Winter's Refuge
Chapter Eighty-Eight
JED 'KID' CURRY
Each lost in his own thoughts, me and Dr. Aiden Arden rode away from the Wyomin' Territorial Prison in silence.
"You can relax, Jed. Even if you turn around, you can't see the prison anymore," Aiden told me.
Instinctively, I turned around. He was right, the dark prison buildin' was gone. I didn't intend to but let out a loud sigh and covered my face with my hands.
"Matt's better than expected. He's conformed to prison life quickly," Aiden said.
"Chrissy always said he was a follower, not a leader. He wasn't strong enough to go against his brothers," I said.
"He's going to have to be strong to survive now. So far, he just goes along. Didn't fight until he was attacked and then he fought like a wild cougar," Aiden said.
I couldn't stand it any longer. "Stop the buggy…gonna be sick."
I hate to show anyone how visitin' Matt unsettled me. I ran into the trees and was sick out of sight of the road. I knew I was near a stream. Even though the water made me shiver, I splashed my face. I didn't care that my hair, jacket, and shirt got wet. Washin' the prison smell off of me, I kept hittin' my face with water until Aiden approached.
"Jed, perhaps you should stop," he said in a tone that I recognized as professional, but it got through to me and I sat back on the wet bank. And started to shake with the cold.
"Aiden, I don't want Chrissy to visit Matt. Not in that place."
"Chrissy has a determined mind of her own. She's been there before. It's her decision to go. But let's get you to the buggy."
As we walked, he kept talkin' and I was silent, embarrassed.
"Take your wet jacket off and wrap up in this blanket. I need to get you to Cheyenne quickly."
"Sorry, Aiden." I tried to say more but even with the blanket, which was now wet, the cold moved inside me and it was hard to talk through chatterin' teeth.
"Sorry for what, Jed? Being human? Letting me see that you aren't perfect? Can you tell me what you were doing?"
I know he was tryin' to keep me talkin', keep me awake, so I answered, "Washin' out my mouth and then washin' my face."
"And then?"
Before I could answer, a wave of cold swept through my body. I needed help to climb into the buggy.
"Hold on. Keep talking to me. Less than five miles from my house."
But my body trembled so hard that I let out a cry and leaned forward, pullin' the blanket tighter around me. Aiden stopped the wagon and took off his long coat.
"Use the blanket to dry your hair and take off your shirt."
I realized that the front and the long sleeves of my shirt and my pants were wet and holdin' the freezin' water to my skin.
Aiden draped his coat over my shoulders. "This won't fit you, but it's better than your wet clothes. I'm going to drive straight home as fast as this buggy can take us. Keep talking to me. What happened after you rinsed your face in the stream?"
""I wanted…I wanted to get rid of the smell of the prison. Didn't want Chrissy to smell it on me. And then…" I stopped to think about it. "…then I couldn't stop. And I couldn't control the pain, the pain in my back, in my shoulder." The coat was too small, but it was dry and warm inside where it had been next to Aiden's clothes.
"Pain from the cold?"
"No, pain's always there. Back pain gets worse when I work on my feet in the forge for too long. That's why I only work 'til noon. When I sit down and do the close work I love, pain across the shoulders is almost unbearable when I try to straighten up. That's why I don't leave until everyone goes back to the house."
"I can give you something for the pain."
I was shocked I had told him about the pain. No one knows about the pain, not Heyes, not Chrissy. But now I've told Aiden. "Don't even know why I told you about it 'cept the wet cold makes it all worse. And don't want your laudanum." I thought for a moment. "But I don't know why I kept splashin' water on my face. It didn't even feel cold."
"It's a compulsive behavior." Aiden suddenly sounded very distant and clinical. I looked over at him. He was concentratin' on drivin'. We were bouncin' and I'm bettin' that buggy has never moved that fast.
With my head up, I didn't feel as sick. I concentrated on breathin' which was becomin' harder every minute. I knew I was awake, but I couldn't listen to Aiden as he droned on.
And then I woke up in a warm place, face flushed but body cold and I started to cough…and couldn't stop.
"Denise, roll him on his side." Aiden's voice sounded aways away.
I felt her hands move under my shoulder and touch my back, my naked back. I was naked all over.
I managed to turn and push her hands away. Through coughin' that wouldn't stop, I said, "Don't…don't touch me." I pulled the blanket that had been over me closer around me. My coughin' refused to calm and I felt it comin' from deep in my body.
Aiden was beside me sayin', "Sorry Jed, forgot you were naked. Denise, go make him something hot to drink…make it willow bark tea."
I was on the couch in Aiden's livin' room and strugglin' to sit up. He helped me. He sat next to me, pattin' my back lightly.
"Like to hit harder to help clear that cough," he said to me as I clung to the blanket and launched into another prolonged cough, almost chokin'.
"If it will help, do it."
Before I could think about it, he pounded my back hard three times. "OW!" I screamed. And then was embarrassed I had shown my pain. But it helped, I gulped in air…and stopped coughin'.
"Mr. Curry, here's your tea. Can I get you anything else?" Miss Denise handed me tea I knew would be bitter. "I put some honey in it to make it sweeter."
Aiden smiled at her. "Thanks, Denise. I think that's all for tonight."
Weak as I was, I caught a look between them.
"Jed, lean back on the pillows. I want you half sitting up. You won't cough as much."
"Can I have my clothes back?"
"Your travel bag is over there. You strong enough to get dressed by yourself?" the doctor asked.
I didn't answer but stood up to get the bag. But I couldn't. A few inches off the bed, I fell right back, shiverin' again. "Aiden?"
"Your body's still trying to get warm and I think you got bronchitis; maybe I can stop the pneumonia. You need rest. Tonight is critical." He found my extra long johns in my bag and started to dress me like a baby. I hated that I could not do it by myself, and I was thankful for a friend like Aiden. I had restless sleep, my head too hot, then my body too cold….and always the coughin'. And always Aiden was there. Wipin' the sweat from my forehead and tuckin' blankets around me. And forcin' water and bitter tastin' medicine in me.
Sometime in the night I remember tellin' him, "Aiden, got to take the train home tomorrow. Chrissy will worry and I got a lot of work to do."
I don't remember his reply, just that it was patient.
When I woke up in the mornin', he was gone, the fire in the hearth was dyin', and I wasn't coughin'. Needin' to use the chamber pot, I sat up tentatively. I wasn't dizzy or sick and my breathin' was easy.
This wasn't the livin' room, and I was in a bed not on the couch. This was not the same room. How did I get here? There was no pot under the bed, so I stood up rememberin' he had a water closet fancier than the one at Phoenix.
Gettin' to my feet, I stood for a minute to steady myself.
"Well, Mr. Curry, you've finally woken up," Miss Denise said, enterin' the room. "Aiden will be so relieved."
He was behind her in the doorway lookin' as if he hadn't slept all night. I felt guilty that he had lost a night's sleep tendin' me.
"Jed, let me help you." He knew where I was headin'. I didn't think I needed help until my knees started to buckle under me. He was there with a shoulder to lean on.
ASJ*****ASJ
At the doctor's orders, Miss Denise fixed me a breakfast of plain eggs and dry toast and a large glass of water. And had her serve it to me in bed. I thought I was hungry but only managed to nibble on the toast.
Aiden came in when I was eatin'. "You're feeling better today."
"Yes, thanks. I remember you sittin' up with me last night. Sorry you had to do that. What time is it? Got to catch the train home today."
"Need to rest another day before you can travel," Aiden said, settlin' into a chair in the corner of the bedroom.
"You and Miss Denise move me here last night?"
"Actually, Oliver helped me the night you came here. We were quite worried about you."
"You mean you moved me here last night, right? And what do you mean another day's rest?" I asked, food forgotten, this conversation was confusin' me. I was very tired.
"Jed, you've been here for five nights. And drink that whole glass of water. Don't worry, I've been in contact with Chrissy and Heyes. They're worried about you, but I told them I'd take care of you."
"Five nights. Five nights?" I'd missed five or maybe six days of workin' in the blacksmith shop and fixin' the fence that I said I'd help Juan repair. Gone were five days with Chrissy, Martha, Michael, and Joy that I'd never got back. I lost five days of ranch work with the horses and helpin' Heyes with the accountin'. And five days of shootin' and fast draw practice. I'd failed my family, those that depend on me. Auntie's house had to be finished this week; Marina and Jose Ortiz are stayin' there when they come for the weddin'. It needs paintin' inside and out, the porch repaired, furniture built, windows installed and so much more. And I'm not there to do it. Heyes will try, I know, but there's too much work for him as he'll try to pick up some of my ranch chores, too. How could I let this happen?
"Yes, Jed, five nights. Were you coughing when you came to Cheyenne?"
"Yeah, always cough near the forge but it's been worse the last week. I woke up at night coughin'."
"I thought so. You were already ill before. And now you've been very sick, and I blame myself. I should have gone with you when you said you were sick in the buggy. You wouldn't have gotten so wet and so cold. That caused serious complications that I could have avoided."
"When can I go home? I need to go home," I asked, suddenly worried and depressed.
"How do you feel?"
My eyes were closin' and it was an effort to pay attention. "Tired. Think I'll just rest for a while."
HEYES
The Kid had just left that morning and we weren't expecting him home until the next afternoon. Arnie and Glen helped out on their first day and everything was running smoothly. I was surprised to see young Curtis Birde riding up our road that evening.
"Mr. Heyes, is Mrs. Curry here? Got an important telegram for her."
I could hear Auntie inside the house say, "Oh dear," then louder, "I'll get Chrissy right now."
He handed me the telegram but I didn't want to take it. A telegram that the telegraph operator thinks is important enough to send out to the ranch right away could only be bad news.
I don't carry money, but Juan was coming over to see what was wrong. He saw the telegram and the look on my face. He knows I don't carry no money.
"Here, let me get the tip, Heyes. Here's Miss Chrissy."
"Uncle Frank said I should wait for a reply," Curtis told us.
Chrissy looked to me before she took the telegram. She sat in one of the rocking chairs and I looked over her shoulder so I could read the telegram at the same time. It was from Dr. Arden.
"Mrs. Christina Curry
Phoenix Ranch
Three Birds, Nebraska
Miss Chrissy,
I'm sorry to tell you that Jed has taken sick with pneumonia. He is being well taken care of and I will let you know of any changes in his condition.
I visited your brother with him and the visit went fine.
Dr. Aiden Arden"
Chrissy looked at me with tears in her eyes. "Jed cough all night before he left. He go because Chrissy ask him."
I knew it was bad when she referred to herself by name. I needed to be strong for her no matter how worried I am.
"He knows how it feels to be locked up with no visitors that care," I told her. "And, yes, he did it so you could stay home with the baby…his baby. I've nursed him through pneumonia before; he'll be alright."
She stood up and hugged me tight. "We keep everything running good here so not worry. Tell Dr. Arden in telegram."
I wrote out her answer and gave it to Curtis to have sent. "Sure sorry about Mr. Curry. If there's anything I can do, just let me know." He rode away without waiting for a tip for having the telegram sent.
When I went in the house, Chrissy was sitting at the kitchen table with Auntie and Ken. "Heyes, help," she ordered. "Sit."
They were making a list of everything that the Kid does around the ranch each day.
"I'll take the twins to school in the wagon." Auntie was pointing at the list. "Marshal Ken can do this. And this can wait."
We spent the next hour making the list, revising it, and still we were coming up with things that the Kid did every day. I don't know how he did it all and he never complained.
"Oh, and he read story to Martha and Michael at bedtime." Chrissy added it to the long list.
"I would like to do that for him."
She wrote my name next to the line. "Good."
Juan came into the kitchen and added his name to a few of the tasks. "Not saying I'll do them myself, but between Rudy, Glen, Arnie, and me will get them done. Might be able to take more, too."
And in my mind, I gave myself another task, to take care of Chrissy, Martha, Michael, and Joy for the Kid.
ASJ*****ASJ
Well, Curtis Birde must have told everyone in town and everyone wanted to help. Young Brian and Scott Birde showed up at Phoenix just after sunrise and milked the cows and gathered all the eggs. Miss Hortencia came out with them and stayed to help Auntie and Chrissy around the house.
Auntie was just getting the twins ready for school when Miss Duhamel arrived in her buggy to take them to school. "I know you have a lot to do, and I thought I'd save you some time," she told Auntie.
Sheriff Frank and his nephew Jeff Birde arrived after ten with their wives and dishes of food, so much food. The ladies huddled at the kitchen table, and we went to walk through Auntie's house. The Kid had intended on finishing it in the evenings this week. We made of list of things left to do to make it habitable for the Ortiz.
Paint the outside lemon yellow per Auntie.
Paint the inside.
Fix and reinforce the porch and add a hand railing.
Build a large kitchen table.
Finish the bricks on the inside of the fireplace and test it. Make sure enough wood is cut for their stay.
Varnish the floors.
Install the windows and maybe window boxes.
Pick up Auntie's furniture she had sent to Bridgeport.
And that didn't include getting the front pasture ready for the rehearsal dinner.
"Don't do anything today, Heyes. We'll be back tomorrow with supplies and help you with it," Jeff had said. "Looks like the ladies are ready to go home."
When they'd left, I went to the kitchen thinking about Auntie's muffin that I had smelled cooking. She and Chrissy were sitting at the table looking stunned.
"Beverly took charge of everything for my house – curtains, linen, quilts," said Auntie. "Said they owed Jed that and so much more."
Smiling, Chrissy added, "Beverly bossy."
JED 'KID' CURRY
When I woke up, Miss Denise was sittin' in the chair readin'. I stared at her through sleep-filled eyes for a few minutes before she looked up.
"Mr. Curry, you're awake. Would you like some water?"
I'd been sleepin' half sittin' up so I started to push myself to sit up straight. "Yes, ma'am. I sure am thirsty."
She handed me a half-filled glass of water and I wondered at the shakin' in my hands. "Don't worry about the shaking, you're very weak. You haven't had anything to eat except what soup we could get into you for days. Aiden will be back momentarily; he went to send a telegram to your wife that you're going to be fine."
"I want to go home tomorrow," I said. I didn't add that I needed to go home. I had let my family down by bein' sick. I was despondent. (Heyes would smile that I used that word.)
"Well, that's up to Doctor Arden," she said, leavin' the room and me to my thoughts.
ASJ*****ASJ
Aiden is goin' to come with me to Bridgeport. I've spent the last day restin', eatin', and readin'. I haven't had time to read in a very long time and forgot how much I enjoy it. But I've been gone long enough, and Aiden sent a telegram that we would be startin' to Phoenix on the train tomorrow mornin'.
"You won't be riding that horse of yours home, Jed. You're much too weak. I'll rent a buggy and we'll tie him to the back."
"Yes, Doctor," I told him. I didn't tell him that I agreed with him. I'm weak and dizzy every time I stand up. But if I tell him that, he will make me wait another day and I need to get home.
ASJ*****ASJ
I stood straight and kept lookin' ahead as we boarded the train.
"Jed, this is going to tax your strength. I wired your friend, Mike Loveland, the man who owns the newspaper. He said he'd welcome you to rest there after our train arrives."
I didn't say anything but closed my eyes and leaned my head against the window. I don't think I woke up the whole trip. Aiden touched my shoulder as the conductor called out, "Bridgeport!" I need to concentrate. I feel as if my legs will collapse underneath me. I steady myself and say, "Well, looks like we're about to visit Mike and Mike Junior." I reached for my bag and felt my world sway as the floor of the railcar met my shoulder.
ASJ*****ASJ
Voices reached my consciousness. My shoulder ached. I tried to concentrate on the voices. I'm sure it was Aiden and Mike, but they weren't in the room with me, so they were muffled.
"WHY did you let him travel, Doctor? He's clearly not recovered. And he's lost a lot of weight." Mike was speakin' loud and sounded angry.
"You know Jed well enough to know that he's stubborn."
"I do. He's worried about his family," Mike said.
"Heyes and Chrissy keep saying that everything is under control and taken care of at home and he should rest and recover." Aiden's voice was stressed and I realized he had lost a lot of sleep takin' care of me.
"Jed has many friends that I know would help out."
"That's the problem. In Jed's mind, I'm afraid he'll see that as his failure that he couldn't do it himself. Or worse yet, that they're just doing it to pay off a debt they owe him. Either one is self-destructive. Jed is a good man that people respect. He just doesn't see himself that way. Maybe you can help him to believe that?" Aiden sounded sad but he was probably just tired.
"I will. And he can rest here. You two won't be leaving here until after the noon train arrives tomorrow. That's when Auntie's furniture and things are arriving here. They've been delayed more than once. Heyes telegram asked me to bring it as soon as it came so me and my son will be leaving then."
"Thanks for letting Jed and I accompany you."
Aiden was right, though, if people came to help out while I was gone it was because they feel they owe me somethin' or want somethin' from me. Nobody owes me anything. I'm just an ex-convict who robbed trains and banks, workin' hard to be accepted in a small-town community.
HEYES
The next day was Friday and Phoenix became a hive of activity. Everyone wanted to help the Kid. He has made a lot of good friends. I hope he understands that.
Brian and Scott Birde were there again at the break of dawn. All three Birde brothers, Frank, Fred and Felix, arrived with their families and wives a few hours later. Jeff Birde brought a shade of paint called lemon that made Auntie's eyes dance as she clapped her hands. Ken supervised the painting."
Mr. Crenshaw said he owed Jed Curry for saving the kids' lives at their barn raising. I don't remember that but I have no doubt the Kid was a hero. Crenshaw brought his older sons and a bucket of nails. Arnie moved the glass for the windows from the barn, where it was safely stored, to Auntie's house without stepping on the porch.
There were men I'd never seen working to repair and reinforce the porch. I found the metal handrail the Kid had made in the forge. He even worked a sun into the pattern. The ladies were sewing and cleaning and cooking and I let them order me around as they figured out how they were going to set up the rehearsal dinner a week from today in our pasture. That was a mistake. They each had an idea of what they wanted, and I was moving things here and there and measuring until Chrissy yelled, "STOP! No good."
They all stopped and looked at her. She smiled. "Bride decide."
That ended it as the woman closed around the blushing Miss Hortencia.
Saturday so many men and boys arrived with hammers and nails that Chrissy had them repair the broken window in the backdoor of our house and build extra stalls in the stable for an expanded breeding season this year.
And everywhere there was food and people working together. I wished the Kid could see how much he means to these people. Even Mr. Wyatt brought two large jugs of his wife's "sun" tea mixed with lemonade when he stopped by ever so quickly just to say "good job" before he turned his buggy around and left.
I tried to be everywhere but especially I tried to keep track of the kids. Joy was a favorite and every time I saw her, another lady was holding her. She smiled and cooed and liked all the attention. I do not. I do not like all these people being here. Not at the ranch. Not in our house. I know they are helping but they make me anxious, nervous. I want to run to Solteria and hide until they leave and take all their noise with them.
I think Chrissy understands.
"Heyes, come," she called as I walked into the house at midday.
She was surrounded by women and children, including Martha and Michael, who I noticed were playing poker with their friends. Well, it wasn't school, so I guess it's okay.
Chrissy handed me Joy. "Fed, changed. Too noisy, no sleep. Take her in your room so quiet."
I have been wanting to hide in my room all day but I'm trying to be good. I cuddled the baby to me. "You sure?"
The way she looked at me she knew I needed the quiet as well as my niece. "Yes. Good. Go!"
Closing my bedroom door, I found my sanctuary. Having Joy Christina to rock to sleep kept me from running any further.
JED 'KID' CURRY
I was glad for the rest that day and woke up the next mornin' with something ticklin' my closed eyelid. I reached out and caught a toddler's hand in mine. He smiled and cackled like only a happy child can do.
"Shhh. Uncle Jed's sleeping," Mike's voice drifted in from the hall.
"Not anymore." I grabbed the baby and started ticklin' him. Loud laughter resulted with cries of "More, more."
A child's laughter is good for the soul. I read that somewhere and I'm findin' it true now. I sat on the side of the bed and was able to dress myself as the toddler ran in and out of the room. Mike was surprised when I made my way to the small kitchen. Smilin', I asked, "Coffee?"
"And eggs, bacon, and biscuits from the diner. Help yourself."
"Thought I'd help you get Auntie's furniture from the station," I said without lookin' at him. "Heard she had some big pieces comin' and she won't want them scratched."
I hadn't seen Aiden in the corner with his coffee readin' the paper. "Jed, I…"
Mike cut him off. "Be glad of the help long as you promise to tell me if you get tired."
ASJ*****ASJ
It felt good to be useful. "Sorry, you had to do this, Mike. I'd planned to do it myself."
"Don't be sorry. Been wantin' to visit your ranch. Mikey and I are lookin' forward to seein' the horses…and I think we'll probably crash that weddin' I heard about."
Auntie's armoire was heavier than I thought. Chrissy calls Mike a man mountain and she's not far from wrong. We each took an end and eased it out of the train car. My arms started shakin' from the weight until I felt it tilt toward Mike. All I needed to do was take a minimum of weight to balance it and guide it towards the large wagon Mike had rented.
He let out a deep breath when it was down securely. "Thanks, Jed. Couldn't have done that without you."
I gave him a sideways look.
"Mean it. Just a little too heavy for me and I doubt the doctor could have helped like you did."
HEYES
The Kid's coming home today, riding with Big and Little Mike, Dr. Arden, and Auntie's furniture. Except for the furniture, everything is done at the house. He was going to make some latches and hinges for the windows, but Jeff brought some from the mercantile that the Kid had made for sale, and they worked fine. Auntie keeps exclaiming over the detail on the latches. I have to remember to tell the Kid, but I think Auntie will beat me to it.
I'm grateful for all the help we've gotten but I'm also worried about how the Kid will react.
"Chrissy, have you thought what the Kid will think about all this work done while he was gone?" I asked her one night as I was sittin' by the fire with Joy so she could read.
She went silent and, worse than that, stared at the corner of the room. I asked her once where she went when she did that. She didn't understand and answered, "I escape and think alone."
She was doing that now. She used to do it almost all the time but it's seldom now. So, I knew I asked her something important.
"Jed be polite, thank everyone," she started talking slowly and quietly. Then she was silent again. "Maybe he tell you, maybe he tell me, but he be sad he couldn't do himself."
I nodded and moved the baby to my shoulder as she was falling asleep. "I came to the same conclusion. What can we do?"
"Not worry over him sick. He thinks too strong to get sick."
"He was sick bad at least once every winter until we went to…to…to prison." I don't even like to say that word.
"We make sure he know he missed. Know needed. Have work only Jed can do waiting," Chrissy answered. Sometimes she is very wise.
"There's a lot of work waiting in the blacksmith shop," I told her.
"NO. Things for us…for family."
"When he sees Auntie's house, he won't say anything, but to us he will criticize the work. What if I tell him I saw some shoddy workmanship, and could he fix it before the Ortiz arrive?"
"Good. yes. Truth, twins no go to bed good without him flying them around the room," she added. I smiled. I had tried to pick each one up and fly them around in front of me, but I'm not strong enough.
Joy let out a contented sound in her sleep. "Time for her to go to bed," I said. I enjoy this nighttime ritual.
I'm looking forward to the Kid returning home. It's been hard worrying long distance but, like Aiden agreed, he is broken and I want him to heal, not shatter into more pieces.