TRAIL OF DREAMS
TRAIL OF DREAMS© Courtnee
Kid pulled his hat down low on his brow to block out the blinding rays of the
setting sun. Even with the fast approaching night, the heat still drenched his
body with sweat. They had traveled longer this day because of the delay the
day before. Kid glanced to his left, surveying the inviting waters of the Sweetwater
River, they were now following, with hungry eyes.
The mountains were still shimmering images looming up on the horizon, seemingly
no closer than they had been at the start of the day. They appeared from this
distance to be an impenetrable wall, but Teaspoon assured them that when they
reached them a path would be evident.
Kid doubted this, but held his tongue. He would believe it when he saw it. Experience
on this journey had taught him that nothing was as easy as it seemed.
The call to halt came minutes later. Kid followed routine and pulled his wagon
into the forming circle. Stiffly he put on the brake and climbed to the solid
ground, ironing out the kinks in his arms, legs and back while he unhitched
the wagon.
After he had led the oxen to the herd, Kid searched out his wife. During the
first hours of travel she had driven one of the wagons while Teaspoon rode with
Gus and Charlie, driving the herd. But as the day had worn on and the heat had
gotten thicker, Lou had taken Teaspoon's place. Jeremy had also chosen to ride
his horse, but only because he refused to leave Louise's side.
Kid found her at the river, squatting on the bank and splashing the cool water
over her dusty face. Lightning grazed nearby, dragging his reins from one enticing
green patch to another one. For once, Jeremy was out of sight. Kid bent down
beside Lou, resting one arm on his knee, and wetting a bandana with the other,
then he mopped his brow with the cool rag.
"Kid," she said, by way of greeting.
He did not miss the forlorn note in her voice. "Lou, how was yer ride?"
She simply shrugged her shoulders, but did not look in his direction to see
if he was watching. Instead her gaze was focused across the river and over the
endless expanse of prairie, with its sagebrush and yucca bushes.
Kid cursed under his breath. He couldn't seem to penetrate the wall she had
placed around her heart since Theresa's disappearance. She would only let Jeremy
in. For a moment he thought about reaching out his hand and gently pushing her
into the river. Maybe that would knock her out of her isolation. But he sent
that notion packing, for it was sure to backfire on him, as things with her
usually had a way of doing. Instead he reverted to some advice he had received
once before.
"Lou, when you're ready to talk, I'm listenin'," he softly patted
her knee. At first, he wasn't sure she had even heard him, but then she slowly
turned her gaze to him. One look into her tear-clouded eyes had Kid pulling
her into his arms. She resisted for only a moment, than gave in to huge hiccupping
sobs.
Long after the sun had set, they stayed by the river. Lou opened up to him,
purging the poison that had been collecting in her heart. She told of the guilt
that had consumed her long ago, the night she had left her siblings at the orphanage.
They had begged to stay with her, and pleaded not to be abandoned. But what
could she have done? She was still a child herself. A badly used child who had
learned revenge and hate at a very young age. And she was a girl, with limited
options in the job aspect. So, it really was the best choice she could have
made, and the only choice to Kid's way of thinking. But he also knew that with
so many emotions battling inside of her, reality was a hard thing to see.
Then she talked of the pain it had caused her to miss out on all those years
of Theresa and Jeremy's lives. Her new job as a Pony Express rider had denied
her the privilege of more visits. Not only that, but she had found a new family
and a new life. Granted, it was tough at times riding for the Express, but she
found it was harder still to visit them. This was difficult for Lou to admit,
but it had to be said. She had hated to visit them, hated to be reminded of
the past she had fled from, hated to be faced with the knowledge that she had
a brother and sister that were depending on her. That was the real reason she
had stayed away from the orphanage. They had looked at her with loving eyes,
trusting eyes, and she hated that. She didn't feel that she deserved their love
or their loyalty.
Finally she revealed how she had put it all aside and had brought them back
into her life. She had only wanted to make it up to them. Give them a new life,
a better life filled with love, family, and no more pain. But she had failed.
Failed to notice that her little sister was not in the camp that night. Failed
to love her enough to protect her. And now every time Jeremy looked at her,
she knew he blamed her. He knew all about her. It was there in his eyes.
Kid pointed out all the good things she had done for them, how it wasn't her
fault that Theresa had come up missing. He bathed her in his love and understanding,
soothed her with reasoning and insight. And held her close to his heart, letting
the rhythm of its beat lull her into piece of mind. She laid against his chest,
her sobs dwindling down to soft sighs. Kid stroked her hair, smoothing it down
her back, and gently rocked back and forth on his haunches, as if he held a
small babe and was persuading it to sleep.
Neither one gave thought to food or the rest of the express family. They were
content to spend the night in this place, a moment out of time. A bond rooted
between them from that day forward, an understanding that neither would ever
hold a secret again, to taint their lives in any way. That night Lou realized
her dream had already came true. Kid. She had found the reason for her existence,
the other half of her. All that had happened in her life had led up to this
moment. It had allowed her to find and keep the love of her life. And she rejoiced
that Kid felt the same way.
There would still be obstacles, disappointments, pain, and death, on this trail
of life, but one thing had changed. She wouldn't have to travel it alone ever
again.
Rachel stood back, unwilling to disturb the loving couple. She had followed
Jeremy in this direction and watched as he observed his older sister with her
husband. Rachel knew he wanted to go to Lou, but he respected her desire to
spend time with her husband. He silently retrieved Lightning and led him back
to camp. Rachel followed shortly after.
They retired early. All of them were exhausted from the hard day. Rachel snuggled
up with Teaspoon, Noah asleep between them. Jeremy had chose to bed down with
Gus and Charlie, where he had found two new idols in.
"Teaspoon, do you think Buck found her?" Rachel questioned.
Teaspoon lay on his back, his arms loosely clasped on his belly. He popped open
one eye and swiveled it in her direction. "I don't reckon I can say. But,
I'd like to think he has."
Rachel worried at her bottom lip, "I can't imagine what happened to her.
She wouldn't leave camp on her own accord, at least not that I can see. She's
such a quiet child, shy."
"There ain't any reason ta worry about something that you cain't fix. If
the good Lord is willing, he'll bring her back."
Rachel reached for Teaspoon's hand. "Oh, Teaspoon, I just worry for them.
It just don't seem right that shortly after they're together as a family again,
this had to happen."
"Life don't play fair, Rachel. Never has, never will. What makes a person
strong is perseverance. You gotta take what life throws at you and overcome
it." Teaspoon rolled onto his side, grunting with the effort. He wrapped
his arms around her. "What ever happens when Buck rides in will shape Lou,
Kid, and Jeremy. Either way, it'll make 'em stronger."
"It already has, Teaspoon. I think what ever happened between Lou and Kid
tonight, brought them closer." She still worried about Jeremy, though.
"Yep," Teaspoon, mumbled, his eyelids felt like lead weights. He stifled
a yawn and hugged Rachel closer. "Those two…"
Rachel smiled as the rest of Teaspoon's sentence was lost to sleep. Shortly
after she too drifted off into the dream world.
Buck and Theresa approached the wagon train late that same night. Theresa was
rode in front of him, body limp from sleep. They had rode hard to join the train,
covering as much ground as he dared riding double. The morning after he'd found
her, they'd rode into Ft. Laramie.
Buck turned over the man's possessions and explained what had happened. Surprisingly
the soldiers had given him no problems, him being a half-breed and all. But
they doubted the man would ever show up. Buck didn't share their opinion. Something
told him they hadn't seen the last of the stranger.
Buck spotted their three wagons with no problem. Gently he shook Theresa awake,
before dismounting. She uttered a soft protest, fearing he was leaving her alone.
Theresa found it hard over the last few days to be separated from her rescuer
for any longer than a few minutes. He had gained her loyalty the night he saved
her. And she found it easy to talk to him. At first, he had remained solid against
her curiosity, but before long he had opened up to her. She learned many things
about the mysterious man, many things that shed light on his actions.
And she had revealed things about herself also. But, there was one thing she
kept to herself. She was in love with him. In all of her thirteen years, she
had never felt this way before. Oh, she knew Lou and Rachel would say she was
too young to have those kinds of feelings for a man, but Theresa knew differently.
Why else would her heart flutter every time she thought about Buck? Besides
she was almost fourteen. And that was old enough to have a beau. Only she had
to convince him of that fact.
Buck was relieved to turn over his burden to Lou. He honestly liked Theresa.
In fact, he also liked to talk to her. But she was a child still, and couldn't
understand all that he had seen and experienced. That hadn't stopped her from
wanting to know. Before all this had happened, he had barely said two words
to the girl. He'd never imagined how talkative she could be. But all in all
she would make a good friend.
Buck reached his arms up and planted them around Theresa's waist. She, in turn,
grasped his arms. He set her on her feet, and after he was sure she wouldn't
tumble to the ground, released her waist.
"Buck?"
Buck had started to turn away, but was halted by her voice.
"I…I just wanted to say thank you." The words fell from her mouth
in an awkward show of gratitude.
Buck simply nodded, then turned to find the others. Theresa followed him, thankful
for the dark cover of night that hid her flaming cheeks.
Upon finding the first wagon empty, Buck headed to Rachel's. He was startled
to find Teaspoon bunked down with her, but quickly shook them awake.
"Buck? Honey, is that you?" Rachel lifted her head and squinted at
the dark figure.
"Yes, Rachel."
Teaspoon's cock-eyed gaze followed shortly after. "Where's Theresa?"
Buck pivoted and pulled Theresa forward.
Rachel was the first to see Theresa. "Oh, Theresa, honey! Come here, let
me take a good look at ya, honey."
Teaspoon rolled out from beneath the wagon, and pulled the girl into a bear
hug. "Well, well, ain't you a sight!"
Rachel gathered her thoughts and realized Lou had to be fetched. She hastily
made her way down to the river. Lou and Kid woke easily.
"What is it Rachel?"
"Buck's returned and Theresa's with him."
Lou sprinted the short distance to the wagons, Rachel and Kid on her heels.
Rounding the wagon, Lou slid to a halt. Jeremy had already been woken up and
stood embracing his sister. She quickly crossed to them and took both of them
in her arms. "I'm so sorry, Theresa. I'm so sorry." She mumbled the
words over and over, unmindful of the tears that ran off her cheeks to fall
in Theresa's golden hair.
"I'm alright, Lou. I shouldn't have wondered away from the camp, and.."
"No, I shoulda been payin' closer attention." Lou held Theresa at
arms length, searching her for any signs that she was hurt. "I love you
so much, Theresa. I just want ya to know that."
"I love you, Louise. And I don't want you to blame yourself. I just wanted
to see if Buck was alright that night, and I went too far and got lost..."
Rachel placed a hand on Lou's shoulder, "We'll talk about this in the morning,
honey. Why doncha go on and get some sleep. Just crawl down there with Noah."
Lou pulled Theresa into one last hug before watching her exhausted sister disappear
under the wagon. She turned to Buck. "Thank you Buck. I owe you."
"We are family. I did what any one of us would do if there was trouble."
Lou shrugged, but her smile was all the thanks Buck needed.
Jeremy crawled under the wagon and curled up next to his sister. Rachel built
up a small fire and put on some coffee. They had a lot to discuss before any
of them would be able to sleep again. They wanted to know what had happened
to Theresa, for they all noticed a change.
