Epilogue

Author’s Note: This is dedicated especially to Aimee, Nesciri, Starbright, Dana, Connie, Echo, Anne, Laura, Paola, Linda, Lorilynn, and Sidney. Without your feedback and encouragement, this little story might still be in my brain! You girls rule!

There was a knock on the door of the little home located above the Rock Creek Jail. Louise stood up from her sewing to answer it.

“Hey, Rachel!” she greeted the local school teacher, whose hands were full with a box of more housewarming gifts. “What on earth are you bringing us now?” she asked, laughing. “I don’t think this little place will hold too much more.”

Rachel laughed, too. “Just let me in, Louise, ‘fore I drop everything and it falls down the stairs!” Noticing the new curtains in both the kitchen and the parlor, she commented, “Oh, Lou! Those curtains look perfect! They make this old place feel like a home instead of a bunch of rooms thrown together.”

Louise smiled at the compliment. She was proud of the little home she and Kid had created in the official quarters for Rock Creek’s marshall. Since Teaspoon had always stayed out at the way station, he’d never used the place. But when Kid started working as the town’s deputy, it seemed the most logical place for the young couple to make their first home. The only bad things about the little home were the fact that it was in town, something neither Kid or Louise were used to after riding in the wide open spaces of the foothills of the Rockies and the plains of Nebraska. That, and because it was directly above the jail, Kid often was called from their bed in the middle night to quell some sort of disturbance. But Louise could just walk outside and descend the stairs to see Kid any time she pleased, so they often shared lunch and an occasional dinner.

Rachel placed the box on the kitchen table. “Those are just a few things I found that I thought you could prob’ly use,” she told Louise. “You wanna get started on these essays and I’ll grade the math tests,” she suggested.

As Rock Creek continued to grow, so did its school. Rachel couldn’t possibly keep up with the students’ homework and run her ranch, fittingly dubbed the “Way Station Ranch.” Buck managed it for her, but she was still actively involved in the day-to-day workings. So Louise’s excellent grammar and vocabulary skills were put to good use by Mrs. Dunne, who stopped by nearly everyday after school with homework for Louise to grade. In exchange for Lou’s help, Rachel was doing her darndest to teach the young woman to cook. It was proving to be her most challenging teaching job to date.



After hearing the noise of gun shots coming from the direction of the saloon and, soon after, the sounds of Kid and Teaspoon mounting up to chase the perpetrators, Louise figured Kid certainly wouldn’t make it home for supper. She saved what she could, but the perishable food she carried down to the alley for the stray dogs she knew wandered the town streets.

Louise intended to sit down to do some more sewing, but exhaustion took over and she lay down on her and Kid’s bed, fully clothed, falling fast asleep.



Kid arrived home late that night. Louise had left the oil lamp on for him, like she always did. He found her asleep in the bedroom, as peaceful as an angel, her hand placed protectively on her rounding abdomen. Kid smiled. This wasn’t the life he’d thought they would have when they married six months ago. There hadn’t been an arduous journey to Virginia, but he had come back from a life-altering injury, and Louise had survived a plains winter storm. He had a good job, and they had a fine roof over their heads and warm food in their stomachs. Their life was simple, but it was theirs. And most importantly, they had each other, and their undying love for one another; and that was more than either of them could have ever dreamed.

The End

Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12

Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18

Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Epilogue



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The Kidnation