Consequences Be Damned
Part 6
Kid woke the next morning and realized Lou never came back to the bunkhouse. After he and Teaspoon returned, he tossed and turned waiting for her to return and thinking of what to say when she did.
He quickly dressed and went to the barn to see if she'd left for her morning run yet. He was relieved to see her preparing Lightning for the trip.
Lou looked up from tightening the cinch and saw Kid walking towards her. She saw his right eye swollen and black and his split lip and felt a twinge of happiness at the proof that Jimmy would still defend her honor even after what she had done.
But she was still angry and had been hoping to leave on her run before seeing Kid. She wasn't sure what to expect from him now, but she didn't want to face his accusing looks in person. It was bad enough that after Jimmy had left last night, Lou couldn't keep the look on Kid's face from haunting her dreams.
"What do you want, Kid?" she said abruptly.
Kid placed his hand over hers as she checked the length of her stirrups. He knew as well as she did that she always had them at the right length. "I was hopin' we could talk."
Lou pulled her hand away and looked at him. His eyes showed the concerned love that usually shone in the blue pools, and the memories of their playfulness the last time they were in the barn alone together flashed through her mind. She turned away so she wouldn't have to look at him and be even more confused than she was.
"I have a run."
"Can't you get someone else to take it?"
Lou took a deep breath trying not to get angry. How dare he act sweet after the things he said to me, she thought.
"No Kid, I have a job to do around here. After I make my run Teaspoon's given me some time off and I'm takin' it." She led Lightning outside to wait for the incoming rider. Kid followed her.
"Lou, please," he said almost begging. "I don't want you leavin' with things like this between us."
"You should have thought about that yesterday."
"I should have thought about a lot of things yesterday, Lou. Please, stay and talk with me. We can work through this. We just need to talk some more."
"I can't, Kid. Things were said and done yesterday that we both need to take some time and think about."
"I don't want time I want to work through this. Look, maybe I can get Teaspoon to let me have some time off too. We can go somewhere and finish talkin'."
Both riders heard the "Rider Comin'!" call from Rachel who was bringing breakfast to the bunkhouse.
"Not this time," Lou said as she mounted and spurred Lightning into a gallop. She didn't look back at Kid, as she usually did, as she was passed the mochilla and took off.
"I love you, Lou. Ride safe." Kid called out to her as he hung his head and headed towards the bunkhouse.
"Did you expect her to act any different, Kid?" Rachel said as she met him on the porch.
"I guess not, I just don't like her ridin' off when she's mad. Rachel, what am I gonna do?"
"Wait till she calms down and be thankful I don't break that chair over your head for bein' such an ass."
After breakfast, Kid went to Teaspoon before he left for the Marshall's office. "Teaspoon, I need some time off."
Teaspoon shook his head. "I ain't tellin' ya where she is, Kid."
"You don't need to. Even if the run wasn't to where you said it was, I know where she'll go for her time off."
"Kid, give her a chance to cool down. You told me ya'self that there were things neither of you are tellin' me, but with as upset as she was, givin' her space right now may be the thing that gets her to stay."
"But I need to talk to her, to apologize..."
"Kid I said no! Look, I know you do, from what you said, you told her some horrible things, but right now, she just needs time away from you. And how do I know you ain't gonna go off and say something else stupid?"
"Teaspoon," Kid pleaded.
"No. If you go after her Kid, then she'll have no reason to leave us, because you ain't gonna be workin' here anymore, and that's final."
Kid watched as Teaspoon walked away knowing he was right.