CHAPTER 18 -DISTANT LIGHTNING
It was getting dark, so we stopped to make camp. Cole was taking his time unsaddling his horse and I was about to feed Britt. Seth gave me a look that made me turn around. I giggled though. Cole threw his saddle on the ground next to me and put the saddle blanket next to it. He rolled out his sleeping bag and before long he was flat on his back with his head propped against the saddle.
When I finished feeding Britt I looked at the three men and they were all in the same position. Seth had pulled his hat down over his face and Jack was in the process of doing the same. Cole was lazily kicking off his boots.
"Do we need to get a fire goin'?" I asked as I situated myself on the ground next to Cole. I crossed my legs and lay Britt on top of them so I could wrap him in the sling cloth. That was just for his comfort, it wasn't very cold.
"I reckon. I'll get to it in a minute." Cole answered while yawning. It was contagious. I yawned and noticed Jack yawning as well. I thought Seth must already be asleep because he never moved. I almost felt guilty to look at him 'cause every time I did I thought about the day he kissed me. I wondered if he'd told Cole.
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John's POV
I was walking around the town of West Wood, trying to see if anything would jog my memory. Nothing looked all that familiar, except for the hotel. I could have sworn I'd seen it before, so I thought I'd step inside and see if that helped. While I was walking towards the corner where the hotel was, I kept hearing a woman's voice yell, "John!" I finally turned around to look and the blonde haired woman came running towards me.
"John! Oh, I haven't seen you in so long!" She yelled as she hugged me. It was then that I noticed she was pregnant, very pregnant.
"I'm sorry, do I know you, Ma'am?" I asked as politely as possible. I felt a little bad when she made a face.
"John, I know things ended badly. But Cole isn't here. You don't have to be so rude."
' Cole? Who is Cole?' I thought to myself. When she raised her eyebrows I knew I had to speak, so I just asked the first question that came to my mind. "I'm real sorry, Ma'am, but I don't know you. If I did and don't remember then I'm sorry. I don't even know my name, but I'm guessin' I'm John?"
The blonde haired woman squinted her green eyes and gave me a serious look. "Are you serious?"
"About what?"
"You don't know who I am? You don't know who you are?"
"No, and no. What is my last name?" I did want to know that. I figured if she knew my first name then she'd know my last, I had to ask.
"Your name is John Britt. We used to be... friends." I couldn't remember her, but something about the way she said my name was familiar. I needed to sit down and talk to this woman, I needed to find out some more about myself so maybe my memory would come back.
"Miss, would you mind sittin' in the saloon with me? I mean, if you don't mind tellin' me some more about myself."
"Of course." She quickly nodded and led the way. We sat at an empty table in the corner, far away from the piano. Once we were seated she told me her name. "My name is Catherine."
"How do we know eachother, Miss Catherine?"
"John, you really don't remember?" She looked a little hurt.
"No, ma'am. I really don't." I was honest, I didn't want to hurt her feelings. But I really had no idea who she was.
"We used to run in a gang together. You and I were together." That was a tidal wave of shock.
"I'm in a gang? I'm an outlaw?" I asked a little louder than I meant for it to come out. Catherine looked around us and then moved her chair a little closer to me.
"Well, you used to be, but I'm not so sure you still are. It's been a year since I last saw you."
There was no way I was an outlaw. "You must have me confused with someone else. I'm just tryin' to find my wife." I was about to stand up, but what Catherine said made me stay.
"You got married?" She asked in a high pitched, hurt tone of voice. I waited for her to continue, but she just stared at me.
"I don't remember where we live, but I remember her name."
"What is her name?"
"Cassidy." After the name rolled off my tongue, Catherine stood and looked outraged.
"Cassidy Smith! That dirty, saloon whore!?" She screamed at the top of her lungs. She bolted out of the saloon and I followed her. I needed to know where my wife was, and apparently Catherine knew her.
'I married a saloon girl?'
"John Britt! I can't believe you!" She turned and yelled at me. I didn't understand why she was so angry. "You were supposed to be with me!"
"I was?" I was so confused.
"Yes! I thought you loved me!" By this point, everyone in the street had stopped to watch and I felt awkward. I ran next to her and grabbed her arm.
"Okay, well please explain it to me 'cause I don't remember anythin'. All I remember is my wife, Cassidy and somethin' about this town. Please, Catherine... " I begged. She looked at me for a moment and seemed to compose herself.
"Alright. Let's finish our talk then. I know where Cassidy is." She said with a smile forming on her mouth. I had to admit I was a little excited, until she finished her statement. "Cassidy, your wife, is with Cole Mason."
"She was kidnapped?"
"No, honey. Cole Mason is the father of her child. Cole Mason tried to kill you in that hotel." She pointed to the place that had looked familiar to me and then the strangest thing happened. I remembered it.
"My wife ran off with that man?" I asked her. She nodded, but still smiled. I was on fire. My insides felt like they were going to explode. I didn't remember ever being that mad, but I was sure I never had been.
"They're on their way to Mexico right now, we can follow them and find out where they go..... John?" Catherine seemed to change her trail of thought. "After Cassidy left you, you came to me."
"I did?"
"Yes, John." She looked down at her belly and then met my eyes. "I'm carryin' your baby."
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"I want the rest of that bottle!" Cole yelled at his older brother, who was about to chug down half a bottle of whiskey. I knew Seth was only doing it to irritate Cole.
"Cole, you've had enough." I said as I touched his naked shoulder. Cole jumped over the fire and pointed back to me.
"Look, woman. When I've had enough... I'll tell you I've had enough!" Seth grinned and took off with the bottle of whiskey that Cole wanted so badly. Cole chased him around the horses and I turned my gaze to Dr. Jack, who was laughing hysterically. It was his fault, he was the one who was supplying them.
"Aw, Cassidy. Let 'em have some fun." He said after he'd realized I was glaring at him. I sighed and leaned against the tree behind me. I looked down at Britt who was sound asleep on one of the saddle blankets, totally oblivious to his drunken, insane father.
"Seth! Give it back, now I ain't playin' no more." Cole yelled from a few yards away. Seth was still running and was showing no signs of giving his brother what was left of the whiskey. I had to smile. They looked like two young boys.
"You have to catch me, you sorry son of a bitch!" Seth called to his little brother, right before he tripped. He was pretty talented to trip on flat ground. Cole caught up to him and jump-straddled him. He retrieved his precious bottle and made his way back to the camp fire. Seth was slow getting up and was out of breath. They both
were.
"That's what you get for talkin' 'bout Maw!"
"I hope Britt don't turn out like his Daddy!" Seth yelled in an amused way. Cole chugged the rest of the bottle and threw it at his brother, barely missing his face. I flinched, but relaxed when Seth dogged it.
"Shut the hell up!" Cole said with a smile just before propping himself up in front of me. He leaned both arms on the tree behind me and stared at me. I smiled in an awkward way, and he thought it was funny. He laughed at me and in turn I laughed at him.
"You're so drunk." I said through my light laughter. He kissed me and I tasted the whiskey.
"You like me when I'm drunk." I was going to say that I actually found him amusing. Since he also took his shirt off when he was drunk enough, I was going to say that I did. Until he burped in my face. He made a face that showed he wasn't expecting to do that, and when my face turned from a smile to disgust he leaned over in deep laughter and eventually fell to the ground at my feet. Jack was also laughing and Seth had began to roll on the ground with his knees in the air while holding onto his stomach.
I shook my head and decided to make the idiots some coffee to sober them up so we could all get some sleep at some point in the night.