A life choice

Part 9

Chapter 9

The next morning, as soon as she got up, Cristina wanted to go to Sad Eyes. She found him playing by Shining-Eyes' tepee. When he saw her coming, the boy started to leave but Cristina held him back.

"Let me go, I don't want to talk to you!" he yelled.

Cristina gently drew him to her, forced him to sit down and then said to him: "Honey, I understand your disappointment and perhaps in your place I would have reacted the same way, but try to understand us too. See how they treat Buck and what they did to me. Do you think we would feel safe? I didn't want to leave at first, I didn't want to abandon you and the girls, I'm fine here, but then Buck made me understand that our children wouldn't be safe. I don't want them to grow up feeling like they aren't accepted. We thought we'd bring you along because we love you, but if you don't feel like it, we won't force you. Know that our home will always be open for you"

She said these words with her heart in her hand and Sad Eyes understood it. He was silent for a while, then he said: "Do you really want me with you?"

"Of course honey, but I repeat that it must be your choice"

The boy thought about it a little more, then he said: "I don't want to leave the camp completely for now, I would miss my freedom too much, but I could come to your house every now and then and help Buck with the ranch. We'll see later"

Cristina nodded and hugged him tightly. Sad Eyes thanked her.

She then returned to the tepee and began to gather her and Buck's things, by now the fateful day was almost there and in a few days Cody, Lou and Kid would also arrive.

She wanted to bring into the new house all the things they wouldn't use in those few days. Buck joined her shortly after. She informed him of the chat with Sad Eyes and he was happy about it, even if he really hoped he would go and live with them, he was very fond of that boy.

They took their belongings and carried them to their future home, happier than they ever thought they would be.

On the 20th of the month, as announced, the stagecoach arrived carrying Lou, Kid and Cody. They had met in Seneca and continued together to Rock Creek.

When they got out of the car, Rachel rushed to hug them and so did Jimmy, Buck and Teaspoon. Cristina kept a little apart from Calamity, she wanted to give them some privacy since they hadn't seen each other for years.

Lou and Rachel wept with joy and the men gave each other hard slaps on the back and hugged tightly.

It was Cody who was the first to tease Buck a little: "So brother, where is this little gem that set you up?"

Buck answered him: "Always the same delicate with words eh?" and turned to Cristina.

"Lou, Kid, Cody, meet my wife, at least in Kiowa tradition"

Lou rushed to hug her: "Finally! I couldn't wait to meet you. You must be a special woman to have captured our Buck's heart."

Cristina blushed and replied: "I'm happy to finally meet you too, Buck told me so much about you!"

Kid and Cody also approached her and didn't let slip the umpteenth joke: "Well, old man, you must have prayed to your gods so much to get this luck! Dear Cristina, best wishes, Buck has quite a temper to manage!"

"Thanks Cody, I missed your solidarity"

"Do we want to remember the joke you pulled on me with your spirits?"

"Well, that was just punishment for your cheek"

Remembering the episode mentioned by Cody, everyone laughed and the Kid told Cristina what had happened: Cody had replaced the medicinal herbs in Buck's medicine bag with powder to convince him that they were all superstitions, but from that moment the bad luck had haunted him, and Cody had come to believe in the vengeance of spirits. When he confessed to Buck what he had done, the latter decided to take revenge by subjecting him to a fake sacred rite by making fun of him in front of everyone. Cody tucked his tail between his legs and put an end to his sass after his friends told Cristina about his embarrassment.