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Chapter 5

Texiss pulled Price onto the front porch.

"You have some explaining to do as to why you left your sister out there in the weather at night all alone for who knows how long. Now I am tired, I am worn out, and I am not in the mood for any shenanigans, so get your talk-box running." She demanded.

Price stared at her "How did you know about Carleigh?"

"Answer the question, Price."

"I only left her for a week, and I slept out there with her at night. I didn’t want her scared. When it stormed the other night, we slept in the shed out back. I didn’t think you could take another kid--I knew that you couldn’t take on anymore kids." Price explained.

"I can spare enough for your sister, Price. Never again doubt that you can come to me with anything, okay?" Texiss asked.

Price nodded.

********

Cameron paced his hotel room, the anxiety of someday having to see Texiss again weighing on his mind. At nearly midnight, he couldn’t sleep or even lay down. Every muscle in his body was tense at the stress he felt.

 Should I have tried harder to reach her? Should I even have taken the job with Mr. Winkler all those years ago?

Questions he knew he would never have a clear answer to flooded his mind. That image of the innocent girl with the platinum blonde pigtails smiling up at him clouded his mind. Why would she still have that effect on him? He hadn’t even seen her in over six years.

Collapsing into the horsehair chair in the corner, Cameron couldn’t stop the memory that flooded his mind. It was back when they had just found Miller’s pond and were enamored by the swampy place. They couldn’t have been more than ten. Eli Miller owned a large plantation that joined the property that Mrs. Calloway’s orphanage sat on, and the property line ran right through the middle of the lake.

"Think there’s any fish in there, Cam?" Texiss asked.

"I don’t think so, Tex." Cameron leaned over and looked into the water.

"What’s the use of a pond if you didn’t put any fishes in it?"

Cameron sighed. "Some people don’t like fish, I guess."

"Then them people are stupid." Texiss declared.

"Your ma would scalp you for saying that, Tex," Cameron said.

"She ain’t here." Texiss said.

They were silent a moment. Finally, Cameron looked up at the sky. "Should be suppertime soon, don’t you think?"

"Prob’ly." Texiss sighed.

"We better go home afore our ma’s get worried." Cameron said.

"Let ‘em worry. I wanna stay." Texiss said, glued to her place.

"Fine, but I ain’t gonna save you from a beatin’." Cameron turned to go.

In a few moments, Texiss was back at his side. He didn’t say anything as he kept walking.

"Has your step-dad been mean to you anymore?" Texiss asked.

"Not much." Cameron’s left hand made sure the bruise on his right arm was covered by his shirt sleeve.

"Stop covering your arm. I done saw it." Texiss said.

Cameron sighed. "I left the loft door open in the barn and the rooster got out." he admitted.

"What’d he do?" Texiss stopped him and lifted his shirt sleeve, revealing a dark purple bruise.

Cameron shook his head. That memory was leading to a place he had tried to forget. He took the newspaper from the arm of the chair and lit a lantern. Glancing over it, he came across the For Sale section. His curiosity peaking, he glanced down over some properties he didn’t recognize until his eyes landed on the familiar address. 22 Lily Street. That was the orphanage’s address. Texiss would never sell the orphanage.

Cameron stood and pulled on a shirt and buttoned it up. He would at least go have a look at the orphanage and see if it was still standing. Grabbing his hat, he silently closed the door behind him.

He neared the Lonely Hearts Orphanage and felt his breath catch. The place was falling apart. How did she keep it together? Leaning up against a tree near it, Cameron watched the place as it seemed that everyone was asleep in the house. He spotted what used to be Texiss’ window. He remembered plenty of times when he had thrown rocks at that window to get her attention.

Something had to be terribly wrong for her to have to sell the orphanage. It used to be that she wouldn’t have taken the world for her orphanage. Then a thought hit him. Did she even live here anymore? She could have gotten married or something and moved farther west for all he knew. He prayed that wasn’t the case.

As he started walking back to the hotel his mind was even more unsettled than before he left.

********

Cameron walked into the newspaper office, his mind focused on all he planned to accomplish during the day.

"Ah, Cameron. Good morning, to ya." Josiah grinned.

"Morning, Josiah."

"Sleep well?"

"You don’t wanna know the answer to that." Cameron said with a hint of a smile.

"Well, then I won’t ask. What do you have for me?" Josiah asked.

"I had a chance to think it over, and I’ve come up with quite a few decisions."

Josiah motioned for him to take a seat in front of the editor’s desk. Cameron sat down and put the newspaper in the desk.

"First things first," he started. "this whole place has got to be cleaned from top to bottom. I speak from experience when I say that you cannot do your work correctly when you’re in a messy environment."

"My daughter can help with that."

"Next, we’ll focus on the contents of the paper. Now, I’ve already told you about the smaller font, but another thing is the placement. You have the births and deaths on the front page, and that is definitely not appealing to the eye. The front page should be all the big announcements and news in the area, as well as top stories. Also, I noticed that you have no editorials." Cameron tapped on the newspaper as he spoke.

"I never felt the need, really." Josiah said.

"People read the newspaper to find out what you think of certain issues. They want to know other people’s view on things, and how they can relate. That might be some of your problem."

"I’m … not very opinionated on much."

"Well, you need to be. Moving on, there’s the issue of advertisements. Stores and businesses need to know that they have the newspaper to advertise with and specify sales and the like. One more thing: I think it would help you to hire a typesetter. A young boy needing a few extra pennies for spending money wouldn’t require a high salary. I would definitely help you and give you a little breathing room in your schedule. Does any of this make sense to you?" Cameron asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I need something from you now. I need your commitment to work long hours and sacrifice to get this place back to where it needs to be. Can you give me that?"

"I have nothing but time." Josiah smiled.

"Okay, so first things first--lets get this place cleaned up." Cameron stood.

By the time the next half hour was up, Cameron, Josiah, and his redheaded daughter, Millie, had their sleeves rolled up and were on their way to getting the newspaper office cleaned. Cameron moved all of the furniture into the back room while Millie put her duster to good use. Josiah focused on sweeping the floors. Soon enough, they were all on their hands and knees scrubbing the floor.

Millie Williams, about sixteen, was an interesting girl and hard worker. She rarely talked, but when she did, her voice was smooth and buttery like a true Louisiana voice was.

"So, do any of you know of anyone that could set type?" Cameron asked as he dunked his rag in the pail of soapy water.

"Lance can." Millie said.

"Lance?"

"That’s Millie’s beau." Josiah said.

"Aw, Pa." Millie shook her head. "He’s a hard worker and a quick learner. I know he’d be happy to take the job, if it was offered."

"What do you think of him, Josiah?" Cameron asked.

"If I thought he was a bad guy, he wouldn’t be courting my daughter. I just don’t know about hiring him is all." Josiah splashed his rag in the pail.

"Well, let me know when you decide on him. I can teach him how, if you want." Cameron said.

"You’ve set type before?" Millie asked.

"Millie, I’ve held nearly every job in the newspaper business. I've worked from paper-boy to head journalist, but not chief editor.. That would be for the big wigs like Mr. Winkler." Cameron smiled, thinking of his boss.

Suddenly, someone passed the window, and Cameron panicked. He knew that angry, scrunched up face.

"Oh, no!"

He dashed behind the one piece of furniture he hadn’t moved, and that was the long, horsehair sofa in the corner. He closed his eyes and hoped that she didn’t see him.

The door to the office swung open and hit the wall.

"Mr. Williams, would you like to explain this to me?" Cameron peeked under the sofa and saw a newspaper hit the floor in front of Josiah.

"Now, Miss Calloway, you must understand that when someone comes in here and asks me to put something in the paper, I don’t refuse. Especially when it’s the Sheriff." Josiah explained.

"Ah ha! I knew he was a low-lying weasel. Mr. Williams, please have my orphanage taken out of the newspaper. It isn’t for sale." The sweet, yet demanding, voice of Texiss Calloway reached Cameron’s ears as longings of years before filled his mind.

His heart beat faster than a galloping horse’s hooves as he tried his best to keep from jumping out from behind the sofa and taking her in his arms and telling her just how sorry he was for not returning sooner. His fingernails dug into his palms as he struggled to keep his common sense.

"Yes, Miss Calloway." Josiah said.

"Good. Now, I’ll go have me a talk with that rat." The sound of her leaving and shutting the door behind her slowed Cameron’s heart but caused this awful wrench in his gut.

"Mr. Peirce, are you okay?" Millie asked.

Cameron stood. "I’m fine."

"Do you know Texiss Calloway?" Josiah asked.

"One… could say that." Cameron collapsed onto the sofa and took a deep breath. He was so close to blowing his cover. "Let’s get back to work."

*********

Texiss stomped down to the Sheriff’s office. When she had seen what the newspaper said, she'd felt like socking someone good. Sheriff Granger had no right to do what he did.

Throwing open the door, she noted the startled face of Sheriff Granger as he spun around to the speed of cocking his six-shooter.

"Oh, put that pea-shooter away," Texiss slammed her fist onto his desk as he sat down, "I’ve got something to say to you."

"You should really warn a man before you come barging in here, Miss Calloway. I nearly shot you." Sheriff Granger holstered his gun.

"Blah blah. What I really want to know is why you saw fit to put my orphanage in the for sale section of the newspaper. You had no right!" Texiss said, her face heating.

"I did what? Where did you get your information?" Sheriff Granger asked.

"A very reliable source." Texiss said.

"If by reliable you mean Josiah Williams, then I’m going to have to question his sanity. You know that the man is… aging, and his mind might not be so well."

"I will question his sanity when he says something that isn’t possible. But you are a rat, so I fully believe you did this." Texiss spun around and walked out of the building.

"Do you think she still suspects us?" Deputy Johnny Phillips asked Sheriff Granger.

"I don’t know, Phillips. I hope not"

********

Texiss was not at all convinced by Sheriff Granger’s pathetic excuse. There had to be a way she could show him that she meant business. That man would never get the orphans' only home. There was no way…

********

The day ended, and Cameron was so tired he could barely walk. All that time on his knees was taking its toll and he just wanted to sleep. He slung his vest and his Colt .44 in its shoulder holster over his shoulder and closed the door to the newspaper office. The sun was sinking low into the treetops, and the air was turning damp and foggy. The streets were so quiet it seemed that you could just whisper and they could hear you in New Orleans. Cameron smiled. He felt closest to God at times like these, when the only noise was the neigh of horses and his own boots against the sidewalk. As a sigh escaped him, he was truly content. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back longing for sleep, yet wanting to simply stay where he was.

WHAM. Cameron heard a noise behind him, and he turned around.

A woman held her forehead, and turned to walk away from him. Cameron gasped.

 Texiss.

"Tex? Tex, is that you?" Cameron followed after the woman.

She stopped but didn’t move for a moment. Then she slowly turned around.

"Is that really you, Cam?" She asked. "I thought maybe it was, but then I hit my head on that pole."

Cameron refrained from running to her and hugging her until she couldn’t breathe.

"It…It’s me." he said. They stood there for a moment, staring at each other from a distance of about twenty feet. Cameron could hardly make out her features, but he knew it was her.

"You’re… so handsome now." Texiss said.

"You don’t seem to have changed." Cameron smiled. The years hadn’t changed his Texiss at all. They must have looked silly, standing there talking to each other from such a distance. Texiss took a few steps toward him, and Cameron gave up trying. He threw down his vest and gun and ran to her, taking her up in his arms. He couldn’t even think of letting her go, the feeling of having her in his arms again felt too good. He held her up off of her feet, one hand buried in her long, thick hair and the other holding around her. Neither of them said a word. They didn’t need to.

Texiss’ heart raced as Cameron threw down his vest and shoulder holster and ran to her. She could hardly believe it was him, but she knew nonetheless. His longish, curly brown hair and unshaven face was unkempt, but roguishly attractive. His green eyes were just as soft and kind as ever, and the love that still burned behind them were her undoing. Tears streamed down her face as he swept her into his arms and off the ground. She tangled her arms around his neck as all of the hard feelings she had ever had against him disappeared. A spark of love re-ignited in her heart. It had been so long since she had felt that spark.

They stayed that way for several moments, and Cameron finally set her back down. He looked into her eyes and smiled, wiping away tears from her cheeks.

"I can’t believe it’s you." She whispered.

"You’re so… stunning." Cameron said, smoothing a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.

"I waited so long for you, Cameron." Texiss fell onto his chest as a new wave of tears were let loose.

"I missed you so…so much. Not a day went by that I didn’t think of you, Texiss. Not one single day." Cameron stroked her hair.

"I tried to forget… So it wouldn’t hurt so much." Texiss had a fistful of his shirt as she tried to stop the flow of tears.

"I’m so sorry, Texiss. I should have come home instead of writing all those letters."

"Letters?" Texiss pulled back. "What… letters?"

"I sent you six of them, didn’t you receive them?" Cameron asked.

"No. I didn’t get any after you wrote telling me of your graduation." Texiss said, her mind puzzling.

"I don’t understand. I sent six, each a week apart. How couldn’t you have got them?" Cameron’s eye brows drew together.

"I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you’re here now." Texiss smiled.

Cameron leaned down and kissed her forehead, sending a shiver down her spine. She knew that no matter what time separated them, she would always love this man from the bottom of her heart.

********

Texiss leaned against the front door of the orphanage after she shut it. She sighed and felt her heart fill with so much happiness that it broke out a smile on her face. This was the best evening of her life. She could hardly believe Cameron had returned at last. She began humming a random tune--not one specifically--and she started to take off her shawl. Hanging it on the hat tree, she heard Grace leaving the kitchen.

When Grace spotted her, she stared at her, "What’s wrong with you, Texiss? You hung your shawl on the hat rack."

Texiss giggled, "I don’t even care, Grace."

Grace glared at her as if she had gone crazy.

"I think you need to go to sleep, child. You’re plumb goofy."

Texiss smiled and walked to her room. There was no way she was going to sleep tonight. She and Cameron had planned to meet up at Miller’s Pond after dinner the next day, and her eyes were wide open in anticipation.