Kara pulled on her boots as Mon-El cooked some flapjacks and sausage on the stove. It wasn't morning, but it had been a week since she'd last seen Lena. She hadn't heard much about the brunette either, mainly keeping to herself and coming straight home if not praying at the church. The days in the interim had seemed slow, unlike the days that passed by so seamlessly that Kara would sometimes wonder how a certain day had come and gone. Already it was a little over mid-August, and she wasn't any closer to taking care of her forbidden-thoughts problem. If she didn't know any better, she would argue that praying had only aided in intensifying the troublesome images and words.
"Kar, where ya goin'?" Mon-El asked. "We just got off work, and breakfast for supper is one of ya favorites."
"I know," Kara said, standing.
"Then let's eat. We missed dinner, and I'm slavin' away somethin' fierce here at the stove." The playfulness in his voice belied his labor concern. "And ya haven't even bathed yet."
"I just..." Kara stood.
"What is it?"
"I need to see Lena."
Mon-El moved away from the stove so fast that Kara had flashbacks of his speed during childhood. "Kara, let her be. She's not like us. She's not normal. She's -"
"- Even so," Kara sighed. "I miss her." She walked to the door and opened it, sensing Mon-El's eyes on her back. "I won't be gone long."
IIII
Kara knocked loudly on Lena's door. Before it opened, she heard the laughter — Lena's infectious, calming laughter. And then she saw her, standing there with her hair trailing down her shoulders instead of in the bun she usually wore, and a smile brighter than any Kara had ever seen grace her features. She donned a linen, lace nightgown, which had ruffles at its square neckline and exposed much of her throat. Kara's eyes settled on the necklace there. The necklace she'd made after being taught how to construct such material by Eliza. The same necklace she'd given Lena the day Lena had moved away.
"Kara," Lena said, her face suddenly taking on a serious expression, "I wasn't expecting you." She pulled the door close to her.
Kara's eyes narrowed. "You busy?"
"Hm?"
"I mean, ya don't seem that eager to let me in. Ya never had to be expectin' me before."
Lena stared at Kara for a good few seconds. "You're right. My manners seemed to have escaped me. Come on in." She held the door open and waited for Kara to enter before closing it.
Kara waited for Lena to move in front of her and lead, but Lena paused, hugging herself. "Let's get you cleaned up first." Her eyes strayed from Kara to look down the hall and back to Kara again.
"Huh?"
"I have a guest."
"A guest?" Kara's brow furrowed. "Well, I guess that explains yer laughter."
Lena grabbed Kara by the hand and pulled her along. They made their way down the brief hall, moving into the living area until they came across the kitchen, where Kara saw a well-dressed woman sitting at the table sipping something, likely wine, from a glass. Their eyes met briefly before Lena quickly pulled Kara up the stairs a short distance away.
"Just a moment," Lena told the woman before she and Kara were out of sight.
They made their way to Lena's room. Kara noticed a bowl of water and a rag on the vanity. Lena pulled her there, dipping the rag into the water and beginning to wipe at her soot-stained hands. "Goodness, Kara, you didn't think to clean up before coming over?"
In the mirror, Kara watched the back of Lena's head, the way the woman's hair swayed with certain strokes. "Why would I need ta?" She looked at Lena, who looked up at her.
"Because."
Kara grinned. "Didn't you once complain about me giving 'because' as an answer?"
Lena smiled softly at that, moving to wipe at Kara's face. "Anyhow, I'm glad I already had some fresh water ready. I'd planned on washing my face. Makeup and such. I don't have any white vinegar for you, but..."
"You don't need makeup," Kara said softly. She stared as the brunette's eyes again met hers. Her gaze zeroing in on the pale skin before her, she moved to caress the woman's throat. She didn't mean to. It was as if her hand had a mind of its own.
Lena's hand stilled before slowly dragging the rag down Kara's lips. "Kara...what are you doing?" she queried, even as she lifted her head to give the blonde better access to her throat.
Kara heard the question, of course, but she didn't have an answer. All she could think about was Lena's skin always feeling pleasurable to the touch, and the provocative mole that rested on the woman's neck. She watched as Lena dropped her hand to her side, closed her eyes and bit down on her bottom lip. When her eyes opened again, they shown with what Kara recognized from their time together before their kiss, except this look was more restrained.
She rested her index finger against Lena's mole before sliding her hand down to lightly grasp the necklace that apparently meant so much to Lena that she was still wearing it after all these years. Lena surveyed her curiously, she noticed. Green eyes seemed to assess every part of her. At some point, the brunette became discontent with being idle, because a delicate hand found its way on Kara's right bicep and began caressing there. Those same fingers pulled up the sleeve of her shirt, as if searching for something. They halted as they found the small scar Kara had recently acquired when helping to build Lena's stable. Fingers slowly traced the scar as though admiring it, as though they could further along the healing process.
Kara stepped back then. She moved toward the window to look out of it, folding her arms against the window's edge and resting her head against them. She needed to think, but her mind was coming up blank except for her interaction with Lena moments ago.
"The cut has been healing well, I see," Lena said after clearing her throat.
"Mon-El tended to it."
Kara internally groaned. Perhaps that wasn't the right thing to say, especially since silence now stretched between them — that usual, uncomfortable silence that was starting to annoy Kara.
"Listen, Kara," Lena began, "I need to be honest with you before we go back downstairs and I introduce you."
Kara had forgotten about the woman downstairs. She turned to Lena, slowly rolling down her sleeve. "About?" she asked.
Lena's eyes averted to the floor, then back up to meet hers. They seemed apologetic at first, then defiant. "The woman, Siobhan, she's... Kara, she's my former lover."
Kara could have sworn her heart stopped at that moment. All of a sudden, the room felt too stuffy, too much like a cage enclosing her within its walls, and she felt defeated. She looked to the floor. "So it's true...you have that sort of leaning," she breathed so softly that she wondered if Lena had even heard her. Before this revelation, she could have gone on feeling like she was mistaken with regard to Lena's proclivities. But now, with Lena's admittance, Lena's confirmation, it was no longer something she could dismiss as a misunderstanding. And given the interaction they'd just shared, there was no way she could have doubted it any longer anyhow. She was still mixed up about her own feelings, but Lena's were as clear as day. And she doubted she could return them without a sense of betraying her family, the town, and God.
"If by 'leaning,' you mean a sexual attraction to women, yes," Lena said.
Kara looked up at her. There was no sense of guilt or mortification on the woman's features or in her voice. Kara wondered how that could be. "Where's your shame?"
"Shame?" Lena took a step toward her, frowning. "For being who I am? For wanting a happy and fulfilling life consisting of all the things that other couples have?"
Kara meant to say something, but Lena interrupted, holding up a finger to silence her. "And I know I can never have children with a lover of my choosing," she added. "Your dear Mon-El happily reminded me of that fact. But who says that a woman needs children to be happy? Would I love to have a child? Sure. But I'd also love to have someone who loves me. Someone who is my equal in every way that counts."
Kara studied Lena's mannerisms, the fall and rise of her chest, the pointed look in her eyes. "And this Siobhan woman makes you happy? I saw how ya looked when I opened the door. It was like all the weight was lifted off your shoulders."
Lena looked off to the side. "I... With Siobhan, I can be myself. I feel so caged in this town. So restrained. With her, everything's unfiltered."
Kara thought of how she'd felt caged minutes ago. "And she's livin' here with ya now? You two...have continued your..."
"She's living here." Lena turned to face Kara. "I didn't want her to stay in an inn or boarding house. But we haven't... We aren't intimate."
Kara and Lena eyed each other for several seconds before they heard a woman's voice calling out to Lena; it was Siobhan. She was wondering what was taking Lena so long.
"We better get down there," Lena said, heading out the door.
By the time they made it downstairs, Siobhan was rearranging plates on the kitchen table and had placed a third chair at the end. There seemed to be some sort of dish placed in the middle. She looked up and smiled as Kara and Lena approached.
"Siobhan, this is Kara Danvers. Kara, Siobhan Smythe," Lena said.
Siobhan held out her hand and Kara shook it as she took in the woman's features and attire. The brunette was pretty with dark-brown eyes. She wore a beige dress made of silk taffeta, silk velvet, and chenille silk. It had metal sequins, glass bead embroidery and pearls lining the hem, upper sleeves, and especially the neckline and collar. From what Kara could tell, there was no bustle. And although some women in town often kept their heads modestly covered, with caps made of fine linen or cotton, with ruffles around the face, and chin ties, it was clear that Siobhan was a lady of fashion and likely wore an elaborately decorated bonnet with flowers, feathers, lace, ribbons or ruffles to top it off. If Kara hadn't been told of different fashions by Alex during her seamstress job and some travelers visiting the main blacksmith shop, she wouldn't have been able to name all of the material that made up the woman's dress. She still wondered why she hadn't heard of a carousel until recently. But then again, travelers, who were mostly male, talked more about business, land, gossip, women, what the women were wearing, and sex. Inventions were farther down on the list. It was also likely that a number of travelers were as clueless as Kara was about some aspects of the outside world.
Siobhan removed her hand from Kara's in distaste and wiped it on a napkin that rested beside a plate on the table. Kara grimaced. She probably should have spent more time cleaning herself up first. This was no doubt why Lena had tried to take on that task.
"Kara's aware of our history," Lena informed the woman.
Siobhan offered a surprised look. "She is? And yet she remains. No running for the hills?" Her eyes returned to Kara. "Well, I must say I very much welcome this progressive guest of yours, Lena dear." She flashed a bright smile Kara's way. "Nice to meet you." She looked between the two women. "Shall we have supper?" She gestured for Kara and Lena to take their seats.
Kara settled into the seat at the end of the table as Lena sat beside Siobhan. She could see Siobhan sizing her up, and the staring was uncomfortable. The woman looked puzzled and, if Kara could describe it, a bit threatened. Her smile wasn't welcoming at all. It was challenging.
"Do try the meal," Siobhan stated, looking from Kara to Lena. "I'm at a loss when it comes to what dish to make here in Breighville. So many chickens and such. But I do know what Lena and I enjoy; so I pulled a few strings for tonight's supper. Do tell me what you think."
Kara arched an eyebrow. The woman's use of "do" was irritating. But she looked at the slab of meat on her plate. It was brown with what looked like some seasoning, and it was topped off with sauce and fancy leafy vegetables framing it. It didn't look like anything special to Kara, despite the design, but it tasted wonderful. She greedily took another bite and looked up at Siobhan in surprise. "What is it?"
Siobhan smiled as though pleased with herself. "Veal Fricandeau," she said. "Just separate a piece of veal from the leg, in the same width and depth, of course, and approximately eight inches in length. Create a hole in the under part and fill it with forcemeat, sew it up, lard the top and sides, cover it with slices of fat bacon, and finally with white paper. And, well, the pot, slices of undressed mutton, and ingredients such as onion, sliced carrot, sweet herb and gravy take care of the rest. Lots of rigorous stewing involved." She turned to look at Lena lovingly. "But it's this woman's favorite, and I could never deny her anything."
Kara put down her knife and fork as she stared at the two. Suddenly, she wasn't hungry anymore. She felt a pang in her chest, and it wasn't helped by Lena seeming to blush at Siobhan's words while casting an apologetic glance her way. Siobhan could cook. The one thing Kara had felt proud of being able to offer Lena had long been provided by another.
"So, Kara, you're one of Lena's friends?" Siobhan turned back to view the blonde. "Lena's never mentioned you."
Again Lena offered Kara an apologetic glance.
"Yes. She's a dear friend," Kara replied. Her annoyance was growing by the moment. Lena seemed so enveloped, or devoured, by Siobhan's presence. Where was the Lena whose presence could overwhelm the room?
"And what is it that you do?" Siobhan looked Kara over, clearly assessing the grit on her clothes. She took a sip of wine and seemed to be waiting on Kara's every reply.
"Blacksmith."
Siobhan laughed. "A female blacksmith? My, you truly are progressive."
Kara chewed on the inside of her jaw. "I guess."
"Kara's one of the town's finest smiths," Lena finally said, sheepishly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"And your attire... That is of your choosing also?" Siobhan continued on as if she hadn't heard Lena. "Trousers and all?"
Kara looked down at her clothes. "It suits me." Her gaze returned to the woman scrutinizing her more thoroughly than Ms. Merriam ever had. "I've never been much of a dresses type of girl. And smithin' work ain't no place for them."
"Well, if you ever change your mind, just let me know. I keep up with all of the latest fashions, what works with skin tones and so on. At one point, I selected a number of dresses with emphasis on collar designs just to get Lena here to cover up that awful necklace she wears all the time."
At that, Kara and Lena exchanged an intense gaze. Siobhan clearly noticed. "You've seen it as well?" she asked. "It looks like something a child would have made."
Kara couldn't help the frown that formed on her features. A child had indeed made that necklace, but both she and Lena were now adults and that necklace had significantly more meaning than Siobhan was ascribing to it. "Yes, I've seen it," she replied through gritted teeth.
"Why, there was this one time I wanted to draw Lena bare. I'm an artist, you see. Well, in addition my title as a businesswoman. And by 'bare,' I meant I wanted her wearing nothing at all. But she wouldn't part with that abominable necklace."
Kara felt like she had been kicked in the gut. Siobhan was the friend that drew the woman in Lena's sketchpad. The friend who had seen that woman bare in what had not simply been a detached manner. It had been an intimate moment, an erotic moment. Kara's fingers had traced over what essentially served as a timestamp for that intimate moment. And the woman's outline had been Lena's.
Kara scooted back in her chair and abruptly stood. "I need to go."
"Kara..." Lena said, standing as well and offering a pleading look.
Kara didn't stop to hear whatever it was the brunette had to say. She didn't want any more apologetic looks from her. She didn't recognize this Lena.
She snatched open the door and closed it behind her.
IIII
"Damn it." Lena bent her head as she leaned against the table. "Why'd you have to behave like that?" she breathed.
"Like what?" Siobhan queried.
"You were snobbish and condescending. You talked down to her."
Siobhan laughed. "What, by offering to dress her up a bit? By criticizing your necklace? I can't imagine what offense I might have caus -" Siobhan paused at this and narrowed her eyes at Lena, who was still looking down. "Who is that woman to you?"
"She told you," Lena said, walking to look across the hall at the front door. It had been a long week. One full of confusion, longing and guilt. Confusion because she kept doubting that she was right to hope that Kara would have a change of heart. Longing because, as much as Siobhan provided her companionship, she missed Kara dearly. And guilt because she had left Siobhan for Kara and all Siobhan wanted was for the two of them to rekindle their intimacy and leave Breighville. For days, the other woman had asked her why she'd left and what Lena could possibly do for this town. They'd settled back into their domestic life together, but without the physical contact. It was just like it was before, except the emotional tie was weaker and the sex was absent. And it was clear that Siobhan was still having trouble understanding and accepting any of it.
"Friends, yes," Siobhan stated. "But I also know that you broke off our relationship without explaining a thing. A couple of weeks later and I heard you'd moved to the country. And now I see this attractive friend of yours who became visibly tense at the mention of your mysterious necklace. Lena, who is she?"
Lena sighed and moved to turn back to Siobhan. She couldn't deny that the woman deserved to know the truth. "She's a childhood friend."
"And?"
"And I... I've loved her ever since."
Siobhan stood, putting her fresh napkin on the kitchen table. "Wait a moment... You mean to tell me that you believe yourself to be in love with this childhood friend? Didn't you tell me that you hadn't been to Breighville since you were ten?"
"I did tell you that, yes."
"Then how can you possibly be in love with her?" Siobhan asked, holding a hand to her right temple as though doing so would help aid her brain in locating the answer. "Do you know how insane that sounds? You've only been back for a little over a month. You gave up our life together for this - for someone you only knew for a time as a little girl?"
And there it was. The shock, disbelief, and ridicule Lena had been expecting. Of course it wouldn't make sense to Siobhan. Logically, it hadn't made much sense to Lena either. But the deep affinity she had for Kara had always registered clearly. Their connection seared her to the core. And now that they were both adults, that connection naturally allowed for the type of relationship she'd had with Siobhan, only deeper. It was the type of relationship she longed for and what had been missing with Siobhan. Her time with Kara this past month had proven that times over. "You wouldn't understand," she said, moving to head up the stairs.
Siobhan caught her by the arm, halting her ascent. "Then make me understand. We were good together, Lena." She moved up close behind the brunette, wrapping her arms tightly around a firm waist as her lips moved close to the other's ear. "Don't you remember? Hasn't this week together been marvelous?" She found Lena's right thigh and began to trail a path upward. "I miss you, Lena. And I know you miss me too."
Lena stilled the woman's hand on her thigh as her breath hitched. It had been a good week with Siobhan; she couldn't dispute that. And she remembered their sexual encounters all too vividly. It had been Siobhan's sweet nothings in her ear that had taught her how electrifying such an act could be. Until now, she hadn't even realized that she'd been using a similar exchange with Kara. But being with Siobhan wasn't enough, and she couldn't allow herself to lead Siobhan on or take advantage of her. She enjoyed sex, but not enough to forgo what scruples she had. "I can't," she said softly, breaking Siobhan's grip on her as she swiftly moved upstairs. "You should return home."
IIII
"The note says they're returned goods," Alex called over her shoulder to Jonathan from the doorway as she examined a box of fruit and vegetables, mainly consisting of tomatoes, potatoes and carrots.
"Not so much returned goods," a familiar voice sounded off a few feet away. "I bought ya some new produce, but it's my way of returnin' what I stole."
Alex looked up to find Maggie standing in front of her with a box in her hand. The woman's face somehow looked more relaxed, kinder, than before, and Alex found this appealing.
"And here's more," Maggie said.
Alex looked behind her for any sign that Jonathan was still near, then quickly moved to the olive-skinned woman. "What are ya doing here? Do ya want a punishment? 'Cause my husband wouldn't mind dishin' one out."
"That, I don't. But I needed to make thangs right."
Alex sighed, taking the box out of Maggie's hands. "Okay, you have. Now go."
"Right with ya husband too," Maggie clarified.
"Didn't ya here what I just said?" Alex asked, a frown forming on her brow.
"I'm willin' to take my chances," Maggie asserted.
"Stubborn woman," Alex muttered under her breath as she led Maggie inside. They stopped at the kitchen table, where Alex had been splitting pea pods and popping the peas into a bowl. William was eating applesauce next to the vegetables. Maggie placed one of the boxes on the floor beside him, following Alex's lead.
"Want some?" William asked, holding out a spoonful of applesauce toward Maggie.
"No thank ya, little one," Maggie replied with a smile.
Alex pointed a finger at him. "What'd I tell ya about talkin' to strangers?"
"But she's not a stranger, mama. She's with you."
Maggie laughed.
"And I've seen her in our backyard."
Maggie's laughter stopped at that.
"What?" Alex queried, dumbfounded. She'd known that Maggie had been stealing from their yard for sometime, for at least a month, but she'd had no idea that William had witnessed it.
"Who's this?" Jonathan's voice broke through her thoughts. He stood tall in the kitchen, his eyes bearing down on everyone in the room before settling on the stranger.
Maggie immediately removed her hat and stepped toward him. "Maggie Sawyer, sir. I reckon you already know about the thievin' that's been happenin' on your residence. That thievin' is because of me. I mean, I stole your goods. I brought ya some replacements, though."
Alex grimaced, waiting for the reprimand that was sure to follow. But it never came.
Jonathan looked Maggie up and down and grunted. "Well, what was done was done." He looked toward the table. "Since you're here, ya can make it up to me by helpin' my wife with the peas." He turned to Alex. "Send William away when he's done eatin.' The boy don't need to be doin' women's work."
Alex blinked repeatedly as Jonathan walked away. What had gotten into him, she didn't know.
"Looks like I'll be helpin,'" Maggie said with a grin.
Alex offered a slight smile in return. She couldn't very well turn Maggie away now. "Looks like."
They sat down at the table and began tending to the peas.
William giggled. "You're doin' women's work."
Alex playfully popped him on the head. "Hush, you."
Alex knew it would be a long night, but it was also turning out to be an interesting evening. One she knew would have her scratching her head in wonder the following day.
IIII
Morning arrived as uneventfully as it always did, or so it had seemed before Lena felt a gentle hand on her head, rousing her from her sleep. She mumbled unintelligibly. Loud hammering echoing outside roused her further and she jolted up in bed. She looked to her side, seeing Siobhan. It was barely six o'clock in the morning, which she could tell from the amount of light filtering in through the window. "Siobhan?"
"There's someone causing a ruckus outside. I don't think it's the workers. Isn't your stable just about done?"
Lena quickly moved out of the bed and grabbed her robe, as Siobhan pulled her own robe tightly around her body.
They hurried downstairs and exited the house. The light hit them and they squinted a bit before stopping when locating the source of the noise. To their right, on the roof of the stable, stood a sweaty Kara hammering away. The woman's sleeves were cut off, showing ample skin and ample muscle. Lena felt her mouth go dry, which, given how parched she already was from having just woken up, was a feat all of its own. Wrangler stuck his head out of one of the three stalls neighing, just as Kara paused briefly.
"Kara!" Lena yelled. "What are you doing up there?"
Kara stopped and turned toward the two women, wiping a hand across her brow. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm finishin' up the barn." She moved toward the ladder leaning against the stable, then, with a look of mischievousness, jumped to the ground with much athleticism.
Lena marveled at how easily such actions came to Kara. The blonde had always been like that, but seeing it now was different.
Kara walked to Lena with a smile. "I told the men ta let me handle the rest. I mean, I know ya probably expected them to finish. And I know you're capable of decidin' thangs on ya own. You're a very capable woman. We have a town full of capable women," she rambled. "But I... Well, I wanted ta do it." She used the rag slung over her shoulder to wipe at her arms, which drew all eyes to her biceps and the rest of her upper and lower limbs.
Lena nodded with a hum, her eyes widening while Siobhan's eyes narrowed.
When Kara looked up to meet Lena's gaze with a smirk, Lena could have sworn the woman flexed just a little.
"So you two can go back to what you were doing. I'll work on thangs for a couple more hours and finish the rest later."
"We were sleeping," Siobhan said pointedly.
"Yeah... Sorry about that," Kara replied, taking Lena by the hand and pulling her a short distance away. "When can ya get rid of her?" she whispered.
Lena stared at the blonde for a moment, dumbfounded. "Did I hear you correctly?"
"Well, she's not gonna stay with ya forever, is she?"
"Kara," Lena said, also making sure to keep her voice low, "I'm not going to kick Siobhan out."
"Then just get rid of her for tomorrow. You're off then, ain't ya?"
"I am, but -"
"- Then do as I say. I have something planned."
"Kara..."
Kara didn't give Lena a chance to protest. She walked back to the ladder and ascended it to continue her work.
Lena turned back to Siobhan, who was staring at her with arms folded. The displeased look on the woman's face was more than enough to resign Lena to the fact that peace would be alluding her for as long as both of these women were in her life.
IIII
After accompanying Siobhan to a horse ranch within town and watching her select a dominant white breed, Lena said her goodbyes to the woman for the day. Siobhan had wanted to explore Breighville some more and refused to leave town without her. Lena had needed to meet with James as they were set to visit Lar and Rhea about the celebration the two would apparently be having tomorrow evening. It'd turned out that this was why Sara had been told to select a dress. When Lena had asked Lar and Rhea about it, they'd been vague and said they would send word when the time came. Clearly, that time was now.
Lena smiled as she watched James lift up one of his little girls in his front yard, the other pulling at his pants leg for attention. He obviously wasn't bothered by the no-touching rule. His wife, an attractive dark-skinned woman with her hair intricately braided in a swirl pattern, hugged him and then looked at Lena warily.
James noticed his wife's line of vision and kissed her on the cheek before gesturing for Lena to come closer. "Lena, this is my wife, Opal." He motioned toward his children. "And my girls, Addie and Lela."
Lena smiled. "Pleased to meet you," she said, holding out a hand toward Opal.
Opal took it readily and shook it earnestly. "I'm mighty thankful for you givin' my James a job. And such a well-paid one too."
Lena laughed. "Well, James does good work. And he's pleasant company. I'm thankful to have him onboard."
Opal moved back closer to James, clearly unsure of what else to state.
"And who do we have here?" Lena asked, bending down in front of the shorter of the girls. She was adorably cute, with big almond eyes and big puffy ponytails.
"I'm Lela."
"And how old are you, Lela?"
"I'm four," she giggled. "Addie's seven."
Lena looked to the older girl, who was standing quietly beside Lela. She was also as cute as could be and had a hairstyle similar to her mother's. "Well, it's nice to meet you both." Lena saw the older of the two smile.
"Okay, girls, time to get back inside," James said. "Help ya mama with the chores."
"Yes, papa," the girls said in unison."
Lena and James watched as the three went back inside. "You have a lovely family," Lena said, turning to him as they walked toward their horses.
James grinned. "I do, don't I?"
They mounted their horses and began to ride ahead.
"And what about you?" James asked.
"I'm alone."
James offered a sympathetic look. "I hope that changes for ya."
Lena focused on the road ahead. "So do I."
They made it to the Gand Brew & Stew business just as music had began playing within its walls. Lena barely had any time to register the men singing and laughing all over the place before Lar approached her with a paper for her to review. It declared that Gand Brew & Stew was not beholden to the town of Breighville since the business is on the outskirts of town and was built on free land. It had been built on land that Breighville had never claimed. Trying to claim Gand Brew & Stew after the fact was like trying to claim a pair of shoes after someone else had already bought them. Lar and Rhea had told her everything with bright smiles on their faces before turning around to tend to their patrons and inviting her and James to relax. They'd both declined.
Lena exited the building with a deflated feeling. There was nothing she could state to dispute Lar and Rhea's rights. And while Sara had said the new development was a good thing, she believed anything but. She was without a solid answer for how this oversight had happened and she knew that no one in town would be taking this news well, except for the so-called non-conformists, of course.
She sighed, hoping to ease her mind, but she found that she could only find some sense of calm by thinking of Kara.
IIII
"Kara, what's gotten into ya?" Eliza laughed, as Kara hugged her tightly.
"What, I can't hug my ma?"
"You can. It's just not somethin' you do often."
"Well, I think I should change that," Kara asserted with a firm nod, pushing the spectacles back up on her face.
"Okay, why are ya here?" Jeremiah asked, folding his arms across his chest expectantly. "Ya only visit when there's a planned dinner or supper, or if we need help 'round the land."
"Hey!" Kara said, "I take offense to that assessment. I just said I wanna change thangs."
"Mm-hm," Jeremiah replied skeptically.
"Okay, I am here for another reason. But I really do wanna be a better daughter."
"You're a good enough daughter," Eliza assured. "Now what is it?"
Kara fidgeted. "I need ta know all about dresses from you, ma. And as for ya, pa, I need ta know some more about the trails you took on hikes in yer younger years."
"My trails?" Jeremiah queried.
"Dresses? " Eliza asked, her face growing hopeful. "For you? Or for Lena?"
Kara shrugged. "Kinda both."
IIII
"Lena," Winn said as she stepped into the overseer building. "Just in time. This man here — " he motioned to the man in tattered clothing "— claims to be the half-brother of Anna Davies. Says he was a baby when she moved away and that they're related by their father. He grew up in a forested area not too far from here."
The man turned to Lena. There was something so lost, so foreign, about him. His shirt and pants were too short. Patches of lining showed through on the sleeves and what she saw was far from thick. His legs were thin, bare and bruised around the knees. His feet peeped out of the tops of his shoes.
Lena looked to Sam, Maggie and Winn, who all wore the same concerned expression. She looked back to the young man, unable to stop the anger bubbling up inside of her. She knew that not everyone had money, but it was clear that this man's circumstances were more complicated than that. Winn had just said that he grew up in the forest. "What is your name?" Lena asked him.
"I... I'm Clarence Davies," he said. His voice was scruffy.
"You say you're Anna's brother? "
"Yes, ma'am."
"And that you grew up in the woods?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Then forgive me for asking, but how do you know you're Anna's brother? What proof do you have?"
"Same father. He kept written documents of our births. Extensive detail." Clarence reached into his pocket and pulled out two crumpled pieces of paper. He handed them to Lena.
Lena observed the papers. As far as she could tell, they were authentic. Old and yellow in appearance, and nothing unusual about their construction.
"Pa wanted to be a part of Anna's life, but he said her mother didn't want him to be."
"And where is your father now?" Lena asked.
"Dead. About five years ago."
"And your mother?"
"Died in childbirth."
The man's dirty fingers clutched and unclutched. Lena could see a number of cuts and scrapes that were red and inflamed. She reached toward him and he backed away. "It's okay," she said. "I just want to assess your health. "When's the last time you've seen a doctor? Eaten? Bathed?"
Clarence simply stared at her.
The front door opened and Siobhan entered. Lena nodded to the woman before turning back to Clarence. It was almost completely dark outside. They usually closed at either thirty minutes past four or thirty minutes past five, but it was at least six now. Either way, Lena would be damned if she was going to send Clarence on his way before seeing to his safety. Clearly, the man had made it this long living away from society, but that didn't mean that he didn't need attention. "Okay, Clarence, how about I set you up at an inn near here? You'll get a hot meal and whatever else I can help you with."
Clarence nodded. Siobhan looked like she wanted to object.
Lena looked at the others. "Close up without me," she advised.
They conveyed their understanding. Winn stood abruptly. "Night, Siobhan," he stated.
Siobhan looked the man over and followed Lena without another word.
They rode to the inn, Clarence sharing a horse with Lena as he held onto her. The inn was three stories and the largest one in town. It had been built three years ago and reflected just about all of the modern comforts. When they entered, it was close to curfew and Lena knew she would be staying here for the night. The desk clerk looked up at them and turned bright red, as if they'd done something improper. "Sorry, ma'am, we're not that kinda inn."
Siobhan rolled her eyes and moved in front of them. "We know that," she nearly scolded the clerk. "We need two rooms. One for the man, and one for me and the woman you see here." She nodded to Lena, who had moved beside her. Siobhan pulled out a few coins and placed them on the desk. "Do you have two vacant rooms?"
"Yes, ma'am. Sorry about the misunderstanding."
"Don't worry about it," Lena said. "Send up maids with hot water to both rooms for a bath, and have three meals delivered from the dining room."
After the clerk directed them to the two vacant rooms, which were across from each other, they moved into the area Clarence would be occupying. They made sure to keep both doors open so that they would be there to direct the maids. Clarence's room wasn't as big as Lena had expected. The bed was small, the windows narrow. But at least it was clean. It seemed that, like some of the lower quality hotels she was accustomed to, the rugs were beaten regularly and that the sheets were changed weekly. She walked around the room and gestured toward the pitcher and basin, opened the cabinet, and revealed the lantern to Clarence.
Clarence stood there looking like a lost child. Lena meant to state something, but two teenage boys carried in a tub, followed by two more with buckets of hot water. After the tub was filled, maids came in and supplied towels, soap and fresh clothing. The same process was happening with Lena's room, where Siobhan had moved to direct other boys and maids.
Clarence started to disrobe and Lena waved him off. "Let me get out of your way first," she said, smiling uneasily. "Since I'm right across the room, let me know if you need anything. We can talk later. Until then, I'll see to it that you have a place here for at least a few weeks."
Lena began to leave, but paused when a grunt escaped Clarence's throat. "Thank you," he said hoarsely.
Lena smiled. "You're welcome."
She closed the door behind her. When she made it to the room she shared with Siobhan, she didn't even wait to discourage the woman from complaining. "I don't want to hear it," she stated.
"What?" Siobhan asked, kicking out of her shoes. "I think it's quite exciting to be sharing a room in a country inn with the love of my life. We've never done it in such a mediocre place before," she commented, a twinkle in her eye.
Lena sighed. "It certainly didn't escape me that you ordered two rooms, not three."
"Come on, did you really want a room all by your lonesome?"
Lena moved to plop onto the bed as she started to disrobe. There was just one bed. One small bed.
"Should I avert my eyes?" Siobhan asked, looking at her movements with obvious interest.
Lena paused. She shouldn't disrobe in front of Siobhan.
"Relax," Siobhan suggested. "I'm well aware that your desires lie elsewhere. And, besides, my monthly is on and I'm not feeling like my usual alluring self. I should have asked the maids for utensils."
"Still..." Lena gathered up her things and moved toward the door. "You bathe first. I'll wait in the dining room and bathe in a fresh tub afterward. And as for the bed, I'll take the floor."
"I'm not leaving you, you know," Siobhan stated just as Lena paused in the doorway. "I'm just biding my time. I'll get a job, because goodness knows I don't plan on being a housewife, but I'll bide my time some more. Eventually, you'll come around. You'll realize that I'm the love of your life too."
As Lena closed the door, she knew that she was dreading proving Siobhan wrong. She also knew that she needed to get some sleep for whatever type of day it was Kara had planned for tomorrow.
IIII
Kara fidgeted in the mirror of the women's clothing shop in the morning light. She looked to the store's timepiece; it was nine o'clock. If she was to make good time, she needed to be on her way. Her eyes returned to assess herself. She was wearing an embroidered cotton sundress. It was simple in style with only a flower pattern at the chest area, but it would do. She also wore a stylish straw hat that matched her shoes, which had heels that were slightly more elevated than her boots. She wasn't comfortable in any of it, and she'd almost slipped three times, but if Siobhan could wear dresses, so could she. If Lena was so fond of dresses on women, she'd show the brunette that she wore them much better than any other who might catch her eye.
"You look lovely, Ms. Kara," the female store owner who stood behind her said.
"Thank you," Kara replied.
As she made her way through town on her stallion, she should have known she'd get odd looks and surprised comments. Some of the townsmen clapped. Others said it was about time. Women gawked in awe. One of them must have alerted Ms. Merriam to the matter, because the old woman came bumbling out of a shop with wide, teary eyes and a hand covering her mouth in shock. Kara felt like she was some rare species on display for human consumption. But she couldn't concern herself with any of that now.
She arrived at Lena's relatively quickly. For a moment, as she held her hands behind her, she was doubting that Lena was even going to be home. The woman did seem to like to work even when she didn't need to. But when Lena opened the door, she was pleased to see that her doubts had been for naught.
"So...what is this surprise of yours?" Lena queried with a smile. Suddenly, her eyes traveled over Kara's attire and widened almost as much as Ms. Merriam's had. "Are you... Are you wearing a dress?"
"I am." Kara grinned.
Lena's eyes went back to her face. "And is that makeup?" Lena observed Kara's loose locks flowing freely around her shoulders. She absentmindedly reached out to touch the ends. "And your hair?"
"Ya like?"
Lena chuckled, briefly looking at Kara's shoes and how the blonde's legs seemed a bit wobbly. "Yes. You are very lovely, Kara. Breathtakingly lovely." Her eyes once again met the blonde's and she moved closer.
Kara blushed as Lena observed her. "So...Siobhan's not here?" she asked, trying to take away some of the tension.
"No, she's attending to some business. And I told her I'd be out for the day. But, Kara, what is all of this?"
"Ya said that you feel trapped in this town. And, well, I occasionally hike the forest areas. There's this place I go to at times when I want ta feel free, like there's a bigger world out there."
Lena offered a querying look.
"No, not our special spot," Kara clarified. "Our spot is special and all, but I'm talkin' much farther than that. Which is why..." Kara revealed what she'd been hiding behind her back. She held out a pair of trousers and a shirt. "... You'll need to dress for the occasion."
Lena laughed. Not that long ago, she'd been considering wearing pants. "This is a role reversal, is it? I mean, what about you?"
Kara pointed to her own attire. "Oh this? This is just for show. Now, c'mon, get changed. I have all of the campin' material ready. Good food too. And you can bring the wine."
IIII
"More wine," a patron called out to Sara, who served some drinks from behind the counter. Mon-El, who'd entered the saloon moments ago, watched her pour the man a glass as others enjoyed the music the piano player offered, and as even more gambled. He'd heard about Sara from Kara. Seeing her, though, and a number of patrons, made him smirk. Not that he would expect anything less, but his parents had accomplished the seemingly impossible. The saloon was no longer off-limits. It was no longer beholden to the town. And it was therefore no longer absent of women. Some women danced with men; others leaned over them as they gambled. A few sat with them at tables as they enjoyed a fine cigar.
The townsfolk hadn't taken the news well at all, of course, saying that this changed the order of things. They were so rowdy that it wouldn't surprise him if they tried to burn the saloon down again. Indeed, some were concerned about overpopulation, as if children would be popping out left and right or as though other towns did not exist. It was a valid point that Breighville was closest, but Mon-El didn't see that the saloon created deviancy; rather, it enabled it. Those who wanted to be here now had more freedom to do just that.
Mon-El balled his fists. Unlike the others, he didn't want to be here. He saw his father approaching him from his tall chair at the front. "Mon-El..." the man said, clearly at a loss for words.
"I'm losing her, pa," was all Mon-El could state.
Lar wrapped his arm around him and pulled him toward the back, just as Mon-El saw another woman enter; she was the new city woman everyone had been talking about — Lena's friend, Siobhan.
Mon-El sneered. Lena had pushed yet another person toward the edges of depravity.
IIII
Kara and Lena refreshed their horses and set out for the planned destination. Kara didn't think about it much these days, but thousands of acres of mountainous terrain existed in North Carolina. There were numerous, beautiful long-distance trails through different terrain and it all offered unique and exhilarating experiences. On the southern shore, there were foothills and a lake for swimming, boating, camping, and fishing, all of which she talked with Lena about as they passed by forested areas offering the occasional breathtaking scenery. At one point, they came across a subrange of mountains that featured a look-out spot. Lena spoke of how beautiful it all was. The most picturesque mountain views stared back at them, and Lena held her hand, seemingly without thinking. The brunette also hugged her close, and Kara didn't see any reason why she shouldn't hug back; so she did.
They traveled for hours, from day to dusk, making it through rhododendron, blueberry, ash, and beech forests, before setting up camp near a lake. As they sat by the fire after eating some rabbit meat Kara had prepared, Kara saw that Lena was staring at her intensely.
"Somethin' on ya mind?" she asked, placing her spectacles in her pocket. For comfort, she'd long changed out of the dress during one of her breaks to relieve herself.
"I just..." Lena looked down and then back at Kara again. "You surprise me sometimes."
Kara scratched near her eye. "That's good, right?"
"It is...but..."
"But, what?"
"I understand that you wanted to help me feel unimpeded. But, Kara, what are we doing here?" Her question clearly held a deeper meaning that she wasn't willing to voice.
Kara looked up at the sky. The stars shone bright. "I just wanted to spend some time with ya, Lena. I wanted to show you all of this." She looked back to the brunette. "Is that wrong?"
"You know that it's not."
"Good." Kara stood and walked to grab the bottle of wine. Before Lena could protest, she was downing its contents and coughing intermittently.
"Kara...careful." Lena stood up beside her, grabbing at the bottle. "You've never drank before."
"What brand is this?" Kara asked, ignoring Lena's concern.
"Château Lafite."
"Mmm. I'll put out the fire. You get ready for bed. I'll join ya in the tent in a few."
Lena looked at her with something Kara recognized as excitement. Kara felt her cheeks flush and she downed some more of the wine.
When she joined Lena in the tent, it was thirty minutes later and Kara had drank almost half of the wine bottle. She stumbled inside of the well-lit area and saw that Lena had changed into a shift. Kara sat on her bedroll, trying to disrobe, but stopped when she realized she was too sluggish to get the task accomplished. She watched Lena sit up across from her, the lamp near her illuminating her features. She sipped some more wine.
Abruptly, she moved closer to Lena, who reached for her wine bottle. "Ah-ah," Kara said, giggling. "This is mine."
"No, it isn't." Lena again tried to extract the bottle from Kara's hand, to no avail. Her fingers wrapped around Kara's.
Kara hiccupped and moved closer; she just wanted to feel Lena's cheek against hers. She just wanted to be closer to Lena. But Lena moved back.
"No."
Kara tried again, and again Lena moved back. "I said no." She finally managed to get the bottle out of the blonde's hand and place it behind her. "When you finally decide - I mean, truly decide - to come to me, I want you sober."
Kara pouted and fell back against her bedroll. Her eyelids felt heavy and she knew sleep was trying to take over. She looked up at the tent and then up at Lena who stared down at her with so much adoration that it made Kara's heart hurt. "Lena," she said softly, playing with the woman's necklace.
"Hm?"
"Will you smile at me the way you smile at Siobhan?"
Lena began playing with the loose curls of Kara's hair. Kara closed her eyes as she was soothed into a light slumber.
"Any time you like, Kara."
She felt Lena's lips on her forehead, and a foreign language she didn't understand followed: "Je t'aime."
