PART FIVE

In the week that followed, Melanie and Jimmy met each morning at the creek, from where they would take a walk or ride together before returning to the ranch. It was an unspoken arrangement between them, and one they did not speak to anyone else about. Lou wondered where Jimmy disappeared to every morning, but did not want to question him. He had stopped visiting saloons at night and she did not want to risk him returning to his old habits.

Lou had her suspicions, however. It was hard not to guess, especially when Melanie would invariably arrive ten minutes after Jimmy's return to the ranch. She said nothing, not even to the Kid, but secretly she began to worry for her friends. She did not know what was going on between them, but she knew no good could come of it. Not when Melanie was married to a man like Howard Brooks and Jimmy had a restless temperament. Lou had sighed tiredly and reminded herself that there was nothing she could do.

On the morning of their sixth clandestine meeting, Melanie waited longer than usual for Jimmy to arrive. She was not sure what she was getting herself in for, but every morning she unwittingly made her way to the creek to meet him. They talked of their lives like life-long friends, sharing secrets she had previously only trusted with Louise. She could not tell Jimmy of her husband's cruelty however, no matter how much she came to trust him. The shame was too much for her. When Jimmy revealed he had met Howard in his saloon one night, Melanie could not help but laugh at the disdain in his voice. Howard had certainly left a lasting impression on him, as he did most people.

She knew she could not make Jimmy understand why she would have married such a man. Some days it was hard to remember herself. But then she would see her small house with the blazing sun setting behind it or she would gallop across the open plains on her horse, and then she would be reminded of her decision. Her methods may not have been ideal, but the result was she was where she wanted to be.

Melanie pulled impatiently at overhanging branch of a tree as she waited still. Jimmy was usually waiting for her but today he was late. She could not help but be annoyed, even though they never made any arrangements to meet. She was put out by the fact that with every passing minute she was growing more and more disappointed. His absence hurt her, much more than she thought it would. The slight also angered her, and eventually she snatched up her reins and headed for the ranch.

On the way she contemplated why Jimmy had not come. Furious, she decided he had probably spent the night gambling in town, perhaps even with her husband again. Melanie expected such behavior from Howard, but when Jimmy was the perpetrator the betrayal was somehow keener. She reminded herself that she should not care so much, that Jimmy was only a friend and owed her nothing. But over the week Melanie had come to care for him as more than that, and was under the impression he felt the same way. Angry more at herself now, Melanie kicked her horse harder and forced him into a gallop. She was acting like a fool and she knew it, but she could not stop herself. If Jimmy Hickok thought he could treat her with so little respect he was sadly mistaken.

When Melanie drew rein at the front of Louise's house that morning, she knew immediately something had happened. She dismounted slowly, casting her eyes over her surroundings. The ranch was deathly quiet, even the horses in the corral were silent at her approach. The eerie quiet unnerved her as she fastened the reins to the hitching post. There was no one about so she immediately went inside, an indescribable fear gripping her heart. Her anger at Jimmy had drained rapidly as somehow she knew something was wrong.

Teaspoon and Jimmy were sitting in the parlor when she came running through the door, and they jumped up at her unexpected arrival. Teaspoon's face was drawn sharply and Jimmy's brow was creased with worry. Melanie stopped dead in the doorway when she saw them, too afraid to speak. When eventually she found her voice, it was barely a whisper.

"What is it? Is it Louise?"

Jimmy averted his eyes and sat back heavily in his chair, leaving Teaspoon to tell her.

"It's Adam. He come home from school yesterday feeling poorly and this mornin' he's burnin' up. Kid's gone to fetch the doctor."

Melanie looked at the stairs in front of her and wanted to go to Louise, but Teaspoon stopped her. "They think it's typhoid. A few others at the school have come down with it too. You can't go up there."

Stricken, Melanie blurted out, "I have to help Louise, she needs someone to help –"

"We already tried, Melly, she won't have it," said Teaspoon grimly.

"What about Jamie and Charlie, are they all right?"

"They're both fine," Jimmy spoke up finally. "Tom and Mary are looking after them in the bunkhouse."

Before Melanie could speak again they heard a rider approach the house at great speed. Running outside, they saw Kid riding in so hard that Katy's rump almost touched the ground when he drew her to an abrupt halt.

"You find the Doc, Kid?" Teaspoon asked immediately, though from the look on Kid's face he already knew the answer.

"He's not in town, someone said he might be out at the Johnson place," Kid said breathlessly, taking the front steps three at a time. "There's at least five cases reported so far, maybe more. I gotta go lookin' for him."

"I'm comin' with you. We'll find him faster if we split up." Jimmy spoke firmly and Kid did not disagree with him.

"Saddle your horse and a fresh one for me, I'm going to check on Adam."

Kid disappeared upstairs and Jimmy to the barn, leaving Teaspoon and Melanie standing at a loose end on the porch.

"There has to be something I can do, Teaspoon. I can't just stand idly by and not do anything." Melanie put a hand to her throat and tried to swallow the lump that had formed there.

"If it is typhoid, honey, all you can do is pray. There ain't nothin' else we can do."

Teaspoon's eyes grew watery and Melanie took his hand to comfort him. She knew he and Adam were especially close – there was a strong bond between the old man and the boy that she knew was very special. To lose him now would be more than the rough ex-Ranger could bear. Teaspoon rubbed a hand over his whiskered chin and spoke flatly to himself.

"Nothin' we can do."

Melanie paced the floor of Louise's kitchen impatiently, and every other minute she found herself glancing at the clock in the hall. Jimmy and the Kid had been gone for over an hour and still they had heard anything. She looked longingly at the stairs again and made a move towards them, but Teaspoon, sitting motionless at the kitchen table up until then, raised a hand to stop her. No words passed between them. Both of them wanted to do something, anything, to help Adam, but all they could do was wait. Just when Melanie thought she would go mad with impatience and concern, they heard footsteps on the staircase.

Lou walked quickly into the kitchen, and it took her a moment to even register their presence. Melanie saw the deep stains under her eyes from a sleepless, worry-filled night. Lou's hair was messy, her clothes rumpled, and she moved stiffly carrying a large basin of water. Her voice was dull and tired when she spoke to them.

"I need more cold water."

Melanie and Teaspoon had been frozen to the spot after she had appeared so suddenly, but now Melly gathered herself enough to take the basin from her and fill it again from the water pump. Teaspoon swallowed carefully before he could even broach the subject of Adam.

"Any change, Lou?"

Louise did not answer, looking down at the wash rag she still held in her hands. "Any sign of the doctor?"

"Kid and Jimmy are still out looking," said Melanie softly as she handed over the fresh basin. "They'll be here soon."

Louise nodded dumbly, her eyes till downcast as if she could not bear to look at her friends. Melanie's heart ached for her, and again she felt useless.

"Louise, is there anything I can do? I could help you…"

"No," Lou replied firmly. "I don't want you gettin' sick too."

Melanie's shoulders fell, but she respected her friend's wishes. If Lou had been able to, she would have felt gratitude that Melanie didn't push the issue. Lou was barely holding herself together as it was, and having the caring Melanie by her side would almost certainly make her break down and give in to the fear she was trying to hold at bay. Just the thought of her son's pale, almost translucent, face framed by dark matted hair lying on his damp pillow caused her chest to ache. She could still see in her mind his small body barely moving with every precious breath, his skin burning with fever. What started as a slight temperature had rapidly progressed into a life threatening illness she could not control. There was nothing Melanie could do, nothing Lou could do, or anyone else for that matter.

Lou looked again the useless basin of water in her hands and forced herself to breathe evenly. She had to compose herself before she went back into Adam's room. She couldn't give up hope or she would be destroyed. Louise turned her back on Melanie and Teaspoon and their worried eyes full of concern. She mounted the stairs one at a time, slowly this time. Just the sight of the bare wooden door to Adam's room before her sent another sharp pain through her heart.