48 - Dead Eye Sam

     Tenny stayed with Samantha for over a week. Samantha was still not doing well, and Tenny being there helped. They worked together getting the restaurant up and running again, and Samantha hired a painter to change the name of it back to Dead Eye Sam’s. She also washed the black from her hair, and they were again red haired sisters. All in all, they both greatly enjoyed being together that week, and they were both determined to keep closely in touch from here on. The war just seemed to make them much closer. Now, there was no doubt in the minds of either that they would be sweet sisters for the rest of their lives. And they were. Tenny and Jeff got well acquainted, when Jeff could steal a moment or two to be with his woman.

   
When James finally arrived, he was very grateful to Samantha for protecting Tenny during this war.

     He was not so kind to Tenny. Things had not been good between James and Tenny since she moved from his house.

“Seems like all you do now days is get yourself outta one war, then run right to another one to get mixed up in.”

     “Well. Papa, I told you, again and again, I can never spend another night in your house. Kade and Sandy have a baby coming on, and they needed the room.”

     “You don’t have to worry about that no more. Kade bought a bigger house. He said you could stay with them as long as you want to.”

     James and Tenny Left Little Rock early the next morning. Tenny and Samantha hugged for a long time. Then Tenny stepped aboard and sat by James. The stage began to move. Tenny and Samantha held hands as long as they could. Both had tears in their eyes. The stage turned the corner, and was gone.

     With problems concerning the war settled, once and for all, Jeff was free to turn most of his attention to Samantha. They were together almost every day, and almost every night until late. Samantha knew she was falling deeper and deeper in love with Jeff. She was sure he felt the same way, though he didn’t express his innermost thoughts and emotions as readily as Samantha. It just seemed to be the way he was. But she knew he must love her deeply – he was there, with her, every day.
Samantha turned to Jeff one day. “Do you remember, Jeff, you mentioned one day that when the war was settled, and my problems with the Dudley’s were taken care of, we could make plans?”

     Jeff smiled and nodded.

     She put her arms around him, and smiled. “Then what’s the plan, Bub?”