OW

Ezra sighed as the knot in his shoulder eased under Nathan’s kneading fingertips. “Mr. Jackson, you are an angel in healer’s clothing.”

“You wouldn’t need all this fuss if you didn’t get into brawls with fellas twice your size.”

“It wasn’t a brawl,” Ezra huffed. “They attacked me in the alley. One grabbed me from behind while the other attempted to rob me.”

Continuing to manipulate the tender joint, Nathan grunted inquiringly.

“Having my arm wrenched behind me was quite painful,” Ezra continued, “but I suspect that bastard I kneed in the groin feels worse.”

Nathan laughed. “’Spect he does.”

OW

Vin kneed his horse into a faster pace as he came within sight of Nettie Wells’ small house, calling, “Howdy, ma’am!”

Nettie paused in her work, shielding her eyes from the sun. Her hand had automatically reached for her nearby Spencer, but now rose in greeting.

“Land sake’s, boy,” she said, as Vin pulled within comfortable speaking distance. “Haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Busy,” he apologized. “Need some help?”

She smiled. “If you’ll finish choppin’ this kindling, I’ll go knead my bread dough and get it in the oven.

Vin obeyed readily, looking forward to fresh bread and good company.

Little Ezra

The boy huffed and grunted as he maneuvered the large dresser into place. He pulled and pushed, kneed and tugged until the furnishing was in alignment with the wall.

“Hey, you didn’t need to do this all by yourself,” Chris protested, walking into the child’s new bedroom to find him red faced and panting.

“I know,” he said shyly, “But this is to be my room, occupied by my very own possessions, and I want to make it perfect.”

Moving behind him, Chris kneaded the nine-year-old’s shoulder gently, feeling Ezra relax against him as he said, “It looks great, son.”

ATF

“Then he kneed me right in the face,” JD groaned, gingerly touching his swollen cheek. “Pow.”

“I can think of worse places, kid.”

“Me too,” Josiah agreed, wincing. “Much worse.”

Watching JD carefully knead his throbbing nose, Buck sighed. “When I told you that taking down a suspect might mean getting dirty, you know I didn’t actually intend for you to tackle one into a puddle and mud wrestle him, right?”

“What was I supposed to do, let him get away?” JD growled.

“We do as need’s must dictate,” Josiah replied.

“Huh?”

Buck smiled. “He said you did good, kid.”