DISCLAIMER: The Young Riders is the creation of Ed Spielman, and the property of Ogiens/Kane productions in association with MGM/UA television. This Story is created for entertainment purposes only, no infringement intended. Not to be copied without permission from the author.
“He’s easy to like isn’t he?” Lou asked as she walked down the bunkhouse steps to stand behind Clarry, “If I wasn’t already involved with Kid, it would have been easy to fall for Jimmy Hickock” Clarry shrugged her shoulders and turned to walk back into the barn, but Lou quickly fell into step beside her. When Clarry looked at her she spoke softly.
“I need to collect some eggs for breakfast, wanna help?” she asked then shrugged as Clarry didn’t answer just continued walking with her toward the chicken coop
They collected eggs in silence for several minutes when Lou couldn’t keep her secret any longer, she stood and watched Clarry, choosing her words carefully as she spoke
“I know what you are Clarry” she saw the fear that widened Clarry’s eyes “It’s alright the others don’t know and Rachel and I won’t tell them”
“Rachel...” she paused afraid and confused “How?” she was sure now that she would have to leave here before she completed what she had come to do
“When I first came here I was like you, it didn’t take long for the boys to find out but Teaspoon took a lot longer. I know what it is like to be a girl and try to find a safe job” she answered truthfully and take it from me “this is the safest job you will find in the Territory, we all look out for our own here, and you are one of us now” she finished
“You won’t tell them I’m a girl?” Clarry asked quietly
“Nope, I just wanted you to know that you have a friend, and if ever you need someone to talk to I am here for you” Lou spoke quietly “I know I could have used a friend back when I first came here” Clarry nodded and turned back to her task at hand her mind churning. How could this girl trust her enough to do this for her, she didn’t know her from a stranger in the street, but yet she was still willing to trust her enough to keep her secret.
“Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?” Lou asked quietly
Clarry looked at her for a moment then nodded her head “What do you want to know?” Lou looked around at the signs of the waystation starting to wake.
“C’mon we’ll put the eggs in the bunkhouse and then go for a walk so nobody listens to us?” Lou stated then looked back at her companion, who nodded in agreement.
They took the eggs and left them on the bunkhouse table, then set off walking down towards the creek that ran a short distance from the house.
“What is your real name clarry?” Lou asked
“Clarice” she answered glad to be able to talk to someone “I’m almost seventeen, I know I look younger” she smiled at Lou’s glance of surprise
“What happened to your parents?” Lou asked quietly
“My mama died giving birth to me and my papa died of the grip last winter” her voice caught in her throat at the thought of her beloved brother, changing the subject she looked into Lou’s face “Do you have parents?”
“No my mama died a few years ago and Kid shot my father last year” Lou spoke her head filled with memories of her mother and that fateful day when Kid killed her father “I have a brother and sister in an orphanage in St Jo” Lou finished
“You seem so close to Kid” Clarry frowned confused at why she would still be living in the same room as the person who killed her father.
“It wasn’t as simple as that Clarry, I love Kid and he loves me, my father would have killed me and hurt my baby brother and sister. I know why Kid did it and I can’t blame him for it” she looked into Clarry’s confused eyes
“I had a brother, he was three years older than me, but he was killed in a gun fight last year.’ she finished the pain of losing her brother clear in her voice
“I’m sorry Clarry” Lou spoke sincerely
“Thank you Lou” Clarry accepted her apology, knowing that if no other person alive understood her feelings Lou did.
“The boys all want you to know that there is a bed in the bunkhouse for you now” Lou told her
“No, they all hate me, I don’t want to intrude” Clarry spoke remembering the tense debacle that supper had been the night before
“C’mon, it’ll be fun I’ll have another girl to talk to, someone that understands. We have to stick together don’t we” she tried to make Clarry want to stay in the bunkhouse.
“I can’t Lou, I’m just going to make everyone feel uncomfortable, I don’t want to do that”
“You’re not intruding, and you have as much right to sleep in the bunkhouse as they do’ Lou did her best to make Clarry feel wanted, knowing now that she had been alone for so long “C’mon lets get some breakfast before Cody eats it all”
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