A Very Happy Birthday By Dorothy
A Happy Birthday that doesn't go as planned.
The old white-haired woman wrapped her cream-colored shawl around her shoulders. It was an old shawl, but one she would never give up. She made her routine journey to the cemetery. She'd been visiting the graves of two men she loved dearly for over fifty years, tending to them lovingly, talking to them as if they were still alive.
What made this visit different, was this time she had company. Her grandson was along with her. It was his time to know. He was old enough now to learn the story of her visits here, and she would tell him when she was ready.
First, with his help, they cleaned away whatever didn't belong there. She wouldn't allow even a fallen leaf to dirty their final resting place. Then, she placed her fresh flowers in the little vases she kept there for this sole purpose. She stood back, looking at the granite markers that were all that was left of these two men, that in her mind she could still see smiling at her with as much love for her as she'd had for them.
"Grandma, why do you come here all the time? Who's buried here?" the boy asked.
"Two very dear friends that I surely miss as much now as the day they died. In those graves lies two men who many people say were outlaws, but I know different. You see, my dear, when I was a young girl, the west was full of many kinds of men. Some were good men and some were bad men. Some were good men with some bad in them, and some were bad men with some good in them. These two, they were two pretty good bad men. Hannibal Heyes and Jedediah "Kid" Curry. They were the most successful outlaws in the history of the west, and every bank and train they robbed they never shot anyone. My cousin, Georgette, and I met them when we were very young girls. They were all going to meet me to celebrate my twenty- seventh birthday..."
The town that was chosen for them to meet in was a small quiet place, and only had a very fat lazy sheriff. They had ridden a long way to get there, but the trip was worth it to get there to see Clem and Georgette together. Heyes was exceptionally happy. He had commented on everything on the trip to town, from the blue sky to how green the grass was. Kid was in just as good a mood, and listening to his partner's relaxed chatter made him even happier. As they rode up in front of the hotel, they heard an unmistakable squeal of delight.
"Joshua! Thaddeus!"
"Clem!" they both called at the same time.
She ran to them, dropping her packages. Heyes lifted her up, giving her a kiss full on the lips.
"My turn. Give her here!" Kid said as he embraced her, also kissing her on the lips. She smiled up at them perkily, smiling brightly as she looked them over.
"I can't believe you're here! It's been a long time since Santa Marta, too long!" She hugged them both again.
"We're here now and that's all that matters. You look wonderful! Where's George?" Heyes asked.
"She doesn't get here until tomorrow, twelve noon stage. Until then, I have you both to myself! Let's go on a picnic!" she bubbled.
Heyes and Curry looked at each other over her head. She was so cute and full of life, bubbly, like a spring running over the rocks. They grinned at her, eyes full of love for her.
"Of course we'll go on a picnic with you. Let us get a room, then we'll meet you here." Heyes hugged her again.
"Get something good to eat. We'll be right back." Kid hugged her, giving her a kiss on the forehead.
"Okay, hurry up!" She took off down the street.
Heyes bent down to pick up her forgotten packages, then went on into the hotel. They checked in, dropped off their belongings, washed the trail dirt off, and then went down to meet Clem.
The girl was quick. She had her surrey ready, and a large picnic basket waiting. Heyes climbed in the back, and Kid took the reins from her. They drove out of town down a country lane. The scenery was pretty, green meadows, white puffy clouds dotting the sky. A warm breeze blew gently, caressing them with a soft spring scent of wildflowers. They drove on until they found a little clearing with a stream and a small water fall. The spot was perfect.
"Isn't this grand? It looks almost like the spot on Mr. Fletcher's place that we had our first picnic. Remember that? We were what, sixteen?"
"You were twelve, if I remember right," Heyes said as he took down the basket.
"I remember Mr. Fletcher. He shot me with rocksalt cause I picked his apples," Kid said as he looked around.
"You took more than apples, if I remember; a chicken or two and a couple of horses," Heyes said.
"He got 'em back. Well, the horses anyway," Kid said as he helped Clem spread the blanket.
"I remember how you howled when Georgie threw that bucket of water on you," Clem laughed.
"It burned like the dickens; all that rocksalt." Kid shook his head at the memory.
"Remember the swimming hole? We had a rope hung from a tree. We would swing out and drop. That is all of us except you Heyes." Clem sat down on the blanket. Heyes and Curry joined her. Kid dug into the basket.
"That's cause he can't swim." Kid bit into a piece of chicken.
"Is that so? I just thought you wanted to read and fish! That's all you ever did, except for those stupid card tricks." Clem looked at him smugly.
"What's so stupid about my card tricks? I fooled you often enough." Heyes tried to avoid the subject of swimming.
"But, can you?" she asked.
"Can I what?"
"Can you swim?" she prodded.
"Sure is a pretty day! Want to see a card trick?" He pulled a deck of cards from his pocket.
"Why don't you answer her, Heyes?" Kid asked as he took another bite of his chicken leg. "Chicken?"
Heyes glared at Kid. Clem snickered.
"Okay, all right! I can't swim. Eat your chicken."
Clem and Kid burst out laughing. Heyes soon joined in.
"Remember how Georgie would lecture you both about the sins of stealing for a living? Then, her Pa caught us hiding you both in the barn? He chased you away, but you both kept coming back. Sometimes, in more than one piece." Clem rested her head on Heyes' lap. "Heyes, you were always thinking."
"Yeah, and not all of his ideas worked," Kid said as he bit into an apple.
"What was wrong with my ideas? They worked!"
"What about that one job. It was all planned out. It was so perfectly planned, you got seventy-three dollars and I got a bullet in the leg!"
Heyes looked him squarely in the eyes. "Will you shut up...At least you didn't die, did you?"
"Just barely, thanks to Clem and Georgie. They kept us hidden and fed, took care of my leg. You girls really did a lot for us. It was like...Like having a family." Kid got real quiet.
Heyes looked at his partner and knew he was thinking about before they knew the girls; the family that they had lost.
"Hey Kid, remember the time you climbed into Georgie's bedroom window, only it wasn't hers it was her Father's? He tossed you out head first!" Heyes asked trying to distract his cousin's thoughts.
"Yeah, I remember that. I don't know who was more shocked, me or him. I also recall that it was after you figured out which room was hers. You clearly pointed out that it was the only room that could possibly be hers. Why did I listen to you? I still do!"
"I was wrong, wasn't I? Sure was funny the way you flew out the window, though. Clem, you should have seen it. Bout as funny a thing as I ever saw!" Heyes laughed.
"I heard about it the next day. Her father was ready to send the whole county after you two."
They were all laughing now. Clem sat up and began to fix the basket. One story led to another, as they reminisced about the past.
"I swear, you two would scare the life out of me and Georgie. We would worry so that one day there would be the wrong card turned or there would be someone faster with a gun. We were so relieved when we'd heard you quit outlawing." Clem took their hands and smiled at them.
"But, Clem, you know the day may still come that someone is faster than me. I think about it all the time, and I know Heyes worries about it more then I do. He can't let his mind rest."
"Somebody has to do our thinking, might as well be me." Heyes grinned
"You boys don't know how much I pray that day never comes. It doesn't have too, you know. You've already given up robbing banks and such. Give up wearing your guns and you won't have to worry about your fast draw anymore." Clem tried to make them understand.
Kid looked squarely at Clem, Heyes lay on his side propped up on an elbow. He was busy ripping a long blade of grass into thin strips. He wasn't about to say a word. This argument was Kid's, and Kid's alone. His dark eyes flicked back and forth between the two.
"I can't give up my gun, Clem. It wouldn't be natural. I've worn it since I was a kid. It's part of me now. My fast draw is all I can do."
"Oh stop it, Kid. Your fast draw is going to get you both killed one day, and I pray I'm not here to see it! You can do tons of things. You're strong and you're handsome, and even if you don't know it, Jedediah Curry, you are the kindest, gentlest man I've ever known! And you're SMART! You should know better!" Clem's face had a hint of red to it. "Not that you're not, Heyes. You're different. You're quiet and moody, but that only means that you're very deep and care about things. You could have been a very successful business man, if it hadn't been for your outlawing. I love you both dearly, even though you drive me crazy with worry."
They were all quiet for a moment, each lost in thoughts of their own.
"Hey, Clem. Want to see a card trick?" Heyes grinned his impish grin at her.
In the morning, at the hotel, Kid woke first. He went to his saddlebags and pulled out a cream-colored shawl. He picked up Heyes' bags, dumping out the contents. He rifled through them until he found the pale pink muslin and ribbon.
"Heyes, get up, I know you're awake. Help me do this." He tried to fold the shawl neatly.
"Do you know what you're doing? You can't give Clem a lump like that." Heyes watched him.
"If you can do it better, then do it instead of criticizing." He tossed the shawl at Heyes.
"All right, I will." Heyes got out of bed, neatly folded the shawl, then carefully wrapped it in the muslin and tied it with the ribbon making a perfect bow.
Kid, his arms folded across his chest, watched him create a work of art.
"Heyes, you never stop amazing me. Where'd you learn to do that?"
"Just comes natural, Kid. I didn't even think about it, just did it. Let's go find Clem and get some breakfast." He left the package on the end of the bed. They quickly made up the room and got dressed, each strapping on their gun belts. Putting on their hats, they went in search of Clem.
They found her window shopping. They snuck up quietly on her. Heyes lifted her up, twirling her around. She squealed as he lifted her again, giving her a kiss on the lips. Curry took his turn spinning her and laughing. He too kissed her.
"Want to go for breakfast?" he asked her.
"I never thought you'd ask!" She took them both by the arms, walking in the middle as they went for breakfast.
"What time did you say Georgie's stage was due in?" Kid asked between bites of ham and eggs.
"Twelve noon. I can't wait to see her. It's been months since I saw her last," Clem said, taking a bite of toast.
"Where she been, Denver, right?" Heyes asked taking a sip of coffee.
"Yes, Denver. I know what you're going to ask next, Joshua. How's the picture?" Clem said flatly.
Heyes lifted his eyebrows in mock surprise.
"Now, Clem. Did I say anything about that picture? It's yours and I trust you to keep it safe, locked up where no one will ever see it."
"You know it's safe. I don't want to talk about that picture anymore. It happens to be my most dearest possession, and I'll never give it up. NOT EVEN to the two of you!" Clem folded her arms across her chest, sticking her chin out defiantly.
"Clem, I hadn't even thought of that picture. I just wanted to know how much time we have before Georgie's stage gets in. I'd like to get a hair cut and maybe a real shave," Kid said as he folded his napkin and tossed it on his empty plate.
"And I have a few things to arrange for tonight's dinner. Meet you at the barber?" Heyes asked Kid.
"Sounds good."
They both rose, pushing back their chairs.
"See ya later, Clem. Meet you out front at twelve." Kid gave her a kiss on the forehead.
Heyes counted out the money to pay for breakfast, then smiled at Clem.
"See you in a little while." He lifted her chin, giving her a kiss on the lips. "Happy Birthday." They walked out the door.
"Fine, eat and run." Clem sat back crossing her arms once again across her chest, pouting. She shook her head and started to laugh. God, how she loved them.
On the sidewalk, they parted. Kid went across the street to the barber. Heyes turned right to go into the bakery to order a birthday cake for tonight's dinner.
Down the street, three cowboys rode in. They were tall light-haired men, good looking, obviously brothers. They dismounted, stretching to get the kinks out of their tired saddle worn bodies. One brother turned to face up the street as he brushed the road dust off his pants with his good arm. His other arm stayed bent at the elbow, the result of a bullet months earlier. That day was the end of his career. He had lost his job, the use of his arm and built up an intense hatred toward the man who had beaten his fast draw. Over the months, he had filled his brothers' minds with the same anger and hatred toward the man he felt had wronged him. As he looked up the street, he stopped because he couldn't believe what he saw. At last, the time for revenge had come.
"Well, I'll be damned."
"What is it, Joe?"
"That man, there, walking toward the barber's; the one in the white shirt and black hat. He's the partner of the man we've been looking for. I think we've found them."
"You're sure it's him?" the youngest of the trio asked. He took his gun from his holster to check that it was loaded. It was.
"I know it's him. They're faces are imbedded in my memory. Remember what we decided. Kill the dark one first. I hate to shoot him down, but that will hurt his partner more then a bullet will. Let him see his friend die, then gun him down."
"Anyway you want it, Joe."
It was almost twelve o'clock. They had to meet Clem and the stage with Georgette. They felt real good, each getting a shave and haircut. They smelled even better. At the moment, they didn't have a care in the world. In a few minutes, they would be with two of the prettiest girls in the west to celebrate a very Happy Birthday.
They crossed into the street. They were almost halfway across when they noticed two men walking toward them. Kid glanced at Heyes.
"Keep walking. They just might be going for a haircut."
They all kept walking, until the two men stopped.
"HEY, YOU TWO. TURN THIS WAY!"
"Do we know them?" Kid asked.
"Not as I recall." They turned in unison toward the men who hailed them.
"May we help you with something?" Heyes called.
People were gathering on the sidewalks, among them, the sheriff and Clem.
Clem had an overwhelming feeling envelope her as if the hand of God was trying to shield her.
"No," Clem whispered. "No. Come here to me."
The two men were joined by a third. They separated to let him in the middle.
"You can help me. You can do a jig, then we're going to kill you."
Heyes and Curry looked at each other, then back at the men in the street.
"Joe Briggs. We have no fight with you. What happened between us is over and done, as far as were concerned," Kid called.
"It's not over for me. Never has been."
Clem watched what happened next in a cloud of slow motion. The stage came clambering into town at the same moment one of the brothers drew his gun and fired. The man was fast and deadly accurate.
Kid turned in shock as the bullet slammed into Heyes' chest, bursting his cousin's heart into a useless mass of jelly. Heyes fell back into the dirt, blood spreading quickly across his fresh white shirt. Heyes felt nothing, knew nothing. The darkness enveloped him, his world closed in on him. His life left him as quickly as he could pick a lock, his life's essence flowing from his body into the street.
Curry didn't feel the bullets that ripped into him. The shock of seeing his lifelong companion lying dead in the street was all that he was aware of. He didn't hear the anguished screams of the two women who had loved them as brothers. The bullets tore into Curry, direct hits to his heart and belly. He staggered, falling near his friend, an arm resting protectively across his chest. He didn't feel the cool breeze or the shots that came after, as the Sheriff and some of the men from the town quickly took the men into custody.
"Heyes, I'm sorry," he said with his dying breath.
Clem ran into the street, falling on her knees, not caring how dirty her new birthday dress became. She picked up their heads, cradling them as she cried uncontrollably, sobs wracking her body at the realization of what just had happened.
Georgette stepped off the stage to a world gone insane. Her cousin sat in the dirt of the street, blood covering her dress as she wailed over the bodies of the men they loved so dearly that nothing in the world mattered to them any longer. She couldn't believe who was lying in the dirt, why they were lying there was beyond her. She spun around to see just whom it was that took the lives of the men she loved more then life itself.
Georgette came up behind Clem to embrace her. The two women sat with the bodies of the men they loved more then life, hugging them, unable to accept that they were gone.
Hannibal Heyes and Jed "Kid" Curry were gone. Two men who never killed anyone were gone, but their legend would live on in the hearts of the people who loved them. A crowd gathered around them, but no one spoke. No one knew who these people were, where they came from, or why they were here. They were four strangers, who unwittingly came there to meet a very horrible end. The sheriff pushed his way his way through the crowd, followed by the undertaker and the deputy.
"Ladies, if it's any consolation, we've arrested Briggs and his brothers. They'll be tried, and most likely hung for murder. There's enough people here that witnessed what happened," the sheriff told them.
"They didn't even draw their guns. Them boys were fast, even faster then Kid Curry, I'd say," someone from the crowd said. This comment made the two women sob even louder. The sheriff waited for them to calm down before he asked his next question.
"Ma'am, we need to know who they were?"
Georgette continued to rock Clem, holding the small body as sobs wracked her thin shoulders.
"The dark-haired one was Ha..." She closed her eyes starting over. "Joshua Smith, and the other was Thaddeus Jones. Please, they were very good friends to Sheriff Lom Trevors of Porterville, Wyoming. Could you send him a telegram, about what's happened? We'd like to have the b..b.. bodies sent there, please?" Georgette was trying to pull herself together for Clem's sake.
"Deputy, send these people on about their business. We have to help Milton here with these fellas. Ladies, I hate to ask you but could..." The sheriff couldn't finish as Clem began to scream.
"NO, NO! YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM! YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM! OH GOD, OH MY GOD, NOOO! I TOLD THEM! Georgie, I told them! Please God, this can't be happening! it's my Birthday. We were having a party. Joshua got a cake!" Clem grabbed tightly onto Georgette. " Oh God in Heaven, this isn't happening!"
Georgette hugged Clem, rocking her, tears running down their faces. Their world had crashed and burned in a matter of seconds. The most unbelievable thing had finally happened. Heyes and Curry were gone.
"Clem, honey. Let's go to the hotel and lie down."
"NO, I can't leave them! I won't leave them, ever! They'll be scared. I'll be scared. Please, don't take them. Make this all go away!"
Georgette looked at the sheriff, her eyes red, her chin quivering.
"Sheriff, could you carry her, please?"
The sheriff nodded. He picked Clem up, heading for the hotel. The deputy helped Georgette up, who followed behind.
"Take me to their room, number two-seventeen. I have to be there," Clem whispered.
They went up the stairs to room two-seventeen. Georgette opened the door. The sheriff put Clem down on one of the beds.
"You ladies will be alright?" It was a statement more then a question, "I'll send the telegram. " He nodded. "I'm really sorry about this." He shut the door as he left.
Georgette hugged herself as she looked around the room. It smelled like them. She inhaled deeply, trying to create a memory. Clem lay on the bed, sobbing quietly.
Their saddlebags and bedrolls were tossed on a chair. Georgette walked over to them, running her hand over the smoothness of the leather. She closed her eyes, images of their smiling, laughing faces filling her mind. She could hear their laughter, their happy kidding and teasing of each other. She could picture them flipping a coin, Heyes laughing at Kid as he won the toss yet again. Her tears flowed freely once again.
She saw the wrapped gift on the foot of the other bed. She gently picked it up, afraid that if she touched it, it would disappear. It was their Birthday gift to Clem. Georgette recognized Heyes' hand writing on the folded card.
"Clem, this is for you. It's from the boys," she said very softly, sitting on the bed. Clem looked at her, then the gift. Her lips began to quiver. She sat up, taking a deep breath. She took the beautifully wrapped gift.
"It's pretty. I bet Heyes did it." She fingered the card.
"Read it," Georgette said gently.
Clem, closing her eyes, took another deep breath. When she was ready, she looked at the handwriting of a prince. She read out loud.
"Dear Clem,
The day we met was the best day Jed and I ever knew. We hope today is as beautiful a day as it was then. Stay as sweet as you are. Happy Birthday!
Love,
Han and Jed."
"They used their real names." Clem looked up at Georgette, tears flowed down their cheeks. Georgette nodded at her.
"Open it." Georgette's voice was barely audible.
With shaky hands, Clem opened the present. She took out the cream-colored shawl, then looked at Georgette.
"It's beautiful."
The two women embraced each other as they sobbed uncontrollably.
Outside on the street, the bodies of Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry were moved to the funeral home. They were cleaned and placed in caskets. A telegram was sent to Sheriff Lom Trevors and a response was immediate. He was on his way. They were to take exceptional care of the deceased, and any need or want of the two ladies was to be taken care of, at any cost.
The people of this small town had no idea who the men were that had died in their street, but a special stage came into their town late that night. The passengers were a sheriff and a judge. The first place they went was the funeral home. After a time, they left the funeral home for the sheriff's office.
Sheriff Lom Trevors, stony faced, went directly to the men in the cells. He looked at them coldly, then turned away.
"They'll be tried in the morning, sentence to be carried out promptly." The Judge was speaking to the town sheriff, who just kept nodding.
Lom left the office for the hotel. He wouldn't be staying for the trial. He already knew what the results would be, and he knew that the Judge would see that it was carried out. He went to room two- seventeen and knocked gently.
"Who is it?"
"Lom."
The door opened. He went inside. Gentle weeping began again.
The bodies were sent to Porterville, the private stagecoach following. Funeral arrangements had been made, people notified. There weren't many people at the funeral, but the ones that were there, were the ones that mattered.
Big Mac Mc Creedy was there, along with Armenderez. Jim Santana, Diamond Jim Guffy, Soapy, and Harry Briscoe, who cried openly.
Clementine and Georgette, dressed in black, stood next to Lom as the Preacher said the final goodbyes.
"They whom we love and lose, are no longer where they were before. They are now...where ever we are. The Lord giveth and taketh away, ashes to ashes dust to dust. Amen."
Off aways, a group of men sat on their horses. They wouldn't come in any closer, but they wouldn't be turned away. As on que to the Preacher's words, one of the rider's, a large man with sandy hair, drew his gun and fired three shots into the air. They sat a moment longer, then, as a group, turned their horses, riding slowly away.
The boy sat quietly as he listened to his Grandmother tell the story about the men in the graves.
"Who were the rider's, Grandma?" he asked.
"They were the Devil's Hole Gang saying their goodbyes. Han and Jed had given them a good life when they were leading them."
"What happened to the Briggs brothers?"
"They were hanged for murder. They never knew who it was they killed that day. No one claimed the reward on Han and Jed, but the Judge made sure it went to the Sisters of Charity to help orphans, which they both were."
"Clem, are you ready to come home?" the deep voice of her husband came from behind her.
"Yes, for today. We've had a nice visit. Come on son, walk with Grandma. Coming dear?"
"I'll be there in a moment."
She nodded. Taking her grandson's hand, they started down the path.
"I'm sorry I let you down boys, amnesty and all, but I've taken good care of Clem. I love her dearly just as I know you both have." He took off his hat, black hair now snow white. He ran his hand over his gray mustache.
"I wish it had been different. I wish you'd gotten that amnesty. You both would have made me real good deputies; that is, if I could get you to stay in one spot. I'm real sorry, boys. Rest easy and remember, you are missed."
He put his hat back on, then went to catch up to his wife.
"It's a real nice day today, Lom. The boys would have gone fishing." Clementine took her husband's hand.
"Yes, I'm sure they would have."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This will be the only time I let Heyes or Curry die in one of my stories. I can't handle it. Thank you.