The Awakening
It was late September in eastern Wyoming, a warm autumn day with blue skies and an occasional slowly drifting cloud overhead. Trees had not yet shed their leaves, though shades of brown, yellow, and gold were abundant.
Kid and Jessie Curry stood with an arm resting on the other's back, one gazing admiringly at their now completed, brand new home. The last nail had been hammered just that morning and Kid had the bruised left thumbnail to prove it.
"Well, shall I carry you across the threshold, darlin?' Kid asked as he scooped her up in his arms and proceeded across the yard, up the steps, and into the house. Becky, the woman hired to help Jessie with the household chores and care of the baby, carried six month old Tac as she followed them into the house.
"You can put me down now, Jed."
"I don't ever want to put you down," Kid replied and leaned down and kissed her, then set her down on her feet.
"Jed Curry, you're embarrassing me," she scolded.
"Will you be needing me any more today, Jessie?" Becky asked as she handed Tac over to his mother.
"No, Becky. Thank you. I'll see you in the morning."
"Ah, damn Jessie, it's good to have a home again."
"Like I keep telling you, we could be living out in the open under the stars and as long as it's the three of us, we have a home, Jed."
"You ever live out under the stars, Jess?"
"You know what I mean you stubborn old goat."
Kid laughed a hearty laugh, the kind Jess had not heard out of him in months, a relaxed and happy laugh.
"I'm going to go get Tac fed and settled," she said heading into the bed room.
"Then maybe you can do the same for me?" Kid called after her.
.
"I can only think of one thing that might settle you, Jed Curry. And it isn't food for a change."
Kid smiled but settled into a chair and closed his eyes, figuring he had time for a nap.
Twenty minutes later Kid's eyes popped open when he heard Jessie quietly calling his name."Jed, come in here,"
Kid got up and walked to the bedroom but stopped just inside the doorway and smiled when his saw Jessie under the bed covers, the sheet lying just below her bare shoulders..
"Well, are you just going to stand there?" she asked quietly.
"In the middle of the day?" Kid asked with a smile and an unseen gleam in his eyes..
"Uh-uh."
"With the baby sleeping in the room?"
"He's too young to know or care."
Kid took another step into the room, quickly shed every stitch of clothing, and climbed in under the sheets to lie next to her.
"Now this is the way to christen a new house," Kid, said, his voice smokey and seductive.
"Hmmmm" Jessie replied as Kid's arms found their way about her shoulders and his lips pressed hard against hers...
Forty minutes later Jessie sat on the edge of the bed getting dressed while Tac lay awake in his crib playing with his rattle and a little stuffed bear Heyes had bought him.
Kid pulled the sheets back and reached down to the floor for his long johns and pants.
"Think we woke him?" Kid asked, slipping into his clothes.
"If we did, he likely wouldn't be laying there in such a happy mood."
"Takes after his Ma for temperament."
Jessie smiled as she fastened the last of the buttons on her blouse. "Has his Pa's appetite."
Kid picked up his shirt, then walked over and leaned over the crib to stroke the child's head. As he did so, the rattle dropped from Tac's hand and he stared up at the face looming above above the crib and smiled and laughed and kicked his feet..
"Poor boy, he's gonna grow up to be a dancer," Kid grumbled jokingly. "With them curls he'll probably be dancing around some stage in a pink tutu," he added.
"I thought that was your life's ambition," Jessie replied.
Kid smiled and stood to slip his shirt on before reaching for his socks and boots and sitting down on the opposite side of the bed once again.
"Jess, what do you think he will be when he grows up?"
"I think it will be a few years till we even get a hint of an answer to that one, Jed."
"Maybe he'll take over this ranch when Heyes and me get too old to run it. Maybe this ranch will stay in the family for generations."
"I'd like to see him go to college. Even if he does become a rancher, an education is a good thing to have to fall back on."
"S'pose."
"What do you mean you suppose?"
Kid shrugged. "I didn't have much schoolin. I did fine. I got you, didn't I?"
Jessie gave some thought to pointing out the flaws in Kid's statement, but wisely decided some things are better left unsaid.
"I've got a little work to do in the barn," Kid said. "Won't take long. Why don't you and Tac come out and you can sit on a bale of hay and feed him while I finish up. We both know it's a beautiful day out, Jess."
Jessie had moved to the crib and was lifting Tac out to lay him on the bed to change him. "Let me get this done, then we'll go out with you," she said, then turned her full attention of talking to the child while she worked.
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"You two comfortable?" Kid asked after Jessie was seated on a bale of hay just inside the barn where she could still feel the warm autumn breeze.
"We're fine," Jessie replied as she maneuvered her clothing and positioned Tac for a feeding.
Kid moved over to a work area where he was putting the finishing touches on a wooden playpen he had made for the child. Kid carefully examined his project, slowly running his had across every edge of the wood to be sure it was smooth and splinter free. He glanced over at Jessie several times, but to assure himself that she and Tac were fine, and to marvel in the bonding between a mother and her child.
He and Jessie were both finished with their tasks at about the same time, and Kid carried the playpen over to where Jessie and Tac were sitting.
"Made something for you," Kid said proudly and took one of Jessie's arms to lead her hand to the square wooden structure.
"Oh, Jed, it's perfect," she exclaimed as her hand glided along the edge.
"Well, let's try it out," Kid said, lifting Tac from Jessie's arms and placing him inside the crib where he sat playing with the rattle Kid had shaken to get his attention while Jessie buttoned her blouse..
"Got his own little cell now, and you and me are the only ones that can't grant him an amnesty," Kid joked.
"Now that he can scoot himself around on the floor, this is a perfect way to keep him from getting under foot when I'm busy with something," Jessie said gratefully.
"You okay out here if I get that last stall cleaned before we go in?" Kid asked.
Jessie nodded. "Take me over there near the stalls so I can listen to you work."
"Sure darlin, but you might not be too happy with the language you hear. That mustang's a stubborn one sometimes, don't like to move over so I can get my work done."
Jessie laughed and stood up from her seat and Kid led her to a spot outside the side of the stall. "Don't try to come in. He does like to let me know just who owns that space sometimes. He'll shove his back end around to try to push me out of his way."
Jessie stood with her arms resting on the top board of the stall and listened to the rake scraping against the floor, the rustling sound of the hay being moved and shifted about, and the calm, soothing sounds and words Kid uttered to keep the animal calm.
"What's that?" she asked with some alarm when she heard a sudden and loud thud sound, followed by a "damn it you old mule."
"That was just me hitting the wall cause he didn't like that I had moved out of his line of sight," Kid replied, shoving the horse's left rump to encourage the animal to better center himself in the stall.
But instead of doing as Kid had intended, the horse reared and jolted to his right, striking the wooden planks of the outer side of the stall, not so much that they broke, but enough to cause some jarring which both startled and shoved Jessie with some force. Jessie jumped instinctively away but in so doing her left temple struck the corner post with enough force that she stumbled backward and fell unconscious to to the ground.
Kid slapped the horse's rump hard and shoved him out of the way, then darted out of the stall, securing the gate without thinking, then falling to his knees beside Jessie.
"Jessie! Jessie!" Kid called as he gently rolled her to her back and saw the lump and bruise already forming near her left eye.
Kid glanced quickly toward the crib and saw that Tac was content with his rattle. Kid scooped Jessie up into his arms and carried her inside and laid her gently on the bed. He patted her cheek lightly, trying to waken her, but she was out cold.
Kid stood and darted from the room. He stopped just long enough to throw a Poplar log into the fire, a signal to alert Heyes of a need for assistance. Then ran to the barn to bring both Tac and the playpen into the house. Kid set the playpen in the middle of the room and lowered Tac into it, shook the rattle to gain Tac's attention then, once the baby was again playing with the rattle, Kid filled a pan with water and grabbed a few cloths and carried them into the bedroom.
Kid set the pan of water on the floor beside the bed and plunged a cloth into the water. He wrung out the excess water and gently ran the cool cloth across Jessie's forehead, then rested the cool cloth on the lump that was still growing on her temple.
"Come on, Jess, you gotta wake up."
Twenty minutes later Heyes came running into the house. "Kid! Jessie!" he called. "Kid!"
"In the bedroom!" Kid called.
Heyes ran to the bedroom and stopped in the doorway. "What happened?" he asked.
"Knocked out cold. I don't think she's hurt bad but you'd better go get the doctor."
Heyes nodded and disappeared from the room.
"Come on, darling, wake up," Kid said as he changed out the cool damp cloths.
It was nearly an hour before Dr. Marshall and Heyes returned. The air was filled with the cries of a distraught young child, but both Heyes and the doctor brushed past the playpen, heading directly to the bedroom. There they found Kid still kneeling on the floor beside the bed where Jessie lay unconscious.
"What happened?" Dr. Marshall asked.
Kid stood up and picked up the bowl of water. "Jessie was in the barn with me while I was cleaning a stall. Mustang spooked and shoved himself against the wall. It knocked Jessie off balance and I think she must have hit her head on the corner post when she fell. Passed out cold."
Dr. Marshall nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Sounds like there's someone else that needs your attention right now, son. You two wait out in the other room and I'll examine your wife."
Kid looked at Heyes, reluctant to leave the room, but Heyes gave Kid a reassuring nod, then reached out and took Kid's shoulder to lead him out of the room. Kid walked into the main room and scooped Tac out of the playpen.
"There's folded diapers in that basket over there," Kid told Heyes as he laid Tac out on the floor to tend to the child." Once Tac was clean and dry, Kid picked him up once again and began pacing the room with his son in his arms.
It was a good forty minutes before the doctor stepped out of the room.
"You're wife's awake, Mr. Curry. If you wouldn't mind coming in here, there is something important to discuss with the two of you."
Kid gave Heyes a very worried look and Heyes stepped over to him and took Tac from his arms.
"We'll be fine. You go," Heyes told him.
Kid followed the doctor into the room and uttered a sigh of relief when her saw Jessie was awake and sitting up in the bed.
"Why don't you go sit with your wife. I'm sure what I have to tell you may come as a bit of shock to you both."
"She gonna be alright?" Kid asked as he sat down and took Jessie's hand in his own.
"She's going to be fine. She's going to have a knot on her head for a few days, and a little bruising, maybe a bit of a headache, but once that's all gone, she'll be fine."
"Then what is it you want to talk to us about?" Kid asked.
Dr. Marshall pulled a chair up close to Kid and Jessie and sat down. "I'd like you to see a doctor in Cheyenne, Mrs. Curry, an Ophthalmologist, a doctor of the eyes."
"Why?" Jessie asked hesitantly.
"How long have you been blind, my dear?"
"All my life. I was born blind."
"That's what I suspected. Looking in your eyes, and mind you, I'm am not trained or equipped to conduct the extensive exam the specialist will do, but it appears to me that you were born with, what I can only describe as advanced cataracts. Now I'm sure the eye specialist can explain it better, but if I'm right, Mrs. Curry, there may be a possibility that at least some of your vision could be restored."
Kid's jaw dropped and he looked at Jessie who looked as shocked as Kid felt.
"I'll telegraph the doctor in Cheyenne and schedule you an appointment if you'd like," Dr. Marshall said.
"Jed?" Jessie said as more of a question than a statement.
"I think we should talk to the man, Jess. If there's a chance, I think we should."
"Alright," Jessie replied, still absorbing what Dr. Marshall had told her.
"I've got another stop to make so I'll be going now, but I'll send that wire and let you know the arrangements."
"I'll be right back, Jess," Kid said and walked the doctor to the door.
"I hope there's something that can be done, son," Dr. Marshall said as he left.
"Kid?" Heyes asked with concern. "What's he mean, he hopes something can be done?"
Still stunned himself, Kid looked at Heyes. "I gotta go talk to Jess," he said and headed back into the bedroom.
"This scares me, Jed," Jessie said when Kid came back into the room and sat down next to her, again taking her hand.
"But Jess, if you can see..."
"Close you eyes, Jed."
"What?"
"Close you eyes."
Kid did as she asked.
"What do you see?"
"Nothing, darlin."
"How would you feel if, as of this moment, that's all you would see forever."
"I'd be scared," Kid admitted.
"That's all I've ever known, Jed. Seeing scares me the way not seeing scare you. It's all new. I've never even considered what it might be like to see. I have no concept of that."
"Jess, ever since we met, I've been right here with you, every step of the way, right here beside you. And if this doctor can give you your sight, I'm still gonna be right here beside you every step of the way with that, too. We'll do this together, Jess."
From the other room, Tac could once again be heard squalling. Jessie smiled. "That's his dinner cry. Would you bring him in here?"
Kid stood up. I'll get him. Then while you're feeding him, I'll go fix us some supper."
Kid carried Tac into the bedroom. The child giggled with delight at the silly faces Kid made at him as they walked into the room and Tac stretched his arm out to grab at Kid's nose. Kid lifted the boy high into the air, then brought him down gently and placed him in Jesse's arms.
"Holler for me when you're done and I'll come walk you in for supper," he told her before returning to the kitchen to fix the meal.
"So what's wrong, Kid? Is something wrong with Jessie?"
Kid shook his head and he cracked eggs into a bowl and scrambled them vigorously.
"Would you cook some bacon, Heyes? And no, nothing's wrong with Jessie. The doctor wants her to see an eye doctor, a special eye doctor in Cheyenne. He thinks they might be able to fix her eyes so she can see."
Heyes stopped what he was doing and looked at Kid. "Are you serious?"
Kid nodded."Doc thinks whatever it was she was born with that made her blind, might be something a special eye doctor can fix."
A puff of breath escaped Heyes' mouth and a huge smile spread across his face. "That's wonderful!"
"Uh-uh," Kid replied.
The smile lessened. "So what's the problem?"
"No problem. She's just real scared."
"About being an operation?"
Kid shook his head.. "About being able to see. It's' not something she's ever been able to do and it scares her."
"But she's gonna go see this doctor?"
Again Kid nodded.
"You don't look to happy."
Kid let the fork drop against the bowl and he looked up at Heyes until blue and brown eyes locked. "I've never been happier in my life, Heyes. I guess I'm just still in shock. I mean... it's like a miracle or something."
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Kid and Jessie sat in the stage coach waiting to begin the trip to Cheyenne. Dr. Marshall had been able to secure an appointment for Jessie just a week after the accident and she and Kid decided to go Cheyenne the day before so they could locate the doctor's office and would not be late for the appointment.
In the Doctor's office Jessie held Tac while Kid completed a sfirst appointment questionnaire, something he had never seen before, but had never visited a specialist before, either.. Periodically he would ask Jessie some question about her childhood illnesses. After he turned the paper in to the nurse, Kid sat down beside Jessie and took Tac in his lap.
"Dr. Holstemeyer will see you now," the nurse said and Kid shifted Tac to sit on his hip as he led Jessie into the examination room. Having never had an eye exam himself, Kid was initially a little apprehensive about all the equipment in the room. But Dr. Holstemeyer was a cordial and friendly man who quickly put them at ease.
Mr. Curry, if you and your son would have a seat over there," the doctor said, pointing to a row of three chairs against a wall. "And Mrs. Curry, let me help you into the examination chair."
The doctor noticed the skeptical look in Kid's eyes and he smiled.
"I'm sure all this equipment looks a bit intimidating, but I assure you this is the most up to date eye examination equipment available, and will give me a very clear view into the inner aspects of Mrs. Curry's eyes. Once I've completed my examination, I will explain my findings and explain any and all of your options. The examination is not the least bit painful, Mrs. Curry. I'll help you with the necessary positioning of your head, and the equipment will likely feel cold against your face, but that's the only discomfort you will feel. Now I do have to close the curtains and douse the lights, so the room will be quite dark except for the lighting that will let me see into your eyes. Mr. Curry, if your son is afraid of the dark..."
"He ain't, but thanks for the warning," Kid replied.
The examination took about half an hour, after which, Dr. Holstemeyer relighted the oil lamps and opened the curtains, brightening the room considerably. He carefully reviewed the notes he had jotted down in the dark.
"Mrs. Curry, I think Dr. Marshall was correct in referring you here. You do in fact have what is referred to as prenatal corneal cataract granulation. It is not quite the same as standard cataracts. The granules do not grow in quite the same manner. With what is typically considered a 'normal' cataract, the cloud that begins to cover the lens occurs slowly, but eventually forms a solid cloud that can be removed, scraped, or even punctured in one piece. In your case, it is more like several small and individual bits of opaqueness, or clouds that press up against each other."
"What does that mean as far as her getting her eyesight?" Kid asked and gently bounced Tac on his knee as he listened intently to the doctor.
"These smaller areas can be removed, but the surgery to do that is quite a bit more intricate and I have neither the equipment nor the training to perform the surgery."
"Who does?" Kid asked.
"There are only a few eye surgeons in the country capable of performing this type of surgery. There are two in New York, two in Boston, I believe, one in Chicago."
"No one any closer?" Jessie asked.
"I'm afraid not, Mrs. Curry. But I have every reason to believe that you would benefit from such surgery. Your eyesight would never be what is considered normal, and would in fact be quite blurry, but within about six weeks to two months after the surgery, you would be examined again for prescription glasses that would clear your vision quite remarkably.
"Jed?" Jessie asked.
"The decision is your, Jess. I can't tell you to do it or not. But I'll support whatever it is you decide."
"So, I have the surgery and then go back in two moths for the glasses?"
"Well yes, and no, Mrs. Curry. The removal of a damaged eye lens has a rather extensive recovery time. You see, unlike most incisions, stitches can't be placed inside the eye. You will be required to rest in bed, on you back...for the full six to eight weeks."
"But she can do that at home, right?" Kid asked.
"I'm afraid not. She would remain in the hospital for at least a week, perhaps two. Then, if, or rather when, the surgeon might feel the remainder of the recover could be done in a home setting, it would have to be within close proximity to the hospital, which in your case would mean a boarding house or rental apartment."
Jessie sighed. "It's a lot to think about."
"It is. It's a long process, Mrs Curry, but I think you'd be pleased with the end results."
"What's the cost of the surgery and hospital stay?" Kid asked.
"On average, such surgery costs two to three thousand dollars."
Kid whistled.
"Doctor, is it alright for my husband and me to spend a few days talking this over?"
"Of course, Mrs. Curry. If you decide to go ahead with the surgery, wire me and I'll initiate the arrangement, make an appointment for you with the surgeon in Chicago."
Dr. Holstemeyer took Jessie's hand to help her out of the chair and Kid stood and once again shifted Tac to his hip so he could hold Jessie's arm and guide her out of the office.
Kid helped Jessie into a chair in the waiting area and plopped Tac in her lap before going to the desk to pay the bill. Then he returned and picked up the baby again and took Jessie's arm and they headed back to the hotel.
The next morning the Curry family boarded the stage and returned to Porterville.
"There are just so many things to consider," Jessie said as she, Kid, and Heyes sat around the kitchen table after Jessie and Kid returned from Cheyenne. "Who might be willing to take Tac in for two months? Where would all that money come from? How would we afford housing while were in Chicago?"
"Jessie, all them things is secondary. The only thing to consider right now is do you or don't you want to take a chance on being able to see. Until you make that decision, none of them other things matter," Kid told her.
"Jessie, I know it's not my decision," Heyes said. "But you're being given the chance at an opportunity none of us ever thought possible."
"And I've never known you to shy away from something just because you're scared," Kid added.
"But like it or not, the money is a factor," Jessie said adamantly.
"Darlin, if this works, then a couple of thousand dollars is a bargain. If it don't, well remember what you told me when I thought all our money had burned in the house fire? Spending that money ain't gonna keep us from being a family, Jessie. Don't let the money be a deciding factor," Kid urged.
Jessie was silent for a long time. Alright, I do it."
Kid smiled joyfully. "I'll send a telegraph to Dr. Holstemeyer in the morning."
"So, now we do have to think about Tac."
"Let's talk to the Sommer's. Tac knows Becky and is comfortable with her. Heyes will stop by and visit him a few times a week," Kid said.
"Everyday if you want me to," Heyes added. "And if the Sommer's can't do it..."
"NO" Kid and Jessie said simultaneously.
"It ain't that we don't trust you, Heyes. But you've the ranch to take care of and Tac's gonna be crawling in another month or so. No, Heyes, he needs more than one person keeping an eye on him." Kid explained.
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One month later, almost to the date of the appointment with the Cheyenne Doctor, Kid and Jessie stepped off the train at Union Station in Chicago. This was not like a train station that Kid had ever seen before. Built of stone and marble, the train station filled an entire city block and from floor to ceiling comprised a space of nearly three stories. Sounds bounced and echoed in the massive rotunda. Hundreds of people bustled in and out of the station, and as many as six trains could arrive or depart at the same time.
"Good Lord," Kid whispered with a look of pure bewilderment on his face.
"May I carry your bags and guide you through the station, Sir?" a black porter, finely dressed in black pants and a red, wool short jacket, his head topped with a fine black hat with a brass plate across the front that read "Porter."
"Ah, that would be much appreciated," Kid said with some relief. "We're looking to hire a carriage driver to take us to our hotel."
The Porter picked up the suitcase and carpetbag. "Follow me, Sir."
Kid was impressed with the ease with which the Porter led them through the crowded maze. When they reached the carriage taxi location, the porter stopped and set the bags down, then hailed a carriage.
"Will there be anything else?" he asked, while extending his forearm from his waist with his gloved palm open.
Kid reached into his pocket and pulled out some change, carefully counted out a dollar, and dropped the change into the man's hand. "No, nothing else. You've been very helpful. Thanks."
"Thank you, Sir," the Porter replied, then turned to find his next source of income.
Kid helped Jessie into the carriage, then put the baggage in and finally climbed in beside his wife. He reached into his pocket for a piece of paper and read off the name of the hotel to the driver and the carriage jostled them a bit as the driver urged the horse forward.
"Chicago must be as big as San Francisco, Jessie. The streets go on so far you can't see the ends of em. Every building must be five or more stories high and everyone of em is brick or stone. There's every kind of store here you can think of , and the people bustling around, well I swear I've never seen so many people. Every man on the street is dressed in a fine suite and every lady looks like she's on her way for tea with the Queen of England," Kid said. "And just think, darlin, when we're ready to head home, you'll be seeing all this for yourself."
"Why is it so windy?" Jessie asked, pulling her shawl snug about her shoulders.
"Winds blow in off Lake Michigan," Kid explained. "This time of year them winds is cold. Heyes says this town is called The Windy City as often as it's called Chicago."
The carriage pulled into a circular drive outside the hotel and Kid helped Jessie out, unloaded the baggage, and paid the driver. Then he took Jessie's arm with one hand and the baggage with the other and led her into the hotel.
Ordinarily they would have chosen a less opulent hotel, more within their budget. But this hotel was just a couple of blocks from the surgeon's office as well as the hospital where the operations would be performed. The lobby was wide and spacious, with a subtle elegance and a decor of rich oak beams and a marble floor, textured wallpaper, two elevators, and a massive marble staircase.
Kid led Jessie to the desk and registered, then walked her to the waiting elevator that bounced slightly when they stepped inside and the attendant closed the gate.
"Fourth floor," Kid told him.
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The following afternoon was spent entirely in Dr. David Bernstein's office as Jessie was subject to a repeat of all the tests done in Cheyenne, plus at least a half a dozen additional exams.
"Mrs. Curry, I know the thought of eye surgery is frightening, but I assure you that I have every confidence that we will be successful in restoring some sight. Ordinarily, we operate on one eye and when that is healed, we repeat the procedure on the other. But I understand you have made a lengthy trip to get here and time is as much a consideration as expense."
"That's true," Jessie said. "We have a young son we need to get home to."
"I'm willing to do both operations at the same time, but it will be vital that you follow the recovery instructions to a tee. Minimal mobility is a vital factor to allow the eyes to heal properly."
"I understand," Jessie replied.
"And Mr. Curry, in order to keep your wife as still as possible, visitation is quite restricted. The first week, you will be permitted three, fifteen minute visits per day. Each week that time will slowly increase and at the end of the third week, you will be permitted to spend most of the afternoon with her and an hour or two each evening."
Kid nodded his understanding. "How soon will you be doing the surgery?" Kid asked.
"We will admit Mrs. Curry to the hospital tomorrow and you can follow normal visiting hours with her tomorrow. The surgery will be done in the morning the following day. There is a surgical waiting area for you to wait out the surgery. I'll stop in there afterwards and tell you how things went, answer any questions you might have."
"Will I be able to see her?"
"Mrs. Curry will still be sedated from the anesthesia, and will be receiving medication to avoid nausea, but you will be permitted a few minutes with her for your own reassurance."
Again Kid nodded."Is that all there is for today, then?" Kid asked.
"Yes, but be at the hospital's admission desk tomorrow before nine in the morning."
Kid led Jessie out of the office and onto the street of the bustling city.
"You hungry?" he asked.
"No, but I'm sure you are. Nothing fancy, Jed. We've got to pinch pennies were we can."
Kid had to agree. "Day after your surgery, I'll look for a room at a boarding house," he promised .
They found a delicatessen and ordered sandwiches and coffee. Kid noticed that Jessie just picked at hers, but understanding her growing nervousness, he made no comment. However, when they were ready to leave, he wrapped her sandwich in a napkin and slipped it in his pocket thinking she might be hungry later, and if not, he could polish it off with no difficulty.
They walked the two blacks back to the hotel and Kid kept an arm about her shoulders to keep her warm in the blistery wind.
"There's a telegram for you," the clerk said as they walked through the hotel lobby. Kid walked over and took the telegram, then returned to Jessie and guided her toward the elevator. The attendant, who made it part of his job to know which floor each patron was staying, shut the gate and pulled the ropes to the fourth floor while Kid opened the telegram.
"It's from Heyes," he told Jessie. "Tac's crawling a mile a minute now and pulling himself up with the use of a chair," he said proudly. Heyes says everyone in town is praying for you."
"I've been doing a lot of that myself these past few days," Jessie confessed.
Kid tightened his hold about her shoulders. "Everything's gonna be fine, Jessie," he reassured her.
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As much as he tried, Kid simply could not sit quietly in a chair in the surgical waiting room. Instead he paced back and fourth, drank coffee like it was water, and paced some more. Jessie had been in surgery for almost three hours and Kid had no idea if that was a normal length of time for this procedure or not. But, as the fourth hour approached, Kid's nervous anxiety was quickly being replaced by fear.
So when the door opened and Br. Bernstein walked in, Kid stopped, his breath catching in his throat.
"She's fine Mr. Curry. The surgery went just as expected, no complications. She's still in recovery and will be for at least another hour, so you could go get something to eat if you like. Come back to this room and when Mrs. Curry has been moved to patient room, you can stop in and see her briefly."
Kid felt such a relief his chin began to quiver and his breathing quickened. He nodded slowly at the doctor but had no words to express his gratitude.
Dr. Bernstein smiled. "I'll meet you back here in an hour, Mr. Curry."
Kid walked outside but had no appetite. Instead he simply stood and took several deeps breaths, filling his lungs with the cold November air. Folding his arms across his chest, Kid leaned on the wall of the building, closed his eyes, and in his mind, gave God a prayer of thanks. Opening his eyes again, Kid simply stood leaning against the building, gazing down the busy street, wondering how so many people could be going about their business, oblivious to the fact that inside these hospital walls, a miracle had just occurred.
An hour later Dr. Bernstein escorted Kid down a long corridor and past a busy nurse's station to room 418. Inside the room were two beds. The doctor led Kid past the first bed where an elderly woman lay sleeping, to the second bed, next to a window that looked out onto the busy street. There Jessie lay sleeping, looking so fragile and pale, her eyes covered with cotton and wrapped securely with gauze. Pillows were tucked in along the full length of both sides of her body to limit her movement.
Kid moved to the side of the bed and gazed down at her. He gently rested his hand on top of her hand and a tear streaked down his cheek. But he found the words that had earlier escaped him.
"Thank you Dr. Bernstein, for acting as the hands of God."
Dr. Bernstein laid a hand on Kid's shoulder. "The easy part is over, Mr. Curry. The hard part is waiting."
Kid nodded and sucked in a gasp of air. "Fifteen minutes three times a day," he said quietly.
"I'm very confident it will be worth the long wait, Mr. Curry."
Kid nodded, then lifted Jessie's hand and gave her a kiss. Then he turned to the doctor who smiled and led Kid out of the room.
The next morning Kid returned to the hospital. Jessie was awake but still a bit groggy from the anesthesia as well as from anti-nausea medication she was being given on a regular basis to avoid any vomiting, as this would place a great deal of unnecessary pressure on the healing eyes.
"You look better than you did yesterday, Not so pale," Kid told her while holding her hand and gently caressing the back of it.
"I don't feel bad, but this staying in one position is not the most comfortable thing to be doing."
"I'm gonna look for a place to stay this afternoon. One of the nurse's says there's a couple of boarding houses not far from here."
"Hmmm."
"Thought I'd send Heyes a wire and tell him how things are going."
"Not too many words," she cautioned, though already half asleep again.
"They won't let me stay any longer Jess, so I'll take care of those things and come back this afternoon. Love you darlin."
"You too."
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The first week passed slowly but Kid managed to get a room in a boarding house just six blocks away and, after explaining his situation to the kindly owner, Kid was promised the delivery of a second single bed for Jessie once she was released from the hospital. The cost also included two meals a day and with Kid's appetite, he knew he would be getting his money's worth for the room and board.
The second week was less frustrating for them both. Three half hour visits seemed an appropriate amount of time to keep each other informed of any daily occurrences. By the third week, Kid was granted two daytime hour long visits and one two hour evening visit. During the evening visits, Kid would pull a chair up to the bed and read to Jessie.
"I should think I'd be able to move to the boarding house soon," she said wishfully one evening.
"You asked the doctor about that?"
Jessie sighed. "No, but I'll ask him sometime this week."
"You're eyes hurting or anything?"
Jessie caught herself from shaking her head. "No they feel fine. The nurses change the bandages every morning, but they insist I keep my eyes closed. I tell you Jed, I am so tempted to sneak a peek."
"Oh, don't do that darling. You wouldn't want to do nothing that could interfere with the healing."
Jessie smiled. "I know. The truth is though, I don't do it because the first thing I want to see is your face, Jed. I know how every inch, every wrinkle, how every bump and dimple feels. Now I want to see how it looks."
Kid smiled and raised her fingers to his lips so she could feel the smile. "Just remember I earned every one of them wrinkles," he said and softly kissed each of her fingers.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Kid said, taking a piece of paper from his pocket. "Got another telegram from Heyes. "He says they got more than a foot of snow at home. Says he's staying at our place cause it's easier to tend to the horses when he just has to walk across the yard to the barn."
"Did he mention Tac?"
"Just that he seems to feel right at home with the Sommer's and he took the playpen over there to help them out."
"I can't wait to actually see Tac. I have a picture in my mind, but I'm guessing he's nothing like I picture him."
"He's a handsome boy. Takes after his Pa," Kid replied.
"Handsome or wrinkled?" she asked and Kid laughed.
"Maybe a combination."
By the beginning of the fourth week, Doctor Bernstein agreed that Jessie could move to the boarding house, but insisted that the hospital take care of moving her there. So Kid notified the owner of the boarding house and a second single bed was moved into the room. Kid was told to wait at the boarding house for her arrival and Jessie agreed to, and was given a mild sedative to keep her as still as possible.
The sedative must have either been quite mild, or Jessie was simply too excited to be getting out of the hospital, because she was wide awake when she arrived at the boarding house on a stretcher and was carefully transferred to her bed. One of the hospital attendants explained to Jed how to assist Jessie with some of her personal needs, and showed him how to place the pillows to help Jessie remember not to move around too much. This far along in the healing process, Dr. Bernstein had told them both that with help, Jessie could sit up at an angle for meals, with pillows supporting her back and head.
"You doing alright, darling?" Kid asked after she was settled and the hospital personnel had left.
"Oh Jed, just to breathe fresh air again was wonderful," Jessie exclaimed.
"Mrs. Sinclair owns this place. She's real nice. I think you'll like here. She said she'd make an exception in our case and let you and me take meals here in the room, and she'll even fix you a lunch every day since you can't go out and get nothing."
"We should do something nice for her when we leave, Jed, since she's going out of her way like that."
"You think of something, Jess and I'll take care of it."
Once the hospital people had left, Mrs. Sinclair knocked on the door and came in to introduce herself to Jessie. She and Jessie got to be very good friends over the next two weeks and Mrs. Sinclair would come into the room with a bowl of beans to be shelled or potatoes to be pealed and she would pull a chair up next to the bed and she and Jessie would talk and visit and pass the afternoon together.
At night, Kid would move his bed up next to Jessie's bed so they could talk quietly and hold hands till they fell asleep. Then every morning Kid would shove his bed back against the wall so he and Mrs. Sinclair had easy access to Jessie to provide care or conversation.
They had an appointment with Dr. Bernstein schedule for the first Monday following the sixth week of recovery and Jessie was permitted to ride in a carriage to that appointment. Having spent six weeks on complete bed rest, Jessie's legs were a little weak and wobbly, but Kid kept a secure hold on her to keep her steady if she felt weak.
"Well, the day of reckoning has finally come," Kid said as they sat in the waiting room, nearly half an hour early for their appointment.
Jessie clutched Kid's hand tightly, feeling more nervous now than she did just before the surgery.
"We'll be heading home now in a couple of days," Kid continued, knowing Jessie was too nervous to engage in conversation, but trying to distract her from her fears. "Bet Tac will be glad to see his Mama again."
"Uh-uh."
"Probably won't recognize him, he'll have grown so much."
"Probably," she replied, not really listening to a word Kid was saying.
"Might even think he likes the Sommer's more that us."
"Might."
"Maybe they'd be willing to adopt him."
"Maybe."
"Jess, you're not listening to a word I'm saying, unless you really do want to put Tac up for adoption."
"What?"
"Nothing, darlin. Just trying to get you to stop worrying."
"Mrs. Curry?" the nurse called to them.
Kid stood and took Jessie by the arm. "This is it, darlin. Just want you to know I love you no matter what happens in there."
Jessie squeezed Kid's hand. "Love you, too"
0-0-0-0-0-
"Once the bandages are completely off Mrs. Curry, I still want you to keep your eyes closed. I want to dim the lights considerably because even a little light will seem quite bright and harsh. I'll give you a pair of dark glasses to wear home today and to use when you're awake. Once I've examined your eyes to determine the prescription you'll need, we'll have those glasses darkened slightly and you'll grow accustomed to that. But I want you to understand that, if the surgery was successful, what you see today is nowhere near the clarity that you'll be seeing in a few days."
Jessie nodded and Dr. Bernstein began clipping away at the bandages.
"Before you remove the bandages, completely, Dr. Bernstein...The first thing I want to see is Jed. Can you arrange that?"
Dr. Bernstein smiled. "The first thing most people want to see is a spouse or loved one. Your husband is sitting directly in front of you. Let me get the lights dimmed a bit more and then will remove the cotton."
Dr. Bernstein got up to close the curtains and snuff most of the oil lamps. As he did that, Jessie stretched her hand out. "Jed."
Kid took her hand. "Right here, darlin."
"Are you ready Mrs. Curry?" Dr. Bernstein asked as he sat down next to her.
Jessie took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "Ready," she replied.
Having lived a life in total darkness, the dim light that confronted her was almost painful and her eyes fluttered open and shut several times. Finally, all her attention focused on this one simple task, Jessie raised her eyelids very slowly. The outline of a blurred face smiling with excitement gazed back at her.
"Is that blue?"
"What?" Kid asked.
"You told me once your eyes were blue."
"Yes, darling, my eyes are blue."
"They're beautiful," she gasped. "And your smile and your hair, and …..."
"You can see me?" Kid exclaimed, his eyes wet with tears.
"You're beautiful, Jed."
"Ah, no darlin, you're the one that's beautiful."
"Would you like to see yourself?" Dr. Bernstein asked.
Jessie nodded but couldn't pulled her gaze from Kid. She covered her hand with her mouth and cried. "I can see," she whispered. "I can see."
Dr. Bernstein slipped the handle of a mirror into Jessie's palm. "Here, take a look at yourself."
Jessie slowly raised the mirror to her face. "My eyes are blue, too."
"You have beautiful eyes, Jess," Kid said. "In fact, everything about you is beautiful. You're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."
Jessie laughed and sobbed at the same time. "Oh, Dr. Bernstein, you performed a miracle. I... I can't tell you what this means."
"I think it's time we get your eye exam completed so we can get to work on the prescription glasses Mrs. Curry," the Doctor replied. "The sooner we get the glasses made, the sooner you can be on your way home. I'm going to want you to continue seeing the doctor in Cheyenne, of course."
"We'll do that," Kid promised.
As they stepped out of the office an hour later, and into the Chicago street, Jessie wearing heavily darkened glasses, stopped abruptly.
"Oh my," she gasped.
Kid smiled. "This is just one street. There's a hundred more just like it," Kid explained.
"How do you know your way around?"
"You learn what you need to know, depend on the carriage drivers for everything else."
"All the people, all the traffic" she said, obviously awestruck.
"Porterville is a might less busy than this."
Jessie looked up at the sky and smiled. "Jed, look," she exclaimed.
Jed looked up. "What am I looking at?"
"Clouds," she whispered.
"When we get home, tonight, I bought a couple of picture books so I can tell you what the different colors are, what things are in the pictures, that sort of thing."
"Before we leave, lets go down to the shore."
"Gonna be awful cold down there."
"I've never seen an ocean and, well this might the closest as I get to ever seeing one."
"It's is almost as big. You can't see the other side, cause the lake is so big. We'll go tomorrow and have lunch at one of them lakeside restaurants."
"Jed, the night before we leave, let's stay at that hotel again. The way you described it, I'd love to see it for myself."
"Absolutely anything you want, darlin."
That night Kid pulled his bed up next to Jessie's and they lay side by side going through each page of the picture books Kid had purchased. Jessie marveled at the variety of colors, the variety of each individual color, all the hues and tones. She saw pictures of places she had only heard about, pictures of places she had been but had never seen. She enjoyed studying each picture in detail. But more than the pictures, she loved seeing and knowing Kid's image, and while he spent time pointing things out in the books, he often found her looking at him rather than the book.
Two days later they again sat in Dr. Bernstein's office and the pair of thick and slightly shaded glasses with wire frames were adjusted for proper fitting. Putting on the glasses brought everything into a much clearer focus and Jessie again marveled at all the sites, but her favorite was the site of Kid, with his blonde curls, blue eyes, and jubilant smile.
Having brought their luggage with them to the appointment, they crossed the street, walked a couple of blocks, and entered the hotel. Depth perception had not yet been mastered, so Kid kept a secure hand on her arm. Jessie stopped in the middle of the rotunda and took a slow panoramic view of the entire area. Kid thought her expression looked like an awe struck child. Once in their room, she spent an hour just gazing out the window at the city below.
That night they shared a bed for the first time in two months and they spent hours talking about all the things she wanted to see. She was emphatic that, now that she had seen Jed, her first priority was seeing Tac. She slept very little that night, anxious to board the train for home.
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Usually Kid took the window seat, not for the view but for the place to rest his head to sleep. But on this trip, Jessie took the window seat. Colors excited her most, how one color could have so many different shades, yet still be called by the same name.
As the train made it's way through Nebraska, snow made it's first appearance. Jessie had never attributed a color to snow. She knew it was described as white, but until this past week, she had no idea what the color white looked like. Walking through snow, she had always thought of it as having a texture of runny mashed potatoes and was amazed to see just how small each individual snowflake really was. Her eyesight was not so sharp as to be able to make out the intricate designs of each snow flake, but Kid explained to her that no two snowflakes were identical.
"After two days the train pulled in to Porterville and Kid climbed off the train carrying the baggage. He had no sooner planted his feet on the platform than he heard Heyes' familiar voice.
"Kid!"
Within seconds Heyes was standing with his partner.
"Where's Jessie?"
"She's coming. You know women, they want to make sure every hair is in place before someone sees them."
With that Jessie appeared on the coach platform, smiling down at Heyes and Kid. She smiled and laughed when she saw Heyes.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"You are exactly as Kid described you. If I had never met you, I would still know exactly who you are," she said descending the steps by herself and without so much as an offer of assistance from Kid, although he made sure to be standing where he could catch her if she were to trip on the steps.
"You didn't pick up Tac?" Kid asked.
"He's at your place with Lom, just waiting for Ma and Pa to get home. I have to warn you, he's a pretty excited little kid today. Hasn't had a nap cause he won't sleep."
"Well, let's get going then. I think Ma and Pa are just as excited to see him." Kid replied.
Once at the house, Heyes offered to get the luggage and he purposely hung back while Kid and Jessie walked into the house.
Lom had Tac in the playpen and the child's attention turned to the door when it opened.
Tac saw Jessie and Kid and squealed with delight and pulled himself to his feet. Clinging to the frame of the playpen for support, he bounced up and down. When Jessie approached, Tac reached out to her, lost his balance, and landed with a plop on his bottom.
"Let me pick him up," Kid said and raised the child out of the playpen and handed him to Jessie. Tac squealed and wrapped his arms about her. Tears streamed down Jessie's face as she looked at Kid.
"He's beautiful," she exclaimed.
"But you knew that even before you could see him," Kid reminded her.
"Oh, Jed," Jessie replied, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
Kid wrapped his arms around his wife and son and Heyes saw a dampness in Kid's eyes, too.
"Well Lom, think we ought to be saying good night to the happy little family?" Heyes asked.
"Probably a good idea to let them get settled in," Lom replied.
"Kid, Jessie, I can't tell you how happy I am for you," Heyes said as he headed for the door.
"You know this means a loan from the bank come spring to buy the cattle," Kid reminded him.
Heyes looked at Kid and then at Jessie. "Seems like a pretty fair trade to me, don't you think, Kid?"
"Yeah, partner. I think you're right."