Kit was the first to wake up, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see
Spot's face. She slowly sat up wondering where they were and why Kosei
hadn't woken them up. The amount of sunlight that was shinning in from the
window told her it was mid-morning at the earliest. This had been the
latest she had slept in a long time and she wanted to know why around her
she heard snores. She finally rolled off the bench and slowly stood and
stretched, barely missed kicking Spot's sprawled legs. Then it hit her she
was on a train heading to the only place she never wanted to return to,
home.
She looked at the others who were still sleeping. She didn't want to sit back into the bench she had been sleeping on. She slid to the floor near the window. For the first time in over six months thought back to why she had been so instant on leaving home in the first place.
Her memories of the good times spent with Josh and Jeremy. Her first date, first kiss, first heartbreak came flooding back. Josh had been her best friend and then he left, blaming her for what happened to Jeremy, swearing that he would never talk to her again. Jeremy who had stood by her against the Johnson boys and was now going to pay for it everyday for the rest of his life. Memories of Sid, her uncle, also came. He had thrown her out of his life and now she was going back to face him. Face the memories.
She shook her head no need to go down that path before she had to, and having to was at least another 2 days away. She sat up on her knees and turned around to look out the window. It was almost harvest time, the wheat and corn fields that the train passed were golden brown in the morning sun. She watched the scenery pass not thinking of anything. She was totally out of it not even noticing when the others started to wake up.
Jolly was the first to wake up and his moving around woke up Bait. Almost immediately they began to whine about food. Their whining woke up Spot who threw his shirt at them in an unsuccessful effort to shut them up. The boys threw the shirt across to aisle landing on Two Bit, causing her to scream in Tack's ear. Tack sat straight up bumping the underside of Swan's chin. Swan's head flew back and hit the bench with a thump.
That thump woke up Cray and Mills who had up till then slept through it all. Tack passed Two Bit to the other couple then held up 3 fingers in front of Swan's face. "How many fingers?"
"3 fingers."
"What is today?"
"Today is the day after yesterday."
"Okay you got a headache?"
"Of course I just hit my head hard on the bench."
After that statement the fighting began again, at least until Kit yelled, "All right next person to throw a punch or yell anything is not getting any meals until after we get to Lincoln in 3 days got it?" That shut everyone up. Cray, Swan and Mills stared at Kit in surprise, they never thought she would actually be reduced to threatening anyone. Spot jumped up from his seat and went to grab his shirt.
Lacy handed it to him and after putting it on he took a hold of Kit's arm. "No one move till wes get back with breakfast." He pulled her out of the compartment and they walked to the dinning car. On the walk way between the two cars Spot pulled Kit off to the side.
"Morning Kit. Youse sleep well?" Spot asked as he pulled her close.
Kit rested her head on his shoulder, "I was doing great till everyone started waking up."
Spot nodded, "Youse okay?"
"I'll be fine, I just am anxious to get to Nebraska then head back home."
Spot looked surprised, "Youse ain't acting like youse happy to be going back."
"I am not happy just anxious, kinda dreading it. I'll be seeing people I haven't seen in a long time. One of them got really hurt because of me. I wonder if they'll even talk to me." Kit buried her head into Spot's shoulder as tears escaped from beneath her closed eyelids.
"Just remember youse got me and if they don't wanna talk to youse it's their problem not youse." Spot said gently. They stood like that for a few minutes until Spot remembered the threat they had made. "Kit wes got to go get those guys their food."
Kit's eyes widened in horror before she began to laugh. "They are gonna kill us."
"Only if wes show up without anything." Spot said as they walked into the dinning car and bought some sandwiches.
Swan looked ready to kill Spot as they got back to their seats, "What took so long?"
"Hold your horses Swan, we just was talking that's all." Kit said as she handed out the sandwiches, "We gotta save our money, everyone gets half a sandwich." The sandwiches disappeared all too quickly, and the kids began to get restless.
"Kit Ise bored." Jolly stood next to Kit tugging on her shirtsleeve.
"Me too Kit." Bait chimed in.
Kit looked at the boys, "Do you guys want me to read to you or something?"
Both boys nodded, so Kit searched through her things pulling out a penny novel she had picked up at the stop in Pittsburgh. The boys sat down on either side, and the girls came to climb on her lap. She began reading, "Chapter 1. It was the best of times it was the worst of times."
As Kit read to the kids the others sat around playing a game of poker. They were actually teaching Tack how to play but it did pass the time. Tack soon caught on and the games became pretty competitive even without any money being exchanged. It was around 3 when Kit noticed that the kids had all fallen asleep. "Pssttt hey you guys a little help here." Kit hissed not wanting to wake the sleeping children.
No one seemed to have heard her so she spoke a bit louder. "Pssttt anyone, I could really use some help here, my arms are falling asleep. Fine then I'm gonna wake them and you can deal with the cranky kids." No one even flinched. "Spot Conlon, get your ass over here and move your nephews or so help me God."
That finally got Spot's attention and he got up and taking first Lacy then Two Bit from her and moving them to the opposite bench. Kit stood up and brushed pass him before sitting on the bench. She then leaned against the wall and put her feet up on the seat before becoming totally absorbed in the book reading from where she had left off with the children. Spot sat back down and was dealt back into the card game.
Tack and Mills woke the kids up about an hour later with the hope that they would fall asleep easier if they didn't sleep the day away. All to soon they were complaining of being bored and wanting something to do. "Cray wes bored." Jolly whined.
"Then look out the window and count farm houses." Cray said exasperatedly.
The kids started to count barns out loud. This seemed to keep them entertained for a while. "Spot why is those buildings red." Bait asked pointing out to the passing barns.
"Because that is what color the people who owned them wanted to paint them." Spot said barely looking up from the current game of cards.
"Why did they want to paint them red? It's such an ugly color." Lacy pointed out.
"Because it stand out." Spot answered.
"Why does it stand out?" Two Bit asked as she sat down next to Spot.
"Because it is red."
"But why not green or blue. They stand out." Jolly asked sitting down next to Cray and looking at his hand. "Those cards won't do you any good."
Cray threw down his cards in disgust, which caused the other players to snicker. "Spot why didn't they's paint them barns green or blue?" Jolly hadn't forgotten his question.
"Because they liked red."
"Who would like red it is a yelky color." Lacy repeated with her nose scrunched up.
"Some one who obviously didn't have youse taste in color that's who." Tack said tapping her sister's nose.
"But why no blue?" Two Bit asked snuggling up to the leader of Brooklyn and starting to suck her thumb.
"Because it would blend in with the sky." Kit said looking up from her book.
The kids seemed to take this for an answer, until Jolly thought of another question to ask.
"Kit why is the sky blue?"
"Because it is." Kit sighed putting down her book.
"But why is it blue? There has to be a reason." Bait said with a pout.
Kit thought about it for a second, trying to come with an answer that would stop the questions. "Because the sun is shinning and making the normally black sky look blue."
"So why is the sky black then?" Bait said as he came over and pulled her book down from in front of her face.
"Because it's dark without the sunlight. Just like a room is dark when there aren't any candles or lanterns lit." Kit said trying to get back to reading.
"Oh. Kit when wes gonna get to Nabasketa?"
"We'll get there in two days." Kit said looking at the boy in front of her. "You are just full of questions aren't you?"
"Yes it's cause no one is letten me play wit them." Bait said with a pout.
Kit sat up and put her book down and grabbed the deck of cards out of her bag. "Come over here I'll teach you a new card game I played with my friends back home." She sat down gathering the kids around her as she began to teach them blackjack. The boys knew the game but enjoyed playing on teams with the little girls, who were still learning to count.
Swan saw what Kit was teaching the kids and began to protest. "Kit do you really think they should learn to play blackjack?"
"Now Swan you go back to playing poker this is teaching them how to count. Plus there is nothing wrong with Blackjack." Kit said as she looked at her hand.
They played late into the night the girls cheering no matter who won while the boys played to win. Kit did receive some disproving looks from those passing by but kept playing until the kids began to nod off. The others helped her put them all in their respective seats this time splitting up the twins and putting the girls on their own seat.
Then Kit made a pronouncement. "I am not entertaining them all by myself for the rest of this trip. In fact tomorrow I am planning on spending the entire day reading. It is my day off." She then went and curled up on the empty seat totally ignoring the shocked looks on everyone's faces.
Mills and Tack discussed how to look after the girls, leaving the boys in the guys care. It was finally decided that Swan and Tack would look after Two Bit and Jolly while Mills and Cray looked after Bait and Lacy. They decided that Spot would try to talk to Kit to find out what was bugging her. They broke up then and went to find places to sleep.
Spot sat down across from Kit watching her drift off before going up to the join in on a poker that was going on at the front of the car. The game was for money this time and the players underestimated the young man with the New York accent. The game ended just before dawn with Spot coming out on top, winning quite a bit of money from the very surprised businessmen. As he sat back on the bench that had been claimed by Kit he put her legs across his lap and pushed his hat in front of his eyes hoping to catch some sleep before the kids woke up.
She looked at the others who were still sleeping. She didn't want to sit back into the bench she had been sleeping on. She slid to the floor near the window. For the first time in over six months thought back to why she had been so instant on leaving home in the first place.
Her memories of the good times spent with Josh and Jeremy. Her first date, first kiss, first heartbreak came flooding back. Josh had been her best friend and then he left, blaming her for what happened to Jeremy, swearing that he would never talk to her again. Jeremy who had stood by her against the Johnson boys and was now going to pay for it everyday for the rest of his life. Memories of Sid, her uncle, also came. He had thrown her out of his life and now she was going back to face him. Face the memories.
She shook her head no need to go down that path before she had to, and having to was at least another 2 days away. She sat up on her knees and turned around to look out the window. It was almost harvest time, the wheat and corn fields that the train passed were golden brown in the morning sun. She watched the scenery pass not thinking of anything. She was totally out of it not even noticing when the others started to wake up.
Jolly was the first to wake up and his moving around woke up Bait. Almost immediately they began to whine about food. Their whining woke up Spot who threw his shirt at them in an unsuccessful effort to shut them up. The boys threw the shirt across to aisle landing on Two Bit, causing her to scream in Tack's ear. Tack sat straight up bumping the underside of Swan's chin. Swan's head flew back and hit the bench with a thump.
That thump woke up Cray and Mills who had up till then slept through it all. Tack passed Two Bit to the other couple then held up 3 fingers in front of Swan's face. "How many fingers?"
"3 fingers."
"What is today?"
"Today is the day after yesterday."
"Okay you got a headache?"
"Of course I just hit my head hard on the bench."
After that statement the fighting began again, at least until Kit yelled, "All right next person to throw a punch or yell anything is not getting any meals until after we get to Lincoln in 3 days got it?" That shut everyone up. Cray, Swan and Mills stared at Kit in surprise, they never thought she would actually be reduced to threatening anyone. Spot jumped up from his seat and went to grab his shirt.
Lacy handed it to him and after putting it on he took a hold of Kit's arm. "No one move till wes get back with breakfast." He pulled her out of the compartment and they walked to the dinning car. On the walk way between the two cars Spot pulled Kit off to the side.
"Morning Kit. Youse sleep well?" Spot asked as he pulled her close.
Kit rested her head on his shoulder, "I was doing great till everyone started waking up."
Spot nodded, "Youse okay?"
"I'll be fine, I just am anxious to get to Nebraska then head back home."
Spot looked surprised, "Youse ain't acting like youse happy to be going back."
"I am not happy just anxious, kinda dreading it. I'll be seeing people I haven't seen in a long time. One of them got really hurt because of me. I wonder if they'll even talk to me." Kit buried her head into Spot's shoulder as tears escaped from beneath her closed eyelids.
"Just remember youse got me and if they don't wanna talk to youse it's their problem not youse." Spot said gently. They stood like that for a few minutes until Spot remembered the threat they had made. "Kit wes got to go get those guys their food."
Kit's eyes widened in horror before she began to laugh. "They are gonna kill us."
"Only if wes show up without anything." Spot said as they walked into the dinning car and bought some sandwiches.
Swan looked ready to kill Spot as they got back to their seats, "What took so long?"
"Hold your horses Swan, we just was talking that's all." Kit said as she handed out the sandwiches, "We gotta save our money, everyone gets half a sandwich." The sandwiches disappeared all too quickly, and the kids began to get restless.
"Kit Ise bored." Jolly stood next to Kit tugging on her shirtsleeve.
"Me too Kit." Bait chimed in.
Kit looked at the boys, "Do you guys want me to read to you or something?"
Both boys nodded, so Kit searched through her things pulling out a penny novel she had picked up at the stop in Pittsburgh. The boys sat down on either side, and the girls came to climb on her lap. She began reading, "Chapter 1. It was the best of times it was the worst of times."
As Kit read to the kids the others sat around playing a game of poker. They were actually teaching Tack how to play but it did pass the time. Tack soon caught on and the games became pretty competitive even without any money being exchanged. It was around 3 when Kit noticed that the kids had all fallen asleep. "Pssttt hey you guys a little help here." Kit hissed not wanting to wake the sleeping children.
No one seemed to have heard her so she spoke a bit louder. "Pssttt anyone, I could really use some help here, my arms are falling asleep. Fine then I'm gonna wake them and you can deal with the cranky kids." No one even flinched. "Spot Conlon, get your ass over here and move your nephews or so help me God."
That finally got Spot's attention and he got up and taking first Lacy then Two Bit from her and moving them to the opposite bench. Kit stood up and brushed pass him before sitting on the bench. She then leaned against the wall and put her feet up on the seat before becoming totally absorbed in the book reading from where she had left off with the children. Spot sat back down and was dealt back into the card game.
Tack and Mills woke the kids up about an hour later with the hope that they would fall asleep easier if they didn't sleep the day away. All to soon they were complaining of being bored and wanting something to do. "Cray wes bored." Jolly whined.
"Then look out the window and count farm houses." Cray said exasperatedly.
The kids started to count barns out loud. This seemed to keep them entertained for a while. "Spot why is those buildings red." Bait asked pointing out to the passing barns.
"Because that is what color the people who owned them wanted to paint them." Spot said barely looking up from the current game of cards.
"Why did they want to paint them red? It's such an ugly color." Lacy pointed out.
"Because it stand out." Spot answered.
"Why does it stand out?" Two Bit asked as she sat down next to Spot.
"Because it is red."
"But why not green or blue. They stand out." Jolly asked sitting down next to Cray and looking at his hand. "Those cards won't do you any good."
Cray threw down his cards in disgust, which caused the other players to snicker. "Spot why didn't they's paint them barns green or blue?" Jolly hadn't forgotten his question.
"Because they liked red."
"Who would like red it is a yelky color." Lacy repeated with her nose scrunched up.
"Some one who obviously didn't have youse taste in color that's who." Tack said tapping her sister's nose.
"But why no blue?" Two Bit asked snuggling up to the leader of Brooklyn and starting to suck her thumb.
"Because it would blend in with the sky." Kit said looking up from her book.
The kids seemed to take this for an answer, until Jolly thought of another question to ask.
"Kit why is the sky blue?"
"Because it is." Kit sighed putting down her book.
"But why is it blue? There has to be a reason." Bait said with a pout.
Kit thought about it for a second, trying to come with an answer that would stop the questions. "Because the sun is shinning and making the normally black sky look blue."
"So why is the sky black then?" Bait said as he came over and pulled her book down from in front of her face.
"Because it's dark without the sunlight. Just like a room is dark when there aren't any candles or lanterns lit." Kit said trying to get back to reading.
"Oh. Kit when wes gonna get to Nabasketa?"
"We'll get there in two days." Kit said looking at the boy in front of her. "You are just full of questions aren't you?"
"Yes it's cause no one is letten me play wit them." Bait said with a pout.
Kit sat up and put her book down and grabbed the deck of cards out of her bag. "Come over here I'll teach you a new card game I played with my friends back home." She sat down gathering the kids around her as she began to teach them blackjack. The boys knew the game but enjoyed playing on teams with the little girls, who were still learning to count.
Swan saw what Kit was teaching the kids and began to protest. "Kit do you really think they should learn to play blackjack?"
"Now Swan you go back to playing poker this is teaching them how to count. Plus there is nothing wrong with Blackjack." Kit said as she looked at her hand.
They played late into the night the girls cheering no matter who won while the boys played to win. Kit did receive some disproving looks from those passing by but kept playing until the kids began to nod off. The others helped her put them all in their respective seats this time splitting up the twins and putting the girls on their own seat.
Then Kit made a pronouncement. "I am not entertaining them all by myself for the rest of this trip. In fact tomorrow I am planning on spending the entire day reading. It is my day off." She then went and curled up on the empty seat totally ignoring the shocked looks on everyone's faces.
Mills and Tack discussed how to look after the girls, leaving the boys in the guys care. It was finally decided that Swan and Tack would look after Two Bit and Jolly while Mills and Cray looked after Bait and Lacy. They decided that Spot would try to talk to Kit to find out what was bugging her. They broke up then and went to find places to sleep.
Spot sat down across from Kit watching her drift off before going up to the join in on a poker that was going on at the front of the car. The game was for money this time and the players underestimated the young man with the New York accent. The game ended just before dawn with Spot coming out on top, winning quite a bit of money from the very surprised businessmen. As he sat back on the bench that had been claimed by Kit he put her legs across his lap and pushed his hat in front of his eyes hoping to catch some sleep before the kids woke up.