JULY 29, 1861

As the Pony Express riders walked out of church, Caly noticed that Ike still seemed to be unhappy. She had first noticed it when they had entered the church, but she hadn’t said anything hoping that his mood would change. But she couldn’t stand it any longer, “Buck why is Ike so unhappy?”

Buck looked from Ike to Caly. And as he turned to look at Caly who was at his left side, he saw Kid coming down the steps. “I think its cause Kid is keeping the lady that Ike likes all to himself.”

“Who?” Caly hadn’t known that Kid was seeing someone else since Blythe had left. But then again she had been wrapped up in her own emotions these past few months, and she hadn’t been paying much attention to some of the Pony Express riders like Kid and Ike.

“I heard that Buck.” Kid playfully swatted Buck on the arm right before he passed him on the right side.

“The new reporter at the PEG. Kid has been spending time with her, but Ike saw her and would like to get to know her, but Kid’s been keeping her all to himself. He hasn’t brought her around to meet us.” Buck leaned in closer to whisper, “I think it’s because he knows that Ike likes her.”

“BUCK! That’s just not so. I’ve been really busy with delivering the mail. And if it’s not me being busy then she’s very busy with writing for the paper, working at the hotel and also running the post office. She just hasn’t got out and met very many people, but I’m not keeping her to myself.”

Caly grinned. She knew that Buck was just teasing Kid. “I think I know who you’re talking about. I’ve seen the new lady who has taken Blythe’s place. We haven’t been properly introduced though. I just see her when I pick up our mail. She’s not very talkative though, but she is very pretty, Ike.” Ike smiled but then bowed his head and looked at the ground.

“Ike, I have a way for you to meet Jennifer. I was supposed to meet her at the Silver Spoon for lunch today, but I had forgot that I had promised Jimmy that I would take his run today. Do you think that you could meet her at the restaurant and explain to her why I couldn’t be there?” Kid inquired.

“That’s a good idea, Ike.” Caly said. “That way you would get to meet her.”

Ike started signing.

“You’re right, Ike. She may not know sign.” Kid hadn’t thought of that.

“I can stay around and translate.” Buck offered. “My next run isn’t until tonight.” Caly turned and gave him a mean look. “What?”

“That won’t do. Ike wants to be alone with her.” She sternly whispered back at Buck. “Ike why don’t you go to the store and get some paper. Then when you go into the Silver Spoon, write down a note to Charity telling her that you’re here to meet Jennifer but she doesn’t know it. Tell her to bring Jennifer to your table when she gets there and then when Jennifer arrives, you can give her a piece of paper telling her that you don’t speak. Then you can write down why Kid isn’t there, and then ask her if she would like to have lunch with you.” She waited for a response from Ike.

Ike looked at Buck to see what he thought of the idea. “If you want to have lunch with her alone then I think Caly has a good idea.” Buck said. Ike finally smiled and nodded.

Kid, Buck and Caly left town after helping Ike pick out some paper at the store.

Inside the Silver Spoon, Charity was wiping off the tables, getting ready for the lunch crowd. She looked up when the bell above the door rang. It was Ike. Oh no! She hated it when Ike came into the restaurant alone. She didn’t know sign, and she didn’t like trying to talk to him to find out what he wanted. She glanced beyond him hoping to see another Pony Express rider, but she didn’t, and when he closed the door behind him, she sighed. Well, maybe another rider would come along any minute, she hoped as Ike approached her.

Walking over to Charity, Ike held out a piece of paper to her. He knew Charity didn’t know sign language, so it would be a waste of time to even try and attempt signing to her.

“What’s this?” Charity asked as she took the paper. A mischievous smile crossed her face, “Oh alright, Ike. Why don’t you sit down here, and as soon as Jennifer comes in, I’ll bring her over.” She pointed to the table that she had just wiped off. Ike nodded and sat down in a position where he could see the door if he turned his head to the side. Because of his shyness, he didn’t want to look directly at the door.

Charity walked over to another table and started cleaning it. This was great. She knew Kid had been seeing Jennifer, and now Ike was meeting Jennifer. This would make a great rumor. Ike sneaking around behind Kid’s back to see Jennifer. Oh this would make one heck of a juicy story to spread around town.

Ike waited anxiously, ever so often glancing at the doorway, hoping to see Jennifer. He was about ready to give up on her when suddenly there she was. Quickly he turned away. Charity had just sat Desiree and Walter down at a table when she noticed Jennifer. “I’ll be right back to take your order.” Before Walter could reply, Charity was gone. He just gave Desiree a puzzled look.

Desiree watched Charity go up to Jennifer. “She has another customer. So what did you think of my performance last night?”

Charity walked up to Jennifer. “Your date has been waiting for you.”

“My date? But I’m not . . . it’s not a date. We’re meeting because I want to find out more about the Pony Express. For the newspaper,” she quickly added. “So where is he?” As Jennifer had entered she had quickly scanned the room and there was no Kid. She thought he must be running late, too.

“He’s sitting right over there.” She pointed to Ike. “Well” She threw out her arm towards Ike, her body language telling Jennifer to go to him.

“But I don’t . . . I’ve never,” Jennifer didn’t even know that bald headed man sitting at the table that Charity was referring to.

It seemed to Charity that Jennifer wasn’t about to budge towards Ike’s table, so she said, “Ike has been waiting for you. The least you could do is see him, even if you don’t want to have lunch with him.” Charity wanted very badly to get some kind of story started because she hadn’t had one bit of gossip to spread around town since Jimmy was staying with Jewel and had almost married her.

“Ike? Did you say Ike?” Jennifer looked over at the man who happened to keep glancing their way.

“Yes, that’s what,” before Charity was halfway through with her answer, Jennifer took off. “I said.” Charity frowned and thought, how rude!

A quick stride brought Jennifer to Ike’s table. Ike saw her coming and as she was almost there, he stood up to greet her with a piece of paper that he had wrote, hello, his name and Kid’s explanation as to why he wasn’t there and why Ike was, but before he could hand it to her, she embraced him with a hug. “Oh Ike, I don’t believe it. I’ve always dreamt about this day, but I thought I would be the one to find you, not you find me. Oh, I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad to see you.” She said all this as she continued to hug him. Ike wasn’t sure what was going on, but he didn’t mind be hugged by a pretty lady such as Jennifer. Finally, she let go and backed away to get a good look at him. “Well, don’t you have anything to say?”

Ike blushed and then handed Jennifer his note. He hadn’t expected to be greeted so warmly by Jennifer especially since they hadn’t even met. Jennifer took the piece of paper and read it. After reading it for the second time, things began to dawn on her. He didn’t know who she was. He had come to take Kid’s place, to have lunch with her, but he didn’t know her. She sat down trying to think of what to do or say. She was very confused. She had thought that he had found her and had told Charity to tell her to come over to his table, but no he had just wanted to have lunch with her because Kid was on a mail run.

Perplexed Ike sat down, too. He wasn’t sure what was going on. Did she know him? Or did she think that she knew him, but was mistaking him for somebody else. But no how could she, she had called him by name. He looked intently at her face hoping that she would say something, but she just starred back at him as though she was hypnotized. He studied her face some more. It seemed so familiar, but he just couldn’t figure out why. Did he know her? Was she from the orphanage that him and Buck had grown up in. No, surely he would remember her if she had been there. She was too beautiful to forget. He tilted his head and started to sign something but quickly stopped. She didn’t know sign language, so he waited patiently for her to say something.

Charity had been stunned by Jennifer’s performance. She had thought that Jennifer didn’t know Ike. She had to know what was going on, so she walked over and asked, “What would you like for lunch?” She did it hoping to find out what was going on.

“Oh, what ever he’s having.” It was the only thing that Jennifer could get out of her mouth at the moment.

Charity frowned. She didn’t like that answer at all because Ike couldn’t talk. Ike wrote down on another piece of paper that they would have the special. Charity saw it and nodded. Obviously she wasn’t going to get any more out of them right now, so she went over to take Desiree and Walter’s order.

Jennifer used her right hand to smooth down her hair and then she looked up Ike. “You don’t know me?” Ike shook his head. “You are Ike McSwain, aren’t you?” This time he nodded.

“Ike, I’ve been looking for a long time for you. I’m Jennifer . . . Jenny . . . your sister.” She starred into his eyes.

Ike’s head shot up and tilted at the mention that she was his sister. His eyebrow arched. Could it be, could it really be? A smile erupted on his face and he stood up nodding his head. Now he knew her. It was Jenny. It was his sister.