Chapter 24
The first buildings of Rock Creek came into sight, which brought a radiant smile to Kid's face. It had been almost three weeks now that he had been away since Teaspoon had sent him on a special ride. The rider suspected that the marshal had purposefully chosen him for the job, maybe considering that all the time on his own would do him good and thus he would come to terms with his break-up with Doritha. Kid had to admit that Teaspoon had been somehow right. The rider had had the opportunity during all this time to think things through with calmness and ponder about the last events in his life.
Before leaving on this ride, rumors had reached him. Apparently, people were saying that Doritha and Garth had been seen leaving Rock Creek together. Kid knew that their break-up was now public knowledge, which had set tongues wagging. Doritha was the talk of town lately, and every busybody was making assumptions about what had led the couple to their final split-up. Of course the appearance of Garth and his possible involvement in the matter made people wonder and reach conclusions that were quite near the truth. In short, the thing was that Doritha was gone from Rock Creek and nobody seemed to know where she had disappeared to. Kid really didn't care about all these rumors or the details in this story and now that he had cooled down considerably, he had to admit that he didn't hold a grudge against her. He really hoped that she would be happy wherever and with whomever she chose to spend her life. As for himself, Kid just wanted to start anew and think about what life would bring his way from now on.
All these weeks away in his own company had given him the perfect opportunity to ponder everything, especially the woman that now filled all his dreams. Kid knew that he should take his time with Louise. As she had said, rushing things wouldn't lead to anything good, and the last thing he wanted was to make a fatal mistake with Lou. Terrible thoughts tormented him at night; images of her flatly refusing his approaches filled his mind and left him with an agonizing pain. Truth to be told, he had never felt so strong towards anybody before, and it scared him terribly to think that she might never feel the same way for him. For that reason, he swore to himself that he'd be patient and give her the time and space she might need and hopefully things would eventually work out.
Before going on this ride, he had enjoyed a couple of days in her company. They had shared some laid-back conversations, gone riding and even visited his future ranch on one occasion. For some strange reason the excitement he had previously felt for that idea of his to set up a horse ranch had come back full force, and he was particularly keen on sharing that enthusiasm with Lou as he talked about his plans endlessly. It was so easy to share his dreams with her, and Kid had noted that she seemed as eager about his ranch as he was. Her sole presence was enough to make his heart race but at the same time she made him feel completely at ease. Kid relished in every snippet he could spend with her and couldn't wait to see her again after these weeks away.
Kid stopped his horse in front of the bunkhouse and as he jumped off Katy, Rachel was coming out of the building. On seeing him, the lady greeted him, "Kid, welcome home! I'm glad to see you back."
"Thank you, Rachel."
The woman stopped next to the Southerner and asked, "So how was your ride?"
"Long, dusty and in one word, exhausting," Kid replied in an exaggerated fashion, which sent the woman into a fit of giggles. Rachel patted the rider on the back as she turned to go. "I've left a plate from lunch for you on the table," she said, as she began walking towards the house.
"Thanks, Rachel," he called after her, and the lady simply lifted an arm in acknowledgment without stopping her movements.
Before heading for the bunkhouse, Kid decided to see to his horse first. It had been some hectic weeks, and Katy really deserved her rest, a good brushing, some fresh hay and cool water, and he wouldn't do anything else till she got all that. It was after he had taken care of his beloved mare that Kid took a refreshing shower and had a change of clothes.
When he re-entered the bunkhouse, Jimmy and Buck were the only ones inside. While the Indian lay on his bunk in a thoughtful mood, Jimmy sat at the table carefully cleaning his guns. As the door opened and Kid stepped in, the two riders greeted him warmly. They made small talk while Kid dug into the food that Rachel had left for him. After those weeks of sparsely eating, the meat and vegetables, though already cold, tasted just heavenly. When he finally polished off the food, Kid got ready to have a long and nice nap. He was utterly worn out, and right now all his body needed was a few hours of proper sleep. He usually enjoyed spending the night out under the stars, but after so many days he really longed to finally sleep in a proper bed. Fortunately, he was off for the next couple of days, and he surely would make good use of his free time to rest appropriately. He was already sitting on his bunk in the process of removing his boots when the door clicked open and Cody came through it.
"Boys," he announced proudly, flashing his widest smile, "Alice Parker said yes."
Jimmy and Buck shared an amused look, and when Cody noticed the Southerner's presence sitting on his bunk, he let out unenthusiastically, "Oh hi, Kid."
"So Cody, what did you do to that poor girl?" Jimmy asked teasingly, not wanting to miss the opportunity to make fun of his friend.
"Hickok, you can't really understand that real men don't need to do anything to catch ladies' hearts," Cody explained with exaggerated grandiloquence.
"Yeah, Cody, we do know what real men do, but we thought we were talking about you," Buck added, which sent the other two riders cackling loudly.
"Very funny, Buck," Cody let out with a miffed expression. "Pure envy, that's what you all have."
Kid was finishing removing his boots and feeling a bit lost at the meaning behind the banter between his friends, he asked, "So, Cody, what's all this about Alice Parker?"
Cody flopped down onto the chair next to his bunk and relishing on the feeling of being the center of attention, he said, "I asked her to allow me to be her escort for Saturday and she accepted."
"What's on Saturday?" Kid asked again.
"That picnic in town," Buck explained dismissively. "Founders' Day." He wasn't really very fond of the celebration as it brought bitter memories of the same occasion in Sweetwater almost a year ago. He had won that race, which had led him to meet Kathleen Devlin. Buck had lost his heart to her as soon as he had laid eyes on her, and he had even believed that the feeling was mutual. Yet, he had been wrong, and she had simply played with him, leaving Buck completely heartbroken.
"Oh, I see," the Southerner let out in understanding.
"There'll be the usual boring stuff," Jimmy continued. "The horse race, the ladies' cake contest, the picnic, the dance… "
"That's why I couldn't stand hanging around in your tedious company again, boys," the blonde rider stated firmly.
"Well, that won't be any concern to you now," Buck added ironically. "Poor Alice will be there and … if rumors are right, you'll also enjoy the company of her eight older brothers as chaperones."
"Can't say I blame them," Jimmy replied teasingly. "I wouldn't trust this one with my little sister either."
Sick and tired of being the target of his friend's teasing, Cody tried to divert the attention to somebody else. He looked around, and when his eyes fell on the Southerner, a smirk instantly formed into his lips. "So what about you, Kid?"
"Me?" he let out with a blank expression, not having a clue where his friend was hinting at.
Cody shared a knowing look with his other two friends, whose interest instantly peaked up as they understood the meaning behind the question. They were really curious about what Kid had to say. Now that Doritha was out of their friend's life, they had all been wagering how long it would take Kid to finally take things in his hands and go for Lou.
"Yeah, Kid," Buck replied as he rose from his bunk and sat at the bench next to Jimmy, "have you thought of taking a girl with you?"
"More precisely," Jimmy continued where Buck left off, "a certain brown-haired girl … and at a guess, one whose name begins with an L."
Kid stared at his three friends with a neutral expression, not ready to explain himself to them, and simply said, "I don't know."
"You don't know!" Jimmy exclaimed with a confused frown. "What the heck are you waiting for? It's not as if you have to keep a time of bereavement for Doritha."
"It's not that easy," Kid replied, irritated at his friend's self-opinionated attitude.
"Yeah, right," Jimmy let out sarcastically. "You're a free man now, Kid. So what is it? Don't you have the guts to do something about it?"
The Southerner decided to turn a deaf ear to him and continued in a very calm voice. "Besides, Lou and I …" He didn't manage to finish his reply as Cody cut him off.
"We know, we know, you and Louise are just friends, just good friends," the blonde rider retorted teasingly, repeating Kid's well-worn excuse. "Jimmy, why don't you just let the boy be? Haven't you heard him? He's not interested in her in that way."
Jimmy snorted while Kid looked at Cody skeptically, not quite believing that he was actually serious. Disregarding his two friend's gestures, the blonde rider continued, "After all, Louise is probably involved with somebody else."
His last comment managed to attract Kid's attention completely. "What do you mean by that?" the Southerner asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
Cody's mouth twitched with a satisfying grin as he saw that Kid's reaction to his comment was the one he had rightly guessed. "Well, we all know she's a comely girl, and it's no wonder some other men might find her extremely attractive." He paused intentionally, and when Kid rose to his feet and advanced towards him with a dangerous shine in his eyes, Cody hurried to say, "I don't mean me! It's Jerry Wright, that fella working for Mr. Barnes. I heard him say how beautiful he thought she was."
"Jerry Wright?" Kid repeated as fear crept into his soul. With all probability Cody was just winding him up like he usually did, but the slightest trace of danger in his … whatever he had with Lou made him panic.
"I saw him at Tompkins a couple of times fawning over her like a puffed-up peacock," Buck continued.
"He'll probably be the lucky fella to have her company at that bore of a picnic," Jimmy added his two cents, noticing Kid's face turn to a deadly pallor. It seemed as if all blood had been drained from his skin and apparently, in the process he had lost the ability to speak, and all he managed to do was to stand there with a stunned expression, his eyes traveling over his three friends.
"But you don't care who she spends her time with, do you, Kid?" Cody remarked just after Jimmy. He was really enjoying watching their friend squirm at their comments. The poor boy was simply clueless where women were concerned. In Cody's opinion, Kid hadn't been very bright in his relationship with Doritha, and now he was as bad with Lou. His hesitancy wasn't a smart move at all, and all he needed now was a little push in the right direction.
"Uh… yeah… I mean… no, of course not," Kid stuttered clumsily, his mind reeling. He kept thoughtful for a few seconds, and turning around suddenly, he plodded towards his bunk. He dropped onto it heavily and started to put on his boots, which he had discarded barely a few minutes ago.
"Going somewhere, Kid?" Cody asked, sharing a shrewd look with his two other friends.
"Uh… yeah… I…," he muttered awkwardly. "I just remembered that I had to pick up something in town." The boots were already on his feet and Kid dashed to the door all fiery-like, grabbing his hat that hung on the peg next to it. "I'll see you all later," he said as he opened the door, but when he was about to scurry out, he stopped short as Jimmy called his name.
The Southerner turned his head towards him, casting him a quizzical look and the long-haired rider simply replied, "Don't forget to tell Lou we said hello." Jimmy's words were received with more laughter from the other two men while Kid didn't even try to retort and shaking his head, he left the bunkhouse without uttering a single word. Even after the Southerner was gone, the three other riders continued guffawing loudly till they had to gasp for breath. "The fool couldn't be more obvious," Jimmy wheezed.
"Yeah, he's definitely a goner," Buck replied as he sobered. He just hoped that Kid was luckier with Lou than he had been with Doritha. They didn't understand why their quiet friend obstinately denied what everybody could so plainly see. His attitude was somehow justified when Doritha was part of his life, but he still seemed to have the same posture even though nothing tied him down any longer. Buck wondered whether Kid actually believed his own lies, or if he simply didn't want to realize the truth. The Indian hoped that his Southern friend would eventually do something about his badly-concealed feelings before it was too late.
Looking around the bunkhouse Buck noticed that his two other friends were occupied in their own matters again; Jimmy was cleaning his guns while Cody was neatly brushing his jacket, and apparently Kid's matter was already forgotten. Buck returned to his bunk and flopped down onto it. Now that silence reigned in the bunkhouse, he would make the most of it and try to get some well-needed sleep.
Meanwhile, Kid had reached town, riding a fresh horse from the station stables and thus letting Katy have her deserved rest after the lengthy ride they had just had. Without hesitation, he headed for the mercantile and plodded inside with a resolute air. After what his friends had told him, he couldn't stop thinking with utter bitterness about that man and Louise together. Had he been a fool to let his hesitancy ruin any possibilities for him? He had been gone too long, almost three weeks, and in all that time something might have happened, shattering his chances with Lou.
Kid chastised himself for being so negative. Lou just couldn't like somebody as dull as Jerry Wright. She had always said that she didn't have any romantic interest in anybody and would never have. It was this assertiveness that had made him wonder whether she'd ever harbor feelings other than of friendship for him. Why should she change her intentions now and especially for somebody like Jerry Wright? Kid told himself that he had nothing to worry about; the boys had probably been exaggerating in their account, but still the thought didn't reassure him at all. He had always known that at some point Lou'd fall in love with somebody, but in fact all he had hoped was that that somebody could be him.
Looking around the store, he didn't see Lou anywhere, so he approached the counter behind which Tompkins stood and asked, "Mr. Tompkins, is Louise around?"
The store-keeper looked at him curiously and said, "What's going on today? All this sudden interest in knowing the girl's whereabouts?"
"Somebody else came looking for her?" Kid asked with a frown, feeling his jealousy strengthened by Tompkins's comment.
"Yeah, that fella, Jerry Wright… doesn't leave the poor girl alone," the store-keeper explained, not noticing the stiff posture in the rider at his words.
"So where's she?" Kid asked again, not in the mood of learning any more disturbing details about this Jerry and his interest in Louise.
"Definitely not here. It's her day off," Tompkins replied dismissively and without waiting for any indication, he crossed the length of the store towards the other side where the sacks of grain lay.
The rider followed him and insisted, "Mr. Tompkins?" The older man remained silent, apparently concentrated on counting the sacks and writing down the number in his book. "Mr. Tompkins?" Kid repeated and it was only when the store-keeper finished the task and turned to continue with something else, he first noticed the rider's presence by his side.
"Kid, what do you want now?" he asked in an unkind tone of voice.
"Do you happen to know where Louise might be?"
"Not a clue," the store-keeper replied morosely. "I don't keep a record of what she does in her free time. It's none of my business. And, sonny, if you ain't buying anything, go somewhere else with your impertinent questions."
His dismissive words irritated Kid deeply but he decided not to retort, and instead plodded out of the store with an unhappy face. His fears became more palpable after what Tompkins had told him. Without a moment's hesitation Kid headed for Lou's place, but after pounding at her door for a good few minutes, it was clear that she wasn't in. Thinking that she might have gone riding as he knew she was so fond of doing, Kid mounted his horse and trotted away, checking the places where he knew she usually went. His search proved to be barren, and after an hour riding around the outskirts of Rock Creek, he decided to give up and go back to town.
Back in Rock Creek he tried her rooms again, but he had no luck either. With each passing minute, he was becoming more and more desperate. Thoughts of Lou and Jerry spending this time together like a regular courting couple filled him with sheer agony: Maybe he had invited her over to his place. Kid knew that Jerry lived in a house outside Rock Creek with his parents and two sisters. Could things have gotten as serious as for her wanting to get to know his family already? Was the situation going so quick between the two of them? Would he already have proposed to her? And if so, would she have accepted?
Kid had to chastise himself for letting his fears take control of him once again. He was going over the top; three weeks wasn't that long after all, and knowing Lou as he did, Kid was sure that she wouldn't do something so stupid like accepting a marriage proposal from somebody who she barely knew. Yet, the thought that she and Jerry might have grown close in this time didn't leave him, and when Kid discreetly passed by the livery where the man worked and to his chagrin he discovered he wasn't in today, his suspicions increased and became too close to becoming a reality.
With his mind in turmoil and silently praying that his assumptions proved to be wrong, Kid went round every shop in town, but to his utter dismay he didn't find Lou anywhere. Completely discouraged the rider reached the conclusion that it was time he gave up his search and returned to the station. As he turned into Rock Creek's main street, directing his steps to the spot where he had left the horse, he saw her coming his way. Lou had seen him too and was waving at him as she quickened her steps towards him. "You're back!" she exclaimed with an ample smile.
Kid couldn't help but beam happily as soon as he laid eyes on her. "Hello, stranger," he replied as they stood facing each other. "I'd ask you how you are, but your looks tell me everything I need to know," Kid added, directing a teasing wink at her.
Louise was wearing a blue dotted blouse combined with a skirt in the same shade, and her head was trimmed with a pretty straw hat. Kid thought that she looked breathtaking, but at the same time the notion that she had bothered to dress so elegantly for some reason, or rather for somebody else annoyed him. "I was looking for you, Lou," he said in a serious voice after a while.
"Were you?" she let out with a satisfying smile. She felt light-hearted to have Kid before her again after all these weeks. All those days without seeing him had been an ordeal for her as time dragged mercilessly.
Kid nodded briefly and then asked again, feeling very awkward in her presence, "So where were you?"
Lou's smile brightened at his question as she said, "Actually, I was at the station."
"At the station?" he repeated with a confused frown.
"Rachel invited me to have tea at her place today, and we've actually had a nice time chatting," she explained as Kid chuckled at his own foolishness. He had wasted almost two hours searching high and low for Lou while she had been quietly at his very place all this time. He should learn to control his bouts of jealousy, especially when there was no reason for it. In fact, he had never considered himself to be of the jealous type, but where Lou was concerned, new feelings seemed to control all his self.
"So why were you looking for me?" Lou asked after a beat, her heart fluttering at the thought that he had missed her as much as she had missed him.
"Well, first, I wanted to say hello," he replied with a crooked smile. All the worries of barely a few minutes ago were gone and the laid-back sensations he had in her presence permeated all through him.
"Hello then," Lou said teasingly. "And secondly?"
Kid breathed in deeply and fumbled to find the right words to say. He didn't want to blunder it with her, but he was thinking seriously that he should start hinting his intentions towards her with subtlety. "Well… I was wondering … uh," he began, silently cursing himself for his clumsiness. He sounded like an idiot and her big eyes staring at him silently didn't make the task any easier. "I just wanted to ask you… that is… if you want to… uh….so would you?"
Lou giggled amused as he seemed to be speaking in code. For some reason he was uneasy to come up with whatever he wanted to say. "Would I what, Kid?"
The rider chuckled, sharing her merriment, and without giving it any more thinking he asked straightaway, "Would you like to come to the picnic on Saturday with me?" Her stunned silence and serious expression made Kid think that he had scared or upset her somehow, so he hurried to explain himself, "I mean … with me and also, you know, the boys and Rachel."
Louise lowered her eyes, her previous light-hearted mood gone, and she muttered, "Sorry, Kid, but I can't."
Kid's face fell in disappointment. He didn't expect her to say no, especially knowing that Rachel and the others would be around. Maybe in his clumsiness she had guessed rightly what lay behind his hesitancy, and this was her first sign of showing him that she wasn't interested in him in that respect. Or… a disturbing thought invaded his mind again and he asked warily, "Maybe you have a previous engagement?"
Lou lifted her eyes to him. "You could say so," she replied with an unhappy gesture.
"Maybe Jerry Wright?" he muttered softly. He dreaded what she'd say, but he'd rather learn the truth now than fool himself into believing that he could have hopes with Lou.
Her reaction, though, wasn't the one he expected as she suddenly started looking behind her with a horror expression while she exclaimed startled, "What? Where?"
Kid grabbed her by the arm to catch her attention as he explained tersely, "I mean that maybe he's your previous engagement."
"God no!" Louise exclaimed loudly with a gesture of sheer disgust. "Not in a million years! I have more than enough as it is with him pestering me every day at Tompkins'." She stopped for a beat and shared an amused smiled with Kid while she explained, "I simply have to work on Saturday."
"But it's the town's main festivity. The store should be closed," Kid retorted.
"I know. But since as you well say, the store will be closed, Tompkins wants me to take an inventory of all the stock," she continued.
"Gosh, some spoilsport he is," Kid complained unhappily. He was relieved to learn that his fears about Lou being in a possible romantic liaison were ungrounded, but on the other hand, he was irritated that Tompkins had ruined his opportunity to spend a whole day with Louise.
The girl shrugged her shoulders as she muttered, "It's all right."
"Lou, you're getting too soft lately," Kid insisted while the girl cast a skeptical look in her direction. "I'm serious, and I don't like anybody taking advantage of you." Kid suspected that the store-keeper was using Lou's precarious situation to his own advantage. After that incident weeks ago that led to Lou being jobless and without any prospects in sight, Tompkins knew that the girl had no other alternatives if she wanted to stay in Rock Creek.
"Please Kid, don't get so dramatic," Lou retorted teasingly and in a daring gesture, she hooked her arm around his as she added, "Come on! Let's make the most of this lovely afternoon and go for a stroll while you tell me everything about that long ride of yours."
They started walking with their arms hooked in each other comfortingly and Kid beamed proudly as his mouth smiled from ear to ear. The whole world could well disintegrate around them at this very moment but Kid couldn't care less. Everything seemed to cease as all his body and soul were intent in the only thing that mattered right now: the beautiful woman by his side.