The Way Home

Sayin� goodbye is never easy. Hell, I done it a lot, and it never has gotten any easier and I never have gotten any better at it. The morning I was to leave for Colorado, I had a lump in my throat the size of a walnut, an� it stayed there all day.

After breakfast, Jess an� me wandered out to the barn an� we talked while I was getting� Tuck loaded up an� ready to go. Tuck knew we was leavin�, too. He was excited, shiftin� from one foot to the other, tossin� his head, ready and rarin� to get on the trail. That mornin� he did somethin� I ain�t never seed him do before or since. Just like me, he said goodbye to his friends.

�You gonna write to us, Macy?� Jess asked as he absently patted Tuck.

�Well, I ain�t really much fer writin�, but I�ll try. I can write alright, but I�m pretty slow at it.�

Jess smiled, �Well, it don�t hafta be much, but Andy�ll run away to Colorado if he don�t hear from you an� Tuck when you get back.�

I was loadin� my supplies in a pack an� Jess was standin� up at Tuck�s head, stroking his neck. Jess� arm was almost healed up. The cut was closed up okay, but he stilled favored that arm a bit and I saw him rub it when he got tired or used it too much. The doc said the knife had cut some muscle and it would take some time to come back. Jess did exercises with it ever� day. He�d pick up heavy tools like a hammer and lifted it over an� over. He�d graduated up to a sledge hammer a few days before, but he could only lift it about half way up and then only about three times before he had to stop. It was getting� better ever� day though.

The bruises on Jess� ribs and back had faded until they were just greenish yellow blotches. He barely favored his ribs anymore at all. The part that the doc had said about the body makin� more blood to replace what he lost an� it takin� awhile to do it was the truth. Even after almost a month, Jess still tired easier than normal and didn�t have the strength to put in a full day�s work yet. But, it was obvious that he was getting� better ever� day, and that was real pleasin� to see.

Tuck knew it was almost time to go an� he ducked his head and pressed his forelock against Jess� chest and held it there like that for a minute. He snuffled softly and then lifted his head, and I swear, he looked Jess right in the eye. If he coulda said goodbye, he woulda right then. Jess put his arms around Tuck�s neck and gave him a quick hug which I don�t think he thought I saw, but I did. Jess ain�t the sentimental type, at least I don�t think he is, but he loves horses in general, and Tuck in particular. I ain�t never met a body who knew Tuck, who didn�t love him.

It was Andy who was gonna miss him the most, and who Tuck was gonna miss the most. During the last month, Andy had spent ever� minute when he wasn�t doin� chores or schoolwork with Tuck. That is, when he wasn�t stuck like glue to Jess. I know Jess appreciated the concern, but sometimes he had to shoo Andy away so he could get some rest.

Andy and Tuck were best friends and Tuck was gonna miss their rides up to the pond, or out to visit the cattle. Andy learned how to mount Tuck without any help and to ride him bareback wherever he wanted to go. That boy had a way with horses like nothin� I ever seed.

The two of them developed a game that if I hadn�t seen it, I would�na believed it. When Andy was puttin� Tuck�s blanket on his back to go ridin�, he�d fling the blanket up on Tuck�s back, and Tuck would reach around and pull it off with his teeth, an� then in one graceful move, he�d fling the thing back the other direction and cover Andy�s head with it. The first time he did it, Andy was so taken by surprise, he stood for a full minute in surprise, an� then started laughin�. He pulled the blanket off and threw it back up on Tuck�s back, an� Tuck would do the same thing again. Ever�day, it became a ritual that they�d go through three or four times before they could go anywhere. He never did that with me or anyone else that I know of.

I had the packs ready and tied them together with rope and hoisted them up over Tuck�s back. Then I moved over to where Jess was still strokin� him, and picked up his lead.

Jess looked up at me and acted like he wanted to say somethin� but was havin� a hard time getting� it out. I grinned and said, �Spit it out, Jess, I ain�t got all day.�

He flashed me a quick grin an� then looked down at his feet. �Uh, Macy, you know that I ��

Okay, that was enough, I wasn�t gonna be able to take any mushy goodbyes. I held up my hand and stopped him. �No, Jess, now don�t start that. We both have a lot to be grateful for, me as much as you. I know how you feel and we can just leave it at that.�

Jess didn�t look up or say anything. So I did. �Right?� I dipped my head to capture his eyes, an� he finally looked at me.

�Okay, Macy. I�ll just say that if you ever need anything, anything at all. You send for me, and I�ll be there. �

�I know you will.� We started walking out of the barn, an� I looked up to see Mister Jonesy, Slim an� Andy comin� out of the house to say their goodbyes too.

I dropped Tuck�s lead and he walked right up to Andy an� put his forelock on Andy�s chest, just like he�d done with Jess. Then he made that little snuffling sound again. Andy unashamedly hugged Tuck�s neck tight.

�Well, don�t that beat all,� Mister Jonesy muttered under his breath.

Slim stepped over and grabbed my hand an� started pumpin� it. �Now Macy, I hope you�ll come back and visit us sometime. You�re always welcome here anytime, and for as long as you want.�

�Thanks, Slim, I�ll remember that.�

Mister Jonesy came over and shook my hand too. �Best of luck with that sheriffin� job, Macy. You�re gonna make a crackerjack sheriff.�

�Thank you, Mister Jonesy, I�m gonna do my best,� as I pumped his hand up an� down.

I was beginnin� to think I might get through this without bawlin� like a baby when Andy came over with tears in his eyes. Damn, that�s gonna just do me in. Andy shyly extended his hand to shake mine without a word. I took it an� gave it a manly shake. Then, I don�t know which one of us moved first, but the next thing I knew, I was huggin� him for all I was worth and had picked him up off the ground. I squeezed my eyes shut and I felt hot tears running down my face. I set Andy back down and held him at arms length. �Maybe you can come visit me an� Tuck down in Colorado some time.�

That got a smile out of Andy, and he turned hopefully to his brother. �Can we, Slim?�

Slim was smiling big. �I�ll bet we could arrange that sometime, Andy.� He stepped forward and put an arm around Andy�s shoulders.

I figgered I needed to get out of there before I made a fool of myself. I was about to turn to Tuck, when I glanced one more time at Jess. Our eyes met and a load of understanding passed wordlessly between us. I knew without a doubt that I had found a lifelong friend, and that no matter what, I could count on that. I silently pledged that he too could count on me if he ever needed me. I saw Jess give a little nod, as if he had heard what I was thinkin�. With that silent assurance, I turned an� swung up onto Tuck�s back and turned him toward the road. Tuck walked a few steps, then stopped and turned back for a minute, then continued on. I waved to my friends, an� Tuck an� I went off to start our new life.