April 1, 1900

Black Diamond. 

This morning I walked out of my office and saw a Native man standing in the street. I talked with him about the horses stolen but he didn’t seem too concerned with it. I walked into the cafe and greeted Alex and Aly who were already having coffee. 

I asked them how they were doing and Alex said, “Well, this morning was a little exciting.”

“I’m still tired actually. I always get coffee and then forget it’s sitting right in front of me,” Aly said and then blushed. “Yeah, I’ll let YOU tell her bout that.” 

“But honestly, I don’t remember much but I do remember puking on Jack’s shoes.”

“Alex you got locked up,” Aly laughed at him. 

“What?!” I blinked and jumped out of my seat. 

“Yeah, we had a few too many drinks this morning,” Alex admitted. 

“Start talking,” I looked at him seriously. 

“And we wandered over to Allen Street...” he continued. “Everything is all weird today anyway. Jack is the sheriff right now, Paisley is the mayor, and Pet is the fire marshall. I tried to give pet some matches.”

“I don’t think she wanted them. Then I fell over and puked on Jack’s shoes.” 

“I hate April Fool’s day,” I sat back down. 

“And he arrested me.” 

“Ok and that could have just as easily been me. I was about to moon Jack,” Aly chuckled. “Oh, if I coulda held it in, I woulda just to see that....” 

“Oh, and I made up a nice song ‘Jack stole my Jack but now I got it back’,” he sang and we chuckled. 

Aly’s house. 

Aly invited us to her ranch so we went there to look around and talked about her furnishing plans. When we were sitting in her tree I looked over at Alex. “So Alex.... You’re not gonna turn into a drunken outlaw are ya?” 

“Noooo. I think I’m done with causing trouble,” he chuckled. 

“Glad to hear that.”

“It’s too much of a headache getting drunk like that,” he rubbed his temples. 

“What on earth caused you to get drunk in the first place again? I don’t think I was awake enough to hear it.... And Aly why ain’t you in the tree with us?”

“I don’t know what I was thinking. Pet gave me a bottle this morning so I opened it and took a drink. Then another, and another. Next thing I knew, I was drunk as a skunk.”

“Sorry Trin that is probably my fault too,” Aly admitted. “I got a bit silly. I take full responsibility for my actions.” 

“Alex.. it ain’t goin’ to court, is it?” I looked at him. 

“No, just got thrown in teh drunk tank for a bit,” he shook his head. 

“Good. I would hate to have to prosecute you.”

“Jack gave me a donut and coffee,” Alex chuckled. “I think that would be kinda funny if you prosecuted me.”

“You would,” I shook my head. 

We talked for a while and then Aly gave us a tour of the house. When we were on the balcony Aly said, “I don’t understand... how people talk about wanting to get up and leave....travel...from place to place.... I’ve been content here all my life.” 

I looked at her and said, “It depends on the situation you find yourself in when you have to get up and leave.”

“You’re lucky. Some of us had to leave home,” Alex agreed. 

“My home is no longer there anymore.”

“Yeah, well Trin...when I left here...it wasn’t a good situation. my house was burned down. I had to start over. BUT..I came back... but I understand,” she nodded. 

“After Dad died.... Mom and Josh couldn’t keep up the ranch so they had to sell it and move. It was too painful for my Mom to keep living there on her own with Josh so busy and me down in Texas... Well I guess I was in Colorado by the time Dad died... Before that he was off in the war.”

“I’m from the city. I wouldn’t have wanted to stay even if I could,” Alex shrugged. 

“Oh that’s true, ugh, the city. I woulda left that,” Aly agreed. 

“When we started getting threats at the ranch...” I shook my head. “And then I started to get them when I was finally here in Tombstone... They decided to start over.”

“Well I for one am glad you’re here. Guess everything really does happen for a reason, hm?” 

“I’ve never felt so settled as I do when I’m in Tombstone. I’ve been wandering and looking for a home for fifteen years.”

Aly decided to go check on the horses and I sighed, looking out at the waterfalls. Alex looked over at me and asked, “Is it really the coffee?” I shook my head and he asked, “What’s up?” 

“I don’t know... I just feel.... I feel like sometimes I’m not really as settled as I tell people I am. I feel like I’m wandering alone even though I live in an apartment above my office. Even though I have you two.”

“You’re not thinking of leaving are you?”

“No, but...” I shook my head. 

“But what?” 

“Just feel like sometimes I messed everything up... And it’s not fair to keep bringing it up again. But what does this place remind you of?” I looked at him. 

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. 

“Our place,” I sighed and he looked down, nodding. “The view of the water... our own property and house with rooms and our pictures and....” I kicked the railing lightly, mad at myself for bringing it up. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Alex.”

“Trin...” 

“It’s not fair,” I shook my head. “I’m not being fair.”

“I’m still here. We’re not together that way, but I’ll always be here.”

Aly came up to the balcony again and suggested we head back to town for that coffee. I apologized for bringing things down and they assured me that they were both here for me. 

Black Diamond. 

We went back to Diamond and sat in the cafe again. I admitted I was feeling useless lately and just needed work to do again. I asked Aly if she’d seen Ripley around town and she said that he was staring at her in church and making her uncomfortable. We talked about Lisa moving back into town. 

Ed walked in and I smiled widely at the sight of him. We talked for a while about people around town giving Aly the creeps and Ed took out his suspicious mustache and clipped it onto his upper lip, making us laugh. We joked about how he had handcuffs and Alex and I remembered the time we kissed in the jail cell in Bisbee and we both blushed. 

Aly and Alex decided to get some work done so I offered to show him around town again. We ended up at the saloon and danced, enjoying the moment once again between us.