The Winds of Change
The Last Chapter
Lou pauses for a moment and lightly touches her fingers to her lips, Jimmy smiles a little recognizing the nervous gesture and he knew he had her, the room was deathly quiet, everyone was holding their breath and they all watched as Lou turned over her last card and then Cody whispered a curse word that had never been uttered in the bunkhouse before; Rachel's hand flew to her mouth and Buck put his arm around Emily who gasped as Lou turned over the 9 of…..
Spades.
Jimmy slams both hands down the table "YES!" he shouts.
A loud Wooo HOO and at least one 'Holy shit' went up in the room as the family let go a collective breath.
Lou sat silent, smiled and nodded at Jimmy "Congratulations"
Jimmy stood up and walked around the table and stood in front of Lou, he held out his hand "A bets a bet."
Lou took his hand and stood up but before she could say anything Jimmy pulled her into his arms and cut off any response, argument or rebuttal with a Kiss, A Kiss that would end all doubts about how he felt about Lou.
The family watched as long as they could until finally Rachel stepped in "Ok you two, break it up"
Jimmy and Lou looked at their family, Jimmy's' arm was wrapped around Lou, and he had a smile on his face and light in his eyes they had never seen before "No big fancy wedding" he said to his family, "but I want it done right, What do you think Lou, here or at the church?"
Lou looked up at Jimmy "Here I think, at Home." She looks at Teaspoon "You've loved me the way a pa loves a daughter would you give me away?"
Teaspoon steps closer and hugs his girl tight and swallows the lump in his throat " I will be honored, but you'll always be my girl"
Jimmy looked at his brothers "Cody I'd like it if you'd be my best man?"
"Of course, but I'm only here for 3 or four more days, so unless you wanna wait till I get some leave….."
"No!" Jimmy said firmly "I'm not waiting"
Lou took a deep breath, smiled and looked at Rachel and Emily "I guess we have some planning to do."
"You can plan later, we have some talking to do" and with that Jimmy picks her up and heads for the bunkhouse door.
"James Butler Hickok you put me down right now" Lou says sternly.
"I'm not takin' the chance of you running" he says as he pulls the door open.
"Jimmy… are you sayin' I'd welch on a bet?" Lou winks at Rachel
"Jimmy how dare yo…" her voice trails away, and Rachel walks over to shut the door.
"Well that was exciting" Cody says as he sits down next to Teaspoon "She almost had him. I'll admit I was worried there at the end."
"Cody what are the odds she would have actually drawn to an inside straight, a straight flush at that and beat his full house" Buck said.
"Astronomical" Cody replied.
"Oh I don't know about that" Rachel said bending down to pick up a card near the door "I saw this fall out of Lou's sleeve" Rachel held up the 9 of Hearts.
Epilogue
"So, what happened next pa" said Little Billy.
"Yea finish the story before she comes in" said Jamie "you know how she gets."
"Jamie that's your mother you're talking about" Jimmy said looking down at his 8 year old daughter, who looked even more like him now, if that was possible, than when she was a baby, he looked at Billy, who at 5 had his mother's heart and big brown eyes and he couldn't even imagine what his life would be like without them. They both sat on the floor at his feet hanging on his every word as he repeated the story they always wanted to hear and they both knew by heart.
"Sorry Pa" Jamie said hanging her head and hiding a smile.
"I'll just have to hurry then ….. Well, we walked into the bunkhouse…."
…."and the whooooole family was waiting, right Pa?"
"Yes sweetheart, they were all there. Your Ma hadn't made up her mind to marry me yet, she needed a little convincing."
"Silly" Jamie said as she shook her head "that's sooo silly, you're just about perfect Pa."
Lou was hiding in the hall and had to bite her knuckles to keep from laughing out loud.
"Hush, 'Yamie! Wet Pa tell da storwy" Billy said.
"Well I proposed we play a game, a card game and if I won she'd have to marry me and if she won she could leave"
"Oh Pa, you took a biiiiggg risk" Jamie said so seriously.
"I guess I did but honey, your Ma was worth it. So your Grampa Teaspoon dealt the cards and one….by one…. We turned over the cards…..and at each turn your Uncle Cody and Uncle Buck , Aunt Emily and Gramma Rachel gasped or moaned, they wanted me to win you see and there at the end they were all worried, 'cause we were neck and neck, it was any body's game." Jimmy sat back and smiled "but in the end, your Ma just didn't have the cards to win, she couldn't beat my full house, an that's how I won your Ma in a card game."
Just then the door opened "Jimmy, I cannot believe you are telling them that story. You did not win me in a card game. I am not a prize to be won or lost" Lou said.
"Ahhh Ma don't be mad, we made him tell us" Jamie said.
Lou shook her head "All right you two go get ready for bed."
She felt a little tug on her pants leg "Don't be mad at Pa, pwease?" Said Little Billy.
"I could never be mad at him" Lou said with a smile "now go, I'll come tuck you in" Lou turned towards Jimmy with her hands on her hips.
"You did not win me" she said.
"Yes I did. I won your heart, I won your body and I that night I beat you at poker!"
"You've always had my heart" she said walking a little closer.
"And when it comes to you" she stood between his knees and wrapped her arms around his neck ….
"Well…. my body has a mind of its' own" she lightly kissed his forehead,
"But that night" she kissed his cheek,
"I…." She lightly ran her tongue over her lips …..
"beat…." She leaned in very close to her husband…..
"you." She kissed his mouth.
"Oh is this the part where you try to tell me you cheated, that you actually drew to an inside straight flush" Jimmy pulled her close.
"I've been telling you for years that's exactly what I did. I wanted to marry you, I was just too proud and stubborn to admit it, so I let you win."
"Louise McCloud Hickok" Jimmy said softly "I'll admit to you being too stubborn and proud, but you could never beat me in poker."
"Whatever you say dear" Lou kissed him on the neck and turns to walk out "I have to tuck the children in."
"Lou" Jimmy says pulling her close "I am the winner." Jimmy smiled looking into those big brown eyes "As long as you Love me, I cain't lose."
Lou holds his face in her hands "We're both winners 'cause I still Love you Jimmy" she places a soft kiss on his lips.
"I love you too Lou"
She walks to the door and with her hand on the knob turns and says "Always Jimmy"
He smiles "Forever Lou"
Holy cow it's finished….well now what am I going to do…..