Mary woke from the light doze she had slipped into when she felt Ezra trying to get up. "Hang on and I'll help you." She got quickly to her feet and reached down to help him to stand. No matter how she tried she just couldn't pull him to his feet.He impatiently waved her hands away and struggled to his knees, then reached up for her. "Let me hold on to you," he instructed. She moved closer and he grabbed her waist to try to pull himself up. That time when she got hold of him under his arms, their combined efforts succeeded in bringing him to his feet.
Mary slipped in beside him and wrapped her arms around him to steady him when he swayed on his feet and nearly went down again. "Just stand here a minute until you get your balance," she suggested.
"I don't have a minute!" he snapped.
"All right, but lean on me. Where do you want to go?" She ignored his harsh tone, knowing that he was in severe discomfort. "Let me just get you a little ways away from where we are sleeping."
"No! I have to sit. I can't… I can't squat down on my own…" He grimaced in pain and then continued. "…and you can't hold me up."
"Then where? Back to the tree? I can hold you up if you are sitting there." She started moving him in that direction as quickly as she dared with him so shaky and weak. They paused when a really bad cramp hit him, and he clutched his stomach in pain.
Mary held him as tightly as she could, and he leaned heavily on her as they started moving again. When they got there he tried to open the fastenings on his pants, but he couldn't manage it with one hand, and he knew he would fall if he let go of her to use both.
"Help me, please!"
"Hold on to me," she slipped in front of him and had him lean against her so she could use both hands to work at the fastenings. In one swift motion she pushed down his pants and underwear, then held onto him as he lowered himself to sit on the fallen tree and scooted back.
He moaned loudly, both from relief and pain, when he was finally able to just let it go. By that time he was shaking violently from his exertions, and he had broken out in a cold sweat. Mary still held onto his shoulders to steady him, and he leaned forward slightly to rest his head against her. A soft whimpering sound escaped him, when yet another spasm struck.
She stepped a half-step closer so she could let him lean more fully against her, and cradled the back of his head with one hand, while she rubbed his back lightly with the other. "It's okay," she soothed. "You'll be okay. I'm right here."
He drew a shuddering breath and then let it out in a heavy sigh. "That's part of the problem. It is so humiliating to have this happen in front of you."
Mary looked down at his bowed head. He wouldn't even try to look at her. There was very little light left to see by, but even knowing that he still looked away from her. "Ezra, you have no reason to feel humiliated. It isn't like this is something you have any control over. You're sick, and you have to give in to what your body needs." She slid a hand under his chin and tipped his face up toward her. "If things were turned around and I was the one who was sick, you would be helping me, right?"
"Absolutely!"
"Would you be disgusted or end up thinking any less of me because of it?"
"No! I would do anything you needed," he answered, and he meant it.
"Then don't go getting it in your head that I am in any way disgusted with you, or that I think any less of you because you're sick. You have no reason to be humiliated. I seem to remember someone who showed up and waited in a chair in my room for several mornings because you knew I would be sick when I woke up. You sat there next to me and held my hair out of the way while you held the bucket for me." She looked directly into his eyes in the faint light. "You were there for me when I was hurt, too. Every day you were there, but no matter how disagreeable something was, you stayed. Now, I'm going to be here for you. Got it?"
"Got it," he replied.
"Good! You ready for me to help you back to the blankets?" She rubbed his back again as she spoke.
"Not yet." He sighed. "It's still very embarrassing," he added.
Mary smiled warmly at him. "You can be embarrassed, just no more being humiliated. I'm sure I would be embarrassed too." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him until he felt it was safe to go lie back down. She had tucked some scraps of that torn up shirt in the pocket of the trousers she wore for riding, and she offered one to him. "Can you do this, or do you need me to help?"
Ezra took the offered cloth and managed to clean himself, before he let Mary help him with his clothes. He leaned so heavily against her as they made their way back to their bedrolls that more than once Mary thought they would both end up in a heap on the ground. By the time she got him settled again, her own muscles quivered from the strain.
The gambler lay there panting for breath as he recovered from the ordeal. "Could I trouble you for some water?" he asked.
Mary had the canteen filled and ready for him. She held it to his lips and he drank greedily. She knew that his body craved water and would for some time to come, so she let him drink as much as he wanted.
"I don't believe I will ever be rid of this thirst," he said sadly.
"You will, but it will take some time. Now, you aren't going to want to hear this, but you need to eat some more of that rice." The small fire gave just enough light for her to see him grimace. "I know you don't want it, but look at how much better you are already. You couldn't even raise your own head when we found you, so you are improving. "
"Unfortunately it hasn't improved the one thing it was meant to," he complained.
"Give it time. You've eaten it only once." She dipped some onto a plate and noticed that it was even stickier than before. "Ezra, I know this is going to be pretty bad, but if you'll eat some of this, I'll make some fresh and try to do something to make it taste better."
"You wouldn't do that if I refused to eat this?" he asked, with a hint of his old impishness.
"I always tell Billy, 'if you don't eat what I fix for you now, I'll save it for you to have for your next meal.'" She kept her tone stern, but if he really refused she would make him a new batch. It did look pretty unappealing.
"You are a cruel, heartless woman," he said and obediently opened his mouth to accept the spoonful of mushy rice.
"Uuugghh… cruel and heartless isn't severe enough."
"Call me all the names you want to, but you still have to eat some of this."
~M7M~
Chris climbed back in the saddle and kicked the horse into motion. He was nearly home, but he had already had to make two stops to answer nature's call. He just hoped he could get the rest of the way without having to stop again.
It was already starting to grow dark when the gunman rode into town. He headed straight for Nathan's, but detoured out back before going up the stairs.
Nathan opened the door and looked out to see who was coming up the steps. "You find Ezra?" he asked, when he realized it was Chris.
"Yeah, and he's really in a bad way. You'll need to take a wagon to go back and get him. He is in no condition to ride."
"What happened? Com on in and I'll get what I need so we can get started back." The healer headed back inside and began gathering bandages and other supplies.
"Don't think you'll need those. He's got what the doctor in Eagle Bend called the flux. Thinks it was from bad food he got at the hotel restaurant. He had several people there with it. The woman who worked at the hotel said Ezra looked sick when he left."
"Damn! How long ago was that?" He started gathering more supplies and some extra blankets. "Did he have water?"
"Yeah, but he ran out, and he was too bad off to try to get more. He left the town Wednesday morning, early. So, he's been like this for three days and two nights so far. When we first found him, I thought he was dead, but we finally got him to come around and started getting some water into him. We got him settled and Mary stayed with him." Chris filled the healer in on all the details he had while he watched him packing saddlebags.
"Okay, I got what I need. Come on, let's go," Nathan said impatiently.
"You really plan to try to go after them in the dark?" Chris was surprised by the dark man's actions.
"We'll have a bright moon, and if he ain't far from the road, we can find him. Come on!" he urged.
"I can't go." Chris admitted. "I think I got it too. I had to stop twice in the last hour and thought I wouldn't make it to the outhouse in time when I got here." Chris's point was made for him when his stomach gurgled loudly.
"I'll get Vin to stay and help ya 'til I can get back. Josiah can come with me to help with Ezra. Where can we find him?"
"They are in that little woods with the spring a little over halfway to Eagle Bend," he informed the healer.
Nathan nodded, indicating he knew where to find the place. "I want ya to stay here. I'll tell Vin what to do fer ya, and I want ya here, so I don't have to run all over to take care of the two of ya when we get back." His tone said that he would accept no arguments.
~M7M~
Josiah flicked the reins to keep the horses moving. It had been slow going because of the darkness, but the full moon was at least making travel possible. "You think he's that bad?" the preacher asked.
"A body can't go too long with the flux, without gettin' plenty of water. It just dries the body out so bad ya can die from it. The way Chris described Ezra he was damned near dead when they found him."
They grew quiet for a few minutes, concentrating on the road ahead of them. "Chris has the same thing? You sure it isn't something catching?"
"Don't sound like it's catchin', and I ain't sure he's got what Ezra's got. I've seen people sick with the flux, and he didn't have the right look about him." Nathan explained.
"Then what else could it be? Don't make a lot of sense that they would both have the same problem and not have the same ailment." Josiah flicked the reins again when the horses started to slow down to barely a steady walk.
"Not rightly sure why, but sometimes when someone gets really worried or worked up over somethin', it messes up things in their body. But, it could still be the same thing because they ate in that same restaurant that Ezra did. Might just be that Chris won't get it so bad, or that it is too soon for it to be hittin' him full force yet." The concern for both of his friends was evident as he spoke.
"Between it being dark and hauling this wagon it is going to take a good part of the night. Why don't you crawl into the back and see if you can get a little sleep," Josiah suggested. "From the sound of it, you'll have your hands full when you get there."
"Not sure if I can sleep with all the jostlin', but I reckon I probably should try. If ya get too tired, be sure ya let me know, and I'll take over fer a while." The healer climbed over the seat and into the back of the wagon. He rolled up in one blanket and used the others as a pillow. It took a little while for him to fall asleep, but the preacher knew he had when he heard the sound of soft snores.
~M7M~
Ezra landed heavily on his bedroll after another trip to what they had jokingly started calling the privy tree. He groaned as he settled himself, and he noticed Mary stood close by in case he needed her. A glance up in the dim glow of the campfire showed her standing there with the canteen in her hands, and he reached up for it. "Thank you." He let his fingers lightly caress the back of her hand as he accepted the water, and managed to hold the canteen on his own that time. After several deep swallows, he handed it back to her. "Is there more of that last batch of rice?" he asked, sounding almost hopeful.
"You are asking for more? You sure you haven't suddenly become delirious?" She teased while she moved to get the plate.
"As indelicate as it may sound, I do believe it is finally helping."
"You have gotten a little stronger," she agreed.
"Yes, well… uh…it has finally helped somewhat in other ways too." He could just make out the questioning look she gave him when she added a couple new chunks of wood to the fire. He cleared his throat and forged ahead. "Shall we say that things are coming out a little less fluidly." The gambler was glad that it was too dark for her to see him blushing.
"Really?" She saw him nod yes, and grinned. "That is really good to hear. More rice coming right up."
"I had never heard of eating rice for such an ailment," he commented while waiting for Mary to bring the plate to him.
"Neither had I, but the doctor in Eagle Bend told Chris that it should help at least slow things down some." She sat down beside him fed him the first bite.
"I can most likely manage to feed myself now," he informed her.
"Probably, but I intend to be sure you save all the strength you can. Besides, I don't mind doing it." She scooped up another bite and had it ready for him when he opened his mouth.
"I wonder why it helps. For that matter, I wonder how he knew it would help?" The gambler pondered aloud, after he swallowed that mouthful.
"Chris said the doctor told him he learned it from an old China-man. He didn't put much faith in it, but one time when he had some people who were really bad off he decided to give it a try. He said it helped, and now he makes sure he has some on hand to make if it is needed." She had fed him a couple more bites while she talked and had noticed the fleeting look of sadness at the memories caused by the mention of the China-man. He really had cared for that China-girl…Li… 'What was her last name?' Mary thought.
"I am sure this will be of interest to our own Mr. Jackson," he commented. "I am curious about something."
"What's that?" She paused before feeding him another bite.
"What did you use to make it taste better? Although, it would not be high on my list of preferences, it is a considerable improvement over the first that you made," he said, his voice shaking. He accepted the last bite, while he waited for her to answer.
She laughed softly and grinned at him. "I didn't have much to use, but I tried boiling a few pieces of your jerky in the water for a few minutes before putting the rice in. It made sort of a weak broth."
"Very resourceful," he commented. "It did make it somewhat more palatable." The gambler found himself stifling a yawn, and then sighed deeply. "I feel like a three week old kitten could take me with one paw tied behind its back."
Mary gently rubbed his arm and saw his eyes flutter open at her touch. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you awake," she apologized.
"You didn't." He looked at her with concern. Even in the dim firelight he could see the dark circles forming under her eyes, and he could tell that she was exhausted. He patted the blanket next to him. "Why don't you get some rest?"
"I will, only if you promise to wake me if you need to get up. No trying to manage on your own yet," she stated firmly.
"I promise. Now, lie down here with me and get some sleep." He wrapped his arm over her and pulled her snuggly against him, laying spoon fashion, when she stretched out beside him. The last thing he remembered as he drifted off to sleep was Mary flipping the blanket over them and the feel of the warm soft body he hugged against him.
~M7M~
Nathan jolted awake when the wagon turned off the main road and bounced up the trail that led to the wooded area. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, then looked around trying to figure out where they were. "Josiah, why didn't ya wake me up so ya could get some sleep?" the healer asked accusingly.
"You said to wake you up if I got too sleepy, and I didn't. Besides, I can get a little sleep while you take care of Ezra, if you don't need my help right away. But, you need to be awake and alert." The big man watched his friend as he climbed back up over the seat to settle in beside him.
"As soon as we get there and see how he is, I want you to try to sleep. I'll probably have to ride with him in the wagon, so I won't likely get to help ya up front on the way back."
"You'll get no argument from me on that. I wouldn't look forward to several hours for the trip back with no sleep at all." Sanchez took a deep breath and released it slowly as he fought to stay awake. He finally succumbed to a huge yawn and shook his head to try to shake off the sleep that was trying to claim him.
"Thought you said you didn't get too sleepy?" Nathan asked.
"I wasn't until I realized we were almost there," Josiah admitted. He pulled the horses to a halt up close to the tree line where it would be shaded from the morning sun. "Think once I see how Ezra is, I'll stretch out in the wagon where it will be quieter."
The two men climbed down, gathered up the supplies, and carefully made their way through the trees, working their way toward the faint glow of a small campfire. The fire had burned down low and didn't cast much in the way of light, but it was enough to guide them, and enough so they could see the two figures curled up together.
Nathan put a finger to his lips to keep the older man quiet. He didn't want to wake them yet. After setting his burden down close by, he surveyed the scene. Mary had made rice for the gambler, like the doctor had said to do. His healer's mind was anxious to see if it really did any good, but right then he was concerned about Ezra's condition. He looked him over with a practiced eye and was relieved to see him breathing regularly.
Jackson felt like he was invading their privacy, standing there watching the two of them as they slept together. It was doubtful that they had expected anyone back so soon, or they most likely wouldn't have been caught in such a position.
Josiah added some more wood to the fire to give Nathan more light to work by. He moved up close and whispered to the younger man. "What do you think? They both look like they have been to hell and back to me."
There was no doubt that Ezra was extremely ill, but that at least he wasn't knocking on death's door any longer. He wasn't sure about Mary, but he felt like she wasn't sick, simply worn out from caring for someone so ill. "Yeah, I would say they have. Why don't ya go get some sleep, and I'll wait here for 'em to wake up? Sleep is one of the best things for him right now, and I don't want to wake either of 'em. I'll just sit over here," he pointed to a large flat rock, "and keep watch."
The preacher yawned again and nodded. "Think I'll do just that. Can you spare one of the blankets?"
"I left one in the wagon fer ya," Nathan informed him.
"Thank you… you be sure to yell if you need help." Josiah eased away from the campsite and made his way back through the black shadows of the trees. He wasted no time in climbing into the bed of the wagon and settling himself for sleep. One arm served as a pillow when he lay on his side and pulled the blanket over him. Even the hard, rough boards did not deter his quest for sleep.
+ + + + + + +
Mary woke to the smell of coffee. How could she smell coffee? Ezra was still curled up against her back, and he wasn't well enough to be up on his own yet anyway. She pried gritty eyes open and looked out across the fire to see Nathan sitting there sipping on a cup of the strong brew.
The healer looked up to see a pair of pale blue eyes fixed intently on him, as if unsure that what they were seeing was real. "Good mornin'," he said softly.
She smiled at the sound of his voice, relief washing through her as she realized that help had arrived. "You are a sight for tired eyes," she replied quietly.
"How 'bout some coffee?" He poured her a cup and brought it to her. "How's he doin'?"
Mary raised up on one elbow and accepted the cup. "Better, but still really bad." She looked up at the healer, worry written clearly on her face. "I was so afraid he was going to die and there wouldn't be anything I could do to stop it."
Nathan nodded and squatted down beside her so they could talk more softly. "I know just how ya felt. I felt that way lots of times myself. I see ya been tryin' that doctor's remedy. Has it done any good?"
"Yeah, it has," she said; somewhat surprised that it had actually helped.
"You two do know it is rude to speak of someone as if he wasn't actually there, don't you?" Ezra grumbled.
"Well, if I had any doubts, I don't now. You'll live," Jackson said with a grin.
"You couldn't have convinced me of that yesterday," the gambler muttered. "I would have even wagered against myself." He groaned and hugged his stomach. "Will this never stop?"
+ + + + + + +
Mary jumped up and reached out to help him up. The trip to the privy tree had turned into a well-choreographed routine after so many trips since they found him the day before. She could tell that little by little he was getting stronger, but he was still far too weak to manage on his own. His recovery was also slowed by the fact that they couldn't completely stop his affliction. Once at the tree, she let him lean on her while she took care of getting his pants down and getting him settled.
Nathan watched the two from his place next to their bedrolls. The gambler was usually the most uncooperative of all of them when he was sick or hurt, and this situation would have had him in a particularly foul temper under other circumstances. But, here with her, it was a different story. He would have fought all of them if any of them had tried to help him in the way Mary was. Eventually he would have had to accept the help, but only when he realized that he had no other choice.
When they made it back to the blankets, Nathan helped her get him settled again before starting to ask questions. "How are things going?" he asked, trying to be as delicate as possible in front of Mary.
"If by that you mean, how am I going, the answer is still profusely, but not as often." Ezra watched Jackson's reaction to his coarseness.
"Yes, well... that is what I meant, and since ya are bein' so generous with information, I want to know what effect that rice has had." As badly as he felt for the gambler being so sick, he was still glad to find out about something that might help in the future.
The gambler blushed slightly and glanced at Mary. "Ummm…well…" he hesitated.
Mary smiled at his discomfort. "I'll tell him if you don't want to," she teased.
"You most certainly will not!" Ezra quickly turned back to face the healer. "If you really must know, it happens less often now and it is more solid; not like it should be but better."
"That's good to know," Nathan said thoughtfully. "I'll be sure to keep some of that on hand, just in case. Never thought of somethin' like that bein' good for the flux. Wonder what they would use on a baby?"
"Chris might know," Mary offered. "He was the one who talked to the doctor."
"I'll be sure to ask him when we get back." The healer looked at the gambler appraisingly. "Ya think you'll be able to travel in the back of the wagon after lunch?"
"Mr. Jackson, I would endure the fires of hell to get back to civilization."
Nathan grinned at the comment. "Sounds like yer feelin' enough better to get yer mouth workin'. I'd say that it’s time to haul yer sorry butt back to town."
"Oh, Mr. Jackson, you have no idea how sorry it is right now," Ezra said with a dramatic sigh.
+ + + + + + +
It was after dark when the wagon rolled into town. The constant jostling had Ezra needing to make more frequent stops the longer they had traveled. He was so exhausted that he had actually fallen asleep on the hard boards of the wagon, even with all the bouncing and bumping of the wagon over the bumpy, hard-packed road.
They stopped as close to the base of the stairs to Nathan's clinic as possible and woke the gambler to move him inside. Josiah bent to lift the gambler to carry him up the steps, but he stopped short when he saw the look in the younger man's eyes.
"Mr. Sanchez, I appreciate your kind intentions; however, I would prefer to walk." The southerner eased himself forward so he could get his legs over the back edge of the wagon-bed and started to push himself upright. His knees buckled before he had made it halfway up. He landed heavily against the rough boards and groaned as pain shot through his backside at the harsh treatment of such a tender part of his anatomy.
"Ezra, let me help you," Josiah offered. "Maybe if you lean on me you can manage the steps."
"Thank you, Josiah. It appears that I do need some assistance." He allowed the larger man to slip an arm under his and then wrap it around his back. The preacher easily pulled him to his feet and allowed him a moment to steady himself before they started up the long flight of steps.
Halfway up, Ezra started to sag as his legs once again gave out on him. His sad green eyes caught Josiah's and the older man saw the call for help in their depths, and he knew that Standish was too stubborn to admit that he needed more help. "Brother, I know you want to do this on your own, but I really don't want to take a tumble back down these steps. Like it or not, you're getting a lift." He easily picked the smaller man up and carried him up the last of the stairs. When he saw the look of gratitude in Ezra's eyes, he knew he had made the right decision. Standish would accept the help if it would reduce the chance of Josiah getting hurt, but he wouldn't ask for it for himself.
Nathan already had the door open and stood back to let the others go in before him. Ezra was settled onto a cot under the healer's watchful eyes. Mary stood over out of the way while they got him settled.
"How is he?" Chris asked from the other cot.
"I will survive," Ezra answered on his own behalf.
Chris leaned up on one elbow and looked around Nathan to where the gambler lay on the other cot. "You sound a mite stronger than when I left you."
"The two of ya can catch up in a while." Nathan stopped the two men before they could continue the conversation. "What I want to know is, how are you doin'?" he looked at Chris and asked.
"I think it's all over for me," the blonde answered. "Haven't had to run out back since this morning."
"And yer still here?" The healer studied the gunman with a critical eye, looking for anything that would say the man wasn't telling the truth.
"I didn't want you to worry about where I was. You have enough on your hands with Ezra being so bad off," Larabee explained.
Nathan smiled at him. He knew there was more to it than that. Chris had been genuinely worried about the gambler, but he wouldn't come right out and admit to the bond that had formed between the two of them. It had been a rocky road to friendship from day one, and Chris's role in the loss of Mary and Ezra's baby had nearly destroyed the bond completely. But, the two men had worked through that and become even closer than before. "I appreciate that," the healer said, while thinking that it was more likely that he wanted to be there to see if Ezra was going to be all right.
~M7M~
"Put him in my room," Mary instructed.
Two sets of eyes stared at her in surprise, but it was Ezra who broke the silence. "Mary, your reputation is already in jeopardy if someone discovers that I am here at all."
"I can stay in Billy's room. He won't be back for several days yet. I sent a wire and the judge is gong to bring him back on the stage next week." She left the men as they made their way slowly up the stairs, with Ezra leaning heavily against the healer. Just before she ducked into her room to get things ready for her guest she added. "Besides, my bed is softer and it is airier in my room. You have been through enough, and I want you to be comfortable."
Nathan grinned at the obvious deception, not believing for a minute that that arrangement would last through the first night. "Don't think I'd be arguin' with the lady if I was you, Ezra. Ya ain’t got the strength to win the fight yet."
"I have no intentions of depriving her of her bed," Standish insisted.
Nathan leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially. "Don't think ya will be if my guess is right."
"Mr. Jackson, I assure you…"
"Ezra, I saw the way you two were curled up together when we found ya. I sat there for a good couple of hours before either of you woke up. It's all right, I won't tell no one," the healer reassured him, as he allowed him to catch his breath at the top of the stairs.
"Why would you accept that now? It wasn’t that long ago that you threw me around my own room for touching her." The gambler was confused by the change in Nathan's attitude.
"I thought you had done her wrong back then. I know better now. What happens between ya is yer business, and I'll not condemn ya for it," he replied.
"Thank you, Mr. Jackson." The gambler leaned heavily against the healer while they waited at the top of the steps for him to rest a few moments.
"I know how ya feel 'bout her. I heard the things ya said to her when she was hurt. She has feelin's fer you too, even if she won't admit it yet." He urged the smaller man through the open door into Mary's room.
When they got into the room, Mary already had the lamp lit and the bed turned down. "Here, let me help," she offered when she saw Ezra struggling to get his boots off. She tugged them both off, followed by his socks. She wondered why he had bothered with them just to walk from the clinic to there.
"Thank you." His eyes expressed his gratitude. He was still as weak as a kitten but too stubborn to ask for help.
"You only need to ask if you need help with something. You know that," she admonished. She glanced up at Nathan and sighed heavily, knowing that he knew the gambler's stubborn streak on a first name basis. "Thank you, Nathan. I can get him settled now."
"Ya sure?" the healer asked. "I don't mind stayin' to help."
"Yes. I'll just get him settled in and then we'll both get some sleep. I'll see you out so I can lock up." Mary followed him, but turned back to the man sitting on her bed before going on down the steps. "I will be right back. You stay put and wait for me to help you." She didn't give him time to answer before she followed Nathan down the stairs and let him out the back door.
"You sure about this, Mary? I'd sure hate fer someone to find out he's here and start spreading rumors about ya," he commented.
"I know what could happen, but he was there for me when I really needed him. I won't turn my back on him now. Besides, I think people are already talking, so let them." She sighed heavily and lifted sad eyes to meet his gaze. "I feel so horrible that I used to be one of the first ones to think the worst of people."
"I know what ya mean. I've done it too; 'specially where Ezra's concerned. Reckon folks like us can change, 'specially if he can change his ways." He tipped his head to indicate he meant the man inside and gave Mary a wink.
"He has changed, hasn't he?"
"He sure has," Jackson agreed. "Night, Mrs. Travis. Ya be sure to send fer me if ya need me. I'll check on him tomorrow, but not too early. I know how he likes to sleep late."
"Good night, Nathan. Thank you so much for your help." She watched as he started walking away and then closed and latched the door.
A couple minutes later found her standing in her bedroom door, hands on her hips, with a glare on her face that would have made Larabee proud. "Just what do you think you're doing?"
Ezra was standing and holding onto the bedpost, while he tried to untangle his feet from his pant legs. He jumped at the sharp tone of her voice and started to totter off balance.
Mary rushed forward and managed to push him in the direction of the bed just as he started to fall. He landed heavily on the bed with a grunt as the air was knocked out of him. "Why didn't you wait?" she asked, and helped him turn over and sit up.
"I have been dressing and undressing myself since the age of three. I see no reason to cease doing so now," he grumbled.
Mary sat down beside him and took his hand. When he turned to look at her, she smiled and then shook her head in frustration. "Ezra, what am I going to do with you? How can I get you to realize that it's okay to ask for help when you're sick or hurt?"
The gambler looked away and swallowed around a sudden lump in his throat. "I am not accustomed to having someone who willingly offers assistance." He paused a moment and focused his attention on her hand that still held his own. "Growing up as I did, I had to become self-sufficient at a very young age."
"I'm not your mother, Ezra. I don't see it as some flaw that you have to hide if you get sick," she reassured him.
"Old habits are difficult to break," he replied with a soft sigh.
"I know, but this is one I will keep onto you to break." She squeezed his hand and stood up. "Now, are you going to let me help you, or not?"
"I would be most appreciative of your assistance, thank you," he responded.
"Good! Let's get you out of these clothes and into something more comfortable to sleep in, or do you usually sleep in your underclothes?" She gave him a puzzled look when she realized that she had no idea how he really preferred to sleep. Her past experience with him had him either fully clothed or totally naked when he slept.
"When circumstances allow, I prefer to sleep au natural, a fact that would have my mother totally mortified," he said with a chuckle and a glint of mischief in his eyes. "However, under current circumstances, perhaps undergarments would be more appropriate."
"Why? It isn't like I haven't seen you undressed before," she pointed out.
"My dear, if I am discovered here, especially if I am discovered naked in your bed, it will not bode well for your reputa…"
She stopped him before he could finish the sentence. "I can look after my own reputation. If people want to talk, they can go ahead and talk." The blonde leaned down and tugged Ezra's pants off his feet and then helped him get his shirt off. "Do the under-drawers stay on or come off?"
The gambler hesitated. He had been so uncomfortable for these last few days and she could tell by the way he that acted that he hurt in places that it took only the lightest of touches to cause them to scream with pain.
"Off," Mary said, resolutely. "You are going to be comfortable. Being sick is enough of feeling bad for anyone. You shouldn't have to be more miserable because of what you wear to sleep in." She untied the waist of the underwear. "Lean, so I can get these down."
The con man obediently leaned one way to raise one hip so the thin garment could be slid down on that side. Then he shifted to lift the other hip. She had it pulled down and off of him in a matter of seconds, leaving him sitting there completely naked. He had lost so much weight during the last week, his normally impressive body showed the signs of his close brush with death.
"Lie down," she instructed him. "You need sleep. I'll leave the lamp down really low, and I'll get a straight-backed chair to sit the chamber pot on so you don't have to try to get down so low for it."
Mary went about getting things ready for the night and saw that he was asleep almost before she had stopped talking. She glanced across the hall at the small, cramped room that her son usually slept in and then back to her bed where the gambler slept. One hand pushed her door shut at the same time that the other one pulled the clip from her hair. It didn't take long for her to climb out of the dress and into her cotton gown. She lay down and pulled up the sheet, then turned over to curl up against Ezra's back, losing the fight against sleep almost as quickly as he had.
+ + + + + + +
Mary steadied Ezra as he headed back up the stairs. He had insisted that he needed to start moving around more or he would never regain his strength. She had helped him down to the kitchen to have a late breakfast, and he had sat with her while she cleaned up the dishes. Now he was obviously exhausted but still stubbornly refusing to admit it. It had taken a threat of keeping him in bed a couple more days to get him to agree to rest.
Ezra slipped out of his shirt and pants and crawled back into bed. He had wanted to dress fully, but she had convinced him that the shirt and pants were enough. She had no intentions of letting anyone back into the living area; the door from the Clarion office and the back door would stay latched.
The gambler sighed wearily when Mary pulled the sheet up over him. "I am so tired of being tired," he said with a groan.
Mary sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at him intently. "You are doing much better than I would have thought you would be this soon. We just found you four days ago. That isn't very long to get over what you went through." She brushed the hair out of his face and let her hand caress his cheek as she drew her hand away. "You nearly died. You can't expect to be up to a foot race after only four days."
"I can expect it, but that doesn't mean I'll get it," he said with a weary chuckle.
"True," she agreed. "I'm going to go get some work done on the paper while you rest. I'll check on you in an hour or two."
+ + + + + + +
The sound of the bell on the door pulled Mary's attention away from the sample page she was proofreading. She was surprised to find Inez entering the office. "Good morning!" she said cheerily. "May, I help you?"
Inez made sure the door was closed behind her before she spoke. "Could we talk in private please?"
"Yes, of course. Is something wrong?"
"Yes and no; it depends on how you look at it, I guess." She held up the basket she carried and smiled. "I brought us a treat to share if you would like."
"I would like that very much. Come on back." She opened the door to her living quarters and let her guest go in first. A quick glance up the stairs reassured her that she had closed the door to the bedroom.
"Please have a seat. I have a fresh pot of coffee. Would you like some?" Mary offered.
"Yes, please," Inez took a seat at the table and pulled the cloth off the top of the basket, allowing the scent of warm apple pie to escape its confines. She pulled out a whole pie and set it out on the table. "I'm afraid I didn't think to bring plates," she said apologetically.
"That is easy to fix." Mary gathered the two plates and utensils that had been left to dry on the sideboard and took them to the table along with the coffee. "This looks and smells wonderful. Would you like to serve?" She offered the knife to her guest who accepted it with a smile.
"I hope you like apple. I know it is Señor Ezra's favorite." She glanced at Mary, who looked at her in shock. "Mrs. Travis, I don't mean to pry into your private matters, but I am sure he is here with you since he is no longer at Señor Nathan's or in his room. There is nowhere else he is likely to be."
Mary sighed and nodded. "Yes, he's here. I didn't think he should be alone yet, and Nathan has already done so much." She looked straight into those intense brown eyes, trying to determine the woman's feelings about Ezra being there, and she relaxed when she saw no hint of censure there. "I'm sure he will really appreciate the pie. I have been so busy that I haven't had time to do more than the basic meals."
"It is good that he has someone to watch over him. I worry about him sometimes because he keeps pushing people away," Inez confessed. "He is a good man; he just doesn't see it in himself."
"You are right about that," Mary agreed. "So, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I wanted to warn you that there are rumors around the town. I know how harsh some people can be." The pretty Mexican woman never let her gaze waver from the blonde's as she spoke.
"Thank you," she responded and blushed hotly at the reminder of her own past participation in the gossip mill in town. "I appreciate the warning, although I am not sure that I deserve it."
"Señora, just as Señor Ezra has changed, so have you. Both of you are becoming the people you should have been. I wanted you to know that if you need anything, or need someone to talk to, I am here." Inez looked at her hostess and smiled reassuringly. "Señora, I too have had my share of troubles in my life. I think that you have had more trouble recently than you let people know about."
Mary's breath caught in her throat for a moment when she looked into the intelligent brown eyes that scrutinized her from across the table. Again she had the feeling that her guest knew more than she let on.
"Thank you. Sometimes it would be nice to have a woman to talk to," she admitted.
"Mrs. Travis, I understand that you most likely feel that you cannot trust any of the women in town to keep anything secret, but you can trust me. To show you how much
I feel you can be trusted now. I am going to tell you something that no one here knows." She took a deep breath and continued. "Remember when Don Paulo came to town and tried to force me to return with him?"
"Yes. I don't think anyone in Four Corners could forget that."
"Si. Everyone knows that I ran away from him to keep from marrying him, but no one knows exactly what caused me to want to get away from him." Inez offered.
"It was assumed that it was because he was a cruel man."
"That he was, but his cruelty was even more extreme than you could imagine. I know that I told you that he got drunk and tried to force himself on me, so I cut him and took a horse to escape. That was only partly true, but I could not tell you all of it then. It was something I never wanted anyone here to know. Don Paulo knew I did not love him, but he refused to let me go. There was a young man I loved and he discovered us together one night." The pain of remembering the past left her face pinched with the strain of telling it. "The next morning he decided to make an example of us, and announced to everyone that my infidelity was the cause of what was to happen." Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, but she pushed on with her story. "He publicly castrated Antonio for daring to touch me."
She swallowed hard and squeezed her eyes shut tight until she was able to continue. "After that, he stripped me naked and tied me bent over a hitching post. He raped me in front of everyone and left me tied there all day in the sun, then threatened to kill anyone who let me go or covered me." The tears now rolled freely down her cheeks as she spoke. "One older woman took pity on me and brought me water, but the others would not come near me. Most of the men were either too afraid of Don Paulo to come near or they came only close enough to spit on me. There were a couple who looked like they wanted to help, but they did not for one reason or another. Most wouldn't risk Don Paulo's anger, especially after what they had just seen happen to Antonio."
Tears ran down Mary's face and she mentally recoiled from what she had just heard, not because she thought less of Inez, but because of the viciousness of the man's attack on the two young lovers. She slid over into the chair next to Inez and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, holding her while she got herself under control again. "I am so sorry that happened… I don't see how you kept on going after that." She gave the barmaid a comforting squeeze.
"I did because I wanted to see him pay for what he did," she confessed. "Seeing Raphael stop Don Paulo from cheating by killing his man, and then seeing him die like he did seemed fitting." She allowed herself a hint of a smile. "Raphael was one of those who might have helped me, if he had not been bound to serve Don Paulo. He was always a man of honor."
"You are a brave woman. I don't think I could have held up nearly as well as you did," Mary said.
"But you could," Inez insisted. "You have survived worse I think," She looked at her hostess intently. "Señora, women don't bleed from being hit in the stomach unless there is a reason for it."
Mary hung her head and sighed. She realized that Inez could have been spreading rumors already if she had been going to. "You said there are rumors going around town. Will you tell me what they are?"
"Some express their concern about you becoming involved with someone of questionable character. Others are making comments about all the time you have spent alone with him," Inez answered. "No one has commented on your injury except to wonder what happened."
"Thank heavens for that, at least." Mary was relieved at the barmaid's last comment. "And, thank you for not saying anything about what happened."
"I will not mention it to anyone. I know how much it hurts to have people talking about you. It took me several days to get a chance to get away from Don Paulo. The things people said behind my back, and sometimes to my face, were terrible."
"I am sure they were."
"I am right that you lost a bebé?" Inez pressed for a response.
Mary nodded as her eyes teared up.
"It is hard when you have someone to help you through it, but it must have been much more difficult when you had to go through it alone." Inez took hold of Mary's hands to stop her from wringing them. "I know Señor Ezra would do all he could to help you, but that has not been enough has it?"
"No it hasn't. He has really tried, and I know he hurts too, but a man can't completely understand how something like that affects a woman."
"Then tell me about it," Inez encouraged. "I will not tell anyone what you say."
Mary believed her and poured out the whole story with only one pause to start a fresh pot of coffee. Once she opened up, she couldn't have stopped if she had tried. With each new part of the tale, more of the burden she had been carrying was lifted from her. By the time she had told it all, she felt better than she had in the past two months.
Comments to: Luna6438@aol.com