"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows" - Helen Keller
"OOH!... OW! .... OOF!.... OH!"
Frances would have been better off walking with her stick to the picnic, rather than let Jemima push her there in the bathchair. The contraption had been borrowed from one of the elderly lodgers at Mrs Wigfall's boarding house - one of her 'shut in folks' - and seemed to have been designed to pick up the smallest protrusion or dip in the road and amplify it into an excruciating punch in the ribs for the invalid being thus transported.
"Sorry Franny, this street's built entirely of holes and bumps, there isn't a flat stretch on it!" apologised Jemima, who thought she'd been doing the girl a good turn when she'd turned up that morning with the contraption, along with a basket of nice things to eat.
"Tully, you do have the basket of food and the blanket, don't you?" Frances asked, between yelps.
"Oh, this was a really nice idea but... well, look at me! Blind AND a cripple! I'm hardly likely to bowl Dr Danforth over, am I? Well, unless my wheelchair goes out of control and rolls down a hill at him!" she sighed with grim humour.
"Ya ain't no cripple," Tully chastised, miffed that she had to dress up in the hideous garment that itched, was too tight, and was not conducive to anything but wearing. When she was uncomfortable like this, she was cranky, and more prone to speak her mind. "Got perfectly good legs, an' they're gonna just rot if ya don't use 'em. Seen it happen once, ta a man who th' ague, an' he just laid in bed, pinin' away, an' pretty soon weren't nothin' left of him!"
Well, sorta that was what happened! "An' what'er ya gonna do if th' doctor wants ta dance with ya? I don't reckon as how ya feel good, but ya should try walkin'. Me an' Miss 'Mima can help."
" ... - - - ... "
"Ya ain't no cripple," Tully chastised, miffed that she had to dress up in the hideous garment that itched, was too tight, and was not conducive to anything but wearing. When she was uncomfortable like this, she was cranky, and more prone to speak her mind. "Got perfectly good legs, an' they're gonna just rot if ya don't use 'em. Seen it happen once, ta a man who th' ague, an' he just laid in bed, pinin' away, an' pretty soon weren't nothin' left of him!"
"Oh!" gasped Frances, and Jemima instinctively brought the bathchair to a halt.
"An' what'er ya gonna do if th' doctor wants ta dance with ya? I don't reckon as how ya feel good, but ya should try walkin'. Me an' Miss 'Mima can help."
Despite the fact that she had gone to the trouble of borrowing the chair, Jemima was surprisingly supportive of this notion. Although she could be judgemental on some subjects, the muscular maid was quite sympathetic to Tully's plight: no family, no home. Her own family and homelife were somewhat trying, to say the least, but at least she had one. And for a loner, her concern for Frances was touching.
"Sure. We can put the picnic basket in the chair, and you can walk..." Jemima looked at Tully and raised her thick eyebrows "... or dance." It seemed unlikely that that would happen given the state of Frances' ribs, the lack of music and the unlikelihood of Doctor Danforth wanting to be seen waltzing around a patch of grass in the middle of town!
They helped the blind girl out of the chair and that was the worst part, really, bending and straining the muscles around her chest was agonising, but once she was up, she didn't feel so bad. They proceeded slowly, Frances supporting herself with her stick on one side and Tully on the other, Jemima pushing the picnic on wheels.
It was kinda slow going and they bumped into all sorts of people on the way. The first was Hector Wigfall, Jemima's brother. He tipped his cap.
"Howdy Sis, Miss Grimes! And...er... I don't think I've had the pleasure, Miss...?" he fished.
"You aren't gonna have the pleasure, either! We're going on a picnic with Doctor Danforth and YOU aren't invited!" Jemima scolded.
"Picnic and dance" put in Frances, jovially.
Hector's eyes lit up and he cast his eyes at the somewhat oddly-over-dressed blonde girl with the frizzy ringlets.
"Do you dance, Miss...?"
"Yer doin' real good, Frances," Tully encouraged, "I'm proud'a ya." She glanced over at Jemima with a smile, truly pleased with Frances' efforts, even though she realized it was painful for her. But a little every day, and in no time, Frances would be up and about again.
Then they were accosted by a young man who was apparently Jemima's brother, and not her favorite person. But Tully was a bit curious, and she didn't want to be rude, as much as she would rather be alone in the woods...or anywhere else!
"Do you dance, Miss...?"
"No!" Well, yes, she did dance, but not something that had a name, or a pattern, or a tune, for that matter, sometimes she just danced to her soul...in the rain, in the dark, under the stars...
"No, I don't know no dances, but Frances does, an' she's gonna dance with Dr. Danforth. I'm just here 'cause she asked...well, an' a good picnic. I'm Tully."
" ... - - - ... "
Do you dance, Miss...?"
"No!"
"Oh, that's a pity. you would look so pretty dancing in that dress, Miss...?" Hector said, his eyes flattering her as much as his words.
"No, I don't know no dances, but Frances does, an' she's gonna dance with Dr. Danforth. I'm just here 'cause she asked...well, an' a good picnic. I'm Tully."
"Tully... what a beautiful name" sighed Hector which made Jemima make a noise like someone starting to be sick.
Frances laughed and effected introductions.
"Miss Tully Nevada, may I introduce Mister Hector Wigfall? Hector is Jemima's twin brother." There. Introduced. "Oh, and Heck, please ignore what Miss Nevada says about me dancing with Doctor Danforth. I'm sure there is nothing he would like less, and I am still very sore and, well, we don't even have any music. There now, that is an end of it."
"Oh, well, I could run and get my fiddle, and play some dancing music for you all!" Hector quickly offered, before looking back simperingly at the frail, beautiful face of Tully "That is, if you'd like me to, Miss Nevada."
Ugh, Jemima really did think she was about to loose her breakfast, now.
The pair hadn't spent as much time together as Miriam would have preferred but on this day there were Arabella and her strolling arm in arm to enjoy the weather and get some exercise. Her work life was steady, she was doing something she enjoyed and was good at. A part of her was beginning to contemplate perhaps making a full time career out of this - well that is after Mr. Pettigrew retires and there was no current indication of that yet. Of course money would be an issue, how could she buy the shop? Well, she could dream at least.
But for now, her focus was on Arabella. Dear Arabella.
"So how is your Christian womens' home going? Saving anybody for your Lord?" Miriam hoped that didn't sound too sarcastic but she was Jewish after all.
"Tully... what a beautiful name"
"Reckon," Tully muttered with a shrug. She did know it was different, she'd never come across another 'Tully', but that didn't mean much, especially since it wasn't a first name at all!
"Miss Tully Nevada, may I introduce Mister Hector Wigfall? Hector is Jemima's twin brother." There. Introduced. "Oh, and Heck, please ignore what Miss Nevada says about me dancing with Doctor Danforth. I'm sure there is nothing he would like less, and I am still very sore and, well, we don't even have any music. There now, that is an end of it."
"Hey." Tully glanced at the young man, mostly because it was the polite thing to do, although the party was getting a bit crowded. As for Frances, she wasn't going to push her friend to dance today, but soon, Tully hoped, she'd be well enough.
"Oh, well, I could run and get my fiddle, and play some dancing music for you all!" Hector quickly offered, before looking back simperingly at the frail, beautiful face of Tully "That is, if you'd like me to, Miss Nevada."
"Huh?" Why was he asking her? It didn't matter none if there was music or not, and Frances had pointed out that she wasn't in any condition to dance. Still, she didn't want to insult Jemima's brother, so she shrugged. "Reckon ya could, if that's whacha want."
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Arabella was walking arm and arm with Miriam and they looked an oddly assorted pair. The Jewish girl was in her nice, plain, normal daywear, but the budding actress was done up like a dog's dinner in the latest style women's toggery: A stripped dress with a ribbon-bedecked bustle that made her backside seem to stick out a mile, painfully tight looking bodice, a stupid little hat glued to the top of her head and her hair bunched up and artificially curled. Miss Fashion victim of 1876, but she thought she was the next Laura Keene.
"So how is your Christian womens' home going? Saving anybody for your Lord?" Miriam hoped that didn't sound too sarcastic but she was Jewish after all.
"Oh Dolly, you are behind the times!" Arabella chaffed her bosom friend "Since poor Franny got attacked there and that man died all over the floor, I've only been back there once, to get my things. I'm living over the theatre now, so don't call at the old place, and pretty soon Miss Hardy's moving us all into the hotel. I've got to share a room with old Mrs Talbot, but Mr. Astin says if we want a place to get together and kiss and cuddle we can use his room cause he's virtually moving in with your Mister Pettigrew. And a gay old time will be had by all!" she giggled happily.
"You know Mr Astin is a 'fellow traveller', don't you? So you needn't get jealous when you see us kissing and slobbering all over each other on stage." she pointed out.
There was a group of young folk up ahead and Arabella squeaked with delight and squeezed closer to Miriam. "Oh Dolly, look. talking of kissing and slobbering, there's your boyfriend Hector!" she loved teasing Miriam about their dirty little secret "Who's that he's making goo-goo eyes at?!" she didn't even recognise Tully in her rather juvenile feminine garb "Oh Lord! And Franny too. And I haven't been to visit her since that feller molested her and broke her ribs. Oh well, too late now they've seen us, come on..."
The Virginian girl dragged the New York girl up to the group.
"Well hello Franny, 'Mima, Hector..." Arabella nodded to each of them in turn "... and who's this? Miss Tully Nevada, is that you bustin' out o' that pretty little frock? Well don't you look just good enough to eat?! Like an iced bun with a cherry on top!" she beamed.
Jemima gave her co-worker Miriam a nod, of course, but Hector had either died and gone to Heaven with the beautiful Miriam there in front of him; or died and gone to Hell, having to decide whether to turn his dubious charms on her or carry on chatting up the iced bun with the cherry on top. Ara had hit the nail on the head with that description all right.
"What's wrong, Heck, cat got your tongue?" Arabella teased.
"Er, hello Miriam, er, Miss Kaufman..." he decided he should be formal in this company, despite what had happened between them on the floor of her Father's butcher shop "... we're all going to a picnic... and dance... I'm just going to get my fiddle but I'll bring along the guitaro too, and you can play a while, Ara: maybe Miss Nevada and Miss Kaufman would both honour me with a dance?" he tried, going for the double.
"What, both at the same time? That ought to be interesting! Talk about your ménage e trois!" Arabella laughed, enjoying his discomfit, but sort of admiring his effrontery, trying to sweet talk two girls at the same time in each other's company!
@[Anybody Who Dares]
Tully nodded politely, again, allowing as how this was yet another reason she liked it better under the stairs, where she didn't have to worry about being polite, or wearing itchy clothes, or staying clean, or looking like an iced bun! It was so much easier to just keep to yourself, and to do what you wanted to...or not do what you didn't want to.
"Hey, Arabeller," she muttered, then she nodded to the other girl. "Hey, Miriam." If she was right, there was a twinge of discomfort in the girl's eyes, but then, Tully figured Arabeller had that effect on everyone!
"An' no, I ain't dancin', don't know no dances, so Miss Miriam c'n just do that alone...with Hector..."
Well, indeed Miriam was quite out of date with her awareness of Arabella's current life. Not surprising though, that girl was always on the move, always making new plans, it was impossible to keep up with her. A part of Miriam actually was impressed with it all, she could never ever be that spontaneous, adventurous.
"Oh well then, I will have to go see you perform in this play," she did want to support the other girl, "I imagine you are amazing on stage."
They then came upon a strange sight, was there some sort of picnic going on? There was Frances, the poor blind girl who had been so savagely attacked, and Tully...wow, all dressed up. She looked nice and Arabella sure gushed over her. Miriam could tell that only made Tully uncomfortable.Tully and Miriam had that much in common at least.
There he was, Hector too. Miriam nodded acknowledgement and replied, "Hello, Hector. Hello, Tully, you look nice."
"Er, hello Miriam, er, Miss Kaufman..." Hector spoke up "... we're all going to a picnic... and dance... I'm just going to get my fiddle but I'll bring along the guitaro too, and you can play a while, Ara: maybe Miss Nevada and Miss Kaufman would both honour me with a dance?" he tried, going for the double.
"What, both at the same time? That ought to be interesting! Talk about your ménage e trois!" Arabella laughed.
"Of course not!" Miriam frowned at Ara.
"An' no, I ain't dancin', don't know no dances, so Miss Miriam c'n just do that alone...with Hector..." Tully was not having any part of it all.
Miriam looked to Hector, "How can you play music and dance at the same time?"