Something In The Water

©2004 by Helen Gibson

Lou headed over to the marshal’s office, her 18-month-old daughter Josephine, or Joey as they all called her, running along beside her. She slowed down as she came to the boardwalk outside the office, to let Joey make her entrance.

“Gum-pa” Joey squealed as she ran through the doors. A lot of laughter followed as Lou slowly entered the office.

“Hey Teaspoon. How are you this afternoon?” she inquired.

“Good darlin’, even better now my girls have come to visit. The kids not out yet?” he replied.

“Nah, so I thought I’d drop this one off to do her deputing duties, and go over and pick them up, if that’s all right with you?” Lou asked with a smile.

“Of course, I couldn’t get through the day without my granddaughter lending a helping hand.” Teaspoon grinned.

“Okay, baby, be good for Grandpa. I’ll be back to pick you up soon” Lou explained to her daughter, picking her up, and giving her a kiss goodbye. Lou gave Teaspoon a kiss on the cheek and then walked out over to Tompkins’ store to get the few groceries that the ‘family’ needed before picking up her siblings from school.

Walking into Tompkins’ store, Lou quickly gathered the items she needed and headed to the counter, but paused mid-stride as a new dress on the back wall caught her eye. As she gazed upon the blue material, memories came flooding back of a time that seemed so long ago.

“Looks like I’m the envy of every man in Willow Springs” Jimmy teased as they walked along the boardwalk. Hearing the whistles she was receiving from some men of the town, Lou threaded her arm through Jimmy’s and happily strolled along not having to be disguised as Lou, but letting Louise shine through…”

Letting a sigh escape her, Lou finished making her purchases and then proceeded over to the school where the children were just getting out for the day. Willow Springs seemed a hundred years ago, and Jimmy, oh Jimmy. Noone had heard a word from Jimmy since after she and Kid were married. And Kid, well he turned out to be someone Lou didn’t know.

“Lou, Lou, guess what?” Teresa screamed from the schoolhouse porch steps when she saw her sister waiting for them. Without waiting for a reply, she continued, “the town’s having a social on Sunday after church. Can we go please, please please?” By now the young girl was jumping up and down in front of Lou.

Lou snapped out of her thoughts when Teresa’s scream reached her ears. Roughly catching the last few words, Lou understood what her sister was asking her. “We’ll see. Now let's get home. Where’s ‘Miah? Is he in trouble, AGAIN?” Lou groaned.

“No, I’m right here. I was helping Aunt Rachel clean up.” Jeremiah pouted from behind Lou.

As if on cue, Rachel exited the schoolhouse with an armload of books. “Thank you for your help ‘Miah. Hey Lou, how are you today?” Rachel inquired.

“Oh, hey Rachel. I’m good. Just dropped Teaspoon’s deputy off to help him out for a while. Oh, and I got the things we needed from Tomkins’!” Lou explained. “Did you need a lift home, Rachel? You look like you’ve bought the whole library home with all those books” Lou gaped.

“That would be great Lou.” Rachel replied. Taking half the load of books, Lou, Rachel and the children walked to the wagon.

“Oh, darn….. Rachel, would you be able to look after the kids for me this evening? I promised Joey I’d take her for a ride today.” Lou confessed.

“Of course Lou. I know they have homework, so I’ll help them with that” Rachel explained knowledgably, winking at the children.

“Thanks Rachel. Okay, let's get going. I don’t really want to be out riding with Joey in the dark…gedup.”

With that, they were on their way back to the old waystation, now called P.E.W. The old waystation was now a thriving horse and cattle ranch, one of the biggest in the territory. When Lou moved back to Sweetwater after her divorce from the Kid was finalised, she turned the almost rundown old place around. With a little help from her express family, P.E.W. was off and running. Teaspoon and Rachel moved back to Sweetwater not long after Lou, to be close to her and the children, and to lend her a helping hand and their support when she needed it. The Marshal of Sweetwater was shot and killed a week before Teaspoon and Rachel arrived, so Teaspoon offered to take the job as Marshal. Meanwhile, Rachel lent a helping hand out at the school and when the schoolteacher left town, Rachel took over teaching the class. Often some of their ‘family’ would come and visit, bringing along their own growing families.

Cody often visited when he could with his fiancée, Rebecca. Of course Cody always made use of his old excuses to get out of any work, which needed to be done, unless Lou was likely to show him up otherwise.

Buck, Ike and Their families had all stayed back in Rock Creek and set up homes. After the express finished, Kid and Lou moved south, Buck returned to his Kiowa family, but eventually returned to Rock Creek with a bride. Since no one but Buck could pronounce her Kiowa name, she got it shortened to Lana.

Ike and Emily married three weeks after Kid and Lou married, and Noah married Cassie four months later. There seemed to be a run of wedding planning in Rock Creek at that time. Most folks put it down to there being something in the water, and stopped swimming in the various dams JUST IN CASE! The Express Family had really grown over the last three years

When the wagon arrived back at P.E.W. the two children jumped of and hurried inside to change and make a start on their homework, so they could play outside before it got dark. Rachel and Lou unloaded the wagon, then as Rachel went inside, Lou unhitched the horses, took them over to the barn and handed them over to the waiting hands of her Head Foreman, Simon Jakes. He was a widower who was lost when his wife died. When the bank foreclosed on his loan, he became homeless as well…for about a minute.

Lou happened to be visiting when the bank manager came and delivered the news. Lou couldn’t let her friend become homeless, so she offered him a job as her Head Foreman on P.E.W since the place was rapidly growing and she needed to hire people to help work it anyway.

Simon’s only reply to this offer was “under one condition…you tell me what P.E.W stands for!”

Laughing, Lou answered “Pony Express Waystation. Anything else?”

Shaking his head he replied, “Good point…Great name. Okay, since you need workers, and I need a job and a place to stay, you’ve got yourself a deal, Lou….I can’t believe I’m working for a woman!” he scoffed. At seeing the scowl form on Lou’s face, he stammered “Just kidding, Lou”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lou went into the barn after handing the reins over to Simon and saddled her faithful old horse, Lightning. Leading him out of the barn, Lou mounted the horse with her ever-present grace of an old pro and took off at a gallop. She always loved the freedom of the open plains. It felt great to have a bit of time to her, just riding, before she had to pick up Joey from Teaspoon. She knew he wouldn’t mind a few extra minutes with his granddaughter.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Meanwhile in town…

“Bang, Bang, Bang… take dat bad man.” Joey yelled.

“Oh, you got me.” Teaspoon croaked as he ‘fell down dead’ into his chair. “Nice shot there deputy.”

“Gum-pa, can have candy?” Joey asked, looking at him with those big blue doe eyes that just melted your heart.

Looking out to the street for any sign of Lou, Teaspoon replied “okay darlin’. I don’t see your mama, so here we go. One for you and one for me,” he said smiling and handing the girl a piece of candy, then popping a piece into his own mouth.

“Hey, don’t you know that stuff will ruin your dinner” came the voice from the doorway.

Teaspoon looked up at the man at the door. After a brief moment, recognition dawned on the marshal. “Well son, it’s been a long time. Welcome back.”

“Hey Teaspoon. Yeah, it has. Too long. I went to Rock Creek and the boys told me you and Rachel moved back here. Is there something you two aren’t telling the rest of us? Hmmm?” Questioned the old friend, looking at the little girl clinging to Teaspoons leg.

“Just hold it right there, son. Have you bin hit upside the head? Rachel and I are only FRIENDS. This here is Joey…my depu…” He was cut off by the little girl running out the door yelling “MAMA”.

Turning around, the man was stunned by the beauty that dismounted from her horse and picked up the little girl, swung her around then brought her to her chest for a cuddle.

“Lou?”

Looking up at hearing her name, Lou breathed, “Jimmy? Is it really you?”

The pair just stood still, starring at the other, noticing the physical changes the other had undergone over the past three years. Jimmy had cut his hair a little- like it was at the beginning of the Express days, and grown a moustache

‘I hope he will remove that moustache. He looks much more handsome without it…hey where did that come from?’ Lou thought

Jimmy noted the subtle changes Lou had: her hair was a little longer, just below her shoulders; ‘I hope she doesn’t grow it any longer, it looks fantastic. SHE looks fantastic’ thought Jimmy. Lou now had an obvious bust (‘VERY feminine, no mistaking her for a boy now!’) and a slight curve to her hips. (‘Hmmmm, I’ve really missed her.’)

‘I wonder where Kid is? Maybe he’s back at the waystation’ Jimmy thought after a while.

“Mama, we ride Lighninny now?” Joey asked, breaking the trance Lou and Jimmy were in.

Looking down at her daughter, Lou nodded, “Course darlin’. Just a sec. Jimmy are you hangin’ around or just passing through?” Lou asked, turning her attention back to her old companion.

Ahh, I was thinkin’ of stickin’ around for a while and catching up with everyone…If that’s okay with everyone?” he replied, looking at both Teaspoon and Lou.

“Of course you can. You’re family after all. We can always put you to work breaking in the new horses we got yesterday!” Lou teased, chuckling.

“Mama, go ride,” Joey whined getting bored watching the stranger and her mother looking at each other. She loved riding with her mother because she could spend some time with just her mum.

Jimmy and Lou both looked down at the little girl. The only part of her that was her father, was her eve colour, everything was her mother through and through.

“Okay baby. By the way, this is your Uncle Jimmy. Jimmy, I’d like you to meet Josephine…” Lou responded

“Joey” Joey interrupted.

“Sorry, JOEY” Lou corrected.

Jimmy knelt down and offered his hand to the little girl. She was so much like Lou it was amazing. Except for her eyes. That was definitely Kid. When Joey took his hand and shook it, Jimmy said, “It’s so nice to meet you, Joey.” He smiled at her name and looked up at Lou. ‘Yeap, just like her mama…stubborn to all buggery’ he thought.

“So, Jimmy, did you want to ride back with us, or meet back at the station later?” Lou inquired.

“Yeah sure, I’ll come. That’d be great. See you back at the waystation, Teaspoon?” Jimmy questioned.

“That you will. I’m sure Lou has made a delicious meal for us, as usual” Teaspoon remarked, a hint of teasing in his smile.

“Of course, but Rachel said she’d heat it up for us since we’re going for a ride before dinner, aren’t we, munchkin?” Lou asked, looking down at her daughter who was now gripping her hand and starting to pull her to the door as best as she could.

“Yeap. Come’ the little girl begged.

“Okay, Jimmy hope you’re ready, coz we gotta get goin’.” At his nod of confirmation, the two ex-riders bade farewell to Teaspoon and went out the door. Jimmy mounted his horse, Sundancer, then sat atop and watched as Lou swung Joey up onto the saddle and followed quickly herself onto the saddle. With that, the three set off for a ride before going to P.E.W.

The trio arrived at the old watering hole a while later. They dismounted and watered the horses. Joey went and sat at the water’s edge as she usually did and watched the insects fly around on top of the water. It was always so interesting to her.

Jimmy and Lou sat down on the bank for a bit, neither saying a word, just content to be near one another like the old days. After about half an hour, they decided to head to the ranch. The trio remounted and rode gently back home. Joey was warming to her uncle Jimmy. He made her mama smile.

When they were within seeing distance of the ranch, Joey yelled “GO MAMA!” This was her way of saying ‘Let’s Gallop’. Lou looked at Jimmy and spurred on her horse into a gallop, which Jimmy quickly followed suit. The trio bounded into the waystation like the devil was chasing them, Joey laughing the whole way.

When they brought the horses to a stop, Joey cried “Yey, that fun.” Jimmy dismounted and came around to help Lou with Joey. Passing her to him, Lou then dismounted herself and led their horses to the barn.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Later that night, after Lou had put the kids to bed, Lou, Jimmy, Rachel and Teaspoon sat in the loungeroom and caught up on the last three years.

“So, son, where have you been? I had word about a year ago you were in Deadwood!” Teaspoon stated.

“Yeah. I’ve been to a few places, but nowhere felt like home.” The gunslinger replied, sadness evident in his voice.

“Well I hope you’d consider here as a place to call home,” Lou almost whispered. Today had been one of the happiest days she had experienced in a very long time. It almost felt like old times when they rode for the express. When they could just spend time together without feeling guilty…that time was always rare when Kid was around, but even more precious.

Looking intensely at Lou, Jimmy was trying to read her feelings, but for the first time he could remember, he wasn’t able to. This scared Jimmy to no end. “Well won’t Kid mind? I mean last time I saw him, we didn’t exactly see eye to eye.”

At this Teaspoon choked on his coffee and both he and Rachel turned their heads to look at Lou. Since she arrived on their doorstep fifteen months ago with the announcement that she and Kid had divorced, noone had directly asked Lou about Kid, let alone mention his name. They were unsure how Lou would handle this, so they looked on with interest.

“Well Kid doesn’t have a say in it anymore, Jimmy. He and I were divorced a month after Joey was born. That’s nearly a year and a half ago.” Lou replied strongly, sitting up straighter to prove that she was stronger without him.

Jimmy’s jaw dropped open at hearing this news. This was the last thing he had expected to hear. Questions filled his mind: What happened? How could that happen to a couple who loved each other so much? Why hadn’t I come back sooner? Why wasn’t I there for her when she needed me most? What has Kid done to Lou? The questions continued.

Lou saw the shock on Jimmy’s face, then she saw the emotions flash across his face: horror, sorrow, guilt, love and anger. Seeing these feelings in Jimmy brought back butterflies she hadn’t felt since she was an express rider and on a certain trip with one James Butler Hickok to take Elias Mills to his hanging. When the anger didn’t leave his eyes, Lou decided it was time to tell the tale.

“Please don’t blame yourself Jimmy. I know you’re blaming yourself for not being there. When I was six months pregnant Kid left for work and never returned. At that stage I was as big as a house and only getting bigger. I waited for him for a month, making myself sick and confined to bed, but knew he wasn’t coming home, so Jeremiah and Teresa somehow took me to Emma and Sam’s. On the way through one of the towns, there he was, with a new family. Well by the looks of things, when he went away on business trips, it was to see his other family.

Emma took care of us and helped out until Joey was born and that’s when I filed for divorce. The territorial judge passed through town three weeks later and granted the divorce. We stayed with Sam and Emma for about another month, then we moved back to Rock Creek for a while with the rest of the family, then here. We did it up to what you see today.” Lou sighed. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders she didn’t even know she was carrying.

Jimmy looked at her, tears shining in his eyes. They both stood up, crossed the loungeroom and hugged one another. Crying, the pair sat down on the floor where they were standing and just continued to hold each other and cry.

Teaspoon took this as his and Rachel’s cue to leave. The young couple needed to be alone and console one another. They checked on the children before they went into their separate ways to retire. Rachel went into her room between the girls’ rooms whilst Teaspoon went into his at the end of the hallway, next to Jeremiah’s room and the attic stairwell, where Lou’s room situated. The spare room where Jimmy would be staying was located on the ground floor to the left of the stairwell.

After about half an hour of releasing their emotions, Lou and Jimmy dried their eyes. Without going out of arms reach from each other, they made some tea and went to sit on the porch swing. Just being in Jimmy’s arms, she felt safe once more. Lou had always felt a sense of peace whenever she was with Jimmy.

Jimmy enjoyed being ‘home’. ‘Yeap, I could settle down here, as long as Lou stayed around,’ he thought. He knew he still loved her as only a lover could. That much hadn’t changed. It was his main reason for staying away so long, but his heart finally got through to his brain and told him to find her once more. He just couldn’t deny it any longer. There was only one woman in this world that he could see himself spending the rest of his life with and she was in his arms right now. Sure, long ago Emma Shannon set his heart aflutter, but since Lou was revealed to be Louise, no other woman had been able to hold a candle to her. Now if he could just tell her how he felt.