legs, but he was walking alone, and for Letty, it was the final proof that he was almost healed.
“Oh Eulis,” she said, and then burst into tears.
“Well, here now… what are you cryin’ about?”
She quickly swiped at the tears on her cheeks as she took his elbow and steadied his steps until he could sit down.
“There were days when I didn’t think I’d ever see you do this again. I’m just happy, that’s all.”
He gave her a quick hug as she settled him into the chair.
“There were days when I didn’t think I would do this again, either.” His voice shook. “I owe you my life.”
Letty tried to laugh it off, but the moment was too precious to jest. She looked down into his dear, familiar face and ached for the pain that he’d suffered.
“Yeah, well, you kept me from hanging, so I reckon now we’re even.”
He grinned as she moved to the other side of the table.
“You know somethin’?”
“I know lots of somethings,” she said.
He laughed and then took a sip of the soup.
“You don’t know my somethin’,” he countered.
“So… I’m listening.”
“The people we were in Lizard Flats…”
She hated to be reminded of that life. It always left her feeling worthless and dirty.
“What about them?”
“They don’t exist anymore. They died as surely as if we buried ’em in the grave with the real preacher and that trapper.”
Letty was too moved to speak.
“In fact, they’re so dead that I think we oughta bury ’em right and proper.”
“Bury them? Have you lost your mind?”
He took a bite of meat, slowly chewing and contemplating what she’d suggested.
“You know… I might have… just a bit. But that don’t change the fact that we’re not the same people we once was, and I’m sayin’ that the best way to forget the past is to bury it. What do you think?”
“I’d like that,” Letty said.
Eulis took another drink of soup and then reached across the table and took her by the hand. She hesitated for just a moment, then slowly opened her fingers and threaded them through his.
“What’s happening to us?” Letty asked.
“I don’t know ’bout you, but I been fallin’ in love with you for some time now.”
It was the last thing she’d expected to hear, and yet the best thing that he could have told her. She figured she ought to be giggling, but it was beyond her. She felt his thumb rubbing across the outside of her hand and shivered.
“You sure? I mean, I’m nobody’s perfect little woman. I can’t be all prissy and pretend to be helpless and innocent.”
“Well that’s a relief,” Eulis drawled. “I’m a deserter and a used-to-be drunk. Why would you think I’d be wantin’ some useless, prissy female?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, all right then,” Eulis said, and popped another bite of roast into his mouth.
“You sure you know what you’re talking about?” Letty asked. “I’m all bossy and opinionated and I’m always talking when I oughta be listening.”
“I know,” Eulis said. “You’ve also got a real mean streak.”
Letty’s lips went slack.
“Well, I never!” she muttered.
“Yeah, you did,” he said. “Remember back in Lizard Flats how you used to yell at me on my bad days?”
“Dang it, Eulis… I never could tell the difference between your good days and bad. Besides, if you hadn’t been so plowed, I wouldn’t have had to raise my voice.”
He shrugged. “It don’t matter now. I let that man die. Reckon when it stops snowing, I’m gonna bury him deep.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Yep.”
“All right then,” Letty said.
Eulis frowned. “All right about what? Havin’ a funeral for our old selves, or all right you ain’t mad at me for fallin’ in love with you?”
“Both.”
“All right then,” Eulis said again, and then smiled.
“Are you laughing at me?” Letty asked.
“Nope.”
“Then why the grin?”
“It’s simple, Sister Leticia. I’m happy, that’s why.”
“I’m happy, too.”
Eulis nodded, and returned to his meal, although he couldn’t manage it all. By the time he’d finished the soup and eaten a few more bites of the roast, he’d broken out into a cold sweat.
“I reckon I’d better lay down for a bit,” he said. “Still a mite weak.”
Letty helped him to the bed and covered him up as soon as he was down.
The wind rattled the door on its hinges, but the patches she’d made in the cabin held strong.
“Sure glad we’re not in that tent,” he said.
“Me, too,” Letty said, and then went back to the table to clean up.
Eulis eyed her as she worked, studying the curve of her face