Do you ever feel overwhelmed by events and circumstances? Miles has been racing from the Doc’s office, to the diner, to the jail, and all around town. Now he has been summoned by Mateo’s son, Alejo, to hurry to the diner that Molly needs him. Welcome back to those exciting days of yesterday.
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“What’s wrong?” I asked Alejo, rather sharply. I hadn’t even noticed when Alejo had left the jail. He had been sweeping up glass and talking with his father, when before I knew it he was running back from the diner.
“I’m not sure, Senor Miles. Yur wife, the Senora Miles said for me to get you quickly, so I came.” We were not running, but walking at a hurried pace. About halfway to the diner, Alejo turned to me, neither of us stopping. “I think it has to do with Senora Marta.”
Just what we need, I thought, then shamed myself for thinking like that. I walked into the diner with Alejo following and was greeted by an apron thrown at me by Molly. “Put that on, and get busy,” she commanded. “Edith had to go with Doc. Marta’s having her baby.”
I gave her a puzzled look, then went over to place the Greener on the wall next to where I normally sit. I was tying the apron on, when Molly came by. “You take the left side of the room, I’ll take the right,” he said pointing. Still seeing the look on my face, “I guess with all the excitement and stress it has caused the baby to come early.”
Staring at her, I asked, “Is that a big problem?”
Receiving a stern look, she replied, “It could be. Now get busy!
“Say, darlin’, we’d like some more coffee over here,” came a voice from a corner table. I grabbed the pot and headed that way. “Oh, Marshal, I didn’t recognize you with the dress on,” came the guffaw from Jed Fountain. He was sitting there with Link Doyle and a couple of cowboys I didn’t know from the Lowell ranch.
“One more remark like that Fountain and you’ll get a lap full of coffee,” I barked. Fountain and Doyle were enjoying their little hurrah, but the other two cowboys were stone faced, not knowing whether to laugh, say something and join in, or leave the premises. “At least your pards there know when to keep their mouths shut.”
I was getting ready to say something else when another group of four walked in the room. I was watching, wishing, and hoping that they’d go sit on Molly’s side of the room, and was quite relieved when they did. Looking back at Fountain, “What is it with so many cowhands in town? I know it’s not Saturday or Sunday, so I’m thinkin’ that your cheatin’ your boss out of his wages.”
“They belong to Thomson. I don’t know why they’re here,” spoke up Doyle. “We came to pick up some feed and other supplies.”
“Takes the four of you to rein a wagon now?” I said mocking them.
Fountain blushed a little. I knew how cowboys felt about riding in a wagon when they thought they should have been hossback. “We came in two wagons,” remarked Doyle. “They’re bein’ loaded now. Jed, here told the Boss that we’d ride in the wagons, but wouldn’t be loadin’ them up.”
“Won’t you have to be doin’ the unloadin’?” I asked.
“Mister Forrest, if you’ll stop of the lollygagging, there are tables to be cleared,” rang out the sharp voice of Molly.
I glanced at her, saw the two men grin. “You want another refill, you know where the pot’s at,” I said, then started to walk away.
“Miles,” whispered Fountain, “what’s goin’ on here?”
“Too long a story, needless to say that Molly needs help,” I informed them, then moved away not wanting to dally and incur the wrath of the boss.
I had just finished cleaning off the two tables when three hardcases came in. I glanced over at Fountain who gave a shrug of his shoulders. They took a table toward the back and I wasn’t so fortunate this time. They sat on my side.
Grabbing menus I headed over to their table. “You men like some coffee?”
One of the men grabbed a menu and began to peruse it. The other two turned their heads toward me, one scoffing. “We want the other waitress,” he barked mockingly.
“Well, mister, you got me. Now do you want coffee or not?”
The man sitting on the right had a scar over his left eye, and another one from his lip to his chin. He tried to cover it up with a beard, but it seemed that the hair parted at the scar making it look more hideous. “She’ll pour it!” he challenged.
“She’s busy! Now order, or get out.”
“No man in an apron can throw me out!” he snarled.
With that I had my pistol up under his left ear in less than a second. “Get up!” I ordered, with a push of the barrel against the man’s head. I sort of helped lift him with the gun. “You two might as well go with him and lead the way.”
Their eyes never left mine, as they got up and headed for the door. I noticed the one who had sat on the left was itching pull his gun. “You better hope he doesn’t,” I said to the man I was prodding. “I’ll shoot you first then kill him.”
They left the diner without any more incident, but Molly came over to me. “Who were they?”
“Trouble,” I replied.
“As soon as Edith can rejoin me, Miles you’re fired,” she said somewhat seriously.
“What happens if I just quit now?”
Molly smiled, “You can’t.”
“And just why can’t I?” I inquired.
She flipped a wash towel at me, snapping me on the arm. “Because I said so.”
That brought a laugh from both tables of cowboys. I knew when I was licked…