PKept7

Chapter 7

They were almost to Rock Creek and could see it in the distance. Within an hour they would be at his ranch on the edge of town. They would be home. He could finally accept that this was his home. After all the years he had hovered between the Indian world and the white man’s world, he finally felt like this was where he belonged. It was while riding for the Pony Express that he realized he could not go back to his Kiowa family. Teaspoon and the other riders had become his family.   They were all orphans who came together because they needed a job. But they had gained much more than a job. They had become a family. Death had taken Ike and Noah, and the war had separated the rest of them. But nothing could sever the bond that had been built between them.

The early years in Rock Creek had not been easy ones for Buck. He was an Indian in a white man’s town, and he faced injustice repeatedly. But over the last two years, he had gained the friendship and respect of most of the town’s people. There were still some people in town who could not get past the color of his skin, and an occasional problem with someone passing through town, but for the most part this had become a comfortable place for a man like him.... a half-breed.... to live.

Buck looked ahead and said, “Almost home”

“Home,” Camille repeated looking to town.

She turned to look at Buck saying, “That sounds so good”

“It will be,” he said with a smile.

“Promise?” she questioned.

Buck nodded to her and then smacked the horses. They were headed home, together.

They pulled into the ranch yard in the late afternoon. The sun was just beginning to make its decent to the earth as the sky turned a deeper shade of blue. Buck pulled the wagon to a stop as Lou and Rachel came rushing toward the barn. Camille noticed they came from a house that was new to the property since she was last there. It was a nice two-story house, seated between what she remembered to be Rachel’s house and the bunkhouse. Buck was tying the horses to the post when Lou came up beside him.

“Hey, Lou”, he said.

“It good to have you home, Buck”, she said.

She went to the side of the wagon and looked up at the young woman Buck had brought home with him, “Camille, good to see you again”

She smiled at Lou, “Thank you, Lou, it’s nice to see you too”

Behind her came Rachel holding an infant in her arms, “Buck, welcome home” she said and went to give him a hug.

Buck put his arm around her, “It’s good to be home”.

He looked down at the baby in her arms, and asked, “How’s our little Becky”.

“Perfect as usual,” she answered smiling down at the bundle in her arms and tucked the blanket around her a little tighter.

She looked over to Lou and Camille as she said to Buck; “Camille came back with you”

“Yeah”, he answered taking off his gloves.

Rachel looked at him, “Is she going to be staying on.”

“Yeah,” was all he said. But there was a grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye that made Rachel very happy for him.

Together they walked around the wagon to Lou and Camille. Buck stepped up to help Camille down.

Rachel went right over to Camille, “How are you, dear,” she said leaning forward to kiss her check.

“I am doing better now,” she said as she looked at Buck.

“ Well, you look exhausted,” Rachel said, “why don’t you come on over to my place and we’ll get you cleaned up”

“That sounds wonderful,” Camille said, “but I should get my room at the hotel first.”

“Nonsense,” Rachel exclaimed, “you will stay with me”. Rachel knew that Camille was being polite, but there was no way she would allow her to stay at the hotel.

“There is plenty of room, it’s just me and Becky”, she added.

Camille looked at Buck, as if to ask what he thought. He gave her a wink.

“Thank you Rachel, I would like that,” she said as she then stepped closer to see the baby in Rachel’s arms.

“May I?” Camille asked for a peek at the little one.

“Oh, sure,” Rachel answered and pulled the blanket back from Becky’s little face.

Camille was a little confused, last time she had been here Rachel was neither married nor expecting a child.

“She’s beautiful, Rachel,” Camille said. Then she looked up at Rachel and asked, “she’s yours?”

“Yes, she is,” Rachel said with a sense of pride, then she looked up at Camille and with a hint of sadness in her voice she added, “ever since her mother died giving birth to her.”

Buck walked over to the two ladies. He looked down at the baby, then he looked to Camille and said quietly, “she is Ike’s daughter”.

Camille’s head jerked up to look at Buck, she was speechless. There were no words to express what she was feeling. She was overjoyed that there was a part of Ike still here on this earth, yet so sad that this little child had lost both her parents.

Lou broke the silence, “Well, I just put on a pot of tea, why don’t we see if it’s ready.”

“Sounds good to me,” Rachel said then turned to Buck, “Buck, could you put Camille’s bags in the room next to mine?”

“Sure,” he said as the ladies all headed to Lou and Kid’s house.

Before they had reached the house he yelled to Lou, “Hey Lou, where’s Kid?”

“He went to see Teaspoon,” she hollered over her shoulder, “I expect him back anytime”

As they walked to the house, Lou and Rachel told Camille all the news since her last visit. But Camille was lost in her own thoughts. She was overwhelmed at how much her life had changed in the last three days. She was in a new town and beginning a new life again. She was no longer alone but surrounded by friends. But most overwhelming was that she was with Buck. How could it be? He had been lost to her forever. Suddenly Camille stopped and looked back at Buck, she smiled at him as if relieved he was still there, and he smiled back as they went in the house.

Buck stood and watched as Camille walked away with Lou and Rachel.   He was glad she was here. He knew all along this was where he wanted her, but suddenly as he watched her, he was questioning his actions. Had he pushed her into this? Was this what she really wanted? Was it even what was best for her? He had only wanted her with him.

His thoughts were broken when Kid came around the barn. “Buck “, he hollered, “that was a quick trip”

“I didn’t think I should be gone too long,” he answered as he began to unharness the horses.

Kid was getting ready to tell him he shouldn’t have rushed when he noticed the wagon, “Where’d the wagon come from”

“It’s Camille’s”, he answered.

“Camille’s,” Kid said raising his eyebrows, “She’s here”

“Yeah, she came back with me,” he said then proceeded to unharness the other horse.

Kid began to unhitch the wagon, “So her fiancée is dead”

Buck nodded, “It happened not long after they left here...rattlesnakes”

“Oh, God,” Kid grimaced, “that a hell of a way to die”

As the two of them finished tending the horses and securing the wagon, Buck told Kid how Bill had died. As well as Camille’s time in Cedar Falls, and how she came to be here with him. Kid noticed that Buck seemed to be bothered by something.

Then Buck asked, “Did the mares foal yet?”

“Yeah, Honey had a beauty two days ago,” Kid referring to their honey colored Appaloosa. He had been so involved in Buck’s last few days that he had forgotten to tell him about their new mustang.

“My guess is Oakley has only got a couple more days to go” Kid added, about their other horse.

“I’m glad I got back when I did, we still need to get the other stock over to Miller’s place,” Buck said.

“We're OK there, he’s not expecting them till the end of the week,” Kid said as he closed the corral door.

“Buck, once Oakley foals, Lou and I are gonna be gone for a few days ourselves”, Kid added.

Buck looked at him, “Where to?”

“Lou wrote the orphanage,” he said, “now that the house is finished, we’re going to get Jeremiah and Teresa”

“Its about time, Lou must be happy your finally goin’,” he poured some feed for the horses, then added “we’ll be fine here”

“Come on, I’ll show you our new pony”, Kid said motioning to the barn.

They walk toward to the barn, Buck still seemed silent and distant.

Kid stopped walking, “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing,” Buck answered as he went to open the barn door.

Kid grabbed the door to get Buck’s attention, “Don’t tell me nothing, I know you...and I know what she means to you,” Kid pointed to the house, “she is here in Rock Creek, she is a free woman again.... And you are mopping around.... what’s wrong?.”

Buck looked to the house, “I just hope I did the right thing bringing her here.”

Kid smiled inwardly…now her understood Buck’s brooding. Buck had become the brother to Kid that he had lost long ago, and they both had become close. Kid knew that Buck was a man of few words, he had a quiet earnestness to his nature. Buck put great thought into everything that he did. He always considered the situation before acting on it. The events of the last few days had moved quickly…and Kid figured it was a little too quickly for Buck.

“Buck don’t go looking for trouble,” Kid said patting his friend on the back, “it always seems to find us on its own.... now come on, we’ve got a horse to name”

Chapter 8

Rachel had cooked a big ham, so she had everyone over for dinner that night. Teaspoon was there for dinner too, but that wasn’t so unusual anymore. He seemed to show up at Rachel’s more and more these days.

One of the things Rachel loved the most, was everyone around her table, sharing a meal together. It brought back so many memories of their Pony Express days. It wasn’t quite the same without Jimmy and Cody, but she knew they would visit when they could. She would always feel the emptiness of Ike and Noah’s absence, those spots at the table could never be filled again. Despite all the losses and absences in their family, those of them that remained there at the ranch were determined to keep their family together.

So Rachel found the greatest joy as she watched her family around the table, and tonight they had a new addition. At least she had a pretty good feeling Camille would be come a permanent addition to their family. She looked across the table at Buck and Camille, they looked so good together and so natural. She liked Camille very much, not just because she made Buck happy, but because she was such a kind and loving person. She looked at Camille thinking how well she fit in here. It was as if she had always been with them, as if she and Buck had always been together.

During dinner Buck told of seeing Jimmy in Cedar Falls and his promise to visit soon. Jimmy had not been back to Rock Creek since Noah’s funeral, and when he had left, it had not been on the best of terms with Kid. Buck told of how Jimmy had quickly become disillusioned by the war and especially with abolitionists. Not necessarily the movement itself, but those he had been associated with were so driven by their own agenda, that they were no better than those they were fighting. He and Rosemary had parted ways only a few months after they had left Rock Creek. Since then Jimmy had done odd jobs here and there, occasionally picking up the badge, but for the most part just drifting. All those round the table were glad to hear he was well and that he would be visiting soon, especially Kid. It had taken Kid a long time to decide where he stood in the War Between the States. But since he had made the decision not to go back to Virginia, his anger had been replaced with a desire to mend some fences.   He was looking forward to the opportunity to clear the air with his old friend.

After a delicious dinner the ladies managed to rope the fellas into cleaning up the kitchen. So while Buck, Teaspoon and Kid drug their feet into the kitchen, the ladies went out on the porch to enjoy the evening air. Camille had asked if she could rock Becky to sleep, so Lou and Rachel went to sit in the hanging swing.

“Rachel, she is such a dear child”, Camille said as she went to sit in the rocking chair.
“She has truly become the joy of my life,” Rachel said, as she smiled at the child she had come to love as her own, “she is growing faster than I could have imagined”

“It seems like just yesterday she was born,” Lou added as she pushed the swing with her feet.

Rachel looked to Lou and said, “Ike would have been so proud of her, wouldn’t he, Lou?”

Lou agreed nodding her head, “He would have been a wonderful father. I remember once when this scared young mother left her baby at the station. I had been out on a run and Emma had gone with Sam to Blue Creek for a wedding. Teaspoon and the boys were on their own.   Kid said they were not quite sure how to take care of her. But Ike, knew exactly what to do.”

“It broke my heart when Buck told me he had been killed,” Camille said sadly then looked down at Becky, “...and now looking at this little one my heart breaks even more, she is so precious.”

“It doesn’t seem fair, to lose both of your parents, before you are old enough to know them,” Lou said.

“You know...”Camille said thoughtfully, “...I lost my parents when I was an infant, just like little Becky here. But the Kiowa took me in and they gave me a good home, treating me like one of their own...the same as Becky. I would say in the end we are both pretty blessed.”

Rachel was so touched by Camille’s words, she knew she could never replace Becky’s mother, but she wanted to be the best mother she could be.

Lou spoke up, “Everyone has fallen in love with her. You should see Teaspoon, she has him wrapped right around her finger.”

Rachel smiled, “Actually Buck has been the most fun to watch with her. He calls himself Uncle Buck.”

Camille’s eyes widened and she gave out a little giggle at the thought.

Rachel continued, “There is a tender side to him that he rarely lets anyone see, but with Becky he can hardly keep it hidden. It is very sweet.”

They all agreed.

“This child has no idea how much she is loved,” Camille said.

Rachel smiled saying, “One day she will”

It was just about then that they heard the loud bang of pots that came from the kitchen.

Teaspoon yelled, “Damnation”

“What’s going on in there”, Lou hollered.

Rachel got up to go to the kitchen, but before she could reach the door, Teaspoon was in the doorway wearing an apron, “Now you ladies just stay right where you are, we had a little mishap, but everything is under control now.” Then he disappeared. They all let out a huge laugh at the sight of Teaspoon in an apron.

“I am afraid of what your kitchen is going to look like when they are done,” Lou managed to say.

Rachel smiled and said, “Every little pleasure come with a price.” The all laughed.

Shortly after the loud crashing noise the men came out to the porch and announced that they had finish cleaning the kitchen.

Kid went to sit on the porch rail near Lou, “Well, I hope you enjoyed yourselves out here, because the only thing more dangerous than cleaning a kitchen with Teaspoon, is wrestling a bear.”

“Now Kid, don’t be misleadin’ these ladies,” Teaspoon responded as he leaned against the door jam, “we done such a fine job that I doubt Rachel will even recognize her kitchen.”

“You can say that again,” Buck said with a grin.

Rachel’s eyes went wide and she laughed with that deep sultry laugh, “I’m afraid to look”

Teaspoon could hardly take his eyes off of Rachel. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. As they cared for the boys over the last few years, he and Rachel had grown to be the best of friends. It was just in the last few months that those feelings seemed to have changed to love. It was at Kid and Lou’s wedding that they first acknowledged that they felt more for each other than friendship.

“It was a fine meal, Rachel, Thank You”, Teaspoon said with his eyes riveted on Rachel. The attraction between them was obvious.

“Anytime”, she said in a way that sounded more like an invitation, than a response to a complement.

“Walk with me,” he said as if no one else was on the porch.

Rachel reacted with the same kind of obliviousness as she reached out for the hand he offered. She stood, and then she suddenly turned to Camille remembering that Becky was sleeping in her arms.

Camille read her reaction and said, “Go, I will put her to bed.”

Smiling at her kindness, Rachel quietly said, “Thank you, I won’t be long”

They all sat there in silence as they watched Rachel and Teaspoon walk away.

Kid looked to Buck saying, “What do you think of that?”

Before Buck could respond Lou said, “I think Becky may get a daddy after all.” Lou’s comment said it all.

They all chuckled enjoying the thought of the future family.

Kid looked to his wife and said, “Lou, you ready.”

“Whenever you are, Kid,” she answered putting her hand on his leg.

Kid stood to leave, “Night, Buck,” then as he passed Camille he said, “Camille we are mighty glad you decided to settle here with us.”

“Me too,” she answered with a smile.

Lou looked to Camille, “Do you want me to help you put her to bed,” she said motioning to Becky.

“I’ll help her,” Buck said before Camille could answer.

“Then we’ll see you in the morning, good night,” Lou said.

“Good Night,” Camille said as they left.

Buck was leaning against the porch rail, just staring at Camille as she continued to rock Becky.
Camille looked down at Becky; “She’s beautiful, isn’t she.”

“Yes, she is,” he said with that twinkle in his eye, “and I am not talking about Becky.”

Camille blushed at his comment.

Then Buck turned serious; “It fits you well...holding a baby.”

“I have always loved children, I hope one day to have my own babies,” she said as she was still looking down at the baby. Buck could say nothing, because all he could think, was that he wanted to be the one to make her hopes and dreams come true.

“We should put her to bed, its getting a little chilly out here,” she said as she stood up.

Buck held open the door for Camille as she carried the sleeping baby to her room. After they had Becky snug in bed, they went back out to sit on the porch to enjoy the pleasant spring evening. The sky was a canopy of lights with no clouds to extinguish them. There was the slightest hint of a breeze in the air. And the crickets had just begun to sing their night melodies. As they sat together in the swing they reflected on their trip from Cedar Falls.

Suddenly Camille remembered, “I wrote a letter to Bill’s family to let them know I was going to stay here in Rock Creek, but I wasn’t able to mail it before we left. Do you have time tomorrow to show me where I could mail it?”

“Sure,” he answered, “how about after breakfast. I will show you around town.”

“Thank You, I want the Barlow’s to know as soon as possible,” she said.

She then seemed to drift off in her thoughts for a moment. Buck figured she must have been thinking about Bill.

“I really am sorry about Bill”, he said

Camille looked at him wondering; “You said that before.... what do you mean?”

“Just...” he hesitated, “.... you would have had a better life with him.”

“What do you mean...better?”, she asked.

Buck thought for a moment, should he tell her what he had been thinking or just let it go. What if she agreed with him, it would kill him. But then again at least he would know. He figured it was best to be up front right from the beginning.

“When I first met Bill, I won’t kid you, I didn’t like him,” as he said this, Camille’s eyes narrowed. He hoped he was doing the right thing.

He continued, “But I was wrong...I was...it was cause...look, most of our lives we were promised to each other.   It didn’t matter what happened in those years we were separated, when I saw you I still felt certain feelings. But I realized that he could give you a better life than I could.”

“How do you figure that?”, Camille asked, beginning to feel a little edgy.

“Camille, you know what I am. I have had to choose which world to live in and I can’t go back to the Kiowas. The white world is the one I have chosen. You are white Camille, most people don’t know about your life with the Kiowa”. He stopped for a minute to gain his composure, but while he was gaining his, Camille was losing hers.

He began again, “Your life with a white man in a white man’s world would have been better...easier than with me.”

Camille grew irritated, and her voice reflected it, “Because you are half Kiowa?”

“No...Because you are white,” he said sharply looking right at her.

Camille got up from the swing, spun around and pointed her finger. She exclaimed, “You know I have never seen color.”

“But the white man does,” he said as he also stood up. He hadn’t meant to upset her.

She shook her head at him disbelieving, “You only see me as a white woman?”

“That’s not what I meant,” he said regretfully.

“I know exactly what you meant,” raising her voice to him finally, “Don’t do this, don’t bring me here and then do this”

“Do what?” he asked. He said the wrong thing, because suddenly her eyes grew icy and her mouth took a straight hard line.

She walked to the corner of the porch, she was so angry… too angry. She chose to say no more, if she did, she was afraid she would say something she would regret. He walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. She immediately shook his hands off her shoulders. She wanted no part of him right now.

“I’m sorry,” was all he said, as he turned to leave the porch.

Camille was furious. How dare he determine her future and what was best for her. She didn’t want to talk to him or see him right now, but she knew she had to calm down. There were so many things she had wanted to tell him when she was here last time, but it just wasn’t right. But now it was, this was the right time. If they were ever to have a future, she needed him to know.

“Wait,” she said as she turned around. Buck stopped and turned as she approached him. She reached out for his hand and spoke softly, “There are some things you need to know.”

He started to say something, but she placed her fingers over his lips to stop him. “…No, just let me finish...don’t interrupt me.... please,” she requested.   He nodded to her in agreement.

She took a deep breath, and began, “From the very first day I can remember as a child, you were there. You have always been there...a part of me. Growing up in the village, I remember when I first realized I was different, but I didn’t care. The Kiowa people were the only family I had ever known. I also remember when I was told how my white parent had been killed. I never looked at the people of our village as killers just because their skin was red. Even as a young child I knew they were not to blame.”

“Your mother was the only mother I ever knew, Buck...” she stopped for a moment as she remembered the mother they shared. She closed her eyes and she could see her face. Camille could feel her comforting touch and the overwhelming sense of belonging that she had given. The years had not proven to diminish to loss she felt. When she opened her eyes they were glassy with tears.

She continued,“...I loved her very much. When those men raided our village and killed her.... and your sisters...right in front of me. I begged them to kill me too.” He went to hold her at the pain the memories brought to both of them, but she did not accept his offer of comfort. She wanted his full attention.

“Death would have been kinder”, she said pointedly, “Instead they took me back to strangers, to a people and a way of life I knew nothing about. I hated those men, but not all white men. It was awful, and all I wanted was to go back to the village… the way it was. But I knew it was gone, the people I loved were gone...and you were gone...forever.”

“So I did the only thing I could.... I survived.” She looked up at him for a few seconds, “I made a new life for myself.   Buck, there was never a day that passed that I didn’t think of you.” She paused for a moment looking down, “You are right, I loved Bill and I would have had a good life with him. But Bill is dead, it obviously was not meant to be. I have dealt with that, I did a long time ago.”

“I haven’t had a lot of control over circumstances in my life....” she said as she got right in his face, “but I will be damned if I let you, or anyone else, tell me what is best for me. I have never seen the color of a man’s skin and I never will! Your mother taught me that.”

She stepped back and took a deep breath. Then continued shaking her head, “Don’t think that you can convince me I should look for a nice white man in town. I love you Buck.” His eyes widened. “Yes, I do,” she confirmed, as she saw his surprise from her statement.

She continued, “I have always loved you, how could I not. And now after all these years we are finally here together and you tell me there is a problem with the color of my skin. All I have ever seen is you, not the color of your skin. I will not allow you to do this! You will just have to deal with the fact that I am white!”

There was dead silence.

Camille had to go…she had to get inside before she lost all her composure.

“Good night, Buck,” she said as she turned to walk in the door.

But she was stopped abruptly when he grabbed her wrist to stop her.

She looked over her shoulder, but not making eye contact with him and asked “WHAT?” impatiently.

“You’ve got a sharp tongue, woman!” he said with his crooked grin.

She was not amused, “THAT is all you have to say....”

“Let go of me, Buck!”, she said, trying to pull her arm free.

But with one swift move, he pulled her into the tight circle of his arms.

“Can’t do that,” he said smiling like he had won a prize, “can’t say that I am ever going to let you go again”

He was looking deep into her eyes as he bent down to claim his prize. The warmth she felt as his lips met hers filled her entire body. It didn’t matter how angry she was with him, she loved him and could not deny him anything. And that was exactly what she wanted him to understand. She could only hope that from his reaction, he had. She wrapped her arms around him as she melted into his embrace.

Buck felt as if he had finally arrived at the end of a long journey. He had always known that he wanted nothing else but to make Camille his, but he had to be sure of her feelings. And now there was no question. Camille was his and they could finally be together, after all the separations and the years.   They were always meant to be together and now the promises they made to each other all those years ago would finally be fulfilled.

He looked down at her, he had to ask, “This is what you want?”

She only nodded, slowing breaking a small smile with a flicker in her eye.

He loved her smile....her smile with those lips, those lips that were still red and swollen from their kiss.

Then he said very honestly, “I won’t wait long, we’ve had to wait too long already.”

She simply said, “Then ask me.”

He reveled at the realization of her words. He released her from his embrace and then took her face in his hands. Her flawless skin looked even creamier between his dark rugged hands. He looked longingly into her eyes, then spoke the words he’d thought he would never have the chance to say.

“Camille, we made promises to each other years ago, I loved you then and you are still the only woman who fills my heart....I’m asking you to seal the promises we made to each other....will you marry me?”

Her bright blue eyes danced as she looked into his and quietly she said, “Yes”. They just stood there smiling at each other, as if they moved, it might be a dream. Then Buck grabbed her and spun her around and around. Camille threw her head back with delight, as they both overflowed with joy. Buck knew, without a doubt, that he had won the prize. A prize of such great value that he would cherish it forever.