Chapter 2
“You think that your mother and father would let us go and live with them?” Marta asked him in surprise. “It sounds like a wonderful place to live, but wouldn’t we be an imposition to them?”
“You don’t know my parents. They help out others all the time.
Right now, my mother needs help with her garden, and you and Mattie would be a blessing in disguise in helping her.
I just got a telegram telling me that my sister, Marley, had triplets.
I know that she’s going to need help with getting used to taking care of three little babies, and you could also help with that.
I know that my mother and Cooper’s mother will help all they can, but to have another person to help, won’t hurt at all. ” Grady told her and watched her smile.
“Your sister really had three babies all at one time? I’ve never known anyone to have triplets.” Marta asked him in disbelief.
“I swear. I’ll even let you read the telegram. She named them Charlie, Cass, and Lyra. I can’t wait to see them. I also can’t believe that I’m an uncle! Uncle Grady…it’ll take me some time to get used to that.” Grady told her and grinned.
“Well, it will be some time before they start talking and calling you that.” Marta told him and they both chuckled because it was true.
“Will you consider going to Sheridan and living with my parents to recover from your ordeal. I know that it’s going to take some time to get over all you’ve been through.” Grady asked her as they neared the town of Laramie.
“I will go to your parents’ home, if they don’t mind us staying there for a time and that I really will be a help to your mother and sister.” Marta told him. She wanted to meet the people who had raised such a man as Grady.
“Good decision. I’ll send the telegram as soon as we get rid of the Gambelli bodies and money.
Even before I get the bullet out of my leg.
I will however drop you and your brother off at the hotel for a hot bath before I get the bullet out.
I don’t know how long that will take. I don’t want you having to wait on me.
I’ll be back when you’ve gotten clean, fed, and maybe even slept a few hours. How does that sound?” Grady asked her.
“Like heaven. Thank you for going out of your way to make sure that we’re taken care of. You certainly don’t have to do all of this for us. But we sure appreciate all you’re doing and willing to do for us.” Marta told him quietly. She wondered if she would see Grady again.
They dropped the bodies and money off at the United States Marshal’s Office in Laramie.
They’d take care of getting them buried, getting the money sent back to where it was stollen, and getting the reward money to Tim and Grady.
Then, Grady sent a telegram to his parents telling them about Mattie and Marta.
He asked if they’d like to have them recover at their ranch.
He took them to the hotel after getting them clean clothes at the first resale store they came to.
Marta had tears in her eyes to have something clean to wear.
He tipped his hat and left to get his bullet out of his leg.
He was going on pure adrenalin at this point and didn’t know how much further he could go.
Because he had waited so long to get the bullet out, it had started to get infected.
It was going to take longer to recover. The surgery itself didn’t take that long.
But cleaning up the infection took a little bit longer.
He was under anesthesia for almost three hours.
He awoke to find Tim sitting beside him sleeping in a chair.
He was holding a telegram from his parents.
“Bout time you woke up. I’m getting a crick in my neck from sleeping in this chair.
Here’s the telegram from your folks. Since you’re awake and alive, I’m going to find me a bed to sleep in.
I’ll be back tomorrow to get you out of here.
You’ll be on crutches for almost three weeks.
I think you should go on home to recover.
I’ll go to Denver to pick up our next assignment and then come back to Sheridan in three weeks to pick you up.
How does that sound?” Tim asked him handing him the telegram and standing up stretching his arms and legs.
“Sounds like a good plan. Thanks Tim.” Grady told him and concentrated on reading the telegram. It read:
Grady. Stop. Would love to have Mattie and Marta stay with us. Stop. They can stay as long as they want. Stop. Marley will need some help, too. Stop. Love you, Nimrod. Stop.
Grady smiled. He knew that his folks would love to have Mattie and Marta as soon as they heard about them.
If they went by stagecoach, it would be cheaper, but he didn’t know if his leg could handle all that bumping and jostling.
With the U.S. Marshal discount, he thought they’d take the train as far as they could go from Laramie to Sheridan.
It would be faster and much easier on his leg.
He’d take both Mattie and Marta to the resale store for some clothes first and then they’d leave.
He’d recover at home, too. He closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
He was released on the following morning with crutches to use until he was comfortable with walking on his leg.
He walked to the hotel to get Mattie and Marta.
They checked out and went shopping at the resale store.
He let her read the telegram and she smiled.
They started getting some clothes to wear at the ranch.
Mattie loved the thought of getting to stay where they had horses, chickens, kittens, and even a dog.
Marta picked out pants, shirts, underwear, socks, even shoes for Mattie, she picked out some dresses, underwear, socks, and shoes for herself.
Grady told her to pick out a pair of pants and shirt for herself, too.
Working in the garden was a lot easier in pants and shirt.
Marta did as he asked and got a pair of pants and a shirt.
The whole lot of clothes didn’t cost more than two dollars.
They even found a trunk to put them in. Then they took Grady’s horse and went to the train station to get tickets to Sheridan in the Wyoming Territory for all of them.
Finding out that Grady was a U.S. Marshal got them a huge discount.
He and his horse were on for free, and they gave them half price for Mattie and Marta.
They’d be in Sheridan in hours instead of days by stagecoach or by horse.
His leg was already throbbing from being on it so long.
They settled down in some seats and Marta made sure that he put his leg up in a seat to take the weight off of it.
Grady thanked her and even fell asleep as the train took off.
Mattie was too excited to be on a train to sleep.
He loved looking at the landscape. He couldn’t believe how fast they were moving and all that seemed to zoom past them.
With Grady beside them, they were left alone from all the other men on the train.
They had left before noon and arrived by late evening. Grady was sore and stiff when he went to stand up to get off. Cooper and Chris Michaels were waiting for them to help get his horse and the trunk from baggage. Grady was sure glad. He was finding it hard just to walk with the crutches.
“I’m taking you to our house to see the babies and then taking you out to the ranch to get you all settled. Is that all right with you, Grady?” Cooper asked him seeing the whiteness around his mouth. He knew he was in pain. He’d been shot before and knew it hurt like a son-of-a-bitch.
“That would be nice, Coop. Could we get something to eat. Mattie has to be starving…we haven’t eaten since this morning when the hotel served them breakfast.” Grady told him and saw Marta give him a thankful look.
“If you know your sister, she’ll have pemican bread for you all to snack on when you get to the house.
I don’t know how she does it, but she does feed all three babies and cooks for me, too with ease.
You’d think she’s had triplets before. I pick several bushels of vegetables in the morning before I leave for work, and she cans them in between taking care of the babies during the day.
She also washes out diapers on the washstand and hangs up rows and rows of diapers each day.
I still do the scrubbing of the floors and the lifting of the jars of canned vegetables to the cellar each night when I come home.
But it’s working out pretty well. We both gave up sleeping through the night until the babies reach the age of eighteen, but other than that, we’re doing great.
” Cooper told him and they all laughed. Chris carried their trunk and Cooper took care of Grady’s horse.
They dropped the horse off at the livery run by Oscar Jennings and continued on to their home on the outskirts of town.
Marta loved it as soon as she saw it. The garden was thriving, and the cabin had flowers all around it.
Diapers hung on the lines behind it even at this late in the day.
Chris laughed at the diapers and at hearing a crying baby inside.
“It sounds just like my house.” He turned to Marta and Mattie.
“I have a little girl three months older than their triplets. My wife and Marley are good friends.” He put down the trunk and went back to being a deputy.
“Thank you, Chris.” Cooper told him and waved him off. They all walked in to see Marley in the rocker feeding two babies at once with bottles. Another baby lay in a cradle not too far from where she sat.
She looked up as soon as they entered. “Grady, it’s good to see you at last!
Welcome home, there’s pemican bread on the table along with some fresh water from the well.
Help yourself. The two babies I’m holding and feeding are Charlie and Cass.
The one in the cradle is Lyra, she’s already been fed.
I’m Marley Thatcher, I’m married to Cooper.
I’m really glad to meet you and hope you like living in Sheridan and out at my folk’s ranch.
Ma really needs help with her garden now that I’m no longer helping her. Thanks for filling in for me.”
Marta was shocked to see the beautiful woman with the white hair feeding two babies at once, and she was so warm and welcoming, too. Marta smiled back at her and helped her brother to a piece of pemican bread and a glass of water. Mattie loved the bread and went back for a second slice.
“This is really good!” Mattie told her with his eyes sparkling.
“Thank you. When we were growing up. My mother made it all the time. We couldn’t get enough of it.
I thought you might be hungry after traveling here from Laramie.
I know that my mother will have a meal waiting for you to eat, but just to hold you over…
the pemican bread should work.” Marley told her and grinned.
“I’m Marta Romera and this is my little brother, Mattie. Thank you for the warm welcome. I have never seen triplets before, nor have I ever seen anyone feed two babies at once.” Marta told her quietly. She was in awe over Grady’s sister.
“It wasn’t something that I knew how to do, it was something I had to learn and learn quickly.
Charlie and Cass have big appetites, like Cooper.
I didn’t have enough milk for three babies or even two of them.
It made sense to feed them all with bottles.
Doctor Flynn agreed, so here we are. It’s also nice for Cooper to help with feeding them in the middle of the night.
” Marley told them and lifted first one and then the other to burp.
“You taking them out in the wagon to my folks, Cooper?”
“Yeah, and I want to do it before it gets too late. I’m taking Chaa with me to make sure that I get back home safe and sound. Is that all right with you?” Cooper asked her and came to kiss her and each of the babies.
“Sure is, grab some pemican bread to hold you off for your own dinner. Be careful. Say hello to my folks for me.” Marley told him and watched them all leave quickly. She continued to feed her babies content to stay at home.
It didn’t take them long to get loaded up in their wagon.
Grady’s leg was throbbing and he just wanted to soak it in a hot tub or even a hot spring that they had on the ranch.
His mother would know how to treat his leg, and he couldn’t wait to see his parents.
He had tears in his eyes as he drove onto the compound to see the large cabin where his parents and his younger brother were waiting for him.
Even Cisco, their family dog/wolf started barking and trying to jump on him.
He almost knocked him down before Nimrod told him to stop.
It was just as he had left it. Lord! It was good to be home!