Melanie was awake before dawn. She had packed only one small bag, knowing they had to travel light. Her horse was saddled and waiting in the barn, she was dressed in the most inconspicuous clothes she had, and now all she could do was wait. Melanie could hardly contain her excitement and she paced impatiently as the sun rose slowly over the distant hills in the east.

Melanie had no regrets. She was sad and distressed to leave Louise and her family, but she would keep in touch. She had already written a long letter to Lou explaining her reasons for going. She couldn't stay in a loveless marriage when her true love was Jimmy Hickok. Melanie belonged with him and she hoped Lou would understand. She had to do this for herself if she was ever going to be truly happy.

The sun was full in the sky when Melanie's pacing grew slower. Every few minutes she would glance expectantly through the lace curtains of her living room, straining her eyes for some sight of a rider, or the sound of hoof beats. Jimmy had not given a specific time and she realized she had probably counted on his arrival far too early. Melanie couldn't contain her excitement. She was saying goodbye to her old life for good and starting on a great new adventure. She could hardly be expected to get a good night's sleep on the eve of starting her life over.

But by mid-morning, Melanie wished she had. She slumped tiredly in a chair she had pulled over to the window, and from here she was able to survey the road leading to the house. Her bag lay at her side, her bonnet and gloves in her lap. She would be ready to leave at moment's notice, but she would wait sitting down until Jimmy arrived. The clock in the living room ticked loudly in the silence as she waited. The rhythmic beat and the warmth of the sun almost lulled her into a stupor. Still she waited.

When the sun began to dip behind the hills, Melanie finally admitted to herself that he was not coming. For hours she had been fighting the urge to give in to her disappointment and anger at herself for being so stupid to rely upon someone she barely knew. She had gone off blindly, making plans he wanted no part of. He had probably even tried to tell her, but she had refused to hear him. Melanie was embarrassed and ashamed that she could have made such a fool of herself, throwing herself at another man just to escape from her husband.

She was also angry at herself for once again believing a man could solve her problems. She had married Howard to escape her parents and begin her life on her terms, and she had been willing to run off with Jimmy to escape Howard and start again. She had made a terrible mistake the first time, so what made her think that this time would be any different? Melanie was numb with emotion.

Eventually she pulled her stiff body from her chair and stood up. Only now she had nowhere to go. She didn't know what to do now. Melanie's head ached and she just wanted to crawl up into a ball and not have to think. At least then she wouldn't feel any pain.

Slowly she bent over to pick up her bag, when she heard the sound she had been craving to hear all day. Hoof beats. Her heart gave a jump and she sped to the door, flinging it open expectantly. The shock of seeing Louise riding up to the house was almost too much for her. A wave of disappointment swept through her and it was all she could do to remain standing. She held onto the door for support so tight that her knuckles went white, as she waited for Lou to dismount.

"Louise, what are you doing here?" Her words were light but she almost choked on them.

Lou walked towards her, a strange look on her face. Melanie realized she looked relieved more than anything.

"I just came by to see… I just wanted to see you," she eventually managed to reply. "I wasn't sure if…"

"What?"

"Nothin'," Lou said dismissively as she preceded Melanie through the door. Lou walked into the house and turned to face her friend.

"You're going to think I'm crazy, but I thought that maybe… I thought maybe you had left with Jimmy." Lou laughed at her own hesitant words.

"What are you talking about?" Melanie replied weakly, willing to keep up the charade if it meant not being found out. "You are crazy."

"I know, it's just… when you were at the ranch last night you seemed so sad, like you were goin' away and never coming back. I guess I just thought that with Jimmy announcin' he was leavin'… Well, I thought somethin' might have happened between you two."

"Between Jimmy and me?" Melanie turned quickly away from her.

"I know, it's silly. I guess I just misread the situation. I got so worried you had left I just had to come by and check," Lou said. "Like I said, it was crazy of me to think that."

"He's gone then?"

"Yes, first thing this mornin'. I'm not sure where he was headed but…"

Melanie was looking out the window and still did not face her friend. Lou frowned at her back and was worried she had offended Melanie's polite sensibilities, after all she was accusing her of running off with another man. She opened her mouth to apologize when she noticed the bag sitting beside the chair, and Melanie's hat and gloves resting on top.

"Oh Melly…"

Lou understood all too clearly what had happened. She took a step forward and forced her friend to turn around. Melanie's eyes were full of tears, and her face crumpled in misery. Lou hugged her tightly as Melanie sobbed on her shoulder.

"I'm so stupid… How could I be so stupid?" Melanie wailed bitterly, pulling herself away. "I thought he wanted me to go with him. I thought he loved me as much as I loved him…"

"I think he does love you," Lou said, her heart heavy. She had feared something like this would happen.

"Then why did he leave me here?" Melanie's voice was cracked and weak. "I thought I had everything planned so carefully. I thought everything would be perfect."

"I know," Lou sad helplessly, unable to think of the words that would take away the betrayal her friend felt.

She wanted to explain about Jimmy, how he had always been his own man, how he believed he had a destiny that didn't involve a wife and family. But they were not the words Melanie needed to hear, not yet anyway.

"I think Jimmy thought he was doin' the right thing… the best thing for your sake."

"By leaving me here with Howard?" Melanie cried incredulously.

"He probably thinks he couldn't offer you the kind of life you expect."

"I didn't expect anything from him!"

"I know, but he expected it of himself. Jimmy has always judged himself too harshly," Lou sighed.

"I just wanted to be with him," Melanie whispered.

"I know." Lou kept her arm around Melanie's shoulder as the last of her tears subsided. "I think Jimmy knew it too and it scared him. It scared him that he had let someone get so close to him, that he let himself love someone."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better," replied Melanie, her face and voice tired. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest and resumed staring out of the window. "What am I going to do now?"

Lou did not have a chance to answer as they both heard another rider approaching. Melanie held her breath unwittingly, her hopes soaring. When the rider turned out to be Howard returning home from town, Lou thought Melanie was going to faint. But with a eerie calm, her friend merely pushed her traveling bag under a chair, and straightened her dress and hair. Her eyes were devoid of emotion as she waited for her husband to enter. With a vacant look that almost broke Lou's heart, Melanie opened the door.

"Welcome home, dear," she said in a dull voice.