Make It Out Alive

"Thats all I seen," Poke said.

"Yea just the two of the varmints," Thomas agreed.

"I appreciate it guys," I said. "Johnny never wanted to cemetery burial anyhow. Wanted to be buried on the trail since that's where we spent most our lives."

"You find the spot and I'll come back with a pair of shovels," Poke offered.

"Sounds good."

**

The three of them road back into town with the two outlaws slung over their horses we grabbed from around the bend while I rode off with Johnny's body slung over his mount and looked for a good spot to lay him down. I made sure to leave good tracks so Poke could find me when he came back.

"This is it then, isn't it Johnny?" I asked the dead man as we rode. "There's nothing from my past life still lingering."

Of course, Johnny didn't answer.

"Well, at least anything that'll bring any amount of harm. I reckon anyone who's got any trouble with me won't travel all this way to find me after all this time," I added with a chuckle.

We didn't have to ride far before I found a spot that would suffice. I knew it was open range so burying a body here wouldn't get any grief from land owners. It was a decent spot to lay him down, a lone shade tree atop a nice sized rolling hill overlooking miles of wide open range. I wouldn't mind being planted there when my time came.

I laid Johnny on the ground and unsaddled his horse. I sent the critter away, as it was likely stolen and I didn't want to have to deal with that. I planned on burying him with his saddle. He was always proud of it, and he had every right to be, it was a beautiful saddle. Honestly, I think it was one of the only things he ever paid for with money he came by honestly.

It took a lot less time than I thought for Poke to ride up to me, though I guess I could have been off in my thoughts and not noticed the time passing. It was weird, at least to outside eyes, that I was mourning the death of someone who tried to rob us, then kill me, but Johnny and I rode together for many years, and the death of someone who practically raised you always hits hard, no matter the circumstances.

Once we had him planted, I touched the brim of my hat and nodded to the freshly turned pile of dirt, turning away and mounting up without saying anything. It wasn't disrespectful though, it was just the way we were.

Poke and I didn't say much on the ride back to the ranch, and once we were there and I had Blondie unsaddled and brushed down I made my way over to the big house. After the death of Johnny, I knew that it could come calling for me at any moment, no matter how straight I was walking these days. I didn't want to wait any longer to ask Clara to marry me. Life was too short for that.

"How ya holding up son?" Richard asked as I stepped up on the front porch.

"Not too bad," I shrugged. "Though it did make me realize life is too short."

"I can see that," he said. "Sometimes we forget that we're on the clock all the time, and nobody knows when it'll run out of sand."

"That about sums it up," I said. "It also made me realize something else sir."

"Whats that?"

"That I don't want to wait around or beat around the bush. If you'd allow it, I'd like to ask Clara to marry me," I answered with a smile.

"Oh I think that would be alright," he grinned broadly. "Figured you'd come asking before too long."

"Thank you sir," I said. "If it's all the same I think I'll ask her now. I've known I was going to ask eventually, and there's no time like the present."

"I'll go fetch her," he said, sticking out his hand.

We shook and he turned and went into the house. I could hear him call out her name as the door was shutting. Suddenly I got nervous. I didn't really have the tendency to get nervous anymore after all I'd been through, but this was new territory for me.

"Pa said you wanted to talk to me?" She asked hesitantly as she stepped out onto the porch.

"I've got a question for you Clara," I began, not wanting to take any time and risk losing my nerve. "I'd like you to marry me. If you'd have this old outlaw that is."

"Took you long enough," she smiled, a tear of happiness starting to form in her eye as she stepped towards me and shamelessly embraced me with an earth shattering kiss.

~The Following Year~

"You just get back here in one piece ya hear?" Clara playfully scolded as I swung up onto Blondies back.

"Of course my love," I said sincerely.

"I mean it. No more getting shot," she said, keeping up the facade before turning to Poke and saying, "I mean it. You keep him out of trouble. I can't be nursing my husband back to health again. I've got one baby to care for. I don't need two."

"Yes ma'am," Poke laughed. "I'll take care of all the shootin' if need be."

"Aw hell," she sighed exasperatedly. "Brad, you do the shootin', I'd rather care for you than this guy."

"Hey!" Poke exclaimed, "yea I guess you're right."

"We'll be ready for you guys when you return," she said. "I love you Brad."

"I love you too Clara," I responded as I turned my horse and rode to the rest of the hands.

It was time for another drive down to Laramie, and I was just hoping it wasn't a repeat of the last time. Yes I still wore both of my guns, and yes I still practiced with them so I was just as good, but I didn't want to have to prove that.

Clara and I wed not too long after my proposal. The ceremony was a small but great affair, but the reception was another story. It seemed like the entire valley turned out to celebrate, though I can't say as I blame them. Any excuse to party was good enough for these folks.

Almost nine months to the day after the wedding, our daughter Cathy was born. In about another five months we'd be having another little girl, or so Clara was convinced. I was still saying it was going to be a boy.

Life on the ranch only kept getting better. The more time I put between me and my outlaw days, the better I felt. Jack Margrave was dead and gone as far as I was concerned.

Who would want to be an outlaw when you could live an honest life, working hard doing something you've come to love, going to sleep each night with the woman you've come to love more than anything, and raising a beautiful family. Looking back, I don't know why I ever thought riding the owlhoot trail was ever a good idea, but I'm glad I did. It chewed me up and spit me out, but it led me here. Without being forced to flee, I never would have married the most amazing woman even my wildest dreams couldn't have dreamt up.

*********

Thank you for sticking around if you made it this far. My head seems to be swimming with story ideas these days, so expect a few more stand alone ones before I dive into a new series.

One of the possibilities I'm considering is either a prequel to this, about Brad and his time in the gang, or a sequel, about his family down the road, maybe centered on an eventual son, or Brad's life in future years. Let me know what you think!

As always, leave a comment or send feedback to let me know what you thought!