Gone

Epilogue

Here he was again! Suited booted and sitting on a butt numbing wooden seat.

Just like last time, which just happened to be his first time in Green River's Church, he was flanked by his father and brother and directly in front of him was Effie Mac. The widow was again wearing an unforgettable hat and Johnny was once again finding the object more than a little distracting. The scarlet ribbons and berries that adorned it were, he supposed, pleasing enough to the eye, but the enormous black and white plumes that protruded from it were more likely to have someone's eye out! Earlier, when the congregation had stood up to sing he had found the tips of several of those feathers touching his nose!

He had begun to sneeze and had hurriedly retrieved the handkerchief his father had insisted on tucking in his pocket earlier that morning. He had sneezed endlessly through the sermon and the prayers, and just when he'd thought he had sneezed his last, the Reverend announced the next hymn.

Johnny had done his best to dodge the 'tickling sticks' as he had good naturedly deemed them, but there was just too many and by the time the hymn was over he was sneezing again! His father and brother appeared oblivious to the cause and kept eyeing him questioningly. As for Teresa well the girl was oblivious to everything but the Reverend!

Johnny's thoughts strayed to the blossoming romance that had the whole town talking.

While Murdoch and Scott had been out searching for him and Effie the Reverend James had called daily at Lancer. The young and newly appointed minister had offered words of comfort and prayer to an increasingly worried Teresa. The visits had continued after the rescue and it was clear to all that Teresa and Michael James were meant for each other.

Smiling to himself Johnny acknowledged, and not for the first time, that something good had come out of the nightmare, several good things in fact. He had made a true friend in Effie too.

The widow had visited him often during his recovery, and had plied him with all sorts of homemade goodies. Her own recovery from the bullet grazing her head had left Mrs. Mac with a bad, lingering headache. A "fiercely pounding head, like one of those sickly headaches you get from drinking too much whiskey," Johnny had heard Mrs. Mac say to his old man. Just how she would know something like that had at first baffled Johnny, but then he figured after what he had learned about Effie Mac during their recent kidnapping, why anything she did or knew about would baffle anyone, was beyond him. The headaches had lasted on and off for a week or so, but nothing to keep her down.

Effie had also made time for a chat with his father on each of her visits; although Johnny wasn't sure if his old man had had the chance to do much more than listen. He'd spied the pair from his room once, strolling arm in arm in the orchard. Mrs. Mac had been talking, Murdoch listening intently.

The Reverend was speaking again, bringing the morning service to an end by announcing upcoming church and social events. Try as he might Johnny just couldn't concentrate on what the Reverend was saying or couldn't until his name was mentioned. He started on hearing it, and for one minute thought he was being singled out for not paying due attention. But seconds later the widow's name was spoken too.

To Johnny's relief and surprise the reverend was giving thanks for their safe return, praising Effie and his courage and determination. He went on to praise the rescuers and finally to thank all those who had prayed for their deliverance from evil, reminding everyone of the power of prayer.

Johnny shifted uneasily, 'the power of prayer'. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, 'that' and everything associated with it unsettled him. Yet he had prayed so very recently, had made a silent desperate plea for someone or something to save him from...from something terrible, and his brother had!

Had his prayer been answered or was it just good timing on his brothers part? The question needed some serious thought but he wasn't ready to do that. He also needed to give some serious thought to what might be going on with his brother since he had come upon him in the cave. Scott hadn't talked about any of it, and he was for certain not wanting to talk about it either, but Scott seemed kind of quiet and serious since then. He wasn't ready though to think about any of that either, and anyway now wasn't the time. The congregation was standing ready to leave and make their way home.

Johnny got to his feet, eager to do the same; he was hungry although mercifully his belly hadn't let the whole world know like it had last time. He'd earlier had several extra helpings of ham and eggs to make sure of that.

The Widow Mac had already stepped out into the aisle and was now smiling warmly in his direction.

"John! Oh it is good to see you recovered enough to come into town and to church. Barely stopping to draw breath Effie chatted on, "Scott! I swear you are even more handsome than you were last week. Teresa, you are positively glowing," Glancing quickly at the reverend she continued in a teasing tone "there must be something in the air."

As the widow greeted Murdoch, Johnny was about to offer her his arm with the intention of once again walking Effie home, only to be beaten to it by his father.

A little perturbed Johnny watched as the pair stepped towards the door, Teresa scuttling past him seemingly eager to share in the conversation they would have with the Reverend James.

"Something wrong Johnny?" Scott asked eyeing his frowning sibling.

"I was gonna walk Effie home." Johnny explained wanting to share his disappointment.

"I see." Scott stared after his father; turning back to his brother he said "It looks like you have a rival for her affections!"

"What?' Johnny pondered his brother's comment, was Scott hinting at their being something between his father and Effie, something other than friendship?

Gesturing outside to where his father, Effie and Teresa were now standing and talking to the Reverend he added, "They make a handsome couple don't you think?"

Johnny studied the taller man's face. There was no trace of humour there, no playful glint in the blue eyes, nothing to indicate he was being anything but serious. 'But he was mostly serious about everything lately,' he thought to himself.

The youngest Lancer wasn't sure what to say. However, Scott seemed to be aware of something he wasn't, something that had come as one hell of a big surprise to him.

His brother was now looking at him questioningly, wondering no doubt why he wasn't agreeing with him.

"Yeah." Johnny quickly said, "Yeah they do." He forced a smile; as much as he loved Effie, he wasn't sure how he felt about the widow getting together with his father. That would take a lot of getting used to.

Scott didn't seem too convinced by his reply, though, as his questioning gaze grew a little more intense. But to Johnny's relief he didn't push him further, turning around instead his sibling stepped along the now empty aisle.

A bemused Johnny followed on behind.

Michael greeted him warmly, going on to sympathize with him over his cold. It seemed the Reverend was getting over a nasty bout himself, and was somewhat dismayed at the thought he might be responsible for passing it on to someone recovering from a gunshot wound.

After assuring the older man to the contrary Johnny excused himself leaving Teresa and the Reverend James to spend some time alone, albeit chaperoned from a distance.

He joined his brother and father who still had the Widow Mac on his arm. On seeing him Effie pointed at her hat.

"Do you like it John, dear? It was a gift from your father. He has such good taste don't you think?" The widow tilted her head from side to side and waited for the young man to comment.

"Yeah. Yeah he does. It, er it's very becomin' Mrs Mac." Johnny said struggling with the idea his father had actually bought the hat for Effie. He'd never known his father to buy a gift for a woman before, and a hat of all things! Wasn't that something a man would buy his wife or almost wife?

The widow seemed pleased by his comment and smiled back at him before looking up at his father, her smile widening on making eye contact with the older man.

Johnny watched his father smile back seemingly contented with the attention being paid him.

'How come' Johnny asked himself, 'how come I ain't noticed there's been something going on between 'em?'

As he stood contemplating the question, his father led Effie towards their buggy.

"Effie will liven up the dinner table." Scott gave him a slight grin.

"I didn't know she was coming to dinner?" Johnny said starting now to feel a little left out.

"Murdoch invited her just before you joined us. He has something important he wants to ask her."

"Oh!" Exclaimed Johnny trying hard to rein in his annoyance, "and would that have anything to do with the Reverend James over there?"

Gesturing to him to lower his voice the blond Lancer said "Of course it has! But Effie might say no, and he doesn't want to get Teresa's hopes up."

Leaving Johnny staring at him, Scott moved off away from their buggy, untying the reins of his horse as he did. This morning instead of riding with the rest of them in the buggy, his brother had brought his saddled horse out of the barn and announced that he would be riding his own horse to church. Johnny had nearly dropped his jaw when Murdoch had just nodded his head in acceptance. And when he had started to open his mouth to say he was just going to saddle Barranca and ride too, his old man had just taken him by the arm, and guided him to the buggy, saying "Not today, Son. You're still recovering."

He had said it with that no-nonsense tone of his, and Johnny had looked at his brother for support – but none had come. Just gotten up on his horse and waited beside the buggy until Teresa and he were in, and Murdoch had flicked the reins. Scott had ridden beside them all the way, not even taking off in a fast gallop. 'Hell, the way he had ridden slow and peaceful like, he could have just as well went with them in the buggy' Johnny thought to himself as he watched his brother mount up.

And now it looked like his brother wasn't even going to be riding back with them. Instead, Scott just told Murdoch he would be home in time for dinner, kicked his horse into a gentle canter and started riding out of town. Johnny looked at his father and waited for him to say something, but he didn't, again, turning instead to help Mrs. Mac in the carriage, and called for Teresa to come along.

As they rode out of town he half listened to the chatter from the Widow Mac and Teresa in the back seat, while he scanned the scenes around him. Town was pretty much quiet, just people walking home from church or stopping in at the Grand Hotel's restaurant for a nice Sunday dinner. Their own dinner would be ready in a couple of hours – always mid-afternoon on Sundays, giving them time to get home, and relax a bit.

He saw Val up the street, tipping his hat to a few folks and then turning to go in to the cantina for some of Rosalita's fine, special south-of-the-border fare she always served up on Sundays. It had been a while since he had been able to go to the cantina on Sunday with Val. Murdoch always liked to have Sunday dinner with the family, but still, occasionally he would relent and let him go.

Hadn't seen much of his friend since he showed up in the cave a few minutes after……, well after everything was over. By the time Val and Cipriano had arrived, followed quickly by Murdoch and the others, Scott had him sitting up against the cave wall near Effie and had moved next to her to try and determine how bad she was hurt.

Nothing had been said between them, no words spoken before the others arrived. Scott had just helped him in that quiet way of his, and then grabbed onto his good shoulder, squeezing tight and looked at him – asking with his eyes, if he was okay. Johnny had only been able to give him a slight nod – too much had happened so fast, and then he hadn't known if Effie was still alright.

She had started to come around just a little, by the time they all arrived. Val had come to him, seeing that he was hurt and looking over at Len lying on the cave floor, most of his face blown away. He had looked at both brothers – waiting, and when nothing was said, just gave a quick nod and started giving some of the men instructions about the dead Hogan brothers' bodies.

Murdoch, though, had gone into overload with his solicitous behaviour in attending to his young son. Old man wanted to take care of the wound right then and there, never mind all the dead Hogan's laying around them – one in particular. The only thing that had stopped his father was Johnny's own insistence that they get out of the dark, damp cave. Scott voicing agreement hadn't hurt either.

But they had finally all made it down the mountain – some more slowly then others. Val had taken Pedro, Miguel and a couple of others ahead with him – wanting to make sure the outlaws that had escaped had been dealt with at the bottom of the mountain by Frank and the others. They had; a few breathing their last breaths when they reached the bottom. As for good old Charley, well it seemed he had beaten the odds for once, he wasn't among the injured or the dead, and appeared to have somehow got clean away. That was the sort of justice Johnny liked. The remaining ones that were still alive were added to the wounded ones captured in the fire fight. All now had been picked up by the Marshall, who had been with the original posse, taking them back for trial. Johnny had heard from Val when he was still recovering from the bullet wound that the Marshall had been a bit contrite over his decision to go the wrong way in chasing the bad guys. They had had a good laugh about that one.

Val had never asked, though, what had happened in the cave. He wouldn't either; their friendship was like that. As he watched his friend walking into the cantina he promised himself that next week after church, he would make his way over to Rosalita's; time to sit back with his long-time amigo and share one of those special meals.

They were passing the gates to the cemetery now, the plot reserved for the lawless a lot fuller than it had been a month or so back. One of the new graves had been set apart from the rest, situated at Effie's request beneath the sheltering limbs of an ancient oak tree. Fresh flowers adorned Clem Hogan's final resting place, the widow determined to remember and mark the outlaw's selfless acts.

As the carriage finally was on the road to Lancer, Johnny sat back, relaxing as he basked in the warmth of the noon-day sun. He glanced over at his father and then back at Mrs. Mac. He turned back and slouched down, pulling his hat down a little more to block out the sun. He thought about his old man and Mrs. Mac and wondered if they were really going to ……… well although he was fond of the widow he wasn't sure he wanted that.

He thought about what Scott had said for a few minutes and as he did, he wondered if he was even talking about them. Maybe it had something to do with Teresa and her marrying the Reverend. After all didn't he say if Mrs. Mac said no to Murdoch's question it might disappoint or upset Teresa? Yeah, something like that. Well would Teresa be upset if Mrs. Mac turned down Murdoch's proposal? Well maybe – but since the Reverend entered her life, he was about all she seemed to care about; couldn't rightly blame her, she deserved her happiness.

And why the hell would Murdoch be asking the Widow Mac to marry him in front of everyone? Nope couldn't see that at all. Well nothing to do about it now, just sit back and enjoy the ride. When they got home he would just have to ask his brother, what the hell he meant.

Well when his brother got home that is. And maybe when he did it was time the two of them spent a little time together, maybe take a walk up to their favourite spot. Spend some time talking………

Con and Molly

2010