As the gang rode east to their next target Mari felt herself forgetting all about the five miserable years she'd spent without the boys because of the war and them starting the gang. She felt like she was eleven years old again riding with her friends and planning the next day.
"MARI, MARI." Bob shouted. Mari jumped out of her daydream and found her horse at a halt with the boys ahead and staring around at her.
"What's up?" Jesse said.
"Nothing." Mari replied.
"Right any way Mari you stay outside with the horses and keep watch." Cole said as Mari caught up with them.
"Wait a minute, Cole I can shot just as well as you maybe even better." Mari butted in.
"God damn it Mari you haven't shot a gun since you was eleven years old what makes you think your coming in that bank with us without some practise."
"Right" Mari said jumping down form her horse. "Cole stand over there and hold this out." She commanded holding out a stick to Cole. Reluctantly Cole did so and held his breath as Mari raised her gun. The others sat watching as the bullet soared through the air and blasted the stick to pieces.
"Practise enough for you." Mari smiled as Cole opened his eyes and threw the remains of the stick to the ground.
"Can't argue with that." Bob smiled.
"Yeh I can Mari. You are staying with the horses just for this one."
"But Cole."
"But nothing Mari you either wait outside or you can go home."
"Fine" Mari said climbing back on her horse.
Mari drifted back into her day dream until they reached the bank.
"Ok Boys, let's go. Mari only come in if you see Pinkerton's men or if something's wrong got it." Mari just nodded and sat scanning the streets for any danger. There wasn't a Pinkerton detective in sight and no army troops, Mari sighed. She didn't want the gang to get in trouble but she wished something would happen to liven it up a bit. The boys returned and they galloped off and found a tumbled down house to hide out in. Whilst the boys counted the money Mari crept off into the woods. She weaved her way I between the trees until she reached a small clearing and slumped down at the bottom of a nearby tree.
Maybe this wasn't the lifestyle she thought it was going to be. A stick snapped and she jumped. In the dim light she saw a figure moving towards her. Her heart raced and she scrambled to her feet and hid behind the tree. She stood in the darkness listening to the sound of the footsteps coming closer with her hand gripping the handle of her gun.
"Shit." she thought. "I can't lead them back to the boys but I can't go too far from the camp." She peered round the tree and saw the figure coming through the bushes in the clearing near the tree she was hiding behind.
"Mari." the voice whispered. "It's me Jim." Mari sighed with relief and stepped out from behind the tree.
"Why were you hiding?" Jim asked looking confused.
"I didn't know who you where." Mari smiled.
"Oh." Jim smiled. "So why are you up here any way?"
"I wanted some time to myself." Mari sighed.
"Why?"
"What's with all the questions?" Mari snapped.
"Hey I was just asking ok."
"Sorry, I just…" Mari sighed and turned her back to Jim.
"Come here." Jim said comfortingly as he walked over and put his arms around Mari's waist. "Just what?" He said kissing her cheek.
"It's just that I thought being back with the gang would be like it used to be, but it's not."
"I know." Jim whispered.
"I thought it would be so exciting." Mari turned to face Jim and her worries and doubts slipped away.
"Never mind." She whispered and placed her head and Jim's shoulder. "It's gone now."
"Good, now are you gonna come and have something to eat?" Mari just nodded and took Jim's hand as he led the way back to the camp. No one noticed them returning to camp and as the fire started to die down Mari curled up under a shabby blanket in the corner. Soon the sound of Frank's snoring filled the misty air and she knew the others were all asleep too.
Mari lay awake staring up at the midnight sky. The stars smiled down and winked at her. She sighed and rolled onto her side and drifted into a deep sleep.
Jim woke up first the next morning and poured some water over his head and wiped his face with his blanket. He looked around the camp at the sleeping boys and smiled. This is where he belonged, with his family and the love of his life. He glanced over at Mari as she sat up yawning and wiping the dust of her shirt. Jim wandered over and sat down beside her.
"Sleep well?" He smiled putting his arm around her. Mari yawned again and nodded.
"So what are we doing today?" She asked as she snuggled up to Jim.
"Nothing really, Bob and Tom will probably go and get us some food and then we'll probably just practise shooting and plan the next stop."
And that's what they did; the boys sat planning the next stop whilst Mari wandered off into the small woods again. Over the next few days she wanted to be on her own ore and more and she nearly always felt sick or dizzy.
A few days later it was Mari's turn to go and get food from a nearby town. As she left the store she felt her stomach lurch and she ran around the side of the building and threw up. Her head was spinning and she tried to reach the street again hoping to get back to the store but she collapsed in front of the steps.
"Good god" someone shouted as Mari was pulled to her feet by a stranger. He sat her on a nearby bench and handed her his water bottle.
"Thank you." Mari muttered as she drained the bottle.
"Are you alright to get home?" the man asked and Mari froze.
"Err… yes I should be thank you. But I think I should see a doctor." She passed the bottle back to the man and stumbled to the doctor's office across the street to the store. She entered the office and found it empty except for the doctor sitting in a room to the left. She wandered in and sat quietly until the doctor saw her and called her through. She sat for a few moments staring at her feet until the doctor asked her of her symptoms. Mari explained her need to be alone and the vomiting to the doctor
"Well my dear," He sighed. "There seems to only be one explanation for your symptoms. You're pregnant."