Even not knowing much how to write, Justus knew that there were far more than eight letters in what he'd suggested, but he wasn't going to dispute Sally. He was more interested in how to dislodge her from his lap! Not that she wasn't effecting him, but he didn't want her to be doing that! This wasn't the time, and he wasn't particularly interested...Well, it was just more awkward and uncomfortable than anything!
"Well, th' other song I was thinkin' in was 'Good, Sweet Ham'!" He started to 'sing'.
"You may talk about you're eatin'
of yer oysters an' yer clams,
But when I am awfully hungry,
Then just give me some ol' sweet ham!"
Hopefully, the coffee would be here soon, so he could unburden himself!
Apparently unperturbed by Sally, his date, sitting on his friends lap, Cade only grinned and then teased, "Oh lordy. Justus singing. We are always afraid back at the ranch his singing might set off a stampede of the cows."
Constance was less than thrilled with Sally but tried to remain calm and civil. She too was impatient for the water to be boiled so they could drink some coffee. Surely Sally would not sit on Justus and try to drink her cup of coffee? Once they finished that she would then make a point to call the evening to an end, having regretted ever inviting them over. Well, not Justus but Cade and Sally.
Make that Sally!
Sally actually enjoyed Justus' singing and even joined in, bouncing up and down on his lap in time to the music.
"Oh lordy. Justus singing. We are always afraid back at the ranch his singing might set off a stampede of the cows."
"Well, I think his singing is just dandy!" countered Sally. She was starting to wonder if she was pursuing the wrong cowpoke here. Cade was cute, but he had no 'go' in him. Justus was slow in some ways, but there was something about him. A sort of integrity. She'd noticed he hadn't gone off with Hettie that night when Cade had paid for Sad Annie's embraces.
Suddenly, she jumped off Justus' lap and went over to Constance.
"Thought I'd better jump off, I was startin' to like it too much and he's yours!" she murmured to the other girl "I think you got a good 'un there." she said, perhaps a little sadly. She had to admit, she was a little jealous.
Why couldn't she find herself a decent man?!
@[Bongo]
Oh, thank the Lord that Sally had finally vacated his lap! Justus had been close to just dumping her on the floor, but he couldn't figure out how to do it politely. He didn't want to be rude, but she really was making him uncomfortable, and frankly, had ruined the evening. It didn't occur to him that perhaps the girl was confused and didn't know how to approach men.
"So, um, no good, sweet ham?" He chuckled nervously. "I'd settle fer hot coffee! We got us a long ride back to th' ranch." At least that was one thing right...the night wasn't too cold. Not that a little warmth from Constance wouldn't be welcome, but the mood was broken.
Not just Justus but someone else was visibly relieved when Sally removed herself from the young cowboy's lap. It was not ladylike behavior and though Constance was quite annoyed, she was not going to lash out verbally. The girl seemed a bit on the slow side and besides, she worked in a saloon and god only knew what those places did to a girl. On the other hand, she had met the saloon girl, Miss Mundee, for that woman was in the diner quite often to buy pies. And she was always pleasant with a good dollop of humor to her too. Even Clara liked Miss Mundee, and by now Constance had learned that Clara did not like a whole lot of folks.
"Thought I'd better jump off, I was startin' to like it too much and he's yours!" Sally seemed to have realized she overstepped her bounds, poor thing, "I think you got a good 'un there."
"Well...umm, thank you. But honestly, Justus doesn't belong to me or anyone. He is his own man. However, yes, he did take me to the theatre so he is my date," Constance tried to say it all in a gentle tone of voice.
Justus wanted some coffee, anything to get past this awkward scene no doubt, and the hot drink was now ready.
"Certainly, it's why we all sat down here," Constance then busied herself pouring the coffee cups to almost their brims like the good waitress she was.
"Drink up, I hope it's not too strong?"
Cade nodded, "Sure it's fine. To us!"
He sipped the coffee, it was hot alright. He glanced then at Sally, he wasn't really angry at her but he'd already made up his mind, this would be their first and last date. He'd been warned by one of the older cow hands that saloon folk were not like regular folk.
Sally slurped her coffee so noisily that up above them there was a creaking noise - uncle Joe stirring!
"Musta been we'uns singin' before woke him up!" she theorised. "Everybody drink quietly!"
She gingerly took another sip, and again, the same very loud slurping noise.
"Gosh darn it, Connie, you done made this coffee too noisy!!"
More creaking, Sally went wide eyed and gave a nervous but excited grin.
"What'll happen if he catches us all here?!! Will we be in trouble?"
There was a small thump above, like someone maybe putting a foot out of bed.
Sally gasped and whispered urgently.
"He's coming!!!"
She was finding it all very scary and yet exciting. Constance's mild and harmless Uncle Joe had transmogrified into a monster of Frankensteinian proportions in the girl's mind. Then a creak, like the invisible bogeyman above was getting back into bed again.
"Guess he didn't need to go after all!" snickered the juvenile girl in a fit of giggles.
@[Bongo]
"Never did hear'a noisy coffee before," Justus admitted with a chuckle, "but this is real good. Cookie says his coffee'll grow hair on yer chest, but I don't reckon either'a you ladies need hair on yer...umm..."
His cheeks reddened some, but at least it would be hard to see in the lighting! Then Sally started hearing things, and Justus glanced at Constance to see if she was concerned. Of course, he didn't think that Uncle would actually do more than chase them out, and since it was upstairs, chances were good they could get out before he ever made it down, and Constance wouldn't get in trouble.
"Danged noisy coffee!" he chuckled. "Kinda nice, though, ta be havin' coffee with pretty ladies after a nice evenin' at th' theater." Justus wasn't much one for chit-chatty conversation that didn't involve cows, horses or shooting skills!