The Outlaw's Son

Letter From Mama

CHAPTER 18 - Letter From Mama

        Mary Beth and I had gone to Escalera by mid morning. The lower streets were still flooded, but the ridges were dry. I bought her two new dresses. One was dark blue with white lace trim, the other was a soft yellow with a deep pink stitching and all the buttons were the same pink. She was so excited to get back to the house so she could wear one of them. She thanked me a hundred times on the way back.

        "Alright!"

        "Britt, nobody has ever done anything so nice for me before. I can't help it!"

        I laughed as she said the last part with a higher pitch. We were just coming over the hill in view of the house when Uncle Seth met us. He pulled the reigns back hard, bringing his horse to an abrupt stop. As soon as I saw the look on his face, I knew something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.

        "Cole, I mean your Paw, has gone back to Hope Plain. A letter came from your mama this morning sayin' Ella Grace done ran off with that lawyer boy."

        It felt like the entire world stopped.

        "Why would she do that?" I half yelled in frustration. I rubbed a hand over my scruffy face.

        "She left a note sayin' she loved him and he wasn't involved in what his mama was tryin' to do. They are headin' to Jone's Valley to get married."

        "That's a week's ride from here!"

        Mary Beth tightened her grip around me and then released. She leaned her chin on my shoulder to look at me. "What's wrong?"

        "I'll tell you on the way. Uncle Seth, I gotta catch up to Paw. How long has he been gone?"

        "Bout half an hour. I'm heading that way as soon as I get some things taken care of for the house." Uncle Seth turned his attention to Mary Beth. "You need arrangements made for your property?"

        "Yes sir, I do actually. I have horses and two wolves that need lookin' after. If they lived through the flood that is."

        I looked back at Mary Beth and saw the sadness she was trying to hide. "Let's go to your house and get your stallion. It'd be easier for you to ride him than for us to double the whole way."

        Mary Beth nodded and we turned around to head towards town again. When we reached the hill before Mary Beth's house I felt her tense. I knew she didn't want to know if her horses had drowned, but we had to find out. She needed a horse of her own for this ride. Apache wouldn't do well in the heat all day while carryin' two loads instead of one.

        The house was somehow still standing. The ground was sloshy and crawfish littered the mud. Mary Beth eased up once we reached the house. She jumped down and her two wolves came running out of the house. She bent down and grabbed them both. They jumped and whinned and wagged their tails like normal dogs, even though they weren't. "Oh my babies." She cooed.

        "I'm gon' go check the barn for the horses." I called to Mary Beth as I turned Apache in the direction of the barn. The doors were open and I didn't hear anything. I tied Apache to the post outside and stepped through the side door way that was missing it's door. Princess wasn't inside like I figured she'd be. I looked in all the stalls and found nothing but a couple of dead rats and a coon that was held up in the top rafters, growling every time I walked under him.

        I went through the back of the barn and into the pasture. I whistled and listened. No hooves pounding the ground. No snorting. No whinnies. Nothing. It was complete silence other than the distant baby talk from Mary Beth as she played with the wolves. I mentally rolled my eyes and started walking again.

        The pond at the back of the pasture looked like it had grown to the size of a lake. I was getting close when I saw something white move on the other side of the muddy water. I couldn't make out what it was, but I hoped it was the white stallion. At least for Mary Beth's sake, I wanted it to be the horse. I was scared to think of how she'd act if it was dead.

        I walked around the pond and stopped when I saw the horse. He was laying down with Princess. I whistled and waited. Stormy threw his head around and whinnied. It was then that I realized something was wrong. I started towards them again and grimaced when I got close. Princess' leg was cut and she had a long gash across her belly. The skin was pulled and looked infected. I bent down slowly, careful not to spook her, and rubbed her head. She didn't move, but just stared at me. Those big dark eyes held pain. Stormy stood and shook himself before coming around Princess to stand in front of me. I held my hand out to let him smell me.

        "Oh no." I turned around and saw Mary Beth standing behind me with her hand over her mouth. "Oh, Princess." I watched her as she knelt down beside the stocky pony and inspected her wounds. She sniffled a couple times and wiped at her face with her sleeve. "Britt."

        "Yes?"

        "Give me your pistol." She said as she stood and faced me. I wouldn't have handed it over if not for the determined look on her red, puffy face. I handed her my pistol.

        Mary Beth bent down again and stroked Princess' nose. "You were always a good pony, Princess. I'll never find another like you." She sniffled again and wiped her face while she stood.  "Bye, Princess."

        As if the pony knew what was coming, she closed her eyes and let out a breath. Mary Beth pulled the trigger and the shot echoed through the pasture, spooking Stormy. He ran towards the barn before stopping to turn his head and look at us. I looked back at Mary Beth and watched her slump to the ground.

        "It's alright." I said as I bent down to grab her shoulders. I pulled her up and she leaned into me, wrapping her arms tightly around me. "You did the right thing."

        "She was my best friend." Mary Beth sobbed.

        I turned us towards the barn. Stormy waited on us and then followed us the rest of the way. Mary Beth had pulled herself together enough to saddle the white stallion. She led him out of the barn and waited on me to untie Apache. I got into the saddle and walked Apache close enough to her to lean over and kiss her cheek. She gave me a weak smile.

        This was going to be a long ride and I wasn't sure what was going to be at the end, but whatever happened, I was ready for it as long as this woman was with me.