Chapter 53

The terrible days and weeks in which Lou's life had been hanging by a thread were fortunately gone, but a new sense of melancholy had settled in the whole house. Since she had learned that the baby she had been expecting hadn't survived her fall down the stairs, Louise had been immersed in a state of great sadness. Besides, she continually suffered from terrible headaches and spent many hours a day sleeping or in bed.

The doctor had given her some medicine to mitigate the migraines but apparently it hadn't been very effective so far. Kid, though, suspected that it wasn't so much the headaches but her grief that made Lou look for comfort in her continuous and long naps. In any case, Kid still felt very lonely and missed her terribly even though she had come out of what the doctor called a coma. He wanted to joke and talk to her, but right now it was impossible. When Lou wasn't sleeping, she didn't seem to be very willing to enjoy his company and mainly focused all her attention on her two siblings. At least she was starting to look like her own self again. The food and good sleep were making her get her color and her usual weight back sooner than he would have thought. Kid just hoped that her spirit would come back to her soon as well.

A few days ago the judge had arrived in Rock Creek and Doritha's trial had taken place. Naturally Lou had to testify and tell the jury what had happened. Kid knew that it had been quite an ordeal for her, and she looked even more fragile and miserable than usual as she had to remember all the details. The situation hadn't been any easier for Kid either. It had seemed surreal to see Doritha in the dock, looking on the verge of collapse, but despite everything, she had adopted a dignified stance. Kid imagined that to go through all this surely must have filled her with utter shame and humiliation. All her snooty acquaintances had attended the trial, avid to witness the degradation their past friend was suffering; the very person they had shared laughter and confidences with, the very person that had lavished them with parties and dinners, the very person they had all been eager to befriend … or maybe it had been just her money.

Doritha was now all alone and nobody would move a finger for her. Despite everything, Kid couldn't help but pity her. In that dock she hadn't looked as arrogant and proud as she had always been. Hate and envy had led her to the place she now found herself. Kid morosely wondered whether he could have done something to avoid this whole mess somehow. Because of his love for Lou, Doritha had developed a terrible, devious streak in her personality. The Southerner couldn't help but feel guilty about all this. If he hadn't fallen in love with Lou, none of this would have happened, but deep down he knew that there was no way he could have turned a deaf ear to his feelings. Lou had caused such an impact on him that he had started loving her without even being aware of it. And then Doritha hadn't turned out to be the person he expected her to be. She was too selfish and had different aims in life from his, and little by little he had drifted away from her and came to realize that they shared almost nothing in common. Kid knew that he could never have been happy with Doritha and when he met and got to know Lou, he realized that she was the woman he had always wanted to spend his life with. In spite of all these reasons, Kid still kept thinking that he could have done something to avoid all this. If he had met Lou before, maybe he wouldn't have sent for Doritha in Virginia and things would have been easier. But then the story would have been very different and nobody could tell what might have happened.

As soon as Lou testified in the trial, they decided to go back to the ranch. They didn't stay to hear the verdict, and Kid knew that he couldn't stand the thing much longer. Lou had also felt worn and as usual complained of a splitting headache. Teaspoon, Rachel, Buck and Jimmy had also had to testify as witnesses of the confession Doritha had made about being the promoter of Lou's attack all those months ago. To Kid's utter relief, Teaspoon had managed to relieve him of the obligation of giving evidence as well. It would have been very awkward for him, and he had preferred to stay aside. As he and Lou had left the building where the trial had been taking place, he had silently said a silent good-bye to Doritha forever. The following day he had learnt that Doritha had been condemned and had to face prison for a very long time, and Teaspoon had told him that she had left Rock Creek just the day before.

Today his routine had been as usual. After working the whole day around the ranch, Kid decided to take a bath. He smelled of horses and leather, and he really needed to have a good and refreshing wash-up. A few weeks before Lou had suffered her "accident", they had decided to use the small room adjacent to the kitchen to settle the tub. Its situation was most convenient as it was easier for them to fill the bath with the water boiling on the kitchen stove and thus they didn't have to move the bathtub whenever somebody wanted to wash themselves. Moreover, as the tiny room had served as a larder in the past, it was equipped with shelves where they now kept towels and a change of clothes.

Kid took his time soaking in the tub, and when the water felt too cold, he got out of it and quickly slipped into a fresh shirt and pants. His hair was still wet when he stepped into the lounge and saw Lou lying peacefully asleep on the sofa. Kid came closer and stood before her, staring down at her dozing figure. She always looked so beautiful while sleeping that Kid felt he could watch her like that forever. Lou had changed lately and in all these days since she had woken up, they hadn't had a single conversation. Lou was always complaining of headaches, and at the first opportunity she crawled into bed or lounged on the sofa. Until now they hadn't been able to keep their hands off each other when they were alone, but now he was lucky if he got a peck in the morning or late at night. He feared that for some reason she might have stopped loving him, and that was the reason why she seemed to avoid any contact with him. The thought filled him with sheer desperation and he prayed that she was only still recovering.

Kid was so concentrated in watching her sleep that the sound of her voice startled him. "It's all right, Kid. You can sit if you want to," Lou spoke with her eyes closed while she flexed her legs against her chest to make room for him on the sofa. Louise then opened her eyes to meet his intense gaze. Kid looked worried and … almost in pain and as he didn't even try to move, she added, "Come on, Kid. I ain't gonna bite you."

"Wouldn't mind if you did," he muttered without thinking as he dropped on the sofa and as he realized that he had actually voiced his thoughts, he blushed to the roots of his hair and hurried to utter a clumsy apology. "I … I'm sorry. I didn't mean …"

Louise stared at him with big, surprised eyes, and without warning she burst out laughing hysterically. Kid kept a serious and awkward countenance, but after a while he couldn't help but join her mirth. They laughed together for a few minutes and when she eventually sobered, she sat up and scooted closer till she was perched on his lap. Lou hooked her arm around his neck and brought her face closer to his.

"So you wouldn't mind if I bit you, uh?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly.

"Uh huh," Kid played along, his cheeks still red with embarrassment. They stared at each other and after a beat the Southerner asked, "How are you feeling, Lou?"

"Much better. My head ain't hurting so much." She smiled at his thoughtfulness, and in an irresistible impulse she pressed her lips against his. She kissed him with growing passion, and Kid answered her sudden attack with the same intensity. The young man felt as though he were in seventh heaven as his lips played with hers in that loving rhythm they were so used to.

After a few minutes they pulled away slightly and cupping her cheek in his hand, Kid stroked her skin with his thumb in a soft caress. They locked eyes, peering at each other adoringly and after a while Kid said, "You know, this is our first real kiss in a very long time."

Lou nodded and lowering her eyes, she muttered, "I know. I haven't been very easy to deal with lately. Losing our baby … I … I…"

Kid put a finger under her chin and made her meet his eyes. "Lou," he said, cutting her off. "You don't have to explain yourself. I understand. I feel the same." Lou nodded and felt her eyes brim with tears. Kid kissed her lips lightly, wiping her tears with his thumbs. "I'm so, so sorry, honey. You know if I could, I would make things different for you. I'm really sorry."

"Kid, it wasn't your fault," Louise retorted, surprised at how bitter he sounded.

"I understand you're mad at me. I would be as well," he insisted, deaf to her words.

"I ain't mad at you, and it wasn't your fault!"

"I let Doritha in this house," Kid exclaimed, his eyes glowing with sheer anguish. "You didn't trust her, and I let her in! I could've lost you, you could've died. And then I don't know what I would have done."

Louise framed his face between her hands and looking straight into his eyes, she said, "Kid, I'm fine. My head still bothers me some but I'm fine. And it ain't your fault. You couldn't have known she'd go that far. I didn't know either." She paused briefly and smiling sweetly at him she added, "And I love you."

Kid grinned happily and immediately his lips captured hers in another sultry kiss. Louise moaned against his mouth while her fingers played with his hair, still damp from his bath. A guttural groan escaped her throat as his lips left hers and started travelling down her neck. Louise leaned backwards against his left arm wrapped around her waist and thus gave him easy access to the area. While Kid passionately nibbled at her neck and the beginning of her neckline, his fingers strained to undo the buttons of her blouse. Her body was trembling from head to toe and her skin felt as if it were on fire.

"Oh Kid," she moaned in sheer pleasure. "Please don't stop." Yet, as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she jumped off his lap onto the sofa when they heard the door click open. Kid scrambled to his feet nervously and stood behind the sofa as he saw Rachel and the two children step into the lounge. The two siblings greeted them raucously while the woman remained in silence in the middle of the room, and then the children ran to the kitchen to grab an apple or some biscuits to keep their appetites in check till dinner time.

"How are you feeling today, Louise?" Rachel asked.

"Much better, thanks," the girl replied with a smile, trying to steady her breathing pace and her pounding heart.

"I can see you have a bit more color in your face," the blonde woman remarked, which made Lou's cheeks blush even more than they were. Casting a look at the young man, Rachel added, "My, Kid, you look mighty flushed too. Are you all right?"

"Uh … yeah," Kid answered clumsily.

"Then it must be something in the air," the woman quipped, unable to suppress the grin any longer, seeing the couple's embarrassed countenances. "I'm off now. I'll see you two tomorrow."

"Thank you, Rachel. See you."

The woman simply disregarded his words with a swinging motion of her hand and she was about to turn around from them, but stopped dead in her tracks to address her petite friend again. "And Louise … your blouse," she muttered, moving a finger up and down over her own chest.

Lou looked down to see four buttons undone, revealing her thin chemise through which anybody could make out her perked breasts. "I … uh … I forgot to … I …" Louise stammered, fumbling to fasten her blouse and blushing more violently.

"Good bye, Louise," Rachel cut her off among giggles as she walked towards the door. When it closed behind her, Kid couldn't help but burst out laughing as he sat down next to her on the sofa again.

"It ain't funny," Lou whined with a miffed expression, crossing her arms over her now safe-for-curious-eyes chest.

Kid passed his arm over her shoulders, bringing her closer to him, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "It is, admit it."

"I've never felt so embarrassed in my whole life," muttered Lou.

"We just need to be a bit more careful in our … activities," Kid added, still amused about what had happened with Rachel. "But don't worry, honey. Rachel was just teasing us. She knows we're madly in love, and well, after all we should be having our honeymoon just now."

Louise lowered her eyes and muttered in a very sad tone, "I know." The voices of the children squabbling were heard in the lounge and the young woman rose to her feet while saying, "I'll go and see what those two are up to now. I need to start fixing dinner anyway."

Before Kid could say anything, Louise scurried towards the kitchen. The Southerner kept staring at her frisky figure and when she disappeared behind the door, he remained deep in thought. He replayed the conversation they had had over and over again while a plan was forming in his head. A little smile appeared on his mouth as he could envision his crazy idea becoming a reality. 'Could he really manage to do it?' he wondered and decided that he didn't want to think about it anymore. For once he was going to follow what his heart told him. He rose to his feet and taking his hat from the peg, he walked out of the house.

In the kitchen Theresa was finishing her school homework while Lou fixed tonight's dinner. "Honey, put away the books and help me set the table for dinner."

"I haven't finished yet, Louise," the girl whined without lifting the eyes from the books.

"Well, you should've thought about it before spending almost the whole afternoon playing outside," Lou retorted, handing her the tablecloth and the cutlery.

"I wasn't playing. I was talking to Kid!" Theresa protested as she rose to her feet.

"Then I'll have a word with him for entertaining you from your duties," Lou said in mocked irritation. "Come on, honey. Take the cutlery to the table. You'll finish your homework after dinner."

The girl made an unhappy gesture while she followed her sister out of the kitchen to the lounge. Lou helped Theresa place the tablecloth on the dinner table. "And tell me, Tessie, what were you and Kid talking about then?" Lou asked her sister as they set the cutlery, glasses and plates on their correct places around the table.

"Nothing," Theresa replied, her eyes shining with mischief and her mouth splitting into a grin.

Louise eyed her curiously and letting out a peal of laughter she said, "So you're keeping secrets from me now, Tessie?"

The girl shrugged her shoulders as she twittered mischievously. Louise had to laugh at her sister, and even though she felt happy that her siblings got on so well with Kid, she was a bit jealous too. He had been there for the children in the first weeks of their stay in Rock Creek. It saddened her terribly that she hadn't been able to share those moments with them. Of course she had all the time in the world to make up for those missing weeks, but she just couldn't help to feel that way.

"Go tell your brother and Kid dinner's ready," Lou told her sister when they finished setting the table. While Theresa went outside, the young woman walked back to the kitchen to pick up the tureen with the soup she had prepared for the first course. When she returned to the lounge, the children were already sitting at the table. "Where's Kid?" she asked when she didn't see the young man in the room.

"I don't know," Jeremiah replied while he fought to attach the napkin securely to his shirt collar.

"Ain't he in the stables?" Lou asked again. The boy shook his head no and Lou insisted, "You sure, Miah?"

"Yeah, he wasn't there," Jeremiah answered curtly.

Louise crossed to the window and opening it, she looked outside while calling his name several times. It was already quite dark and she couldn't tell whether he was around, but he wasn't answering her summons.

"Louise, I'm hungry," Jeremiah protested in a whining voice.

Lou closed the window and returned to the table. "We'll have to start without him before the food gets cold," she said as she started pouring the soup onto the plates. She wondered where Kid had gone to at this time. He never left the ranch without telling her first, so he couldn't have gone very far.

It wasn't until they were having their dessert that Kid finally turned up. "Hey, where have you been?" Lou asked as soon as she saw him appear.

Kid briefly glanced at the children, who had big smiles on their faces, and then turned his attention back to Louise. "Uh … at Buck's."

"All this time?" she asked again as she felt the tureen to check that the soup was still hot and then she started serving some for Kid.

"Well … I went to ask him to cover for me tomorrow," he explained hesitantly. "That way I can go to the doctor with you."

Tomorrow she had to go to Doctor Sanders's surgery for one of her check-ups. Kid had never missed accompanying her, but now that she felt much better, Lou thought that there was no need for it any longer. "Kid, you don't have to do that," Louise retorted. "I can go on my own."

"I want to," Kid insisted as he started on his soup. "And … I thought we could spend the day together in town if you feel up to it. You know it's been a while… and … well we could have lunch at the restaurant or anything you prefer."

"I'd love to, naturally," Louise muttered with a smile. "But … Kid … what about the children?"

"We can stay with Mrs. Dunne after school," Theresa said, giggling and sharing a knowing look with her brother and Kid.

Louise eyed the three of them warily. Something funny was going on. Since Kid had arrived, he had been acting peculiar as if he were lying. Louise knew him too well and could tell when he had something up his sleeve. He was bad at hiding anything from her and she could see that he and the children were after something. "What are you three up to?" asked Lou straightaway.

"Nothing," the children and Kid answered in chorus.

Lou grinned amused and let out a weary sigh, while pressing two fingers against her forehead. "Is your head bothering you again?" Kid asked, his forehead creased in worry.

"Just a bit."

"Why don't you lie down then?" he suggested. "I'll clear the table and wash up when I finish my dinner."

Louise nodded and rising to her feet, she planted a kiss on his cheek in gratefulness. "Thank you," she said and turning to the children she added, "And you two, give a hand to Kid, all right?"

"Yes, sis," the siblings replied in chorus without much enthusiasm.

"Come on, Lou. Get your rest and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night," she last said and scurried up the stairs.

Kid stayed at the table with the two children and when he was sure Lou couldn't hear them anymore, he turned to them. "You two could have been a bit more discreet."

"I don't understand why we can't tell Louise," Theresa replied.

"Honey, I told you. I want to make it nice for your sister."

"And romantic, isn't it?" the girl added with a smile.

"That's right," Kid agreed. "And now let's finish in here so we can go to bed cause tomorrow is gonna be a big, big day."

Louise fastened the last buttons of her dress behind the screen in the surgery after the doctor had examined her. Today she had finally cleared a doubt that had been worrying her all the time. Since she had learned that she had lost the baby, she had been troubled by the idea that she might never become a mother. She knew that a bad miscarriage could sometimes affect a woman's body and leave her scarred and unable to conceive. Louise hadn't even voiced her fears to Kid and until today she hadn't had the nerve to ask the doctor in her usual visits to him. Even though she knew that there was no shame in the way her life had progressed up until now, she couldn't help but feel awkward and embarrassed to ask about her possibilities for a future pregnancy when she wasn't a married woman … not yet, anyway. However, her worries had gone too far and she had decided to take the bull by the horns today. By her request Kid had stayed in the waiting room and before losing her nerve, she had asked the doctor.

Louise appeared from behind the screen and approached Doctor Sanders, who was sitting behind his desk. She took a seat opposite him when the doctor motioned to do so and he said, "Well, Louise, it seems everything's in order. Pretty soon you won't have to see me anymore. The concussion hasn't left any evident after-effects. The headaches, though, might never disappear completely. Just keep taking that medicine I gave you. You know, my dear, you've been very lucky."

Lou nodded and biting her left hand's nails nervously, she asked awkwardly, "And … and … the other thing?"

"Well, young lady, there's no reason why you can't have as many children as you want in the future," the doctor replied.

Her face lit up instantly and she felt utter relief course all over her. "Really?"

Doctor Sanders nodded and taking off his spectacles he looked Louise in the eyes intently and added, "I wouldn't hurry, though. Give your body some time to get back into shape gradually before trying again."

"I … I wasn't planning to," Lou replied, feeling her cheeks burning of embarrassment. This wasn't the kind of conversation she wanted to have with the old physician. She hadn't even actually given a serious thought to what she'd do from now on let alone think about getting pregnant again. Kid and she hadn't talked about their matters yet … maybe today they could discuss some of that while they spent time together.

"Louise, I know it's none of my business but … shouldn't you and your … uh … beau start thinking of settling down?"

At his words Lou started feeling very irritated. She didn't like to have anybody nosing into her life, but instead of hurling an acid remark of hers, she answered curtly, "We were going to get married before my accident."

"And not anymore because you lost the baby?"

"No! That ain't true!" Lou exclaimed loudly. "Kid and I love each other. He cares for me. He looked after me when I was sick, and he's always been there for me. He's a good and honest man and you got no right to judge him like that!"

"Calm down, Louise, please. I didn't mean to offend you," the doctor said, feeling that he had gone too far with his words. "It's just that men sometimes take advantage of girls … especially when they are on their own. And I thought …"

"Kid ain't like that!" Lou stated firmly, cutting him off. "And if you'll excuse me now, I have to go now."

Without waiting for the doctor's reply, Louise jumped to her feet moving the chair raucously and walked out of the surgery all fiery-like. Kid was sitting in the small waiting room and as soon as she saw him, she said, "Let's get out of here, Kid."

The young man instantly picked up her weird mood, but before he could say anything, Louise was already out of the building. The doctor had followed her into the waiting room and worried about Lou's strange demeanor, the Southerner asked the old man. "Doctor, is Lou … Louise all right?"

"Everything's fine. Nothing to worry about," Doctor Sanders answered. "And now you'd better run after her before you lose her."

"Thank you, Doc," the young man concluded hurriedly shaking hands with the physician. He did not waste any more time and dashed out. Lou stood next to their wagon, which they had left in front of the doctor's office, looking visibly upset. Kid approached her and asked, "What's with you, Lou?"

Louise looked up at him and blurted out, "He's a moron."

"Doctor Sanders?" Kid stared at her in confusion. Lou had always talked highly of the physician, and this sudden outburst of hers surprised him.

Lou nodded and added in the same irritated tone, "He's made me very angry. I ain't going back there ever again!"

Kid knew that he'd better not try to change her mind in the foul mood she was in, so he simply asked, "What on earth did he do to you?"

"Please, Kid, I'd rather not talk about it," Louise muttered in a strained voice. "All I want is to go home now."

"Go home? Lou, we planned to spend the day together here in town," the young man protested, panicking that his plans might go to rack and ruin after all.

"Kid, I ain't in the mood!" she exclaimed roughly. "Besides, we still can spend time together on the ranch!" Hitching up her skirt she quickly climbed into the buckboard and sat on the seat.

Kid stared at her figure, sitting very straight on the wagon, and racked his brains to find a way to convince her in the opposite direction. They just couldn't leave town. His arrangements would have been for nothing. "Please Lou. Humor me in this. Let's go for a short walk here in town and then have a quick lunch. Please Lou."

The girl looked into his begging eyes and with an unhappy gesture she finally relented. "All right, all right," Lou accepted reluctantly. "But stop making puppy eyes at me."

"Good!" Kid exclaimed with a smile and stretched his arm to help her out of the wagon.

As soon as Lou eased off the carriage, they started walking up the street. She folded her arms over her chest while she shuffled along. The conversation with the doctor kept bugging her. How she hated it when people poked their noses into her business. Kid and she had a happy life together, and they'd get married in good time. Circumstances had prevented them from taking that step so far, but they would. Lou was sure of it. They hadn't talked about it yet because she hadn't been quite herself lately. At least he hadn't mentioned anything about wanting to break their engagement. Of course he wanted to marry her, and the baby didn't have anything to do with it. They were in love and nobody's malicious words were going to make her doubt her convictions.

Kid stared at her while walking by her side. He didn't know what had happened between Lou and the doctor, but she was clearly very upset. She kept looking ahead all the time as if he wasn't there at all and that head of hers was surely reeling. "You pucker up your face any more, and you'll get stuck with that crinkled expression."

On hearing his comment Lou stopped short and resting her hands on her hips, she turned to him in a cocking pose. "What is it, Kid? Don't you like my face now? Sorry to inform you but it's the only one I have!" she snapped furiously.

His attempt to cheer her up failed miserably. "Like it? Gosh Lou, you know I'm crazy about you!" Kid exclaimed, framing her face between his hands. "But at least I'd like to be strolling with my lovely girl instead of the wicked ogre."

The comment provoked a little smile in her, which gradually became a low chuckle. Louise and Kid laughed together and she mumbled, "Sorry." Lou then hooked her arm around his and they continued walking leisurely. After a while Kid stopped their stroll as he said, "Lou, there's something I'd like to ask you."

The girl let go of his arm and looked at him curiously. Her irritation with the doctor had blown over, and it was now that she realized that Kid appeared as nervous and weird as he had last night. "What is it?"

"Uh … do … do you still want to marry me?" he managed to utter, the words coming out in a clumsy rush.

"Of course I do…"

No sooner had she let out her answer than she felt herself be lifted in the air. "What are you doing, Kid? Put me down! Put me down!" she shrieked, squirming in his arms.

"I told you once. If you stop twisting and kicking, I won't drop you," Kid replied, strengthening his hold on her and straining to keep her still before she fell onto the ground heavily.

The girl stopped wriggling for a moment, but kept protesting. "Kid, I mean it. Put me down! Now! Everybody's looking at us!"

"I don't care," Kid retorted, grinning amusedly at her, and he started walking across the street.

Aware that he wouldn't budge, Louise clasped her arms around his neck for support. "But Kid, where are you taking me?"

"You'll see," he replied smiling from ear to ear.

Ignoring the curious looks of everybody passing their way, Kid continued across the street and on reaching the other side, he started climbing the few steps leading to the chapel with Louise scooped up in his arms. "Kid, what are we doing here?"

The Southerner didn't say a word and when they reached the porch, he loosened his hold on her and put her down carefully. Lou sent him a quizzical look, which he ignored and opening the door to the church, he said, "Ladies first."

Louise huffed, not appreciating being left guessing, but turned to walk into the small church in silence. Hardly had she taken a few steps that her eyes opened wide in surprise. "What are you doing here?" she asked when she saw her siblings and Rachel at the entrance of the church. And it wasn't only them. Her eyes traveled around the chapel and she saw Teaspoon standing ceremoniously at the altar and Buck, Jimmy and even Mr. Tompkins sitting at the pews. Lou turned her eyes to look at Theresa and Jeremiah, who were wearing their Sunday clothes instead of the ones she had seen them in when they had left for school that morning. As a matter of fact, everybody was dressed in their best attire. Her siblings looked back at her with ample smiles and she repeated in an almost stutter, "Wh… what are you doing here?"

A hand rested on her shoulder, and Louise turned her head to see Kid behind her. "They just don't want to miss their elder sister's wedding," Kid said.

Louise swirled around to face him while exclaiming. "What?"

"Lou, you know how I feel about you," he started, taking her hand in his. "I don't want to wait any longer to share my life with yours. Our family is here and I don't need anything else but you. Lou, please, let's get married."

"But right now? Just like that?" Lou asked with a confused frown.

"Why not? This probably ain't the wedding you had in mind, but I say, 'let's concentrate on the after and not so much about the starts'. Christmas is just one week away, and I really want it to be the first one I spend with my wife." He paused briefly and then added, "And let me tell you that you couldn't look more beautiful as you do right now."

Louise smiled sweetly and brushed her lips over his in a sudden impulse. Kid wrapped his arms around her petite frame and kissed her back forgetting about anything or anybody else around them. They only pulled away when they heard Jimmy's voice behind them. "Will you two stop it? You're supposed to do that after the wedding, not before."

The couple laughed heartily at the comment and then Kid asked, "Is that a yes?"

"I guess so," Louise answered, unable to suppress the giggle bubbling up in her throat. This was so different from what she had imagined her wedding to Kid would be, but she couldn't ask for anything else. It was simply perfect. Her dress wasn't new, her hair was done as usual, the church wasn't embellished with flowers or more candles, and only a few people occupied the pews at the front. Yet, none of that mattered and she couldn't feel happier than right now.

Kid started digging into his jacket pockets and finally found what he was looking for. He extended his spread palm to her to reveal two wedding bands. Lou's face lit up with an ample smile as she saw the bright rings, and sent him a quizzical look, wondering how he had been able to get them.

"Come on, Lou. Take mine," Kid said without answering her silent question. He had ordered the rings from Tompkins the same day Lou had suffered that terrible accident and then after what had happened he had completely forgotten about them. It was just yesterday when he had come to town to tell the storekeeper about his plans to marry Lou just the following day that to Kid's surprise the man had produced the wedding bands. He had received them a few weeks ago, but in the state Lou had been at the time, he hadn't had the heart to tell Kid about it.

Louise picked up his bigger ring from his palm, sharing a shy smile with him. Rachel escorted Kid to the altar where a very smiling Teaspoon stood while Louise took the small bouquet of white daisies that Theresa handed her. To her delight the wedding march started to play on the church's organ and hooking her arm around Jeremiah's they started to walk down the aisle towards where Kid stood staring at her. He sure looked like a nervous wreck and Lou felt that she was as jittery. Her eyes never left his as she kept walking along.

It was really happening. Scrawny Louise McCloud was getting married. She who had been so against men was now willing to join her life to a man forever, the man she loved. Louise felt she had changed so much since she had met Kid. The old Lou would have laughed if she had been told that in the future she'd be a married woman. So much had changed. They had loved, suffered, laughed, fought, and all of that together. Kid was already an intrinsic part of her life and she couldn't remember what it was like before meeting him.

With an undying smile Louise joined Kid at the altar before Teaspoon. Kid turned his head to her and asked, "Ready to marry me, Miss McCloud?"

"You bet I am," she muttered huskily.

Kid smiled brightly and turning his attention to the marshal, he just said, "Teaspoon, you can start."

The End

Note: Thanks to everybody who has read this too long story. Thanks for your encouragement and all your comments. Thanks a lot!