Chapter 3

Crossroads mission school, Oklahoma

April 1859

Kaylie had finished dusting the pews and stacked the hymnals neatly at the back of the chapel. She had rushed her chores so she could go run outside while it was still sunny. The winter was over, and the sun felt so good as it warmed her skin. She was happy to take a break from kitchen chores, even if it was just temporary to help in the chapel. The work was more laborious, but she got to work with Ike, so it made the day more enjoyable.

Kaylie didn't have any siblings, but if she had, she would have wanted a brother exactly like Ike. Though he couldn't speak, he would write letters on her palm as well as teaching her how to sign so they could communicate. As she walked out of the chapel, she noticed Buck scrubbing the entryway.

She scowled in determined to be nice, if just for Ike. It had been over a month since she first met him, and he wasn't any friendlier than when they first met. She grabbed a dry rag and dipped it into the bucket of lye. Her nose involuntarily scrunched up as she dumped the smelly rag onto the floor and started to scrub alongside Buck.

"I don't need your help," he growled.

"I know," she looked over and smiled. "But the sun will only be out a little longer. If you want to spend any time outside, I'll help you."

She went back to scrubbing the floor and within a few minutes she noticed her hands stinging. She looked over at Buck's hands, noticing they were very red and raw-looking.

"Oh, Buck!" She grabbed him by his sleeve and stood up.

"What are you doing?" His voice was thick with annoyance.

"Buck, your hands! Come with me." Kaylie took his hands in hers and forced him to follow her out to the small creek that ran just beyond the chapel.

"Kaylie, stop, it's fine," Buck protested to some extent, but he was so taken with her concern he didn't have the heart to brush her off like he usually did.

"Buck, you're bleeding." Kaylie gently immersed his hands into the still water that pooled near the edge of the creek. "Keep your hands under the water, I'll be right back."

Buck watched as Kaylie quickly ran back towards the chapel. She was crazy, he thought to himself. Why was she being so nice? No one in this place liked him much, except Ike. But like himself, Ike was an outcast, and Kaylie certainly wasn't.

He'd heard the boys talk about her at night. Over half of them had made it well known what they thought of her. A few minutes later, he saw her walking quickly back over to him. She knelt softly beside him and gently wrapped his hands in the soft fabric.

"Why are you doing this?" Buck looked down at her as she carefully tied the ends together.

"Because your hands are bleeding," she answered plainly. "This should help them heal."

"That's not what I mean." Buck sat back on his haunches.

She was undeniably the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her skin was a delicate ivory, with the lightest sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose and on her cheeks. As she sat intently bandaging his hands, the wind picked up the tips of her long auburn hair, causing the tips to look like they were catching fire from the sun.

Her soft hair cascaded across her neck. Those large brown eyes framed in long black eyelashes were fixated on him. But it was her lush rose-hued lips that had him captivated. What was she doing spending time with him? He frowned and wondered why she was there.

"Why do you do that?" she inquired.

"Do what?"

"Scowl all the time."

"I do not." He raised one of his ebony eyebrows at her in defiance.

"Yes, you do," she laughed. "Just like you're doing right now." She leaned over and pushed his furrowed brows into their natural state. "You don't have to be so tough all the time,"

"Do you ever mind your own business?"

"How did you and Ike meet?" She ignored him completely and threaded her fingers through the grass she had knelt on. "Did you meet here?"

"Yeah," Buck nodded.

"How long did it take him to learn to sign?"

"You always ask this many questions?"

"Sorry," Kaylie huffed, tired of attempting to befriend him. It seemed clear to her that he wasn't interested in talking, so she began to rise to her feet. However, she felt Buck's hand gently grip her arm, halting her movement.

"No I'm sorry. I'm just tiered." Buck said in an apologetic voice, as he gently pulled her back down to sit beside him. "I left the Kiowa, about three, no maybe four years ago now. Wound up here."

"Kiowa? That's what tribe your from?"

"My mother was Kiowa." His jaw clenched.

"Oh." Her eyes were wide and full of curiosity. "Why did you leave home?"

"I didn't belong there." His familiar scowl etched his forehead. "I wanted to learn to read, to fit in with the white world."

"What's the matter?" she asked sincerely.

"I don't think I'll ever belong here either."

"Well, Kaylie smiled. "I'm glad you're here, and I'm sure that Ike is too."

"Thanks," Buck said thoughtfully. Ike was right, she was kind, and it was nice to have someone else to talk to. "I remember the day Ike showed up, it was right after I got here. You know, I didn't even speak to him the first year?"

"Really?"

"I was in town a while back, things got rough, and I got in a fight. Ike stepped in."

"I can't picture it." She laughed lightly with him.

"We've been friends ever since." Buck nodded and smiled.

"Buck! You're chores are not finished young man," Sister Agnes called from the chapel door.

"Thank you for your help," he mumbled and stood up.

"Buck?" Kaylie walked back to the chapel with him. "We're friends, right?" She looked up at him questioningly.

Buck stopped and turned around, but his defenses went down as soon as he looked into her innocent eyes. He was accustomed to seeing fear or loathing in the eyes of others but as he gazed into hers, he found only kindness. He liked the way she looked at him.

"Yeah, we're friends, Kaylie," he gave her a lopsided grin.

"You should smile more often." Kaylie called out as he walked away.

"Why is that?" he tilted his head towards her and squinted against the sun.

"You look nice when you smile," she said simply, a smile gracing her lips. She turned and waved as she shouted from across the meadow. "I'll see you later."

Buck shook his head as he watched her join the other girls in skipping rope. He felt his heart skip a beat and he instantly took a calming breath. Just a friend he chided himself, don't get your hopes up. He slapped his thigh to get the dust off his pants as he walked back to the chapel.

What happened to your hands? Ike signed to Buck.

"Oh, the lye," Buck tried to ignore the oncoming signs, hoping Ike would let it be.

"Kaylie wrapped my hands for me." Buck finally explained.

You and Kaylie are friends now?

"I guess so," Buck smiled.

Be careful, you know Peter likes her too. Ike grinned as he teased his friend.

"Ike, I didn't say I liked her," Buck blushed slightly.

You do.

"Maybe a little." Buck smiled and returned to scrubbing the floor. He knew the bandages didn't help with the pain in his hands but they certainly helped soothe the pain inside him.