A Heart's Legacy Sequel to Captured Heart
By Daniel Running Water
Chapter One
April 1889
With Strong Bear, White Deer and Spotted Wolf in their twenties and Abe now eighteen, the next generation takes their place in Heart's Legacy.
The opening of the Indian lands in the Oklahoma Territory was of great interest to white people across the United States in the late 1800s. The Indian's desire to keep the Territory for their exclusive use and occupation was complicated by the rapid growth of white population on its northern, eastern, and southern borders; and when the first railroad crossed it in 1870-1872, any effort to find an answer became hopeless. The reasons for attempting to obtain lands in "the great American desert" were almost as many as the individuals who made the attempt. Ranchers, Railroads and Boomers sought access to the diverse landscape.
The Unassigned Lands were laid out in 160-acres homesteads, and on 22 April 1889, it was opened to white settlement in the "Run" for farms and town lots, which has become one of the most dramatized episodes in western history. Tent cities sprang up at Oklahoma City, Kingfisher, El Reno, Norman, Guthrie and Stillwater.
The opening of the almost three million acres of Unassigned Lands, created almost as many problems as it solved. All outside the authority of the Indian governments were without civil law, and in criminal matters they were under the long distance jurisdiction of the Federal court at Fort Smith, Arkansas. The passage of the Organic Act of 2 May 1890 created Oklahoma Territory and allowed the Organization of Government in the central areas; and, the present Panhandle of Oklahoma was declared open to settlement and would be included in Oklahoma Territory. Sections sixteen and thirty-four of each township were reserved for the benefit of public schools. Provision was made for the reservation of public roads on all section lines. Guthrie was designated as the temporary capital.
Chief Hawk sat in his counsel lodge, speaking with his warriors about the encroachment of whites on what was once designated Indian Territory. The Sioux tribes were mostly peaceful now, but there were still renegades that hindered the settling of the land, with raids on whites that were isolated from towns.
Among the most notorious of the Sioux was Chief Wild Horse. Along with gangs of white outlaws, they terrorized not only the white settlers, but also the peaceful Choctaws, having recently raided Hawk's village, killing many of his people.
"Ay-uh, Hawk knows what you speak about Wild Horse is true, but peace is the only way to survive with the whites. If I go to war against Wild Horse and the whites that ride with him, I shall be seen as nothing more than another warring tribe and open to annihilation by the blue coat soldiers." Hawk argued with Black Hawk, once his good friend but now his most boisterous opponent of his warriors.
"My chief, I agree that peace should always come first when dealing with the white eyes, but Wild Horse is not white, he's Sioux. Are we not allowed to avenge our people, and in doing so we must accept that war is the only way to deal with the renegades.
"Ay-uh Black Hawk, but Hawk has given his word to Colonel Dickson at Fort Smith that he will not go to war against other tribes."
"Then you were wrong to agree to such an agreement," Black Hawk angrily said, as he rose to his feet, his eyes showing the anger that was consuming his heart. "If your father, Black Bear had been alive, he would have sought revenge against the Sioux and not made such an agreement," he angrily shouted.
"I will forget this which you said, because of the friendship we once had," Hawk said as he too rose to his feet. "Black Hawk forgets that Hawk is his chief and his father Black Bear," Hawk said with his fists tight and resting against his hips.
Black Hawk gave Hawk an angry glare and quickly turned, hurrying from the lodge.
"Do any of my warriors feel that I am not right to lead them and wish to join Black Hawk," Hawk asked, gazing around at the other warriors in the lodge.
Several other warriors stood and shamefully hurried from the lodge, causing a great pain to stir in Hawk's heart. Hawk stood tall and straight shouldered, his chin held proudly high as the last of the warriors left.
"We that still remain my chief, pledge our undying allegiance to you," Jumping Elk said, standing and gazing at those that were around him also stood and then looked at Hawk.
"Father, let me take some of your faithful warriors and go after those that have formed an alliance with Black Hawk," Strong Bear said, as Hawk once again sat down.
"Gah-ween my son, Hawk is not a tyrant but he is a chief that rules his people with compassion and much love," Hawk said resting his hand on Strong Bear's shoulder.
"But what if they go and join with Wild Horse," Strong Bear asked.
"If they do, then so be it, but Hawk will not use his power to avenge the hurt that Black Hawk has caused my heart. I truly doubt that Black Hawk will align himself with those that killed his parents," Hawk assured him.
Strong Bear could see the pain that Black Hawk's betrayal had caused his father and it too caused him pain to see Hawk lose an old friend. Strong Bear did not agree with the agreement that his father had agreed to with the colonel, but he knew that his father's ways only of peace were right and that they protected his people.
"Remember my son, peace first before war, for when the red man wars against the white eyes; it is always the red man that loses always. Someday this may not be the case, but this is now and it's the truth."
"Ay-uh father," Strong Bear said in agreement.
Black Hawk and those that had aligned themselves with him rode from the village with their families. A great wailing filled the air as those that stayed behind mourned the loss of those that left.
"Hear our people as they mourn those that leave, their sorrow is great my husband," White Deer whispered to Strong Bear.
"Ay-uh, but soon their cries of sorrow will change to shouts of joy," Strong Bear whispered back, causing a chill to course through White Deer.
"My warriors, set sentries at all sides around the village," Hawk instructed as he look upon his faithful warriors and drawing Strong Bear's attention back to his father. "I will go to those Sioux that seek peace with us and also with the whites and seek counsel with Chief Brave Heart. I feel that we should place our villages closer together, insuring the safety of all our people, both his and ours."
"Oh Hawk, surely you don't intend on moving our people again," Seth said sitting beside his husband as they talked by the fire in their lodge. "For it wasn't that long ago that Brave Heart was your enemy." Seth reminded Hawk.
"Ay-uh Red Sun, what with the white eyes taking more of the land that was promised to us by the White Chief in Washington, soon we shall lose it all to them. Remember also how Chief Lone Wolf moved his people to Canada to seek freedom from the whites; I am considering going there to join our villages."
"I see that happening more and more each year since we came here, and now with the railroad crossing our land, soon more settlers will come." Seth sighed, fearing that another move would only add more sorrows to Hawk's people. "But Canada my husband, that is so far for our people to travel."
Hawk knew that it was more than the long trip that worried his heart; it was their friends in the white community that would be left behind.
"Does Red Sun miss his people?" Hawk suddenly asked, shocking Seth with his sudden question.
"Gah-ween my husband, my life has been full living it with you," Seth said and snuggled closer to his husband in the privacy of their lodge.
Seth sat quietly, many thoughts and questions now filling his mind. Hawk noticed how quiet he got and turned to face his sweet Red Sun.
"What has your thoughts captive," he asked turning Seth's face so that his eyes would meet his. Seth considered his thoughts and after several minutes, he looked deep into Hawk's eyes and spoke.
"Yes I would miss James and Shane and also their son, Abe, but their absence from my life would not be half as bad if I did not have you and your love to sustain me, my husband."
Again he remained quite for a long while as he considered another question that had been plaguing him over the years, but never asked.
"Has my husband missed not having a wife that could have bore him many children," Seth asked, yet fearing Hawk's answer.
Hawk looked at Seth with shocked eyes, wondering why he would ask him this, had he not been the loving and loyal husband to him he thought.
"Gah-ween my love, Hawk has been very happy loving but one heart...yours. I have a son that I am proud of, even though he is my half brother and not my true son. Someday when Hawk walks in the land of the hereafter, Strong Bear shall be chief."
"And what of him and his legacy, for he and White Deer have not a son to pass the title of chief on to," Seth asked.
"Our Great Spirit shall provide my son with an heir that he can raise in the ways of our people and one day lead them as their chief. Why this sudden need to question our happiness, Red Sun," Hawk asked.
Again he was silent as his mind replayed mocking names and remarks from those white eyes when he went into the trading post to trade pelts for supplies.
"Hawk, have you not heard the whispers from the men at the trading post when you and I have gone there to trade? They whisper of our strange love and some have even called us a Molly behind our backs."
"Who has whispered of these things, tell me and I shall see that they whisper them no more," Hawk adamantly said, his anger rising and giving yet another reason why he disliked the white eyes.
"It doesn't matter who says these things because you cannot silence bigotry and hatred," Seth said and cuddled closer to Hawk, needing the assurance of his nearness and arms to calm his fears.
"Words such as these have started wars between the white eyes and the red man," Hawk said glaring angrily into the flames of the fire. "This is but another reason why I wish to move our people from the influence of the white eyes, because soon their bigotry and hatred will cause annihilation of our people and also of all men with skin that is red."
"Do you think that could be the reason why Black Hawk and the other warriors separated themselves from our people, because of our love," Seth asked, raising the question in Hawk's mind.
"Ay-uh Red Sun, I have thought of this very thing to be one of the reasons, but gah-ween, for he too has had his warrior lovers. Black Hawk is a man that has grown angry with every white eyes that has come to settle on our land," Hawk's mind went to one in particular, George Bennett.
George Bennett was considered a land baron among the white community and he either stole or killed those whose land abutted his and refused to sell, so that he could acquire it.
George Bennett also hated all Indians, and he hated Hawk most of all. He saw Hawk and his people as a roadblock to his plan for acquiring more land, because he wanted the land that Hawk's village now stood on.
He knew that Hawk's land was rich in minerals, having heard of the gold that lies buried on it. Hawk often suspected him of riding with Wild Horse, raiding and killing those settlers on the land that he wanted.
Once George Bennett had lost his re-election as governor of this territory, he began grabbing land by any means possible, until he had amassed a sizable spread where he raised cattle.
"My husband, now it is you whose mind has drifted away," Seth said as his hand moved slowly, seductively over Hawk's leg, resting and fondling Hawk's manhood.
"My Red Sun needs loving...ay-uh?" he asked as he laid Seth down on the softness of the pelts and covered his body with his.
"Ay-uh my husband, Red Sun always needs his lover," he whispered as he pulled Hawk's mouth to his in a sweltering kiss.
"Father, I am going into Guthrie today for supplies," Abe said as he sat at the table enjoying his breakfast. "We are out of barb wire for fencing and I'd like to stop by and see Spotted Wolf."
"It is good that you and Spotted Wolf have become good friends, he is a very good man," Shane said, glancing over a book that he was reading at him. "I hear that he is now a full fledge doctor like Jonas."
"Yes he is father, and he has the degree to prove it from that university in Canada. But what good does it do him, no one will let him treat them because he is an Indian," he said sighing over the bigotry and hatred that lived in the hearts of white people.
"From what Jonas has told me, he is planning on becoming shaman to Hawk's people now that Brave Bull is dead."
"Yes, I heard the same thing and from what he's told me, Jonas is moving with him also when he becomes their shaman. He feels that he can work just as well from Hawk's village as he can from that run down shack that they call a house."
"A doctor's life may not lead to riches son, but their rewards are so much more valuable. Look at how they smile and feel proud whenever they help someone or save a life. Not all people have great wealth which lies in the bank as we have," he reminded his son. "Most gather their riches up in heaven where neither rust nor thief can rob it." Wiping his mouth with a white linen napkin, Abe nodded in agreement.
Abe, having finished his meal, got up and gave Shane a warm hug and then went to James where he did the same.
"Just don't go near the saloons Abe, you know how dangerous they can be," James said as he brushed an errant strand of blond hair from Abe's face. "My how handsome a man you have become my son," James said as he stepped back and gave a long look at his son, marveling in the handsomeness of him.
Abe had grown into quite the man, standing well over six feet and extremely muscular. His looks were classic, a strong jaw line, straight nose and eyes as blue as the spring sky. When he walked, his muscles rippled beneath his clothes and his ass was round, hard and turned the eyes of many a young woman and a few unsavory men, whenever he passed them.
"Father, I am a man now and I can handle a gun as well as hold my own in a fight," Abe reminded his dads, hating the way that his fathers fussed over him, always protecting him as if he were but a child.
"I know you can sweetheart, but we still worry about you," Shane added as he walked over to Abe's side. "I don't want you anywhere near that evil man, George Bennett," he added, his hand resting on Abe's shoulder.
"Father please, don't call me sweetheart that is not a name that men call one another. I know that your love is different than most men, but can't we not let others know about it?" he said, his voice almost a shout.
"Does our love shame you son?" Shane asked his feelings hurt by Abe's sudden outburst.
"No, but do you have to use terms like that around others? Even the ranch hands call me sweetie and honey, do you have any idea how embarrassing that is?"
"I'm sorry son that our love for you has caused you so much embarrassment. We shall try to remember not to use such language in the future," Shane said and turned from Abe, hoping to hide the hurt and tears in his eyes.
"Father please don't, I never meant to hurt your feelings," Abe said as he turned Shane to face him, his arms wrapped about his neck. "In the house is alright to use them, but when we are outside could we not use them?"
"Your happiness is all that matters to us son," James said coming up behind him. "Now run along and do remember to be careful."
Shane walked with Abe out to the stable and he too noticed how certain ranch hands whispered together when they thought that he did not see. His anger grew as he walked over to two that had been snickering and addressed them, centering his attention on the one that was his ranch foreman.
"Have you got a problem with James and me or for that matter our son?" he asked glaring into the eyes of Sam Wilson, his foreman.
"No sir...we are both fine with things here at the ranch," he stammered, fear showing in his eyes. "You treat me and the boys well and the pay is the best for miles around."
"Then end the whispering and snickering or else you'll find yourself looking for employment elsewhere," he firmly said and turned to a shocked Abe.
Feeling more embarrassed than ever, Abe pulled his father over to a quiet corner to talk.
"Why not just tell the men that you and father prefer what a man has instead of what a woman has between her legs," he sharply asked and then walked away leaving Shane further in pain. "After all father, its not like they already don't know that you and pa prefer sex with each other," he rudely, coldly said and walked away, leaving Shane on the verge of tears.
"Have I let my love for James destroy our son and his happiness," he whispered as he watched Abe ride away.
As Abe rode into the town of Guthrie, he was aware of the staring eyes of people now and then as he rode along the main thoroughfare on his way to see Spotted Wolf and Jonas.
"Damn bigots, these people of Guthrie," he whispered when he passed a saloon that was notorious for its whores. "Like they are any better than my dads," he snickered, kicked his heels against the horse and galloped past, pulling his horse to a halt when he reached Spotted Wolf and Jonas' cabin.
Hitching his horse to the rail in front of Jonas and Spotted Wolf's ramshackle shack, he lazily walked over to the front door and opened it, expecting to find patients inside as they sat waiting to be seen by Jonas.
Instead he froze when his eyes focused on Spotted Wolf, kneeling in front of Jonas while his mouth gave pleasure to his husband's manhood. Spotted Wolf's hand rested on each of Jonas' round hard ass cheeks while his mouth moved quickly up and down on his hard length. Jonas' eyes were closed, his head thrown back as he enjoyed the attention that Spotted Wolf was giving him.
"Abe," Jonas shouted when he opened his eyes, yanking his throbbing manhood from Spotted Wolf's mouth and hastily pulling up his breeches.
"I'll come back later," Abe said blushing and turned abruptly, hurrying from the room.
Just as he mounted his horse, Spotted Wolf was beside him, his midnight black eyes gazing up apologetically at Abe.
"Please don't leave Abe," he asked. "I'm sorry that you had to witness that. But we have not had any patients for days now and...well my husband was aroused and needed attention," he said, a glow of red covered his face as he turned his eyes from Abe.
"I probably should have knocked instead of just walking in," Abe said. "But your sign does say to just enter and have a seat," he pointed out with his finger pointing to the sign.
"Ay-uh Abe, so it does," he said and they both began to laugh. "Come on in my friend and tell us why you have come to see us. Is everything alright?"
"Yes," he said dismounting.
Abe walked back to the house, following Spotted Wolf as he entered the house. Jonas, who was now fully dressed and blushing profusely when Abe entered the room, again, looked at Abe apologetically.
"I am so sorry for what you just witnessed," an embarrassed, Jonas said, offering his hand to Abe.
"Don't worry about it Jonas, I have more than once caught my fathers doing worse than that," his mind remembering the times when he had walked in on Shane as he made love to James.
"So what brings you here this fine day," Spotted Wolf asked, hoping to divert his attention.
"I have to get some barb wire for the fences we need to put up between our land and the land that belongs to that scoundrel George Bennett. It seems that he's been complaining about our cattle roaming onto his property and has threatened to shoot them if it continues. So seeing how I was in town, I thought that I would stop by and say hello."
"George Bennett seems to be a man with an evil heart," Spotted Wolf said. "I wonder what his daughter thinks about him, she seems so embarrassed whenever I have seen her with him," Jonas said, thankful that their conversation had moved to a better topic.
"Well he's been dogging my father to sell our land to him and they both told him in no uncertain words that their land was not for sale and never would be to the likes of him."
"I've heard that others around here have also turned him down, only to be found dead several days later."
"If we had a sheriff with some backbone, Bennett would be behind bars," Jonas said, as he took inventory of his medical supplies.
"Everyone knows that Bennett has Sheriff Bryant on his payroll," Abe interjected, furious that the man got away with not only stealing land, but also murder.
"Have you got time for a coffee, Abe?" Jonas asked as he walked over to the wood stove and shook the pot that was sitting on it. "I just made it fresh before we..." he stopped short, not wanting to mention sex.
"I'm good Jonas, I really should be going and seeing about the fencing," he said as he placed his hat upon his head and turned toward the door.
"I'll walk you out," Spotted Wolf said as he walked beside him.
Once outside, Spotted Wolf grabbed Abe's arm and stopped him, turning Abe back to face him.
"I have wanted to ask you something for a long time now, but felt that it was not any of my business so I haven't."
"Spotted Wolf, are we not friends," he asked as he smile warmly at him. "So what is it that you wanted to ask me?"
Spotted Wolf fidgeted with his fingers before gathering the courage to ask.
"Well Abe, seeing how your fathers share the same kind of love as Jonas and I do, I was wondering if you did also or do you prefer a woman?" he asked, his face turned crimson, accented more so by the sun.
"Truthfully Spotted Wolf, I really don't know. I have not yet," he looked carefully around and then lowered his voice to a whisper before continuing. "I have never had sex with either a man or a woman, and to tell you the truth, I haven't met either that has taken my heart," he confided.
"Do you mean that with all these handsome men and beautiful women that live here in town, not one have caught your eye yet?"
"Nope...not one...man or woman, Spotted Wolf, so until one does, my hand suffices my needs quite well," he whispered further, his own face now turning red. "I know it may sound strange, but I'm waiting for the person that I will share my life with for eternity to give my body to."
"Ay-uh my friend, it was the same for me and Jonas, we both were each other's first, well with a man that is. Jonas has a son back east in St. Louis, he lives with his ex-wife."
"I didn't know that Jonas was married before he and you... well before you came into his life."
"Ay-uh, and from what he's told me, she was quite unfaithful to him after his son was born. I know that he misses him, I hear him call out his name at times in his sleep."
"What is the boy's name and how old is he?" Abe asked.
"Caleb, Caleb Jameson and he is sixteen winters, sorry, years old now."
"I can imagine that he's missing his father as much as Jonas is missing him."
"Ay-uh, because Jonas and Caleb write to each other often and Jonas has mentioned to his son to come live with him."
"Him and not you both, so it would affect your relationship with Jonas, because I doubt that he would want his son to know about the two of you and how you have... well would he?"
"You really do have a hard time with our kind of love, don't you Abe," he asked.
"I guess so, but I would never want my fathers to know, it would break their heart. Like I said before, I really don't know if I will fall in love with a man or a woman, but which ever it is, I am sure that my fathers will accept it."
"Ay-uh Abe, they will because they love you," Spotted Wolf said and then hugged Abe warmly goodbye, his arms wrapped around and his hands resting on the young man's ass.
"You really like to grab any chance you get to feel my backside, don't you Spotted Wolf?" he said smiling down at the man.
"Ay-uh my friend, because your backside is sooooooo round and muscular," Spotted Wolf chuckled.
Shaking his head laughing, Abe undid the reins to his horse and swung himself up into the saddle, tipping his hat to Spotted Wolf before riding off.
"Hey Sam," Abe said as he entered the store and saw the elderly man struggling to retrieve a lantern that was hanging from a rafter. "Here Sam, let me get that for you," Abe took the long stick which had a hook on the end from Sam and hooked it under the handle of the lamp and swung it down to Sam's waiting hands.
"I have been trying to get that darn lamp for hours, but I guess I wasn't quite tall enough," he said. "Thank you kindly Abe, now what can I do for you?" he asked as he and Abe walked over to the counter.
When they arrived at the counter, a beautiful young lady was standing there, her purchases waiting to be counted on the counter.
"Why don't you help the young lady first," Abe said, removing his hat and nodding to her. "Abraham Mathews-Thornton is the name ma'am," he said, his eyes locking with hers.
"Emily, Emily Bennett," she said, and the very sound of her name sent shivers down Abe's spine. "I can wait if you are in a hurry," she said and shyly turned her eyes away.
"Ladies before gentleman, my fathers...father always told me," he said, stuttering over having two fathers.
"Thank you kindly...Abraham," she said as she batted her long lashes that covered emerald green eyes at Abe.
Emily was a small woman, but voluptuous in figure. Her long auburn hair flowed three quarters down to her waist, and what a full set of breasts that she had Abe thought.
Emily glanced sideways, taking in the muscular form of Abe. She looked over at his long blond hair and blue eyes, and she was instantly taken by him, as he was with her. As her eyes flowed slowly down his masculine form, they stopped briefly when she noticed that his manhood was hard and pressing against the fabric of his jeans, blushing, she turned her eyes away.
They continued to make small talk while Sam figured up her order's cost.
"Do you ride at all...Miss Emily?" he softly asked.
"I usually ride every morning just after the sun rises," she said. "I like to ride beside the river, I do adore the cool breezes that float off of the water," she added, fluttering her long lashes flirtatiously at Abe.
"Maybe some time we can go for a ride, that is if you do not mind, Emily," he said and she jumped when a bee passed by her face.
Her sudden movement caused her shawl to fall from her shoulders and to the floor, exposing her cleavage to Abe. Abe quickly bent to retrieve the shawl and when he stood, he carefully placed about her shoulders, his hands remaining gently on her shoulders, slowly pulling her to him.
"Kindly remove your filthy hands from my daughter's shoulders," George Bennett snapped stepping into the store and glaring angrily at Abe.
George was very protective of Emily, the youngest of his three daughters. Although he never had a son, Emily was as hard riding and feisty as any boy could be.
"Father, Abraham was kind enough to pick up my shawl when it fell to the floor," she said turning to her father, a slight blush warming her face.
"I know what that...that robin's intentions were Emily, now hurry on with you purchases, I've got important business to attend to," he grumbled to her, but his eyes were glaring angrily at Abe.
Boldly ignoring George and his hurtful names, Abe turned to Emily and took her hand in his, raised it to his lips and kissed it softy before saying...
"I was a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Emily," Abe said tipping his hat to her with his free hand and still holding her hand.
Furious over being ignored by Abe, and he still showing attention to his daughter, George grabbed Abe by the shoulder, turned him to face him and landed a hard right fist to his jaw, knocking Abe from his feet and causing him to fall to the floor.
"Father please, is that how you repay a kindness to Abraham, by hitting him?" Emily scolded, glanced a long moment at Abe lovingly and then ran embarrassed from the store, leaving behind her purchases.
"Just keep away from her...got it," he snapped as he glared down at Abe, and then grabbed his daughter's purchases and quickly left the store.
"Are you alright Abe," Sam asked apprehensively, coming around the counter and helping the man to stand.
"I'm fine Sam, thanks," Abe said brushing his clothes off and straightening them before reaching up to his mouth were a slight flow of blood was oozing from a cut. "You just try to keep me away from your daughter...Bennett," Abe growled, wiping away the blood with the back of his hand and looking out the window as George helped Emily into their fancy buggy, her eyes meeting Abe's as her mouth silently mouthed `I'm sorry'.
"I wouldn't go making an enemy of that one, Abe," Sam said looking at what Abe was watching. "He's liable to just shoot as to look at you," he added. "Now give me that there order that you came for," he grumbled, turning Abe's attention back to Sam.
The next morning:
Abe was up before the sun was, quietly sneaking down the hall and trying not to wake his fathers. But when he got next to their door, he was surrounded by the familiar sound of their bed springs squeaking as the two men made love.
"Damn, how can James take dad's manhood up his..." he let it drop, vividly his mind's eye remembered the one time that he had caught them in the act and he moved quietly on, shaking his head.
Outside, the air was crisp as the moon made its approach toward the horizon, yielding to the sun's glimmering rays as they broke the horizon. He inhaled a deep breath of the cool air on this fine September morning and then hurried to the barn to saddle his horse. Just as he was about to mount his horse, a ranch hand, Jed Williams, stepped from the shadows and walked over to Abe, quietly.
"Here `robin'...let me give you a hand," he said, placing his large hand on Abe's ass and squeezed it.
Abe quickly turned and gave the man a right hook directly to his jaw, sending his stumbling backwards and falling into some fresh horseshit.
"You can draw your pay and leave, Williams," Abe snarled at him. "You are fired and don't think that my father is going save your sorry ass," Abe added and then mounted his horse, turned and rode from the barn.
"You just wait you...you robin, I'll get even with you," he growled as Abe rode away.
Hurriedly, a man with a plan, Abe rode hard and fast until he reached the river and saw Emily standing beside her horse as it drank from the river. She glanced up quickly when she heard Abe riding toward her.
"Good morning Miss Emily," Abe said, dismounted and led his horse over to the river so that it could get a drink.
Looking up into Abe's soft blue eyes, she reached up and placed a finger to the cut at the side of his mouth.
"Did my father do that?" she asked and flinched some when Abe placed his fingers around her small wrist.
"Yes, but its nothing compared to the beauty of you...Emily," he said as his hands came to her waist and gently pulled her to him, lowering his mouth down to hers in a kiss.
Gently stepping away from her, he looked apologetically at her.
"I am most sorry, I didn't mean to be so presumptuous," Abe said, his eyes lowering as his face turned red.
"Did you hear me complaining about your kiss, Abraham?" she asked and stepped forward.
Emily stood there for a moment and then twined her arms around Abe's neck, pulling his mouth down to hers in a sumptuous kiss. Abe wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly to him as he kissed her back.
Spotted Wolf paced the floor of his home, nervously. He waited for Jonas to return from meeting the train, where his son would soon be arriving from St. Louis. Jonas had never told him how he was going to explain him to his son, and more so, their relationship. Every time that Spotted Wolf would bring up the subject of his son and their relationship, Jonas would change the subject.
"What if his son hates me and makes you choose between us," Spotted Wolf asked, stopping only when he heard the shrill of the train's whistle. "I don't want to live without you Jonas, you are my world," he said almost prayerful and then the door opened, he turned to see George Bennett standing there, holding up a wounded ranch hand.
"Where is the real doctor, injun," he sarcastically asked, glaring darkly at Spotted Wolf as he helped his ranch hand down to a chair.
"He's at the train depot," Spotted Wolf snapped back, ignoring the wounded man that bled freely from a gunshot to his shoulder.
"Mr. Bennett please...this here pain is more than I can stand," Frank Tyson barely said, his voice weak from his blood loss.
"I guess I don't have an option...go ahead and attend to him," he snarled. "I gotta warn you though, if anything happens to him injun, you're a dead injun," he warned, glaring down at Spotted Wolf with darkness in his eyes.
Ignoring his threats, Spotted Wolf helped the wounded man over to a table and laid him gently on it. As he bent over the man, examining his wound, the man reached up and grabbed him by his shirt.
"Please don't let me die," he pleaded, his eyes showing the fear that was in his heart.
"I'll do the best that I can...what is your name sir," Spotted Wolf politely asked.
"Frank...Frank Tyson," he replied anxiously looking up at Spotted Wolf.
"I am going to give you some chloroform to help you with the pain," he told him quietly as he poured some of the liquid onto a cloth.
He placed the saturated cloth over Frank's mouth and nose, telling him to take several deep breaths and soon Frank was unconscious.
"Is he dead," George barked at Spotted Wolf and placed his hand to his revolver at his side.
"He's just passed out from the chloroform," he told him and went about gathering the instruments that he needed to extract the bullet from Frank. "We use it as an anesthesia to put people under so that they won't feel the pain when we operate on them."
Spotted Wolf worked meticulously on Frank, trying to extract the deeply imbedded bullet as well as curb the bleeding that the bullet had caused. After forty minutes of laborious work, he had the bullet resting in a metal bowl of alcohol, and he was stitching up the wound. He had just cut the thread when Jonas and his son came through the door, Jonas looked at George and then to Frank who lay unconscious on the examining table.
"What happened," Jonas asked as he hurried over to Spotted Wolf.
"Frank here got shot and I just finished patching him up, Jonas," Spotted Wolf proudly said, glaring past his husband to George, who eyes were holding his glare.
"I don't like injuns around me, much less having them doctoring up us white folks, but seeing how you were out gallivanting, I had no choice," George sarcastically said, glancing over at Caleb.
Caleb looked nothing like his father, Jonas, except for his hair and eyes. He wore his dark brown hair much longer than Jonas, and his eyes were a warm brown. George ran his eyes down the boy's frame, taking in his slight build, where Jonas was quite muscular, Caleb was thin.
"Who's this here kid, a new robin for you two to fondle," George sneered, chuckling rather loudly as his eyes continued to look at the boy.
"I'll have you know Bennett, that this is my son, Caleb," Jonas sneered back, stepping between his son and George. "Now your ranch hand will need rest so why don't you leave him and come back tomorrow, he should be good to move by then," he said, more demanded then asking.
"I guess so, but he'd better still be breathing when I come back," he warned and then stepped away, stopping for a moment beside Caleb. "Why aren't you a sweet little thing," he whispered before leaving the room.
"I don't like that man father, he looked at me as if I were naked," he said, his eyes looking down at the floor.
"Don't you pay him any mind son, he's as evil as the day is long," Jonas said and then turned back to Spotted Wolf and helped him carry Frank to a bed. "Did Bennett hurt you sweetheart," he whispered, turning to see if Caleb heard him.
Spotted Wolf was quick to see how Jonas was being careful about letting his son see or hear anything that might give the boy a hint as to what they were to each other.
"Gah-ween...sir," Spotted Wolf snapped, his heart hurting because of the way that Jonas was acting, now that Caleb was there. "We need to talk Jonas, either here or outside but it must be now," he said and after removing his white coat, walked determinedly from the room. "I'm Spotted Wolf, Caleb," he said only pausing long enough to introduce himself to the boy.
"Why was he so upset with you?" Caleb asked once Spotted Wolf was gone.
"He wasn't angry with me son, it was that evil man, George," he lied, knowing that his lack of affection towards Spotted Wolf had hurt his feelings deeply. "How about we get you settled in your room and then we can go over to the hotel for a bite to eat."
"That sounds good father, I am famished," Caleb said, but his thoughts were still on Spotted Wolf and why he had seemed hurt emotionally when he fled from his father's house.
Jonas stepped out of the cabin and saw Spotted Wolf standing beside his horse and his eyes told Jonas that he was hurt more than deeply, he was hurt beyond forgiveness.
"Are you ready to talk about us, Jonas," Spotted Wolf said, his eyes burning with rage as he glared at Jonas.
"Yes Spotted Wolf, but it must be quick, because I'm taking Caleb out to dinner" he whispered, lowering his head in shame, further telling Spotted Wolf that he was ashamed of their relationship.
"Excuse me Mr. Bennett, but there is a gentleman here to see you," George's butler, Hubert said, interrupting George from his thoughts.
"Well who the hell is it Hubert," he barked at the man.
"He refused to give me his name, but said that he had information that you would find quite valuable."
Wondering what this man wanted, he stormed past Hubert and into the foyer. When he saw who it was, George froze momentarily before he regained enough composure to speak.
"Well Shawn Murphy, you're the last person that I ever expected to see again," a shocked George said, remembering how Shawn stiffed him, knowing that his sister Jenny was not waiting for him in the cabin.
"I've got some information that might just be of interest to you."
To be continued...
So there is the first chapter of the next generation. I'm sorry that the sex was missing, but I promise to have a more sensual chapter next. As before with Captured Hearts, let me know what you think at danielrunningwater@yahoo.com
Thank you, Daniel