THE BEAUTY COMES IN THE SPRINGTIME
THE BEAUTY COMES IN THE SPRINGTIME
Lou got up early the next morning seeing how she had a lot to do today. She dressed in a white blouse and a forest green riding skirt. After she was finished she went downstairs to cook breakfast for everyone. She knew she didn’t have to, but Rachael had been so good to her and her family she wanted to show her a thanks. After she got done cooking breakfast she put in the oven so it would keep warm. Lou figured everyone would be up in about a half hour so the food will still be nice and warm for them. Next she went out to the barn and saddled up Lighting. She was going to go to town and try to find a job and a place for them to stay.
A little while later as Rachael was coming down the stairs she smelled something wonderful. As went into the kitchen and found that breakfast was already made. She also found a note by the table. Which read:
Soon afterwards Rachael went to the bunkhouse with the food. As everyone started eating the boys started telling Rachael how fantastic breakfast was.
“Oh, don’t thank me boys thank Louise. She’s the one who made it.”
“Speaking of Lou where is she? I haven’t seen her all morning.” Jimmy wondered.
“She went to town.”
“Beautiful, and knows how to cook, what more could a man ask for?” Cody said in a daydream type voice. (I can’t wait to start courting her. I know that the others are interested in her, but she going to be mine. After all I was the best looking here.).
“She didn’t always know how to cook.” Miah said with a little grin. “When she first started she burned everythin' under the sun, she was the worst cook in the world. Why, she couldn’t even boil water right. That’s how bad she was.” He wasn’t trying to make his sister look bad, he was just telling the truth like Lou always told him too.
“Now Miah that’s enough.” Mary replied. Sometimes she just didn’t understand why Jeremiah was like that. He would just start telling people things that she didn’t think he should.
“What? I’m just tellin' the truth.”
“Looks like we to have another Cody here.” Noah replied as all the other riders started laughing, even Cody.
Just then Teaspoon opens the door in saying “What smells like a piece of heaven in here?” Then he saw her. Mary Louise McCloud. He hadn’t seen her in over 20 years but he knew it was her. She looked the exact same as she did back then, well almost, her eyes looked like they lost there sparkle.
“Why Teaspoon Hunter, is that you?!” Mary couldn’t believe it. 20 years it had been, and he didn’t look a day older. She remember when they were younger. They were such good friends. He had just gotten over his third marriage. When they met at a dance. He was sitting over in the corner being aloof. One of his Texas Rangers friends dragged him there so he could have some fun and forget about his wife leaving him. Mary was just a teenager then, so full of life. She went over to him and asked him to dance, she could never stand seeing anyone looking sad. He refused at first just wanting to be left alone but she kept insisting that he should dance with her. She told him she wasn’t going away until he did. So Teaspoon agreed. He didn’t want anyone thinking ill of this young girl. Girls never asked the men to dance it was considered improper. Over the next couple of months they could always be found together. They were not courting they just liked each other as company. They got along together so well, most people thought they would get married. Then the day came when Teaspoon had to leave. They wrote to each other for awhile, then the letters just stop coming, from both sides. By then Mary had met Boggs and everything in her life had changed.
“Well I’ll be a hot dog in the winter time! It is ya!” Teaspoon went over to her and gave her a big hug. He noticed right away that she was pale and weak, not as strong and full of life as she use to be, but still beautiful.
The boys were surprised, but not that surprised because it seems that Teaspoon knew almost everybody. Then Mary introduced Teaspoon to her children. “This is Miah and this is Tessa. My oldest is in town right now. Her name is Louise, or as your boys dubbed her Lou.”
Soon after that the boys and Rachael left to do chores, and the children went out to play. So that left Mary and Teaspoon sitting on the porch swing talking about old times and updating each other on what has happened since.
The boys could here Mary laughing saying “You had three more wives?!” They just chuckled at that.
Later that day the boys were in the bunkhouse telling Teaspoon how great Lou was and that Teaspoon should give her a job.
“Now boys, I’ll tell her I will hire 'er because you boys wanted 'er to stay . But we have a problem we don’t have enough room here for all of them.” Teaspoon liked toying with the boys every once and awhile. He had already decided to hire Marys daughter. He knew from Lou’s mother that she was a strong and capable girl. He also decided that for room they would just add onto the house. But he loved seeing them squirm.
“But Teaspoon she won’t take the job if she thinks your givin' it to her out of pity. And as far as room goes we could figer something out.” Jimmy knew that Lou had a lot of pride and wouldn’t take any charity. They just had to convince Teaspoon to tell her they need her help.
“Alright boys, I’s just tell 'er that we really need help and ask 'er to stay. As far as living goes we could always add on to the house. That is, if I have any volunteers to help build it.” He knew he had them now, hook line and sinker.
<We will do it.> Ike signed. He knew he spoke for everyone, even Cody, because everyone wanted her and her family to stay. They wouldn’t mind the extra work if it meant that they all stayed.
“Then I guess we ar’s agreed. Now get back to ya chores.”
Louise had been in town all morning and could not find a respectable job anywhere. Then, when she looked for housing for them the prices were way out of price range for them. (If I don’t find a job soon we might have to leave here and go someplace else, but we do have enough money to live on for a couple of months but what would we do after that. I hate the thought of leaving my new family. It’s amazing I’ve met them only a day ago and I already feel like family.) So with a heavy heart she started back to the station.
Once there she met Teaspoon and he talked to her about how much Rachael needed help around here, and he already knew her qualifications from the breakfast she made this morning. Before deciding Louise looked around saw how happy Tessa and Miah were, and her mother seemed to have a glow to her that wasn’t there this morning. She heard from Teaspoon how he and her mother went way back. (How can I say no? I think this is the happiest my family has ever been.) So Lou took the job.
