A SECRET SHARED
A SECRET SHAREDby
Disclaimer: The characters and early scenes are creations of Ed Spielman. They are used for entertainment purposes only and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: With the new category of "what if" stories popping up, I thought I would throw my hat in the ring. The question has been posed on some message boards before..."What if another rider found out Lou was a girl instead of Kid?" This "what if" addresses that issue. If this story is similar to another, I apologize - sometimes the show and fan fic get mixed up in my old brain. No ideas were taken on purpose!
After tracking down Doc Horner and making sure Emma was pacified, Cody made a beeline for the bunkhouse. All the riders were there, laying in their bunks or sitting around the table, except for Ike, who was out on a run.
"What're you grinnin' about?" Jimmy asked, irritated at being awakened from his nap.
"Where you been, Cody?" Buck wanted to know. "I had to do your chores again. Ya know, you got a real way o' gettin' outta them."
"It's a talent," Cody answered proudly. "Somethin' you boys could learn from!"
"So, what's your answer?" Kid questioned. "Spit it out before you choke on your tongue. We can all see it's killin' ya."
"Oh, ho, ho!" Cody began. "Have I got some news for you boys! It's gonna turn this place on it's ear!"
"Dammit, Cody," Jimmy said. "Stop playin' yer games and tell us, or so help me, I'll come over there and whip the tar outta you!"
"Okay, okay. Your such an impatient lot," Cody said, holding his hands up in mock surrender.
Buck rolled his eyes and looked at Kid, who just shook his head.
"Emma and Teaspoon sent me out to find Lou," Cody began before he was beset by questions from the others.
"Lou? What happened?" Kid asked.
"He okay?" Buck questioned.
"I thought you all wanted me to tell you!" Cody said impatiently. "Now hush up and let me finish my story!"
"A story, that's what it'll be," Jimmy mumbled disdainfully. "Pure fabrication."
Cody shot him a look of disgust. "Can I go on?"
"Yeah, yeah, finish your darn story," Jimmy answered.
"I got up to Harley's relay station and found Lightnin' runnin' free, so I got off my horse to look around a bit. Then I find Harley dead and Lou shot," Cody related.
"Shot?" Jimmy asked, suddenly interested in Cody's tale.
"Yes, shot. Now lemme finish!" Cody answered.
"Yeah, Jimmy. Let him finish," Kid said. He knew the run had been Lou's first. He hoped this wouldn't end the little rider's career with the Express. He had a funny feeling they'd be good friends once they got to know each other.
"Anyways, I take Lou into Harley's cabin to check out the gunshot, and turns out," he paused, "This is the good part! Lou ain't a boy!"
"Huh?" Buck seemed confused.
"What d' ya mean, he ain't a boy?" Jimmy wanted to know.
Kid knew what Cody meant, and he sat in stunned silence.
"Did you get kicked in the head, Jimmy?" Cody asked snidely. "Lou's a girl."
"How do ya know for sure?" Buck inquired.
"'Cause I saw 'em with my own two eyes!" Cody replied, his blue eyes gleaming with excitement. "'Course, it wasn't much to see, but it sure was a surprise! That, and then he, er, she, told me her name's really Louise."
"So where's he, um, she now?" Buck questioned.
"In Emma's house, with her and Doc Horner," Cody responded.
"So Emma knows?" Kid asked.
"O' course she knows, Kid! An' Teaspoon, too. Told 'em both myself," Cody answered proudly.
"You told 'em?" Kid said.
"'Course I told 'em, Kid. That whole Pony Express oath we took 'bout bein' honest, I had to tell 'em!" Cody defended himself. "You're the one who's so hung up on bein' honest and fair."
"Ya think it was fair of you to tell Teaspoon and Emma, 'stead of Lou doin' it herself?" Buck pointed out.
"This ain't no job fer a girl, and you two both know it," Cody argued to Buck and Kid. "'Sides, she wasn't pullin' her weight 'round her anyhow."
"Hell, Cody, you don't pull your weight," Jimmy added.
"You want a girl sleepin' in the bunkhouse with us?" Cody asked Jimmy.
Jimmy chuckled. "Well now, that depends on the girl!"
"My point exactly!" Cody said.
"She's a good rider," Kid pointed out.
"She got shot on her first run," Cody reasoned.
"So what's Teaspoon gonna do?" Buck asked.
"Hell if I know, but my guess is, we'll be seein' a new face in that there bunk," Cody answered, indicating Lou's bed.
"What d' ya mean, you knew all along?" Teaspoon asked Emma.
"It's plain as day," Emma replied. "You and the boys are jus' too blind to see it. No man I ever seen is built like that, even if he is small. And that girl's got the prettiest eyelashes I ever seen."
"So why didn't ya tell me?" Teaspoon demanded.
"'Cause I figured she had a reason for not tellin' us, and it wasn't my place to tell ya, 'specially if ya couldn't figure it out fer yourself," Emma answered.
"And you thought it was proper, her sleepin' with the boys in the bunkhouse?" Teaspoon wanted to know.
"Where else was she s'posed to sleep and not make you all suspicious? She had to sleep in the bunkhouse. Mr. Spoon, that girl's got a right to make her way, just as much as the boys do," Emma pointed out.
"Well I can't have a girl ridin' for the Express. The company don't allow it," Teaspoon said.
"You don't hafta tell 'em," Emma pleaded.
"The company's got it's rules. I can't start out this operation by breakin' 'em," Teaspoon replied. "What kinda example'd that set fer them boys? 'Sides, she got shot on her first ride. She obviously ain't cut out fer this line o' work."
"Harley's dead," Emma pointed out. "Maybe he wasn't cut out for his line o' work!"
"Emma Shannon, I cannot in good conscience allow a young woman to ride out there on her own," Teaspoon told her. "It ain't safe. Too much could happen."
"Mr. Spoon, too much could happen to her anywhere. At least here she's safe," Emma declared. "If the company ain't gonna let you keep her, I'll keep her with me. Lord knows I could use all the help I can get with them boys!"
