Chapter Twenty-Two
Maeve was surprised that Lila had lasted as long as she had.
Between the aerialists and the acrobats, the animal tamers, the clowns, and the charismatic ring master, their little group had managed to poke their heads into nearly every one of the big tops.
It was only when they’d sat down for the start of the next equestrian show that Maeve noticed how limp Lila looked on Jed’s shoulder, how heavily her eyelids fluttered, no matter how hard she tried to fight against it.
“Oh dear.” Maeve gave her husband’s sleeve a gentle tug, gesturing to Lila as he looked her way.
“Oh dear,” Jed repeated as he looked at the drowsy little girl.
Maeve moved to tap Sadie next, leaning in close to try and shout over the excitable crowd. “Sadie, Lila’s falling asleep.”
“Oh dear!” Sadie exclaimed, immediately moving to stand. “Do you want us to get going?”
“Sit yer bottom back down, missy,” Maeve commanded playfully. “This was yer pick, and I don’t want you missing it on our account.”
“But, Maeve-”
Maeve offered her a reassuring smile. “Really, it’s fine. Jed’ll be with me, and truth be told, I’m starting to get a bit dizzy from all the sights and sounds.”
Sadie glanced toward Samuel, who had similarly moved to get up. She gently shook her head, then turned back to Maeve. “Alright. Why don’t you head to the general store and use my bed? I’m sure Lila will wake up less grumpy if she has a nice place to sleep.”
“You sure?”
Sadie nodded eagerly. “Positive! Me and Samuel’ll meet you over once the show is done.”
With that, Maeve stood and started through the stands, taking care to warn Jed of any folks with their legs stuck out a bit too far for comfort. The sun was near blinding as the pair slipped out of the tent, and Maeve quickly raised her hand to try and block the light, blinking furiously.
Lila seemed equally as disgruntled, rubbing her eyes as she began to whimper.
“Aw, none of that, li’l lilac.” Jed soothed.
“None of that now, buttercup!”
Maeve froze at the sudden memory of her father. His voice had sounded just as clear as Jed’s, and she watched dazedly as her husband removed his hat and set it over Lila’s upper body.
“Y’alright, Maeve?” he asked.
Maeve blinked, trying her best to brush away the sudden memory. “Uh…yeah, sorry. When-” She scratched the back of her head. “When’d you start calling Lila ‘Lilac’?”
Jed gave her a curious frown. “Oh. I…guess I started right now. Shocked it took me this long, honestly, what with her blanket color and how close her name sounds to it already.”
Maeve stared at him for a quiet moment.
“Why? You ain’t like it?”
She moved to shake her head, but stopped. “I…dunno. Pa gave me a flower nickname, too. Guess it just took me by surprise.”
Jed shifted Lila in his arm, freeing his other to set his hand on Maeve’s shoulder. “I ain’t gotta use it if it’s gonna bother you.”
Maeve glanced at Lila’s half-asleep form, noting the worn details of Jed’s hat. Memories of him tossing it aside seeped in, and she managed something akin to a smile. “No. I think it’s sweet. Just something new to get used to.”
‘Something to help heal a once happy memory,’ she added to herself.
It was a bit of a walk to fully free themselves from the circus’ grasp.
Luckily, the troupe had kept their show closer to the center of town, so Maeve had no trouble once she broke through the last lingering group of passerby.
‘Suppose folks still have lives to live, even if they take some time to visit the circus,’ she thought to herself.
Soon she’d worked her way onto the main road out of Bighorn, turning onto the high street before reaching a large, two-story building nestled between a number of inns and other stores.
Its outer walls were neatly whitewashed, its sign perfectly fit and polished for all to see.
The interior was massive, lined with shelves packed full of essentials for travelers and residents alike.
Maeve strolled through the door with a sense of familiarity. The chill in the air was a welcomed feeling after hours under the sun. She approached the counter and offered the elderly gentleman sitting behind it a wave. “Afternoon, Bertie Bull.”
Sadie’s father squinted through his spectacles, taking a beat before a gap-toothed smile spread across his face. “Maevy Moo! As I live and breathe! It feels like an age since you last made a proper visit.”
A twinge of guilt passed through Maeve. “I’m awful sorry about that, Bert.”
“Now, don’t you start apologizing for no reason, Maevey.
” Bert spoke with a slight whistle to his words, making it seem as if he was singing each sentence.
“I know Owen’s passing was hard on you. It…
was hard on everyone.” He gingerly stood and rounded the front desk, his hands noticeably bandaged and trembling slightly.
Maeve carefully pulled him in for a hug, blinking back unexpected tears.
“W-Well, lemme introduce you! Bert, this here is my husband–” Maeve paused, having expected Jed to be standing right beside her.
Her gaze turned back to the doorway, finding her husband frozen right there in the entrance.
His eyes were wide with awe, seemingly drinking in as much of the massive array of goods as he could.
Maeve couldn’t help but giggle. “Jed? Can you bring Lila in out of the sun?”
Jed blinked, then sheepishly pulled his jaw off the floor as he stepped inside. “Sorry.”
“It’s quite alright!” Bert assured him with a grin. “You aren’t the first man to be taken aback by the size of it all. But yes, come in! My sweet Sadie has already told me so much about you, Mr. Jed Mercer.”
A tinge of embarrassment flushed Jed’s cheeks. “Only good things, I hope?”
Bert let out a wheezing laugh, setting a shaky hand on Maeve’s shoulder. “Oh, I thought I’d like him, Maevey. But now I’m certain we’re going to get along.”
Jed suddenly seemed interested in staring at his shoes. Maeve marveled at how bashful her unshakeable husband had become, and with only a mere handful of compliments thrown his way.
“And little Lila!” Bert went on. “I was hoping to meet her before she was put under Ms. Miller’s care.
Ah, shame about Wit and the missus, though.
They went to get some of those circus peanuts before they sold out.
You wouldn’t mind sticking around the shop for a bit, would you? I bet they’d love to meet her.”
Maeve resisted the urge to grimace. At least for now, Bert didn’t need to know how Uncle Wit had already become incredibly familiar with Lila.
“Yer daughter offered her room fer Lila’s nap,” Jed offered quietly. “And don’t you worry about them missing out. Me and Maeve agreed to raise Lila as our own.”
Bert’s smile grew to a seemingly impossible size. “Ooh, you’ve made my day with that, Jed! Like I said, I knew I was gonna like you.”
Another noticeable blush colored Jed’s cheeks.
“Hey! Why don’t the pair of you take this opportunity to enjoy the circus as a couple?” Bert asked.
“Oh, no, Bertie, we couldn’t-”
“None of that, Miss Moo! I’ve got a bit of experience with watching little ones. Besides,” Bert added with a wink, “you can trust me when I say an opportunity like this is rare. You’re not gonna have many chances to just enjoy your two’s company without Lila.”
Maeve looked at Jed, waiting to see what he thought of Bert’s offer.
“…I suppose he’s wiser on the subject of marriage than we are,” Jed said. “And, truth be told, I wouldn’t mind taking a look at some of them tents with the games.”
A competitive spark lit up in Maeve’s chest. “Just looking at them?” she challenged.
Jed caught her eye, and she watched his own rivalrous spirit light up behind it. “A Mercer never ‘just looks’ at games.”
“Bennets never did neither,” Maeve smirked. “Suppose that might give me an unfair edge.”
“Ye’re gonna need every advantage you can get to beat me.”
***
As it turned out, Maeve did not, in fact, need any sort of advantage.
She’d done her best to remain sportsmanlike throughout their impromptu competition, which took them through the shooting gallery and penny stalls, from darts to a hilariously short game of twenty questions.
After all, she was sure her Pa wouldn’t approve of her gloating about her victories, especially to her husband.
But as she watched Jed wildly miss getting one of his rings around the milk bottle, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Why, Jed Mercer, I thought you were good at games!”
Jed fidgeted nervously with his last two rings. “I reckon I thought I were. They looked so easy from far away.”
Maeve’s laughter quieted to a giggle. With an expert flick of her wrist, her own ring went sailing through the air. It bounced against the top of a milk bottle, only to clatter to the floor below.
“Why, Maeve Mercer-” Jed started.
“Oh, don’t you start,” Maeve warned. “That were my first miss of the whole afternoon.”
Eventually, their competition led them toward the outskirts of the circus, where fences had been erected to keep the animals penned.
Smaller sections had been dedicated to give the younger guests a chance to interact with a wide variety of horses, from the carriage pullers to the trained performers taking a well-deserved break.
Maeve marveled at the sheer size of one of them, whose dusty brown coat was so long, the feathers on his legs nearly covered his massive hooves.
“Hey, Maeve, look over there.” Jed pointed.
Maeve followed his hand, catching sight of a wide pasture encircled by a number of curious onlookers.
As they approached, she picked out what looked to be an obstacle course of sorts, made up of barrels and jumps to simulate the rough terrain of the land around them.
At the far end stood a wooden construct, its lopsided horns giving the distinct impression that it was meant to be a bull.
“Catch the wandering bull in the shortest time and take home the lovely Golden Hour!” a carnival worker called out.
Maeve immediately found Jed’s eyes, her mouth flying open before he could even think of getting a word in. “First! I’ll go first!”
Jed’s laughter rumbled from deep within his chest. He held up his hands in defeat, allowing Maeve to rush toward the gate’s entrance.
He watched as a handler walked a beautiful palomino along the fence, barely able to contain her excitement at the prospect of riding such an elegant beast. Ash was ‘Jed’s’ horse, after all, and her father’s old steeds had to be sold off to keep the ranch afloat.
This was Maeve’s chance to have her own horse once more, something she had dearly missed.
“This here’s Golden Hour,” the circus employee explained. “She’s good at taking directions, so don’t worry about trying to overcorrect her too much.”
Maeve nodded, her hands curling at her side so she didn’t reach out and stroke the mare’s snout. Golden Hour’s handler ran through a quick check of her saddle and reins, then finally, the front gate swung open.
“You ain’t stopped bouncing since that there horse appeared,” Jed teased from the opposite side.
Maeve barely heard him. She was entirely fixated on the mare’s glossy golden coat and the mismatched sock pattern on her lower hind legs. She finally got the chance to set a hand against Golden Hour, and it was like a kettle had begun to whistle hot within the depths of her soul.
“You need any help getting up–?”
The handler hardly got the words out before Maeve easily hoisted herself onto Golden Hour’s saddle. She gave the reins an experimental feel, then set a palm against her hitched rope. Her eyes drifted around the course, settling determinedly on the ‘bull’ off in the distance.
“Ready?” the circus worker asked.
Maeve leaned forward in Golden Hour’s saddle, gripping the reins tight with a tremble of excitement.
“Then go rope that there bull, cowgirl!”