December 2023 Challenge

Sweet Sixteen

A sweaty, tired pair of teenagers were finishing a sunrise to sunset workday fixing fences for the Tumbling One ranch in southwestern Colorado. This ranch hired hands only eighteen-years-old and older. Hannibal Heyes had reached that milestone age last month, a few days before they were hired. The harder job was convincing the foreman, Louis Weber, that the baby-faced fifteen-year-old Jed Curry was eighteen.

Heyes used his practiced smile. "He looks young, sir, but he's the same age as me. A month older, in fact," Heyes lied easily to the foreman. Finding work had been hard for them since leaving Valparaiso. They were willing to do almost anything but jobs for boys were hard to find, especially since Jed looked so young. So Heyes tried something they had used before with success.

"He still don't look eighteen to me so I'm not hiring him," Weber growled, looking at the skinny blond kid closer.

"Wait 'til you see him use that gun. You'll know he's at least eighteen." Heyes used an argument that had worked for them before to convince people that Jed was older. And it worked again. Foreman Weber was amazed at Jed's speed and accuracy. So, they'd been working for him for three weeks trying not to draw attention to them. But that changed one day in town.

The teenage cousins spent their first Saturday afternoon off in the nearby town of Crawford's Bend. Jed thought they were going to stock up on supplies like bullets and canned peaches. But Heyes had another idea that Jed was adamantly refusing.

"Heyes, I don't want no upstairs saloon girl for my sixteenth birthday tomorrow. Heck, I ain't never really even kissed a girl more than a peck on the cheek."

"I seen you looking them saloon girls over…and them returning your looks," argued Heyes.

Sighing, Jed turned away and pretended to study the candy on the counter. Without making eye contact, he mumbled, "Had the notion that my first real kiss wouldn't be paid for." Blushing, he added louder, "Meet you outside."

Heyes knew his younger cousin well enough not to follow him out. Instead, he started looking around the mercantile for a different birthday gift for Jed.

Leaning against a pillar outside the store, Jed watched as their foreman pulled up in a wagon in front of the church hall. In the back were the three daughters of the ranch owner. Jed had seen them at a distance from the porch of the bunkhouse or the stables, but never closer than that. From the talk in the bunkhouse, he knew there were fifteen-year-old twins as different as day from night. Leora Jane was blond, outgoing, with dark eyes that one of the hands had described as sparkling dark orbs of mystery. Black-haired, green eyes Leana Joan was reserved, but when she smiled, she lit up a room…and a few ranch hands hearts. Deanna was two years younger and a combination of her older sisters. And it was understood that all three were off limits to the ranch hands.

Jed enjoyed studying people and now he watched Foreman Weber help each girl from the wagon. Looking around protectively, his brow wrinkled in concern. It was obvious to Jed that he didn't see what he was searching for.

Weber knocked on the church hall door. No answer. He tried the door. Locked. The girls had wandered away. Two were admiring dresses in the milner's windows. The foreman couldn't see the third.

"Ladies, get back here right now…please. Stay by the wagon," he ordered, but Jed heard an undertone of frustration in his tone Weber searched the street for the missing girl…and his eyes fell on Curry across the street.

"Jed, get over here. Need your help."

Remembering his cousin had cautioned him about attracting any attention, he took a quick look in the mercantile for Heyes. Not seeing him, he strolled across the street in response to his boss' orders.

"Jed, watch these two girls while I find the other one."

Jed looked at the girls, who giggled at him and smiled at each other.

"The other twin was looking into the saloon window," Jed said, without taking his eyes off the girls.

Without a word but with a stricken look on his face, Weber ran toward the saloon.

Standing in front of the gigglers, Jed crossed his arms over his chest. They made him nervous and knowing they were ordered to stay away from these young girls increased his nerves. He had no idea what to say to them and wished Heyes was standing next to him. He'd know what to say.

He glanced down the block and saw Weber march into the saloon.

"You're one of the new hands, aren't you?" the younger girl, Deanna, asked.

"Yes." He shuffled from foot to foot but said nothing.

"We're here for the church social but the door is locked."

Looking at the poster next to the door, he grinned. "That's coz it ain't until tomorrow." He pointed behind them.

"Oh no!"

"Father will never let us come here two days in a row!"

They were devastated, but their attention was drawn to someone behind Jed. He turned quickly to see three rough-looking drifters approaching.

"Well, lookie here, ain't you pretty ladies all gussied up," the man missing a front tooth and a leer on his face said.

Jed stood right in front of the girls.

"Maybe you'd like to be with real men, not that baby-faced boy with you. We'd show you a REAL good time," the tall man with his gun tied down on his hip added.

Jed calmed his nerves and took his gunfighter's stance. His heart beat faster but he was determined not to let these men harm the girls. "Don't come any closer," he attempted to growl, his voice caught but the threat still came through.

"Step aside, boy. You're out of your league here."

"Think it's you that are out of your league. Leave these ladies alone."

The men laughed. "Guess we got to show you how a real man draws a gun. Your choice, boy. Step aside or draw. And know that I don't miss when I draw." His companions laughed but stepped aside.

"I ain't known for missin' either." Jed dried his palm on his shirt and concentrated on the man's eyes. He'd been in this situation before, usually defending Heyes after someone accused him of cheating at poker. He didn't notice the quiet on the street as everyone became aware of what was happening. Exiting the mercantile, Heyes took a deep breath. He stood behind a post where his cousin couldn't see him. He knew if it had gone this far, there was no stopping it.

Down the street, Weber, with a strong grip on Leora's arm, came out of the saloon and stopped. He was too far away to help.

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Leora.

"Quiet," he whispered and pulled her back into the building in case bullets started flying. "Stay right here," he told her as he left and headed toward the confrontation in the street. He walked close to the buildings to not be seen.

The gunman snarled, "Well, boy, make up your mind. I ain't got all day."

"I never draw first," Jed announced, unperturbed. He knew from the man's eyes when he finally made the decision to draw. Saw the flick as his hand started to his gun…and Jed drew his first. The other man's gun was only halfway out of his holster.

Jed heard the collective intake of breath from everyone there but kept his gun on the men in front of him.

"Now, leave these girls alone!"

His opponent wasn't leaving, but his two friends encouraged him to leave this and go to the saloon saying the girls there weren't so much trouble.

Without thinking, Jed twirled his gun before he put it away…and realized that everyone on the street was coming toward him. He checked on the girls behind him and was shocked when he was wrapped in their hugs of thanks. First, Deanna gave him a kiss on the check. "My hero!"

Then Leana kissed him right on the lips. It felt nice and when she stopped, he looked her in the eyes. Seeing encouragement, he lifted her chin with a finger and proceeded to kiss her deeply.

"Jed!" Heyes touched him on the shoulder. They broke apart just as Weber approached them.

"What was that?" Weber asked.

Not sure if their foreman was talking about the gunfight or the kiss, Heyes winked at his cousin and said, "Looks like a job well done to me."

ASJ*****ASJ

The bunkhouse was empty with all the hands enjoying the rare Saturday afternoon off. But Hannibal Heyes and Jed Curry were sitting at the table continuing the argument that had started on the way home. They had left directly after the gunfight. Heyes knew Jed needed time to process what had happened and he couldn't do that in the crowd that had gathered. Weber had agreed that the girls could go to the cafe for a quick piece of cake.

"Jed, what part of 'keep a low profile-don't do anything to stand out' don't you understand?" Heyes repeated.

"Had to obey the foreman when he called me over and sure didn't start the gunfight but wasn't about to let those men touch the girls."

"Well, now people are gonna start to question if you're eighteen again and we'll probably lose a good job," Heyes lamented. "Not to mention you kissed the owner's daughter."

"Sorry, but it ain't my fault."

Heyes looked at his partner and smiled broadly. "But you were right about something. You didn't need to pay for your first real kiss."

Blushing, Jed grinned. "Sure was nice." But then a thought crossed his mind. "Guess we might have to leave at that. I know us ranch hands ain't allowed near those girls."

A knock on the bunkhouse door startled them. Nobody knocks on the door, they just come in. Privacy doesn't exist here.

Heyes opened the door and stepped back in surprise. The owner and his three daughters stood there.

"May we come in?" the owner asked.

Shocked, Heyes just opened the door wide and stepped back so they could enter.

Jed jumped to his feet. "Sir. Miss." He nodded at the visitors.

The girls' eyes were taking in the whole room that had always been forbidden to them, finally looking at Jed.

"Don't think I've ever met you two. I'm Owen Tumbler."

Heyes spoke for both of them. "Yes, sir, we know, sir. I'm Hannibal Heyes and this is Jed Curry."

"I know who you are." He looked closer at the blond. "You sure you're eighteen?"

Jed felt his heart beat faster. He didn't want to lie but he needed this job. "Y–yes, sir," he said, without making eye contact.

"Oh, Papa, just ask him," Leora said.

"Yes, dear." Tumbler laughed as he hugged his daughter. "Jed, we would like you to join our family at Sunday dinner tomorrow. I hear you were very brave in protecting my daughters. Hannibal, you are invited, too."

Heyes answered, "Thank you, sir. We would be honored to…"

"Sir, it's real nice you invitin' us to dinner, but tomorrow is the church social that your daughters were tryin' to attend today."

Heyes looked at him in amazement. Turning down a dinner invitation from the ranch owner just wasn't done if you wanted to keep your job.

Tumbler looked at his daughters. "Is this true? You didn't tell me you missed your dance." He pretended to growl but it was obvious he was teasing.

Heyes thought the girls looked a bit embarrassed and it made them look cuter. Of course, they were too young for his advanced eighteen years.

"Oh Papa, we forgot to tell you in all the excitement. Jed was so heroic."

"Yes, I heard from each of you and from Weber what Jed did. And Jed, thank you again for protecting my daughters." He turned to face his daughters. "I suppose you want to go to the church social tomorrow. Do you think you can stay out of trouble?"

All three girls giggled. "Maybe you could send Jed along to protect us?" Leora coaxed her pa.

Tumbler looked at the blushing Jed, who suddenly found his shoes very interesting.

Heyes spoke up. "We'd be happy to drive your daughters into town and see that they get to the dance safely," he said, glancing at his tongue-tied cousin. He marveled to himself that Jed calmly faced a gunfighter today and won but had trouble talking to these girls.

ASJ*****ASJ

So, after a fancy lunch on Sunday with the Tumbler family, Heyes and Jed drove the wagon with the sisters back to town. Weber seemed relieved to give up the responsibility but warned his replacements that nothing better happen to their charges. Heyes had also warned Jed there should be no more kisses.

As the partners helped the girls out of the wagon, Leora hugged Jed tight. Surprised, he held her tighter thinking she was falling. But as soon as her feet touched the ground, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him passionately full on the lips. He kissed her back and tried to pull away when he felt her tongue in his mouth.

"Ah-hem," Heyes said loudly, and Jed and Leora broke apart.

"Just my way of thanking you for saving my sisters," Leora said very sweetly.

"You're welcome, darlin'," Jed returned, smiling.

As the girls went inside, Heyes pulled Jed aside. "What are you doing?"

"She kissed me, Heyes. But I enjoyed it…a very sweet sixteenth birthday for me."

By the end of the evening, both Leana and Deanna had also found ways to kiss their blond escort. He enjoyed each kiss but soon left the party to wait in the wagon.

"Jed, you alright?" Heyes asked, coming outside to find his cousin. "All those kisses exhausting you?"

"No, I do like the kisses, even the ones with their tongue in my mouth. And I find all of them very pretty, but it ain't safe for me to be around them if we want to keep these jobs. Who knows if we can find other jobs this steady again?"

Heyes nodded his agreement. "We'll do this. Take the assignments that start early in the morning and keep us away from the ranch until after dark."

Jed looked at his cousin. "Sounds like a good plan."

"You know they're not going to keep us when winter comes."

Jed smiled. "Yeah, I know. But I gotta say it has been a very good birthday."