April 2nd, 1880

The sky was still almost black when I awoke the next morning. I sat against my pillows and looked out the window, toying with my wedding ring. Although Chavez and I had not been married in a church, but by my medicine man father, we had purchased rings with some of the money John Tunstall had left me in his will so the nosy neighbors would have nothing to gossip about.

I felt so tired, but sleep refused to come. Thoughts were racing through my head, and I needed to share them with someone.

"Chavez?" I said.

"What?" he mumbled sleepily into his pillow.

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"With Cy. Taking him in and all."

"Why are you second-guessing yourself about doing a good deed?" said Chavez, propping himself on an elbow to look at me better. "You and I both know what would have happened if you had ignored what went on at the train station."

"Yeah. He'd have ended up just like poor Tommy O'Folliard," I said, my voice heavy with emotion.

There were striking similarities between Cy and Tommy. Both were orphans, caught in the awkward stage of being older than a boy and younger than a man. They'd been taken from the orphanage by mistake, then forced to live on the streets. I had ended up taking both under my wing, though only one of them was still alive.

"But what if he doesn't like us?" I continued. "He acts so nervous. I think he's afraid to even look at us."

"Don't worry so much," said Chavez, starting to twirl a strand of my hair around his fingers. "He just needs time to get used to us."

"What if I'm not ready?" I fretted. "A year ago, a kid was the last thing on my mind, 'cause I was told I'd never have one of my own. And all of a sudden, Cy appears and he needs a home. What do I know about children, aside from the fact I used to be a child? What if I'm not a good mother? I mean, I used to be an outlaw. Hell, I've killed people. How can Cy grow up decent with my terrible influence?"

"Querida, I never want to hear you talk like that," Chavez said sternly. "What's done is done, you can't take it back now. More to the point, you are a wonderful woman. You put up with everything me and the other Regulators did and never lost your temper unless it was necessary. You and John took in young men who had gone astray just out of the goodness of your hearts. I think you'll be an outstanding mother."

"You honestly believe that?" I asked.

"Every word of it, because that's what made me fall in love with you."

I smiled and leaned in to kiss him. Our kiss deepened and before very long, Chavez was edging toward my side of the bed. He started to pull me close, but I placed a hand on his chest to hold him back.

"What's wrong?" he inquired.

"Cy's in the next room." I whispered. "What if he hears us and wakes up?" I could only imagine how humiliating that would be for him.

"I doubt he will. Those adobe walls are probably a foot thick." Chavez pointed out.

"I don't want to risk it. Besides, it's almost dawn. The horses need grain, and I need to start cooking breakfast."

"Can we finish later?" Chavez asked hopefully.

"If I can get Cy out of the house long enough." I said.

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Once the sausages, hotcakes, and eggs were sizzling on the stove, I walked in the direction of John's old room.

"Cyluss!" I called through the door. "It's time to get up!"

No response came. I waited a minute, then knocked on the door. Still no answer. I pushed open the door, expecting to find him tucked into bed and soundly asleep. My heart nearly stopped with what I saw. Not only was Cy not sleeping in bed, it looked like the bed hadn't been slept in at all. Maybe he'd run off during the night and I hadn't heard him. That was a real possibility, given the fact I'm such a heavy sleeper. I dashed out into the hall, running headlong into Chavez's arms.

"Cy's gone," I said, almost in tears. "He must have run away."

"He's got to be around here somewhere, Querida," said Chavez. "I didn't hear him leave last night."

That made me feel better. Chavez was a very light sleeper, so he would definitely know if Cy had run off. We started to look around all the rooms in the house, even the pantry. The last place we checked was John's study; neither of us knew why he might be in there, but it was worth a try since we'd looked everywhere else. There was Cy, all right, sitting at John's desk with an open encyclopedia in front of him. I was torn between wanting to smother him with kisses because I was so relieved at finding him, and wanting to slap him for worrying me like that.

"Hello, Mrs. Chavez," he greeted.

"Hello, Cy." I said. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, but something was very odd. My bed was soft."

Yeah, I guess that might be a shock to the system for someone used to sleeping on a damp floor. I know how long it took me to get used to sleeping in a real bed after almost two years of nights resting underneath my coat when I rode with the Lincoln County Regulators.

"But it didn't look like you slept in the bed," I said.

"I made it when I woke up," explained Cy, getting up and putting the encyclopedia in its proper slot on the shelf.

That was the neatest I'd ever seen one made. I never bothered to meticulously make my own bed since I'd just be collapsing onto it at the end of the day anyhow.

Cy walked over to the shelf again and started to bring down a leatherbound book that was almost as heavy as he was. Chavez caught it just before it fell on Cy.

Cy hung his head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," I said. "You go with Chavez and wash your hands. It's almost time for breakfast."

Cy obeyed me and followed Chavez outside, coming back just as I was taking the hotcakes off the stove. I set platter of sausages and eggs down on the table and the hotcakes, along with some homemade fruit preserves, butter, and Vermont maple syrup to put on them. The hotcakes were the first thing Cy grabbed. He started gulping them down right away.

"These are delicious," he said in an awed voice.

"I aim to please," I said.

"So, Cy," said Chavez, "have you ever ridden a horse before?"

Cy shook his head.

"Would you like to learn?" Chavez asked.

"I suppose so," Cy answered.

"All right. Querida and I will teach you right after breakfast." Chavez declared.

"You mean after you wash the dishes," I countered. "It's your turn."

"Yes, after that, Querida." he said in a resigned tone.

Soon, all three of our plates were clean and in the sink. Cy watched nervously as Chavez began to rinse them. I noticed him sweating as the dishes were dried and put in the cabinet. I didn't pay attention to this; I assumed he was just excited. It wasn't until later I realized my assumption was wrong...