Posted February 14, 2021
"Well, see that you don't. I'll be back directly." The Deputy stated, then turned and crossed the room, mounting the staircase and climbed, taking two steps at a time. As he suspected the door was closed, so he rapped gently, "Em? It's me, Barnabas." He didn't just open the door, no he would wait in the event she might not be fully dressed.
Funny thing, he thought, that had never stopped him before, but this was far different than any other time with any other female. This was the woman he would marry in just a few weeks, or was it days. At the moment, he was not too sure of anything, but the bank robbers that survived were locked away, and the woman he loved was safe.
After closing out the world, Emeline had leaned with her head against the door for several moments, trying to gather her thoughts, trying to figure out how she was feeling, or how she should feel...
Anger...that was the strongest emotion. Anger that people had died, anger that people had been put in a position to die, or to kill...Anger that she had been made to feel helpless and afraid...
Then...fear, of course, but a resigned sort of fear, an angry fear, that she might be unfairly robbed of her future with Barnabas...
Well, no sense fretting over what was done and over, especially since she'd come to no physical harm. Sighing, she slowly slipped out of her dress, letting it fall in a heap on the floor, then looked down at her top petticoat. There was a little blood there, too, but it could be washed out. The dress was a loss.
It was still laying on the floor after she'd cleaned up and pulled on her robe...she'd worry about it later. In the mean time, her tea had brewed. Only as she poured it did she notice that her hands were trembling, and at the knock on the door she nearly dropped the cup. As it was, she spilled some down the front of her robe, but then she heard Barnabas' voice and relaxed.
"Just a minute..." Sighing, she set the cup down, then shrugged and started for the door. She wasn't nearly 'decent', but she as covered, and frankly too weary to worry about appearances just now.
Up until she actually opened the door, she'd been doing a pretty good job of controlling her emotions, but as soon as she laid eyes on Barnabas, the tears started to flow, and she threw propriety to the wind and pushed into his arms.
Up until she actually opened the door, she'd been doing a pretty good job of controlling her emotions, but as soon as she laid eyes on Barnabas, the tears started to flow, and she threw propriety to the wind and pushed into his arms.
Barnabas stepped back with one leg the buoy himself against her as he was totally unprepared for her actions. Not that holding her was anything but pleasure. “Easy girl, I gotcha. You’re safe.” He said in low, loving tones as he held her close. “Nuthin’ for ya to fear. All’s quiet. Them we caught are locked up, tight.” He assured her. “We might step inside, or I can wait out here till ya dress some.” He suggested, his tone not wavering.
It was what they called a trauma, hers was a natural reaction to the expected by the unexpected. He could feel his anger rising, that someone would do this to here, it was quelled by the knowledge that yes, they had those responsible in custody, and they would be dealt with.
“Or, we can stand right here as long as you want. Ain’t like we’re out in public. I’ll hold you til the cows come home, and be glad of it.” He assured her, and nuzzled the side of her head with his.
Standing' right here' was perfectly fine with Emeline for now, and she nodded against his shoulder, for whatever that referred to, then just pressed against him for several moments, letting her nerves settle.
But finally, she was acutely aware that there was only the barrier between them was the thin material of her robe, and as much as his embrace was helping to steady her, it wasn't proper...yet.
Stepping back, she sniffled and wiped her tears, then folded her arms around herself. "I'm all right." She gave Barnabas a half-smile. "I'm not happy about any of it, of course, but things like that will happen, I suppose." Sighing, she shrugged. "I just feel...I don't know...unsettled? As if I should be doing something, but I don't know what."
There was all that excess adrenaline, with no place to vent, and it was making her shaky, at least until it wore off completely and she 'crashed'.
Stepping back, she sniffled and wiped her tears, then folded her arms around herself. "I'm all right." She gave Barnabas a half-smile. "I'm not happy about any of it, of course, but things like that will happen, I suppose." Sighing, she shrugged. "I just feel...I don't know...unsettled? As if I should be doing something, but I don't know what."
"What’s there to be happy about, 'ceptin’ we’re both here to be unhappy about what happened.” He said softly. “Things like this do happen out here. That’s a fact of life we deal with, but those men were not from around here, wanted in several places, but not in Montana. You’ll see, things will slip back to normal and life in Kalispell will go on like always, slow and dull."
There was all that excess adrenaline, with no place to vent, and it was making her shaky, at least until it wore off completely and she 'crashed'.
“You’ll remember this, it’ll be with you a while. Can’t be nothin’ else. But you got me, this café, the folks you know. You’re strong Em, real strong. This will pass, I promise.”
"I know," Emeline sighed, "it's just never pleasant to be reminded." Turning, she moved back into the room, nodding at him to come in as well. "I just hated feeling so helpless, even though there was nothing I could really do." Meaning there was nothing anyone could do, even a man, without getting killed like Mr. Olson had.
"Except then he was going to shoot you, and..." Huffing, she squared her shoulders. "I was having none of that! He has no idea how hard it is to find a good dish washer in this god-forsaken territory!"
At that, she started to laugh, perhaps a bit hysterically, as the tension started to release...
"Except then he was going to shoot you, and..." Huffing, she squared her shoulders. "I was having none of that! He has no idea how hard it is to find a good dish washer in this god-forsaken territory!"
At that, she started to laugh, perhaps a bit hysterically, as the tension started to release...
Barnabas felt the mood break with her laughter which, infected him as well and they both laughed together. “Ain’t that the truth! Reckon they never figured on dealin’ with a dishwasher neither. Nor a derringer totin’ business woman!” If it was possible, his relief was so overwhelming, that he pulled her to him and, without warning, kissed her full on the mouth.
"That will teach th..!" Emeline was startled as he pulled her into the kiss, but she wasn't going to resist. In fact, she pressed to him, returning the kiss perhaps more passionately than was proper, but for the moment, she let propriety fall away. She had missed this sort of contact and intimacy so much, and it felt so good not to have to rely solely on herself.
Just a couple weeks, and he'd never have to leave, and they'd never have to worry about what was right and proper.
But that was still a couple of weeks off, and proper was proper. Stepping back, she looked up at him with a smile. "Let me put on something and we can go for a walk. I was going to have Clara take some food over to the jail, but we can do that." She shrugged. "I'm just giving away what I have already made for the day and closing early."
She surely didn't feel like working the rest of the day.
"Reckon I should apologize for that, but I ain't gonna." He said quietly. "But I'm thinking it'd be best was you to put on some clothes and I'll meet you down stairs." He smiled. "Just for supper, mine's likely cold by now anyways, but like I said, I left ol' Dutton Peabody with Clara, which ain't hardly fair."
He looked at her, his hands still gently grasping her shoulders. "I love you, Em, an' you're safe now. Trust that." And he reluctantly released her.
"I accept your not-apology," Emeline chuckled, taking his hand and giving it a quick squeeze. "Soon, it won't matter, and for now, you can not apologize any time you like! And by all means, rescue poor Clara!"
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Give me five minutes." She closed the door then quickly donned the layers of clothing that made up a 'simple' skirt and blouse. Tossing a short cape over her shoulders, she then trotted down the stairs to the kitchen.
"How are things going, Clara?" she asked with a smile, feeling a bit back to normal now. "You can go now, if you'd like, Barnabas and I can take food over to the jail. And if there's still some pie, please, take some with you, I know how much your father and Wyatt like it."
Her smile faded a bit. "Just please, be careful going home."
"I accept your not-apology," Emeline chuckled, taking his hand and giving it a quick squeeze. "Soon, it won't matter, and for now, you can not apologize any time you like! And by all means, rescue poor Clara!"
Pike was grinning, “Mighty big of you ma’am, an’ sure enough it ain’t gonna matter an iota real soon now.
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Give me five minutes." She closed the door then quickly donned the layers of clothing that made up a 'simple' skirt and blouse. Tossing a short cape over her shoulders, she then trotted down the stairs to the kitchen.
Pike headed back down the stairs and over to the table where Dutton Peabody awaited him, as did his food, which had cooled some by then. He watched Em cross the room weaving between the rough hewn tables and chairs to where Clara was.