Clockwork Cowboy

Chapter 15

Nova heard the crunch of footfall on the driveway. She dashed to the door and swung it open. "Jese?"

Brandon McCabe stood, with his hat clutched in one hand and the other raised to knock. "Nova?" He said. "That was real quick."

Any thought, or possible reply, was frozen in time. The countless things she'd imagined she might say on his return were a distant memory.

After a long silence she managed to speak. "Brandon?"

"Look at you," he replied. "All growed up!" He was chewing on something, talking slowly like this wasn't affecting him anywhere as much as it was affecting her.

"Brandon McCabe?"

"The one and only!"

"I thought you were dead," she managed to whisper.

"Me?" He blinked in surprise. "I'm beginning to think death isn't an option!" He laughed at his own joke. "I'm invincible."

Nova tried to smile, but only managed an angry grimace. Lucky for some! To be born a male with a silver spoon wedged firmly in his mouth. Had she had half that luck she would be in a pretty position indeed. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Where do I begin?" He grasped at his head with his free hand, feigning exhaustion at the prospect of recounting all of his tales.

"Just cut to the bit about not coming home after the war finished."

He flinched at the sharp tone in her voice. "As I was coming back I got an offer I couldn't refuse. If I didn't take it there and then..."

"Well." So something came up. Something unavoidable. "You're home now."

"I have been for some time," he said sheepishly.

She waited for the overwhelming urge to slam the door in his face to pass. "Come in," she said finally. "I'll make you a coffee. You must remember my dear Mama?" Nova asked before telling him haltingly, "she might not remember you so clearly for her memory comes and goes now."

"Hello Mrs. Radcliffe. You couldn't forget me could you?"

"Mama?" Nova called to her mother's vacant statue. "Mama? Brandon McCabe is here. Do you remember Brandon?"

Her mother's face lit up instantly. "Brandon? Little Brandon?" her tone was warm and welcoming.

"Not so little anymore." He said.

"Bless me! I thought you must have died out there. Where have you been all this time?"

"A little adventure." He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"A little adventure?" Nova's mother scolded her voice thick with endearment. "You've not changed at all!"

He surely hadn't, Nova decided. He still seemed to have the same minimal amount of responsibilities. Look at me! When did I turn into such a hard done by Harry?

"Not one bit!" He replied with pride.

"Here let me look at you." Nova's mama motioned him forward eagerly. "Well, what a fine coat that is! You look awful dapper!"

"I have to look smart for my occupation, Mrs. Radcliffe. I'm a bounty hunter now. I round up all these lowlife outlaws. It is a tough job. But luckily I'm good at it."

"Ah." Helaku whistled with admiration. "What a job!"

"I'm making the country safe, one scoundrel at a time."

Nova had been listening so intently to every word he spoke that she didn't hear the horse approaching. Only realizing that her fiance had returned when Jese strode through the door, letting it slam behind him.