"Here There Be Vampires" A Promise City, Arizona Story Hour

The main action of the adventure ends here, although there is quite a bit left to be posted in the story hour.

There will be a few more posts of Jake and Ruby wrapping up their subplot. After that, I'll be adding in Interludes that were played by the individual characters while the main adventure was going on. The Interludes take place during the time between "Here There Be Vampires," and the next module, "Ballots and Bullets." Each Interlude features one or two of the player characters on a side adventure or just dealing with some of thier own personal storylines.

Aftermath Part I

Over the next few weeks Kate split her time between the ranch and preparing her school. Nights when she didn't have to be at the Lucky Lady she spent at the ranch house. She got far in the training of several of the horses and helped Sonoma with whatever tasks didn't need a skilled hand.

Back in town the desks from Mr. Rixton were installed in the schoolroom. The blackboard arrived and was mounted on the wall, and a sturdy table and chair for her were placed at the front of the room. She continued to work on her curriculum and visited the families who planned to enroll children, asking them what they wanted out of the school and testing the children to find out what skills they already had.

She also made sure to make time to see her friends and made sure she spent plenty of time with Ginnie. For a few days after the service she saw concerened glances, but those faded as she showed she meant to live on and find happiness. She took her own lessons with Mr. Gonzales and spent some time with Conrad, both of them trying to find footing in relation to each other.

Early the third day after they returned from Thomaswell Ruby begins to stir. Her eyes slowly open; just as the morning light starts filtering into their room. She watches the small particles of dust dance through the light on their never ending journey through the air. She blinks a few times, not wanting to really wake up, knowing what the day should bring. Should, if she can gather the strength to do what she thinks is right. Finally she was feeling better physically, now she needed to make other things right.

She turns her head to the left, finding Jake in his usual spot next to her. Lying on his belly, his face smushed into his pillow, an arm and a leg hang off the bed while he snores lightly, letting her know he is still very much asleep. His hair was getting long, and some wild strands cover his eyes. Ruby smiles contentedly, even in his sleep her lover managed to make her heart flutter with delight and longing. He was so handsome and charming in the most perfect roguish way, stealing Ruby’s heart out from under her, even against her own will. She realized long ago that her real true downfall in life was him. She reaches over and pushes the hair off his face. He was peaceful now, even though he had once told her he didn’t feel peaceful, he looked it. Maybe now he would feel it, now that the drama of the past few months was over.

Ruby sighs as she thinks over how much her life had changed since January. She had always hoped things would be different but when they weren’t time after time, it started to wear on her and she had started to lose hope. Promise City was only a name at the time she ran from her last town, but it seemed as good, or bad, as any other town. Funny how she hadn’t really thought it would be different here but back in Tombstone she promised herself she would stay out of trouble and try harder this time to make it work.

Course, she had done that in every other town she had been in too. But something seemed different right from the start, that day on the stage. Meeting two of the people who would become her best friends, Nanuet and Katherine, and letting herself get involved with them was the first step towards her new life.

Not a week later she had met the gambler Silver Jake Cook, having saved him from their wordy friend Chumbley. There was something about Jake even then, and Ruby and Kate had led him back to the El Parador and let him tag along, or more accurately, let him get involved in their troubles.

How lucky for all of them that they did. Despite his protests Jake HAD become the leader of their little tribe, the one they all looked to, the one who looked out for them and their interests in the end, and the one who kept them all together.

And what started out as almost any other seduction and one night stand had morphed into what Ruby thought would be a lifetime of love, romance, companionship and adventure. She had found a best friend and lover all in one, sitting red eyed and hung over at a saloon in some town that fateful morning.

Now it was three days since they had returned from Thomaswell. Before they left Jake and Ruby had started talking about their future, or more precisely Ruby had begun thinking over her future plans for her once aimless life. Jake had given her reason to want more and he helped her to be more than she ever thought she could be. But she knew things weren’t right between them and she needed some time alone to straighten her own thoughts and feelings out. She didn’t want Jake to feel pressured but everything she said seemed to come out that way. All which led to today’s little trip.

She slowly rolls over in their bed, pulling herself onto Jake’s back. She lets the warmth and weight of her body cover him gently and gradually so not to startle him. She pulls her hair to one side and it cascades, covering the back of Jake’s head and back. She leans her face close to him and letting her lips brush his ear, in a husky-just-woke-up-seductive voice she calls to him in a whisper, “Jacob…Jacob wake up…”

His first response is more a grunt than a word followed by, "...is it morning?"

"Yes, sleepy head, it is early morning." Ruby runs her hands up and down Jake's arms, leaving her arms lying on his. She snuggles contentedly, nuzzling his neck until she again whispers in his ear, "What are you dreaming about?"

He grunts again before replying groggily, "That no one was shooting at me and I could sleep late."

"Oh." She should have suspected that Jake wouldn't like to be woken up, hell, she didn't like to be woken up either. But she knew what was coming this day and he didn't... “Sorry," she says softly. She gently rolls off him, back to her own spot on the bed, back to looking at the dust fall through the light.

A minute goes by and Jake manages to mumble out through the pillow, "What's wrong?"

Without turning her head Ruby replies, "Why does there have to be something wrong? Just because I was hoping you were dreaming about me like I was dreaming about you and..." she turns her head towards Jake, "You wanted to be with me..." She pulls the sheet up higher, "I'm sorry I woke you up, go back to sleep."

"There doesn't have to be something wrong...," Jake rolls over on his side, "...but when my Ruby is in a good mood a little thing like me sleeping doesn't keep her from saying or doing what she really wants." Jake yawns and rubs the back of his hand across one sleepy eye.

Ruby lips rise into a smile. He was right, and that was the whole point of what she was about to do. "You're right you know." She pushes the wild strands that had fallen back into Jake's eyes away off his face again. "I wanted to make love."

Even with his eyes still struggling to rise from their sleepy state, his mouth manages his famous smirk. "That is a world better than being shot at. Heck, I put myself through getting shot at to be here for this." He manages to pry his eyes open without losing the lopsided smile.

Ruby smiles even wider, "And when my Jake is in a good mood that is exactly what I would expect him to say." She rolls to her side to face Jake and she kisses him softly for a few long moments while running her fingers through his hair.

She pulls her head back to look at him and sighs longingly. "It's too late though. You were right, I'm not myself."

"Not yourself? Those feel like Ruby's lips. Hey, Gonzalez didn't make a Ruby disguise for Katherine did he?" He puts a comical look of shock on his face. "No, couldn't be. No one else can kiss like that."

Ruby bites her lip, pondering something for a moment before she leans in and kisses Jake again. "No one kisses me like you do either baby. I love that about you." She kisses him again, then pulls her face back again, resting her head on the pillow, keeping her hand on Jake's face. She stays like that for a long time, just staring at her lover.

"Jake, I do have something to tell you," she says finally. Ruby takes a deep breath in and holds it. "I just wish you could tell me you won't get mad first but I know that isn't to be." She exhales, but only slightly. "I'm going away for a little while… I'm leaving Promise City."

"See, there is something wrong." He sits up. "Is someone sick? Where do you need to go?

“I told you that you were right.” She lets the rest of the air out of her lungs slowly in a huge exhale. This is the part I was NOT looking forward to. “Baby, do you truly believe that I love you?”

"Yes." He says the word slowly and clearly. The bemusement from his joking is long gone from his face.

“If you love me, you have to let me do this.” She knows her words sting, but after going over and over in her mind, this was the only thing she could think of to do. She also sits up and places her palm flat on Jake’s back. “You know I love you, you just said that you did. I do love you, more than anything.” Holding the sheet up around her she continues, “I need to go somewhere that isn’t here. I need time, time to think and figure things out. Time to be… alone.”

Before he can interrupt she continues, “Have no doubt that I know in my heart that we are meant to be together. But baby, we’ve promised each other forever and I’m starting to think that neither of us truly knows what that means. Following my heart is not something I let myself do in a very long time, a very long time, not until you.” She keeps her eyes averted from Jake’s gaze while she speaks. “I have to figure out what I want for my future.”

So it has finally come, Jake thinks but his face is unreadable. "Free, is that what you are saying? You want me to give you back your freedom?"

Ruby smiles softly and keeps her hand on Jake’s back. “There is an old saying, ‘If you love someone set them free. If they don’t return they were never really yours to begin with. But if they DO return to you, they are yours forever.’ Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s stupid, I don’t know.”

Ruby shrugs. “I never thought we weren’t free Jake. I never felt that way. That is why I love you so much. I am myself with you, I give myself to you and yet I still feel free. If that’s what giving up your freedom is truly like, I’d gladly give it you.” She pauses and ponders. “I guess you DO feel that way though, that I’ve taken your freedom, or you wouldn’t have said that. And I don’t want you to feel that way. Ever. That’s just part of Silver Jake Cook, I know that. And if you don’t feel free with me…” her voice trails off and her eyes go unfocused as she pretends to look out the window.

Then she speaks suddenly, “What do we really know about love and the future anyway? You and I are just a gambler and a saloon girl trying to make their way in this lonely, harsh world, gambling on our future together. And I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of it. But like you’ve said, how long can it last before we mess it up? And how hurt are we going to be when we DO mess it up?” She repeats a question that she’s asked recently, “How can we promise each other forever if we don’t even know how we work? Leave it to our hearts to figure out? My heart hasn’t done too well for me in the past. That doesn’t seem like good odds.” She continues very softly, “As you can see, I’m confused.”

"You'll forgive me if I am surprised and confused too. I didn't say I felt like I had no freedom. I was just trying to understand what you are telling me...." He gets up out of bed and pulls on his trousers. "I don't think I am going to understand. You love me but your heart says you should be somewhere else but you don't want your heart to figure things out because it hasn't done well in the past. You want your freedom but you already have it." Jake shakes his head to and fro on his way to the table on which rests the decanters. He pours himself a large glass of whiskey. "I'm not a quitter, I don't fold on a hand when I think I can win the pot, when I want that pot very badly." He takes a drink from the glass. "If I love you I'll let you do this..." Jake turns away from her but just ends up facing the mirror and looking at her that way. "Strange isn't it that you say something to someone, something that you think comes right from your heart, something that you really believe to be true and then come to find out that maybe you shouldn't have said it, that it wasn't always true."

Ruby watches Jake dress from her spot on the bed. “No, you’re not going to understand, I already know and accept that. It’s not my heart telling me to spend some time alone, it’s my head. I never said anything about freedom, that was all you. This is what I mean!” In frustration she smacks the bed. “Things get said and one person means them one way and they come out totally another. I don’t ever want to think you aren’t saying things to me that you want to say but I’m confused. I don’t know what you were trying to say and you keep telling me I got it wrong but you don’t explain any better and I still don’t understand. Why don’t you explain it to me so I do understand?”

As Jake turns to face her again, he notices that her bags are packed. He looks at them for a minute before he moves the rest of the way to face her. "I didn't mean me, not what I said. A few weeks ago I asked you a question and you told me 'I always want you to follow me'. It seems that is changed." He drinks from the glass, swallows and drinks again. "I gather you have made up your mind to catch the morning stage." He vaguely waves his hand holding the glass towards her bags. "I have no where else to go, no where else I'd rather be. You can choose to get on the stage or ask me anything you want as many times as you want for as many days as you want."

Jake leans his head back and drains the rest of the glass. "It feels like a long time ago that I said I won't leave you alone until you convince me that you really don't want me around." He walks over to the side table again and fills up his empty glass so that it nearly spills over the top. "You always were a smart girl, you have me." He quickly drinks enough out of the glass so he can walk without spilling it. "It is cruel enough to make me suffer through this, do not ask me to explain it to the others. Tell them yourself, leave them a note or find someone else to explain it to them. I won't pretend that everything is just fine." Uncharacteristically he turns his eyes away from hers. "If you decide that there is no future here for you, don't come back to tell me. I don't think I could do this again." Jake walks across the room to the door way. "A stronger or wiser man would not let you go. As you said, I'm just a gambler."

Jake stands in the door way, bare foot, his hair tousled and only wearing wrinkled trousers. He rapidly drinks from the glass again, spilling whiskey down his chin. He finally looks back at her sitting on the bed. "This is a deplorable test of whether I love you or not, one where I cannot prevail. I do love you Ruby West, I will not hinder you from traveling any path that your heart or head chooses. All that is left for me is to wonder if I will regret this day for the rest of my life or not." He looks down, as if he is going to say something else but instead leaves the room.

“Jake…” Ruby chokes out but suddenly finds him gone and she is left alone in the quiet of the morning. Not even the puppies stayed, they had bounced out when Jake left the room. Ruby tries to blink back her tears but they come anyway. That went as badly as I could imagine, she thinks. Why do you think you have to do this anyway and hurt him so? “I never said I wasn’t coming back!” she cries out to no one. She continues to cry for a few more moments before stubbornly wiping her eyes.

She slowly slides off the bed, making sure her legs will stand underneath her. The room is growing dark, a storm brewing outside and Ruby needs to light a candle to see. Perfect, it matches my mood. She numbly dresses, putting on her normal travel dress, jacket and hat. Her wild hair refuses to be tamed under her hat but today she could care less. Looking at her red eyes in the mirror, she takes a moment to caress the heart shaped earrings that never leave her ears. As she does, her ruby ring sparkles in the candle light, still residing on her left hand ring finger. She had ‘accidentally’ forgotten to move it to a less provocative finger after their last adventure was over. A few more tears stream down her face before she turns her back on her image.

She picks up her bag and stands near the door, taking a long look around her room. Stepping back in, she picks up Jake’s worn and crumpled shirt, lying on the floor from the night before. Putting it to her nose and inhaling she closes her eyes and takes in every second of her favorite scent. Then she stuffs the shirt in her bag, on top of the picture of her and Jake that had been placed there so lovingly. Nothing really could be the same now.

Slowly descending the familiar stairs to the sound of thunder rumbling, she holds her head high when she reaches the bottom. Taking a big breath in she takes the final step down and looks into the saloon. It is empty and the front door is swung open. On the bar is a glass as empty as the saloon. It is not one of the bar glasses, but one of the fine quality drinking glasses from their room.

Ruby sighs as she fights the urge to find Jake and run to him, to embrace him, to apologize, to ask him to take her to bed like she planned that morning, to beg him to forget what she said. Without saying a word to anyone, and with fresh tears falling down her face, Ruby West leaves her home, the Lucky Lady Saloon and the man that she loves more than anything.

Ruby stands in the pouring rain, bag in hand, numbly staring at the coach in front of her while she gets soaked. People run all around in the muddy streets, trying to get out of the unusual torrential downpour. “Are you alright?” Chuck Nevers yells to her from atop the stage. “Miss West, are you alright?” Ruby blinks as she snaps out of her thoughts. She takes Mr. Nevers hand, climbs into the stage and takes a seat near the window. She keeps her head down, ignoring the other passengers, and hopes her tears are mistaken for raindrops. Leaning her head against the window she closes her eyes and hopes for this trip to soon be over.

…………………………………………………………………………………

Chuck Nevers pull up his collar on his jacket and curses the gods for the horrendous weather. 4 hours of this… he shakes his head, I must be crazy… They are only 10 minutes out of town and he is already soaked through and cold.

He hears a strange noise coming from below him. He looks back and down to find the sound and discovers Miss Ruby West with her head sticking out the window, screaming to him. He quickly slows the horses and the worry can’t be hidden on his face as he jumps off the coach. “What’s wrong?” he asks frantically as Ruby swings the door of the stage open. She barely answers him as she hops up on the open door frame and stretches for her bag. “Miss West, what are you doing?” he asks in disbelief.

“I have to go back,” Ruby replies, “I have to go back NOW.” She jumps up a little until she catches a piece of her bag and it falls to the ground. She hops off the stage and grabs her bag. “It’s ok Mr. Nevers,” she yells though the rain, “I know what I’m doing...” The passengers in the coach look at her like she has gone mad.

Chuck says, “Let me take you…” but before he can finish Ruby is already running through the rain, back to Promise City, bag in hand, as fast as she can. He looks back to the passengers inside the stage.

One of them comments, “I thought she was asleep and then she sat up and said something about starry nights?” Chuck shakes his head and watches Ruby disappear into the rain.

Aftermath Part II

As she runs through the mud and rain she starts tiring quickly. Then she realizes her velvet jacket and traveling dress are soaking up the drenching rains and weighing her down. She stops and drops her bag. Working quickly as she can, she pulls off her hat, jacket and dress, leaving them in the grass next to the well traveled road. She picks up her bag and, like it was perfectly normal to be in the rain in her undergarments, she starts running back to town.

45 minutes later she arrives, soaked to the bone and drenched all the way through. Shivering and weary she runs into the Lucky Lady and screams out, “Jake!” at the top of her lungs. Then she notices Pedro Gonzalez coming down the stairs inside the saloon. "Ah, Senorita you is here. You boy, he take his horse and ride away. Grant say he look upset. He no wear all his clothes and smell like whiskey. Grant try to talk to him but he push Grant away and say need Ruby's place. You boy muy loco ride away in storm waving whiskey bottle." He stops for a moment then looks her up and down. “And what you doing no dress? And wet? You ARE all loco around here!”

Ruby doesn’t answer but instead turns and forces her tired legs to run to the El Parador. She hurriedly readies her horse and rides out through the rain to her favorite spot, upstream of the old mill.

As she near the spot she notices a shadowy figure outlined by the lightening strikes. She squints and when she can finally make it out she sees Jake's horse, running away from the area riderless. Trying not to panic she guides her stallion after the wayward horse, grabbing the reins and forcing it to follow her quickly near the river. She hops off and ties the horses hastily to a strong tree. She puts her hand up to her eyes to try to see through the downpour.

The rain is falling hard and the wind occasionally picks up and blows the rain nearly sideways. Her favorite spot looks very different with the grass pounded flat by the heavy rain, the leaves on the trees folded and drooping, and the sounds of the stream swollen with rain masked by the heavy downpour. In the middle of all this a single figure sits on the ground near the stream. His muddy shirtless back is streaked from the rain. Water drips steadily from his brown hair that is soaked and sticking to his head. One hand holds a bottle while his other rests palm up on his knee. The man seems to be staring down at his hand and has not noticed the sound of her horse.

Ruby approaches him slowly. Saddened she has made her lover and best friend come to this she again tries to fight back tears. Walking around him, she lifts up her dirty, muddy, no longer white underskirt and falls to her knees in front of Jake, hoping he won’t turn her away.

He startles when she comes into view. His face registers surprise followed by pleasure and then some discomfort. He looks down into his own lap but his eyes soon move to his palm still sitting open on his knee. He flexes his hand a couple of times before he raises the bottle and offers it to her. "Oh, It appearsh that I have not left mush for you my dear. I would ride back and get shum more but I losht my horsh." She notices there is a faint amount of blood on his cheek that looks like it comes from a cut above his right eye. "Did you know that I love you?" He wipes some rain from his eyes and states, "Ruby, you are all wet."

Ruby’s heart ached at Jake’s affirmation of affection for her and her chest tightened at the sight of him, so pathetic, half dressed, soaking wet and drunk in the rain. She looks at him lovingly, her long hair also sticking to her face before taking a long swig from the bottle. She glances down at the mess called her clothes, wet, dirty, torn, transparent and clinging to her all her curves. Her whole body aches, right along with her heart. She shivers in the cold storm before finally smiling at Jake. “You’re all wet too.” She takes his palm in her free hand, not needing to look at what he’s been gazing at and kisses it gently. Then suddenly she moves towards Jake and wrapping her arms around his neck she grasps him as tight as she can. She buries her face in his neck and finally she can’t hold back any longer and her tears start to fall again. Her body trembles against him as she sobs but hopes the storm hides her emotional breakdown.

He holds her for a minute before saying in an uncertain voice, "Did you mish your shtage?"

Ruby shakes her head against Jake and says through her sobs, “No… no I didn’t miss the stage. We got out of town and I made Mr. Nevers stop. I couldn’t do it, Jake, I just couldn’t do it, I couldn’t leave you, I didn’t want to, but especially after what you said… I feel so terrible, so horrible, I thought I was going to help us, help me be better for you, help me not worry so much or be hurt over something stupid. But instead…” Her whole body heaves as she sobs, not letting go of Jake’s neck. “I ran back to town.”

He strokes her hair, a bit awkwardly in his drunken state. "You could not be any better for me." He continues holding her and stroking her hair for some time.

Ruby shakes her head no again. “That isn’t true,” she whispers. “It’s not. I’m always making you have these stupid conversations. I’m always confused at what you say, I’m not sure sometimes, I want to be sure all the time so I try…” Her lips are turned down and she pulls at her hair. “Look,” she gestures to her body, “I got skinny from too much drinking and… other things… and you like curves. I didn’t… I don’t handle stress very well.” A long pause before she continues, “And if it was true you would want to marry me.” Surprised the words came out of her mouth she blushes and is glad Jake can’t see her face. Before he can continue she pulls away a bit and wipes the wet off her face. Without looking at Jake she says, “We should get back. Being warm and drunk is much better than being cold and drunk.”

The gusts of wind have stopped and the rain is waning. Although the sky to the west is still gray, the storm front appears to have moved on eastward. Jake looks a bit unsteady and he announces, "I am drunk," as if it is a revelation. "I'm going to tell you a sheecret,” he says in a conspiring tone. "I am a very good sshot, even when I am drunk." His hand goes to his side but finds no weapon there. "I would show you but I left my gun shomewhere. That is not the secret." He looks around to make sure no one else is listening. "I am a poor liar when I am drunk, really drunk. That is why I do not make businessh deals when I am drunk. Shometimes I lie." He puts a finger to his lips. "Shhhh." He looks at her very seriously before continuing. "I want to tell you a shtory." Then changing to a plaintive voice, "Will you listen to my shtory?"

Ruby looks into Jake’s eyes as she tenderly wipes the rain off his face. “Of course I’ll listen to your story baby.” Ruby stays on her knees in front Jake, unmoving, unsure of what to do next, let Jake tell his story here or take him take home. She is weary and cold and her tired body doesn’t want to move, so she stays where she is, waiting to see what Jake will do.

Jake reaches for the bottle from Ruby but when he leans forward he sways a bit, "Whoa, I'm a little dizzy." He settles back upright and says rather slowly. "Heh, why don't you keep that for now?"

Ruby nods and takes a small sip from the bottle, then waits for Jake to start his story.

"You remember I tol' you about my parentsh? Well, I do not know if Mother loved Father. Shee alwaysh did as shee was told though. Shometimes he would say, 'As your hushband, I forbid it.' I always hated him when he shaid that." Jake sways forward a fraction but pulls his head back. He wiggles a bit and settles into the mud. The rain has completely stopped though Jake does not seem to notice being wet.

"He had a look too." Jake points to his eyes. "The look shaid the words 'cept his lipsh didn't move." He accentuates by grabbing his lips between his finger and thumb and squeezing a couple of times. "When Father banished me from our house he gave Mother that look." Jake nods and points to his eyes again. "Shee did not want me to go, but the look..." He nods some more as if that would help Ruby understand. "You read her letter, Mother's letter to me. He forbid her to write to me. See?" He pats her on the hand and then laughs. "I have not shtarted my shtory yet, I didn't forget... it ish coming."

"It's ok Jake, you don't have to tell me a story if you don't want to." Ruby is a bit surprised at Jake’s mutterings. It's not like she had never seen Jake drunk before, but unless she had asked he never talked about his father or really his family in general. "If you want, we can save the story for later," she says gently, but still makes no attempt to move.

He waves his hand about and says, "No, I want to tell my shtory. You shaid you wanted to hear it." Seemingly unperturbed by the interruption he continues. "I did not know how to do anything to earn a living 'cept papers." He makes scribbling motion in the air between them. "You know, making papersh for Father's business. I'm talking about after I left home." He looks her in the eyes to see if she understands. Satisfied that she has eyes he starts again. "Anything legal anyway." Finding that funny, he laughs and then looks at Ruby. "Oh, right, my shtory. I could clean things or shovel things but I did not like that at all. No, no, no, no, no." He whispers, "So I shtarted shtealing things from people inshtead." He stops to laugh again.

Ruby nods and repeats, "You started stealing things, ok."

"Well, I always shtole things. Now I shtarted to shteal to eat." He holds up a finger, "So, my shtory.... I was in Ohio. There was a crowd of peoples sho I wandered around and helped myshelf to shome money sho I could eat. The peoples was at a traveling show. The traveling show peoples caught me shtealing. Not the peoples watching the show, the peoples running the show. Those peoples took me around back of their wagons and you know what they did to me?"

Ruby looks away and to the ground as Jake tells his story. She had always imagined her knight being valiant, coming up with some crazy plan to support himself and even though she knew he could do it, she never imagined him stealing so he could eat, having to steal so he could eat. They had both done what they had to, to get by, but Jake never before told Ruby about it. In a sad tone she says, "No, what did they do to you?"

He gives her a lopsided grin, spreads his arms wide and says, "They gave me a job!" as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "They told me I was pretty good but nobody BUT nobody 'cept them shtole shtuff from their peoples. Those peoples that watched their show, them who ran that show." Jake appears to have confused himself and then shrugs. "I joined the traveling show because they let me, and because they shaid they would break my fingers if I did not."

Ruby blinks. "A job? With a traveling show?" She nods her head, wondering if Jake realizes this is not coming out the happy story he thinks it is. "That's a funny story baby," she lies, wondering if Jake actually does have a point to his story.

He nods cheerfully. "You saw me juggle. You never asked where I learned to juggle." Jake makes his voice real loud and in a carnie way calls out, "Come one, come all and shee Professhor Ulysshesh and hiss traveling show!" He is still grinning as if that somehow was very funny. "I learned to do aaaallll kinds of things while I was there, not just juggling. I can get out of a rope if you tie me up you know. They alsho taught me how to do some acrobat shtuff." As Jake speaks his speech becomes a little less slurred, not so much because he isn't drunk but because his lips seem to becoming accustomed to his state. "Oh, back to the shtory."

"Good ol' Jacob shtayed on with them all through the summer. It was Almyra who first shtarted calling me Jake you know." He leans in to her, still wobbly and having to put his arm on her shoulder to steady himself. He says quietly like it is a secret, "I was infatued... infatcha... infaturd..."

"Infatuated?" Ruby interjects, holding his arm to try to help him steady himself.

Jake nods and replies loudly. "That's it!" He nods some more and then continues in his normal voice but still off balance and leaning on Ruby. "I liked her a bunch. Before that they all called me Jacob. Everybody, not just the traveling show peoples.”

Ruby smiles at Jake and runs her fingers over his cheek. “That’s very sweet. I love the name Jacob but I love Jake too. Sounds like they were nice to you. Although I’m jealous you were infatuated over someone else,” she smiles softly, but still has the sadness on her lips and in her eyes. As she gazes as him she realizes she forgot about the cut above his forehead, so she rips the cleanest piece of skirt she can find and dabs gently at it, trying to clean it up and see how bad it is. “So which do you like better baby?”

"I like Jake better." He winces a moment when she touches his wound, but he does not stop her. The cut is not deep and it looks like the pain is more from the bruise. "She was nice to me. Shome of the others too. Shome were not nice to me at all. No, no, nope." He smiles at her and attempts to look her straight in the eyes. "Do not be jealous. She was older than me, almost enough to be my mother. She loved shomeone else, and I love you... but I am getting ahead of my shtory."

Ruby takes a drink from the mostly empty bottle before looking at Jake curiously. “So, tell me more of the story. Did you like being in the show?”

"Shome days, yes, shome no. At night Almyra and I would talk. Talk, talk, talk all night. I would sneak away from work and talk to her while she cared for the animals. She was the animal lady. She would dress up in a flimsy costume and show off the daaanngerous animals. It was all fake." Jake manages to set himself upright again. He chuckles and seems to be thinking. "The animals were real, but painted up to look like other animals. Pretty Almyra would show them off to the peoples." Jake seems to get lost for a few moments and then finally, "Luther used to hurt Almyra. He used to hurt me too, but I didn't care about that."

Ruby's face continues to show her sadness but also turns angry at the same time. “That’s awful, I didn’t know any of this. What happened to her? And you?”

"Mr. Dyer, who ran the show, was stealing from everyone. He was the one who pretended to be the professor. I found out by accident that he was skimming the take." Jake smirks. "I broke into his wagon to steal some whiskey and found the money. I didn't take it that day though." He says that like it is important. "Almyra was always very good with the animals, they liked her very much. She always understood what they needed, and felt bad that they needed to be in cages. She had a different look for Luther, he played the human Atlas. She had hate in her eyes for him, plus something else, something that I did not recognize. Luther and Almyra were married."

"When we talked I told her to run away from him, but she always told me she could not. She would have a hundred excuses. ‘How would I earn my living?’ she always asked me." Even in his drunken state, Ruby recognizes that look on Jake. The flash of anger that leads to action. The look passes as he says, "So I stole Mr. Dyer's money. It wasn't his anyway, he stole it from the whole show."

"They were married..." she repeats to herself, furrowing her brows. “What does stealing Mr. Dyer’s money have to do with Almyra?” She is pensive for a moment before speaking again quietly. “You stole it to give to her so she could leave her husband?”

Jake nods, the emotions that have been running through him while he tells his story seem to have a somewhat sobering affect on him. "She helped me with the show people, kept me safe and helped me figure out how to get along. I went to see her and found her with a large bruise on her face. She was very angry, cursing Luther for hitting her. She railed about how she longed to be away from him. It was then that I gave her the wad of money. It was then that she shocked me."

Jake takes a long breath and seems to notice the water dripping from his hair for the first time. He pushes his hair back so it does not fall on his face. "She cried. She cried and cried. Finally when she could speak again she told me about how much she had loved Luther when they had first met, how wonderful he was, how happy they were. She had story after story about how much she had loved him. Then she told me how things had changed after they had gotten married. How slowly they began to take each other for granted, how slowly but surely they grew apart, how slowly they grew to despise each other. I thought my own heart would break just by listening to her."

"Ruby, she handed me back the wad of money and told me she could not leave him." The shock of that moment rises to Jakes face. "I finally recognized the look in her eye when she looked at Luther. She hated him and she loved him. That is one of the most terrible things I have ever witnessed, that look. I also understood why Almyra was so good with the animals. She knew what it was like to be in a cage, she had built her own. She and the animals both lived in cages." Jake runs his hand through his hair in his familiar gesture. "You know me, I tried to convince her still. She would have none of it. She put the money back in my hands and I fled the show that night."

"Ruby, how can I marry you knowing I would say the words?" He suddenly looks vulnerable, a look she has never seen on his face before.

Ruby bites on her lip before looking at Jake with wide eyes, obviously confused. "Say what words?"

"As your husband, I forbid it." A distasteful look comes to his face as he says it. "I would not mean to do it. I am sure I would be convinced I was doing the best thing for you, for us. Each time after that it would be easier. Oh, and you would do it at first too. You told Nanuet since you're neither my husband or my father you can't tell me what to do." Jake pauses only a moment to let the words have impact. "It would be the first nail. Ruby, it would be the start of the cage. Once the great Golden Eagle realizes a cage is being built she will either fly away or worse..." Jake almost looks like he is going to cry, "...decide to live in that cage because you cannot leave me. Live in that cage and look at me every day with that terrible look in your eye. I have seen that look. It pains me to even imagine that you might look at me with love and hate." Clumsily he gathers up her hands in his, his motions still uncoordinated from the drink. "I don't want to marry anyone else Ruby West; I don't want to be with anyone else. I cannot marry you because I love you."

Ruby is quiet for a long while before she says, "I understand," in a soft voice. Ruby sits and just stares and stares at Jake, with some admiration, but mostly with confusion.

Suddenly she pulls her hands away from Jake and plays with her dirty, ripped skirt for a few moments before she looks up at him again. "Actually, I don't understand. No, not at all." She pulls herself off the muddy ground and looks down at him. Speaking in a angry tone, "I told you I wasn't going to bring it up anymore. I told you it was a stupid idea and I realize that. But I thought you didn't want to get married because you didn't want to marry me. And I was willing to accept that because I KNOW I would not make a good wife, for you or for anyone, and I was going to try to go away so I could learn to accept it and get over it quicker. But this, Silver Jake Cook, is even worse than that." A fresh tear falls down Ruby's cheek, just when she thought there were no more to be had.

She starts pacing around, stopping every now and then to look at Jake as she speaks. "I love you and I truly mean it with all my heart. What we have is special and different. You're not your father or my father or that stupid Luther. You're MY Jacob Alistair Cooke, MY Silver Jake Cook, my knight in shining armor, my best friend, my lover, my world, my everything. I know it and I feel it in my heart. It's not like two people who just meet and decide to get married because that is what they should do. It's not like Kate and Conrad, because one of them is in a situation they rush to talk about or even decide to get married for wrong reasons. We're not two shy, innocent children who haven't lived and don't know what it's like out there. I've had plenty of men say they love me and want to marry me and never before did I feel it and know like I do with you. What we have is destiny or fate or whatever crap you want to call it, even Aphrodite has said so. We’re,” she emphasizes each word, “Meant… to… be. What disappoints me is that you don't seem to feel the same. If you did you would know it too."

More tears fall down Ruby's face and she pulls on her wet clothes as she continues to make a track in the mud from pacing. "I don't doubt your love. You are sweet and kind to me, you take care of me, you're my comfort and my strength. I know you love me. But how can you think you would ever do that to me, to turn into someone not you? Tell me what to do, build me a cage. You could never be like that, even if you wanted to."

"And if you truly feel that way, why would being married make a difference? What you are speaking of is something that can and does happen everyday, to people married or not. We don't need to be married for you to tell me what to do. Gods Jake, I saw that every day working in the places I worked, some man trying to tell a woman what to do, just because he was stronger. And mostly getting away with it too. So how can you tell me that isn't going to happen to us anyway?"

She stops her frantic pacing in front of Jake and looks down at him again. "This isn't about us getting married. It's about us being. About us seeing the same future and wanting the same future and making that future happen how we want it. And knowing that we can and will. I never gave a rat’s tail about the future until I was sacred that you might one day not be in it with me. I figured if I left for just a little bit, I could go back to the Ruby you fell in love with, the one who didn't think about or care about what the future held and that would make you happy. Or at least figure out what I need to do with myself to get there."

Jake sits stunned as Ruby speaks, rants, paces and faces him down. He wobbles a bit trying to face her as she moves to and fro. When she finishes he is looking up at her and his eyes are open wide. "I am trying everything I know to keep you happy and make you want to stay with me forever one day at a time. Do not be angry with me." He leans his head back a little farther to see her face better and falls backwards hitting the mud with a squishing sound. "I have never told anyone that story before." He seems oblivious to his position on the ground. "It is just... I have never wanted anything... anyone before so much... I fear I will be the ruin of us. You were so happy. I didn't want anything to change. I am afraid to take the risk. Never gamble with anything you are afraid to lose." Ruby has heard Jake say those last words like a mantra on many occasions.

Ruby watches Jake fall over and realizes that while he seemed to sober up he still must be very drunk. She walks to him and crouches down next to him before trying to pull him up out of the sticky mud. She sighs, "I liked your story baby," she says pulling at him. "But I already want to stay with you forever." She tugs again. "And I understand, you like things the way they are." She finally gets a good tug and gets his head lifted off the ground. "I will do what you want," she says giving him a half hearted smile. "We shouldn't talk about this anymore." Her voice sounds defeated as she speaks now and Jake can't figure if she means talk about it now or talk about it ever. "Alright? Let's go back to the Saloon." She again tugs and tries to get his body off the ground.

"You'll let me follow you again?" There is a sucking sound as he comes free of the mud. Before Ruby can answer his question he says, "I was terribly afraid you would not come back, but you did. See, you did." She gets him standing but his balance is quite poor. "You think I do not trust you, that I do not believe. But I do. I came here because this is not my place or your place but our place. I came here to wait for you." He stumbles forward into her nearly knocking her over but she manages to keep them both standing. "I was angry, I am sorry." He tries to stand by himself without leaning against her and fails. "Ruby darling, maybe you should take me home."

"Yes, this is our place," she says, pushing more wet hair off Jake's forehead. A genuine smile comes to Ruby's face. "I never said I didn't want you to follow me. I am true to my word, that hasn't changed. And I was never considering not coming back. But it doesn't matter now, we don’t need to think about me not coming back if I can't even leave in the first place." She wraps her arm around Jake's waist and helps him over to the horses.

She ties Jake's horse to hers, knowing he cannot ride alone. She holds him upright as he attempts to put his foot into the stirrup. Instead he puts it through the stirrup up to his knee and falls down with his leg in the air. She sighs and he says with a lopsided grin, "It always seemed much easier before." It takes many minutes and much pushing and falling over to get Jake up on the horse. Ruby hops up behind him carefully, trying not to knock him off. She makes sure to wrap her arms tightly around him before starting the ride back to town.

Aftermath Part III

Back at the Lucky Lady Niles breathes a sigh of relief when Ruby walks in with the beyond drunk Jake. She waves him off, indicting not now as she helps Jake up the stairs. She uses a towel to try to dry and clean him off a bit. "Baths later, when you wake up," she announces. She settles a compliant Jake into their warm and cozy bed before sitting in the comfy chair near the window to watch him sleep.

By the time Ruby wakes it is mostly dark outside. She rubs her neck and grimaces, stiff from falling asleep in the chair with her head hanging over. She stretches her long arms and legs but doesn’t get out of the chair. Instead she gazes out the window into the dusk sky.

Over their little city it was dark and the bright stars were starting to appear from their hiding spots. But in the distance Ruby could make out the sun setting into a haze of orange, pink and purple. She smiles and watches the sun disappear for another day.

Jake watches her silently from the bed. He remains still, his head held up by one hand and his elbow dug into the soft bed. There is still a dull throb in the back of his skull.

Ruby is slightly startled to see Jake's eyes open and watching her but she acts casually. "Oh, I didn't know you were awake." She stands and stretches again, this time Jake getting a much better view of her, caked in dried mud, her hair still stuck to her head, clothes ripped and filthy. "How do you feel? I bet you could use a drink." She walks to their little table and finds only one glass. She fills it and takes it and the bottle over to the bed. Sitting next to Jake she offers him the glass.

"I feel like an ass. I don't usually act like such a fool so early in the day. I usually wait until the sun is higher in the sky before I start." He takes the glass and sips from it. "Ah, hair of the dog." He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "How about if I buy us a bath? I am the cause of all this mud and your sore muscles, it is the least I can do. It is about time I come clean." Her face starts to react to his words but he reaches out and puts a finger to her lips before she can speak. "Make no mistake, I have not lied to you. Everything I said is true." While rubbing his forehead he remarks, "Surprisingly, I remember everything I said this morning, at least I think I do. What I need to do is explain myself better."

Tired and just a little confused, Ruby only nods. A bath seemed like heaven at this point and she wasn't about to turn it down. "I'll pack us some clean clothes." She sets about gathering the garments while stopping to take sips from the bottle every now and then. Jake drags himself out of bed slowly with minimal moaning.

They walk slowly and silently over to Gilson's, both hoping the bathhouse is still open. Jake knocks and as they wait outside Ruby comments, “You know Jake, you don't need to say anything, I mean explain anything, if you don't want to. I bet you're tired of talking."

"No, I want to say them. I need to clear these misunderstandings between us. I hope when I am done that your mind and heart will be at ease." He hears someone on the other side of the door. "If not, all that is left is to distract you from your suffering with compliments, gifts and affection." When Ruby glances up Jake is grinning and his eyes seem bright and happy.

“Alright,” she nods, returning his grin. It was the first really good moment Ruby felt since this morning’s conversation started. Ruby takes Jake’s hand in hers as Laurie comes to the door. “We’re clos…” she starts but her voice trails off when she sees the condition of Jake and Ruby. “Looks like you two need some hot baths,” she smiles, “Come on in.”

They wait patiently in the front room while Laurie draws their baths herself. She calls to them from the bath room, “You’re all set in here.” She walks back out to them. “I’m afraid to ask how the two of you got so dirty. I have some things to do upstairs so I won’t be around down here. I left extra water on the side cabinet, you’re going to need it. Do you need anything else?”

Ruby replies, “I’m sure everything is fine. Thank you Laurie, you’re a good friend.” Ruby kisses her cheek softly and heads into the room. The dark room is lit softly with candles and she can smell the scented bath soap and see the steam rising off the water in the candle light. Her sore muscles practically scream out for her to dive in but instead she waits for Jake.

He follows her in, reflexes and habit taking over in the dark room as he scans the corners quickly with his hand reaching around back to his derringer. He chuckles briefly and relaxes. "It smells good."

He starts to remove his clothes and begins speaking. "You have known me long enough by now, you know I do not hope or pray for things to go my way. I go out and act. Improve the odds and take action is my way. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose, but I always have confidence I can win." Once his shirt is off he tests the water with an arm and a satisfied sigh. He then works on his boots. "That works wonders when I am taking risks with things I am willing to lose. Confident, cool and in control; that is Silver Jake Cook. The truth is I bury my doubts and feed my bravado. I hardly ever know how I am going to accomplish what I start; I just decide I will come out ahead. Behaving that way has become as naturally as walking to me. I am nearly as good as fooling myself as I am those around me." The words spill out in a tone that is both pleasant and relaxed. Jake has an easy smile on his face.

Ruby slides her clothes off, throwing them into the corner with her foot, and she doesn’t hesitate to glide into the steaming hot water. After Jake is through speaking she lets herself slip under the water without comment. She holds her breath as long as she can and relaxes as her hair swims around her in the tub. Finally she comes up for air with a small gasp and just leans her head back on the tub, eyes closed. “So what are you fooling yourself about?” she asks without opening her eyes.

Jake's smile grows broader. "That I am confident, cool and in control." He drops the rest of his clothes and climbs into the water. "Oh, yes. That will do." He turns his charming smile directly towards her face. "You will have the good taste to keep that to yourself, won't you?"

He grabs some soap and starts rubbing it on his arms distractedly. "What happens when you discover that there is one thing that you just could not bear to lose? A little fear, a little uncertainty, a little doubt creeps into your being. The small voice of worry that I usually ignore starts sounding louder and louder. Suddenly, to my dismay, my approach to overcoming problems does not work for my new found treasure."

Ruby opens her eyes and slowly turns her head towards Jake. "Oh really?" she smiles just a bit, "I don't believe that Silver Jake Cook could ever be unsure of himself, especially when talking about treasure." She looks back to the ceiling. "So what are you saying Jake?"

"Did you ever notice that I can talk my way out of nearly anything with most folks but at times my tongue gets tangled up in knots talking to you? Why is that?" Jake finally slides his head beneath the water and comes back up shaking his head and blowing. He turns again towards her. "Why does your smile light my day brighter than the sun? Why does the sound of your voice even saying the simplest of words play like heavenly music in my ears? Why do your tears darken my world and make my chest ache? Why does the slightest fear of losing you bring a tremble to my hands and terror to my heart? I have said it before and I will say it again; It is because I am in love with you." Jake chuckles lightly. "Am I still talking in circles girl? The treasure is you."

"So what am I to do? Stop loving you?" He shifts his body to the edge of his tub and rests his chin on the lip. "I would sooner stop breathing."

"You say that our being together is destiny, maybe you are right. What do I know of destiny? Is it something arranged by the gods? If so, I will accept their help and be grateful for that aid in keeping Ruby West at my side. What if the gods decided we should not be together? What if their whims now choose a different destiny? I would not be deterred. We belong together because we have decided that there can be no one better. For you I would happily defy my destiny. I would do exactly what I do today, whatever it takes to keep you by my side." Jake rests his arms along the lip of the tub with his hands under his chin. He is still relaxed and smiling. "I will not ask you to release your belief in destiny, do not ask me to surrender my belief that I make my own."

Ruby stops rubbing the scented soap over her arms and listens to Jake intently. Her eyes twinkle as she speaks softly, "Darling you make me so happy when you tell me how much you love me. I never want you to stop loving me or following me. Ever. There was a day when I was so sure I could get you to fall in love with me, because that is what I used to do, what I’ve always done, what I am good at. And then there was a day that I just wasn't sure anymore, wasn't sure because I realized I loved you and wanted you to love me for who I am and not what I could do, that might not be real. And then that day came and made me happier than I've ever been."

She turns and with bubbles running down her face from her hair she gazes at Jake. "I would never ask you to give up what you believe in. If you think we can make our own destiny then we can, do it together. I think we can do anything if we do it together. You know I never cared for the gods until… well, until my dream. I thought I was abandoned. But now it is clear that Aphrodite wishes us to be together, she sends us her blessings, I believe it to be true. I won’t turn that down as much as I know you and I can do anything together. We don't have to choose, we can have it both ways."

She begins again rubbing the lavender soap lazily over herself, stretching her long bubble covered legs one by one into the air, too lazy and tired to reach for them. "But then I get confused, some things I don’t understand. If Silver Jake Cook makes his own destiny than how are you so sure that you could or would make me hate you? Build a cage for me? I mean, I'm not trying to convince you to marry me, that point is past, but you seem so sure that you would become your father or that Luther or something even worse. So if you control what happens why can't you control that too?"

"You took a chance taking me to bed with a bottle of bourbon that night so long ago." Her lips turn up at the fond memories flooding through her, of the first night Jake bedded her, the first night of the beginning of her new life. “You, me and that bottle of Kentucky Bourbon. Those are good odds. But I just don’t understand the rest.”

"I didn't say I would become my father, just worried that I could and stacking the odds is comforting. He is the last person I want to be like." Jake's eye look down to the floor between their tubs. "So, you have had no doubts on your own abilities, will power, or worth? You have not wondered if your past will make it difficult to be who you may want to be in the future and in our relationship? I know you have and I am not troubled by it. You asked me about marriage and I panicked." He looks up again and adds, "I told no lies. I just unintentionally shared my worries in a harsh and exaggerated way."

Ruby stops suddenly, soap in hand and glances at Jake before staring down into her tub full of bubbles. Jake detects an unusual blush creeping onto Ruby’s cheeks. “I will admit something to you. I never thought about getting married all that much before. Actually I did think about it and what an awful, horrible idea it was. But all of a sudden it just seemed like the right thing. Especially since I think, I KNOW we’re always going to be together anyway. If we’re going to be together then why not? And then,” the crimson blush grows deeper, “When you said what you said my feelings got hurt badly. I’m not used to getting turned down or turned away and I felt foolish.” She quietly swishes some bubbles in the tub. “I don’t know why, I just couldn’t help myself.”
"I was beside myself with worry over the interloper from Thomaswell at the time you brought it up. I was not very tactful. Forgive my petty fears and missteps. You should be flattered that I spend time worrying over nothing." Jake grins and splashes water at her. "You should be flattered that I spend so much time improving the odds of having you safely by my side. I have told you things I have never told anyone else, and likely will never tell anyone else. You even pointed it out yourself, you know my weaknesses. If that does not tell you I trust and have faith in you completely I do not know what will."

Jake releases the side of the tub and fishes around for the soap he dropped. Finding it, he goes back to cleaning himself. "I had to learn to walk, grant me a little time to learn how to bring that same every day confidence to us. It will come, it has come a long way already."

"Do not mistake my doubts," he says as he distractedly continues to clean himself. "There is no doubt that I want you, no other. Do we want the same future? The future I want is with Ruby West. Today I have no greater ambitions. I am certain that some day I will acquire higher aspirations, just as I am certain achieving them would be meaningless without my partner, friend and lover." Jake stops washing and fixes his gaze back on her. "There can be no one better for me than you, it is as simple as that."

Ruby sits quietly again, listening to Jake pour his heart out while she lazily rubs soap over herself. But she has a hard time trying to keep the smile off her face as Jake's words warm her heart. She looks into his twinkling eyes from across the distance between them. "You feel so far away," she smiles. "But you seem like you're in a good mood now baby."

"And why not, I have everything I desire. Don't I?"

"Yes," Ruby's soft smile grows, "You have me. What else do you need?" Ruby gets back to scrubbing, a little rougher to get the tough spots of mud off. Finally she pulls her knees up to her chest, wraps her arms around her bubbly legs and rests her wet head on her knees. Staring at Jake with her big green eyes she continues, “So, what do you think is going to happen to us, Jake?”

"We are going to live happily ever after princess. I mean, why not? Even if I do not have everything figured out, the desire is there."

“I think you have things figured out pretty well, Mr. Cook. You have all the advantage over me, you always have.” Ruby gazes at the flickering candle and Jake notices her face go a little blank before she snaps back into reality. She keeps her head on her knees and smiles softly as she continues.

“You know, you’ve left me twice. You left me here in Promise City twice to go see Red in Tucson without bringing me with you. I didn’t know if you would come back. I hoped and maybe even prayed in my own way, that you would. And you did. You proved that you would. And I love you for that.” Ruby is silent for a moment. “But I let you go.”

Her eyes wander up to meet Jake’s. It is obvious by the look in his face he doesn’t know where she is going with her speech. “Jake, you say I am free to do what I want, but I’m not. I’m not free, after today I realize that, even after this mornings declarations of feeling free. Even if I could make myself leave, you have me caught in your spell.” Ruby looks away from Jake’s gaze. “Earlier you made it so I couldn’t leave. You said some things… you drank yourself into oblivion…” Ruby sighs lightly but her small smile remains. “I don’t mean to relive it. You just took what I thought I needed to do in a bad way.”

“My point is, I am not as free as you think I am, or even as I thought I was. You didn’t want me to leave, I know. And you made it so I really wouldn’t, because I love you and don’t want to hurt you, don’t want you to think I’m testing you and didn’t want you to think there was a chance I wasn’t coming back.” She looks into his eyes again. “But it’s ok. I don’t want you to want me to leave. I want you to try to stop me, to make sure I don’t do something silly. So now that I think about it, I really don’t mind so much. It means that you care about me. But to think that I’m free would be foolish on both of our parts. To me, what we have is like what goes with the ring, just without having the ring. We’ve already promised each other so much more than what the ring carries with it. So... I'm not free, but that's the POINT. I WANT it that way.”

Before Jake can interrupt Ruby continues, “I promised you forever and I meant it. I fully intend to keep that promise, to do whatever I can to make sure it happens. Our future is simple, it’s the same, it’s the one that both of us are in together. I know that now. I accept you don’t want to get married to me and it’s ok. I guess I have my silly reasons for wanting to but I don’t need to. I guess I thought it would be some grand adventure for Jake and Ruby to take, the dream ending, or beginning, to my fairy tale of us. The one I really never dared to dream before. The Princess and her Knight in shining armor live happily ever after," Ruby smiles, "Just like you said."

"But YOU are so much more important to me than any want that I have. And even more important than some needs I THINK I have,” she says as a small laugh escapes her lips. “So the thing is, you are happy as we were. I’ve given you all my love and my heart and my soul, everything I can give. So there is no where else to go for us. Which is good because you like it that way. And I do too.” She shrugs. “You have me, you have everything you want. So our happy ever after has already begun. I’m not going anywhere, ever, and nothing is going to change.” Ruby pauses. “Well, I guess eventually I will grow old and things will sag. Maybe. So I guess that will change. But none of the other stuff.”

“So you see, you DO have it all figured out. You have everything you want and need. Which is why I can see now you wouldn't want to take a chance on change.” Ruby hasn’t moved though her whole little speech, she just keeps smiling and keeps her twinkling eyes on Jake.

Jake watches her as she talks, never taking his eyes off her. "I think you just said you are happy. All that makes me extremely happy. That is a far cry from what you were saying to me this morning, telling me you need to go away and think about your future." He raises his hand to stop her from speaking, "Yes, I know I did not give you time to explain yourself. I just heard you were leaving and I just could not face it. Comparing that to when I went to Tucson is not quite the same. If you had said you needed to visit your sick Aunt Edna in Flagstaff I would not have reacted the same way." He smiles again. "I AM sorry about this morning. I do want you to feel free, not too free mind you,” he chuckles, "But free enough to travel if you need to, free enough to have some time to yourself if you need it. As long as you promise me you are coming back." He pauses and the smile fades. "What you said now is a big change from what you said this morning. I ... I hope that it is, but are you sure your heart is made up?"
“Yes Jake, my heart is made up.” Ruby shrugs, keeping her head on her knees, but a smile comes to her face, “We’re meant to be, no matter how hard we try to screw things up.”

Then she hugs her knees tighter, sighs and looks away from Jake. “I know what I said is different than what I said earlier. It’s my head that seems to have problems understanding. It’s my head that is making me crazy. My heart says ‘Just love him Ruby West and let him love you. It’s simple, you don’t need anything more’. But my head keeps finding ways to doubt, to confuse things, to not understand, to fight what my heart is telling me is right.” She looks back to Jake, “So what am I to do?”

Jake gives her a cat ate the mouse grin and replies, "Listen to your heart, we will figure out the rest as we go along."

"This coming from the boy that plans and plots everything as much as he can?" Ruby gives a small laugh before sighing again. "I've been trying that, it doesn't really seem to be working, does it?"

Jake stands up abruptly and the water runs off him back into the tub. "I have explained that before, I plan when I have to and just take it as it comes when I do not." He steps out of the tub and grabs for a towel. "I know you feel some anxiety, but I thought otherwise things were working, that you and I were good together." He dries his hair with the towel. "We have come a long way, you and I, in many ways. And yes, we have a ways to go as well." He wraps the towel around his waist and sits on a nearby stool. "I have tried to give you everything you have desired. I know I have messed up sometimes, but I have tried to make good of it, tried to show you that you can trust me, that I will not leave you." He runs his fingers through his wet hair, combing it back. "I admit I over reacted this morning, I should have trusted you more. I will. When I first met you, I was so sure I would lose the best thing ever to happen to me... well it has taken me a while to let that fear go away and I have, some, um, short lapses."

He plants his hands on his thighs and continues. "Do you believe that I do not think you are good enough? Is that it?" Jake shakes his head. "No, Ruby, I am just not as certain as you that the institution of marriage is beneficial. I have tried to explain it, and each time I end up offending you and making you think somehow you are not good enough." He looks around suddenly wishing for a drink. "For now, I am done explaining. It just makes matters worse. I am just going to ask you to believe I am doing what I think is best for us right now. Time will go by and perhaps I will come to see things your way, or you will come to see things my way. Or maybe we will never agree on that matter. Either way we will still see things together."

Ruby shivers, suddenly feeling the now cool water. She climbs out of the tub and wraps herself in the big fluffy bathrobe that Laurie had laid out. She leans her head forward, drying off her long hair before wrapping it up in a towel. A couple of times she looks like she will speak, but she remains quiet. She pulls her clean clothes out and lays them on the counter. Without looking at Jake she says softly, “I’m very tired, it’s been a long day and every muscle in my body hurts. I want to go home.”

Jake nods, finishes drying and gets dressed silently, as does Ruby. Jake waits while Ruby peeks upstairs to speak with Laurie. He can hear the two women’s voices but cannot hear what they are saying. Ruby descends the stairs but says nothing and they return to the Lucky Lady in silence.

Once they are back Ruby pulls her dress off but leaves her white lacy undergarments. She sits at her vanity and mindlessly brushes her long damp hair, lost in thought. She stares off into the mirror but isn’t looking at anything as her arm moves up and down, up and down. Eventually she finishes and she crawls into bed, pulling the sheet up high around her.

Finally she speaks, her tone weary. “You told me that we could talk about anything as long as I wanted for as many times as I wanted and now you are saying there is something you won’t talk about.” She pauses for a moment. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore either, I don’t want to because it hurts when we do.” Silence again. Ruby rolls to her side and pulls up her knees, cuddling with her pillow.

Jake sighs, "You are right I did. I just became frustrated because I cannot seem to talk about it without making you angry, upset or hurt." He pulls his boots off and falls into the stuffed chair. "I stand by what I told you the first time, I will do my best to answer your questions." He rubs his eyes and face and then drops his hands on the arms of the chair.

“No Jake, I don’t want to talk anymore.” With that Ruby turns her back and shuts her eyes tight.

Jake sits in the chair a while, watching her. When he decides she is not getting up again to talk, quietly slips into bed. "Good night princess," he whispers so low that the words hardly make a sound.

Aftermath Part IV

Ruby tosses and turns in the bed, unable to sleep or even rest. Her mind swirls with thoughts, good and bad. Instead of continuing to lie restlessly she slides quietly out of bed, careful not to wake Jake. She grabs the throw that is curled in a ball on the chair by the window and wraps it around her shoulders as she makes her way downstairs. The saloon is quiet, as are the streets. She guesses it’s about 2 am by the position of the moon and stars.

She unlocks the front door and ends up on the porch swing. She swings for a bit before she pulls up her feet and wraps the blanket tighter around herself. Staring up at the stars she smiles. The stars in the night sky always calm and relax her. As she looks up into the darkness she says wearily, “Maybe you’d better give me a hint...” It isn’t long before her tired, achy body tells her what to do. Her head slumps over and she falls into a deep sleep.

Jake only sleeps lightly as she tosses about the bed. He wakes when she gets up, but doesn't stir. Assuming she is coming back shortly, he waits while staring at the ceiling. Time goes by and he gets concerned. He rises, pulls on a pair of pants and wakes the dogs. He goes down stairs and looks for her; it takes a while before he notices the door open and her asleep on the swing. She seems peaceful enough. He gets a half bottle of whiskey and sits against the porch support with the dogs at his feet watching her sleep.

Some time goes by before Ruby slowly opens her eyes, the stars still watching over her. She stretches and considers going back to her bed when she sees her lover sitting not too far away, their puppies curled up around him. A small smile comes to her lips, and she tilts her head to get a better view of him. “I had a dream,” she says quietly, arching her back to get more comfortable, “I dreamed about Jimmy.”

"That is not normally a good thing." He tilts the bottle back and has a sip.

“No, not normally.” The smile stays on her face. “It wasn’t a good dream either, but it was good I had it.” Ruby stands and stretches one more time, revealing a peek at her belly as she reaches for the stars. She takes the few steps towards Jake then slides into his lap, taking the bottle from him and having a drink. Just like the old days the straps of her top fall off her shoulders. Looking deep into his eyes she continues, “It reminded me how we were together, how he used me and hit me and never respected me, lied to me and cheated me and things even worse than that.”

She pauses for a moment before the corner of her lips turn up just a tad more. ”And I dreamed about you too. How you never ever once did any of those things to me. All the things you HAVE done for me, you watch out for me, protect me, make me happy in most anyway you can, risk your live for me, make me smile and laugh, love me, adore me.” Ruby can’t break her stare on Jake and she continues to look at him with big eyes.

“I am so lucky to have you Jake. I love you, I am totally crazy IN love with you and I will ALWAYS love you. And maybe one day you will want to share with me the one thing we don’t share now, your name.” She pushes a stand of wayward hair out of his eyes. “Maybe you won’t.” She shrugs but the easy smile is still on her face. “Either way, we’re meant to be. Sharing your life is more important to me than sharing your name." She drapes her arms around Jake's neck, "I decided we’re going to have a great life together Mr. Cook.”

Jake listens carefully as she speaks, watching her eyes, her lips, the way her hair falls across her face. He nods when she finishes. "You decided that, huh?" Jake laughs. "Seems like a prudent decision all things considered. You know, I am SO pathetic when I am miserable, I do not see that you have any other choice." He snaps his finger against the side of the bottle and it makes a small 'ting', "Here is to a great life together."

Ruby’s smile drops slightly, “Are you miserable Jake?”

"No, far from it. I would be if you really left me. I do not mean a visit to Aunt Edith or anything. So unless you want all that guilt hanging over your head about me moping around and acting so pathetic," Jake tries to gives her a pout but cannot hold it and instead it turns into a smirk, "You are stuck with me."

Ruby giggles, “Stuck with Silver Jake Cook. Look at the fortune I have.” Her giggles die down and Ruby, while still smiling, appears more serious. She picks the whiskey bottle up and holds it in the air, “To a great life together.” Ruby takes a long drink from the bottle then holds it to Jake’s lips, letting him take a drink too. “And now we kiss on it lover, to appease the goddess Aphrodite, who is apparently still looking after us.” Ruby shakes out her hair around her, then pulls herself a little closer to Jake while placing the bottle next to them on the ground. “Unless you protest…”

"Protest? I cannot, for I am helpless before the power of your lips."

Ruby wraps her hands behind Jake’s neck and slowly pulls him to her with anticipation, keeping her sparkling green eyes locked on his. In her gaze is everything Jake needs to know, her love and desire for him, her adoration, her new found assurance and complete trust and faith in him. In her hazel eyes twinkle the old Ruby, yet somehow Jake can see she is different, changed.

The kiss to seal their fate waits on Ruby’s full lips only for Jake to take it.

Jake hesitates for a moment, absorbing the scene like one would a sumptuous meal laid out by a master chef. Though hesitant to disturb the marvelous image, he knows that taking will be even more delectable. Once again, what he desires is right before him, the promise and the kiss. I am indeed a fortunate man, he thinks. A small voice inside him replies, Perhaps lucky is more accurate. Jake ignores the unbidden thought from wherever it came and presses his lips against hers, willingly and eagerly sealing the pledge.

Ruby’s lips tingle as Jake kisses her and she leans further into his arms and his kiss. It is passionate and tender all at once, warm soft lips yearning for each other, making promises without words. Ruby is weakened and exhilarated at the same time and when she finally pulls back from the kiss all she can gasp breathlessly is “Oh.”

"Now that the goddess is appeased we can go upstairs and appease each other, unless you would just rather look at the stars some more..."

Ruby nods, "I like love looking at the stars, but not as much as I love making you happy." She picks herself up off the ground and offers Jake her hand with a smile. Once Jake is up Ruby pulls him to her. "I love you Jake Cook, don't ever forget it."

Jake scoops a giggling Ruby up in his arms and carries her through the door way, waiting for the dogs to follow him before he kicks the door closed. "I have a pretty good memory for things important to me, not likely I will forget." At the bottom of the stairs Jake stops and looks up. Chuckling, he places her feet back on the ground. "If I carry you up two flights I will be too winded for anything else for a bit. That would be a darned shame."

Ruby’s heart felt light, even if Jake thought she was too heavy to carry up the stairs. "You are right darling, it would be a shame." Ruby kisses Jake, lifts her underskirt then runs up the stairs, the puppies nipping at her feet as she does.

When she gets to the room she turns backwards and falls to the bed, laughing, waiting for Jake. He arrives right behind her and tells the jumping and yipping puppies, "Go lay down, roll over, play dead or something...." He untangles her from the blanket she is wrapped in, and climbs up into bed with her not speaking. He lets his touch communicate, feeling like words are done, like words were just not enough. Jake and Ruby do their best to appease each other, to consummate their pledge again and all becomes right in their little world.

The next morning Ruby starts to wake, but she does not open her eyes. Instead she snuggles closer to Jake, as if that was possible. She was sure he would be tired today, maybe even cranky. They stayed up late enjoying each other and then she refused to let go of him all night. She breathes his scent in deeply, so familiar and yet it was like everything was new for her. She wasn’t sure how one dream and one night could change everything so drastically, and really, nothing had changed, but it was all different for her now.

Some time goes before there was a light knock at the door. Ruby smiles and gets out of bed, taking the blankets with her. Returning from the door with a rib eye and a bourbon in her hands she kneels next to Jake on the bed. “Time to wake up baby. Breakfast is served.”

"Huh?" Jake groans and wipes his still closed eyes with a hand. It does not seem to help. He does not even try to stifle the large long yawn followed by a breath drawn deeply through his nose. "Hmmm...." he finally says taking in the aroma of freshly seared steak and one eye cracks open. “Ah," the other eye opens to join the first one, "Some of my most favorites all assembled and waiting together for me." He slowly sits up and slides back against the head board. He takes the glass from her, has a sip with a loud, "Ah." He gives her back the glass, plants a kiss on her lips and takes the plate. He greedily cuts a piece and stuffs it in his mouth. He points at the plate with the knife and asks with his mouth full, "Want some? It is not chocolate cake but it is good."

“No baby, I’d rather you enjoy it,” Ruby smiles softly. She snuggles back into bed while Jake scarffs his steak, holding his glass ready for when he needs it. “So…I have a question for you.” She reaches up her arms and pulls her ruby and diamond ring off her left ring finger. Holding it up for Jake to see she says, “I’m just not sure which finger will be lucky enough to wear this. What do you think I should do with it?”

Jake cuts and eats another large slice of the steaming meat while his eyes go from her hand to her ring and back several times. After he places the knife and fork on his plate, he reaches out and takes the ring from her. Admiring it while he finishes chewing, he is also watching her attempt to remain patient. Finally he says, "It was a gift, once given it is yours to do with as you will." He reaches out and takes her left hand and places it back on her third finger. "It fits there, I do not expect it to have any competition, so leave it there if that makes you happy. If people think it means that you are taken, well let them because you are." Jake releases her hand and goes back to working on his steak.

Ruby stares at the ring now rightly residing on her left hand ring finger. She beams as it sparkles back at her before letting her arm fall back to the bed. She is quiet for long moments while Jake eats his steak, occasionally handing him his whiskey. Suddenly she makes a quick movement and reaches for something under her pillow. She retrieves the item she was looking for, a book. She waits patiently for Jake to finish his steak before reaching out to hand him the book.

He looks down and reads, "William Shakespeare." He looks up and smiles. "Our story has a happier ending than this one."

“Oh but baby… our story is just beginning…” she replies returning the smile. She snuggles up next to him, putting her head in his lap as he places his plate on the nightstand and begins reading “Romeo and Juliet.”

Ruby listens carefully to the story for a while but she is soon mesmerized by Jake’s voice as he reads. So calming and peaceful it was to her, she knew it was home and all she ever needed was him. She snuggles her head closer and closes her eyes. Suddenly she interrupts him, sitting up on her elbows urgently, yet still smiling, “Do you still love me today baby?” She pauses, “Or maybe I should say… how much do you love me today baby?”

"Just when it seems I could not possibly want or love you any more, a new day dawns and there it is, that greedy Jake Cook wants you and needs you even more."

She thinks for a moment before her grin turns cocky, "Good answer." She leans forward and kisses Jake, long and soft before settling her head back in Jake's lap. Yes, everything was right again in their little world.

After their return from Thomaswell and her talks with Jake, it was obvious to the companions that singer and saloon girl Ruby West had changed. If she was afraid of Colin Turner she wasn’t showing it. Her old confidence and fire returned, she was more laid back and relaxed than she had been in a very long time.

What she was showing was a newfound confidence in her relationship with Jake. She was also relaxed with him and there was something strong and sturdy about them now. She would stare at him with adoring eyes when she thought he wasn’t looking. Most of the energy she devoted to flirting was now directed at him. She was still friendly and accessible to her clients at the saloon but now there was a certain respectable distance she kept with them.

The next weeks were extremely busy for Ruby, spent practicing songs and dance routines for the Saloon and also overseeing some of the renovations for the Lucky Lady. Along with Jake she had some business discussions with Niles and Job about turning the Lucky Lady into the nicest dance hall, saloon and hotel in Promise City. She started researching expanding their entertainment offering and adding a faro dealer, looking into possible people for the positions.

She had Jake help her read Romeo and Juliet a couple of times in preparations for her putting on the play when the expansion was completed.

She spends more time with Mr. Gonzales training. Now that she is more relaxed she finds she is more interested in learning how to really focus the energy and power inside of her and finds herself drawn to her teacher and his help and guidance. She also spends time with Madge to work on her singing skills, particularly the new ones.

She asks Minerva to teach her how to play the flute, and even though she gets frustrated at having to practice at it she does. She also continues to work with her Spanish friends and Kate on her various language skills. Eventually she tries to translate songs she knows word by word to help her learn. She works with Nanuet to help train her rambunctious puppies, getting them to sit, stay and fetch. Finally she asks Kevin Tomlinson to continue her sword and rapier lessons, figuring it might be helpful in her future endeavors as an actress.

May 15th, the morning of Jake’s birthday Ruby wakes early, excited. She slowly and quietly slips out of bed, hoping Jake won’t wake up. After she quickly dresses she sneaks out of the room.

She rushes over to the Comique where she finds Al Brower. He can see the excitement in her eyes and laughs at her. “I didn’t realize this meant so much to you.” She responds, “Oh, you have no idea Al.” He hands her the key and wishes her luck. They agree to sign the paperwork as soon as Pierre returns from his trip.

Ruby returns to her room in the Lucky Lady, rosy cheeked and eyes twinkling. She sits on the bed next to Jake and caresses his back. “Happy birthday baby," she says softly, "Time to get up.”

He mumbles a response, most of it unintelligible except, ".... my birthday... sleep late..." A few seconds later he pops an eye open in her direction and manages, "G'morning."

"Good morning sleepy head." Ruby leans down and kisses Jake's cheek. "Except it's almost noon. Thought you might not want to sleep the day away. Course, if you do, it's your choice. You get anything you want on your birthday." Ruby pauses. "Well, anything I can give you anyway."

"My birthday..." Jake mumbles again. He rolls over and rubs his eyes. Finally he smiles and says, "My birthday, huh. I got what I wanted already. I beat the odds and made it to twenty-one." He sits up and chuckles.

Ruby gives Jake a soft kiss on the lips. "And I am so glad you did." She smiles and pushes some hair off his face. "So... what do you want to do today? Sleep all day? Maybe take a ride to our favorite spot? I arranged dinner for us tonight. Something special. I'm going to give you your gift at dinner. I hope you'll be able to wait," she giggles.

"Special dinner and a gift, huh?" Jake rubs at his beard pretending to be thinking about it. "Fine, I will wait," he finishes with an exaggerated sigh and laughs. "Leisurely breakfast, a ride to the creek, and then a nap before dinner because it could be a long night."

“Could be?” Ruby laughs, “It’s whatever you wish it to be! I want this to be your best birthday ever!” She stands from the bed. “You stay here, I’ll be right back.”

Ruby hurries downstairs where she has Maria cook up a big breakfast of pancakes and eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, muffins, coffee and juice. She grabs a newspaper and brings it all back upstairs where they enjoy the breakfast together in their cozy bed.

After breakfast Jake leisurely dresses and they ride out to their spot at the creek. They lay about, just chatting and enjoying each other on the beautifully perfect day, alternating between staring at the puffy clouds in the sky and each other. They talk about nothing serious, spending their time laughing and flirting.

When they start to get hungry they ride back and have a small lunch of cheese, bread and fruit. Then they sneak off up to their room and enjoy a decadent hours long snuggly nap.

The sun past being high in the sky and beginning its descent back down when Ruby awakes. Her excitement is growing and she starts getting antsy, wanting to tell all but not wanting to give the surprise away. She notices Jake stirring too so she wakes him with little butterfly kisses. “Time to get up!” she chirps from on top of him. She hops out of bed, probably too enthusiastically. "Darling, what would you like me to wear tonight?" she asks as she rifles through her side of the closet.

"I am quite fond of the black corset and stockings...." Jake turns on his side and props his grinning head up on his hand. "Since you were asking about dinner, wear the green dress."

Ruby smirks, “I can always wear the corset and stocking under the dress. I think that is what I’ll do.” Ruby takes her slow time getting dressed, pretending she doesn’t notice Jake practically drooling as she does. First she does as instructed, donning her black corset, and matching attire. The green dress, Jake’s dress, follows. Once it’s on she runs her hands over her belly, smoothing out any wrinkles so it hugs her curves perfectly. She adjusts her breasts so they swell just right from the bodice. She fixes up her hair, half pinned up with the other half curling down her back. She does her makeup just the way Jake likes it. She touches her heart earrings to make sure they are there and kisses her ruby ring with a loud smooch. Finally she ties a black velvet ribbon around her slender neck.

She turns to face Jake. With her arms out she swings around, "Acceptable?”

"Perfect. A vision."

“Now, I have a couple last minute things to do.” She walks to the small table where Jake notices an envelope. Ruby picks it up and flips it back and forth in her hands. “Take your time getting dressed, wear whatever you want. These are your instructions,” she hands him the envelope. “I hope you will enjoy yourself tonight baby.” She kisses him soft and long on the lips. She smiles over her shoulder as she walks out, swinging her hips.

Smiling, he watches her saunter out. The letter is in Ruby’s neat flowery handwriting and simply says, Meet me at the northeast corner of Fremont Street and Main Street. "I think I can handle this part."

He does as instructed, taking his time getting dressed. He pulls on the dark grey woolen pants with the herringbone pattern and the pale yellow silk shirt. Over the shirt goes the black vest with the diamond shapes make by the silver thread. Before tying the dark maroon scarf around the collar, he tucks his derringer into the back of his pants. He looks at his favored Colt a long minute before he shrugs and leaves it hanging on the bedpost. Lastly the ash grey waist coat goes over the top. He make a quick look in the mirror to comb his hair before heading down the stairs with a spring in his step. It is not long before he approaches the corner as instructed.

Jake arrives at the corner of Freemont and Main. He doesn’t see Ruby, just a twenty-by-twenty-five foot two-story wooden structure. All of the windows have gingham-style curtains on the inside which are drawn shut, but the windows are open and the curtains blow in the breeze, revealing a soft glow. The porch swing rocks back and forth on the same gentle wind squeaking gently to the rhythm.

He glances around looking up and down the street, patiently waiting for Ruby to arrive. Time goes by and he does not see Ruby come to the corner. Getting restless he makes furtive glances into the windows of the building behind him when the light wind parts the curtains.

Jake can only see into the immediate room as he peeks though the curtains. The glow is brighter, coming from through the doorway but Jake cannot discern what it is. The room is all but empty, except for the two familiar puppies investigating the corner of the room. He fishes the note back out of his pocket and rereads it. With a familiar shrug, he stuffs the note back into his pocket. He turns, walks to the door and knocks.

At the knock Jake hears Ruby’s sweet voice faintly call out, “Come on in Jake, it’s open.” With a perplexed look on his face he enters the house.

He pushes open the door to reveal lit candles on the floor, making a path that leads into the next room.

Jake follows the path and in the next room finds a table set for two, covered in the finest linens, china and crystal and more candles. There is a basket of warm bread, a plate with colorful salad and covered bowls with a rich onion scent curling out the sides. Beef scented steam waifs from the kitchen.

His eyes are quickly drawn to the tall curvy redhead, standing in the doorway to another room, leaning up against the wooden frame. She is holding a pie in one hand and a bottle of their favorite Kentucky Bourbon in the other. But what is truly remarkable is neither the bourbon nor the pie, but the fact that she is clad in nothing but a gingham apron. “Welcome home baby,” she smiles mischievously.

He returns her smile. "It is all very appetizing. Yes, it certainly makes me, um," his eyes run up and down her slowly, "Hungry." He manages a short laugh even though his thoughts start to wander elsewhere. "I can honestly say I have a new appreciation for gingham, and your sense of humor." He looks around again but quickly turns back to her, "Home?

“If you like it.” She takes a couple steps towards him, placing the bottle of bourbon and pie on the table. “I hope you do. I think it's perfect.”

He steps forward slowly glancing around the room they are in. He moves close to her and looks over her shoulder and down her backside, "Yes, perfect." With a sharp intake of breath he takes a half step back. "First things first, I should enjoy this fine treat you have provided before anything gets, ahem, cold." He runs a pair of fingers down her arm and licks his lips, "Then you can reveal to me the rest of my presents."

Ruby closes the distance. Placing her hands behind his head, she pulls him to her and kisses Jake, slow and deep. “But don’t you want to look around? I’m really excited.”
Her crooked smile stays put and her hazel eyes twinkle.

His hands are on her waist with his fingers lingering on the skin just beyond the apron. "You are really excited? Heh, you will be lucky if I even notice the house with all this distraction." He lets a hand wander lower. With a slow intake of breath he acquiesces, "Alright you vixen, show me the house."

“Vixen eh?” she continues her devilish smile, knowing full well the effect she is having on Jake, “Well,” she presses her body up against his and runs her finger across his lips in his own familiar fashion, “It IS your birthday… if there is something else you’d prefer to do…” She kisses him again, more urgently then before. With some difficulty she pulls herself back and whispers, “The food…our new home… they’ll wait. The world will wait for us Jacob Cook…” Ruby wraps her arms around Jake’s neck and with a little hop up she jumps into Jake’s arms, wrapping her long legs around his waist.

"First things first then," he repeats, "Which way to our new bedroom?" He carries her in the direction she indicates, though he nearly stays on the stairs with her. He mumbles, "... uh, right, the bedroom," and manages to get the two of them there. Undaunted by the lack of furniture, they enjoy their first private time in their new bedroom. And although he enjoyed the novelty at first, Jake soon decides that the gingham apron is superfluous.

After they are done breaking in their new bedroom Ruby dons Jake’s pale yellow shirt. “I’m not sure it’s my color,” she laughs, spinning happily around in a circle. She stops short, “Wait a minute, everything is my color!” she giggles. “Now let me show you around,” she says, giddily grabbing Jake’s hand and dragging him.

Upstairs has a five foot wide corridor running from the north to south wall. Off from the corridor are four ten-by-ten foot rooms, one of which has army cots, blankets and pillows. “I was thinking we could knock down a wall, well, have Jeff knock down a wall and make us a big bedroom.” When Jake inquires about the cots Ruby tells explains, “Al and Pierre rent this house out to the Promise City hotel when they have too many guests and not enough rooms. Seems we may need another hotel in this town Mr. Cook,” Ruby says with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

They head back downstairs. The first room is ten by fifteen feet, with two doors on both the north on each end and one on the east walls. The room also has the staircase leading up in it. The puppies are asleep in the corner. Ruby opens all the doors, which lead to the other three rooms on the floor, the two on the northwest and southeast corners being ten foot square and the one on the northeast corner being ten by fifteen. That room has a vent pipe for a woodstove and another door to the outside.

“I know, it’s a bit scary, we need a lot of furniture and stuff, um, like a kitchen, and lots of decorating, but what do you think?” She seems nervous waiting for Jake’s response, biting on her finger.

"Scary? How is it scary? Seems like a nice place. Plenty big enough for us." He looks around the first floor again quickly, "Kitchen, dining room, sitting room and a reception area here. Eliminate the back half of the hallway upstairs and merge those two rooms for a big bedroom, put in a door to one of the side rooms for an office and use the last room for a guest room," he adds with a grin, "And extra storage for all your dresses. When do we move in?"

The giddy smile comes back to Ruby’s face as she jumps into Jake’s arms. “I’m so excited!!!” She jumps up and down, her hair wildly bouncing around her, unable to control her happiness. She calms down just a bit and explains, “Well actually it belongs to Pierre and Al. Pierre is out of town right now with Chester but I really wanted to be able to show you for your birthday. So we have the key but we still have to sign the papers. Plus I wanted our names to be on the deed together anyway.” She blushes slightly. “Plus I need you help me pay for it.” She puts on a bit of a guilty smile, “But I did all the work to find it…”

Jake laughs heartily at that, but in a good natured way. "Perhaps you had better feed me before you tell me how much. Though I will grant that I am already in a mighty pleasant mood from the start of the house tour."

“Oh,” Ruby adds quickly, “We’ll get a good price from Al, 10% discount even. I just don’t have enough to pay for everything. Especially since this isn’t really your birthday present.” Ruby kisses Jake again then sits him at the table. She says a simple word as she moves her hand over the table. Immediately the candles relight and the soup starts steaming again. With a satisfied ‘humph’ and a shrug of her shoulder she heads momentarily back into the kitchen.

Jake blinks a couple of times at the candles. He reaches his hand over to touch the soup urn, pulling it back and sucking on his fingers that were almost burnt from the heat. He shudders once and utters a nervous laugh. He composes himself just before Ruby returns.

She reemerges with two glasses of ice. “I’m guessing you’d prefer bourbon with dinner instead of wine?” as she holds up and shakes the bottle of Kentucky Bourbon.

"Heh," is all he says and smiles eagerly. "After all this there is more?"

“This?” Ruby looks confused as she pours two generous glasses of bourbon. “This is just dinner Jake. We have to eat, right?”

"I meant after the nice little welcome, the house and all this food, there is still more." He raises his glass to her and indicates she should sit, which she does.

Relaxed and as if they have all the time in the world Jake and Ruby enjoy their dinner. They start with a rich onion soup, followed by a colorful salad and fresh baked rolls and cornbread, and finally the main course of Jake’s favorite, rib eye steak, baked potato and honey glazed carrots. They chat about the house and what they might like to do with it, having to get furniture and decorate. They both decide they’d like to move in as soon as possible.

After they finish dinner Ruby announces, “Now, it’s really time for your birthday presents.” Ruby reaches under the table and retrieves two wrapped gifts. Wrapped in colored paper Jake notices they are not wrapped very well but both have ribbons tied into bows with flowers attached. “I wrapped them myself,” Ruby says proudly. “Open this one first.” She hands him the first gift, a large sized rectangular box.

Jake smiles pleasantly at the wrap job. He pauses holding the box for a second, apparently lost in thought. He says, "Ruby, I... um, thanks." and opens the intricately designed box to find a brand new, long barreled, pearl handled, shiny Colt sitting inside deep red velvet.

“I know it’s not your baby, but it can be second best,” Ruby smiles. Jake lifts it out of the box to inspect the shiny new gun and he notices an inscription on it. One side says, “To JC and Starry Nights” and the other side says, “All My Love, Your Princess, RW.” “Pierre has been instructed to fix it up to your liking.” Ruby pauses. “I know it might seem strange to put that inscription on a gun, but it’s to remind you why you might need to use it. To GET you to the starry nights. And to me. To me and the starry nights,” she smiles softly. "Because starry nights mean nothing to me without you now baby."

"It is beautiful." He turns it over in his hands several times, examining it closely. He feels the weight, tests the balance, spins the cylinder and tests the hammer. "It is a fine weapon." He runs his hand across the smooth, luminescent grip and stops to read the inscription again. "Starry nights.... nothing strange about it, makes perfect sense to me." He swallows, blinks and says, "Thank you princess."

Ruby looks momentarily confused. “What’s wrong, you don’t like it?”

"Wrong?" He clears his throat. "No, nothing is wrong. I really do like it." He rubs a hand over each eye, one at a time. "I guess it was a while since somebody game me a birthday present, especially something with as much thought as this...." Jake clears his throat again, "You go telling anyone I got all choked up and I will deny it." He wags his finger at her before finally laughing.

“Oh honey,” Ruby says softly, as she stands from her chair. She slides into Jake lap and wraps her arms around his neck. “I won’t tell anyone, I promise. I just wanted to get you something very special, you deserve it. Dinner, well, we would have eaten anyway. The house, that was not really a present. I mean, we would have done this,” she waves her arm around the room, “Anyway. I just saved you the trouble of letting me drag you all over the city looking,” she laughs. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get you the real thing I wanted to get you, which is in the other package. So I got the gun.” She looks him in the eyes. “I am glad you like it and know you will treasure it.”

“Anyway, time for your last present!” Ruby reaches across the table where the last gift is waiting. It is wrapped even worse than the first, probably because of its strange shape, small and cylindrical. As Jake opens Ruby explains, “In all fairness, while this is from me, Mr. Gonzales sorta… helped. I wanted you to have this for a specific reason, it means a lot to me.” Ruby waits until Jake tears the paper off the package, where he find three vials tied together. Each vial has a different colored lid. “I wanted you to specifically have this one.” She points to the blue cork. “It’s to prove to you that I won’t ever leave you. No matter where I go, if you drink this, you’ll be able to find where I am.” She smiles, “So you can always follow.”

"I feel a bit guilty accepting it. You know I want you to know I trust you." He puts his fingers on her lips before she can speak, "But I WILL accept it. Since it means so much to you, and you just never know how it might come in handy." He slowly removes his fingers and asks, "What about the other two?"

“Don’t feel guilty!” Ruby quickly sputters. “I know you trust me. Maybe it’s because I don’t trust me,” she giggles. “So anyway, the other two are more than I even asked for, so I guess you could kinda say they are also from Mr. G. The red cork,” she points to it, “Is an elixir that when you drink it you can hear whatever is going on at a certain place. And the one with the purple top, that one is a combination of the first two. Only it isn’t an unlimited distance like the other two are. Um, I think he said 100 miles?” She stops to ponder for a moment, then shrugs. “I know you don’t like using,” she whispers the next word softly, “Magic,” she bops his nose with her finger, “But these could be very useful for you for sure.”

Jake tries hard to suppress his shudder when she speaks the word and touches his nose. "I am trying harder. It is not so bad when I know what is happening. Like with this ring," he holds up his hand, "It can actually be fun falling without getting hurt. Um, well, you know what I mean." He points back to the purple cork. "Do you mean to say that if I did NOT know where you were, but you happened to be within 100 miles and I drank this, this potion?" He asks looking for proper word but does not stop for an answer, "I could know where you are AND hear what is happening there?"

“Yes,” Ruby nods. “Because you know me. With the blue one you can focus on a place you know or a person you know and be able to see it, see the place or see around the person. Although Mr. G said you can’t see if it’s really dark. But there is no limit on distance. And the red the same thing but you can hear. I wouldn’t mix those two though. The purple one he made special so they would work together. So yeah, you could see me and hear me too.”

Jake whistles and delicately touches the vials. "Time to lock these up and keep them safe."

Ruby smiles widely, “Does that mean you like them then?”

"It is not fun like a bottle of bourbon or a gingham apron, but it is comforting." He smiles and kisses her arm which is still draped about his neck. "The less I have to worry, the more fun we can have. So, yes, I like them."

“Good.” Ruby looks around the room with a satisfied smile. “Well, I am sorry to say I have nothing left to give you, no more presents. Unless of course you count your shirt,” she grins, “And that you’re going to have to TAKE back,” she giggles before nuzzling Jake’s neck. She plants some butterfly kisses on his neck, then his shoulder and begins working towards his chest.

He lets her continue on for a little while before thrusts his arm under her legs and staggers to a standing position from the chair. "I do like unwrapping presents," he twirls her in the direction of the stairs and laughing climbs them again. As he stumbles to the floor with her in his lap he says, "This room is working out just fine. Now about that shirt..."

It had been a long while since the sounds of life and laughter had been heard in the house on the corner of Freemont and Main. But anyone walking by that night heard the new homeowners, and the faint sounds of the Happy Birthday song being sung over and over and over accompanied by giggles and all other sorts of sounds of pleasure and happiness.

Aftermath Part V

FLASHBACK to earlier that week....

In the week before his birthday Ruby, on a quest to find Jake the best birthday presents she can, waits patiently until Jake has left the Lucky Lady Saloon, off for some target practice.

She hurries downstairs, stopping at the bar to speak to Niles. "Morning," she says cheerily, "I hope you're doing well? I have a question for you." She flashes him her dazzling smile while waiting for his response.

He replies, "As well as can be expected what with Jeff Mills out of town with Deputy Martin. It's made for extra work for Harry, Nanuet and myself. I never realized exactly how much work that Jeff does around here, he makes it seem so effortless."

He smiles and says, "Well Miss. Ruby, what exactly can I do for our Lucky Lady?"

Ruby laughs, “And Thom is certainly no Jeff, but at least he tries.”

Ruby moves a bit closer to the bar and leans over partially. “Well, I was wondering if you’ve heard any rumors around, or know of anyone having a place available.” She looks around the saloon to make sure no one is in earshot. She continues in a whisper, “A house, I’m looking for home, some place besides here Jake and I can live.”

"A house? Well, let's see. Al owns a place that he's not using. It's on the northeast corner of Fremont and Main right across the street from the Comique. He and Pierre Jaquet originally purchased it to use for their own house but they've opted to remain at the Golden Eagle Boarding House instead. I guess they must really like Hannah Milford's cooking. Can't say that I blame them, Harry and I both roomed at the Golden Eagle before you convinced us to move in here."

“Al… really? Hmmm…” Ruby has that ‘I’m thinking-daydreaming’ face on as her thoughts drift. She snaps out of it, “That’s right down the street from here, that would be perfect! I really do need to see him then. Perhaps when he comes in for dinner tonight I’ll catch him. If you see him can you please mention I need to speak with him?”

"Oh yes, I'll do that, but I really don't expect to see him until after the Gun Shop closes up. He's working it alone this week with Pierre out of town."

“Good point. Well,” Ruby reaches out and puts her hand on Hoover’s, “Thank you Niles, you’ve been a huge help. I don’t know what we would do without you!” she calls back over her shoulder as she saunters her way out of the Saloon.

She meanders the familiar path from Main to Freemont to South Street, ending with the well known Cantina. Ruby bounces into the El Parador with a happy smile on her face and she glances around for Dorita.

Neither Pedro or Dorita appear to be around. Two dwarves are sitting at a table drinking beer. The only employee around is one of the Ramirez brothers, standing behind the bar. He initial thought is that it is Jose, as he often tends bar. She then notices the pressed shirt and vest, realizing that it is instead Jose's twin brother Carlos, who generally just runs a table of poker and three-card-monte games in the evenings.

Ruby approaches the bar. “Buenas tardes Señor. Where are Dorita and Pedro this fine morning?” She looks around the bar then giggles. “Oh, excuse my rudeness. How are you today Carlos? You’re up early.”

"Si, too damned early if you ask me," he states. "Pedro asked me to come over this morning....no, actually he asked Juan. But that good-for-nothing brother of mine never came home last night so I had to fill in. Pedro and Dorita are over at Father Valdez's house. Today is the anniversary of her Mother's death and they go there to say prayers."

Ruby’s face turns solemn. “Oh, I didn’t know. How sad. Today would not be a good day to ask for a favor then.” Then a small smile returns to her face. “It seems you can always count on your brother, eh Senor?”

Carlos says, "Yes, well hopefully this time a jealous husband won't come gunning for him and shoot at me instead. You remember that incident from last January don't you?"

“Yes, actually I do. We had to tie the guy to a chair if I recall. Your brother and his wandering ways," she says, shaking her head, "Which lucky lady is he romancing now?”

“He's seeing Trisha Crichton, the cook and waitress over at the Rio Grande Hotel. Don't spread that one around. Trisha and the Rio Grand's owner Peter Lovelace aren't married or anything but they do have some sort of a relationship. I'm not quite sure how she's managing to keep her thing with Juan quiet, as she and her father Jonah both live in the back room of the Rio Grande."

Ruby shakes her head. “One of these days your brother is really going to get himself… and you… in real trouble. What’s he got anyway, that all the girls are falling all over him?” Ruby pauses and laughs, “Wait! Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know.”

“Alright, I should get going. I want to do something for Dorita now I know about her mother.”

He suggests, "Just drop by Valdez's church and say a prayer. That would probably mean more to her than anything else."

“Really? I uh… will think about it, thanks.” She bids Carlos good day and heads off.

Ruby wanders out into the grove, to a spot she knows pretty flowers grow. She hums to herself as she picks a variety of wildflowers, making a small natural bouquet. When she is satisfied with it she debates, just bring it back to the El Parador or stop by Valdez’s church. She decides, since she is already in the grove of the church to stop in, it won't kill her. She adjusts her dress, smoothing it and her hair down the best she can and enters the church.

Ruby quickly discovers that she is the only human in the church at the moment, the other dozen or so people all being wood elves. At the front of the church Dorita, Pedro, and three other elves of approximately the same age are seating with Father Valdez and holding hands together. They all have their eyes closed and are praying in a language that is neither English or Spanish. Seated in the pews behind them are another five elves a generation younger than those in the circle, also with their eyes closed.

Manuel Gonzales is seated by himself in the back row of the church. His head was also down but he turns it and gives a half-hearted smile to Ruby as she enters.

She respectfully smiles back then stands next to the pew he is in. “May I?” she whispers, pointing to the seat next to him.

He nods and gestures for her not to speak.

She nods in return. She sits quietly next to him in the pew, a very unfamiliar place to her to be. She twists the flower stems in her hands as she looks around, barely remembering the church from her first visit inside. She pays close attention to the ceremony, even though she doesn’t know what they are saying she can feel the emotions.

After a while Gonzales taps her shoulder. He gestures to the flowers and motions that she should bring them up front.

At that point Valdez says something loudly which the others all repeat. They open their eyes and raise up their heads.

Ruby rises from her seat next to Gonzales and slowly walks up the main aisle. She feels a bit timid as she walks, not wanting to ruin the sanctity of the ceremony and not knowing what to do. She reaches the front and stands near Dorita, not speaking but holding out the small bouquet of flowers to her.

Dorita takes the flowers. She smiles, as does Pedro. Dorita says, "Thank you for showing your respects." She then turns back towards the Priest, handing him the flowers. He starts to say another prayer and they all bow their heads.

Ruby’s not sure what to do, so she bows her head for a few moments before heading back to the seat next to Mr. Gonzales. She sits next to him quietly for some long moments while continuing to watch what they are doing up front. Why did she give the flowers to the Priest? They were for her. Her instincts take over and she closes her eyes. She says some prayers to Aphrodite, to watch over Dorita and her family, continuing to bless them with love and happiness. More time goes by before she opens her eyes again.

Gonzales notices that she is done. He gestures for her to stand and depart, with him following her. Once they are outside of the church he says, "Thank you so very much. That was most kind of you to come. It will mean a lot to Pedro and Dorita, as it does to myself."

Ruby smiles warmly and touches his arm. “Of course. If I had known sooner I would have brought Jake with me too. I am sure he would have liked to pay his respects to your other bird of prey with me. It just happened I was stopping by to ask Dorita for a favor and Carlos told me. I am glad he did. One day you will have to tell me more about her.”

"What is to say, my Francesca Justina was the apple of my eye. No parent will admit to having a favorite child, but in truth she was. So full of life and energy. You remind me much of her. She and her brother Ramon would have followed me anywhere and they did.

That day twenty-nine years ago was the worst of my life. He should have killed me as well, and could have, but he knew exactly how much my children meant to me. Letting me live was his way of causing me further suffering. My other daughter, Eldora, has not spoken one word to me since that day. That was her seating inside beside Dorita. Her children, as well as those of Ramon, all blame me too. Being here is very hard on me and your well wishes have helped to make today more bearable. Thank you my Golden Eagle."

“That’s horrible.” Ruby is quiet, not knowing what to say. “I am honored that you compare me to your beloved daughter, teacher, and that I am your Golden Eagle now.” Ruby steps closer and hugs Gonzales tight. Her speaking muffled with her face pressed against his shoulder she says, "And while I don't know all the details I am sure you would never put your children, your apprentices, your family or your friends in any danger if you could help it."

He gives her a very, very long hug in return without saying a word. He finally breaks the embrace and says, "Thank you sweet child, you have no idea how wonderful it is to hear you say that. I need to go back inside now."

Ruby nods. “I will see you later. I will also try to visit Dorita soon.” She waits until Gonzales walk back into the church before leaving. She heads back to the Lucky Lady.

She passes the afternoon practicing some songs and also re-reading sections of Romeo and Juliet. She also spends some quality time napping with Jake.

Once dinner time begins she hangs around downstairs, anxiously waiting to see Al Brower.

The Gun Shop closes up at 5:00 P.M. this Tuesday evening and Al Brower is walking through the doors of the Lucky Lady two doors down at 5:01 P.M. He takes his usual table and asks the new man Thom, "What is Maria offering on tonight's menu?" Thom shrugs his shoulders and says, "I go ask." Al says, "Don't bother, I'll have whatever she's made. I haven't had a bad meal from her yet."

Ruby doesn’t waste any time as she walks right over to Brower’s table. “Good evening Mr. Brower, how are you this pleasant evening?”

"Mr. Brower? Why be so formal Ruby, call me Al. I'm doing just fine." Thom brings a plate of barbecue chicken and a baked potato out to Al along with a tankard of beer. "Thank you," he states.

“Welcome,” Thom answers. “Does Pretty Ruby want some too?”

“No thank you Thom. You should have some though, I am sure you are hungry.” Thom eagerly sets off to the kitchen. Ruby laughs and shakes her head, “He has some appetite.”

Al states, “Someday you’ll have to tell me how you left on a vacation and came home with him, practically a giant!”

Ruby laughs again, “Now Al, a girl can’t give away all her secrets, now can she? He may not be smart but he's loyal. A perfect watchman for our second door, once it's completed.” Ruby slides into the seat across from Brower. “So, I hear you have a place you don’t want anymore. A house?”

"A house? Oh, you mean the one across Fremont Street from the Comique. Well, I suppose we no longer need it. Pierre Jaquet and myself originally purchased it to use for our own house but we've never gotten around to leaving the Golden Eagle Boarding House. I can't say we're ever going to either. Between the gun shop, saloon, cigar store and my being here at nights neither of us are around enough to need a house.

Both of our other Comique employees Warren Watson and our singer Clairesse Townsend both live at the Golden Eagle too. Our only employees not there are the gamblers, but the Milfords wouldn't allow a gambler to live there anyway. Hannah Milford's cooking is to die for, too bad she only does breakfast and lunches, although Maria's dinners are very, very good as well.

And Clay Milford makes sure the place is safe. The other tenants are Peter Lovelace of the Rio Grande, that new lawyer's two clerks Hatcher Meeks and Gunther Heppel and the Condon brother's new teller Fletcher Laughton. All four of them are quiet but friendly. Still two vacancies since Harry and Niles moved in here. It'll be interesting to see who the Mildfords bring in to fill those rooms.

Ah, I'm rambling. You were asking about the house. It's empty most of the time. Whenever the Promise City Hotel becomes full we'll rent the building out to Eric and Melissa Smith so they can handle the overflow. That happened last month during the two weeks around the festival. So one room has old army cots, blankets and pillows stacked in it for those times but otherwise the place is empty. We figured that eventually we might want to get a fourth business established there but have about decided that we really don't have the time. What would you want it for? Not another saloon I hope, the Comique has enough competition already."

Ruby laughs, “Oh no, not a saloon. A house, a home actually, for Jake and I. I like my room in the saloon but it’s not like having a real home. Neither of us has had one in a very long time. So I asked around and Niles told me you had a place you might want to get rid of.”

Al replies, "Well, as I said, it's not like I've been anxious to get rid of it, but I wouldn't mind having the two of you for neighbors. Pierre is half owner so I'd have to talk to him about it first, so we'll have to wait until he gets back. I'll stop by the County Claims office tomorrow before I open up to find out what a house like that is selling for these days. Whatever the going rate is I'll knock off ten-percent and it will be yours as long as Pierre agrees."

“That would be great! As long as Pierre agrees that is.” Ruby pauses and taps her lips while she thinks, “Can I see it? I can’t just buy it without seeing it or Jake will laugh at me.” she giggles. “And oh, don’t tell him, I want it to be a surprise for his birthday.”

He replies, "Sure, we can head over there after I finish this fine meal. Do you know what kind of pie Maria might have made today?"

“No, I don’t. But I’ll go find out.” Ruby excuses herself and goes into the kitchen, returning after a few minutes with a large pie of hot apple pie. “Hope you like apples!” she says setting the plate on the table.

"And still hot! Excellent!" he states as he digs in.

Ruby sits again, keeping Al company while he eats. She asks him about his businesses and how he did with the festival.

"It was the best weekend we ever had at the Comique. Did great at the cigar shop too since that emporium only sold tobacco tins and no cigars. Out partner Alton Boyd sold out of his entire stock by early Sunday afternoon. Alton had a large crate of dried tobacco leaves so he bought several tobacco tins from that emporium guy. Alton Pierre and I spent the next two hours rolling up more. Sold all of them as well, even though they weren't of Boyd's usual quality. So our two partners did very well.

We didn't do much business at the gun shop, since all of our best stock had been stolen by the Cowboy Gang a few days earlier and the emporium had a gun dealer with good variety and prices. Adding in the gun shop losses from the robbery Pierre and I pretty much broke even by the time everything was done, and would have had an overall loss if it wasn't for that stolen ammunition that was recovered from the cave."

“That’s great, Al,” Ruby says sincerely. Then she blushes slightly. “You know, I still haven’t gotten around to asking Niles how we did.” She shrugs and grins, “I guess that’s why I’m just the singer. One of these days I will.”

When they are finished with the meal they leave, having to take the long way to Main and Fremont by way of Allen and Sierra for him to stop at the Double Eagle Boarding House to pick up the keys. While he is upstairs in his room Hannah Milford says with some irritation in her voice, "Hello Miss West. I haven't seen much of you since the festival. My husband Clay and I saw a little too much of you then. What on earth made you think that it was appropriate to parade around town naked?"

Ruby smiles easily, “Good evening Mrs. Milford.” She takes a step closer to the woman. “I certainly did not parade around town naked, I preformed in what was clearly stated to be an adult show. And…,” her smile grows wider, “You didn’t get to see any of the good parts anyway, so I was definitely not naked.”

She replies, "I hardly consider a handkerchief attached to a string being clothed. Neither do most of the other decent folks in town. The next time the Vigilance Committee brings up the notion of a dress code I think you'll see a different result due to your performance."

Al soon returns and sensing some heavy tension in the room suggests to Ruby that they depart.

“Perhaps. Or perhaps not, especially considering the majority of this town is not on the Vigilance Committee and I do believe you might find some who enjoyed the performance. Well,” Ruby continues cheerily, “Have a good evening.” She takes Al’s arm and as she walks out she flashes Mrs. Milford a dazzling smile over her shoulder.

Once outside they start the walk to the building. “I hope I didn’t embarrass you,” Ruby says sincerely. “Seems some people decided to skip the warning that night at the festival that the show was for the grown ups.” She sighs, “Plus they seem to forget all the good we do for the town and focus on something they see as bad.”

"Oh, was that about your dance? I guess she's gotten tired of just nagging Niles and Harry about it and decided to go directly to the source. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have brought you in."

They walk down Fremont Street to the Intersection with Main to the twenty-by-twenty-five foot two-story wooden structure. All of the windows have gingham-style curtains on the inside which are presently drawn shut. The main entrance is in the southwest corner on Fremont facing Main which he unlocks with a key.

The first room is ten by fifteen feet, with two doors on both the north on each end and one on the east walls. The room also has a staircase leading up. He opens the doors, which lead to the other three rooms on the floor, the two on the northwest and southeast corners being ten foot square and the one on the northeast corner being ten by fifteen. That room has a vent pipe for a woodstove and another door to the outside.

They head upstairs which leads to a five foot wide corridor running from the north to south wall. Off from the corridor are four ten-by-ten foot rooms, one of which has the aforementioned army cots, blankets and pillows.

He says, "There's not all that much too it. There are fancier houses, we bought it primarily for the location."

Ruby smiles as she walks through, pretending to inspect things closely but really imagining the things she would be doing with Jake in each room. “It’s in wonderful condition. And besides, it doesn’t need to be fancy, I’d rather decorate it myself.” The gingham curtains bring a large smile to her face.

Once they are upstairs Ruby unfastens a curtain and looks outside, down into the street. “It’s really perfect,” she says, looking back at Al. “But seeing it makes me realize how much work this will be. I’m a bit overwhelmed at all that will have to be done. I am afraid I don’t know much about keeping house.”

He replies, "I know. That's one of the reasons that Pierre and I never got around to moving in either. I suppose you could always hire a housekeeper, that's what the Condon brothers, the Hubbards and Fisk do."

Ruby laughs, “Oh yes, I definitely plan on doing that. But I was thinking more of just filling this place with furniture! And the kitchen, have to set that up too. I don’t know anything about kitchens. Oh well, I’ll figure it out I always do.” Ruby turns and faces Al fully. “I’ll take it! I mean, we’ll take it! Oh, I am so excited!” Ruby jumps up and down then hugs Al tightly. Suddenly she pulls back, “If Pierre agrees that is. Do you think he will?”

"Yeah, I suppose he will. As for the furniture I'd suggest you sweet talk Cole Rixton over at Rixton's furniture. I heard that he cut Kate a special deal on furniture for the schoolhouse since like him she was part of 'Dorita's extended family'. Of course, that was back when he was dating Liza Brown and happy about life. Now that she's engaged to Derick Avery he may have a different outlook on life."

“I’ve been told I have a knack for sweet talking, I guess we’ll find out what I can really do,” she chuckles. “But poor guy, I guess that engagement came from the festival?”

Ruby looks around the house, “We’re going to need so much…” Feeling a little overwhelmed she walks back downstairs. She rests her head against a wall and closes her eyes. Again, she pictures her room at the Lucky Lady, then pictures her life with Jake here. Even though some things would be harder, like meals and stumbling home drunk, it just seemed… right… for them to have this place together.

She opens her eyes, “As soon as you can let me know what you’re asking I’d appreciate it. I’d like to surprise Jake on his birthday. I was hoping I could give you a deposit and my word in exchange for the key. I would really like Jake and I to sign the papers together. You know we’re good to our word.”

"Jake's Birthday? When is that?"

“The 15th of May. It’s soon. We both wanted to get a house, I figure the gift is in him not having to do the work to find and procure the place. He still has to pay for it,” she laughs lightly. “I want to get him something else too, but I need someone else’s help and they were busy today.” Ruby walks back into the room that was her future kitchen, trying to put to memory the dimensions. “I’m going to have a party for him the night of Saturday the 20th at the Lucky Lady.” She spins to face Al, “I hope you’ll come?”

"Oh, I'll be there. Tell you what, if Pierre isn't back by say noon on the 15th we'll go ahead and start the deal without him. That way you can at least tell him you've made a deposit on a house. I'm sure Pierre will agree, we just can't legally finalize the deal without his signature."

“I understand. I thought I’d bring Jake by and let him look around, and that would be enough on his birthday. Like I said, I want Jake to be there to sign the papers too but don’t want to tell him before his birthday. So it sounds like a plan.” Ruby offers Al her hand. “Shall we shake on it then?”

"Sure. Stop by the gunshop on the fifteenth and I'll give you the key." They shake on it and part ways.

---------------------------------------------------------------

The next day Ruby again finds an excuse to slip out of the Lucky Lady without Jake, telling him she has a letter to mail at the post office. She hurries over to the El Parador, hoping to find Dorita.

She finds her in the kitchen busy making breakfast. “Buenos Dias Senora. How are you today? Yesterday must have been very trying for you.”

"Si, my aunt and cousins always make the day harder. They not accept Grandfather wasn't at fault. Pedro, Sonoma and I are only family members who speak to him and continue to show our love."

She pauses and then looks up to Ruby stating, "You stopping by with the flowers was thoughtful. Thank you."

"Of course, Dorita," she says sincerely. "I would have liked to bring Jake too to pay his respects but I only found out at the last minute. I really am sorry." There is an uncomfortable moment of silence before Ruby continues.

“Senora, Necesito preguntar un favor, por favor.” (I need to ask a favor, please). “I would like to find a gift for Senor Jake. I was hoping you could help me.”

"Si, what can I help you with? Something special you would like cooked up for him?"

"I do need to have something cooked, that is true. And you are the best cook around...But what I was really hoping for is some tea." She doesn't wait for Dorita to respond. "You have made some special teas before and there is one in particular I am looking for. I need it, it's very important to me. I have heard of it before, when I was younger someone had one. It's a tea that when you drink it you have a vision of where a certain person is. Have you heard of it?"

"Si, I have heard of it. I think it called Elixir of Clairvoyance. I not know how to make it but Grandfather may have recipe for it. I will ask him."

"I would so appreciate it. I can ask him too, if that would be better."

"I do it. Check back later, maybe when you come in for food. You too skinny, Maria not feeding you enough."

Ruby laughs, "Well I guess you'll have to yell at her then, won't you?" She hugs Dorita, "Thank you Senora, for everything. I will check back later for the potion, and I promise I'll eat then too." Ruby bounces out of the Cantina, glad to have Jake's gifts secured.

---------------------------------------------------------

Later that night Jake and Ruby come to the Cantina for dinner. Ruby says to Jake, "I'm going to say hi to Dorita. I'll be right back." She gives him a peck and heads into the kitchen. She finds the elven woman standing at her usual spot at the stove. "Evening Dorita," Ruby smiles, "How did your mission go?"

"Very good, Grandfather says he see recipe in one of new books you find but not sure which book it in. He tearing apart library now looking. Thank you for giving him new thing to do. My Aunt and cousins' visit always upset him terribly. He been hiding in his room since worship service ended yesterday."

"Oh really? Maybe I should go and pay him a visit. I think I will." Ruby pauses, "I know it's not really my business but I wish there was something I could do to help. It's really not fair that they blame your grandfather."

She says, "Well, I can understand why they do. He told them it was all his fault. I know that he never mean for harm to come to mother and uncle, he love them dearly."

Ruby shakes her head. “I guess they are just so angry at losing their beloveds that they need someone to blame. And it IS so like your grandfather to take the blame on himself. I’m going to go up now.”

Ruby stops by Jake momentarily. “Darling I’m going to check on Mr. Gonzales, he’s not feeling well. I’ll be right back, please order for me.”

Ruby heads upstairs and doesn’t bother knocking. She lets herself into her teacher’s room then into the secret room when she does not find him there.

“Teacher?” she calls out, “Where are you?”

He does not immediately answer. She then hears a soft bubbling sound coming from his workshop/laboratory even though the door is shut.

She quietly opens the door to see him in the midst of brewing some sort of elaborate experiment. He has four braziers going, each with a different colored liquid boiling inside. On the table are boxes and bags of various powders, with differing amounts of powder on three different scales. Instead of his regular clothing he has on a heavy leather apron and long leather mittens similar to those that blacksmiths sometimes wear. He also has on a metal helmet with glass visor attached to it, covering his face. On the tables are two different books, each opened and held in place with rocks as paperweights.

Ruby watches in utter curiosity as her teacher plays mad scientist. Colored steam rises from the braziers and a faint odor of some kind of flower Ruby couldn’t place was in the air. She slowly walks forward but does not get too close. She again calls out softly, trying not to startle him, “Teacher?”

He turns and notices her. He commands, "Out, out, and shut the door behind you! I'll be along shortly, this stuff will soon need to simmer a while on low. Too dangerous for you in here right now. Out, out, out!"

Ruby ushers herself quickly out of the room, knowing not to anger her teacher and also knowing to heed his warnings. So while she waits she wanders around the mansion, looking at whatever is around very curiously.

She finds the library a mess, with books piled everywhere. The rest of the mansion is as it should be. After twenty minutes he exits the room. He removes the apron, gloves and helmet and smiles at her stating, "My, you bring about quite a challenge. I've never created any of these elixirs before now."

"Really? I had not realized there was anything you haven't done! But don't you look happy," she smiles at him. "I really do appreciate you making it for me. I know how you feel about Jake and all..." her voice trails off.

"Not happy? I'm delighted! I haven't had this much fun in ages. I thought I'd seen the elixirs listed in one of those books, it turns they were in two but different variations. So I'm mixing them all up to experiment with. One book calls has an Elixir of Clairvoyance, which allows you to see another person. It also has an Elixir of Clairaudience which allows you to hear another person.

The second book has both elixirs but also a variation that claims they are safe to mix and use simultaneously. Mixing potions is always dangerous work, whether in the stomach or in the laboratory, which is why I've taken extra precautions.

As for Mr. Cook, I'm doing this for you, not for him. You are right though, I should really try to mend that broken fence at some point. You are too important a person in both of our lives for us to constantly be at odds with one another."

Ruby bounces over to Gonzales and ends in his arms. “You are the BEST!” She hugs him tightly. “I just know you and Jake can get along, I mean, really get along. It’s just hard for him to trust people. He hasn’t had it easy either, especially with family, but he IS a good man.” Ruby finally lets him go. “And thank you so much for doing this, it means a lot to me to be able to give it to him.”

Ruby pauses in thought, “See and hear, huh? I wonder what other kinds of things you can do with this stuff. I didn’t realize it was so much fun,” she teases the old elf.

He replies, "We'll I'm making enough for two doses of each, as I would want to test them before giving them to anybody else to use. I'll let you know the result and if they do what the books say they'll do. That isn't always the case."

Ruby’s eyes widen. “You mean things can really… go wrong? Isn’t that scary? I guess it’s kinda exciting too, who knows what cool things could happen. How will you test it? When will they be done?”

"Well, I have another hour or two to work on them, then they'll need to cool a settle. Should be ready late tonight. I'll probably test them out then. If they work the second one of each will be ready for you when you drop by tomorrow."

“Oh! That is soooo wonderful,” Ruby throws herself into Mr. Gonzales arms again. “Can I help? How can I replay you?”

"Repay me? You already did with your thoughtful visit yesterday. It was just what I needed right then. I'll see you later my little bird."

Ruby just stands there and smiles, thinking, “I’m glad I could be of help then. I will see you tomorrow. I’m afraid to say Have Fun,” she laughs on her way out,

Ruby lets herself out of the mansion and the old man’s room. She returns to Jake where they enjoy a very filling dinner.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby returns to Gonzales room the next day. She lets herself in and finds him. She excitedly asks, “How did you make out last night?”

"I finished them. They work. Here you go." He hands her three ceramic vials, each capped with a different colored cork.

He explains, "The one with the red cork is the Elixir of Clairaudience. Once it is consumed the person must then concentrate on a place known to them regardless of the distance away. For the next twenty minutes you would then hear whatever noises are coming from that place."

"The one with the blue cork is the Elixir of Clairvoyance. It works like the other one except you would see in your mind whatever is transpiring in that area. Again, it must be a place known to you. Alternately, you could use it to see a specific individual known to you. Note that if the area is dark you might not be able to see due to the darkness."

"The one with the purple cork is the combined Elixir. It simulates the effects of both of the others simultaneously however unlike the other two the combined elixir has a limited range of approximately 100 miles. The sole exception to that is it would probably allow sight and hearing if both the drinker and other location were both at locations with high concentrations of both wizard and earth magics."

Ruby’s eyes widen as Gonzales hands her the three vials and explains abut them. “All three? This is SO much more than I could have hoped for!” She again hugs Mr. Gonzales excitedly, almost dropping the vials in the process. “Oh, I can’t wait to give these to him! He’s going to love it, thank you so much,” Ruby gushes, and continues to gush for on for endless minutes.

Finally she stops. “I really mean it. You, and your family, have been nicer to me than most people and I’m not even sure what I did to deserve it. But I’ll take it.” Ruby hugs him again and starts for the door. “I hope you’ll come to the party on Saturday night,” she calls out as she leaves. Her voice faint, “It’s for Jake and the Priestess Minerva…”

Anxious to continue to improve his shooting Jake asks Helen Barker again to give him some guidance. He would rather have Red do it, but he could not see his way clear to Tucson just now and was loathe to wait. He felt that he was at a plateau and just needed to be nudged up. So once again she tutored him, though this time she seemed less aloof and cold. He figured it had something to do with him shooting Johnny Ringo.

After spending some time giving him pointers and showing him how to improve she says, "Perhaps you should worry a little more about not getting shot yourself."

"I always worry about that. I only pull this," he says patting his Colt, "when all other choices are gone."

"No," she says, "even when you are forced to pull your gun you could be harder to hit. Try to draw on me."

Jake at first thinks she is kidding but then his eyes go wide as she flings the bullet at him, hitting him hard square in the chest. "Ow! What the --"

"Now," she continues interrupting his vulgarity, "you are not only a good shot Mr. Cook, but you understand how to shoot a man, not just a target. Think about what you aim for. Now think about making it hard for me to hit you there." Without warning she flings another bullet at him and he shifts his torso and she misses. "Wipe that grin off your face and draw on me while doing the same thing, only this time...."

They practice the little exercise for a long time. She shows him moves that do not shift his gun arm too much and teaches him some more about his center of gravity and shooting. "Doing that does take a toll on your aim, but shooting down your opponent is no good if you get shot too."

"Helen, is there any end of surprises in you?" She does not answer, but instead returns his smirk.

................................

Out in the desert, just far enough out not to worry folks about the gunshots, once again Jake places empty liquor bottles on rocks, on a board between trees and nestled in the arms of a large cactus. Last time he tried snapping off three rounds quickly, the third round never quite came fast enough. Since then he had practiced, had been coached by Deputy Barker, had practiced dry firing in the mirror, and more importantly knew he was ready. He removes each pistol and loads a six round in the chamber under the hammer that normally remains empty for safety.

Out flashes the Colt and the shots come fast, faster than before. If the lizard watching from the rock had understood what a gun was, it might have been amazed at the blur that was the hammer striking repeatedly as the gamblers left hand fanned over it just barely touching the tip. The gun barrel, unperturbed by the hammer motion, pointed true and disgorged hot lead towards the glass bottles that shattered. Top, middle, bottom, the bottle shattered and then again the same to its companion bottle on the rock as the six shots echoed across the desert. The man with the flat brimmed black hat twirled the gun and dropped it in its holster slung low on his right leg. The acrid gun smoke just begins to clear when he cross draws his new long barreled pistol with the pearl grips and proceeds to remove the necks effortlessly and fluidly from six glass bottles. Too long to twirl in his hand, the long barrel is slid firmly back into its holster. Jake inhales a whiff of the smoke and feel the tang of sulfur in nostrils. His eyes dart back and forth over the targets as he brushes some black powder residue from his hand and a faint grin comes to his lips.

He reloads and fires several times, pleased with the results. He also tries some extra difficult shots, and finds that he is still most accurate with a single shot or two. Even the slight wobble generated by managing three shots, or a second fanning of the hammer after the first is enough to put his aim off slightly. He spends the next hour doing the same with his shotguns, the Spencer carbine and the Vetterli rifle that Emery Shaw gifted to him. At the end while packing up his weapons, he cannot keep the grin off his face.

I'll be posting the interludes in the timeline order. The next one up is Kate's. It's quite long, so it will go on through the next few updates.

Sad Tidings, April 28, 1882

At 6:00 P.M. Kate and Ginnie are sitting down to dinner at the El Parador Cantina when David Melany enters the building. Mr. Melany works part-time for Western Union, a company that has thus far had only limited business as Promise City as the town is still lacking telegraph service. He has in his hand a telegram that would have arrived on the Wells Fargo stagecoach. He speaks briefly to Pedro and is then directed to Kate. He thrusts a clipboard in front of her and says, “Mrs. Kale, I have a telegram for you. Please sign here.” So does so and he leaves

She sees that it has been sent from her father from Boston. It reads:

Dearest Katherine:

It is with sad regret that I must inform you that our dear friend Ralph Waldo Emerson has passed on. Services will be held in the afternoon this Sunday, April 30. I realize that with you being such a great distance away it is unlikely that you will be able to attend but wanted let you know prior to your hearing of this through the newspapers. I sincerely hope that life continues to be good to you and look forward to your next visit.

Your loving Father

Kate handed Ginnie the telegram with a shaking hand. She had known Mr. Emerson her entire life. He had defended them when her father was gone.... and now he was gone. She fumbled with her handkerchief, trying not to break into tears in the middle of the Cantina.

“Ginnie, I think we must speak to our teacher,” she said finally. “I know you don’t like Boston, so you don’t have to come if you don’t want to. But I would be glad if you will.

Ginnie is non-committal and replies, “Whatever you wish Mrs. Kale”.

They head up to Gonzales’s mansion, where they find him busy transcribing one fo the Latin texts.

He waves them over and comments “This is fascinating....nothing magical of note but a truly dramatic story. it was written in the sixth century during the fall of the Roman Empire. The author is a priest from what is now either a non-existent or renamed town somewhere in the Alps near what is now the Italian and Swiss border. He writes this final chapter as most of the community has fallen to the Germanic barbarian invaders. He and most of his congregation have retreated to the church where they have erected fortifications for their final battle. He writes how he will hide this text and other holy books in a section of the stone wall that would survive the burning of the church.”

“What a horrible time to be writing, knowing you likely won’t be alive in a matter of hours and hoping your words will survive.” Kate handed her teacher the telegram and waited while he read it. “I would very much like to attend. He was always so kind to us, and.....” She stopped and lifted the handkerchief to her face. “Will you help?”

Gonzales replies, “Why of course. I enjoyed my conversation with the man last month and am also saddened to hear of his passing. When would you like to leave and is there anybody who you would like to bring with us?”

“No one that it would be appropriate to bring,” she said with a little blush. “And my friends are just starting to enjoy some quiet time, I don’t want to drag them away.”

“I believe that the sooner we leave the better in case there are any arrangements that you would like to make Ma’am. We need to remember that the message just arrived and if we “popped in” to quickly there would be questions of our method of transportation.

Also I would like to be able to acquire some materials while we are in Boston as the quality is often much better. It would be to our advantage if we planned to get there quickly place any orders for items to mail and then come back at a slower pace with things that we need at the ranch the school and possibly the shop or cantina that would be impractical to mail.”

Kate said, “Ginnie’s right about the timing, although I think I got a little lost in the explanation. No matter what we are going to have to explain how we get there so fast, but we need be in no hurry to get back. It’s a good opportunity to get some things, as Ginnie said.

It’s already late today, and even later in Boston. Perhaps if we leave tomorrow afternoon?”

Gonzales says “Tomorrow afternoon would work well, that will give me time to bring my good suit over to Wongs Laundry to have cleaned and pressed.”

“I’ll have to get my black gowns out again. I had hoped not to need them again for a long while. And we will have to find something appropriate for Ginnie to wear as well. It’s a good thing I hadn’t planned to start school for another week or so, or I’d have quite a few arrangements to make.”

Kate sat down and slid her arm around Ginnie’s waist to hug her and sighed. “It will be nice to go home again, I just wish it was under different circumstances. Mr. Emerson will be missed by my family; he was the best friend we could ask for. I can’t remember a time when he wasn’t part of our family.” She brought her handkerchief up to her face again and wiped her eyes.

“Will we stay a few days in Boston then? Ginnie and I can look for those things she mentioned, and I think a talk with my parents is in order. I cannot imagine going home and not telling them about my condition. Although what I’ll tell them, I don’t know.”

“Ma’am Kate there is no reason why you need to tell your family anything if you don’t want to. The ring that has your image in it will mask any... umm “condition” that might be visible and you have already taken on one orphan there would be little surprise if you took on another in a few months especially a little boy to make a matched set of children.

I have some dark dresses and there is some material that would be appropriate in the back of the dress store. Although this may not be a happy occasion I believe that we may enjoy ourself when we head back to Boston and there is no reason that we can’t make it profitable as well.”

“We absolutely should enjoy ourselves,” Kate said, “and I intend to do so. I’m sure to shock all of Boston society by doing things I shouldn’t. Starting by not wearing black except for the day of the funeral. You’ll have to tell me some things you’d like to do, Ginnie. I’d like to go to the theater or a concert myself. It’s a shame we can’t bring Mr. Booth, I’m sure he’d enjoy that.

You’re right about the ring, dear, but I’m not ashamed of having this baby. I don’t want to hide it; I want to enjoy it. And I want my mother with me when he comes. I’m not afraid that they’ll be angry or turn me out or any such nonsense. I just hate for them to feel disappointed in me.”

Manuel says, “Well, if you really wanted to bring Mr. Booth we could. He already knows that I am a wizard, you’ve told him before about my using travelling spells to bring you places, and I can bring up to three other people with me when I cast the spell. I would just have to cast it from somewhere other than my workshop, as I prefer only my ‘little birds’ to know of my magical rooms.”

“We could use the town house, since we’re all moved in now. I’m not sure it would be appropriate to bring him, nor that he could get away from his work. But perhaps I will ask....” Kate said, blushing hard. She was thankful for her teacher’s kindness in not teasing her over her last statement. After the quiet moment she said, “Well Ginnie, you and I should go home and get packed. You have a much better business sense than I, so you can fill me in on what you think we should do on our trip, and before we leave.

I should let the others know I’ll be gone, and.... Well, there’s plenty to be done.”

Ginnie says, “Well I believe a list of items that might be needed by the school would be in order. I would like to bring the stock of lace that I have ready made as it will get a much better price in Boston. We should also check with Dorita to see if there is anything that she needs or wants while we are there and maybe go to one of the big libraries to see what is coming out.

There is also a possibility that we may want to see a publisher, some of the adventures that have been happening in Promise City would make fine penny novels even if we needed to call them fiction. I would like to see a museum if we have the time but other than the funeral and going to my family gravesite I would like to limit the dead people interactions.”

“As would I,” Kate agreed. “I’ve had quite enough of the dead for a while. I’m sure we’ll have time to do everything we wish. The only real limitation is how long our teacher is willing to be gone. We can get the list inorder tonight, and go down and ask Dorita what she might need now.

Mr. Gonzales, we’ll see you again later tonight, or maybe tomorrow morning. Thank you for everything.”

Kate and Ginnie went back downstairs into the Cantina, then into the kitchen looking for Dorita. After Dorita read the telegram, Kate said, “Your Grandfather is going to take us to attend the funeral, and we’ll probably be in Boston for several days. Perhaps a week. Is there anything you would like us to get for you?”

Dorita says, “Yes, I would want spices and teas that would be available in a port city. I will also check with Joseppi, Boston have good sized Italian population so things he will need for his recipies also available there.”

“We might take up an entire rail car on the way back,” Kate smiled. “We’re not leaving until tomorrow afternoon. You can give us a list before we leave and we’ll get you whatever you want.” She paused. “Has Mr. Booth been in yet tonight?”

Dorita gestures towards the door and says, “He arriving for supper just now.” Kate sees the well-dressed man, in a blue-pinstriped three-piece suit, white silk shirt, and navy blue floral patterned tie arrive and sit at his usual table.

She leaned over and hugged Dorita. “I’m going to miss you while we’re gone. Thank you, Dorita.”

Kate took a deep breath, looked at Ginnie, and the two walked back into the Cantina and over to Conrad’s table.

“May we sit? I have some news,” Kate said and handed him the telegram.

A warm smile crosses over his face and he says, “Certainly Kate. Good news I hope....” He takes the telegram and reads it. “Oh...I am sorry to hear this. He was a fine poet and author, I’ve read many of his works. I gather from this that Mr. Emerson was close to you.”

“Yes. He’s been a good friend to my family for as long as I can remember. He helped take care of us when my father was gone to the war, and after when he came home and had to learn how to get along without his arm.”

Kate wiped her eyes and dropped her voice. “Our teacher is going to take us tomorrow afternoon. We will stay a few days, perhaps a week and I wondered.... I wondered if you might like to accompany us.”

Conrad is surprised by this. She sees a sense of fear in his expression as he says, “To get there in time....you mean....magical travel?”

Kate reached into her bag and pulled out a powder, which she then dropped in the flame of the candle. “It’s the only way to get there in time. We are waiting to leave so there is some time between when I would have gotten the telegram and when we arrive.”

She wrung her hands in her lap, her speech getting faster. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. It’s terribly inappropriate, and you’d have to take time away from your work. And really, why would you want to make a trip just now. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Katherine....it wasn’t inappropriate to ask at all. I would love to visit with your parents and also be beside you at your time of grief. I am honored that you asked me.

Work should not be an issue at all. Kate Higgins recently hired another gambler so it is no longer just myself and Normie Wilkie. The new man is a Canadian who deals both Poker and Faro by the name of Wendall Spaulding. So I can let her know tonight that he can have my table until we return.

My only hesitancy was regarding the magical travel. Kate, I am fascinated with the concept of magic and hope to someday be able to harness some of those energies myself. But it is also something unknown to me....tell me, does it hurt at all? Are there any after-effects to it?”

“It doesn’t hurt,” she said gently. “I haven’t noticed any after-effects myself, although it can be a bit disconcerting being in one place then suddenly in another. The only thing to be careful of is to make sure you know your destination. Mr. Gonzales has gone to my home before, so it will be no trouble.

We will all stand together over a brazier, Mr. Gonzales will say a few words and toss a powder in, then we’ll all grasp hands. That’s all there is to it.”

Kate grasped his hand. “I’m glad you’ll come with us. Despite the reason, Ginnie and I plan to enjoy our trip. Concerts, libraries, museums, and of course shopping. I thought you might like to enjoy what a big city can offer for a change.”

Conrad looks like he is about to say something else and then pauses and slightly shakes his head no. “That sounds fine Kate,” is his response.

Kate tilted her head to the side. “That’s not what you wanted to say. Go on, tell the truth,” she said lightly. “I’m quite aware that my idea of fun isn’t everyone else’s.”

“Umm, err, well. I was wondering, might it be possible on this trip to make a side trip down to New York City? It would only be a half-day’s train ride from Boston.”

“I think that could be arranged,” she said and squeezed his hand. “To be honest, I thought being so close might be an inducement to your coming along.”

Kate and Ginnie stayed at the table as Conrad ate his dinner. “Well Ginnie,” she said finally, “I should get over to the Lady and let them know I’ll be gone for a while starting tonight. We can decide what we need to do before we leave tomorrow, and you’ll need to run and see Mary Kelley.

Conrad, I’ll let you know when you come in for your breakfast when we’re leaving. It will be tomorrow afternoon, probably not too late. It will be further along in the day in Boston. Thank you for coming with us. I... it will be good to have you there.”

“Kate, I am delighted to accompany you. I look forward to visiting the fine city that I’ve read about and heard much of but never had the opportunity to visit until now. And I could not have found myself a better tour guide than you.”

“We’ll do our best to make sure you enjoy yourself. We should go, there’s quite a lot to do before we leave. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Kate leaned forward and blew out the candle. She made a quick trip to the Lucky Lady to let the others know that she wouldn’t be available for the next week before going back to the townhouse.

It was nice to have her own home again, small and simple as it was. Sometimes she missed the business of the Cantina, being able to just walk out of her room to find company. But here she could go about in her dressing gown if she liked, which is what she changed into as soon as she got home.

Not long after she had popped a big bowl of popcorn and settled herself with Ginnie at their little kitchen table to decide what they needed to get.

In between bites of popcorn which Ginnie washes down with very cold milk a list begins to appear; supplies for the school including ink, slates and chalk pencils along with books for some more advanced subjects geometry, architecture and updated farming practices.

“I’d like to get some really nice silk threads for some of the more complicated lace work I’ve been putting off and there are some things that we could use as components that will be more available in a well stocked spice shop or apothecary than there is around here. I could use another good lace needle too. I’m afraid that if I break the one I have from my mother there really isn’t anything available to me here.”

Kate said, “I’ll have to educate myself in agriculture. Or perhaps I could get Sonoma to come in and give a few lessons, she always knows what to do for the ranch. I have some books on order with Mr. Lacey, but his selection was very limited.

We can get you several needles, as many as you want. The thread will be no trouble either. I imagine we’ll have to argue hard to keep my father from trying to pay for everything. And I’m sure we’ll both come back with a lot of new clothes. Maman will insist on that.

I know some places with beautiful fabrics and threads, and I was a regular at several Apothecaries. They won’t find anything strange about me wanting any number of exotic things.

I’d like to get a few instruments and art supplies, as well as some books for learning French and perhaps Latin. There won’t be much call here for those, but I’d like to offer them as extras, perhaps an optional hour at the end of the day, or a week tacked on to the end of the term for those who would like exposure to those subjects.”

Ginnie looks straight into Kate’s eyes. “By the way where is your relationship going with the gambler who’s fallen head over heels for you? I know you said you don’t want to marry him because you think he’s going to resent you or something but you glow when he comes into the room and he’s ready to die for you. What else are you looking for here in the west? He may not ride very well but not every prince comes complete with the white horse and you actually have enough of those beasts to outfit an army anyway.

Heck he’s ready to get blinked halfway across the country just because you asked him and you knew what he was going to ask before he did what else is there?”

“It’s not that I’m looking for something more, or for a prince charming. I got over that particular fantasy a long time ago.

I don’t know quite where it’s going. I think... I think I could marry him, when the time comes. It’s just too soon. His offer came in order to protect my reputation. And I know he also saw it as an opportunity, but if I had accepted neither of us could ever be quite certain of the other. He would always wonder if I’d only married him to make my life easier, and I would always wonder if he wished he hadn’t asked.

I still have too much of the past hanging about me to give him what he deserves. I just wasn’t prepared to love again so soon. I need a little more time so I can be sure....

It’s very confusing, Ginnie, and that’s no way to start a marriage. And, after all, his offer was to give my boy a father. It’s too late for that now. I don’t even know if he’d want to marry me now.”

“Bloody hell Ma’am Kate! He jumped in front of a bullet for you and that wasn’t just to save your baby! With the life expectancy in Promise City and the amount of trouble we seem to be able to get into just trying to eat dinner why can’t you just start by being here today? He loves you, you love him get over the doubt and second guessing of his actions and just ask him if he really wants to marry you and get this thing over with.”

Ginnnie looks at Kate with a twinkle in her eye. “After all if he tries to hurt you I’ll just kill him and dump the body where no one will ever find it If our teacher doesn’t do it first.

Marry him and be happy because you’re driving me crazy with the googly eyed stuff. Maybe after the wedding the mushyness will die down a little and we can get back to... well as close to normal as our lives ever are.”

“Ginnie!” Kate sat back in the chair as if she’d been physically pushed. “I...” She tried several times to speak, but nothing coherent came out. Maybe she was right. Maybe propriety and doubts were just a way of hiding.

“I hate to tell you this, Ginnie, but if you marry the right person, the googly-eyes don’t go away. Well, not completely anyway. You’ll find that out some day.

I’ll think about what you said. For now, I’d say taking him to meet my family is a big enough step.”

Kate paused for a moment. “How would you feel about Conrad being part of our family, Ginnie?”

“Isn’t he already? the only thing difference is that he lives in a different house. As long as I’m not responsible for him I’m fine with him. He seems to really love you and I don’t think I have to worry about him touching me and if he tried it I think I could take him out without much of a problem. Maybe we can teach him to do dishes or laundry or something useful. At the very least he could help pay the bills and that would be a good thing although I’d think that with the amount of trouble we seem to get into anyone who would want to associate with us should have his head checked.

Do what makes you happy, it’s way past time.”

Kate got up and wrapped her arms around Ginnie. “Oh, I love you,” she said and held her tight. “You’re right, he is already part of our family. I would never consider him if I thought he’d hurt you, but I don’t sense that in him. And Dorita thinks he would be a good father despite the fact that she thinks he cheats at cards.

It’s a good thing we’re charming enough girls to be desirable even with all that trouble we get in to. Let no man say life with us would be dull, even if we do make him wash the dishes.”

The girls finished their list making and spent a quiet night at home. It was still a new thing to be in the house at night. Kate hadn’t realized how accustomed she’d become the sounds of the Cantina. The heavy silence in the house was a stranger, and Kate was comforted by the fact that Ginnie was just in the next room.

In the morning Kate cooked a simple breakfast, the only kind she could so far. They ate and ran their days errands, making ready for their week’s absence. By a little bit after noon they were in the Cantina having one of Dorita’s good lunches and waiting to meet Mr. Gonzales.

Kate is initially surprised to see Gonzales and Booth arrive simultaneously from outside, although when she sees each carrying cloth covered packages on hangers she realizes that they both have come picked up their newly washed and pressed suits from Wong’s. They join her and Ginnie at the table for their final meal in Promise City for the immediate future. “

Manuel lights the candle on the table and lets Ginnie do the honors of the powder and incantation. Conrad says, “I’d love to learn how to do that at some point.”

Gonzales replies, “That could probably be arranged, we could work out a trade of some sorts. According to Mother Jaminez you know how to find me lots of interesting items in the wilderness that I can make use of. “

“Ginnie’s quite good at that too,” Kate said. “I seem to be the student lagging behind. You’ve been to Wong’s? I got out my black dresses again this morning. They would just get all wrinkled again when I pack them, so I’ll have them pressed at home. When do you think we should leave?”

Gonzales says, “Any time you would like at this point.” Conrad asks, “Where would we be staying in Boston? Kate, I assume that you and Ginnie will stay with your family, but I wouldn’t want to impose. I don’t mind paying for hotel rooms for both myself and Mr. Gonzales.”

“You won’t be imposing. I’m sure Papa will want Mr. Gonzales to stay, and there’s no reason you can’t as well. Believe me, there’s plenty of room. Mr. Tucker is still staying there, and as far as impositions go, that one is much larger.

Of course, if you’d be more comfortable I’m sure we can find you a good hotel. Boston is full of them, and often in the middle of quite a few things to do. Let’s leave right after lunch. I hate the reason we’re going, but I’m anxious to see my family. I didn’t see my brothers or my little nieces last time I was there.”

Ginnie says, “I believe that I have everything I need to leave whenever we are all ready. Perhaps we should leave from the back room of our house it is quiet and closed so there would be little chance of anyone accidentally seeing us leave.

“It will be a safe place to return to, as well,” Kate agreed. “Dorita should have a list for me. I’ll go check with her and then we can head over.”

She went into the kitchen and collected Dorita’s long list of supplies, including Joseppi’s needs. She kissed the elven woman good-bye and went back into the Cantina.

Once everyone was finished eating, Kate led them over to the house, going in the back door to the kitchen. The room was dominated by the wood-stove Mrs. Bauer had left behind when she fled with Juan Gomez. Simple shelves stocked with food-stuffs and dishes lined one wall, and a working counter was attached to the opposite wall. The table and chairs were set in the center of the room and covered with a simple lace-edged table cloth. A vase of flowers sat in the center of the table.

Kate went to the back window and pulled the curtains closed, cutting the light in the room. “We should be private enough here. Professeur aime, did you need to see my home again, or do you remember well enough?”

He states, “I remember it well. Mr. Booth, so that you will know in advance we will be arriving in a stable in the carriage house of Kate’s parents.” Conrad nods. Gonzales indicates that he will nod when they are all ready and for Conrad to then grasp his right hand and Kate’s left hand.

The brazier is lit and the powder is dropped, filling the room with the pink smoke. Gonzales begins the incantation and nods. Conrad’s grip on Kate’s hand is like a vise and she sees perspiration on his forehead and fear in his eyes. As soon as the spell begins it ends, with Kate now seeing the familiar setting of her childhood home with the associated smells of the carriage house. Conrad continues to firmly grasp both her’s and her teacher’s hands.

Kate smiled at Ginnie and let go of the girl’s hand, laying it instead over Conrad’s. “It’s over,” she said quietly. “We’re here, safe and sound.

Arrival in Boston

Kate took a deep breath and looked around. This room was as empty as always, but her eyes went right to the names Henry had carved into the floorboards. Despite the sadness lingering in her heart, she was excited to get inside the house.

“We’ll wait a moment just to get our heads settled before we go to the house. Are you alright?”

Conrad replies, “Ye...yes.” He finally releases both hers and Gonzales’s hands. He looks back at Kate and says, “You were right...it didn’t hurt at all.” Gonzales lets out a belly laugh upon hearing that and Conrad turns read with embarrassment.

Gonzales slaps him on the back and says, “Relax, you’re not the first person who I’ve seen have that reaction to unknown magic and you probably won’t be the last.” Conrad’s face returns to its normal hue.

Ginnie looks around at the animals and says, “Can we go inside please? I really don’t want to stay here with all of these horses and that stinky manure.” Conrad whispers to Kate, “Interesting kid for a rancher to have.”

“Admit it, Conrad. You’re thinking the same thing,” she teased.

“We can go now, Ginnie. I think we’ve all got our heads back on our shoulders.” Kate smoothed her grey skirts, picked up the bag that she had slung over her shoulder during the spell to free up her hands and led them outside into the courtyard.

The house was as imposing as always, and as always it didn’t seem to register to Kate just how large it was. What she did notice was the heavy black fabric draped above the door. She sighed and walked up to the front door to rap with the knocker.

The butler Mathias answers the door. A smile crosses his face and he says, “Ah, Miss. Katherine, it is good to see you again. Your father said that you were considering a visit here in late April, it is good to see that you’ve come.”

Kate took his hands and kissed his cheek. “I couldn’t stay away. I’m thankful that I can be here with my family during this sad time.”

She led the others inside and Mathias shut the door behind them. “You remember Ginnie and Mr. Gonzales,” Kate said, “And this is Mr. Booth.

Where is everyone? Are Henry and Phil here?”

Mathias says, “Oh yes, they are all in the parlor. They will be so happy to see you again, especially Henry, he was so upset about missing your previous visit.”

“I was sorry to miss him, too. Let’s not make him wait any longer.”

Kate put her bag down. “Just leave your things here, they’ll be taken care of. Let’s go, Mathias.” She took her teacher’s arm and followed Mathias through the rich foyer. They left the large, curving staircase behind them and approached the imposing doors on the left-hand side.

Mathias opened the doors and announced them. Kate managed to wait until he finished speaking before she walked in. “I understand you’ve been expecting me,” she smiled.

The entire Seagram family looks up, the somber expressions on their faces changing to smiles, as Kate’s father comes over and gives her a warm embrace.

“Oh, Papa,” she said kissing his cheek. She held on quietly for a moment, then whispered, “Thank you for suggesting I might be visiting, I didn’t know how...”

“Hush,” he interrupted gently. “I knew you’d come, my girl. I’d like to hear some more about your traveling methods this visit.” He squeezed a bit tighter. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too, Papa.”

“Alright, enough of that,” a deep, resonant voice said as Kate was spun around into another set of arms. Her feet were suddenly dangling several inches above the floor. “Jacqueline,” Henry said, his voice suddenly choked. “We’ve missed you, little sister.”

“I missed you too. Where are your girls?”

Henry settled her back on her feet. She had to tilt her head up to look at her tall, dark-haired brother. He was broad like their father, and a couple inches taller. “Elaine and the girls are at home. If I’d known you were arriving I’d have brought them. I’ll have to send for them to come for dinner.”

His eyes looked down over her, noting her clothes. “How are you feeling, Jacqueline?”

She took his hand and squeezed it. “I’m getting along, Henry. Some days are better than others. We can talk about it later.”

Kate turned to her younger brother Phillip. He took after their mother, fair of skin and hair, and lanky, but still tall like their father. “Good to see you, Kitty,” he said, coming over to hug her in his turn.

“Must you call me that?” Kate asked in the a tone that suggested she’d asked it many times before.

“Yes, I think I must. When it stops making you crazy, I’ll stop saying it.”

She shook her head. “Are you ever going to grow up?”

“Not unless I absolutely have to.”

Kate took a few moments to greet her mother and the two spoke rapidly in French for several minutes. “Some of you haven’t met my friends,” Kate said after the greetings were finally over. “Ginnie Flahrety, my ward. Mr. Manuel Gonzales, and Mr. Conrad Booth.”

“Well of course, who else could he be with a face like that. You sir are the spitting image of your father,” Seagram states. He gives Conrad a warm firm handshake which Conrad returns. Conrad states, “Thank you sir. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Katherine has told me so much about you.”

Seagram laughs “Has she now?” Conrad replies, “Yes sir, of your many admirable traits and open-mindedness and fairness to all. If more people shared those values the world would be a far better place. I thank you for imparting your daughter with those beliefs, which she has managed to spread throughout the entire community of Promise City, Arizona. It is a far richer place for her being there.”

A deep crimson blush crawled up Kate’s face. “If you call telling Mrs. King where to stick her narrow-minded morality...” Kate chuckled nervously and cleared her throat.

“Mr. Booth exaggerates. I do not have much influence in town, but I hope as a teacher I might do some good. And as part of the Merchant’s Association as well.”

Friedrich Seagram and his son Henry wore matching expressions, both taking a bit closer look at the son of the famous actor and the blush on Katherine’s cheeks. Kate fell back on manners and began to introduce her family. “My mother,” she said with a fond smile, “Amelie Seagram, you just met my father, Friedrich Seagram, and these are my brothers, Henry and Philip, the banes of my youth,” she teased.

The hand-shaking and hellos went on for a few minutes until they were all settled, Kate’s mother having sat next to Ginnie with her arm around her shoulder. While the others talked the lady asked her quietly, “Are you happy with my daughter, belle Ginnie?”

While her mother talked with Ginnie, Kate asked, “What happened to Mr. Emerson, Papa?”

“He caught pneumonia. He had gone for a walk without a hat and coat and caught ill. He hadn’t been in the best of health for a while.”

“He didn’t look very well the last time we were here, but I didn’t think.... He should have had someone with him, taking care of him. Which I’m sure he refused any offers of.” Kate was quiet as she pulled out her handkerchief.

She took a quivering breath. “I... When is the service tomorrow? Where is it being held?”

“Tomorrow in Concord. There will be a private service at 2:30 P.M. that we are invited to and then the more public service at 3:30 P.M.”

Kate nodded. She had kept herself together with thoughts of getting home and being with her family. It was a very effective way of avoiding the reason she was traveling.

In a moment her brother Henry was sitting beside her, tucking her against him. Her tears were quiet as he whispered into her ear, “I know Jacqueline.”

Friedrich Seagram cleared his throat and looked at his other guests. “Gentlemen, you’re welcome to come with us to the private service. I know you’ve had a long trip, we’ll get some rooms ready for you so you can refresh yourselves before dinner.”

Gonzales says, “Thank you sir, but I only met the man the one time and Mr. Booth never met him. Our inclusion at the private service would not be appropriate, that should be for the close friends of the deceased. The public service will suffice for us and Ginnie, although if space permits we would ask to sit near your family at that ceremony.”

Kate lifted her head from where it had been tucked against her brother’s shoulder. “Papa, I need my family too. I’ve been needing you, but I’ve been trying to.... I thought I needed to take care of myself.”

She unfolded herself from the seat and embraced her father. “We can talk about how foolish that was later,” she whispered.

They talked for a few more minutes until Mathias returned. He led Mr. Gonzales and Conrad to the well-appointed guest rooms. “You might see another gentleman in a little while. Mr. Tucker has the room at the end of the hall. Dinner is served at six o’clock. The library and music room are downstairs, and there is a door to the garden in the back of the house. Just ring and someone will help you find your way.”

I fear I have spent much of my time causing your daughter to worry. I have spent so much time being on my own that I find it very hard to think of myself as dependent on anyone else, although it is very nice not to sleep in the streets anymore.

Ginnie slips into a school book French “I also have had the leisure to study however my French still has much to be desired. It has been...umm ...amazing to be able to spend the time with as many books as I have had... access to, but I have had the time to make a grift...nno gift for you”. With that she pulls out 10 yards of very complicated fine lace dotted with tiny silver beads and turquoise stones the size of seed beads and switches back to English. “I hope you like it”.

The devil flashes in the young girl’s eyes as she catches Kate’s glance

“Oh and just so you know Ma’am Kate still can’t cook very well but she can boil water now... most days.” With a giggle she runs over to Kate and puts her arms around her. “can I check the libary before I head to bed?” the young girl’s face goes serious as she looks up at Kate “I think I want to reread some of the things he wrote before... if that’s alright with you”

“C’est magnifique, belle Ginnie. I could not buy finer anywhere. I shall be the envy of all others.

My daughter, she studies and forgets the fun. You will not let her forget, or forget yourself to put down the books and lace and enjoy, no?”

Kate put her arms around Ginnie in return, smiling. “There is still dinner, but that will be boring and formal, so as long as you promise to eat something you can stay in the library all evening if you like.” She leaned down and kissed her forehead with an understanding glance.

“And I can cook eggs three ways at least and fry bacon without burning it more than once every three days thank you very much!”

Kate stayed in the parlor with her family. Although she felt comfortable saying anything in front of her teacher and Conrad, to the others they were still strangers.

Henry was still sitting on the sofa so Kate walked back over and sat down. Her brother took her hand. “How are you really?”

“I’m alright. It’s been difficult; Arizona is a very different place. It feels like I’ve had two completely separate lives. But it’s good to be home.” Kate looked down for a moment. “I don’t want to embarrass you, so if you would prefer I wear black while I’m here, I will. But you all know Tom didn’t like it, and in the West three months is the accepted length for formal mourning.”

“Katherine, we’re not going to second guess your decisions,” her father said. “And in case you’ve forgotten, we’ve bent the rules of society before on more than one occasion. Let the gossips wag their tongues, it doesn’t matter.”

Kate nodded. “There’s so much to tell all of you about Arizona....” she began. For the next two hours she sat in the parlor, telling a version of her life in Arizona that didn’t involve magic. She was as honest as she could be, telling about how they got on the wrong side of the Cowboy Gang and her trouble with the Earps. They already knew from Mr. Tucker about Tom’s death and Morgan Earp.

Between her stories were stories of what had happened in her families lives while she had been gone. When there was about an hour left before dinner, she went up to her own room to dress. Her closet still held the clothes she hadn’t brought to Arizona. They were to have been sold, but her mother said there was no one to buy them. Those who wanted fancy clothes didn’t buy them second hand.

She pulled out what had been a favorite dinner dress of hers in a beautiful buttery yellow. It sat off the shoulders, fitted slimly around her waist, and fell in simple, full lines to the floor. As she fastened it, she noticed it was a little more snug than it used to be on top, and showed a more generous portion of her bust than in the old days. Her waist hadn’t started to thicken yet, but her bust seemed determined to get a head start on it.

On her vanity still sat the box of jewelry she’d left. It too wasn’t emptied despite the fact that jewelry could easily have been sold. She slipped on a necklace of set, clear stones and the matching earrings. A maid came up and rearranged her hair. It hadn’t been done this fancy since she’d left Boston, with the exception of Mr. Gonzales spell. She spent a moment wondering if Conrad would notice, then went down to dinner.

The family is served an excellent six-course meal. Despite getting their share of regular home-cooked meals at the El Parador Gonzales, Conrad and Ginnie all seem to enjoy rather generous portions of the food, which Conrad compliments several times.

Phillip brings up reading an account of Billy the Kid’s death, which specifically mentioned the death occurring in Conrad Booth’s house, and asks for more details. Conrad says, “Well, that is hardly an appropriate tale for dinner conversation, but if you remind me at a later time during our stay here young man I will tell you the story.”

Phillip nods and asks, “Are you a member of Arcade’s Gang?” Before Conrad can answer Gonzales laughs and says, “No young man, he is not. But they are close personal friends of both Mr. Booth and myself. Not long ago I even accompanied them into a battle against an invading French Army. Why don’t we plan to spend some time together on Monday and I’ll tell you all about it.”

“I’ll look forward to that,” Phillip said brightly. “Kitty, have you met them?”

Kate shook her head no. “They used to live at the El Parador, where I lived. But they were gone on a long trip when I arrived and when they returned they bought a house to share instead of living in the hotel. I think I saw them there once, but I was so exhausted that night I just went straight to bed. Since we share so many friends in common I’m bound to meet them someday.”

She went back to her dinner, eating each course with a healthy appetite. She had been a light eater at the best of times, and glances from her family showed they noticed the improvement in her appetite.

It was a pleasure to hear Conrad relax and talk with the others. He had once feared the rejection of these people because of who he was and Kate was never sure she had convinced him otherwise. But no one stood up to this family for long. She couldn’t help smiling at his easy manner and happiness shone on her face when their eyes met across the table, a fact also noted by some of the more observant at that table.

The final two people for dinner arrive late and apologize for the interruption as they take their seats. Mr. Seagram introduces the two as Colby Tucker and his mentor, Professor Edward Charles Pickering, the Director of the Harvard Observatory. Both are wearing black armbands. The four arrivals from Arizona have never met Pickering before, although Katherine recalls her father speaking of him on several occasions, so Seagram introduces them as well.

After everyone was settled Kate said, “Professor Pickering, I must thank you for taking such an interest in Mr. Tucker. I had no idea when I put him on the train to Boston that he would meet with so much generosity. Or show such aptitude for study.”

She smiled across the table at her husband’s friend. “How are you doing with your studies, Mr. Tucker?”

Colby replies, “Very well Mrs. Kale, Boston Latin High School is excellent and with my various tutors I have managed to catch up with the other students. Professor Pickering says that my acceptance into Harvard for the fall is all but certain provided I can graduate by summer.”

Pickering adds, “It helps to have a goal in mind, as young Mr. Tucker does. He wishes to spend his days and nights at the lens of our telescope. I am somewhat envious of you though Mrs. Kale, as the wide open skies and more southern location of Arizona make for far better observations of the night sky than the often cloudy skies of here.”

Tucker adds, “I miss it sometimes myself. I am not looking forward to enduring an entire winter here.”

“Ah, but you’ll find that you’ll greet the arrival of spring as you never have before. I missed winter in Arizona. It got colder, certainly, but it’s hard to tell one season from another and sometimes it makes it feel as if time is not passing.

You’re always welcome to visit,” Kate said to Pickering, “Although I imagine trying to bring a telescope would be no small task. The night sky is beautiful there, and it seldom rains. Something else I miss.

I hope to see my family there someday soon as well. I want you all to see where I live. Although it is quite different from this beautiful house, I’m happy there.”

The dinner continued on pleasantly with the strangers getting to know one another. Talk eventually turned to their recently departed friend, and while the mood became more somber those who had known him shared their happy memories and reflected on a life well-lived.

After the dessert course was cleared, the group retired to the parlor to continue talking. In most homes, the ladies would have been banished to their own activities, but here they all stayed together until Friedrich Seagram and Henry began packing their pipes to smoke. At that point Kate, her mother, and Henry’s wife Elaine retired to the music room where Kate played for them. Conrad had looked just a bit afraid to be left alone with her male relations so Kate gave him a reassuring smile as she left the room.

Eventually Kate found herself sitting at her vanity with her eyes closed as her mother brushed her hair. “So Jaqueline, this Monsieur Booth he is handsome, no?”

Kate laughed softly. “Yes, very handsome. He has been very kind to Ginnie and I. I’ve made many friends in Arizona who take good care of me.”

“Of course. But you did not bring them with you.” The brush continued pulling down through her hair. “I did not think your hair could get thicker, but I believe it has.”

“Maman...” Kate stopped. It had never been any good trying to lie to her mother. “Am I horrible, Maman?”

Amelie came around in front of her daughter. “No, Jacqueline, you are not horrible. We do not control when the people we can care for enter our lives. Your father would say the gods keep their own timetable and care little for ours.”

Kate nodded. “He would be right.”

“When I met your Papa, I had lost a lover only a few months before. We were not engaged, but everyone expected it soon. It was a shock to everyone when I married Friedrich. I felt very much as I think you do now, but your Papa was going back to the United States and I did not have the luxury of time.”

Amelie tucked a lock of hair behind her daughter’s ear. “I think sometimes that I had to find love again soon before I hardened my heart against it forever. You are like me more than you know. When you are hurt you close up like a delicate flower in the cold. Perhaps Monsieur Booth can bring warmth again before your season passes.” She went behind again and began to braid the long tresses. “And there are worse things than a handsome lover, no?”

“There are worse things,” Kate agreed. She sat quietly as her mother finished the braid and kissed her cheek. As the older woman left she turned and said, “Rappelez-vous Jacqueline, ce qui est la vie sans amour?” With that she left her daughter to sleep.

Sunday Morning

It was well past the household’s usual awakening time when a knock comes to Kate’s door to wake her. Mathias’s voice states through the door “Katherine, your mother is waiting. Your Father said to let you sleep, that your body is still on Arizona’s timeline, but you mother insists that you join the family for breakfast. Your friend Mr. Booth is also still sleeping. Should I wake him?”

‘Not if you value your life,’ Kate thought. She pushed herself upright and said “No, let him sleep a little longer. There is plenty of time before we must be ready to leave. I’ll be down soon.”

Kate sighed deeply and closed her eyes again for a moment. Sleeping late was becoming more difficult since certain needs had a tendency to wake her before that could happen the last few days.

It was about twenty minutes later when Katherine entered the dining room. She was dressed in the black gown that had been washed and pressed for her the day before, with her hair pinned up simply. The dark dress made her look even more pale than usual even with the light tan she’d developed living in Arizona.

She stopped to kiss her mother’s cheek. “Good morning, Maman,” she said and took her seat.

Mrs. Seagram replies in French “Good morning my darling, did you sleep well? I was wondering if you would ever be up to join us.”

“It’s at least two hours earlier in Arizona Maman, and a long trip. It will take me a day or two to get adjusted, but I did sleep very well. I asked Mathias to let Mr. Booth sleep awhile longer. He usually works late at night and sleeps late in the morning. The change will be more difficult for him.”

She smiled over at Ginnie and Mr. Gonzales. “How long have the two of you been up?”

Manuel replies, “About an hour. We’ve been outside in the garden talking to your family’s gardener Mr. Whittlebaum.”

“Poor Mr. Whittlebaum,” Kate laughed, looking at Ginnie. “So many questions so early in the morning. I hope he’d at least had his breakfast.

How is he?” she asked more seriously. “He always had time for us children, even for a little girl with a decidedly black thumb.”

Manuel replies, “Well, we didn’t talk about plants or gardening, although I mentioned that your friend Mr. Booth has an interest in that subject so may want to speak to him later.

We spoke of Germany, specifically the city Hamburg where he originally came from. That was also where current El Parador resident Hans Schmidt is from, although it is a large city so unlikely that their families actually know each other.”

Friedrich nodded. “He used to enjoy speaking with my parents very much, but since they have passed on he does not have much chance to reminisce about his home. I’m sure he was glad to tell you about Hamburg.”

Amelie said, “It would be quite unlikely indeed. But when one is far from home, another soul who remembers it becomes family very rapidly, is it not so?”

Friedrich turns to Gonzales and says “And before you go thinking that I’m making the old man work on the holy day I should point out that this isn’t his holy day. The religions of Germany were adapted to the conquerors of each region. The Romans initially conquered and brought their religion to most of the southern and central parts of Germany. But the northern seaports and communities along the great rivers were all conquered by the Vikings, who brought with them the Norse religion. Mr. Karl Whittlebaum is a devout follower of Odin and his kin. Their holy days are Friday and Saturday instead, which is why you will never see him working here on those days.”

Kate quickly hid the surprised look that crossed her face. “Papa, I’m sure Mr. Gonzales did not think anything amiss. In Arizona there are so many people from different places that someone is working every day of the week.”

Mr. Seagram sighs, “You’re right Katie, it’s just that I’ve had to explain that time and time again to all of the neighbors that I’ve gotten into the habit of doing so whenever an adult comments about seeing him.”

Gonzales says, “Well I was glad to get a chance to speak to him. I have traveled to many parts of Europe before but never to Germany. New places fascinate me.”

Seagram laughs and says, “Well, I’d hardly call anything about Germany new!” He then spends the next half hour talking about Germany while Manuel listens with undivided attention, interjecting questions on the few occasions where Seagram stops to catch his breath.

“I should like to go to Germany and France someday, Papa. We never did take the tour.”

“Someday my dear, when Ginnie is a little older perhaps we’ll all go. It won’t do to forget where you come from. I’d like to go again myself, and I’m sure your Mother would like to see her family in France,” Friedrich answered. “I seem to remember I was all set to take you, and then you met someone.”

“Yes. Yes I did.” Kate said with a smile and a faraway look for a moment. She shook her head and came back. “And perhaps we might take Mr. Gonzales on a trip in his old age.”

Manuel laughs and says, “Well, I don’t plan to ever become old, just stay as I am now for another dozen centuries. A trip to Germany would be wonderful. I’ve been to France several times, but never anywhere in Europe to the east or north of there”

“Then you have seen what is worth seeing, Monsieur,” Amelie laughed. “Although obviously my husband does not agree.”

Kate said, “You will never be old, Professeur aimé. I will be old long before you. But I would like to see more of the world before it’s too late,” she finished, knowing only her teacher understood that any such trip would have to wait until more than only Ginnie had gotten older.

“What is our schedule for today, Papa? When will we be leaving?”

He replies, “Your mother and I, and your brothers, will be going to Sunday worship shortly after this meal. We will be back at around 11:00 when Mathias will see that an early lunch is prepared. After that we will take the coach up to Concord, where the funeral services will be taking place.”

Kate looked down. She hated to see the look on her Father’s face whenever he spoke, or rather didn’t speak of her refusal to attend worship. But it was the one area where she would not bend to please her Papa.

“I will be ready when you return,” she said quietly. “I think I’m finished with breakfast. I’d like to go out in the garden.” Katherine got up quietly and left the room, stepping out into the garden overlooked by the balconies from the bedrooms. She wandered through the wet and just greening garden until she came to a stone bench that looked back toward the house where she sat wrapped in her own thoughts.

Kate’s thoughts are interrupted by Karl Wittlebaum’s rich baritone voice saying “Es ist gut, Sie Heim wieder zu sehen”. Katherine’s grasp of the German Language is not anywhere near what her father would like, but she recognizes the first three words as “It is good” although she is unsure of the second part.

Kate looked up and lifted her hand to squeeze the gardener’s. “You have forgotten how poor my grasp of Papa’s language is. What is good?”

“That you have found your way back home. Your parents have been putting up a brave front, but they are deeply saddened by the loss of their friend. Your absence would have added to that sense of loss.”

He walks over to where some of the first spring flowers have bloomed and carefully picks a flower which he then fixes into Kate’s hair. “I spoke with your ward and your teacher this morning. It is good that you have found some nice people to fill your new life.”

“They are wonderful. And there are many other friends in Arizona to take care of me. Before I met them... I was falling apart. I don’t know how I managed to leave Tombstone, but it saved me.

I’ve missed my family so much, but I think having a new kind of life has helped me. Have they missed me very terribly?” she asked with a note of guilt in her voice.

He replies, “Your father has, but working with young Mr. Tucker has helped to fill that void. Your mother has been kept distracted by your sister-in-law and the prospect of a continuous stream of grandchildren. Henry has missed you very much.”

“I’ve missed him too. Henry was always my best confidant, and there’ve been more than a few times I wished for him. And for Papa and Maman. I never realized just how important they are to me until they were so far away.

Everything is so different than I thought it would be when I left Boston. Somehow I always thought that home would be here, unchanged. But life is going on here too, and now Mr. Emerson is gone and I didn’t get to say good-bye, just like I didn’t get to say good-bye to Tom.

I could make so many people happy if I just came home, but I’m not the same woman who lived here anymore and I...” Kate hid her face in her hands and sobbed. “I’m sorry.”

Sunday, April 30th, 1882, 10:30 A.M.

The gardener comforts Kate and says that she should not cry. She continues to talk with Karl Whittlebaum until she is certain that her other family members have departed for Sunday worship services. She returns to the house, finding Colby Tucker sitting in the den with chart of the solar system showing the rotation of the planets spread out on the coffee table in the center of the room. He is using a sextant, a metal ruler and ball of string to compare distances to different objects.

As Kate enters the room she sees that Colby is not alone. Manuel Gonzales, Ginnie and Tucker’s mentor Professor Pickering are all seated on the leather couch on the opposite wall silently watching him work. Manuel motions for Kate to not interrupt. Colby continues with his work, making some notations on a pad of paper. He then writes out a mathematical formula and goes through two series of calculations.

He up looks to the Professor and says, “May sixteenth and June first?” Pickering smiles and says, “Very close, your June calculation is exactly correct. The May event will actually occur on the seventeenth, but at around 4:00 A.M. here in Boston, so your estimation was actually just a few hours off. Don’t feel bad though for not getting it exactly. I had my graduate students work on that problem during this last week. Many took days to come up with an answer and even the sharpest of them took several hours. And they were using far more tools and other resources than you had just now. Colby, you have a natural aptitude for this line of work. Astronomy is in your blood.”

Kate slipped quietly into the room and sat down with her teacher and her ward. Brief glances from both showed they noticed her reddened eyes but neither spoke of it. She focused on Mr. Tucker and was smiling by the time Professor Pickering offered his praise.

“It makes me wonder how many unknown geniuses are hiding in stables,” she said with a laugh. “I see why my father is so proud of you, Mr. Tucker. Tom would be, too.”

Colby looks up and says, “Thank you Mrs. Kale. It was all due to you....I don’t know how to ever repay the kindness that your family has shown to me.”

“You’re doing it already. Just make the most of your opportunities and my family will consider themselves well repaid.”

She moved over to sit with him. “Life here does seem to suit you much better than life in Arizona. Do you ever miss it? What do you enjoy here, beside your studies?”

“Well, there hasn’t been much time other than studies....if I don’t graduate from Boston Latin High School I can’t go to Harvard in September, so I’ve been devoting myself to that. I guess the other thing I enjoy is just sitting along the Charles River, I find that is a great place to study.

Today is a sad day for me...Mr. Emerson was a fine tutor. I guess I’m also feeling somewhat guilty too. All that time he spent with me he could have been writing more poems and stories instead.”

“Mr. Emerson left us many wonderful things. So many stories and poems that no one can ever forget his genius. But there are other things of worth, Mr. Tucker. I’m certain he would not regret one moment he spent tutoring you. It is just another kind of poetry, one that keeps living and moving long after he is gone. You will carry part of him with you, and everything you do is another word in the poem that makes his legacy. He is in you now as he is in myself and my family, and everyone else who loved him. We may not be among his most celebrated works, but I’m certain he would not trade us for words on a page.”

Pickering adds “And I have no doubt Colby that you will make a fine contribution to the world’s knowledge of astronomy which would not have been possible without the tutoring that you received.”

Manual Gonzales looks to Pickering and says, “I’ve been quiet until now but what exactly is it that Mr. Tucker has been calculating?”

Tucker interjects “Solar eclipses, where the moon blocks the sun. A very rate event that will occur not once but twice on this planet in the next few months.” Pickering says, “The one on May 17th will not be visible here in the United States. It will be best viewed in northeastern Africa, specifically the city of Cairo, Egypt. The best viewing spot for the event on June 1st is actually the American southwest. You should have an excellent sight of it Mr. Gonzales from where you live.”

“You gentlemen would be more than welcome to come to Promise City to see it yourselves,” Kate said, smiling.

“So, the moon blocks the sun...” She bent over the chart Colby had been working with. “I never studied astronomy, so my knowledge is limited. The viewing from Arizona would be good because the moon will be passing directly between us and the sun? It wouldn’t be completely hidden here then, correct? It would be like putting your hand in front of your face to block your view, and then tilting your head so your hand hides something else.

Is there any way to observe it without having to look straight at the sun? I’d love to have the children in my school observe it.”

Pickering says, “I may just take you up on that offer, in which case I could bring along some observation equipment along with my best students.”

Colby says, “Even with Morgan Earp gone I don’t think it would be safe for me to go. Plus I would lose far too much school time at Boston Latin to make the trip.”

A shadow crossed Kate’s face at the mention of Morgan Earp. “I suppose that’s true. Virgil Earp is still Marshall over in Tombstone. Wyatt went on the rampage looking for the Cowboy Gang after Morgan was killed. I don’t know where he is.

Professor, there is plenty of room out at my ranch, and a house that Ginnie and I stay in only occasionally. With me getting ready to teach it’s easier to stay in town. Perhaps you can even convince my parents to visit with you. I hope you might lend yourself or your students to give my young students a few lessons in astronomy?”

“I would certainly welcome the opportunity to teach young ones about the stars,” he replies.

“Good,” she said with a smile. “I’m sure the students will enjoy it.

Well, we have some time before my family returns. Are you going to continue to study? I wouldn’t want to disturb you with too much noise. We’ll have to wake Mr. Booth soon as well, or he’ll miss lunch as well as breakfast.”

“Did I hear my name mentioned?” Conrad states from the doorway. He is now attired in the newly pressed suit that he had brought with him from the laundry along with starched white shirt and a silk tie.

From her seat close to Colby Tucker Kate turned and smiled at Conrad. “We would never dream of wondering just how late you could sleep. My mother had me cruelly roused from my bed early. You’re lucky Mathias thought to ask me before he woke you.

Are you hungry? Lunch isn’t for a couple hours, but I’m sure they could find you something in the kitchen.”

Conrad replies, “Oh, I can wait until lunch. I normally don’t eat my first meal until noon our time, which will be mid-afternoon here. So, what is everybody up to this morning?”

“Astronomy,” Kate said, turning back to the chart. “Seems there will be a solar eclipse soon, and the best place to see it from is the Southwest. Mr. Tucker was just working on some calculations regarding it.” She looked down at the mathematical formulas. “I’m out of my depth here, I’m afraid.

My family have gone to services, but they should be back a little before eleven. So we will have to entertain ourselves until then. Ginnie, Mr. Gonzales, is there anything you’d like to do?”

Ginnie exclaims “Where are the pictures of you when you were a little girl......and can I have a cookie?”

“Conrad, would you pull that cord hanging next to the door? Thank you.

I can’t believe you want cookies after that enormous breakfast,” Kate laughed and hugged Ginnie on her way over to a chest of drawers. She opened the top drawer and pulled out a thick album. Even before she could return to the sofa Mathias was in the doorway asking what they needed.

“Could we have a tray of cookies please? Thank you.”

Kate sat down next to Conrad and waved Ginnie over. The album began when her brother Henry was a baby, and Kate guided them through it making sure her teacher could see as well. There were not many photos taken while Friedrich had been gone, so the years when she was five and six had a noticeable lack of pictures.

She was kept busy for the next hour or so munching on cookies and telling the stories that went with the pictures.

Pickering and Tucker excuse themselves, with Colby scoffing two of the cookies on his way out of the room. Conrad, Gonzales and Ginnie all look at the pictures and hear the stories with no small amount of interest and with very few interruptions. The four are still looking at the albums when Kate’s parents and brothers return.

“This one is from my coming out party,” Kate said, turning a page to reveal a picture of herself and her father. Her hair was elaborately piled on her head, and the gown was full-skirted, with off the shoulder sleeves and a neckline just high enough to be proper for a sixteen-year-old girl. She was even smaller then than she was now, and there was a roundness to her face that showed that she was barely past childhood.

“Wasn’t Papa handsome there? I don’t remember much of the night to be honest. I drank quite a lot of punch, so it’s more like a big, happy blur. A sixteen year old girl rather enjoys being the center of attention. Although even that night my admirers weren’t many. There were some exceptionally pretty girls from my school there that night who caught most of the eyes. It was probably for the best if it saved me from the kind of foolishness some of them got into.”

“Coming out? I know upper classes have some strange ideas but what do they do with girls? Keep them in the closet until it’s time to marry them off? Didn’t you know any of the people at that party? Why would you want to go to a dance where you didn’t know anyone? And is that a Belgium double bowed lace on your dress? That is some really nice stuff.”

Kate laughed lightly. “Coming out just means that you’re considered of marriageable age. I knew many people at the party, but there were also many new people, especially young men that it wasn’t considered proper for me to know before then.

It does have to do with marriage as well, though. Once a girl has her coming out, her only real job is to see and be seen, and try to attract the most desirable husband she can. Desirable meaning monied, high class, and hopefully able to bring you up higher in social standing. My family is a little different. Papa invited many young men who were intelligent, earnest, good-hearted boys who would do a lot more for my happiness than my social standing. The Seagrams walk a fine line between social propriety and moral propriety.

And yes, that is Belgian lace. That was probably the prettiest gown I ever had next to my wedding dress. Now of course, I could trim all my gowns with lace equal to that,” Kate said, smiling at Ginnie.

Mr. Seagram pops his head into the parlor to announce that Mathias has the dinner meal all prepared.

“Well Ginnie, I hope you still have room for lunch after all those cookies.”

Kate carefully closed the album and stood up. Mr. Gonzales offered his arm to Ginnie who skipped ahead to take it. Kate looked up at Conrad and took his. “I hate Sunday lunches,” she whispered. “Everything’s always strange after they get back from services. I’m afraid we’ve just had the most pleasant part of our day.”

Friedrich watched as young Mr. Booth took Katherine’s arm and escorted her from the room. He had been in the doorway for a moment before speaking, listening as Kate talked about her debut. Living in the west was changing her and the realization was slowly setting in that she may never come home. And even if she did, she would no longer be satisfied with a society life.

He had prayed for her that morning. She looked tired, and he could see the conflict in her face whenever she looked at that young man walking her down the hallway. She may have turned away from the gods but he was certain they had not turned away from her. He still remembered the wide-eyed little girl who used to sit between him and Amelie at services, full of wonder and questions afterward. Her place still felt empty, even after so many years.

The lunch began as many Sunday lunches, with a strained feeling at the table. But Friedrich was determined that Katherine should be comfortable, so he put a smile on his face and spoke casually to his guests, letting Kate begin talking when she was comfortable. He kept his serious questions for later, instead getting Mr. Gonazles and Mr. Booth to tell them about Promise City. The meal passed quietly enough until it was time to leave.