Billy sat close to the edge of the stream, his feet nearly touching the water floating lazily by.
Loosening his grip on his fishing pole he turned to look at the man who had brought him there,
Chris. Or as his mom would often insist, "Mr. Larabee." Billy stared at Chris in awe.
He liked Chris, he figured. Mostly because, although he looked so tough and mean on the outside,
he was strong on the inside as well. No one could have faced the Devil' like Chris had, figured
Billy. Especially after hearing from Chris himself how the Devil destroyed his family.
"What are you thinkin' Billy?" Chris asked kindly.
Billy smiled. "Aw, just thinking Chris."
"What about Billy?"
"Bout' how much I like you Chris." The little boy beamed with his admission.
Chris felt awfully proud at that moment. "M' glad you do Billy," he said first. Then he added
softly, "I like you too."
They sat together in silence, each drifting off into their own introspection. Neither realizing that
they were thinking of the same woman.
"Chris?" the little boy asked.
"Yes Billy?"
"You like ma don't you?" Billy had started thinking that maybe his ma and Chris -- well he could
wish.
Chris looked at the little boy next to him in surprise. Actually, he WAS thinking about Mary.
Putting down his pole, he smiled slightly and did something he was in the habit of doing when
conversations got personal. "Why are you asking Billy?" He answered the question with a
question.
"Well," Billy was suddenly nervous, but a calming look from Chris changed that. "I think she likes
you."
Chris' curiosity was now certainly peaked. "That a fact?" He asked the youngster who nodded
emphatically back at him.
"Well how do you know Billy?" Chris asked, struggling to keep a smile from creeping across his
handsome features.
"Well, cause' the way she talks bout' you." Billy looked at Chris. "She's always saying Mr.
Larabee' this and that. And in the letters to Grandma, she's mentioned you several of times."
"You read them?" Chris asked in an admonishing tone.
"W -- well no, sort of. Sir?" Billy thought he was in trouble.
"What's she like bout' me Billy?" Chris decided to let the little one off the hook.
"Aw Chris," Billy said relieved. "Same thing I like about you. You're strong and smart and good
and kind to my ma."
Chris nodded in amusement, still not showing the smile that he was feeling. "How about we fish a
little more and then head back to town okay?"
Billy nodded and said, "You didn't answer my question Chris."
"And what question was that again Billy?" Chris asked teasingly.
Billy laughed a sweet little boy's laugh. "You know what question it is Chris."
Chris' eyes danced as he finally let the smile he'd been fighting show. But, he suddenly turned
serious and somber as he answered the boy's question. "I like your ma too." He said softly, almost
shy in confessing his feelings for Mary.
The little boy's laugh became louder and more joyous. "Aw Chris!" Billy said excitedly, "I knew
it!"
"Now listen here little man," Chris said warningly. "What we talked about, what you told me
about how your ma feels, and what I said, it's a secret okay?"
Billy stopped laughing suddenly confused. "Why?" he asked almost sadly.
"It ain't the time Billy. Your ma and me got a lot of work to do on our own, we're too busy right
now. You know what I'm getting at?"
The child put his head down thinking about what Chris told him. "I guess so. Cause' I'm leaving
an all tomorrow and if I go, I won't know what'll happen between you two."
"And you want to be here to make sure it goes right don't you?" Chris asked sneakily, trying to
buy himself and inadvertently Mary, some time.
Billy nodded and let out a big yawn.
Chris looked at the boy tenderly, it had been a long day. They'd been by the stream fishing and
sitting, enjoying each other's company for near four hours now. When they got back, he and some
of the other boys were going to set up a campfire for Billy. Though now, the boy seemed too
tired to stand. It was time to head back.
"You ready to go Billy?" Chris asked.
The boy nodded and they got ready to leave by packing up their little camp. Finishing with
securing their things to the horse, Chris lifted Billy into the saddle and mounted up behind
him. "Ready?" Chris asked making sure Billy was secure.
The youngster nodded as he yawned again as they rode off slowly towards Four Corners. Billy let
himself be lulled to sleep by the easy movements of the horse and Chris' tender voice talking of
the campfire adventure they'd have later that night.
The End
