Redemption

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“And here we have the town of Plateau,” Colt pulled the wagon to a halt on top of a rise and Jessie leaned over the edge of the wagon to get a look at the two below.

It was a beautiful western town, just like she had always imagined one being. The town had grown around the scenery, rather than through it. Tall Saguaro cacti lived happily between buildings and stores. A tumbleweed or two blew lazily across the main street while a few people walked on the boardwalk. Three tall buttes stood tall and proud against a bright blue sky that served as the perfect backdrop for the town in view.

“It’s absolutely darling!” she squealed.

Colt smiled and smacked the reins against the horses’ haunches, getting them to moving again.

Soon, they entered the town and a grin broke out across Jessie’s face. She couldn’t believe that she was actually in a town out west!

“If you’ll drop me off at the lumber mill I’ll order the wood we need and you can go ahead and take Miss Jessie to the doctor,” Doc said.

Colt nodded.

They pulled up in front of a thriving lumber mill with a waterwheel out in front of it. Jessie admired the contraption wondering how they got water way out here in the dry Arizona climate. She had heard of these new fangled windmills that had come out, but she hadn’t actually seen one up close. Maybe that was how the mill ran.

Doc hopped off the wagon and waved Colt on as he walked toward the office of the mill. Colt put the horses in motion again, pulling the wagon on down the street. Jessie was so caught up in admiring the beautiful town that she hardly noticed when they stopped in front of another building. Her eyes snapped to a wooden shingle that read, “Silas Goodwin, M.D.”. They had arrived at the doctor’s office.

“You ready, ma’am?” Colt asked her.

She nodded. Colt maneuvered to where he could pick her up without causing her much pain, but she was ever conscious about how heavy she was. She watched his every move as he carried her onto to boardwalk and to the front door of the doctor’s office. He showed no sign that she was too heavy, but maybe he was just good at hiding it. They stood in front of the door for a few moments, and Colt’s lips twisted into a thoughtful position.

“What’s wrong?” she asked shakily.

Maybe she was getting too heavy for him.

“Well, I can’t figure out to open the door,” he explained.

She let out a breath and smiled, reaching her hand to twist the knob in front of them.

“That works,” Colt smiled.

Jessie grinned as they entered the doctor’s office.

“Silas? You in here?” Colt called.

“Be there in a minute,” a voice called from behind a curtain to the left.

“I’ve got a patient for ya,” Colt told him.

“Colt Kidd? Is that you?” The curtain opened, revealing a tall, broad man, who looked to be in his mid-forties, with salt and pepper colored hair and a kind smile.

“The one and only,” Colt answered him.

Doctor Goodwin looked at Jessie. “What have we here?”

“Eh, just something I found out in the desert. Figured you might want to take a look at it,” Colt winked at her.

Jessie grinned to herself and the doctor laughed.