Sitting in the shade of the huge oak Kid stared at the letter in his hand. He’d picked it up on his last run and found to his horror that it was addressed specifically to him; using his full name. Dread filled him as he stared at the envelope, who was still alive that knew where he was and more importantly who he was.
Hearing footsteps he glanced up sharply his shoulders tensing at the thought that he was about to be disturbed. Spotting Lou he relaxed, she’d been there for him since Doritha’s death and it was one more reason he loved her.
“ Thought I’d find you here.” Lou’s words were softly spoken, a smile on her face as she settled against the tree trunk next to him. “You still thinking of Doritha?”
“ No.” Kid smiled shakily. “Not this time.”
“ You sure look troubled. Something I can help you with?”
“ I don’t know.” Kid said and held out the envelope to Lou who took it and frowned at the name scrawled across the front of it.
“ Franklin Kowalski?” Lou frowned. “Why didn’t this get delivered?”
Kid whispered. “That’s my name.”
“ You gonna read it?”
“ You read it. There isn’t anyone that knows who I am.” Kid said. “I don’t want any trouble.”
“ You sure Kid?” Lou asked softly. “I don’t want to be poking my nose where it don’t belong.”
“ You can’t.” Kid smiled. “Your nose belongs in everything about me.”
“ Okay.” Lou said and tore open the envelope to pull out the letter. “Dear Mister Kowalski I am aware that you may not know who I am but it is imperative that I send you this letter. My name’s Emily Johnson and I’m caring for your nephew, my dear friend Amy Kowalski’s baby. Her last request was that you be notified of her death as she’s named you as guardian and protector for the boy, which is just over two years old. My only request is that you make all necessary arrangements to come and collect little Ethan, as I am unable to care for him with my other responsibilities. E. Johnson.” Lou glanced at Kid and took a deep breath. “I didn’t know you had a nephew.”
“ Neither did I.” Kid whispered shakily taking the letter and reading it hoping that there was some mistake, that he wouldn’t be faced with the hardest decision of his life. “I don’t remember Jed saying he’d married.”
“ Neither do I.” Lou sat falling silent as Kid stared hard at the letter. Swallowing her own rising fear she waited for him to come to a decision, offering her quiet support and love without making demands.
“ I have no choice really.” Kid whispered and rose to walk the few steps to the edge of the creek. “He’s blood. I can’t just abandon him.”
“ You’re going to get him?”
“ I have to.” Kid whispered and flinched when Lou touched him. “I love you Lou, I want to stay here with you but..”
“ But he’s a baby in need of a father and you have to go.” Lou whispered quietly rubbing his shoulder and back gently as they gazed at the slow moving water. “When are you going to leave?”
“ I figure it’ll take me a couple of days to get everything ready then I’ll ride over to Johnstown and catch the southbound train.” Kid said softly as he glanced at Lou with a sad resigned expression. “I’ll talk to Teaspoon tonight.”
“ What are you going to tell the boys and Rachel?” Lou asked softly.
“ Nothing yet.” Kid replied. “They’d ask questions and I don’t have any answers yet.”
Nodding Lou retreated into silence along with Kid as they stood staring at the water as the sun slowly faded from the sky casting it pink and golden with the falling of it’s glow until only a soft darkness lay about the land and stars began to peak out in the darkness of the night sky. Standing there Lou waited for Kid to think his way through this predicament, she had her doubts about it as well but adding them to his worries would only make him more miserable.
She knew that if Kid did leave to get the boy he wouldn’t come back. He’d settle out east somewhere and raise the boy as his own and she’d be left behind. Feeling the burning in the back of her eyes Lou stared hard at the bubbling creek, she had a choice to make as well. Did she remain behind and have her heart broken or did she follow Kid where life leads? Could she give up what she had to be with him? Feeling her heart lighten as she realized she didn’t have a choice really, Kid was her world; her future and she would follow him regardless.
Feeling his hand wrap around hers she smiled, “We should get back. The boy’s are probably taking bets as to why we’re still not there.” She spoke softly, almost at a whisper lest she disturb the evening’s quiet. Standing there with him she’d felt like they were alone, that life’s unpleasantness couldn’t; wouldn’t dare intrude upon them, that what they shared bound them more tightly than any rope ever could.
“ Course it’ll be Cody that starts with the questions.” Kid murmured as though felt that volume would break the tranquility of their time together. “I don’t know anything about babies.” He said remaining standing there by the streamside. “Ike’s the one with all that knowledge.”
“ Ike’s gone.” Lou whispered painfully and stepped closer to Kid. “But you’re gonna be fine with this.”
“ I hope so Lou.” Kid glanced down at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Well come on, I’m starting to get hungry.”
“ Figures our appetites would spoil the moment.” Lou joked weakly, tucking the letter away into her pocket and falling into step with Kid as they headed for the bunkhouse. In a little more than two days they would be leaving all this behind, heading to some unknown spot to pick up a responsibility that had been unseen and unknown before today but she felt no hesitation, no fear only a quiet acceptance.
Teaspoon glanced up as Kid stepped into the jail and sighed, both Lou and the Kid had been quieter than usual at dinner, sharing telling glances and just listening to the quiet bickering between the boys. “Well?”
“ I need to talk to you.” Kid said sitting down in a chair. He knew Lou still had the letter. He’d seen her put it into her pocket and it had helped him make up his mind about his choices.
“ That’s what I’m here for.” Teaspoon said leaning back in his chair and putting his feet on the desk. “What can I do for you?”
“ I want to draw my final pay.” Kid said taking a deep breath.
“ Oh?” Teaspoon tensed and stared at Kid who glanced away to the wanted posters behind his head. “Thought you were trying to save money?”
“ I‘ve got about six months worth.” Kid replied quietly. “And I’ve managed to gather money from other places, the weekends I worked for Thompkins, rewards and such.” Kid shrugged quickly dropped his gaze to stare at his hands. “With my final pay I’ll have nearly a thousand dollars.”
“ It’ll take me a day to get it.” Teaspoon said. “I’ve got to make arrangements with Hopkins at the bank to clear it first.”
“ No problem.” Kid smiled sadly. “I’ll be around.”
“ Why you drawing your pay?” Teaspoon asked as Kid shifted in the chair.
With a shrug Kid glanced at the other man and rose. “Got something to do.” He muttered and hurried from the office after dropping a written note on the Marshall’s desk. Walking down the sidewalk Kid wondered if he was doing the right thing? Could he live without Lou? Without his friends his family here in Rock Creek? With a silent curse he realized he would have to or bring Ethan back here to raise him.
Standing in the shadows Lou watched Kid head back to the station and hurried into the Marshall’s office. She knew Kid wanted to be with her, he’d even said so on the short walk back to the station but he didn’t want to burden her with a ready made family so he’d refrained from asking her to come with him. Stopping in the doorway she took a calming breath and walked inside. “Teaspoon? You got a minute?”
“ Got lots of ‘em.” Teaspoon replied glancing at Lou and sighing. “Let me guess you want to draw your last pay as well?”
“ Yes sir.” Lou shrugged with a sheepish smile. “Kid needs me.”
“ You know you two are costing me my best riders?” Teaspoon hissed rising to stand and pour himself a cup of coffee a frown marring his face. “Don’t you understand how hard it is to replace you?”
“ I’m sorry ‘bout that Teaspoon but it’s necessary.” Lou said not knowing just how much Kid had said and not wanting to tell on him she kept her answers simple and undetailed.
“ Well let's have it.” Teaspoon stuck out a hand and stared at Lou who looked ready to cry.
With a smile Lou handed over the written letter that said she was quitting and stuck her hands in her coat pockets. “I’ll be seeing you.”
“ In the morning.” Teaspoon said. “Now get out of here and go to bed young lady.”
“ Yes sir.” With a sad smile Lou turned and rushed back to the station, popping into the barn to check on Katy and Lightening before heading for the bunkhouse.
The next day passed in a flurry of activity as Teaspoon came up with a long list of chores, most of which Kid and Lou were appointed to from cleaning the barn to painting the bunkhouse as he struggled to understand why they were riding out.
Standing next to the corral he watched Lou moving and frowned as Rachel joined him. “They’re acting mighty quiet these days.” Rachel commented as she leaned on a post next to Teaspoon.
“ That’s cause they quit.” Teaspoon snapped. “Without a word of explanation, without a so much as by your leave they up and quit last night. They’re waiting on me to get their last pay.”
“ That doesn’t sound like them.” Rachel spoke softly, her tone thoughtful.
“ Nope. And it’s got me wondering about that girl. You think she’s in the family way?”
“ No.” Rachel sighed and glanced at Lou. “Her and Kid ain’t had much time lately to do anything other than talk. Usually one of the boys is within shouting distance, they’re all waiting for another explosion. The boys aren’t going to like this one bit.”
“ I know. Which makes it all that much harder to tell ‘em.” Teaspoon said. “I think Kid and Lou should be the ones to tell ‘em.”
“ Meddling isn’t going to work.” Rachel said. “Look what happened last time someone offered advice. They fought for three days straight.”
“ Well I want to know what the heck they’re up to.” Teaspoon snapped slapping his hat against his leg angrily. “I want to be able to say okay here’s why this is happening. We’ve just lost Ike, now I’m losing those two..”
“ I know.” Rachel wrapped an arm around the old man’s shoulders. “Our family’s growing up.”
“ Growing up, heck they’re just getting dumber.” Teaspoon grouse and headed for town to see Hopkins to get both Kid and Lou’s last pay.
“ Sometimes Teaspoon I think you’re smarter than all of us.” Rachel whispered as Kid and Lou took a break from painting to sit quietly and stare out over the yard. Something had to be done about those two leaving only she didn’t know what it was. Shaking her head she started for the house, she had work to do.
“You know Teaspoon’s gonna ask a lot of questions tonight.” Lou whispered staring at the barn to hide the sheen of tears in her eyes.
“ I know. I’m not looking forward to it.” Kid replied and glanced at Lou. “You still got that letter?”
“ Yep.” Rising Lou pulled it from her pants pocket and handed it to him. “Address is on the envelope.”
“ I never thought I’d be going to Virginia for this.” Kid whispered staring at the familiar address. It was the farm closest to his folks’ old place, a nice piece of land but too close to memories that were painful and humiliating. “Why did they leave me with this?”
“ Cause you’re Jed’s brother?” Lou replied quickly. “And maybe because they knew they could trust you.”
“ I know I have to go Louise, but I don’t want to leave you here.” Kid whispered and took a ragged breath. Making up his mind he glanced at her and smiled shakily, “You want to come to Virginia?”
“ I’d love to.” Lou said with a smile. “As long as you’re going there, I’d go pretty much anywhere.”
“ Teaspoon should be back before dinner, maybe I should go talk to him..”
“ I already did.” Lou admitted sheepishly. “I made up my mind last night I was going with you.”
“ We should leave at first light. It’s a three day ride to Johnstown.” Kid smiled at her knowingly.
“ How far is it on the train to this woman’s house?”
“ It’s a four day train ride then another day, day and a half by horse.” Kid said with a shrug. “Too far.”
“ Calls for an early night.” Lou smiled and rose. “Come on, let's get this finished before the boys get back or they’re going to be whining all night.”
Laughing Kid rose with her and within minutes they were engrossed in the painting that they’d started. It took them several hours to finish painting the bunkhouse with the breaks they kept taking usually when they were deep into a conversation about the upcoming trip, or what they’d find when they got back to Kid’s hometown.
“ You sure about this?” Lou asked. “I mean we get there and things are right we don’t have to stay.”
“ If it’s too dangerous then we won’t stay.” Kid said knowing full well that Virginia was a slave state and that bringing someone from the north into it could raise hostilities, something he didn’t want directed at Lou.
“ Sounds good.”
“ Hey you two, ain’t you done yet?” Jimmy called as they turned to face him and the others who were riding back into the yard.
“ What’s it looking like?” Lou called back and grinned at Kid. “You want to help?”
“ No. Dinner should be nearly ready we’re gonna get cleaned up.” Cody called and dismounted. “Course that building ain’t that big you should’ve had it done hours ago.”
“ Shut up.” Noah’s words were spoken loudly enough for Kid and Lou to hear, and they hid their smiles. Cody was right but not for the reason he thought.
After cleaning up their brushes and the paint Kid and Lou washed up behind the bunkhouse and with a glance at each other they headed inside to sit down as Teaspoon walked into the bunkhouse. “Here you go.” Teaspoon said handing them both the familiar envelopes of payday.
“ Thanks.” Kid said tucking it into his belt and settling at the table ignoring everyone’s looks as they frowned at them then at Teaspoon.
“ How come they get paid and we don’t?” Cody asked suddenly and Kid could have cheerfully killed him.
“ Cause they quit.” Teaspoon replied reaching for a bowl of steaming potatoes.
“ WHAT?!” The word was almost loud enough to deafen everyone despite the fact that everyone had spoken at once. Cringing Kid glanced at Lou who looked pained but hadn’t spoken at the questions flew around the table.
“ What the heck you quit for?” Jimmy demanded and glanced at Lou who had glanced at Kid and then back at her plate. “You expecting Lou?” He demanded with a glare at Kid who flushed slightly but didn’t back down from the obvious challenge in the other man’s eyes.
“ No.” Lou replied quickly and shrugged. “We got our reasons.”
“ So start talking.” Noah snapped. “And we want the whole truth.”
Glancing at Kid who just shrugged Lou dug out the letter from her pocket and glared at Cody who snatched it from her grasp. “Do you mind?” She snapped reaching over and snatching it back. “It don’t belong to you.”
“ So? What’s it say?” Cody demanded impatiently as Lou handed the letter to Kid.
“ I have to go home.” Kid said quietly.
“ Home? You’re at home.” Buck snapped sharply.
“ To Virginia.” Lou spoke quietly, calmly. “We’re headed for Virginia.”
“ Going to enlist I suppose.” Noah said rising quickly.
“ No to get my nephew.” Kid snapped glaring at his friend. “This has nothing to do with the movement, or the war or anything else. Jed’s wife passed away recently and she left her son to me.”
“ I didn’t know he’d married.” Teaspoon put in a slight frown on his face.
“ Neither did I, but I know the lady that wrote the letter to me. I doubt if she would lie about it. Besides everyone knows that my family was poor, there isn’t any money that they could get so it wouldn’t make any sense to make this up.” Kid explained quickly.
“ Okay that explains you, but why is Lou going?” Jesse asked.
“ Because Kid asked me to.” Lou replied sharply. “And because I want to.”
“ Lou’s right Jesse, it’s up to her.” Teaspoon said. “Now then you boys best eat. I imagine you’ll be leaving pretty early.” Teaspoon glanced at Kid and Lou before focusing on his plate.
“ First light.” Kid said noting that everyone had suddenly lost his or her appetites. “We may be back you know. It ain’t like we’re leaving forever.”
Nodding everyone struggled through the meal lost in his or her own thoughts as they studied Kid and Lou who seemed less inclined to eat then they did. After dinner was over they retired to their bunks, sleep a long time coming.
Dawn’s light had barely begun to penetrate the nights darkness when Kid roused Lou and headed for the bunkhouse, he’d spent the night struggling to find sleep only to give up hours before dawn and instead nursed several cups of coffee to ease his mind.
Saddling Katy he glanced at Lou who was working silently, her fingers moving expertly on the cinch strap her gaze lowered as she struggled with the tears she didn’t want to shed. Taking a second Kid walked over to where she was standing and pulled her into his arms. “It’ll be okay.” He whispered. “We’re going to be okay.”
“ I know.” Lou whispered tearfully as she clung to him. “It’s just leaving this place, these people. For the first time in a lifetime I was accepted and to leave it..”
“ I know.” Kid said softly holding her tighter as she cried silently for a life lost. “As soon as we’re settled we can send word, they can come for a visit.” He whispered knowing how hard it was for Lou to leave the life she’d made for herself.
Nodding Lou sniffed and backed away from him. “Look at me.” She laughed tearfully. “Acting like a girl.”
“ I think we can allow that.” Kid smiled at her and turned away, tears in his own eyes. He loved these people and leaving was hard, but delaying it would only prove to be harder than they could endure.
“ You weren’t planning on leaving yet were you?” Jimmy’s voice had them both turning to the small crowd standing in the barn door with sad faces.
“ No.” Lou smiled shakily. “Just getting ready. We’ve got time for a few goodbyes.”
“ Good.” Buck said and walked over to hug her tightly. “Don’t forget us.”
“ We won’t.” Lou promised hugging him tightly.
“ Take care.” Jimmy said and reached out to shake Kid’s hand only slightly surprised when the other man hugged him hard.
After rounds of hugs and goodbyes, Kid and Lou led their mounts out into the early dawn light and sighed, Teaspoon looked like he was ready to cry but he was smiling at them. “We’re going to miss you.” Lou said hugging him hard and stepping back so Kid could give him a hug before turning to the horses.
“ Sometimes a lie hurts less than the truth.” Teaspoon whispered to Kid. “I’m inclined to think that this is one of those times.”
“ We’ll see you again.” Kid whispered back and smiled at Rachel. “I promise.”
“ I know. Ride safe.” Teaspoon called as they mounted up and turned east. Standing in the gathering light they watched their friends ride away, knowing they would probably never see them again. Sighing, Teaspoon had to admit that this truth did hurt; but to lie about it was no less painful.
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