by Sienna Mynx
“No matter what, Annabelle, no matter what he say, you won’t hear it,” she said aloud to her empty cabin. Slowly she eased down the door and wrapped her arms around her knees. “No matter what.”
**
The town was bustling with people. He could tell immediately it had grown. Several waved at him as he passed. Others paused to stare at him curiously. He rode his horse all the way to the Blue Moon Saloon. It had fresh paint and a new sign. He climbed down from his horse and walked it over to the post to tie it up. A girl came out of the front of the saloon. She paused when her eyes landed on him.
“Jeremiah Polk? That you?”
He took his bag off the horse and turned.
“Well as I live and breathe. It is you!” she said. “Jeremiah ‘One-Finger’ Polk!”
“Hi, Jessiemae. How are you?” he asked. He walked up the steps.
“How am I? How is you? It’s been, what, a year?” she asked.
“Closer to thirteen months. Yeah, it’s been awhile.”
“Annabelle know you here?” she asked.
He scratched his brow. “She’s not speaking to me right now. Was wondering if I could get a room.”
“This ain’t no hotel, outlaw,” Jessiemae laughed.
Jeremiah nodded and glanced around, not sure where one would be.
“Oh come on in. We gots room for you. Come inside.” Jessiemae came down the steps and hooked her arm around his. Together they climbed the steps and went inside. The place wasn’t too busy. Only a few occupied the barstools.
“Ms. Kitty here? I’d like to—”
“Well look here. If it ain’t our heartbreaker outlaw.”
Honey stepped out from around the bar. She wore a green satin dress with a black middle corset. She smiled. He smiled. She walked over and gave him a hug. “I told her you would come back. Men. You were a fool to leave her!” she shoved at his shoulder playfully.
He nodded. “I’m still a fool. Is Ms. Kitty here?”
She glanced to Jessiemae and then to Jeremiah. “You didn’t tell him?”
“Tell me what?” he asked.
“Ms. Kitty gave birth today. Had her a baby boy.”
“It’s a papoose!” Honey corrected Jessiemae.
“It’s a baby boy! I ain’t calling no infant a pappy!” Jessiemae huffed.
“They named him Koi. She up there with Red Sun,” Honey said.
“Wow. I didn’t know,” he said.
“Have a drink with me. Jessie, take his bag to Molly’s old room. Looks like he’s here for the night.” Jeremiah accepted the offer. He was thirsty. He sat down on the bar stool and Honey went back behind the bar.
“Slow night?”
“It’ll pick up later. So you see her?” Honey asked as she poured his glass.
“She shot at me,” Jeremiah chuckled.
Honey grinned. “That’s my girl. She was pretty torn up when you left.”
“I regret it. I made a mistake. I want to rectify it.”
“Good luck with that,” Honey said. “Been my experience ain’t no rectifying a mistake, just time wasted in making another one.”
Jeremiah tossed back his drink. “So the place looks good.”
“Why thank you. I manage it now.”
“You do?” he asked.
Honey nodded. “Ms. Kitty got married to Red Sun after you left. Was pregnant before she jumped the broom. Shocked the hell out of her. She’d told everyone she couldn’t carry a baby, and then bam, she was pregnant. Now all she want to be is a wife, not a mother to a bunch of whores.”
“They stay here?” he asked.
“They own the business, I run it. She and Red Sun building a place outside of town near White Rock Mountain. It should be done soon I hear.”
“And Annabelle. She uh, she coming in to sing tonight?” he asked, looking to the piano player.
Honey laughed. “Hell no! Annabelle is a nurse. Delivered the baby today. She on her way to becoming a doctor she say. They got a college that take negroes. She thinking of going at the end of the year after she—” Honey paused, looked up at him, and then continued. “Never mind that. She helped a lot of people after … well after everything.” Honey drank down the contents of her glass. She slammed it down on the bar. “So what’s the plan, outlaw? You back, you must have your reasons. Is Nicademus finally the town for you?”
“I think I should save the explaining for Annabelle.”
“Right. Save it. Maybe in a month or two she’ll listen.” Honey chuckled and walked off. Jeremiah nursed his drink. He stared down at it and thought over the past months and his failed attempt to be a farmer, when his heart wasn’t in it. Before he bankrupted himself he sold the land and cashed in on his business ventures. He made sure he came back to her with enough money to build them a big house and live a life that didn’t call for approval from no one. But the question was, was it too late? Had he been gone too long? He just had to figure out how to fix it.
Morning –
Annabelle rolled over. The constant sound of banging made sleep impossible. She stretched awake. Sitting up in bed she listened. The sound was gone. And then it returned. Annabelle frowned. She tossed her covers aside and found her robe. She put it on. She hurried her feet into her slippers and went to her front door for her rifle. She no longer had her Colt Patterson. It had been lost to her in the chaos of the Tyler Shepherd fiasco. All she had now was her rifle, and it was enough.
Opening the door she peered outside. The hammering had stopped. She stepped onto the porch and glanced left then right. The hammering started again. It came from the left side of her cabin. Annabelle raised her rifle and walked slowly to the edge of the porch. She peered around it. A man with his shirt off, and his back and shoulders glistening with sweat swung an ax and split wood in two. It wasn’t hammering after all but the chopping of wood to make a pile.
“Hold it right there!” she said. “Don’chu move.”
The man froze with the ax raised above his head.
“Drop it! Now!”
He tossed the ax. He glanced back at her. Annabelle lowered the gun. It was Jeremiah. Why she didn’t recognize him at first she didn’t rightly know. But it was definitely him.
“I told you to stay off my land,” she seethed.
He turned and reached behind him and removed his handkerchief. He wiped his face. “Thought I’d get an early start. Looks like you need some chopping done.”
She raised the gun again. “Get! Now!”
He smiled.
“Something I say funny?”
“You got wood that needs to be chopped. Winter will be here in a few weeks. Someone has to do it.”
“I don’t want or need anything from you.”
He nodded. “That’s right, because you don’t need anybody. You take care of yourself. The town. You do it all alone.”
“Damn right!” Annabelle said.
He shoved his handkerchief into his back pocket. “Here’s the thing, Annie. I came back for a reason. I plan to have my say. And if that means that every day I come here and find something to do to fix on your land until you ready to hear me, I’ll do it.”
She glared at him for a moment then lowered her gun. “It’s too late. I don’t care what you do. Chop down all the trees if you want. There is nothing for you and I to say to one another.”
He stared at her and she turned and stormed inside. She slammed her door. She went to her closet and dressed. She ate a piece of sweetbread and drank her coffee. She went through her routine like nothing had changed. And when she was ready she walked out the front door and climbed atop her horse. She glanced back once. Jeremiah carried an arm full of wood to the pile and dropped it. He looked up. Annabelle frowned at him. He winked.
She turned her horse and rode off toward town.
The knocking at the door preceded Honey peeking in. Red Sun lay next to Cora with their son resting on his chest. Cora sat up. She was tender, but she could manage. “Need to tell you something,�
� Honey said.
Cora nodded. “Trouble?”
“No. Well, it depends. Got a visitor that I gave a spare room to,” Honey said. She stepped in the room. Cora reached for her baby. Red Sun groaned and turned over to his side. Koi opened his eyes and looked up at her. She had never felt so much love. She brought him to her breast.
“Who is it?”
“The outlaw,” Honey said.
Cora frowned. “Polk?”
“The one and only. He’s back and Annabelle already shot at him.” Honey smiled.
“I’m surprised. Didn’t think he would come back. Did he say why?” she asked.
“Had the girls go through his things while he slept. Didn’t have much money on him. And he had some papers but none of us can read. So my guess is he lost his land and money. He back here ‘cause he has nowhere to go.”
Cora shook her head. “You know,” she began as she stared down at her son. His fat cheeks puffed and deflated as he suckled. “I would have agreed with you a year ago. But not now. He’s here for Annabelle. He could go anywhere. He came back to Nicademus where he belong.”
“Whatever,” Honey rolled her eyes. “Just thought you should know.”
“Thanks, Honey,” Cora said. She glanced back to Red Sun. “Did you hear her?”
Red Sun groaned his answer. She knew he wasn’t sleeping.
“Will you go see him? Talk to him?”
Red Sun groaned.
Cora smiled. “Hear that Koi? Pa is going to go welcome his son in-law home. Isn’t that exciting.”
Later –
Annabelle knocked on Cora’s door. She pushed it open. Cora rocked in her chair with her son in her arms. “Hey, came to check on you. See you’re out of bed.”
“Been waiting on you. Come inside.”
She did as she was asked. She walked over to the windowsill and sat on the edge. “How is he today?”
“Hungry!” Cora laughed. “I swear the boy thinks my nipple is his chew toy.”
Annabelle laughed. “You’ll get used to it.”
“I know. I already am.” Cora stared at her baby. “I never dreamed I’d be a mother. I still don’t know how it happened. Maybe God took pity on me. Maybe I did something right to deserve it. Whatever the reason, I’m so thankful.”
“Yea, I understand,” Annabelle said.
Cora looked up at her. “I heard your outlaw is back.”
Annabelle sighed. “If I hear his name one more time today I’ll scream.” She pushed up from the windowsill and walked away. “He’s back and he has the nerve to think it matters.”
“Doesn’t it?” Cora asked.
“Huh? Don’t you remember how he got that bag of gold and rode out of town? He didn’t write or send a wire in nine months! That man … he doesn’t … I … I hate him!” Annabelle insisted.
Cora smiled.
“Don’t smile at me like that. How many nights did I cry for him? You warned me that he’d do it. That he’d never get past our differences and run. Well he did. He’s a coward, a liar, and a scoundrel! I hate him!”
“Yes. Yes. I know. You hate him,” Cora said. “Did you tell him that you’re engaged to Sampson?”
Annabelle felt silly over her outburst. She started to chew her nail. Silence settled between them. The baby whined a bit and then settled back to nursing. “Why should I? It ain’t his business.”
“You can hate him, Annabelle. You have every right to. That doesn’t mean that his return means nothing,” Cora said. “And if Sampson is the man you love, hating Jeremiah Polk is secondary to that news. Tell him you got a new beau and you happy. Send him on his way. Then it’s settled.”
“The hell it is. Nothing is settled. He just returns like that!” She snapped her fingers. “What am I supposed to do? Be thankful that he has nowhere to go? Be happy that now he come calling? He broke my heart and that means things are … unsettled.”
“Then let him heal it! Hear the man out,” Cora snapped. The baby began to cry. She rocked her son and calmed him. “You aren’t a little girl anymore. And life ain’t perfect. Neither are people. We make mistakes, Annabelle. All of us. But that don’t mean we can’t learn from it. Hear the man out. You got the choice to make. Is it Sampson and the future he promises you, or is it the outlaw and the life you wanted with him?”
Annabelle couldn’t speak. She didn’t know her own heart at the moment. She cared deeply for Sampson. Like she cared for Henry. But she had never loved any man but Jeremiah.
“Life is short, and happiness,” Cora looked down at her son, “it’s special. You got to grow it, nurture it, make it last. You got to do it. And then one day you find out you have true happiness. And it’s the best kind of reward.” Cora lifted her teary gaze. “Make your choice.”
**
Jeremiah drank from the canteen until his thirst was quenched. He hadn’t eaten all day, but that didn’t matter. He had finished the wood chopping and fixed the back step of her cabin. He saw the clothing line she had strung up was in need of tightening. The wood plank that kept it up had seeped down into the earth and the line dragged. He’d work on it next to pass the time while he waited.
When he stood under the blazing heat of the sun he saw Red Sun riding up. Jeremiah set the canteen down on the porch and started toward him. Red Sun came down from his horse.
He marched over to Jeremiah.
“It’s been a long time. Good to see you, Red …” he extended his hand. He didn’t expect the blow to his head. Red Sun swung and connected with his jaw; he dropped to his hands and knees. Stunned, it took a moment to get his bearings. When he looked up he saw Red Sun’s hand extended to him. Jeremiah spat blood and licked his split lip. He accepted the help. The moment he was brought to his feet he was greeted with a hug. Red Sun squeezed him so tight he nearly lost his ability to breathe.
He laughed when they parted.
“Good you back,” Red Sun said.
“Really?” Jeremiah rubbed his jaw. “Felt like you thought differently.”
Red Sun leveled a finger at him. “You return. Good for her. Good for us. Good for you!” he poked Jeremiah.
Confused, he could only shake his head. Together they walked back to the porch and sat. Red Sun didn’t say much. Neither did Jeremiah. They sat for an hour and waited. At first Jeremiah didn’t know what for. The company was needed. He’d been alone for quite some time. But he didn’t understand what Red Sun waited for until Annabelle rode back up on her horse. She looked at them both curiously. Red Sun stood. He walked down the steps and met her half way. He spoke to her softly. Jeremiah doubted he did so in English. Annabelle hugged her adoptive father and glanced back at him. Red Sun nodded to Jeremiah and then went to his horse. He climbed on and rode off.
Jeremiah stood. This was the moment of truth. Annabelle stared at him for a moment, then started toward him. “Have you eaten?” she asked.
“No,” he replied.
She walked up the steps and went to her door. She opened it and went inside. She left the door open. He dusted his hands on the backs of his pants and went inside. The moment he returned to her cabin he felt a sense of home. He found it ironic he’d feel it now. Annabelle went about fixing something from her cupboard. He took a seat.
He had rehearsed in his head what he’d say when she was ready to listen. He thought with her stubborn pride that day might not come for another couple of weeks. He was surprised to have it arrive so soon.
“So talk, Jeremy.”
He pressed his lips together. His mind rolled over his word choice before he could part them and utter a reply. “I … I’m sorry,” he said.
She glanced back at him. “Sorry? You came all this way to apologize?”
“No. I mean yes,” he stumbled over his words.
She came to the table with a sandwich. Jeremiah’s stomach growled at the sight of it. He glanced up into her questioning eyes. He wouldn’t eat or take a sip until he had said his piece.
“I deserve an answer.
Give me one or get out and leave me in peace,” Annabelle said and took a seat.
“I wanted Tyler Shepherd dead. I wanted my father avenged. I wanted it so bad that when it happened I didn’t know … I didn’t know what to do with victory. Guess I was so used to defeat,” he admitted.
“So you didn’t want me?”
“I was scared, Annie. Scared of us. A coward because my feelings had so much control over me. I wanted you, I still do. I just didn’t know why I did. I thought it was the circumstances. How we come together. How we fought for the town. I thought if I stayed I’d eventually want to leave. That being my father and finishing his business was what I was supposed to do. What I really needed to do.”
“And did you do it? Did you become your father?” she asked.
“I tried,” Jeremiah replied. “Went back, hired a few hands and started to farm. Even opened up an office to sell my produce. Even … even got a new girl,” he confessed.
Annabelle sat back. “You married?”
“No. NO! But I did all the things I thought I should. Annie, I never touched her. It weren’t proper because … I just … I tried to be what I thought I should be. The farm, her, everything was what I thought I should be. I’m sorry. I’m really trying to be honest with you,” Jeremiah said.
“What else happened?” she asked, but this time she couldn’t look at him. He had lied to her before. He had hidden his feelings from her before and it cost him her respect. If he wanted it back, he reasoned he had to tell her everything.
“I was miserable. I’m no good at farming. As bad as my dad was. And I can’t run a business. Never could. I was hemorrhaging money.”
“And the girl? What about her?”
“She wasn’t you.” Jeremiah reached across the table and touched her hand. Annabelle pulled her hand away. “I was wrong. It took for me to be wrong to know the right choice. I sold my business, and my land. I’m here with all that I have left because here with you in Nicademus is where I belong. I’m back to ask for your forgiveness. For another chance. We’ve been through so much, Annie. I’ll do anything to make it right.”
