CHAPTER SEVEN
Monday morning dawned with welcoming sunshine. As Buck had promised,
everyone was up and waiting while Jack finished saddling her horse and
packing up what few belongings were hers. Her horse, Molasses, didn't seem
any more eager to be leaving than Jack was. But her few minutes of
preparation were over at last, and there was nothing left but to say
goodbye. Rachel stepped forward first, unashamed of the tears in her clear green
eyes. She thrust a bag of food into Jack's hands and pulled Jack into her
arms. "You be careful now, sugar," she whispered into Jack's ear. "Remember
you are always welcome here. Always." Her embrace was loving and maternal,
and Jack fixed an image in her mind, to remember Rachel always, no matter
what happened...Rachel standing on the porch in the fading light of day, her
arms crossed over her chest, leaning against the railing with a broad smile
on her face, calling them to supper. Ike smiled at her and his hands moved rapidly. She had begun to learn
his signs, but still needed a translator most of the time. Buck moved to
Ike's side. "He says to be careful," Buck informed her, "and to write us,
and he wants to know if he can have a kiss?" Everyone laughed and Ike
grinned wickedly. Jack leaned forward and pressed her lips softly to his
cheek. They hugged and Ike back away with a friendly nod...Ike at the table,
sketchbook in his hands, his pencil skimming like lightning over the paper. Buck hugged her, too...Buck walking into town with that proud tilt of
his head, that proud assuredness in his step, daring anyone to think he was
less than they were because of the color of his skin...and said, "You can
always come back, you know." His dark eyes told her, 'Come back.' Noah's grip was strong when he shook her hand. He stiffened when she
pecked his cheek lightly...the white flash of Noah's teeth when he opened
his mouth wide to laugh uproariously, the way he clapped his hands when
something struck him as especially funny...and he only nodded. "Goodbye,
Jack. Ride safe." For once Cody's face was almost serious. He squeezed Jack tightly in
his arms and patted her back, then tapped his cheek with his forefinger,
inviting a kiss, which Jack bestowed on him. "Ride safe, Jack"...Cody's eyes
lighting up with enjoyment at the telling of his own story, the delighted
chuckle he gave when he was finished, his ever-present smile of smugness. The Kid's arms were protective around her. "You watch out for yourself,
for our sake, too, all right? You're a part of this family now. We can't
lose you." He kissed the top of her head...the way the Kid ducked his head
when he was embarrassed, shifting on his feet, looking up anxiously, eyes
full of kindness. Teaspoon with his surly drawl, the way he narrowed his eyes and seemed
to see right through you...stepping up to her, he kissed her and held her
hands in his. "You come back to us, you hear me? You ain't got to leave like
this, but I understand why you are." Then he stepped back and wiped his
eyes, characteristically sentimental. Jack could hardly bear to look Lou in the eye. She felt as if she were
leaving a sister behind, and knew she could never choose just one memory of
Lou to keep. There were far too many: Lou laughing, Lou teasing, Lou looking
at the Kid with consternation and then five minutes later with gushing love.
Lou's friendship would sustain her for the rest of her life if necessary,
but Jack prayed that wouldn't be necessary. She wanted to see a Lou as a
blushing bride walking down the aisle on Teaspoon's arm to a waiting Kid.
She wanted to see Lou as a mother, bustling about in her own kitchen, her
own stables. She wanted a friendship for a lifetime, but who knew what lay
in store? Her hug with Lou was as sad as only two best friends saying
goodbye could be. "Write me, Jack." "Yes." "Don't just say it, do it. And I'll write you, too." "Yes." They squeezed hands and said no more. Many memories of Jimmy came to mind, but she knew that as long as she
lived, when she thought of him, this would be the memory fixed in her mind:
Jimmy standing beside Molasses, one hand on the horse's back, looking at her
with serious eyes, his hat off his head for once, long hair laying on his
shoulders. What complicated feelings she had grown to have for Jimmy were
not quite apparent to her, but her affection was strong, she knew that. They
shook hands, a litte uneasily. "Take care, Jack. Let us know you're all right. Maybe we'll bump into
each other on a run, who knows?" "Who knows?" Jack agreed. She placed her foot in the stirrup and swung
up to sit on Molasses. "Thank you all for everything," she said to them.
"Everything." "Jack..." Jimmy cleared his throat. "I wanted to say that I'm
sorry...I'm sorry we didn't catch those men who hurt you. I know I promised
you, but I didn't follow through on that promise, and...I'm sorry." Jack looked down at him from atop her horse. "Jimmy," she said, and
their eyes met again, "sometimes we don't always catch the bad guy." |
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