Chapter Seven

Buck shifted the packages he carried into the crook of his left arm and knocked on the door of Ramona O'Reilly's bordello. Around his waist he wore his new gun and holster. It felt strange, but he reckoned he would get used to wearing it soon enough. Chris seemed to wear his as if it was a second skin.

His musings were interrupted by the door opening. An older woman in her late thirties, with riotous red curls, dancing green eyes, her buxom body clothed in a tight fitting scarlet dress that accentuated her curves, stood in the doorway.

"Buck, me love, ye aire a welcome sight!" Ramona greeted him with a dazzling smile, grabbed him by the hand, tugged him into her establishment, and slammed the door closed behind him.

Buck chuckled as he deposited his packages onto a nearby ornate mahogany table, before turning and engulfing her in an affectionate hug, "It's good to see you too Miss Mona."

"Where 'ave ye been keeping yerself? Me girls and me were beginning to think ye donna love us anymore." Mona said as she led him into her private parlor.

"No chance in hell of that Miss Mona," Buck assured her, "You know how I feel about you and your girls. Things have been rough lately and we've had to work harder to make ends meet, so there's been less time and money to spend on fun."

"Me would 'ave gladly given ye-," Ramona started, but Buck stopped her.

"I know you would have, but we're hell bent on making our own way on our own terms."

Ramona smiled understandably at him, "If ye 'ave time now, me can fetch Sissy, Etta, or Mairi for ye. They've missed ye so."

Buck shifted in his seat and cleared his throat as remembered 'fun' with each one of the mentioned girls filled his mind with provocative images, "As much as I would love to lose myself for a spell with any of those fine fillies, I'm going to have to say no. I only stopped by to get some advice from you."

"Advice? About what?"

"Babies."

"Babies?" Ramona's voiced held amusement in it and her eyes sparkled with mischief, "Certainly ye know how the wee ones aire made."

"I'm more than clear on the making of them," Buck grinned wolfishly at her, "I'm more interested in the caring for them."

"Why?"

Buck hesitated. He didn't know how much about JD he should reveal to Ramona. She seemed to sense his uneasiness at her question and waved aside an explanation.

"Let me see, where should me start?" Ramona fell silent for a couple of minutes as she tried to collect her thoughts, "Never 'aving wee ones of me own, most of what me knows is second hand."

"That's alright. Any help you can give is appreciated."

Over the next hour, Ramona proceeded to give him all the information she could think of on how to care for babies. By the time she was finished, Buck felt that with this new bit of knowledge, he and his brothers would do right by JD.

Buck made his departure a short time later. As he bid Ramona goodbye, he was saddened at the idea he might never see her again. She had always been kind to him and reminded him a little of his own beloved ma.