A
LOVE REBORNA
LOVE REBORN
My head ached and I felt sore all over. I never had felt so uncomfortable in my bed, I finally gave up trying to sleep and decided that now was the time to get up and do my chores. The throbbing in my head only increased as I opened my eyes. Then I saw them, all standing around me.
As my eyes adjusted to the light I looked at them all. A pretty woman with strawberry blond hair, another woman who was dressed as a man, a rather handsome if not menacing looking young man, and . . . .Red Eagle and his new woman! I groaned. Understanding hit me suddenly. Seeing Red Eagle in the arms of another, running into Tinsdale the Witch hunter, fleeing the town and then my accident. I kept my gaze on my beloved and reached out a hand to him.
"My love." I said in a raspy voice.
The group looked at each other than at him with questions in their eyes. "Buck, do you know this girl?" The blond woman asked.
He looked over to the Indian woman by his side and spoke his answer to her, "No, I've never seen her before in my life." The young woman seemed contented with his answer.
Oh to hear his voice again, it was wonderful. I don't know what I expected him to do, but it was not to put his arm around the maiden and hold her to his side as the blond woman tended to the wound on my head. Seeing them together broke what small restraint I had on my emotions. The tears flowed quickly. As I cried, the blond woman ushered the group out of the room, telling them to wait for the doctor on the porch.
"There, there now. you're gonna be just fine. Don't cry." The blond woman said soothingly. "Are you thirsty?"
I nodded and she gave me a glass of water from a pitcher by the sofa. It took a minute or two but I managed to calm myself a bit to drink some and ask some questions. "Where am I?"
"You're in my living room. Are you in any pain?"
The pain in my head was no match for the one in my heart. I shook my head no and handed her the now empty glass of water. "Who are you?"
"The name's Rachel, and I keep house for some of the boys in the Pony Express. I'm also the one who ran into you on the road. And you are?"
"My name is Devon Morgan. I'm new in town, and the accident was my fault. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing or where I was going. Are you hurt?"
"No I'm fine, I was worried about you though." She said with a kind smile.
I liked this woman. While we sat and talked for a while I found myself believing that we could be good friends, at least I hoped we could. We were deep in conversation, when the sound of hoof beats vibrated from outside. Minutes later an older man came in with a young blond man I hadn't seen before behind him. In the doorway stood Red Eagle, and his friends. Rachel spoke quickly to the doctor, explaining what had happened and how long I had been unconscious.
The doctor took over quickly. He emptied the room of everyone but Rachel, and just as quickly examined me. After finding me no worse for the wear, he turned to leave but was stopped by Rachel who spoke to him so quietly I couldn't hear what they were saying. The doctor opened the door and spoke to the men and women on the porch, then came back into the house followed by everyone else.
I sat up on the sofa. Rachel who sat by my side introduced me to everyone. The dark haired man was Jimmy, the blond man was Cody, the woman in trousers was Lou, and she introduced me to Red Eagle who she called Buck and the Indian maiden, Lily. As I looked at each in turn the two men, Jimmy and Cody looked at me with genuine male interest, especially Cody. Lou, however looked as if she didn't trust me. Perhaps it was my dress or maybe my hair or eyes. I was used to women disliking me for one reason or another without even knowing me. I smiled shyly at her but she gave me no response. I then looked over at Lily and Buck. My tears threatened to spill again but I would not let that happen. I looked away quickly and focused my attention on the doctor.
The doctor sat on a chair across from me. "I hear that you had a problem in town today, would you like to talk about it."
His tone was condescending, and I didn't particularly like the way he was speaking to me. I raised my chin a notch. "No, no problems." I lied, then I chanced a glance at Buck. He and Lily shared a quick and silent exchange that spoke volumes to me not only did they know I was lying but it showed me the way they felt about each other, it was the same way we looked at each other; once. I tried and failed to hold back the sobs that were now racking my body.
Rachel immediately put an arm around my shoulders. "What's wrong Devon?"
"I can't lose him!" I wailed.
"Who?"
I pointed to Buck, "Him, Red Eagle." The group turned their attention to Buck who shrugged and arched an eyebrow.
Rachel shook her head, "You're mistaken honey, his name is Buck."
"No, his name is now Buck, but it used to be Red Eagle."
Rachel turned to look at him. "My name has always been Running Buck Cross." He said.
No!" I yelled. "Not when we were married!"
Buck stepped back as if he were struck. He looked around at all the faces of his friends, then turned to Lily who's eyes were wide. Her gaze searching for answers and afraid of what he might tell her.
"We were never married." He said to her.
If I hadn't been hysterical perhaps I would have thought before speaking, but that wasn't the case. I wanted him back at any cost, even if that meant hurting this innocent young woman. "Yes we were!" I said and I held everyone's attention, then without thinking I added, "We were married in Salem Massachusetts in 1692!" The expressions on the faces before me went from suspicion to pity.
"Are you telling us that you and Buck have been married for almost two hundred years." Jimmy asked, "Because if you are I'd just like to say how good you look for your age."
In one moment I was put on the defensive, I had to make them believe. It was my only chance. "No what I'm saying is that he and I were married two hundred years ago."
"Oh well that makes more sense." He muttered.
"Jimmy . ." Rachel said in warning. It was then, in the silence that followed that I knew they all thought I was insane. I had to convince them.
"I can prove it."
"How?" Jimmy said.
I looked around the room at all the faces. "Haven't you ever known something, or were able to do something without ever knowing where you learned it?"
"Yeah, so." Lou said.
"It's because you've already learned it. In a past life." They were all still unconvinced. "I knew him, we were married, and then I was murdered."
"In 1692, in Salem, Massachusetts?" The doctor said, then looked at me with wide eyes. "My Lord are you saying you were killed for being a Witch?"
I sighed, "Yes."
"That's no proof you two were married." Lou pointed out.
"Okay, Red - I mean Buck has a birthmark." I said.
The group looked over at the Kiowa questioningly. "I ain't never seen a birthmark on him." Cody said.
"It's not where you could've easily seen it, but I as his wife did."
"Well now I'm interested." Jimmy said with a devilish grin. "So where is it?"
I blushed as I fumbled for the right way to phrase my statement. "It's well . . .it's umm . . .it's a crescent shape, and it's . . .er well it's on his left . . .cheek." There, I had said it. That should be all the proof they needed.
Cody looked at Buck's face closely, "I don't see no moon birthmark."
"Not that cheek." I said quietly.
Realization hit Cody quickly and he began to laugh heartily, the others in the room tried to hold it in. "So when Buck drops his drawers you see two moons?" Cody said between laughs, and the others in the room exploded in laughter.
Everyone except Buck and Lily. Buck looked down into Lily's face, her eyes were wide; shining with unshed tears and questions. The foremost question being how could Devon know about the birthmark that Lily had just recently seen for herself. Buck reached out to Lily, but she turned and fled the house.
He looked at me then, I hoped he would have come to me, wrap me in his arms and tell me he believed. Instead, he shook his head slowly and left to go after Lily.
Prologue ~ Chapter
1 ~ Chapter 2 ~ Chapter 3
~ Chapter 4 ~ Chapter 5 ~ Chapter
6 ~ Chapter 7 ~ Chapter 8
~ Chapter 9
~ Chapter 10 ~ Chapter 11 ~
Chapter 12
