By Lisa R.
Chapter VI
As Lou approached the station, Buck waved her down outside the main house. "Hey Lou good ride?"
"Nothing too bad. Where is everyone? It's awful quiet."
Buck hated lying to Lou, but he went into his prepared speech. "Oh, they're around. I'll take Lightning for you and rub him down. Rachel wants to see you in her house before you go to the bunkhouse. Says it's important." He turned towards the barn before Lou could ask anymore questions.
This can't be good, thought Lou. She racked her brain trying to remember if she'd done something before leaving to upset Rachel. Lou climbed the steps and nervously started chewing on her thumbnail. Maybe something happened to the Kid on his run? This thought put panic in her heart and she picked up her pace.
Rachel had the door open before Lou even had a chance to knock. "Louise, come in, come in. You look tired. Have a good ride?"
"Rachel, quit stalling. What's wrong? Did something happen to the Kid?"
"Louise, you worry to much. Nothin's the matter. I just have something for you is all. Have a seat, I'll be right back." Rachel walked off to the kitchen and returned with two packages wrapped in brown paper.
Lou looked up from the couch, confusion on her face, when Rachel handed them to her. "For me?"
"Yes silly, Happy Birthday!"
"Now Rachel, we already discussed this."
"Please Lou, it would mean a lot to me. Besides, it's just you and me here. I didn't want to embarrass you in front of the others. But shoot, none of the boys even realize what day it is anyway."
Lou wasn't sure what to feel. Was she upset that her friends, her family, had forgotten her birthday or was she relieved that the day would pass quietly? All of these thoughts were pushed from her head when she opened the larger package. It was the beautiful lavender dress from Tompkin's store. She found the hat and small white gloves carefully wrapped in the next package.
"How did you know I was wantin' this one? It's so beautiful."
"You all seem to forget, I know and see everything. I saw you lookin' at the store the other day and just knew it would be perfect for you." Rachel took the dress with its deep, rounded collar and long flowing sleeves and held it under Louise's chin. "It is perfect. You'll look wonderful in it tonight."
"Tonight? What do you mean Rachel? I thought you said nobody remembered."
"I never said Kid forgot, now did I. He left this for you." Rachel handed Lou the folded piece of notepaper. "You go ahead and read it while I get your bath ready."
"Bath?" Lou opened the folded note, recognizing the Kids strong penmanship immediately.
Sweetest Louise,
I know we talked before I left and you said you didn't want a birthday celebration, but I couldn't see letting this special day pass unnoticed. Today was the day you were brought into this world and our path to each other began. I want to create new memories for you, happy ones, so although January 22nd will always be your birthday, today will not be your eighteenth, but your first. It will be our first together and for years to come we will remember the new start we made today.
Please join me for a private dinner at half past six tonight.
Forever Yours,
Kid
Louise clutched the note in her trembling hands and brought it to her lips when she finished reading it. She had tears in her eyes as she wondered how a man who so often got tied up with words when speaking, could be so perfect with a quill and ink? She read it again and sighed.
"I take it you liked the note?"
"Oh Rachel, it's perfect. Listen to what he wrote."
"No, no, you keep it for yourself. I can tell by your face it said everything you wanted to hear." Rachel gently wiped away Lou's tears of joy. Louise never needed to know she'd spent over an hour with Kid as he wrote that note, nor know about the pile of drafts that now burned in her fire place.
"Do you know where he's taking me?"
"No he's been very mysterious. I just know he asked me to have you ready at half past six, so we'd better hurry."
Lou rushed to bathe so she could spend extra time pinning her hair and donning the dress Rachel had so lovingly selected for her. Placing the matching hat on her head she stepped onto the porch just as Kid walked up the stairs. He stopped dead in his tracks and nearly tumbled back down at the sight of her.
Lou raised a gloved hand to cover her laugh, but couldn't stop it from escaping. The almost tumble broke the tension and Kid climbed the stairs to join her.
Presenting Lou with a bouquet of wild flowers, Kid just looked at her shining face. "You look beautiful Lou. More beautiful than anything I ever seen before."
Lou blushed and looked up at him from under her hat. "Thank you Kid, you look mighty fine yourself." She wanted to mention his note, but didn't know how. She just continued to stare into his sparkling blue eyes. Tonight they seemed to shine brighter than any star in the sky.
Rachel stepped onto the porch and snapped the young couple back to earth. "Kid you should hurry along, you don't want to be late." She knew if she didn't move them along, a riot would begin in the bunkhouse and the surprise would fall flat.
"Where are we off to Kid? You know I can't eat in town, someone might recognize me."
"I doubt it Lou, I know you plenty well and I hardly recognize you. No matter anyway, where we're goin' it's a surprise. Do you trust me?"
"Course I do Kid."
"Good, then I want you to wear this blindfold."
"Blindfold? What ever for?"
"So I can take you there."
"Kid."
"You said you trusted me Lou. Just wear it. Please?"
Lou finally acquiesced and Kid tied the scarf over her eyes. "This is all fine Kid, but how will I get down to the buckboard?"
Kid looked at Rachel in a panic. He hadn't thought about how she would manage stairs with her eyes covered. Rachel made some movements with her arms and Kid caught on that he should carry her to the awaiting cart. With one quick motion he scooped Lou up and walked down the stairs.
"Kid, this is ridiculous, put me down!"
"Lou, quiet now, it's a perfectly good solution. Stop squirming or I'll drop you here on the stairs."
Lou calmed down as Kid placed her on the bench and climbed in beside her. With a quick wave to Rachel, they were off on their ride to nowhere.
Kid directed the horse out of the station yard and then began to turn in and around the area. He knew Lou was a decent tracker and he would have to throw her off quickly if he didn't want her to know she was going right back to the bunkhouse. He began to have fun with the ride and after twenty minutes dared to ride right past the bunkhouse as Rachel brought over the last of the supper. He smiled wide and waved to the faces pressed to the windows.
"What is that boy doin' out there? He's having way too much fun."
"Sam Cain, you know well enough that you'd be out there showin' off if it was you doin' the surprisin'." Emma just shook her head at her husband. "I seem to remember a certain town Marshal who fell off the side of my house trying to impress me when we were courting."
"Now Emma, you promised you wouldn't say nothin' about that no more."
Jeremiah stood with his sister at the back of the bunkhouse listening to the easy banter of people who knew each other well. They were going to be the last surprise when Louise walked in. They were to hide behind the other riders and let her think the party was the surprise, then Sam and Emma would come out and then he and Teresa. He thought it was all silly, but Rachel and Kid had been insistent, so he complied.
"Miah, when will Louise be here?"
"Soon Tessie, you just have to remember to stay here so she don't see us."
Teresa pulled at the new party dress that Rachel had given her and tried to stay still. There was so much to see at the Pony Express station and so many new people to talk to she could hardly contain herself. "Well, I hope Kid stops driving in circles soon, I want to see Louise!"
Jeremiah looked down and his baby sister's pouting face and nodded his head in agreement. "Me too. I'm glad that Kid and Jimmy came to get us. It will be fun to be together again, even if it is only for a visit."
Kid pulled the buckboard to a stop in front of the bunkhouse. He could see everyone rushing into place through the windows and hoped Lou couldn't hear the racket they were making.
"Kid, where are we? Are we at dinner yet?" Lou moved to untie the blindfold.
"Wait Lou, not yet! I'll help you down, but leave the blindfold on. We're almost there."
"Kid I feel like a fool." Standing in place, waiting for Kid to help her down, she put her hands on her hips to make her point.
Kid lifted her off her feet and carried her up the steps to the porch. He pushed the door open and guided her inside. He whispered softly in her ear as he untied the blindfold, "Lou, I love you, Happy First Birthday. I hope you like it."
As Lou opened her eyes and adjusted to the light, Jimmy, Cody, Noah, Ike, Buck, Teaspoon and Rachel yelled, "Surprise!" and threw confetti at her. Before she had a chance to register the party atmosphere, the group parted and revealed Sam and Emma Cain. Tears started to come as the full group of nine shouted "Surprise!" a second time.
Looking to the man still standing beside her Lou said, "You did all this? It's more than I can take, Kid." Tears started to well in her eyes at the sight of her friends who had traveled so far to see her.
He took her small hand in his and leaned in close, "We're not done yet."
The group parted again and Teresa and Jeremiah McCloud burst from the back of the room. Teresa threw herself at Lou and wrapped her tiny arms around Lou's waist in a tight hug while the group again yelled, "Surprise!"
Lou was speechless. She looked at Kid who was beaming with pride and then back at her siblings. This time she did begin to cry. "What are you doing here. How did you get here?"
"Happy Birthday, Louise. Are you surprised?"
"Sugarbear, I'm more than surprised. I may faint I'm so surprised." This put a scare into the assembled group and a chair was passed forward for Lou to sit in.
Teresa seated herself on Lou's lap and looked up at Kid who stood beside Lou still holding her hand. "It was Kid's idea Louise. He and Uncle Jimmy came to get me and Miah in St. Joe."
Lou looked up to catch Jimmy's eye. "Kid and Uncle Jimmy, huh?"
Jimmy tried to look embarrassed, but he was proud to be called Uncle. He had grown fond of the children. He called out from behind Buck, "Now sweetheart, that was going to be just between us remember?"
Everyone laughed as Teresa tried to look apologetic.
Tears continued to roll down Lou's flushed cheeks as she hugged her sister close to her. She looked up to Jeremiah who was standing before her. She wasn't sure how to approach her brother. Their last parting had been rough and she knew he was still sour at her. Lou reached out to shake Jeremiah's hand and was unprepared for his reaction.
With a light push at her outstretched hand he threw himself into her arms and hugged Lou and Teresa at the same time. "I'm sorry I've been behavin' so poorly Louise! It's so good to see you." Lou dropped Kid's hand momentarily and hugged him close. "It's so good to have you here Jeremiah, both of you. This truly is a wonderful birthday."
The room fell silent as they watched the tearful reunion between the McClouds. It was a family reunion that was a long time in coming and one that would only strengthen the bonds of their extended express "family".
As the siblings unwrapped themselves from each other's arms, the party got into full swing. Everyone was seated for a delicious dinner and a large lemon cake with chocolate topping. A cake that no one ended up wearing this year. Lou closed her eyes, made a wish and blew out the single candle on the cake. When she opened her eyes she looked around the table at her whole family and knew her wish had already come true.
As the dinner came to a close, Sam took out his harmonica and played tune after tune while Teaspoon entertained everyone with stories of his days in the Texas Rangers and the early days of Sweetwater.
Lou stepped back towards the bunkhouse door and surveyed the room. As Sam played and Teaspoon spun tales, Emma sat resting in the rocker, her hands absently rubbing her belly, feeling the baby move to the music. Rachel sat resting her head on Buck's shoulder, tired from the day's activities. Her brother sat between Cody and Noah laughing at the side comments they made to Teaspoon's stories while Ike sat at the table working on the drawings he'd promised Noah. Her sister sat contently with Kid and Jimmy by the fire.
The room was loudly decorated, filled with fine food, and packed to the brim with noisy, happy people. Simply put, she loved it. The birthday jinx was broken and from now on she hoped to spend every birthday just like this. Looking around the room again, she watched Kid sitting by the fireplace with Teresa. He truly was the best thing in her life. How could she ever thank him enough for bringing her sister and brother to her? It was as if he had read her mind and knew that seeing them would be the best way to break the spell her previous birthdays fell under.
Lou's eyes started to tear. She didn't want everyone to tease her for crying again so she quietly backed out of the door, hoping to compose herself before going back in to open her gifts.
Kid watched Lou slip out the door and caught a glimpse of her absently wiping at tears. He waited a minute and then untangled himself from Teresa, who had settled into his lap to listen to Teaspoon's stories. Silently, he let himself onto the porch and found Lou standing by the rail looking up at the full moon.
She didn't have to turn around to know who had followed her into the cool, crisp winter night. She spoke without turning around. "Thank you Kid."
"You're not upset Lou?"
This time she did turn to him and saw the look of concern clouding his face. "Heavens no, what ever made you think that? This has been the most wonderful birthday in the history of birthdays."
Kid sighed in relief. "I saw you crying and I thought I'd upset you by doing the surprise party and bringing your sister and brother here. You know, like I'd continued the jinx or something."
Lou walked towards Kid and folded herself into his arms. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she tipped her head back and for a second time that night looked deep into his sparkling blue eyes. "Kid, I don't know how you could ever think that. You did nothin' of the sort. You have only brought sunshine and goodness into my life and I'll love you forever for that. Your note, ah, that sweet note. It said it all. This birthday will be a new start we will always remember, another stone on our path." She kissed his lips gently.
'I'm so relieved you're happy. I had my doubts about this plan for a while there, especially when I was going down river in the middle of January, but it all came together nicely." He turned them do they could look into the window and watch everyone laughing together. "It's so good to see everyone here."
Lou turned her face up to look at Kid. "You know what that is in there, Kid? It's our family. We'll never be alone again. We have them and we have each other."
Kid kissed her softly on her brow then rested his own head against hers. They watched through the window as if it was a private play being performed for them.
Lou broke the silence after a few minutes. With a devilish tone to her voice she spoke. "Kid, I been wonderin'?"
Kid heard the mischief in her voice and suspected this could only mean trouble. He shifted so he could look at her. "Yes, Lou."
Trying to look innocent, Lou attempted to bat her eyelashes. "Well, I was thinking. Since I gave in and had a birthday when I said I didn't want one, don't it seem only fair that you give in and tell me your real name?"
Kid looked back at her with a sharp glint in his eye, but a smile on his lips. "Then what surprise will I give you for your second birthday?"
The young couple laughed together out loud and with a quick kiss, entered back into the warm bunkhouse to finish the birthday celebration.
THE END!
Copyright 1998-This work is not to be reproduced without the permission of the author
The Way Station
Campfire Tales
