Heading West Pt. 03

They were enjoying a relaxed meal, drinking wine and chatting happily when Lsa noticed Julie was extremely quiet. She watched her from the corner of her eye for a few minutes, taking in her facial expressions. She was intently watching the Companions as they spoke, particularly the boys. She had a deep love shining in her eyes, but Lsa also noticed tears gathering and slowly running down her cheeks. Concerned, she got up to approach her but Julie saw her and darted to her feet, then ran outside. The chatter stopped suddenly and everyone gaped in surprise at her sudden exit. Lsa was quickly on her heels. She caught up with her on the porch where Julie had collapsed, sobbing her heart out.

Alarmed, Lsa knelt and cradled her head in her lap, waving off the concerned friends that had followed them out. She softly stroked Julie's hair, letting her cry for a bit. When her sobs abated somewhat, Lsa questioned her friend about her troubles.

"I'm so sorry, Lsa!" she cried heartbrokenly. "I just realized how badly I'll miss everyone when we reach Santa Fe. Lauri will start her business, the boys will hire another female client, and you'll go with them on the trail. I don't know what will happen to me and Mary! I'm so sad now!"

"Shush now, Sweetheart. I'm sure we'll come to a wise decision. The boys love us all dearly. Certainly they have a plan," Lsa said confidently, although she hadn't heard the men discuss any such notion yet. She gently rocked Julie until her sobs faded into quiet hiccups that shook her little body.

"Come inside with me, we'll talk to the boys, is that ok?" Lsa asked gently.

Julie nodded slightly and together they went to see their bewildered friends.

Once inside, Lsa explained Julie's concerns to the Companions. Ty and Jack exchanged knowing glances, and Jack finally spoke up when Lsa had finished.

"Please, all of you sit on the bed and look at us," he ordered. The girls quickly obeyed him and a proud smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. His women were truly something to behold, he thought to himself.

"Well first of all, Ty and I want to apologize to all of you for not talking about this sooner. We've kind of been putting it off because deep down I think we're afraid of what you ladies might say." He looked at Ty for approval and the stocky man nodded affirmatively. The women looked at each other worriedly wondering what the men could possibly have in mind. How could they fear their girl's words or opinions?

Jack continued. "This journey has taken a toll on us all in one way or another. Your lives have been in danger time and again and we grow weary of it. It's hard to admit, but the strain of it all has changed me and Ty. We've discussed this for several days while we were coming down the pass. We're ready to quit our way of doing business and settle down somewhat."

The girls eyes widened collectively and they began to protest all at once until Ty raised his voice.

"Let him finish, please," he ordered gently.

"We have quite a nest egg saved up and we can live long and happy lives with just a few jobs on the side," Jack continued. "We have a good idea what we'll do, but it'll hinge on how you ladies answer us. Ty? Lsa?"

The shorter man went to Jack and stood by while Jack dragged a bewildered Lsa to her feet in between them. Together, he and Ty knelt with Lsa following suit obediently. They captured three sets of soft hands in their hardened palms, and Lsa softly covered them with hers as well.

"According to the law, we can't marry you all, but we three can ask for your hands and hope to include you in our family. We promise to love, cherish and protect you until we die." The three women on the bed were trembling in apprehension and surprise. Lsa had tears running down her dusky cheeks as she looked at her men proudly. Julie broke first. With the happiest cry the men had ever heard, she threw herself into their arms, sobbing with joy. Mary and Lauri were on her heels and happily tackled the men and Lsa. The six Companions ended up in a joyful, tear soaked pile on the rough bunkhouse floor before it was over.

Mainly because it was so uncomfortable, they reluctantly untangled their bodies and rejoined around the dinner table. Always the sharp one, Lauri asked a question.

"So what hinged on our answers to you? What are you two plotting?"

Seated next to her, Ty kissed her sweet lips before answering.

"Once we get you settled and in business, we're throwing around the idea of returning to the waterfall and setting up the cave as a place to visit during the hot summers. We could grow and harvest a fantastic garden. We could hunt buffalo as well. Fresh vegetables and dried meat are always popular on the Trail and folks will pay top dollar for it."

Lsa clapped her hands in joy and hugged each man in turn.

"Lauri could help me have our babies, then maybe we can raise them out on the prairie, like I was!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"And I could help out babysitting and working the gardens!" Julie piped up happily.

"And I could get pregnant and have little babies too!" Mary cried happily.

Jack gathered her in a huge hug. "We'll have to work on that!" he said in a low growl, and pinched her bottom until she squealed.

Lauri had the only long face in the bunch, now that she'd thought it over a bit. Lsa promptly noticed her reaction.

"Oh, Honey, we'll figure something out with your business," she gently consoled. Ty spoke up.

"Not everything needs to happen at once. Like Jack said, the first thing we'll do is get you settled in Santa Fe, then we'll go from there. We'll not desert you in any way. Your happiness means the world to us all. Don't fret, Lover." He pulled her on his lap and cradled her close. She tucked her nose in his neck and breathed in his scent, which seemed to calm her scattered thoughts immediately.

"I love you, always," he whispered.

She tightened her arms on him and he felt her hot tears slide down to soak his collar. She nodded slightly in acknowledgment and he smiled happily.

The following day they all relaxed and recovered from the last few days strenuous activities. The day after that they headed down the trail, excited to finally arrive in Santa Fe. Happy chatter filled their conversations as they planned the next stage in their lives. Jack insisted that they push hard, and on the seventh day of travel after departing the foot of Raton Pass, they arrived on the outskirts of the city just before lunch time. They stopped to admire the Sangre de Christo mountains and the skyline of the many low dwellings in the distance. The boys broke out a bottle of fine whiskey and lit up cigars while the girls sipped on celebratory wine.

"Where are we going to stay while we're here?" Mary asked inquisitively.

"Oh, we have a small place just off the city square," Ty answered.

Lsa let out a giggle. "Small my hind end, it's huge!"

"Is there room for all....." Mary suddenly stopped talking and got an odd expression on her face, then promptly threw up her breakfast from her perch atop her pony. Everyone looked at her in shock! She was highly embarrassed and her face flushed red. She quickly rinsed her mouth with water from her canteen and said, "I don't know what caused that, I feel fine!" Lauri recovered from her surprise first of course.

"Honey, when was the last time you bled down there?" she asked while pointing at the juncture of Mary's thighs. A furrow creased her fine brows, then Mary glanced wickedly at her men.

"I'd say the last time I bled was when those two horse cocked men screwed me silly. It seems to happen every time!" she giggled.

"No, Honey. When did you last have your monthly course?" Lauri said gently.

Mary suddenly paled and wobbled on her mount as the meaning of Lauri's question sank in. Ty rapidly reined his steed to her side and supported her with a brawny arm.

"Um, I can't remember? Before we met you all I believe, less than three months ago, surely. Are you saying I may have a baby inside me?" she quavered in a small voice. She squeaked when Ty slung her off her mount to land astride his thighs. He hugged her hard and laughed in joy while she wept hot tears down her cheeks.

"Easy, now," Lauri said carefully. "One bout of sickness doesn't mean she's pregnant, lets give it awhile before we get too excited."

Mary wasn't paying attention though. She was cupping her flat tummy in her small hands and looking at it in wonder. Jack slid over and gave her a kiss.

"I sure hope it's true, Sweetness," he said happily.

They resumed their journey into town, with the possibility of Mary being with child dominating their conversations.

When they got to the men's home, the girls were immediately awed into near silence. It was massive by the standards of the day. Nearly two thousand square feet of livable space were surrounded by thick adobe walls. There were two large bedrooms, a sitting room, and a kitchen with a huge cook stove. There was also a large fireplace built in the wall of the sitting room. The girls were beside themselves in awe.

"We have plenty of space and can build a few more walls if you ladies desire more privacy," Jack said. The men left the women to wander around while they began the long process of tending the livestock and unloading the wagons.

After a delicious dinner, too many toasts to each other and long stories of their many adventures over the past few months, they all happily stumbled to fill the two large beds.

Over the next couple months, Lsa's and Mary's little bellies began to show the children growing within. Lauri had rented a small building right on the town square and had set up her medical office. She saw several patients every day, which was challenging her supplies. She soon ordered all she could afford from her contacts in St Louis, sending money and paperwork through trusted travelers that were heading east.

The men stayed busy buying and repairing west bound wagons that had showed up filled with weary travelers that moved to Santa Fe. There was a lucrative market provided by east bound folks that needed sturdy equipment to get them back over the long grinding trail.

One evening, the boys sat outside on the spacious porch and watched a gorgeous sunset. Each man had a beautiful pregnant woman sitting on his lap and snuggled up close to his broad chest. Lauri and Julie were taking turns serving the men whiskey and cigars while they sipped their after dinner wine.

"It's a great life, my friend," Ty said to Jack as Mary caressed the large bulge at his crotch. Lsa cuddled deep into Jack's arms while he answered Ty with a satisfied smile.

"Yes it is, brother. Yes it is."

*The End*