August 2, 1901

Black Diamond. 

I walked into Diamond this morning and waved to Bree and Jan. “Hopin’ to bring some life back to this town,” I told them. 

“Yeah, this whole area needs some life,” Jan agreed. 

“For sure,” Bree said with a nod. 

“Tom and I are going to try to be around Diamond more... It’s where we’re going to focus our work. No more getting distracted with the other towns. It will be much better, I think. I have a lot of memories in this town... both positive and negative... But it’s always held a special spot in my heart. Bank and cantina have been peaceful, Bree?” 

“Must’ve needed the outhouse,” Jan said as we noticed Bree had disappeared. 

I grinned and nodded to her. “You been keeping busy, Jan?” 

“Tryin’.” 

“So Jan... Feel like getting a drink?” I asked after a while. We went to the saloon and had some whiskey. “So... we haven’t talked much since I introduced you to your daughter…” 

“No we haven’t.” 

“How is that going?” 

“Pretty good. We spend some time together, but I don’t really want anyone to know we’re connected. For her safety.” 

“Right... That makes sense. But at least you get to know one another now.” 

“Yes… She’s a good kid,” Jan said with a smile. 

“She is. My daughter adores her.” 

“They seem to be pretty good friends.” 

“Natalie decided to wander off and go to the Pearce mines with Michael and Michelle again... Was very not impressed.” 

“Oh? I know some of the kids camped there once night.” 

“She’d been there before when she first moved to the area and broke her arm on the lifting shaft. I told her not to go back there again or she’d get hurt. But she went anyway. She insisted she’d told them not to and they’d gone in anyway... But still.” 

“Kids don’t see anything as being dangerous,” she said with a nod. 

“We told her she had to help out around the house and my office when I needed her. I put her to work sorting files.” 

“I’m sure that will keep her busy. I have Wyette clean for me, I give her spending money.” 

“Just hope it teaches her to listen to me now.” 

“From what I’ve seen, she seems to be pretty responsible.” 

“Yes she is, most of the time.” 

“She has to be a kid once in a while.” 

“It’s true... Her curiosity gets the best of her sometimes is all. God help me when she becomes a teenager.” 

“I never got to be a kid, probably why I still feel a need to rebel,” she said with a smirk. 

“Yeah, probably not the best company for a Pinkerton to be having, but well... You’re different.” 

“I try.. there’s enough phony people in this world.”

“That’s for sure…” I nodded. 

“So, did Wyette tell you that she basically ran away?” 

“She did?” 

“Yes.”

“She back now though?” 

“She didn’t like the old lady she was living with and decided to come find me. No, ran away from Kansas.” 

“Oh I see. Right yes, that’s coming back to me now. I was worried she’d run away from Tombstone.” 

“I tried to make sure her father always had an idea of where I was. Apparently before he passed he told her I was here.” 

“Well I’m glad that you were able to reunite.” 

“I am too, once I got over the shock.” 

“It was a pretty big shock for me when Natalie informed me she’d adopted me as her mother too. I never thought I’d be a mother.” 

“I know the feeling.” 

“Or that I’d be living with a man and his son. He calls me his fiance to avoid confusion with others... but we’re happy as we are.” 

“Nothing wrong with that.” She smiled. “I made the mistake of getting married once.” 

“Oh yeah?” 

“Yes, a few years ago.. didn’t last long.” 

“What happened?” 

“Well first he decided to go back to being a preacher without asking how I felt about it, just expected me to act like a preacher’s wife.. like he didn’t know who I am. Then he started fooling around with a dove..” She rolled her eyes. “Left me a note one day saying he had issues to work out.” Jan shrugged. 

“Well I was upset for a day.. then realized I didn’t really like him that much anyway and he was just downright boring in the bed room. So I got over it pretty quick, outside of being pissed that he was such a coward about it.” 

“A real man would have had the courage to say it to your face.” I chuckled. 

“Yes exactly. Still not sure why I didn’t shoot him, maybe I felt he wasn’t worth the bullet.” 

“Closest I ever got to marrying anyone before Tom was Alex.” 

“Alex who?” 

“Alex was my best friend for a long while. We realized we were better off not being romantic.” 

“That happens sometimes.” 

“He married Aly but then we kind of lost contact.” 

“I’m not sure if I remember him.” 

“He was a doctor for a while.” 

“Vaguely. An old friend of mine recently came back to town.. things seem to be going that way with us, tho I don’t think either of us want something too serious.” 

“Oh I’m glad to hear that. Do I know him?” 

“I’m not sure if you were around before he left.. his name is Wes.” 

“Hmm… Don’t think I know a Wes.” 

“He was law for a while, then outlaw, then law.” She laughed. 

“What’s he now?” I chuckled. 

“Well, he’s not wearing a badge. I think the only reason he went back to law was because of Sarrah, they were good friends.” 

“Ah I see... Yeah, she was a legend. I never met her though. But have heard nothing but good things about her.” 

“Well she could be hell on wheels, but she was fair for the most part. If nothing else, I had to respect her.” 

“Well Jan, I think I’m going to head home and check on the kiddos.” 

“Okay. See ya around!” 

I waved and headed back home. 

*** 

I walked into church this afternoon and saw that Reverend Wulf was there, getting ready to begin the service. We talked for a while and then I got called back home to check on the kids.