Epilogue
By Joanna Phillips
Epilogue
By Joanna Phillips
It was a rainy day, and the riders all preferred sitting inside the dry bunkhouse to doing the chores Teaspoon had inevitably left them. It was a week to the day since they'd returned to Sweetwater and had been greeted by a sobbing Rachel.
Jimmy and Lou had both spent time at the doctor's office, and Doc Barnes had been sworn to secrecy over Lou's identity. He'd been amazed to learn who she was, and had treated her with great admiration, albeit curiosity too. Jimmy and Lou were both healing nicely, but playing on the sympathy of Rachel and Teaspoon to stay away from their chores as long as possible.
Blue Creek had picked up their runs in the weeks they had been gone, and the Sweetwater station would do the same for Blue Creek starting in two days. The riders all dreaded the double duty, but were so content to be back at the bunkhouse that they kept their complaining to a minimum…even Cody.
At the moment they were simply enjoying being lazy after the hard weeks of searching and captivity. Cody and Noah both lay on their bunks, staring at the ceiling. Buck and Ike worked on fixing a bridle that was hopelessly beyond repair, and Jimmy and Kid played poker at the table. Lou watched them all happily, under the guise of reading a book.
She was content, though to think of Raven Wing and Curly still tore at her heart. She and Kid had sat down and had a long conversation. They hadn't been able to solve all their problems, but they'd settled into a separate peace, and close friendship prevailed. Lou had little doubt they'd one day give romance another go, but for now they were just happy to be together with no pressures.
Jimmy and Kid seemed to have repaired the chasm between them, and Lou had rarely seen them laugh so hard or seem so close as they had the past couple of days. Again, she had a feeling that the hard feelings between them might one day flare again, but for now, they had been pushed from the surface.
She and Jimmy maintained their closeness, though it was different in many ways. They'd been through enough to develop a keen awareness of each other's thoughts, and Lou had never felt such a connection with anyone, with the exception of the Kid. Whatever had happened romantically had been dealt with for the present, but Lou yet again had a feeling one day the issue would rise between them again.
None of it mattered to her. Peace had come into her life and into her heart, and she thanked God for it. The simple things about the boys, Rachel, and Teaspoon she had started to take for granted struck her as the most precious of gifts now.
Cody suddenly interrupted her thoughts by making one of the off-the-wall-remarks that was characteristic of him.
"So what did they call Jimmy?"
"What?" All of them asked simultaneously, and it echoed off the foggy windows.
"What did they call Jimmy?" Cody repeated.
"Who?" Buck asked.
"The Sioux," Cody said, rolling his eyes as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world.
"I mean, Lou was called Fire Dancer, so I figured they had to call Jimmy something like Dumb Bear, or Crazy Bird or something…"
Everyone laughed while Jimmy glared at Cody dangerously.
"So what did they call you?" Noah wondered, "Or did Cody guess it?"
Jimmy blushed and looked at the cards he was holding. To admit the Sioux called him Fire Watcher would only embarrass him and possibly anger Kid if he made the connection to Lou. Given the new found peace, he didn't want to risk it.
"Silver Guns," Lou supplied, keeping a straight face.
"That ain't so bad. Hell Cody, I think in the short time you were in the village I heard someone call you Squawking Chicken," Kid managed to say before he burst into laughter at his own joke.
The others burst into laughter at Cody's expense.
"Least I have a real name," Cody muttered sourly, not pleased at all with the way the joke had turned on him.
While they all laughed Jimmy glanced over to see Lou smiling at him. He smiled back gently and winked at her.
So his name was to be their secret, he thought, and his smile grew wider.
As they exchanged the knowing smile, Jimmy considered all they'd been through. And then he thought, No sir, I wouldn't trade it for the world!
The look on her face told him she felt the same way.
It wasn't long before Cody, still pouting, broke into song.
"Yankee Doodle went to town…"
Everyone, with the exception of Jimmy and Lou, who hadn't been subject to hearing him sing it repeatedly on the trail, groaned.
"Cody, I'm warning you," Kid said calmly as he laid down his hand. Jimmy, in turn, laid down his winning hand, and gathered Kid's matches.
"Stuck a feather in his hat…"
With a cry, suddenly Kid, Buck, Noah, and Ike jumped to their feet and grabbed every pillow in sight.
Jimmy and Lou laughed and looked at each other after watching the boys mercilessly pound Cody with the pillows.
Their smiles grew wider and their eyes sparkled as they both jumped up and ran over to join in on the fun.
Finally they stopped, Cody silenced for a minute.
Then, from below about ten pillows they heard him faintly, "and with the girls be dandy!"
Noah sighed, knowing the wonderful quiet of the afternoon was over, "All good things come to an end, I guess."
The words struck both Jimmy and Lou, and again they glanced at each other.
"Yeah," Jimmy said softly, "I guess all good things do come to an end…"
"But," Cody said brightly, pushing the pillows off himself, "All ends lead to new beginnings!"
And with those words of wisdom said, he started the song over, as the others groaned. Laughter erupted from all of them as they gleefully attacked him with the pillows again.
Jimmy winked at Lou and again they shared the smile of shared secrets.
Copyright 1998-This work is not to be reproduced without the permission of the author