Black Diamond.
I walked around town this morning looking for Aly and went to the cafe for my morning coffee, then saw Aly walk out into the street wearing her night gown and a blanket over her head and shoulders. “Uh... Aly?” I looked at her worriedly.
“Uh... Trin!” Aly hiccuped.
“You okay...?”
“Oh I am now but ask me again in an hour and that might change! Trin!! I came home from the dance last night and there was that Apache cousin of Marks int eh middle of my way.”
“Which cousin?” I blinked.
“The Apache. Uh... Stormy.”
“Let’s get you back inside, shall we?”
“Need to talk,” she nodded.
I led her back into her house and she sat on the counter in the kitchen while I sat at the table. “Talk to me, woman. This isn’t like you.”
“Well I was real scared at first....she’s an Apache and was blocking my way into town... but she told me I don’t need to hear her and that she finally wanted to meet me.”
“Meet you why?”
“Because her cousin had an eye for me,” Aly started to tear up a bit.
“I’m listening..”
“To which I responded... I told her that I still love him. And she responds with ‘over time your heart will heal’.”
“Finally...” I sighed and walked over to give her a hug.
“And she said something else about a woman in the town getting ready for a ceremony...and David wandered into the Apache....and they got worried...and Oh God... do you think Mark is getting married today?”
“David wandered into the Apache camp?” I blinked.
“Yeah, I was looking for him because we were suppose to bury native sands and he got lost...wandered there. They beat him real bad Trin...broke his ribs and leg. I had to get him home. Stormy said he fired a gun at them. I dunno, I wasn’t there.”
“I should talk to him...”
“Yeah so I went there this morning to see how he was, but uh...I was kinda drunk. Not much use to my friends like this.”
“Then get your butt back in bed. Let’s go.”
“Trin I’m miserable. I want Mark. I want him back. Badly.”
I led the way upstairs and helped Aly back into bed. “Sleep it off, hon...”
“Trin. What am I suppose to do now?”
“You’re supposed to relax, sleep, and figure it out when you wake up.”
“I feel like I want to either break things or curl in a ball and just die.”
I shook my head, knowing I couldn’t help her when she was like this. I walked downstairs and headed out into the street.
Tombstone.
I rode through Tombstone and waved to a couple near the schoolhouse. “Morning folks. Nice day out, ain’t it?”
“Miss if you looking into a new horse,” the woman said as she slid her hand along Phoenix’s neck,
“We have some mighty fine horses.”
“I actually just bought Phoenix... He’s a good horse so far,” I said, dismounting the horse. “Don’t believe we’ve met yet.”
“He seems like a good horse, if just ridden for a light travel,” she said.
“Well that’s about all I can do right now...”
“My name is Isabella,” the woman offered her hand.
“My name is Ross,” the man smiled.
“I’m Trin. Nice to meet you, ma’am. And you as well, Sir.”
“I am Waterfall’s mother she is one of the classmates of your little one,” Isabella said.
“Oh, I see. I know Waterfall... Don’t have any little ones of my own though.”
“Pleasure, ma’am,” she looked at me with kind eyes.
“Ya’ll new to the area then?” I asked.
“This here is my finance Ross we live in Kansas. It sure is a ride but, our little one loves it here with Miss Rainfall,” Isabella said.
“Used to live in Kansas a long while back. Nice enough area,” I nodded.
“She’s a precious girl... when I found here.. she had not seen her family for many days... she was cold and hungry...but I tell you... caring for that little girl has brought me so many things...in my heart. She is a wonderful little one,” Ross said.
“Well I’ll let you folks continue your wandering. Hope you have a great day,” I climbed back up on Phoenix and winced a bit but tried to ignore it as I rode on.
Venice.
I rode through town and heard music coming through the saloon in Venice so I decided to investigate. Walking in, I found a big crowd with Mardi Gras decorations all around the saloon. I danced beside Aly for a while and then we convinced Wedge to dance with me. We talked about work and how sometimes it took over our lives but it was still a good thing.
“How was payroll today?” I asked Wedge as we danced.
“It was a bit erm... Payroll was a bit blood today.”
“Bloody?”
“Yes. Mine and Jack’s.”
“You and Jack got shot by whom?”
“Jack shot me. Seth shot Jack.”
“What he do that for?” I blinked and looked around the room, seeing Jack dancing in the corner.”
“Jack tried to steel the payroll and shot Wedge, Trin,” Angeles explained.
“Oh I see...”
“He wanted the payroll,” Wedge nodded.
“Seth shot Jack who shot Wedge when Jack was stealing payroll?” Aly summarized and I chuckled.
“Trying to...” Wedge clarified.
I rubbed a hand down Wedge’s back and asked, “Where’d you get shot?”
“Left side.”
“You are all so very confusing. I’m happy with a bit of wood and a hammer,” Aly said.
I traced a finger around Wedge’s side and asked, “Right there?” and he nodded. “You could always arrest Jack for shooting you now, couldn’t ya? That’d give you something to do.”
“Surely not me,” he chuckled.
“Let the man dance,” Aly chuckled.
“Oh, they did arrest me,” Jack laughed.
“Oh well never mind then,” I winked at Jack.
“Well...at least I ain’t bleeding anymore,” Wedge said.
“Yes Jack was arrested today and I care him in jail. Same bring his ass out Fort too,” Angeles noted.
“That’s a plus. And I was never bleeding...”
“Good,” he smiled and then asked how I was doing. I admitted I was sore but that I was alright.
We continued to dance and talk and then I asked Wedge to come with me to the Frontier fair because I didn’t want to walk over there alone. We said goodbye to the others and walked outside.
Tombstone.
We made our way over to the fort and through to the back where they had set up a circle of covered wagons. People from each different group of careers were there and I stood with the law carriage representing the Pinkertons. I met a man named Pete Fox who was new to the town and after a while decided to head home because the crowd was becoming too much for me.
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