Two weeks later, Angel Eyes had taught both Emma and Tom the basics of gun safety and marksmanship. Both had been apt students and he was satisfied with their progress. Tom already had his own rifle, so he brought that to practice with, while his sister also took instruction on that, as well as with her revolver.
It was such that when he was offered a new job a week and a half later, he took it without hesitation, especially considering that the price was right.
That same evening, after Emma had put baby Lee down for the night, Angel Eyes waited for her on the sitting room couch.
"I've got something I need to tell you," he said as she sat down beside him. Before she could react, he continued, "I've taken a job and I'm going to leave tomorrow."
"So soon?" she complained. "I've only just given birth."
"Lee is two months old now," he corrected. "And he's begun to sleep through the night."
"I just like having you around," she told him, putting a gentle hand on his arm. "Besides, I worry about you when you're gone."
"I appreciate the concern," he told her, feeling awkward because he wasn't used to anyone caring about his well-being. "But I need to get out and make some money, sooner rather than later."
"I know," she conceded grudgingly. "But I'll miss you." She lean up to give him a peck on the cheek, then added, "Lee will miss his Daddy, too."
"I'll miss you both as well," he told her. "But I shouldn't be gone more than a week or two. I told Tom this afternoon I'd be going out of town on business, so he'll be out here to stay with you."
They went to bed not long after this and though he didn't initiate any intimacy with her, he did hold her close for much of the night.
Setting off early the next morning, Angel Eyes was relieved to get some time to himself, though he would think of his little family while riding the long, lonely trail.
But once it came time to do the job, he'd be all business, his mind totally focused on the task at hand. There was no room for emotions while doing his work.
This job took longer than he'd originally anticipated. The target had apparently gotten wind of the fact that there was a price on his head and hadn't been where Angel Eyes had expected to find him.
But he always found the men he tracked and it was no different with this one, despite taking a few more days to locate him. He came upon the man early one morning camped out by the edge of a stream, far from any town. Wanting to avoid any struggle, he simply shot him as he slept.
Before turning back toward Cactus Flats, he went through the man's pockets, where he found a decent amount of money, both in gold coins and folding money. He also took a gold signet ring the man had been wearing and slipped it into a secret compartment in his saddlebags. He'd send it to the man who'd hired him as proof that he'd completed the job. Unsaddling the man's horse, he slapped it on the rump, with it running in the opposite direction from where he was going.
As he rode toward home, he felt the familiar itch that indicated to him it had been too long since he'd been with a woman. Because of the baby, more than two months had passed since he'd been with Emma. It would probably be safe for him to initiate intimacy with her when he got back, but he was hesitant to do so. He absolutely did not want to get her pregnant again, and though they'd not discussed it, he sensed she was having the same misgivings.
Angel Eyes knew there was protection available to guard against disease that was supposed to help prevent pregnancy as well. He'd been obliged to use such protection a few times when visiting a bordello in the past.
He stopped at a town that had a bordello on the way back, had his itch scratched, and got some of that protection to take home with him, so that he could be with Emma and not have to worry so much about another pregnancy. He also stopped at that town's post office to mail the signet ring on his way out of town.
Three weeks had passed when he finally rode back into Cactus Flats. By the time he rode up the lane leading to his house, he was bone weary, only wanting to rest, relax, and have a good meal.
As he rode by the front door, he heard the baby wailing inside. Sighing, he continued to the barn to unsaddle his horse and give him a rubdown. After seeing to the horse's comfort and and giving him oats and water, he went into the house with his saddlebags over his shoulder.
The baby had stopped crying by this time and was nowhere to be seen as Angel Eyes let his saddlebags drop to the floor in the front room with an audible thump.
Emma appeared in the kitchen doorway, hearing the sound. Her face lit up at the sight of him.
"I was so worried about you when you weren't back within two weeks," she said..
"It took longer than I expected," he explained. "The target apparently found out there was a price on his head, so he ran. I had to track him and it took me a few days to find him." After a pause to light his pipe, he added, "It's not uncommon for things to take longer than originally anticipated and it's nothing to be alarmed about."
"I wish you'd send me a telegram when you run into complications like this," she said. "It would save me a lot of worry."
Angel Eyes did not immediately answer, as he sought to control his temper. He'd never before been expected to justify how he spent his time. Even those who hired him to do their dirty work trusted him to get the job done however he saw fit.
Despite being miffed, he did not wish to lash out at Emma, as he knew she cared about him and meant no harm.
"When I'm working, I can't do anything that would give clues as to my whereabouts that would allow me to be tracked," he informed her with as much patience as he was capable of. "Any time a telegram is sent, at least two people will know the contents of the message, the sending telegraph operator and the receiving one. The sender would also see me and be able to place me in his town. And, from what I've seen, some of the worst gossips are small town telegraph operators."
"Yes, of course you're right," she admitted, crestfallen. "I've just never had to be so careful before. It will take me awhile to learn."
"You just have to trust me," he said, leaning down to give her a peck on the forehead. "I've been doing it for over ten years."
The baby awakened a short time later and after Emma fed him, Angel Eyes spent some time with his son as she cooked supper. He liked when baby Lee wrapped all his tiny fingers around his much larger index finger.
"I need to change his diaper, then put him down to sleep," she said, smiling down at the sight of her baby in his father's arms. "The food is almost ready. We can eat as soon as I come back."
A few minutes later, he quietly moved to stand in the doorway to watch as Emma sang their son a lullaby after she put him into his cradle.
"We sure made a good looking kid, didn't we?" he observed quietly.
"That we did," she replied as she straightened up and joined him as they returned to the kitchen.
While eating a short time later, he told her, "I thought I'd sleep with you tonight. I'm done with sleeping in the spare bedroom."
"Oh?" Emma said. "I thought the baby disturbed your sleeping."
"It's not sleeping I have on my mind tonight," he responded, raising an eyebrow suggestively.
"I was wondering about that," she admitted. "I was beginning to think you weren't attracted to me any longer because I've had a baby."
"That's not it," he said. "I was a bit hesitant because I don't want to make you pregnant again."
"I've been thinking about that, too," she admitted. "What changed your mind?"
"When I was riding home after completing the job, I remembered a type of protection men use to avoid catching certain kinds of diseases," he explained. "I got the idea it might help to avoid pregnancy, too."
Getting up, he went to get a small pouch from his saddlebags. Opening it, he pulled out one of the devices to show Emma.
Giggling a bit as she looked at it, she said, "Oh, I get it. You put it on your…"
"Yes, there," he admitted. "Want to go give it a try?"
"I thought you'd never ask," she replied as he took her hand to lead her to the bedroom.