Save the Next Dance

"Ow" Jimmy rubbed his head with one hand and returned his gun to its holster with the other. "Again, Cody?"

"Sorry Jimmy."

"Cody when are we going to get a whole night's sleep without you screaming in the middle of it?" asked Noah. "Who are you telling to get down anyway?"

"I don't know, that bit's always blurry" lied Cody. He'd been having the same dream for almost a week now. They were upstairs in a room with a verandah, most of the riders were there...He shook his head to remove the image that followed. He didn't know whether it was just a bad dream caused by stress or whether it was some sort of premonition, he hoped it was the first possibility.

"Go back to sleep," murmured Jimmy lying back down.

Cody lay starring at the ceiling fearing what sleep held for him, he doubted the dream would return tonight but his heart was still pounding from the realness of it. Hell he had even heard the gun blast and felt the shudder from the echo. When the first light began to steal through the cracks of the bunkhouse Cody slowly swung his legs over the side of the bunk and slid to the floor, careful not to disturb Jimmy who was sleeping below. A bear disturbed from hibernation had a preferable temperament to Jimmy woken from a night's sleep!

The ground smelled moist and fresh from the night air and birds were beginning to wake from their slumber and chatter to each other about their day's plans. Cody headed for the stable unsure of where he was going but knowing that he needed to get away for a ride. Perhaps the morning air would help to clear his mind.

After several miles he slowed and stopped by a gully. Dismounting the horse he made his way through the long grass to a large boulder and climbed on top. The sun had nearly cleared the horizon in the east, towards the west he watched an eagle searching for breakfast. Breakfast, suddenly he felt hungry.

The others would be up by now and if he didn't get back soon Lou would start worrying about him. Since Eleanor had stayed it was obvious to him that she had told Lou about that night he left and Lou had kept an eye on him ever since as though she expected him to fall to pieces any moment. He admitted to himself that it was beginning to get that way, especially seeing her almost every day with Lou and the others. They all loved her, and why not he thought, so had he, maybe he still did, he just didn't know anymore, it was too hard to think about. She was older and less impulsive than when he had known her before but she still had a determination and pride that he admired in her, he knew that he was her archilles heel, much the same way as she was his. She had become quite a lady, she was an accomplished cook and ran the house well and he hadn't seen her in trousers once since he had arrived in Rock Creek, even if she still refused to ride side-saddle and could not manage to keep her hair in any sort of order. He shook his head and smiled to himself as he headed towards town. Like it or not she was a hard habit to break.

"Enjoy your ride?" Teaspoon called to him as he approached the barn.

"Yeah, the wild flowers are out. I guess spring must be here after all"

"Breakfast is ready if you're hungry"

Cody grinned, what a stupid question, of course he was hungry. He started up the steps.

"Cody" Teaspoon stopped him "the boys tell me you keep having the same nightmare. Is everything alright son?"

"I don't know Teaspoon. It just seems so real but it doesn't make sense"

"Well, been my experience that bad dreams rarely do. Are you sure there's nothing bothering you?"

"Like what Teaspoon?"

"Like a pretty little thing that lives on the other side of town with her father?"

"Eleanor? No, I think we've sorted that out" Cody busied himself washing his hands to avoid Teaspoon's astute glance.

"Really? I'd have thought it would have taken a whole lot more talking to straighten things like that out! Son, I don't know what went on way back in Irwin but I do know that ignoring it ... and her...aren't going to solve anything." Teaspoon shook his head "Sometimes we just have to face our demons."

Cody smiled wondering if he meant Eleanor was a demon, she'd be amused by that, he was sure.

As if reading his mind Teaspoon corrected "ok maybe demons aint quite the right word on this occasion but you know what I'm meaning".

"Sure Teaspoon. I'm starved".

Teaspoon sighed and rolled his eyes, young folk! Now he knew why he'd never had children, sometimes it was better to talk to the barn door!

After helping Rachel clear the table the boys went about their chores around the station.

Cody flung another heap of dry straw into one of the stalls and spread it out with his foot.

"That's what the fork's for Cody!" Jimmy said glancing over from the other side of the stable.

"Thanks Jimmy. I was wondering"

Jimmy shrugged and smiled, Cody had and answer for everything. He took a deep breath as he resolved that now was as good time as any to approach his friend.

"Cody, is it ok with you if I take Ellie to the dance tomorrow?" he paused while he waited for Cody to stop flinging straw around but seeing no signs of ceasement he continued, "I know the two of you use to be close so if this is going to be a problem I'd really like to know? Cody?"

Cody sat on a barrel and kicked his feet in the straw "You do what you like Jimmy, it doesn't bother me."

Jimmy joined him on another barrel "Yeah it does"

"Jimmy, we've hardly said two words to each other since I arrived in Rock Creek. You don't need my permission to take her."

"Maybe it's time you did say more than two words to her" Jimmy looked intently at Cody.

Cody half laughed "You been talking to Teaspoon?"

"Nope, just know that'd be the sensible thing to do. What the hell happened with you two anyway?"

"Jimmy does stuff ever happen to you at the wrong time in your life? You know, like when it happens you are too young to deal with it but if it had been a few years later there would have been more options to take?"

"Cody, I don't know about the too young bit but stuff definitely keeps happening at the wrong time where I'm concerned. No-time would be a better option for some things." Jimmy narrowed his eyes "Do you mean like marry her?"

Cody felt as though he'd been shot actually hearing it for the first time aloud. "I guess that's what I mean. I was only fifteen Jimmy, she was fourteen, I couldn't bring her out west with me. Could I?"

Jimmy shook his head "You could have but I doubt it would have worked out, besides I can't see you getting very far with Jack hot on your trail".

"It was his idea for me to go west" Cody noticed Jimmy's raised eyebrow "no, not to get rid of me. He just said that I should go and make a life for myself so that I would have something to offer a wife when the time came."

"Did he tell his son the same thing?"

"Teddy? I doubt it! He would have known that the moment Teddy left Irwin he'd hook up with some gang of outlaws. Teddy lived for adventure and didn't care much about consequences".

"Is that what his sister's like too?" queried Jimmy.

Cody thought awhile "In some ways I guess she was when she was little, we found some fine trouble together" he smiled remembering the time he had dared her to climb down the cliff and told her that she couldn't make it cause she was a girl. She'd about got her neck broken doing it, then caught her ankle in a crevice and got stuck about halfway down. He had to send Andy back to town to get help. Boy had Mr. Cicely been wild with them that night!

"Take her to the dance Jimmy." no matter how hurt and angry he was with her, it wasn't fair to stifle the life out of her or to punish her for foolishness when she was younger.

"You sure?" Jimmy was a little taken by surprise by the calmness in Cody's voice, the hint of malice was gone. He didn't know what had just happened but he thought he'd chance a previous suggestion. "Cody, if you want to go talk to her I 'll finish off here".

Cody hesitated then shook his head "Nope", he had convinced himself that it would be best for everyone, especially Ellie, if he kept as far away from her as possible.

Lou spun around the room several times watching the material ripple with the movement.

"Louise! For heavens sake stand still before you trip over it! At this rate you will have to wear it with the hem down!" sighed an exasperated Rachel. She had finally got Eleanor settled with a needle and thread sewing lace around the sleeves but she had yet to hem Lou's dress and she wasn't helping with her incessant twirling.

"Does this look straight to you?" Eleanor held up the sleeve to display the lace she had been working on.

Rachel and Lou looked at each other and burst out laughing. Rachel shook her head then hid her face in her hands "Honestly you two would try the patience of a saint!"

"It is a zigzag right?" Lou spluttered between giggles.

Eleanor flopped back in the chair "No! I started to go crooked so I tried to fix it by moving it up again" she explained.

"Didn't it look crooked when you pinned it?" asked Rachel.

"Pinned? No I thought it would be quicker if I just sewed it on. I couldn't see why it needed to be pinned."

Rachel sighed and removed the dress from Eleanor, Louise resumed her twirling, practicing some of the dances she had seen at the last dance. "Do you know how to unpick Ellie?"

Eleanor beamed "I'm really good at that"

"I'm not surprised" piped up the voice as it galloped across the room with its dress rustling.

"And YOU can stand still long enough for me to pin the hem up" chided Rachel as she made a grab for Louise.

"Wouldn't it be quicker to just sew it?" Lou commented mischievously. Ellie responded by threatening to throw a cushion at her.

Footsteps outside caused the women to look towards the door in anticipation of their visitor. The broad figure of Jack Cicely appeared.

"Surely that's not my daughter sewing?"

"No Pa I'm unpicking" Ellie explained. While she could sew enough to repair things, intricacies of lace and other trimmings were not her forte as the other ladies had discovered.

Her father laughed "That sounds more like my girl. I'm on my way home. Do you want a ride back?"

"Um... can you wait about half hour so I can finish this with Rachel?"

"Why don't you leave it with me and I'll finish it for you and you can get ready for the dance here" offered Rachel. Eleanor gratefully accepted and promised to be back in plenty of time for the dance.

Lou was just finishing her chores when a young boy approached. She recognized him as one of the Anderson kids, they were a wild bunch who lived on the outskirts of town and wherever they went trouble was not often far behind them.

"Where's Miz Ellie?" the grubby figure asked.

"What do you want with her?" Lou eyed him suspiciously.

"Got a note for her. Its real important"

"I'll give it to her" Lou extended her hand.

"Nope. I gotta give it to her" he insisted.

Something bothered Lou "She's having a rest and can't be disturbed" she lied "you can either give it to me and I promise that she will get it as soon as she wakes or you can come back tomorrow". Lou knew from his tone that tomorrow wasn't an option. She watched the young boy hesitate "or you can stand there long enough for me to clobber you over the head with this shovel and then I can take it anyway!"

The boy realizing that this was as close to her as he was going to get, reluctantly handed the letter over to Lou.

"Teaspoon, I gotta go out for awhile" she called as soon as the messenger had left and headed for the Cicely's residence.

"Louise!" exclaimed Eleanor surprised to see her friend out here "I was just getting ready to come over for the dance. Did Rachel finish my lace? Did you stand still nicely for her?" she joked.

"Yeah but never mind that now. One of the Anderson boys brought this note to the station for you. I told him you were resting in the house and managed to get it off him. He seemed pretty edgy and this seemed to be important so I thought I better bring it straight away". Lou handed the letter to her.

Eleanor gasped and turned pale. She reached for a chair to sit in before discovering the contents.

"Ellie what's wrong?" Lou sat beside her.

"This is Teddy's writing."

"Open it" Lou instructed her gently.

There was silence while Eleanor's trembling hand opened the letter and took in its contents. She sighed "He's in trouble Lou. He needs help and some money. I'm meant to meet him tonight at Stony Pass."

"What about the dance? Someone will notice if you aren't there. I take it he doesn't want your father to know about this."

Eleanor shook her head "I'm meant to meet him at midnight so the dance will be well over by then.

"Ellie its a good half hours ride out there and its not an easy trail. I'll go with you".

Eleanor began to protest but Lou interrupted her "I will just go to the bend so he won't see me but it really is too dangerous to go out there alone".

Eleanor agreed that she had a point and was relieved to have company for most of the way. After all she had no way of telling if it was some kind of trap and at least this way if she got into trouble Lou could always ride back to town for backup.

To be continued...Chapter V

Copyright 1998-This work is not to be reproduced without the permission of the author

The Way Station
Campfire Tales

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