Jimmy's Got a Girlfriend by Vicki

Jimmy pulled his hat lower over his eyes, glancing furtively up and down the street and trying to ignore the rumble of his stomach.   That annoyance was merely because he’d left the way station without breakfast, he told himself.  And his hands?  Why, they were damp only because he’d just ridden several miles in the hot summer sun.  It had nothing to do with nervousness.  Nothing whatsoever.

Repressing the urge to swipe his hands on his newly pressed trousers, Jimmy took a step toward the door of Tompkins store, trying to appear casual.  His eyes searched the crowded street warily, finding nothing amiss.  The boardwalk shifted under his feet as Rebecca Hensen and her brood of children trudged by, and Jimmy suddenly found himself holding his breath.  Don’t go inside, don’t go inside, don’t go inside… Jimmy’s fingers clenched at his sides as the mantra played itself out against his skull.  A victorious smile spread across his features when the woman and her ankle-biters continued past him.  In this town, “Hensen” and “gossip” were interchangeable.  And the last thing he needed today was a presumptuous woman with a wagging tongue!  

With a final surreptitious glance down the street, Jimmy squared his shoulders and pushed open the door.  He scowled in irritation as the tinkling bell announced his arrival.  Couldn’t a body do anything in peace and quiet?  The unmistakable odors of the store immediately wafted around him, each one vying for his attention.  The sugary sweet scent of candy and molasses mingled with the pungent smell of gun oil and old leather, creating an atmosphere that was uniquely ‘Tompkins’.  But it wasn’t way station foodstuffs or bullets he was searching for today.

It was flowers.

Ignoring the curious stare that Tompkins sent his way, Jimmy shuffled in the general direction of the floral stand.  He edged along the shelves… close… closer… on a few more feet.  Risking a glance at the shopkeeper, he saw that Tompkins was still peering idly in his direction.  Jimmy’s scowl deepened.  Why wouldn’t Tompkins look away?  He sure as hell couldn’t do this with Tompkins staring right at him!  Desperate, Jimmy stopped and picked up a random bottle from the shelf.  Pickled eggs.  Wonderful.  That’d make a great gift.

“Hickok?”

Jimmy’s head whipped up at the sound of the voice, his fingers almost losing their tenuous grip on the bottle.  

Tompkins came around from behind the counter, wiping his hands on his already-smeared apron.  “You look guilty as sin, boy.  What are you plannin’… a daylight robbery?”

The comment was made lightheartedly, but Jimmy found himself gulping.   

The jocular look on Tompkins’s face faded as he got closer.  He leaned into Jimmy, studying his features.  “You look greener than a lizard with a suntan,” he declared with a shake of his head.  “You sick, Hickok?  I don’t want you upchucking in my store!”

“I ain’t sick, Tompkins!”  Frustrated, Jimmy pressed the bottle of pickled eggs towards the storekeeper’s ample gut.  

“Fine.  You wanna buy this?”

“Yes.  I mean… No.  I have to buy…” Jimmy’s eyes darted around the store, lighting briefly on various items and then flicking away impatiently.  He ran a finger anxiously under his shirt collar.  “Is it hot in here, Tompkins?”

Heaving a sigh that clearly indicated he was already tired of dealing with the rider, Tompkins placed the eggs back on the shelf and crossed his arms.  “Well?  I ain’t got all day, Hickok!”

Jimmy ran his tongue over his lips, feeling more parched than if he’d spent the past day on the trail to Fort Laramie.  Fighting off Indians and renegades all the way.  With no ammunition.  

He was finally able to get his mouth to work, but it took great effort.

“Flowers.”

Tompkins leaned forward with a glare.  “What are you mumbling about, boy?  Speak up or get out!  I got better things to do with my day than deal with you… you express riders, comin’ in here and thinkin’ you’re—”

“FLOWERS!” The word, barely audible a moment before, seemed to echo around the room.  Jimmy winced, expecting… well, he wasn’t sure what he was expecting.  A perplexed look, at the very least.  A guffaw loud enough to wake the dead, at the worst.  He raised his eyes warily to meet Tompkins’s smile.  

Smile?

“Well, why didn’t you say so?  You riders, expectin’ me to read your mind!”  Clapping his hands together, Tompkins led the way to the tiny flower stand.  “I got to admit it, boy.  Never did think this would work.  People want flowers, they can pick ‘em, I said.  But that salesman was right.  These things are payin’ for their transport within the first day.”  He glanced back at the rider.  “Guess Emma must be right mad at you, huh?”

“What?”

“Don’t worry, Hickok.  She gets one look at these beauties, she’ll forgive whatever it is you done.”

Jimmy let out a relieved breath.  What Tompkins didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him, and it didn’t much matter if he played along.  If he just avoided the question altogether, it wasn’t even like he was lying.  Yeah, that worked.  Justification in place, Jimmy straightened.  “What ones do you think she’d like?”

Tompkins forehead creased in irritation.  “Do I look like a flower expert?  Get her the ones with the most colours.  Women like lots of colour.”

“Right.  ‘Cause you’re the expert on women, but not flowers.”

Tompkins smirked.  “Don’t give me no guff, boy.”  He indicated a large bunch of tightly wrapped hothouse flowers.  “These ones?”

Jimmy shrugged.  Truth be told, he didn’t know any more than Tompkins did about flowers… or women, come to think of it.  Agreeing to the purchase, he followed the older man to the cash register.  Fifty cents… fifty cents for flowers that he could’ve just picked by the side of the road!  He was insane, he mused.  No other explanation.  

His pick-up’s polished
Shining like a new dime…

Newly-bought flowers clutched in his sweaty palm, Jimmy stepped back into the bright early morning sunlight and came to the abrupt realization that he hadn’t planned this part of the day’s adventure.  He moved quickly into the shade of the overhang, letting his hand drop to his side, sheltering the purchase with his body.  He ran his left hand over his face.  

Grimacing, Jimmy tried to think.  He thought he had everything worked out.  The night before, he’d snuck out to the barn, retrieved the supplies he’d hidden, and wiped down and polished the wood on the buckboard till it gleamed like a newly minted coin.  The leather of the horses’ harnesses fairly glimmered in the sunlight, proof that his hard work hadn’t been in vain.  He’d managed a few hours sleep before slipping out before dawn.  Getting into Emma’s house without waking her had been easy… figuring out how to press his clothes had not.   Glancing down at his body, he unsuccessfully fought back a grin at his success.  The results were worth it – his clothing looked better than it ever had.  He’d managed to make it away from the way station without anyone being the wiser; not even Buck had heard the buckboard pull away.  And the actual purchase of the flowers hadn’t been as bad as he had feared, queasy stomach notwithstanding. 

Nobody had noticed anything.  The riders, though undoubtedly now aware that he wasn’t at the station, had no idea where he’d gone.  The townspeople of Sweetwater went about their business, completely unaware that Jimmy Hickok was holding a sweaty handful of flowers, a goofy grin plastered over his face as he desperately wondered how he was going to get said flowers to the woman of his dreams.  

There ain’t no doubt he’s got a secret
Ain’t no way he’s gonna keep it…

Five minutes of sweating, and he was still no closer to finding an end to his predicament.  Why why why, he cursed, hadn’t he stationed the buckboard at the back of the store?  But nooooo, he’d parked the danged thing in front of the livery, as if that would hide his intent.  What was he thinking?

Jimmy sighed.  There was nothing to be done.  He’d have to walk down the boardwalk, keeping to the shadows as much as he could, and then duck across the street to the buckboard.  With a grunt of determination, Jimmy squared his shoulders and began the walk.  He was Jimmy Hickok, fer chrissakes.  He’d taken out Gabe Caulder not far from here.  He’d faced down John Longley and come out on top.  So why did the thought of being spotted with flowers for his honey make him break out in a cold sweat?

He was halfway to the buckboard before the tension began to drain from his body.  Like before, nobody was giving him a second look.  He was practically invisible.  He was going to make it!

“Hickok!”

Jimmy groaned, raising his eyes to the heavens.  Not Cody, Lord, he prayed.  Please, anybody but Cody.

“Hey, Hickok!”

Cody.  “Thanks a lot,” Jimmy muttered under his breath.  He turned, and found it was worse than he thought.  

Listen how the whole town’s talkin’
They’re all saying
Jimmy’s got a girlfriend…

William F. Cody broke into a hearty smile, long strides eating up the ground between them.  “Goin’ deaf in your old age?” he teased before turning back to his friends.  “Told you it was him!”

Jimmy leaned against the wooden wall of the ladies auxiliary, his arm behind his back in what he hoped was a casual pose.  Dang his luck, anyway, he cursed mentally as Buck, Ike, Kid, and Lou ambled slowly up to his side.

“You sure disappeared fast this mornin’, Jimmy,” Kid offered in greeting.

“He was just tryin’ to get out of his share of chores.  As usual,” Cody put in.

Jimmy glared at his friend.  He’d told Raelynne he’d be there to pick her up at nine o’clock.  And judging by the sun, he was going to have to ride like the fires of hell were on his tail to make it as it was.   “What do you want, Cody?” he snapped.

Cody affected a hurt expression.  “Geez Hickok, no need to get ornery.  We were just wondering what the heck happened to you, that’s all.  Ain’t that right, Buck?”  Cody glanced at the Kiowa.  “Buck?”

“Huh?”  

“Are you listening to a word I’m saying?”

“No,” Buck replied honestly.  His face crinkled in concentration. “Do you smell something?”

“No!” Jimmy answered quickly.

“Can’t smell anything over Cody’s cologne,” Ike put in with a smirk.

“Ha ha ha.”  Cody scowled at his friend.  

Kid held up his hand.  “No, Buck’s right.  I smell it too.”

“Me too.  Kind of sweet, like sugar,” Lou offered.

“Like expensive perfume,” Cody said as he too caught the scent.

“Like… flowers.”  Buck grinned suddenly, one hand snatching out to pull at Jimmy’s arm.  The rider could do little more than yelp before his secret was pressed against his chest for the world… well, for his friends… to see.

Kid smirked.  “Flowers.  Ain’t that sweet.”

“Shut up, Kid.”

Ignoring the flustered rider, Buck joined in.  “Who’re they for, Hickok?” 

“Yeah, Hickok, who ya sweet on?”  Cody pursed his lips and blew, the resulting noise sounding more like a wounded animal than a kiss.

“I swear, Cody, you do that again and I’ll—”

Cody rolled his eyes.  “You’ll what?” he goaded before breaking into a sing-song voice.  “Jimmy’s got a girlfriend!  Jimmy’s got a girlfriend!”

Jimmy took a step forward, eyes flashing, only to find Lou’s fingers gripping his arm painfully. 

“Just ignore them, Jimmy.” 

Jimmy sighed.  There was something about Lou.  She soothed his rumpled feathers like only a woman could.  

“I think it’s cute,” Lou continued.

“Cute,” Jimmy muttered.  “Great.”  Yeah, there was something about Lou, all right.  Something irritating!  Still mumbling under his breath, Jimmy stalked away, leaving a trail of petals in his wake.

We all know where he’s been
Hugging and a kissing
Oh, Jimmy’s got a girlfriend…

The sun had already set when Jimmy pulled the buckboard into the yard.  A thin sliver of candlelight illuminated the sitting room in Emma’s house, but to his relief the bunkhouse was dark and quiet.  Working swiftly and silently, he took care of the horses.  Sitting on the step outside, he removed his boots before creeping into the bunkhouse.  Shutting the door quietly behind him, he stood for a long moment in the shadows, listening to the riders breathing softly around him.  Gradually, the apprehension slipped away like a moth-eaten blanket…. replaced quickly by something much warmer and softer.  The memory of Raelynne in his arms.  Her scent, more intoxicating than any hothouse flower.  The feel of her lips on his…. the gentle pressure of her kiss.   

Unaware that he was grinning, Jimmy took a tentative step forward.  The floorboards creaked under his weight and he paused, casting a furtive glance at the riders.  No one moved.  He closed his eyes briefly.  God might not have answered his prayer this afternoon, he mused, but he sure was listening tonight!  The last thing he needed was—

“Jimmy’s got a girlfriend…” Cody’s quivering falsetto broke the silence of the room.

Jimmy stood stock still as the room erupted in laughter.  

“Just ignore them, Jimmy,” Lou’s voice cut through the cackles of the boys.  “It’s sweet.”

“Sweet,” Jimmy repeated with a grimace.  “Sweet and cute.  That’s me.”  With a malicious grin, he chucked his boot in Cody’s direction, his smile only getting wider when he heard the rider grunt in pain.  “And a good shot.  Add that to your list!”

He’s all tore up
From her lovin’ and affection…

“Yeeeeeeeeee!” Cody pulled his hand away from the plank, dancing backwards and stumbling.  “Watch what you’re doin’, Hickok!”

Jimmy wiped a palm across his brow, the hammer dangling in his other hand.  “Quit bein’ a baby, Cody.  I didn’t hit you.”

“Yeah.  Well, it’s the third time you’ve almost hit me.  Give me the danged hammer!”

“No way!”

“Listen Hickok, you hold the wood and I’ll do the nailing!”

“I ain’t holdin’ the wood!”

“Well I ain’t standin’ around waitin’ for you to get all googly-eyed over your girlfriend so’s you forget what you’re doin’ and I end up at Doc Baker’s with a broken thumb!”

Pushing his hat back on his head, Jimmy straightened.  If he was aware that the other riders had stopped their own chores to listen in on the argument, he didn’t show it.  “What’d you say?”

Cody’s back was up as well.  “You heard me.”

Shaking his head, Kid stepped between the two men.  “Listen—”

Jimmy brushed the peacemaking rider aside like a worrisome gnat.  “You want the hammer, Cody?” he said menacingly.

“You don’t have the—”

“Cody!” 

Lou's shocked voice slid between the two men more effectively than a closed fist. Jimmy finally broke eye contact with Cody to glance in Lou’s direction.  His shoulders slumped at her expression and the fight left him in a rush.  Letting the hammer drop from nerveless fingers, he strode angrily to the rear of the barn.

And a boy’s night out these days
Is just out of the question…

The water was cool, dampening his speeding heart rate as well as his skin.  Holding his breath, Jimmy dunked his entire head into the trough for a second time, relishing the pressure of the water against his scalp.  Sounds were muted here, filtered through the rush of the cool liquid.  Colours shimmered, bending and rippling, soothing and pleasant.    

He finally withdrew, throwing his head back to shake the heavy droplets of moisture from his hair, shivering slightly as the water seeped under his collar.  A few tenacious rivulets made their way down his spine, the sensation sparking memory.  Raelynne’s fingers felt like that… soft yet insistent, trembling on the edge of need and threatening to spill over into want.  

He’d promised himself he wouldn’t think of her today.  He had chores to do, and he had… well, he had chores to do.    Yet all he’d done today was think of her.  

Leaning against the trough, Jimmy sighed.  Hell, Cody was right, he reflected.  He was distracted.  He wasn’t pulling his weight.  

“Don’t let him get to you, Jimmy.”

Straightening, Jimmy pulled himself to his feet, schooling his face into a mask of indifference.  “I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, Lou.”

“There’s nothin’ wrong with payin’ court to a nice girl.”

“Look, I was HOT.  I just needed to cool off some!”

“She is nice, isn’t she, Jimmy?”

“The sun got into my eyes, that’s why I almost hit him—”

“Pretty too, I’ll bet.”

Jimmy groaned.  “You ain’t makin’ this better, Lou.”

Lou giggled, sidling along the trough.  “You’re just going to have to admit it, Jimmy.  You’re in love.”

“Am not!”

Jimmy stood straighter, daring her to defy him.  To his surprise, Lou’s grin just got wider.  

“All right.  I guess you’ll be goin’ with the boys to Harper’s Ridge tonight then.”

Jimmy blinked, trying to fathom where this conversation was going.  “Huh?”

“Harper’s Ridge, silly.  The big ‘boys night out’ that you all have been talkin’ about for the past week.  Rachel and I are going to have our own girls night, and you…”

As she let the thought dangle, Jimmy fought the urge to pound his own fist into his temple.  Harper’s Ridge!  

It had been Cody’s idea.  A rare Friday night that they all had free… no rides the next day, no chores till the afternoon, no supplies needing to be picked up.  They were going to have a rip-roaring time at the saloon… and far enough away that they wouldn’t have to get a patented Teaspoon lecture about breaking the rules.  Ike was talking about bringing his red boa.  His good luck charm, as he called it.  Buck had nearly choked on his water when Ike had made THAT pronouncement.  

Abruptly, Jimmy realized he’d been staring blankly into space for a good minute and a half.  He forced his attention back to Lou, scowling at her expectant expression.  The ground suddenly looked much more inviting.  Yeah, he’d look at the ground. 

“Uhhhh… I can’t,” he mumbled.

“Can’t?”  Jimmy glanced up in time to see Lou’s hand flutter to her chest melodramatically.  “But Jimmy, whyever not?”

“I… well… um, I have…” Throwing up his hands, Jimmy pushed past the female rider.  “Awww, leave me alone!  I got work to do!”

Lou stood staring after the rider, a wide grin splitting her features.  “Oh yeah… he’s in love.”

They say he’s out there and they don’t get it
But that’s just love and that boy’s in it…

“Buck?”

The Kiowa kept his eyes trained on the yearling going through its paces in the corral.  This horse had been his choice at auction, and he felt a certain proprietary interest in its success.  “Yeah?”

“Have you noticed that Jimmy’s been gettin’… well… weird lately?”

Buck cast a cautious look in Jimmy’s direction.  The rider was intent on mending his saddle, looking lost in thought.  In the week since they’d caught him with the flowers, Jimmy had been quieter, sure.  But weird?  Around the way station, weird was a relative term. 

Buck shrugged.  “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know.  Yesterday I caught him…” Cody lowered his voice to a whisper, “…singing!”

Buck’s eyes widened.  “What song?”

“What the heck do you mean, ‘what song’?  What matter does it make—” At Buck’s curious expression, Cody sighed.  “’Oh Susanna’.” 

“You’re kidding!”  All thoughts of the horse forgotten, Buck turned his full attention to Cody. 

“That ain’t the half of it.  You know Jimmy’s routine.  What does he do every Tuesday night?”

“Tuesday.  Guns,” Buck said matter-of-factly.  “Takes them apart, polishes them, oils them…”

“Pampers them like newborn babies,” Cody finished with glee.  “But last Tuesday night, he sat on his bunk… writing!”

If Buck’s eyes were wide before, they were saucers now.  “Writing WHAT?”

“Well, Kid didn’t get a very good look, but he thinks it was…” Cody leaned forward conspiratorially, his forehead almost touching Buck’s, “… POETRY!”

Buck nearly fell off the rail.  “You have GOT to be kidding me!”

“I ain’t!”  

“Just look at him.  He’s actin’ like he ain’t got a care in the world,” Cody pointed out.  As they watched, Jimmy started to whistle.   Cody turned incredulous eyes back to Buck.  “See what I mean?  Weird.”

Cupid’s arrow’s done been shot
He didn’t duck now…

Jimmy shifted, the buckboard creaking slightly under his weight as he adjusted his position.  He squinted against the sun, the heat and brilliance of it a bother, but not troublesome enough to make him pull his eyes away from the position they’d maintained for the past hour.  If force of will alone was sufficient, the church doors would have blasted open long ago.  Unfortunately, he mused, not even Jimmy Hickok could command that kind of force.

Resting his chin on his upraised knee, Jimmy pondered how quickly life could change.  How quickly HIS life had changed.  Only a few weeks ago, a Sunday morning would have meant only two things: rest and recreation.  And though there was never any true day of rest at the way station – there were always chores that needed to be done and rides that needed to be taken – at least on Sunday, the riders were given more leeway than on any other day.  

Sometimes, they wouldn’t rise until eight a.m., luxuriating in the unaccustomed lateness of the hour, staying burrowed under warm blankets as long as they could.  Breakfast was whatever they made of it, and there were times when he’d skipped it altogether, preferring to head out to the waterhole for a swim before the other riders got the same idea.  There were poker games, if they didn’t mind losing most of their hard-earned pay to Rachel.  Checkers with Teaspoon, who always managed to pull out a win despite it all.   Wrestling matches, though Lou frowned on them… there were any number of things to fill the day.  

But he was different.  It wasn’t like he didn’t participate in the fun and games.  But his Sundays – his free days – always included more than that.  

Practicing his draw.  Sharp shooting.  Even the simple procedure of loading his gun was repeated, studied, perfected.  Because practice made perfect, and he never knew when that extra millisecond of time would save his life.  Two weeks ago, he’d gone about his life believing the maxim that, despite what his express family thought, he was destined to live by the gun… and die by the gun.  

Then he’d met Raelynne, and everything changed.  

She was tall and sturdy, with a quick smile and an even quicker laugh, and in a few short days she’d challenged everything that he thought himself to be.  She’d heard the stories about Wild Bill, of course.  Who hadn’t?  But she didn’t care.  

Jimmy shook his head, still not quite able to believe it.  It wasn’t that she thought he was “brave” for putting up with the mantle that JD Marcus had hung on him.  It wasn’t that she feigned indifference.  She just didn’t give one whit about the whole thing!  And he had to admit, that was one of the things that drew him to her… at least at first.  Around everyone else, even his family, “Wild Bill” was always there.  When he was with Raelynne, he was finally allowed to be free.

In her arms, it was easy.  Letting his guard down was simpler than he ever thought it would be, when love was on his side.  

In town… even with his friends… it was difficult.  He had a reputation to protect.  He was tough and he was independent.  He was strong.  

There were two Jimmy’s.  That was the trouble.  And he’d spent many a sleepless night in the past few weeks, trying to figure out which was genuine and which was the imposter.  Because in the end, if “Wild Bill” was real and the Jimmy who spent three hours trying to come up with the perfect rhyme for ‘honeysuckle’ was fake… well, it was Raelynne who’d be hurt in the end.  

It was the prairie that decided it.  Camped out overnight after a ride, lying under the stars, he felt the same kind of freedom that he knew at Raelynne’s side.  He was still capable, strong, self-sufficient.  That didn’t change because of a bouquet of flowers, or a kiss, or a walk with the woman he loved.  Freedom meant that he could be BOTH Jimmy’s.  No, it was more than that, he realized.  Freedom meant that he HAD to be both Jimmy’s.  Only by embracing both could he become the man he wanted to be.  And with Raelynne at his side, he couldn’t fail.

The faint singing of the hymn from the church faded into the distance, and Jimmy rose anxiously to his feet as the white oak doors finally opened.  Craning his neck, he fought to see past the crowd of people jostling through the door and into the morning sunlight.  Reverend Thomas clasped hands and made small talk as the church-goers spilled into the dusty yard, laughing and talking.  

He grinned eagerly when he spotted Raelynne at the top of the steps, her long dark hair piled in a complicated knot on top of her head and a smile lighting her eyes. Without preamble, he pushed forward through the knots of people, joining her just as she reached the bottom of the steps.

“Raelynne.”  

“Jimmy!”  Raelynne’s eyes sparkled with pure delight, making Jimmy’s heart skip a beat.  Or two.  “I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“Ummm…” For a moment, Jimmy’s mind was blank.  Could he do this?  Was he really up to being… free?  He stole a glance at the townspeople surrounding them, peripheral witnesses to a momentous occasion.  Not that they realized it, of course.  But as defining moments went, Jimmy figured this was at the top of his personal list.  

One more look in Raelynne’s eyes was all it took to make the decision.  Under the watchful eyes of Sweetwater’s residents, he took the plunge, holding out his hand.  “I brought these for you.”

“More flowers!”  Taking the bouquet from his hand, Raelynne drew in their scent blissfully.  “They’re even more beautiful than the last ones.  Thank you, Jimmy.”

Taking her hand, Jimmy led her away from the steps.  “I was hopin’ maybe we could for a ride today.  I brought the buckboard.”

Lovestruck
Starry-eyed
No ifs, ands or maybes
That boy’s gone girl crazy…

Helping Raelynne into the buckboard, his hands firm and sure around her waist, Jimmy didn’t try to keep the euphoric expression off his face.  

He’d done it.  He was free.  And he was never going to be the same again.

Walking around to the front of the carriage, he caught the eyes of several of the townsfolk still lingering outside the church.  Mrs. Hensen nodded knowingly in his direction before dipping her head closer to Lucille Crenshaw, lips pursed meaningfully.  Jimmy dipped his hat in her direction, laughing as the gesture only caused her mouth to move faster.  And so it starts, he reflected as he moved to take his seat in the buckboard.  

“Goin’ sparkin’, Hickok?” a voice came teasingly from behind him.

“That’s right, Tompkins,” Jimmy said proudly.  He turned to face the shopkeeper, his grin a mile wide.  “Jimmy’s got a girlfriend!”