Greetings everyone! Thank you for your patience! It's been over six months since part 2! I wasn't able to post these next few parts right away because from July 20th to Aug 15th, I was in Ireland! That's right! Ireland! It was for school – I took two classes over there and got 6 credits! The classes were Irish Literature and Craft of Fiction writing (except mine was an independent study due to the fact that I already took that class)! It was 3 ½ weeks in Dublin and Galway! I was there long enough to really enjoy myself, but for those last few days, I really wanted to come home. Plus a guy I had been seeing on the side (an old friend - someone I had known since high school) decided to break up with me whilest I was in Dublin. Yeah, was crushed at first few days, then was mad for months, but now I know it's his loss. Moving on from personal life...!
I also was extremely busy with 15 credit hours of classes Fall semester, plus I was looking into doing an internship at Disney...but it started getting way too complicated. But I graduated! I officially have a B.A. in English, and a minor in Creative Writing! Huzzah! Unfortunately, they discontinued the Film Studies minor I was working on due to a high surge of incoming freshmen...whyfor always the good classes have to be cut first! My sound advice - go to community college for your beginning college classes – it's a lot cheaper and you get a lot more one-on-one time with the professors, and really good grades if you dedicate yourself to your studies (I got tons of A's and B's, and only one C and one D). Rant complete. And now I'm looking for a job so I can pay back student loans...
On a Fan Ficy note! I am working hard at the Young Guns sequel! Not joshing you! I scribbled in my notebook all semester because when I'm not writing, ideas come most of the time, and I had to figure out a way to stay awake in classes. In fact, I'm coming so close to the end, that I'm gathering ideas on how the end will play out. Now, I just have to type it all up, and I'll start posting after my read through. It does need editing, badly, because I started working on it right after I finished Setting of the Sun...so it's been, nearly six years in the making. Yeah, I will have a lot to sort through. But bear with me.
Anyways, on with the story!
For disclaimers, please see chapter one.
Part 3 of 6. Enjoy!
A Small Measure of Peace
*~-|-~*~-|-~*Chapter Three*~-|-~*~-|-~*
Laisha cried silent tears as she sat in the tub her mother forced her to take. He mother was furious that she spent time with Chavez alone and unsupervised. On top of it all, her mother said she smelled like a pig and ordered to her take a bath.
"Oh stop crying; a bath won't kill you," Maria Pia snapped as she came back into the private area next to the house. She poured hot water into the tub and shook her head when Laisha hissed. "It's only water. Anyways, hurry up. Your father isn't going to spend all night over at the Maxwell's." She walked away.
Laisha pick up the soap and sponge weakly. She lathered the sponge weakly and sorrow took over. She was washing away Chavez. After a thorough cleaning (because she knew her mother would notice), Laisha put on her nightdress and laid down in her cot, pulling the curtain closed so neither her mother nor father could see her. She hugged her straw-stuffed pillow and fell asleep, crying.
The rooster called to the sun before Laisha knew it. Because her mother had taken away the one from yesterday, she was forced to wear a different shirt and skirt. If she had her way, she would wear pants. Skirts were so pointless while gardening. She poured some water from a pitcher into a small basin and washed her face and neck. It was time for another day.
And that was when memories from last night flowed back into her mind. Even though she had her good, heartfelt cry last night, she still grimaced to keep her from weeping again. She walked out into the garden and looked over the potato rows. The plants looked rather dry. "Mother, I'm going to go get some water for the plants," she called. But she didn't wait for her Maria Pia's response. Laisha grabbed the bucket and made her way to the well. The morning was still young. Only a handful of people, including her, were out and about this morning. The sun reflected gold and red into the sky, chasing away the moon. She looked around her, making sure she wouldn't hit anyone this time, but all she could see was the crazy chickens running around. She lifted the lid to the well and lowered the bucket down. When she felt it fill up with water, she pulled it back up, emptying it into her own bucket. She closed the lid and placed the bucket on top. She squatted down and picked up her bucket with both hands. It seemed as though she was sliding her feet forward.
"Com'mon Billy! We're losing daylight!"
Laisha's head jerked up and she nearly dropped her bucket, so she sat it down. She saw Billy's posse at their horses, but her eyes wandered from person to person until she saw him. Chavez was checking the straps on his horse.
"Oh shut up Dave. We're moving, okay? Besides, this ain't your gang, so back off!" Billy shouted back at Arkansas Dave.
The young men mounted their horses within seconds of each other. Except Pat walked out of Beever's. "Well boys, take care and good luck. Heaven knows your gonna need it."
Why wasn't he going with them? Pat and Billy had been together on adventures for a while now.
"Thanks Pat," Doc answered back.
"Find your way back home, okay Doc? I'm sure your wife is frightened to death."
"I'm sure she is. Take care of yourself Pat."
"Later boys." Pat turned and headed back into Beever's.
"Ready regulators?" Billy smiled nostalgically.
Doc sighed and rolled his eyes, "Yes."
"Ready when you are Chivato," Chavez answered.
"Let's move out," Billy said and he tapped his horse.
One by one, Laisha watched the leave. Hendry French and Chavez hung back for a moment. Please see me please see me, she begged with all her heart. It lerched forward when she saw him look around. Chavez made eye contact with her. His horse moved from side to side, eager to go, but he held her eyes. Laisha wanted to run to him, beg him not to leave, but she knew that wasn't her place. She was certain he could read her sadness within her eyes because he sent her a look that she read as caring. Her heart was breaking all over again.
"Chavez?" Hendry asked, looking between Chavez and her.
She couldn't hold him to her anymore. She gave him a half-hearted, small smile and mouthed the word 'Goodbye'.
He stared at her for a moment longer. He was like an ancient warrior going off to battle; leaving the one he loved behind, knowing he would never see them again. 'Goodbye' he mouthed back to her. "Gyaah!" he shouted and pushed his horse into a full run with Hendry trailing behind.
Laisha watched him leave and disappear from the entryway. She picked up her bucket and went back to the garden. She watered the potatoes until the bucket was empty. Hugging her sides, she fell to her knees, and once again cried. Her heart was broken.
He haunted her dreams. His smile, his touch, his voice, everything. She awoke nearly every night, swearing she felt him holding her. To once again she would give a few tears out. Her prayers and wish were only for him and his well being. She continued her life in the garden and with the chickens. Maria Pia would darn socks, pants, and whatever she needed too. Her father would come home from the Maxwell's with his day's wages around dinner time, and they would all sit together to eat. But Maria Pia and Jesus did most of the talking. Laisha preferred not to talk when around her mother, which was virtually all the time. One eveing, both her and her mother snapped.
Maria Pia gazed at one of Laisha's skirts. "How did you manage to get this hole here?"
Silence.
"AHH!" Maria Pia yelled and threw Laisha's skirt at her. "Say something you stupid girl!"
Laisha picked up the skirt. "You horrible woman! You hag! It's because of you he didn't stay!" Okay, that wasn't true, but who would want Maria Pia for a mother-in-law?
"Back to that Indian again!"
"His name is Chavez!"
"I don't care what his name is! He is gone and there is nothing left to discuss!"
"NO!" Laisha yelled. He rushed over to the kitchen table with the skirt. She grabbed the knife her father always carried with him.
"What are you doing!" Maria Pia whispered, backing away.
"You should be afraid mother," Laisha laughed darkly. She spread the skirt our on the table. Once it was even, she stabbed the middle of the dress.
"What on God's green earth are you doing!" This time she was more furious at the dress.
"Making a god-damn pair of pants!" Laisha pulled and ripped the fabric until she reached the bottom. On her own time, she sowed the cloth to make her first pair of pants. She didn't care anymore. In two days she was pulling weeds in the garden and feeding chickens in loose bloomers.
News broke out in the village. Terrible news. The Santa Fe Ring had hired themselves a sheriff to bring in Billy the Kid, and anyone who accompanied him. The villagers kept their eyes open for any bizarre strangers, anyone who looked out of place.
"Here you go Father," Laisha said as she handed her father the sandwich her mother had made for him.
"Thank you Laisha." He took a large bite out of the sandwich.
"I'll see you when you get home," Laisha was about to leave the Maxwell property when Paulita came running in.
"Terrible! It's just terrible!" Paulita cried.
"Paulita, what is it!" Laisha begged.
Paulita was bursting into tears. "Pat Garret! He's the one the Santa Fe Ring hired! He's a good tracker! He's going after Billy, the man I love!" Paulita took hold of Laisha and began crying.
Laisha stood there, shocked. "Chavez," she whispered. When Paulita let go of Laisha and ran into her home, Laisha marched into town. She saw Pat standing with his horse, waiting for godot. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins and she marched right up to him. "Pat Garret! Of all the traitors written about in history, you will go down as the worst of the worst!"
Pat tipped his hat to her, "And a good day to you too, Miss Laisha."
"Don't you 'Miss Laisha' me you traitor!" she growled. Days ago she never would have dreamt of talking to anyone like this, with the exception of her mother of course.
Any smile from his face disappeared, and the two became engaged in a stare down. "I have a chance to redeem myself. You really think I'd turn it down?"
"By betraying your best friend? Not a smart move. And letting yourself get hired by the Ring! How low can you possibly go!"
"I have my reasons Laisha. I'm a sheriff now, and I can finally follow through with my dream of one day becoming a well respected citizen."
"You have no respect in this town. Get out! Go back to Lincoln, where your kind belongs!" She spat at his feet and walked away from the traitor who might very well gun Billy down. This had been the warning she had felt when she begged Chavez to stay with her. Chavez was in danger, and Laisha could do nothing but just hope.