Cricket's hands were much better in the morning when she woke up. The night air seemed to have done them a world of good. The swelling was down and the salve seemed to prevent any sort of infection from setting in. She could grip things better today too.

Cricket decided that Maryellen would need to be carefully watched from now on. She had been thinking about other things on her way to school yesterday and Maryellen had taken advantage of it. Today, Cricket would try to be more aware of her surroundings like Buck always was. She didn't know how he did it. Maybe he just kept himself from getting too focused on one thing. Yesterday would be the last time she would let Maryellen get the best of her. At least she hoped it would be.

Cricket was just on the edge of town when she heard footsteps behind her. When she turned her startled look turned to a smile as Violet ran up to meet her. Jesse slipped in from the side too. Cricket smiled at the escort to school. She wondered if every friendship was like this or if Violet and Jesse were special. Violet was looking excited today. Cricket hoped it was good news about the sleep over.

"My parents gave me permission to stay over at your house on Saturday night," Violet said excitedly.

Cricket beamed. "I have so many ideas what we can do," Cricket said quickly. The girls ran off to school leaving Jesse alone with his thoughts.

Jesse rolled his eyes slightly. He was conflicted. On the one hand he was glad Cricket was starting to become friends with the girls her age and acting more like a girl, but on the other hand he was kind of missing his best friend. He was feeling a little jealous of Violet. Cricket had been acting all weird now for over a week. She seemed starrier eyed over Buck and he wondered what changed. He wondered if Buck had said something or did something that made her feel like he liked her more than he really did. Perhaps he would have a man to man talk with Buck later. He warned him not to break her heart and Jesse could see Cricket was headed for a fall. He could only ask Buck to be gentle if it came to that. As Jesse got closer to school, he saw Buck and Jimmy casually observing the goings on around the schoolhouse. He thought they must be making sure Maryellen didn't try anything or the Cricket didn't get into a fight. He was kind of glad that Cricket and Violet for that matter didn't notice the boys extra attention to their journey to school. It would be all they would talk about at lunch time. He was sure he didn't have the strength to endure that kind of torture.

Cricket stopped and watched Rachel walk toward the school. Her blouse was a little lower cut than usual and she saw Buck take a lingering look. Her eyes narrowed and she revisited her jealousy of Rachel's 'heaving bosoms.'

After enduring a morning full of sarcasm, snide faces, and outright spite, Rachel decided it was time for her and Cricket to have a little talk. She decided to keep Cricket back from recess and get to the bottom of whatever was eating at the girl.

"Cricket, what is the matter with you today?" Rachel asked.

Cricket shifted uncomfortably in her chair and tried to look irritated and even sighed a few times for good measure. She was sure she could wait Rachel out.

"Have I done something that has upset you?" Rachel asked. She was trying very hard not to lose her temper with Cricket. The girl had been so moody lately. She was sure it was just growing pains.

"Rachel, how do I get 'heaving bosoms' like you?" Cricket asked almost sadly. "I saw Buck looking at yours today and I want 'heaving bosoms' too."

"Heaving bosoms?" Rachel asked and looked at Cricket curiously. "Cricket, where in God's name, have you been picking up language like that?"

"My mama has some books she hides under the bed and I found them one day when I was bored," Cricket answered. "It's true though, you have 'heaving bosoms.'"

Rachel pulled her shawl up a little closer to her neck as she was suddenly feeling a little self conscious about her neckline.

"Cricket I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Lu…er another young lady," Rachel said. "The good lord gave women breasts for one purpose and one purpose only –to nurse children."

"But boys like them though, don't they?" Cricket asked.

"Cricket, sweetheart…" Rachel started to say.

"Buck liked looking at yours though," Cricket stated. "I saw him smile."

Rachel put her hand up to her forehead and started to massage her temples. This was not going well. Rachel didn't know how to complete her thought about men seeing women as wet nurses without Cricket defending Buck's honor. Buck was a whole other issue. When she got back to the station he was going to get an earful. So help her!

"Cricket why don't you go outside and eat your lunch," Rachel said giving up. Cricket had a mother and that mother should be having this conversation with Cricket not her.

Somehow Rachel got through the rest of the school day. She just kept replaying everything in her mind. This poor little girl had parents that for some reason only chose to pay attention to her when she was missing or sick. Rachel was at her wits end. She wasn't Cricket's mother but somehow she ended up having all the hard conversations with the girl.

Buck was another story altogether. Rachel had a one track mind as she left the schoolhouse and headed straight for the Express station. She didn't know where Buck was right now, but she knew he wasn't on a run and she was going to give him a piece of her mind. Lou and Kid were lounging on the bunkhouse porch. They all stood up looking wildly at one another as Rachel barreled toward them. They all ran inside the bunkhouse to look busy. Rachel burst through the door and looked to have murder on her mind. She looked around the room searching each of the scared faces for the one she needed to have words with.

"Where's Buck?" she asked between gritted teeth.

"What'd he do, Rachel?" Lou asked as she backed up toward Kid.

"Never you mind," Rachel said trying to keep her temper under control. "Well, where is he?"

"I think I saw him near the barn earlier," Kid said putting a protective arm around Lou.

Rachel turned on her heel and marched out to the barn. On her way there she encountered more riders. Jimmy gave her a wide berth as did Ike and Noah. Fear was visible on their faces. Cody decided to stop her.

"Outta my way, Cody," Rachel said seething.

"What's wrong, Rachel?" Cody asked.

"I just need to have a word with Buck," she said, "Now out of my way."

Cody didn't need to be told a third time. He stepped aside so Rachel could get to her destination.

Rachel swung the barn door open angrily and spotted her prey. The ruckus startled Buck and he dropped the curry brush he was holding.

"Rachel, you scared me," Buck said catching his breath.

"Buck, I haven't even begun to scare you," Rachel said moving to corner him.

Buck's eyes widened in fear as his eyebrow arched in curiosity.

"Buck, do you remember me asking you boys to treat me with dignity and respect?" Rachel asked with narrowed eyes.

"Uh, yes?" Buck answered swallowing hard. He was still unclear what was going on. He started to look down at the toes of his boots.

"You keep those eyes where I can see them, young man," Rachel almost yelled.

"Rachel, what is this about?" Buck asked. He understood he was in trouble but he had no idea what for.

"You really don't know?" Rachel asked in response.

Buck shook his head slowly keeping eye contact with Rachel.

"Cricket was acting out in class today and when I asked her about it, she said she wanted…" Rachel trailed off.

"Wanted what?" Buck asked.

"Well she used the term 'heaving bosoms,'" Rachel said, "When I asked why, she said that I had them and you were looking at them and smiling."

Buck felt his jaw drop a little and his face blush.

"Now, there's nothing wrong with appreciating a woman's assets," Rachel qualified. "At your age I'm sure all of you boys do it. You should just be a little more discreet with your leering."

"I wasn't leering, there was a dragonfly," Buck said suddenly trying to look anywhere but down.

"What?" Rachel asked confused.

"There was a dragonfly on your shawl, near your…" Buck said trailing off. "I was smiling at the dragonfly."

"Uh huh," Rachel said unconvinced. "Well next time a 'dragonfly' lands on me make sure no one else is watching before you smile at it alright?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Cricket woke up the next morning with a tummy ache. It didn't hurt a lot, just enough to bother her. She thought about asking her mother if she could stay home from school, but requests like that usually sent her mother into hysterics. She never asked to stay home and when she did she was usually really sick. Her mother would keep her home and in bed for a week. Cricket did not want that to happen so she thought she could just deal with the dull ache.

She walked to school and everything was fine. She looked over at the Pony Express station and noticed that the riders were all moving around busily. She tried to find Buck and when she did she tried to catch his eye. He didn't look at her, but something in the way he carried himself today told her that he was angry or at the very least displeased. Cricket thought perhaps she may have gotten Buck in trouble by telling Rachel he was looking at her.

Cricket moped through morning lessons. Both Jesse and Violet looked at her with concern. Cricket was so quiet even Rachel was worried. Rachel was going to pull Cricket aside at lunch time but she disappeared and did not reappear after Rachel rang the bell to call the children back to class. Rachel decided to pull Violet aside and find out where Cricket had gotten lost to.

"She's locked herself in the outhouse and won't come out," Violet said in a whisper.

"Why on earth would she do that?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know, Rachel," Violet answered quietly, "She kept telling me to go away."

"Violet, I'm putting you in charge of the class for a few minutes," Rachel said. She gave the class a reading assignment and left the school building.

Rachel gently knocked on the outhouse door. "Cricket, are you in there honey?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, please go away," Cricket said sadly.

"Cricket, what's the matter?" Rachel asked with her concern building.

"I can't make it stop," Cricket said almost crying. "I think I'm dying."

"You can't make what stop, Honey?" Rachel asked. She didn't understand what was going on.

"I'm bleeding and it won't stop."

"Let me see, Sweetheart," Rachel pleaded.

"I can't show you, it's too embarrassing."

"Where are you bleeding from?" Rachel asked hesitantly.

Cricket didn't say anything but Rachel could hear her sniffle.

"Sweetheart, please let me help you," Rachel begged. "Where is the blood coming from?"

"Down there," Cricket said after she sniffled again.

"Down where?" Rachel asked not understanding.

"You know, down there."

"Oh," Rachel gasped as she realized what was happening.

Rachel didn't have time for this right now. She had school to teach, but she needed to help her. Rachel looked over to the station and searched frantically for Lou. Unfortunately the only rider she could see was Buck. Cricket would be mortified if he showed up here right now.

"Oh, no," Rachel said under her breath as Buck noticed her distress and started walking toward her.

"What's wrong, Rachel?" Buck asked when he was close enough for Rachel to hear him.

"Oh, no, no, no, no," Cricket said from inside the outhouse, "This isn't happening."

"Buck, I need you to go find Lou," Rachel said looking him in the eye.

"Is that Cricket in there?" Buck asked.

"Yes, and now I need you to go find Lou," Rachel said a little more directly. She tried to turn Buck back to the station.

"Is Cricket alright?" Buck asked concerned.

"She will be once you get Lou," Rachel said trying to keep the exasperation from her voice.

"I could…"

"No, you couldn't, Buck," Rachel insisted, "Please get Lou."

Rachel thought she was going to lose her mind as Buck looked at her with a look of absolute confusion.

"Buck, if you don't get Lou right now I swear to God I really will tell you what's going on," Rachel whispered.

"I'll go get Lou," Buck said as his face flushed slightly as he realized the problem was something of a distinctly female nature. He turned around and jogged back to the station and sent Lou back to Rachel.

Rachel and Lou were finally able to coax Cricket out of the outhouse and Lou took her back to the station.

Cricket was sporting a total body blush. She didn't understand how Lou could help her with something this embarrassing. Lou was a boy after all.

"Cricket, there's something I want to tell you, but you have to promise not to say anything to anyone else," Lou said seriously.

"Ok, Lou," Cricket said still wishing she was hiding in the outhouse.

Lou took a deep breath. "I'm really a girl," she said.

"You are?" Cricket asked astonished. Her mind began to wander as if a whole new avenue for adventures had just opened up for her.

"Yes, and Rachel asked me to help you," Lou said awkwardly.

Lou launched into how a woman's menstrual cycle worked. Cricket looked horrified and Lou tried to make the whole thing seem not so bad.

"You mean this is going to happen every month?" Cricket asked with a little bit of a whimper.

"Well, it won't happen again for a while and then it will happen every month," Lou corrected. "It is part of becoming a woman."

"Well, what if I decide I don't want to become a woman?" Cricket asked.

"We don't get a choice on that," Lou answered with a little bit of a smile.

"Lou, do the other riders know that you're a girl?" Cricket asked.

"Yeah, they all know, why?"

"Do they treat you like a girl even though you wear pants?" Cricket asked.

"More than I'd like sometimes."

"Do they treat you like a little kid?" Cricket asked.

"Cricket, why all the questions?" Lou asked curiously.

"Well, I was just wondering if any of the boys liked you, you know like boys like girls," Cricket answered, "Even though you wear pants and pretend to be a boy."

Lou smiled knowingly. "This is about Buck isn't it?"

"I just want to know if there's hope for me," Cricket sighed. "I don't act like most girls and I don't dress like most girls. Well, neither do you. I just want to know if boys still fall in love with girls like us."

Lou's smile faded. "Oh sweetheart," Lou said hugging Cricket to her, "Of course they do and they are all the more special for it."

"You really think so?" Cricket asked unconvinced.

"Of course I do and I'll let you in on another secret," Lou said quietly, "The Kid and I been together for a while now and I think we might get married someday."

"Really?" Cricket asked giggling. "Has he kissed you?"

"Mmm hmm," Lou hummed smiling.

"Did he use his tongue?" Cricket inquired enthusiastically.

"Cricket, how come you can know about kissing with tongues and not know about your monthly cycle?" Lou asked astonished.

"I've been reading some books my mama had hidden under her bed," Cricket confessed. "People in books never have to deal with that sort of thing."

Lou laughed.

"So have you?" Cricket asked, "Kissed Kid with your tongue? The books make it sound so wonderful and I was just wondering if it was."

"Yeah, I have and it's nice," Lou said. She'd never had these kinds of talks with Theresa so it was kind of fun talking with someone who was like a younger sister.

"I thought it would be," Cricket commented and drifted into a daydream where Buck would kiss her with his tongue. She let a thrill ripple through her as she thought about him.

Lou ruffled Cricket's hair to jar her out of her revelry. "You don't need to grow up so fast you know," Lou warned. "I did and I wish I had it all back. You can take your time and enjoy being the age you are."

"Do you think that Buck will still be here, when I do grow up?" Cricket asked worried.

"He might be, but you never know," Lou said. "People change so much year to year when they are young like us. I remember when I was fourteen; I changed my favorite color just about every week."

"Buck isn't my favorite color, Lou," Cricket protested. "He's my favorite person. Kid's your favorite person, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is, but I didn't know Kid when I was your age," Lou said gently. "You might meet someone else in the future who you like better."

"That's why I wish I was old enough to be Buck's favorite person now," Cricket admitted. "I don't want him to find a favorite person before I'm old enough."

"That's not something you can control," Lou said sagely. "If it is meant to be it will happen. These things cannot be forced."

"I guess you're right," Cricket said sadly.

"Hey cheer up," Lou said smiling, "You became a woman today. That only happens once."

"Does it have to hurt so much?" Cricket asked rubbing her tummy.

"I can make some tea for you," Lou offered, "It helps."

"More tea," Cricket lamented. "Everything in my life seems to be cured with tea. I'm sick of drinking tea."

Lou laughed again. "Well, you'll just have to endure especially if Buck is your favorite person. He can make a tea to fix just about anything."

"Don't tell me Buck taught you how to make this," Cricket sighed.

"Ok, I won't tell you," Lou said grinning.

Lou made a small pot of raspberry leaf tea and poured a cup for Cricket. Cricket stared at it wearily, but decided that since it smelled nice she would give it a try.

"Thanks, Lou," Cricket said after a few sips of tea. "For being my friend."

"Anytime, Cricket," Lou replied.

School was about to let out and Lou walked Cricket out to the school yard. Lou had her arm around Cricket's shoulders as they walked. When they reached the school, Lou gave Cricket a supportive hug and kissed her on the head.

Violet noticed how Maryellen's countenance changed as they both saw the exchange between Lou and Cricket.

"That little slut," Maryellen said seething. "Lou is mine and she can't have him."

Violet let her jaw drop in surprise at what she heard Maryellen say. So, Maryellen had a crush on Lou. She stifled a giggle and just watched as Maryellen got more and more upset. Violet also surmised that Cricket must now know that Lou was a girl, just like she did. Violet ran over to Cricket and decided to walk home with her friend and discuss the latest development.

The wheels were turning in Cricket's mind as bits of a plan of revenge started to take shape in her mind. The school carnival was looking like the only time to once and for all extract revenge on Maryellen. Truthfully, she hoped she would never have to use it as things have seemed to be calm between her and Maryellen, but if tensions flared again, she wouldn't hesitate to use this new found information. Rachel had mentioned something to Cricket this morning about doing a science display or demonstration and Cricket had been too angry with Rachel to really pay attention to what she was talking about. Perhaps she could ask a few questions about the scope of the project tomorrow.