October 17, 1900

Tombstone. 

This afternoon I was sitting in front of the hotel when I saw David Norwood walking over. I hadn’t seen him in ages and blinked, to make sure it was him. “Well hey there, stranger.” 

“Hello Miss Paige.” 

“How are things? Haven’t seen you in a while.” 

“I’ve been… well… busy then um not so busy I guess.” 

“Same here,” I nodded. “Not a case in months. Most exciting thing I’ve gotten to do was determine that there were termites on the sheriff’s office building, not ants.” 

“How exciting.” 

“I know, right? Been staying out of trouble, Dave?” 

“Heh heh. Hell no.” 

“Well at least some things don’t change, even if most everything else does,” I smirked. 

“You got time? I have a long tale to tell.” 

“Sure, let’s go in and get a drink,” I nodded towards Kate’s. We walked inside and sat at the bar with a couple glasses of whiskey. 

“Well ya heard about me and Katie I’m sure.” 

“That you split? Yeah, sorry to hear about that.” 

“It happens , actually ran into an old flame during one of my trips to California and things got a bit romantic, so Katie and I split and I pursued my old flame.” 

“Still with her then?” I nodded to him. 

“Well here’s where it gets interesting. In California a friend of mine was looking for a manager for her whore house, similar to Annie’s.” 

“Can’t just say ’brothel’ can ya?” I winked at him. 

“Ok brothel…” he smiled. “Anyways we called it Heavens Gate. Different name kinda name… any ways I of all people was in charge of hiring the dancers.” 

“Why is it that seems fitting?” I chuckled. 

“Oh it was great fun, well my second wife Vet got word that I had been well enjoying the company of one, and actually she was led to believe I was making  part of my audition to um… sleep with me,” he said and I didn’t say that that seemed fitting for him either, and just listened. “Well as it turned out I did enjoy the company of two ladies, but it was at the same time and only once. So that only counts as one time right?” 

I shook my head a bit and poured more whiskey as he went on. “Anyway, sure Vet should of been angry, I accept that, but I was fired too and that wasn’t right cuz neither of the girls got any special favors.” 

I leaned back and sipped more whiskey, keeping my thoughts to myself as I just nodded. Another woman walked into the bar who we didn’t recognize and Dave insisted, “I’m not a terrible person Trin.” 

“Just a bit misguided, Dave…” I patted his shoulder and looked over at the woman sitting at the bar. “Hi Ma’am. Don’t think we’ve met.” 

“Hi, no we haven’t. I am Lady May, a new citizen,” the woman smiled as she ordered a whiskey. 

“May, nice to meet you. I’m Trin Paige and this here’s an old friend of mine, Dave,” I introduced. 

“Well I wouldn’t say misguided, but affectionate, yes.” 

“Perhaps overly so,” I gave him a knowing look. 

“Hello,” Dave waved to the woman. 

“Hi Davie, good to meet you both,” May smiled. 

“Been in Tombstone long, May?” I asked her.

“Well on about two weeks still looking for work.” 

“Ah I see. Find a place to settle down yet then?” 

“I hear the Courts looking for folks,” Dave commented. 

“Got a room in the hotel for now.. real nice,” May said. 

“Would be nice if outlaws showed up for their trials. We’d have something to do,” I looked over at Dave. 

“They courts, Dave?” May asked. 

“Tombstone court system, needs lawyers,” Dave said. 

“Here on your own or are ya married, May?” I asked her. 

“Ooh, well I can do that. See, I was educated back in Verginie,” May smiled and then looked at me. “I am married but left the no good drunken woman nizer back in St. Louie.” 

“Jimmi Rubble… will do Dave, and thanks,” May said. “We were forming up a wagon train in St. Louie see… To get to organ but he fell off the wagon and got drunk out of his mine…” she sighed and sipped her whiskey. I nodded sympathetically and listened while she went on. “So I  left his sorry ass, pardon my French, and came this far on my own.” 

“S’okay, I heard worse in church on Sunday,” Dave smiled and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“David, did you know Thomas is studyin’ to be a prosecutor? Hopefully we’ll be able to get a case or so soon,” I looked at him. 

“I should go while here… I have load of confession to get off my chest,” May said then. 

“Sounds like you two would get along, Dave,” I winked at him teasingly. 

“I would enjoy an escort to church some Sunday, Dave, or are you taken?” May asked and looked over at me curiously. 

“Don’t look at me. I’m as good as bethrothed. Thomas and I wear these necklaces to show our love for one another,” I chuckled. 

“Do you mind if I smoke?” May asked. “I mean is it to unlady like here? Oooh Thomas is the man,” she smiled. 

“Yes indeed. Been together for a couple months or so... I lose track. Dave and I are good friends though... we go back a ways, right Dave?” 

Dave nodded, putting a hand on my thigh. “Oh yes we are very good friends.” 

“You must invite me to the wedding Trin,” May smiled. 

“Goodness no... Not really the marrying type. I’m perfectly happy wearing his necklace. I have his love, that’s all I need,” I smirked a bit. 

“What you gots a guy?” Dave shook his head then. 

“Mmhmm. Spends most of his time in the books but maybe I can get him to pop out of his office sometime this weekend.” 

Dave took his hand off my thigh and said, “Geesh go away a little while and all sorts of shit changes.” 

“Oooh I see… Well seeing as how I am all ready married though separated… guess I will not be going that for either not till we are divorced,” May said. 

“I’ve got a kid too. Not by birth of course... But I adopted a daughter who was having a rough time at the orphanage here... Well, more accurately I guess she adopted me,” I said. 

“Is Mr. Rubble out and about now or in his office?” May grinned. “That is nice. We had not children or I would not have left him alone with a child.” 

“Might be able to send him a wire and see if he could wander out this way,” I said to her about Jimmi. 

“Oooh yes, I will. I have seen the Western Union office or Wells Fargo office. I will do that now,” May said. 

“Geez, a kid too?” Dave looked at me. 

“Yeah, that’s pretty much how everyone reacted. No one saw that coming,” I laughed.

“Yeah with all my traveling I sent Buster back to his mom,” Dave said. 

“Probably a good idea,” I nodded. 

May finished her whiskey and stood. “Be well, you two. Wish me luck.” 

“He travelled with me awhile but that brothel was no place for a young man, though he did enjoy seeing the ladies,” Dave said. 

“Sure wasn’t. He was bound to follow in your footsteps,” I nudged Dave and looked over at May. “Good luck, May. Hope to see you tackling a case in court soon.” She nodded and headed out. 

“Yeah Buster reminds me of myself at his age,” Dave said. 

“So does Natalie... Which is strange because she isn’t even mine. But she really does seem like me. She works over at the clinic as an orderly. That part isn’t so much like me.” 

“Well it’s too bad you gots a fella, Trin,” Dave said. “When I see ya, I was gonna ask you to dinner.” 

“Yeah, I should keep doing the rounds and see if there’s anything to do. It has been really great catching up with you though,” I chuckled and stood, hugging him tightly. “You gonna stay around town for a while again?” 

“I might,” Dave nodded. 

“You should. Could take over Annie’s,” I winked at him. 

“Yeah, I don’t think Mayor Wise would appreciate the way I would run things,” Dave laughed. 

I laughed a bit and hugged him tightly. “It really was great to see you again. Have a good night, Dave. Hopefully I’ll be able to introduce you to Thomas this weekend.”

“I have missed seeing you,” Dave touched my hand. 

“Then stop leaving,” I smiled softly at him. 

“I’m like a wild horse, not easy to tame.” 

“Don’t I know it. See you again soon, Dave,” I laughed and waved as I headed out. 

“Take care Trin,” he smiled.