She looked up at the pine tree line. She knew he was watching her. She got off her mare and led the horse past the cottonwood trees and up the steep slope. Maybe, he wouldn't see her as a man, although she was dressed like a man. She expected a bullet in front of her, but nothing happened. She passed the fruits of his morning's endeavours. The plough was still where he left it. She stopped when she saw him in the doorway. She saw his holster and noticed his cocked rifles within easy reach. She couldn't see his face, but she knew it. It had been etched into her mind years ago. Maybe, it had changed.
He had put down his telescope when he saw her climb off her mare. He cleared his lunch and went inside to put a fresh pot of coffee. From the shadow of the doorway, he watched her lead her horse up the steep slope. She didn't stop for a breathe. Pegasus whinnied in the stable. He smiled. His stallion had not smelt a mare all season. He hadn't seen a woman all year. He watched her suppleness as she came up ,leading her mare. She filled her clothes well. He felt a stir in his loins. It had been a long time.
For a moment, they stood there looking at each other; she, catching her breath and he, looking her over. He stepped out onto the porch.
"You can tie your mare over there. She will be safe from Pegasus. He hasn't smelt a mare for nearly a year. You can freshen up at the pump. There is soap and a towel by the trough." He paused. "I have a pot of hot coffee and biscuits. Water, if you want."
He watched her tie up the horse and then went inside for the water, coffee, cups and a plate of biscuits. She was wiping her face, when he came out. Her blue jeans and shirt were wet dark and accentuated her figure. He felt the intense stirrings in his loins. He looked away for a moment. He put everything on the table and coaxed the dead cheroot to life.
She walked up the steps onto the porch. She stopped and stared at him. His eyes were the same. The crows feet had replaced the teen-aged wrinkles around the eyes. He was much taller. He was a man, after all. His short cropped hair was black with snowflakes of white around the temples. He was lean but strong and he was darker than the earth-brown he used to be. She took the seat that he offered. He poured her a glass of water, a cup of coffee and pushed the plate of biscuits to her. He poured a cup for himself and sat down. He watched her as he pulled on his cheroot.
"I finally found you, Rance. You are a hard man to find." She drank her water then blew into her cup of coffee before taking a sip. In the silence, they heard the breeze rustling the pine cones, the call of the guinea fowl, the neighing of Pegasus and the stamping of the mare's hooves.
"I told you I would find you, if you left us," she continued. Rance looked at her through the smoke of the cheroot.
"Yes, you did, Maia. But, that was a long time ago and another life. How did you know where to find me?"
Maia looked at Rance with sparkling brown-golden eyes. He remembered when they were young and inseparable. Now, she was a beautiful woman with a perfect physique and as brown as the earth. He knew even then that she would be like this.
Maia removed her Stetson, to reveal her black hair, braided into long locks. "Rance, you disappeared that night with Gramps. One day you were in our lives and the next day you were gone. All we heard were rumours about Gramps. Nothing about you. You never sent word in all those years. It took me a long time to get over you and Gramps."
Maia looked down at the valley. Rance saw the pain of her loss. He had no words. She took another sip. "Anyway, I eventually stopped feeling sorry for myself and started living again. Tells The Truth returned to the Reservation, a few years after your disappearance. He had had enough of the ranch, plus I was a young town's lady, not a ranch urchin. But he never gave up on you or us. He told me this when he left 'Little Thunder Little Thunder, White Bear has journeyed to the spirit world. Do not mourn for him. He was an old man. Appears Brave is alive. You will meet him one day. And on that day, I will rejoice'. I didn't believe him."
