March 7, 1901

Black Diamond. 

I walked into town this morning and waved to Wedge and the others, talking to them about payroll. I told Stormy how we would be focusing on Bisbee and Diamond, and told her that she could ask me for help if she needed it. Bree joined us when the payroll was done and we continued to talk about our families. Stormy and I talked about why we decided to move farther out of town and how much more peaceful things would be now. 

Tombstone. 

After a while I went into town and talked with Cas about payroll and how peaceful things had been lately and how much I wished there was some work to do. 

“So the kids studied all about the Birdcage theatre last night,” I told Cas. 

“Nice.” 

“Mmhmm came at us with a few questions though.” 

“They always do.” 

“How do you explain the red light district to ten and twelve year olds?” 

“You tell them the brakemen on the trains used to set their lanterns down when they went to have lemonade.” 

“Seriously?” I looked at him. 

“Well that was how it got it’s name... I dunno about the lemonade part, but I ain’t tellin’ no secrets to no kid.” 

“Okay how about this.... what about the ladies of the evening? That danced in cages?” 

“They was dancers. That’s all a kid needs to know” 

“Right.” I nodded. “They said it was like Paisley. See... Natalie already knows about doves… Her birth mother was a dove. Shot down by a guy while she was workin’.” 

“They can know some, they’ll find out the rest soon enough,” Cas said. 

“Sure is true.” I nodded and we greeted Thomas and Abi as they came over. “Already had to have the talk with Natalie about how it’s okay to have lots of friends with boys, but not to kiss all of ’em.” 

“I don’t think so,” Cas said.

“Dear are you asking Cas about the bombshell the kids dropped on this mornin?” Thomas asked. 

“Is something wrong?” Abi asked. “Bombshell? Nothing bad I hope.” 

“Just gettin’ some parenting advice, Abi,” I told her. 

“Ummm, yeah Miss ABi! The kids popped up this mornin askin bout the red light district and dance cages on the ceiling of the Birdcage Theatre. It seems they was readin the history or Tombstone,” Thomas explained. 

“Kids ask hard questions sometimes.. nothin’ we ain’t all tried answerin’ before without spittin’out our drink,” Cas said. 

“Well Aspen and some others have been asking a lot of questions about babies too,” Abi told us. 

“Mmhmm they sure do. Oh? About babies?” I looked at Abi. 

“Yes.” 

“Yeah but Cas, try answerin’ it first thing in the morning before you had yore coffee,” Thomas told him. 

“Thus the ’not spittin’ out your drink’ part,” Cas said. 

“They keep saying but... but... but…” Abi said. 

“Ain’t it fun?” I chuckled. 

“It’s just lovely,” she said with a laugh. 

“Tell ’em everyone’s got a butt and they all stink.. next question,” Cas advised. 

“You should have been with Trin, Miss Abi, when she tried to convince Nat and Jimmy that you didn’t get babies from kissing,” Thomas said with a chuckle. 

“Yeah, that was a fun conversation.” I chuckled. “She’s twelve though so... that’s when my mother told me.” 

“I have had that same conversation with the girls and boys,” Abi said. 

“Like tryin’ to explain to Kei that arm hair wasn’t what attracted women,” Cas said. 

“Of course had I known we were just gonna adopt two kids.... I wouldn’t have had to have the conversation.” I looked over and winked at Thomas. 

“Arm hair?” Abi blinked. 

“Yep, he swore that was why Marshal Ansar got the ladies.” 

“It don’t Cas?” Thomas chuckled. 

“No dear, it don’t.” I laughed. 

“Awww, but I thought you fell in love with me cause of my manly armhair dear,” Thomas said with a laugh. 

“Try convincin’ a 6 year old that when he has his mind set,” Cas said. 

“Life would be so boring without those kids askin’ stupid questions,” I observed. 

“And they keep saying but why… But why?” Abi said. 

“Ansar coulda been sittin’ on a gold mountain with a talkin’ horse and it woulda still be the arm hair that got the ladies,” Cas said. 

“Oh I know Miss Abi, Natalie is always asking WHY WHY WHY pa!” Thomas chuckled. 

“Why do you do this or why does this happen when you do this?” Abi mimicked the kids. “Why does it snow in Diamond and not here in Tombstone?” 

“I was wondering that too. That’s not a stupid question.” I laughed. 

“Higher elevation, dear!” Thomas smiled. 

“The altitude’a course.. it’s colder the higher up you get,” Cas said. 

“Typical,” I said and rolled my eyes at the two men. 

“Explain that to an eight year old,” Abi said, “When they say but we have hills here why no snow.” 

We continued to talk and joke about questions skids had and Aspen came over to join us. We discussed the chicken and the egg and it was fun just to relax and laugh with the others. 

Thomas and I went into the Oriental, since it was one of the few saloons not run by outlaws, and sat down at the bar. Once we had our drinks, I looked over at Thomas and said, “Sometimes I had another job outside of the law enforcement... Like as well as, not replacing it.” 

“You know something dear, we really do need to sit down with the kiddos sometime soon, and ummm explain LIFE to them.” 

“You go ahead,” I laughed. “You go ahead. I explained the magic of life with Natalie already.” 

“You did what?!” Thomas blinked. 

“I told you dear... I had that talk with her about how it’s okay to have lots of friends that were boys but not to kiss them all… So then she asked well, how do babies happen?” 

“Well do you mind having that little talk with Jimmy since you seem so good at it?” 

“And she asked me how come you and I never make babies even though we sleep in the same bed. So I told her that kissing boys and sleeping in the same bed doesn’t make babies. I told her there was a lot more to it... that you and I chose not to do.” 

“I guess cause the rooster and laid his egg yet!” Thomas chuckled. 

“Cause the risk of havin a baby is too great when you do that.. stuff... so we choose not to do it. So... she asked what it was. And well…” 

“Well you still ain’t answered my question yet.” Thomas smiled. “You just went around it.” 

“I’m just sayin’… I had to explain it to her. I didn’t go into... details... Just said that it was something that we chose not to do. And that it happens when uh... more private body parts touch. Not the stuff that everyone sees” 

“Yeah, there is a lot of risk in it, and since we have them, we have no need to take that risk. We have enough risks as it is.” 

“Exactly.” I nodded. “So that’s how I explained it to her. She’s twelve... she had to know sometime soon.” 

“Yeah I know. I am just not sure if Jimmy is old enough yet. He’s just 10, and still thinks girls carry cooties.” 

“I think you’re right, dear.” 

“I think we should kinda watch what they read from now on. So we get to keep close watch on what they read” 

“I hope I did a good job explaining it to her?” 

“It sounds like you did love. Probably better than I would have, if it had been me trying to explain it to her.” 

“That’s why I didn’t want to tell you at home that we had the talk... I didn’t want to embarrass her.” 

“Yeah, I understand. Those sort of things are best discussed between mom and daughter, son and father I think.” 

“Mmhmm. So whenever you feel Jimmy’s ready, you go ahead, dear. I trust you.” 

“Would you believe my pa didn’t tell me until I was nearly 15?” 

“Wow…” 

“But I sorta knew by then anyways. I had been talking to these ladies I would always see in the street. A couple of them would sit with me for ma and pa when they would work. Little did I know, they were ladies of the evening themselves.” 

“How could you have known at that age? I still can’t believe they just read that.. I mean Natalie gets that stuff... her ma did it but…” I sighed. 

“Well like Natalie and Jimmy, I was always asking questions. You gotta remember my pa owned a newspaper and I was all the time lookin for the scoop like Natalie does.” 

“Yeah…” 

“I love you dear,” he said as he kissed me then. 

I smiled and held him close. “"I love you too hon. Do you think we should head home?” 

“Yeah...maybe that would be a good idea. You look tired, and I want to check on the kiddos. They were sposed to be gettin ready for bed when I left the house.” 

Bisbee. 

We rode back to the house and heard Jimmy and Natalie shushing each other upstairs. We saw Natalie and Jimmy in bed and hiding under the covers and Thomas said, “Don’t even try to hide it, you two!” 

“Aw man... Why they gotta be detectives and stuff?” Natalie pouted as Jimmy pretended to snore. 

I went over and leaned down to kiss Jimmy’s forehead. “Nice try, little one.” 

“Uh huh...you fakers...Why don’t you ever wanna go to sleep?” Thomas asked. 

“Thanks ma. I tried!” Jimmy grinned.

“We wanted to say goodnight to you first,” Natalie said. 

“What were you two doin’?” I asked, ruffling Jimmy’s hair. 

“Readin more about the history of Tombstone,” Jimmy said. 

“Yeah how come we don’t got a swimming pool nowhere?” Nat asked. 

“Ma, pa, did ya know there used ta be 100 saloons in Tombstone?” Jimmy asked. 

“You have to admit... there’s worse things they could be reading,” I said, looking over at Thomas. 

“Now Jimmy, I think yore exaggeratin’ that a bit don’t ya think?” Thomas looked at him. 

“Is he bein’ dramatic again pa?” Natalie asked and we laughed at that. 

“I AM NOT! And it says it here in dis here book Miss Bratty Pants!” Jimmy exclaimed. 

“Now listen you two.. time for bed. Let’s put the book away tonight,” I said and kissed their foreheads. 

“Ma, if they was birdcages n the birdcage theatre, why did they call them ladies of the evenin dancin in them cages. Wouldn’t that mean they was birds of the evenin?” Jimmy asked. 

I sighed and went over to the bed and looked at Thomas. “They’re all yours dear.” 

“It’s time for bed, kiddos. No more questions tonight,” Thomas said. We kissed them goodnight and then headed for bed.