Winter's Refuge

Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Two

HEYES

It's good to have the Kid home, even if it is just for a day or so before he leaves for Yuma. He was up at dawn. He told me he was going to practice shooting. He feels slower and sluggish, he said, but I saw his lightning speed return after a few shots. We talked about it yesterday when me and him were grooming some of the horses. That always relaxes the Kid.

"Heyes, I'm gonna practice shootin' tomorrow mornin'. Just wanted you to know in case Aiden told you to watch me or somethin'."

I was glad he couldn't see my face because a flash of worry shot across it. But I know how hard it was to say that to me. The Kid's always had a quiet independent streak, more so since he's gotten out of prison. Aiden had told me to watch out for him, but I don't think that includes watching him shoot. "No, not getting up with the sun. Going to stay in bed and cuddle my wife."

It was quiet for a moment. A soft "Thanks," was my answer.

ASJ*****ASJ

When me and Angie did get up in time for breakfast, the Kid was just coming in after finishing his practice. He still wore his gun and holster. It looks right, him wearing it and he's more comfortable with it on, except when he's working in the blacksmith shop. Auntie had ordered special sweet rolls from Mrs. Kirk to celebrate the Kid's homecoming and the twins going back to school today.

The Kid and Juan have the back of the wagon filled with lumber, saws, hammers, and nails. He plans to drive the twins to school and spend his only day home, before he leaves for Yuma, teaching the school children how to build their own desks. He'll just start with them for forty-five minutes today; that's all Miss Duhamel allowed him. Juan and Arnie will help the kids finish while he is away.

And I have to prepare to go to Cheyenne with Chrissy and Aiden. That's how I'm referring to it - Cheyenne. If I let myself dwell on the word prison, bad dreams will follow.

JED 'KID' CURRY

I appreciated Heyes' trust in me and him not comin' to watch my shootin' practice. I'm thankful for all my friends and their protective watchin' over me. But now I need some time alone. I need to learn if I can rely on myself again. Knowin' no one was hoverin' over me, my concentration was better, my draw was faster, and my aim was true. It's never far from my thoughts that there is still a third hired gun paid to kill me…and I have to be ready.

Listenin' to Martha and Michael's non-stop talkin' all the way to school in Three Birds made me smile, but me and Chrissy had decided this would be a good time for me to talk to them about readin' those dime novels.

"Michael, Martha, remember we said we'd talk today about you readin' those books?" I asked. One rode on either side of me on the bench seat of the wagon.

"Yes, Papa," Martha said, puttin' her arm through mine.

"How many did you read?" I asked, eyes focused on the road ahead.

Martha leaned forward to look at her brother. They seem to know what the other is thinkin', like me and Heyes can do sometimes. Michael answered the question, "Three...each."

"Do you mean you read three different books each, six all together?" I asked. I had hoped their answer would be one.

"Six, Papa," my daughter answered. She's usually contrite when she does wrong, but today she's defiant. And I examined myself for a quiet minute. Why me and Heyes didn't want our kids readin' those books...they weren't much truth in them. They made bein' an outlaw seem fun, heroic and glamorous…and romantic, but I hope they didn't understand too much about that romantic part. So that's what the path I want this discussion to go.

"You know there ain't much truth in them," I said.

"But there's some, Papa," Michael said. "The way the author describes you and Uncle Heyes, it's like he knows you. Your movements, your descriptions, even the way you move and talk, it's you."

I took a deep breath. "That's because he does know us." I knew my answer would cause more questions.

Martha's mountain green eyes, like her ma's, started to sparkle. "Was he part of the Devil's Hole Gang? Did he ride with you?"

"No, he was a hostage and me and Uncle Heyes rescued him. But he was writin' those stories before that."

Chrissy says Michael has my blue eyes, Curry blue eyes. My ma and Heyes' ma were sisters, and they had the same blue eyes. "A hostage? Like Miss Denise and Arnie and Glenn?" he asked.

"What do you know about that?" I demanded too firmly. They ignored my tone.

Martha put her little hand on my knee. "Oh Papa, adults talk in front of kids like we won't hear or understand. But Michael and I listen…and some of it we understand. We're not babies."

"You're right. You're growin' up way too quickly. Want to keep you little and innocent."

"Huh?"

We were gettin' closer to Three Birds and the new school room, and I wanted to finish this conversation now. "Decided the age to check out the dime novels will stay at twelve."

In unison, two voices said, "Aww, Papa."

"But if you pick out one of the dime novels, you can read it out loud to me, your ma, and Heyes, or whoever wants to listen on one condition."

"What's the condition?" Michael asked, suspicious.

"After you read each chapter, we discuss it. And me and Uncle Heyes will tell you what's true and what's made up," I said as we pulled up in front of the school.

"Papa, please let us check them out of the library,"' Martha said, pleadin' with her mountain green eyes.

"I said no." And I felt the value of the word no.

"Papa, did you ever rescue a Cherokee Princess," asked Michael.

"Never even met one."

HEYES

The Kid came home just after noon with Father Patrick and Lom and baby Wayne with him in the wagon. Wayne will stay here while they go to Arizona.

I'm worried about the Kid going there. Prison broke both of us in different ways. But I'm concerned because he's worried about admitting to Lom and especially Preacher he broke their pact. They'll leave first thing tomorrow morning and me and Father Patrick wanted him to make sure Lom knows what happened with the monsignor before they go. So, after the Kid finishes at the school, he and Lom are going to meet with Aiden and Father Patrick. I'm pretty sure Lom knows the Kid broke their pact. He screamed it at Father Patrick THAT night. But Lom then Preacher need to understand the why. Aiden attended those Masses and heard the sermons filled with vengeance that the monsignor had directed at the Kid. He can help explain to Lom. I'm proud that the Kid went back to services the next week; I wouldn't have.

Meanwhile, I'll be leaving the morning after with Chrissy and Aiden to go to Cheyenne. We decided to go straight to the prison that same day and spend that night in the city. We're staying with Dr. Oliver, Miss Nancy, and Stephanie and Steven Rocke. Me and Juan went over everything for Phoenix. We're still looking for another hand. I'm watching Vincent closely. Like I told my partner, Kid Curry is his hero. Didn't tell him, but Jed Curry is mine.

ASJ*****ASJ

I was working on the books for the ranch when a knock on the door broke my concentration.

"Heyes, are we disturbing you?" Angie asked, as she entered with Nettie. When I was in prison, I never dared to even dream that I'd have a wife like her and a son like Sam…and little Nettie.

Standing to kiss her, I said, "Welcome anytime," as I took Nettie from her. She's so alert and her eyes are my ma's blue Curry eyes.

"I want to make sure you are going to be alright going to the prison with Chrissy. You could let Dr. Aiden take her, you know." Angie relaxed into the chair across from me.

"No, I need to go. I'm filling in for the Kid." I lifted Nettie over my head and listened to her happy squeal. "I know where I'm headed and going to do my best not to let it beat me...or Chrissy." The truth is I'm scared of that place, scared of the darkness, scared of the malignant evil there, and scared of what Father Patrick calls my demons. I've had the Kid with me there before to be strong. Now it's my turn to be strong for Chrissy. And I don't want my girls, Angie and Nettie, to worry about me.

She handed me a small tintype of herself when she was younger. "It's a few years old but I thought maybe you could put it in your wallet or keep it near your heart."

Smiling, I told her, "Stay right there." Carrying our daughter, I found Juan with the horses. I handed Nettie to him. "Would you take her in to Auntie? We'll be there in a few minutes."

Angie hadn't moved when I got back to my office. I closed the door and locked it, then took her hand and guided her to the small couch by the supplies. Looking in her eyes, I marvel at the love I see there…I kissed her gently, then with more passion. "Don't need a picture of you to remember this," I said.

She giggled and we made relaxed afternoon love right there.

JED 'KID' CURRY

Lom understood why I broke the pact, but not why I didn't tell him the reason before this instead of lettin' it fester inside of me.

I looked down. I didn't know how to explain. "I thought Monsignor Lance was right and I had no chance at redemption. Sorry, sir, I know better now," I answered.

"Sir?" exploded Lom. "Sir?"

Aiden touched my arm. "Jed, what were you thinking just now?"

"Rememberin' some of the things Lance said…and the look in his eyes," I answered truthfully.

Father Patrick reached out and touched my arm. "Jed, Lance was wrong. He took the words of our Lord and twisted them…and left out the most important part, His mercy and forgiveness."

I looked at Lom as I let the words sink in. "I know better now. But I still broke our pact."

"Thank goodness you did," Aiden exclaimed. I listened to his first sermon and refused to go back until Father Patrick returned. I do blame myself for not realizing the effect his words might have on you. I wasn't listening too well. I was playing peek-a-boo with Ajay."

Lom nodded. "Have you returned to Sunday Mass again, Kid?"

"Ah, no. But I done a lot of talkin' with Father Patrick. Hope that counts for somethin' with Preacher."

HEYES

Lom has always been a welcome visitor at Phoenix but this time all the ladies, including Martha, Joy, and Ruth Ann, just wanted to hold and play with Wayne. I could tell by the Kid's easy smile that all was well with Lom. He left soon after and went to work in the blacksmith shop. I followed him down.

"Kid, I inventoried the stock of horseshoes and Rocky's got plenty to last until you return. Been starting to get compliments on his work," I told him, as he opened the gate and closed it behind us.

And I surprised the Kid with the new addition me and Rocky started on the back of the shop. Can't really see it from Curry Road and for now it's just three of those pull-out walls like are on the original forge, but I told the Kid to use his imagination.

"We're going to build a small forge here, using the other side of the same chimney and bricks you already have. And your anvil will be here…it'll be that smaller one you use when you are making lock parts. And a work desk for you over here," I said, pointing around the empty room.

The Kid had a smile that reached to his eyes. "Thank you. But got a lot of work to catch up and a lot of time to teach Rocky."

"He found those blacksmithing books Lom sent you in prison. His reading is still not good, but he's been sitting with Angie. He's anxious to read those books and learn," I told him.

"Heyes, I told Chrissy if you wait a week, I'll take her to see her brother," the Kid offered. I could tell he was sincere, but also know the toll two prison visits might take on him.

"I got it, partner. I'm healing and Aiden will be there. I'm trying to think of it as a challenge, a test of how I can handle myself when the darkness threatens. And I know it will threaten." I had planned my answer and repeated it to myself so many times that I half believed it. "More worried about you, Kid."

"Lom understood why I broke the pact, but not sure Preacher will. When you're locked in prison, you count on little things like a pact with friends. Don't want to give him an excuse to start drinkin' again." The Kid was serious. "Got a couple of things I want to talk to Father Patrick about while we're on the trains…things that are botherin' me. Things that might pull me down again…those demons he talks about."

His words scared me. "Kid, then you shouldn't go." I reached out and put my arm on his shoulder.

"Heyes, I got to go. Got to face up to these demons. I got Father Patrick, Lom…and maybe Preacher to look after me."

And I realized that for Kid the demons would be coming at him from all sides…guilt for breaking the pact with Preacher, but he also told me about how he felt unworthy of freedom when entering Yuma Prison as a free man, feeling he still belongs there. It was hard for him to listen to those imprisoned there call him a hero.

"Kid, I need you to do me a favor. Don't hold anything inside. Talk to Lom and Father Patrick like…like…"

"Like?" he asked, looking right at me.

"Was going to say like you talk to me. But you didn't talk to me, not really. Not until the last few days." I couldn't keep the hurt from my voice.

"I'm sorry, Heyes, so sorry." I could see his eyes getting wet. "I wasn't talkin' to the one person who could always help me. Thank you for that…from the time we were little you were always there."

"Still am, partner," I told him. "Be careful in Yuma."

"I promise. And you take care in Cheyenne."