©Becca

Chapter XV

Kid juggled Jon on his hip as he descended the stairs bright and early on the morning they were all to head back to Sweetwater. The sun wasn't even up yet which Jon was complaining about in rather loud whispers, frustrating Kid's attempt to not disturb the rest of the sleeping household. "Jon, shh," he whispered, putting a hand over the boy's mouth. "Mama and the others are sleepin' still."

Jon stopped struggling against Kid's hand and instead stuck out his tongue and licked it, knowing that the tactic always worked with Theresa. At the feel, Kid jerked his hand away quickly freeing the boy to protest again. "Time to play," he said excitedly.

Thank God we're at least downstairs, Kid thought, hoping that being separated by a floor would prevent the child's ramblings from reaching the others. Kid sat Jon in his chair at the small table in the kitchen. "No, not time to play Jon," he said wearily. "Time for Daddy to find some coffee." Blearily, he stumbled to the counter and rummaged through the wooden crate where they'd packed all the kitchen supplies. Finally finding the bag of beans, he blindly rummaged for the grinder.

"Here, would this help?"

Kid looked up startled as the grinder was placed in his hand. Charlotte stood next to him at the counter, already fully dressed. He flashed a perturbed look at Jon who'd remained quiet in his chair. "You try to wake up everyone with your whisperin' and you couldn't tell me there was someone behind me?" he asked.

Jon just flashed Kid a wicked grin and shrugged his shoulders not quite understanding what Kid had said. "Jon hungry, Aun' Char," he whined.

Charlotte walked to the little boy and kissed the top of his head in greeting. "I know you're hungry, Jon," she said sweetly. "Just let me help Kid get the coffee started and then I'll start breakfast."

"Not Kid! Daddy!" Jon protested, banging on the tray attached to his chair.

"Okay, Jon," Charlotte sighed in resignation. Jon was a wonderful child most of the time but when he got something in his head he was more stubborn than his own mother about getting it out. Apparently, Jon had decided firmly that Kid was daddy and no one was going to say different. She set about starting the coffee, glancing at Kid's ruffled appearance. Maybe now was the time to have that conversation with him she needed to have.

"So, you and Louise been lovers long or is this just a new development?" Charlotte asked bluntly. Setting the percolator on the stove, she slowly turned back to face him.

At her out-of-the-blue question, Kid had sunk to a chair in shock. There was no way she could know. They'd been so careful of their time alone, waiting until they were sure everyone was asleep before he made his way to Lou's room to spend the night. The following morning, Kid would get up bright and early and stumble into Jon and Jeremiah's room so he wouldn't turn up missing. "It's new," he admitted. "How did you know?"

Charlotte smiled at him. "I was a whore for eleven years, Kid. I know the signs that a woman's been with a man and a man's been with a woman. 'Course I did stumble onto the two of you last night while you were supposed to be washing the supper dishes," she admitted, joining the two at the table.

Kid blushed furiously at the memory. The town's doctor had stopped by with a couple promised puppies from a new litter his dog had had and Charlotte and the children had all been engrossed in playing with them at the front of the store. Lou had been sitting on the counter next to the basin drying the dishes as Kid washed them. They were chatting and flirting and pretty soon one thing led to another and, before they knew it, they were kissing heatedly.

Charlotte saw the embarrassment and horror play over his features and almost felt sorry for being so blunt. But she knew no other way to get straight answers other than being straight with him. Part of her bluntness came from the line of work she'd been in and another part came from the desire to be as honest as possible, especially when it came to Louise. "Don't play with her Kid. Louise is much more fragile than she appears or even admits to herself. You'd best be sure of your own intentions and be prepared for the consequences of both your actions," she warned. "Are you really ready for all this? Are you ready for an instant family, because it goes with the package? What are you two gonna do if she's pregnant? Hell, she could be already."

Kid heard the anger and fierce protectiveness in Charlotte's voice, saw the love and worry in her eyes, and couldn't be angry with her for broaching a subject that he really felt was none of her business. He looked at Jon who was watching the two adults interestedly. "Yes," he said, answering her questions simply and honestly. "I'm ready for all of it."

A moment of silence passed. "Do you love her?" Charlotte sighed. "Does she love you?"

"I would never hurt Lou, Charlotte and yes I love her more than I've loved anyone in this world," Kid replied. "I want to marry her, if she'll say yes. I know the gremlins come with her and I wouldn't have it any other way. She deserves so much more than I could ever give her, but for some strange reason she says she loves me." He smiled winningly at the woman sitting across from him. "Girl's gotta be crazy, right?"

Charlotte reached across the table placing her hand on Kid's. "I just wanted to be sure. Louise is like my friend, my sister, and my daughter all rolled into one and I couldn't just stand by and watch her get hurt. I'm glad you're together, really she could use some happiness and romance, and I do like you Kid. But if you ever make her cry," she warned squeezing his hand hard, her knuckles turning white as her eyes hardened, "I swear on the Holy Virgin I'll castrate you myself, understand?"

Kid pulled his hand away, trying to rub away the soreness. A cold, cruel look flashed in Charlotte's normally pleasant and welcoming eyes, assuring him that she was dead serious. "Yes, ma'am," he said softly.

She smiled pleasantly then, the old Charlotte returning as she turned to Jon. "Now then, Jon, what do you want for breakfast, hmm?"

Sweetwater, three days later

"I said I was sorry Teaspoon," Jimmy shouted at the older man looking at him angrily. "I just,...I didn't know what to do. I thought that if you didn't see the poster she'd be safe a while longer. There was no way Lou murdered that man and I thought maybe we could think of some way to clear her if we had a little extra time. Now, it's all my fault that Lou and her little guy are in danger."

The other shoe had dropped so to speak the day that Kid and Lou had left. Teaspoon had found the discarded wanted poster in the box at his back door and Jimmy had felt the need to confess what he'd done. Jimmy and Teaspoon had been having the same argument for the last week and a half as Teaspoon struggled to understand the man's reasoning for violating the law. Unfortunately, it tended to end in shouting matches like today's latest bout.

"You didn't think, Jimmy!" Teaspoon shouted back. "You took the law into your own hands. Did you think I'd take one look at that poster and haul her off to the gallows? Did you think I'd forget everything we all have been through or how much you all love her? I don't know what's worse, Jimmy, the fact that you took matters into your own hands or your lack of belief in me," he sighed sinking into the chair at his desk.

"Any sign of Creeping Fox?" Jimmy asked quietly after some time.

Teaspoon shook his head wearily. They'd scoured the area for the Indian but there was no sign of him. It was like he'd disappeared. No one had seen him anywhere. The longer it took the Kid and Lou to return, the more worried and short they'd all become at the station. Even Emma and Rachel had snapped at the men.

"Well, I'll feel a hell of a lot better when Kid and Lou get back," Hickok said. He crouched on the other side of Teaspoon's desk. Resting his elbows on the top, he rubbed his face with his hands hoping to relieve the fear and tension he felt. Jimmy hated it when he was afraid. It made him snap at friends and lose even more sleep at night than he normally didn't get.

The marshal nodded in agreement. He glanced at the clock on the wall and realized it was almost dinner time out at the waystation. With a groan he rose to his feet. "Well, I don't know 'bout you, but I'm hungrier than a bear in winter. Barnett!" he hollered out the door.

Jimmy looked up at the older man as if he'd lost all his marbles. "Uh, Teaspoon, Barnett's dead, remember?"

"I forgot," Hunter replied softly grimacing at the memory of finding his deputy, the man's throat slit from ear to ear like a second, gory smile. It was a horrible way for any man to die let alone a good soul like Barnett. Sure he bumbled things a lot, but he was still a good man. Pushing the image away, he walked to the door. "You comin'?"

Jimmy rose stiffly. "Yeah, I think I need another pot of coffee," he muttered as Teaspoon locked up the office and put a note on the door. At Express station, it read. "I just hope they get back soon 'cause I really need the sleep," Jimmy said.

Teaspoon placed a hand on his shoulder. "Me too, son. Me too."

Teaspoon and Jimmy were just dismounting outside of the bunkhouse when Buck turned to them and pointed to the dust cloud on the horizon. "Riders comin', Teaspoon," he said.

Rachel, Emma, and Sam who were inside the building came out as Teaspoon called for them. The other riders who were in the barn finishing some chores also came out and all of them watched quietly as the party approached.

"It's Kid and Lou, Teaspoon," Cody called, his better eyesight allowing him to identify the riders quicker than the others. "And they got a wagon with 'em."

No one moved until the group entered the yard, afraid that by leaving before they saw everything was all right, it would jinx them all. But there they were, dusty, travel-stained and weary looking but whole--all six of them. It was easy to identify who was who. Charlotte was the pretty woman in her thirties driving the wagon, the children in the back were Jeremiah and Theresa.

Louise slid gracefully down from Lightning's back with a slight groan. It had been a long, dusty trip and what with trying to entertain the children and sharing watch with Kid when they camped, Lou was exhausted. She shared a small smile with Kid as she walked around Katy and extended her hands to take Jon so Kid could dismount as well. The little boy was immediately reverting into the shy little boy he tended to be around people he didn't know. He held tightly to Lou, resting his head on her shoulder, his little fingers playing with the string on her hat.

"Is this it?" Jeremiah asked his older sister. He took in the throng of people waiting for them and wondered just what kind of place this was. Was it a Pony Express station or a hotel? The two women, the blonde must be Rachel and the other Emma, looked nice enough with their welcoming smiles. Even the Indian and that Negro fellow were smiling but that man with the fancy guns.... He looked mean.

"Yes, Jeremiah, this is it," Lou replied in a long-suffering tone.

Kid swung Theresa out of the wagon as Jeremiah climbed down. "Welcome to the Sweetwater station, gremlins," he said with a grin, ruffling Jeremiah's hair affectionately.

Teaspoon stepped forward and extended a hand to help Charlotte down from the driver's seat. He tipped his hat as her feet touched the ground. "Pleased to meet you Miss. My name's Teaspoon Hunter and I'm the station master here as well as the town marshal," he said with a grin.

Cody rolled his eyes as the older man poured on the charm. "You pour it on any thicker, Teaspoon and we're all gonna need shovels soon," he said

The others chuckled as Teaspoon cast Cody a dirty look. The station's residents each took turns introducing themselves to the newcomers. Emma and Rachel each hugged Kid and Lou, who'd set Jon on the ground, thankful that they'd returned safely.

Emma knelt on the ground in front of Jon who was clinging to Lou's leg. She smiled at the toddler, chuckling as he hid his face against Lou's pantleg. "And who's this little fella?" she asked gently. "What's your name, honey?"

Lou sighed in exasperation as she knelt and turned Jon around to look at Emma. "He's playin' shy-guy today. Sweetheart, this is Emma. Mama told you about her, remember?" she asked. "It's okay. You can tell her your name."

"Jonathan Matthew McCloud," he said softly. "I'm dis many." He held up three chubby fingers.

Lou gently pushed down one finger. "Try this many. Two, that's how old you are."

He caught sight of Kid with empty arms after unloading some bags from the wagonbed and ran over to him. "Up, Daddy," Jon said extending his arms up as high as they'd go.

Kid flushed, acutely aware of the curious eyes on him as he lifted the toddler into his arms. He could see that Jon was scared of all the new faces he was meeting. It was easier for Kid to focus on easing Jon's anxiety than in facing the questioning and curious looks his bunkmates were giving him.

Jon had hidden his face in the crook of Kid's neck, peeking out of round worried eyes. "Hey, Jon-Jon. It's okay, you're safe with these people," he assured the boy as he reluctantly raised his head from Kid's shoulder. "These are the people from the picture Jon. You remember the picture of the people Mama works with. This is just like the picture only these are the real people. Let's show 'em what you know, okay?" He walked over to the bunkhouse porch, turning so that Jon could see everyone. Kid pointed to Jimmy. "Now, Jon, who's this?"

"Jimmy," Jon said softly.

"And who's Jimmy? What's he got?"

Jon looked at Kid. "Daddy's friend. He gots da pretty guns," he said. And so it went down the line with Kid pointing out each rider--Buck with his medicine pouch, Ike with his bandana, Cody with his buckskin fringe, Teaspoon with his characteristic squint, Rachel with her blonde hair, Sam with his badge, Emma with her smile and red hair. Jon would say who they were and how to tell who was who, looking more and more comfortable as they went.

When they reached Noah, Jon reached a hand out to tentatively touch Noah's dark skin. "Somebody colored 'im, Daddy!" the little boy said, his eyes wide in fascination. "Who colored 'im? Can I do dat?"

"Jon!" Lou exclaimed, horrified.

Noah was the first to laugh, the others joining in as Kid and Lou shared a look of mortification. "Now, I didn't teach him that," Kid protested.

"It's okay, Kid," Noah said still chuckling. "You could say God colored me, Jon, just like he colored you."

"Out of the mouths of babes," Charlotte said.

Cody grinned. "Well, my mama always used to say that God made little ones cute so's their mas and pas wouldn't drown 'em for the stuff they say and do."

"If that's the case, how'd you survive so long?" Jimmy teased. Cody retaliated by sticking his tongue out.

Emma rolled her eyes at the pair. Some things never changed. "Behave you two," she scolded.

"I don't know who's more grown up, Jon or those two but I'm leanin' towards Jon at the moment," Sam quipped.

"Well, now that everyone knows each other," Rachel spoke up, "why don't we move this party inside and eat dinner while it's hot? Emma, you wanna start servin' and I'll show Charlotte and Theresa their rooms over at the house? Jeremiah and Jon'll be bunkin' with you boys and Lou in the bunkhouse, Sam and Emma are gonna take Teaspoon's rooms in the shed, and Teaspoon said he'd stay in town at the office." She grinned at the crew before her. "Whew! Don't know how we did it, but ya'll have got beds to sleep in and there's always enough food for an army 'round here. However, anyone else needs a place to stay and we're gonna have to say there's no more room in the inn."

To chapter 16
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