too?" Ezra asked, trying to peer through the veil. Anabelle saw Vin nod then move towards the door. Heart pounding, Anabelle reached for her veil and lifted it. Ezra's eyes opened wide and he shot out of his chair. He stood so fast that he toppled over backwards, knocking the chair over. He stood up again and stared, tears in his eyes.
"Oh my dear sweet merciful Lord," he whispered, his hand flying up to his mouth.
"Anabelle."
*******
"Anabelle," Ezra repeated. Anabelle nodded, standing up. Ezra's knees buckled, and Vin grabbed him to keep him from falling. Once Ezra steadied himself, he once again looked at Anabelle. A tear fell down his face, and Anabelle snapped.
"Father!" she cried, running to him. Sobbing, she hugged him. Vin quietly slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Ezra hugged his daughter tight, so glad to have her in his arms again.
"My dear Anabelle. You've grown so much," he said, holding her at arms length. His voice sounded both happy and incredibly sad at the same time. "What are you doing here?"
"I came looking for you, father. I'd been searching for you since the day I left. It took me a while to ever find you," Anabelle said, smiling through her tears. "Still, here I am," she said. Ezra smiled, then hugged her again. She could feel his tears falling on her hair. "Oh father, don't cry. We're together now....it's all right," she said, although she was crying herself.
"I'm so sorry I didn't come to find you myself. I guess Vin told you why I'm here.....my life got so wrapped up....and every time I thought about looking for you, I never could. I always wimped out. It just seemed so hard," Ezra said. Running his hands through his chestnut hair, he brought Anabelle over to a couch. "Anabelle, how did you get here? Aren't you staying in Wisconsin?" he asked.
"Father, my Great Aunt died five years ago," Anabelle said gently. Ezra sucked in a long and slow breath.
"Then who have you been living with, my dear?" he asked, turning to her. Anabelle sighed and seemed to get smaller before his eyes.
"I've been staying with grandmother Maude, father," she said quietly. Ezra's eyes opened wide and jumped to his feet.
"Mother! How could you survive her? What has she done to you?" Ezra asked fiercely, holding Anabelle's shoulders. Anabelle put her hands on his strong arms.
"Calm down father. I'm okay, she didn't do anything to me. I know how you feel about her, but you don't have to worry. She was kind to me, and whenever she had to go somewhere, she left me with the Karlens," Anabelle said. Ezra raised an eyebrow.
"The Karlens? Who are they?" he asked warily.
"They're some of my best friends. Don't worry," Anabelle said, smiling slightly. "There's a lot you have to learn about me," Anabelle said.
"I wish I could've learned them sooner," Ezra said sadly. "Annabelle, I am truly sorry for not coming back for you," Ezra apologized once again. Anabelle shook her head.
"Don't worry about it, it's ok," she answered. "Listen, why don't we get out of here? We can head down to the bar or somewhere....I can beat you in a poker game," Anabelle said, smiling slyly. Ezra laughed and helped Anabelle up.
"I would gladly accept your offer to another game; however, I am almost unbeatable, as you previously found out," Ezra smiled back at her. Anabelle laughed at him.
"Dear father, I was being easy on you. I wanted you to win!" she exclaimed. Ezra laughed along with her as they walked out of the door.
"Was that part of your plan?" he asked, and Anabelle looked at him innocently.
"What plan?" she asked, and Ezra gave her a look.
"Don't play dumb with me, Anna," he said, giving her a smart smile. "You and Vin had this all planned out, I'm sure."
"Perhaps we had discussed it previously...." Anabelle said, smiling. Ezra just laughed.
"I figured that. It would be just like you," Ezra said as they walked outside into the sunshine. Anabelle smiled.
"Some things never change. I still always like to plan ahead," Anabelle said. "Planning and plotting is fun for me. You should see some of the stuff I write," Anabelle said laughing. Ezra smiled and tilted his head.
"Still writing, huh? You're taking after your old man now," he said quietly. Anabelle slowed down a bit.
"Father, do you still write?" she asked. Ezra slowed down to walk beside her as they headed for the saloon. He sighed and glanced at her.
"Not really. I have a few things, this and that...." his voice trailed off when he saw the look in his daughters eyes.
"You can't stop writing! You've always been the best at writing," Anabelle pleaded.
"It's hard for me to write, Anna. I can try again, but it's not the same," Ezra said as they entered the saloon. Anabelle started to answer, but was cut short by Buck.
"Hey Ezra! I see you've been acquainted with Leslie," he said, waltzing over. Ezra looked confused and Anabelle burst out laughing.
"Vin!" she exclaimed. "You didn't tell them?" she asked. Vin blushed slightly.
"I thought you would enjoy telling them more then I would," he said, glancing at the other five. Ezra glanced at Anabelle.
"Are you trying to tell me that they don't know?" he asked.
"Know what? Buck said, looking intently at Anabelle and Ezra. Anabelle elbowed her father and he cleared his throat.
"Boys, I would like you to meet Anabelle. She's my daughter."
*******
"What?!" Buck exclaimed, dropping his glass of whisky. Anabelle stepped a little bit closer to her father, slightly frightened by the reactions of the five men. The only one who seemed calm was Josiah. At first Anabelle thought Vin had told him, but then she realized that not much could surprise him.
"It's a rather long tale, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra said. Chris leaned forward.
"If you don't mind, Ezra, we'd like to hear it now," Chris said in a firm voice. There wasn't much that was kept from the seven, and this was a major secret. Ezra squirmed a little.
"Well...." he started, looking at Anabelle. JD stood up.
"Hey Ezra, why don't I take Anabelle over to the barn. I'm sure she would like to see her horse," JD offered. "I can find out what happened later." Ezra smiled gratefully at the boy.
"I'd appreciate that," Anabelle said, patting her fathers arm. "Anyway, my father needs to spent some...um...quality time with his friends," Anabelle said, smiling. Ezra laughed quietly.
"Thanks Anna," he said under his breath. Anabelle smiled before turning to leave with JD. As she walked out of the door, she turned to see her father cautiously sitting down under the eyes of four men.
"Thanks JD. I think it's easier for him to tell his story without me there," Anabelle said, running her hands through her hair. JD smiled sympathetically at her.
"No problem. Are you really his daughter?" JD asked quietly as they entered the barn. Anabelle nodded.
"Yup. It's a long story," Anabelle said, walking over the hay bale. She sat down hard in it and hay flew up around her. JD laughed at her foolish expression. Anabelle laughed too. "I'm sorry, I'm just so tempted to jump in the hay. It's so much fun," Anabelle explained. JD sat down next to her.
"Ah, don't worry Miss. I did that all the time at home. If I did it here, Buck would be after me," JD said, and Anabelle smiled.
"Call me Anabelle," she said, and JD nodded. "You and Buck are pretty close, aren't you?" she asked, and JD shrugged.
"I guess so. He looks after me pretty good. Of course, I don't really need to be looked after," JD said, putting on an important air. Anabelle laughed at JD and threw hay at him. JD laughed and threw some back at her. Jumping up, Anabelle ran behind pile of hay. JD chased after her and found a clump of hay flying at his face. He ducked and launched a counter attack. Anabelle grabbed him and pushed him into a hay pile. He pulled her down with him, and they both fell laughing into the hay. JD started tickling Anabelle, and she giggled, trying to pull away.
"I give up! I give up!" Anabelle said, holding up her hands. Laughing, JD stopped tickling her. Anabelle lay down in the hay, trying to catch her breath. "You're insane," she said, and JD went to tip his hat at her. Finding it wasn't there, he sat up quickly.
"Where's my hat?" he asked, and Anabelle shrugged. JD got up to look for his hat, leaving Anabelle in the hay. As he turned the corner, Anabelle smiled and picked his hat out of the hay underneath her. It was slightly squashed but otherwise okay. She placed it on her head and sat waiting for JD to return. "Anabelle, I can't find it. Are you sure you didn't see it?" JD asked, walking back around the hay pile. Anabelle shook her head. JD nodded and started to turn away, then quickly turned back. "Hey..." he said, and Anabelle started laughing. JD jumped at her, and she squealed. Laughing, she put her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. JD stopped and laughed. "Did you just squeal?" he asked.
"No," Anabelle lied. JD raised his eyebrow, then ran at her again. Anabelle laughed and jumped into the hay. JD jumped in after her, grabbing his hat away. The two laughed as some hay fell on top of them. Smiling, Anabelle sighed and relaxed. "I haven't had that much fun in a while," she said.
"I'm glad to have shown you a good time," JD answered. They lay there for a minute or so, just looking at each other. Then JD blushed and stood up. "I'm sorry," he said, brushing hay off of himself. Anabelle stood up also, confused.
"Sorry for what?" she asked, and JD blushed again.
"I'm just not sure it's very gentlemanly of me to be fooling around like this," he said shyly.
"JD, I couldn't care less. I had fun, and like I said, I'm not always high and proper. I enjoy a good time also," Anabelle said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you'd better go see the guys. After all, we did come here to see ace, not to be turkey's in the straw," Anabelle said, laughing. JD smiled, the tension broke.
"Okay. I'll see you later?" he asked, and Anabelle nodded. As he walked away, Anabelle sighed. Maybe it was because he was one of the only guys here age in this town, but for some reason JD did something to her. He made her palm sweat and her heart beat faster.
"He's one of my father's friends. I can't feel like this," Anabelle said to herself. Deep down inside herself though, she knew that these feeling were too strong to hide.
*******