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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2814867" data-attributes="member: 8530">Between the "Prelude" and "Chapter 1" falls the events from the Arcade's Gang story "Tombstone", which are Chapters 98 to 100 (100 yet to be posted) of that Story Hour.Chapter One, “Painting”, Wednesday, May 24th, 1882, 7:45 A.M. Katherine Kale prepares to start the day, dressing and heading downstairs inside her and Ginnie’s home on East Street. She sees that Ginnie has already left for her part-time job over at Mary and Kevin Kelly’s Dry Good Shop. Kate heads downstairs to the nearly barren kitchen and wonders if she will ever learn to actually cook. She enters the larger twenty-foot square section of the first floor designed as the schoolroom. It had taken far longer to get this room ready than she had anticipated. Originally she planned to retain the original rooms but Meagan O‘Hara convinced her of the practicality of a single-room design. But that meant that walls of the original structure required removal and since some of those were weight bearing then support pillars needed to be erected in their place. Several men in town had volunteered to help with that, but until Sunday the 14th they had not been available to help, having volunteered to construct the town’s new church as well. Once the church was dedicated and opened they began in earnest, spending that week on the construction followed by a few more days for the walls to be freshly painted and then dry. Kate had planned to officially begin teaching at the start of this week, on Monday the 22nd even though some of the ordered textbooks still hadn't arrived. But fate intervened once again in the form of red dots, measles, an outbreak of the disease striking several families in town. To contain the disease Doctor James Eaton quarantined the houses where the disease was and also ordered the school to postpone its opening for a week, fearing that some of the other children might have also been exposed to the disease from their playmates. Doctor Eaton had the proper elixirs to treat the disease, which he shared only with the human families of the town. Father Thomas Valdez, the half-elf Mexican & Celtic Priest, was able to treat the non-human children. The affected children were now all recovering and should be able to start the classes the following Monday. Kate picked up her handbag and parasol and left the house, locking the door behind her. It occurred to her to go to the Lucky Lady and see Ruby for breakfast, but then she remembered that Ruby and Jake didn't live there anymore, never mind that they wouldn't be awake at this early hour. She turned her steps toward the El Parador. Dorita was already bustling around the Cantina, feeding the breakfast crowd. Kate slipped into the kitchen and asked, "Can I help?" The middle-aged wood elf Dorita smiles and says "Get some food, go sit down, and eat! You still way too skinny. Never should have let you move out, you not take good care yourself." "I'm taking care of myself!" Kate protested, following the script of their morning ritual. "My face is getting absolutely round!" In the mirror that morning Kate had noticed her face was getting round. Not for anyone else to notice maybe, but there it was. And it was getting harder to pull her corset tight as well. She filled a plate and was on the way out the door when Dorita stopped her and piled more eggs on her plate. Kate leaned over and kissed Dorita's cheek, "I love you too, Mère de mon coeur." Kate says hello to several of the patrons as she finds an available table to eat at. The sun was still rising in the sky when Nanuet showed up at Jake and Ruby's new house. She has asked him for a favor, to do some painting in the new house, and he had obliged without hesitation. He was surprised that she asked him to come over so early. I hope she'll be up by now he thinks as he knocks loudly on the door. "Ruby it's Nanuet, I'm here to do that painting we talked about," he yells out after a moment. Ruby answers the door in a huff. Standing in her white chemise and skirt she rubs her face with the back of her hand, leaving a smear of yellow paint across her cheek. "Hi Nanuet, come in, you're just in time. I'm starting to get frustrated." She points to the stairs and indicates quiet. "Jake is still sleeping. Wait! Don't... oops too late. You got paint on your... oh never mind." Nanuet accepts her invitation and enters the house. "What seems to be the trouble?" "Don't what?" she asks innocently but is quickly distracted. "It's this place! It's so huge! And it's in great shape but I want it to look nice, you know, like a home instead of a house. But there is so much to do!" She pulls at her long hair. "I don't even know where to start. I thought I would paint but think I made a mess just opening the container." "Well let me give you a hand. Show me where you are working." Nanuet lets Ruby lead him to the room that she wanted to paint. As they are walking through the house he continues speaking. "Ruby the homemaker huh? I would have never thought it when I first met you. I guess the same for me as well, never stayed put too long myself. Don't worry about it being too much, just take it one thing at a time, and you don't need to do it all yourself." "This is going to be the living room," she waves around the room. "I thought the golden yellow color would be pretty." She stops and stares at the walls, shaking her head. Ruby sighs, "I don't know how I got myself into all this. You are right. Five months ago I wouldn't have dreamed of this. I mean, I guess I thought this is all what I really wanted..." She leans over and comes up with a paintbrush. "So I just go up and down with this?" She thrusts the brush towards Nanuet and some paint flings off it, landing on him. "Whoops," she says, obviously embarrassed. "Yeah, up and down, only try and get the paint on the wall instead of the elf." he says with a laugh. "You didn't get yourself into this by yourself, you had some help. Life's best moments are surprises I always thought, it's less fun if you always know the outcome. Here, let's get something to put on the floors and move this stuff out of the way. Then we can work on painting technique. Not sure I know that much, but I'm learning." Nanuet helps Ruby do the prep work for painting and then they discuss some proper techniques for painting. "Here, not so much paint and hold the brush like this. Try and keep painting in the same direction. Good, that's better." Ruby stands near Nanuet, copying what he is doing, pushing the brush up and down, up and down. "I like surprises. Well, fun surprises anyway." She brushes for a while, trying not to make too much of a mess. She says, "This is really hard Nanuet." He replies, "Is it? I find it rather relaxing. I like how the paint covers up the old stuff, gives it a new look, and it is so easy for you to see how much progress you are making. Take a step back and see how far you've gotten already." Ruby steps back and looks at the wall. "I didn't mean the painting. I meant everything else. It's hard staying and fighting for what you want." She looks at Nanuet's section of the wall, coming out much better than her own. "I had to get this place, if I was staying here in Promise City. I was too nervous about Colin to stay in the Lucky Lady." She pauses for a long moment. She blushes, "It's not the only reason why I wanted this place or even trying so hard to make it nice though." He says, "What? You're still losing sleep over Turner? He's gone Ruby, he can't hurt you anymore. What else do you have on your mind though? I mean if you are buying a house with Jake things must be OK with you two right?" She replies, "No, I'm not losing sleep over Turner. Not anymore anyway. He is gone, that is true, but I am not sure how gone is gone. Living here is better. Him, or others like him, can't get in unless we invite them." Ruby gets back to painting. "Sure, everything is great with me and Jake. I just want this place to be nice for him so he will be happy. Well, me too, I want it to be nice for me too. We did sorta have a fight, a disagreement, a couple of weeks ago when we got back from Thomaswell." She looks sideways at Nanuet, "But everything is ok now. I guess as long as I give him what he wants," she gives a light laugh and shrug, "Not that I mind it." "You think that a nicely decorated house is what makes him happy? We both know Jake better than that. I think if he was with you Ruby he would be happy in a tent. I am sure he appreciates the effort that you make, things like the room you decorated in the Lucky Lady and what you are doing now, but that is not what is most important. He loves you for who you are, and he is not looking for a woman that can keep up a nice home. He loves you for your spirit, the way you handle yourself and how you deal with life. He loves you, not any house." Nanuet takes a step back to look at the progress. "See you're getting the hang of it. You don't need to push so hard though, let the brush do the work." "No," she says, trying not to push on the brush so hard, "I didn't mean the house is what he wants, silly. I meant as long as I stay with him and do the things that make him happy." Ruby blushes and turns her face away from Nanuet. "Actually, I told him I would give him what he wants and I will. I love him more than anything. It's.. well... I never thought this would happen." She paints another stripe on the wall. "We fought about getting married. He doesn't want to. I thought I didn't either but I changed my mind and I did. Or do. Well, did. We decided that was never going to happen so I am trying not to think about it too much. It was a stupid idea. " "But when we bought the house someone made a comment...about us living together and not being married. I really used to not care what people thought about me at all but it really hurt me. I know I shouldn't let it get to me but I couldn't help it." She gives Nanuet a half smile. "I bet your people don't even worry about such stupid things, huh?" He replies, "Not that marriage is a stupid thing, but it is certainly different amongst my people. We have courting and weddings, but it doesn't hold as much sway as it does here. Elves tend to be a bit looser with their morals when they are younger, spending time with many partners. When an elf meets their life mate they know. There is no doubt." Nanuet dips his brush and continues painting, pondering his next words before continuing. "Things don't always go as planned, and people's expectations, wants and desires change as they mature. You were forced to grow up quickly I know, but maybe not all of you matured at the same time and only now do you see marriage as a good option, I don't see that as an unlikely scenario. Also, I know you never expected to meet anyone like Jake, just as I never figured on being a shaman or meeting Minerva. I wouldn't give up on marriage just yet, but be patient. If it is meant to be then it will happen. Jake loves you, that much is obvious. Your bond is stronger than many people I have seen who are married, and that is more important. Hmmm, looks like we might need a ladder after all. Do you have one?" Ruby smiles and shakes her head. "No, we don't have much except some new furniture. We can steal one from the Lucky Lady I suppose." Ruby steps back again. "Hey, this isn't coming out so bad." She wipes her hand across her face again, leaving another golden streak. "Once you get use to it anyway. As for maturing, I am quite mature." She pauses, "Except when I'm not. Jake and I are perfect for each other in that regard. I suppose that is why we fell in love." Ruby cracks up laughing. "Well I think you're getting the hang of the painting and maybe even your relationship with Jake. I am going to go grab that ladder. Anything else you can think of that you might need while I'm out?" "Not unless you can find someone else to paint this place," she laughs. "I'll keep going until you get back." She gets back to painting but stops and looks at Nanuet over her shoulder, "Thanks Nanuet, you're a good friend. I tried to talk to the girls but... well, I felt like they didn't understand." Nanuet stops on his way out "Just being me I guess. It is good to know that you feel you can talk to me. I'm learning a bit about how to be a good listener. All this priestly training I guess. Give me a few minutes, I'll be right back." "Well, thanks. Hey how about some coffee?" she says as she gets back to painting. "I'll need it to get more than this room done." Nanuet leaves the house and heads over to the Lucky Lady in search of a ladder. Kate is almost done her meal when Mr. David Melany from the Western Union Telegraph Office charges through the doorway. His eyes wander around the room until his eyes stop upon Kate. He approaches the table and states “Mrs. Kale, I have a telegram for you.” He hands it to her and then departs It reads: Katherine. The Seagrams are now en route to Arizona along with Mr. Pickering, his entourage of six students and the remainder of the books that you ordered. Henri, Phillip your mother and I are all on this trip to see your new home. Our train arrives in Tombstone at noon on Thursday, May 25th. I suspect that your mother will be exhausted from the long train journey and the Wells Fargo Company has also indicated that their stagecoach to Promise City would not be able to accommodate all eleven of us. So Pickering and his boys will take the Coach on Thursday while I have booked rooms for the family at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Tombstone for Thursday night. General Pleasants and his friends will be arriving in Tombstone on the morning of Friday the 26th, so we will meet them and then travel together to Promise City that afternoon. Fondly looking forward to seeing you again. Please inform Mr. Booth that his purchases are now traveling west under my watchful eye. Your loving father, Frederick Kate jumped up from her table and ran into the kitchen. "Look Dorita," she sang out, pushing the telegram toward the startled wood elf. "They'll be here on Friday! Oh, the house isn't half-ready to be seen, half wall-papered and all the pretty things packed up to keep from getting paint on them. You'll have room here for my family won't you? It's only two rooms, and I think I asked you to keep them, although now I can't remember if I did or not," she laughed. Dorita replies, "Good you ask before I rent the rooms out to all the dwarven prospectors who come for weekend. Si, I hold two rooms for Kate's family, they always be welcome here." "Thank you, Dorita. How could I be happier? I'll have my human family and my elvan family all together in one place. I was supposed to find someplace for General Pleasants and his friends to live in here, but I haven't seen anything much available. I have to talk to Conrad at lunchtime anyway, I'll see if he knows of anything then. I should talk to someone about boarding Mr. Pickering and his students as well." Kate kissed Dorita's cheek. "I'll be back at lunchtime. Maybe I'll just run by Jake and Ruby's and see if she's awake before I start all this work." Kate had hurried out into the street and made the walk over to her friend's new home. Her knocking was loud enough to be heard by someone who was awake, but not to wake anyone up. Meeting either of the residents when you woke them up wasn't a pleasant experience. Meanwhile, Nanuet enters the Lucky Lady. It is a bit after the breakfast hour and there are only a few patrons present. One is Don Wainwright, one of Jake Cook's poker players who owns a mercantile story in town, which specializes in the sale of musical instruments and sheet music. He is sitting at the bar having a mug of hot coffee while talking to Harry Rote, who assists at both the Saloon and the liquor distribution business run by one of the Lucky Lady's co-owners, Niles Hoover. Lucky Lady Manager and the aforementioned co-owner Hoover is sitting at one of the tables drinking a mug of coffee with Austin Blake, owner of Drover’s Livery and Drover’s Hotel. Nanuet says hello to the men present at the saloon and tells Niles that he will be borrowing a ladder for a little while. "Helping Ruby with some painting, shouldn't be too long." Niles tells Nanuet, "If you see Jake or Ruby please ask them to stop by, Mr. Austin and I would like to have a short chat with them." Nanuet states, "Oh sure thing, I am headed back to their new house right now, Ruby should definitely be there." A block to the east, It doesn't take long for Ruby to answer the door, covered in paint. "Good morning Kate, come on in. What brings you by so early?" Kate replies, "It's not early, it's nearly nine o'clock. I just wanted to show you this," she smiled and pushed out the telegram. "And ask, since you just looked for a house if you know if there are any others available. I was supposed to keep my eye open for someone, but I haven't seen anything empty. I'm so excited. I didn't realize Maman and the boys would come too." Ruby chuckles, "It IS early, for people like us anyway. You should know by now we're night owls." Ruby pushes some hair off her face and reads the telegram. "Wow Kate, that is very exciting. Your whole family is coming here, that's great. As for the houses, I had asked Niles and he told me about this one. But he might know of others, being a bartender people tell him all kinds of things. Nanuet is here helping me paint, so if you want to go over and ask him yourself feel free. Otherwise, I could go after I'm done." "I knew they were coming, but I suppose it didn't seem real. If they stay long enough they could get to see your play, Ruby. And you are covered in paint. I'd suggest skipping the bath and getting the paint off you the easy way," she laughed and wiggled her fingers to indicate a spell. "I need to find a place that can handle Mr. Pickering and his students as well, so I'll go do that first, then I'll head over to the Lady. If you're finished by then I'll see you there, how's that?" Ruby answers, "You think they are staying that long, long enough to see the play I mean? When are they arriving? I'll give you some advice, don't put them in the Double Eagle. That woman is a prude and obviously a huge supporter of the Vigilance Committee. Don't give her any business.” Ruby looks down at her clothes and laughs. "Hey, painting is hard work! But your suggestion is noted, it's a good idea." Kate replies, "They'll be here Friday evening. I'm not sure how long they're staying, but it's a long trip to make to just turn around and go back again. And don't worry, I don't plan to give the Vigilance Committee any business if I can help it. I'd sent them over to Dorita, but she's already holding rooms for my family and she's always full up on the weekends. It will probably have to be the Promise City Hotel, I think most of the boarding houses are about full, and they wouldn't want short term residents anyway." Nanuet then takes the ladder and heads back to the house. He knocks on the door before entering and sees Ruby and Kate chatting. "Good morning Kate.” "Good morning," Kate answered happily. Nanuet says, “Ruby, I'm just going to bring this ladder to the room we were painting. Niles is at the Lucky Lady, said he and Austin Blake from the Drover's Hotel wanted to talk to you about something. I can finish up the painting if you want to head over now and see what they want." "Oh really? I wonder what they want?" Ruby says to herself. "Well Kate, if you want to go now, I will go with you. I am curious what they want to talk about." Kate almost handed the paper to Nanuet before remembering he couldn't read English. She tells him, "You'll have to come to dinner at the El Parador on Friday and meet my family, Nanuet!" He states, "Oh really? Your family is coming to visit are they? I'll be there and I'll be sure to bring my best manners. I am sure you are excited about their visit." Kate says, "Just bring yourself, Nanuet, that is all I need. You come with manners all built in." Kate turned back to Ruby and said, "Seems you need to go to the Lady anyway. I wonder what Austin Blake could want?" Nanuet then turns back to Ruby "Well I'm going to finish up that room now that I can reach. I'll lock up if I finish before you get back." Ruby says, "Thanks Nanuet, that's be great. Although I am sure I won't be too long, I can't imagine what they might want to chat about, so I should be back to help." "Thanks Nanuet, that's be great. Although I am sure I won't be too long, I can't imagine what they might want to chat about, so I should be back to help."</blockquote>

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