Lou reached the marshal’s office and stopped the buckboard. She looked at her sleeping kids in the buckboard’s bed. Jed was sleeping between the two girls, their heads on his chest. You are going to break some hearts when you’d grow up… she smiled to herself, watching her handsome son.
She walked up the steps to the office and opened the door, smiling as she saw the marshal sitting in a very familiar position: his legs on the desk, his head tilted back, a hat covering his face. She cleared her throat, wishing to draw some attention.
"Lou!!!" Jimmy exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "What are you doing here?"
"It’s good to see you too, Jimmy." She said, hugging him, burying her face in his chest to keep from crying.
Jimmy hugged her back. "What are you doing here?" he asked again. "Where’s Kid?"
She pulled back from him. "Kid’s back at home." She said, meeting his eyes. "We need to ask a favor, Jimmy."
"Anything, Lou. What is it?"
"The kids are outside. We’ve spent the last night on the road to get here as fast as we could. I… we… Kid and I… well… we need… no, we ask if they can stay with you for awhile."
Jimmy was too surprised to say anything. "What are you talking about, Lou?" he asked once he got his senses back. "Is something wrong with Kid?"
"No. It’s nothing like that. Look, I can’t explain, but we really need your help."
"Are they in any danger, Lou?" he asked.
She nodded solemnly. "I can’t say any more about this, Jimmy, and you’ve gotta trust me on this." She begged. "If you say no, they might be killed."
"Are you in any danger too, Lou?"
"I can handle myself and so does Kid, but they might get hurt."
"How long?" Jimmy sighed.
"Only till after the trial." Lou said.
"What trial?" Jimmy asked suspiciously. "What have the two of you got yourself into?"
"Jimmy…" Lou sighed, but saw she had no other option but to tell him, with only a few adjustments… "There’s this man who’s being accused of something he didn’t do. I tried to find out some more about this, so I can get him free, and those men threatened us. That’s why I can’t have them there."
"So stop your investigation." Jimmy said.
"I can’t."
"Why?"
"I can’t tell you that." She said knowing he’d hate Kid for arresting Buck. Jimmy would never understand, she still wasn’t sure she did.
"Okay." Jimmy sighed. "I know I shouldn’t, but okay."
Lou smiled. "They’re great. You won’t even notice them around."
"What am I supposed to do with them?" he asked.
"Nothing. Just keep an eye on them and make sure they eat and out of trouble."
"That’s not too hard." Jimmy smiled.
"No." Lou laughed. "And Jed will help you with the girls. Come help me get them in here." She said, leading him out. "They can sleep in one of the cells, for now."
"Oh, boy…" Jimmy whispered to himself. "Why am I such a nice guy?"
Lou stayed with Jimmy and the kids only for a few hours.
Emma cried in her arms, and not letting her go. "But I don’t want you to leave." The girl sobbed.
"Honey, you know I have to, but I’ll come back for you as soon as possible. And you’ll see, you will have a lot of fun with Uncle Jimmy."
"I want daddy." The girl cried.
"In a couple of days I’ll come back to get you." Lou promised.
Jimmy took the still crying girl in his arms. "Sweetheart, your mother really needs to go now, say goodbye nicely."
The child waved her hand and then buried her face in Jimmy’s shoulder. "Great." Jimmy murmured. "Marshal ‘Wild Bill’ with kids…"
Lou kissed his cheek and mounted Lightning. "I’ll see you all in a few days. Jimmy, remember – I will come to get them! And don’t say anything to anyone. Jed, you help Uncle Jimmy with the girls. He might be a grown man but he doesn’t know much about them…"
Jimmy smiled at that and started to protest but Lou gave him a glare telling him he shouldn’t comment on that one… she blew them all a kiss and started the ride back home.
When she got back to town she didn’t even stopped at her house but instead went straight to the jail. It was quite late and she was tired and hungry, but she was too scared to spend a night alone at that house. She found Buck sleeping in his cell, Kid was sleeping on the stiff chair. She touched his shoulder and he jerked, instantly awake.
"Hi." He whispered.
The moment was awkward since none of them knew exactly what to say. They knew they still loved each other – that will never change – but their marriage was not a success.
"I didn’t want to stay in the house alone tonight." Lou said.
"I thought you’ll stay with Jimmy and the kids at least until tomorrow." He said. "How is he anyway?"
"Fine. A bit scared of the children, but he’s fine."
"They gave you any trouble?"
"They slept most of the time but Emma cried a bit when I left."
"I’m sorry, Lou, for everything." He said.
"I know. Me too, Kid, for everything I said. I never meant to hurt you."
"It’s okay. You were right though, at least about Buck."
"So are you letting him go?" she asked.
"I can’t, Lou. You know that. Even if you don’t understand."
"Well, he does, Kid. And he forgives you." She said.
"I know. He told me."
They looked at each other for a couple of minuets, not saying anything. Lou was the one to break the silence again. "Can I stay here tonight?" she asked.
Kid nodded. "I’m afraid the chair isn’t too comfortable, though." He said. "I can let you sleep in one of the cells."
"Would you share it with me?" she asked.
"I don’t think this would be such a good idea, Lou." He said sadly. "God knows how much I want to too, but I’ll want more than you can give me and I don’t think it would be fair to either one of us."
Lou nodded understandingly. "I’m sorry, Kid. It’s just…"
"I know. It’s not working anymore."
"No…" Lou sighed, tears forming in her eyes.
"We’re still friends, Lou. You’re still my best friend, and the mother of my children, and I still love you. It’s not our time, Lou. That’s all."
"Never is." She said sarcastically.
"Hey," he lifted her chin with his fingers. "We did made three beautiful kids, we must have done something right."
"I do still love you kid." Lou whispered.
"But it’s not enough anymore, is it?"
Lou shook her head. "I’d better go to sleep now." She said and turned her back to him.
Kid opened one of the cells for her and reassumed his position on the chair.
When Lou awoke the next morning, Kid was no longer at the office. She looked at the next cell, where Buck was staring at something.
"What is this?" Lou asked.
"It’s some kind of a charm my wife gave me." He said. "Guess it didn’t do me any good, after all."
"Don’t say that, Buck. We’ll get you out of here. Now that Kid’s helping us…"
"He went to the Shuster’s place again. Just five minuets ago." He looked at her. "When did you come back?"
"Last night. You were already sleeping."
"How’s that old friend of yours doing?" he said with a wink.
"Okay, I guess. He’s a bit scared of the new responsibilities, but he’ll be fine." She smiled.
"I’m sorry I’m causing you so much trouble." He said sadly.
"Buck, it’s not your fault. You hear?"
He nodded. "Do you really believe Kid’ll find anything there?"
"I have to." She said with conviction. "And so must you! You cant’ give up now, Buck. Think about your kids, your wife."
"I miss them so much, Lou." He said, tears now forming in his eyes.
"What’s their names?" Lou asked, sensing he needed to talk about them.
"My wife’s name is Winter-Sun. She has black long hair and black eyes, and she’s very beautiful."
Lou could sense he wasn’t quite comfortable talking about her. "How’d you meet her?"
"When I came back to my tribe my brother said I should marry one of them, so he introduced me to her. Her father is a very respectable member of the tribe and one of Red-Bear’s friends so they thought by marrying her I’d be accepted more easily."
"But you don’t love her…" Lou said in a low tone.
"She’s nice and kind and a very good mother and wife, but no, I don’t love her. I do care about her a great deal, but…"
"It’s okay, Buck. I understand." Lou said. "You don’t have to explain anything."
"I think she loves me, though. And it hurts me that I can’t give her that back."
"Maybe one day…" Lou said.
"Yeah. Maybe."
"What about your sons?" Lou asked to change the subject.
"The oldest is six, his name is Wild-Pony, but I call him Ike. My youngest son is four, we named him after my wife’s father that died a month prior to his birth."
"You’ve been busy…" Lou smiled.
"Not as busy as you, I suppose." He smiled back, happy to retune the topic to her.
"We talked about that last night – about our relationship. We agreed it’s not working any more, even though be both love each other."
"I’m sorry. Are you going to get divorced?" he asked, sad to see the marriage of two of his family members goes to drain.
"It’s the fair thing to do." Lou sighed. "That way, if either one of us wants to move on or even remarry – we can do it."
"You think about that?"
"Remarrying? No. I can’t think of my life with anyone but him. But maybe he…"
"He will never love another woman, Lou." Buck said. "He really do love you."
"I know. But it’s not enough anymore. His priorities are wrong. But he doesn’t seem to think that. And I’m not talking about you right now." She added when she saw him beginning to form the words she knew would protest. "It’s about everyday life, Buck."
They were interrupted when Kid came back. "‘Morning." He said, his face serious.
"Well?" Lou asked impatiently.
"I didn’t find anything. I went to our place after Shuster’s, thought I might find anything about those men, but nothing." He sank to the chair. "I’m so sorry, Buck."
Buck nodded.
"What are we going to do then?" Lou asked.
"There’s nothing you can do, Lou." Buck answered her.
"We’ll testify for you at the trial. We’ll say we know you – we’ll tell the judge you couldn’t have done this."
"Lou, look at me." Buck asked. "What do you see?"
"What do you mean?" Lou asked, looking at the Kid for an explanation.
"What do you see?"
"You, Buck, I see you."
"They see an Indian. The judge will see an Indian. No – it’s even worse. He’ll see a half-breed. You see – Indians have honor. A half-breed don’t even have that."
"How can you say that, Buck?" Lou asked incredulously.
"He’s right, Lou." Kid said, but quickly explained when he so the stunned expression on Lou’s face. "It’s not what I see in him, but the judge doesn’t know him and that’s exactly what he’ll see."
"That’s why we will be there." Lou said. "To back him up. Kid, you’re the marshal. You’re very respected here – the judge will have to believe you."
"Lou, calm down." Kid said. "Of-course we’ll do everything we can for Buck, but that might not be enough."
"Do you swear you’ll do your best, Kid? For him?"
"Yes, Lou. I swear." He said. After a few seconds of silence, he continued on something else. "Have you eaten anything yet?"
Lou shook her head. "Not since yesterday."
"Then come, I’m taking you out for lunch." He said, taking her hand.
"I can’t go like this, Kid." Lou said referring to her clothes, which she hadn’t changed since she started on her way to Jimmy.
"You look lovely, Lou. Come on. We will bring Buck food too."
She let her husband half pull her toward the restaurant, happy at the attention he gave her. She knew it was partly to disguise his pain from they break-up, but she let him. If that was what will help him through the heartache, she’d let him.
They sat in the restaurant, eating in silence, not looking at each other.
"What can we do for him?" Lou finally asked.
Kid shrugged. "The judge’s gonna be here tomorrow, so we don’t have much time left."
"We’ve got to think of something." She said. "Maybe I can help him escape."
"And become an assistant to murder? I can’t let you do this."
"What if you didn’t know?"
"Well, I know now. Think about the kids, I will have to arrest you and what will be of the kids then? They need their mother."
"You’d arrest me?" Lou asked seriously.
"Don’t start with that, Lou. Please…"
Lou looked at her plate. "You’re right. I’m sorry. But what else can we do?"
"I thought I’d have time to go to Buck’s village and ask his son some questions, but I won’t make it back here on time…"
"They don’t even know what happened to him." Lou said. "His wife’s probably worried sick."
"What can I do, Lou? I thought I’d have more time…"
"There’s no point in talking about this now, Kid. We don’t have the time for that. We have to think of a plan."
"Yeah, but first I want you to go home and rest. And I mean a real rest. Try to sleep some and freshen up. I’ll try to think with Buck of something."
"We could’ve used Teaspoon’s help now, uh?" Lou asked sadly, tears welling in her eyes.
Kid took her hand. "We could’ve used him a lot. He wouldn’t be proud of me for this, though." He said.
"You’re doing the right thing now, Kid. At least you admitted you were wrong."
"It’s too late now."
"No it’s not, Kid. We’ll make it happen. You’ll see."
"Okay. But now, you’re going home." He said as they rose to leave. "I’ll bring Buck his meal."
By nightfall, Kid knocked on the house door. Lou opened the door and was surprised to see it was he.
"You don’t need to knock, Kid." She said.
Kid shrugged. "I was wondering about it." He admitted.
Lou smiled and moved away from the entrance, letting him in.
"Buck said thank-you for the meal. It was better than what they usually send us."
"Of-course it is, Kid. You paid for it today." She laughed.
"Yeah, I guess." He still stood awkwardly at the kitchen’s door.
"So," Lou decided to get him off the hook. "What brings you here? I mean, beside the fact that it’s your house too. I was about to come over to you guys."
"Um… I don’t want you to take it the wrong way… I know you can take care of your self and be your own woman, and everything, it’s just that I’d feel better if you won’t stay here alone."
"I’ll be okay, Kid." Lou said quietly.
"I know you think that, and I know most the times you would be okay, but with these men around… Lou, last time they came you didn’t hear them until they were in your room, wanting you to wake up. I want to stay here tonight in case something will happen. It’s the night before the trial, and I’m scared they might take the last chance they have before it."
Lou looked in his eyes and so a genuine concern. "Okay." She said. "You can stay here tonight. But you should tell Buck that."
"I did. And don’t worry – I will stay in the parlor."
Lou wanted so much to walk toward him and wrap her arms around him to erase all the pain and feeling of betrayal she saw in his eyes, but she knew that would do them no good. They’ve already decided this was the best thing for the both of them, why make it any more difficult? She also decided not to mention divorce again. Not until he would. She doubted she would ever find any other man, and she didn’t want to mention anything to cause more pain.
On to chapter Six
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