Anything Could Happen

[Elegant Ella]

Ella was up to her elbows in bread dough when Scarlet and Becca came into the house.  There was still enough bread left from Monday's baking to feed the normal number of people until the next baking day on Friday, but Ella had decided to work in an extra batch to be ready for extra people to feed.  Once the bread was all kneaded, she would clean up the kitchen to leave it ready for Rose to make the cake, and go change bandages. 

It was a great relief to have only six patients.  She chuckled softly to herself.  Just over a week ago, she had considered six patients a great burden, and could not imagine needing more infirmary space than the  six beds she had. 

"Good morning, brides," she called. 

[Scarlet Angel]

"Good morning Ella." Becca and Scarlet said in unison walking into the kitchen.

"We're going to bathe the horses today so they look good tomorrow too. Do you want to help?" Scarlet asked.

[Scarlet Angel]

Jimmy waited for the morning stage, the Whirly's and  T.J.'s wife were due to arrive, along with Tensleep who anxiously awaited for Rebecca's saddle to arrive. He'd received a message it was coming on the stage also. Arriving the day before the wedding was cutting it close but it had been a special order for his bride to be.

Tensleep looked down the street then up at the sun.

Jimmy eyed him "Hate ta see how fidgety you'll be by tomorrow night."

[Elegant Ella]

"Yes," replied Ella, "but I have to check the patients after I clean up the kitchen first.  Must leave everything ready for Rose to work on the wedding cake!  Where are you going to do the horse washing?  I'll join you as soon as I can."

[Scarlet Angel]

"Behind the foaling barn there is a creek that feeds into a shallow pool. You can see it from the barn. Going there beats pumping the water and it's close enough I can just come up and get a different horse instead of trying to keep an eye the two stallions." Scarlet said as she and Becca began to help Ella clean up the kitchen.

"I can't wait to see what the cakes will look like!" Becca said looking over Rose's stash of different sized pans, food colorings and all the things she had laid out the night before.

Once the kitchen was clean Ella went to check on the patients while Becca and Scarlet headed for the stalls.

Scarlet gathered up the sponges and brushes and dropped them into the bucket along with the shampoo she'd brought from the house.

Patches gave her a strange look. "Yer serious? Yer actually going to use shampoo on the horses."

Becca put her finger to her lips "Shhhh, yer not supposed to let crazy folks know you think they are crazy." She laughed.

"Someday you can tell your kids about their eccentric Aunty Scarlet who thinks she needs to bathe her horse with rose scented shampoo." Scarlet laughed causing the other two to laugh with her.

"Well I suppose folks bathe their dogs." Becca said eyeing Mr. Dawg.

"Horse is bigger than a dawg." Patches said climbing up onto Dancer.

Scarlet took Rose's stallion first, Becca followed on Cloud with Mr. Dawg bouncing along next to the group.

[Scarlet Angel]

Scarlet expected her mother's horse to be the biggest problem. Shadow had manners but he practiced them best around Rose. It surprised her when he was generally good while Becca's horse pawed the water so hard everyone got wet then he managed to knock the bucket over. Becca and Scarlet finally managed to get all of the soap off of him. They took the two horses back to the barn while Patches shampooed Mr. Dawg.

Ella was getting Ruth out when Scarlet and Becca headed back to the creek with Lucky and Buddy.

Once Lucky was bathed Scarlet braided his mane and tail so it would be wavy when it dried.

"That horse is gonna be prettier than you tomorrow." Becca laughed.

[Scarlet Angel]

The morning stage rolled in right on time. The passengers stepped off, Mr. and Mrs. Whirly among them.  Mr. Whirly took the luggage and began to load it onto the wagon Jimmy had brought.

"Got something up here for you Marshal Ross." The driver called down. 

"Well hand it carefully on down." He said stepping next to the stage.

Jimmy could see Miss Jane sitting in the stage wringing her hands nervously.  He stepped up and offered his hand. "Good to see you again ma'am." He said.

She looked up at him, took his hand and stepped out followed by her son.

"Tell me James, how bad is he?" She said softly bracing herself for the worst.

"I think you would say God was watchin' over him ma'am." He replied.

"They reported the entire troop was slaughtered. Then I got a telegram from the Southern Starr....really the last place I would expect him to end up. He said he was going to look you up while they were in the area if he had the time...how bad is he?"

"He's gonna be alright Miss Jane. We have a healer at the Starr that is taking very good care of him. She can tell you everything you want to know. I can tell you he'll be back to his ornery ol' self in short order."

"He could have retired two years ago Jimmy....His lucks gonna run out, then I'll be a widow. What's it gonna take?"  She shook her head.

"Perhaps new scenery Miss Jane, perhaps a better offer. Most of all I believe the understanding of a good woman." Jimmy said helping her up into the wagon.

He glanced over at Fritz. Fritz had told Scarlet he would leave the army a time or two. He and Bo got to hear her RANT about how Fritz better not end his career just for her. He half smiled knowing Fritz  had yet to see that display. Miss Jane would have jumped at a chance like that.  Folks sure were different in their views he thought as he climbed up on the wagon.

As they rolled through town Jimmy pointed out the things he thought folks would find interesting, especially Miss Jane and her son.

The girls were brushing up on their side saddle skills when the men came back from town. Scarlet, Becca and Rose were riding around the barns while Ella showed Patches the finer points of riding side saddle.

Spotting the wagon Scarlet, Becca and Rose rode out to meet them.

Tensleep double checked to make sure 'Becca's wedding gift was well covered and hidden amongst the luggage of the other folks.

"Now there's something ya' don't see every day 'round here." Johnny said with a smile. He couldn't remember the last time Rose had put a sidesaddle on her horse. She, like Scarlet preferred to ride bareback or in a western saddle.

[1stSgt Fritz King]

They'd ridden in a slow, easy pace.  He and Bo had just enjoyed the view and the weather.  Neither man spoke...they didn't have to.  Those who've shared in life and death together seldom do.  But he'd have to say something.

Fritz noticed Buddy's stall had been cleaned, and he'd been brushed down.  He put Strider in the adjacent stall.  The two seemed to get along well.

"Bo...?"

"Yeah?"

I don't know if I've asked you proper...God I'm getting senile."

"You have, and yes, I'll stand by you."

Bo smiled, for he knew his friend had alot on his mind.  He also smiled, knowing the project Johnny had set him on was finished.  He'd got it done a while back, before all this business got started.

"You'd better get cleaned up," Bo said.  "You wouldn't want your missus thinking you hung out in a saloon or something..." 

[Scarlet Angel]

T.J. was surprised to see his family, even more so when Jane told him she didn't know who had provided the tickets for them to get there.

Jane hoped she would have a chance to speak to Ella and get the truth about T.J's true condition. She kept asking how bad he'd been hurt and he kept telling her he'd be ok can it was nothing to worry about.

Jimmy put Jane and her son's luggage in the room Rose had told him they would be staying then waited for Bo. They were going to take the bed for Fritz and Scarlet to the house and set it up.

Mrs. Whirly got settled in their room, changed from her traveling clothes into more practical working clothes and met Rose in the kitchen to begin helping with what ever needed to be done.

Mr. Whirly asked Scarlet to show him the horses she'd picked for him to look at knowing she would busy tomorrow and most likely didn't expect to see her before he left. Johnny and Bo could show him some of the other horses while Scarlet was off with her new husband. Both men were very good showing the horses and telling him the blood lines but he was looking for a new horse for his wife as well.

"Any of the horses you ladies were riding side saddle earlier for sale?" He asked.

Scarlet chuckled and replied "No, but I did pull a real nice one aside for you." She said as they walked the breezeway.

Mr. Whirly stopped to admire Buddy. "I'm not losing one of my favorite people to buy horses from once you're married." He held out a sugar cube for Buddy.

"I doubt it." Scarlet replied. "Fritz is real good with the horses. He finished this one." She rubbed Buddy's face "and I think he enjoys it."

Mr. Whirly looked around, Fritz had left the barn. Scarlet had written to him about how she had bought Bo's interest in Buddy so she could give the horse to Fritz as a wedding gift, but had told him the horse had been sold. Mr. Whirly enjoyed being in on the conspiracy. "He's a lucky man."

"I have something you're going to like for the Mrs." Scarlet said walking a few stalls down. "She is out of the same mare as Buddy, sired by Bo's stallion and bred back to Lucky." Scarlet said opening the gate to a mare that wasn't as tall as Buddy but had a very similar look.

Mr. Whirly smiled. "Can we take them for a short ride?"

Scarlet chuckled. He'd been wanting to buy Buddy since the day he saw the foal, she supposed a short ride would be fine for helping her out in case Fritz started asking questions.

Mr. Whirly was an accomplished horseman himself so bareback was fine with him. Scarlet climbed up onto the mare and the two rode towards the corral where some of the other horses were. Buddy was on good behavior but it was obvious to Scarlet she'd made the right decision keeping him for Fritz.

Once at the corrals Scarlet told Mr. Whirly about the other horses, they switched horses and Mr. Whirly put the mare through her paces before they headed back to the barn.

"You set a high price but I think well worth it." He said as they rode.

"She'll be pleased." Scarlet replied.     

[Scarlet Angel]

With everybody pitching in to help Rose found herself ahead of schedule by dinner time. Around the dinner table there was a lot of different conversations going on. The women talked about the wedding, what they were going to wear and how they were going to wear their hair, and how pretty things looked. The men talked about horses, cattle and guns.

'Becca listened and joined in on some of the conversation, but her mind was on something else. It seemed to her the closer the wedding got the more nervous she became. On one hand she knew she loved John and looked forward to being with him, on the other the thought of possibly losing her independence and everything she had that gave it to her scared the hell out of her. She'd talked about it with John when they were discussing their relationship. She'd talked about it with Scarlet many times, she'd always felt better afterwards. Why was she so wishy washy?

When Ella got up to start clearing the table 'Becca followed her into the kitchen. Setting down the dishes she brought in she looked at Ella. "How come you're not with Allen? You don't have to tell me, I know it's personal."

[1stSgt Fritz King]

Johnny lit a cigar and pulled a brown jug from under the table.  "So, Fritz...being a soldier and all, what would you like to see in a rifle?"

The jug came his way.  He took a long pull.  It burned going down, but wasn't bad.  Johnny's home brew no doubt.

"I carried a Smith during the war.  It was a fine little carbine.  Most of the rest of the Second carried the Sharps.  It hit harder."  The humidor sat open on the table.  Fritz took a short cigar.

"Near the end of the war, I got my hands on s Spencer carbine.  A very nice repeater, that exchanged parts with the Sharps.  My Captain put his hands on a Henry.  I liked the more powerful Spencer cartridge.  It didn't make sense to me to take a repeater, and replace it with a single shot weapon."

Johnny blew smoke rings.  "Probably some bean counter back east thought he'd save the Army some money.  Damned fools."

"Anyway," Fritz continued, "I'd like to see a repeater like the '73, firing the government cartridge."

"Probably too much for the frame to handle," Bo said.   
 

[Elegant Ella]

Ella sighed, "I ought to talk about it, instead of keeping everything bottled up inside.  Alan's last letter said that the money was stretching farther than he had expected it would, and he can spend another year learning, instead of coming home already.  He's in Vienna, which is probably the best place in the world to study medicine.  He's wanted to go study there his whole life.  He intended to go right out of medical school, except the War started, and he needed to serve there.  He spent more than he saved during the War, mostly by buying medical supplies that the Army couldn't or wouldn't supply, so he couldn't afford to go right after the War.  Then he married me, and we worked together to save up the money for him to go.  I thought I was going to go with him, because the inheritance from my grandmother would have paid my way, but he intends that money to buy us a house of our own after he gets back." 

Ella started washing the glassware, and Becca started drying. 

"In Boston, we lived with Alan's partner, who is a widower, so I kept house for the two of them.  With Alan gone, it wouldn't be proper for me to stay there, so Alan planned that I would stay with my aunt and uncle.  I love Aunt Margaret dearly, but Uncle Marvin has very strict ideas of proper behavior for women, and I feel stifled if I stay with them more than a week.  I actually stuck it out for two weeks before I decided to ride Ruth to California to stay with my parents.  It was fun at first, just riding generally West until I reached someplace that needed my skills where I could earn supplies for the next leg.  I got as far as Tucson before I signed on as a deputy Marshal along with Patches, Scarlet and Doctor Bill.  When we came here for New Year's, I was not planning to go back to Tucson.  I figured I would either find work in El Paso or spend money saved up from the deputying to buy a railroad ticket the rest of the way to California." 

[Scarlet Angel]

Becca listened intently to what Ella said.  She spoke differently of Alan than Scarlet had of Travis, but not so different than what she'd heard other women say of their husbands.

"Scarlet's went a lot of places with Travis. She told me once he said he didn't marry her just to leave her behind, course he never went to Europe either. She seemed very bitter for along time he left her behind that last time. One of the girls works for me, she had an inheritance from her folks passin'. She married, from what she says a few months down the road he kicked her out, everything that was hers belongs to him and she's werkin' for me."

Becca put the glasses in the cupboard as she dried them.

"A house is a good thing to be saving for but did you and Alan discuss what you would have liked? I mean even as far as stayin' with your Aunt and Uncle instead of sending you to live with your parents?"

[Elegant Ella]

"I wasn't very good about speaking up for myself.  He had been talking about his plans for this trip ever since we got married, and I never objected because I assumed I was going, too.  He had it in his head that staying with my Aunt and Uncle was the best thing for me, since California was too far for me to travel by myself, and an expensive trip when we had been saving everything we could for his expenses.  He never understood how smothered I had felt there, ever since the War.  Even if I hadn't been madly in love with him, I would have married him to escape!" 

Ella giggled, "I think I shocked him by running away from my aunt and uncle.  Aunt Margaret understood why I was leaving, and just said I was getting more and more like Grammy.  Uncle Marvin was probably relieved once he got over his shock, because I had been getting sassy."

She sobered again, "I hope he understands when he gets back that I don't think I can fit into the narrow role of city doctor's wife anymore.  It's easier to express myself in letters, so I've written more about my feelings that I've ever said out loud.  But I expect we're in for an interesting period after he gets back."

[Scarlet Angel]

"I'm sure he was shocked to learn you had left your Aunt's. If he thought it was to far for you to travel if you'd have gone by train..just to up and ride yer horse! And just think of all of the stuff that's happened in your life since you started your journey." Becca chuckled.

"Well El Paso's a grownin' city and we could use a good doctor. Lord knows the one we got there now isn't all that great, been there forever, maybe he'll be retiring by the time Alan comes back." She smiled.  "I bet the men here on the Starr were happy to have you here. Dr. don't come out here no more. Scarlet tol' 'em she'd kill him, and I really don't think it bothers Rose. They have enough knowledge between the folks around here to tend to the stock and one another unless it's real serious."

Becca stopped and looked at Ella with half a grin. "You told Alan about bein' a deputy Marshal and riddin' with the posse and such?"     

[Elegant Ella]

"I've told him.  I even sent him a rubbing of my deputy marshal badge.  He is interested in meeting the rest of the posse, especially Doctor Bill," replied Ella.  "I'm not sure he believes some of the stories I've written him.  Once, he responded to a long letter by saying that I was turning into a fine novelist.  Some of the comment might have been due to the fact that the letter was about 50 pages long." 

"Back in January, I suggested that we might settle out here when he gets back.  I think he took the suggestion seriously, because he said he's going to spend that extra year studying animal medicine, and not just horses.  A city doctor doesn't get much call to work on anything except people and maybe horses."

Ella stopped and looked at Becca, "I don't think this is being a typical 'advice for the bride' chat, but I think you already know plenty on how to keep a man happy.  For a marriage to work, both people have to be willing to negotiate and make compromises.  I made the mistake of not speaking up before Alan had his plans all set.  I think he would have been willing to wait another year for us to raise the money for me to go with him, if I had just said something before he bought his steamship ticket.  By everything I've seen, Tensleep is willing to listen, and think about multiple sides to an issue.  He does think before he speaks.  When you have an argument with him, remember that you love each other, and only talk about the problem without bringing up random other complaints.  Don't hold onto anger past sundown, but tell him when you are mad at him and talk it out before either of you go to bed."

[Scarlet Angel]

Neither one of the women had noticed Rose had started to come into the kitchen and just backed out figuring the girls were having a good talk and didn't want to disturb them.

The smile grew on Rebecca's face. "Tensleep is a very good listener, especially in a....somewhat heated debate, and I don't believe he's the type to hold in anger with me. I will take your advice and try to do the same." Becca looked out the window into some far off place only she could see, her eyes a bit sad. "My mother was a very quiet woman, my father always had the last word and a woman was not to voice her opinions in many matters. I guess it was how they were brought up. Both of them were very good people though." She said softly before her smile crept back "Imagine my surprise when I met Rose, and Scarlet's even worse." She laughed. "Course some of the women of the tribe are pretty fierce."

Both she and Ella laughed. Before they knew it all the dishes were washed and put away.

Becca turned and leaned against the sink. "I guess one of my biggest problems is the fear of losing another family Ella, I've already lost two. Rose says love is worth the risk though and I really do love him."

[Elegant Ella]

"I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all," quoted Ella.  "Love can be a great source of sorrow, but life without love would be shallow and meaningless." 

[Scarlet Angel]

Rose came into Johnny's office, where the men had moved to; going to the window she opened it letting the cigar smoke drift out. She smiled sweetly, kissed his cheek. "Don't stay up all night." She said before leaving the room, closing the door behind her. It was her subtle way of telling him it was getting late and she was off to bed. 

Johnny glanced at the clock that stood against the wall; they had gotten so involved in the conversation and good time nobody noticed how late it was getting. It was a good thing the wedding was in the evening and not in the morning.

Mr. Whirly was the first to rise. "If you'll excuse me gents, my wife is probably waiting on me." He said with a smile then departed.

[1stSgt Fritz King]

The boys drifted off one by one, until only he and Johnny remained.  Fritz probably would've gotten up, but he wasn't sure his legs would work properly.  For the moment, he enjoyed the company of his future father in law, and the glow of good cigars and sippin' whiskey.

"Fritz, do you remember your latin?"

"Only what I was taught in church."

Johnny looked at him closely.  "En vino veritas."

"Ah yes," Fritz replied.  "In wine there is truth."

"So, what do you intend for my daughter?"

"I intend happiness...a home...family maybe..."

"You know she can't have children, right?"

"Yes...but the Lord works in mysterious ways."

"But you ARE a soldier...I've lived that life."

"What, exactly do you want to know Johnny?"

Johnny stood beside him.  "I know the life you lead...you don't expect this assignment to last forever, do you?"

"No...I don't.  That's why I intend to retire."

"Why are you retiring?"

"Because it's time," Fritz said.  He was a bit irritated.

"Is THAT the reason?"

"No...for the first time in my life, I care about someone more than the Army.   More than my life.  More than ANYTHING!  Is that what you want to hear?"

Johnny put his hand on Fritz's shoulder.

"As a matter of fact...yes it is."