Lady Outlaws
Page 29
As Romy swept his new bride into his arms and laughed tears of joy, Brandi reached across the table and took Devon’s hand. His blue eyes filled with tears as well. No longer were they outlaws. They were four people, in love, with a future ahead of them that spread out as vastly as the countryside.
It was good to be alive.
Epilogue
Horses packed and ready to go, several of Antonio’s ranch hands and a few of the village folk had come to wave farewell. Devon stood with them in the courtyard, waiting patiently for Brandi, who was saying her goodbye to Sara in the bedroom.
“I guess that’s everything,” Brandi said, buttoning her carpetbag. “Not that I had much to begin with.”
“I’m really going to miss you,” Sara said sadly.
Brandi sighed and flopped onto the bed beside her friend. “Romy’s right in deciding to stay here till the baby’s born.”
“I know. But I’m still going to miss you.”
Minutes ticked away as they sat in silent communion.
“Devon’s looking forward to seeing his sister again,” Brandi said. “Not sure whether I’m so enthused about seeing Cal, but it’s a sacrifice I’ll have to make.”
“Well,” Sara droned. “Weddings are meant to be shared with family. You’ll manage.”
“Once we get to California I’ll send you a telegram. I hope Romy doesn’t change his mind about you both joining us there.”
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t,” Sara laughed. “As much as I love his family, I can’t see myself being contented here.”
“Do you think it’s a girl?” Brandi teased, glancing at Sara’s stomach.
“You know it is. Probably the last thing we’ll know with any certainty.”
They drifted, each with their own thoughts.
“You think we’ll ever see him again?” Sara asked. “The Professor I mean.”
“Hard to say, but I highly doubt it.”
“Funny, all this. Who’d have thought?”
Brandi smiled. “Still wish you had gone on a cruise instead?”
“With our luck we’d have woken up on a pirate ship.”
“Only if Devon and Romano were there.”
“Comforting thought.”
Maria tapped lightly on the open door. She held a brown envelope. “Senora,” she said softly. “You forget this.”
Sara accepted the package. Nothing was written on it and she looked at Maria. “What is it?”
Maria shrugged. “I find it under wedding bed.”
“Oh. I don’t remember leaving anything behind. Thank you.”
To Brandi Maria said, “He want to know if much longer.”
“Tell Devon I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Si. I tell him.” She closed the door as she left.
Sara fingered the package before looking at Brandi. “Do you suppose…?”
“Only one way to find out. Open it up.”
“I can’t,” she said nervously. “You take it.” Sara thrust the package on Brandi’s lap as though it were suddenly on fire.
Brandi peered at it a moment before tearing the paper. It was the dust cover for a book. Just the cover. On it was the picture of a contented woman in the arms of a neatly dressed and very handsome cowboy. Brandi’s first impression was that it vaguely resembled Devon. The title read: Outlaw Love. Beneath it in smaller print was: A Love Time Nearly Forgot.
“This is strange,” Brandi muttered. “I didn’t think books like this were popular here.” When she flipped it open several photographs scattered onto the bed.
They both gaped in unison.
The first was a sparkling, vivid picture of a startled William Jackson, gun in hand, flanked by his men, in the saloon at Dry Gulch. It was the picture Sara had taken with her camera when the men had come to arrest Devon and Romy. It was the picture that had caused enough confusion and disorder that escape was assured, the escape that saw Lady Outlaws being carried off by the so-called ruthless desperadoes. It was the picture that marked the beginning of their true-life adventure.
And here it was, developed into a five-by-seven, glossy twenty-first century colored photo.
Neither of them touched it. They simply stared at it in muted shock.
“Didn’t you say your camera went missing?” Brandi asked finally finding a voice.
“Uh-huh,” was all Sara could utter.
She fanned out the other pictures. Her wedding. The church, Romy and her at the altar, the banquet tables at the reception, children under the piñata.
“Oh, look,” Brandi exclaimed, as though thumbing through developed photos was a natural occurrence in this era. “Here’s one of Devon and me.” She snatched up one of them dancing together. It was hazy and dull, as though taken accidentally without a flash. “Can I have it?”
“Brandi!” Sara couldn’t believe the nonchalant tone let alone the existence of the photos. “He was at my wedding. The Professor had my camera. He was there and we didn’t even know it.”
“Aw, this is a nice one.” Brandi plucked up one of Sara and Romy exchanging their vows. “Too bad there aren’t doubles.”
“I don’t believe you! How can you take this so calmly?”
“Hey,” Brandi admonished. “I’ve given up wondering how these things happen to us. They just do. Be thankful. You’ve got pictures of your wedding. It’s more than what I’ll have for mine.”
Sara slumped at the comment. “Guess you’re right. Why should I be surprised?”
“Uh-oh,” Brandi said, reading the inside flap of the book cover. “There’s more.”
“I don’t think I can take any more,” Sara sighed.
“Listen to this. Outlaw Love is a tale of adventure fraught with dangers only found on the Western Frontier, an age that has dissolved with the passage of time, yet rich in its tapestry of romance and wonderment. Loosely based on the true story of Devon Fault and his quest for vengeance against the men who murdered his brother, it weaves together his journey of tribulations with the mysterious heroine who traveled through time to be his ever-faithful comrade and lover. Together they face all obstacles with devotion to each other, proving that true love can prevail despite the forces at work against them. Created from the spellbinding pen of Lila Fredricks.”
Sara blinked. “Cool,” was all she could think to say.
Brandi paled. “Lila Fredricks,” she muttered, thinking back to the night the young entertainer had helped Devon and her escape the Holland brothers. “Lila is the only one I told about where we came from.”
“You know this woman?” Sara asked, surprised.
Brandi nodded. “She told me she always wanted to be a writer.” She scanned the dustcover again for a date of publication. But that piece of information would be inside the book itself, a book she wasn’t meant to read, only to be a source of inspiration for.
“Seems our Professor has a sense of humor,” Sara said.
“Lila,” Brandi sighed with a wry grin. “They were headed back to California.”
“There you go then. What do you bet you’ll meet up with her there? Maybe she’ll write about Romy and me as well.”
“Why not? We were part of the same gang of desperadoes after all.” Brandi handed the contents of the package to Sara. “You keep all this. It’ll be our little secret.”
“Add it to the list.”
“Brandi,” Devon shouted from outside. “Come on, darlin’. We got to get goin’.”
“Well,” she said, standing, taking hold of Sara’s hand as they walked outside. “I guess this is it for now.”
Brandi hugged each of her hosts in turn. Maria and Antonio and then Romy. “You be good to my friend,” she said, tears filling her eyes.
“Si, I will, because I am her goof,” he announced proudly.
Brandi laughed. “A goof? Where did he get that?”
“Never mind,” Sara said, hugging Brandi once more. “It’s a long story.”
“One with a happy ending I hope.”
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“When you live the dream it can’t be anything but.”