Epilogue Jimmy heard the shot as he felt something hit him in the back. He slumped forward, over the table, as the cards fell out of his hand and a warmth spread throughout his body. He had no control over his body; he could not speak, or move, or signal to the people around him that he needed help. He was aware of a commotion, as the men at his table all jumped out of their chairs and other people in the saloon started shouting, but he could not turn around to see what it was all about. Somebody must have been shot, but who? And who had done it?
It was only when the warmth in his body began to be replaced by a pain more intense than he had ever known that he became aware that he was the one who had been shot. He wondered why they were leaving him there, slumped against the table, for so long. Why weren't they helping him? In reality, it had been only a few seconds since the shot rang out, but death has no sense of time, space, or distance, so for Jimmy it could have been hours. He was aware of what was going on, but suddenly, he was watching it rather than just hearing it.
This was not supposed to be happening. He was down there playing poker, winning enough money to go visit Lou in California. He could not be dead. He had to go see Lou. He had to know that she forgave him. He could not die without knowing that, without being able to know that so he could forgive himself. He felt in his pocket for Lou's letter, but it was not there.
"It's not there, Jimmy." The voice behind him startled him, and he turned around. For some reason, he was not surprised to see Kid standing there. Not too far behind him stood Teaspoon, Noah, and Ike.
"What?" he asked.
"The letter. It's not in your pocket. Well, not in that pocket anyway," Kid nodded toward the scene below them. People were turning Jimmy's body over as the doctor made his way to the table. Jimmy shuddered at the sight of the red stain that had spread over his back and chest, the bullet having entered his back and exited from his chest after piercing through his heart. The doctor pulled a piece of paper from his front pocket. It was bloodstained, with a bullet hole, but he recognized it as Lou's letter. For the first time, he was aware that he no longer felt any pain.
"She was telling the truth," Kid spoke again. "She never blamed you Jimmy. What happened to me was not your fault. You've always viewed that moment as one which cost a lifetime, but it didn't. It merely changed the course of lives."
For the first time, Jimmy was able to hear those words and accept them. "Kid, I'm so sorry," he had wanted to say those words to his best friend for years, but he had never been able to bring himself to do that. Now, here he was, standing face to face with Kid, and he finally knew what happened in Abilene was not his fault. Still, he had to say the words.
"I know, Jimmy," Kid hugged him tightly. "Let's go."
"Where are we going?" Jimmy asked, knowing he should be unsure about this, but strangely feeling like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Home," Kid said simply.
Jimmy smiled as he and Kid joined the others. He was greeted by the members of his family that had left before he did, and for the first time since they had all ridden for the Express together he felt at peace. He finally belonged.
"Let's go home."
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