Brantley's Pov
Otto and I are about 20 miles away from Happy Valley where we are to meet Doc Black for the meds for Doc Addison. I hope we get back home before it's to late. Otto and I have been out here for 3 days due to the snow being so high. Some places the snow is well over 7 feet high. I hope my girls are safe and warm at Mr. and Mrs. Cobb's store and home. I don't know what I would do if they are not there when I get back home. That might be the end of me as well. If they die from this fever I will take a bullet to my head so I can be with them up in heaven with her mama and my mama as well. I'm not living on this earth without my love nor with out my daughter.
I'm so glad Otto is with me. We got to know each other a lot more. I can't see why his papa is so mean to this young man. All he needs is someone to give him a little hand. All I know is this young man is going to get half of the money and if I find out that his papa took it and drank it all up on whiskey, gambling and on girls I might just kill the man myself and save Otto the time and it's not like I've killed a man before. Killed enough of them damn Yankees in the war and I've killed a few mountain men in my life. He's only a kid still. Don't need that on his plate.
I was driving the team and now that we are getting closer to the town I'm glad Luci and I settled in Jefferson, Kansas. I'm not crazy about going into towns, I don't know nor do I not trust. The only reason why I'm doing this is to help out our small town and help show everyone that my family are here to stay in Jefferson. I got a lot of plans for my family. I looked over at Otto who was reading the map.
"So what are you doing after you get done with schoolin Otto?" I asked him. Luci told me a few little things that she has learned from her students and Otto is the one that she is worried about the most.
"I don't know sir. Papa said I have to move on when I'm done. So I might try out west." Otto told me. What I've learned from Luci, is that Otto's ma and pa moved here from Germany, but Otto's mama passed on when Otto was 8. Died from child birth. Her and the poor babe.
"It ain't all the what it is crack up to be son." I told him. He looked over at me.
"You been to California Sir." Otto asked me. I was looking ahead.
"Once. After the war was over, I went for a few months. I left and I have no reason to go back. But hey, you might like it." I told him. Otto gave me a small smile.
"If I don't leave most likely I'll end up marrying someone and have 7 or 8 kids." Otto told me. I looked at him.
"Nothing wrong with that is it son." I asked him.
"Oh no sir, it's just the only girl that likes me is---" I cut him off.
"Sally Matthews." I said to him. He looked at me.
"How did you know that sir?" Otto asked me. I looked right at him.
"She looks at you the same way I look at Mrs. Gilbert." I told him. I've never thought I would be in love this much. To be honest with you I've never would have imagine that I would even be alive at the age of 34, happy married to a young 18 year old wife with a beautiful 4 month old daughter. But here I am and I would do anything for them.
"I just don't know if I could love her the same way she loves me." Otto told me.
"Well son that is something you need to think on and pray. Or if you don't want that then leave. As soon as school is over just leave. Make your own place in this world." I told him.
"Sir can I ask you something." Otto asked me. I looked at him.
"Sure if you want." I said to him.
"How do you know Mrs. Gilbert was the one for you?" Otto asked me. There is no way I'm telling anyone the real reason why Luci and I are married. She would never be able to show her face in Jefferson, Kansas ever again.
"She cooks better then my mama. And I love my mama's cookin, but Luci is a better cook. Plus she makes me happy. Before Luci all I was living in the mountains---" Otto cut me off.
"And that's what I want to do sir. I want to leave this town and live in the mountains." Otto told me. I smiled at him.
"I love living up there. And I lived there for 5 years on my own, but son it was lonely. I thank God now, I went to town that day and saw my Luci for the first time. She's my saving Grace." I told him. Otto looked at me.
"But she lived with you in these mountains sir. Why did you ever want to leave from up there?" Otto said to me.
"I couldn't keep them safe up there. It was my choice to leave the mountains. Not that I want to leave I had my business up there, a small cabin and I was right in the middle of building a new cabin for Luci." I told him. Otto looked at me.
"What happened sir?" Otto asked me.
"Injuns. They broke into our home and well, McRoy and I got them but I was scared for my wife and our unborn daughter at the time. So if you want to live up there I say do it while you are single. But if times were different and Mrs. Gilbert and I were closer to age I would have been happy to stay in town for her, just like I am now." I told him.
"Thanks sir." Otto told me.
"Plus that young Ms. Matthews is a good cook." I told him. He looked at me.
"How do you know that sir?" Otto asked me.
"For one call me 'Brantley' and two she sells pie for a penny. It was a cherry pie and I don't care for cherry I'm more into---" Otto cut me off.
"I love cherry pie." Otto said.
"Apple pie" I said to him. I looked right at him.
"I think you need to think about what you want in life now. Like I said I thank God everyday for my Luci, I just wish I wasn't so much older then her. Give us more years together." I told him. Otto shook his head at me. I know he is doing a lot of thinking.
Took another 3 hours before we got to Happy Valley. We was riding into town when we saw a group of men with guns standing in front of the store. I pulled the sled over.
"We ain't got nothing for ya." Some man said to us. Otto looked at me.
"We are here to see Doc Black. He has meds for---" Some man cut me off.
"You Gilbert and Ludwig." He asked us.
"Yes sir. I'm Brantley Gilbert. This is Otto. Doc Addison sent us." I told him shaking his hand.
"I'm Dr. Black. So glad you are here. Snow has been crazy." Doc Black told me.
"Yes sir it has." I told him.
"Okay men start loading up this sled. These men need to get the meds back to Jefferson in a quick like." Doc Black told everyone.
"Brantley, Otto please come inside for a few minutes. I have some warm food for you and some tea." Doc Black told us.
"We really need to be going sir." I told him.
"I had a feeling you would say that so let me get you the basket that Mrs. Black made for you--" Doc Black was cut off by a woman walking over to our sled.
"Mr. Gilbert." She asked me.
"Yes ma'am." I said to her.
"Mrs. Black. Please take this. There's chicken, bread, cheese and some jars of water for you. You and this young man are in my prayer and same for you small town." Mrs. Black said to Otto and myself.
"Thank you ma'am. This is so nice of you all. And Doc Addison to give you this." I pulled out a $10.
"That old man. He did this on purpose. He knew I would have to take it from you. Tell the old bastard that I will get him for this." Doc. Black said to me.
"Yes sir I sure will." I said to him.
"Okay the wagon is ready Doc." Some man said. I looked at everyone.
"I don't know how to tell you all this, but we do thank you. From the bottom of our hearts, my town thank you all." I said to them.
"Oh wait. I got some blankets for you all. I see you only have one each. Please take these. Make a good family blanket when the times comes." Mrs. Black said to Otto. His face turned red.
"Well, wouldn't Ms. Matthews like that Otto." I said to the young 18 year old stud next to me.
"Shut up Gilbert." Otto said to me. I laughed as hard as I can. I like this German kid.
"Well we must be going. Thank you again sir." I said to Doc Black, shaking his hand again.
"Your welcome. Boys make sure none of them boxes fall off. Gilbert and this young man don't need no trouble. You got guns with you right sir." Doc asked me.
"Yes sir" I said to him.
"Good. Send us a telegram when you make it back home." Doc told me. I looked at him.
"Yes sir." I said to him.
"Good. Tell Addison I'm still a better town doctor then that old man." Doc Black said to me. Little does he know I think we got the best town doctor.
"Yes sir." I said to him.
"Okay boys let's go home." I said to the team. After a few minutes of riding Otto looked at me.
"What is it Otto?" I asked him.
"When we get back I'm going to ask Sally to court me." Otto said to me. I looked at him.
"Smart man." I said to him.
"Then after school I will get a job and I will build her a proper home." Otto said to me.
"Don't tell me just do it son" I told him.
"Yes sir. Why am I nerves. I mean I knew this girl for 5 years now." Otto said to me.
"Yes but now you like her it's different this time." I said to him. Otto gave me a nod.
All I know it's going to take us another 2 days to get back to Jefferson and that's only if the snow will stay down. The boy and me are both cold, tired and I need my family right now. Only a few more days then I'll be in there arms again.
A/N
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