A dusty haze swirled along the street as Nettie drove her wagon into town. It hung in the heat of afternoon, pushed and eddied and driven along by the steady traffic. She pulled her wagon up at the dry goods store and stepped down onto the boardwalk.

Glancing down the street, she saw Vin sitting in a chair on the porch of the jail. His jacket hung off the back of the chair and his hat was pulled low over his eyes. He had a newspaper in his hand and Nettie thought he had to be pretty engrossed in that paper to not notice that she was just across the street from him.

Instead of calling out to him, she crossed over to the jail.

She'd never admit it out loud, but Nettie liked seeing the change that came over Vin's face whenever he first caught sight of her. However deep in thought or hard at work he might be, when he saw her, his expression softened, he'd smile and come right to her.

Even now -

"What have you got there?"

- Vin smiled and stood up, taking up his jacket and turning the chair in her direction in an invitation to sit if she wanted to.

"Just giving Mary's paper a read. Seeing if there's any words I ain't met up with yet."

Vin had told her he was learning to read, a few weeks before. It'd made her proud and broke her heart that he'd offered the information carefully, like she might have anything but a glad answer for him.

"And is there?"

"There's one…" He scanned the newspaper closely, opening to another page in search of the word. As he looked, JD and Ezra walked onto the porch. "There, that word," Vin said, holding the paper toward Nettie, pointing to the word. "I don't recall seeing that word before."

Nettie looked where he pointed. "'Remarkable.' That's the word 'remarkable'."

"You never seen the word 'remarkable'?" JD asked.

"I read wanted posters, JD," Vin answered. "'Remarkable' ain't a word was ever on a wanted poster."

"I bet it'd be on Ezra's."

Ezra opened his mouth then closed it, then shook his head like he was being buzzed by a fly.

"I am at a complete and utter loss how to reply to that remark."

"Reckon y'better not even try," Vin said.

"No, I reckon not," Ezra agreed. He touched his hat, "Mz. Wells. Mr. Tanner. I'll be at the saloon if anyone wishes to excoriate me further." He walked on and JD hurried to follow him.

"Ex-what? Ezra?"

Vin watched them go, then turned back to Nettie.

"Thought you were coming in tomorrow. I was gonna ride out and drive with you."

Nettie warmed to the thought that Vin would go that far out of his way to safeguard her, and ~ more importantly ~ to spend time with her. She knew without a doubt he'd give his life for the town but his private moments were given to only a few.

"Too nice a day to spend inside my own four walls. But if you ride back with me after and stay for supper, I'll make you a lemon pie. All right?"

Vin grinned. "Yes, ma'am. Sounds good."

"So - " Nettie tapped the paper. "You're catching on quick, just like I said you would."

"No. I don't know." Vin set the newspaper on the chair and pulled on his jacket. "Mary's a hand a teaching. It's all her doin'."

"It's your doin'. A man who wants to learn will learn, and it's a lucky teacher who's there to help him. Don't you forget that."

Vin tipped his head so that the brim of his hat hid his eyes and the flush of color that had risen to his cheeks.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. You're a smart man and I never want you thinking otherwise. You know what the word 'remarkable' means, don't you?"

"Yeah, 'course I do," Vin said. He offered her his arm and winked at her. "It means 'Nettie Wells'."

The end.