The Fire Within a Ninjago Cowboy

Chapter 36 - Second Sunday After Supper

Chapter 36 - Second Sunday After Supper

While Kai and Jay were attending to their errand in town, Sam assisted Miss Gayle in preparing the Sunday supper. Sam felt embarrassed about her lack of kitchen skills. A cook had prepared all the meals in her well-to-do household while she was growing up, and at the time she simply had no inclination to learn. Now, however, she was dismayed over her culinary inexperience, for she hoped she would soon be a wife who could prepare decent meals for herself and her husband, and it was a bit intimidating that Kai's knowledge of food seemed somewhat advanced, based on his fruit sauce comment back at Morro's house.

Though Sam did not share her thoughts with Miss Gayle, the astute housekeeper could guess what was going on in her mind. Miss Gayle patted her shoulder and assured her that by the end of the week, Sam would be able to prepare several meals and desserts with the cooking lessons she would learn from Miss Gayle. Tonight, Sam would learn how to chop vegetables.

After supper, the men profusely thanked Miss Gayle and her assistant Sam for the meal. Then Cole and Zane headed to the bunkhouse, but not before each received a hug and a kiss on the cheek from Sam, who thanked them for their help in rescuing her. Sam did the same for Lloyd before he left to head to Ninjago Town. Doc Julien and Kai and Jay were still at the main house. Doc Julien went to check on Bansha. The two cowboys and Mr. Wu had disappeared into the ranch owner's office room and closed the door behind them after Kai told her they had some old business they needed to finish up.

Sam helped Miss Gayle - as best she could, given her back injury - to clear the dishes from the picnic table and store the leftover food items in their proper place. Miss Gayle suggested to Sam that before they wash the dishes, they spend a few minutes saying howdy to Bansha. Sam agreed. She could give to Bansha the small wrapped package that had traveled with the group from the log house in the Stone Mountains.

The last time Sam had seen Bansha, the sickly older woman was being put on Archer's horse by Morro and Archer early last Tuesday in Noscut. Sam had been watching them as she sat on Morro's horse, bound and gagged.

When Sam and Miss Gayle stood at the doorway of the first-floor bedroom, which Sam would be sharing with Bansha due to it being large enough to hold two twin beds, they saw that Bansha's eyes were closed as she lay on one of the beds. Doc Julien was standing over his black bag on her bedside table, measuring out some liquid medicine. He silently nodded to the ladies, giving them permission to enter, and he motioned for Sam to sit in the wooden chair he had pulled up to Bansha's bedside.

"Bansha, let's have some medicine, and then you can visit with your guests who have just arrived," Doc Julien said to the frail woman as Miss Gayle helped Sam to sit down. The housekeeper then went over to Bansha and lifted her head up as the physician administered the liquid. The patient's eyes remained closed.

When the medicine was gone, Miss Gayle went to stand behind Sam's chair. The doctor gestured to the younger woman, indicating it was all right for her to speak.

"Bansha? Bansha, it's Sam. Er, I mean, it's Missy. How are you?" Sam asked quietly.

Bansha's eyes fluttered open. She stared at Sam.

"Oh, Missy, you came home," Bansha said in a groggy voice, her hand searching for Sam's. Sam took the old woman's hand in hers as Bansha asked, "Did yer feller come home, too?"

"Yes, he did," Sam smiled.

"Good," Bansha said as she weakly squeezed Sam's hand.

Then Sam noticed a tear on Bansha's cheek. "What's the matter, Bansha?" Sam asked in alarm. "Are you in pain?" Doc Julien turned around from what he had been doing to see what was happening with his patient.