A/N: new chappie! yay! enjoy!
Chapter 2: The More the Merrier
Christine set two plates on the table, humming a tune as she put things together for her dinner with Gus.
"Chrissy dear!" she heard Gus call and smiled as she straightened her skirt out.
"Gussy darlin'!" she called back, walking around the kitchen to place the dinner on the table.
"Hope ya don't mind, I brought a couple friends for dinner!" he called, as she heard him stomping around at the front door.
"Of course!" Christine giggled. "The more the merrier!"
"I was hopin' you'd say that," she heard Gus smirk as he entered the kitchen to sit down and she turned to him with a frown just as two more familiar faces entered the kitchen.
"Oh, he-hello Captain Call," Christine sputtered, her heart thumping in her chest before she turned a smile to the boy that had come in with him. "Hello, Newt."
"Evenin' Miss McCrae," Woodrow nodded, removing his hat and pulling Newt's hat off his head to hand it to him. "I hope ya don't mind havin' us for dinner tonight, seein' as we haven't officially met."
"Oh, that don't matter one bit, Captain Call," Christine smiled, cutely. "Y'all are welcome any time!" She stepped toward the boy and ruffled his hair, making him grin up at her before she looked up at Woodrow and stuck a hand out toward him. "I'm Christine McCrae. It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain Call."
Woodrow glanced between her hand and her smile before he lifted a hand himself and took hers. He shook her hand firmly, but not so hard that he accidentally hurt her, making her smile a little wider.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss McCrae," he nodded.
"Call me Christine," she offered, still smiling and feeling her heart racing as she realized he was still holding her hand. After a moment he finally let go of her hand and she gestured to the table, entreating, "Won't you have a seat?"
Woodrow only nodded and ushered Newt toward the table to sit him down next to Gus before he sat between the boy and the only empty chair at the table.
"I hope you like pork chops!" Christine grinned, taking two more plates from one of the cabinets and served some food onto one before stepping back to the table and placing it in front of Newt.
"Yes, ma'am!" the boy grinned back, staring down at the food and licking his lips as Christine headed back to serve up another plate of food and set it in front of Woodrow.
"Thank you," he mumbled with a slight nod and she smiled, but he didn't look up at her.
"Hey!" Gus snapped, comically. "Where's my food?"
"It's comin,' ya big badger," Christine shot back, snatching up his plate from in front of him and turning back to the kitchen to serve her brother.
"I ain't no badger," Gus argued, slumping back in his chair as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Sure yer not," Christine smiled, coming back with his food and more silverware for their guests. "Dig in, boys. Don't wait up for me."
Newt instantly started at his food, Gus chuckling at his haste as Woodrow only shook his head with a slight smirk. The two men waited for Christine to sit with her food before starting at their own.
"How 'bout some whiskey, Woodrow?" Gus offered, standing to get said whiskey. "We could use it after a day like today."
"None for me, Gussy," Christine replied as Woodrow only nodded through a bite of his food. "Someone should be sober enough to take care of this fine young lad. If the two of you are drinkin' then I guess I'm elected."
"Like you mind," Gus retorted, coming back with a bottle and two glasses. "You don't drink anyway."
"You're right, I don't mind," Christine shot back with a smirk. "I mind even less about the fact that I get to take care of Newt."
The boy looked up at her and smiled through a mouthful of food, making Christine giggle as Gus poured himself and Woodrow some whiskey, the taller man glancing between Newt and Christine.
"So, how d'ya like it so far, Chrissy?" Gus asked, setting the bottle of whiskey down a good deal away from Newt. "Austin any more excitin' than yer fancy school?"
"Oh, yeah," she retorted through a smirk and a nod as she started at her food. "I got to make dinner. That's an adventure in itself."
"Alright, Miss Smart Alick, how about you go rangerin' and I'll stay here and wait for ya. That sound like a plan?" Gus shot back and Christine only rolled her eyes at him.
"Actually, I might take you up on that, Gussy," she smiled then turned to Woodrow and asked, "What do you think, Captain Call? I'd make a good Texas Ranger, don't ya think? The first female Ranger." She giggled, "The governor would have a fit, I'm sure."
"That he might, Miss Christine," Woodrow replied, taking a drink from his glass.
"Like hell you're goin' rangerin'!" Gus snapped.
"Well, you were the one that suggested it," Christine reminded him calmly.
"You know Augustus, I often wondered how you could manage Clara Forsythe," Woodrow suddenly admitted, drawing the McCrae siblings' attentions. "Now I see how."
"Clara weren't as bad as my little sister, Woodrow," Gus retorted. "Still isn't, even though she teases me so, bein' married and the love of my life all the same."
"I reckon you tease her just as much, Gussy," Christine smiled taking a bite of her food. "Nobody could get over you so easy. There were plenty girls in school you left with broken hearts. I would know, 'cause they'd all come cryin' to me when they couldn't get you to look their way."
"I don't believe it," Woodrow blurted.
"Oh, but it's true," Christine replied, leaning on the table closer to Woodrow with a sly smile. "You wouldn't believe what some girls told me they'd do if he chose to court them."
"Come on, Chrissy," Gus groaned, pleadingly. "There's a child at the table."
Christine lifted a brow at her brother, her lips still quirked in her sly smile. She looked to Woodrow and beckoned him to lean closer, making him frown slightly but he glanced between Newt and Gus before leaning closer to her. She held a hand up to his ear to hide her lips as Gus glared at her and Newt frowned at the strange behavior of the adults. Woodrow's eyes widened and he began coughing, having choked on a mouthful of food as Christine pulled away with a giggle.
"They-!" Woodrow tried before he picked up his glass of whiskey and took a drink to wash down the food before asking again, "They actually said they'd do that?"
"Don't act so shocked, Woodrow," Gus snapped, then pointed his fork at Christine as she giggled and sat back. "And you! Quit givin' away the family secrets!"
"Like any of your girls were secret," Christine shot back. "They made it very clear they'd have done anything to get yer attention."
"I think that's enough now, Christine," Gus warned and she rolled her eyes but nodded.
"So, Newt," she smiled to the boy who looked up from his half finished plate. "How old are you?"
"Almost eight," he grinned after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Captain Woodrow says I should go to school soon."
"That's a good idea," Christine nodded.
"Once that school house is built he's gonna be goin' regular like," Woodrow confirmed. "Little boys should go to school to make somethin' of themselves."
"Keep them from endin' up like Gussy over there?" Christine smiled, taking a bite of food and Newt giggled as Gus glared at her.
"If you weren't my sister…" he warned, waving his fork at her.
"You've been sayin' that since I was ten," she shot back, playfully.
"And one of these days-"
"Been sayin' that since I was thirteen," Christine cut in, still smiling and Gus glared at her before picking up the bottle of whiskey and standing from the table, leaving an empty plate.
"I'm goin' outside," he muttered, trudging toward the back door as Christine laughed when he stumbled on his first step.
"I'd better make sure he doesn't drown himself in that bottle," Woodrow said, starting to stand from the table as well.
"Don't forget your plate," Christine smiled, noticing he wasn't finished with his dinner and quickly picking it up to hand to him as he took one step away from the table.
He nodded his thanks, taking the plate from her and heading toward the door Gus had disappeared through. Christine watched him and sighed when he, too, disappeared and turned to Newt, noticing his plate was empty and smiled as he stared up at her.
"Well, growing boy, would you like some more?" she smiled, standing and taking his plate.
"Yes, please, Miss McCrae," he nodded, politely as Christine turned to the kitchen to serve him a second helping.
"Call me Christine, Newt," she smiled, coming back with his plate and setting it in front of him. "I'm glad I made enough supper for all of us. We could all have seconds if we wanted to."
"Captain Woodrow doesn't eat much since my ma died," Newt explained, drawing a frown from Christine as she looked at him. "I don't think he'll take seconds."
"Were Captain Call and your ma close?" she wondered, starting at the rest of her food.
"Yeah," he nodded. "Ma used to invite Captain Woodrow to dinner some nights."
"That's nice," she nodded and decided to find out a little more about this intriguing ranger. "So…Newt? Was your ma related to Captain Call?"
The boy gave a frown of thought before shaking his head, replying, "Nope. They were really good friends though."
Christine nodding in understanding knowing exactly what the young boy meant even if hedidn't.
"I've heard much about your ma from Gus," she explained, lifting a glass of water she'd poured for herself. "He didn't get around to mentioning who yer pa is."
"It's a secret," Newt whispered loudly, leaning toward her.
Christine smiled, slyly before leaning toward him and whispering, "I can keep a secret."
"Promise?" the boy wondered, seriously and Christine nodded, definitely as she lifted the glass she was holding to her lips to drink, Newt leaning toward her as she leaned a little closer as well to humor him.
"My pa is Captain Woodrow," he whispered into her ear, and she spat out the drink she'd taken in a long spray that made Newt sit up and laugh hysterically.
"Don't go makin' a mess you'll have to clean up later, Chrissy," Gus smirked, stumbling in with Woodrow next to him, gripping his arm to keep him on his feet, his empty plate in his other hand.
"Augustus, you are drunk," Woodrow sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "Get to bed before you fall and break yer neck."
"I-I'll clean up, Gussy," Christine sputtered, still in slight shock as she stood and started clearing the table. "I'll say good night in a little while."
"We ain't kids anymore, Chrissy!" Gus slurred, the whiskey bottle hanging from his hand, empty. "I don't need you to tuck me in!"
"Stop flappin' that mouth o' yers, Gus," Woodrow snapped in irritation as he shoved him toward the hall leading to the bedrooms. "Go to sleep!"
Christine gave a giggle as she took Newt's empty plate and patted him on the head. He looked up at her, silently pleading she not say anything and she winked, reading his gaze. She stepped toward Woodrow as he started toward the table and held out her hand.
"I'll take your plate, Captain," she smiled, warmly and he only stared at her with a stoic expression as he handed it to her.
"Thank ya, Miss Christine," he nodded. "And thank you for the meal. That was mighty tasty."
"Thank you, Christine!" Newt grinned as she stepped to the kitchen to place the dishes in the sink.
"You two are more than welcome," she smiled.
"Well, come on, Newt," Woodrow called to the boy, waving him toward him with his hat. "We best be gettin' you to Ms. Coleman's. She's lookin' forward to you spendin' the night with her."
Newt nodded as he hurried off his chair and ran toward Christine to give her a huge hug, which she returned before he strolled toward Woodrow and asked, "Can I spend a night with Miss Christine and Captain Gus some time, Captain Woodrow?"
"If she doesn't mind," Woodrow nodded, placing his hat on his head as the boy turned back to Christine.
"I don't mind one bit, Newt," she smiled. "You can spend the night here any time ya like."
"What d'ya say, Newt?" Woodrow prompted.
"Thank ya, Miss Christine!" Newt grinned, running for another hug again before hurrying back to Woodrow and shoving his hat onto his head.
"You head on to Ms. Coleman's now," Woodrow instructed the boy as they all headed toward the door. "I'll follow you in a moment."
They all stopped as Woodrow and Christine stood next to the door, still inside and they both watched Newt nod and run down the street to Pearl Coleman's place before the captain turned to his best friend's sister.
"You need help cleanin' up, Miss Christine?" he asked first and she smiled, shaking her head slightly.
"No thank ya, Captain Call," she replied. "I think I can manage. You best be after…that boy before he gets too far off."
"He knows his way," Woodrow replied, adjusting his gun belt and suddenly looking out at the darkened street awkwardly, making Christine frown in wonder, but she said nothing. Not looking away from the street he said, "I might call on you one of these days, Miss Christine."
Her emerald eyes widened in utter disbelief as he turned back to her but looked everywhere else, not at her.
"I hope it won't inconvenience you or your brother," he continued, looking down and kicking some dust out the door before finally looking up her and her wide-eyed expression. "Though I'm sure Gus will have somethin' to say about it."
"Y-Yes," she sputtered, still in shock and barely registering what he was saying. "Gussy seems to have somethin' to say about everythin'."
Woodrow gave a slight scoff and nod before looking back outside then back at Christine and touching the tip of his hat as he nodded, "Well, g'night, Miss Christine."
"G-G'night, Captain Call," Christine nodded as he stepped out the door.
"Woodrow," he called back, before heading down the street in the direction they'd both seen Newt disappear.
Christine only stared at him walk away until he was out of sight then shut the door and leaned heavily on the wood, letting out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
"Woodrow," she breathed, placing a hand on her heart. "You're a far more complicated man than I thought, aren't you, Woodrow Call?"
A/N: ok, so i figured since he's pretty awkward with women he'd kinda just blurt out wut he's gonna do. lol! reviews?