Chapter Six
On Cricket's way to school the next morning, she thought she saw Frank again. She didn't think Jesse knew he was around and she was curious what in the world Frank seemed to be watching her for. Maybe she could talk to him sometime and smooth over the mess she made for Jesse. Even though Jesse said that he forgave her, everything had changed between them. Cricket was determined to make it right again. She turned around and went back to where she thought she had seen him and he was still there. Cricket let out a determined breath and marched into the woods to confront him.
"What are you doing here, little girl?" Frank asked snidely.
"Why are you following me?" Cricket asked back.
"I just wanted to see what Jesse sees in you," he said.
"He's my friend," Cricket stated.
"Jesse doesn't need friends," Frank argued. "He only needs his family."
"I don't believe that," Cricket said seriously. "But I didn't come here to argue that."
"What did you come here for?" Frank asked.
"I came here to ask you to forgive Jesse," Cricket said. "He's been miserable since you left."
"Well that's his punishment for dishonoring his family," Frank said dismissively. "Now, go to school, little girl."
Cricket gulped at the sinister look Frank gave her. She was sure he was just trying to scare her. Maybe he was just trying to ruin her friendship with Jesse while he was at it. Well, Frank certainly seemed to be able to do just that without all the effort he was expending in that direction. Perhaps he was interested in something else. Cricket just couldn't think what that would likely be.
Cricket hurried to the station so she could take care of Speedy before school. Seeing the horse and maybe Buck would make her feel safer after her encounter with Frank. Cricket didn't completely understand the sibling tie. She didn't really have the same experience. Her parents were ancient, like Rachel, so it wasn't like she was going to have any siblings anyway.
Buck was on an express run when Cricket got to the station. Jimmy told her Buck had the short run and would be back before lunch. She made sure Speedy's stall had been mucked out and that she had been groomed, fed, and watered. She held up her end of their arrangement. Cricket then raced off to school.
As Cricket and Violet rushed out the schoolhouse door for lunch, Violet stopped dead and tried to pull Cricket over to the swing.
"What are you doing, Violet," Cricket wondered. "We always sit so we can see the boys at the station."
"I don't think we should today," Violet said nervously.
Cricket looked at Violet's face and just knew. She would see something that would upset her. Cricket looked anyway and saw Buck packing a picnic basket and blanket in the back of the buckboard. She saw him smile as he helped Ava get up on the seat. Cricket followed Buck with her eyes and saw him climb aboard the buckboard and drive the two of them away from town. Buck was going on a picnic with a pretty girl. They didn't have a chaperone.
"I'm so sorry, Cricket," Violet said.
"I'm ok," Cricket said stoically. "Let's eat our lunch by the swing."
Violet watched as Cricket just picked at her sandwich. Violet knew from experience what it was like to have a boy break your heart.
"She's probably not staying in Rock Creek," Violet offered. "They're trying to get their wagon fixed. My Pa says they haven't started to look around for any land yet."
"Well, Buck is very nice and considerate," Cricket reasoned. "It makes sense that he would make her feel welcome until they can get back on the trail."
"That's probably all it is," Violet assured her.
Cricket looked over at Jesse. He was off on his own. Cricket didn't like how much their friendship had changed even though Jesse said he forgave her. Today was not going well.
Cricket pushed her nose into her books all through the rest of the school day. She decided that it couldn't get worse if she just paid attention to her studies. Although, she was nervous about going to the station after school to work with Buck and Speedy, she was excited at the same time. She really wanted her own horse someday and the training that Buck was giving her was incredible. He didn't have to and a few months ago he wouldn't have. Cricket didn't really want to wonder what changed. She was just glad that it did.
Buck pulled up the horse near a stand of trees. There was a creek nearby and babbling water was calming. Ava had been under a lot of stress lately with the wagon breaking down and having to act as translator between her father and everyone. Buck hoped this spot would help relieve some of her tension.
There was something special about Ava. Having come from Sweden she did not seem to have the same sorts of assumptions and prejudices that other people carried. With Ava, he was just another person and not an undesirable. Plenty of people looked down on Ava and her father for being immigrants and her accent was at times hard to understand. Buck felt they had a lot in common. It also didn't hurt that she was very pretty.
Buck helped Ava down from the buckboard and grabbed the picnic supplies. He unfolded the blanket and let the breeze spread it out as he lowered it to the ground. Ava sat down with the basket and started to unload the food. She smiled at Buck as she handed him a sandwich.
"Det är vackert här," Ava said looking around the meadow. She blushed at her use of Swedish. "I'm sorry, it is beautiful here."
"It's alright, I sometimes slip into Kiowa when I'm not thinking," Buck said. "I'm glad you like this spot. It is one of my favorites."
"I wish we could stop right here and settle down," Ava said, "There are many things about this land that remind me of Sweden."
"What's stopping you?" Buck asked.
"Pappa wants to go to Oregon," Ava answered. "He already has purchased land there."
"I'm sure Oregon is a lovely place too," Buck said trying to cheer her up. "I hear they have mountains there and fertile valleys."
"Pappa wants to be a farmer. I'm not sure if that's what I want, but I guess I don't have much choice."
"You have lots of choices," Buck assured her. "You could stay here."
Ava smiled at Buck's kindness, but her eyes betrayed her sense of obligation. "Pappa doesn't speak English and he is unlikely to learn. He needs me to help him."
Buck nodded and poured some lemonade out of a small jug into glasses for Ava and himself.
"Well the least I can do is to make sure your stay here is pleasant," Buck said smiling.
"Tack," Ava said shyly. "That means 'thank you.'"
Buck set his lemonade down and moved closer to Ava. She was looking down at the blanket nervously. A million things started to swirl around in his brain as he pulled Ava's chin up with his thumb and tenderly kissed her. There was the excitement of kissing a pretty girl, something he didn't do very often. There was also a sense of guilt he wasn't prepared for. For some reason he thought of Cricket. He didn't know why. She had a crush on him, that was true but the feelings were just one sided. He didn't have feelings for her too. Buck tried to put Cricket out of his head. She was too young for him anyway. Buck ended the kiss sweetly and went back to finishing the picnic. He felt confused and needed to sort through his feelings a bit more.
Ava blushed at the conclusion of the kiss and quickly sipped at her lemonade. They finished their picnic quickly and Buck found Ava sneaking peeks at him throughout the rest of their time together.
"I guess I should get you back to town," Buck said awkwardly.
"Yes, my pappa is probably wondering what has become of me.
After school was out, Cricket wandered over to the Pony Express station and went inside the barn. The whole place seemed abandoned. Cricket walked up to Speedy and petted her on the nose. She was such a beautiful horse. Cricket couldn't help wishing that Speedy was hers. She spent a lot of the time taking care of her and Cricket was the only one who had ridden her. Cricket was starting to fear that Buck was getting and training this horse for someone other than himself. It would break her heart if Buck just gave Speedy away to someone.
Cricket wandered out to the door of the barn and was about to walk outside, when she heard the buckboard pulling to a stop. Cricket tucked herself into the shadows and listened intently.
"Tack så mycket, Buck," Ava said in what Cricket could only assume was Swedish. "I had a lovely time."
They were quiet for a moment and then Cricket thought she heard the tell tale sounds of kissing. She thought she might cry. This was a disaster.
Cricket heard Buck clear his throat slightly. "I should unhitch the buckboard and take care of the horse," he said quickly.
"I thought you could show me around the barn," Ava said in a flirty voice. "You can take care of the horse later."
"Cricket's probably in the barn waiting to work with Speedy today," Buck said nervously.
"The little girl?" Ava asked. "Tell her you are busy."
Cricket heard more kissing sounds briefly and then it sounded like it stopped suddenly.
"I can't," Buck said, "I promised she could help me train a horse."
"Why did her parents name her after a bug?" Ava pouted and suddenly changed the subject.
"They didn't," Buck answered with what Cricket heard as a slight laugh to his voice. "It's a nickname. I actually don't know what Cricket's real name is."
"You like her," Ava realized.
"She's a friend, besides she's just a kid," Buck protested.
Cricket didn't want to stay around and hear any more. Buck called her "just a kid" and Ava called her "the little girl" and to top it all off she heard them kissing. She snuck out the back door and started off toward nowhere in particular. She didn't want to go home right now. She just wanted to sulk. This day was officially terrible.