Shawn and Belle had no idea where they were. All they could make out was they were in a very poor town a few hours away from New York. They spent the night in a stable they discovered. As morning rose Belle pulled a sleeping Shawn in closer to keep her warm. She had a flashback to the night before. The adrenalin of running away and sleeping rough had the teens caught up in the moment, resulting in the pair sharing their first time making love. Belle felt so safe and comfortable with Shawn. As Shawn opened his eyes, there was no embarrasment from either of them. Belle kissed Shawn lightly on his lips.
"What do we do today Shawn? We have no money."
"I need to think Belle. We need to find a job locally to help us."
"Shawn, I don't think this town has enough jobs for the people who live here. They wont employ two young people like us, with no home."
"I know Belle. Perhaps this was all a bad idea."
"No Shawn. I couldn't imagine living without you. Especially now. I feel so close to you." Belle hugged Shawn, and whispered into his ear. "I love you Shawn."
"I love you to Belle."
"Isn't this cosy." A voice came from the door. The startled teens looked up to see a tall, skinny man stood there holding a savage looking dog on a leech. "You children get out of here before I set my dog on you. He hasn't eaten in days, and he's hungry."
"I'm sorry sir." Belle said. She stood up. "We've come all the way from New York, we have no money and no home. If theres anyway you can help us, we would both be thankful."
"Darling, like I said, I can barely afford to feed my dog. My wife died over two years ago, I don't have the time or patience to keep growing food."
"You have a garden." Shawn asked.
"Yes, overgrown with weeds now. I have to care for my dog, and work locally for hardly any money."
"Sir, if we took care of your garden, and planted seeds could we stay here in your stable. We would find our own food."
"Um, I suppose."
"Oh thank you sir." Belle wrapped her arms around the man. "My name is Belle Black, and this is Shawn Brady."
"My name is Thomas. Now it's a fine day. I have to go to work, if oyu start on the garden, we could get some seeds in tomorrow."
"We wont fail you sir." Shawn reasurred the man. Thomas left Belle and Shawn alone.
"Shawn, I hope we can trust him."
"I think we should. He seems to be our only hope at the moment Belle. Now come on lets get rid of those weeds in Thomas' garden.
Thomas was right, the day was fine, and very hot. After a few hours Shawn had stripped down to just his trousers. It took all day, but upon Thomas' return the garden was weed free. The man was impressed with the pairs work. He gave them both some bread, and a blanket for the night, but with the heat it wasn;t really needed, but the sentiment was there, and much appreciated.
Only an hour away in a neighbouring town, Daniel was nearing Belle and Shawn. It was so far, just a fluke that landed him in this town. Gerald however wasn't so lucky. He was at a loss as to where to start looking. He knew Shawn and Belle would have stowed away on the nearest train to the hospital. The train guard told him the last train to leave New York that day was a two hour journey taking coal to a town called Trinity. On a whim Gerald purchased a ticket for the next day to this town. He went home that night to spend some hours sleeping. John caught Gerald as he went to his room.
"Gerald, I need to talk to you."
Gerald went into the room, knowing he couldnt tell John about the conversation he had heard between Marlena and Daniel.
"Gerald, I am going away tomorrow to look for Isabella. I need you to take care of the house while I am gone."
"Well sir, I heard today my sister is very ill. I was hoping to go and see her for two days."
"What a time for all of this. I am sorry about your sister Gerald. Of course you can visit with her. Marlena will cope, and with me and Isabella gone, you wont have much to do anyway."
"You'll find her sir."
"I hope so Gerald. I really do."
TBC
"What do we do today Shawn? We have no money."
"I need to think Belle. We need to find a job locally to help us."
"Shawn, I don't think this town has enough jobs for the people who live here. They wont employ two young people like us, with no home."
"I know Belle. Perhaps this was all a bad idea."
"No Shawn. I couldn't imagine living without you. Especially now. I feel so close to you." Belle hugged Shawn, and whispered into his ear. "I love you Shawn."
"I love you to Belle."
"Isn't this cosy." A voice came from the door. The startled teens looked up to see a tall, skinny man stood there holding a savage looking dog on a leech. "You children get out of here before I set my dog on you. He hasn't eaten in days, and he's hungry."
"I'm sorry sir." Belle said. She stood up. "We've come all the way from New York, we have no money and no home. If theres anyway you can help us, we would both be thankful."
"Darling, like I said, I can barely afford to feed my dog. My wife died over two years ago, I don't have the time or patience to keep growing food."
"You have a garden." Shawn asked.
"Yes, overgrown with weeds now. I have to care for my dog, and work locally for hardly any money."
"Sir, if we took care of your garden, and planted seeds could we stay here in your stable. We would find our own food."
"Um, I suppose."
"Oh thank you sir." Belle wrapped her arms around the man. "My name is Belle Black, and this is Shawn Brady."
"My name is Thomas. Now it's a fine day. I have to go to work, if oyu start on the garden, we could get some seeds in tomorrow."
"We wont fail you sir." Shawn reasurred the man. Thomas left Belle and Shawn alone.
"Shawn, I hope we can trust him."
"I think we should. He seems to be our only hope at the moment Belle. Now come on lets get rid of those weeds in Thomas' garden.
Thomas was right, the day was fine, and very hot. After a few hours Shawn had stripped down to just his trousers. It took all day, but upon Thomas' return the garden was weed free. The man was impressed with the pairs work. He gave them both some bread, and a blanket for the night, but with the heat it wasn;t really needed, but the sentiment was there, and much appreciated.
Only an hour away in a neighbouring town, Daniel was nearing Belle and Shawn. It was so far, just a fluke that landed him in this town. Gerald however wasn't so lucky. He was at a loss as to where to start looking. He knew Shawn and Belle would have stowed away on the nearest train to the hospital. The train guard told him the last train to leave New York that day was a two hour journey taking coal to a town called Trinity. On a whim Gerald purchased a ticket for the next day to this town. He went home that night to spend some hours sleeping. John caught Gerald as he went to his room.
"Gerald, I need to talk to you."
Gerald went into the room, knowing he couldnt tell John about the conversation he had heard between Marlena and Daniel.
"Gerald, I am going away tomorrow to look for Isabella. I need you to take care of the house while I am gone."
"Well sir, I heard today my sister is very ill. I was hoping to go and see her for two days."
"What a time for all of this. I am sorry about your sister Gerald. Of course you can visit with her. Marlena will cope, and with me and Isabella gone, you wont have much to do anyway."
"You'll find her sir."
"I hope so Gerald. I really do."
TBC