by Duane Boehm
The girls sat in stunned silence, staring straight ahead. Now that their best argument was gone, they had nothing further to say. Joann’s face was emotionless with the shock of the news. Tears welled up in Winnie’s eyes and she started sobbing. She looked pitiful and Abby leaned over, patting her leg. Winnie recoiled into a ball in the corner of the couch and turned her head away from her mother.
“I’m going to go fix dinner. You girls don’t have to help. I’ll give you some time to get used to the news,” Abby said and left the room.
After sitting in silence for a couple of minutes, Joann said, “Winnie, I need to take a walk to do some thinking and I need to be alone. Are you going to be okay?”
Winnie nodded her head, but did not speak.
“We can talk about this later,” Joann said as she gave Winnie a kiss before grabbing a shawl and heading out the door.
Joann walked down the street of Last Stand trying to get her head around the idea that Abby and Gideon were really getting married. Her concerns for Abby had truly come from thinking that Gideon would never commit to marriage and now that he had, she did not know what to think. She had been around Gideon enough to know that he was too honorable to ask Abby to marry him without being sure, but she was still troubled by the whole thing. Deciding to talk to Gideon, she marched to the jail.
Gideon was sitting at his desk cleaning his Colt Frontier and talking to Zack when Joann entered the jail. “Well, hello, Joann. What brings you down here? I would think it would be about mealtime,” he said.
“Abs, just told us that you two are getting married and I don’t know what to think about it,” Joann said matter–of–factly.
Gideon rubbed his scar and smiled. Joann’s manner was a little too in your face for his liking. “I wasn’t aware that you needed to think anything about it,” he said.
Joann leaned over the desk, bracing herself with her hands. “It’s not like I question your intentions or anything, but I don’t see how after all this time you can be sure that you mean it,” she said.
“I’ve done a little more living than you have and I think I know myself better than you do,” Gideon said.
“Just because I’m still a maiden doesn’t mean that I’m stupid,” Joann shot back.
Zack jumped up and grabbed his hat. “I’m going outside,” he said.
“Just calm down and we can talk about this,” Gideon said.
“I am perfectly fine and I don’t need you to tell me to calm down. I am an adult,” she said tersely.
“You need to compose yourself. You’re acting like a childish brat,” Gideon said.
“I am not. I’m just looking out for Abs. For the last eighteen years you weren’t around when you were needed and now you think you can waltz right back into everybody’s lives like nothing happened and we’re all supposed to accept it,” Joann said.
“Are we talking about Abby or you now?” he asked.
“Me? This doesn’t have anything to do with me. I had parents and I didn’t know you existed until I was ten years old, thank you. My childhood turned out just fine without any thanks to you,” she said with her voice rising on each word.
“That’s good to know. There for a minute it sounded as if there was some resentment that I did not know that you existed until recently,” Gideon said.
“You’re a conceited man if you think that not having you in my life had any effect on me. I only wondered what you were like, nothing else. I just think that if you cared so much for Abs that you would have come back here a long time ago. I don’t want to see her get hurt is all,” Joann shouted.
“Calm down and we can talk about this like adults,” Gideon said.
“Do not tell me what to do. You can’t start acting like my father now. It’s way too late for that,” Joann yelled.
Gideon arose from his chair and walked around his desk towards Joann. “What are you doing?” she asked with apprehension in her voice.
Gideon answered her by throwing her over his shoulder and walking towards the cell room. “I’m locking you up,” he said.
“You can’t do that. I haven’t broken any laws. I have rights,” Joann yelled.
“By law I have a day to decide whether to charge you with disorderly conduct. And for the first time in my life I am actually going to act like a father,” Gideon said as he deposited her in the cell and locked the door.
“You can’t just leave me back here with criminals,” Joann pleaded.
“You’re safe. They can’t get to you and I will check on you later,” he said as he left the room and shut the door.
Gideon reloaded his gun and picked up his hat before heading outside where Zack was sitting on the bench waiting. “Let’s go have us some dinner,” he said.
“Where’s Joann?” Zack asked.
“Oh, I locked her in a cell,” Gideon said.
“You what?” Zack said in astonishment.
“Just until she cools down. She needs to learn that I am not going to tolerate her fits. We need to walk down to see Abby and tell her before we eat,” Gideon said.
“Don’t you think Abby will be mad?” Zack asked.
“I don’t know. I guess there is a chance that I will lock them all up before the night is over,” Gideon said with a smile.
Abby opened the door, surprised to see Gideon. “Hi, what brings you down here?” she asked.
“I wanted to let you know that you might want to keep a plate warm for Joann. She won’t be home for dinner. I locked her up in the jail,” Gideon said.
“My God, what happened?” Abby asked.
“She came down there to see me and starting getting mouthy and acting like a brat so I put her in a cell,” Gideon said.
“Why didn’t you just turn her over your knee instead of sticking her in a cell?” Abby said.
“I thought about it, but I just couldn’t do it. Zack and I are going to the hotel for dinner and then if she has cooled down I’m going to try to talk to her before I send her home,” Gideon said.
“That’s what I would have done. She really is a good girl, but sometimes she forgets that she still is a girl,” she said.
“You were having a baby by the time that you were her age,” he said.
“That was your fault with your wily ways,” Abby said with a grin. “And besides, I certainly did not go around trying to tell my parents what was best for them and getting uppity about it to boot.”
“She doesn’t seem to lack for opinions. That’s for sure,” he said.
“I guess this is about you asking me to marry you?” Abby said.
“It’s that and it also slipped out that there is some resentment that I was never in her life until now,” Gideon said.
“Really?” Abby said.
“I think so. I’m hungry and need to go eat. I’ll have Zack walk her home,” Gideon said and kissed Abby goodbye.
The two men ate at the hotel and Gideon paid for both their dinners. Zack was starting to grow short of funds and would need employment soon. They talked about Gideon’s ordeal with Hiatt at the saloon that day, avoiding any more conversation concerning Joann.
“Why don’t you wait out here on the bench and I will send Joann out when I am finished and you can walk her home if you don’t mind?” Gideon said when they reached the jail.
“I’ll be happy to do it,” Zack said.
“I thought you would. Though if I were you I think that she would have scared me off after the way she acted,” Gideon said with a grin.
“That probably would be the smart thing,” Zack said with a chuckle.
“Gideon walked into the cell room and unlocked the door. “Have you calmed down enough to talk like adults?” he said.
“Yes, sir,” Joann said in a quiet voice.
“Have a seat,” he said after walking to his desk and plopping down in his chair.
“I’m sorry that I talked to you that way. I would have never talked to Papa like that. Please forgive me,” Joann said.
&nbs
p; “Apology accepted. Listen, I appreciate your concern for Abby, but this really is between the two of us. I know that it affects you and Winnie, but it is our decision. I didn’t ask her to marry me until I was sure that I was staying, but when I knew – I knew for sure. I’m not going anywhere. It would mean the world to me if you were happy for us. I’m very well aware that this is my last chance in life to get things right. These moments don’t come along every day and I plan to make the most of it,” Gideon said.
“Okay, I’ll try,” she said meekly.
“I couldn’t stand to come back here for all those years. I just couldn’t. I wouldn’t be here now if fate hadn’t intervened and I’m sorry that I never got to be a part of your life until now, but I can’t change the past. I just accept it and I’m thankful that I got the chance now,” he said.
“I had a wonderful childhood and it’s not like I went around wishing I had different parents, but there was always this little hole in me because I didn’t know my real father. It sometimes used to drive me crazy knowing that you were out there somewhere not knowing that I existed and when I was younger the kids were brutal about it, calling me the bastard child,” Joann said.
“I’m really am sorry. I hope that you come to accept the past and move on. God knows that nobody has wasted more time on it than I have and I can tell you that it leads to nothing good,” Gideon said.
“Maybe it started tonight,” she said and walked around the desk, kissing him on the cheek.
“Zack is outside waiting to walk you home. It seemed the least that I could do for a freed prisoner,” he said.
“Goodnight, Gideon,” Joann said with a smile
“Goodnight.”
Chapter 18
Mary had dreaded going to sleep the night after killing Hiatt, fearing that she would have nightmares, but she woke the next morning feeling much stronger after a good night of rest. Doc Abram, his annoying intrusion aside, seemed to have gotten her infection under control. A part of her wanted to feel guilty for having killed Hiatt, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. She had done wanted needed doing in order to save herself, the saloon, and Gideon and for that she decided that she would not make herself feel bad. Needing to feel useful, she headed downstairs to work.
Gideon walked into the Last Chance as she was taking inventory behind the bar. “I wasn’t expecting to see you up and around,” he said as a way of a greeting.
“That big mouth doctor seems to have cured what ailed me. Now that he knows I can use a shotgun, he might think twice for before he flaps his gums next time,” Mary said.
“Seriously, how are you feeling? Yesterday was a bad day and not an easy one to put behind you,” Gideon said.
“I think I’m going to be fine. Killing somebody was something I sure never imagined myself doing, but I just can’t see how I had much choice in the matter. Things could have turned out a lot worse,” she said.
“For me for sure and I’m sorry about that. I thought I could knock him upside the head without chancing anybody getting shot and it didn’t work out so well. They’re liable to make you mayor for the way that you keep saving lives around here,” he said.
“I’m sure all the church ladies will hop right on that,” Mary said with a laugh.
“I owe you. I was in a world of trouble,” he said.
“I think we can call it even. If you and Doc had not stepped in, I would be in a world of trouble too and I knew better. You have to fight evil or evil wins. I won’t let that happen again. Just make sure that the next time my fears are not almost proved correct,” she said.
“You got a deal,” Gideon said.
“I bet when new customers come in and ask me how my bar got a chunk blown out of it that their eyes will grow big when I tell them I killed me a gambler,” Mary said.
“I bet you are right. You take it easy, you hear?” Gideon said and left the saloon.
Zack was waiting outside for him. “I’m been meaning to ask you something all morning, sir. Joann and I talked about going for a ride today and I was wondering if I could have your permission? I’m going to ask Abby too,” he said while looking down at his boots.
“Why are you acting all backwards? It’s not a secret that you two have been eyeing each other and if I had a problem with you seeing her, you would have known it before now. If you are brave enough to run into a saloon with gunfire, you surely are brave enough to look me in the eye over seeing my daughter. Now act like a man or I will start having second thoughts,” Gideon said, annoyed at the young man’s behavior.
“Yes, sir,” Zack said.
“And quit calling me sir. You need to find a job if you are going to stay around here. You can’t live in the jail forever,” Gideon said.
“I was kind of waiting to hear from you or Ethan on that,” Zack said.
“Yeah, we have kind of left you hanging on that. I’ll look into it. Go have some fun and don’t blame me that you like a little bobcat. She gets that from her mother, not me,” Gideon said, slapping Zack on the back.
Zack walked to Abby’s house and knocked. Abby greeted him at the door. “Hello Zack. What do we owe this pleasure?” she said, pretending as if she did know the reason.
Zack fought the urge to glance down at his feet and instead looked Abby in the eyes. “I was hoping for your permission to take Joann riding today, ma’am?” he said.
Abby resisted the urge to have some fun with Zack. The poor boy looked as if one wrong word would send him running. “That would be fine. I guess that is why Joann is wearing riding clothes. Come on in,” she said.
“Joann, Zack is here,” Abby called out.
Joann came into the room in the same outfit that she had worn while riding with Gideon to see the old homestead. “Abs, is it all right that I ride Snuggles today?” she said.
“Sure, just be careful with him. He’ll test you until he knows that you are in charge. I’ll see you two later,” Abby said.
After retrieving the horses from the livery stable, the two rode out of town with no destination in mind. They followed the road for a few miles before cutting across some hilly country and riding until they came to a stream where they dismounted and sat down under a huge old cottonwood tree.
“How did Winnie take the news of the marriage proposal?” Zack asked.
“Not well. I talked to her after I got out of jail,” Joann said with a smile. “She wouldn’t talk much and this morning she was in an ill mood as she headed off to school.”
“It has to be hard on her. I hope she comes around. Gideon would be good for her if she gave him a chance. How do you feel about it today?” he said.
“You know, a part of me hasn’t quite come to terms with it yet, but I am happy for them and I suspect by the time that it happens that I will be giddy about the idea that my birth parents are marrying,” Joann said.
“It must feel kind of strange to have two sets of parents. It sure would be for me since I only had my pa growing up,” Zack said.
“It didn’t used to. Abs and I were always more like cousins or sisters until this trip. With all that has happened, it has been more of a mother and daughter relationship this time and it feels different – sometimes good and sometimes not. Until last night, Gideon didn’t really seem like my father that much. It was more in name than in deed, but he liked to have scared me to death when he walked around that desk for me. I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Joann said with a laugh. “Afterwards, he seemed very much like he was my father.”
“Doesn’t it seem odd to call them by their names? It catches me by surprise every time that I hear you do it,” he said.
“It doesn’t with Abs. I’ve always called her that from back in the days when it was a secret. I wouldn’t want to change that now and I’m the only person that calls her that anyway. Gideon is a little different. I do feel odd calling him by his name and I might come up with something for him when the time feels right,” she said.
“He sure has been good
to me. He doesn’t treat me like a kid,” Zack said.
“Did you have a happy childhood?” Joann asked.
“Sure. Pa and Aunt Sharon raised me and it was good. Of course I wanted to have a mother like all the other kids. I always dreamed that Pa would remarry and that his wife would love me like her own, but Aunt Sharon loved me plenty,” he said.
“Are you going to stay around here?” she asked.
“I might if Ethan or Gideon offers me a job. Gideon says that the law will get Big Nose and that I should leave it to them and I’m starting to think that he is right. What about you?” Zack said.
“I expect that I will be headed back to Cheyenne. I don’t think Momma or Poppa would be too happy if I stayed here. I do want to get to know Gideon better before I go back though,” Joann said.
Zack leaned in closer to Joann. “Can I kiss you?” he asked.
“Zachary Barlow, I have no idea whether you can or cannot, but the first man that ever kisses me better be brave enough to find out for himself,” she said.
Zack studied her for a moment, contemplating what to do before deciding that a slap in the face would not hurt nearly as much as never knowing would. He leaned over and kissed her on the lips, finding out much to his delight that the answer was indeed yes he could.
Chapter 19
Ethan was sitting at the table drinking a second cup of coffee with Sarah as Benjamin scurried out the door for school. “That boy is always trying to make up for lost time,” he said.
“He’s getting better. We should just be glad that we have him and that tardiness is probably his worst fault,” Sarah said.
