The Sting of Young Love

Petra could take no more of her Father told his story and she swore. She didn't want to feel compassion for the woman who made her a whore.

She left the room but Jhonny was soon at her side.  

"You okay, Petra?" 

She wished she hadn't cried. 

She appreciated their love but didn't want their pity. 

"You coming?"Petra said, heading toward the city.

Jhonny accompanied Petra into town. She wanted to check in on the stables, And with Ron, he wanted to clown around.

At the stables, Petra pulled a young colt into a coral, not broken in, he was wild and foul. He liked to kick shins and throw riders high. Jhonny asked to give it a try.

Petra shot her little brother down. He crossed his arms and gave a frown.

"It's much too dangerous Jhonny, believe me. Stay clear from him. He's libel to kick your teeth in. Besides mother would expect me to I'd keep an eye on you. She won't be pleased if you return black and blue."

Not quite willing, to go into the pin. Ron snickered as he sat atop the fence, "Maybe a kick to the head will give him sense!"

The young stallion was neighing and kicking up the dust. Putting up quite the ruckus and fuss. Petra decided to give him time to calm down. Asked the boys to accompany her to the café in town. The boys told her they had somewhere else to be.

Petra told them to stay out of trouble, then took her leave. For a while, they set up tin cans behind the stable. Using Jhonny's slingshot they were able, to knock down their targets and boast, but soon, like most boys about thirteen, they got bored and started to scheme.

"I'll bet ya I can ride that horse clear across the pin."

"Ok Jhonny, I'm In."

Ron rummaged through his pockets to see what he could find.

"I'll bet ya my best marble, that horse will throw ya on your behind in no time."

Jhonny eyed the marble, then shook Ron's hand.

"I'll take you bet,  and I'll win too. Just watch what I can do."

Back at the coral, Jhonny managed somehow, to grab the reigns of the horse. The horse wasn't happy of course. As Jhonny slid a boot in the stirrup and tried to hoist himself up. His behind barely touched the saddle. Before that horse began to skedaddle.

The horse, of course, wasn't having it. It bucked the boy off likely split. Down into the dirt, the boy went. More than just his ego bruised. But that wasn't the only bad news.

Because that colt took off across the pin. Jumped the fence, and took off again. Running wild and free through BG. Headed towards open desert indeed.

Ron got to laughing with tears in his eyes. He clutched at his side but Jhonny grabbed his hat from the dirt, "Don't just sit there you baffon! We need to catch that horse and soon! Before it runs someone down, but worse yet before Petra gets upset!"

Both boys began to give chase, yelling at folks to get out of the way.

As the horse came barreling right down, the main street in town.

Josie Craven came out of the general store. Jacob had refused to buy for her the lip rouge she craved, usually, he could get him to cave but this time he had said no, and Josephine found the loophole.

Because technically, the one who bought the lip rouge was she. Today she was turning thirteen, and not even Jacob being mean, telling her she was too young to paint her face, could down her mood to a low place.

She also bought herself a pair of lace gloves. She had seen them and fallen in love. They would go nicely with the dress. She planned to wear tonight, her best to her Birthday dinner at the hotel. 

Josie was walking with parcels in hand. Coming up with a plan, to wear her hair up tonight, all prim and proper and ladylike.

She heard hooves pounding against the dirt. Then a boy shout "Watch out!"

Josie looked up to see, a horse come barreling, right towards her at a great speed.

She screamed and made haste to jump off the path,

Found herself not flattened, but in a mud bath as the horse raced past.

Two boys chased the steed as Josie laid in the mud and screamed.

Her dress was ruined and to add insult to injury, her lace gloves were trampled in the street.

The sheriff was alerted by the screams and shout. As folks were trying to get out of the way of a horse longing for escape. He jumped on his own mount and raced after the fleeing horse, used his lasso to rope him of course.

Josie gave a glare to the boys looking might guilty indeed.

As Sheriff 3Gun wrangled the steed.

One look at Josie dripping in muck and dirt, the boys started laughing so much it hurt.

Harriet asked Josie if she was alright. Poor Josie was quite the sight.

She gathered her parcels now coated in muck, and gave those boys a look which quickly made them shut up. Josie got to her feet, while the boys looked about to retreat.

She sighed then tried to wipe the mud from her dress, with no success.

"Ron! What is the meaning of this foolishness! You and your friend have made quite the mess! My gloves are ruined and so is my dress! You both are going to pay for this!"

Finally, Ron showed a bit of remorse. Not that he was going to take any responsibility of course.

"Josephine, it was all Jhonny's doin. He tried to ride that feral horse. Made it jump the pin," Ron paused as Jhonny elbowed him, " I had to try and catch it of course. To make things right."

Josie turned her glare, to the one called Jhonny standing there.

"So this was a stupid idea of yours I see. Now tell me, are boys even capable of being civilized? Not from what I've seen with my own eyes."

"We have not been properly introduced, you and I. Name is Jhonny Denver and let me apologize. I'm sure you have heard of my family? The wealthiest in town I do believe. We live on a steamship, the Liberty Belle. For ourselves, we do quite well."

Josie snickered quite loud.

"Humility is something you clearly don't possess. About you and your family, I could care less. My concern is this, you owe me a new dress and lace gloves Mr. Rich."

Jhonny wouldn't be bossed around by no girl. Not even a pretty one in lace and curls. He laughed and shook his head. "I'll do no such thing, Josephine. You should know better than to be dallying in the street. Now Ron and I got places to be."

Ron muttered an apology to Josie, as he and Jhonny left her covered in mud in the street.

"Boys!"  They heard her screech.

Josie crossed her arms and watched them go. That Jhonny was trouble and everyone knows, the Denvers were often the talk of the town, rumors of suspicious dealings that made good folks frown.

After a while Ron had something to say to Jhonny, "I don't think we should leave things this way with Josie. She's a friend of mine from the café. I think we should buy her some new gloves, what do you say?"

Jhonny scratched his head and pondered it. He still had money in his pocket he hadn't spent. Mother had given him a list of staples as well. To bring back to the Liberty Belle.

"Ron, maybe I'll pick her some flowers as well. It's what my pa does even when he don't know what Ma is mad at him for. Flowers softens her up when he brings in through the door."

Jhonny's face turned red as a beet, and he tried to be discreet. When he asked for a pair of ladies gloves in the general store. At least the clerk didn't ask what for.

He also scribbled a note on a piece of parchment he wrote,

Sorry about ruining your gloves and nearly getting you trampled in the street.

Accept these gloves as a token of peace,

- Jhonny

Next, he picked a handful of wildflowers on the edge of BG, shoved them inside the parcel and tied it with string.

He left the parcel at the front desk. The bellhop would handle the rest. After stopping at the stables to clean off at the well, Josie stormed back to the hotel.

Mad as a wet hen, headed up for a bath proper. When the bellhop did stop her,  to hand her a package with a note scribbled on. She sighed when realized who it was from.

She marched up to her room and threw the parcel on her bed. Too full of pride to see what was inside. At least until she shed her wet dress and her curiosity got the best, of her.

She opened the parcel excitedly, but unfortunately among the gloves and flower, was also a bee. It flew right out and stung her right on the nose, her scream echoed, throughout the hotel.

She cursed that boy right to hell, as her nose was smartin, and starting to swell. And on today of all days! 

She pulled her head under the covers and buried herself inside. She couldn't be seen like this, she had to hide!

Jhonny Denver, you swine! I'll get you back for this I vow, someday, somehow!