A nightmare from the past (Editing)

Chapter 20

Lorne looked at Chyenne. The sadness in her eyes was a mirror image of what he saw in Heyes'.

"Yes..we are. I've wired your father in Spring Valley, " he said giving her half of a smile, "telling him we'll be arriving in about an hour." then he turned his head, giving both Curry and Heyes a frown, " I sure wish you boys would reconsider staying here."

Millie clutched her hands together as she gave them both her best sorrowful look and leaned her head to the side.

"Oh yes..please stay, boys! " she pleaded , " I've become so very fond of you both."

Chyenne smiled as the older woman tried her best to convince the men in front of her. But as Heyes had told her, they had to be leaving too. And behind her beautiful smile, she bit back a deep and devastating hurt, that didn't just threatened to, but was about to break her heart into thousands of painful pieces.

"As much as we would like to stay, you know we can't do that " Curry said with a tone of sadness, "we can't risk it "

"If people were to find out, you two will also be in deep trouble " Heyes informed them, "to harbour wanted outlaws is a felony "

Lorne sighed and watched his wife's shoulders sag as she realized what they said was the truth, but didn't wanna accept it.

"You boys will always be welcome in our house..." she said grabbing them both for a collective hug, "I wanna make sure you know that!"

Both Heyes and Curry hugged her dearly and chuckled.

"We know, Millie" they said in unison, both of them feeling a sense of calm.

"But I can't convince you to stay?" she said with a little hope.

Heyes shook his head. Then a small dimple grew as he winked at her.

"But if Thaddeus here would ever smell a waft of your cooking, we might drop in on ya'!"

She smiled lovingly at them as she aimed a swat to Heyes' hip.

"Aww, you two are incorrigible "

Curry grinned.

"Yes , Ma'am "

Then, as a silence folded itself around all of them standing there, Lorne cleared his throat and held his hand out to Chyenne.

"Well..shall we leave?" his voice low as he watched her hesitate. Then she with deliberate steps walked straight into Hannibal Heyes' arms, folding her own tight around him. Leaning her head on his chest, hearing his heartbeats, she then raised her head looking straight into his dark, brown eyes.

"I love you," she mouthed silently to him, then smiling a little as she saw him mouth the same back to her.

"You know how to reach us " he then said and lowered his mouth to hers, giving her a tender and bittersweet kiss.

"I know " she whispered as they parted.

Just before they had joined the others outside, he had told her all about sheriff Lom Trevors of Porterville.

He snuggled close , whispering in her ear.

"And I know where to find you "

Having a hard time letting him go, she eventually did and then climbed up into the buggy, having her seat next to Lorne.

Smacking the horse into a trot, Lorne and Chyenne began the trip to take her home.

With a breaking heart, Heyes watched as the buggy disappeared from view going around the bend in the road, leaving nothing but a dust cloud.