No Regrets
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- 8 -
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It was three days before Julia turned up at the farm.
She arrived as the Kid was mending a pole in the corral and dismounted alongside him.
“Hi.” the Kid smiled at her, “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten where we live.”
Julia looked at the floor.
“I’m sorry. I... er... wasn’t sure whether or not I should come… If I’d be… welcome…”
“Of course you’re welcome.” said the Kid.
“Thank you.” muttered Julia. She was silent for a moment before asking, “How’s Joshua?”
“Alright.” replied the Kid, “He’s pretty angry with himself for chickening out the other day, but he says he’ll try again. He says he has to face up to his fears or he’s never going to put what happened behind him.”
Julia nodded.
“Did he… has he… said anything… you know… about… what I did?” she said presently.
“Not a word.” said the Kid.
“I don’t know what came over me… I...” Julia began.
“You don’t have to explain.” the Kid told her, “I understand.”
Julia looked at him. “You do?”
The Kid nodded.
“But will he?” she asked.
The Kid shrugged. “Why don’t you go see?”
Julia bit her lip anxiously. “I don’t know if I can.”
The Kid hooked his finger under her chin, and tilted her head up towards him. “Come on. Where’s that Randle spirit?” he smiled.
Julia gave him a weak smile.
“He’s in the house.” the Kid told her, turning to continue with his work.
Julia turned her anxious gaze towards the house, uncertain whether to go in or run away.
But she began to walk towards the house, drawing herself up and lifting her chin as she did so.
She entered to find Heyes seated at the table, apparently engrossed in a thick law book, his forehead propped against the heel of one hand, his fingers toying with his hair, but she could tell that he wasn’t reading, just staring absently at the pages.
He looked up as she closed the door.
“Hello.” she said weakly, all the breath seeming to leave her body as she looked into the depths of his dark eyes.
“Hi.” he replied gruffly.
“A-Are you… feeling better?” she asked hesitantly.
Heyes looked uncomfortable at the question, but his gaze remained fixed on her as he nodded, looking at her with an odd expression, almost as though he was seeing a stranger.
“Good.” muttered Julia. She made as though to begin her chores, but then stopped, and turned to face him.
“Joshua… about the other day…” she stammered, “I hope I didn’t give you the wrong idea. I just...” she paused as her voice began to falter, “wanted to comfort you.” she finished, “I’m sorry.” she added, hastily turning away and crossing to the sink where she began to pump water ready to prepare vegetables for their evening meal.
Heyes was on his feet before he knew it, crossing to stand behind her and putting a hand on her shoulder.
“You didn’t give me the wrong idea.” he said quietly. No. She had given him the right idea. During the last three days he’d done a lot of thinking, and realized how much he’d come to care for her. She could always make him laugh, however depressed he felt, and he admired her forthright manner and her adventurous spirit that mirrored his own, but he hadn’t realized that that admiration had turned to love until she’d kissed him at the mine.
Before he knew what he was doing, he’d turned her towards him and bent to kiss her.
It was several seconds before he realized what he was doing, whereupon he broke off and turned away, raking a hand through his hair. This wasn’t a saloon girl who he could just pounce on.
“I’m sorry.” he said gruffly, “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Why not?” Julia’s voice was breathless, still stunned by his actions, and her body’s reaction.
“I…” Heyes began, looking confused. Then, making an effort to pull himself together, “It was very improper. Forgive me.” he said, turning away and leaving the room.
The Kid saw Heyes exit the house and limp off past the barn. He watched him go with a puzzled frown wondering what had gone on inside.
When the Kid returned to the cabin an hour later, Julia was sweeping the floors.
“Where’s Joshua?” he asked, as he poured himself some coffee.
“I don’t know.” she replied without looking at him, “I think he wanted some fresh air.”
​
The Kid sensed that something had happened between them, but didn’t press. He sat down at the table with his cup and glanced at the book Heyes had been reading, which he’d left open on the table.
“I don’t know how he can enjoy reading this stuff.” he commented to Julia, “It’s all double Dutch to me.”
“Has he always been interested in the law?” Julia asked, keen for any information he was willing to give.
The Kid thought for a moment.
“He’s only become interested in becoming a lawyer these past few years. But he’s always had an… aptitude… for legal things.” he added, smiling to himself as he recalled all the times they’d outwitted the law due to Heyes’ knowledge and quick thinking. He’d never thought, back then, that they’d ever give up the outlaw life and earn an honest living.
Heyes made sure he didn’t come back to the cabin until after Julia had left. He just couldn’t face her right now. He was too confused. He realised now that he loved her, and had for some time, but he didn’t know what to do about the discovery.
He had enjoyed the company of women from all over the West and from all walks of life, from saloon girls to the rich and beautiful, some of whom he had grown very fond of, but none of whom had ever given him the desire to spend the rest of his life with. But Julia was different. She touched him in a way no-one else had ever been able to. She seemed to understand him without him having to say a word, and she could reassure him and lift his spirits with just a smile. If only he had met her sooner, it could have been perfect.
The Kid was seated at the table trying to figure his accounts when Heyes finally entered the cabin.
“At last.” he chastised him, “I was thinking of sending out a search party for you. It’s almost eight o’clock.”
“Is it?” muttered Heyes, “I didn’t realise.”
“I kept your supper in the oven.” said the Kid, getting up and crossing to the oven to fetch it. Picking the hot plate up with a cloth, he put it on the table in front of him.
“Thanks.” muttered Heyes, beginning to eat.
The Kid sat down again and picked up his pencil.
“So, where did you get to?” he asked, turning a page in his ledger.
Heyes shrugged. “I needed some time to think.” he said quietly.
The Kid grunted cynically.
“You’ve been doing an awful lot of ‘thinking’ just lately, but not much of anything else.” he said.
“I have a lot on my mind right now.” Heyes said gruffly.
The Kid put down his pencil and levelled his gaze on him. “Such as?”
Heyes looked up to meet the Kid’s level gaze and then looked away.
“Things.” he said with a shrug.
“Aah.” the Kid nodded thoughtfully. He studied him momentarily, noticing the strain in his face and the anguish in his eyes.
“Would one of those ‘things’ be when you’re planning to go back to work at the Courthouse?” he asked presently.
When Heyes didn’t reply the Kid said. “When you came back here you said you were going back to work the following week. That was five weeks ago, and all you’ve done since then is mope about.” He paused momentarily, studying him, “What’s the problem?” he asked presently.
“Come on, Heyes, talk to me.” he said, when Heyes still made no reply.
Heyes put down his knife and lifting his elbow onto the table top, pressed his forehead against the heel of his palm, while he pushed his food absently around the plate with the fork in his other hand.
“Heyes?” the Kid prompted.
Heyes sighed. “I love her, Kid.” he said, his voice barely audible.
“Julia?”
Heyes nodded.
The Kid’s eyebrows rose. He hadn’t known what he was expecting Heyes to say, but it certainly wasn’t that, even though he wasn’t really surprised to hear it.
“I don’t know what to do.” Heyes said presently.
“I find that hard to believe.” the Kid replied with a smirk, but Heyes didn’t seem to register his humour as he stared pensively at his plate.
“If I’d met her before… before the cave-in… before my operation… maybe there would have been a future for us... but not now.”
“Why not?” the Kid cut in.
“What have I got to offer her?” asked Heyes, “I’m an invalid. I have no home… no money… no prospects… I’m an emotional wreck. Look at the exhibition I made of myself at the mine the other day.” He shook his head, “I wake up screaming at night because of nightmares… and then sleep with the lamp on like a five year old.” he said disgustedly, “I turn into a gibbering wreck at the thought of being closed in anywhere.” He sighed deeply, “I hate myself. So how can I expect anyone else to care for me… like this?”
“But she does.” said the Kid.
Heyes shook his head. “She feels sorry for me, that’s all.”
The Kid stared at him, shocked by his words. He knew Heyes had been having a hard time coming to terms with his injuries, but he had no idea just how screwed up he was by everything that had happened.
“That’s crazy talk.” he said presently.
Heyes shrugged dismissively.
“You’re not an invalid.” the Kid told him, “O.K, so you might have to take things a bit slower these days, but you’re perfectly capable. And you do have a job, and prospects, just waiting for you to get back to.” He shook his head reproachfully, “You know, instead of feeling sorry for yourself, you should start counting your blessings.” he chastised him, “You came damn near to losing that leg, and could have ended up in a wheelchair permanently. But, thank God, you didn’t.” He sighed, “I know these last few months, and years, have been hard, but it’s time to accept the things you can’t change, like I’ve had to,” he said, referring to Laura’s murder, “and get on with the rest of your life. There might be a few things you can’t do anymore, but there are so many others that you can. Things you might not even have tried yet.” He looked at Heyes who refused to meet his eyes, resentful at the Kid’s inference that he was wallowing in self pity, and embarrassed because he knew that there was more than a grain of truth in his words.
“Talk to Julia.” the Kid said presently, “You might be pleasantly surprised.” He got to his feet slapping him on the shoulder in a gesture of reassurance, “I’ll go and get some more logs for the fire.” he said, crossing the room and going outside. When he came back Heyes was just disappearing into the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him.
Heyes lay awake late into the night, contemplating the Kid’s words at supper. It was true he had been lucky not to have lost his leg and he supposed he should be grateful that he could walk, even if he did need to use a walking stick. But he’d always been so active it was hard to accept his limitations. And, if he was honest, vanity also played a large part in his feelings. Handsome, lean and virile, he had always drawn admiring looks and all the attention he could want from the opposite sex, and he believed that no-one could ever find him attractive as he was now.
He wondered about Julia. What her feelings towards him might be. She had kissed him at the mine, but had claimed she had done it to comfort him, as a Mother might to a frightened child. But, although she’d seemed initially shocked when he had kissed her earlier that afternoon, she hadn’t pushed him away, and indeed, had begun to respond until he had realised what he was doing and pulled away. Perhaps she did care for him. But caring didn’t mean she would want to spend her life with him. What if he declared his feelings for her and she rejected him? He would be mortified. But what if he didn’t? He didn’t think he could go on just being friends with her, but the thought of cutting off all contact with her, which would be the only alternative, was unbearable.
He drifted off to sleep in the early hours, after finally deciding that, whatever the outcome, he had to tell her how he felt.
He slept late, and the Kid had already left the cabin when he got up.
After he’d fixed himself some breakfast, he sat down with his books and made a concentrated effort to resume his studies.
As he and the Kid ate supper that evening, Heyes said, “What you said yesterday… you were right.”
At the Kid’s startled look he continued. “I have been wallowing in self pity, and you’re right, it’s pointless, when I can’t do anything to change things.”
The Kid nodded. Presently he said, “I do understand your feelings, Heyes. I felt the same way… when Laura… and the baby were killed.” His expression clouded at the mention of her name, and Heyes knew that even after all this time, it still hurt, “You get so…. lost… in the injustice of it all… you forget how to function.”
Heyes nodded. He’d summed it up exactly.
They were both silent for a moment, alone with their own thoughts. Presently Heyes said
“Well, thanks for giving me a kick up the backside. I needed it.”
“It wasn’t a kick.” smiled the Kid, “More a gentle push.”
Heyes smiled gratefully. “Well, thanks anyway.”
The Kid got up to pour them some more coffee. When he sat down again Heyes said, “I’m going to go into town tomorrow to see Ben Walters about going back to work. And I‘m going to pick up my studies and work towards becoming a lawyer.”
“Good.” smiled the Kid.
Heyes rose early the next day and fixed breakfast for himself and the Kid, before taking the wagon into town.
He went first to see Ben Walters and told him that he would resume work the following Monday. Then he went over to Lom’s office.
“Well, Hi. How’s it going?” Lom greeted him with a broad smile.
“O.K.” said Heyes, “Fancy a quick drink over at the saloon?” he enquired, “My treat.”
“Sure. I can spare half an hour or so.”
They went across the street to the saloon and Heyes ordered.
“I’ve just been to see Ben Walters.” he told Lom as the bartender handed them their drinks, “I’m going back to work on Monday.”
“That’s good.” smiled Lom, “I was beginning to think you’d given up on it.”
Heyes looked thoughtful. “I think I had,” he said, “until the Kid gave me a bit of a talking to.”
“Oh.” Lom nodded, knowingly.
Heyes nodded. “I guess I kind of… lost myself.” he told him, “But I realise now, there’s no point brooding on things you can’t change. I’ve just got to go with the hand I’ve been dealt.”
Lom nodded.
“I wanted to apologise… for everything I’ve said to you… or not said, or done… or shouldn’t have done… since I got hurt. I know I wasn’t the best patient, and I gave you, everyone, a hard time.”
“You don’t have to apologise.” said Lom.
“I want to.” said Heyes, “I’m grateful for everything that you, and the Kid… that everyone, has done for me.”
“It was a pleasure.” Lom looked embarrassed. Then, at Heyes’ reproachful look, “Well, maybe not a ‘pleasure’ exactly...” he quipped. Heyes grinned.
They chatted for another half an hour before Lom said he had to get back to work. He bid Heyes farewell after promising to come over and visit the following Sunday.
Heyes finished his drink and then went to pick up some groceries before riding back out to the farm.
He pulled up by the corral, where the Kid was just putting some feed out for the horses.
He straightened and turned to look at Heyes.
“O.K?” he enquired.
“Yeah. I start work on Monday.” Heyes replied, “I went to see Lom too. I took him out for a drink. I figured it was the least I could do after how offhand I’ve been with him since I got back from the Institute. And with you too,” he added, “I’m sorry.”
The Kid waved away his apology.
Heyes glanced across and spotted Julia’s white horse tethered outside the house. The Kid forgotten, he climbed down from the wagon, picked up his walking stick and headed towards the house, the Kid watching him from the corral.
Heyes stepped up onto the porch and took a deep breath before opening the door and going inside.
Julia was putting up clean curtains at the kitchen window. She turned to see who it was as he entered the room.
“Hi.” Heyes said hesitantly.
“Hi.” Julia replied.
They eyed each other warily for a moment. Then Julia said, “Would you like some coffee? There’s some left from lunch time.”
“Please.” said Heyes, crossing to the table and sitting down, while Julia got down from the step ladder and poured him a cup, carrying it across to the table and putting it in front of him.
“Thank you.” said Heyes. As she turned to go back to hanging the curtains, Heyes called out her name.
She turned to look at him. “Yes?”
“Can I… er… I’d like to talk to you…” Heyes stammered. He’d never felt as nervous in his life as he was at this moment.
“Yes?” Julia said again, looking perturbed at the anxious expression on his face.
“Won’t you… sit down?” Heyes indicated towards the table.
Julia sat down, studying his face as he laced his fingers around the mug of coffee and stared pensively into the dark liquid, sure that he was going to say he didn’t want her to come to the farm anymore out of embarrassment at what had happened between them.
“I… er…” Heyes began, but then stopped, clearing this throat before beginning again, “I’ve been thinking...” he said gruffly, “I… er…” he sighed exasperatedly, “I don’t know how to say this…”
“You don’t want me to come here anymore.” Julia said, to avoid prolonging the agony.
Heyes’ eyes snapped onto her face, startled by her words.
“No, no, it’s nothing like that.”
“Then, what?” asked Julia, a puzzled look on her face.
Heyes had intended to try and find out her feelings before he risked revealing his own, but as he looked into her eyes, he couldn’t hold back any longer.
“I… I’m in love with you.” he croaked.
He stared at her, holding his breath as he waited, for what, he didn’t know. For her to fall into his arms? To laugh in his face? To walk out?
Julia did none of these things. She just sat there, looking stunned.
Heyes let his breath out in a defeated sigh. She obviously thought he’d lost his mind and didn’t know what to say to him, and he was consumed with embarrassment for having told her.
Getting to his feet he crossed to the sink, holding on to it as he gazed out of the window, his back to her. “I’m sorry.” he said hoarsely, “I shouldn’t have said anything. Now I’ve embarrassed you, and myself. I should have known you wouldn’t feel the same way. How could you?” he broke off as his voice faltered, cursing the disabilities that he believed would prevent anyone from finding him desirable. He lifted a hand to cover his face, wishing he’d kept his feelings to himself.
He jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Julia standing by his side, a smile on her face.
“Quite easily.” she said softly.
Heyes’ eyes widened as the implications of her words sank in.
“You mean...” He began, his expression becoming incredulous.
“Oh, Joshua. I’ve been in love with you since the first time I saw you.” she told him, her eyes bright with tears of joy. As she said it she realised that she had probably fallen for him even before then, after listening to Thaddeus’ stories about him, and she couldn’t believe he felt the same way about her that she did about him.
“Julia!” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Presently he pulled away and held her at arms length.
“I’d like you to be my wife.” he told her, but as she opened her mouth to reply he put his index finger to her lips to silence her.
“But before I can ask you that, there’s some things you have to know. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us.”
He led her back to the table and sat her down before seating himself beside her.
“My name isn’t Joshua Smith.” he told her, “It’s Heyes. Hannibal Heyes.”
“The outlaw?” Julia’s eyes widened in surprise. She couldn’t believe it. According to everything she’d heard about Hannibal Heyes, he was a vicious, ruthless criminal and Joshua wasn’t like that.
Heyes nodded. “And Thaddues is Kid Curry. But we gave up thieving and went straight.”
“I heard Thaddeus call you Heyes at the mine last week, but I never gave it a thought. I’ve heard such terrible stories about you, and you’re just not like that.”
“No.” agreed Heyes, “All those stories were exaggerated, but it suited us to have people believe them. People were afraid to challenge us then, and we wouldn’t have to resort to violence.”
“So, you’ve never killed anyone?”
Heyes shook his head. “No. No-one. It’s on record if you care to check.” He told her.
Julia shook her head. “If you say you didn’t, I believe you. But, what made you go straight? And if you went straight, why are you still wanted?”
Heyes shrugged. “The odds were tipping against us.” he told her, “With the telegraph spreading all over the country, robberies could be reported much quicker and our chances of getting away grew much slimmer. It became a case of survival in the end.” He sighed, “We put in for an amnesty from the Governor, and we were this close to getting it,” he held his finger and thumb a fraction apart, “when the Governor died, and his successor abolished the scheme.” He shrugged, “We thought about going back to our outlaw life. We even toyed with the idea of moving to Mexico, but we’d gone straight for so long by then, we hadn’t the heart to go back to it. So, we decided to stick with our assumed names and try to disappear.” He looked at her now, “Do you believe me?”
Julia nodded .
“Does it change things?”
Julia thought for a moment and then shook her head.
“No. It doesn’t change how I feel, but if you’d still been an outlaw, I don’t think I could have handled it. Not because I’d love you any less, but because I couldn’t have lived with the worry that you’d go off one day, get killed, or captured, and never come back.”
Heyes smiled at her, touched by her words.
“I can’t promise that won’t ever happen.” he told her honestly, “We are still wanted, and we have been recognised on occasions and had to disappear in a hurry. But we’ve been out of the business so long now, people don’t recognise us so much nowadays, especially since we’ve lived here, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it stays that way.”
Julia nodded thoughtfully. Presently she said. “Tell me about your life.”
“What’s to tell?” said Heyes, “We were outlaws, we went straight, and now we try to make an honest living like everyone else.”
“Tell me about your childhood.” said Julia, “How you and Thaddeus ended up as outlaws.”
Heyes was reluctant. He hated talking about their past. It always sounded so tragic, and he supposed it was, but never having known anything else, it was just survival to them. But he could see that Julia needed to know everything, and so he told her of their childhood, of their parents’ murders, and of their slide into a life of crime in order to survive when no-one would employ them due to their young age, and begging usually only brought them a clip round the ears. He told her of their graduation from stealing food and clothes, to money, and then to robbing banks and trains, and of how they’d come to enjoy spending their ill-gotten gains.
“After having nothing all of our lives, it was sort of like payback time.” he told her.​
“They were good days.” he added, with a nostalgic smile, “The best time of our lives. I miss them.” he sighed, “Not that I regret going straight.” he continued, “I don’t. We’d probably be dead now, or locked up for twenty years, if we hadn’t. It’s just that…” he shrugged, “It seems like we’ve had nothing but problems since the day we quit…”
He trailed off, thinking of all the things that had happened in the years since.​
“Presumably Thaddeus told you about the blood clot I had?” He said presently.
​
Julia nodded.
“We went through a rough time back then.” said Heyes, “We nearly parted company for good.”
“Oh? Why?” The Kid had never told her about their falling out after Heyes’ time at the Institute, embarrassed to confess that it had been mostly his fault.
Heyes explained about the accident, and about Laura’s death and the effect it had all had on them both.
“It took us a long time to get past all that.” he told her.
“I can’t believe you allowed yourselves to get into such a state.” said Julia, “You’re so close.”
Heyes nodded agreement. “Looking back now, neither can I. But we were both so messed up. Thaddeus over Laura, and me because of the injury I sustained…” He shrugged, “I guess we both needed a shoulder to cry on, and because we would normally have turned to each other we just... lost it for a while. It’s a good job Lom was around. If it hadn’t been for him pushing us, I think we would have parted company for good. We owe him a hell of a lot. When we first went in for the amnesty, he bailed us out of trouble more times than I care to remember, often risking his own job in the process.”
“Sheriff Trevors knew you were outlaws?” Julia’s eyes widened in amazement.
Heyes nodded, grinning. “It was him who approached the government on our behalf.”
“I can’t believe that he didn’t just turn you in, with a $20,000 reward on your heads.” said Julia, “You took a gamble, asking him to help you, didn’t you?”
“Not really.” smiled Heyes. At Julia’s puzzled look he said, “Lom was an old friend of ours. Before he became a Sheriff he was an outlaw too. He rode with us for a while.”
Julia’s jaw fell open in shock. “I don’t believe it.” she gasped.
“It is hard to believe isn’t it?” laughed Heyes, “Lom’s so straight and ‘law abiding’. It’s hard to imagine him being on the other side.”
“Yes, it is.” said Julia.
“After he became Sheriff, we heard he was acting under the governor and representing criminals who wanted to clear their records and go straight, and we decided to ask him to help us. Because of who we were though, the government insisted we prove we meant it by staying out of trouble until they saw fit to grant it. Believe me, it wasn’t easy. We kept getting recognized, by the law and also by other criminals who either wanted to turn us in for the reward, or wanted to blackmail us into helping them with their schemes in exchange for them not turning us in.” He paused momentarily, remembering. “It was Lom who chose the names Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones for us to use. We’ve got used to them now, but we still use our real names in private.” He fell silent for a few moments as he thought back over their lives. Then he turned to Julia and said, “So, now you know all about me. Now tell me about you.”
Julia told him about her childhood growing up on her Father’s ranch and how the ranch hands had taught her their skills, of her older Sister, Eunice, who was a teacher in Boston and married to a lawyer, and of their younger brother, William, who had contracted polio and died at just five years old, two years younger than she was.
“I try to remember him.” she said, “But I have trouble recalling what he looks like.”
Heyes nodded. “I know. I sometimes try to picture my Mother’s face, but I can’t distinguish her features. I just have an overall impression of her. She was homely, with hair about as long as yours, the same colour as mine. I remember, she used to roll it up in an ivory comb.” He paused, remembering, while Julia studied his face, so beautiful in repose.
“Thaddeus had a photograph of his Mother, but he lost it when our gear was stolen one time.” Heyes continued presently. “She was a real beauty. Long wavy hair, the colour of corn, porcelain skin and eyes as blue as a summer day. Thaddeus gets his colouring from her, but his features are more like his Father I think, especially when he grows a moustache. His Father had one, a reddish one. Thaddeus’ grows reddish brown too.” He thought for a moment, “I have my Mother’s colouring and bone structure, but my Father’s build I think, and Thaddeus says I have his voice.” He turned to Julia now, “I don’t think I’ve ever met your folks. Who do you take after? I can’t see Doctor Simpson in you.”
Julia shook her head. “I take after my Father’s family. My Grandmother had flame red hair, that’s where my auburn comes from, and I have my Father’s green eyes. My Grandparents were Irish. My Sister is like Mama and Uncle Tom. Her hair is dark too, like theirs and her eyes are brown.”
They both fell silent momentarily, digesting everything they’d told each other about themselves and their lives. Presently Heyes said, “Well, now you know all the sad and sordid details of my life, does it change anything?”
Julia shook her head. “No. If anything I admire you more. With the start you two had in life, it would have been so easy to turn into a bitter, ruthless killer, but despite everything that’s happened to you, you’ve stayed honest, and caring, and kind.”
Heyes actually blushed, and Julia giggled, leaning across to kiss him on the cheek. Heyes put his arms around her and pulled her to him, kissing her passionately on the lips.
As they parted, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.
“Will you marry me?” he asked, his voice gruff with desire.
“Yes.” Julia replied breathlessly.
Heyes pushed her to arms length, looking anxiously into her eyes. “Even with my… disabilities?”
“What disabilities?” scoffed Julia, “Just because you have to use that stick doesn’t make you disabled.”
Heyes smiled gently, stroking her cheek with his finger, touched by what he saw as her attempt to boost his confidence.
“Thank you.” he whispered. Hooking his finger under her chin and lifting her head up, he bent to kiss her lightly on the lips before saying, “But I am. I can barely walk, and I can’t do any heavy work. I have brain damage…”
“No...” Julia protested.
“It may not look like it, but its there.” insisted Heyes, “After I had the blood clot one side of my body was paralyzed and I couldn’t speak. I had no memory of what had happened and I didn’t recognise anyone. I didn’t even know my own name when I came round after the operation. It took me almost a year to learn to speak and write and walk again, and a good deal longer before I was what you could call recovered. That was three and a half years ago, and still there are words I can’t recognize when I read books or the newspaper, and things that I’ve been told have happened to me that I can’t remember. Because of the weakness it left in my system I get tired quickly, I have trouble concentrating for long periods and I’m more susceptible to illness. My thought processes and reactions are only eighty percent of what they used to be before. Even now, I have days when it’s an effort to think straight. Combined with the damaged caused in the cave-in…” he lifted his shoulders in a shrug, “I’m not much of a catch.”
“You’re too hard on yourself.” Julia told him, “O.K, so you led an active life before but you wouldn’t have been able to keep it up. Everyone has to slow down as age overtakes them. You just had to do it a few years early.” She kissed him gently on the lips before saying, “You’re studying to be a lawyer aren’t you? That’s not easy. Very few people are clever enough to do it. If you can, and I’m sure you will, there’s not much wrong with you.” She kissed him again, “I think I landed a very good catch.” she smiled, and Heyes hugged her to him, his eyes bright with tears. “Thank you.” he whispered, burying his face in her hair, “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Julia replied, nestling against his chest.​
* * *
​
Heyes and Julia spent the rest of the afternoon in the farmhouse, talking and making plans.
When the Kid returned at dusk, they told him of their engagement.
“That’s great. Congratulations.” The Kid kissed Julia on the cheek and pumped Heyes’ hand, but Heyes noticed the haunted look behind his eyes and knew that he was thinking back to when he and Laura had first set up home together, and he suddenly felt guilty as he remembered how resentful he had been when the Kid had told him he was moving in with her, because he’d believed it would break up their friendship.
When the Kid went outside to get some wood for the fire, Heyes followed him.
“I’m sorry, Kid.” he told him.
“For what?” asked the Kid as he put logs into a bucket to carry back inside.
Heyes shrugged. “For the way I behaved when you told me you were going to live with Laura. I was… jealous… and I know it showed, even though I tried to hide it. I’d never had those kinds of feelings for anyone and I didn’t… understand… how…powerful they could be. I thought your relationship with Laura would destroy ours. I should have known it wouldn’t. I was stupid.”
The Kid smiled. It was hard for Heyes to admit when he was wrong.
“Not stupid.” he said quietly, “Just… unenlightened.” He stared at him momentarily before saying, “I hope you’ll be as happy as we were.”
Heyes nodded. “I hope so too.” he replied, holding his gaze for a long moment before they stepped forward and embraced each other. When they parted, the Kid said, “I’m sorry if I was a bit off with you both just now… it just… made me think of…” he shrugged, “what might have been… you know?”
Heyes put a hand on his shoulder. “I know… I shouldn’t have been so thoughtless as to shove it in your face like that. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be silly. That’s how it should be.”
“I’ve told her everything, Kid. Who we really are.” Heyes said presently, his eyes searching the Kid’s face for approval. ​
The Kid nodded, not entirely surprised. He knew Heyes couldn’t enter into a marriage based on lies.​
“Is she O.K. with it?” he asked.
Heyes nodded.
“Good.” The Kid smiled.
“Will you be my best man?” Heyes asked.
“Try stopping me.” retorted the Kid.
They went back inside, laughing together.
* * *
​
The next day, Julia took Heyes to her Father’s ranch to introduce him to her parents and tell them of their engagement. He was nervous that they would disapprove of the union, but he needn’t have worried. His natural charm soon had them eating out of his hand, just as Julia had known it would, and they gave the marriage their blessing.
The following Saturday, Heyes told the Kid he wanted to make another trip to the mine, and asked him if he would go with him. He hadn’t told Julia he was planning to go. He didn’t want her to be there after the exhibition he’d made of himself on his previous visit in case the same thing happened again, although he had resolved that, this time, he wasn’t going to let it get the better of him.
The Kid agreed to go with him and they set off after breakfast.
As soon as they reached the entrance of the mine, Heyes broke out in a cold sweat, but he gritted his teeth and stepped inside, his knuckles white as he gripped his walking stick. He had to do this. As much for Julia as for himself.
“O.K?” the Kid enquired.
Heyes nodded, his gaze fixed on the tunnel.
They progressed slowly along the tunnel, Heyes breathing heavily as he tried to control his rising panic.
They reached the bend where Heyes had had to give up last time, and he stopped walking, one hand braced against the rocky wall of the tunnel. He was visibly trembling and his face glistened with perspiration. He glanced anxiously back at the dim glow of daylight from the tunnel entrance and then back towards the blackness of the shaft around the bend ahead before closing his eyes and pressing himself back against the wall, obviously trying to fight the overpowering urge to turn and flee.
The Kid stepped up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re doing fine.” he told him, “Just relax. You can make it. Just take your time.”
Heyes nodded, without opening his eyes.
The Kid removed his hand and turned to step away but Heyes grabbed his forearm, holding on so tightly that his fingers began to tingle as Heyes’ grip cut off the blood supply to his hand.
“It’s O.K. I’m not going anywhere.” he told him, as he prized Heyes’ hand off his arm. But as he did so, Heyes grabbed it again. The Kid gave up and left it there, waiting patiently for him to collect himself.
​
Presently, Heyes levered himself off the wall and set off again, still gripping the Kid’s forearm with one hand, seeming in need of the moral support of the physical contact.
“O.K?” the Kid asked presently.
Heyes nodded, too choked by fear to speak.
Eventually they arrived at the spot where Heyes had been buried. The tunnel had never been re-opened, and the pile of rubble was still as it had been that day. It had been too risky to dig out the body of Benjamin Ingles, the man who’s arm Heyes had seen poking out of the rubble, and so they had used the earth removed during Heyes’ rescue to cover the remainder of his body and had erected a cross in memory of him and the others who had been killed.
Heyes stood, staring at the makeshift grave, an anguished expression on his face, an involuntary shudder wracking his body at the realization of how easily it could have been him buried there. He sank slowly to his knees, still holding onto the walking stick, the Kid, and his fear, temporarily forgotten as he contemplated that fact. Then, closing his eyes, he bowed his head and said a silent prayer for Benjamin Ingles and all the others who had died that day.
Sensing that Heyes needed to be alone, the Kid carefully set down the lamp they’d brought with them and retreated thirty feet back down the shaft, perching himself on an outcrop of rock and rubbing his arm which stung painfully from Heyes’ vice-like grip on it. Four red marks stood out on the skin, outlining where his fingers had been, with four indentations where his fingernails had pressed into his flesh.
Heyes sat for some time, staring at the pile of rubble that had imprisoned him and which could easily have been his tomb. Finally, the Kid saw him lift a hand to cover his face and then heard his muffled sobs as he faced up to his feelings about that day, and the demons that had haunted him since. He had the urge to go to him and comfort him, but resisted. This was something Heyes had to face up to and deal with on his own if he was to have any hope of putting it behind him and moving on.
Heyes sat for some considerable time, weeping at the tragedy and the injustice of what had happened, not only at the mine, but during the past few years – Laura’s murder, the fall that had caused the blood clot in his head and the disabilities that had resulted from it, the injuries he’d received in the cave-in and his continuing battle to recover from them. After the cave-in he had questioned if there was any point in going on, but, now that he had Julia, his life had meaning once more.
Slowly his tears subsided as his thoughts turned away from the events of the last three and a half years, to Julia, and the future. God, how he loved her. How he needed her. She was his last chance to make something of his life. The knowledge both pleased and frightened him. He’d never needed anyone in his life the way he needed her, and he was almost afraid to give himself to her, body and soul, lest she should leave him, because he knew it would kill him if she did. But at the same time he relished the feeling of belonging to someone, of knowing that they loved him, warts and all. He knew that the Kid loved him, as he did the Kid, but that was a different kind of love. A brotherly love, different to what the Kid had felt for Laura and that he felt for Julia. He sighed. Julia loved him now, but would it last he wondered? After all, they’d only known each other a few weeks, and he worried that she would tire of him in time. But he pushed his fears about losing her to the back of his mind. However long she wanted him for, he would be there.
After half an hour, the Kid got up and walked tentatively back along the shaft towards Heyes. He had gotten cold sitting around and Heyes seemed to have calmed down now.​
He walked up to him and crouched down at this side. Heyes was lost in thought and didn’t register his presence.
The Kid put a hand on his shoulder. “Heyes?” he said quietly.
Heyes returned from his reverie and turned to look at him. His eyes were still moist, but he looked more peaceful than he had for a long time and the Kid knew he had resolved a lot by coming here.
“You O.K?” he asked.
Heyes nodded slowly.
“Are you ready to go?”
Heyes cleared his throat. “Yeah.” he replied hoarsely.
The Kid helped him to his feet and bent to pick up the lamp while Heyes sniffed and wiped the back of his hand across his eyes.
They set off slowly back along the shaft. It was obvious that Heyes was still afraid of being in the mine, but not paralyzingly so as he had been before. Obviously, seeing the place where he had been entombed, once more, had exorcised many of the demons that had haunted him since the cave-in and had made him thankful to be alive.
Neither spoke until after they’d left the mine and were on the wagon heading back to the farm. Then, Heyes said suddenly, “Thanks for coming with me today, Kid. It’s done me a lot of good.”
“I’m glad.” smiled the Kid.
“It’s made me realize how lucky I am to have survived.” Heyes said gruffly, “Even if it has left me an invalid.”
“Heyes…” the Kid said reproachfully, but Heyes spoke over him.
“And I know I have to do the best I can with the time I’ve been given, to make a good life, for myself and for Julia."​
The Kid nodded. “I’m sure you will.”
They fell silent once more. Several minutes later Heyes said, “I’m sorry if I let you down.”
The Kid shot him a startled glance. “What do you mean?” he asked, looking puzzled.
Heyes shrugged. “You always followed where I led.” He sighed, “Look where I led you.” He shook his head, “If it wasn’t for me, you might have had a decent life.” he told him, thinking back to how, after their parents’ murders when he was just nine years old and the Kid seven, he, as the eldest, had had to make the decisions on how best to look after them both, and he felt guilty that those decisions had ultimately led them into a life of crime. He looked at the Kid now, “I don’t regret the paths I chose… but it wasn't really my place to make those choices for you too and I regret that I took you down those paths with me. As the eldest it was up to me to guide you.” He sighed. “I didn’t do a very good job.” he said, his voice faltering.
The Kid pulled the horses to a halt and turned to look squarely at Heyes.
“You did a great job.” he told him, “You’ve been everything to me. Father, Mother, Brother, Friend. You were always there when I needed someone, and I don’t regret a minute of our outlaw days. We did more in those years than most people manage in a lifetime.” He shook his head, “You didn’t let me down. If anything, it’s me who let you down.” he added with a frown, “You would never have deserted me the way I did you while you were at the Institute.” He paused momentarily, remembering, before looking at Heyes once more.
“You didn’t let me down Heyes.” he repeated, “On my own I’d have achieved nothing, been nobody. Most likely I’d have been killed in some fast draw challenge somewhere. I owe you everything. We weren’t related. We just happened to live next door to each other. You were under no obligation to take care of me when our folks were killed. You could have gone off alone and left me to fend for myself. But you didn’t, and I’ll be grateful for that ‘til my dying day.”
Heyes smiled and patted the Kid’s arm, too choked to reply.
​
The Kid picked up the reins and gee’d the horses. Neither spoke again for the rest of the journey, both of them thinking back to their childhoods and of the events that had shaped their lives.
Back at the farm, Heyes put on a pot of coffee, while the Kid set about chopping some logs for the woodpile.
Heyes poured them both a mug of coffee and carried them out onto the porch, handing the Kid his before seating himself in one of two chairs that the Kid kept out there where, tired and emotionally drained by the trip to the mine, he fell asleep, and was still asleep two hours later when Julia arrived.
“Is he alright?” Julia asked worriedly as she studied his face.
“He’s fine.” the Kid said quietly, “He’s just had a pretty heavy morning.”
“Oh?” Julia looked intrigued.
“I’d better let him tell you about it when he wakes up.” said the Kid,“Don’t worry,” he added, seeing Julia’s anxious expression, “everything’s fine.” Julia looked doubtful, but the Kid just smiled and went off to continue his chores.
Julia made some fresh coffee and took two cups out onto the porch, setting them down and then bending to shake Heyes awake.
“Joshua.” she called.
Heyes woke with a start, breaking into a smile when he saw her standing there.
“Hi.” He muttered sleepily, “When did you get here?”
“About twenty minutes ago. Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. What time is it?”
“Almost three.”
Heyes’ eyes widened in surprise. “God, I must have been asleep for hours.” he said, sitting up straight and rubbing his eyes.
“Thaddeus said you had a heavy morning?” What happened?” asked Julia as she handed Heyes his coffee.
“I went to the mine.” said Heyes. On seeing her surprised and somewhat disappointed expression he said, “I would have told you, but I knew you’d want to come with me and… as much as I would have liked you there, I didn’t want to risk making an exhibition of myself in front of you like I did before.” He looked away, embarrassed by his own honesty, but he didn’t want her to think he was keeping anything from her or going behind her back.
Julia studied his face for a moment, sensing his unease.
“How did it go?” she asked finally, deciding not to pass any further comment on his admission.
Heyes looked at her now. “O.K.” he said presently, “It was hard going, but I made it to the spot where I was trapped.” His expression became sombre, “They buried Benjamin Ingles where he lay, and erected a cross to his memory, and all of the others that died…” he trailed off momentarily, lost in thought.
“It made me realize… just how close I came to being killed.” He continued presently, “Just four feet. That’s all the distance there was between him and me… between life… and death.” He shook his head sadly. Then, making a visible effort to shake off the sombre mood, he said, “It helped me sort out a lot of things in my head. I realize now, how lucky I am to be alive, despite the injuries I received, and I know where I’m going from here on.”
“And where’s that?” said Julia.
Heyes grinned. “Up the aisle with you.” he said, taking her hand and pulling her towards him to plant a kiss on the end of her nose.
Julia giggled and flung her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately on the lips.
“Whoah…” laughed Heyes as he slopped hot coffee over the edge of the cup onto his leg.
“Oh, sorry.” said Julia, “Has it burnt you?” she asked anxiously.
“No, it’s fine.” smiled Heyes. Never having had anyone to care for him, he was touched by her concern over something so trivial.
He announced that he was going to take a bath, and went inside to begin heating the water. He felt dirty after his trip to the mine and wanted to wash away the last traces of the place so that he could put it behind him and begin his life afresh.
When he went to take the bath, Julia asked the Kid for his version of what had happened at the mine, guessing that Heyes would have edited his story.
“Was he as scared as the last time?” she asked him.
The Kid nodded. “Yeah, he was scared, but he hung in there. There was a moment, when we got to that sharp bend where he gave up last time, when I thought he was gonna run for it.” he told her, “He grabbed hold of my arm so tight it cut off the circulation to my hand. But he held it together and we made it to the place where he was trapped.”
He told her of how the shock of seeing Benjamin Ingles’ makeshift grave and the memorial to him and the other men who had died, and realizing just how close he had come to being killed, had reduced him to tears. “But it seems to have done him good.” he told her, “He seems a lot calmer and a lot more positive.”
Julia nodded. “Yes, I think he does seem more positive than he was.”
Hopefully, it’ll put and end to those dreadful nightmares he has.” the Kid added.
“Nightmares?” Julia looked puzzled.
“Hasn’t he told you?” said the Kid, looking anxious at revealing what Heyes might have wanted to keep to himself.
“No.” said Julia, looking hurt that he hadn’t confided in her.
“He doesn’t like to admit to them.” the Kid said in explanation, “It embarrasses him to get upset. I only know about them because he wakes me sometimes when he has one.”
“Oh.” muttered Julia. She hated to think of him being upset like that, but she couldn’t mention it to him without breaking Thaddeus’ confidence. She just hoped that they would cease now that he’d been to the mine and faced his demons.
However, Heyes had another nightmare that night, and the kid was woken at three o’clock by Heyes yelling out.
He jumped out of bed and went into Heyes’ room where he lit the lamp before turning to shake him awake. His hair and face were damp with perspiration and tears glistened on his cheeks as he thrashed about, turning his head from side to side and muttering incoherently.
In the dream, he was once again at the Institute, balanced on crutches, but instead of Doctor Deveraux ordering him to walk as it had been in all of the previous nightmares he’d had, this time it was Julia. As before, when he tried to walk, his legs shattered into pieces beneath him. As he lay helpless on the floor, begging for someone to help him he could hear Julia laughing. He lifted his head to see her standing in front of him, hands on hips, a look of disdain on her face. ‘You’re a cripple.’ she sneered, ‘You’re no use to me. I need a real man. One who can take care of me. Not one I have to wet-nurse for the rest of his life.’ She shook her head, turning and walking away.
“No... don’t leave…” cried Heyes, “Help me… please…”
“Heyes! Wake up.” The Kid shook him.
“Help me…” choked Heyes, still dreaming.
“Heyes!” The Kid shook him again, “Wake up.”
Heyes woke with a start, his eyes full of anguish. “H-help me…” he choked, his mind still locked in the dream.
“Sssh, it’s O.K. Relax.” the Kid soothed.
“What…” Heyes stared up at the Kid. Then, as his senses cleared and he realised where he was, he covered his face with his hands and with a groaned “Oh, God” he twisted into the pillow, shaking his head in anguish.
“Heyes?” the Kid called anxiously
Heyes ignored him, his face buried in the pillow, his shoulders shaking with emotion.
“Heyes?” The Kid put a hand on his shoulder, “What is it?” Of all the nightmares he’d had, he had never reacted quite like this, “Whatever it was, it’s just a dream. It can’t hurt you. Just relax.”
Presently, Heyes rolled back onto his back
​
“It was awful…” he choked, wiping his hand across his eyes before falteringly recounting the details of the dream.
He shook his head. “It was so real…” He shook his head, “I was so scared I’d lost her...” he broke off as his voice faltered.
“You’re being paranoid.” the Kid told him, “The trip to the mine has unsettled you. You know Julia won’t leave you.”
“Do I?” croaked Heyes.
“Yes, you do.” the Kid told him, “You wouldn’t be marrying her otherwise.”
“When Heyes made no reply the Kid said, “Now try and get some sleep. It’s late. Shall I leave the lamp on?”
​
“Mmm? Oh, no, it’s O.K. You can turn it out.” muttered Heyes.
The Kid raised an eyebrow. The nightmare about Julia might have upset him, but his trip to the mine had obviously had a beneficial effect in other areas.
The Kid blew out the lamp and bid him goodnight.
Lom arrived for a visit the next day, and Heyes told him the news about his and Julia’s engagement. Lom was astonished, not having realized that Heyes and Julia were anything other than friends. But he wished him well, glad, after all of the trials and tribulations he and the Kid had suffered these past few years, to see something good happening for once. He wondered what the Kid thought about it after losing Laura so tragically, but when he looked into his face he could see nothing but happiness for his friend.
​
The wedding date was set for six months ahead. Heyes wanted to get back to work and earn some money for them to set up home first.
Julia’s Father gave them a plot of land on the outskirts of his ranch as a wedding gift, and Heyes commissioned workers to build a house for them. At one time, he would have done the work himself, but he wasn’t strong enough now to undertake the heavy work involved and so had to content himself with overseeing the build and doing little jobs to give the place a personal touch.
Julia happily went about collecting furniture, making curtains and bed covers, and when the Kid had time he came over to help out with the building project.
The wedding was to be a small affair, since Heyes had no family and Julia had only a few close relatives.
The Kid was to be best man, and invitations were issued to Joey, his assistant at the farm, Lom, Ben Walters, Charles Inglewood and Jamie, Heyes’ colleagues from the Courthouse, Chuck Jackson, the Foreman who had risked his life to help rescue Heyes from the mine, Bill Jenkins and Henry Winters, and a couple of others he and the Kid were friendly with. Heyes also sent an invitation to Doctor Deveraux at the Institute.
On Julia’s side, her four best female friends were invited, her Uncle, Doctor Simpson, and his wife and four of the longest serving ranch hands who had known Julia since she was a child. Her Sister, Eunice, was seven months pregnant and was unable to attend, but sent a box of expensive towels for a wedding gift.
The house was finished a month before the wedding and Julia set about putting up curtains and adding the finishing touches, scarcely able to wait for the day when they would be able to live here together as man and wife.
* * *
​
​Two days before the wedding Lom and the Kid dragged Heyes off to town to the saloon for a ‘send off’ party, from which they hadn’t returned until two in the morning somewhat worse for wear.
Both slept late the next day, and got up with hangovers. For once, the Kid took a day off from working on the farm, partly because he was feeling too ill to work, but partly so that he could spend the day with Heyes.
After today, their lives would be different. Heyes’ sole allegiance would no longer be to the Kid, but to Julia, and while he knew they would always be close friends, always be there for each other, their relationship would never be the same again, and while the Kid was happy that Heyes had finally found happiness with Julia, he felt a certain sadness for the inevitable loss of closeness that his marriage to her would have on their relationship and he felt the need to be with him today, just the two of them, as, apart from the short time he's been living with Laura, it always had been, until now.
Heyes also seemed to have a sense of nostalgia today and most of the day was taken up with reminiscences of their past lives, of their childhoods and their time as outlaws.
“Does it bother you, that we didn’t get the amnesty?” the Kid asked him.
Heyes looked thoughtful for a moment. “It did at the time.” he said presently, “But not any more. How about you?” he eyed the Kid.
The Kid shook his head. “At the time, I thought it was the end of the world.” he said, “But… after Laura... it didn’t seem important any more.”
Heyes nodded. “Everything that’s happened to me… I was bitter… for a long time... But… if none of it had happened... I might never have met Julia… so… I guess… in one way... it was a blessing in disguise.”
The Kid nodded. "They say everything happens for a reason."
“Are you happy, Kid?” Heyes asked suddenly.
The Kid looked at him.
“I know what losing Laura did to you.” Heyes continued, “How do you live with it?” Now that he had Julia, he couldn’t imagine how he would have coped if the situation were reversed.
The Kid shrugged. Presently he said. “You said to me ‘Be thankful for the time you had together. Cherish the memories. Don’t let grief and bitterness destroy them.’ That’s what I’ve tried to do. I am thankful that I found her, and for the two years we had together. I wish we’d had longer together, but on the other hand I might never have met her at all and would have missed out on so much.”
“No regrets then?” said Heyes, his dark eyes questioning.
The Kid shook his head. “Apart from what happened to Laura, none." He looked at Heyes, "Not about anything." he said pointedly, as an affirmation that he didn't regret being led into an outlaw life by Heyes, “From the start we had in life... and everything that we’ve been through down the years... I think we’ve done O.K.”
Heyes nodded, a slight smile coming to the corners of his mouth. “And who knows what’s still ahead…”
The Kid smiled now. “Who knows?” he nodded.
As dusk fell, the Kid set about heating water for Heyes to take a bath. Realizing that there was only a few more hours left before the wedding, Heyes’ nerves began to get the better of him, pacing up and down the kitchen.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so tense.” the Kid laughed, “Sit down and have a drink, calm your nerves.”
Heyes grimaced. “I couldn’t face a drink.” he replied, “My stomach’s still churned up from last night.” He turned to face the Kid suddenly, “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”
“You know you are.” smiled the Kid, “Sit down and relax until the water’s ready.”
Heyes sat down, but jumped up again two minutes later, to pace up and down the kitchen once more.
The Kid raised his eyes heavenwards and gave up trying to talk to him.
By the time Heyes went to bed, he was so wound up with apprehension and excitement he couldn’t sleep, and it was well into the early hours before he drifted off.
The Kid had guessed he wouldn’t sleep and left it as late as possible, the next morning, to wake him.
At nine thirty he took him in a cup of coffee and shook him awake.
“Come on, rise and shine, sleepyhead.”
Heyes struggled into a sitting position and accepted the mug from him. “Thanks.” he croaked, “What time is it?”
“Nine thirty.” the Kid told him, “Drink that and get washed. Breakfast’ll be ready by the time you’re done.”
“I’m not hungry.” said Heyes.
“You’ve got a busy day ahead. You need a good breakfast inside you.” the Kid told him.
He left the room and began to prepare a cooked breakfast of bacon, eggs, beans, tomatoes and fried potatoes.
Just as he was dishing it up, Heyes entered the room, washed and shaved, his freshly washed hair neatly combed, clad in a casual shirt and pants until it was time to dress for the wedding. He sat down at the table and the Kid put a plate in front of him.
“I can’t.” protested Heyes, feeling sick with nerves. But the Kid wasn’t having any of it.
“Eat.” he commanded, and stood over him while he did so.
Once he’d actually started to eat, he found himself enjoying it, and cleared the plate.
“That was great, Kid. Thanks.” he told him as the Kid placed another mug of coffee in front of him.
The Kid shrugged. “Least I could do for a condemned man.” he grinned.
Heyes smiled back, but made no comment. He felt a little awkward with the Kid about the wedding because of what had happened to Laura and the baby. They had never had the chance for a wedding ceremony of their own. He was bound to feel a little resentful about his and Julia’s forthcoming union. But if he was, the Kid was careful not to let it show.
​
* * *
​
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