| Let No Man Separate By Debby Under any other circumstances I would notice that the ride is really quite uncomfortable. The coach is jostling and bumping erratically across the rough terrain, the dust rises in great clouds tickling one�s throat and irritating one�s eyes. The heat is almost unbearable especially considering the black garb I�ve donned for the journey and yet I care nothing about any of it. Everything pales in comparison to the fact that I�m alone. It wasn�t meant to end up this way. In all my planning, scheming and manipulating�I never imagined that I would end up by myself again. I take no notice of the passing land. I pay no attention to my fellow travelers. I ignore their looks of sympathy and quiet whispers. The poor delicate widow-they have no idea what I�ve lost. Mine is not the separation of death, but of life. My love has not gone on to the hereafter to wait for me, but has chosen to move on in the now�without me. I never imagined he would want to leave; after all I�d done to show him how much I loved him, and love him still. For years I waited patiently. I held back when I discovered he had married and settled down to raise a family. Shocked and saddened by the knowledge that some other woman was trying to keep him penned into a role he could never fill. I waited until the time was right and did what needed to be done to free him again. Then I found myself waiting still when he didn�t come for me. Three years. It took three years for everything to fall into place just right. For me to be able to step back into his life and then I wasn�t really prepared for what I found. It hurt. It hurt to see that he still mourned for her but I knew I could persuade him to move past that. I didn�t foresee his six friends being a problem. I knew he would choose me over them; I had no doubt. The ranch was everything I knew he had dreamed of once. That we had dreamed of together. We shared so many dreams back then, in our wild and free days of youth, when nothing seemed to be able to stop us, or even slow us down. Chris and I were meant to be together, I don�t know why I didn�t see it until after he had gone on his way but I did and so I followed, biding my time until everything was in order again. Handsome Jack was paid well for his role and Chris� men were supposed to have been thoroughly distracted by him. But I could see their doubt as soon as Chris had announced he was going to stay on with me. He was going to stay with me! My heart beats faster at the mere thought. He was going to stay. He wanted to stay. Just as I had always known, he wanted me. I was so close. I feel the sudden moisture on my face and quickly wipe away the tears before anyone can ask if I�m all right. I don�t think that I would be able to find my voice right now anyway. All I can think of is warmth of his breath on my neck, the strength of his arms around me and the reassuring beat of his heart when I lay on his chest. God, I�d wanted nothing more than to remain there forever. Damn those men for taking that away from me, for separating us with their doubt-filled whispers and falsehoods. I watched them go to Chris, first his mustached friend and then that longhaired one. Both of them feeding him their jealous doubts and planting untruths in his mind. Why couldn�t they have just left well enough alone and let us be happy together? Don�t they know that I would never hurt him? If it wasn�t for them, I know Chris would have let me explain about the closet, about her and why I had to free him from her. How else would we have been able to be together again? Instead, because of their interference, Chris was angry�so angry. I rub my finger against the lace of my collar, still feeling the fierce grasp where his hands had tightened around my throat. He didn�t understand, and then the gunfire. Damn him, he left me again and for what? Not a woman this time, no, for his friends. He ran away to try and save the men that had driven the wedge between us. Why did he do that? I knew then that he wasn�t ready yet. No matter how much I thought he was, and wanted him to be. I�ll never forget the last time I saw him. His eyes blazing with anger and pain and yet I know he still loves me. Why else would he not shoot me when he had the chance? I chuckle softly and ignore the raised eyebrows and soft murmurs around me. Let them scoff. How many people do they know who have looked down the barrel of a gun held by the infamous Chris Larabee and lived to tell about? I knew he�d been shot, but I couldn�t stop to make sure he was all right no matter how much I wanted to. His friends would have killed me for certain. They are the reason I still run. The reason I�m on this god-forsaken stagecoach heading to safety. Some place where I can start a new, begin to plan again for the day when Chris and I will be reunited. My sources tell me he is recovering and that he should have received my letter by now. My reminder. Reaching into my handbag I retrieve the picture I saved of the two of us. It�s an older one, taken when we were both a lot younger than we are now but it�s my favorite. It reminds me of those days when we loved without anything or anyone standing in our way. My fingers tremble slightly as I trace the pattern of his face. I know right now he thinks he hates me, but in time he�ll see the truth. I only did what had to be done, for him�for me�for us. I place the picture back in my bag and return my gaze to the passing scenery. Though it takes me farther and farther away from my love I know that one-day I will return to him and when I do, nothing and no one will be able to separate us ever again. And I find that I can smile. |
| The characters of the Magnificent 7 belong to MGM, Trilogy and Mirisch. No profit is being made off this story. |
|