A Promise Broken
By Marie
Copyright 1999
Chapter Two
"Rachel, here's the last of the furniture," Lou and Buck carried Rachel's loveseat out to the wagon, and loaded it with the rest of their things. They were saying good-bye to the Sweetwater way station and moving east to Rock Creek. Kid and Jimmy had already been there for a couple weeks, and a week ago Teaspoon and Cody had joined them to help rebuild the Pony Express Station there.
It had been two months since Lou and Jimmy's night on the town, and a lot had happened since then. Kid had never gotten serious with Angela, and he and Lou had sorted out their relationship. For now they were happy to just be friends with no promises of it leading to anything else. Lou and Jimmy's friendship had grown closer too, but Lou was happy just being friends with the two boys. Maybe one day that friendship would grow into something deeper, but for now she considered Kid and Jimmy her closest friends.
"Well, I guess we're ready to go," Noah walked out of the bunkhouse carrying the last of his belongings.
"I'm sure going to miss this place," Lou said, sad at the prospect of leaving the first real home she had ever known. The first real home any of them had known. "This bunkhouse has so many good memories." She could picture all the laughter and tears, the fights and practical jokes that had taken place here. It was where they had all grown into a family, not merely relations, but something deeper than that. She knew that any one of the boys or Teaspoon would die for her or Rachel without thinking twice about it, and she or Rachel would do the same. Yes, it was going to be sad leaving, but she knew just as many happy memories waited to be made in Rock Creek.
Lou mounted Lightning, and joined Noah, Buck, and Ike who were waiting beside Rachel in the wagon. They had sold all the station's horses, except for the ones they were riding, and would buy more in Rock Creek. Lou was just thankful they didn't have to worry about a bunch of horses on the trip.
With one last look at the station, they took off, ready to start a new life in Rock Creek.
"Boys, I just got a message from Russell, Majors, and Waddell," Teaspoon walked over to where Jimmy, Kid, and Cody were working on the porch of the new bunkhouse.
"What's it say Teaspoon?" Kid asked for all of them. "Did the company have any success in hiring new riders for this station?"
"Well, not exactly," Teaspoon said mysteriously. "Seems the company wants experienced riders here, what with all the trouble it's had lately and the rumors of the war coming. So they want you three to stay here and get the station going."
"Just us?" Kid asked, a knot growing in his stomach. Even though he and Lou were not together anymore, he couldn't imagine not having her around everyday.
"No, they've asked me to stay too. They need an experienced station manager too," Teaspoon was enjoying Kid's anguish just a little too much. A look at Jimmy told him the boy was probably having the same feelings Kid was, and Cody didn't look too happy either. Of course, the thought that their family was about to be torn apart would upset him too. Maybe he'd better finish; Kid looked like he was about to pass out.
"Of course, you can't run a station with just three riders. Not one that'll be as busy as this one anyway. So the company is sending us four other experienced riders from another station." Teaspoon decided to hold the boys in suspense just a little longer.
"Who?" Kid asked shortly, tired of Teaspoon's game.
"Well, I think you all know them. Seems they've been working out of the Sweetwater station for a little over a year."
Jimmy let out the breath he wasn't even aware that he was holding, and Kid and Cody looked like they had similar reactions. "Teaspoon, if you weren't my boss," he began.
"Son is that a threat?" Teaspoon asked, amused at the boys.
"Maybe," Jimmy grinned at him, too relieved to be mad at the older man for long.
"When are they coming?" Cody wondered suddenly.
"Well, they should have left yesterday, so it'll probably be about three days before they get here."
They all looked at Cody as he moaned. "I was hoping it would be sooner than that," he explained. "I don't know if I can handle Hickok's cooking much longer."
They all laughed as they went back to work. The rest of their family was coming, and everything would be good again.
Three days later, the rest of the Sweetwater Pony Express team arrived in Rock Creek, just as Teaspoon had said. The boys settled into their lives there, finding that Rock Creek was a lot like Sweetwater. They even had the familiarity of the general store being the same, as Tompkins had surprised them all and moved to Rock Creek too. He joked about going out of business in Sweetwater now that the station had moved. He had to go where his business was he said.
The next few months passed peacefully enough, well as peacefully as their lives ever got. They helped Teaspoon, who had been named Marshall of Rock Creek, go after outlaws, carried the mail, and got into trouble, just like they had in Sweetwater. Lou had been right, many happy memories had been made in Rock Creek, and their family had grown as well. They had taken in a young boy named Jesse James, and he kept the riders on their toes, constantly trying to prove himself. They understood what he was going through because it hadn't been that long since they were his age. So they did their best to keep him out of trouble.
The friendships that Lou had with Jimmy and Kid had still not progressed into anything deeper, but all of them were content in that. She knew that she would always love Kid, and fully expected them to be back together one day. She also knew that she and Jimmy shared a special bond, but she wasn't sure just what kind of bond it was. For now, she was content just being his friend, but she had a feeling that one day she would find that it was much deeper than a mere friendship.
These thoughts ran through Lou's mind as she walked toward Teaspoon's office where he sat on the porch with the rest of the boys. They all looked serious, and Lou reached them in time to hear Teaspoon telling Jimmy, Kid, and Cody to be careful taking Elias Mill to Ft. Kearny for hanging.
"I'm not looking forward to this," Cody said, not at all happy about the assignment Teaspoon had just given him.
"I'll go," Lou piped up. They all turned to look at her, and she could tell an argument was coming.
"Sorry Lou," Teaspoon said, "but I've already made up my mind."
"Teaspoon," Lou said frustrated at him. "You always said that me bein' a girl don't make a difference right." At his nod she continued. "Well, does it?"
"No," he said, not sure where she was leading.
"Then I can go right?" Teaspoon knew he was stuck there. Boy did this girl know how to get what she wanted. No wonder she and Kid fought a lot when they were together.
"Well, Cody," Teaspoon said, seeing no other option. "I guess you found yourself a replacement."
Lou walked back to the station with Kid and Jimmy. They had to get a good night's sleep, and leave at dawn to take Mills to Kearny. Lou had a feeling that something big was going to happen on this trip.
On to Chapter Three
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