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Yearning Steer (Penner and AR)

Ben rubbed at his head, sighing again as she moved away, "I will... and then I'll ask the preacher to just marry us there."

He headed for the back, pausing to look back at her, "Kate? Thank you..."

Before she could ask why, he slipped out.

***

Eric was already at the preacher's house, having tea and waiting for Kate to show up. In truth he'd been the one who was invited, he just wrangled an invite for Kate too so he could have an excuse to spend some time with her.

***

Sam smiled at her, "Yes, ma'am... I would."

He headed downstairs and into the kitchen and as he helped peel the potatoes he started talking. Just teasing her, but in a respectful manner. About her cooking, about her kitchen... It came so easily, the joking, it made him think he must have been a happy person before.
 
She gave him a funny look as she said, "You can't just get the preacher to marry us like that? Don't you need a marriage license?" Plus, wasn't his brother suppose to get married before him or something like that? She sighed. Well, he was out the door of the back of the schoolhouse before she could say anymore or ask why he was thanking her. She sighed as she went out the front door and was going towards the preacher's house.

What they didn't know was that some children had been playing around the backdoor and saw Mr. Wilson leaving the schoolteacher's place... And they promptly went running to tell their Mother, who told someone... Who told another.

Kate was knocking on the preacher's door and waiting to be let in.

---

Mrs. Waters thought that the boy who did not know who he was, was very charming and handsome as she enjoyed her conversation with him. It was dusk when everyone came in from the fields and dinner was ready... "Rose, this boy is a better at wifely duties then you are." Her mother said with a smile as Rose rolled her eyes while she was facing away. "Mother... Please." She said as she was hanging up her hat. Her Pa spoke up, "Better at being in the field probably... It will be nice to have extra hands around when you get better, son... I hear you got a bad head injury..." He said with a glance at the newcomer.
 
The door opened and the preacher's wife smiled, "Ms Williams, please, come in."

Eric perked up at the name, sitting up and smiling as Mrs. Jones led Kate into the kitchen, "I do believe you know the Sheriff." Mrs. Jones said, "I hope you don't mind if he joins us."

Eric pushed his chair back and stood, "Ms. Williams, mornin'."

***

Sam chuckled at her comments about his wifey duties, "Maybe I was a wife? Maybe I'm not even a boy!"

He nodded at Mr. Waters, "Yes, sir. I would like to help. As soon as I can."

He liked the idea of being busy and truth be told he longed to be out there, not in here.
 
The Sheriff was the reason that she was not in bed with Ben, not that he knew about that as she was inside the preacher's house being led by his wife to her table for breakfast. "Good Morning, Sheriff." She said pleasantly as she sat down and smiled. "Thank you for inviting me to breakfast, Mrs. Jones." She said with an air of grace. At least, she was trying as said a bit of grace and the Preacher's wife got her some coffee as well as some eggs and bacon. "How are you doing this morning? Any word on the thieves in the area?" She asked the Sheriff.

---

Mr. Waters smiled and said, "Nah boy... You won't have my wife pushing you to wash dishes for too long." He said with a grin. "We will get you out there sure enough with a horse and a rope."

"Then we won't need Rosie anymore." Tom said with a sly look as Rose said, "Don't call me that! And y'all would be lost with out me since you're so lazy." She poked at her brother who was not appreciating that as her Pa laughed and Ma was frowning.

"Don't see why I am here alone and the girl goes off thinking she's helping." She muttered as Pa said, "Emily..." Mrs. Waters looked over. "This looks delicious." And it was then that Mrs. Waters turned red and looked away to finish her work and to hide her blush.
 
"No, but I just received word of an Indian Camp to the south. I'm heading out there this afternoon to take a look." Eric said as he sat back down.

"Indians!" Mrs. Jones snorted, "They don't come around here. Never you mind, Ms. Williams, people just come up with the most fanciful ideas!"

"Well, it's not too hard to believe. They're being driven out of their lands in some places. I've heard of roaming tribes, it's not so unbelievable that a tribe would head our way, is it?" Eric asked.

"Yes. It is!" Mrs. Jones said firmly, "They would never dare set foot on God's country."

Eric rolled his eyes as Mrs. Jones turned her back on them to retrieve another plate of food.

A moment later there was a knock on the door and Mrs. Jones frowned as she went to answer, "Oh! Mr. Wilson! What are you doing here?"

"Mrs. Jones. I just got into town and thought I'd take up that invitation you extended a few weeks back." Ben said.

"Of course!" Mrs. Jones said, "There's more than enough for one more!"

Eric's eyebrows rose in surprise as Ben walked in, hat in hand. "Mornin'," Ben said with a nod. He was careful not to look at Kate. He felt a bit like... well, a liar. And he supposed he was.

***

Sam smiled as he watched them interact, but there was a weird ... sadness? In his heart as he watched the mother and father. It was the strangest feeling, and he didn't understand it at all. He picked at his food, just watching and listening as he tried to figure out why their interaction was making him happy and sad all at once.
 
She brushed a bit of her hair out of her face when Ben was there as she tried not to smile too much... she was really happy that Ben was there. "Good Morning." She said cheerfully as she cut a little into her breakfast to eat. "As you were saying about the Indian Camp... Oklahoma does have many tribes... it is a little sad when happened to them. How would you feel if you were displaced? I only hope that they are a friendly tribe." She said delicately before eating some of the eggs... but then, a hostile tribe could be possible with the history.

She glanced at Ben as Mrs. Jones was fixing him up breakfast. For whatever reason, it seemed a little tense in here now... and she did not know why.

---

Rose looked over to Sam for a moment as she noted that he looked a little sad... she wondered if her was remembering anything. Her Ma served beef stew with potatoes, carrots and turnips. It had a thick gravy and a bit of salt and pepper. It was pretty delicious as she cut up sour dough bread to soak up the gravy.

Now, it was hard to ask questions of a guy who did not know who he was... "How come you don't remember anything?" Tom blurted out at one point during the dinner.
 
It was strange, how Ben kept sniffing around the girl. It wasn't like Ben at all and Eric couldn't help but feel maybe, just maybe, the girl was leading him on. He couldn't blame her, Ben was one of the richest bachelors in the entire state. It was all too convenient, too strange that she had taken such a quick liking to him and him to her and Eric didn't like it, not one bit.

Initially his interest for Kate had been genuine and innocent but now he was starting to think he needed to keep a much closer eye on her.

Ben took a seat across from Kate, he couldn't sit close to her, not now. He set his hat on his knee and sent a small smile to Kate before he focused on Eric. "Tribes?"

"There are reports of some Indians to the south, I'm going out later to look into it." Eric answered, a bit stiffly.

"But there aren't any," Mrs. Jones said firmly, "it's just rumors."

***

Sam blinked, "I ... I suppose because I hit my head? When I ... ended up in the river? I don't know."

He reached up, touching his very tender head, "Hopefully I'll remember soon though."
 
“That might be true but the Sheriff still should go and check it out in case...” Kate said as she glanced at Eric. “After all, it's his job to make sure the town and surrounding area is safe.” She shrugged her shoulders. “And if there is a Native American tribe.. well, we shouldn't try to scare them off.” She shrugged. “They have as much a right to the land as we do...” Perhaps, her views were scandalous but she knew the horrible history and the stigma of Native Americans...

And she would not apologize for it.

Kate did change the subject as she said, “Mrs. Jones... where did you get this coffee? At the General Store?” She asked thinking that would perhaps change her thoughts as she smiled.

It did work because Mrs. Jones was talking about how she had it ordered in all the way from Chicago and how it is certainly the best coffee that she had ever had. Kate watched her with a smile.

What she did not know was the sudden distrust that the Sheriff was starting to get about her person... she did not think she was shady but she did not blame anyone since she did appear out of nowhere.

-

Tom grunted and nodded. “That's so weird...” He mentioned as his Ma pinched him for being rude. “Oww... what was that for?” He said, he was twenty year old. “Mind your manners in my house...” She said as Tom looked at his father who said, “Mind yer Mother... she knows what she's saying.”

Rose was laughing before her mother glared at her and she stopped.
 
Kate's ideas about Indians (or Native Americans as she called them) was indeed strange, but Ben didn't question her about it. She changed the subject and he let her. As did Eric.

The two men shared a look over the table and even from this distance Ben could see something was churning in that brain of his old friend. Probably not something he'd like all that much, judging by Eric's expression.

When breakfast was over, Ben offered to walk Kate back to the schoolhouse and Eric might have intervened but he did have to get out. "Hey, Ben," Eric said as he followed Kate and Ben out, "WHen I get back, I'll stop by the ranch. Think you have an extra bed so I can spend the night?"

"Yes," Ben said easily, "that would be fine."

"Ms. Williams." Eric tipped his hat before turning and heading away.

Ben frowned, following Eric's progress until the other was out of sight.

***

Sam smiled, something about their interaction felt so familiar... he liked it and hated it all at once. "I... think I had a family like this," he said, "a happy family..."

Except they also made him sad. He picked at his food some more, watching and listening carefully.
 
Kate had not noticed in the least as she excepted Ben's offer and smiled up at him. Part of her wondered if he would kiss her again before he would probably have to go back home. "Sheriff." She said as she nodded. She said her goodbyes to the preacher's wife who said that she would see her at church on Sunday and that was certainly the truth. She then made her way out of the preacher's house and towards the schoolhouse. "You ought to go home soon... your brothers will be worried sick." She said to him with a concerned look on her face. They were going down the road.

"When is the wedding?" She asked Ben since Susan and Jesse would be getting married fairly soon. As, for Noah's funeral... well, she would be sure to go to that too.

---

All of them looked to Sam for a moment as if it stopped the bickering that was going on. "Oh... and to think that your family doesn't know where you are." Ma said with a look of empathy. "I would be worried sick if I was your mother." Tom spoke up. "Luckily that your children are right here..." She gave him a warning look as he stopped and Rose spoke up. "You will find them soon... we can put word when we go to town in two weeks or if any travelers head out this way." She said with a smile.
 
Ben wanted to take her hand, but not with so many people watching, so instead he rested his thumbs in the waist of his pants. "I'll talk to the preacher before I leave town, to arrange both the weddings," He said softly.

Ah, hell with it. Everyone would know before the day was over. He reached out and firmly grasped her hand, twining their fingers together, not quite brave enough to see if anyone was gawking.

"You're going to be my wife soon, Katie. I promise you that."

***

"If it's all right," Sam said softly, putting his utensils down, "I think... I'd like to go for a walk." He needed to clear his head, to shake off the curious emotions that had claimed him as he watched them.

He pushed his chair back and stood, "Thank you for the meal, ma'am."

He reached for the corner of his chair back, paused, realized there was no hat waiting there and drew his hand hesitantly.

He must have rested his hat on the corner of his chair... he must have had a hat! It wasn't much of a memory, but it was something, and it made his heart race.
 
They walked side by side with one another as their fingers brushed one another. "Well, I would least like to go to both of the weddings..." She teased a little as she had a half smile on her face. it was then that he reached out and grasped her hand into his own. A little awkwardly before it was settled and they were happily walking with one another. She looked up when he called her Katie and it made her smile a little. It was cute... she liked it. "I believe you, Benji." Her smile spread. "I sometimes think that this is so surreal being this happy..."

---

Rose was finishing up her meal as she got up and said, "Are you alright on your own... you were a littlw wobbly this afternoon?" She looked like she was ready to hand as her Pa looked at her and said. "Easy, girl... Sam, do you want someone to go off with you on this walk?"
 
Ben looked down at her, and he couldn't say he was happy. Sometimes, with her, he was, but there was Noah still... that was a fresh pain that made it hard for him to just enjoy this moment with her. But if she was happy, that was enough. That's all he wanted. He wanted all the people he cared about to be happy, all their lives and if he had to bare the brunt of their pain to make that happen, he would.

They were almost to the schoolhouse when a loud bang sounded from the 'saloon'. Instinctively Ben grabbed Kate and swung her around so his body was between her and the source of the noise. /Gunshot./ That was definitely a gunshot. Seconds after, screams sounded from the building. Eric was gone, headed out of town, it was unlikely he'd heard the noise, or at least if he had he wouldn't make it back in time.

"Shit," Ben growled, "get inside!" He pushed Kate towards the nearest building, the sweet shop.

Another shot rang out. Somebody was either in the middle of a shoot out, or drunk and being a fool... either way, Ben intended to go over there himself to help sort it out. Already other men were running towards the saloon, intent on checking out the situation and intervening.

***

Sam nodded, he couldn't help it, "Please... I uh... I mean, I don't much like being alone right now, if I'm being honest."

He smiled at Rose, "if you don't mind?"
 
Her back went straight as she looked around, to this day... gunshots upset her as she glanced at Ben as he was pushing her towards the sweet shop. It was at that moment that the Mayor was coming out to go see what happened, his wife at the door as Kate turned and said. "Ben? You can't go off like that..." She said seriously, her heart was racing as she thought about how happy she was and now, she felt there would be an irony there that he could or would get shot.

The Mayor's wife looked at the two of them and said, "Come on dear... inside... they best be on their way to see what is going on." She watched as the Deputy was the one who ran pass them since he was the one looking after the town while the Sheriff was scouting the rumours of the Indian tribe to the south.

Kate was pulled inside as she was trying to fight off but Ben was already on his way and said had a true fear in her heart.

---

Miss Rebecca was the mistress of the Saloon and ran a business. It was not the most appropriate but she had girls that did their job and were good at their work. It was a successful business, there was a need and demand and they certainly filled it. Only a pity that the rest of the town shunned them. She had been working when the gun shot rang through the Inn as she stopped immediately and went to get her robe. "Come back to bed..." She glared at the gentleman... a wealthy one but she had to make sure that her girls were alright. "I will be back... just satisfy yourself for a little while. I have to get Samuel to toss out the man who is firing off his gun in my house." She said as she wrapped the robe tight around her waist and went towards the door to see whatever was going on...

It could be bad... and she had a feeling that the Sheriff was on his way. It would not be the first time.

---

Rose nodded as she said, "I can come along with you for a little walk." It's not like they would go far because it was starting to get dark. "Where do you want to go?" Her family was still eating as her Ma said, "Come back soon... I have some pie for dessert."
 
Ben made sure Kate was safely with the Mayor's wife before he took off across the street, joining others who were rushing to intervene. He joined the Deputy inside the saloon in splitting up a fight between a very drunk Cal Carter and Shay Marcus... both of whom, it appeared, were after the attentions of the same scantily clad female. Ben barely noticed the female as he placed himself between Cal and Shay, "Woah, woah!"

The Deputy quickly moved to talk Shay down. It was Shay who had the gun, and Shay who'd done the firing but thankfully he was so pissing drunk he hadn't hit anything except the ceiling and hopefully those bullets hadn't hit anyone in the rooms above.

Cal tried to get around Ben, but Ben held him back, and Shay, thankfully, had no desire to shoot Ben so he eventually gave his gun up to the Deputy but not without some choice words for Cal.

When the Deputy asked him to help guide Cal back to the Sheriff's office, Ben agreed and slid his arm around Cal's shoulders to more easily guide and half carry the man out of the saloon. He had only taken two steps when he spotted Miss Rebecca coming down the stairs. He paused, because the Deputy stopped to speak to her. Cal swayed in his arms, slurring about 'missed tail'.

***

"Pie sounds delicious," Sam said. He waited until he and Rose were outside before he said, "No where in particular... just want to move. The whole... family table thing was making me feel weird. I ... I don't know but... I think I used to have a family like that only... maybe not anymore."
 
Miss Rebecca saw what had happened... or at lease what had seemed to happened as she was looking around the room at the men who had broke up the fight and were escorting one of her best customers out of the Saloon. "What happened?" she snapped at one of her girls who said, "Mr. Cal and Shay wanted Penny and that was the fight." Rebecca nodded a few times as she went to the Deputy. "Then... no one was hurt?" She asked as she got the idea that no one was hurt. She did assume that the Deputy was going to bring Cal over to the jail cell to sober up. "Who served Mr. Cal too much alcohol." She demanded as Penny was looking a little guilty and she glared. Sometimes, the girls served more alcohol so they could get more money... it was effective but also dangerous.

"Right... I will not be pressing charges... well, only for damage to my ceiling and a few walls." She said directly, Rebecca being a woman of business.

---

Rose looked up at him as she was helping. "Listen, you might have a large family or a small family and if you don't have a family well... Ma and Pa will probably be happy to welcome you into our family." She said with nod. "It's going to be alright, Sam." She said with a smile as they walked along a fence, there was a chicken coop.
 
Ben's eyebrows rose a bit, but then he pulled Cal out. He led Cal to the Sheriff's office, seeing the curious looks everyone was giving him but ignoring them. Thankfully the Deputy wasn't long in following and in no time they had Cal and Shay in cells.

It was none of his business what happened next so Ben returned to the sweet shop to retrieve Kate. "You okay?" He asked when he saw her.

***

"I don't know... I have no idea if it will," Sam said softly.

Could it be all right if he couldn't remember? Forging new memories seemed an easy solution but he just didn't know if it would be enough. Would he always wonder what kind of life he had before?

He rested his hands on his hips, "It's only been one day. Just one day..." that was more for himself than her.
 
Was she already? Kate had been worried sick as she looked at him and went right to him and wrapped her arms around him. She did not care that anyone saw her as she said, "Am I alright... you are the one that I was worried about." He was not shot or dead. Kate looked relieved as she wanted to kiss him but she remembered herself and slowly... reluctantly moved away. "I was worried about you, Ben." She said as the Mayor's wife was watching with a smile. "I knew that he was sweet on you when he bought that dress for you." She said with a broad smile. "When's the wedding?" She paused for a moment. "Suppose that we won't have a school teacher for long, huh?"

---

"Exactly, you might remember tomorrow or the next day... we don't know. However, we will send word to the surrounding areas that you are here. There has to be someone who knows you... and I bet that they love you." She did wonder if someone like him was already married but she could certainly not ask that. Not that he would even know... that was a stupid idea... she was being stupid.
 
Ben instinctively slid his arms around her but at the small smirk the Mayor's wife was fixing on him, he loosened his grip. "Soon," he said in answer to her question.

He slid his arm down Kate's back, before reluctantly pulling away because he knew it was 'inappropriate'. After this, he was quite sure he didn't want Kate to stay in town. It wasn't safe.

"Does this happen often?" He asked with a frown. He'd heard stories but this was the first he'd witnessed himself.

***

Sam reached out, grasping her hand, "You know... I know you don't think so but ... you're a real pretty girl, Rose. And really kind too. I'm glad, if I had to lose my memory, that I ended up here. With you."
 
Kate on the other hand was blushing now because they were actually in public and she supposed that word was going to get around soon. The Mayor's wife was thinking for a moment as she said. "Not all the time but I would say at least once a month but it's usually just one of the drunks getting angry about this or that." She sounded like she was a bit use to it. "Sheriff and the Deputy have always done a swell job of making sure that it doesn't leave the saloon. Although, there was a brawl around two months ago that was in the middle of the afternoon and these two men were just fighting in the street. The Sheriff broke it up quick but... it was a little shocking." She said as if she was gossiping.

Kate's lip was in a line. "Well, I am sure that I have seen worse." And it was the truth. She had lived in the modern era and she had seen Youtube video, school fights and even men with guns.

---

Her face suddenly felt hot, she was sure that she was blushing but it could not be seen because of the fading light in the yard. "Don't say stuff like that..." She said trying not to appear nervous. "You are too charming for your own good and... you..." She was trying to be indignant. "You're already handsome... and saying that I'm pretty... well, that's not fair. You shouldn't be flirting like that..." She looked away as she said. "You could make any fool of a girl fall for you..."
 
Ben frowned, "The city ... I suppose things like this are normal there."

He didn't like it. He didn't like the thought of her being there, or being exposed to that level of violence.

"I'll walk you back to the school house..." he said softly.

"Mr. Wilson, Ms. Williams, congratulations." The Mayor's wife said with a smile, "I look forward to attending your wedding."

***

Sam pulled her hand up and kissed her fingers, "But you are pretty. And I don't think you know it and somehow that makes you even more lovely... and if I wasn't such a head case, I'd court you, Miss. Rose."
 
Kate felt herself becoming embarrassed but she also felt relieved that Ben was alright. She looked over to the Mrs. Rite and smiled. "Thank you... I will be sure to invite you when we get all the details together." It was still so new that she did not know how the wedding would go about in this day and age.

They did head towards the school house when they were out the door. "It's not so different or East or in the city." She said as they walked. "I mean, what exactly happened over at the Saloon?" She asked him curiously.

Kate was not worried anymore... Not like Ben was as they walked to her home. "I'm sorry that I got so upset... I was just so worried and I am sure that you were too."

---

Rose stared at him as she said, "I think you really are a head case if you think courting me would be a good idea." She was trying to not have a proper reaction but there was a handsome guy telling her that she was pretty and she was stubborn. "I doubt you would court me if you had your memory back." She said with a smile as she looked up at him. "Do you think that you would?"
 
Ben grasped her hand, again. "Just stupid men arguing over a woman," he answered.

He rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand and shook his head, "I was worried for you."

He looked down at her, "I want to protect you Kate. I want you in my home, where I can keep you safe."

***

"I know I would," Sam said firmly, "Because you're lovely and you've been kind to me. What more would anyone want in a girl?"

And she was adorable. It really did bother him that she didn't know how pretty she was and he hoped maybe he could help change that. It's the least he could do after all she'd done for him.
 
"Sounds perfectly normal... since men tend to think that they own women..." She said but she had a feeling that it was over a prostitute. "I was perfectly safe at Mrs. Rite's shop... you were the one who went into the thick of it. "You don't have to be worried about me." No one would think to go into the school house and hurt her. It's not like she had money." She did smile up at Ben. "I know you do, Ben... and you will be able to. I just don't think I can leave... not yet atleast, I am going to be a school teacher for children you need education."

She said. "And I know that you said that you wanted Luke to receive an education... and there are many parents who are thinking the same for their children... And it would not be fair if I just got married because I was able to provide that service... I suppose I could travel the two hours from the Yearning Steer or stay at the school house during the week." She suggested as they were in front of the school house now.

---

She rolled her eyes for a moment and did not say anything for a moment before finally replying. "Whatever you say, Sammy." She smiled as she reached out and grabbed his hand in hers... that was all he was going to get from her at that moment, she wanted more than anything to show him that she liked the idea but... she didn't want to be a fool getting all loopy for a few pretty words.
 
Ben frowned, "Stay... here?"

He was starting to think city folk really did have strange ways about them. "You really want to teach?" He asked.

He supposed she was needed. The town had been waiting a long time for a teacher, but still... the whole point of marrying her was so he could move her into his home and have her near. After Noah... well, he wanted to keep all his loved ones within sight. Always.

He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing, "All right. We'll figure it out after the wedding... I really should talk to the preacher now. I... I'll see you later."

***

Sam grinned at her, squeezing her fingers lightly before he led her to a nearby fence. He hopped up onto it, then patted the space beside him, "If you could do anything, go anywhere... what would you do? Where would you go?"

He wondered if she'd stay here. He wondered why he hadn't been home the night of the storm, why he'd been riding instead of safely tucked away in his home. Was that normal? It couldn't be. SO maybe he didn't live anywhere near here. Maybe he'd been traveling and if he'd been traveling, where would he have been headed?
 
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