Chapter Ten
The room was silent for what seemed like forever.
Lou looked around at each person to try to gauge their reaction. Teaspoon looked worried, like he did whenever one of his “boys” were in trouble. Louise saw tears welling in Rachel’s eyes, and the station mother had placed her hand over her mouth, evidently in an attempt to keep her sobs in check. Buck looked dumbstruck. It wasn’t the same look as he’d had when Ike died, but it was the closest Lou’d seen him come to that since. Jimmy’s face was red with anger and he shook his head in disbelief. Noah’s eyes were like cold steel, and even Cassie and Quinn seemed to understand the magnitude of what Kid had announced; the way it would tear the riders apart. Only Rosemary appeared calm.
“You sure ‘bout this, son?” Teaspoon asked, breaking the silence.
“'Bout as sure as I can be, I’d say,” Kid answered.
“Do you really think it’s wise for Louise to go along?” Rachel questioned. “She’s more than welcome to stay here. You know that.”
Both Kid and Lou nodded. “This was my decision, Rachel,” Lou replied. “I’m goin’ with him. It’s where I belong.”
“How can you say that, Lou?” Noah asked. “You ain’t never been to Virginia. You ain’t never seen black folks bought and sold, families split apart. You think that’s where you belong?”
“I didn’t say that,” Lou defended herself. “I belong with Kid. I love him. I married him for heaven’s sake. Don’t that count for somethin’?”
“Kid, I seen you do some pretty dumb things in my time, but this takes the cake,” Jimmy said.
“Dumb?” Kid said, his anger rising. “Dumb, Jimmy? Okay, let’s talk dumb! Like you bringin’ Rosemary here. That’s pretty dumb!”
Jimmy shook his head. “That’s just like you, Kid. Blame someone else. Can’t you just let it go? That’s one hell of a grudge you’re holdin’.”
“Kid, how could you? After all you did for Isaiah?” Rosemary interjected.
“Stay outta this, Rosemary,” Louise snapped at the woman. “If it weren’t for you, the boys wouldn’t even be talkin’ like this!”
“They did what they did on their own accord. It didn’t have anything to do with me!” Rosemary insisted.
“‘Cept for Jimmy,” Lou said sarcastically.
“You oughtta talk, Lou,” Jimmy said to her. “That independence thing was just a big ol’ hoax, wasn’t it. When it comes down to it, if Kid’s for slavery, you are, too.”
“How many time do I got to tell you all? This ain’t about slavery!” Kid answered.
“You can think what you want, Kid. But it is about slavery, plain and simple,” Noah told him.
“Jimmy, don’t you dare talk about bein’ influenced by love. What about Sarah Gentry? What about how you almost hung for a woman that didn’t love you?” Lou declared passionately. “Now I may not know what it’s like to have some burnin’ need to fight for your childhood home, but Kid does, and I’m standin’ by him!”
Jimmy shook his head. “Least I can admit I was wrong about Sarah. Maybe you’re wrong about Kid.”
“Why is this all about my decision to fight for the South?” Kid wanted to know. “I don’t hear anyone questionin’ Cody’s decision!”
“Maybe ‘cause Cody’s right for once in his life,” Jimmy answered.
“Fine,” Kid replied. “Fine. I thought we could get beyond choosin’ sides and just wish one another well, but I guess that ain’t gonna happin’.”
“What happens one day if you and Cody meet durin’ the fightin’? Noah asked. “What would you do, Kid?”
“It ain’t gonna happen,” Kid told him.
“But what if it did, Kid? Then what?” Noah replied.
Kid was quiet for a moment. Then he softly said, “I don’t know.” Then he addressed everyone by adding, “But I do know we’re leavin’ in the mornin’. We’ll come by here to say good-bye to everyone. You can choose to be here or not. That’s your decision. We won’t hold it against you.”
Throughout the entire discussion, Teaspoon, Rachel, and Buck had remained silent. Neither Kid or Louise knew what to make of it, but at least the three weren’t insisting Kid was wrong and that Louise didn’t have a mind of her own.
Standing up from table, Kid grabbed Lou’s hand. “I think we’ve overstayed our welcome. We’ll be seein’ ya in the mornin’.”
With that, the young couple walked out the door and headed for the hotel, Louise sobbing uncontrollably.
