The Magnificent Seven
"Midnight Waltz"

It was nearly midnight by the time Chris Larabee handed over watch duties to Nathan Jackson and headed back to his room in the boarding house.
Most of the buildings in the small town of Four Corners were dark. A couple street fires still burned offering the saloon patrons a safe path home.

As he passed by the Clarion, Chris noticed that the laterns were still shining brightly.
Not that he hadn’t noticed it before on rounds but he had hoped that she would have gone to bed by now.
Larabee watched as the young blonde widow put the finishing touches on the next day’s editon.
From somewhere a trumpet began to play a soft tune. As the music drifted and was caught by the wind it gave Chris and idea.

The blond gunslinger stepped through the doorway of the newspaper office,”Mary.”
Mary Travis jumped slightly not having heard his entrance,”Chris, what are you doing here at this hour?”
Larabee smiled as he walked toward her,”I was about to ask you the same thing.”
Mary absently pulled a stray blonde hair away from her face as she gestured ruefully to the nearby printer’s press,”I was just finishing this weekend’s edition. The Watson trial is big news.”
Chris nodded as he took her hand and gently pulled her out into the street.
“Chris,what are you doing?”Mary asked as the pair reached the center of the street.

Chris pulled her into an embrace grateful that the mysterious trumpet player was still playing,”I figured you could use a break. Can I have this dance?”
It was only then that Mary caught the soft strands of the trumpet and she smiled,”Yes.”
They moved to the music in silence for several moments with Mary resting her head on Chris’s shoulder.
“Thankyou.”Mary whispered softly breaking the silence.
Chris pulled back so he could see her face,”For what?”
Mary smiled,”For this. For everything you’ve done for Billy and me this past year.”
Larabee gently cupped her chin with his right hand,”You’ve helped me more than you’ll ever know. I’m just returning the favor.”


End

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