The late summer night was hot, prompting the riders and Teaspoon to gather on Rachel's front porch, trying to catch a breeze as they finally dug into their own mail, such as it was. Though they carried the mail every day for others, of course a letter for one of them, from an old friend or distant family member, was a treasure. All the riders looked with secret jealousy at Cody at times like this, as the mail never failed to bring him a letter from a very special lady. No, not a sweetheart or an old fling. That wouldn't have been a particular reason for jealousy, all the boys had their own memories, both recent and less so, to fall back on, in that department.
The other riders envied Cody for another reason. He was the only one at the station whose mother was still living, odd enough since in fact he'd been on his own, making his own way since he was younger than any of them. Unlike Lou, Ike and Buck, he'd never lived in an orphanage; and none of the others had left home before their teenage years. Cody, on the other hand, had kissed his Ma goodbye and left home at the tender age of eleven. He'd worked for his living ever since.
Like she did every week, Rachel handed Cody his letter with the Kansas postmark and Susannah Cody's familiar writing scrawled across the envelope. She wondered again, what kind of mother would allow her young son to wander the Wild West at such a young age. She watched as he pocketed the five dollars Susannah sent every week, and sat by silently mending yet another pair of the boys' socks, as the boys teased Cody about his "allowance." Only she knew that Cody's entire paycheck was sent directly to Susannah every week, and the five dollars was all Cody's Ma sent back for his expenses. Cody never spoke of it to the others, just laughed airily at their jibes.
Cody looked up soberly from his letter. "Looks like things are sure heatin' up at the border," he said, exchanging glances with Jimmy. "Ma's movin' again."
Jesse shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Cody stuffed the letter back in its envelope and turned to the package that had come along with the letter. Tearing it open eagerly, he turned it over.
"Another book?" Jimmy scoffed.
"I already read this one," Cody said, disappointed. "David Copperfield." Rachel smothered a smile at Cody's mother sending him the story of the young fatherless boy who made good in the end. Cody turned to her and offered her the book with a flourish.
"Thank you, Cody. It'll be a wonderful addition to our school library, along with the others you've given us," she said, patting him on the arm.
After the others started turning in, Cody lingered behind on Rachel's porch.
"Can I do something for you, Cody?" she said, ignoring the slight gleam in Cody's eyes following her words. Cody's face was as easy to read as the book she held in her hand; she knew he was picturing in his mind just what he'd like her to do for him. She recalled that she had in fact told the boys they were allowed to think whatever they wanted about her. She sighed a little, waiting for the moment to pass.
"Yes, ma'am," he said finally, his voice all proper respect. "I think Ma might be passin' through these parts pretty soon. I'm not sure when, but would it be all right if she stayed here at the house for a short spell if she does?"
"Well, Cody, you know you don't even have to ask. Of course your Ma would be welcome for a visit. But why don't you know when she's arriving?"
"Wouldn't be safe for her to put it in a letter, straight out, but she said she was moving. Likely she's already on the road, mailed it on the way."
Rachel looked at him, puzzled.
Cody's face became evasive for just a moment, and then he sighed. "I guess I never talked much about home, or why I had to leave, or what happened to my Pa. Or why Ma moves around so much. It ain't her fault, Rachel," he said, his earnest eyes now looking straight into hers.
"I'm sure it's not," Rachel assured him. "Well, whenever she gets here, she's welcome."
The express family was sitting down to dinner a few days later when they heard the sound of a rig pulling up outside. Before anyone could get up, they heard small feet bounding up the steps.
A woman's voice yelled over the noise of pounding on the front door. "Is my Billy-boy in there?" the voice shouted.
"Ma!" Cody crowed, elbowing Buck and Ike out of the way.
He flung open the door and a pretty blonde, blue-eyed woman who looked no more than thirty-five rushed to throw her arms around him.
"That's my Billy!" she said, hugging him tight.
"Mrs. Cody, it's a pleasure to meet you," Rachel said, holding out her hand.
"It certainly is," Teaspoon said, licking his lips and stretching out his suspenders, eying the pretty widow.
"I'm Rachel Dunne, and this is Teaspoon Hunter," Rachel started.
"Now don't tell me! I know from Billy's letters I can guess who everybody is." She peered around the table, and pointed in turn at each of them. "Kid, Lou, Ike, Buck, Noah, and Jimmy. Am I right?"
"That's right, ma'am," Kid said, politely getting up from his seat, and poking at Jimmy beside him to get up.
"Pleased to meet you," Jimmy said.
"Won't you sit down and join us?" Rachel asked. "We have plenty."
"Well, that'd be lovely. But I insist on helping. Why don't I get the other chicken?"
Rachel looked confused. "Other chicken?"
"Well, with all these hungry boys, I just assumed. Now sit down, Billy, Ma'll wait on you." She piled the boy's plate high and set it before him. "I declare, you've gotten so thin. Have you been eatin' enough?" she asked worriedly, pouring him a brimming tin cupful of milk.
"Oh, Ma," he chortled.
"I almost forgot. I brought your favorite sourdough biscuits, they're in the wagon. I'll be back in a twinklin'."
"Mrs. Cody, you needn't trouble yourself. I have biscuits here," Rachel said.
"But, Mrs. Dunne, there's only enough there for two each. My Billy's used to having four or five. It's no trouble, I'll be right back."
The small, slender woman raced out the door.
"I like yer Ma, Cody," Teaspoon said, leaning back in his seat to watch the pretty widow hoist herself on the side of the wagon, and lean in to retrieve her basket. "She has a nice . . . way . . . about her," he said, admiring the view.
"Never mind, Teaspoon," Cody said abruptly. "Don't get any ideas."
"Here you go, boys. I baked these on the trail, but they should be fine," Mrs. Cody said. "And here's a pie I made."
"You made a pie on the trail? How on earth -" Rachel stammered.
"A lady makes do with what she has, you know, Mrs. Dunne," Mrs. Cody said brightly, as she passed around the biscuits, depositing three on each plate. "I'll just pop it in the oven to warm, if you don't mind."
"So, how long a visit can we expect to enjoy with you, Mrs. Cody?" Teaspoon asked.
"Prob'ly about a week," Mrs. Cody said, refilling Cody's cup with more milk. "Drink your milk, sweetheart."
"Yes, ma'am."
The other riders stifled giggles at Mrs. Cody's fussing over Cody like a mother hen with one chick, though the sight did tug at their heartstrings, as they remembered their own mothers.
"Well, there's a dance comin' up at the church, and I -" Teaspoon cut off at Cody's sharp kick under the table. "I thought you might want to know," he finished, rubbing his shin.
"You're more than welcome to stay at the house, Mrs. Cody. I'm sure you'll want to visit with Cody as much as you can, while you're here."
"You're too kind, Mrs. Dunne. Thank you."
"How come you kept interruptin' Teaspoon every time he tried to talk to your ma tonight, Cody?" Lou asked, as they got ready for bed.
"Because I don't want him gettin' interested in Ma, that's why. Did you see how he looked at her when she got the biscuits?" Cody said, outraged.
"I'd think you'd be happy about it. Imagine if Teaspoon was your fa-"
"Don't even say it," Cody interrupted. "Like I said, my Ma is off limits for that old woman-chaser. For Pete's sake, he's been married six times, and besides, he's a good twenty-five years older'n she is."
"Suit yourself. But Teaspoon's a wonderful man. I'd love it if he could be my stepfather, and then your Ma could live here near you."
"She can't do that anyways, because -" Cody broke off. "Never mind," he muttered.
"What were you goin' to say, Cody?" Kid asked curiously. "Why couldn't she move here?"
"And how come you left home so young, you were what, eleven?" Noah added.
"So you're all so curious all of a sudden," Cody said defensively. "Usually you tell me to shut up when I talk about myself."
"That's because you usually stick to braggin', not facts," Jimmy cut in. "But if he don't want to talk about it, why don't you all quit poking your nose in Cody's business?"
"Thanks, Jimmy," Cody said. "If it's okay with y'all, I'm going to say good night to my ma, now."
Jimmy was sitting out on the porch when Cody came back from Rachel's house.
"Thanks again for cutting that off in there," Cody said.
"Don't mention it," Jimmy said. "Noah and Buck would understand it, but I'm not too sure about Kid and Jesse. And of course if Teaspoon gets wind that your Ma's wanted for aiding runaway slaves, I reckon he might have to run her in, being as he's the Marshal."
"I know," Cody said. "Ma's takin' a big chance even visitin' here. I convinced her not to go to the dance, where somebody might figure out who she is."
Teaspoon meandered past, whistling. "Howdy, boys," he called. "I went by Rachel's just now and saw yer ma, Cody. Asked her to the dance, in fact. She said she wasn't goin' to the dance on account of she don't hold with dancin'."
Cody rolled his eyes at Jimmy, who snickered along with Cody.
"Oh, that's too bad, Teaspoon-"
"It's okay, son. I convinced her to let me take her out for dinner instead. Well, guess I'd best turn in."
"I can't believe you let me fall asleep," Cody raged. "I wanted to wait up for Ma."
"You were tuckered out after the dance," Lou reasoned. "She was with Teaspoon, so you know she's safe."
"I don't know any such thing," Cody shouted. He stopped and looked out the window of the bunkhouse at Teaspoon grinning broadly on his way to the trough for a morning bath. He was smoking a cigar and singing a rowdy love song.
"Did any of y'all see when my Ma got in last night?" Cody said, his voice deadly quiet.
"No, it must've been after we got in," Noah said.
Cody was already out the door and storming down the steps in his long johns.
"You mind tellin' me what you're so danged happy about this mornin', Teaspoon? And it better not have nothin' to do with Ma."
"Well, that puts me in a bit of a bind, son. Since it has everythin' to do with yer Ma. She's a lovely lady."
"That's no lady you're talking about! That's my Ma!" bellowed Cody.
"Billy!" yelled a voice from Rachel's porch. "What on earth are you doin'?"
"Ma?" Cody wheeled around and careened up the steps to Rachel's. "Ma, please tell me you slept at Rachel's last night?"
"Of course, Billy-boy. Let's sit down and talk about this, okay, honey?"
Rachel, standing behind Mrs. Cody smiling, called to the boys on the porch and Teaspoon. "Breakfast in fifteen minutes. Go get yourselves ready," she dismissed them, before heading back in to the house.
"Billy, you know it's been six years since your pa died. I know it's hard for you to understand, but I'm a woman with needs like any other -"
"Ma! Please don't talk about your . . . your needs! And anyway you can't be thinkin' Teaspoon is the man for you, can you?"
"Maybe not in the long run, no. He's a lawman, and I've chosen a life he can't be part of. And he is a little old for me, at that. But for a little nice conversation, a romantic dinner, some attention from a gentleman, yes, he's just what the doctor ordered. He's a lovely man and it was nice to be treated like a woman for a change. I been working real hard on the cause, you know."
"I know, Ma. I want you to be happy, but I guess I didn't expect you to be interested in . . . in men courtin' you."
"Well, you know you're always going to be first in my heart, Billy-boy, no matter how many gentleman friends I have."
Cody smiled at his mother and ducked his head. "Thanks, Ma."
She ruffled his hair and shooed him off the porch. "Now for pity's sake, go get some clothes on, you're not fit to be seen. And get your appetite ready for breakfast. I'm makin' flapjacks, just for you, Billy-boy."
A/N: This is based off my own LiveJournal TYR Fest prompt, since nobody picked up on it, I decided to go ahead and do it myself! Thanks to Shannon for her input!