Matters To Me

Chapter 64

Billy woke up before Missie. He smiled seeing her sleeping beside him, her arm resting on his chest, the other resting above her head.

He gently caressed her wrist that was on his chest as she slowly started to wake up.

She groaned, rolling over, burying her head in her pillow.

Billy smiled, gently brushing her hair from her face and kissing her temple.

"Good morning," he whispered.

"Five more minutes," she mumbled, exhausted.

"Alright," Billy gently whispered.

It barely felt like two minutes before Billy was gently waking her again. She rubbed her eyes slowly as Billy rubbed her waist.

She shrugged, wrapping her arm around him, burying her face in his chest.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

She slowly looked up at him. "Tired.. happy... we're having a baby," she smiled.

Billy smiled, kissing her.

The two of them made their way out of their tent as the gang was all sitting around camp, drinking their morning coffee. Billy sat on the bench closest to the bonfire where Missie had told him she was pregnant the night before. He still couldn't believe it.

Missie sat beside him, bringing him a cup of coffee, smiling as he took it. She rested her hands on her lap, watching the fire. She felt Billy wrap his arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder, starting to doze.

"Riders coming in!" the scout shouted.

Everyone jumped up.

"Get up. We got company. Get up," Frank said.

The group of men walking up to the riders as Billy stayed behind, keeping Missie slightly behind him.

"What can we do for you, gentlemen?" Frank asked.

"We're sheriff's deputies. Been sent here by Sheriff Brady. He wants to talk to a person here about the recent murder of a Mexican farmer."

"Which person, exactly?" Jesse asked.

"His name is Pat Garrett."

Pat slowly stepped forward. "That's me," he said, placing his hands on his hips. "You arresting me?"

Missie hoped they were. It was the least they could do.

"No," the deputy said.

Missie glanced at Billy who looked down, the two of them disappointed in the justice and lack thereof.

"Sheriff Brady just want to talk to you."

Pat thought for a moment, looking down before looking back up. "Okay. I'll come with you."

The deputy nodded as Pat turned to the gang, buttoning up his coat. "I'll get my horse."

Billy took a sip of his coffee as Jesse turned to look back at him. Jesse knew that the only way the sheriff could've known it was Pat was if someone had told him. Billy had turned him in. He had gone once he had calmed down, Pat may be his friend, but what he had done was wrong, and he showed no remorse. It was a dangerous thing to show no remorse after killing a man, it meant you could do it again and again in cold blood. A man like that needed to be locked up, friend or no friend.

~

Missie finished adjusting Billy's vest.

"I want to go with you," Missie said.

Billy was planning on going to the farmer's funeral, asking for forgiveness, and paying his respects. He never meant for this to happen.

Billy sighed. "Would you stay even if I asked you to?" He asked.

Missie shook her head. "I want to be there for you."

"I won't be welcomed with friendliness."

"I know."

Billy sighed, knowing he couldn't change her mind. "Alright."

The two of them headed to the gravesite slowly walking up as the funeral was finished. The crowd all turned as they saw him walking up. He removed his hat in show of respect, holding it to his chest.

"It's him. He was there. He was one of the men who killled my Manuel! Murderer! Get out of here! I said leave!" The wife screamed.

Missie stood beside Billy as he just took what she said, not arguing. Billy slowly backed up, pushing Missie behind him as two men ran to the wagon and grabbed their rifles.

Another man approached them. "No," he said.

Missie slowly stepped from behind Billy as the men put down their rifles, wrapping her arm around his forearm.

"I came to pay my respects," Billy started slowly. "They should not have shot... Manuel. It wasn't right... what happened... and I'm sorry for it"

The crowd remained silent until the priest spoke. "Go with God, my son. Let's go sisters and brothers."

The crowd slowly dissipated as Billy stood there. Missie gently rubbed her thumb up and down his arm, seeing the pain he was in, hoping to be some comfort to him.

"You're Billy the Kid?" George asked, approaching them.

Billy slowly put his hat back on, his arms slowly falling and taking Missie's hand. "I am. You were with the Tunstall boys."

"That's right. This is a friend of mine, Charlie Bowdre."

Billy watched as the women left the funeral. "Well, it was nice meeting you. I'm sorry it was under these circumstances."

Billy slowly turned and started to walk away, Missie following.

"Billy," George called out.

Billy slowly stopped.

"John Tunstall is my boss. And unlike Mr. Murphy, he's gonna be fair to these people here," Billy slowly turned back around as George continued. "He's not gonna cheat them, he's not gonna kill them."

"That's good to hear," Billy said, turning again, feeling worse.

"Hey," George said, stopping him once again. "So maybe you'd like to meet Mr. Tunstall, and I'm sure he'd like to meet you."

"I just came here to pay my respects. And, for what it's worth, Manuel's killer's been arrested."

"You know that won't do anything. Murphy's got the law in his pocket."

Billy stood there. That couldn't be true.

"You did something remarkable today, Billy. I'd sure like to have you on our side," Charlie said.

"Sorry for your loss," Billy said, nodding his head to Charlie, turning away, wrapping his arm around Missie as the two of them walked back to the camp.

"Do you believe that man that Murphy has the law in his hand?" Missie asked.

"I don't know, not yet."

"The men seemed nice, a lot nicer than the gang would have treated them."

Billy sighed, he knew that was true.

"Don't let loyalty get in the way of possibly finding better men. You're loyal, Billy, but Jesse and the rest only do what benefits them, and if that means turning on you, they'd do it in a heartbeat."

Billy didn't answer, but he knew that she was right. Jesse never was loyal to Billy, in fact the reason his name was on a wanted poster was because of Jesse and leaving him in the dust. Maybe for once he needed to do something that benefited himself and his family.