“Henry, wait!” he suddenly heard Jessie’s voice call from in the house. She burst through the screen door carrying a small paper sack. She scampered down the steps and over to the truck where Henry was standing. “I made you some sandwiches. It’s a long drive.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Well, you’ve got to eat.” She smiled, handing him the sack, and placed her hands on her hips. “They’re ham and cheese. I put some mustard in there, too. But not on the bread. It’d make them soggy. It’s in those little packets at the bottom.” She took a deep breath and looked up at him.

Henry set the sack on the seat, and turned back to her. “I been thinkin’…I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”

“You need to do this, Henry,” Jessie said, trying to convince herself as much as him.

“I…”

“You go,” she said, still trying to force a smile. “You know your way back. I’m not going anywhere.”

Henry smiled, then reached out and took her hand. He leaned toward her, hesitated, then kissed her gently on the lips. Stepping back, he let out a sigh. “I’ve been worried about that all morning,” he smiled.

“Me, too,” They stood looking into each other’s eyes until Jessie began to feel the tears welling in hers. “Go on now,” she said, breaking the gaze and quickly wiping a tear. “It’s a long way to Elko, and it won’t get any closer with you standing here holding my hand.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Henry said quietly, and reluctantly let her go. He turned, climbed in the cab and started the motor. He turned back. “May.”

“What?”

“May first. I’ll be back on May first.”

“Okay.” She wiped another tear. “I’ll be here.”

Henry wanted to say more, but no words came. He closed the truck door, looked forward, put the truck in gear and pulled away. Jessie watched as he disappeared down the driveway, and at the last minute, she waved goodbye. In the distance, a clap of thunder rolled.

Henry traveled less than a half-mile before he stopped his truck in the middle of the road and stared into his rearview mirror. The ranch, and Jessie, were out of sight now and he couldn’t get over how badly he felt for leaving. He leaned forward, and lightly began banging his head on the steering wheel as if it might rattle something loose and help him come to a different decision other than the one he had already made. He then quickly raised his head and sat up straight. “Damn it,” he grunted. He jammed the truck into reverse and quickly backed up several yards before stopping once again. He sat for several more seconds before shaking his head in disgust with himself, put the truck in gear, and drove away.

CHAPTER 42

The gray colt had known where he was even before the trailer came to a stop near the pens where he once was held. He was back at the place where he first came in contact with humans after following the herd of strange horses off the mountain and through the gate by the windmill. It was the smell of the place that gave it away long before he saw where he was. He recognized the individual odors of the first humans he had been around, one of which was Tug Caldwell, the man who came to get him out of the trailer and take him to his pen.