Annie Oakley's Arc

Chapter 22 of 25

Annie was working on her third glass of fizzy water when hooves sounded on the boards outside. She lifted her head. Two horses, not one. Then boots, and a smaller pair of boots hurrying to keep up. The door opened. Lainey came in first, a saddlebag over her shoulder. Misty followed, pale under her cowgirl hat, one hand pressed flat to her stomach. A tin pail swung from her other hand. "She was sick again when I got there," Lainey said. "Twice on the porch. I couldn't leave her." Temperance stood up from the low table. She looked at Misty, not Lainey. "How many times today, honey?" "Four," Misty said. "Maybe five." "Fever?" "She's warm," Lainey said. "Not like the last one. But her belly's still turning." Temperance nodded once. "Bring her. She goes in our bed." Lainey looked over. "Yours?" "Booth and I can take the couch a few nights. She needs a real bed and a door that shuts." Temperance was already moving down the hall. "Bring the pail." Annie pushed up on one elbow. The room tilted, then held. "Misty." Misty came to the couch. She set the pail down and stood very close. "I threw up in the yard." "I know. I'm sorry." "It hurts so bad," Annie said, and her voice broke on it. She reached for Misty's arm and pulled her in. "It hurts so bad." "I know it does, sweetheart," Temperance said, coming back into the room. She put a hand on Annie's forehead and held it there. "A little warm. That's the crying, not a fever. Let's get you horizontal. You need to rest." Annie shook her head. Tears ran down into her collar. "I wanna be by Misty. She needs me." Temperance did not argue. "Then we put you both in the same bed. Come on." She got an arm under Annie's shoulders. Lainey took the other side. They walked her down the hall, slow, one step then another. Annie kept a fist wound in the back of Misty's dress the whole way. The bedroom was warm. A paisley comforter lay smooth across a wide bed. Temperance pulled it back. Lainey eased Annie down on the far side. Misty climbed in next to her without being told, boots off, hat still on. "Hat too," Temperance said. "It helps me think." "Keep it, then." Misty curled against Annie's side. Annie put her forehead against Misty's hair and closed her eyes. Her stomach still pulled, but Misty was breathing there, small and steady. Temperance set the pail on the floor by the bed. She set the fizzy water on the nightstand. "Two sick girls, one bed," she said to Lainey. "We'll manage." Lainey pulled a chair to the foot of the bed and sat down. She did not take her hat off. "I'm not going anywhere tonight." "Good," Temperance said. She shut the door partway and left them the light.