Chapter 40
The weeks that followed the end of the Pony Express were full of changes for the former riders and Rachel. Rosemary Burke had left Rock Creek the day after her argument with Jimmy as she had threatened to do. She had gone quietly without any fuss or even saying good-bye to the ex-rider. Her departure had not surprised anybody as it had been common knowledge that she and Jimmy had had it rough for a while. Jimmy had started working as a deputy for Teaspoon, and he didn't seem to miss her much, or at least that was the impression he gave off. He wasn't the easiest person to read, and even though he might look detached of everything, he was likely to be suffering in silence. While the Pony Express owners didn't say anything against it, he and Buck were still sleeping in the bunkhouse while spending the rest of their time in their own new responsibilities. The company would probably want to sell the property soon, but so far they hadn't heard a word of it.
In that case, Rachel intended to make an offer and buy the house where she had been living for the last part of the year. She wanted to make Rock Creek her home, and even though the pay she got for being the teacher assistant wasn't enough to live by, she hoped she could find some other job in town. She wanted to try her luck in the local restaurant; she was a good cook, and maybe she could get hired as one there, or otherwise, she could work as a waitress. In any case, she'd try her utmost to find the means to stay in Rock Creek. She had gotten used to living here and moreover, the boys and Teaspoon were in the city, and she wouldn't want to part from them. She had come to care for them as if they were her own family and although they were all starting their own different lives now, she hoped they could still stick together like the family they had always been. The pain for those who had gone forever would never disappear but she was learning to live with it. Her heart was in constant pain as well when she thought of Cody and imagined what he might be living through. The news that they got from the east was terrible, and Rachel prayed every day that God spared him from all evil.
Buck spent every day on the ranch working alongside Kid. In the last few days he had been busy with starting to build the little cottage that would become his home. He had chosen a plot in the north side of the property near the creek that crossed the place. Kid was helping him in the task, and Buck hoped that soon they would finish the cottage so that he could move in. Since Kid had talked him into joining him in running the ranch, Buck had been able to focus the aims of his life. In the last few months he had felt completely lost and disorientated. Ike's death had been the most terrible blow he had ever received in his life and with the knowledge that the end of the Pony Express was close, Buck had been wondering what trail to follow when he were out of a job. He wasn't like the other riders and opportunities wouldn't pour over him but rather the opposite.
Teaspoon, Rachel and the other riders had been the only ones who had treated him like an equal, not caring what color his skin was or what god he prayed to. Buck had never thought that he'd find a place and people who he'd grow to care for so much. Joining the Express had been more Ike's idea than his as Buck had first been cautious to work and live with other young white boys. His previous experience told him that he'd better keep away from them and out of trouble. As a matter of fact, he had expected that he wouldn't last long in the job and would have to leave soon. Yet, his predictions had proved to be totally wrong as the station in Sweetwater and its small group soon became attached to him. Despite their ups and downs, Buck knew that they all cared for each other and looking back now he realized that this was the best present Ike could ever had left him.
So when the first warnings about the end of the Pony Express reached his ears, he had started to worry. The others would find their ways, but what about him? He wasn't a young boy anymore and wasn't willing to bear more scorn and disdain. Buck had thought of returning to his Kiowa village. It had been many months since he had last seen his brother, and Buck couldn't really know how things were going there. He knew that Red Bear would welcome him back with open arms, but he wasn't sure how the rest would react to his return. Buck hadn't had it easy when growing up, and he feared that the situation would be pretty much the same, especially after him living in the white world for so many years.
When Kid had approached him with his proposal, Buck had hesitated at first. The ranch was the Southerner's dream, and Buck didn't want to stand in his way. Kid had insisted that he'd be honored to share his plans with him, and the Indian found himself eventually accepting. In truth, he was the one who felt honored for having his friend's trust in such a way as to want to include him in his projects. Kid had given him the reason to stay and more importantly, an aim in life… at least for the moment. He and Kid had grown close in the last few months and even though nobody would ever fill the gap that Ike had left, Buck felt that he and the Southerner would work together smoothly.
Staying in Rock Creek would make it possible for him to be around the people he had grown to care for. Buck would have never guessed that it would be so important for him to feel he belonged, especially with people so different from him. The way he had been raised and his first contacts with the white world had made him a reserved person to say the least and kept to himself most of the time. It had been his way to defend himself against a hostile world that saw him as nothing but an outsider everywhere he went. Only when he had met Ike and later come into contact with the Pony Express group, did his perspectives change radically. He had learned to trust and become part of a family.
A few days after the Express had closed down, Kid had moved into his new house. It felt kind of strange and lonely to sleep in his brand new bedroom all on his own after sharing the bunkhouse with five other riders for almost two years. He really welcomed the privacy, as he had told Lou, but he knew it would take him a while to get used to the idea that this was his home now. He had never imagined that he'd be living all alone as his original plan had been to share all this with his new bride. All those plans had fallen ,through, and Kid didn't regret his break-up with Doritha at all. That had brought Lou to his life; she was the woman of his life. Yet, in his heart he wished he had Lou to share all this with every single day.
Louise had stayed a couple of times already, and in those nights Kid hadn't felt so lonely. It was probably her presence those times that made the house so big and empty when she wasn't around. He really needed more than to have her as a guest from time to time. He wanted to sleep and wake up with her every day, but he knew that it was too soon to propose. That would only scare her away, and he swore to himself that he wouldn't do anything that risked losing her again. Kid just hoped that the right time would come when he could ask her to marry him and she would say yes.
In the meantime, the courting went on without any problems, and he had to content himself with the moments they could enjoy their love in each other's company. Since there were no rides to undertake anymore, they had more time to be together. He really enjoyed the long conversations they shared about everything that worried each of them. Louise seemed more willing to trust and he was learning to enjoy everything without worrying. Many evenings Lou came over, and they had dinner on the ranch while he explained to her all his plans and how things were going. Lou listened to each of his words intently and with great interest.
Work on the ranch was anything but easy, especially as it was the beginning of everything. He and Buck had finished all the main repairs, and now they were working hard on finishing Buck's house. They had also bought the first couple of horses, and the two of them spent part of the day breaking and training the animals. One of the horses, a black stallion, was proving too much for either him or Buck, and it was taking them longer to tame him than they had thought. They really needed to have both horses ready for sale as soon as possible. Their steady income from working as Pony Express riders had stopped and they really needed fresh money before debts started piling up.
"Let me start with him today," Kid told Buck as he opened the corral gate. He stopped briefly and eyed the horse that was bucking and kicking in the furthest extreme of the enclosed area.
"You sure you want to try?" Buck asked as he leaned over the fence surrounding the corral. "He seems to be in a worse mood than usual."
Kid did not reply and simply walked towards the horse which kept the same nervous and wild behavior. The Southerner approached the animal warily, talking in soft tones as a way to calm him down. At least the horse was already saddled, and they did not have to waste hours on end just trying to put the saddle on the horse's back. Kid reached him and placed his hand on the animal's back, and like a miracle the horse stopped his frenetic kicking. The young man sent a satisfactory look at his friend who lifted a thumb to him, foreseeing that maybe today they would be lucky with the difficult horse. With careful movements Kid untied the horse and got on top of him. He spurred him lightly, and to his surprise the animal responded and started trotting around the corral. The animal obeyed all his orders, and after a few minutes Kid stopped him, really glad that the horse had finally submitted.
"Well done, Kid," Buck called from his position behind the fence.
"I didn't do much, actually," the Southerner admitted. "Seems that the work of these past days has finally paid off. He started to dismount, and when he lifted his leg over the horse's back, for some strange reason and unexpectedly, the animal reared and started bucking again with great strength. The sudden movements sent Kid onto the dusty ground as the horse kept jumping and kicking in a wild frenzy. The animal's hooves stomped dangerously close to his head, but as he tried to move, the former rider realized that he just couldn't.
"Kid!" Buck called urgently as he ran into the corral to help his friend. "Kid! Get out of there!"
"I can't!" the young man replied. His back was hurting painfully, and whenever he tried to move a single muscle, it was as if all his body was going to break in a million pieces.
Fearing that the horse would trample over his friend's head and smash his skull, Buck dashed to shoo the horse away. After several attempts, the Indian managed to grab the reins and stop his frenzy movements. After tethering the animal to a fence post, Buck spurted to his friend's side, falling onto his knees.
"Kid, how are you?"
"I don't know," the Southerner replied in a weary voice, his eyes barely open a crack. "I can't breathe quite rightly. I think I broke some ribs, and I must have hit something in my back too."
"Can't you move?"
"No," Kid whizzed, his whole body aching with just the minimum effort.
"That horse is a bad beast," Buck muttered between clenched teeth as worry took over him, seeing his friend in that state. "Let me carry you to the house, and I'll go get the doctor afterwards."
Kid nodded imperceptibly and closing his eyes he fell into a deep slumber. Buck immediately managed to take him to the bedroom, and after settling him in the bed as comfortable as possible, he galloped to town in a flash. When he reached the doctor's small office, his wife told Buck that her husband had gone to the mercantile for an errand. Without wasting a single second, the Indian ran to the store, and as soon as he stepped inside, he spotted the physician talking to Mr. Tompkins.
"Doctor Sanders!" Buck called in an urgent voice.
The man turned to the young man calling his name, foreseeing that today's quiet spell was to be over. "What's wrong, son?"
"You need to come with me now … it's…"
"Buck?" A soft voice behind him interrupted his flow of words and as he turned around, he saw Louise walking to him with Rachel in her tow. "Something wrong?"
"It's Kid. He's had an accident." A muffled yelp escaped Lou's lips, and her hand came to cover her mouth. Her body started trembling like a leaf, and terrible images popped into her mind overwhelmingly. Buck continued talking, but she seemed deaf to his words and hardly noticed Rachel's arm rest on her shoulders.
"I'll fetch my bag, and I'll follow straightaway," Doctor Sanders said as he quickly walked to the door.
Buck and Rachel followed him, and it was Tompkins's voice calling her name that snapped Lou out of her torpor. "Louise, you go. I'll get by fine on my own today."
"Thank you, Mr. Tompkins," she managed to say in a cracked voice and dashed after Rachel and Buck, not bothering to remove the apron she used when working.
Once they were on the ranch, Louise scuttled to the house and climbed the stairs like a shot. As she opened the door to the bedroom, she called his name in a whisper, fearing what she might find. There was no reaction from him, and Louise softly walked to the side of the bed. His eyes were closed and the stiff position of his body told her that he was sore and uncomfortable. Louise fell on her knees next to the bed, fighting the tears behind her eyes, and stroked his cheek with her right hand softly. The Southerner opened his eyes and on seeing her, he managed to smile.
"Hey!" he said in a weak voice.
"How are you feeling, Kid?" she asked as her hand continued brushing his cheek carefully.
"A bit under the weather," he replied, trying to make light of the situation. "You don't worry none."
"The doctor is coming now," she said and Kid tried to nod, but found he just couldn't make that small movement without hurting. Stretching towards him, Louise kissed him lightly on the lips. "I love you," she whispered in his ear.
In that moment Rachel and Buck made their way inside followed by Doctor Sanders. Louise rose to her feet and allowed the doctor to take her former position next to Kid's side. "How are you doing, son?"
"I've seen better days."
"Well, let's see what I can do for you," the doctor said and politely asked the other three people in the room to leave. Lou tried to protest but finally caved, following Buck and Rachel outside. Doctor Sanders then proceeded to examine Kid. Accidents with horses were not rare around these parts, and it didn't take the doctor long to diagnose what was wrong with the young man. Carefully he managed to wrap Kid's body in a strong bandage and gave him some laudanum to soothe the pain. The Southerner fell asleep just minutes after drinking the medicine, and then the physician walked out of the room and down the stairs.
Lou had been unable to keep still for a whole minute as she waited for the doctor in the lounge. Worry did not leave her, and despite Buck and Rachel's reassuring words, she just could not relax without knowing whether Kid was going to be all right. He had looked so weak and pale up there, and it scared her to think that he had been wounded seriously. The sound of a door opening upstairs followed by steps made her heart skip a beat, and her eyes fearfully shot to spot the doctor coming down the stairs. Buck and Rachel stood up from the sofa and came behind her to receive Doctor Sanders.
"How is he?" Buck asked.
The physician scratched his head and after a beat, he said, "He has a couple of broken ribs and hit a vertebra in the fall."
"That's why he can't move?" Rachel asked this time.
The doctor nodded and at this cue Lou couldn't control herself any longer and let out fearfully, "Will he get better?"
"Oh yeah," the physician replied promptly. "The strong bandage I've applied will help to heal the fracture and the other wounds, and a week in bed or so will finish the job."
"Really?" Lou insisted, still unsure to believe that Kid was actually as fine as Doctor Sanders was saying.
"Yes, Miss. It will take him a bit longer to completely get back into shape, but nothing impossible."
Lou smiled, clearly relieved at the news while Buck asked, "Can we see him now?"
"Can't see any reason not to," Doctor Sanders replied. "I've given him something for the pain, and he's sleeping now." After giving the three people a few more details, the physician shook hands with Buck and tipped his head to the women as he turned to leave. "I'll be back tomorrow and see how he gets on."
As soon as the door clicked closed behind the doctor, Lou led the way up to the bedroom. As the physician had rightly said, Kid was sound asleep. She noticed the white bandage wrapped around his torso, and she fought the urge to touch him. He needed his rest, and she wouldn't risk waking him up. Louise simply brought a chair closer to the bed as her eyes never left him a single minute.
"His breathing sounds funny," Lou muttered to nobody in particular as worry took over her again.
"It's probably because of the broken ribs, Louise," Rachel replied as she came up behind the chair the girl was sitting on and placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.
"Yeah, maybe," Lou conceded with a soft voice. "But he's never sounded like that when he sleeps."
"You'd know that, would you?" Buck couldn't help to make the remark as a smile began to play across his face. Lou's cheeks turned a bright shade of red while she sent an annoying look at the young man. The comment that was meant to raise her spirits only managed to embarrass and irritate her, so Buck hurried to mend what his mouth had blotched. "Lou, he's fine. You heard the doctor."
Louise nodded, feeling silly for letting her worry and fears show in front of Rachel and Buck. Kid was fine and was simply sleeping. As the doctor had said, he just needed to rest for a while and then his wounds would heal in good time.
A couple of hours later Kid woke up, and when his eyes swept round the room as much as his inert position let him, he saw Rachel, Jimmy, Teaspoon and Buck. As soon as the four noticed that he was awake, they approached the bed.
"How are you feeling, son?" Teaspoon asked, resting his hands on the foot of the bed.
"A bit sore," he replied in a weak voice.
"Good way to start, Kid!" Jimmy remarked teasingly. "You've been a rancher how long? A couple of weeks? And you go and almost break your neck!"
Despite the pain coursing all over his body, Kid had to chuckle at the comment. "Yeah, tease me all you want," the Southerner replied in the same tone. "Consider yourself lucky that I can't move."
"Yeah, sure, Mr. Clever," the now deputy retorted sarcastically while grinning from ear to ear.
"Leave Kid alone." The mother instinct in Rachel pushed its way in her heart, feeling that the Southerner shouldn't strain himself more than necessary. "Can I get you something? Maybe some water?"
Instead of answering her question, Kid blurted out a question that had been in his mind as soon as he woke up, "Where's Lou?" He had instantly noticed her absence and wondered if she had gone downstairs for some reason.
"She's gone," Buck said as he sat in the same chair that Lou had previously taken.
"Gone?" he repeated with a puzzled frown.
"Had something to do in town. She'll be back later," Rachel added, and then repeated the question that Kid hadn't answered. "Can I get you some water?"
The Southerner nodded with a grave expression. He couldn't help but feel disappointed that Lou hadn't waited for him to wake up. What possibly could be so urgent for her to leave him like that? He knew that he was being unfair and selfish in his silent considerations, but sore as he was, he felt irritated and very much in need of being fussed over by the woman he loved.
The conversation going around the room made Kid forget his irritation momentarily. Jimmy was complaining that working for Teaspoon was becoming a tedious routine, very different from his days as a Pony Express rider. The most daring thing he had to do in all this time had been to rescue Mrs. Allen's cat from atop a tree. Hickok continued moaning about the boredom of his present job while Teaspoon kept telling him to stop the whining. The banter between marshal and deputy continued to everybody's amusement. It was in that moment that a knock resounded, and the door slowly opened to reveal Lou's figure. As she stepped inside, she noticed that Kid was awake, and her lips stretched into a big smile.
"Hey!" she called as she approached the bed. Kid's smile was even bigger as his eyes followed her walking towards him. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her body hovering over him next to the bed.
"Much better now that you're here," he replied and painfully lifted his arm to grab her hand. He gave her a slight pull towards him, making her upper middle to fall on the bed. Her head came closer to his with the impulse, and Kid quickly placed his hand on her neck, bringing her lips against his and kissing her full on the mouth.
"Kid! Stop it!" she protested and tried to pull herself free, feeling embarrassed that all his friends were watching them.
Rachel and the three men exchanged smiles at the moment between the couple and taking this as a cue to leave, Teaspoon said, "We'll go now. We see you're in good hands, son."
Kid grinned in acknowledgment, and the four filed out of the room. As soon as the door clicked closed, the Southerner repeated the trick and brought Lou closer, kissing her passionately. After a couple of minutes, Louise pulled away. She kept half her body on the bed and brushing her cheek against his, she said, "No one would think you're unwell by the way you kiss."
"It's my back that hurts, Lou, not my lips … and definitely not my heart," he replied huskily and turned his head to hers to prove his point, engaging her in another kiss.
When the kiss ended, she jumped to her feet briskly. "I'll bring my bag in now and start unpacking," she said breezily as she scurried out of the room.
"Unpacking?" Kid let out with a frown. "What do you mean?" The girl was already out of the bedroom and couldn't hear him, but he continued calling her name. "Lou?" he called again as he heard the door creak open and her steps resound.
"Yeah?" she asked as she walked in, bringing the carpet bag she had mentioned and placing it on top of the dresser.
"What's in that bag?" he asked.
"Just some of my things," Louise answered as he turned around to look at him. "I ain't leaving you while you're like this. The doctor said you should be in bed for a few days, and in the meantime I'll be your unasked guest. I've just brought some clothes to change while I'm here. Sorry to impose upon you, but I'm afraid you got no alternative. You need to be looked after, and I plan to do that."
Kid stared at her with a mixture of awe and utter adoration. "Don't be sorry. I'm happy to have you here, you know that," he replied with an ample smile.
"I talked to Tompkins, and he's let me have those days off now," she explained as she emptied her bag, placing the garments in the dresser drawers and the wardrobe. "So I won't let you out of my sight for a single minute till you get better."
"Lou, oh no!" Kid let out in a pitiful voice. "You were supposed to use those days to visit your brother and sister." He knew Louise had been looking forward to visiting them, and she was going to have a few days next week to do that. It meant a lot to her, but if she spent those days taking care of him, she'd have to postpone her visit to her siblings once again.
Louise shrugged her shoulders dismissively and sitting on the bed carefully she leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. "It's fine. I can always go some other time, and this is more important," she said looking intently in his eyes. "It's nobody's fault you got injured."
"You're an amazing woman, Louise McCloud," he whispered as he brought his hand to caress her face. She smiled pleasantly and forced herself to break the moment. In Kid's state she couldn't afford to get in a romantic mood. He needed his rest and get his strength back, and she would make sure that he did just that.
"Now be a good boy, and sleep a bit more," she said as she pulled herself to a standing position, ready to leave the room.
"Where are you going?" I thought you said you wouldn't let me out of your sight," he added.
"Yeah, but you need to eat. I'm just going downstairs to try to fix something for dinner," she explained while rearranging the quilt over his body and tucking him in. "Have some rest in the meanwhile. I won't be long."
"I don't wanna rest."
Lou didn't say anything and simply shook her head to his senseless words. He couldn't move a muscle without hurting, and he still said he didn't want to rest. She presaged that Kid wouldn't be the easiest person to deal with when sick. He'd surely want to leave the bed as soon as he felt slightly better, and Lou imagined she'd have to fight his stubborn nature. "Suit yourself," she finally said as she crossed the room towards the door. "See you in a bit."
About an hour later Louise returned to the bedroom carrying a tray with a smoking bowl, a glass, a water carafe and some bread. Opening the door slowly she smiled as her eyes fell on Kid's sleeping figure. She felt relieved that at least the pain wasn't preventing him from getting some sleep, and in case that might happen, Doctor Sanders had left some laudanum with her to help him in that aspect. She placed the tray on the dresser and sat on the edge of the bed to wake him. For a moment she simply remained watching him sleep peacefully, but eventually she brushed her lips against his softly and Kid opened his eyes, smiling as soon as he saw her.
"I brought you some dinner, sleepyhead," she said in a whisper.
"Good," Kid replied, his voice husky from sleep. "What did you cook?"
"Just some broth to help you restore your strength," Louise replied as she rose and turned to grab the bowl with the hot soup.
"Hold on there, Lou," he retorted as he could tell what her intentions were. "How am I supposed to eat lying down like this?"
"I'll be careful, I promise," she replied with a wink.
"No, Lou, not like this," Kid insisted stubbornly. "Let me sit up against the headboard at least." Louise gave him a look as if he was out of his mind but he insisted. "Please. It will be fine."
Lou wasn't sure it was a good idea, but she didn't have the heart to say no to his begging eyes. So turning around from him, she left the bowl on the tray again. "All right, but don't try to play hero. If the pain is too much, just let me know, all right?" she remarked seriously, letting him know that she meant business.
"Yes, ma," he replied mockingly.
Lou chuckled and came closer to the bed as she rolled up her sleeves, ready for the task. "Just let me move you," she said and noticing that Kid was about to protest, she added, lifting a threatening finger in his direction. "One word, and we'll forget about the whole thing, all right?"
"Fine," the Southerner let out with an unhappy expression. Louise stooped over him and wrapping her arms behind his shoulders, with a strong push she slid his body smoothly up and carefully let him rest against the headboard. Kid let out a sudden moan, which made her panic instantly.
"Kid, are you all right?" she asked him in a frantic voice.
"Just fine," he replied. "Pain struck me suddenly with the movement, but I'm fine now."
Lou eyed him warily, not sure whether he was telling the truth. His forehead was covered in sweat, and his breathing was uneven and a bit too quick. "You sure? Maybe you should lie down again."
"I'm fine, Lou. Honestly." Lou kept looking at her suspiciously and Kid added, "Come on, let me try that broth you made for me."
Louise hesitated a moment, but eventually she decided not to say anything. She sat down on the edge of the bed and placing the plate on her lap, she grabbed the spoon with the intention of feeding him the hot soup. "Lou, let me do it. I ain't a baby," he protested.
The girl sent him an unpleasant look, but didn't utter a single word. Instead, she brought the bowl and the spoon closer to his reach. His hand grabbed the spoon but before making it reach to his mouth, his trembling hand spilled its contents over the napkin Lou had tied around his neck. She sent him a knowing look and feeling embarrassed by the evidence, he muttered, "Maybe you can help me with this today."
Louise grabbed the spoon back from him and started feeding him the broth. "You ain't a baby, but you're sometimes such a child," she remarked half-seriously.
"Please, Lou. Take pity of me. I'm a sick man after all," he remarked in an exaggerated whining tone.
Lou had to laugh at his antics as she continued the task in silence. Neither said a word for a while till Kid finished off the broth. "You're surprisingly strong," the Southerner remarked, and at Lou's puzzled look he added, "Earlier on you lifted me as easily as if I were made of air." Lou giggled as he wiped his mouth with the white napkin. "You could even carry me."
"You bet I can," Lou retorted, and when Kid gave her a confused stare, she explained, "I practically did that time when I found you totally drunk on the street."
Kid groaned at the reference, clearly not very fond of the memory. "Don't remind me," he complained. "I made a complete fool of myself."
Lou shook her head as she said, "You were just hurting, Kid. Only fools don't feel a thing." She kept her eyes downcast, unable to meet his eyes. Despite the fact that months had passed, she couldn't help but feel jealous whenever she thought of Doritha. If Kid hadn't found out that she had cheated on him, they would probably be married now. The thought was enough to make her shudder. Louise knew that Kid loved her, but she somehow wondered whether, despite the circumstances, a part of him still hurt for losing the woman he had been destined to marry.
"And you're always there to patch me up… in all senses," Kid added, stretching his arm and touching her face softly. She didn't cease to amaze him with everything about her, and Kid couldn't thank heaven enough for being as lucky as to have her in his life.
"I hope that's not the only reason you're with me," she said without a hint of amusement in her voice as she moved her face out of his grasp.
Kid was taken aback by her words and the seriousness in them, and stared at her with utter confusion. "Where did that come from, Lou? You know I love you."
Louise shook her head, cursing herself for her foolish words. Why was she so stupid as to question Kid's love for her all the time? He had shown her enough times already that he adored her. She could be such a fool. "Sorry, Kid. I don't know what came over me. It was dumb."
"I love you," he repeated firmly.
"I know," she muttered, now feeling very ashamed of herself and her silly mistrust. "I know you do."
"Then stop that pretty head of yours from worrying about nothing," Kid said with a smile. He knew her too well and was sure where that comment had come from. After the hard life she had to endure, Lou was understandably cautious and distrustful, so she still had doubts that he really wanted to be with her. The Southerner wished he could make her understand that she was the best that had happened in his whole life. Any man would give their eye for a lady like Lou. Kid felt that luck had struck him and granted him with this most precious gift.
Lou nodded and trying to change the direction of the conversation she asked, "You tired?"
"A bit," he conceded. Admittedly, struggling to keep his body in an upright position was more exhausting than he wanted to let on.
"Time to rest then," she said and proceeded to help Kid into a lying position. Once again she rearranged the bedding over his body, making sure that he was well covered. When she turned to go, she noticed something tugging at her dress and looking down, she realized that it was Kid's hand clutching the material of her skirt.
"Don't I even get a little kiss?" he asked with a big smile. Lou giggled and bent over to plant a quick kiss on his lips, but Kid wrapped his right arm around her neck, deepening and intensifying the kiss. Lou let herself get lost in his lips, and after a while they pulled away, but the young man kept his arm hooked around her neck, keeping her close.
"I gotta go, Kid," she whispered, her lips almost touching his as she talked. "You need to rest, and I have to wash dinner things downstairs."
"You coming to bed later?"
"Sure, but no dancing or playing tonight," she said playfully and giving him a last peck on his lips, she disengaged his arm from her neck and ambled towards the door.
Kid kept grinning as his eyes followed her till from his position he couldn't see her anymore. His body still ached terribly after today's tribulations, he felt frustrated for having to be confined in bed and all the time wasted because of the accident was constantly in his mind. However, despite all these circumstances, he was in high-spirits, feeling blissful and elated. Lou was here to spend days with him alone, and the prospect of spending so many days, hours, minutes and seconds with her filled his heart warmly. No matter what the situation was, she was here. It was like a dream come true. If he had known that this was all it took to make her move here, he would have volunteered to be wounded before. Being a temporary thing and all, it didn't matter. She was here with him, but still his heart desired that she make this her home, a home with him.