March 1877
The fire crackled as the dark night settled outside the bunkhouse window.
Teaspoon Hunter had long ago, with Jimmy's help, converted the old Pony Express
bunkhouse into his own personal living quarters and it felt like home. He wrapped
an old, comfortable Indian blanket around his aging shoulders and watched the
flames eat up the large logs. His long gray hair was settled down his back and
wisps fell across his cheeks. Just as a deep cough erupted from his chest, Rachel
walked up behind him.
"Here's a hot cup of tea for that," she soothed, patting him softly
on the back. "I think that cough of yours is getting worse."
After the fit ended and wheezing replaced the spasms, Teaspoon reached for the
cup. "Thank you kindly Rachel." He inhaled deeply from the cup, soothing
his throat. "Ahhh, I can smell the honey and whiskey."
Rachel clucked, "I know what's good for a cough."
"That you do my friend," Teaspoon agreed. He patted the couch beside
him and Rachel settled in next to him, gazing into the fire.
"You should have married, found a husband to take care of," Teaspoon
sighed, "instead of nursing an old man like me."
Rachel looked at him aghast and slapped his arm lightly. "Ya'll have been
my family since you hired me, and I can't imagine not being here with all of
you." Rachel shook her head with a rueful smile. "And what would Lou
do without me? Her and Jimmy need help with that growing family of theirs."
Teaspoon let out a long whistle. "That's certainly true." he agreed,
"They've got almost enough young'ns to outfit an Express station."
Both Rachel and Teaspoon laughed at the joke, but his mood quickly turned somber
and thoughtful; Rachel immediately noticed the change.
"Whatcha thinkin' about?" was on the tip of her tongue when another
spasm of coughing gripped him. His shoulders quaked under the hacking; Rachel
gently patted his back again, until the fit subsided.
"You need to see a doctor," she pointed out.
Teaspoon merely shrugged. "You know as well as I do, I won't like what
the doc has to say. Besides, as long as I'm only coughing at night, I'm not
too bad off."
Rachel pursed her lips in obvious disagreement, but said nothing. She knew all
to well how obstinate her old friend could be, and he refused to see a doctor.
Together, they watched the flames, both lost in their own thoughts as they sipped
their tea. Rachel tried to hide her growing worry.
"Honey turns twelve tomorrow," Teaspoon spoke, breaking the silence.
Those few words expressed volumes about his thoughts.
"So that's what's been on your mind," sighed Rachel. "You thinking
she's ready to be told?"
"Hell Rachel, she's been ready since she was seven," he replied in
rebuke.
"It's not our decision," Rachel pointed out, "whether we agree
or not. Lou and Jimmy probably think they're protecting her, especially since
Kid ain't been in contact all these years."
"They also made Kid a promise, whether they think he deserves it or not,"
Teaspoon rebutted her theory.
The two again fell into companionable silence. Teaspoon's mind drifted back
to Honey's seventh year.
Daylight was a good hour off as Teaspoon leaned on the side of
Lou and Jimmy's home. He was a mite shocked to find Annabelle sitting on the
porch steps waiting on him instead of Honey. One look at her expectant face
made Teaspoon's heart cringe. Instinctively, he knew she wanted to go on the
hunt with them, but she was still too young. He sure hated to disappoint any
of the Hickok children.
Slowly, Teaspoon shook his head, unable to voice the words that would crush
the hope in Annabelle's eyes. Nevertheless, five year old Annabelle knew she
had been turned down. Her deep brown eyes filled with tears as her forehead
fell on her upraised knees. She was the very picture of dejection.
Just as Teaspoon was about to console the young girl, Emma Jane Hickok, known
to most as Honey, walked onto the wooden porch. She wore buckskin pants on her
long, wiry legs and a blue shirt that matched the vivid color of her eyes. Her
hair was a dark mass of riotous curls that she had tied loosely with a leather
cord. She stood there a moment, surveying the scene and quickly surmising the
situation. She put up her hand, stopping Teaspoon's advance on Annabelle; Honey
always took care of her siblings, especially her sister.
Honey sat on the step next to the younger girl. "Annabelle, I know how
much you want to go with me and Grandpa," she began, "but you know
you ain't old enough yet."
Her words only made Annabelle cry harder. Honey's arm wound around Annabelle's
tiny waist. "Before you know it, you'll be old enough to go with us. Why,
you'll probably even outhunt me," added Honey.
Annabelle raised her head with a sniffle. "You think so?"
"Why Annabelle, you're already the prettiest and smartest girl in these
parts; I'm sure you'll be good at anything you put your mind to," Honey
assured her. "'Sides, if'n you were to go with me and Grandpa today, who'd
help Mama with Swain and Dixon? You know Mama's too far along with the new baby
to keep up with those rowdy boys."
Annabelle nodded, her tears dissipating quickly. "You promise to teach
me to track when I'm a little older?"
"Why Annabelle, I'll teach you everything Uncle Buck taught me last summer
and more," grinned Honey.
Annabelle smiled at Teaspoon and Honey, gave them each a big hug and ran in
the house. Honey looked at Teaspoon triumphantly. "You ready Grandpa?"
Teaspoon stood for a moment, shocked at the ease in which Honey had soothed
her sister's feelings. Her maturity never ceased to amaze him. Honey had a way
with people, as well as a way with animals. He had never seen anyone as good
with horses as Honey Hickok, but what impressed him most was her depth of caring.
Even at seven, she possessed the makings of a true beauty, but Honey didn't
care about looks; she cared about the people around her.
"Yep, I'm ready," Teaspoon finally replied.
"I saw a scrape down by that rock outcropping, a few yards from the river.
We should start there, don't ya think? Let's get going - the sun'll be up soon."
Again, Teaspoon looked at her with surprise. This was there first hunt this
fall, but apparently, Honey remembered all that he and Buck had taught her very
well. "Quite the little huntress aren't we my dear girl?"
Honey just laughed gleefully, threw her gun casually, but carefully over her
right shoulder and began the hike towards the spot. Teaspoon bit back a chuckle
and fell in step beside her.
It wasn't long until her observation proved right; they found the deer scrape
easily and soon after, Honey shot a large buck. They'd be plenty of venison
in the Hickok household for a while and the two hunters were pleased with the
speed in which they had completed their task.
Honey was literally quite predatory as she hunted for the deer. She had a job
to do, and her goal was to complete it. When Buck had taught her to track the
summer before, the half-breed had been impressed with the inherent skill the
young girl had already possessed.
"Grandpa," Honey began on their walk back, "Ma and Pa have been
telling me some about how they met."
Teaspoon cocked an eyebrow. He waited for her to continue and prayed they had
finally told Honey the truth about her "real" pa. When Honey didn't
continue, Teaspoon urged her on. "You got something you want to ask me?"
"Well, I was wondering, did you know they were courting back then?"
'Guess they left Kid out of their stories,' thought Teaspoon with irritation.
"Nope, can't say I had any idea," Teaspoon replied, choosing his words
carefully. That was certainly the truth. Lou had only had eyes for Kid in those
days.
Teaspoon continued pulling the makeshift sledge behind him; the deer's weight
made the progress slow.
"Guess they couldn't court very easy, with Ma dressing like a boy,"
Honey giggled.
"She fooled me for a long time," agreed Teaspoon. 'What in tarnation
were Lou and Jimmy doing?' fumed Teaspoon. His mind replayed Kid's return after
the War Between the States. Lou, having gotten notice of Kid's death just months
after his leaving, had eventually turned to Jimmy. Jimmy had delivered Kid's
child, Honey and later married the young 'widow.' Unfortunately, the death notice
was false, but after a four year absence, Kid came back to Sweetwater only to
find Lou happily married. It was a tense and difficult time for everyone, but
Honey, at four, was far too young to remember it well. He didn't fault Lou for
choosing Jimmy, but he couldn't stand the secret they were keeping from their
eldest daughter. Teaspoon, over his long life, knew well the twists of life,
but this time, Lou and Jimmy were causing their own dilemma.
Teaspoon let out a long, wistful sigh as the memory assailed him. "I'm
telling you Rache, Honey was ready for the truth at seven. The longer they wait
telling her, the harder she's gonna take it."
"Kid never specified what age he wanted her told. And he said he'd be back
to visit, and write, but he ain't," Rachel observed.
"I'm not thinking of Kid's feelings right now, I'm thinking of Honey's,"
Teaspoon said emphatically. "As mature as that girl's always been, she
ain't gonna like secrets."
Rachel could only murmur an agreement. She hoped this birthday, the Hickok's
would share the full story, once and for all.