Grace kept to herself pretty much in Kansas City. She was an only child and didn't make many friends there, but she did befriend an elderly woman who lived down the road from them. Henrietta Anderson was her name and she had been deaf from birth. Grace spent many hours at Henrietta's home. She became a surrogate mother to her. She taught Grace many things: how to sign, sew, and cook. But Henrietta was getting older, although Grace had been staying with her since her father’s death she felt it was in Grace's best interest to move to Dreamville to live with her Uncle Teaspoon.

The elderly woman feared another death would send Grace into more of a shell and knew her time on earth was limited. Grace pleaded to stay promising she would care for her, but Henrietta said that her Uncle needed to be with her for he was family. Grace had met Teaspoon once when she was five and she remembered he made her laugh. But he was basically a stranger to her, family or not.

"Dreamville up ahead!" Dev, the stagecoach driver, yelled out.

Grace was starting to get nervous, she knew her uncle was the sheriff, but that was it. Where would she live? She was nervous in crowds and knew that he also helped to run the Pony Express. She smoothed out her skirt, it wasn't black but a light brown and she wore a white shirt. Her father thought wearing black to mourn someone was silly, so after his death she decided to do what he would of wanted her to do.

Her sixteenth birthday was not far away and she had no clue if her Uncle knew when it was or not, but this year she did not feel like celebrating. She sat back as the stagecoach came to a halt. She started to shake and her hands started to sweat.

Rachel looked to Teaspoon, "You nervous?"

"Yeah, I am a little. She's been through so much. I appreciate you taking her in Rachel, until she gets use to things."

"I am happy to do it Teaspoon."

Both looked over as the stage door opened, and a small, beautiful, young woman got out and stood, looking very nervous.

Teaspoon looked at her in awe, "My God you’re the spitting image of Camilla."

Grace looked to the man and quietly said "You must be my Uncle Teaspoon?"

Teaspoon grinned, "That I am. Is that anyway to greet your uncle?" He walked over to her and picked her up and hugged her. He kissed her cheek and set her down. "You have grown into a fine young woman, Grace." Smiling and looking to the others, "Gracie there's a few people here I'd like you to meet."

Ike, Buck & Jimmy had stayed silent during the reunion and smiled to each other.

"This here is Ike McSwain, Buck Cross and Jimmy Hitcock."

Grace started to shake and quietly muttered "Pleased to meet you."

"You will have to forgive our grins but we did not expect Teaspoon’s niece to be so pretty." Jimmy grinned, held out his hand to her and tipped his hat.

Grace shook their hands then looked down and blushed.

Teaspoon raised his eyebrow to Jimmy, "Yeah, well boys
just remember that she is *my* niece."

Rachel looked to them she had noticed that Grace seemed to be getting nervous. "Boys why don't you get back to work now. I think Ike, Teaspoon and I can handle her bags and take them back to my place." Buck and Jimmy nodded.