DISCLAIMER: The Young Riders is the creation of Ed Spielman, and the property of Ogiens/Kane productions in association with MGM/UA television. This Story is created for entertainment purposes only, no infringement intended. Not to be copied without permission from the author.
Rock Creek, Two weeks later
Kid stood beside his faithful horse Katy, his crystal blue eyes filled with tears.
'Lou, we can put off the trading trip for a while' he spoke quietly to her, 'I don't want to leave you here alone.'
'For God's sake Kid, I am not alone, I have the whole damn town here with me.' she smiled at his protectiveness
'Darling, I'm worried about you, Buck can go and do the trading. I'll stay with you.'
'And I know he'd go happily, and he'd do a great job, but you know how they are about Indians, They'd be fighting him the whole way. He doesn't deserve that. It is better if you all go. Besides I'm not due for another three weeks.' She smiled, but she couldn't quite hide the fear in her eyes.
'What about what happened last time?' Kid shook his head at the memory of finding his tiny wife laying in a pool of her own blood when she collapsed during her last pregnancy, not only losing the baby but almost losing her own life.
'This time is different, honey, I don't know how' she put her hand up as he started to question her 'I don't know how I just know, I can feel it.' He embraced her tightly, kissed her deeply and climbed onto his horse.
Buck, worried also worried about his friend rode up behind Kid and spoke to Lou himself
'Lou are you sure you are alright?' he asked watching her face carefully, learning a long time ago to trust Lou's intuition.
'I'm fine Buck, you and Jenny have a good time and see if you can keep him out of trouble.' She laughed as she reached up for Buck to place a gentle kiss on his forehead.
Jenny waved from the drivers seat of the wagon that was hitched behind two of their sturdy wagon horses. Morning Star, Buck and Jenny's tiny four year old daughter jostled her mother to lean across and wave goodbye to Aunty Lou. Tears welled afresh in Lou's eyes as she watched the child of her two best friends. A tiny eretheral beauty, she combined both her mothers and her fathers finest features. Her waist length hair, almost blue black in colour was habitually worn in an Indian braid. She had inherited her fathers delicate Indian bone structure and her mothers porcelain skin and sky blue eyes. Lou looked longingly at the little girl and realised that Daddy would have his hands full with her when she was old enough to find the opposite sex.
'Promise you'll bring Theresia back with you.' she called to Kid.
'She won't be able to resist seeing her little niece or nephew. You know that.' Kid answered her.
It had almost broken Lou's heart five years ago, when Jeremiah and Theresa had decided to stay in the orphanage in St Joe, to complete their schooling before they returned to live with their sister and her new husband. Jeremiah, had since turned seventeen and was currently working with the army scouts at Fort Laramie learning scouting and surveying in hopes of becoming an army surveyor when he came of age. Theresia, however, had not wanted to be a burden on her sister's marriage and was still at the orphanage.
'I love you Louise' he spoke as he quickly dismounted and hugged her tightly again, before remounting and wheeling Katy around to leave. Lou watched them leave from her seat on the porch steps, before she stood and walked into the house
Rock Creek Three Days Later
Lou pushed herself up from her seat, feeling bloated and disenchanted with being pregnant. Disappointed that she had not heard from her friends yet she glanced across at the General Store. It had been three weeks and she had not even had a letter from any of them. She left her house and walked slowly into town to check at the General Store if any mail had come in yet. Walking through the door of the store, she did not even have to speak when Tomkins shook his head at her, knowing that she was pining for her husband and desperately wanted to hear from her friends.
Walking slowly to her home, she sat on the porch swing for a time, missing her husband but understanding why he was gone. Stroking her precious cargo, she smiled thinking that up until three days ago her husband had never been more than a heartbeat from her side. Maybe that was why she was feeling his absence so acutely now. Realising that her friends would not be home tonight she resigned herself to another night at home alone. The ache in her back had been growing progressively worse and she wanted nothing more than to sink into her comfortable bed.
Watching the huge golden orb of the sun sink behind the horizon, she rose from the swing and walked into her home. She stoked the fireplace and stirred the warming stew. Her husband had forbidden her from doing chores, but she was unable to watch him run himself into the ground by trying to carry on the business of a successful horse ranch and look after her and the house.
Eating a little, she covered the pot just in case Kid returned tonight and wearily climbed the steps to their bedroom. This had been the first time they had been separated since their days riding the express together and she didn't know about Kid but she missed him badly. Tears welling in her huge brown eyes, she changed into a nightgown and hugging her husbands pillow tightly she sobbed herself into a fitful sleep.
Rock Creek, The next morning
A tall man with shoulder length brown hair, dressed impeccably in a crisp black suit with a Marshall's badge on the lapel, white shirt and silver brocade vest dismounted from his sleek palomino at the front of the general store. Looking up and down the main street, he smiled to himself. The town was a little bigger but essentially the same town he had called home, but left five years ago. Climbing the steps, he walked into the store and waited for Tomkins to finish serving a customer
'Tomkins, how are you?' he spoke his deep voice resonating through the room
'Do I know you?' Tomkins frowning asked the voice seemed familiar
'You used to throw me out of this store at least once a week' the man smiled as he spoke
'Hickock. Is that you?' Tomkins smiled at the memory of the times he had thrown most of the express riders from his premises.
'At your service.' turning serious he removed his hat he spoke sincerely
'Thank God someone is here to help. Kid is going to kill himself.' Tomkins stated flatly
'What's happened to Lou?' Hickocks eyes were full of concern, his face drained of colour his first thought was that something had happened to Lou. It was a well known fact among the Express Riders that even five years ago, a life without Lou in it would kill Kid. His eyes also glazed when he thought that he may have been too late in answering Lou's summons to help her. He had not waited when he received her letter, but had deputised some men and left knowing that Lou would not have summonsed him without reason.
'Nothing, Nothing, she's fine, pregnant but fine' Tomkins assured him
'Since the express closed down, Lou and kid have become almost like my own kinfolk. He dotes on that little girl, the whole town does, but the more pregnant she has become the more nervous he gets.' Tomkins explained he paused 'The three of them have come to be highly respected and town leaders. They're all on the town council. Who would ever have thought that when you were express riders?'
'Three?'
'Buck has the new house behind the old waystation.' he spoke. Jimmy disconcerted by the affection for Buck he heard in the Storekeeper's voice fell silent.
'Is Lou at the Waystation?' Jimmy asked softly confused by Tomkins words, but knowing that Lou would explain the situation he was happy to stay in the dark for a few moments longer
'She doesn't stray too far these days, she's too close to her time. I'd be obliged if you could check on her for me. I promised Kid that I'd keep an eye on her.' he asked and watched as Jimmy walked from his store with a new purpose.
Jimmy walked his horse the short distance to the old waystation and smiled at the way Kid and Lou had improved it when they made it their home. The old house was freshly painted, as was the bunkhouse. A new barn stood beside the old one, a new house stood a short distance from the original house, but both houses were enclosed by a white picket fence and both had delicate flowers blooming in small flower beds. Smiling as he noticed small touches of Lou he wrapped his reins around the hitching post and climbed the porch steps to the front door.
Getting no response to his knock he pushed the door open and walked in, drawing his gun and quickly checking all the rooms downstairs, he was distressed to find no sign of Lou. Taking the stairs two at a time, he opened doors to check the rooms upstairs. He quickly found Lou, laying on a huge double bed, sweat beaded on her face, her clothes damp, her face stained with the tracks of her tears but her delicate features grimacing, her body contorted with pain and twisted amongst her sheets.
Back to the last chapter
Back to Ridingtall
Back to Tall Tales
On to the next chapter
