Deadwood Haunting- Part 1

I sunk down into the passenger seat of D’s truck. My arms ached, my head hurt, and my eyes wanted to close. But he kept me awake, “how you feeling?”

I sighed, “I’m hurting bad.”

He nodded, “Maybe you’ll get some sleep tonight and feel better in the morning.”

“Doubt it.” I said brushing my hair off my face.

He shrugged. Eric Church’s Springsteen played over the radio. I sighed and looked out the window, watching the bitter landscape pass by. I began to long for summer and the green grass with blue skies. I looked over to D, “I’m thinking about it.” I mumbled.

He looked over at me, “what?”

“You told me that I could move in with you, I’m thinking about it.” I said with a sigh.

“Oh.” He seemed to be thinking. “Where is this coming from, you were perfectly happy a few days ago.”

I shrugged, “I’m tired of this small town. I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for.”

“What about More?” He asked quietly.

I looked back out the window and leaned my head onto the glass, “if he wants me he’ll come find me when it’s right.”

D sighed, “God girl, you can’t run every time you don’t get what you want.”

I closed my eyes fighting the urge to cry, “rumor has it Bowman has a new girl.”

He sighed, I could feel the truck slow, “Why does that make you sad?”

I looked over at him as we pulled into the gas station, “it doesn’t, I wish them all the luck in the world.”

“But.” He mumbled as he pulled the truck up to the gas pump.

“But nothing.” I sighed, wondering why this had even come up.

He looked over at me as he put the truck in park, “I’m a man but I still understand girl speak. Something else is there.”

I sighed, knowing I wouldn’t get it past him, “But I hate it.”

He laughed, “I thought you’d never go back to him.”

“God damn it D!” I hollered, “it’s not about that, he shouldn’t move on if I haven’t!”

D shook his head, “Oh Baby Girl you have moved on. Think about it, how many dates have you been on since you two broke up.”

I closed my eyes, “less then ten.”

“Let him have it. Remember Karma?” D asked.

I sighed, “Yes.”

He smiled, “good, she’ll take care of you. Now stop fucking worrying about it! Besides if you go back to him I’ll never let you ride your motorcycle again, I’ll stop speaking to you outright. Got it?”

I sighed, “Got it.”

“Good, God damn it.” He said then stepped out of the truck as I leaned my head onto the truck window.

I closed my eyes and recited what Beans had told me, “under the protection of the Archer what you seek will find you.” As I finished the sentence I pictured the kiss with More. I sighed, “Patience.”

That kiss kept me going all weekend. It took the pain from my arms when I shot, It kept the cold wind out of my hair, it held me through the straight whiskies. The feeling lingered on my lips as I fell asleep that night, snuggled into the bed at my favorite hotel in Deadwood. “If I count this weekend as I date it makes it an even 12.” I whispered to myself.

I looked up at the ceiling fan. It was the same room Handsome and I had fallen asleep in. Tears welled as I thought about what I had done to him, how I had broke his heart. I remembered what D had said about Karma, “she’d take care of you.” The split with Bowman was my payback for hurting Handsome.

I rolled over and grabbed my phone from the night stand, I went to dial Sonny, and then remembered her number wouldn’t be in my phone. I sighed and laid the phone back on the stand. I pulled the heavy green blanket up around me and remembered how she’d come to me that weekend I spent there, in that bed.

To be continued...