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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 4052300" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Two-hundred-seventy, “Catching up and Moving on“, Wednesday, June 21st, 1:15 P.M. Leaving the El Parador, Jake meanders the town looking for Neal Cassidy. Finally locating him he asks him about the school and if his organization was still assisting it. Jake also asks Neal how much it costs to run the school for a month. Neil scratches his chin. "The committee is still sponsoring the school, but everything's up in the air with the town council meeting today. They're going to talk about a public school and how it would affect the Hoover School. Or if the Hoover school should become the public school. Jake's brows knick over that but he lets Neil continue “As for the costs," Neil pauses and begins to tick items off his fingers, "There's the ladies salaries, supplies, maintenance on the building, and the lunches and snacks provided for the students. That probably all comes to anywhere between $125 to $150 a month. And since the school is new there are still costs for books and such. That includes some things like seed and gardening tools for the students to use in their lessons. Mrs. Kale and I have talked a little bit about the extras she'd like, things like musical instruments and books for teaching languages, and more speakers that we might have to pay to come out. Most of that she doesn't expect us to cover, but she doesn't think small." "Heh," Jake laughs as if that is some private joke. "Fine, thanks Neil. I will think about how I might help out, but wait for the outcome of the council meeting. I will see you later." Jake returns to the Lucky Lady seeking out either Tony Lucky or Van Horne. Jake is able to locate Cornelius Van Horne at the Lucky Lady enjoying one of Maria's home cooked meals. Jake asks, "How about enhancing my bank account with the tournament winnings?" Van Horne replies, "Already done, and since you already had an account at the First National Bank they just put it there instead of having to open a new one for you. Well Jacob, it has been a few eventful days. I think you should know that I received confirmation the telegram which I sent with your message was received by Miss. West. I have also heard from our associate Richard. He says that Miss. West is now in the company of George Eastman as per her decision." Jake states, "Oh." Silence. "I suppose I should have anticipated that. I am also not supposed to care." More silence. "Time for me to start enjoying the scores of lovely and lonely women that inhabit these western states and territories," he finishes rather unconvincingly. "Tell me, where is Tony Lucky and your security man who allowed his cousin to fool him so easily. At least I hope he was fooled and not an accomplice." Van Horne lowers his voice and says, "Permanently gone from Promise City. After the situation with the fake Job Kane, when Tony Lucky took that potshot, our friend Francesco was able to convince his cousin that he had overstayed his welcome in Promise City. Francesco presented to him that Mr. Lucky's luck had run out, that he'd played both sides of the fence one time too many, and it was only a matter of time until either Evan Adair or Judge Isby would be after him. The timing was good at that preceded Adair's arrest, otherwise I doubt we would have been able to be rid of him so easily." "I must differ with you on that." Jake's eyes dark on a rare dark and angry look, "I was going to be rid of him, one way or another. I do not take well to those who abuse my trust." The moment fades, "No matter now, he is gone." He scratches his chin a few times before continuing, "Seems the Lucky Lady is short a dealer." Van Horne replies, "Sorry Jake, I didn't mean to cause any trouble. If you really want to catch up with him though you don't have to go far, they've only gone to the other side of the mountains as Tony Lucky had a few things to take care of in Galleyville before leaving the area for good. That ghost town isn't a very safe place to be and Jake Cook probably has some enemies there, but I'll loan you the Allistar disguise if you really want to see Tony again." Jake says, "No, no, that is not what I meant. I did not agree that he would be difficult to rid. He is gone and we are the better for it. Unless he causes me trouble with his business in Galleyville there is no need to think about him any more. I do need to replace him, and have someone cover for me so I can do a bit of traveling. I wonder if Branford would be interested?" Van Horne says, "Actually he is, he was here this morning looking for you to discuss that very prospect. I didn't see him myself but I believe he spoke to both Harry Rote and Marshal Martin about it.” Jake nods and smiles. "That would be good news. It would please me to give him a good table and have someone around I can trust to keep an eye on things." Jake nods a few more times. "In the next few days I will be headed towards San Francisco. I want to visit my sister. It will give me a chance to size up her husband. Mostly it will give me a chance to see my niece, Miora." Jake grins sheepishly, "Can you imagine me as uncle Jake?" He laughs. "I will be checking out the waterfront district for an opportunity to start up a saloon there. I need to invest some of my money before I drink it all." Van Horne replies, "Well Jacob, if you wish for a second investor I am willing. I already have $ 125,000 in a San Francisco bank which I can wire them to make available to you." Jake says, "That would be one dandy of a saloon. I did not expect to need that much, and am not even entirely sure that I will buy something, but thank you." Jake leisurely passes time with Van Horne, and gathers up some of the old newspapers around the saloon to catch up on what he has missed over the last several days. Minerva takes a break from packing and decides to visits with Bea, sure that the word of her impending departure will spread quickly after their visit. She stands in the dry dusty street before the boarding house and looks up at the window with a melancholy smile remembering the evening that Nanuet began to court her and how he serenaded her from the street. She wipes away the single escaping tear and marches up to the door. She knocks and enters in the same movement. "Bea are you home?" Mrs. Russell comes out of the kitchen and states "Ah, Priestess Minerva! How are you today?" Oh, Bea, it is good to see you. "she says hugging the woman a bit too tightly. "I am fine Bea, I was just in need of some of your tea and maybe a bit of whatever you are baking today." Bea quickly gets a a teapot and offers Minerva a choice of India Black tea or Earl Grey. She has cooked up blueberry bread and has some home made butter to go atop it. Minerva admires Bea's efficient movements. "I am going to miss her most of all." The Priestess says, "Earl Gray will be fine, Bea. Come and sit. I have some news to share with you" She replies, "And I have something to share with you as well. Elton Hubbard has offered my husband a job at his mining office, so we will finally have the money to expand and refurbish this boarding house." Minerva exclaims "Oh Bea, that is wonderful! I know that you have wanted to make improvements, but will it not be more work for you? If you expand then you will take on more boarders and your husband will not be here to help if he is working at the mine." She says, “He will be working in the office and mine assaying room, not the mines themselves. It is getting to be more work than the clerk Earl Hogan can do himself. And his salary will be high enough that we can hire somebody to help me around here and be financially better off than we are now." Minerva replies, "I am quite pleased for you Bea. Your are a wonderful woman, I am sure that the gods will continue to smile upon you. Perhaps by the time I return the renovations will be complete." Minerva visits with Bea for a while, telling her of her plans and enjoying the comfort of easy banter. Bea needed little encouragement to fill her in on the latest news about town describing in detail who was doing what to who and what happening where. certainly kept her ear to the ground and seemed to know everything about the goings on in Promise City and its environs. Satisfied that her news would spread faster than a wildfire Minerva ended her visit with a tearful embrace and made her way home to pack and wait for the news to spread. Emery Shaw approaches Chester and says, "Marshal, the Town Council is about to meet. You and I don't get to vote on the council be as elected officials we are allowed to participate at their meetings. Interested?" Chester says, "Sure thing, Mr. Mayor. Let me say goodbye to Clarisse and I'll be right over." Chester tells her, "I'll see you tonight, dear." He kisses her on the cheek. She says, "See you later, Chet." Chester says to Shaw, "OK. I'm ready now." They walk over to City Hall. Nakomo systematically worked his way from room to room making sure that their personal things were packed away safely until they returned. They would be leaving the furniture and most of their belongings behind in the hopes that they would be back before too long. In the mean time who ever the church got to take over for the priestess would be living here during their absence. He prayed that whatever work the gods had planned for them on the west coast would be finished quickly. He had never really had a home before and it was more difficult than he wanted to admit, to leave this one behind even for a short time. He had made friends here and begun to set down roots, but Miss Minerva had taught him that life was transient and he must not cling to it to tightly. The gods had plans of their own, she had said. He thought of Emily and how she had made him feel so welcome and yet at the same time stirred up feelings of unease in the pit of his stomach. How when he had followed his instincts and tried to treat her like a lady she had pushed him away. Well, comfortable or not, he was going to say goodbye, and closing up the last box he went to find her. School finally let out and Emily was glad to get back outside. Mrs. Kale was absent again, but she seemed to be the only person who ever wondered about what took her away so much. Uncle Emery was probably still at the town hall for the council meeting, but he hadn't said it was alright for her to leave school alone. Maybe he was sending someone? She sat down on the bench outside the door to wait. Nakomo stood outside of the school kicking up dust with the toe of his moccasin when Emily finally came out. Taking a deep breath, he walked over dropped down beside her and continued his inspection of the dirt. "How was school today." "It was school, about the same as always. Mrs. Kale wasn't here again, and neither were you. What were you doing today?" Emily asked curiously. "And is there something interesting on the ground?" Nakomo stops kicking the dirt and looks directly at her. "I was packing. We are leaving.” "What?" Emily asked, eyes wide. "But why? I thought the Priestess just got here a couple months ago." Nakomo says, "The gods have called us elsewhere." He says puffing a bit with pride. "I will miss you Emily. You have been a good friend to me, and have made me feel welcome when others did not." Emily says, "Me? I didn't do nothing much, 'cept talk to you like anyone else. Well, not exactly like everyone else, not like folks who ain't my family. It'll be kinda lonely after you go. There's not many people like you and me here. School'll be pretty boring." He replies, “Nah, school's not so bad and anyway, pretty soon you'll be so lost in your studies with Jiminez that you'll forget all about me. I hope we're not gone too long though. I kinda like it here.” Emily nodded, not sure what to say. "I don't think I'll forget about you, don't matter how busy I am. Listen, I'm real sorry about what happened. I just... People weren't always real nice to me in Chicago, 'specially boys. They wanted me to do what they wanted even if I didn't want to, and tried to make me. I know you wouldn't do that but when you wanted me to go in the school... I guess I'm just kinda sensitive about it," she finished, taking her turn at looking down at the dirt. The Indian boy replies, "I know what its like when people are mean to you. Pakeso and Nesenkeag used to be pretty mean to me. I would never hurt you Emily, or make you do stuff you didn't want to. I was just treating you like a lady. You deserve that." he pauses for a minute and says. Maybe when I come back you won't mind being treated like a lady so much." Emily pouts, "I ain't a lady. Can't imagine every really being one; too much a tomboy I guess. She then asks, “You really think you'll come back here? If the gods call you away once what makes you think they won't just send you 'round and 'round till you're older than Jadito?" Nakomo shrugs his shoulders. "Maybe they will? But I gotta do what I gotta do, don't I?" Miss Minerva says I haffta trust in the gods, so that's what I'm gonna do. But that doesn't mean I don't get to choose and I really want to come back her some day so I will. " She replies, "I hope so. Could be a while though. We're gonna live a long time, you know." Emily looked down again, not sure what else to say. They hadn't really known each other that long. "Maybe you'll write me a letter... or something. Maybe," she said. He stands a smiles at her awkwardly stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I would like that, if you would write back. he mumbles while pushing his moccasin into the dirt "Well I gotta get back home. I have a lot left to do. He pulls his hand out of his pocket and holds it out for her to shake. "It was nice knowing you Emily." "I'll write back, as long as I know where to send it," she said. She took his hand and shook it a bit awkwardly. "You'll still know me, even if you're far away." Not knowing how to respond Nakomo nods and walks away and says softly to himself, "I'll never understand girls." Emily stood there for a minute, confused and saddened. But at least she got the chance to apologize. It was a little bit of a relief though. She didn't want to be anything but friendly, and she wasn't sure Nakomo felt the same. She still hoped he would come back, though. After her saddening talk with Nakomo, Emily walked over to the council meeting with Mrs. Caudell. She's thought it would have been already over, but it was just starting. She managed to worm her way forward to sit within good view of her Uncle.</blockquote>

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