Ch 3
"Boys, I need two volunteers to make a run over to Seneca. I got some bank documents that need to get there as quick as possible." Said Teaspoon.
"I'll go." Said Lou.
Teaspoon looked at her and nodded.
"Me too." Said Kid.
"You got a run so you can't go." Answered Teaspoon as he saw relief spread on Lou's face.
No one else spoke up. Lou looked at all the boys.
"Alright then. Lou, pick your other volunteer."
Lou looked around at the remaining riders.
"Jimmy."
"There ya go. Get ready."
Jimmy sighed. Lou went to the barn to get her horse. Teaspoon put his hand on Jimmy's shoulder.
"Jimmy, something is troubling my girl."
"Someone."
"I got ya."
"I'm sure I'll get an ear full of it."
"Good luck son and ride safe."
Jimmy grunted as he went to get his horse ready. He walked into the barn to get Sundance. He watched Lou as he began saddling his horse. He stopped and put his hands up on the horses back.
"Lou, why don't you just talk to him?"
"Cause I can't. He don't ever listen."
"He is the man you are gonna marry Lou. You can't go on for the rest of your lives not talking to each other about things."
"Just saddle up. We got a long ride."
Jimmy frowned and finished getting his horse ready. He didn't know what to make of all this.
Jimmy and Lou set off toward Seneca around noon. They pushed forward in silence until about dusk. Jimmy watched Lou during the ride. He had never seen her so unhappy, depressed almost. He pulled his horse to a stop next to a creek.
"Reckon we'll camp here tonight then head into town tomorrow. We should be able to leave early enough tomorrow to make it straight back."
"I'm not really in a hurry so it don't matter none to me."
Jimmy groaned and set about getting their camp ready. After getting a fire going, he slumped back against his saddle to eat some hardtack. Lou sat by the fire opposite him, picking at some grass. He watched her, scared to say anything. Lou stood.
"I'm going down to the creek."
"In the dark?"
"Yeah. I'll be back."
"Watch yourself, Lou. The water is high this time of year."
"Not you too." Lou said walking off.
Jimmy rubbed his face and sighed. He thought Kid would be the best choice for her but seeing Lou these last few weeks, had him rethinking everything. He laid his head back and closed his eyes when he heard a scream. He jumped up.
"Lou!" He yelled as he ran down to the water.
He heard her scream again. He scanned the water. He saw her hanging onto a fallen tree in the middle of the water. He didn't know what to do.
"Jimmy!" She yelled.
"Lou! I'm coming!"
Jimmy couldn't swim so he held onto the fallen tree and eased his way in the water. The water was moving fast. The creek swollen. He held on. He was almost to Lou when he realized that he could no longer touch bottom. He stopped for a minute to set his own panic aside. He pulled himself over to her. She grabbed onto him.
"I can't swim Lou! I'll try to pull us back over!"
His arms were growing tired and just when he thought he couldn't hold on any longer, he felt the bottom. He pulled and waded out the water with Lou clinging to his back. She eased down near the shallow edge. Jimmy looked at Lou panting.
"What the hell were you thinking?!" He yelled.
"I wanted to sit over the water."
"I told you to watch out! You can't be so careless!"
"It was a mistake! Just shut up!" Lou screamed and pushed Jimmy hard.
She watched as he lost his balance and flopped down into the deep mud. He looked up at her. She covered her mouth. She couldn't help it. She burst out laughing. Jimmy tried to hold his stare but he couldn't. He started laughing.
"Now look at me." Said Jimmy slinging the thick mud off his hands.
"I'm sorry." Laughed Lou.
Jimmy eased to his feet.
"You're gonna be sorry!" He laughed as he grabbed her before she could run.
He laughed as he held her still and rubbed mud all over her face. She got free and threw a handful at him. The friends played in the mud laughing. They made it over to the bank exhausted.
"Look at us. We can't go into town like this." Said Lou.
"I don't know what you plan on doing about it but it ain't my fault." Said Jimmy.
"Fine, give them up." Smiled Lou.
"I ain't giving you my clothes."
"Get your ass over there, get a blanket, and give me those muddy clothes. My offer to wash em ain't gonna last forever."
Jimmy looked at Lou. He got up and walked over to his horse. He got his blanket and stood behind his horse using it as a shield. Lou laughed.
"I've been in the same bunkhouse with you for over a year and now you are modest."
Jimmy eased out from behind the horse and gave Lou his clothes.
"It just feels different, ok. Here. Now go." He said pointing to the water.
"I'm going, I'm going. Be back in a few." Lou said as she grabbed her blanket and went down to rinse out their clothes.
While she was gone, Jimmy stretched his rope between two trees close to the fire for her to throw the wet clothes across for them to dry. He pulled his blanket tight as he watched the flames. Lou made her way back and threw the clothes over the line. She flopped down beside Jimmy.
"That was fun." She whispered.
"You think so?"
"I do. The most I've had in a while. Kid is so serious all the time.
"Lou, I know you're feeling scared and unsure right now but Kid is a good guy. He will treat you right."
"Only if I am no longer Lou but Louise. I'm scared to change me, Jimmy. I'm scared of getting married and having kids. The thought of it all scares me to death."
"I still think you need to talk to him. Tell him how you feel so y'all can work through this together."
"I can't talk with him the way I can talk to you."
"I always figured when a girl was getting married that she'd be excited about her man and her new life."
Lou watched the flames dance. She looked over at Jimmy staring at the fire. She scooted closer as she shivered. She lifted his arm and got under his blanket. They sat and watched the fire burn until both fell asleep.