For Better Or For Worse

a story by Dana

© Dana 2000

Disclaimer

Chapter 2
Kid galloped into the station on Katy late in the afternoon, right on schedule. He dismounted and led her towards the barn, half expecting to see Louise greet him and come across the yard to give him a welcome home kiss as she'd taken to doing since they'd returned from their honeymoon. When she didn't, he grew concerned...even more so than he already had been. Lou hadn't been herself for weeks. He hoped she wasn't regretting their marriage. He knew she was feeling upset about giving up her job and the loss of Noah, Jesse, Jimmy, and Cody, but he sensed it went deeper than that. He also knew she was worried about his decision (or rather, lack thereof) about fighting for the South. He hoped to get a chance to discuss it with her after dinner tonight.

Kid was in the barn feeding and brushing down Katy when he heard a buckboard outside. He was surprised when he saw Lou jump off it and rush into the barn to greet him.

"Hey, handsome. How was your ride?" Louise asked, smiling fully for the first time in weeks.

"Long," said Kid, taking her in his arms and kissing her soft lips. He couldn't help noticing her improved mood. Her nearly shoulder-length hair was windblown, and her skin had gotten some color from being outside. God, she's incredible, he thought. "Looks like you had a good day."

"We have a visitor," Lou explained. "But hear me out before you say anything."

"Why? Is there some sort of problem?" Kid asked, hoping it wasn't someone with a "colorful" past he'd need to worry about being around Lou.

"No, but I was out walkin' this afternoon and I ended up out where we had Ike's funeral. I ran into Emily there and I brought her back with me."

"Emily Metcalfe?" Kid questioned.

"Yeah, and Kid, she's expecting," Lou said softly.

"A baby?" he asked.

"No, goofy, a foal. Of course a baby. And before you say anything else," she said, reacting to the look of disapproval that appeared on her husband's face, "It's Ike's, so it's our duty."

"Oh," Kid replied. Although he knew in his head Ike's death wasn't Emily's fault, his heart somehow felt different. But Lou was right, they had a duty to Ike to take care of Emily and their child.

"So she can stay?" Lou asked.

"Well if it was up to me, yeah, but you really should ask Rachel. It is her house," Kid told his wife.

"Oh my god!" Lou gasped, realizing she had completely forgotten, and then, remembering their earlier conversation, felt terribly guilty. "I'll go talk to her right now. But can you do me a favor?"

"Depends," replied her husband, eyeing his wife lovingly. "What do I get out of it?" he asked jokingly.

"You won't get a slap on the head!" Lou cried stubbornly. Then realizing he was just playing, she demurely replied, "A VERY grateful wife," softly kissing him.

"Well, then, anything," Kid said, smiling.

"Will you water her horse and take care of the buckboard? Oh yeah, and tell Buck," she said over her shoulder as she turned to walk out of the barn.

"Whoa, Miss Louise. Get yourself back in here!" Kid called.

"You said anything!" she called back, as she went off to help Emily onto the bench on the porch and then on to find Rachel.

 

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