Chapter 43

Winter would soon make its appearance, so that morning Rachel woke up with the intention of cleaning the inside of her fireplace. She had been putting off the task for weeks as it was something she hated, but last night when she lit the fire and her lounge filled with black smoke, Rachel realized that she needed to undertake the chore promptly. The blonde woman knelt before the fireplace and started by removing the ashes and unburned logs from the bottom and placing them in a pail. With a scrubbing brush and hot water she started scraping the soot and dirt off the fireplace that kept resisting her. A cloud of dust and ashes rose from the walls and bottom of the place, which made her eyes water and itch. At least she had had enough sense as to cover her mouth and nose with a rag, otherwise she would now be constantly coughing and sneezing.

Rachel scrubbed energetically, thinking that the quicker she got, the sooner she could finish this tedious task. She would feel content when she'd be snuggled up before a good fire in her lounge this winter. Jimmy had offered to chop the wood she'd need for the coming winter. Now that Rachel was living on her own, with no riders around, she had to find ways to complete some of the most arduous chores around what used to be the way station. Yet, Rachel couldn't complain. Teaspoon, Jimmy, Kid and Buck usually came round to check whether she needed some help with the couple of horses she still had or with anything that needed to be repaired.

Little by little she was getting used to her new life. A couple of weeks ago she had started working for one of the local seamstresses. So with her new job and the one at the school she was able to get the means to support herself and be able to stay in Rock Creek. Rachel had also bought the house she had lived in for the last year from the owners of the Pony Express not long ago while the rest of the property which included the corrals, the barn, the stables and the bunkhouse had been purchased by a new family that had just arrived in Rock Creek. The former station mistress had felt broken inside one day when she had witnessed the old bunkhouse being pulled down. The Hendersons, the newcomers, were building a house where the riders' accommodation had been and the first thing which had had to go was the bunkhouse. Rachel had been flooded by melancholy; there were so many dear memories between those four walls that when she saw the shattered wooden boards and rubble scattered on the ground she had felt that an era was definitely over.

Rachel wanted to believe that despite the terrible war storming in the east, a new bright future lay for her and the people she cared about. Three of her boys were still around, and Teaspoon was always by her side when she needed a friend to talk to. He was so different from everybody, either men or women, that she had known in her life. Rachel felt very lucky for having his friendship. The former station mistress knew that some malicious rumors were heard in town about the special relationship between the old marshal and the teacher's assistant. Rachel really didn't care, never had, about what others could say. It was true that she and Teaspoon spent quite a long time together, but there were no other intentions between them than a wholesome friendship. They were both quite lonely now that the boys had their own responsibilities somewhere else, and it was just natural that they looked for each other's company. The idea of a possible romance between the two of them was too far-fetched and almost ridiculous.

As far as it concerned Rachel, she wasn't very keen on having a man in her life. The gap that her husband had left seemed impossible to fill and even though she had had some fleeting affairs with Roger and Mike Staulder in the last year, they had been just a distraction for her lonely heart. Maybe with time life would give her the opportunity to fall in love again, but so far she was happy with having good friends and leading an honest life. On his part, Rachel reasoned, Teaspoon had a long list of disappointments. He had been married six times and had also had his share of love stories, which hadn't ended up too well. He and the blonde woman had never talked about their love lives openly, but Rachel suspected that Teaspoon was too worn to try again. Of course he was always joking and playfully flirting with the women who caught his eye. He was a man after all, but other than that, he remained an old lonely dog, as he usually called himself.

A knock at the door snapped Rachel out of her inner thoughts and with a bitter gesture she rose to her feet. "Coming!" she called while she lowered the rag from her mouth and left the scrubbing brush on the pail with water. As she walked towards the door, she fumed, thinking why on earth somebody always had to call on her whenever she was cleaning the fireplace. Last time it had been in Sweetwater when Roger had appeared at her door with Daisy in tow. The poor man had hardly recognized her as her whole face and hair had been covered in black soot. That episode was likely to repeat itself now with whoever was at the door at this moment. With a soft grumble she took hold of the knob and pulled the door open. The instant she recognized the man, her eyes shot open in obvious surprise. "Cody!" Rachel exclaimed loudly, not believing that he could actually be in front of her.

Cody squinted his eyes, and for one moment he thought somebody else was living in what used to be Rachel's house when a woman with her face covered in soot and her hair in disarray appeared before him. It was when she called his name in surprise that he realized that the woman was Rachel. Cody began guffawing and cackling loudly and when he sobered, he said with an amused, ample smile, "My, my, Rachel. I knew that my absence would upset you, but I never imagined that you'd pine away for me so much."

Rachel had to smile at his comment. He'd never change and she was just happy to have him here safe and sound. "Come here and give me a hug," she said.

"I thought you'd never ask," Cody quipped as the two joined in a warm embrace. "You did miss me, didn't you?" he added as he snuggled closer to her than he should.

"Cody!" Rachel exclaimed as she pulled away suddenly but she just couldn't let herself feel angry. "Come into the house," she added and led the way inside. Cody followed suit twittering behind her and as she closed the door, the woman noticed that the ex-rider was limping. "What happened to you?"

"I got injured. That's why I'm here. We were in Missouri when it happened and I decided to come home to pull through this trying time in my life," Cody explained in his usual grandiloquent ways.

"Well, I'm glad you're here anyways," Rachel remarked as she helped the young man onto her sofa.

About an hour later Cody sat at Rachel's dining table surrounded by his three former fellow riders, Teaspoon and the station mistress. The blonde woman had washed up all the dirt off her face and body and changed clothes after Cody had arrived. Then while the young soldier rested on her sofa, helping himself to some coffee and Rachel's scrumptious almond cookies, Rachel had popped over to see Teaspoon and tell him about the unexpected visitor. The marshal then asked Jimmy to find Kid and Buck and inform them.

It wasn't long before the four men got reacquainted with their friend. With a content smile on her face Rachel had prepared lunch for the six of them: It felt so long since they had been able to enjoy a meal together, practically since the end of the Express, and back then Cody was already gone. Rachel couldn't feel happier than at this moment. While they all tasted the delicious stew that the woman had fixed, the men shared a few laughs while catching up on each other's lives since the last time they'd been together. It wasn't that long but a lot had happened since Cody had left: the end of the Pony Express, Kid and Buck becoming partners in the ranch, Jimmy working as Teaspoon's deputy and Rosemary's flit.

"So Cody where is it you have that injury?" Buck asked.

"My knee," the blonde young man answered. "The doctor said I needed to rest for some time and eat properly to get my strength back."

"What a torture to you, eh Cody? Rest and food!" Buck quipped sarcastically as everybody knew that their friend had always been an avid eater and one to idle around at the first opportunity.

"Well, I think I'll survive," Cody replied with a smirk and everybody cracked at the comment.

"And how did it happen, son?" Teaspoon asked this time.

"What d'you mean?" the young soldier let out, apparently lost at the meaning behind the marshal's question or just playing dumb.

"How did you get hurt, thickhead?" Jimmy exclaimed in the usual tone he reserved for Cody. Even though he wouldn't admit to it, he had really missed joking and bickering with Cody in the last couple of months. Things had been too quiet and even boring without having his boisterous friend around.

"Oh I see," Cody replied hesitantly but didn't try to answer the question Teaspoon had asked him.

"So what is it? How did you get that injury? Somebody shot you?" Rachel repeated the question.

Cody mumbled something that didn't reach anybody's ears, and the marshal exclaimed, "For goodness' sake, son, speak up. Did the cat eat your tongue too?"

Cody adopted a serious stance and without looking at anybody, he muttered, "I … I fell off the horse. That's how it happened."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the other five in the room started cackling loudly. "What a sham you are, Cody!" Buck exclaimed, still laughing. "You come here playing the war hero, and you simply fell off your horse!"

"It wasn't that simple," Cody defended himself, clearly unhappy for being the centre of mockery once again. Now that he was a soldier, he expected more respect from his old friends, but he had known that the moment he told them how he had clumsily got the injury on his knee, they'd react exactly the way they had done just now. "It was very painful and … I could've died."

"We don't doubt it," added Teaspoon, who was also grinning in amusement.

Jimmy shook his head and remarked with a smirk, "You and Kid are one of a kind. Some riders you are! Kid almost broke his neck a few weeks ago when one of his horses tossed him off and now you Cody!"

"Really Kid?" Cody addressed his sandy-haired friend without much enthusiasm, and the Southerner simply shrugged his shoulders in indifference.

"I still think that he did it on purpose to have his girlfriend fussing over him as if he were at death's door," Buck remarked mischievously.

"Well, I also have a woman spoiling me now that I'm a bit under the weather, don't I, Rachel?" Cody added with a smirk and the blonde woman simply rolled her eyes. If Cody could be really picky and demanding when in good health, Rachel could tell that he would be a handful now that he was injured. The woman had told him that he could stay in her extra bedroom for as long as he was in Rock Creek and despite Cody's difficult ways, she was elated to have her boy back even though it was something temporary.

"Cody, I don't think you will enjoy the same care that Louise pampered this one with," Jimmy replied pointing at Kid with his thumb while wiggling his brows meaningfully at his two other friends, who twittered in amusement.

"Boys, will you drop it, please?" Kid protested, his face hot with embarrassment. He didn't appreciate those veiled comments about Lou, especially in front of Teaspoon and Rachel.

"Kid, don't take it that hard. We're just jealous, can't you tell?" Buck added, his voice tinged with amusement, but knowing that he was telling the truth. What his friend and Louise had was special and Buck could tell that all of them wished they had some of that. Although Buck was courting Esperanza Montoya now, they were still on the first stage of getting to know each other. She was a great girl and Buck had to admit that he was falling hard for her. Yet, they also had some problems at this early stage. Her family were devout Catholics and didn't approve of their youngest child and only daughter getting involved with somebody whose beliefs and customs were too alien and strange for them. Esperanza kept telling Buck that he had nothing to worry about and she would deal with her parents and brothers, but Buck just couldn't help but feel very concerned.

In that moment Kid rose to his feet and grabbing his hat, he said, "I'm afraid I have to go. I promised Lou I'd pick her up and take her home."

"Then don't make that lovely girl wait for our sake," Teaspoon quipped with a smile.

Kid nodded and walked to the door. When he was about to step out, an idea popped into his head and swirling around towards his friend again, he said, "What do you say about having lunch at my place on Sunday? It would be nice to celebrate our first sale, won't it, Buck?"

"Yes, you're right, my friend," the Indian agreed.

"Well, that depends on who's gonna cook because I ain't eating anything you've concocted," Cody remarked.

"Lou will," Kid replied with a chuckle.

"And is she a good cook?" Cody insisted. In his personal book, food wasn't something to be taken lightly. He was tired of the things he had been forced to eat with the army and while coming from Missouri to Rock Creek, all he had been dreaming about was the delicious dishes Rachel would prepare for him. So he wasn't ready to sacrifice one of those meals if he didn't get anything as good.

"Well, I haven't died so far, have I?" Kid replied dismissively. He wasn't going to say that cooking wasn't one of Lou's assets. She was trying very hard to learn, and he tried to encourage her when she complained about her lack of skills in the kitchen. Of course he didn't intend to say any of this in front of his friends. After all it wasn't her cooking abilities that interested him. "I'll see you on Sunday then," the Southerner concluded and opening the door, he finally let himself out.

When the door closed behind Kid, Cody turned to the others. "What's with him and Louise?" the young soldier asked, pointing at the door through which Kid had left.

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

"Well, he sounds … I don't know … too involved with her," Cody added.

Jimmy and Buck exchanged a knowing look, understanding what their friend was pointing at, and finally it was Hickok who spoke up. "She's living on the ranch."

"But they aren't married, are they?" Cody asked again.

"Nope."

At Buck's reply Cody let out a loud guffaw while he exclaimed, "Never would I have expected this from Kid! He's always been so proper that I would have never thought that he'd be living with a woman in sin."

"For goodness' sake, Cody," Rachel retorted, unhappy with his comment. "How can you be so narrow-minded? You shouldn't talk or judge Kid with your opinionated standards and try to understand his situation."

"Rachel is right," Teaspoon added. "Louise stayed with him to nurse him when he got injured, and I guess her staying has stretched just a bit more."

"Oh come on," Cody insisted. "I ain't judging him. Whatever Kid wants to do is fine by me but don't try to convince me that they spend their nights simply sleeping like two innocent angels, because I ain't buying it." The grins coming from Buck and Jimmy told him that they agreed with his words.

"Anyway, it's none of our business what they do or don't do," Rachel retorted gravelly. The fact that Kid and Lou were living in the same place had felt so natural that she had hardly given any thought until Cody had just mentioned it. All she knew was that neither she nor anybody else had a right to judge the couple. They both looked so happy lately that Rachel wasn't going to allow anybody to soil what they had with their venomous words.

"But aren't they planning to get married?" Cody asked again. He was clearly stunned at what was going on in Kid's life. He had always been too upright that Cody couldn't believe that his friend would change so much because of a woman.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Jimmy replied.

"As I've said," Rachel added, "it's their business, but I can imagine that they'll want to marry sooner than later. But I warn you, especially you Cody, keep your opinions to yourselves. Kid and Lou are being very discreet about the whole thing … and you know how people in Rock Creek can be."

Cody simply shook his head in sheer disbelief. He felt as if he was back in time and they were still a bunch of young Pony Express riders. Rachel had just given them a lecture as if they were still under her wing. Of course it was natural for her to react that way when he had mentioned Kid and Lou. Somehow Rachel had been closer to Kid than any of the riders. Maybe because they were both from the south and besides, she and Lou got on like a house on fire. So it was no wonder that the former station mistress defended the couple with so much passion. But, Cody thought amused, if she really believed that nobody knew about Kid and Louise living together, she was simply deluding herself.

By experience the young soldier knew that Rock Creek was full of avid gossips and busybodies, and surely his friends' new situation was already public knowledge, especially since Lou worked in the general store and everybody knew her. Maybe people weren't saying anything about it because after all their situation wasn't uncommon here in the west. Customs here were more relaxed and people might overlook certain things, especially with a couple of orphans like Kid and Louise. Cody didn't reply to Rachel's words and decided to change the subject, and turning to Jimmy he started talking to him about his most daring deeds in the army once again, of course the account splashed with his special personal touch.

On Sunday as Kid had said, the "Express family" all gathered on the ranch. Louise had been very nervous since the Southerner had told her that he had invited his friends to have lunch at his place. She was still learning to find her way around the kitchen and even though Kid hadn't complained about her cooking abilities so far, the situation changed if she had to prepare a meal for his guests. Lou knew that she had a lot to learn and her dishes weren't anything special. So as soon as she learned about the fix Kid had gotten her in, she started racking her brains to find the way to make the occasion special.

It was then that she had remembered the little notebook that she kept in which her mother had written her most loved recipes. It was one of the few things she still had from her ma, a very special memory from those days when her mother was still alive. Louise had never made use of the little notebook because she always feared that it could get spoiled by using it too much. Its pages were already tinged with a yellowish tone that time had imprinted on them and Louise feared that her mother's fine and beautiful handwriting would end up fading till it disappeared. For that reason she took extra care of the little notebook. She had it wrapped in soft shammy leather and always kept it in a cool place where it wasn't too hot or cold. Lou had never dared to use the notebook for her own but now the situation demanded extreme measures.

With extra care she had scanned the pages of the notebook, her heart breaking with each word she read. Even though it was just instructions to cook, they had been written by her mother and Louise could see her character and soul showing in each letter, word or line. After reading all the recipes, Louise had decided to prepare chicken casserole, which didn't sound too complicated, and she had even selected a dessert, peach crumble.

That Sunday morning Louise had woken up early and started to have everything ready for lunch. As she worked in the kitchen, she prayed not to make any mistakes. It would be too embarrassing for her to serve an unpalatable dish to Kid and their friends. Cody would tease and mock her till Kingdom come, and her pride kept telling her that she couldn't fail and had to pull it off, at least this once. Kid had come to the kitchen a few times during the day, telling her not to worry about the whole thing and not to overdo it. "Just do something simple," he had said, and instead of reassuring her, the comment had irritated her greatly. He sounded as if he didn't believe that she could really put together a good meal. "I'll show him," Lou had thought irritated as she had struggled to finish the job.

Around noon Rachel and the other men arrived and soon afterwards they were all sitting at the dining table. Louise served the casserole tentatively, afraid of the reaction she'd received when the people at the table tasted the dish. Of course, she had already tasted it before serving it and she thought it was fine, but the casserole didn't taste as she remembered her mother's did. There was a slight difference that she had noticed and she wondered where she had failed. Truth to be told, her mind had been somewhere else while she had been cooking. Lately she was constantly thinking about the same matter and in constant worry, and at night she lay awake for long hours, her mind busy with the same thoughts. Kid hadn't noticed anything strange in her absentmindedness or her tiredness, or at least he hadn't mentioned anything about it. She wasn't ready to talk to him about what worried her, not yet anyway. Of course the day would come in which she'd have to tell him if things progressed that way. She wasn't sure how to feel about it, and all she knew was that she was very confused.

Louise sat down on her seat at the table next to Kid. When the two of them had set the table before their guests had arrived, he had said that she should sit at the head of the table across from him since she was the lady of the house, but Louise had refused his suggestion flatly. Even though she was comfortable and happy living in this house, she still didn't feel like it was her own and besides, she preferred to sit by his side and be near him. Kid hadn't tried to argue with her and they had both decided that Teaspoon should be the one to take that place of honor at the table.

Louise squeezed the napkin between her fingers tightly and held her breath as she watched Rachel and the other men starting on the food. When she didn't see anybody cringe or make strange faces, she released the air and letting go of the serviette, she followed suit. They all finished up their food and Teaspoon let out a compliment about the food and Cody even asked for seconds when he polished off his plate. Lou couldn't feel any prouder than right now, and when she served the dessert, the reactions were similar, and she silently thanked her mother for her help.

The atmosphere around the dining room was gay and light-hearted. The Pony Express riders joked and teased each other like in older times and Lou could tell that Kid was enjoying this time greatly.

When the meal was over, Teaspoon and three of his boys sat in the lounge while Kid helped Lou and Rachel to take the dirty plates, pots and cutlery to the kitchen.

"Go join the men, Kid," Rachel said when they had removed everything from the dining room. "I'll give Louise a hand with the washing up."

"No, it's fine," Kid answered, eyeing Louise for her approval. "Lou's cooked, so it's just right that I wash up."

"You can go, silly," Louise added with amusement in her eyes. She knew that he was praying to be relieved from the task and thus be able to sit with the men in his lounge. It was just logical for him to want to spend time with his friends, and Louise was glad to grant him this wish. "Don't neglect your guests, and you can always make it up to me tonight."

Kid smiled brightly and planting a kiss on her cheek, he said, "Thanks, honey. You're the best."

"Yeah, sure," she replied dismissively and had to share a laugh with Rachel when they saw him dash out of the kitchen in a flash. Taking her apron from the peg on the wall Louise tied it round her tiny waist and then rolled her sleeves up her arms. Rachel came next to her at the sink and they both started to wash up.

"I see things are going perfectly well between you two," the former station mistress remarked while rinsing the plates Lou handed her.

"Yes," Lou simply said.

"So tell me, Louise, are we gonna hear wedding bells soon?" Rachel asked with a smile.

The question brought about a sense of sadness over her countenance and Lou said, "No, I … I don't think so." Rachel sent her a confused look and the girl continued. "Don't take me wrong. I'd love to marry Kid, but … I can't force him into something he might not want to do."

"Louise, Kid loves you, you know that," Rachel replied.

"I know he does."

"I already told you that men can sometimes be a bit thick. Kid might just need a little push in the right direction."

"I dunno, Rachel," Lou replied with a sigh. "After what happened between him and Doritha, I don't think he's willing to tie the knot with anybody. I know that affected him greatly."

"Louise, I think you're wrong there. And you're not anybody, you're the woman he loves," Rachel retorted. She knew Kid well enough to assume that he would want to marry Louise. Why he hadn't asked her yet was beyond her grasp. Everybody could see that he was much happier with Lou than what he had been with Doritha. Rachel could even guess that he hadn't been genuinely in love with his former fiancée, it probably had been simply the infatuation which everybody felt when young, and when he had met Louise, he had really known what loving meant.

"All I know is that as long as we're together, I'm happy. The circumstances don't bother me," Lou stated firmly.

"Louise, you know I'm not judging you and wouldn't dare to do so. It's fine by me how you want to live your life," Rachel added, making sure that her friend didn't misunderstand her next words. "But you need to think of the consequences of your acts, both of you. What will you do if you get pregnant? A baby is a serious matter." At her question Louise averted her eyes and felt her cheeks blush hotly, but didn't try to talk. "Oh my, Louise!" Rachel exclaimed stunned, getting the clear message that Lou's awkwardness implied.

"I ain't sure yet," Lou replied, her eyes still downcast. Even though Rachel was her best friend, she found it very embarrassing to talk about certain subjects. Voicing her fears about a possible pregnancy meant admitting what she and Kid were doing which might result in her getting in that condition. Lately all she thought about was that she might be on her way to become a mother. Two weeks had passed and her monthly hadn't appeared punctually as it normally did. She told herself that there were other reasons for that delay, her nerves or even her adjusting to living on the ranch. Yet, all these excuses sounded too feeble to her own ears and deep down she knew that the explanation was straightforward.

"Does Kid know?" Rachel asked again and Lou simply shook her head no. "Louise, you have to tell him! It's his doing as well and he should be sharing your worries … cause I imagine you'd be worried."

"I will tell him, but not yet," Lou protested. "I won't worry him when I ain't sure myself."

"You know, he won't be expecting this, but he's going to be over the moon when you tell him," Rachel said with a big smile.

"Do you think so?" Lou asked with apprehension in her voice.

"I'm sure, honey. Kid loves you," Rachel replied and passing an arm over her shoulders she asked, "And how do you feel about this, Louise?"

"Scared, I guess," Lou admitted.

"It's natural," Rachel replied. "You need to see the doctor and get a confirmation." Lou nodded and noticing her fearful and hesitant expression, Rachel added, "Would you like me to go with you?"

"Would you do that for me?" Lou asked with a small smile.

"Of course honey. We are family and even more if there's a beautiful baby on its way," Rachel exclaimed, squeezing the girl's shoulders encouragingly.

"Thanks," Lou cracked, her eyes filling with tears instantly. At the girl's reaction Rachel grinned as she said, "Already getting too emotional, Louise?" Lou shrugged her shoulders while wiping her eyes with the edge of her apron. "You know that baby is gonna be spoiled rotten by those five men outside, especially by its daddy."

Lou only smiled, feeling relived that she had been able to talk about her fears to Rachel. She hadn't judged her or looked down on her. As Rachel had rightly said, she needed to find out whether her suspicions were right, and then she'd tell Kid. Lou knew she didn't have any reasons to fear because she was fully aware that he would be there for her. Of course he'd be more than astonished initially, to say the least, but she was sure he wouldn't let her down. The idea of giving Kid a child warmed her heart. They were still very young and having a baby so untimely would alter their lives, but Lou knew that she wouldn't change anything.

Meanwhile, in the lounge where the men were, conversation flowed freely while they drank some coffee and ate the cookies that Lou had left them before heading for the kitchen. Like usual, Cody practically hogged the whole conversation as he endlessly chatted about his times in the army. Teaspoon had snuggled in Kid's cozy armchair and had fallen asleep in no time. The food and the warmth of the rays filtering through the window was all he had needed to fall into a deep slumber and his snores were heard among the voices of the former riders. At some point, though, silence settled in the room and suddenly Cody turned his whole attention to Kid and blurted out, "So Kid, tell us, when do you plan to make an honest woman out of Lou?"

"Cody!" the two other men reprimanded and Jimmy, who was sitting next to him, nudged him in the side.

At his comment Kid logically became irritated and pointing a threatening finger at the blonde soldier he barked, "Watch out what you say about Lou. She's a lady and the woman I love, understood?"

"Don't take my words to heart, Kid. It was just a figure of speech," Cody excused himself and the Southerner seemed to calm down.

"Don't ever use that language to talk about her again, all right?" Kid added again and Cody simply nodded and remained in silence, not daring to rile his friend up any more.

As Cody's tactless question had brought up the subject into the open, Jimmy decided to use this chance to ask his friend. "Kid, you know what Cody's mouth is like, but... tell us, when are you two gonna get married?"

"I don't know," Kid replied sincerely.

"Have you popped the question yet?" Buck asked this time.

"Not really, no."

"And what on earth are you waiting for?" Cody dared to ask this time.

"It ain't that easy," Kid replied.

"Don't harass Kid, boys," Teaspoon muttered from the armchair where he had been dozing till the loud voices of the other men had wakened him. "And leave 'im alone."

"Teaspoon, go back to sleep," Cody retorted, annoyed by the interruption. The marshal grumbled something under his breath, but soon they started to hear his soft snores once again. The four former riders exchanged amused smirks and Cody added, "He can be such a wet blanket sometimes."

"What were you saying, Kid?" Buck continued, clearly interested in the conversation.

Kid let out a sigh and added, "I'd love nothing better than to marry her, of course, but I don't want to push her. After all, we hadn't been a couple for that long."

"Kid, you're living together as if you were husband and wife," Jimmy replied. "That means something, doesn't it? And I don't think she'll get scared if you want to make things a bit more official."

"Do you really think so?" the Southerner asked with a big smile on his face.

"Kid, she's a woman," Cody retorted, adopting a knows-it-all stance, "and all women want is to hunt down a man and force them into a lovely white wedding. Since Louise has already done the hunting, and you're an obviously willing participant in all this, I guess that all that's left to do is the marrying part."

Buck and Jimmy chuckled at Cody's extravagant explanation while the Southerner had to shake his head. "Well, Kid, apart from the hogwash from our friend here," Jimmy continued, looking at Cody pointedly, "I say 'if you want to marry her, go ahead'. What's the worse that she can say to your proposal?"

Kid nodded; Jimmy was right. He had nothing to fear and all that could happen was that Lou might not want to get married so soon, and they would have to wait a bit more. And if he proposed to her, they could at least talk about it and he would know what to expect from Lou. Tomorrow. He'd ask her to marry him tomorrow. He just couldn't wait any longer. He'd go to Tompkins when he knew she'd be having her lunch and buy a pretty ring and then he'd make everything perfect and romantic in the house for her. Hopefully, she'd say yes and they would become husband and wife soon. Could he dare to dream that Lou'd be in his life forever? Could it be that easy? It was too good to be real. It had been a long way to reach this point and he wanted to believe that life would grant him the wish he had had for a while now. Yes, no more uncertainties. Everything would work out just fine.