The Five Dollar Mail Book 3: The Road Home

114: Part of All That I Have Met

Cover painting by Angela Taratuta. Chapter artwork of Lily by  Liezl Buenaventura  . All graphics by me.

Book 1: The Green, Book 2: Lynch's Boys, Book 3: The Road Home, and the Riders & Kickers Anthology are available on Amazon under the name Regina Shelley. So if you hate waiting for chapter posts and/or want a more polished read, the finished product is available now.

"Little Miss," Saint swung into the open doorway of the kitchen, his fingers locked into the doorframe. "You might want to come out here."

Lily spun around, an unformed biscuit dangling from her hands. "What is it?" She had been on edge since her brother and the others had been gone, and just the tone of Saint's voice was enough to send another wave of foreboding through her.

His dark face was smudged with dust, and bits of hay stuck in his hair. She knew he, Bender, and Wash had been out in the barn loading hay into the loft, and her first thought was that someone was hurt. But his eyes were bright, the rakish dimple in his cheek showing itself. "Sweetheart..." he said, his voice fragile, "I think your brother's back."

She gasped, the dough falling forgotten onto her shoe. "What?" she gasped. "Oh, Saint...Pete..."

"Come on," he said. "He's ridin' up with what looks like some Indians."

"Oh!" She shoved her glasses back up onto her nose and wiped her hands on her apron as she grabbed his outstretched hand.

Jesse was riding into the station yard on Comanche. She was vaguely aware that he was not alone, but her vision narrowed into a single point of focus. Her brother, on a company horse. Sun-darkened, unshaven, and wild-haired, clad in native leathers. She barely recognized him. But it's him. It's Jesse. Alive.

Home.

She let go of Saint's hand and bolted, watching Jesse throw a leg over Comanche's back and slide from the saddle when he saw her.

"Jesse!" she cried, throwing herself into his arms when they collided. She was sobbing, and didn't even know when she'd started weeping. "Oh, you're back," she gasped. "You're back. I thought I'd never..."

"I'm here, honey," he whispered, crushing her in his embrace. "Everything's alright."

His chest was heaving, and Lily knew he was crying. His breath was a choppy gasp in her ear.

Lily pulled away from him, looking at his bearded, tear-streaked, face. "Are you hurt? Are you..."

Saint was at her shoulder, the dust on his face leaving stark, wet streaks down his cheeks. "Farm Boy," he breathed, pulling Jesse into a rib-crushing hug. "You scared the hell out us, you crazy mamaluke." His voice broke into a sobbing gasp, his face twisting with emotion. "I'm sorry." He gave Jesse a hard thump between the shoulder blades and released him. "I wasn't able to stop them from..."

Jesse swiped a fringed arm across his red and streaming eyes, chucking Saint's shoulder with his other arm. He shook his head "No, Saint. Don't. Not your fault, brother."

Wash and Bender were pulling him into rough embraces, ruffling his hair.

"Struth, mate," Bender blew out a breath Lily suspected he'd been holding since they had embarked on their ill-fated trip from Green River. "I don't think I've ever been gladder to see someone, and that's the fair dinkum oil. I'm not going to be able to sleep until everyone's back home."

"Don't worry," Jesse said. "Lynch, Fiona, Storm, and Dev are right behind me. Lynch made everyone stop at Doc's place. It's been a rough trip."

"Oh, thank God," Lily said. "But who's hurt?"

"We're all a little banged up. It's alright."

"Jesse..." She nodded at his three companions. It would have been more than a little frightening at the sight of four natives sitting astride Indian ponies in the yard, if they hadn't ridden up with her brother. But taking a closer look at them, she realized they hardly posed a threat. Aside from the stern-faced warrior with hawk's eyes and a heavy bandage on his leg, Jesse's entourage consisted of a young woman, a little girl, and a silver haired elder in what looked a lot like a dress. She raised an eyebrow, curious. "Introduce us to your friends."

"This is Two Elk," he said, taking Lily by the hand and pulling her to face the elder first. "Two Elk, this is my sister, Lily."

"I'm so pleased to meet you," Lily took the offered hand and shook it, unsure of herself.

"I wouldn't be home if not for Two Elk," Jesse said. "He was my voice. He speaks English."

"Better than you do, Wacanga," the old man quipped.

Jesse smirked fondly and gestured to the little girl. "This is Runs Laughing. She found me and got me help." He grinned, nodding at her. "She owns me now. And this is Eagle Bone." He switched to what Lily knew had to be Lakota to introduce the brave to her. Lily's jaw dropped and she nodded at the young man, flustered.

"And this is Still Water Woman," he said. His face was alight, transcendent. It was the face of a man gazing with delight upon every good thing in the world. Lily's heart squeezed in her chest. She'd seen that look on Saint's face. And on Fiona's. This bearded, leather-clad man was not the one that rode out of the yard with her a lifetime ago. This man lived a bigger life now. The reach of his embrace was wider, stronger.

And this woman before her, in her plains dress and with her rough-cut, windswept hair, held her brother's heart. And she realized with startled jolt of fear and joy that this strange, alien family was perhaps Jesse's. Maybe even hers as well. 

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