The Cowboy Who Strolled Into Town

by Riley Moreno

  Chivonn couldn’t contain her excitement and joy at being back. She had broken all the rules of her contract and found her way back to Baldwin County to be with the only part of her life that truly mattered – her husband. Lane pulled his bandana up across his face, and went in search of Chivonn.

  She clapped her hand to her mouth when she saw him, convinced he was back to being the vigilante cowboy she had first known, but Lane pulled the bandana off and swung her up into his arms.

  ‘I knew you’d come back!’ he said.

  ‘They spread rumors hoping you’d believe them and never take me back so they could keep me there. It’s like bonded labor believe me, darling.’

  ‘Hush,’ Lane said, kissing her over and over, much to the embarrassment of the other passengers.

  They disembarked at the Station and Lane looked at Chivonn, wondering how they should get back to the ranch.

  ‘There’s my truck there! Use it!’ The Guard called out, throwing Lane the key as the train pulled out of the station and continued on its way.

  Lane revved up the engine and looked at Chivonn seated beside him. ‘Lane,’ she said, placing one warm hand on his thigh, ‘I don’t want to be anywhere that you’re not. I just want to go back to being The Hayes, even if it only takes us from one small gig to the other. All that matters is that we’re happy, and have each other.’

  Lane was quiet as they drove back home, and so was Chivonn. ‘You do trust that none of those rumors are true, don’t you Lane?’

  ‘Have I any cause not to trust you Chivonn?’

  ‘No,’ She answered.

  ‘Then we won’t talk about this again, alright?’

  ‘Ok,’ Chivonn nodded.

  When they returned to the Ranch House the moon was high in the sky and the meadowland was bathed in a silvery glow. The silence of the night was only broken by the sounds of their lovemaking as Lane and Chivonn gave themselves to each other once again with renewed passion. Outside Beaumont slid into his stable and a few miles away Jake told Rosie how he had stopped Lane from making a huge mistake that night.

  It was a few months later that Lane and a heavily pregnant Chivonn strolled into a record shop in town.

  ‘It never fails to give me a thrill to see one of these,’ Lane said holding up an album. The title ‘The Hayes’ formed an umbrella over a picture of Chivonn and Lane and below that the name of the album – ‘Vigilante Cowboy’.

  Chivonn chuckled as two young girls picked up the album. ‘Oh, I love this song!’

  ‘Me too! Isn’t Lane Hayes so handsome?’

  ‘He most certainly is,’ Chivonn said, laughingly butting into their conversation, and the girls looked up and stared.

  ‘Are you?’

  ‘Yes, we are!’ Chivonn smiled and Lane nodded.

  ‘May we have your autographs?’

  ‘Yes, you most certainly can,’ Lane said, signing their album.

  CHAPTER IX

  Rosie was stationed outside Chivonn’s room as Lane paced about nervously.

  ‘Please be still,’ Rosie begged. Jake came clambering up the stairs and clapped Lane on the shoulder. ‘Be strong man!’

  ‘Stop behaving like there’s something frightening going on behind those closed doors. It’s something beautiful, is childbirth.’

  ‘And frightening,’ Lane murmured, ‘Almost as frightening as standing there waiting for your bride to show up.’

  ‘And then waiting for her to show up after a long time away. You’re a champion at this Lane, you’re going to do just fine.’ Jake said comfortingly.

  Hours later the midwife appeared. ‘Mr. Hayes, you have a daughter…ummm…and a son…twins!’

  ‘Ha!’ Jake shouted out, thumping Lane on his back.

  Jake burst into the room where Chivonn was holding two little bundles.

  ‘I present the new generation of The Hayes,’ Chivonn said, smiling through her weariness.

  ‘Welcome, Mary and Marty,’ Lane said, taking the bundles from her and holding them close in his arms.

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