"You sure this is a good idea, Teaspoon?"
Cody was leaned against the wall, spindly arms and legs folded up like an artist's easel.
"What? The cravat? I think it adds jest the right touch o' elegance, actually," Teaspoon said, squinting into the mirror as he tried to tie the danged thing for the fourth time. "Little outta practice," he mumbled, untying it and starting over. "Been a while since I tied one on."
"Since yer last wedding, I suppose? Which one was the last, the fifth or sixth? Never did get that quite straight back in the Express days."
Teaspoon glanced at Cody in the mirror while he brought the ends of the silk band around again and crossed them over. "Sixth, actually."
"Hmm. You'd think you'da got the hang of it by now."
Turning around, Teaspoon nodded his head at the army scout. "We ain't talkin' about tying ties now, are we, son?"
"Teaspoon, all I'm saying is you been down that aisle six times already. Maybe marriage ain't for you."
Teaspoon guffawed. "That's where yer wrong, young fella. I'm most definitely the marryin' kind."
"I can see that," Cody agreed. "It's the stayin' married you seem to have trouble with."
Shrugging, Teaspoon gave up on the cravat. "My bride may have to give me a hand with this'un here," he said jauntily, heading for the door.
"For Pete's sake, you ain't going to look at the bride before the weddin' on top of everything else! You'll have no chance!"
"I'm surprised at you, Cody. That's a silly superstition. Besides, I never saw my other lovely brides before the weddings, and that didn't help me none," he joked, amiably.
Cody shook his head. "I don't believe in takin' chances, 'specially not with your record."
"So who's gonna tie this, then?"
The boy turned Teaspoon toward him and pulled the cravat off by one end. "Come here," he said, irritably.
To Teaspoon's surprise, Cody quickly tied the silk in a perfect knot around his neck.
"How'd you -"
"Never mind," the boy joshed, brushing off the older man's lapels. "What else's a best man for?"
Teaspoon grinned and put on his jacket.
"So let's hear it. Why's this time different?"
"M'boy, I'm a firm believer in the institution of marriage." He set his hat on his head. "In the concept that each man has another half out there somewhere, that one special lady that's his one and only intended." Picking up his gloves, he concluded with a flourish, "And in the hope that one day, with enough tryin' . . . I'll get it right. Cause when it's right, there's nothing more right."
Cody chuckled low in his throat. "So you're a cockeyed optimist, then."
"Basically. C'mon Cody, let's go get this ol' plow horse hitched up again. For the last time. I hope."