Stepping up on the porch Jimmy heard Kid raise his voice, “Jamie, I said I forbid it! You are not marrying Hunter!”

“I am marrying Hunter, Pa! And I still don’t understand your problem with it!” Jamie shouted at her father. From the tone of her voice Jimmy would have sworn it was Lou arguing with Kid if he hadn’t known better. Jimmy pushed the door open as he heard the slap but stopped short when he saw the look on Kid’s face.

“Jamie, honey…I’m sorry…” Kid pleaded.

“If Ma were here you’d never of done that!” Jamie shouted over her shoulder as she rushed past Jimmy.

“Jamie! Stop, Please,” Kid called after his daughter.

“Let her go, Kid. She’ll be back shortly,” Jimmy told him realizing Kid was going to beat himself up more then he could for slapping his only child. “And just be glad she’s not totally her mother’s daughter and has some of you in her, otherwise I doubt you would be standing.”

“How long you been here, Jimmy?” Kid asked.

“Long enough,” replied Jimmy seriously.

“And I am still standing?” Kid replied with a humorless laugh.

“Let’s just say the look you had on your face when I came through the door kept me form shooting you. I think you’ll do a good enough job beating yourself up for what you did,” Jimmy told him. “What’s the problem anyway?”

“She wants to marry Buck’s son, Hunter,” Kid said. Before Jimmy could asked what was wrong with that, Kid told him, “When Lou died I promised Jamie would marry someone better that she would have a good life, that she’d never have to worry about fevers and such. I was going to send her to finishing school back East next month. But now she wants to marry Hunter.”

“He’s grown into a fine man like his father, Kid. Buck and Emily have made sure of that. Besides he’ll inherit the cattle ranch from them. Ain’t it doing good?” Jimmy tried to reason.

“Sure it is, but I’m not going to lose her like I lost her mother,” Kid told him. “If a doctor…”

“Kid, you know that ain’t true. Lou still would have nursed everyone like she did, a doc wouldn’t have made a difference,” Jimmy told his friend again, seemed like since Lou had died he’d had to keep reminding Kid of that fact. “And Jed, just wasn’t strong enough to fight the fever, you know that. He just came too soon.”

“What I know,” Kid said low as he walked up to Jimmy,” is I lost my wife and son because there was no doctor around to tend them. What I know is I’m getting Jamie out of here so that there is one there when she needs him. Or at least a hospital.”

“Suit yourself, Kid. We’ve all tried to reason with you but you just won’t see reason. It’s the same as when we found out about Teaspoon dyin’, you blamed yourself for not being with him in the battle, but we needed you here. At least Lou was able to finally talk some sense into ya then. Well, I can’t do it but I will tell you this, if you don’t support her you’ll lose her,” Jimmy told him as he stormed out of the house. After slamming the door with a resounding bang Jimmy stopped at the top step. Looking up at the clear blue sky he said, “Wish you were here, Lou. You were the only one ‘sides Teaspoon that could get through to him. Lord, lady, how I miss you.” Inside Kid sat down in his chair defeated. They all had told him that time and again.

“Nothing could have been done.”

“She was just too weak.”

“It wasn’t the doctor’s fault.”

And on and on. He still felt though that if the doctor had been there she would still be here with him. Looking at her picture on the mantel he said to it, “I’m only trying to do what’s best for her, why can’t they understand that.” Silent tears fell down his cheeks for what he had done and from missing Lou. “If only you were here,” he kept repeating.

Slowly exhaustion began to take over. He’d been up with Thunder all night waiting for the foal to come. Finally it had in the wee hours of the morning, then the argument with Jamie. How could he have slapped her, he wondered. He’d promised himself he’d never raise a hand to her. Lou was probably spinning in her grave, he thought. And if she’d of been here would have shot him. Hell, he deserved it. Kid’s thoughts started to run together as he drifted off.

“Pa wake up, please,” Jamie begged, “We have news.”

“Huh?” Kid said as he came around.

“We have some great news for ya,” Jamie said excitedly.

“Jamie, let your pa be, he was up all night taking care of Thunder.” Kid knew that voice, it haunted his dreams, and it had him completely awake an instant later. He reasoned in his mind though that it couldn’t be her voice she was gone. “We’ll tell him about the house later.” Then he saw her, she was there standing in the doorway, taking off her gloves. “Well, I see you woke him anyway. You might as well go ahead and tell him.”

“Pa, wait till you hear what Uncle Buck and Aunt Camille are giving us for a wedding present. It’s a little cabin down by the creek, the one they lived in when they first got married. It’s so…” Jamie trailed off as she noticed the shocked statement on her father’s face. “Pa, what’s wrong?”

Kid was almost afraid that if he moved to get up she would disappear. He looked at Jamie out of the corner of his eye, of course he knew the cabin she was talking about, but it was Buck and Emily that had lived there when they first were married, not Buck and Camille. Then he leaped out of his chair and wrapped Lou in his arms saying, “Lou, oh god, Lou.”

“What’s wrong, Kid?” Lou asked concerned over his fear and longing she heard in his voice.

“You were gone…dead. It was years ago,” he tried to tell her.

“It was just a bad dream, honey,” Lou told him, “I’m here.” Still shaken he told her, “More like a nightmare.” Reaching up he touched her face; he let out a sigh of relief when he felt her warm skin under his hand. She was here, then how come he could still remember raising Jamie by himself for the last ten years. Only a dream, no it had to be something more.

“They’re here, Ma! Uncle Ike, Aunt Emily, and Hunter,” Jamie said as she ran out the door.

“Hey, you two. Kid, you look wore out,” Emily told him as she came through the door.

“Those horses of yours keeping you busy,” Ike asked shaking his hand.

“Ike, you’re alive and you can talk,” Kid exclaimed as he pulled Ike into a hug.

“Of course Ike can talk,” Lou laughed at him. “That must have been some dream, Kid. Come on, ladies, let’s let the men discuss the repairs while we get dinner.” With that Jamie and Emily followed Lou into the kitchen.

“Repairs?” asked Kid, “To what?”

“To that old cabin of Uncle Buck and Aunt Camille’s,” Hunter answered. “Didn’t Jamie tell you that they are giving it to us as a wedding present?” “Yeah, they told the kids earlier today that they were giving it to them as a wedding gift,” Ike said.

For a moment Kid just stared at Ike, then he answered Hunter’s question, “Yeah, guess I just forgot.” Then he asked a question of his own, “Just when did you get your voice back, Ike?”

“Remember Kid,” Ike told him, “When I pushed Emily out the way and shot Neville, she hit her head on the table. I thought I had lost her and somehow I found myself calling to her. You were there with everyone else. Kid, are you ok?”

“Um…yeah, sure. I just forgot for a moment is all,” Kid said confused. He clearly remembered Ike getting shot and dying. He could still feel the loss sometimes. Before anything else could cross his mind a young black woman came rushing into the house.

“Hi, Uncle Kid, Uncle Ike. Jamie around anywhere?” she said as she came to a stop.

“In the kitchen, Sally,” Ike told her. When Kid sat back down in his chair hard, Ike said,

“Now don’t tell me that you don’t remember Sally, Kid. She and Jamie have been best friends since they were little bitty things.”

“Uh…of course I remember her,” Kid lied. ‘Who was this young woman, I don’t remember her at all’ he wondered. Kid could tell he’d not convinced Ike that he remembered her. Again Ike spoke up, “Now you aren’t going to tell me you don’t remember Noah?”

“Of course I remember Noah,” Kid answered honestly. Yes, he remembered Noah and his death too.

“Well, you do remember Noah and Cassie getting married, and them having Sally.”

“What?” Kid exclaimed again. None of this was making any sense to Kid, he was getting more confused by the moment. Noah was dead, but Ike was supposed to be, too. For that matter so was Lou. What was going on here? Was someone playing a cruel joke on him? Kid had never in his life felt like he needed a drink until now.

“I said,” Ike told him, “Sally is Noah and Cassie’s daughter. Hell, Kid, Sally and Jamie have been close as can be since they were little. Remember all the trouble they use to get in when they would chase after Hunter and Hawk?”

“Hawk? No, let me guess Buck’s son.”

“Of course Hawk is Buck’s son,” Ike said, “Kid, you are starting to worry me now. Lou,” Ike called into the kitchen, “I think you need to get in here.” Looking at the other ladies in the kitchen Lou shook her head. Walking back into the parlor she said, “What’s wrong Ike?”

“I think we need to get the doc out here. Something’s wrong with Kid,” Ike said.

“I’m fine,” Kid told her, “Just teasing Ike, here.” Kid hoped he was more convincing then he felt. Lou just stared at him.

“Are you sure? Doc won’t mind stopping by. He’s just out at Teaspoon and Rachel’s checking on Little Sam,” she told him.

“Um…I think I just need to lay down for a little while,” Kid told her.

“I think you’re right I’ll send Jamie up after everyone gets here,” she told him. When he gave her a strange look she added, “Remember love, we are having everyone over for dinner to celebrate the wedding. I sure do wish Jimmy was going to be able to make it but he’s not arriving till the wedding in a few days.” When Kid didn’t make a move to go towards the stairs Lou said, “I’ll go up with you.” Then taking his arm she led him towards the stairs.

Once in their room she sat beside him on the bed, holding his hand. Looking at the face he’d missed so much he said, “I’ve missed you so much. I love you, I’m sorry I didn’t take better care of you.”

“Shh…” she told him. “It was all just a bad dream, I’ll still be here when you wake up and so will everyone else. It must’ve been some night in the barn, if your dreams are this real. Now go to sleep and I’ll wake you when everyone gets here.” Then leaning down she kissed him. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close and tried to deepen the kiss, but sleep seemed to fill his body suddenly.

“Kid,” Lou gently shook her husband, “dinner is ready and everyone is finally here.”

Kid was instantly awake. He couldn’t believe she was still there. His Lou, his beautiful wife. She hadn’t vanished. “You’re still here,” he told her.

Laughing Lou replied, “Of course, I’m still here. I told you I would wake you when everybody was finally here. Except for Jimmy, but I told you earlier that he couldn’t arrive for a few more days. Well, we’ll just have to pretend he’s out on a run and due in later,” she laughed. “Now come on sleepy head, dinner is about ready and if you aren’t down there before we sit down to eat, I just might let Cody have your share.”

“I’m right behind you,” Kid laughed. It felt so right her being here. Him being with her.

A little bit later he arrived down stairs to a commotion he hadn’t heard in years. It seemed like everyone was trying to talk at once. A long table had been sat up in the parlor and around it was his whole express family and their families. Teaspoon was at the head of the table, Rachel was to his right and beside her a young man, Little Sam, he supposed. Next them sat Ike and Emily with Hunter, and another young woman that looked a lot like Emily but with Ike’s eyes. At the end of the table was Cody, still wearing that fringed jacket of his. Next to Cody were Noah, Cassie, and Sally, and a couple of more children. Buck and Camille were there too with a young man he could only assume was Hawk and a beautiful young woman. Jamie and Lou were at the table also and he smiled when Lou patted the seat next to her. Sitting down he was astounded at how large the express family had become.

It seemed like things had not changed much with the way everyone was talking and laughing. He smiled at Lou, and she leaned over and whispered, “It’s just as it should be, isn’t it? Just the way I wanted it to be. And if Jimmy were here things would be perfect.”

Kid looked around him, yes; it was all just the way it should be. He looked at his daughter and caught her staring across the table at Hunter, the same way Lou use to look at him. He looked at the young man that had stolen his daughter’s heart; Hunter was looking at Jamie in the same way. They belong together. His stomach knotted, thank goodness it had been a dream that he had tried to keep them apart. Actually he thought thank goodness this was his reality and the other had been his dream.

As they finished breakfast, Jamie and Lou began to get ready to go to town. Before she left Lou walked up to him and putting her arms around his neck said, “This is just the way I wanted my life to be. You as my husband, Jamie for a daughter, and her in love with one of my best friend’s sons, it’s just perfect. And once they are married in a few days, we will really be related.” Kissing him she finished with, “It’s all I every really wanted in life.” Then she left him standing there, as she went out the door she looked back and called to him, “Tell Jimmy, I sure do miss him, too.” And then she was gone.

“Pa, wake up,” Jamie called to him. “Pa, please wake up. I’m sorry.”

“Jamie,” Kid said waking up, then it hit him it was all a dream. Lou was still gone. So were Ike, Noah, and Teaspoon. He buried his face in his hands as he began to weep.

“It’s ok, Pa,” Jamie said, “I’m still here, I won’t get married right now if you don’t want me to.”

Looking at his daughter with her mother’s eyes and voice, Kid reached out to touch her face. He shook his head, it hadn’t been a dream Lou had been here he could still smell the wildflower scent that she loved so much. She had told him what she really wanted for

Jamie and that was love. How could he have been so blind? Smiling at his daughter, Kid said, “You marry Hunter. I know that if he is the man you love and he loves you then that is what your mother and I want. All she ever wanted was for you was to be loved and happy. I even have a place I think you will like, we’ll just have to fix it up a bit.”

“Oh, Pa, Uncle Jimmy said you would change your mind. I love you so much,” Jamie said as she hugged her father.

“Well, I see you two made up,” Jimmy said as he came through the door. “And guess who just arrived with that new Wild West Show of his? Cody!” Jamie squealed as she ran out the door. “Doesn’t she ever walk anywhere?” Jimmy laughed.

“Not since she was a little bitty thing,” Kid replied. “By the way, have a seat while I tell you about the dream I had.” When Jimmy was comfortable, Kid told him all about the dream he had had.

“Guess she’s still looking out for you,” Jimmy said wistfully.

“Yeah, I guess she is. Oh, she said to tell you, she sure does miss you, too,” Kid told his best friend.

Shocked Jimmy just stared at Kid. He knew somehow Lou had heard his plea and had visited them to take care of her family.

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