Kid flicked a rope behind Pride, Katy's colt as he
pranced around Kid. He saw the proud look in the colt's eye. He sure had
that stallion's fiery look. He saw Lou sitting on the top of the corral watching
him. He gave her a quick smile before returning to the colt. Pride bucked
and then stopped looking guilty at his master. Pride had been born to Katy
before the Pony Express had originally started and now he was trying
to train the colt to play double duty with the mare as Kid’s mount.
"Kid!" Teaspoon hollered. Now the Pony Express was nearing its final days, Kid was getting ready to marry Lou, and life was changing fast. The dangerous days of being a rider were almost over and he was going off to the war. He didn't want to anymore but he had signed up. He was going to fight for the South and his friends were angry at him.
He gave up on Pride and let him loose in the corral. He went over to the fence and climbed over it.
"Yah?" Kid looked at Teaspoon.
"It's time to decide who will do the final ride," Teaspoon said.
Kid sighed and nodded. He hung his rope on the fence post and followed Lou and Teaspoon into the kitchen. The other riders greeted Lou but nodded at Kid.
"Ok we have a hard decision to make," Teaspoon began.
"Hold on Teaspoon, we all talked while you were getting Kid and we want to make the final ride together. All the riders," Cody interrupted.
"Ok," Teaspoon understood the riders' reasoning it was their last chance to do something as a team before their days of being under the Pony Express and living together was over.
"Rider comin'!" Teaspoon hollered. The riders all came out and mounted their horses. Kid took the mail from the oncoming rider. They rode off in silence. Kid loped Katy at the front thinking;
I can't believe it everything I know and love is coming to an end. How can I live without this wonderful group of friends; my only friends. I hope I don't die in war.
Kid's thoughts turned to the past;
"Kid!" Teaspoon hollered. Now the Pony Express was nearing its final days, Kid was getting ready to marry Lou, and life was changing fast. The dangerous days of being a rider were almost over and he was going off to the war. He didn't want to anymore but he had signed up. He was going to fight for the South and his friends were angry at him.
He gave up on Pride and let him loose in the corral. He went over to the fence and climbed over it.
"Yah?" Kid looked at Teaspoon.
"It's time to decide who will do the final ride," Teaspoon said.
Kid sighed and nodded. He hung his rope on the fence post and followed Lou and Teaspoon into the kitchen. The other riders greeted Lou but nodded at Kid.
"Ok we have a hard decision to make," Teaspoon began.
"Hold on Teaspoon, we all talked while you were getting Kid and we want to make the final ride together. All the riders," Cody interrupted.
"Ok," Teaspoon understood the riders' reasoning it was their last chance to do something as a team before their days of being under the Pony Express and living together was over.
*********
"Rider comin'!" Teaspoon hollered. The riders all came out and mounted their horses. Kid took the mail from the oncoming rider. They rode off in silence. Kid loped Katy at the front thinking;
I can't believe it everything I know and love is coming to an end. How can I live without this wonderful group of friends; my only friends. I hope I don't die in war.
Kid's thoughts turned to the past;
********
A peak into the past;
Kid sat beside Katy as the mare whimpered in pain. She'd been injured and Kid was afraid. He tried to help her up.
Come on Katy everything will be ok if you can stand up," Kid cried. He pulled out his gun and held it to Katy's head.
"Kid wait!" Sam came to him.
"I have to."
"It's only a bullet let me pull it out. She'll be ok."
******
"Hey Kid don't you think we should go faster then a walk?" Jimmy called to his friend.
Kid shook out of his trance and looked at his best friend.
"Sorry I was thinking of some things," Kid replied.
"It's ok we're probably all feeling the same way," Buck looked at his gentle mannered friend.
"Yea," Cody added.
"Guys I'm sorry, that I'm going to fight with the South but I don't know how to let go of my past," Kid whispered loud enough for them all to hear him.
"It's ok Kid, we know how important roots can be," Noah said.
*******
Kid, tightened his tie and looked around him, wishing Jimmy was here. Jimmy knew where to find him though. The two friends had had a final fight and Jimmy left. Kid sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands.
"Kid?" Noah came in.
"Yea?"
"You ok?"
"No not really."
"It'll be ok, he'll come back," Buck said.
"How can you be so sure?" Kid raised his head to look at his dear friend, his brother.
"My friend, the Spirits know your heart is in the right place. They won't let you down," Buck placed a brotherly hand on Kid's shoulder.
"Thanks Buck," Kid stood and held out his hand. Instead, Buck hugged him. They both held back from letting their emotions get hold of them. They knew that after today everyone would be going their separate ways.
"Let's go we can't have the groom late for his own wedding," Buck teased. Kid nodded and put his hat on. He also wore his gun belt. He followed Buck out of the bunk house. Everything that belonged to Kid and Lou was in a room at the hotel; they wouldn't be coming back after the wedding. Kid's throat restricted as he thought of everything that had happened and everything they had all overcome. He thought of Ike and wished the other man could be with him. He knew though that Ike was in his spirit. He saw Curly outside mounted on his horse.
"I can't stay but I came to say, good bye and I hope to see you soon,†Curly dismounted and went to Kid. "I have a gift to give you." Curly mentioned to another Indian who led forward a horse with white hindquarters flecked with brown spots, the rest of the stallion was brown. The Indian handed the horse to Kid.
"Curly, he's wonderful thank you," he hugged Curly for the last time.
******
"Now you may kiss the bride!" The judge announced. Kid and Lou blissfully kissed. And then turned to face their friends, and family who applauded. The couple walked down the aisle and into the future with looked bright.
Epilogue
"Kid, Karen is crying!" Lou called out. Kid went to his youngest daughter's crib and picked her up. She started cooing up at him as he played games with her.
"She's spoiled!" Lou came into the room with a soft smile carrying two-year old Ike, and three-year old Jimmy hanging on her skirt. Following behind were the twins five-year olds Rachel and Emma.
"Yea well that's my job as father to spoil my kids," he smiled at Jimmy, Rachel and Emma. Then he patted Lou's well-rounded belly.
"I can't believe how well things have worked out for us," Lou pecked him on the cheek.
It had been 7 years since the Pony Express. Kid had gone to fight in the war but resigned after one year to come home to be with Lou and do what he wanted to do; raise horses and have a family. The Pony Express station held many changes since Kid and Lou had bought it. The bunkhouse had been burned down in a fire. Katy had foaled two more foals before Kid had decided to give her to his daughters Rachel and Emma to learn to ride on. They had five children and Lou was pregnant with another.
Jimmy and the others were everywhere but always came home once a year to visit their nieces, and nephews and to talk with Kid, and Lou about the old times and the present. Teaspoon had died four years after the end of the Pony Express, he'd died a peaceful death in his sleep. Noah had been killed after the wedding. Cody was still Cody nothing had changed in him except that he'd grown up a lot since Noah's death. Buck lived in town as the deputy; Kid was marshal.
It truly was a change that had brought both good and bad things yet it had taught them to live.
THE END
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