"Oh, if you mean cheatin' that farmer and stealin' his land so his wife hung herself, no I did not approve," snapped Caroline, "And you got me to help too which I will never forgive myself."
"And as far as Priest, he can go fuck himself," she glared right at him.
Franklin rubbed his eyes and continued.
"For your information, both sides have an escape clause. Either of us can give 30 days notice and then walk away from the whole arrangement. How does that suit you?"
"Nothing about this suits me but yer the owner, yer the boss. I just work here, you've made that abundantly clear. So do what you wanna do but don't go expectin' my approval," Caroline wanted that crystal clear.
"You've got an awful big mouth, Caroline. And remember, it wasn't me who spilled hot coffee on that drunken sod buster's lap. It was YOU. And as for that old Bible-thumping bitch, she was crazy in the head to hang herself. Hell! She would have crucified herself if she could have managed it. Instead of hanging herself, she should have shot Potee in the ass with buckshot."
He wasn't through.
"Now if you don't like it here, then I suggest you find another place to earn a living. I've bent over backwards to be nice and accommodating to you. And what do I get? All you've done is give me nasty looks. I've offered you raises, given you whatever hours you want to work, and offered to include you in business deals. Now I might not get your "approval", but at least I require your respect and courtesy."
He didn't like what she had to tell him. Caroline hadn't expected he would. But she had never been a pushover and she wasn't about to become one now. Needless to say, she had riled him up then.
"You've got an awful big mouth, Caroline. And remember, it wasn't me who spilled hot coffee on that drunken sod buster's lap. It was YOU."
"Yes it was, on YOUR orders. And I regret I did that, that will stay with me forever," she countered.
"And as for that old Bible-thumping bitch, she was crazy in the head to hang herself. Hell! She would have crucified herself if she could have managed it. Instead of hanging herself, she should have shot Potee in the ass with buckshot."
Well, hard for Caroline to disagree with that point. She despised Potee too.
He wasn't through.
"Now if you don't like it here, then I suggest you find another place to earn a living. I've bent over backwards to be nice and accommodating to you. And what do I get? All you've done is give me nasty looks. I've offered you raises, given you whatever hours you want to work, and offered to include you in business deals. Now I might not get your "approval", but at least I require your respect and courtesy."
Caroline scoffed, "Raises? I earn every penny I get. I don't just sing and dance which the customers love by the way. I spend hours every day n' night with the customers bein' their friend, a person who'll listen to em, and josh around with 'em. Oh, and I often am the one who has to jump in and break up fights. Don't see you doin' it or your Priest. All he does is play solitaire. As for hours, it's only me here so I work all the fuckin' hours. When have I even asked for time off? Now as fer those business deals, I ain't throwin' my money away on one of your investment scams. Hell, even your beloved Priest can't sell many of those god awful papered lies."
"But you got me on one thing. I don't wanna leave this place. It's my life, such as it is. I'm staying. And I will keep doing my best for the Star Dust. And - if you fire me, I think you know yer gonna have to fire Ralph and Messalina and Frances too. Think Priest can do all those jobs?"
She took a deep breath, "So - Boss - is there anything else or can I get back to doing my job?"
As for the whores, she was going to have to bite her tongue and let them peddle their wares.
"Ain't life just dandy."
Frances held out her hand: "Please take my hand." she said simply. "White, pale and irreligious don't mean as much to me as the shape and warmth of your hand." she smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to read your fortune!"
Annie had no hesitation about doing as requested and took the girl's hand. However Annie Jo had a question.
"You know...if I was ta stay in town....would you maybe want you 'n me to be friends? I don't have a lot of those to be honest."
Frances squeezed Annie's hand. "I think we already are friends."
"That suits me just fine," Annie replied.
"Especially after you warned me that Mister Miller wants to... fuck me."
Annie nodded, "Well he does. I know the kind. It's my business but it ain't yours. You keep playin' piano. And you should maybe tell your people here like say the bartender..."
It was quite apparent Frances got along just fine with that dour bearded man who actually smiled for her.
"about what Miller has planned and ..........well if they won't do anything about it, you let me know. I've dealt with bad folks before."
It stuck in Annie's mind that place Frances had mentioned....
"Say....would I be able to stay in that home of yers for the night. I got no place to stay right now and very little coin in my purse," it never hurt to ask and frankly Annie had about run out of false pride.
Caroline scoffed, "Raises? I earn every penny I get. I don't just sing and dance which the customers love by the way. I spend hours every day n' night with the customers bein' their friend, a person who'll listen to em, and josh around with 'em. Oh, and I often am the one who has to jump in and break up fights. Don't see you doin' it or your Priest. All he does is play solitaire. As for hours, it's only me here so I work all the fuckin' hours. When have I even asked for time off? Now as fer those business deals, I ain't throwin' my money away on one of your investment scams. Hell, even your beloved Priest can't sell many of those god awful papered lies."
"Keep your voice down," Fortner cautioned.
"But you got me on one thing. I don't wanna leave this place. It's my life, such as it is. I'm staying. And I will keep doing my best for the Star Dust. And - if you fire me, I think you know yer gonna have to fire Ralph and Messalina and Frances too. Think Priest can do all those jobs?"
She took a deep breath, "So - Boss - is there anything else or can I get back to doing my job?"
There was no winning with her, Franklin thought, and there was no getting rid of her.
Then a thought struck him. Maybe he could telegraph Kansas City and see if Trixie McDermot might be interested in a new job. She used to work for him at the Oasis Saloon a few years' back. She was a looker, she knew her way around saloons, and she was dubbed the "Kansas City Nightingale". She might give Caroline a run for her money.
"No," he answered her. "Just put on a happy face, all right? Oh, and let me know if the ladies over there," he pointed to the gaggle of whores at the table, "get out of hand, and I'll put a stop to it."
She'd said her piece and more, he had not liked what she had to say, and frankly she did not care. Now she wanted to get back to work and not have to look him in the face. She was so angry.
"No," he answered her. "Just put on a happy face, all right? Oh, and let me know if the ladies over there," he pointed to the gaggle of whores at the table, "get out of hand, and I'll put a stop to it."
Caroline flashed a big smile but her eyes gave it away, they were angry eyes, "Sure..........boss. Thanks fer the nice talk."
With that she went to the nearest table of card playing customers, all chatting and laughing, and yeah glad to have her company. She changed in an instant, back to the gregarious outgoing life of the party, Caroline. This was her world, it was all she knew, all she wanted, and all she had.
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows" - Helen Keller
"about what Miller has planned and ..........well if they won't do anything about it, you let me know. I've dealt with bad folks before."
"Thanks, I'll take your advice." Frances smiled. Hey, just because she was blind and a good Christian, didn't mean she couldn't tell a little white lie now and again. No, she valued her job here for the very reason that it was rough and, yes, maybe a little dangerous, but she did it and she did it on her own two feet, without having to be mollycoddled: although she knew that Ralph and Caroline did watch over her, even without her asking.
As it would turn out, Jimmy Miller's predations would soon be the least of her worries.
"Say....would I be able to stay in that home of yers for the night. I got no place to stay right now and very little coin in my purse," it never hurt to ask and frankly Annie had about run out of false pride.
"I thought you'd never ask!" grinned the sightless young pianist happily. She squeezed Annie's hand again. "Listen, I've got a few more hours of work here before I can go home, but Miss Mudd, that's my friend, Arabella, she'll be home. Why don't you go along there now and unpack and make yourself at home and get something to eat and drink and I'll be along in a while." she suggested.
She was worried about not being able to walk her new friend to the Refuge personally, right away. What if she got cold feet and decided not to go there after all? Frances decided that knowing their 'house rules' might encourage the lost soul to find her way to their Christian bosom.
"I think you might like to know that we have a rule that we never ask any of our guests any questions: either about their past, or their present situation or their future plans. And there is no obligation to join in our prayers but you are very welcome to, if you wish to, of course. Arabella... sometimes struggles to keep to those rules but..." Frances smiled "... somehow she has always managed to. Jesus must help her."
Frances was speaking as if they had helped hundreds of women, but so far Tully Nevada had been their only 'customer'. Of course, Tully was just a waif and stray, Annie would be a coup: a real fallen woman!!
"Ain't life just dandy."
"I thought you'd never ask!" grinned the sightless young pianist happily. She squeezed Annie's hand again. "Listen, I've got a few more hours of work here before I can go home, but Miss Mudd, that's my friend, Arabella, she'll be home. Why don't you go along there now and unpack and make yourself at home and get something to eat and drink and I'll be along in a while." she suggested.
"Oh? I suppose I could?" Annie did not know the whereabouts of much in this town but the stagecoach station and now the saloon.
"I think you might like to know that we have a rule that we never ask any of our guests any questions: either about their past, or their present situation or their future plans. And there is no obligation to join in our prayers but you are very welcome to, if you wish to, of course. Arabella... sometimes struggles to keep to those rules but..." Frances smiled "... somehow she has always managed to. Jesus must help her."
"Nice to know she n' the Lord are so close," Annie commented with probably a hint of sarcasm.
"So then............where exactly is this place? Remember, I just showed up in town," Annie thought it a fair question.
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows" - Helen Keller
"Jesus must help her."
"Nice to know she n' the Lord are so close," Annie commented with probably a hint of sarcasm.
Frances laughed. She had a lovely open laugh.
"So then............where exactly is this place? Remember, I just showed up in town," Annie thought it a fair question.
"Well listen, if I can find it, you can find it." she grinned.
"Now, you come out of here, turn left. Walk 204 steps straight forward, look out for where the boardwalk goes all wonky and wobbly and there's a sort of post in the way, you have to go around that, and turn left and you'll be there. Arabella says the door is green, and when you feel around the lock, it's sort of... Oh!! I am being so silly. I forgot. Apparently there is a great big sign over the door that says "Kalispell Refuge for Christian Women and Girls (Irish, Blacks and Jews Welcome)" We had to add that because Arabella's best friend is a Jew even though she never stays over. Although she is welcome. Obviously. It says it on the sign."
"Oh Arabella will be so pleased to see you!" Frances sighed "Don't worry if she screams a little bit, it means she's happy." she warned.
"Ain't life just dandy."
Well, by the time young Frances was done giving her directions, she had done such a good job that Annie was sure she'd find the place easily.
"Thanks! See ya later then. Oh and play some happy songs while I'm gone. This joint could use more happiness," Annie stood up then, with her carpet bag in hand then headed out the batwing doors of the saloon. Not before exchanging glances with that saloon gal. It was not a friendly look on either of their faces.
Annie had more important worries though on her mind. Alright so she'd have a place to stay with a roof even! But tomorrow she would need to work on a job. Her skill set was limited. Hettie was dead on right. She'd have to go find this Adams woman and ask for a job at the brothel. It's what she knew how to do. By no stretch did she like this life but one had to survive.
OOC: I will start up a new thread at the new location for Annie. Look for Refuge in a Storm Main Street forum
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows" - Helen Keller
Frances couldn't watch Annie go, of course, but she did her own equivalent: listening to her boots click clack out, the creak of the swing doors and then her footsteps outside for a few seconds, seeming to turn to the left before disappearing into the general hubbub of the bar and the noises outside.
She felt for the glasses and picked them up, then carefully took them back through to the kitchen for washing up. She wished she could do that for Mrs McMahon, but the lady who was the same colour as coal, tar, night, blackbirds, Mr Jolly's clothes and various other things in the classification system of her mind, didn't quite trust the blind girl not to break things.
Then she trotted back out to the piano and played, because her new friend's name inspired her, that old tune Annie Laurie.