The Journey Home

Kody didn’t answer at first. Wasn’t sure how to. This woman had a family. Sure, her brother had left her behind. Maybe with the best of intentions. But she expected him to welcome her into his new home. What would she know about how it felt to be a half-breed? How it affected everyone and everything in his world? How people expected him to be a wild Indian? At times his frustration made him want to act like one. “Sometimes a man likes to be alone.”

“Don’t you feel the need to have someone to talk to?”

Always. Try as he might, he never got used to keeping his thoughts inside himself. “Sam here is a good listener.”

She laughed, a sound like water rippling over rocks. A sound trickling through his senses like someone brushing his insides with a feather. “If you want only listening you could park a rock on your saddle and talk to it. Seems to me a person wants a bit more. Someone to agree or argue. Someone to acknowledge your presence.”

He refused to let her words poke at his loneliness. He’d made his decision. There was no looking back.

They fell into quiet contemplation as they continued toward the town. Kody’s thoughts always seemed to have a mind of their own, and after talk about his mother, there was no way to keep himself from remembering her. She loved him. As did his father. He’d never doubted it. They treated him as their own and never once made him feel inferior. For that he loved them deeply, but life had created a solidly strong reason for him to move on. He stopped himself from thinking further along those lines. He’d made his decision and he wouldn’t look back. Canada promised the sanctuary he sought. He hoped it would also provide forgetfulness of what he’d left behind.

Despite Charlotte’s insistence she’d take her turn walking, Kody did not allow Sam to stop until Big Rock sat square in front of them. He pulled Sam off the road and helped Charlotte dismount. He hung back behind the low bushes at the side of the road. “You go on and see if Harry has sent you a message.”

She brushed the dust off her dress and smoothed back her hair, which fell to her shoulders and trapped the golden rays of sunshine, then she took the bedroll and bag Kody handed her. He chuckled as she struggled to carry the rifle. “Might as well leave it behind.”

She ignored his suggestion. “Thank you again and God bless you on your journey to Canada.”

“You’re welcome.” He hunkered down behind the bushes and waited. He’d make his way into town later to assure himself she was okay, then he’d move on. He plucked a dry blade of grass and rolled it between his fingers. Used to be he could occupy his mind with such useless activity, but not today. His thoughts had been willful and troubling since he’d entered the house where Charlotte huddled alone. Something about her—her words of faith, her belief in family and belonging—reminded him of what he’d left behind. He didn’t thank her for bringing to his mind the very things he wanted to forget.

He turned to discuss the matter with Sam. “She thinks you’re no better than a rock to talk to.”

Sam snorted his disbelief.

“I know. I was offended, too. Shows what a woman knows. Sure, it’s true you don’t say much, but I know you understand.”

Sam shook his head in agreement.

“Can’t understand her brother abandoning her, though. She ain’t so big she couldn’t fit in somewhere.”

Sam shook his head again.

“I sure hope the man has sent for her.” He pushed to his feet and swung into the saddle. “Let’s go see.”

He pulled his hat low over his eyes and sat boldly upright, ready to face any challenge. He rode slowly through the wide streets of the suffering town, noted the vacant windows in several buildings. People pulled up and left everything behind as the drought and depression took their toll. A lone truck sat at the side of the street.

A man in the doorway of the feed store jerked to attention and watched Kody with narrowed eyes. Two old codgers leaned back on chairs in front of the mercantile. As Kody passed they crashed their chairs to all four legs. One spat on the sidewalk. Kody ignored them. He had no wish to start trouble. He only wanted to check on Charlotte and then he intended to head north as far as his empty stomach allowed before he tried to find some kind of work. It had become the pattern of his days. Sometimes, if the work was good or the pay promising, he stayed for days, even weeks. Other times, he earned a meal and moved on. Always north. Always toward his dream—Canada and forgetfulness. The journey had taken far longer than it should. He needed to make more effort to reach his goal.

He turned aside and stared at the display in the window of Johnson’s General Store, though he only noted the post office sign. Charlotte would have gone inside to ask for her letter.

He waited, ignoring the stares from across the street. The two old men posed no threat, only annoyance and a reminder of what others saw when they looked at him.

Charlotte staggered out, a letter grasped in her hands. Her eyes had a faraway look as she stared past him, not seeing him, not, he guessed, seeing anything. At the shock on her face, he almost bolted off Sam, wanting to catch her before she stumbled and fell. Only the thunderous glance of a passing matron stopped him.

Charlotte collapsed on the nearby bench beside her belongings and shuddered.

Kody waited until the woman hurried on before he murmured, “You got your letter?” Seems she should have been a little more relieved to hear from her brother.

Slowly, as if it took all her mental energy, she pulled her gaze to him. She swallowed hard, her eyes seemed to focus and she shuddered again. “Harry says he’s sorry, but they’re still looking for a place. I’m to wait for further word from him. He suggested I stay with the Hendersons, but they’re full with his parents there.” Her eyes glazed. “I have no place to go.”

The sound of someone on the sidewalk forced Kody to hold his tongue, though what could he tell her? Certainly she couldn’t go back to the farm and no food or water, but she must have friends she could stay with for a few days.

A man stopped in front of Charlotte. “Well, if it isn’t my neighbor. Haven’t seen you in a few days, Charlotte. How are you doing?”

Charlotte folded the letter and tucked it into her bag. “I’m doing just fine, Lother. How about you?”

“A little lonely, my dear. But seeing you has fixed that right up.”

Kody settled back, lowering his head and acting for all the world like he’d fallen asleep in the saddle. He didn’t like the tone of proprietorship he heard in this Lother’s voice, but it was none of his business and maybe the man would offer Charlotte the protection she needed.

Charlotte shuffled back, tucking her feet under the bench.

“What’s this?” The man indicated the bedroll and carpetbag on the bench. “Planning a trip, are you?”

The storekeeper had moseyed out to take part in the conversation. “Harry and his wife moved out. Miss Charlotte’s waiting for word to join them. That what your letter says?” he asked. “Harry sending for you?”

Charlotte shrank even farther back. She stared past Lother.

Kody lifted his chin just enough that their gazes connected. At the trapped look in her eyes he squeezed his hands into fists.

“No need for you to leave the country.” Lother’s words were low, his voice soft, yet Kody heard something he didn’t like. The sort of noise a rattler made before it struck. “I’m willing to share my name and my home with you.”

Charlotte’s chin jutted out. “I have other plans.”

“Joining your brother?” the storekeeper asked.

Charlotte flashed the man a defiant look. “That’s my business, isn’t it?”

“Mighty important business, too.” The man snorted and returned inside.

Lother rocked back on his heels. “You’re a strong young woman. ’Spect you could produce a whole lot of sons. Man needs sons to help on the farm. That brother of yours might be willing to sell me his land real cheap. Or I could wait a bit and get it for back taxes. With sons to help I could expand.”

Kody wondered how soon he expected his sons to be big enough to help. Ma had taken in several babies while Kody lived at home, and he seemed to remember they were nothing but work for a couple of years and then they only ran around getting into mischief. Not much help, in his estimation. But this man had other plans for his babies. Plans including Charlotte as a broodmare. Kody twisted the reins until his hands hurt.

Lother touched Charlotte’s cheek. “You’ll do just fine,” he said, his voice was as oily as the matted hair poking out from under the blackened edges of his hat. Kody could never understand a man who didn’t wash up and comb his hair occasionally.

Charlotte twitched away from the man’s touch, her eyes wide, dark with fear and something more, something Kody could only guess was loathing. It was plain she didn’t much like this man.

Kody didn’t like him at all.

Lother shoved Charlotte’s belongings aside and sat very close, pushing his thigh against hers.

The man went too far. Kody leaned forward, preparing to spring to Charlotte’s defense.

But Charlotte leaped to her feet. “Excuse me, I have to get to the train station.” She grabbed her belongings and hurried down the street.

Lother called after her, “You best be changing your mind soon and stop playing Miss High-and-Mighty. Ain’t like you got other beaux.” The man turned, saw Kody watching him. “What are you staring at, Injun? Move along.”

Kody didn’t need the man’s permission, nor did he swing Sam into the street because he’d been ordered to. He had to see what Charlotte had up her sleeve. She’d said her brother had told her to wait. Did she have somewhere to go? Someplace safe from this Lother man?

He rode slowly to the end of the block and circled around by a back street to the train station. He dismounted and shuffled slowly to the platform, acting as if he had no reason in the world to be there other than aimless boredom. He didn’t want to attract attention, nor have anyone suspect he had any interest in Charlotte.

She sat on a bench in the shade, slumped over her knees as if in pain.

He controlled the urge to hurry to her side and, instead, sauntered along the platform to stand near the edge, facing the tracks. His back to her, he said, “You figure out a place to go?”

She sniffed, a dry, determined sound that brought a slight smile to his lips. He’d expected tears, not this attitude of defiance. “I have no money. No family apart from Harry. No one here has room or ability to keep me. But I’m not stuck, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m not alone. God is with me. He’s promised to provide all I need. I’m sitting here praying.”

“Waiting for a miracle?” Far as he could see, God had not smiled any more favorably on this woman than on himself. For his part, he’d given up waiting for miracles or, for that matter, evidence of God’s love.

“I guess you don’t believe in miracles or God’s provision.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down the empty tracks. “Can’t say one way or the other. Might be God sends them both your way.”

“I’m counting on it.”

There seemed nothing more to say after that. He could, having done his duty, ride away and leave her to God’s care. Yet he didn’t move. How often had he heard Ma say, “Son, what kind of people are we if we see a soul in need and turn our backs? Whatever the color of your skin, that uncaring attitude is savage.” He wished he could shut off her voice, but it spoke softly in the back of his mind. She practiced what she preached, always helping those in need often without so much as a word of thanks. “I don’t do it for the praise of men,” she’d say. “I do it for God. He sees and knows my heart.”

Kody had not one doubt what his mother would do in this situation. And what she would expect him to do. But she saw it in terms of black and white. He saw it in shades of red. He smiled, knowing Ma would appreciate the irony of his thoughts.

He uncurled his arms and let his fists hang at his sides. He could not walk away from his training. Again, he smiled, seeing the incongruity of his reasoning—unable to walk away from his training, yet determinedly riding away from his parents who had provided the training. His smile flattened. Best for those back home that he headed north, far, far from them all.

Except if he was to do what Ma expected, that might change. “I know someplace where you can stay safely until you get word from your brother.”

“You do?”

“With my mother and father.” It totally fouled his plans, but he could not leave Charlotte here.

He heard her huff. Knew she would refuse.

“You got a better idea?”

“Yes. I’ll wait back at the farm.”

He spun around to face her. “You can’t mean that. You have no water. No food.”

Her stubborn look didn’t change.

“And what about your friend Lother?”

“He’s not my friend.” She looked down the street as if fearing the man would follow her. Slowly, she brought her gaze back to Kody and stared at him for a full thirty seconds. “Seems I don’t have a whole lot of choices.”

He could hardly describe her reaction as grateful. “Maybe it’s the miracle you’ve prayed for.” He knew from the scowl on her lips that she didn’t believe it any more than he did. “I need to get a few things. Why don’t you go back to the store and arrange to have any messages forwarded care of Reverend Douglas in Favor, South Dakota?”

She nodded, reluctantly, he figured, and he left her to take care of that detail while he headed toward the livery barn. He patted his pocket, knowing his purse would be much lighter before he left town.

This decision of his meant he would be heading south, instead of north, heading back to the very place he’d vowed to leave behind forever.

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