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Post by Esperanza on Nov 12, 2012 18:49:44 GMT -8
It had taken some work, but Esperanza finally settled down and let the horse do what horses do...carry her to Tom's ranch! Of course, the stirrups were too long for her, but it had helped her to get on.
Leaning forward, she patted the animal's neck as she arrived at the ranch and guided the horse to the house. Gripping the horn, she slid to the ground then walked up to the door and knocked.
"Tom? Are you home?"
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Post by anskee on Nov 12, 2012 22:58:40 GMT -8
Maria came to the door with a frown on her face. "Hees een barn weeth new mahn shozing hahses," the Mexican housekeeper told him.
"Esperanza?" Tom called from the barn and began walking towards her. He had been working with Jonah Arrken shoeing several horses, teaching him and young Ernesto Lopez some blacksmithing, so he was shirtless and sweaty. Pulling a red handkerchief from his back pocket he wiped his face.
"Are alright?" he asked her when he got close.
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Post by Esperanza on Nov 14, 2012 22:28:32 GMT -8
"Si, yes, I'm fine." She offered a weak smile, then shrugged. "I just...was...thinking about buying my own horse, and I knew you could help." She looked at him uncertainly, trying to pretend nothing was wrong, but she wasn't doing too good at it.
"Doc let me borrow his horse so I could come out here...he is not feeling well. So, do you have any...nice horses?"
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Post by anskee on Nov 15, 2012 13:39:54 GMT -8
Tom frowned and looked at her closely, reading between the lines.
"Esperanza, what's wrong? What's happened?" he asked, hearing the near panic in her voice.
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Post by Esperanza on Nov 15, 2012 23:14:38 GMT -8
"Everything is fine," she answered, her voice in a high pitch that said differently. "I just..." Taking a breath, she shook her head. "I am leaving, Senor Tom. I have been here long enough. And I have enough saved to buy a horse." She offered a weak smile. "I will not have to walk this time. You have a slow one I can buy, si?"
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Post by anskee on Nov 16, 2012 1:50:59 GMT -8
"Yes, I do," he told her. "I have a real gentle one I can let you have. But, Esperanza, do you have enough money to leave? And where would you go?" he was concerned for her. "Why don't you come sit down and have a drink of water so you can cool off. You seem very flustered. Hey, Manalo," he spoke to a young boy walking past them. "Go to the barn and bring me my shirt."
"Si`, Senor," the youngster nodded and scurried off to the barn.
"Come and sit," he motioned for Esperanza towards the a table with some chairs. He didn't dare touch her without a shirt on. It would be considered rude. He should never have come out of the barn and greeted her without it on but his concern for her was greater than his modesty.
Just as they reached the table little Manalo brought his cream colored shirt to him. Tom thanked him and quickly donned the shirt before drawing some water in a bucket from the well by the house and brought it over. Using a ladle he poured some of the cool water into two metal cups and handed one to her, taking the other for himself.
"Now, start over from the beginning," he spoke as he took a seat across from her. "Did you say Doc was sick? Doc Holliday?" he questioned, trying to understand.
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Post by Esperanza on Nov 16, 2012 23:58:34 GMT -8
Esperanza's hand trembled as she took the glass of water and brought it to her lips. After taking a sip she shrugged. "Si, Senor Holliday is sick, with a fever and cough. It is not serious."
She took a breath and forced a smile. "I have enough, Senor Tom, more than I came with, si? No sleeping in barns and begging from kind ranchers." She shrugged. "I suppose I will go where the road takes me, just as before." There was a hint of sadness in her tone, despite her attempt to appear carefree.
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Post by anskee on Nov 18, 2012 15:25:09 GMT -8
For some reason Tom was feeling sad and uncertain about her saying she was leaving. But there was not much he could do or say to stop her.
"Well, you know you are always welcome here," he told her. "When do you plan to leave?" he asked.
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Post by Esperanza on Nov 18, 2012 19:13:43 GMT -8
So that was it? He wasn't going to at least ask her to stay? She had expected, maybe even hoped for more of a protest, but it answered Doc's question.
"Today," she replied with a shrug. "You can take Doc's horse back to town, si?" She didn't want to go back there, either. Since she'd been a young girl she had taken care of herself and there was no reason things should be any different now.
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Post by anskee on Nov 19, 2012 1:49:11 GMT -8
"Today?!" he was shocked at her answer.
Swallowing hard, he looked at his hands, his heart tearing from his chest. He had been hearing stories - rumors - about her and Doc, how he had been wooing her. He guessed the stories were true. The last thing he wanted was to stand in the way of her happiness. He always thought she would come to him when she finally had her fill of the lifestyle she was living. Perhaps she liked it more than she let on.
"Excuse me, a moment," Tom got up and walked away. He had to find solitude before he burst out crying. He had to control himself. The last thing he had expected was for her to leave. He had waited, hope against hope, that she would love him back. Now he knew he had been fooling himself.
Leaning against a fence post on the corral he lit a cigarette. and blew out the smoke, his lower lip trembling. So --- this was love. Who needed it.
"Usted chica estúpida! Yu stoopud gurl!" Maria yelled at her hearing Esperanza telling Tom she was leaving. "Cahn yu naht see thee manhn looves yu! Hee dooes not wahnts to hurts yu. Ah weeshes Luis wahs here. Hee wuld talks senses to yu."
Maria sat down next to Esperanza, seeing that the girl was also torn. "Eefs yous lahves heem goes to heem ahn tells heem. Hee ees too prouds to tells yu heemself. Effs yu leaves yu may loose heem forervah."
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Post by Esperanza on Nov 19, 2012 17:57:20 GMT -8
"Usted chica estúpida! Yu stoopud gurl!" Maria yelled at her hearing Esperanza telling Tom she was leaving. "Cahn yu naht see thee manhn looves yu! Hee dooes not wahnts to hurts yu. Ah weeshes Luis wahs here. Hee wuld talks senses to yu."
Startled, Esperanza looked at the woman, shaking her head. "But..."
Maria sat down next to Esperanza, seeing that the girl was also torn. "Eefs yous lahves heem goes to heem ahn tells heem. Hee ees too prouds to tells yu heemself. Effs yu leaves yu may loose heem forervah."
"If he loves me, why does he not say?" she hissed back, glancing in the direction he had gone then back to Maria. Sighing, she leaned back. "He is a man, he is supposed to fight for me." Tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "Oh, Maria, what if I do not really know how to love? None of this is like I imagined. I do not want to hurt him..." Indeed, for the first time in her life she was truly faced with a change that she knew could be wonderful, but she was afraid.
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Post by anskee on Nov 19, 2012 20:49:50 GMT -8
Tom battled with himself as he stood there, weighing back and forth whether to go to Esperanza and claim her as his own or to do nothing. Uncertain of what to he should do. Would she reject him, telling him she never loved him or would she run into his arms declaring her own love for him? Perhaps she was now in love with Doc Holliday. He was a wealthy man, but his lifestyle was unstable, moving from place to place, gambling hall to gambling hall.
Surely she desired that life over his life. For a moment he wondered if he could live like that. Could he live the gambler's life? From the outside it did look exciting. Living in grand hotels, eating expensive meals, visiting exciting places, having once in a lifetime experiences.
No, that was not him. He was the kind of person who liked living in a house and working on land that was his own. The work was backbreaking and could be dangerous. The sun burned you and the winters froze you. This was not what she wanted. She was used to the better things in life. She deserved the better things in life. He would never stand in her way.
Sometime later he walked back to where Esperanza was sitting leading a gentle but sturdy mare. On the horse's back was a saddle. The horse was a pretty red roan, strong, healthy and sure footed. In his other hand he carried a small wooden box. Inside the box was the money she had brought to her or what she had given to him when he came to town to save for her. What she didn't know was that he had added some of his own so she ended with more than she put in.
"Her name is Angel," he told Esperanza.as he handed her the reins. He had composed himself but his normally happy smile had been replaced by a sad, concerned expression. "She's a gift to you from me. The box is your money I've kept for you."
Setting down across from her he watched her. "Do you love him?" he asked. "Do you love Doc Holliday?"
He held his breath waiting for her answer.
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Post by Esperanza on Nov 20, 2012 18:28:05 GMT -8
Smiling, Esperanza took the reins, looking into the mare's liquid chocolate eyes for a long time as she stroked the soft nose. Finally, she dropped the reins and stepped over to Tom, wrapping her arms around him, then standing on her toes to press her body against his as she kissed him passionately...
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Post by anskee on Nov 21, 2012 1:57:02 GMT -8
He watched as she went to the mare. It was love at first sight between Angel and Esperanza. Tom could see it and it made him feel good. She was getting a good horse. Both were beautiful to him.
When she came to him kissed him he was uncertain what to do at first but then he wrapped his arms around her and deepen the kiss. She felt so tiny in his arms and so right.
"Oh Gawd! I love you," he said to her. "I love you! I love you! Please don't go," he spoke in soft whispers into her neck. "Please don't leave me. Stay here with me," he put both of his big, rough hands on either side of her face and kissed her again.
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Post by Esperanza on Nov 21, 2012 21:21:42 GMT -8
"No, no, of course not." She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I will stay, if you truly want me." He knew who she was, what he would be getting into, yet she could see it in his eyes.
"Want me," she repeated, almost a plea. Oh, she had been wanted before, but purely for the physical things she could provide. And it had never mattered until now, until Tom...
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