Worst Second Date Ever by patricia51
(Rosita Bustillos is a biochemist, a bartender, a firm friend and a good person. She's also a Revenant. How? Maybe it all goes back to one day in the Old West.)
(Shorty's Bar)
"Screw space," I glared at my friend the annoyingly sweet Waverly Earp who wears a look of astonishment on her face. "You need to get up in her face and make things right."
She looks uncertain but I know that's exactly what she wants to do. "Do you think she's up?"
"She'll open the door for you. No matter what time."
I smiled as Waverly tore out of the bar, heading for Nicole's place. She left the rest of her drink on the counter I see. Probably a good thing. It's awful early in the morning to be drinking, even Sour Mash Whiskey as smooth as this is. Well, waste not, want not I always say. I scoop up the tumbler and let the amber fluid trickle down my throat.
Then I wash the glasses. I make a note. Waverly owes for the drinks we had starting yesterday through our trip to the spa. I'll mark this one, these two rather, as on the house.
I hope she can fix things with Nicole. I like her, like them both. I think they are good for each other. Yes they make mistakes but doesn't everyone? Nicole shouldn't have opened the DNA test and kept it from Waverly. But Waves shouldn't have sent that nasty text to Nicole. I wanted her to show some backbone but that was more than a little too much. And heavens above she had no business kissing me. Of course that goes both ways too. I had no business kissing her back. Thank goodness we came to our senses. Nicole doesn't deserve that and neither does Doc.
Doc, Doc, Doc. What am I going to do about that? He may call me his lover and Wynonna his friend but I know better. But he didn't make me any promises when he recruited me to work for him to duplicate Doll's serum except that he promised to protect me. Unspoken but implied was that he would be protecting me from Wynonna. After all, she does have a tendency to shoot Revenants on sight. Not that she can hardly be blamed for that but I don't want to find myself back in Hell before I can explain I'm not evil.
I wipe down the bar. No one here. Well it is early. I could just pull the cash drawer, put the bell on the counter and head back into the basement. I would like very much to see if I could determine who has been into my lab stuff.
But I stay here. I wipe the bar again. I could inventory the liquor. I could wash all the glasses. Again. Instead I just wipe once more and let my mind wander. That's a mistake for it wanders back to the 19th Century and the day that changed my life. Changed it? Ended it and started something else completely.
(1897: Yuma, Arizona)
It was dry, duty and hot that day. I was being stupid. Muy Estubida! Only once since then have I been that brain dead. My boyfriend Rick and I had been arguing a lot lately so we decided to spend some time apart and calm down. Deep breaths and all that and clear our heads. I can't remember now what we were even fighting about. That would be funny if it wasn't so sad. That's why I told Waverly to go talk to Nicole. You don't solve your problems with your other half by staying apart.
I had finished work early that day. I was lucky. I had a good job, a respectable job. I was an assistant to one of the town's apothecaries. The leading one in fact and he was teaching me along with two male assistants how to compound medicines. It was exciting and made me feel good that I was able to help people. Plus it paid better than being a waitress and I didn't have to stand on my feet all day long like the dance hall girls. Or assume other positions.
I was sure that Rick would not be jealous of my spending time with Dan. I think Rick trusted him to keep an eye on me rather than his hands. And I wasn't interested in Dan. He was Rick's best friend for goodness sake. It was only the second time we had been out together
Okay he did have what many years later would be called that "bad-boy image". Of course instead of a motorcycle and a leather jacket he wore a black Stetson and carried a Colt .45 in a tied down holster. But I figured that was just showing off. Maybe if I had known that Wyatt Earp had never given up the hunt for anyone involved in the shooting of his brothers and that Dan's mother's maiden name was Clanton I might have come to my senses in time. But I doubt it.
It happened so fast that I barely had time to be terrified. One moment we were crossing the street to the cafe for supper with me on his arm. The next he was spinning around to face the man who went with the cold, hard voice that had just called his name. Incidentally that move slung me behind him. I couldn't see very well since I was looking into the sun so I lifted one hand to try to shade my eyes.
Dan's hand moved like a snake as he drew his pistol. I was no expert but I couldn't believe a man could draw so fast. Then his gun fired and I saw the dust spurt at his feet where the bullet struck. He staggered and I realized the other man had shot first. Dan tried to level his gun and staggered again as he was hit once more.
Maybe there were more shots. I don't know. For the moment the second bullet hit Dan I felt a blow to my mid-section and I found myself starring up at the sky. Why was I doing that? And why couldn't I get up? Or move?
I heard feet running to me. I blinked. A tall man with a black hat and a big mustache was looking down at me with compassion and perhaps guilt inn his eyes. He called for a doctor.
Doc Miller is there quickly. He falls to his knees beside me and starts probing. It hurts.
"What happened Wyatt?"
Wyatt? That man is Wyatt Earp. Wow. I'd like to say something but it really is hurting now. All I can do is moan. I see Wyatt turn and study something else. I'm guessing it's Dan. He points.
"There. One of my bullets must have gone all the way through him and hit her." He turns his attention back to the doc.
"Can you help her?" Doc Miller shook his head. "The bullet must have deformed passing through him. It's torn her wide open and I can feel her spine is shattered."
It hurts again and I cry out. Doc looks closer. "Rosita isn't it? Rosita Bustillos?" Without waiting for an answer he looks around. "You," he points to someone. "Run down to the old mission and bring back one of the priests. Hurry!"
Now the pain seems to be subsiding. Does that mean I'm getting better? It's getting dark. I didn't realize that it was so late. I need to go get home. My Mama will be worried.
I don't know if the priest is here. The only voice I can hear is that of Wyatt Earp, repeating the same words over and over.
"I'm so sorry Rosita. I'm so sorry."
Now everything is all black and the voice fades away until it's all silence. But it won't stay that will it? Then things change and I want the darkness and the silence back as I hear the screams all around me for an instant before I join in.
(To be continued)
(Notes: I picked 1897 for Rosie's death as it was the last time that Wyatt Earp was in Arizona. He did visit Texas once more but most of his remaining years were spent in California or up North. And being an aspiring Apothecary was possible for a woman; the first licensed and registered woman in that field was certified in 1865 in Britain. It would also explain where Rosie's interest in chemistry and other sciences first came from.)
