Twenty Bodies

Epilogue.

Six years later:

"You ain't telling that story again are you, Willy?" the deputy chuckled.
"If I want to tell my goddaughter a story, I will. Besides, she likes hearing about her daddy being a hero. Ain't that right, pumpkin!"

The little girl known as 'pumpkin' jumped up and down at the idea of hearing one of Willy's stories.

"Yeah daddy, I like it when Willy tells me stories!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah I know, Alice. Lets keep this clean though, Willy. I know your stories and I don't want her to be kept up all damn night with nightmares."
"Yeah, yeah... I know"

He began to tell her the story of Ace. He changed some details to keep it age appropriate for young Alice but he carried on.

"Wait, wait! Uncle Earnest shot you daddy?!"
"Willy, I told you to keep it clean!" The deputy exclaimed.
"I did... I didn't say you died!"
"DADDY DIED!?" Alice questioned desperately, her eyes bouncing from Willy to the deputy and back again.
The deputy shot a glance at Willy and shook his head.
"No, honey, he just got hurt by uncle Earnest"
"But why?"
"Uncle Earnest was a bad man sweetie but people change. The ironic thing about it is I'd take a bullet for him now. He and auntie Flo are the best bounty hunters we have ever had!"
Willy nodded in agreement.
"Whats a bounty hunter?"
"Never mind all that, girl. Eat your eggs" Willy said.
Alice did as she was told and with a mouthful of egg, she asked what happened next. He carried on.

"This Ace man bought back mummy?"
"He sure did. Your grand pappy, your daddy and me too"
"Wow!" Her eyes opened wide. A bright green just like her mothers, Willy thought. "But how?"
"That's one question I can't answer, Alice. I'm sorry," Willy said, shrugging.

"It's getting late, Alice. Stop bothering Willy and go find your mother to take you home. I'll finish my drink then I'll come join you both. You want some supper too, Willy?"
"But daddy, I want to hear the rest of the story!" Alice whined, stomping her foot.
"I'm sure Willy would love to answer all your questions another time but you got school tomorrow. I won't ask again, Alice"
"Okay" she said, staring at her feet.
"Okay. Now come give your daddy a kiss goodnight"
She walked over and gave him a kiss, then Willy a hug.
"Promise you'll tell me all of it?" She extended her little finger.
"What am I to do with that, darling?" Willy said, staring at the young girls finger.
"You take it with your own little finger and say 'you promise,' Willy" Tim said with a smirk.
"I will never get you kids." He wrapped his little finger around Alice's and said "I promise."
"Okay" Alice ran away, giggling.
"Did you want supper, Willy? With Rosanna and I?"
"I'm okay, I'm pretty tired so I'm gonna turn in... Mr. Sheriff" Willy said, winking.
"I'm never gonna get used to that, am I? I was the deputy for what seemed like a lifetime." They both chuckled.

Willy began to leave, "wait, Willy, before you go. D'you ever... do you ever think about what life would be like if we had never met Ace? I do... a lot. I wouldn't have my dad or my wife back. I wouldn't have my kid or even my own life. Without him, Roseanna would still be rotting in that box outside your chapel. I'm more thankful to him than he'll ever know and it makes me sad that I can't show him that."
"Kid, I think about it all the time" He paused "you wanna know something..."
The sheriff nodded.
"A couple of weeks before I met Ace, I wasn't myself. I'd feel myself slipping away. Some nights I'd wake up and be walking outside past the graves, completely naked, alone and afraid. I'd eventually just snap out of it and go back to bed.
I'd forget things, all the time. Forget to load my gun, to eat... sometimes I'd just wee myself!
I'd cry to myself for no reason.
But when Ace brought me back... ever since then I sleep like a baby. Like I'm ten years younger. Food tastes better and my eyes... I've seen it in Roseanna too, and you! Your eyes are so bright. I don't know why but I do feel alive... healed.
Whenever I think about him too much I get upset but it always makes me smile and what not at the end of it.
I don't care who he was. One-Eyed Jack, an angel, a God... Ace... I just know one thing"

"What's that?" the sheriff asked.

"He was my friend" Willy smiled.

The End.