A Day In Life

Becca Ó 2000

Standard disclaimer

Lou opened her eyes to a crack as the damned rooster kept making the high pitched sounds down in the yard. She couldn't believe it was that time of day. Not already, they had just gotten into bed. With a groan she assessed it was time to get up, the light in the room told her that. And the rooster kept reminding her it was high time to get out of bed and come feed him. With a irritated sound she moved her head onto Kid's shoulder. Leaning onto him she closed her eyes again. Only five more minutes would be heaven on earth. Kid grunted into the pillow under his nose and moved under her weight. With eyes still closed she
sensed Kid drawing the pillow over his head, mumbling under it. Lou had to smile, they went through this routine every morning, trying desperately to stretch the night a few more minutes. Both knew there was no turning back, they'd have to get up and get on with the daily life. There were children to feed and animals to tend to. Every morning of each awakening day.

"Kid?"

"Noooo," he mumbled under the pillow, "not yet, please five more minutes."

Lou gave his buttock a rather hard swat, "get up old man and stop complaining!"

Kid rolled under her and her head landed on his chest. "Nag nag nag," he mumbled, still half a sleep.

She had to giggle at his comment, these summer mornings were the worst. The sun woke the rooster at five o'clock and the damned bird wouldn't let them sleep. The day promised to be as warm as yesterday, preventing them from getting much sleep at all. Even with both windows open the morning air still wasn't giving them any cool. It was time to get the hay in for the winter and that meant work from five in the morning till late night.

"Kid," she tried again, pleading with him now, still holding her eyes closed.

"I know Lou, I know..I'll get those eggs and the milk. Can't promise you I'll find my way back thou'. Probably fall asleep milking that cow."

Lou giggled, "No you won't. Rose is irritated coz' of the heat. Tried to kick me yesterday while I was milking her. Guarantee you you'll wake up."

Kid chuckled, "had to remind me, didn't you!"

His laugh had her head jumping up and down, making the last veils of sleep disappear. A loud knock had them both groan.

"Ma! Dad! Get up! The stove is ready, I'm fixin' the coffee. It's late already."

"Comin' Emma," Lou assured her oldest daughter that amazingly enough loved cooking and was an early bird. Kid rose to a sitting position and handed her the dress from the end of the bed. Peering at her with sleep stricken eyes he grinned at her. "Sure that one's ours Lou?"

Lou threw him a murdering glance and hurried to slide into her dress. A wicked smiled plastered on her face she noticed Kid's slow movements as he was dressing. He was always this incredibly slow in the mornings and that gave her the upper hand. She slid around the bed and popped her shoes on while gathering her hair into the usual braid. Smiling at her husband she backed out of the room while fastening her hair. "Last one out of this room makes the bed," she giggled, "and helps Sarah get her cloths on, properly, after he gets the milk." Halfway out the door she grinned at her husband that had stopped struggling to get his socks on and was staring at her. "Won't he?"

Kid was beat, peering at her he made a face, "I'll get you yet Lou."

"Not in that pace you won't," Lou chuckled as she closed the door on her grunting husband.
 

Noah was already laying the table as Lou came down the stairs. With the energy of a eight year old he helped his sister prepare the meal. Lou ruffled his hair as she walked up to Emma putting coffee into the percolator. "Where's Sarah?" she asked not seeing her youngest daughter of four anywhere. Emma pointed to the kitchen corner where the girl sat and feed the cat pieces of old stale bread. Yellow sat in front of her and tried to pretend the offerings were actually tasty. Dressed and combed the little girl giggled as the cat started playing with the crumbles of bread, chasing them over the floor. "Thanks Em," Lou smiled and hugged her daughter, the helping hand that made the mornings more sustainable.

"Ma!" Emma protested, being the big girl she was she didn't appreciate the public hugging as much as she used to. Kid scrambled down the stairs and Lou handed him the tankard to get the milk. Kid made his solitary unconscious check on the children. Ruffling Emma's hair while she made a protesting sound he then walked over to Sarah and gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning to Noah and getting out to fetch the eggs and the milk. Yellow got an affectionate pat as the cat stroke up against Kid's legs.

"Come on, son, we gotta feed all these women," Kid sighed deeply and Noah leered at Lou knowing she'd make a face at his father's feigned desperation.

"Get out," Lou scolded them both with a happy grin on her face. "Noah, see to it your father gets it right this time. The cows are the animals behind the barn, with the horns not the feathery ones in the front."

Kid swirled around and was about to say something when Noah grabbed his sleeve and dragged him on. "Pa, don't you know you can't ever win with them!"

"So young and so wise, son, have I told you how proud I am?" Kid laid and arm over his son's shoulders as they walked.

Lou turned to get the skillet ready for the bacon.

"So when will you be done?" Lou asked while her husband prevented their daughter to slip the third piece of bacon to the cat waiting at her feet. Sarah's face crumbled up and Kid had to take her in his lap to stop her from having a tantrum.

"Should be all done by six o'clock or so. There's just those last fields to cut. We'll let it dry until Monday before we gather it."

"Will it be good hay this year Dad?" Noah asked.

"We'll have plenty of good hay thanks to the heat," Kid nodded and held Sarah's hand in his when she tried to swing a piece of bacon over the plate to the cat. Without a word he gently opened her fist and let the bacon fall back onto the plate. Sarah looked angrily at her father. Emma and Lou giggled. Sarah lent over and bit her father's hand.

"Ouch!" Kid grunted, "You can't go around biting people Sarah! That cat is so fat already he's about to burst. Can't keep giving him all your food."

"Hungry," Sarah said and pouted her lips.

"No sweetheart, Yellow ain't hungry, he's had two bowls of milk already. That's more than I get." Kid pointed out tickling the girl.

"I don't like bacon," Sarah informed her father.

Kid rolled his eyes in Lou's direction, begging her to get him out of the discussion. Lou smiled back at him, it was his turn to debate with the four year old. All her trials had failed.

"Well eat the egg then," Kid tried to seat the wriggling girl into his lap again.

"Don't like eggs" Sarah said and giggled while her father tried to get a better grip on her. Kid lifted the girl to place her face to face with him and shook his head. "If you don't behave we can't go fishin' tomorrow."

Sarah's struggles stopped at once. When Kid seated her in his lap the girl sat perfectly still. Taking the spoon at the side of the plate she gathered some egg-yoke in it and offered it to her father.

Lou stifled a giggle as Kid's nose wrinkled, it wasn't his favorite, he'd rather have the bacon. But forced into a role model he obediently swallowed the offering. Emma and Noah had to laugh at the two.

"For you Dad," Sarah said and scooped more egg-yoke into the spoon. Kid looked with desperation in Lou's direction.

"Have some bread with it Kid," Lou said and gave him a piece, feigning not to understand his predicament at all.

"Women," Noah sighed recognizing his father's dislike for running eggs.

"Watch it," Emma remarked from the seat opposite him.

Lou had to go get the coffeepot in order not to laugh out loud at the scene.

Buck opened the door and a herd of children appeared in the kitchen. There was Blossom and Hope, arguing loudly over some sisterly matter. Blossom carrying her little brother, Isaac on her arm. Emma rose and opened her arms to the little rascal. Isaac was two and already had Emma perfectly twisted around his little finger. Lou too had fallen for the smile the first time she saw it when Isaac was only ten minutes old. Lou shook her head as Dawn walked up to Noah and ruffled his hair in an affectionate manner telling him to eat more because he was looking thin. Dawn had a soft spot for the boy, Lou thought with a smile, feeding him every chance she got. But then it evened itself up because Blossom and Hope surely had Kid wrapped around their fingers. Just like Emma and Sarah had Buck around theirs.

"Running a little late?" Buck said as he pushed Kid further away so he could seat himself at his side. With a loud giggle Sarah climbed over to her uncles welcoming lap. Kid just threw a tired glance at Buck. Buck was the early riser, always up before dawn and not even complaining. Kid smirked in his direction and gave Buck the coffee mug Dawn handed him.

"You two would sleep the whole day through if we let you," Dawn mumbled while trying to stop Yellow from jumping up on the table.

"At least we don't fall asleep with our noses landing on the dinner plate," Kid informed her with a grin and Dawn curled her lips in an offended expression.

"If we weren't around you'd still be asleep at dinner," Dawn shot back and stole the spoon out of Kid's mug.

Buck and Lou rolled their eyes at their usual bickering.

"Not that face sweetheart," Dawn said, nudging her husband as she walked by him to sit at Emma's side, "those frowns ain't good for your wrinkles."

Buck took a hold of his wife's apron and tickled her till she gave in, giggling loudly. Sarah lost all interest in the grown-ups and wriggled herself out of Buck's lap and crawled under the settee to keep Yellow company. Isaac started fighting Emma's hold and finally getting free he started after the two.

Emma and Blossom started to pack the basket for the day down at the creek.

"Leave some clothes for us down by the stream Lou? If we finish early I'll just go by there and clean myself up before I come home," Kid asked his wife when he squeezed past her to put the cup in the basin. Squeezing back past her he brushed up close by her. "Please," he whispered as they met on the middle of the kitchen floor.

"I'll leave some sheets too so you can do the laundry while your at it," Lou smiled and pretended not to see he wanted a hug.

"I'll gladly leave them all the laundry," Dawn sighed and glanced at her husband."I might just starch some longjohns in my deep frustration."

"You did that once, you little vixen, don't even mention it," Buck grinned and scooted over to Dawn.

"That was purely accidental, they fell in, wasn't my intention, " Dawn smirked and moved to get out of Buck's reach.

"Accidents are prone to happen," Buck smiled and secured a hold of Dawn.

"Help!" Dawn chuckled in Lou's direction, knowing exactly what was about to follow.

"No way, we always let the children sort out their own disagreements," Lou said with a noncommittal face. "It's better that way, keeps them calmer."

Buck wrestled his wife down into his lap, tickling her until she fell into a heap of giggles. "Buck, stop it!" She laughed and squirmed in his hold. Buck pretended not to hear her pleads.

Blossom and Emma sighed theatrically and shook their heads, collecting the children to go out and ready Katy in front of the wagon.

"Come on son," Kid leered and steered Noah out, "we better get those horses hitched before sunset. And huh, Buck, whenever you're through playin' come join us!"

"Get going you fool!" Dawn panted, pushing Buck away.

"No starch?" Buck inquired.

"I swear," Dawn hurried to promise and ran to stand behind Lou, "I really do."

Buck titled his head and looked pensively at his wife behind Lou. "That's what worries me, when you really promise something it's plain dangerous. All your fingers crossed, huh?"

"Just two," Dawn burst out in another hysterical giggling session.

"Go!" Lou's finger was pointing at the door and Buck found it safer to join the men.

"I know you were in on it Lou and I'll get you for it yet," Buck promised before he closed the door behind himself.

"I'll starch them myself this time Buck," Lou answered from behind the closed door.

With a shrug Buck walked to the barn, knowing them two they probably would. Hope came walking up to him with a smile on her face. "Ain't you going with them to the stream?" Buck asked confused seeing Hope dressed up in Noah's pants and shirt.

"Nope, Kid promised to take me along. I'll be in charge of refreshments," the girl stated proudly.

"You're turning into another Lou, you know that?" Buck smiled at his daughter who refused to go near the kitchen or any kind of womanly work. "Your husband is going to have a lot of patience with you, I just might have to sell you to the highest bidder in order to get rid of you." Taking his daughter by the waist and rising her above the ground as he walked he chuckled at her protests as she was carried away folded double over his arm.

"Ain't never gonna marry Pa, I'll always stay with you!"

"I wish," Buck sighed putting her back down on her feet, "but I've seen the look that Jones' boy is throwing you. And I ain't likin' it one bit! Watch out for him, he ain't no good! He's trouble if I ever seen it. And I hope I don't need to remind you..."

"Don't worry Pa, I know how to starch the linen." The girl laughed as she ran to catch up with Noah and help him and his father hitch the horse.

"This is a conspiracy," Buck muttered as he traversed the yard. Dog followed and yawned. Buck could have sworn the hen chuckled at him when he passed them. The stern look he threw them did not deter their ridiculous mocking.
 

"I really hate doing the sheets" Dawn muttered while Lou drove the carriage down to the stream where they had brought a big kettle to cook all the linen, sheets and whites that needed to be thoroughly cleaned. Dawn was holding a piece of soap in her hands, sniffling at it and then smiling proudly. "See this time I got it right, feel the pine scent?"

Lou took a brief sniff, "Yep, last time I was afraid to use your soap, it really smelled!"

"Yeah, well I finally figured out where I went wrong," Dawn smiled, "I just forgot to add a little something."

"Ma, why do we have to keep making our own soap?" Blossom sighed from the back, "you can always buy it from the store, it ain't like it'll ruin us."

"Honey, you can't always depend on stores! The more you know about the world the safer you go. Am I right Emma?" Dawn pointed out.

"Don't even bother to talk sense into these two," Emma remarked. "It's not worth it, see where it got me when I tried to teach Blossom to mend her socks. Never seen anything like it!"

"Hey, everybody can't be predisposed to grandeur," Blossom rebutted in a friendly manner. "At least I know how to find my way back for the glades, unlike some I know."

Emma made a face in her friend's direction. The mention of the time she wandered off and couldn't find her way back home was a sore memory. It had resulted in Buck and Kid looking for her the whole night through. And she had been forced to stay in her room a whole week because of the cold she had gotten from the adventure. Not to forget the longest sermon ever from her parents Emma could have sworn they took turns to make speeches until she fell asleep, exhausted. Only to wake up in the mornings with one of them leaned over her bed ready to start talking again. Emma shrugged at the memory. Her mother threw her a glance and smiled. "So Emma, when are you gonna spill the beans about how you and Dawn make this soap, I'd really need to know."

"Sworn to secrecy" both Emma and Dawn declared in unison.

"It has to be real bad," Lou smirked in Blossoms direction.

"We're probably better off not knowing," Blossom stated as she rescued Sarah's hair out of Isaac's fingers. Sarah bent over to bite the little rascal. Emma's arm got caught in between. "Ouch! You little..." Emma raised a finger in Sarah's direction. The girl's eyes brimmed with tears.

"Emma's mean," she sobbed and looked at her mother under the fringe.

"Sarah stop biting," Lou scolded her youngest, "can't figure out where she's gotten this notion to bite everyone?" Lou complained in Dawns direction while stopping the horse.

"I can't say but right now I'd like to bite somebody myself," Dawn muttered and glared at the huge black kettle placed on the stones.

"You go bite somebody while I get the fire started," Lou giggled good-natured. Knowing exactly how Dawn felt about the days they did the laundry she couldn't help smiling at her friend's dark face as she slid down from the wagon.

"Who invented sheets anyway," Dawn muttered as she took the sink to start filling the kettle with water.

"Probably the same one that invented soap," Emma giggled.

"May they both be damned," Dawn smirked.
 

Kid and Buck sat on the meadow comparing blisters. They both had a couple of beautiful ones but Buck's were definitely worse. Kid chuckled at the sight and Buck threw him an annoyed glance. "Starched longjohns and blisters, life is just beautiful," he said and laid down on the hot earth, scorched by the hot sun of midsummer.

"It's just half an acre left to cut," Kid comforted his companion, "with the help we'll be done in an hour or two."

"Just to have to go to Johnson's Monday," Buck moaned. "And gather all this hay the coming week, life's just not fair."

"What's wrong Buck? Never heard you so down before, what's a matter? Dawn givin' you a hard time again?" Kid glanced over the shoulder at Buck that had drawn a hat over his face.

"Just thinkin'."

"'Bout what?"

"You know Kid, in a couple of years Blossom will be old enough to marry another year or two Hope will be too. They'll be gone and we'll be old. Ever think about that?" Buck was mumbling under the hat, his voice sad.

"Marryin'? Buck what's goin' on with ya? Blossom ain't marrying yet, she's just a child."

"Children grow up Kid and then they leave their parents. It's so sad."

"This just because that young fellow came around yesterday?" Kid smiled at his friend remembering the face he had made when the youngest of the Erskine-boys came asking for permission to take Blossom to the church's social dance. Buck had looked like he was about to burst in his seems. Dawn had to use a lot of persuading to get him to oblige. "That's life, Buck."

Buck swop the hat from his face and glared at Kid holding an eye on Noah and Hope gathering the cut hay. Buck looked at his friend like he had never seen him before. Was this the same man that had almost got his rifle when Emma was accompanied home from school by Danny Milton? "Kid, remember when Danny..."

"That's not the same. Emma's far too young to be courtin' anybody yet and Blossom's just goin' to the dance. Heck we'll all be there..it just ain't the same," Kid tried to explain himself cringing under the look in Buck's widened eyes.

"Uh huh," Buck stated with disbelief.

"Oh God! Buck, you think we're gettin' old?" Kid moaned and lay himself down, suddenly feeling about a hundred years old.

"Yep," Buck cracked with a sarcastic smile. "But Kid, that's life remember."

Kid glared angrily at his companion's sardonic smile.
 

"Stop feeding Katy the cookies, both of you!" Lou screamed as the youngest of them giggled and gathered around Katy's frontlegs. The old mare gently taking the cookies out of their outstretched hands. Sarah and Isaac looked at her with angelic expressions on their faces. Emma turned up behind them and took Isaac into her lap. "I leave you out of sight for a second and you wander off? Bad boy, very very bad boy," she scolded the young one in her arms. "If you don't behave I'll let your sister watch you and you know what that means, don't you? You too Sarah, get over here now!"

Blossom giggled from her place by the stream where she was rinsing the sheets her mother and Dawn were cooking in the kettle. Her mother looked like she was about to explode, Blossom wasn't sure if it was the frustration or the heat. Both women stood by the kettle, stirring the boiling water with canes of wood. Blossom looked at her mother and decided to change places with her. Maybe she'd cool off in the tepid water of the stream. Walking up to them she noticed both of their hair damp from the heat and the dresses sticking to them from the heat. "Ma, I'll help Lou, go cool yourself off," Blossom said as she reached them.

"Thank you Angel," Dawn said and caressed her daughter's cheek. "Just a couple of more sheets and we'll be done for today. I think I will survive." She walked down to the stream with a relieved sigh. At least she wouldn't melt. "Emma!"

The girl raised a finger in the air to tell the babies to stay put. Walking briskly she arrived at Dawn and her aunt threw her the other end of the rinsed sheet. Having done this a hundred time before they both knew exactly the moves it involved. Automatically Dawn and Emma started twirling the sheet in opposite directions. Stringing it tightly until the sheet stopped dripping. Without a word they then folded the material and but it into the clean basket. When they were done Lou and Blossom threw another sheet into the cooling water of the creek. Emma turned to the young children on the bank and stayed with them until it was time to repeat the action.

Lou watched her friends and children. They were so used to working together they needed no words, they just acted by invisible cues. The routine was comforting and safe, there was no guessing or talking. Only work that filled their days with ordinarity. Lou sighed, what would life have been like if she hadn't met Kid? Where would she be right now? Maybe a well-known wife to a rich man. Having to to absolutely nothing else than worry about her appearance? Or maybe scrubbing floors or worse? Or still masquerading as a man, owning the largest ranch in town and steering her men with an iron hand being respected and feared? Lou tried to picture her life as a store-owner, a newspaper owner, or living in a big city out east with no sheet to wash ever.

"Auntie Lou!"

She woke by Blossom's sigh and looked up at her niece. "Huh?"

"Time to get this sheet to the creek. It's done. Help me lift it out will you?"

Lou threw her friend's daughter an apologetic smile. Sometimes she marveled at her maturity. She had so much of Buck's level headness in her it made Lou giggle. But Blossom sure had a lot of Dawn's temper too, on the rare occasions she let it show.

"Right Blossom," she said and helped her gather the sheet on the pole. Carrying it down to the creek where they sank it into the deep part she smiled at Dawn's appearance. She was wet up to her waist. "Last one Dawn, I'll just throw in the cottons now and we'll be getting home. Help your Ma, please Blossom. I'll take care of the rest, it ain't much."

"Finally," Dawn sighed and stopped the sheet from floating downstream. The pinesoap dissolving into the water made the scent linger in the air. It was rather nice actually, Lou thought as she drew a deep breath before she turned back to the kettle. Reaching down to the last basket of dirty whites she smiled in Emma's direction while she folded the sheets neatly into baskets and covered them with linen to keep the dust from entering the wet fabric. All the while she held an eye on the two toddlers at her feet. She's gonna be a fine mother, Lou thought to herself watching her daughter. Who would have guessed? Without thinking she emptied the last basket into the boiling water and dried the sweat from her brow before looking down in the kettle. The whites were turning pink. Lou blinked twice and looked again. Yep, all the longjohns and the delicates were taking on a faint tint of pink.

"Oh God!" Lou exclaimed and stirred the kettle frenetically to find the cause to the coloring.

"What?" Blossom's and Dawn's heads snapped up.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked from the carriage.

"Uh..eh.. I think I..." Lou stirred the kettle frenetically and tried to fish out the bright red scarf that had slipped into the whites.

"What?" Emma cried and leapt in her direction.

The darned shawl kept escaping Lou. "I must have let that red shawl Kid bought me in with the whites," she excused herself as Emma peeked into the kettle.

"Ma!" With one step Emma turned up at her side and fished up the formerly brilliantly red scarf with Lou's stick. Like a real expert. Lou frowned at the ease with which Emma gathered the cloth and took it to the stream. Carefully Lou lifted one of Buck's longjohns up in the air. It was definitely pink and not a pretty pink either. In shame she turned to her friend standing in the creek looking at her. With an apologetic smile she raised the stick to show them what had happened. "What do I do now?" She asked the stunned people standing in the creek watching the pinkness gathered on the end of the stick.

"Buck's?" Dawn asked.

"'Fraid so," Lou mumbled.

Emma turned her eyes from her mother's distraught expression and peeked down in the kettle again. "Ma," she repeated with a sigh.

The cackle that arrived from the stream had them both looking. Dawn and Blossom had sunken into the water and giggled helplessly embracing each other. Not minding them Lou and Emma returned their attention to the kettle. It seemed to get worse by the minute. Emma poked the clothes and shook her head. "Ma, it keeps getting redder, you sure there's nothing else red there too?"

"I don't know," Lou exclaimed exasperated, at the sight of increasing pinkness in the kettle. "We have to get it all out, you think you can get those two fools to help?"

"Wouldn't count on it," Emma replied calmly and gathered all she was able to around the stick. "Maybe it'll wash off in the cool water Ma!"

"Be careful!" Lou yelled at her daughter as she carried the dripping garments to the stream. "Watch out for the dripping, it boiling water Em!" She kept her eyes on her daughter until she let go off her cargo into the stream. Exhaling in relief Lou turned to take her load in the same direction. As Emma turned to fish out the rest Lou stopped her; "You stay here and rinse, I'll take the rest. It took Lou's three and Dawn two trips to the kettle before they had everythin out. Blossom took the sink and threw water on the fire while the rest of them tried desperately to get the tinge out of the clothes.

"Well it's not so bad for the knickers," Lou tried holding a pair of hers up in the air to assess the damage. With a smirk she threw them into the sink, they weren't pretty that was sure.

"Buck's gonna be real happy," Dawn chuckled and held up a pair of longjohns that had the ugliest shade of orange-pink ever seen out in the west. "I won't even have to starch them this time." With a squeal she sank back down in the stream and shook of laughter.

"Didn't Pa always like red?" Emma giggled in Lou's direction. "Wasn't that the reason he bought that thing for you in the first place?"

Lou sighed deeply and rinsed the pink longjohns in her hands over and over again. If she narrowed her eyes into slits the garment looked slightly whiter. Raising them to the sun they showed their ugly color once again. "It ain't rinsing out!" she whimpered.

"Ma, they're beautiful," Sarah said from the bank, clapping her hands. She loved pink.

"Be sure to convince your Pa," Lou mumbled as she sank down into the water with the longjohns in her hands. "What if we burn them?" she asked her companions hopefully.

"Am I mistaken or is Desperation talkin'?" Dawn laughed at her friend's face. Kid sure was going to thrive on this one. She couldn't stop laughing as she thought about what the men would say. "We're never gonna live through this!"
 

"Come on kids, time to go wash up!" Kid hollered as he gathered the rakes onto the buckboard. Watching Noah and Hope repeatedly jump over a ditch he shook his head and turned to Buck: "Where on earth do they get all this energy?"

"Think they got some to spare?" Buck sighed and emptied the canteen. "It wasted on the young anyways."

Kid chuckled and reached for the canteen. With a disappointed frown he realized Buck had emptied it. Buck grinned apologetically in his direction. "Was thirsty."

"I can tell," Kid sighed, "and just for that you go get those two from the meadow or they'll stay here jumping ditches until sundown."

"Naw, I'm too tired to move a muscle, you do it!" Buck whined and crawled up on the buckboard.

"GET HERE RIGHT THIS MOMENT!" Kid hollered so loud that Buck jumped. Noah and Hope looked in their direction and started running toward them with downcast eyes. Kid leered in Buck's direction: "You gotta install some respect into the young'uns Buck."

"What wrong Unca?" Hope asked and ran right into Kid's lap. "You sound angry, you angry with me Kid?" The girl hugged her uncle and giggled when he tickled and swirled her around.

"Nothin's wrong sweetheart, I just wanna get home while it's still light outside."

Noah sighed and climbed up on the carriage, stretching his legs.

"Unca, you outta come try it too, I beat Noah every time, I jump much longer than he does."

"I'm sure you do, honey, but I'm too tired to even think about it!"

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is Sunday and we all can rest."

"Monday then Kid, please just watch me jump. I'm really good at it."

"Sure honey, I'll watch you. Up you go, lets go home and get all this dust washed away or we'll get scolded." Kid pushed the exuberant girl up on the buckboard. Turning to take his seat at Buck's side he met with his companion's skeptic eyes.

"Respect huh?" Buck grinned.

"Well..yeah..in a manner of speaking."

"I'll remind you Monday afternoon when you're jumping ditches about your respectability." Buck chuckled as Spots picked up speed. "She's got you twirled around her finger dear friend. Any woman that looks at you has you around her finger in a heartbeat."

"Just don't tell Lou that," Kid shot back at his chuckling friend, "or she'll use it against me."

"Ma already knows," Noah remarked from the back, "she's using it on you every day Pa!"

Kid threw a tired glance at his son, "And I hope you've learned a lesson son. Never let a woman get to you like that, see where it gets you. You might even have to wear starched longjohns." The last remark was addressed to his laughing friend.

"Don't pick on Noah!" Hope pouted, throwing her arms lovingly around his neck, squeezing hard "He's my bestest friend ever."

Buck glanced to the back of the buckboard and caught a glimpse of Noah's silly smile. Nudging Kid with his elbow he smiled pointedly at him. "Your speech is too late, he's already lost."

"I know," Kid sighed.
 

"Lou come on!" Dawn hollered from the wagon where their laundry was packed in baskets, ready to be taken home and hanged. "Stop it already, it ain't coming off. They'll just have to live with it!"

"No," Lou muttered stubbornly, this goddam tinge is coming off if I say it is!"

Dawn looked at her friend sitting in the creek, wet all over, repeatedly rinsing the clothes and putting them back into the sink only to take another garment and retry. Emma shook her head in resign, knowing her mother she knew she'd not let up that easily. Dawn gave Isaac to Emma and Blossom picked up Sarah.

"I'll talk to her," she said to the girls and started for the stream. Taking her shoes off she walked into the cooling water to stand at Lou's side. "Listen, it really ain't that bad. At least they'll have clean clothes. They can't ask for anything else. Let it be Lou, we gotta get home, it's time to eat!"

"Go," Lou said and rubbed the longjohns against the stones on the bottom of the creek. "I'll come along soon, I'll just walk home. It ain't that far. Ask Emma to help you with dinner."

Dawn wriggled her toes in the shallow water, peering at Lou, wondering how to convince her friend. "Want me to stay too?"

"No, you need to keep an eye on those kids. I'll be fine, I'll just stay a while longer. Get going, the boys will be home soon."

"Lou..." Dawn started pleadingly.

"I'm fine, just go!" Lou wheezed and slammed the garment into the water, sending a plash of cold water onto Dawn dress. "I'm fine, really," she said in Dawn direction when she noticed what she'd just done. Dawn realized that it would be pointless to try and talk her out of this. With a sigh she turned and walked back to the wagon. Lifting her shoulders in a resigned gestures she helped the girls up on the wagon before turning one last time to check on her friend.

"Pa'll talk her out of this," Emma reassured her aunt and motioned her to step up. "When she gets like this he's the only one that's able to talk some sense into her. You know that."

Isaac started crying and wriggled in Emma's lap. All the children were hungry and tired, they needed to get home.

"I'll drive," Emma said and handed the tiny boy over to his mother. Sarah had fallen asleep in Blossom's lap.

"Let's go Ma, we'll send Kid to get her."
 

"What the ..." Kid exclaimed as he leaned forward to catch another glimpse of the longjohns Dawn was hanging. "Are those yours Buck?"

Buck was left standing with his mouth open. After a while he regained his stance and shook his head. "Naw, never seen them before. Gosh they're ugly. Never knew they came in that color!"

"Well if they're not yours and not mine. Whose are they?" Kid asked and shrugged as he hurried to unhitch the horse. Noah and Emma had run over to Dawn and she ruffled the boy's hair and patted the girl's bottom before she shoved them into the house. Rachel appeared on the porch of Buck's and Dawns house, waving at them with a towel.

"Must be Matthew's," Buck laughed realizing that the only solution was that Rachel had brought her laundry too and that those ugly longjohns belonged to her teacher husband.

"I must admit I never thought he'd be wearing anything like that!" Kid chuckled, "can you imagine."

Buck grinned at his friend as he took the horse to the corral and scooped up some corn for the beast. "You know those easterners."

Kid's shoulders shook of the laughter Buck knew he was trying to hide. Buck turned and walked over to his wife still hanging the sheets. "Honey, I missed you!"

"Don't say a thing ya hear!" Dawn turned two angry eyes in his direction. "I don't wanna hear one word outta you. I've been down by that creek since this morning, washing all this and I don't wanna hear a word outta you!"

Buck was baffled, the arms he had thrown out to take Dawn into his lap sank back to his side. "Honey?"

"Don't you try and sweet-talk me now, I saw how you laughed. They're clean, what more can you ask for?" Dawn had come up to him and was burying two accusatory eyes in his. Kid turned up by his side, looking at the two of them.

"Dawn, sweetheart, what are you talkin' 'bout. We were just saying that the color is..."

"Shut up about the color you damned fool!" Dawn squealed, "next time you go do your own goddamn laundry coz. I've had it!" She threw the sheet she had been picking up back into the basket and turned to walk away. "Men!" She snorted angrily. Buck took too long strides to gather her in his arms. "Dawn, what's a matter?" Buck had no idea why she'd react in this hostile manner. She wriggled vigorously in his lap. "Shhh" he said, trying to placate the anger he felt in her.

"Buck!" Kid was standing staring at the pink longjohns on the line. "I hate to tell you this but these are yours!"

"What?"

"Your names embroidered on them, didn't Dawn do...?"

"Dawn?" Buck's eyes almost popped out when he recognized the elaborate embroidement on the fabric. Dawn had fought so hard to learn, using his longjohns to start with before mastering the skill on the linen.

"Real nice Buck," Kid chuckled, "this color suits you." At Dawn's murdering glance he stepped back and asked for Lou. Dawn raised a threatening finger in his direction, muttering something in Kiowa that had Buck clinch her tighter into his arms and motion Kid to get out of sight. Dawn was spitting fire and Kid decided to go look for Lou.

Buck held his wife tightly while she called his friends by the most derogatory offenses found in the Kiowa language, throwing in some in what he gathered must have been from her mother's country too. "Dawn honey, no need to get this upset," he whispered in the ear of the struggling woman. He was immensely glad she was small, the force with which she fought him was fierce. "We didn't mean to laugh at you, it's just that...well...it...they're really...I mean..." He found it safer to let his voice trail off as her green eyes shot venom in his direction.

"Helvetin sika!"

Her strength was fading but she still hammered her fist against his chest. The last word she had sputtered out wasn't nice, even though he didn't understand them he heard they weren't words of love. But the long day at the creek was finally wearing her out. "Didn't mean to offend you honey, neither did Kid. We'd just like to know what the hell happened to these garments?"

Dawn wheezed against his shoulder.

"But if you don't wanna tell, that's ok too," Buck hurried to say. Knowing that when Dawn got this mad it was safer to lay low for a while. Kissing her brow he rocked her in his lap. Looking down on her dress he noticed the hem was wet as was her shoes. "Sweetheart we better get you out of these clothes, won't have you get a cold in top of all."

She raised her head to look at him. "Tryin' to sweet-talk me you little.."

"Shhhh," Buck said and kissed her lips. Getting Dawn so surprised she forgot the anger she was nurturing. Buck smiled, surprising her was always the best way to get her forgiveness. "I love you Dawn," he leered at her, "even if you're forcin' me to walk around starched and pink." Her lower lip trembled slightly, Buck had no idea if it was of laughter or sadness. He hurried to place his lips on hers again and kiss her into happiness and calm. He nuzzled her cheek with his nose breathing the scent of pine around her as her arms finally came up around his neck. He knew that meant he was forgiven. Standing there hugging each other close Buck smiled as he watched the clothesline. He just had to know what happened. "Dawn, don't get mad...but I'd really like to know how this happened?"

"I hate doing the laundry" Dawn snarled with her nose pressed into his shirt.

"I know you do honey, I know you do." Buck just had to lift her from the ground and swirl her around until she giggled and peace was restored. Letting her back onto the ground her kissed her nose and bent down to get the last pieces of clothes still awaiting to be hanged. "I'll help you," he promised. Working together they finished the work in no time. Dawn continued to peer teasingly at him over the clothes. Buck felt a sense of anticipation grow. Gathering the empty baskets he walked up to her. "It's time for more promising activities, honey. Let's get some of Rachel's food and head out to the stream. You need a good rub down sweetheart."

Dawn gave his butt a friendly whack. "If you think you're forgiven that easily you're dead wrong man."

Her smile told Buck exactly what she was referring to. "Oh don't you worry, I'll be asking your forgiveness all night long," he chuckled at her, holding her to her place with a finger crooked around the bands of her apron.

"You bet you will," Dawn said and stuck her nose up in the air. "By staying in kitchen and folding the dried sheets."

Buck's eyes narrowed in mock anger, "Woman, that's not what we agreed on."

Dawn brushed by him and had his heart stop and his knees wobbling.

"Had my fingers crossed," she demurely told him glancing at him over her shoulder. Buck let the baskets go and started running after the giggling little witch he had married.
 

Kid gathered new clothes for him and Lou into a towel. He couldn't deny he was upset that they had left her at the creek, all alone. He had to smile to himself, realizing that if Lou had decided to stay there was nothing that could have persuaded her otherwise. He hoped he would be able to bring her back without too much fighting. Jumping down the stairs the picked up a canteen and filled it with cider, he'd take some food with him, she must be starved by now. When he stepped out of the house he was almost run over by Dawn. "Whoa!" He hollered and stopped her wild pace. Buck came up at his side and thanked him for stopping the fleeing wife. Dawn giggled and swatted his arms away as Buck tried to take her into his lap and carry her into the house.

"You're dirty, get those hands off me!" Dawn pointed out through giggles.

"Yep and I love to get you dirty too you little starcher."

"Okay," Kid interrupted their friendly bickering, "take care of the kids for a while will ya. I'll go get Lou!"

"If you catch her," Dawn laughed as Buck finally got a grip around her waist and lifted her up in the air. Buck grunted and carried her away.

Kid shook his head and went for Katy. "Sorry girl, but your gonna have to make another trip to the creek." Katy searched his pockets for goodies. Kid pretended not to understand as he hitched her to the wagon again. Climbing up he nicked the reins to get her started. Katy turned and watched him calmly. "Katy," Kid sighed. The horse scratched her fronthoof against the hard-packed ground. Kid sighed and jumped down again. Katy promptly pointed out that she knew he had that apple. "Girl, I was takin' this to Lou." Katy friendly rubbed her head against his shoulder and Kid smiled and scratched her front. "Maybe
Buck's right, you girls all have me twirled around your fingers?" Katy nickered softly. "Okay, fronthoof in your case." Patting the horse Kid turned to take a seat in the wagon. Katy started off before he was ready. Having to take a leap into the wagon as it moved onwards Kid muttered. "Gotta find a way to install some respectability into you girls around here." Katy answered by suddenly picking up speed. Causing the Kid to almost fall backwards. "Ptroo! Katy you're old," Kid reminded his horse and tried to get her to slow down. Katy bucked in joy and Kid let the reins hang loose. Shaking his head he realized he had lost once again.
 

Sitting in the shallow water Lou kept cursing the longjohns. When she heard the buckboard approach again she turned her face wondering if they had forgotten anything since they came back? When she realized that Kid was coming she cursed silently. She envisioned the smile he'd have on his face. The same teasing smile he had everytime something went wrong in the kitchen area. She sat still in the water and waited for her husband to reach her. The sun hot on her back she muttered to herself in anger. Carefully studying his face as he walked up to her she waited for him to make that fatal mistake. When he was some yards away that smile crept up on his face.

"It's your fault!" She rose and threw the longjohns she was holding at him with force.

Kid ducked as the orange-pink garment came flying at him. "Whoa girl!"

"It's all your fault. Look what you've done!" Lou bellowed at her husband.

Kid held his head low and tried to get to her from the side. Lou took another pair in her hands and shook them menacingly in his direction. "Look!"

Kid found it safer to remain where he was. "I don't understand Lou. What you mean my fault?"

"Who the hell bought me this?" She yelled and showed him the formerly brilliantly red shawl."Look!"

Kid raised his hand into the air. "Lou..I didn't know..I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..."

"I didn't mean to," Lou repeated in a scornful tone mimicking him with a smirk on her face. "I'm so sorry Lou," she added scornfully.

Kid took one hesitant step forward and leaned forward to look at her. "Uh Lou, is it one of those days again?"

His remark had her boil over, partly because he was right and that was one thing she couldn't stand. She'd give him 'one of those days'! With a growl she started for him and in her hurry she tripped over the long wet skirt, landing face first in the sand.

"Lou!" Kid ran to her and lifted her from the water. Lou spit out water and wheezed angrily.

"I know honey, don't worry about it. It's okay, it'll wash off next time, right?" Kid soothed her with concern in his voice.

The wet feeling had Lou forget her anger. With a hiccup she started laughing instead, seeing herself fall face first into the sand. Kid looked puzzled at her before he embraced her tighter and sank down into the creek, holding her and stroking her hair. "I knew it was one of those days," he mumbled while she laughed in his lap. "You'll feel better soon sweetheart."

Lou wiped her tears and leaned onto his shoulder. Helplessly giggling she told him she still considered it his fault since he bought the shawl. Kid found it wiser to agree with her.

Rachel watched as a herd of children stampeded into the kitchen. All of them in different degrees of cleanliness. First there was the newly arrived haygatherers, definitely on the dirtier side. Noah rushed to to stowe to peek inside the kettle. Obviously trying to decide if it was wise to have one of five sandwiches before dinner. "Stop there young man, where's your manners?"

"Oh hi auntie Rachel and , it smells mighty good," the charmer informed her and threw her that innocent smile that undoubtedly won most of the hearts over. "Evening Matthew," he acknowledged in her husbands direction.

"Oh no, don't even try that one around me. Get yourself cleaned up before you start munching on my food."

"And take this one with you!" Emma moaned and steered Isaac towards him. "Hi Rachel!"

"Where's Yellow?" "My comb Hope, you take my comb again?" "I ain't even been close to your comb!" An annoyed Hope squealed to her sister. "I'm hungly!" "You're always hungry!" "I want that comb right now sis!" "I want Ma!" "I'm hungly Matthew!" "Noah! Get outta my way!" "Oh excuse me, miss for existin'" "Oh great, now you made me spill the milk too!" "Not my fault you can't walk and carry a pitcher at the same time sis!" "Where's Pa?"

Rachel watched as a cacophony of irritated voices started to complain and whine while accusing each other for different mishappenings Shaking her head in despair she walked over to the tiny boy tugging at her husbands trousers while the former desperately searched for something to placate the boy's hunger with. Snatching a biscuit from the counter she extended the offering to the little rascal near tears. The little one's face was immediately lit up and Matthew exhaled in relief and lifted him up into his lap. Rachel turned to the litigant couple in the middle of the floor. "Emma it's alright, look at least Yellow' happy." Emma looked down to find the tabby happily lapping the milk from the floor.

A giggling Dawn burst trough the door followed by a smirking Buck. Noah stuck his tongue out to tease his sister into blind rage. Buck realized the danger and stepped in between the two. Sarah screamed "Noooo!"

All eyes turned in the little girl's direction. She pointed at the floor where the cat had sat himself down and leered up at Buck while licking his whiskers. "I'm sorry" Buck told the offended cat and stepped away from the pool of milk he had placed his shoe in. Yellow accepted the apology and returned to clean the remains of the milk off the floor.

"Yikes," Blossom pointed out.

"My thoughts exactly," Noah nodded, staring at the cat.

"Oh my," Dawn sighed, "you're a bunch of trouble all of you! Everybody out of the kitchen. Buck take these children out and make them presentable. Emma and Blossom, please, would you help him?"

"Who made you the General," Buck teased his wife.

"The cat," Dawn told him as she pushed him out of the door while Matthew handed him Isaac. The rest followed under slight protests. Dog followed lazily and Rachel could have sworn Yellow smiled.

"One of those days, huh?" Rachel remarked as she bent down to clean the floor.

"Just an absolutely normal day in the Cross-McCloud families," Dawn smiled at her and looked perfectly happy. Matthew laughed out loud.

Lou sighed in content as she dried her hair with the clean towel. The bath had worked miracles, she felt like a new woman. Ready to take on the world again. Kid wandered over to her, barefoot and cursing softly as he trampled the edgy pebbles on the brim of the cool creek. Dripping wet he reached for the towel before he sank down at her side on the warm stone. Smiling he bent over to kiss her cheek. Lou cuddled up close and sighed anew.

"You okay Lou?"

"Oh yes, I'm just fine, it's just beautiful out here."

"Yeah, the view is breathtaking," Kid smiled at her.

"I'll say!"

Throwing his arm around her he drew her into his strong hold. She buried her nose in his still wet locks, losing herself in his scent and his safe warmth, her arms embracing him. Nuzzling his hair she sighed once again. "You know what Kid."

"Huh?"

"I need a brush!"

"A what?" He chuckled softly.

"I won't find my face if I let my hair dry like this. I have to get home and find a brush."

"I thought you needed some romance," he bent in and searched her eyes. A teasing twinkle in his.

"If you're makin' me choose Kid you're on the loosin' end. I really need a brush." Rising to her feet she extended him a hand to get him to come along. "Let's get dressed and go home and save poor Dawn from the kids. You know they've probably turned the homestead upside down by now."

"A brush, I'm being discarded for a brush?" She smiled as he followed close behind her, "it's a hard life Kid."

"I'll say!"

Reaching the buckboard she turned to him with the fresh clothes in her hand. "Come to think of it, you need a shave too."

Kid just shook his head at her remarks while he tried getting into the pants without getting sand into them. She had to laugh at him while he performed the hilarious dance. With a teasing grin she slid into her own dress, smiling triumphantly at his struggles. Katy watched her owner jump on one foot beside her head and tried to help him out with a friendly poking. Just to tell him she loved him. Lou snickered as Kid had to put his left foot down to keep his balance. Kid was left staring at the sand on his feet. "You women are killin' me!"
 

Somehow, Buck had managed to herd all the children outside to the trough that stood against the side of the house.  He grumbled slightly under his breath, wondering how he always got the tough jobs.  The children were talking loudly, each conversation getting louder in order to try and drown out the others.  Buck sat down on the chopping block that sat close by, Isaac on his lap.  He shook his head at the squabbling children before getting their attention with a whistle.

One thing you had to say about the Cross-McCloud children, they were well trained when they wanted to be.  They'd all learned long ago that when one of the adults whistled, it was imperative that they all shut up and listen.  They never knew if the whistle was a warning of impending danger or if it just meant that they'd pushed their limits almost too far.  Each of the children grew quiet and turned meekly their heads in Buck's direction.

Buck almost laughed at the response, but managed to keep his composure.  Sure wish Kid could see this, he thought amusedly. Respect, huh? I'll show him respect.  "Alright, y'all need to clean up or your Aunt Rachel ain't feedin' ya," he threatened.

Noah gulped only a little.  He knew darn well Rachel wouldn't serve anyone unless they'd cleaned up.  He looked at the others and knew that they'd all have to pick the lesser of two evils if they wanted to eat.  Best just plunge right in, he thought as he made the first move toward the trough.

"And that's with water and soap," Buck reminded sternly.  The younger ones had a habit of just getting wet without actually washing.  He watched as the older girls took the soap and cloths and began washing faces and hands.  Buck turned his attention to the little boy on his lap.  However, little Isaac wasn't about to make cleaning him up easy on his daddy and began squirming. "Hold still you little imp, you've got dirt and cookie all over your neck and face," Buck said.

Isaac kept squirming.  "Le' go, Daddy," he cried.  "Play wi' Sarah!"  He pointed to his playmate who was giving her older sister the same trouble.  His struggles continued until he finally launched himself from Buck's lap and ran behind a corner of the house.

"Isaac, get back here," Buck sighed.  He rose from the chopping block and started toward the corner where the little boy was playing peek.  As he got closer, Isaac let loose a giggle and dashed across the yard to hide amongst the other children's legs. Buck came after him but everytime he got close, Isaac would run away again.  The little boy apparently thought it was a great game to watch his father trying to maneuver between the laughing older children.  "Ya know, it wouldn't hurt ya to give me a hand here," he growled at the others.

Soon all the children were involved, each trying to chase down the wiley youngster who did his best to get as dirty as possible. They chased him all over the yard tripping over each other and the trough several times.  The harder they chased, the harder he giggled.

"Get him!"

"Not me.  Isaac, you idiot!"

"Hey, we don't call people idiots in this family," Buck huffed, the warning seeming out of place as they all chased the toddler.

"He's headin' for that big ol' mud puddle behind the barn, Pa!"

"If he gets to that puddle, we're all in trouble," Emma wailed.

It was this chaotic scene that Kid and Lou drove in on.  Kid pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the house and he and Lou got down.  They looked at each other, then at the children and adult running around in different stages of cleanliness.  They looked at each other again.  "Figures," they said simultaneously before dashing off into the fray themselves.

Isaac, seeing his beloved Aunty Lou changed courses and headed straight for her knowing she'd save him from the others.  He ran straight into her legs with such force that he nearly toppled her.  "Help, Aun'ie Lou.  Help!" Isaac pleaded, turning his big eyes up to her.

Lou naturally scooped the little boy up and settled him on her hip.  "Gotcha!  And just what are you up to my little gremlin, huh?" she asked.

Kid grinned at the way the little boy could wrap Lou around his tiny finger just by looking up at her with those big eyes of his. "Guess I ain't the only pushover 'round here," he muttered.

The others came up reddened and short of breath after the big adventure of chasing down their prey.  "Hold 'im still while I go get a bucket to clean 'im up with, Lou," Buck said.  "Maybe we oughta just toss 'im in the trough clothes and all if he don't wanna get clean like a real person."

Isaac's eyes widened.  "No, no, Daddy!  Don' dwown me.  I be good.  Aun'ie Lou, I be good," he cried.

Lou hugged the boy close and he snuggled his head under her chin as she glared at Buck.  "Now, don't go scarin' 'im, Buck," she said peevishly.  "You gotta compromise."

"Mmmhmm," Buck replied.  "I'll remember that the next time you get frustrated with Sarah."  He was wet from being splashed with trough water and dirty from taking a tumble over Noah's foot.  He was hungry and hot and Buck was in no mood to compromise with his son.  He and Kid exchanged glances and rolled their eyes.  Kid shrugged his shoulders and gave Buck a look that said he wasn't going to risk ruining his wife's good mood.  Lou's version of compromise usually ended up with her promising Isaac treats in exchange for good behavior.  They'd be lucky if Isaac had any teeth by the time he reached school age at this rate.

"Isaac, honey, you know you gotta get all that icky cookie and dirt off before you can have dinner," Lou was telling her charge. She looked over his appearance and spotted a bit of goo behind his little ear.  Isaac was at the stage where you had to make everything fun or he'd balk at every turn, so she drew attention to the spot.  "Eww, Isaac, you got icky stuff behind you ears boy! How'd you get that icky stuff back there, huh?  Let's go get that icky stuff off.  You wanna be clean for Mama, right?" she said, walking towards the trough, the other following behind.  "Big boys don't have icky stuff behind their ears."  Well, some of them did, but Lou wasn't about to tell him that.

"I big," Isaac protested.  He leaned out of Lou's arms and grabbed the cloth Buck had dropped on the side of the trough. Eagerly, he handed it to his adored aunt.  "Eww, icky.  Aun'ie Lou get it off! Clean for Mama."

Lou smiled smugly at Buck and he just glared back.  However, his glares didn't last long as Lou and Isaac commenced with an elaborate game to make him "clean like a big boy."  The others laughed at the faces he made as he looked at the grime on the cloth he'd wiped his face on.  Lou insisted he do most of it himself, but made sure to get the spots he missed.

"Done!" Isaac declared proudly.  He held his hands out to the others and, at Lou's prompting, turned his head so they could see his neck.  "See, I big boy."

Even the other children got in the act and made a great pretense of praising his washing technique.  Emma reached down to take him from her mother.  "So, you hungry, big boy?"

"Hungry, Emm-Emm," he whined.  So, Emma and Blossom herded the now clean children back inside to show Dawn and Rachel how big Isaac was, leaving the adults outside watching them go.

Buck looked over at Lou sheepishly.  "Thanks, Lou," he said with a smile.

She took in his rumpled, dusty, and, in spots, muddy appearance and grinned. "I'll let Dawn help you get clean," she replied facetiously.  "I'd consider the debt paid if you'd do something to stop Sarah from biting people.  Don't know where she got the idea from, but it's gettin' to be a problem."

"Wouldn't have any idea where she got that idea from," Kid repeated.  He looked thoughtful for a moment.  "Wait a second, didn't you try to bite Cody once when he tried to steal food off your plate?"

Buck laughed at the memory. "I remember that day.  Gosh you were in a foul mood," he said.

Lou merely glared at them both before she suddenly turned to walk away.  She walked toward the porch for a few steps, her unbound, tangled hair swaying and the men chuckled at her.  Hearing their laughter, she turned and placed both hands on her hips, an impish smile on her face.  "And here I thought you liked it when I bite, Kid," Lou said, arching an eyebrow mischievously.

Buck looked at his friend's reddening face and struggled not to laugh. Both couples had unwittingly on several past occasions learned more about the other's intimate moments than they cared to and now it had turned into some kind of strange game.  Each couple would struggle to embarrass the other as much as possible.

Kid's eyes narrowed slightly before he decided to get back at his mischievous wife.  "Don't hardly remember if I do or not, it's been so long," he said melodramatically.  "You keep turnin' me down for things like brushes."

"I keep gettin' turned down in favor of laundry.  I tell ya it's a conspiracy between these two," Buck pouted.

Louise laughed merrily, the morning's bad mood long forgotten.  "You'll live," she tossed over her shoulder as she went inside.

"Women!" Kid exclaimed in mock irritation.

"Can't live with 'em and it's a hangin' offense to shoot 'em," Buck muttered.  Kid looked at his friend unsurely.  "Well, you can't tell me you ain't at least thought about it when Lou's in the middle of one of those moody days."

Kid laughed and patted Buck's shoulder.  "Yeah, but then we'd have to do the laundry."

It took nothing less than an act of God to get everyone clean and sitting at the table.  The smell of Rachel's fried chicken and biscuits filled the air.  They'd pulled every extra chair in the entire house up to the table and still had to borrow two from Buck and Dawn's to fit everyone.  The table was laid in typical style with enough food to feed an army.

Dawn, who was seated next to Buck on one corner of the table, looked around at the motley crew gathered around the table and smiled in pride.  She wouldn't change anything in her life.  Dawn slyly stuck her foot out beneath the table and nudged Lou's across from her.  "Looks like we're full to overflowin' here," she giggled, indicating Rachel perched on Matthew's lap at the opposite end of the table.

"That's just the way I like it," Lou replied with a grin.  "More people to do the dishes other than me."  Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Noah's hand sneaking a biscuit from the bowl in front of him.  "Ahem!  Well, Noah, looks like you just volunteered to say grace."

Noah rolled his eyes.  "Aww, Ma!" he whined.  "I said it last time.  It's Emma's turn."

Emma glared at her younger sibling.  "It is not!" she protested.

"But your mama asked you, Noah James.  So, I'd suggest you stop keepin' these hungry people from eatin' and do as your mother asked," Kid said sternly.

A merry laugh twittered around the room from the far end of the table.  "You'd best get hoppin' Noah before your daddy gets so delirious with hunger that he keeps soundin' like your Papa Teaspoon," Rachel laughed.

"I do not sound like him," Kid protested, sounding much like his daughter.

Sarah's giggles joined the stifled laughter of the others.  "Yes you do, Daddy," she maintained.  "But I loves you anyways."

Even Lou was hiding her face, trying not to laugh at the hurt little boy expression on Kid's.  Buck reached over and patted Kid's shoulder comfortingly.  "Don't worry Kid, we'll get ya the nicest rocker we can find to take your naps in," he joked, laughing harder as Kid swung at him playfully.

"What is this, hack on Kid day or what?"

"Yup," Dawn said gleefully.  "It's a new holiday 'round here."

Kid hid his face in his hands as the others laughed again.  "Can we just eat, please?" he pleaded.  "I'm starvin' here while y'all are gettin' such a kick outta my sufferin'."

Lou finally took pity on her husband.  She stood and crossed to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and stroking his hair.  "Poor baby," she crooned, kissing the top of his head.  "Dawn, why don't you pick on your own man?"

"Oh, she does, believe me she does," Buck sighed.

"If Noah'll say grace, then we can finally eat and you can go take your nap, dear," Lou said as she sat down, patting Kid's cheek affectionately.

Kid's eyes narrowed.  "Just you wait, woman.  Just you wait," he warned.

"Not in front of the children, sweetheart."
 

This was his family, his children, his wife.  Who would've ever thought that that skinny, barefoot boy from Virginia would ever have something like this?  Even the quiet, aloof boy who'd signed up for the Pony Express because he needed the money was a long way from the man he'd become.  Sure there'd been some bumps along the way, but Kid wouldn't change his lot in life for anything.  He was forced from his reverie as a large clump of dirt collided with his chest and shattered over his clothes.  Kid looked up quickly, his eyes narrowing as he tried to discern who the culprit was.  "Alright, who was that?" he asked.

Lou turned to her youngest, a look of shock on her face.  "Sarah Rose, just what are you doin' throwin' dirt at your pa?" she exclaimed.

Sarah knew this game well, so she giggled at her mother, lunging at her playfully, her hands landing on Lou's shoulders.  "You did dat Mama!  I seen you do it!" the little girl declared.

Lou looked up innocently as Kid approached her, the look on his face a cross between warning, annoyance, and laughter.  However, she could see he didn't believe her protestation and so she began to slowly stand to her feet.  "Now, Kid why would I go and do a thing like that, huh?" she asked.  He kept coming forward wordlessly and Lou began to inch backward toward the house.  "You've always looked good dirty, sweetheart," Lou tried unsuccessfully.

Kid glanced to the side to see all three of his children watching the proceeding with wide grinning faces.  Suddenly, an idea struck him and he held his hand out.  "Noah, hand me that worm you were chasin' Emma around with," he said in a low voice.

Noah did as he was told, his grin getting wider.  This was gonna be good!

Louise looked into her husband's impish eyes and knew exactly what he had planned.  "Oh, no you don't Kid!" she exclaimed backing up quicker now.  "Don't you come near me with that thing or you're sleepin' in the den for the next two years!"  She really began to panic, her eyes darting around as she ran into the railing on the back porch.

Kid merely shook his head no as his grin broadened.  He lunged for her and Lou took off running across the yard to avoid him.  Emma cheered her mother on as Lou ran from her husband, Sarah and Noah rooting for Kid as he chased her.  As fast as Lou was, Kid's longer legs had him catching up with her in no time.  He tackled her to the ground, her legs getting tangled in her skirt.  Pinning her beneath him, Kid abandoned the worm in favor of tickling the life out of the woman he'd married.  Lou was squirming and laughing beneath him, pleading breathlessly for mercy when a small pair of hands wrapped themselves around his shoulders.

"My mama!" Sarah declared possessively.

Sarah was all the distraction Lou needed to turn the tables.  Kid found himself the subject of a two-front tickle barrage from Lou and Sarah, Lou having pinned his arms to his side with her knees.  She picked up a clod of dirt with a mischievous smile.  "I don't think you're quite dirty enough yet, Kid," Lou said.  She rubbed the dirt all over his shirt as Noah and Emma got in on the fun as well.  Soon they were all laughing and scrabbling over the yard pelting each other with dirt and chasing each other with worms.

"Ouch!" Emma cried later as a particularly stubborn knot refused to come loose in her hair.

"Well, if you'd sit still, it wouldn't pull so much," Lou maintained.  Emma sat on a chair in front of her mother as Lou continued to brush her daughter's damp hair out after her bath.  She glanced across the parlor to where Kid sat reading to Sarah, whose eyes were drooping.  Noah sat in Kid's armchair drawing and trying not to look like he was listening as his father read.  It was quiet domesticity at its best, well its best in the McCloud house anyway.  Lou never thought she'd ever have moments like this, let alone enjoy them.

Kid glanced up over the book he held, his voice continuing automatically, knowing the story by heart.  His eyes met Lou's and he smiled.  She still had a bit of dirt on her nose from the tickle war they'd had in the backyard.  They'd come in as the night got later and the children got tired of the game.  Kid, Noah, and Emma had taken turns lugging water inside to heat for baths and each of the three children were now squeaky-clean and ready for bed.

"Daddy!" Sarah called, tugging at his shirtsleeve.  "Turn da page.  I wanna see da picture."

He tore his eyes from Lou's, blushing as she grinned at his unawareness.  Kid quickly turned the page.  "Sorry, Pumpkin," he apologized. The minutes ticked by peacefully.  Every few minutes, Noah would hold up his picture for Kid and Sarah to see and critique.  Lou and Emma were giggling as Lou told her daughter, yet again, about how Kid had proposed in the middle of the cemetery in Davenport.  It was an infamous story in the family and, to Kid's chagrin, Emma thought it was romantic and never tired of hearing the tale.

"Looks like you've got a sleeping beauty there, Dad," Emma said looking pointedly at the little girl at Kid's side.

Kid closed the book and looked down at Sarah whose eyes were closed a little too tightly to be truly sleeping against his shoulder.  He smiled at the familiar game he knew she was playing.  "Guess it's bedtime then," he said.  "I suppose I'll have to carry the little princess upstairs to her own bed.  Or maybe I should leave her down here on the settee all by herself all night."

Sarah yawned hugely pretending to be half awake.  "Carry me, Daddy," she demanded.

"Okay, Pumpkin, up we go," Kid said softly as he lifted her easily to his shoulder.  He began to walk upstairs, humming softly as he went.

"You, too.  Bedtime," Lou told her older children.

Noah reluctantly put away his colors in the box.  "Aww, Ma, do I have to?  Why can't I stay up later?" he pouted as he passed his mother.

"I don't stay up later," Emma pointed out.  She kissed her mother's cheek and started up the stairs after her father.

Lou tousled her son's hair and placed an arm around his shoulders as they followed Emma.  "Your pa and I go to bed right after you children do usually," she maintained.  "Do you think you're missing some grand party down here after you go to sleep?"

Noah shrugged.  "I don't know," he pouted.

"Well, when you get older, we'll talk about you stayin' up later, okay," Lou promised.  "But right now you're still a little boy and little boys need their sleep.  Your pa and I'll be back in to tuck you in and hear your prayers in a bit."

Noah trudged into his room obediently and Lou walked down the hall to the girls' room where Kid was patiently helping Sarah into her nightclothes.  The little girl settled into the bed and pretended to snore as Lou approached to sit on the edge behind Kid.  "Uh-uh, no sleepin' 'til you said your prayers, little miss," Lou said firmly.

Sarah opened one eye and then the other reluctantly as she realized her rouse wouldn't work.  With a sigh she began her prayers, blessing each family member individually including the dog and cat and praying that she'd "catch a big ol' fish" tomorrow at the fishing hole with her daddy.  The little girl ended with a hearty "Amen!"

"Night-night, sweetie," Lou whispered as she kissed her youngest's forehead.

Kid gave her an exaggerated kiss, making her giggle as he rubbed her cheek with his.  "You need a shave, Daddy!" Sarah giggled.  As he pulled away, however, she began to pout.  "Daddy, you fordettin' somethin'!"

Kid sat back down looking mystified.  "Let's see, we read a book, I sang, you had a glass of water, said your prayers, got your kisses.  Nope, I think I got everythin'," he replied.

"You fordot da budderfly kisses!"
 
Kid smacked his forehead and looked at Lou.  "Now how could I forget the butterfly kisses?" he asked her.

Lou smiled at him and kissed the top of his head.  "It happens to all older men, dear," she maintained, crossing to Emma's bed.

Kid's large hand smacked her backside playfully earning him a glare through her slit eyelids.  Ignoring her, Kid turned back to his daughter.  Lowering his head very close, he brushed his long eyelashes against her cheek in a whisper-soft caress.  "Better?" he asked raising his head.

Sarah nodded with a satisfied smile.  "'Night, Daddy," she yawned genuinely.

"'Night, Pumpkin."

Lou pulled the sheets up around Emma's chest, tucking them around her in the same way she had since the night she'd been born.  They were all growing up so fast, she thought.  Soon they'd all have families of their own and it'd just be her and Kid again.  Lord, help us then, she thought.  The house would seem so quiet without the children.

They tucked Emma and Noah in as well before proceeding downstairs, their hands entwined as they listened to the quiet.  Kid went to check the barn one last time while Lou locked the backdoor and opened the windows.  The night had finally granted them some measure of relief but not nearly enough to warrant sleeping with the windows shut.

Lou sank down on the verandah outside, waiting for the Kid to return from his last check on the horses.  The lantern Kid was carrying emerged from behind the barn and Lou smiled when she caught the shadow of him from behind the yellow light. She longed for him. Even after sixteen years together, she still longed for him the same way she had the first night they'd shared a bed.

Without a word he paused right in front of her, the light blinding her, making her squint her eyes to see him. The lantern made a curve in the air and rested on the fencing that surrounded the verandah, swaying slightly as it was set to rest. Lou rose to her feet and threw her arms around the man she still couldn't clearly make out, the light still blinding her. But she didn't need to see him as his arms enfolded her, it was enough to sense him, to know that he was hers and she would never let go. She ran her hands through the wavy hair, kissing his front as she stood on the last stair, almost as tall as he. The warmth from him radiated to her bones, melting her heart. She leaned into him as their lips met and her arms encircled him, answering his as they held her close, so close. Breaking the kiss she looked into his eyes, reassuring herself he was okay, that he was hers. The gaze that met hers had her freeing herself from his arms, blowing the lantern out and taking his hand. Through the darkened house, they made their way to their own haven.  

 

Dawn stood in the doorway, watching the proud Kiowa-warrior fight the sheet he was trying to fold all on his own. Muttering as the fabric twirled around his legs as he tried to even the ends up. He sighed deeply as the fabric slid in his hands and he had to restart the folding again. Concentrated he looked at the sheet - like trying to will them into obeying him. Dawn smiled, her heart filling with love for the man standing in the kitchen - keeping his words - making her love him more than anything in the word. Her wild, only slightly domesticated, proud warrior and tender lover. She watched his moves, not ever getting enough of just watching him, admiring and loving him. Soundlessly she walked up to him, traversing the floor swiftly until she was straight behind him, without him even noticing. She snuggled her arms around his waist and leaned her cheek against his strong back, closing her eyes at the love that ran through her. Without seeing his face she could tell he was smiling and she rubbed her nose tenderly against the coarse material of his shirt. He turned around in her arms and enfolded her face in his hands, tipping it up before his lips braced hers and she threw her arms around his neck and searching his smiling lips to wipe the smile off and send the need she felt into him.

"Am I freed from my duty?" He asked against her lips, his eyes caressing her. "Am I forgiven?"

"Ummmmm," she answered, closing her eyes at his tender kiss.

"All my duties?" He chuckled into her ear.

She raised her eyes to look into his. A smile starting in the green eyes, making them glitter mischievously, spreading to her lips; "Which duties is it you're trying to get outta now?"

"I was more like thinkin 'double duty' in one department." Buck chuckled, embracing her tighter, wanting her under his skin. He so wanted to be with her, and he wished there was more than words expressing his love and longing. "Just wanted to hear ya say it."

"Want me to ask Lou if you can fold her sheets too?" Dawn looked at him, the devilish grin in her eyes again, teasing him, keeping him on his toes. Refusing to act as asked, like always. Playfully disobeying him, keeping him wondering and waiting.

"Anything but the sheets, my queen of castigation, anything!" Buck moaned forlornly, playing along with her. "The kids finally sleepin'?"

Dawn nodded and came closer still, the look in her eyes had Buck's knees trembling; "All o'them?" His voice had become a low rumble as he secured himself they'd be all alone. Only her and him, all the night theirs, and theirs alone.

Dawn sank into his lap, her lips burning hot as they trailed his neck.

Buck lifted her into his lap, his eyes locked onto the ones he loved as he walked slowly across the floor, letting her know what she meant to him. Letting her know all she needed to know and all there ever was to know in the world, that she and he were all that mattered in this instance. What he wanted out of life was right there in those eyes - the promises, the future and the past, the moment and all the tomorrow's he wished for. The wishes he never thought he'd ever see and the dreams she had fulfilled lay in the promises in her eyes. His heart pounded at her soft breathing fanning his hair, her lips blinding him with the heat and need they sent into his heart.  

Lou cursed silently as she heard the damned bird outside again. Didn't he know it was Sunday morning, wasn't there some law in the kingdom of birds that prevented this reckless behavior? Kid groaned loudly at her side, exercising the same routine as every morning. He drew the pillow over his head and mumbled. Lou felt the urge to do exactly the same but by some unwritten law they both had agreed upon she raised her head from the pillow instead and watched her husband. "Kid!"

"Noooo! Not yet, five more minutes please!"

Lou slammed her head onto his back and laughed. Yep this was life, every morning the same procedures, like a well directed
play. "A Day in Life," Lou hiccuped, "come watch the show."

"What?" Kid asked as he turned to have her head land on his chest instead, truly keeping to the script.

"We do this every morning, did'ya know that?" She smiled at him looking into the still sleep-stricken eyes. "Each and every
morning this is what we do, I call you and you beg for five more minutes."

A mischievous grin crept up on the face beneath her. "I do seem to recall we occasionally change the script, like when I wake you up instead and we..."

"Oh shut up Kid, it must be a hundred degrees outside!"

"Oh, so the lady does remember?"

She smiled at him, knowing exactly was he was referring to. Those sweet winter mornings when they had time to rest in each other before the duties called. "I remember it fondly Kid, very fondly. How long ago was it, about three years?"

"Hey!" Turning her to her back Kid pinned her to the mattress and kissed her breathless.

"Nooooo," she whimpered, "it's too h..."

"Ma! Dad! Get up! The stove is ready, I'm fixin' the coffee. It's late already. We gotta get to Mass!"

Lou was assaulted by another giggling session as Kid's face fell considerably at the usual McCloud household morning reveille.
Her daughter was up and unrelentless in her efforts to make respectable citizens of out them. There would be no sleeping in, not today either. Kid groaned forlornly as Emma's voice rang from downstairs. "I swear that one ain't ours Lou!"

"Oh but she is Kid, she's ours just like this day is ours, this day, this life and that rooster too. And I love it all!" Throwing her arms around his neck she drew him close to her, thanking him for existing, thanking him for this day in life. "I love you sweetheart, every day of this life."

He answered with the smile she loved more than anything in this life and that was all she needed right now. "You're right Lou,
thanks for all these days."

"Ma! Dad! Ged up!" A much younger voice yelled outside their door before a small head appeared in the door way. Their
youngest stood there, a reprimanding expression on her face, like a reflection of Emma. Lou watched as Kid gazed at his
daughter, a baffled smirk on his handsome face. Then he turned to his wife. "I swear...."

Lou threw the pillow at his head.

THE END