Little Sharpshooter

Little Sharpshooter Chap 33

Trevor could hardly contain his excitement the next morning. He ate his breakfast and whatever food Randy left on her plate when she was done. Which seemed to be most of her breakfast. He leaned back in his chair to watch Bronson and Randy argue over what she was going to wear. Trevor wished someone else was in the room so he could bet on who would win. They both looked at him when they were exasperated with each other.

"I'm sorry, Bronson, but the buckskin outfit has the attitude. That is what she needs for the show today. That Annie is girly enough for the two of them. Randy needs to look like Randy and not somethin' she's not."

Bronson roared and threw up his hands. He glared hard at Randy and then at Trevor. "Who set up this show? Who did all the work to arrange this fancy room?"

"Who is gonna shoot the gun to earn the title of Best in the West? Huh?" Randy jutted out her chin and glared right back at him. "I could say I ain't gonna shoot nothin' if I don't like the way I look."

"You ridiculous female. I give up. Where whatever ya want. Go in yer underclothes for all I care." Bronson stormed off to his room

Randy smiled triumphantly at Trevor. "I win."

"Now you need to win the next contest."

Randy's face fell. "Well, we will see." She went to her room to change. Trevor was left in the middle of the room sitting alone. He went back to the tray of food and picked through it practically polishing the silver tray when he was done.

Ely arrived when it was time to go. Trevor followed them down the stairs and out the door. He shifted his weight from foot to foot while he wondered how he was going to the show when they put Randy in a fancy horse pulled cart with Bronson by her side. Ely gestured for Trevor to sit beside him on the backside of the cart. A difficult place to watch the fanfare the girls' created since Annie and her husband were in the cart in front of them. They rode through the center of town while people on the street waved and cheered. The fanfare was intoxicating but Randy half-heartedly smiled and barely waved.

"Look at her." Bronson nudged Randy, pointing at Annie.

Annie stood, holding on to her husband's shoulder as she waved vigorously at everyone.

"Get busy, sweetheart." Bronson pushed her onto her feet to do the same.

The carts paraded them down C Street and turned to the left before they headed down the mountain out of town. The crowd followed behind the carts. They pulled up to a wide open area that rapidly filled with people. They pulled up next to a platform while the crowd gathered.

Once everyone stepped out of the carts, they were gone. Trevor flushed in excited anticipated as he stood beside Randy. She was red in the face too but she looked more like a terrified mouse that had been cornered by a cat.

Frank's booming voice rang out over the crowd. He welcomed everyone to the show to witness who would be given the title of 'Best Lady Sharpshooter in the West'. As he went on about what they were about to see, Annie sidled up closer to Randy.

"You need to wipe that terrified look off your face. The most important thing is to make this fun. I mean fun for you, not for any of them. Pretend like it is yesterday and we aren't just here to see how good we are, we're here to completely show off because we can," Annie said. She bounded up the stairs after Frank introduced her, shooting a glass ball as soon as it was launched up into the air. She spun her pistol around her finger and placed it back in her holster, smiling and waving as the crowd erupted in cheers.

"See, I told ya that last night. Have fun." Trevor gave her hand a squeeze.

Randy's name was announced. She bounded up the stairs, shooting the glass ball with flair and spun her pistol around her finger just as fancy as Annie with a huge smile plastered on her face as she vigorously waved at the crowd. Randy was greeted with the same amount of energy from the crowd. It was the biggest crowd Trevor had ever seen.