There's a Man in There!
Image Courtesy
of The Writers Ranch
Emma Shannon watched throughout the day as the riders for the new Pony Express Station arrived and settled in. She had already had to fend of advances from the blonde rider, temporarily taken the gun from a hair triggered brunette who thought shooting at the clothes pins on the laundry line was funny, watched as the mute and his Indian friend gently tended to an injured horse, and watched the silent southerner find his bunk, unpack his few belongings and then lie on his bunk staring at the one above him for the rest of the day.
But her attention had immediately been drawn to the smallest of the riders. He'd hardly said more than two words since he had arrived, and that had been when he introduced himself. Now as she watched him show Teaspoon his riding skills, there was just something she couldn't put her finger on about him.
After dinner, the boys decided to head to the swimming hole for a swim and invited Lou to go with them.
"You comin' Lou?" Jimmy asked.
"No," Lou's voice cracked, and immediately Emma realized what was different about Lou. "Uhm, I think I'll just get settled in. You guys can go on without me."
The other boys nodded and took off. Emma put down the dish she was drying and approached the small rider.
"Everything alright, Lou?"
"Fine, Emma. Just don't feel like goin' swimming." Lou waited a few minutes before grabbing a towel and a change of clothes and headed behind the bunkhouse towards the showers.
Emma shook her head. How long does she think she can pull this off? She asked herself. Why would she even sign up for such a dangerous job like this? Doesn't she have family to take care of her?
Then Emma remembered the file Russell, Majors and Waddell had sent on each of the employees. Lou was an orphan like the others and had been on her own for some time. "Well they don't know everything about them," she said out loud as she returned to the dishes. Unfortunately Lou had chosen that moment to return.
"Did you say something to me, Emma?"
Emma gathered up what she needed to take back to the main house and walked towards the door. She placed her hand on the young girls' shoulder. "No, I was just talkin' to myself. You know Lou; anytime you need to talk just know that I'm here for you boys. If you need to talk about anything at all, you boys' secrets are safe with me."
Lou looked at the station mistress oddly. She can't know... If she did my job is over. They'd fire me if they knew.
Lou swallowed hard as she often did before speaking in her masculine voice. "Uh, thanks Emma, I'll keep that in mind."
Emma nodded and headed out of the bunkhouse.
~~ 1 Week Later ~~
The riders had just returned from bringing in the gang they had encountered in town with Sam days earlier. Emma had been worried sick when Ike came riding back for the guns and saying one of the riders had been injured. Now her heart flew to her throat as she realized Lou was the one walking slowly.
"You alright, Lou?" Emma asked concerned. She could see no outward injuries which meant her clothes must have been hiding the injury. And depending where, it could be trouble, for Emma knew Lou was not about to ask for help in tending to her wounds, for fear one of the others might learn her secret.
"Just fine, Emma. Bullet just grazed me and I bruised a few ribs. Nothin' I can't take care of myself."
Emma noticed the look Kid gave Lou and wondered what it meant.
"Well if you need help changin' the bandage or just want to talk, you know where to find me."
"Thanks, Emma. I'll keep that in mind," she said before leading her horse to the barn. Emma heard Kid as he urged her to listen to Emma, and Emma realized that not only that he knew her secret, he didn't seem too happy about it.
Over the next few weeks, Emma admired Lou's tenacity. Emma longed to find out what drove the poor girl to live her life dressed as a boy and work herself harder than the others. She also realized that despite his misgivings about keeping Lou's secret, Kid and Lou had developed a close friendship. Emma wished Lou's life was different so she and Kid could discover each other like a regular couple, but knew as long as Lou had to prove herself, the poor girl would never have a regular life.
The final straw had come one day when Emma was cleaning out the bunkhouse. There had been a family of rodents that had taken up residence, and concerned for the safety of the riders, Emma set out determined to find out the source of the rodent attraction.
Checking under the mattresses of the riders, she was pretty sure Cody's stash of candy was the source of attraction. But making sure no one else had anything hidden, her heart broke as she lifted up Lou's mattress and saw the pink and white striped dress.
If she has this hidden in here with the others, I wonder if they all know? Emma asked herself. They must know, and I think it's time they see just how she really is.
Emma went back into the house and started to prepare a bath. It was time Lou knew that she wasn't alone anymore. Emma wanted her to feel like a girl for once, wanted her to feel special. When everything was ready, she called out to where Ike and Lou were grooming Lighting.
"Lou, can you come in here for a minute?"
"Sure," she answered as Emma watched her button the top buttons on her shirt. Emma headed back inside and up the stairs to make one last check on everything. She heard Lou knock and then enter.
"Emma? You wanted to see me?" Lou asked as Emma walked down the stairs.
"I wanna try somethin'. Come here." Emma removed Lou's glasses and saw Lou lowered her face." How could anyone not see her for what she really is? Emma thought as she lifted Lou's face. "That's better. You got nice eyes."
"Thanks." Lou said shrugging.
Emma could tell she was making the girl nervous and knew it was only going to get better. Emma removed Lou's hat. "Your face is real pretty too," she said brushing some of her hair back away from her face. "You shouldn't hide it the way you always do."
"That so?"
"Uh-huh," Emma nodded as she smiled sweetly. "You know, I've always liked you."
Lou looked very uncomfortable and started to look towards the door. "Oh yeah? I a have to go, Emma."
"Why? What's the matter?" Emma decided it was time to put the girl out of her misery. She crossed the room to the trunk and opened it.
"I a... I have to go help Ike?"
"I am just trying to tell you, how attractive you are."
"Now hold it, Emma!" Lou hollered.
Emma pulled the dress from the trunk and held it up to Lou. "I think you'd look a whole lot better in this. I'd love to see it on you."
Emma watched as the emotions passed over Lou's face. She covered her eyes in embarrassment before clutching the dress tightly to her and lowering her head. "I knew I shouldn't a bought this dress."
Emma took the dress from Lou's grasp and held it back up to her. "Well why not, it's lovely. Besides," she said lifting Lou's face so she could see the sincerity in her eyes. "I knew a long time before I saw this pokin' out from your mattress."
"How long?"
"Well right from the first." The ladies crossed over to the settee and sat down. "But I admired your spunk." Lou clutched the dress again. "And I didn't see no reason why you shouldn't have the same chance as the boys."
Lou folded the dress and placed it in her lap. "I appreciate that Emma, it hadn't been easy."
"Well I know that, and that's why I thought we should have this little talk." Emma shook her head, trying to fight back the tears as she realized just how hard it had been for Lou. "When I found that dress it near broke my heart. I 'member a while back at that dance, you watchin' all those pretty girls in their fine clothes. Musta hurt real bad." Lou nodded before looking away. "But... Now you have another woman to talk to."
Lou looked around uncertain. "What about my job? Company'll fire me."
Emma smiled. "Well who's gonna tell them? Anyway, you're one of the best riders we got."
"And Teaspoon," she said still worried.
Emma chuckled. "Well as long as he's in the dark, there's now law that says we got to show him the light."
Both women laughed before hugging. Lou felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Until now, she could only confide in Kid, but now she had a friend, another woman to come to when it came to advice; especially when it came to her feelings with Kid, and now DeWitt.
"Do the others know?" Emma asked as they pulled apart. Lou nodded. "Have they seen you in a dress before?"
Lou shook her head and blushed as she recalled Kid's reaction when he first saw her in a dress a few days before the others learned her secret. "Well Kid has but..."
"Well then it's about time, don't you think?" Emma stood and grabbed Lou's hand. "Take that on upstairs. There's a bath waiting for you, and when you're done, let me know and I'll get the boys, okay?"
Lou shook her head, "I'm not sure... What if Teaspoon..."
"Don't worry about Mr. Spoon, Sam's keeping him busy all day. Go on now, and if you need anything, just holler, alright?"
Lou nodded and started up the stairs. She paused half way and looked back towards Emma. "Thanks, Emma."
Emma smiled and nodded. There may be a man in there, but it's time they see the woman in her.