Chapter 7

A couple of weeks passed since the ride to St Joseph, and Kid hadn't given a single thought to it again. Things at the station had been really hectic, and he could now understand the notable differences between this relatively new station and Sweetwater. They had more work than ever since there was always some extra mail on schedule, which meant that their time off had been reduced notably. All the riders had loudly complained to Teaspoon, but the station master had said that there was nothing he could do about it.

There was talk that war could break out at any moment, and that was the reason their workload had increased, this station being nearer to the focus of action, whereas their safety was thinning out even more. The riders never knew what they transported on their rides and what kind of people would be more than interested in preventing their mochillas from getting to their destinations. Anyway, that wasn't their major concern as all of them had always known the job was life-threatening since they had first signed on for the Express. Yet, nobody had mentioned that they wouldn't be able to get proper rest. Teaspoon had told them they should forget about hiring another rider; the company wasn't doing as well as the owners had initially foreseen, and some stations were already being closed down.

Kid grumbled as he slid off his horse at the station. He was finally home and he couldn't be happier to know that the ride was over. When he had ridden in, he hadn't seen any of his friends around, so he guessed that everybody was having dinner in the bunkhouse. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he let out a low moan. Every single bone in his body was hurting; definitely he needed his rest, and as soon as he saw to Katy, he wouldn't waste any time and drop into his bunk and sleep for the rest of the day. Today the distance between the stables and the bunkhouse seemed to have strangely widened, the Southerner thought as he shuffled across the yard.

Opening the door to the bunkhouse he let himself in, and as he had rightly guessed all his fellow riders were sitting around the dinner table, tasting another one of Rachel's delicious dishes. Everybody greeted him raucously when they lay eyes on their blue-eyed friend. Kid returned the greeting and while he was leaving all his gear next to his bunk, Rachel said, "I'll heat your dinner in a second, Kid."

"Not for me, thanks, Rachel. All I need right now is a good night sleep," he replied while he sat down on his bunk and started removing his boots.

"Hard ride, uh?" Jimmy remarked with a smirk.

"And long," Kid retorted as he slid in his bed and lay down. "Good night, boys, Rachel," he said before closing his eyes ready for his well-deserved rest.

Little by little he felt sleep coming over him; the others in the room started to talk in hushed tones. There was a kind of tacit agreement between the riders to keep their voices as low as possible when any of them were trying to get some sleep, especially after the extra workload they had to shoulder lately. Yet, Kid thought that even if the bunkhouse exploded deafeningly today, it wouldn't disturb his well-sought rest. The Southerner was in that state between wakefulness and sleep when he was faintly aware of somebody knocking at the door. Next some light steps followed and then the click of the door being opened. The sound of Rachel's voice was what completely snapped him out of his slumber, especially the words she uttered. "Hello, Doritha. Please come in."

Kid moaned irritably in a soft tone as he knew that his plans for a quiet evening sleeping in his bunk had to be called off for later. The Southerner took his time to get up from the bed, and when he finally turned his eyes to his fiancée, who was standing by the door, the lady was giggling with amusement. "Oh Kid, I've never known anybody who slept as much as you," she remarked.

The comment did not sit well with the rider, and he let out through gritted teeth, "I guess not." Yet, the irritation wasn't noticed by the blonde girl and once his annoyance sobered, Kid asked, "What are you doing here, Doritha?"

"Came to see my fiancé," she replied. "Let's go for a walk, honey."

"Now?" Kid asked with an unhappy face. He had been away for four days, and the walk could well wait for tomorrow when he had rested properly.

"Of course now," she replied, giggling at the naiveté of his question.

"Come on, Kid. Stop lazing around for once and pull your weight," Cody remarked, which gained him a glare from his friend while the rest burst out laughing. It was simply ironic that the rider more prone to neglect his work could be making that comment.

"All right, all right. Let's go for a walk, Miss Simmons," the Southerner said as he put on the boots he had discarded barely five minutes before. After tucking his shirt in his pants and making himself presentable again, he walked to the door and opened it for his fiancée.

The girl bid good-bye to everybody while Rachel reminded her to drop by the station more often. In fact, the blonde woman hadn't visited them since that first night, and even though Rachel couldn't say that she liked her, she needed to forget about her own feelings for Kid's sake. Doritha was his fiancée, the woman he was going to marry, and even though Rachel felt the girl wasn't right for him, she had no right to voice her opinion. It was clear to everybody that the Southerner wasn't happy for some reason, but the station mistress had warned all the riders against saying anything to their friend. It was Kid's life, and he was the only one who should decide about what was going on with Doritha. The rest would simply have to be ready to help him in case he needed their support and friendship but nothing else.

Once outside the bunkhouse Doritha wrapped her arms around Kid's neck and gave him a long and lingering kiss. "I've missed you so much," she said in a husky voice when the kiss finished.

The young man smiled pleasantly, realizing how lucky he was to have her in his life. Maybe things could sometimes be a bit complicated, but nothing they couldn't get over together. They were in love and only that really mattered. All the problems seemed to disappear when Doritha was before him with her beautiful face. Seemingly, though in her own way, the blonde girl was gradually getting used to life in Rock Creek. She was friends with many ladies and their well-off husbands, and there was no doubt she had more of a social life than many citizens that had lived in town all their lives. Moreover, Kid thought that meant a forward step in their relationship and that they only need to make a few adjustments and everything would be just perfect.

"I missed you too," the blue-eyed rider said and then they started walking hand in hand, neither breaking the silence that had settled between them. The night was mild, and the stars shone above them brightly. It was Doritha who finally spoke after a few minutes. "So, Kid, I gather you know what next week is?"

"Next week?" Kid repeated, not having a clue what she was getting at. Had he forgotten some anniversary? He was almost sure he hadn't.

Seeing the clueless expression on her fiancé, Doritha had to giggle and added, "It's your birthday, silly."

Kid chuckled amused at his own absent-mindedness but with how busy he had been lately, the date had completely slipped his mind. "It's true. I completely forgot about it."

"That's why I'm here. We can't forget about the day my love was brought into this world and later to me," she said and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Kid smiled pleasantly and Doritha added, "So what are we going to do for the occasion?"

"I dunno," Kid replied, not really wanting to make a fuss about his birthday. In his opinion it was nothing special and he still didn't know if he was scheduled for a ride that day. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe a nice dinner with you, Teaspoon, Rachel and the boys."

His answer wasn't the one Doritha was expecting and she whined exaggeratedly, "But Kid, I wanted you just for myself on that day!"

"Honey, we have any other day to be alone, but I would really love to share the occasion with you and my friends," he said, taking her hands in his and looking intently into her blue eyes. "We have the rest of our lives for that," he added in a husky voice, which provoked a contented smile from her. Kid felt he really would like to have that celebration with those he considered his family. They had been there for him in the last year and in moments like this it was his wish to enjoy their company. "Anyway," he continued, "I might not even be free that day."

Doritha didn't try to hide her disappointment and knowing that for the moment she had to let him win over her, she simply said, "All right. We'll do as you wish. You got a right to choose. It's your special day after all."

Kid grinned happily and placing a finger under her chin, he tipped her face towards him and joined his lips with hers. "I love you," he muttered against her mouth, pausing just enough for that declaration of love but without any more delay his kisses continued under the mild, starry night.

A week later everybody was ready to celebrate Kid's birthday. Rachel always insisted that the riders dressed up whenever there was a birthday of one of the boys to hold. She liked to make something special of those occasions and, besides, it was really nice to have the boys looking handsome and elegant from time to time. Tonight was going to be extra special as luck had it; all six riders would be there around the bunkhouse table. It was a rare occurrence since most of the time there was always somebody missing. So it was with a happy heart that Rachel had made tonight's dinner with the knowledge that all her boys would be present.

The riders were finishing donning their Sunday suits, which really wasn't something they did willingly. They didn't understand why they had to go through all the trouble and wear their best clothes just for the birthday of one of them, but Rachel wouldn't hear any of their protests. At least it would simply be for a couple of hours and then they would be free from restraining clothes.

Kid had already finished getting dressed and walking to the door, he said, "Boys, I'm off to pick up Doritha, all right?"

Cody and Jimmy were fighting over the use of the mirror while Ike and Buck struggled to do their bows properly among grumbles. Noah was already done and while perched on the table edge, he watched his four friends with obvious merriment. "All right, Kid," he replied to his blue-eyed fellow rider. "I'll keep an eye on these four in the meantime."

The Southerner chuckled at the remark, and as he stepped out of the bunkhouse, he made his way to the stables and got on the buckboard. In no time he was driving towards Doritha's place, and about fifteen minutes later the magnificent house appeared before his eyes. He still couldn't understand why she needed such a huge house. In her place Kid thought he would feel lost and cold in that enormous building, but he guessed that Doritha was used to living in that kind of surroundings. As he steered the wagon into the property, he frowned as he saw a few other carriages in front of the house. 'Was Doritha having visitors?' Kid wondered quizzically. He knew that she couldn't have forgotten about today since they had talked about tonight's dinner the day before. Thinking that he wouldn't find out what was going on here from the outside, Kid jumped off the wagon and walked up the few steps to the house porch. Once before the front of the house, he knocked loudly and a few seconds later the door opened and Mary, Doritha's maid, appeared.

"Evening, Mary," Kid greeted the girl. "Is Miss Simmons around?"

"Yes, sir," the girl replied in the same curt tone as always. She was about to turn around and call her ladyship when a door opened and Doritha came up to them. "Hello, honey," she exclaimed. "Happy birthday!"

Kid did not reply to his greeting as the voices of several people coming from that room attracted his complete attention. Through the half-closed door he could make out some of the men and ladies Doritha had grown so friendly with. Shifting his eyes back to her, the Southerner watched her for a few minutes, realizing that she was wearing a beautiful embroidered dress he had never seen her in before and holding a glass of wine in her right hand. "What does this mean, Doritha? What are all those people doing here?" he asked in a serious tone, nodding at the people in her lounge.

Noticing his seriousness, the blonde girl dismissed her maid, and when she was out of earshot, Doritha said matter-of-factly, "Your birthday dinner, silly!"

"What?" Kid let out flabbergasted.

"You wanted a dinner with our friends, didn't you? So that's what you're having," she added slyly.

Kid couldn't believe his own ears and eyes. "Do you ever listen to what I say or do you purposely choose not to pay me any mind?" he asked, his demeanor and tone of voice far from pleased.

"What do you mean?" Doritha let out, lowering her eyes and faking ignorance. "I did what you asked me to. I invited our friends..."

"Those stilted people are no friends of mine and you know it!" Kid cut her off angrily. "I wanted a nice dinner with you, the boys, Rachel and Teaspoon. I clearly told you so!"

Doritha lifted his eyes back to him and glanced at him with a proud stance. Not liking the tone he was using with her she snapped scornfully, "Some friends you have! Ha! They're nothing but a bunch of ignorant brutes! I can't believe that you really want me to meddle with that kind of people. And that woman! She's the talk of the town, and I can't say I don't understand why. Even the marshal is ... so... so...common! A horrible man." She talked venomously, voicing her real opinion about Kid's so-called family for once. How could he think she would be glad to spend her time with those people in that shack they lived? Doritha's intention had been to subtly drive Kid away from these friends of his, but the task wasn't as easy as she thought. He spent most of his time with them and to her dismay he showed great fondness for them, which she really couldn't understand why.

Kid stared at Doritha agape while she barked those terrible comments about his friends unmercifully. It was like seeing her for the first time, and even though she was before his very eyes, he couldn't believe that this woman and his sweet girlfriend were one and the same person. Or maybe he had simply decided to be blind to this shady part of her all this time. "I can't believe you're talking like that. I..." The words got stuck in his throat as his mind was in total turmoil; a wave of shock and fury swept through him overwhelmingly.

"I don't like them, all right?" she continued in the same tone. "And besides, what good can they be to our life anyway? Don't you understand that we need to get surrounded by those who will definitely make us better and get more?"

Her words spurred his anger, and he answered back in the same fury, "Unlike you, I see people for what they are and not for what they have!"

"For goodness' sake, Kid, when are you going to stop being so naive?" she spat. "We aren't children any more! That was fine for Sunday school but this is the real world!"

Kid didn't try to answer back to her contemptuous remarks and instead he kept staring at her with a cold calmness and finally he said, "Good bye, Doritha. Enjoy your party and the company of your friends!" He swirled around and plodded towards the wagon. The blonde girl shouted after him from her position at the door, but he never stopped and jumping on the buckboard, he drove off without even looking back.

Kid was raving mad as he stopped the carriage in front of the bunkhouse. He still couldn't believe what had happened between him and Doritha. Her spiteful words kept replying on his mind, filling him with blind rage. How could she say she didn't like his friends... his family? She hardly knew them and had no right to judge them like that. She hadn't even given herself the opportunity to get to know them. It was clear to Kid that Doritha had simply let her judgment be influenced by mere impressions and apparent rumors. In that case she was no better than all the people in Sweetwater and Rock Creek who never saw past their noses. At some point all the riders had been unfairly treated for one reason or another, either it was for having another skin color, for holding other beliefs, for some wicked rumor going around or simply for being orphans. Kid always detested those who didn't care to see, but what was before their eyes, and now his girlfriend... the woman he loved seemed to be no better than those people.

With an unhappy face, Kid plodded towards the bunkhouse and let himself in. All his friends were now around the table, all dressed in their Sunday bests. Teaspoon had already arrived from town and was sitting at his usual place at the head of the table. As the door clicked open and Kid stepped in, everybody turned their eyes to their friend.

"Howdy, son," the marshal greeted. "I gather that happy birthday is in order."

"Thanks, Teaspoon," the Southerner let out in a serious tone.

"It was high time you turned up, Kid," Cody added. "I'm starving."

The Southerner had no opportunity to reply to his comment as Ike called for his attention, loudly banging the table with his hand. The sandy-haired rider turned to his bald friend, who signed, "Where's Doritha?"

Kid let out a deep sigh and muttered, "She's not coming."

"What?" the riders exclaimed in chorus.

"What happened, Kid?" Rachel asked as the young man took a seat at the table.

"Apparently she had other plans for me tonight," he began. "Has invited all those people she's so chummy with, the Evans, the mayor and some others. She intended we spend tonight with all of them."

"What a jolly bunch!" Noah added sarcastically.

"We argued and ... well...I simply left," Kid finished, not getting into much detail. He just couldn't tell them what Doritha had said about all of them, which had made him fume with anger. Kid didn't really care about the whole birthday thing, but her unkind and almost despicable words about his friends had sparked his uncontrollable fury.

"I can't believe she pulled another one of her tricks!" Jimmy exclaimed, not liking the way Doritha Simmons was playing with his friend.

Kid turned two confused eyes to Jimmy and asked with a frown, "What do you mean, another of her tricks?"

Hickok knew that he had blundered it and talked without thinking. Jimmy had been tempted more than once to approach his friend as he didn't look very happy lately, but Rachel had warned all of them against meddling in Kid's matters. Now Jimmy had let the cat out of the bag and had no problem in talking his mind. "Kid, she's playing with you as if you were a yo-yo. We ain't blind and she ain't doing good to you."

"We have problems like any other couples, but that doesn't mean I ain't happy," Kid let out through gritted teeth. He definitely didn't like the way Jimmy was talking about his girl.

"She only thinks about herself!" Jimmy continued, oblivious to the others' warning looks. "She believes herself to be better than anyone, and I haven't seen yet any kind of thoughtfulness towards you."

"You have no right to talk about her like that! You don't know her!" Kid barked, jumping to his feet.

"Any fool could see what is so plain to everybody. We all see it," Jimmy insisted, rising to Kid's eye level.

At his words the Southerner turned his shocked eyes to the rest of his fellow riders. "You all think like Jimmy?" he asked in a grave tone and at the lack of response, Kid got the answer he suspected. "I can't believe you've been talking and gossiping about the woman I love."

"Kid, don't take it to heart," Buck piped in, trying to undo what Jimmy had so clumsily got them into. "We only know that you've changed since she came, and we can't say it's for the better."

The Southerner knew that his friends were somehow right, but in his heart he felt the need to stand up for Doritha. "Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with her. You know, she's all I ever wanted."

"You wouldn't be the first one to get disappointed about the content of your little parcel after removing the beautiful wrapping paper," Cody remarked in a low voice.

Kid kept glaring at all his friends and at this cue Rachel thought it was time she talked.

"Come on, Kid. You know we want the best for you," she said, choosing her words carefully. The young man was already quite upset after his argument with Doritha and Jimmy hadn't been very tactful in his opinions. Rachel didn't want a confrontation or a possible rift between the riders, which was what she had feared and the reason why she had warned the boys from voicing their opinion about the sandy-haired rider's girlfriend.

"For your information, Doritha in is the best thing that has ever happened to me," he remarked tersely, turning two glaring eyes to Jimmy when he snorted at his words. They kept glowering at each other, and the tension could be felt in the air.

"Please, boys," Rachel addressed the two young men with a serious voice. "Will you stop it now? Sit down and let's have a peaceful dinner once and for all."

"You're a wise woman," Cody added with a smirk, in a way to diffuse the tense atmosphere in the bunkhouse, but like usual, his friends didn't catch his intention as they all looked daggers in his direction.

Kid turned to Rachel with a grave expression and muttered, "Sorry, Rachel. I'm afraid I've lost my appetite all of a sudden." Without further ado he swirled around and dashed out of the bunkhouse, slamming the door behind him.

"Kid!" the blonde lady called after him and when it was clear that he wasn't answering her summons, she tried to follow him outside. Yet, she stopped dead in her tracks as Teaspoon called her name in warning.

"Let the boy cool down on his own, Rachel!" the marshal said and turning to his young employees, he added, "I hope you boys are proud of what you've done."

The young men had enough sense to look sheepish at the marshal's words, but not Jimmy. "Teaspoon, Kid is a good man, and I won't sit quietly any longer while that girl uses him for her own grandeur. She's trying to get rid of his dreams and even us... his family."

"Son, Kid's a grown man and can make his own decisions without your untimely meddlin'," Teaspoon continued. "Be a good friend and be there for him if he needs one, but keep your unwanted advice for yourself."

"But Teaspoon..." Jimmy insisted but once again the marshal cut him off.

"Remember what happened with that woman, Sarah Downs?" Teaspoon asked and Jimmy lowered his eyes, irritated that the older man brought up that story that had finished months ago. "You remember how you reacted when your friends tried to talk to ya?"

"That's different!" Hickok retorted.

"Of course it's different," the marshal replied. "We're talkin' about Kid's fiancée, the girl he's gonna marry and become his family, and not a woman he's just known for a few days." At this point Jimmy looked clearly defeated in his arguments by Teaspoon's disarming logic. "I ain't sayin' Miss Simmons here is the right or wrong one for Kid. It's up to him to decide that, and he has a right to make his own mistakes. And... next time you see him, you'd rather apologize to him and I mean all of ya, not only Jimmy."

"All right, Teaspoon, but can we eat now?" Cody let out almost in desperation.

"Good thinkin', Mr. Cody," the marshal replied with a grin. "I'm starvin'. What's for dinner, Rachel?"

The blonde lady didn't respond straightaway and looked obviously mortified. This was Kid's birthday dinner, and he wasn't there himself. Rachel wondered where he had gone all this heated up and he surely must feel betrayed by his own family. Guessing what the lady was thinking, Teaspoon hurried to say, "Don't worry, Rachel. The boy'll probably come back before we finish eatin'. You'll see."

"I guess," she let out with a thin voice and began serving the meat she had prepared for this special night that had turned out to be not so special after all.

While the bunkhouse occupants were discussing all these matters and tasting the dinner Rachel had fixed, Kid had been wandering through Rock Creek's now almost empty streets. He needed to let out some steam as he felt on the verge of exploding. What a memorable birthday he was having! First, Doritha's surprise, and even worse than the party she'd planned with people who didn't mean anything to him was her spilling the beans about her true feelings concerning his friends. It really hurt him to see the way his fiancée looked down on those who had been his main support for the last year.

Kid didn't feel any different from his fellow riders; they all lived the same life, went through the same difficulties and practically shared the same passions and beliefs. They might fight and differ occasionally, but at the end of the day they were one. Did this mean that Doritha had the same thoughts about him too? He was no fool and had noticed how she treated him as she tried to push these new 'acquaintances' into his life and those veiled remarks about the way he dressed or talked. Definitely he needed to have a word with Doritha and find out what really was on her mind. In the natural course of life they had both changed from those two shy children they had been. All they had to come to terms with now was all these changes and learn to love them in the same way they loved everything they already knew of each other.

The night had utterly been complete with all those comments from his friends, especially Jimmy. It saddened and hurt him the way they had been speculating and judging Doritha behind his back. They didn't really know her, and even though she had been a bit particular since arriving in Rock Creek, that didn't mean he wasn't happy with her. Kid admitted that he had been a bit glum and forlorn lately and although all those low feelings had been caused by her ways, he was ecstatic to have her here. She was the only woman who made him happy and when they finally got married, all his dreams would come true. Why couldn't Jimmy and the others understand that? Probably because they had never had a steady girlfriend and didn't know how complicated relationships could be.

It was already the fourth time Kid had passed by the same street and tired of this senseless roaming, he dropped on the first steps he came across, which led to the wooden walkway. He rested his elbow on his thighs while his hands spun his hat round and round absent-minded. The night was clear, the full moon casting its dim light over the town and from Kid's position not a single sound or noise could be heard. It was the ideal place to be ruminating about his jumbled thoughts tonight.

Suddenly, in the stillness of the night some light steps resounded behind him and the outline of a shadow projected by his side. He didn't need to turn round to know who was behind him; the slender and petite figure and a pair of braids lying before his eyes were enough clues to recognize their owner. Kid turned round and said, "Hey, Lou."

"Oh... it's you," she let out, her voice tinged with relief. When Louise had left the hotel and noticed a man sitting just before the building, she had ruefully thought that once again one of the local drunkards had chosen the spot to indulge his boozy habit. On one occasion she had had the scare of her life when one of these shady characters had tried to grab her, but fortunately with one single push she had been able to get rid of him. He had hardly been able to stand on his two feet and stumbled down on the hard ground heavily. So that was the reason why she had tried to slip past this man quietly, but when he turned round and Lou recognized Kid, the Pony Express rider, she had felt extremely relieved.

Louise walked a few steps closer to him and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Enjoying the night," he replied in an odd tone, not really knowing how to answer her question.

"All right," Louise muttered with indifference.

Both of them remained in silence for a few minutes; Lou standing, her figure hovering over Kid who remained sitting on the same spot he had dropped a while ago. After that silent lapse he asked, "Care to join me?" He shifted his body to leave some room for her on the step. Louise glanced at it skeptically, clearly doubting whether to accept his offering, but finally she walked to him and sat down on the dusty step by his side. Neither said a single word for a while and it was Kid again who broke the silence.

"So how are your brother and sister?"

"Fine... I guess," she replied softly. "I haven't seen them since... that time. Maybe next month."

"I see."

Louise dared to look at him and as curiosity got the better of her, she couldn't help but ask, "And why is it you are enjoying this chilly night all on your own?"

"I'm not on my own. I'm with you," he replied in a playful tone.

"Oh... yeah," she let out and had to smile at his silly comment.

Kid joined in her mirth and after a while he said, "Actually today is my birthday."

"And this is the way you celebrate it? Wandering the town like a ghost?" she asked mockingly.

"Not exactly," Kid replied with a grin. "I was supposed to be having dinner with my friends … my family and my fiancée." He told her what the evening had brought about and how he had ended up on his own and roaming around Rock Creek like a fool. Lou listened to him intently, not missing a single detail of his account. At the end of it Kid let out in a desperate cry, "I don't like to feel like being in the middle. Doritha can't stand those I consider my family, and they don't hold a good opinion of her either. It's so damn frustrating!" Somehow he was feeling liberated by unloading his soul on somebody like Louise, who wasn't directly involved in the matter.

"There's nothing new in what you're telling me," Lou remarked after he had finished.

"What do you mean?" he asked with a frown.

"Kid, it's an old tale ... relations between in-laws ain't always smooth." She paused for a moment and then she asked, "How do you get on with her folks?"

"They're in Virginia," he simply said as if that answered her question.

"But you know them, don't you?" Lou insisted.

Kid made a scowl and added, "Her father was never too thrilled that she chose to be with me. I think he'd rather she became a nun, and they ain't even Catholics."

Louise tried to smother a smile at his comment and asked again, lifting one of her eyebrows, "And what about you?" Kid stared at her for a few seconds and then grinned in admittance, getting the point she was trying to make. "You see? The same old story again," she added with a coy smile.

"So what am I supposed to do now? Choose between them? I don't think I could do that." Kid asked, sincerely interested in her opinion.

"Don't be so dramatic. It's difficult to say," she muttered, pausing briefly to gather her thoughts. "I guess you need to make it work without forcing them to mingle if they don't want to and remember why both parts are important to you. They don't need to get along just because you do."

Kid kept staring at her for a few seconds and then he said in an admirable tone, "You're a clever little thing!"

At his comment Louise chuckled amused and embarrassed at the same time, not feeling very clever at all, but instead of denying his praising she asked, "So what's your decision now? What's it gonna be? Dinner with your beloved and her snooty friends," she uttered her question with a fake stilted voice, which made Kid chuckle, "or have you decided to spend the night with your friends?"

The rider eyed her, amusement shining in his blue eyes and to his own surprise, he said, "And what if I stay here with you?"

"With me?" she asked with a frown. "With the rudest girl in the whole world?" she added, repeating the words he had told her a couple of weeks ago in that ride to St. Joseph.

"Well... I think you're losing your touch," Kid retorted teasingly. "You even sound kind tonight."

Louise laughed amused and let out, "Why, thank you anyway."

Kid joined her mirth; his low mood had vanished as if by magic and he felt high-spirited in the company of Louise. He really needed to forget about his problems with Doritha and his friends for a while. Despite his first impression of her, she seemed very amiable and easy to talk to. He really missed having a relaxed conversation and a good laugh. Lately he hadn't had many occasions to do so, and if he thought about any other moments where he had enjoyed himself, Kid was surprised to realize that it had been when he had been with Lou and her siblings in St Joseph. Tonight he was having a good time, chatting with Louise and it didn't really matter that he was marooned in the middle of town and with all his plans gone to wreck and ruin.

As the laughs finished, Kid turned his eyes to the dark-haired girl and asked, "So tell me, is there somebody special in your life?"

"You mean like a beau?" Kid nodded at her question, and she exclaimed with a look of horror, "God, no!"

"You sound as if I had asked you an atrocity,"" he remarked.

"Well, I'm just not that type," she offered, her merriment of a few minutes ago gone.

"And what type is that?" he asked again, bemused by her senseless answer to his straightforward question.

"I dunno... your kind of type, you know," Lou stuttered her explanation, and trying to change the direction of the conversation, she asked, "You hungry?"

"I guess."

"Well, let's see what Mrs. Olesen has fixed tonight," she said, taking the covered plate she had placed by her side when she had sat down on the step.

"Food from the hotel restaurant?" he asked.

"Don't sound too excited," Louise retorted. "I assure you this ain't on the menu; it's the 'special' food for us poor workers." Lifting the serviette covering the plate she let out a sigh when she saw the contents of the dish and added in a weary voice, "Oh sausages again!" Turning to her companion for tonight, she asked, "Wanna share them?"

"Thank you, Miss McCloud," he replied, taking one of the sausages from her plate.

They exchanged a look and bringing the sausages together as if they were toasting with champagne or expensive wine, Louise said, "Happy birthday, Kid."