A/N
I MUST TELL YOU THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG CHAPTER
THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPENS
READ CAREFULLY.
HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT.
Brantley's Pov
I was outside getting the team ready so we can go to town. We need to do some business but Luci and I want to cheek up on Logan. Ever since the 3 drifter's broke into the cabin with Luci here, I've been staying much closer to the cabin for the past weeks since that day. The baby is due in a month now and I still need to get a few things done before the baby get's here. I can't wait until I become a pa to that baby in her belly. I've never opened up to anyone before and now that I have I'm glad I picked Luci James to become Mrs. Brantley Gilbert.
After I got the team ready I walked back into the cabin. Ever since that day Luci has been her self for the most part but I can tell that she is up half the night. She's only going on 3 to 5 hours of sleep every night. I hate that they took that away from her, but she did the best thing. She killed them sons of bitches. Wish I was here to do that for her. Those are they only lives my wife will ever have to take. I'm making sure of that.
"The team is ready, whenever you are ready." I asked Luci. She was finishing up the breakfast dishes. I walked behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist.
"I can't wait to see Logan again. I hope he's okay. I've missed him." Luci told me. I kissed the top of her head.
"Me too." I said to her. I walked over to Minnie and petted her head. Minnie is coming with us, since we are going to be gone all day. And like Luci told me 'We are all Gilbert's, if we go she must go.' What did I get myself into with this woman? I'll tell you what I'm getting myself into. The best life I've never thought I could have. Luci is making sure of that.
"Brantley, do I look okay for the Church Social." Luci asked me. I looked at her. She is wearing her best Sunday dress. I Looked at her and smiled.
"You are going to be the pretties little young gal there babe." I told her. And I mean every word of that. In my eyes I got the best pick out of the litter.
"No I'm not. This big belly is getting in my way." Luci said to me. I walked over to her.
"Don't you listen to none of that. You are pretty and the baby is doing great. We still going to See Doc today right." I asked her. Might as well do everything all in one trip. Luci looked up at me.
"Yes. This may be the last time we are in town before the baby comes. Are you ready for that next part in our lives." Luci asked me. I looked down at her.
"More then you ever know." I said to Luci, bending over to her level so I can give her a kiss.
"I love you Brantley." Luci said to me.
"I love you Darlin. And I love this baby." I told her. I mean that too. I think after all that we have been through already I think Luci understands that.
"I know this baby is going to love you. You are going to teach this baby things I can't do, and I thank you and I love you for that." Luci said to me. Fuck, if we didn't have to go to town today I would just love to stay in bed with Luci in her green satin nightie for the whole day.
"You don't have to thank me babe. It's going to be my job to protect my family and I will take a bullet for you or this baby." I told Luci. Luci was smiling from ear to ear. Minnie ran out of the house barking. I gave Luci a kiss.
"Come on I bet that's the McRoy family." I said to Luci. We walked out of the cabin and saw the McRoy family coming up the path. Luci and I walked over to our wagon.
"Gilbert, why are we leaving now, when the Sunday Social don't start until noon." David McRoy asked me.
"We have business in town and your own wife told you that and what did Meadow tell you McRoy?" I asked him.
"Yeah yeah yeah okay. I just hate going into town." David said to me.
"David, please the boys and I haven't been to town in almost a year. So either you shut up or walk home and the boys and I will go to town and we may or may not come home tonight." Meadow said to McRoy. I looked down at Luci who was trying not to laugh.
"We are going ain't we woman." David said to Meadow.
"Thank you." Meadow said to David.
"Y'all are ready." I asked the boys. I was helping Luci into the wagon. Minnie was already in her spot. It goes me, Luci then Minnie.
"Yeah pa gave us each $1.00 to do what we want uncle Brantley." Carter told me. I smiled at them.
"That's great buddy. Listen we still have a long way down the mountain you boys ready." I asked them.
"Yes." They all said to me. I smiled at them.
"We will follow you and Luci." McRoy told me. I smiled at them.
"Sounds good. Once we get to town we are making a few stops." I told him.
"That's fine Meadow want's to go to Olsen Store." McRoy told me.
"Good luck with Harriet." I told them. I jumped into the wagon.
"Thanks we will need that. Meet you at the church." McRoy asked me.
"We will be there with bells on." I told him.
"Ha!" I said to the horse team. They moved us down the path down to the small town at the bottom of the mountain. If I wasn't married to Luci there is no way I would be going to the Church Social. It's just not my thing to do.
All the way down the mountain Luci and I talked about what we are going to do? Who we are going to run into. Listening to music and the good food we will be having. But the first thing we are doing is seeing Doc, then going to pick up Logan. We was almost at the bottom of the mountain when Minnie jumped off and took a shit. I stopped the team.
"Whoa!" I said to them. McRoy parked next to us.
"Sorry damn dog needed to take a shit." I told them. Luci slapped me on my arms. I looked down at the small woman next to me, and I gave her a smile. I love our relationship. I talk like I'm a bad ass and she just looks at me with her bright blue eyes and I fall on my knees for her.
"It's all good. We still have a good 45 minutes before the show." McRoy told me.
"Come on Minnie!" I yelled for her.
"I forgot how much I love being in town." Meadow told us.
"I love the mountain but I'm with you on that one Meadow." Luci said to her best friend. McRoy and I just looked at each other.
"Come on dog we got places to be." I said to my dog. Minnie looked at me and barked. She jumped back up on the wagon and we drove to town. Everyone did a great job. The whole town looks good. I looked down at Luci who was smiling rubbing her belly. I could just look at her for the rest of my life. So glad that I get too.
"Ready see Doc." I asked her. Luci looked up at me.
"Yes I am. Should we remind David and Meadow. We are still going to pick up Logan right after we leave doc's office." Luci asked me.
"Yes Darlin. Hey McRoy!" I yelled at him.
"Yeah." McRoy said.
"Luci and I are going to see Doc now." I told him.
"Okay I guess we are going over to the church. Meet y'all over there." McRoy said to us.
"Okay. See you soon." I said to them. I drove down to Doc's office, while the McRoy family went over to the church.
"I hope Logan is ready for a great day." Luci said to me. I looked over at her.
"I'll bet he's going to have the time of his life." I told her. We just pulled up to Doc's office. I got off the wagon and I heard the door opening up. I was helping Luci off the wagon
"I told you doc it's going to be a war sooner of later." I looked over and saw 5 men talking to Doc.
"Brantley's what's going on?" Luci asked me. I looked down at the small woman next to me.
"I don't know Darlin. Stay here." I said to her. I walked over to the men.
"Doc, you want to tell me what's going on?" I asked one of my oldest friends.
"Brantley, I'm glad you are here." Doc said to me. I was about to say something when Amos opened up his mouth.
"He has no say in this matter." Amos said to me. I looked over at Amos.
"And why is that Amos." I asked him.
"Because Gilbert you live on the mountain. This is the town's problem. Stay out of it. I see Luci is still around. I thought she---" I cut Amos off.
"Thought what Amos." I said to him. I was face to face with him. After all the shit I've seen in the war, I'm not scared of some saloon owner.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Amos said to me.
"That's what I thought." I said to him.
"But Amos you are wrong. Brantley get's his mail here. He does business with all of us. He's paid for more things around here then what most of you men have ever did before." Doc said to everyone. I looked back and saw Luci watching and listening to everything we are talking about.
"Can someone please tell me what is going on?" I asked them.
"Injuns." Mr. Lynn said to me. I looked at him.
"Injuns. Indians. What do they have to do with this" I asked them.
"They are going to kill us all." Someone said to me. I only know 3 of these men. The other two I have no clue.
"Why would they do that? And where is Nels at" I asked him Doc.
"He's in town with the Rev and Mrs. White. We still are going to have the Sunday Social, but the Apalachicola Indians are going to attack us." Doc told me.
"Why would the Indians do that?" Luci asked Doc.
"Who in the hell are you?" Some man said to my wife.
"That's my wife and watch what you say around her. Got it." I said to him.
"They are going to attack us any day now" He said to me.
"Okay but why?" I asked them.
"We killed one." He said to me. I looked at him.
"Who killed an Indian." I asked him.
"Hayes did. Him and brother were hunting and killed one. That's what they said." Doc told me.
"Okay, you are Hayes." I asked the man who I still don't know.
"No, no, no. I'm Cliff." He said to me. I looked over at the other man.
"Hayes and his brother ran out of town. Haven't seen them since. The other one is Mills. They lived here for ever Brantley, they are just rude ass holes. Sorry Luci." Doc said to my wife.
"It's fine Doc, but why have the social now with the fact the Indians are going to attack any day now." Luci asked them.
"Because they aren't going too. Come on men we have work to do. Kill all the Indians." Amos said to the small group of men. They all got on there horses and rode down the street. I looked over at Doc.
"Come on we need to get inside." Doc told us. I looked over at him.
"Why? Jackson what in the hell is going on?" I asked him.
"Get inside now." He told us. We all walked into his office.
"Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm a doctor not the mayor. I don't know what in the hell I'm doing?" Doc was telling us.
"It's okay Dr. Jackson. But what is going on?" Luci asked Doc.
"Hayes and his brother did kill an Injun. What they didn't realize was, it was Apalachicola Indian. The Army sent me this." Doc gave me the paper. I was reading it.
"What is it?" Luci asked me. I looked down at her.
"There's no way. They can do that?" I asked him.
"Do what? Brantley what is going on?" Luci asked me.
"The government is letting 75,000 Apalachicola Indians have the mountain with the understanding the must only live on the mountain." Doc told Luci. I may own the land, but the government ha been moving the Indians all over this place so I guess the mountain is the last place. Now what am I going to do?
"What does that mean?" Luci asked me. I looked down at Luci.
"That means we all must evacuation." I told her.
"Even us on the mountain." I looked down at her.
"Mainly us Darlin." I told her. Luci looked down at her belly. No one is going to hurt my wife.
"Doc, When is this going to happen?" I asked him.
"There opening up the mountain to the Indians tomorrow sometime." Doc told me. I smiled at Luci.
"Well, Doc we need to see about the baby, and then we got to go and get Logan so I can drop them off at the Sunday Social." I said to him.
"Brantley what are you planing on doing?" Luci asked me.
"Nothing Darlin. Come on we still have to pick up Logan." I said to her.
"Oh, I hate to tell you but--" Luci cut Doc off.
"What happened?" Luci asked him.
"Luci, sometimes the good Lord calls us home early---" Luci began to cry.
"No." She said to him.
"He was very unhealthy and a sick-- By the time I got there he was already gone." Doc told us. Luci was shaking where she was standing. I'm sorry son.
"Hey, he's in a better place now Darlin. Your mama is up there and my ma. He's in good hands." I told her. I know she is going never get over this in a way.
"No I know your right. But if we could have gotten him to come home with us then maybe--" I cut her off.
"I think our mama's wanted him to come home with them." I told her. I wiped her tears. I hate to hear all of this, but never undermined the good Lord himself.
"Your right. Mama and Mona are with him. He's in better hands now." Luci said to me. I gave her a smile.
"That's my girl. Come on." I said to her. We all walked into the room. Doc gave Luci a good check. I don't know what any one is going to do but I know what I need to do?
Luci and I was walking up to the church hand in hand Everyone is sitting outside talking acting like nothing is wrong? Or if they are acting like it's nothing then they aren't too worried about it. After we left Doc's office Luci was still sad over hearing about Logan, so I'm hoping this will make her happy.
"Brantley." Luci called on me.
"Yes Darlin." I said to her.
"What are we going to do?" Luci asked me. I looked down at her.
"We are going to have a talk with McRoy about all of this right now." I said to her. I found Meadow and David talking to Nels and Harriett.
"Poor Meadow." Luci said to me. I looked down at her.
"Be nice Darlin." I said to her.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's go save the McRoy family." Luci said to me. We walked over to them.
"Gilbert how are you?" Nels asked me.
"I'm good Nels. How are you?" I asked him.
"Good. Hello Luci, wow you look great. Harriett look how--" Harriett cut Nels off.
"I see. God. I gave you 2 children and you never--" Nels cut her off. Harriett looked pissed off.
"Shut it Harriett. Gilbert did you talk to Doc yet." Nels asked me.
"Yeah. We just left from there." I told him.
"I was just telling McRoy about it. Harriett and I are leaving tonight. I know a few families are moving away, but most want to stay here." Nels told me.
"David I don't want to be here." Meadow said to her husband, walking away with Running Star in her arms.
"Meadow, honey." Luci went after here. David looked over at me.
"My wife's family was murdered by them Indians I want to kill them all, but I can't leave Meadow a widow too raise 4 young-in's on her own. I won't. I won't do that. Brantley I'm leaving Gilbert's Mountain." David said to me. I looked at him.
I had so many dreams about living up on this mountain for ever. Raise my children there. Watch them grow. Watch us all work at the Gilbert Mill I was starting up. Watch my beautiful wife grow older. Then when it would be my time to leave this earth I would be laid to rest up there on the mountain. But I'm a married man. I have a baby on it's way. I have to think of them. If I wasn't married I wouldn't care if I left or not. But there is no way we would make it up there with that many Apalachicola Indians.
"So am I." I told him.
"We should just leave now so we can get everything packed up." McRoy told me. I smiled at him.
"Yeah I think your right. Nels, take care." I told him.
"Harriett and I are going back East. New York in fact." Nels told us. I looked at him. This will be the last time I will see this man. He's been a good friend of mine for years. It was an honor to meet him.
"Nels, thank you for being there for me and accepting me for me." I told him.
"Gilbert. Come here son." Nels said to me. I gave him a hug.
"Take care Nels." I said to him.
"You too brother. I'll never forget you. You take care of Luci. You and her will have a great life together." Nels told me. I was trying my hardest not to cry.
"Thank you." I said to me. I wiped the tears from my eyes before anyone saw me. It was bad enough two of my best friends where standing right here.
"David. Take care." Nels said to David.
"You too Nels." David said to Nels. Nels and Harriett walked away from us. I looked at McRoy.
"We should talk to our wive's now." I told McRoy.
"I think your right. At least the boys are having a good time for now." McRoy told me. I looked and saw all 3 of the boys playing and laughing with the other children.
"Yeah your right. Come on I see the girls." McRoy and I walked over to Luci and Meadow. You can tell they both have been crying. We sat next to our wives.
"Okay---" Luci cut me off.
"Wait. Before you and David just tell us what we are going to do we have something to say. Meadow." Luci said to us.
"Luci and I are willing to stay here but only if we move to town. Or closer to town." Meadow said to us.
"Yes. But only if you both agree on it. If not then we are staying here with or without our husbands." Luci told us.
"And David, if it comes to this I'm taking the boys and keeping them with me. All 4 of them." Meadow told David. David looked at me.
"Are you both done." I asked them.
"Yes." They both said to David and myself.
"Good. But none of that is going to happen." David told them. Luci and Meadow was about to say something until I cut in.
"That's because we are leaving now packing up everything tonight and tomorrow morning we all are leaving the mountain together." I told them. Meadow was crying and gave David a hug and a kiss. Luci looked at me.
"Your willing to leave the mountain." Luci asked me. I gave her a smile.
"I'll do anything for you Darlin. You know that by now." I told her.
"I love you." Luci said to me. I gave her a kiss.
"I love you too. Come on we need to get back home. Got a lot of work to do before tomorrow." I told her. We all got up from the table we was sitting at.
"Boys come on we need to leave now." McRoy called for his boys. I wrapped my arm around my wife's waist and walked over to our wagon.
"Where are we going to go?" Luci asked me. I looked down at her.
"Well I've been thinkin' about that and---" I was cut off by a gun shot and yelling. We all looked back and everyone running over to the back of the church.
"Stay here with Meadow." I told Luci.
"Boys stay with your mama." David said to his boys.
"Wait." Luci said. "Stop" Meadow said calling for David and I to stop but we just ran back to see what was going on. We ran back behind the church to see what is going on. I looked and saw Amos on the ground dead. He was scalped.
"Is that Amos." McRoy asked me.
"Yes." I told him.
"Injun!" A woman yelled. David and I both looked and saw about 40 dog soldier's all looking at us with bow and arrows. And a few of them had pistols.
"Run!" Some one yelled. The Indians gave all of a yell then starting charging at us. David and I both ran to get to our families.
David and I made it to our families, who was standing by the wagons. I grabbed my guns and I saw David grabbing one of his.
"Get into Nels!" David said to his family They all took off running to the store. They just got there in the nick of time. I looked back and saw 5 Indians running down the street to Nels and Harriett's. Need to get Luci to a safer place and in a hurry. Dead bodies where laying in the street. I pulled Luci to me as we made it to the post office. Minnie was right behind us.
"Get down and stay down!" I yelled at Luci. Who was holding onto Minnie. I looked out the window. So glad David and I both had our pistols and shot guns with us. I was shooting out the window when the back door broke opened. I looked and saw an Indian with a gun pointing it at Luci. I shot him in his face. Luci was crying and trying to keep a hold of Minnie.
"Stay here." I said to her. I ran out the door. I was killing one by one of these Indians. I looked and saw Nels and David both shooting out the store windows. The Indians made a yell and they all rode back up the mountain. I watched as they all rode away.
"Brantley!" Luci yelled for me. I looked and saw her and Minnie running to me. I opened up my arms and my bride ran into my arms.
"I was so scared Brantley." Luci was bawling her eyes out.
"I know Darlin I was too." I said to her. Seeing that Indian point a gun at Luci just made me sick to my stomach. I looked and saw Nels and David and there families all walking out the store.
"David they said they will be back in 3 days." Meadow said to her husband.
"What are you talking about Meadow?" Luci asked her.
"That yell that he did. He was telling us they will be back in 3 days." Meadow told us. I looked at everyone.
"Sad thing is we won't be here by then. Come on we need to get out of here." I said to my wife and to everyone standing around me. I looked at my packet watch and saw it was already 4 in the after noon. We will get home at 7. It's going to be a long night.
"Boys get in the wagon." Meadow told David Jr, Carter and Thomas. I still had Luci in my arms as we walked over to our wagon.
"Brantley, I'm still scared." Darlin said to me.
"It's going to be okay. We are going home and packing up and by morning we are heading out. Far as we can from this place." I said to my wife. I helped her up onto the wagon.
"Hey Gilbert if it's okay with you and Luci, do you mind if we meet up at your cabin around say 6." McRoy asked me.
"I was thinking more like 5. The second dawn sets in, I want to be on the road." I told him. The sooner I can get Luci, and our unborn child off the this mountain the better.
"Okay. We will be at your place at 4:45. To help you if you could need it." McRoy told me. I like that plan. I still have to go down to the mill and then over...
"I'll be God Damned!" I yelled out. Luci looked over at me.
"Brantley, what's wrong?" Luci asked me. I looked down at her.
"The cabin." I said to her. She gave me a look.
"What about the cabin." Luci asked me.
"No." McRoy said. He knew.
"Can someone please tell me what is going on about the cabin?" Luci asked us.
"I was building us a cabin." I told her. Luci just looked at me.
"I was building us a new cabin. A home to bring the baby into this world. But now none of that is going to happen. Damn it!" I said to Luci. I'm so fucking pissed off now. I could kill someone over all of this. Thank God I did kill a few of them.
"I don't want to see it. As of now I'm going to be having this baby in a back of the wagon." Luci told me.
"I'm so sorry Darlin. But the second we get to a new place I'll make us the best cabin you could ever see. I'll make sure of it." I told her. And that is one promise I'm going to make sure that comes true. Luci smiled at me.
"Just have us a cabin up before winter sets in and I won't be mad." Luci said to me. I gave her a kiss on her lips.
"I promise." I said to her. Good I'll make us a new one big room cabin then after winter is over I'll make us a better cabin.
"Let's go home." I said to Luci. Luci and I with the McRoy family all rolled out of Spring Valley for the last time. David and I know 200 different more ways to get off this mountain. We will be taking a different path tomorrow. I'm not so sure where we will call home next, but one thing is for sure, Luci and this baby will be taking care for.
By the time Luci and I got back to the cabin it was already after 7. I know poor Luci is so tired but we need to get a lot done now. But if Luci wants to take a nap she is more then welcomed too. I jumped off the wagon. Minnie jumped off the wagon and was chasing one of the roosters around. I helped Luci down.
"Thank you dear." She said to me. I bent down to give her a kiss.
"Your welcome Darlin. If you want to go in and take a short nap you can." I told her. Luci looked up at me.
"Dear we have way to much work to do. I can sleep when my friends and my family is off this mountain. Now go take care of the animals. Like I told you Brantley, Bessie is coming with us. I want all the chickens we can get. Between what canning I got and what Meadow has we are good on that for a while. Plus you and David can hunt and kill anything Meadow and I tell you to kill. So let's get busy. I'm taking care of the house and you take care of the animals. Love you." Luci told me.
She walked right into the cabin to do what she told me she was going to do. One of the strongest women I've ever met in my life. Well right next to our mamas. I didn't think no other woman but my own mama was the strongest women alive, until I met Luci and her stories of her mama, then I knew I had the 3 strongest women around me in some way or another. I looked over at Bessie who was standing outside mooing at me.
"Need some more water old girl." I asked her. I walked over to the barn to take care of the list of thing I need to get done. It may be a long night but things need to get done as soon as possible.
By the time I got everything in the wagon for tomorrow it was already going on midnight. All I have to do in the morning is get the team set up. Put the chickens in the wagon. Hook up Bessie to the wagon and put all the guns in the wagon. Luci and I have to leave a lot of things behind but we are taking most of everything with us and some of the pigs. When I walked inside the bedroom I saw Luci already in bed.
"4 is going to get here soon." I said to Luci.
"Come to bed Dear. I can stay up for a while more." Luci said to me. I looked down at her.
"Not at all. You need your rest. The cabin is all locked up. Minnie is inside. Bessie, the pigs, chickens and the horses are all locked up. So get some rest Darlin. I need my girl bright eyed in the morning." I told her. God, I'm the luckiest son of a bitch around.
"Okay Dear. I love you." I said to her.
"Love you too Darlin." I told her. I pulled Luci as close to me as I can get her. No one is braking in here tonight. I got my pistol next to my side of the bed. Minnie is sleeping on the foot of our bed. We are safe in here.
I wanted until Luci was all the way asleep, before I even tried to fall asleep. Sad thing is I did fall asleep around 2 but I was woke up at 4 in the morning by Luci getting out of the bed. I didn't even opened my eyes.
"Darlin, come back to bed for another 20 minutes." I told her.
"Brantley, we need to get a movin on things." Luci told me. I opened up my eyes. I knew she was right. I looked at her.
"Okay but the second we get a new place, we are staying 2 days in bed." I told her. I got out of the bed. I was only wearing my long John's. Luci walked over to me.
"Morning Dear." She told me, giving me a hug. Something as small as a morning hug makes me feel all better.
"Morning Darlin. How are you and baby Gilbert doin?" I asked her. Luci looked up at me.
"We are good. We are ready to see where we are going to live now." Luci asked me, while I was putting my pants on.
"I'm still thinkin on a few place, but for the next few weeks we might be living in the wagon." I told her. I hate that all of this is happening. Luci walked over to me still in her night gown.
"Promise me something." Luci asked me. I looked at her. I pulled her onto my lap.
"Darlin, I'll promise you anything. What's cookin in that beautiful head of yours." I asked her.
"Promise me you will never leave me." Luci asked me. I was about to say something but she kept on talking.
"Not leave me, leave me just-- This is someway for you to run off in the middle of the night is it. I mean in my dream it felt real." Luci said to me. I wrapped my arms around Luci's waist.
"I promise you that will never happen. I'm never going to leave you." I told her. Luci kissed my lips.
"Your right. I'm sorry. I should have know better. Please forgive me." Luci asked me. I smiled at her, and I moved her hair behind her ear.
"There's nothing to forgive you for Darlin. Now we need to get back to work. McRoy's will be here with in the next 45 minutes.
"Yeah. I need you take out the chest by our bed. I got extra fabric's in there, our wedding liscens, my wedding dress, and our family bible. I put it in there last night." Luci told me. I smiled at her.
"Where's your nightie at?" I asked her. I love that nightie on her. I can't wait until she can wear it again for me.
"It's packed up in a bag." Luci told me. I smiled at her.
"Good. After the baby is born I wouldn't mind you walking around in a blue nightie or maybe a black nightie." I told her. I can feel my 'Buddy' gettin bigger just thinkin about Luci in a small satin black nightie.
"Hmm." I said to her. Luci kissed my neck and got off my lap. I watched as she walked out of the bedroom. I do love her. She's my whole world. I've might of had big plans for us on this mountain, but that still doesn't mean they can't come true somewhere else.
After I got my booths on I walked out of the bedroom to see Luci already making eggs for us. Since we are leaving so early in the morning we won't be stopping until David and I both think we are far from this place. This is going to be a new start for all of us. I opened up the door so I can get a few small things done before I need to eat with Luci. As I was walking out to the barn, Minnie ran out of the cabin going out by the out house. I looked around and I didn't see anything.
I opened up the barn door and saw everything was still here. Thank you Lord. I got 4 pens with 2 chickens in each one. I walked over to Bessie. I need to milk her now. I know McRoy will be bring his two best milking goats with him and his family. David and I haven't really talked about where we are going to go? All I know is I need to get my girl somewhere safe and I need to build us a cabin before winter sits in. I hate that I got to leave most of my livestock here. Leaving the mill. Leaving that cabin that I was almost done building. But to keep Luci safe I'll move us to the end of the world if I must.
After I got Bessie milked and I carried it in the cabin, Luci was just done makin my plate. I kissed her head.
"Thank you Darlin. It looks great." I told her.
"It's just eggs Dear. Eat up I want us off of this mountain soon." Luci told me. I smiled at her.
"We will." I said to her. As we was eating we heard a wagon pullin up.
"That must be the McRoy's." I told Luci. I got up and walked outside. Their they all were. They got there wagon all loaded down.
"Are you and Luci ready." Meadow asked me. I helped her down off the wagon.
"Almost. I still got a few animals to tie up." I told her
"Okay, Jr, you and your brothers go help your pa and uncle Brantley. I'm going in to see if Luci needs any help." Meadow saw to us walking inside the cabin. I looked over at David.
"I see the same sad look in Meadow's eyes as I see in my Luci's eyes." I told David.
"Yeah. Brantley I hate to tell you this, but I moving back to Texas with my family." David told me. I looked at him.
"Your are." I asked her. I didn't really think about David going back to his birth state. I mean I was born in Georgia, but there's still a so much more open land out there.
"Yeah. Meadow and I talked about it. My folks haven't see the boys since there real ma died. They never met Running Star and-- I need to do this Brantley. Please understand." David told me. I smiled at him.
"I get it man I do. I hate that all of this is happening." I told him.
"I do too. Hey maybe we will see each other again one day." David said to me. No, after all of this is all over, this will be the last time David and I see each other. As hard this is I can't imagine how Luci and Meadow are doing right this second.
"Yeah." I said to him.
"Come on we got a lot of work to do before we can leave." David told me. We all walked into the barn to do what we must do.
After a good 25 minutes I was done loading up the wagon, with the McRoy boys and David's help. We were tying everything down when Luci and Meadow walked out of the cabin. They walked over to us.
"You ready Darlin." I asked her. Luci looked up at me.
"Yeah. I got everything I think we will need. I got our clothes, the babies clothes, you put the chest in the wagon right Brantley." Luci asked me.
"Yes Darlin." I said to her.
"Okay. Well then I think we are ready to go. Oh Meadow." Luci said to her best friend. Poor Luci and Meadow. I hate all of this, but David must do what he think's is best for his family and I must do the same with mine.
"Oh Luci, I'm going to miss you." Meadow said to Luci.
"We will see each other again." Luci said to Meadow.
"Yes we will. I don't care if I have to go alone, we will see each other again someday." Meadow said to Luci.
"Come on Meadow, we need to be goin. Brantley take care and the second you get to our place send me a line." David told me.
"Yeah I will man. Thank you for everything." I told him.
"What are best friends for?" David said to me. I shook his hand. David pulled me into a hug.
"Take care Brantley." David said to me.
"You too man." I said to him. David walked over to Luci.
"Take care of that babe for me." David told her.
"I will. Take care of my best friend." Luci told David.
"I will." David said to Luci, pulling into a hug. I looked at Meadow who was looking at me.
"Meadow take care of McRoy for me. Feed them boys all you can." I told her.
"Oh I will. But you take good care of Luci and that baby she's caring." Meadow told me.
"I will." I told her.
"You better. If not then Luci won't be having any more babies with you. I'll make sure of it" Meadow told me. I smiled at her. Funny thing is she will do that.
"Don't have to worry about that." I told her.
"I know." Meadow told me. David and her walked over to there wagon and they got in it.
"Godspeed Gilbert." McRoy told me.
"You too McRoy." I told him.
"Okay. Boys tell Brantley and Luci bye." McRoy told his sons. They all looked at Luci and myself.
"Bye. Take care of each other." David Jr told us.
"We will. Take care of your brothers." I told him.
"I will. Maybe when I'm bigger I can come to work for you again Uncle Brantley." David Jr asked me. I smiled at him.
"I will love that kid." I told him. He's always wanted to work at the mill with me and his pa. I pulled Luci closer to me. I could hear her sobs. We all just looked at each other for a few more seconds.
"We need to be going. Ha!" David said called on his team. Meadow, Luci and the boys where all crying. But David just kept looking at the path he was taking. After they were not seen any more I looked down at Luci, who was still crying.
"We need to be goin Darlin. It's already 5 after 5." I told her. I wanted us to be on the road by 5, but I'm not mad about 5 minutes.
"I'm ready Dear. So what lays next for the Gilbert clan." Luci asked me. I helped her up onto the wagon.
"Well, I was thinking about California or maybe---" Luci cut me off.
"Oregon." Luci told me. I looked at her.
"Okay. Nels told me about this wagon train leaving from Missouri to Oregon. If we can get there in 2 weeks we should be good." I told her. Luci smiled at me.
"And we will. Now let's get off of this mountain. Minnie come on girl." Luci called for Minnie. She jumped right up here and sat next to Luci.
"Okay pa we are ready now." Luci said to me. I gave her a kiss.
"Okay team let's go! Ha!" I yelled for my team.
As we was making our way off the mountain a lot of things are going through my head. The poor people that staying here. The wild animals that live here. And yes I was even thinking about the Indians as well. None of this fighting with the Indians should never happened. But in Oregon no one know's Luci nor do they know me, so this is for the best. I just hope we can get there before winter sets in. But one thing is for sure, this isn't the end of the Gilbert's. Nope this is just the beginning of us and our story.
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