Partners

By Kathy Knudsen

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Kid Curry stood, almost hovering over the bed where Annie Farrell lay watching him button his shirt and tuck the shirttails into his pants. The first light of day was just beginning to seep in through the open window and morning doves could be heard cooing in the trees outside.

“How long will you be gone?” she asked softly.

Kid stopped dressing and blue eyes came to rest on the woman who shared his bed. He reached out with one hand and gently ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. Annie reached up and wrapped her hand about his wrist, wanting desperately to hold his touch against her cheek and he willingly let his hand linger.

“I wish I had an answer…. As long as I’m needed… But I will be back. I promise you that.”

They had been together for nearly two years; first friends, then lovers, then partners by choice rather than by law or religious vows. She had been his salvation when Heyes had been arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to prison while he had been issued an amnesty. She had nursed him through the guilt, consoled him through the anger, and comforted and supported him through the acceptance of circumstance.

But now, two years after Heyes’ arrest, the governor had issued Heyes a full pardon and Kid was determined that he would be the first person Heyes laid eyes on when he walked off the prison grounds. Annie understood this determination, this act of love and loyalty. Kid had bared his soul to her, telling her of every transgression, of the years outlawing and running from the law, of their tragic childhoods, and the unattainable quest for amnesty. The honesty and vulnerability he showed her defined the depth of his trust as well as his love and she knew if she asked him to stay, he would, but a piece of his very soul would perish.

She let her hand slowly slip from his wrist and he bent down and kissed her.

“I’ll make you breakfast,” Annie said as she slid her legs over the edge of the bed and reached for her robe.

“I’ll get the horses saddled,” he replied as he slung his saddlebags over his shoulder then pulled his gun and holster from the bedpost and picked up his rifle from the corner of the room.

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Kid tethered his black horse and Heyes’ dun to the hitching post and returned to the cabin for a breakfast of coffee, bacon, and the leftover biscuits from supper that Annie warmed on the cookstove. Half an hour later, Annie stood on the porch and watched Kid check the cinch of his saddle one last time. Satisfied, He walked back up the steps to the porch to kiss her goodbye.

“You come back to me,” she told him.

Kid smiled. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away for long.”

“Maybe not but Hannibal Heyes might be able to.”

“Annie, there’s no chance of that. But I am gonna ask him to come back here with me at least until he feels comfortable being on the outside again.”

“Outside?”

“Outside of prison,” Kid explained.

Annie nodded. “I would like the chance to get to know the man… the man who holds such a mystical power over you.”

Kid kissed her forehead. “Nothin’ mystical about it. He’s family, plain and simple. I’m hopin’ you’ll see that and maybe realize he could be family to you, too.”

Annie gave him the best smile she could muster and nodded. “I’ll be right here waiting.”

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Four days later, Kid sat astride his saddle, the reins of two horses in his hands. He had brought the horses to a stop just thirty feet from the guarded prison entrance. One armed guard had approached him and required him to state his business but once his purpose was established, the guard retreated back to the actual prison property.

Promptly at noon the gate opened, and Hannibal Heyes walked through the gate and past the guards with a confident and purposeful gait. With his back to the prison, Heyes smiled warmly at his partner and climbed into the saddle of his dun.

“I knew you’d be on time. Let’s go.”

Both men pulled their horses to the right and walked the animals at a leisurely gate down the road. Only when the prison was completely out of sight did they stop, dismount, and greet each other with exclamations of greetings, hugs, and slaps on the back.

“I wanted to visit but apparently all visitors had to be warden approved and the name Jed Curry never made the list.”

“Don’t give it another thought. I knew there must be a valid reason,” Heyes assured him. “I appreciate the fact you kept my horse.”

“As soon as you were on the train, I paid a boy to take my money to the livery and settle the debt. I met up with him about a mile out of town and took possession of that old dun. I knew you had taken a liking to him so, he’s been with me since the day you left for prison.”

“I thought of that horse a lot. He responds better than any horse I’ve ever ridden. It just comes natural to him.”

Kid smiled. In his mind there had never been any question about holding on to that horse.

“There’s a town about twelve miles down the road. We can get a hotel room, and you can sleep as long as you want on a nice, soft mattress,” Kid said as they once again climbed into their saddles.

“If you don’t mind Kid, I think I’d like to sleep under the stars tonight. I haven’t seen the stars in a long while.”

Kid thought of the bottle of whiskey in his saddlebags. “Best idea I’ve heard in a long time.”

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After setting up camp, building a fire, and making and eating dinner, the two men sat on opposite sides of the fire each with a cup of hot coffee in hand.

“I’ve got whiskey if you’d prefer something stronger,” Kid offered.

Heyes, who’d been gazing up at the stars smiled and dropped his gaze to his partner. “I’d better reintroduce myself to that slowly. Maybe a shot in my coffee.”

Kid set his own cup down and reached for his saddlebags and pulled out the pint. He uncorked it and walked over to Heyes who held up his cup and Kid poured a shot into the coffee.

“Thanks.”

Kid sat down again and added some whiskey to his own coffee, then glanced across the fire and saw Heyes again looking up at the sky. Heyes had been well aware of Kid’s concerned glances and restrained inquiries and decided now was as good a time as any to address the elephant in the room. He lowered his eyes and looked across the fire just in time to see Kid quickly drop his own gaze.

“You wanna know about the last two years,” Heyes stated rather than asked.

“I wanna know if you’re alright,” Kid replied.

Heyes smiled. “I am alright for the most part…. All those stories you hear about prison life, there may be some truth to them but in my case, it wasn’t really a bad place to be. The worst was not seeing or hearing from you.

“Warden wouldn’t allow it. Any news I got came from Lom and I didn’t know if he was sugarcoating the news or not.”

Heyes sighed. “I started out in maximum security for three weeks which was an eight-by-eight-foot cell with no windows and only an hour a day in the courtyard under heavy guard. It wasn’t that they thought I was a threat. They just wanted to be sure that none of the inmates in the minimum-security blocks were plannin’ on making a name for themselves. When the guards were convinced I’d be safe, I was moved to the less rigid area. Fact is, I was kind of a celebrity there and over time I made a few friends and read a lot of books to pass the hours. It was lonely at time, I’ll admit. Holidays, especially Christmas were… lonely.”

“Those two Christmases were the only two we’ve ever spent apart,” Kid replied.

“And the only two we ever will,” Heyes said reassuringly.

Kid nodded but stared into the fire, giving Heyes pause for concern. “Your turn Kid. What has your life been for the past two years?”

Kid lifted the whiskey bottle to offer another drink, but Heyes declined so Kid put the bottle back down on the ground near his feet.

“Well, I managed to acquire a couple of acres of land in Colorado and built a cabin which I have to admit, is an underappreciated skill. It sits along the Big Thompson River and it’s almost close enough to cast a fishin’ line from the back porch.”

Heyes smiled. “So, we have a home to go to,” he concluded aloud.

Kid nodded. “It ain’t big but it’s warm and dry in the winter,” he replied, letting his voice trail off.

“And?” Heyes prompted.

Kid opened his mouth to speak but the words remained in the back of his throat.

“There’s something you’re not telling me…. She have a name?”

Kid’s eyes locked with his partner’s. “Annie Farrell,” he said softly.

“Irish,” Heyes concluded aloud.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Are the two of you married?”

Kid’s mouth shrugged, “Don’t neither of us feel like we need a piece of paper.”

“Is she alright with my coming home with you?”

Kid half smiled. “A little nervous about it but she wants to meet you and get to know you.”

Heyes smiled. “Well then, that’s what we’ll do…. Kid, don’t look so worried. I’ll win her over with my natural charm, wit, and good looks. You’ll see. It’ll be fine and I’ll find a place of my own nearby.”

“Good to know you still have confidence in your keen mind and silver tongue.”

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Three days later they arrived at the cabin, From the kitchen window, Annie watched them walk the horses into the barn. A few minutes later she saw Kid close the barn door behind them and head toward the front porch.

Walking inside the cabin, Heyes and Kid both stopped abruptly, their eyes taking in the sights of pine branches carefully arranged on the mantle, stockings hanging above the hearth, and the table set with a red candle centerpiece. They took deep breaths, savoring the smells of peppermint and gingerbread, and a turkey roasting in the oven.

Heyes turned to his partner, his mouth agape, his eyes wide with astonishment. “You didn’t plan this ahead of time?”

Kid shook his head.

“But somehow she knew exactly what you were thinking?”

Kid smiled. “Just like you, Heyes. I choose my partners well.”