The Wake

[Two Dollar Jim]

She crucified his intentions, and he suddenly felt the heel for bringing them to light. Did he indeed feel anything more than a strange kinship? And if not, was it justifiable to proposition her for it, even knowing what he did of her.

He diverted himself with the task of lighting a smoke, not really sure about what to say to her. When that task was done, he looked her in the eye.

"I aim to bury this thing with the Mayor. Ain't right to come in town and have it hangin' over him."

[Andy McCall]

Andy looked at Jim as is he'd sprouted another head from his shoulders. His talk of wanting to be with her made her heart skip a beat, in a way that she wasn't familiar with, and even if she'd had doubts she'd wished him to dash them away. But, just as she'd done before, he changed the subject of their conversation just as bluntly. P'raps it was what she deserved.

Considering the nature of his words though, Andy found herself more'n confused, and she unconsciously looped an arm into his, lost in thought. Despite not knowin' if bein' with Jim was a good thing, he still pulled at her curiosities without any trouble at all, and she wondered if it'd be better to just throw it all to the winds.

"The Mayor's not so worried 'bout you I don't reckon. Anymore at least. He's got himself confounded enough with the Mullins clan that I don't think you'd bother him too much.

"He was just worried is all, not knowin' 'bout what sorta things you'd be bringin' with you, and if you had intentions in town."

Her hand, still keeping a hold on the reigns, came up to pull her cigarette from her teeth, and she exhaled.

"And even if you did, I ain't so sure it's heavier on his mind than Crawfish Mullins' kin comin' to town."

[Two Dollar Jim]

"Well..."

Jim looked at her, removing the cigarette from his lips to keep that from coming between them.

"...it's more than that, I suppose. This town's got a war comin'. Ain't no two ways about it. Folks here are gonna have two choices real soon. Get to fightin' or get away."

He rested a palm against the grip of one of his revolvers.

"Mayor's a good man, but he ain't gonna make it without help."

[Andy McCall]

Andy thought about that, and finally gave a nod.

"I had t'make him take back his gun."

It was a strange thought, but in all the years that she'd known Mayor Truss, she'd not seen him either hold or even wear a weapon at his side. Only time she'd seen such a thing was when he'd taken her derringer away, and that was three years back.

As for whatever war the Mullins family was gonna no doubt bring, Andy was resolute in staying and fighting, even if she was the only one to do so.

"He knows I'll stay an' do what I can, but there's only so much a little whore like me can do 'gainst the Mullins folk. Crawfish I could handle. His brother Frank... "

Andy trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid. Course, nothin' else needed to be said about Frank Mullins.

[Two Dollar Jim]

Jim grew quiet at that. He looked down the main drag at nothing in particular. Frank Mullins was the death's head of the Mullins clan, and through all the harassment and bullying the others might inflict, it was Frank Mullins name that was spoken in low tones in cow towns and mining camps. He supposedly had death marks on him with the U.S. Marshalls and Pinkertons alike. The fact that the man was even alive was a testament to what he could do.

"Frank Mullins is just a man."

He wondered if he believed his own words.

[Andy McCall]

Still keeping her arm in his, Andy took another drag from her smoke.

"Might be just a man, but he's still good at what he does. An' that's killin' folks."

For as little as she thought of Crawfish, his brother was someone that Andy felt a real fear of. With Truss it was a different sorta fear, but with Frank it was something raw. Didn't mean she'd turn tail at the sight of him, but she knew it'd be time to make her peace with the Good Lord when he came lookin'. Absently, she wondered if Truss would try an' make peace with Shoney. Even if something like that made the Mullins angrier, it would certainly help the town to have one of their own among them.

Another pullf rom her cigarette, and Andy let out a thin stream of smoke from between her lips, her head tilted skyward as she pondered it all.

Would Jim decide to stay?

[Two Dollar Jim]

"Everybody's got their day."

Jim had already made his mind up. This was the closest place to a spot where he could lay his head in peace, and while the one-eared man was nowhere to be found, he'd fight like hell to keep Justice.

Of course, there were two ways of reading that line. He looked to Andy.

"Reckon I cleaned out the Faro game on my way out of town. Enough to buy a horse, at least."

[Andy McCall]

That made her smile a little, and Andy angled her head towards him.

"I ain't been in to play inna while, so I couldn't tell you. Figure after the whole bein' in jail thing, I should keep m'self outta trouble with the Mayor for a little bit."

Course now things were far different, and Andy knew that she'd have to curtail her more illicit habits for the time being. At least for Truss' peace of mind.

"If it's a horse yor lookin' for though, I know someone up the way keeps some for sellin'. Breaks 'em hisself and all."

Andy let a small smile out then, deciding to simply ask outright.

"You gonna stay 'round?"

[Two Dollar Jim]

Jim cracked a parched smile, now that she was askin'.

"Reckon I will."

He walked alongside her down the main drag.

"Don't 'spose he's the type to fleece an out-of-towner, is he?"

[Andy McCall]

Andy's smile grew wide then, and she stopped for a moment, moving to her saddlebag. Making quick work of the buckles, she reached in and pulled out a wellworn metal flask; weren't no guessin' as to what was inside. Andy McCall was never one to be without a handle of whiskey for celebratin' any particular thing, and with the new knowledge that Jim would be stayin' in Justice, she felt now was as good as any time to partake of the 'demon alcohol'.

She dropped her cigarette to the ground, snuffing it with the heel of her boot while unscrewing the cap and taking a plug.

A moment later she held it out for Jim. Since he was plannin' on stayin', Andy felt herself re-evaluatin' her own intentions. Might not be a bad thing to see if he was still interested in relievin' his boredom.

"He's a fair man. Bit quiet, but he ain't gonna cheat a man outta a sturdy horse."

[Two Dollar Jim]

"That's a relief."

Jim angled to take a level or two off Andy's liquid provision, and the slightly-warm swill burned like prarie fire, and rattled his teeth. He finished it with the barest of grimaces.

"That's got some character to it."

He smiled at the shared dole, and screwed the cap back as he returned it.

"Well, reckon it'll do for a spell to get reacquainted with a horse. Last I was ridin', it was a mule, and barely one at that."

[Andy McCall]

"A mule, eh."

Andy cracked another smile at that, taking the flask back from him. She unscrewed the cap, taking another sip, and wiping at her mouth with her arm, she slowed to a rambling stop. A look to the side, and she spied Mr. Jane's bootshop. Andy figured it best to sit down, as all the walkin' had made her leg tired. She wasn't through talkin' though, and as she moved to sit, she looked at her boots.

She scratched at a patch of discolored leather on her rawhide chaps.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?

"Bout havin' intentions."

[Two Dollar Jim]

Having been headed off with a question, Jim paused for a bit of introspection.

"Bein' 'round you's the first time I felt alive in years."

He tried to reconcile that yearning with the understanding of what he lost. Would his late wife want him to pine for her forever? Despite all of his protest, he couldn't convince himself that she would.

"I mean what I say, Andy."

[Andy McCall]

How bout that. Two Dollar Jim had eyes for her, Andy McCall. She was Justice's little card-cheat travelin' whore, and he didn't seem to care. Andy leaned back, elbows on the top step as she looked from her boots to Jim.

Weren't nothin' important or deep that she could think of to say; not that she ever did.

"So," she started carefully.

"You snore in yor sleep then?"

[Two Dollar Jim]

"Guess a little."

He scratched the back of his head tipping his hat down as he brought his hand back. He gave an endearing smile to her. He didn't give a damn what she did. After all, he was supposedly a murderer and a thief. Maybe it was ordained that they had to end up together. Two people the rest of the world considered to be damaged goods. Some sort of humor in that destiny.

[Andy McCall]

A snorted laugh, and Andy patted at the weathered step beside her, a beckon for him to sit next to her. For as morose as she'd started her day, and as frustrated as she'd become with the Mayor, Andy suddenly felt like life had taken a bit of an upturn. Didn't matter a lick if the Mullins clan was headin' for Justice right now.

"I gotta good 'nough imagination I reckon."

Shifting her leg so that it extended out, she thought for a moment.

"And long as we're makin' confessions of a type, I hafta confess that I ain't all that good at cookin'."

[Two Dollar Jim]

"I live off jerky, burnt toast, and burnt coffee. I ain't hard to please."

He sat beside her, and took in the absurdity of it with an increasing grin. Somehow, it did actually make sense, didn't it?

"Plus, enough gamblin' and you get other folk to do the cookin' for ya."

[Andy McCall]

She conceded that point with a nod. Was true; enough money an' a person wouldn't need t'worry about havin' to cook for the rest of their lives. Looking off into the distance, Andy let out a long breath before pulling out another cigarette. Never was nothin' like a fresh-lit smoke and that first pull of tobacco.

Striking a match against one of the rail supports, she lit the tip of her handroll.

"Also gotta confess... ain't kissed a man in three years."

Andy squinted her eyes at the sun.

"Too personal for someone like me."

[Two Dollar Jim]

Jim wasn't about to pry. What she'd done was a bit like what he did. If there was a time to talk about it, it was best for later, and on each other's terms.

"I can understand that sort of thing."

He looked at her. Did her eyes seem a bit more supple and bright now? She seemed to be easing out of a sort of facade she wore around. It was good to see Andy in this light.

"I regretted it every time I kissed another woman. Until now."

[Andy McCall]

Andy gave him a sheepish grin then, suddenly conscious of what she'd said, despite his agreement. Content to sit and watch the few folks goin' on about their days, she leaned against his shoulder. She fished the harmonica he'd given to her from her front pocket, toying with it in her hand.

"So then. You got anywhere to stay?"

She already knew the answer to that, but wanted to hear him say it. Even with the rumblings of somethin' terrible comin' in, she was determined to pull the best out of it all.