The Cowboy's Love

Seven: Wagon Wheel

Wes couldn't help but smile to Laura as she stepped from the house holding a water bucket. Her belly beginning to show once again. Wes wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked down at the progress he's made on the new well, he had hit rock again. Wes bit his tongue wanting to scream and curse. Laura walked over with a small smile and kissed his cheek. Wes gave her a fake smile before taking the tin cup from the water bucket and taking a long drink. Laura frowned and said,"You hit rock again didn't ya?" Wes just nodded as she shook her head. Laura looked around the small property and smiled when she got an idea. She placed a hand on his shoulder and said," Let's move. Sell this nasty farm and go live on my brother's ranch. He's offered everytime we send letters to one another. Plus Mr. Gerald has been offering to buy this place since John bought it. Let's start over together." Wes choked on his water, coughing and sputtering as she finished. Laura couldn't be serious. He looked into her eyes and found nothing but sincerity. Wes shook his head and said," This is the only home you and Caleb ever knew. I can't take y'all from here." Laura frowned and pulled Wes over towards the house. She had him stand in front of the worn down cabin as she said," Wes this place only holds but a few good memories. John bought this place cause it was the only thing he could afford at the time. His mother moved in with us and shortly after that she got sick. I nursed and took care of her till she passed away. A year later by that time I had two miscarriages and that's when John vowed we could never have anymore kids. He started drinking heavily after that, sometimes he laid a hand on me sometimes he didn't. It all depended on whether I kept my mouth and what I made for dinner. A few years later I found out I was pregnant with Mary and Caleb. He seemed almost happy about it. Several years later Mary passed away and he went down that hole again. He made our lives miserable till he finally he found out I was pregnant again and he left. John said he was gonna get some horse shoes and never came back. This place was never home to me, Wes." Wes pulled laura into his side, wrapping his arm around her waist. He sighed as he looked over the old farm and knew it was only to get worse from here. He nodded and said," Write your brother and tell him he's got a new hand." Laura let out a loud squeal before pulling Wes into a long kiss. It had been years since she'd seen her brother and her family. She was going home.

Within a few weeks her brother had wrote back and told them to hurry home. Laura had told the Caleb the news and he couldn't wait. The poor boy never met his mother's family. Wes had them packed up in a wagon and started their journey towards Wyoming. He knew it would be a long way to go but he was ready to start over with Laura, Caleb, and Matthew. Laura looked over the old cabin one last time before Wes helped her into the wagon. They waited on Caleb as he said goodbye to his father and Mary. Caleb looked down at the newer grave that held his father. Caleb took off his hat and said," Sometimes you were an evil man. I saw what you did to Ma sometimes and I'll never will forgive you for that. But I hope you're in a better place now and somehow I still love you. You left us with nothing and I don't know why I still love you but I do." He wiped at his eyes as he looked to Mary's grave. He smiled how the old tree gave just enough shade to cover her grave. Mary loved that tree. She always was climbing in that tree. He looked to find wildflowers on the small grave, knowing his mother was already there sometime this morning. He blinked away his tears as he said," I'm sorry we didn't get to play one last time, Mary." He broke down and fell to his knees. Wes saw the poor boy fall to his knees and slowly made his way over to him. Laura wiped at the tears coming to her eyes as she watched Wes wrap his hands around Caleb's shoulders. Wes got down beside him and said," She's in a better place now. She's always watching over ya'." Caleb just nodded as Wes stood and helped him stand up. Wes smirked and said," Come on. We got a new adventure in front of us." Caleb just nodded as they walked back to the wagon. Wes smiled as he watched Laura bounce nine month old Matthew on her lap. He had his family to think of now. They had to get to Wyoming before fall and winter set in once again. Caleb climbed into the back of wagon and sat in a bed of pillows and blankets that Laura had made for the kids to sit in. They Wes climbed in beside Laura and gave her a quick kiss before heading out. He was taking her to her new home.

Wes sat by the fire with gun on his hip listening to the coyotes howling. He looked to the wagon knowing Laura and the kids were fast asleep. The worst and scariest thing that could happen to them on the trail was burglary. He was never one to carry a gun but when Laura announced she wanted to leave he had no choice. He stood and headed towards the wagon ready to lay down for the night. He slowly climbed in and smiled at Matthew snuggled against Caleb's chest as Laura held her growing belly. Wes laid down beside her, crowded by the crates holding their things. Wes sighed and whispered to himself," God, I hope we did the right thing."

Laura smiled as she heard Matthew babbling to Caleb. Before she knew it he'd be talking up a storm. Laura looked to Wes to find him white-knuckling the reigns and he seemed to be deep in thought. She placed a gentle hand on his back and gently rubbed his back and said," You okay?" Wes nodded and tried to give her a convincing smile. Laura rolled her eyes and gave him a look. Wes chuckled and said," I'm nervous being out with you guys. There's bad people out here, Laura. I'm just staying alert I guess." Laura nodded and wrapped an arm through his and leaned against his shoulder. Wes smiled down at her and kissed her temple as they kept going. Wes was ready to be in Wyoming and out of the open. Wes quickly glanced back at Caleb and Matthew watching them play with little wood toys. He looked back out at the open space before he he thought about his seed growing in Laura's belly. He smiled and said," Do you think it's a boy or a girl?" Laura's hand gently rubbed her growing belly as a smile graced her lips. She looked up to Wes and said," I'm not sure. I hope it's a girl. I'm a little outnumbered here." Wes laughed making Laura's smile grow.

That night Wes held Laura close, his hands enclosed over her small baby bump. He smiled as he gently rubbed her belly, knowing it would help her sleep. Laura snored lightly making him chuckle lightly. He closed his eyes and let out a large sigh, ready for sleep to take him. He heard a loud snap from a branch and hushed whispers. His eyes opened wide and he slowly got up. He put his head out and saw a man and a woman standing over the fire warning their hands. His eyebrows scrunched in confusion as he slowly slinked out of the wagon. He put his hand on the gun holster as he lowly said," Can I help you folks?" They both turned and gave Wes looks of desperation. The man stood in front of the woman with hands up. He heard the man gulp and say," We were just getting our hands warm, Sir. Please don't shoot." Wes let his hand drop from the gun holster. He sighed and leaned against the wagon. He crossed his arms over his chest as he said," I ain't gonna shoot. But if you pose a threat to my family in this here wagon, then we're gonna have a problem." The man moved and showed the woman with a baby tied to her chest. Wes looked over the woman before turning back to the man. The man came closer and said,"I'm trying to do the same. Our wagon broke down a few towns ago. I didn't see the large rock in the path and my wagon wheel broke on impact. Our donkey tied it up with most of out possessions a few yards away. We saw the fire and just wanted the baby warm for the night." Wes sighed and looked into the wagon and gently shook Laura's shoulder. She looked up at Wes as he explained the situation. Laura smiled and patted the place next to her and said," Let her and the baby sleep in here there's plenty of room." Wes nodded and turned back towards the couple. He smiled and said," Your wife and baby can sleep in the wagon with my wife and kids. There's plenty of room and blankets." The man thanked Wes and helped his wife into the wagon. The man and Wes took a seat by the fire, basking in it's warmth. The man looked up at Wes and said," I don't think we ever caught eachother names. I'm Greg, my wife Hayley, and our daughter Sky." Wes held out his hand and shook the man's hand before he heard soft whispers from the wagon. Wes smiled and pulled his hand away as she said," I'm Wes. My wife's name is Laura and our kids Caleb and little Matthew." Greg nodded as they looked into the fire listening to the cricket and coyotes. Wes looked up at the stars as Greg said," Where y'all headed?" Wes looked north knowing they still had a long road ahead of them. He smiled and said," Wyoming. My wife's family lives up there." Greg nodded and pulled out a canteen. He took a long drink before handing it to Wes. Wes nodded and took a drink. He sneered and spit the contents out on the ground. Wes frowned and said," Why didn't you tell it was whiskey. I don't drink." Greg just took the canteen back and shrugged. He took another drink as Wes rolled his eyes. Wes laid back against a log and closed his eyes. Slowly letting sleep take him.