A/N: This is an addition to my "Dead Lou Series" ("All That I Can Do", "For Lou", and "In Their Names"). In those stories, Lou dies and after a long period of mourning, Kid falls in love with his friend Rachel. In this additional story, Rachel has adopted Daisy, Roger's daughter, about six years before. It takes place during the same time frame as "In Their Names". Thanks to Lisa L. for encouraging me to finish this and send it in.
"Why do we have to have the Kid and his family over for dinner, Rachel?" Daisy whined. The young girl was dressed to the nines for the dinner, knowing that Theresa's new husband Jason was coming along. Daisy had her straight strawberry blonde hair pulled back and was wearing an elaborate lace dress with a low cut bodice and an enormous bustle. Rachel eyed the outfit with amusement, noting that there was not much up top to fill it out. But she wisely kept her mouth shut about Daisy's appearance.
"I told you, because Kid and I have been courting for a while now, and I think it's time we all had a nice dinner together. It's important to me that you get along with Kid and Theresa and Jeremiah. I know you haven't always gotten along with Theresa, but I hope you'll try tonight, Daisy."
Rachel held her breath, scanning Daisy's face for her reaction. She knew full well that saying Theresa and Daisy hadn't gotten along was an understatement. She had been their teacher for several years and had witnessed first-hand the rivalry that had developed between the two opposites.
Most of that rivalry had been on Daisy's side, of course. Theresa was a gentle, sweet soul who was well liked by everyone; and she had grown into a beautiful, graceful young lady who was popular with the boys. But Theresa had eyes only for Jason, a young settler who'd come to town on his own two years ago; and of course, Daisy had not been able to resist the challenge of pursing Jason, most likely because of Theresa's feelings for him. None of Daisy's machinations to steal Jason away had worked, and Jason was now married to seventeen-year-old Theresa, much to Daisy's jealous fury. Rachel often thought that if Jason had actually become interested in Daisy, the contrary girl probably would have as quickly lost interest.
"I just don't see what you see in Kid, Rachel. He's nothing special, just a boring farmer is all. He doesn't seem like your type at all," Daisy commented, nibbling at a carrot and looking for all the world like an overgrown rabbit, Rachel thought distractedly.
Rachel gritted her teeth. "That's your opinion, Daisy, and you're entitled to it. But I happen to think differently. And I demand that you show respect for my guests while they are here, understand, young lady?"
"Fine," muttered Daisy. "What are we having?"
"Stew. I know it's not very fancy, but Kid always loved my stew. Mercy, they're here." Rachel rushed to the door to let in Theresa, Jason, Jeremiah and his wife Susannah, and Kid. Left alone in the kitchen, Daisy morosely stirred the stew, before her eyes lit on the spice shelf over the stove. Uncle Cody had been to Mexico a few months ago and had come through afterwards laden down with gifts for them . . . among them a bottle of extra hot pepper sauce. Daisy forced herself to look away. That would be ridiculous, she thought firmly. I'm sixteen years old, not a baby.
But looking through the half-open door, she saw Kid draw Rachel into a shadowy corner and kiss her passionately. Fuming, Daisy looked back at the shelf. She knew it was silly . . . pointless. But she was going to ruin this dinner just the same and worry about the consequences later, she thought as she reached up and pulled the bottle of potent red fluid down. Swiftly, she opened it, poured its contents into the stew, and angrily flung the empty bottle into the garbage pail with a slam.
Daisy sulked into the dining room, where Jason was pulling a chair out for his new wife. Theresa, as always, looked like a graceful swan, her long blonde hair pulled back loosely at her neck. Jason's eyes as he looked at Theresa made Daisy's heart quake, as usual. Everybody thought that she only pursued Jason to spite Theresa, and perhaps it had started that way. Somehow, though, she had grown to have real feelings for Jason somewhere along the way, and it still hurt to see him with Theresa even now that they were married.
Daisy glared with open animosity at Theresa. They had been childhood rivals as soon as Daisy had arrived in Rock Creek. Theresa was never in trouble, Daisy thought resentfully. Everyone liked her best. Even Rachel, she thought woefully, remembering the awful day when Rachel had made Theresa, by far the best student in Rock Creek, the teacher's assistant at the school. After that day, Theresa had come over after school every day to plan lessons and grade papers, including Daisy's. Daisy was a good student too, but she was a year younger than Theresa and with much less formal schooling; try as she might, Daisy couldn't quite compete academically with the perfect Theresa, and she was madly jealous of Theresa's closeness with Rachel. Now here sat Theresa, in their very home, with both Jason and Rachel. Daisy figured if she dropped off the face of the earth, no one would even notice. Well, they'll notice me tonight, she thought grimly and furiously. That's for damn sure.
Rachel was fluttering around nervously, lighting candles and finally carrying in the stew in a fancy tureen. She ladled a portion into each bowl. Daisy sat, arms crossed, and waited to see which of them would bite first.
"Looks mighty good, Rachel," Kid commented, taking a spoonful. Daisy watched with interest as Kid's face went taut, and he swallowed hard. Tears came into his eyes, but he managed not to say anything, though he desperately guzzled a glassful of water. "Can you pass down some more water, honey?" he croaked.
Rachel, who had sat down and was passing the rolls and butter, looked at Kid worriedly. "Of course, Kid, if you're that thirsty. You feelin' all right?" she said, picking up the water pitcher and moving around the table with it as Kid started coughing. Daisy grinned, figuring the hot sauce was now kicking in, in earnest. Sure enough, Kid couldn't stop coughing, and Rachel pounded on his back. "What is it, Kid? You choking?" Rachel said desperately, as the rest of the guests sat frozen and staring.
Theresa, eying Daisy's expression, looked down at her bowl suspiciously. She bent her head toward the plate and jumped back, her eyes smarting. "Rachel, there's something in this stew. I think it's hot peppers, a lot of them. Nobody touch it," Theresa warned. She looked across the table at smugly grinning Daisy, and furiously leaped to her feet. "You did this, didn't you? Just out of meanness, you put something in here, didn't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Theresa," Daisy said calmly, taking an olive from the small bowl on the table and popping it in her mouth.
"Then how about if you eat some of it?" Theresa challenged, as Rachel led a still-choking Kid to the kitchen to give him a glass of milk.
"I'm not that hungry."
Theresa, looking through the doorway at her father chugging a large glass of milk and desperately pointing at the glass to beg Rachel to refill it, finally and for the first time lost her temper. It had been bad enough putting up with Daisy and her tricks when they were directed only at her. But for Daisy to pick on her father and try to ruin his and Rachel's happiness, was too much. Theresa picked up her own bowl and shouted furiously, "I didn't ask you if you were hungry. You 'seasoned' this stew, you eat it!" and flung the contents into Daisy's smirking face.
When Kid and Rachel came back into the dining room, Rachel accusingly holding the empty bottle of hot sauce in her hand, they were aghast to find the floor covered with stew and Theresa and Daisy pulling at each other's hair and scratching at each other as Jason and Susannah tried desperately to separate them, and Jeremiah sat at the end of the table shaking with gales of laughter.
"GIRLS!" shouted Rachel.
The two turned, their faces smeared with stew and the other contents of the table, and stared at Rachel and Kid. Kid, astonished, gasped, "Theresa, I'm surprised at you," as he stepped forward. He slipped on a puddle of stew on his way toward the pair and landed flat on his back, sending Jeremiah into another spasm of hysterical laughter, which was quickly silenced by Rachel.
"I said that's enough out of all of you," she said, helping Kid up. Kid was grinning now too, but stifled the grin at the sight of Rachel's stern face.
"I had hoped we could have a civilized meal together, and the lot of you have really disappointed me. Especially you, Trouble," she said, turning to Daisy and holding out the bottle.
"I knew it," said Theresa through clenched teeth. "You're never going to grow up, are you? You're always going to be playing your rotten little tricks for no reason but spite, pure spite, you're pathetic," she spat, jerking free of Susannah's restraining arm. The furious girl collected herself, and with as much dignity as she could muster, turned to her husband. "I think it's best if we end this evening now. I'm terribly sorry, Rachel, Dad," she said, true remorse creeping in for her own behavior. "I'll . . . I'll help you clean up, Rachel," she started.
Daisy sneered, "Of course you will, Theresa, teacher's pet as always. Little miss perfect, aren't you?"
Rachel snapped, "That's enough, Trouble!"
Daisy whirled on Rachel now. "And stop calling me that! I know that's what you think of me . . . all I've ever been to you is trouble, a burden. But you don't have to throw it in my face," she screamed, tears mingling with stew on her face. She stomped out of the room, leaving the rest behind stunned and mystified.
Rachel slipped in to the room where Daisy lay in bed, her covers pulled over her head. She sat on the edge of the bed, and spoke softly. "How about you explain to me what the heck that was all about earlier tonight?" Rachel asked.
"Just living up to my nickname, is all, Rachel," Daisy sniffled self-pityingly.
"That's nonsense, Daisy. You and I have always gotten along fine . . . and you've been behaving much better lately overall. So what caused this outbreak? Is it because you don't want to be stepsisters with Theresa . . . because of Jason? Did you think you could prevent that by ruining this evening for everyone?"
Daisy avoided the question, answering instead, "So are you going to send me away now?"
Rachel sighed. "Of course not, Daisy. But I expect you to behave yourself and accept that Kid and his children are going to be part of our lives. He's asked me to marry him, honey. We planned to tell y'all tonight."
A sob escaped the pile of blankets.
"Now Daisy, it won't be that bad. Jeremiah and Theresa aren't living with Kid anymore . . . you won't have to see them every day. You can't tell me you have anything against Kid, he's never done anything to you."
Daisy sat up, dully. "So this is all settled, then? Nothing I say or do can change it?"
"Fraid not, honey. I love him and he loves me, and we want to get started on our life together. I'll be giving this place up and you and I will go to move in at Kid's farm. It won't be for a few months, so you'll have some time to get used to it. And I'd hoped that maybe you'd be interested in college next year; after all, you've been a wonderful student. It'd be a shame to waste all those brains of yours."
Yes, and that would get me out of the way nicely, Daisy thought sadly. "Where did you think I might go?" she asked softly.
"Well, I was thinking maybe Vassar College . . . or another women's college. If you don't want to go north, there's Newcomb College, that just opened in N'Orleans, where we're from. Would you like that?"
"Okay," Daisy said numbly. She never felt so defeated in her life. Maybe it would be best to go to college rather than stay where I'm not wanted, she thought sadly.
"And, of course, I was hoping you'd be a bridesmaid, along with Theresa, when Kid and I tie the knot. What do you say?"
Her back turned to Rachel, Daisy rolled her eyes. Rachel was a widow, and Daisy didn't see why on earth it would be necessary to have a big white wedding with young bridesmaids. And she had no interest in standing next to Theresa in matching outfits. But she decided that it would be best to keep this to herself for now. "Of course, Rachel," she said sweetly.
"That's my girl," said Rachel approvingly, kissing her on the top of her head. "Now you get down to the kitchen . . . I've drawn you a hot bath, and you need it, that's for sure," she said, eying the girl and the mess she'd made of her bed with distaste.
"I'll be right down," Daisy said, hugging Rachel. After Rachel shut the door behind her, Daisy retrieved the packet of letters she had hidden hastily under her blankets when Rachel had entered. She flipped through them, sighing and looking up in the air. After I get cleaned up and Rachel's in bed, I'd better write Roger. . . this is getting serious.
A bright Saturday morning a few months later, clad in matching pink bridesmaids' gowns, Theresa and Daisy sat uncomfortably together waiting for Rachel to emerge from behind her dressing screen in her wedding dress. The girls had drawn an uneasy truce for the wedding day, though Theresa was watching Daisy like a hawk for any signs of trouble. So far, however, Daisy had been a model of good behavior, Theresa thought with relief.
Daisy glanced at the clock in Rachel's room with trepidation. Lord help me, it's almost time, Daisy thought wretchedly, just as Rachel emerged from behind the screen in a lacy white gown with a filmy veil. Theresa gasped in admiration.
"Rachel, I've never seen a more beautiful bride," Theresa breathed, tears coming into her eyes. "Wait until my father sees you."
Rachel pressed Theresa's hand and looked expectantly at Daisy. Daisy rolled her eyes slightly. "Well, it's a beautiful dress of course. Anybody'd think to look at you this was your first trip down the aisle," she said snarkily.
Rachel's face fell a moment. She mumbled, "Well, my first wedding was a small affair so long ago . . . I wanted to wear a white dress for Kid, this is his first wedding and all." She looked down, her pleasure in the beautiful dress a little soured.
Theresa glared at Daisy, and put her arms around Rachel. "Of course you did. And you look as beautiful as can be, believe me."
"Well, let's get to the church," Rachel said, picking up three bouquets. "I got daisies . . . in honor of you, of course," she said, smiling uncertainly at Daisy.
Daisy felt guilt wash over her as Rachel handed her the flowers. "Thank you, Rachel," she whispered, and flung her arms around her foster mother. "For everything."
Kid happily stood at the altar of the Rock Creek church, Cody, Buck, and Jeremiah beside him. The doors to the church opened and he proudly watched his daughter Theresa come down the aisle, pretty as a picture in her pink gown. He managed a tight smile for Daisy as she walked down behind Theresa, despite Daisy's openly hostile glare at him. Polly, Teaspoon's widow and Rachel's best friend, walked down just before Rachel, the matron of honor. Kid drew in his breath at the sight of Rachel in the doorway, a vision in white lace.
As Rachel joined Kid at the front of the church, Daisy glanced back toward the doorway, her face lighting up like the early morning sky. Noticing Daisy's change in expression, Theresa's eyes followed. She saw a handsome, well-dressed man entering the church, but couldn't place him. Theresa shook off her concern and focused on Rachel and Kid. Theresa's eyes filled with tears watching the two lost in each others' eyes as they listened to the minister's words. Her mind flashed back to so many beautiful memories shared with her 'father' from the day Kid took her to her father-daughter dance years ago all the way up to the day he walked her down the aisle a year ago. Once, she had feared he would live his life alone, with only memories of her sister to keep him company; and she was thrilled that he had fallen in love again. That it was with a woman she loved and respected as much as Rachel, made this one of the happiest moments of Theresa's life as well.
Theresa wiped her eyes softly as Reverend McAllister intoned, "If anyone can give just cause why these two should not be wed, let him speak now or forever hold his peace."
Daisy grinned toward the back of the church, where the handsome man Theresa had seen now stood and called out. "I have a reason, Rachel."
Hearing the voice, Rachel gritted her teeth and stiffened. "Lord Almighty," she seethed. "Don't tell me it's you, Roger." Whirling around, Rachel groaned as she saw Roger heading up the aisle, arms outstretched.
"That's all right, darlin', Roger's here now," Roger said soothingly, grasping the bride in his arms and bending her over for a kiss. Rachel dropped her bouquet and wrenched herself free; then reached back for a roundhouse punch to Roger's jaw, sprawling him on the ground.
Shaking her hand in pain from the force of her own blow, Rachel gasped, "What the hell do you think you're doin', Roger? And what are you doing out of jail at all, for that matter?"
"What are you talking about, Rachel? You knew I was comin' to get you, so you wouldn't have to marry this fella, I wrote you about it when you wrote me, sayin' I had till today to get you back."
Rubbing his face, Roger handed a letter to Kid. "If you want proof, it's there in her writing, Kid. I know I'm almost too late, but I'm here, Rachel, and it was a lot of trouble getting here, I can tell you."
"Trouble . . . Trouble is right!" Rachel said, furiously turning on Daisy after scanning the letter. "I didn't write this, Roger. And there's only one person I can think of who would or could."
Rachel's face turned from furious to terribly sad as she handed the letter to Daisy. "You did this, Daisy. Why?"
Daisy looked from Rachel's face to Roger's baffled one, then at the congregation on the edge of their seats. Suddenly, the sixteen-year-old burst into tears, flung her flowers on the ground and ran down the aisle and out the church doors.
The congregation's eyes turned as one back to Kid, Rachel, and Roger standing openmouthed at the altar. Rachel sighed, and turned to take Kid's arm. "Let's finish what we came here for, Kid," she said gently. But Kid shook his head slowly.
"Kid, you -- you don't believe I sent for Roger, do you? I swear to you I didn't, honey, please believe me," Rachel started.
Kid smiled, putting his hand to her lips gently. "I know that, Rachel. But you need to go after her and make sure she's all right. I'll be waiting here for you when you get back. Go on, you know you need to make your peace with her first." Rachel shook her head wonderingly. "How'd I get so lucky's to find someone as understanding as you, Kid?" she whispered softly. Kid kissed her tenderly and whispered back, "Hurry back."
Rachel hoisted up her full skirt and walked firmly down the aisle. Over her shoulder, she snapped, "Come on, Roger, she's your daughter. You come along and help talk to her. Make yourself useful for once."
Blushing furiously, Roger followed behind the determined bride and out the door.
Rachel and Roger caught up with Daisy walking aimlessly back toward Rachel's house, and each fell into step on one side of her. "Trouble," Roger said wearily. "Is this true? Did you forge a letter from Rachel askin' me to come here?"
Daisy kept plodding along. "You know the answer to that, Roger, why waste time with that dumb question?"
Rachel suppressed the urge to slap Daisy silly where she stood, and biting her lip, asked, "Well, we know what you did, Daisy. Question we got is why?"
Daisy stopped under a shade tree by the road and leaned her face against the trunk, somberly. "Don't you know?"
"No, Daisy, I don't. Why on earth would you send a letter like that to your father? You had to know you'd be found out and get in a heap of trouble. What did you hope to happen? Or were you just hopin' to ruin my special day for the spite of it?"
"That's not it, Rachel!" Daisy burst out. "I . . . I thought if Roger knew you were getting married, and came here to stop it, then maybe you two would get back together . . . then you'd really be my mother," she wept. "And I'd have Roger back too . . . telling him you wanted him back was the only way to get him to come here."
"Now be fair, Daisy, your pa's been in jail. He couldn't likely come any sooner than . . ." Rachel trailed off. "Wait a minute. How'd you get out of jail to come here? Roger, please tell me you didn't escape?"
Roger looked uncomfortable. "No, Rachel. I got pardoned about six months ago."
"You got pardoned six months ago and didn't tell me? Where the hell have you been the last six months, Roger? Why didn't you come to see Daisy?"
He looked down, shamefaced. "I meant to, as soon as I got a little stake together, Rachel. I was working - "
"Working. At what, Roger? Gambling or worse?" Glancing down at the letter still clasped in her hands, Rachel fumed. "I see here that Daisy sweetened the pot a little . . . says I came into some money recently. I suppose that's the real reason you tore out here to stop the wedding, not because you really still care, am I right?"
Roger reddened, feebly insisting, "No, Rachel, I came because I still care about you, and, and to see Trouble again, of course."
Rachel raised an eyebrow and continued scanning the letter. "To think Daisy had to pull a rotten trick like this to get you to come here to see her, after you've been free for six months? You should be ashamed, Roger, if not for taking advantage of me, then for being a sorry excuse for a father and a human being."
A wail of despair escaped from the young girl facing the tree, her eyes still pressed against her arm. Rachel relented, realizing that berating the girl's father in front of her was wrong, however true her words. She focused on her foster daughter gently. "Daisy, you have to accept that your father and I aren't going to be a family the way you'd like. But we're family just the same," she said, scowling at Roger. "Because we're your parents, no matter what happens between us."
Daisy looked gratefully at Rachel, and allowed her eyes to be dried. Roger, watching them, was struck with how big Trouble had gotten in all these years. He had a lot of lost time to make up for, and he decided then and there that he would step up and be a real father to her from now on; Rachel had done more than he had any right to expect of her.
Clutching her father's hand, Daisy shuffled back to the church and entered a back pew to sit beside him, while Rachel marched back up the aisle to marry Kid at last.
Roger and Daisy were sitting on the step of Rachel's old house watching the sun set after the wedding, when they were surprised to see Kid and Rachel approaching up the lane, hand in hand.
"Thought you two would be in a rush to get back to your place, Kid," Roger said, rising to shake the other man's hand. "Didn't expect to see you for a few days at least," he joked.
"You won't, either, once Kid gets whatever he wanted to come here for out of his system," Rachel said impatiently. "Go on, Kid, let's get this over with."
Kid, blushing, admitted, "Nobody's in a bigger hurry to get home than I am tonight, Rachel. But there's others to consider, and I didn't get to see Daisy at the reception. I planned to give her this then," he said, handing her a small box. "I gave Theresa hers at the reception. You're my daughter now too, and I got one for you."
Daisy opened the box and gasped at the sight of a beautiful cameo pin. "Yours is pink and Theresa's is blue," Kid said, helping her pin it on her collar. "I heard you say once that pink's your favorite color." Pausing, he mentioned softly, "I know you have a pa already, and I'm not looking to take his place. But I want you to know we're family now."
Daisy smiled tearfully and reached up to hug Kid and Rachel in turn. "Thanks, Kid. That means a lot, especially after I . . . I ruined the wedding," she said, tearing up.
Kid smiled, clutching Rachel's hand. "Nothing could ruin our wedding, Daisy. Don't worry your head over that."
As Kid and Rachel walked back toward their house, Kid looked expectantly at Rachel. "Well? Don't you have anything to say?" he asked.
She grinned teasingly at him. "You mean about how you gave that spoiled little girl a present after she pulled that awful trick on us today?"
Kid looked crestfallen. "I didn't think of it like that. Do you think I made a mistake?"
Rachel repented her teasing and kissed him affectionately. "Of course not, it was the sweetest thing to consider her feelings the way you did. Not many men would."
"She's your daughter, Rachel, that's all that matters. She loves you, and what happened today was because of that. So I guess I can afford to forgive her for loving you too much. And I didn't want her to feel forgotten today."
Stopping at the doorway and pushing it open, Kid swept Rachel up in his arms. "But tell you what," he laughed, "Let's forget about her - and anybody else for that matter -- for the next few hours, what do you say?"
Rachel giggled back, "Yes, please!" as he bounded enthusiastically up the stairs with her laughing in his arms.
THE END.